Each step in this assignment is based around three activities: taking time to soak in God’s presence 2-3 times each week, encouraging five people each week, and keeping a written record.
This course is laid out like a scavenger hunt, with a list of twenty items for you to collect. Some are answers for you to get from God; some are actions for you to take; some are testimonies for you to share. Each will end with a link to a short blog article that tells more about the step you are being asked to take.
If you are having trouble with an item on the list, move on to the next and come back to it later. The items that you find easy are the items where God has already been training and equipping you. The more challenging items will call for you to stretch. If you do the easiest items first, this will strengthen you to do the others.
Note: the only way to choose the easiest items is to read the whole assignment first. The fastest way to do this is to read just the task itself, always printed in bold at the beginning of each item.
You’ll be moving quickly if you complete the twenty items on this list in about two months; there’s nothing wrong with taking longer. Print these pages and initial and date each item when you finish it.
Build On A Good Foundation
1. Christ in you is the key to this whole course. If you have already asked Jesus to come into your heart, you already know this; if you haven’t, do it now.
Jesus lived an extraordinary life. He worked miracles; He healed the sick; He set people free from demonic bondage; He spoke the words of God. If He lives in you, you can expect Him to do the same works through you that He did in the four gospels.
Years ago I was led to study the conversion stories in the book of Acts – accounts of people or groups whose lives changed – and they gave God two heart responses: repentance and faith. The reading for this item will look at faith.
Whether you are a new Christian or one who has followed Jesus for years, the school of the Spirit will be a school of faith. For starters, it doesn’t matter how much faith you have – even a mustard seed of faith can move mountains – as long as you start using the faith you have. Ultimately, you will never outgrow the simplicity of trusting Christ in you to do what you cannot do.
Read “Believing Into Christ” and even if you have done so long ago, pray and ask Jesus to come into your heart so He can do the will and the works of God through you.
Read “Believing Into Christ”
http://miraclelifestyle.wordpress.com/2009/04/10/believing-into-christ/
When you finish this item, initial and date here __________________
2. Expect to cultivate a lifestyle of repentance – turning away from your ways to embrace God’s. If the Holy Spirit becomes your teacher, this is what He will set out to accomplish in you.
What do you think of when you think of repentance? Many of us come from a church background that emphasized the harsh commands of a stern God and left us feeling we would always fall short of His impossible demands. Or we have seen movies where a money-grabbing preacher, usually a womanizer or gambler or alcoholic on the side, stood in front of the church and yelled, “Repent!”
Our goal is not to follow traditions or stereotypes, but to follow Jesus. He frequently called people to repent, but His call was loving, clean, attractive. The reading for this item will go into that a bit more.
As you spend time soaking in God’s presence, He will unveil God’s ways to you and you will have to choose whether to keep doing things your way or to embrace His. This is what repentance is all about.
Read “The Exchanged Life” and, as much as you know how, pray and lay down your ways to embrace His.
Read “The Exchanged Life”
http://miraclelifestyle.wordpress.com/2009/04/10/the-exchanged-life/
When you finish this item, initial and date here __________________
Find Ministry Opportunities
3. For two months, keep a journal of your soaking times and of your encouraging people. You can keep a handwritten record in a notebook or a steno pad; you can also create a Word document on the computer and list your actions there.
Your journal doesn’t have to be long, nor does it have to be a literary masterpiece. Abbreviate – use phrases instead of complete sentences – write just enough to help you recall what steps you have taken, and what God has done in your life. You’ll want to be able to skim your records later to encourage yourself and build your faith.
To keep a record of soaking times, you will need to write several things down: how you reached for God, what He did or said, and what steps you took to follow through on the convictions He brought to your heart. You should be listing 2-3 soaking times every week.
To keep a record of what you’ve done to encourage others, list the things you sense God wants you to do, the steps you took to do them, and any testimonies that may come back to you. People don’t always come back to share testimonies of how you have encouraged them, but when they do it’s good to keep a written record so you can use them to stir your faith later. You should be listing five times of encouraging somebody every week.
Read “Why Keep A Record?”
http://miraclelifestyle.wordpress.com/2009/02/02/why-keep-a-record/
When your journal is started, initial and date here __________________
4. Soaking – take inventory of what God has spoken to you already. Many people have already heard from God and don’t even realize it because He often speaks very subtly and sometimes speaks without words.
