sidespin: when you pursue God’s purpose rather than yours, the Holy Spirit is free to move in your midst.

I remember one particular Mother's Day when I was pastoring the church in Farmersville, Texas. I had worked hard on a Mother's Day sermon that year. I mean I worked on it for days. I had quotes of great and famous men of old—I quoted Benjamin Franklin and Abraham Lincoln and men like that. I had all my notes and I worked hard on them. When I was finally finished, I knew that sermon was a good one!

There were four other churches a few miles away that were putting together a special afternoon meeting on Mother's Day. They wanted me to come and preach. Because of that, I missed my morning service, so I told my congregation we'd have our Mother's Day service on Sunday night instead of on Sunday morning.
When I preached that sermon in the afternoon for these other chinches, I knew it was good because everyone just bragged on it! So I thought, I'm going to preach that Sunday night in my church.

I planned my evening service so that everything was about "Mother." There were special songs all about Mother. There was a ladies trio singing about Mother. However, the whole time that the ladies trio was singing, I didn't hear one word they sang because the Lord was dealing with me. There was an argument going on between my heart and my head.

The Lord said to me, "Have a healing service right now. Just as soon as they finish that song, get up and announce a healing service."
"Why, Lord," I said, "You're going to ruin my good sermon. Lord, I worked on this thing for days and weeks. I can't preach a Mother's Day sermon next Sunday—it won't be Mother's Day. The people would think I was crazy! I'll have to wait a whole year before I can preach my sermon." My sermon!

The Lord said again to me, "Pray for the sick just as soon as the singers finish singing."

I said again, "Lord, the people will think I'm crazy." I looked over the crowd. In the Mother's Day program, we were going to have some of the younger children come to the platform to do some recitations, and their fathers had come to see their children perform. I knew some of those men wouldn't be back in church again until the Christmas program!

So I said to the Lord, "Lord, those men will think I'm crazy. I mean, we have everything planned to focus on 'Mother.' I've got this Mother's Day sermon, and it's a good one too. It's all about 'Mother' in the Bible. This crowd will think I'm crazy getting up here announcing a healing meeting and praying for the sick. Nothing is going in that direction, Lord! Everything is directed toward 'Mother.'"

The Lord said again, "Pray for the sick. Minister to the sick." After that ladies trio finished their song, I got up and opened my Bible. I even began reading my text on "Mother." Finally, I just closed my Bible and said, "I'm going to obey God. God said, 'Minister to the sick.'"

I remember in that service there was one fellow who would frequently come by our parsonage. Actually, he would cut through the yard between our parsonage and the church to go to a store up the street.

I don't know what had happened to him, but somehow he had injured his back in such a way that he walked stooped over. He couldn't straighten up and walk normally. When I announced the healing service, he came forward for prayer. I laid hands on him and the power of God hit him and instantly straightened his back and he stood up straight! He was an older man, but after God healed him he could twist around, bend over, and even touch the floor. He went through all kinds of gymnastics right in front of everyone. In that service, a little baby was also miraculously healed. I looked back in the congregation to the men I thought would think I was crazy for having a healing meeting, and they were all crying. They were wiping tears from their eyes!

You see, when we pursue God's purpose rather than our own, the Holy Spirit is free to move in our midst. He can accomplish more in five minutes than we could accomplish in five years! (Kenneth Hagin)

sidespin: when you pursue God’s purpose rather than yours, the Holy Spirit is free to move in your midst.

I remember one particular Mother's Day when I was pastoring the church in Farmersville, Texas. I had worked hard on a Mother's Day sermon that year. I mean I worked on it for days. I had quotes of great and famous men of old—I quoted Benjamin Franklin and Abraham Lincoln and men like that. I had all my notes and I worked hard on them. When I was finally finished, I knew that sermon was a good one!

There were four other churches a few miles away that were putting together a special afternoon meeting on Mother's Day. They wanted me to come and preach. Because of that, I missed my morning service, so I told my congregation we'd have our Mother's Day service on Sunday night instead of on Sunday morning.
When I preached that sermon in the afternoon for these other chinches, I knew it was good because everyone just bragged on it! So I thought, I'm going to preach that Sunday night in my church.

I planned my evening service so that everything was about "Mother." There were special songs all about Mother. There was a ladies trio singing about Mother. However, the whole time that the ladies trio was singing, I didn't hear one word they sang because the Lord was dealing with me. There was an argument going on between my heart and my head.

The Lord said to me, "Have a healing service right now. Just as soon as they finish that song, get up and announce a healing service."
"Why, Lord," I said, "You're going to ruin my good sermon. Lord, I worked on this thing for days and weeks. I can't preach a Mother's Day sermon next Sunday—it won't be Mother's Day. The people would think I was crazy! I'll have to wait a whole year before I can preach my sermon." My sermon!

The Lord said again to me, "Pray for the sick just as soon as the singers finish singing."

I said again, "Lord, the people will think I'm crazy." I looked over the crowd. In the Mother's Day program, we were going to have some of the younger children come to the platform to do some recitations, and their fathers had come to see their children perform. I knew some of those men wouldn't be back in church again until the Christmas program!

So I said to the Lord, "Lord, those men will think I'm crazy. I mean, we have everything planned to focus on 'Mother.' I've got this Mother's Day sermon, and it's a good one too. It's all about 'Mother' in the Bible. This crowd will think I'm crazy getting up here announcing a healing meeting and praying for the sick. Nothing is going in that direction, Lord! Everything is directed toward 'Mother.'"

The Lord said again, "Pray for the sick. Minister to the sick." After that ladies trio finished their song, I got up and opened my Bible. I even began reading my text on "Mother." Finally, I just closed my Bible and said, "I'm going to obey God. God said, 'Minister to the sick.'"

I remember in that service there was one fellow who would frequently come by our parsonage. Actually, he would cut through the yard between our parsonage and the church to go to a store up the street.

I don't know what had happened to him, but somehow he had injured his back in such a way that he walked stooped over. He couldn't straighten up and walk normally. When I announced the healing service, he came forward for prayer. I laid hands on him and the power of God hit him and instantly straightened his back and he stood up straight! He was an older man, but after God healed him he could twist around, bend over, and even touch the floor. He went through all kinds of gymnastics right in front of everyone. In that service, a little baby was also miraculously healed. I looked back in the congregation to the men I thought would think I was crazy for having a healing meeting, and they were all crying. They were wiping tears from their eyes!

You see, when we pursue God's purpose rather than our own, the Holy Spirit is free to move in our midst. He can accomplish more in five minutes than we could accomplish in five years! (Kenneth Hagin)