The Will of God (Part 1 of 2)

Date of original writing: Wednesday, July 13, 2005

Friday past, my mother and I visited the Benny Hinn service that was held at the Office Depot Center in Ft. Lauderdale. From the time we got there, which was about 3 ½ hours before the service actually started, there were hundreds and hundreds of people just standing outside the doors singing and waiting for that magic moment when the doors would swing open for admission. The sun was beaming down, very strong might I add, but the skies began to grow darker and darker by the minute. Sporadically the sun would poke its head out and offer some comfort that we would enter the Office Depot Center drenched from sweat, not from rain.

It was my second time visiting a huge sporting area, but only my first in actually sitting inside for a service of some sort. The first time I went was to a basketball stadium, and it was only as a tour. This time however, seemed very, very different.

The setting was just like I saw on TV, at any sporting event. However, instead of the crowd shouting for their favorite team, they were all shouting and doing the wave to Je-sus. I laughed to myself on a few occasions, but quickly realized that what was going on was a form of praise to God.

People began crying out to God even while the praise team was practicing their songs. People all over the audience began singing and crying out to God, praising and worshiping Him. It was truly awesome.

Then, the service started at 7pm, it was truly an uplifting praise and worship. I could have left after the praise and worship segment and would have thought I was filled with more than enough of God. It was that good! The dancers in fact, were so good, that Benny asked them if they had anything more! They quickly regrouped, and in minutes delivered a performance that spoke just as boldly as their first; Proclaiming the Lamb of God.

When Benny got into His message, I knew it was going to be something that would cause a great change in my life. Guess what? I was right. Benny told us a personal story. A story about him when he was younger, around 19 or 20, and how he had many girlfriends but there was only one that he fell in love with. This girl’s name was Michelle.

In his story he noted how they truly loved each other, they had a pure relationship, they prayed together, and they both loved God. Benny said one night he was in the car with his girlfriend, and God began speaking to him, saying “Benny, will you give up everything to follow my will for your life?” Benny said, “Of course God, I will follow you. I will give up all that you want.” In essence, God said, “What about your job” or, “what about what you want to do in life,” and Benny said he would do whatever God wanted. But, when God asked Benny to give up his girlfriend, Benny, the devout follower of God, said, “No way!” Benny said He couldn’t understand why God would want Him to give up such a good catch. Such a lovely, pure, and praying girl. Benny thought God would never ask such a thing.

Benny was like Peter, Jesus’s disciple. In fact, we are all like Peter. Peter told Jesus, “I will follow you even to the grave. I will do your will, I will do as you command.” One time, they were out on the lake and a storm brewed up, and Jesus told Peter to come to him, and Peter actually walked on water for a short time, because he believed in Jesus. Even though he sank, He still managed to walk on water for a moment. But when Jesus told Peter that He (meaning Jesus) would have to go to the cross to die (die to self) (Jesus was dying for the sins of the world), Peter rebuked Him and said, “No!” (Even though Peter told Jesus that he would follow Him even unto death.)