This step is simple: set aside a half hour or more for a time of soaking in God’s presence, and ask Him, “What have You already told me to do that I haven’t acted on yet?” If a few items come to mind, jot them down; if not, repeat the assignment twice more and keep listening.
Note: whenever an assignment calls for you to soak and ask God a question, consider the job done when you sense that God has given you an answer. But if He doesn’t speak to you, reach out for His answer three different times and note in your journal that you reached for Him and, so far, you haven’t heard an answer.
This isn’t the time to look for major projects – “I’ve always thought about spending a few years as a foreign missionary” or “I really ought to go back to school and get a master’s degree.” Right now, look for small convictions God has already given you, things you can act on relatively easily. List the items, and try to finish at least one before you go to bed tonight; then see how many you can finish within twenty-four hours.
We often overlook the small convictions God drops into our lives. They come without fanfare – we don’t hear a voice or see a vision, and it’s easy to overlook these convictions when they come. But they are one of the ways the Holy Spirit will speak to us. Of course, He can also speak with words or pictures; if so, act on these as well. The article “Make A List” will tell you more about what to do and how to do it, and will give you a few ideas of the kind of convictions to look for.
It’s a good idea to make a fresh list every few weeks. It will help you cultivate a lifestyle of being careful to do all God calls you to do.
You may find that God will add new things to your list before you can finish them all. This is good; it means you’re starting to hear from Him and to be led by His Spirit. And because you are starting to walk in the light He has already given you, He is now giving more. One of the best ways to start hearing more from God is to be faithful to act on what He has already spoken.
Read “Make A List”
http://miraclelifestyle.wordpress.com/2009/01/28/make-a-list-2/
When you finish this item, initial and date here __________________
5. Ministry of encouragement – Identify something you deeply appreciate about each member of your immediate family and take time to express your appreciation. There is no better place to begin your ministry of encouragement than with the people who live under your own roof. (If you live alone, look for someone who is part of your usual daily routine.)
Note: you may find that a soaking time will help you identify what you want to say to each one, but you don’t have to soak every time you identify an opportunity to minister. Either way, the goal is to develop a sense of receiving something from God to pass on to others.
You don’t have to travel to a foreign nation to become a missionary. To Jesus and the original twelve disciples, you are already in a foreign nation, halfway around the world. Think of yourself as a missionary sent to your own home. Your mission is to bring the love of God and the encouragement of the Holy Spirit to all you meet.
Read “How To Encourage”
http://miraclelifestyle.wordpress.com/2009/03/22/how-to-encourage/
When you finish this item, initial and date here __________________
6. Ministry of encouragement – While soaking, take inventory of things people have done for you that encouraged you. What can you learn from their example? From what others have done for you, identify things you can say to others or do for them to encourage them.
This is a key ingredient in letting the Holy Spirit teach you: taking time in His presence to notice what others have done that is effective, and to identify principles you can act on yourself.
In Matthew 7:12, Jesus said, “Whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” These words aren’t just idealism. They are a key that will unlock God’s wisdom in our lives. What have people done for us that blessed us? This is how we want to be treated, and it is how we need to treat others.
As you soak in God’s presence, ask Him to help you remember the things that have made a positive impact on you. As you remember the people who have brought God’s grace to you, you may want to send them an email or call them to let them know you appreciate them and what they have done for you.
As you serve others with encouragement, you are getting your motives in tune with the motives of the Holy Spirit. Jesus called Him the “Comforter” because He comes to encourage us in the will of God.
Read “Why Encouragement?”
http://miraclelifestyle.wordpress.com/2009/03/09/why-encouragement/
When you finish this item, initial and date here __________________
7. Soaking – Spend half an hour or more doing nothing but letting God love you. At first glance you may think this is too self-centered, but in truth it is not self-centered at all. It is Christ-centered because God is love.
Sometimes we are nervous about letting Him love us too much, lest we lose touch with our austere and self-sacrificing spirituality. But as I Corinthians 13 teaches, we can give our bodies to be burned – but without love, it profits nothing.
The apostle John called himself the “disciple Jesus loved.” It wasn’t that he was claiming to be Jesus’ favorite; it’s that John had learned that he had no love to give unless he first received it from Jesus. It is significant that he identified himself not as an apostle but as a disciple whom Jesus loved – it suggests that he counted it his life work.
