Relaxed Christianity : Episode Two > By now about everyone has heard of what happened when Ross Johnston and some brave Christians tried to hold a Gospel meeting in Cal Anderson Park, Seattle Washington. We are talking serious spiritual warfare that even got physical! We can see who the true haters are. I think it was 22 people who got arrested! One Police Officer was injured! And you might be asking, how could this possibly be Relaxed Christianity???

I’m glad you asked. As I said in first article, there is a hard way and easier way to do almost everything. It’s not “what” we’re doing, it’s “how” we do it. As a Relaxed Christian I could very easily have gone in there. Actually, someone like me might be more likely to go in, because I don’t get in fear. First of all, I ask God. God? Are you sending me in there? If the answer is yes, then I make sure I’m prayed up, (very important!), and then I go in trusting God and asking God to help me > “Light Be!!!” Supernatural. God’s Wine, not mine.

I expect God’s supernatural. I depend on it. Again, the simplicity of our faith. I make sure I have filled my water pot to the brim with water, and then I count on God to turn my water to His wine, as He has shown He will do! I don’t go in with preconceived ideas of what should happen, or what a “win” even looks like. I already won when I obeyed God. RELAX! And LIGHT BE! Go in the joy and power of our Lord.

They say when God said, “Let there be light”, He actually said, “Light Be!” That is a regular prayer of mine. Every Christian needs to carefully examine the intimacy and quality of their prayer life. Prayer is like our most powerful discipline. If we are faithful in the basics, then God will do the rest. Basic Christianity 101. I believe God’s people are relearning this. A move of the Holy Spirit is happening and God’s people are coming alive in what Jesus actually said and did! Our knowledge is being increased!

I shared recently with a group of men that I remember the, “What Would Jesus Do?” movement. WWJD movement. But I never understood how the answer to the question of “what would Jesus do” often did not seem to line up with what He actually did when He was on earth! I began challenging people not to ask what would Jesus do, but ask “What DID Jesus do?” WDJD.

It is more powerful to go into dangerous situations relaxed in faith and peace, than to go in “tense”, uptight, and fearful. Do not have expectations except to expect the will of God! Supernaturally! Flux and flex with God. Remember what Jesus said to His followers?

In Matthew 10:19, Jesus said, “And when they deliver you up, do NOT be ANXIOUS how or what you should speak; for in that hour you will be given what you should say.” (Berean Literal Bible)

Relaxed Christianity. The relaxed Christian does not avoid such things as these. We simply know it is not our power that can do anything. The pressure is not on us. We show up prayed up and living faithful, in love with our Lord, and then we “LIGHT BE!” If were in the Holy Spirit, we cannot help but be light. It is our natural and supernatural state of being. It is who and what we have become. There is no strain to do it. It is a strain not to do it!

I have spoken before of the three types of people. Rowboat, Motorboat, and Sailboat persons. In any large gathering you’re going to have all three types there, but we need to learn to be the sailboats. All sailboats go to heaven, I like to say. We live, operate, and fight a different way. In martial arts we actually learn a relaxed punch can be more powerful! Because of a “snap” that comes at the end like a whip! (Interesting, huh.)

The sailboat person is not relying on revving up a manmade motor, or row, row, row your boat harder and faster down the stream, or up stream. They are completely dependent upon the wind. They sail gracefully upon the seven seas of life by the unseen forces of God and His Kingdom. Even the angels that guard us. We function a different way than an immature or carnal Christian. We have learned to function this way. It has become our habit. Our habits become our habitat! (Psalms 91)

Again, if we consider Psalms 23 and the peacefulness of that whole chapter. Psalms 23 is like the foundational chapter for picturing the Relaxed Christian. Consider the scriptures saying, He prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies. What kind of sense does that make? Unless, God expects us to stay in faith and peacefully enjoy His table even when in the midst of an enemy who hates us. LIGHT BE!!! God is able to keep us. His favor about us as a shield.

Our peacefulness is a powerful testimony to those we are trying to reach. Our lack of fear and childlike faith. Everyone desires peace! Most of them don’t have it. When they see you with peace that passes understanding, they are actually drawn to it. They have to fight it, deny it. They are actually envious of what we have, and that is one of the strongest emotions motivating them to hate us. Kinda like some poor people are jealous of the rich, and hate them. We truly are the rich, and they know it. They may know it even more than we do.

So…Relaxed Christianity is powerful spiritual warfare. It is not avoiding such things. We enter the valley of the shadow of death without fear, and without expectations. Like Shadrack, Meshack, and Abendigo. God may physically deliver us, or may not! It does not matter. We obey God. We have that kind of childlike faith and peace. But that is when the 4th man shows up, in the fire!

We already won when we lived faithful, prayed up, filled our pot with the water of God’s Word and Ways, obeyed God and entered in with great peace. The Words that will come out of our mouth is like a powerful Sword of Light! We do not see with our eyes the effect that Sword of Truth has against the enemy. But relax. Know it is so! Do not dread being a part of going into the streets! Be bold as a lion for loving people, and speaking His Word in love and truth. Let God worry about the end results and what a “win” looks like.

We focus on our daily basics. Are we prayed up? Are we full of God’s Word? Are we going forth in love and truth? Has God sent us? Have we prayed enough to hear His voice and know we are meant to be there? Don’t be there if you’re not sent! Go where you are sent, and Light Be!

We make things too complicated. We put more on ourself than is meant to be. We try to be the strong man, but it is He who is my strength, not me. My wife understands I am her strength. How many times has she strained to open a jar and then handed it to me? We can’t turn water to wine. That is not our part. REST in HIM. Live in the 7th Day. L7D! Under His shadow, in His REST. Amen. This is a powerful way to live. Promised Land living. Milk, honey, and God’s wine! The Promised Land was a land of great wine!

P.S. > A final note. Unfortunately, I’m afraid going into the fields and to the people who need us most is an area we have been lacking in. We are seeing more and more of a rise in this kind of ministry. Men like Mario Murillo and his tent meetings have been leaders in this great need. This is a very good “sign” that we are seeing an increase. But do be wary, we are stirring a hornet’s nest. There is no avoiding this. Light Be! And God’s peace be unto you.

To be continued.