Don't Settle On the Mountaintop

I've been following social media news about Sean Feucht for a while now. For anyone who doesn't know who he is, the man is a California-based worship leader who has been traveling to cities throughout the United States with the goal of worshiping, preaching, and calling people to repentance and revival. Thousands of people, according to his Facebook page, have been saved, and his zeal is strong and incredibly obvious. In my mind, he is becoming a modern-day George Wakefield, or possibly a Billy Graham - not to the same level yet, but the same idea: an evangelist who takes the nation by storm. He has taken the pivotal position of putting brakes to a nation that is veering wildly off course and steering them in a different direction.

There is no doubt in my mind that he is filled with the Holy Spirit, and that his fire is from the Lord.

However, this morning as I was praying, there was a concern that presented itself to me, and I'm trying to think best how to put it. 

USA Today picked up some of Sean's story this morning and called into question the fact that thousands of people are seen at his rallies without masks, singing, and standing in close proximity to one another. That's not the concern. I recognize that the mask-debate is a deeply divisive topic in our society today. I see it even in my own circles of friends. And I want to make it clear that I am not debating masks today. This article merely served to touch off some thoughts for me regarding the response to Sean's ministry, not the ministry itself. These concerns of mine extend beyond Sean's ministry to other ministries I've seen on Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, and other social media.

Daniel 10:12 says: "Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them."

It's the cry of my heart to know God, to understand Him as much as my earthly, limited mind can understand Him, to open up the eyes of my soul to see the things He is doing, and to walk in step with what He chooses to show me. So I take Daniel 10:12 as a promise that God responds to those who truly, with consistent fervency, seek His heart.

Daniel 2:21b-23 says: "He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him. I thank and praise You, oh God of my fathers. You have given me wisdom and power; You have made known to me what we asked of You, You have made know to us the dream of the king."

So I prayed this morning for wisdom to understand what troubles me. As I reflected on the whole situation - online ministry, a world governed by the internet - I realized that I was looking at the situation instead of behind the situation, if that makes sense. With that thought came the picture of a person standing in a field, looking up at a wide expanse of action and events, scripted out as though on a stage, but taking place in the air above him in an enormous arc. From where that person was standing, he couldn't see beyond it, but from a distance, if he could have stood outside of the arc of events... he could have seen above it to the much wider arc of action that had nothing do with the smaller events... and everything to do with them.

Here's what I concluded: 

Masks are not the issue. Neither is Sean Feucht's ministry. Neither are Dana Coverstone's prophetic dreams, nor the several other warnings posted on social media for upcoming months. Neither are U.S. politics, nor President Trump, nor his coronavirus struggle, nor Joe Biden, nor his bid for the presidency. Neither is Amy Coney Barrett. All of these things that are happening are off-shoots of the real struggle going on behind the picture.

In that real struggle: Where is our goal? Where is the finish line? As people of God, citizens of the eternal kingdom, can we see behind the picture?

The comment section on any post online is not a great place to dwell, but I admit the comments draw me in. I like to see what people think. Sometimes I don't like to see what people think. Either way, it's a very revealing glimpse into the workings of the human mind.

I've seen fear of the future in these comment sections. I've seen uncertainty. I've seen change. I've seen a zeal that often sounds good, even great. I see spiritual fervor and hearts on fire. I see people longing for something different and new. 

But I think the Holy Spirit was whispering to me today: Spiritual fervor is not the end goal. Revival is not the finish line. I see many people longing for the spiritual ecstasy, for the ushy-gushie feelings that come with amazing worship... and less for the Giver of those feelings.

Spiritual fervor is a wonderful thing. And I've been praying for national and international revival for months. But that is NOT the finish line on this journey. While not true for nearly everyone, I think there are many people who are settling for the emotional and spiritual high that comes with worship such as happens when Spirit-led leaders do what they're supposed to do.

Sean, Dana, and others are being faithful to what their calling is, but are we being faithful to stay on the correct course, to take the long journey? 

I have a love-hate relationship with those rest areas along I-81. I use them, because I have three kids who need a pit-stop now and then, but they delay the final destination. "Are we there yet?" "Why no, kids, we're not there, because you insisted on running around the rest area for thirty minutes instead of the ten minutes I told you." ;) 

I think it's important not to veer off at the rest area and think our journey is over. Our mountaintop is a wonderful experience. But it's not the final experience. It's not the end goal. 

Psalm 84:5, 7 says: "Blessed are those whose strength is in You, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage... They go from strength to strength until each appears before God in Zion." 

Don't settle on the mountaintop. The journey isn't over yet. It means more valleys... and in all likelihood, more mountaintops, too... but the end reward is going to be so. worth. it!