Perfect love casts out fear – if you let God love you, it will strengthen you to be bold as you serve Him. Jesus was often moved with compassion – He will pour that same compassion into you and move you to do exploits in His name.
But before His compassion can move you, it needs to pour in. Spend time in His presence, loving God and letting Him love you.
Note: whenever you find your Christian walk growing tedious, it’s time to get back to first-love. Jesus said that when we love Him, His commandments are not grievous. Come back to this assignment again and again throughout your lifetime.
As you let God love you, He will enlarge your heart and cause you to be moved with compassion. This will set you up to experience higher levels of His anointing and power, and will strengthen you to move into more daring forms of ministry.
Read “Moved With Compassion”
http://miraclelifestyle.wordpress.com/2009/01/16/moved-with-compassion/
When you finish this item, initial and date here __________________
8. Soaking – Ask God, “Who are you sending me to?” There are two ways to engage in a ministry of encouragement. The first is to let God lead you to people you see in daily life; the second is to set aside time every week to participate in a ministry opportunity.
Note: item # 11 will focus on identifying ministry opportunities where you can set aside a block of time for an outreach every week. Usually this will occur in the context of working with others in the church. This may p[rove to be the best way for you to find ministry opportunities and to learn to be led by the Holy Spirit.
I first gave this assignment in a school-of-the-Spirit class I taught every other week. I assigned the class to “edify, exhort, or encourage” 20 people in a month – this works out to about 5 per week – and turned them loose. I told them I’d do the assignment myself before we met again.
Then I went to a conference, where I was to play a minor role, and during worship I wondered when I would have time to connect with 20 people. To my surprise, God said I could minister to all 20 before the conference was over. The reading for this item tells the story.
I went on to repeat the assignment twice more before the month was over, and it wasn’t burdensome – it was both fulfilling and fun.
So in your soaking time, ask God, “Who are you sending me to?” He may lead you to people one by one, or He may reveal opportunities to minister to minister to several at a single event.
Read “Doing The Assignment”
http://miraclelifestyle.wordpress.com/2009/01/29/testimony-doing-the-assignment/
When you finish this item, initial and date here __________________
9. Ministry of encouragement – Just as you did with your family, find something you deeply appreciate about someone at school, at work, in the marketplace, or among your friends, and show your appreciation. Or it can be someone at church or at a coffee shop you visit everyday – anywhere your daily routine is likely to take you.
Sometimes you’ll speak to people you know. It’s easy to identify the godly things you see in their lives: the way they handle pressure, their sensitivity towards people, their joy and creativity.
Sometimes you’ll speak to people you’ve seen at times and whom you don’t know very well. You’ll see them doing something right and will compliment them for it. This is the opposite of what most people do; usually we speak up only when we have a complaint.
Sometimes you’ll speak to the unsaved. Obviously you aren’t called to encourage them in ungodly behavior, but there are still several ways to encourage them. Your words can demonstrate God’s love to them, which in turn can lead to opportunities to share the rest of the gospel with them. And your words can identify something in God’s purpose for their lives.
The ministry of encouragement isn’t the only ministry people need, but we’re using it as a way to start engaging with people and making room for God to open doors for you to minister in other ways. Your encouraging someone can lead to an opportunity to pray with someone, to flow in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, or to lead the unsaved to Christ.
So as you encourage people, expect that at least occasionally, there will be a noticeable spark of the Holy Spirit and an opportunity to do more than you had expected. The rest of the time, enjoy the process of reaching out to people and make sure your encounters with them leave a good taste in their mouths.
Read “Minister To People You Know”
http://miraclelifestyle.wordpress.com/2009/01/16/minister-to-people-you-know/
When you finish this item, initial and date here __________________
10. Soaking – Keep things simple. Look for ways to minister to people without adding anything to your schedule. Your current job, family, school, and church commitments should give you all the ministry opportunities you need.
In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus said, “Come to me "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
A school of His Spirit therefore should reflect this flavor. He is not calling you into an overwhelming workload. He will lead you in a way that takes advantage of training and ministry opportunities you already have.
So spend time soaking, and ask God: “How can I simplify what I’m doing? How can I better use my resources of time, money, and strength to reach more people? Can you show me ways I am working too hard?”
The reading for this item, “Create Your Mission Field,” is a testimony about a time when I committed myself to an easy outreach and devoted a block of time to it every week. Though this assignment is looking for ministry opportunities that happen very naturally in daily life, the principles of starting with something easy and simple will apply to the question you’ll take to God in your soaking time.
