“God’s love can only be poured out where there is freedom.”
TenayBenes.com
The Status
On Day 36 of our #40daysoffaith adventure moving from MD to CO on the word of God, we visited a different church, where we were greeted with the presence of the Holy Spirit, the freedom Yeshua purchased on the cross, and the love of Father God. We cried a lot.
We woke up in the morning to a text from a former friend and pastor, who prayed that we would receive an infilling of the Holy Spirit that day. I hoped it would mean that our new church visit would be fruitful. We have been feeling weary and only an encounter with God could fix that.

As the worship band began to play, I heard God say, “Will you dance for me? There is freedom here.” I was a little gun-shy after being told to stop dancing at a previous church, but I relented to God’s request. Although there were not other dancers in the audience, there was one on stage with the musicians, so this church seemed to know that dancing is a biblical offering of worship. Other people were standing, sitting, on their knees, or face down to the ground—also biblical postures of worship.
After a very powerful Holy Spirit-filled worship set lasting at least 30 minutes, a pastor asked anyone who wanted prayer to raise their hands, which I did. Some people from the pews and also the prayer ministry came over and began to tenderly pray for our #40daysoffaith journey, that God would provide all he/she promised, that we would feel loved.
I heard the pastor say, “Okay, time to head back to your seats,” but the people praying for us didn’t move. The Holy Spirit was all over us and we were in the middle of a God-appointment. When they had finished praying for us, they sat back down. The pastor then called out words of knowledge from the stage about specific afflictions that needed more prayer: diabetes, heart disease, and father wounds. My husband and I raised our hands again to say we were one of those who had father wounds. More people came over to pray. By now, we were both sobbing huge tears of sorrow, healing, and gratefulness to God for receiving his/her love through these people.
At the end of prayer time, the pastor wished everyone a good week! That’s when we realized that he had cancelled his sermon on the spot because he saw that the Holy Spirit wanted to work through prayer that morning and he decided to let the Spirit have her way. That gave me more appreciation for this church than anything else we had experienced so far.
At the end of service, two people who prayed for us gave us grocery store gift cards because they knew we were short on money. One of them even invited us out to lunch with her—her treat. We spent lunch getting to know her and hearing her testimony about how God provided for her when she moved to Colorado without a job, or a house, too!
The Takeaway
Compare my experience at the church under a spirit of control with the church under a spirit of freedom. Which church worshipped God more passionately? Which church threw out man’s plans when they realized God had different plans? Which one prayed with more life-changing, heart-healing power? Which one offered money and real fellowship to its first-time visitors? Which church loved more?
The church under freedom. Why? Because God’s love can only be poured out where there is freedom. Everything else is just behavior modification—a form of slavery itself.

Godly love—pursuing another’s godly good, regardless of the personal cost—can only be done when there is a choice to not love. And choice requires freedom, including freedom from rules, regulations, laws, performance, and cultural expectations. Without freedom, there is no love, without love, there is no Holy Spirit, and without Holy Spirit, there is no transformation. That’s why so many churches have lots of programs but their congregations remain as little children, who never mature into the image of Christ.
The Prayer
God, thank you for a morning of refreshing ministry. It’s been a long time since we received your love through a large body of believers. Please show us how to spread your freedom wherever you want it to go. Amen.
The Challenge
What is your #40daysoffaith adventure and how did Day 36 go? In what area of your life might you want to invite the spirit of freedom?