Having been raised in church throughout my
childhood and even as an adult I have not heard
teachings as I am about to share with you now.
Growing up I remember hearing about the
mighty outpouring of God's Spirit. Acts 2:17-18
17'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my
Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters
will prophesy, your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on
my servants, both men and women, I will pour
out my Spirit in those days, and they will
prophesy." This powerful scripture would often
times be quoted to give us hope in what God
was going to do. It, however, has become a
Christianese phrase. It is from the Bible and
sounds good when quoted. What makes it
qualify for a Christianese phrase is that it has
always been treated the sane way as a "future
word" that takes place sometime in the future.
This scripture is to be applied today not years
into the future.
As a Christianese phrase it is used as a cop out,
a lame excuse. No need to do anything else but
wait for God. The Christians that believe this
are powerless and worthless as Christians who
are here to impact their surroundings for God's
kingdom. I say this because nothing happens in
the meantime. That brings me to another
scripture that has become a Christianese phrase.
Isaiah 40:31 "But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up
with wings like eagles, They shall run and not
be weary, They shall walk and not faint." Again
this scripture has been used as a "future word".
To wait on the Lord, to wait for the Lord, for
the Lord to do something, show something or
perform some miracle as we wait on the Lord.
No need for you to do anything as you wait
FOR the Lord. This is another cop out! The real
meaning of this passage is not to wait for the
Lord but to wait upon the Lord as to wait on
tables at a restaurant as a servant. To do this
you must be vigilant in your daily prayer time
as you continue to seek God's kingdom and
righteousness.
Another scripture that has been used as a
Christianese phrase Romans 8:14 "For those
who are led by the Spirit of God are the
children of God." If you are being "led by the
Spirit of God" you wait for God. You wait to
hear from God, you wait for a sign from God,
but you don't run ahead of God. So no need for
you to do anything until you are "led by the
Spirit of God". Once again this phrase is used
as a cop out. Many times these three scriptures
are used in combination when speaking
Christianese. "I'm waiting on the Lord to pour
out His mighty Spirit on all flesh." "I am a
Spirit led Christian who waits on the Lord to
guide me in His good time." When these
scriptures are treated this way it is like someone
is using them to take time off from being a
Christian as they "wait on the Lord'. Just
another example of a cop out
Cop outs are just another way to avoid having
to change. It is easier to blame God for not
doing anything as "you wait upon the Lord' or
as "the Spirit leads you" than to blame yourself
and have to do something about it. Looking like
a Christian while you "wait upon the Lord".
Meanwhile God eagerly awaits your decision to
initiate daily contact in prayer and seeking Him
through His Word. James 4:8 "Come near to
God and he will come near to you." You have to
make the first move if you want God to move
in your life!
It is easy to fall onto the Christianese trap and
become stagnant as a Christian but that isn't
God's will for your life! God considers you part
of the "body of Christ" and each body part has
its work to do. None more important than the
other but ALL working together to accomplish
His will. It doesn't say that you are some spare
body part waiting to be used by God. Hearing
from God is always a good idea. You cannot
hear from God while speaking Christianese.
You can hear from God in several ways if you
want to. God speaks to us through His Word,
through a "given word", from a friend, through