Read “Create Your Mission Field”
http://miraclelifestyle.wordpress.com/2009/01/05/create-your-mission-field/
When you finish this item, initial and date here __________________
Cultivate An Ear To Hear
11. Soaking – Start using the four keys of hearing God’s voice: (1) a quiet heart, (2) focusing on Jesus, (3) watching for a spontaneous flow of words, and (4) appropriate action in response to what you’ve heard.
I have been engaged in prophetic ministry for many years, and have never known how to explain how my gift works.
Then a few years ago, I attended a conference where the speakers told about the ministry of Mark Virkler, who teaches about the four keys to hearing God’s voice listed above. I recognized that I have been using these keys for years, and they are the root system of my prophetic ministry.
Note: I will delve into them more in other courses, but I have put a lot of teachings about them in my blogs about the Miracle Lifestyle and Prophetic Song. To look into this subject further, visit Mark Virkler’s link – it’s listed in the reading – or type “hearing from God” into the search feature on my blogs; even if you are not a musician, the teachings in the Prophetic Song blog will help you reach for a prophetic flow in worship or in prayer: http://PropheticSong.WordPress.com.
Mark Virkler encourages people to write down what they hear when they soak. If you have included journaling as part of your spiritual discipline, this may be something you want to do. But for this assignment, we’re going to look for God to speak things to you that will show you how to fulfill a ministry of encouragement.
This means that whenever you soak, you can expect God to speak to you about several things. He may show you who to minister to. He may send you to an event and have you watch for a ministry opportunity when you get there. He may put a word of encouragement on your heart and send you out to look for someone to share it with.
Usually, God will give not give you the whole picture at once. Almost always, He will give you a little bit ahead of time to get you moving, and the rest will happen spontaneously. This is His way of training you to minister by leaning on Him every step of the way. It fulfills the very basic principle in Proverbs 3:5-6 that we learn early in our Christian life:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
and He will direct your paths.”
During a soaking time, ask God to speak to you about anything He wants to tell you. Jot down whatever comes to you – it may be a rich sense of His peace or of His manifest presence; it may be that you get a revelation of Jesus; it may be that He speaks something to you. But let this be a time when you are not bringing a question to Him, but are letting Him talk about whatever He wants.
Read “You Can Hear From God”
http://miraclelifestyle.wordpress.com/2009/01/31/192/
When you finish this item, initial and date here __________________
12. Ministry of encouragement – Expect to hear God’s voice as you serve Him in a ministry of encouragement. Sometimes He will speak to you while you’re soaking; sometimes He’ll give insights as you’re encouraging someone; sometimes He’ll speak to you in daily life.
God is a loving Father and He wants to speak to His children. We can use the keys to position ourselves humbly before Him, not only during our soaking times but also during the day.
When you need to pray for someone, use the four keys. (1) Quiet your heart as much as you can – the more time you have spent soaking, the easier this will be. (2) Focus your attention on Jesus; often, the best way to do this is to think of a scripture about Him. Then, trusting Christ who lives in you to pray through you, (3) pray the scripture that came to mind and trust Him to pour more words out through you. (4) You don’t need to write it down; you’re putting it into action by praying for someone else.
Often, as you pray something that you think is just a scriptural generality, you will find that God has spoken something profound to the person you prayed for.
Read “Outside The Church”
http://miraclelifestyle.wordpress.com/2009/01/14/outside-the-church/
When you finish this item, initial and date here __________________
13. Ministry of encouragement – Look for ways to combine your ministry of encouragement with the larger body of Christ. For instance, get involved with your church’s men’s/ladies’/youth group and look for people to encourage whenever you meet.
You may find it easiest to commit a block of time every week to an event where you can connect with several people at once.
Some ministries are people-oriented, and they are looking for people like you are want to serve by strengthening others. For instance, at a prayer breakfast, you will be able to encourage the people who sit at your right and your left. In a home Bible study, you can participate with others when it’s time to pray for someone in need. Your participation in such ministries will be welcomed.
Other ministries focus more on getting a physical task done, such as serving in the nursery or participating in a church cleanup day. Start by simply doing the job, and do it well. Then encourage other workers whenever you get the chance.
