How does this happen?

I faced a situation that really put things in perspective for me. I received a call from a friend that is very close to me. She first befriended me at Brownsville. She cried for two hours on the phone telling me about her present circumstances. My heart was moved for her and I asked my husband to allow me to go to her and just be there for her. I couldn't do much and I didn't necessarily "hear from God" to go, but I knew I had to. When I got there we just hung out for a while and then returned to her home. While we sat there talking I was overwhelmed with the urge to lay hands on her and pray. When I did she broke before the Lord and began to confess, repent, and renounce her own sin and backsliding. I had no idea that day that I was going to witness a God moment, but this was Awesome! This is the perspective change that I was speaking of. The point that I want to make is that this woman was the last person on the earth you would expect to backslide. My eyes are opened to the fact that (and I hate to say this) backsliding seems to be an epidemic among those who have tasted "The God" in our cherished and beloved days of Revival.

Please hear my heart, this blog is not to condemn anyone. I just want to poke at the underlying embers of a flame that is either waning or is already gone out. In Revival we didn't go there and just meet good friends, nor did we go to just get a good word! We didn't even go to change our lives, but that happened because we met a Real God! Out of that awesome meeting we began the ride of our lives- a relationship with Him! We were men and women of God and we served Him well! We were disciplined, we turned our back on sin, and we embraced holiness because all we wanted to do was please Him! We wanted to be close to Him! That feeling of being right with God and just being in His Presence day-in and day-out has left us with a longing deep inside that will not be silenced! I myself and others have faced the waning of passion, the "pleasure of sin", the lure of the world, and the anger at the past and present. I can't really speak for others but I have learned a hard lesson. Sin Kills! It kills hopes, dreams, belief, desire, and passion for the things of God. Before I knew my husband I began to question my standard and try and lower the bar and play games with God and it almost caused me to loose the very thing I had been dreaming of all my life: a man of God that will go with me into my destiny and be my covering for the rest of my life! I repented once I felt the bottom falling out and Graciously the Lord restored me and kept my standard High! I tell you it is so much easier to throw in the towel than it is to be a man or a woman of God! His Grace is enough and wasn't His death on the Cross worth it? If we don't get right we die! A spiritual death is separation from God! "SIN- SEPARATES!" Think if you had no more opportunity to get right- That's It! We are not promised our next breath!

Listen, from the second I shook your hand, introduced myself, met you, and knew you in that moment I made a commitment to you to love you as my friend for as long as I am kickin! What kind of a friend would I be if I didn't tell you the truth and encourage you to not turn your back on the Real God that once moved so mightily in your life! My heart breaks for those I love! If you are fine and you are right with God and going strong – Burn Hot and don't loose Heart (Galatians 6:9)! And please stand up for righteousness and speak up too! If you need some encouragement to repent of some things and get right with God, than please hear the heart of someone who desperately loves you and is praying for you! If you are discouraged about the way your life has played out or maybe you were doing fine and got tired of waiting on heaven and earth to move and so gave up, let me be the one to tell you God has a plan and he is not through with you yet! Please turn your heart back to him! With all my love!



- Rebekah Barberree