If your church has an evangelistic outreach, get involved. Even if you’re too shy to speak to a stranger, you can often go out with someone else two-by-two. Your participation can free up another worker. In the beginning, you might simply encourage the other workers – tell them what you notice about the way God is using them. Before long, you will find yourself talking to strangers.
Read “Serve The Church”
http://miraclelifestyle.wordpress.com/2009/01/26/serve-the-church/
When you finish this item, initial and date here __________________
14. Ministry of encouragement – Encourage a minister locally, someone within your home church. As you reach out to encourage five people this week, make one of them your pastor or someone else who serves your church.
Use the four keys to hearing from God. Prepare your heart by soaking; God may speak to you there. Take time in prayer to thank God for the minister – thanksgiving will help focus your heart on Jesus, and as you voice your prayer you may tumble into a spontaneous flow of words.
But here’s a note of caution: don’t take it upon yourself to try to hear something from God that would redirect the church. Respect the authority God has placed in the house, and don’t presumptuously take it upon yourself to direct them just because you’ve begun to hear from God. Your role is to encourage, not to advise and direct.
There is something important to learn here. Whenever we minister to someone else, our goal is to confirm their inheritance – to strengthen them in the calling God has given them. But the place of other people’s decision-making is holy ground, a place that belongs to God alone. Don’t go there. More about this in the reading.
Read “Stay In Your Sphere”
http://miraclelifestyle.wordpress.com/2009/04/10/stay-in-your-sphere/
When you finish this item, initial and date here __________________
15. Ministry of encouragement – Encourage a missionary. Your missionary might be someone serving overseas, or it might be someone serving in an inner-city mission.
Let God send you. Spend time soaking in His presence and get your marching orders. He might lead you to send a card or an email with a note of appreciation or a scripture verse. He might lead you to send an offering. He might lead you to donate a few hours of service on a volunteer level.
See if you can give more than words. If you have no money to give, He may lead you to host a party that includes a project for fundraising so you can send an offering. But it doesn’t have to be money; you can also give time.
Read “Testimony Of Jay Francis”
http://miraclelifestyle.wordpress.com/2009/04/10/jay-francis%E2%80%99s-example/
When you finish this item, initial and date here __________________
16. Soaking – Ask God, “What can I do better? And what can I learn from what I’ve experienced so far in my soaking and encouraging?” Often we do our best, but afterwards we think of ways we could have done better.
There’s a right and a wrong way to look back. It’s useful to look back and glean the lessons of how to do things better next time. Sometimes you’ll do things supernaturally right; it’s useful to identify the insights and principles you can learn from the experience. Sometimes you’ll feel you missed it; it’s good to go to God and ask, “What can I do differently next time?”
Looking back isn’t helpful if we become proud of what we did right – God resists the proud. And looking back works against you if you put yourself down for things that didn’t go well.
Our goal is not to judge ourselves, but to grow. You will find that when you ask God to show you what you can do better, He will steer you away from pride and condemnation, and He will teach you things that will bear good fruit over the long haul.
Small lessons add up.
Read “Fine Tuning”
http://miraclelifestyle.wordpress.com/2009/04/10/fine-tuning/
When you finish this item, initial and date here __________________
Testimonies
17. Testimonies – Share a testimony of something you have heard from God as you soak 2-3 times and encourage 5 people a week. Post your testimony as a comment on the appropriate blog article, or send it in an email to the address at the bottom of this page. You won’t have to hear from God every time, but spending time with God and going out of your way to love and encourage people will position you to hear from Him.
Note: When you post a testimony as a blog comment, please keep it short; aim for a maximum of 200 words.
Testimonies are an important part of faith-building. God can work in our lives, but if we don’t bother to identify what He has done and to thank Him for it, we can forget that He has done anything at all. Your own faith will grow as you start identifying and sharing your testimonies.
Testimonies will also nudge others to start moving in God. Sometimes I’ve heard a testimony and thought, “I can do that!” Most testimonies include a human part – giving, praying, trusting, reaching out – and then lead to a part only God can do. Your story may cause someone else to do great exploits in God.
So the first testimony we’re looking for is something God has spoken to you as you have worked through this course. What does it mean to hear from Him? He may speak to you with words; it might be with pictures; it might be a conviction or knowing of what you need to do. He might lead you to a person or to a place; He might give you a scripture to share. The important thing is not how He speaks, but a testimony in which you sense that He – and not just your own intelligence – has directed you.
Read “Soaking Testimonies”
http://miraclelifestyle.wordpress.com/2009/02/02/soaking-testimonies/
When you finish this item, initial and date here __________________
18. Testimonies – Share a testimony of finding new ministry opportunities you hadn’t realized you had. Again, post these as comments on the blog or send an email to the address below.
I was a pastor for seventeen years and got used to having a pulpit to minister in once or more every week. I still travel in ministry, preaching and teaching as doors open. But what is the purpose of ministries like mine? Ephesians 4:12 says it is "for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." If I do my job right, it awakens the whole church to do the work of the ministry.
But most ministry doesn't happen in the pulpit. Jesus often ministered in small groups or at the dinner table. He found many ways to minister outside the church building.
So in "Overlooked Opportunities" I have shared a few things I've learned about ministry opportunities that are easy to miss. Some happen inside the church and some outside. Add your own insights as you share what you discover.
Read “Overlooked Opportunities”
http://miraclelifestyle.wordpress.com/2009/04/10/overlooked-opportunities/
When you finish this item, initial and date here __________________
19. Testimonies – Share a testimony of something you learned from someone you ministered to. There’s a scripture for this: Romans 1:11-12, where Paul told the Romans he wanted to “impart to you some spiritual gift,” and then added, “that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.”
As you share encouragement with others, recognize that sometimes God will send you to someone not just to give, but also to receive. This is what Paul expected in a visit to the Romans.
In most of my ministry assignments, I feel I receive more than I give. This doesn’t minimize what I’m giving; it means simply that I get more excited about the new things I receive from others than about the things I’m giving them. They probably feel the same way about me.
Sometimes I meet ministers who aren’t willing to receive from those they minister to. “God sent me to minister,” they affirm. “I’m not here to receive.”
Paul didn’t see it that way. Be like Paul. Give all you can, and don’t be too proud to receive from those you minister to.
Read “Mutual Faith”
http://miraclelifestyle.wordpress.com/2009/04/10/mutual-faith/
When you finish this item, initial and date here __________________
20. Share a testimony of something you learned in the process of doing this assignment. Jesus said, “Give, and it will be given you.” Though we are reaching out to encourage others, we can’t give encouragement without receiving something in return.
I’m not looking for you to write that my teachings have blessed you, though I hope they have. I’m looking for something God Himself has taught you as you soak and as you encourage people. Perhaps He has used you in a new gift; perhaps He has given you insight in scripture; maybe He has given you understanding about the ways of the Holy Spirit.
But again, I’m asking for you to send a short testimony (200 words or less) by email or to post it as a blog comment.
Read “Identify What You Learned”
http://miraclelifestyle.wordpress.com/2009/04/10/identify-what-you-learned/
When you finish this item, initial and date here __________________
Conclusion
By the time you have finished the twenty items in this assignment, you are sure to have grown in several ways.
Through soaking, you have begun to access the manifest presence of God by getting still before Him. You may have heard from Him; but even if you haven't had a high-level experience of hearing His voice or seeing a vision, you have probably begun at least to identify a few convictions which have begun to direct your life. God often speaks to us with non-verbals -- we don't hear a voice, we just "know" what He wants us to do.
You have reached out to a few dozen people with a word or an act of encouragement. If you are like me, a few of these experiences didn't seem at all out-of-the-ordinary. But there have probably been a few times when you sensed that the Spirit of God was doing something profound. It's the treasure hid in a field; if we are willing to sow into people's lives, sometimes (but not always) God will do something special.
Where do you go from here? Some will want to maintain the discipline for a lifetime -- soaking 2 to 3 times and encouraging 5 people each week. Some will want to take some of the other courses I'll offer for sale, using the discipline of soaking and encouraging to press into specific gifts of the Holy Spirit. (These will be avialable by summer of 2009.) And some will want to wait a few months or more and work through the course again. If you do, you'll find that God will take you even further into the things of the Spirit.
For about ten years in my life, one prophet after another prophesied that my offspring would outrun me in the things of the Spirit. It would be presumptuous for me to claim to be a spiritual father to you just because you have worked through this course. Nevertheless, my prayer for you is that God will take you from faith to faith, from glory to glory, from strength to strength. May you reach higher heights and deeper depths than I have ever known. You can surely do so if I am not the teacher -- but you allow the Holy Spirit to do the teaching.