The Charismatic Renewal in our time has been a tremendous witness to the sovereign movement of God. Many of us both witnessed and experienced signs and wonders even greater than those of the early church. In the words of Cardinal Suenens, these signs and wonders told us that we were in a new Pentecost and that the Lord was pouring out his Spirit again in a mighty way. We rejoiced and immediately were caught up in the fervor. To us it mattered little whether it was a first or second Pentecost; God was doing something wonderful. Furthermore, Jesus had told us about all of this: "Not many days from now, you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit... and you shall receive power." (Acts 1:5,8)
What has happened to this sovereign movement of God in our time is alarming. Many say that it is spent, that it has moved on, and so must we. On the contrary, the question that we should be asking ourselves is: "What have we done to the Renewal?"
Basically what we have done, I think, is to make it "my Renewal" rather than the Lord's Renewal. The church of Ephesus was accused of forsaking its first love: "You have lost your first love." (Rev. 2:4) Personal needs and greed have pushed Jesus out and brought self to the forefront. I found a way to make Jesus do what I want. It is no longer what Jesus asks of me, but what I want of Jesus. We used to sing, "Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me." Now we seem to sing "Melt Jesus, mold Jesus, use Jesus." Indeed, it seems we have forsaken our first love and twisted the Renewal upside down.
We appear to be quite similar to the churches in the second chapter of the Book of Revelation. We live in fear of not being the best (Smyrna). We think that we are alive but people have dropped out and one person or ministry dominates (Sardis). We become apathetic, neither hot nor cold (Laodicea). What have we done to God's Renewal?
One of the indications of the stagnation of the Renewal is the decrease in prayer and praise. It used to be a long time of prayer and praise was such an essential time of "getting into the Spirit." In most places, it has been reduced significantly and frequently. Five or ten minutes of prayer and praise will now suffice. Interestingly enough, the manifestation of the gifts and praying in tongues have been reduced proportionately.
What are we to do? Obviously we need to return to our first love-Jesus. If you have turned your life over to Jesus, if you have been baptized in the Spirit, if you speak in tongues, if you are gifted, can you honestly say that you have been changed? Has Jesus made the difference? Remember what Jesus said when the seventy-two disciples returned to Jesus with the great praise report: "Rejoice rather that your names are written in the book of life." (Luke 10:17) This is a sign of growth.
Despite the gifts of the Renewal and all the praise reports and all the signs and wonders, there is one inescapable reality and that is the cross of Jesus Christ. Jesus confronted James and John with the cross: "Can you drink the cup I am to drink?" (Matt. 20:22) It is the stark reality of the Renewal that the cross will always be there. One cannot be baptized in the Spirit without the cross. Otherwise one will remain a lamb and not become a sheep. A lamb does not know his voice and will not follow. "My sheep know my voice and follow me." (John 10:27)
One of the most important signs of growth in the Spirit is time alone with Jesus. Do you seek and hunger for this time with your Lord and Savior? There is an old Latin expression or prayer called pro me (for me): Jesus did it for me. Jesus died for me. Jesus still does it for me. Pro me, pro me, pro me. One of the greatest breakthroughs and a real sign of growth is the realization and ownership of pro me. Simply stated, it means Jesus loves me.
Another sign of maturation is the constant call to repentance. "What are we to do?... Repent..." (Acts 2:38) Similarly, Jesus said that "if you bring your gift to the altar and have anything against your brother or sister, go first and be reconciled and then bring your gift." (Matt. 5:23-24) Forgiveness is an act of the will and does not mean that I have to feel it. Once the forgiveness is genuine, then the feelings and emotions will heal.
Forgiveness and repentance are likewise linked up with yielding to the Spirit. So often people know what to do and will not yield to the Spirit. Frequently, silence when a word comes can help to yield to a deeper word and more profound experience. Prayer and praise that is prolonged creates an atmosphere of inner joy and peace which can be more healing than a healing service. Also, being right and keeping one's mouth shut can be a greater example of growth and maturation in the Spirit than voicing one's opinion and turning a prayer meeting into a discussion or debate. Jesus yielded to the Spirit: "Not my will but thy will be done." (Luke 22:42-43)
How often have you used the expression, "I don't have time for prayer"? There is a simple answer. Match your television time with your prayer time. Soon you will find yourself watching less and less television. There is no substitute for prayer time and no excuse for not having it. If you wish to grow in the Spirit then pray. An element that will help your prayer life is the desire "to be." Being with Jesus is essential as we are "to do" with Jesus. So many in the Renewal have been trapped with action and ministry. Some have left behind prayer and quiet time. This is self-defeating. Simply because you are doing something for Jesus does not mean that you are committed to him. "Mary has chosen the better part and it shall not be taken from her." (Luke 10:42)
This pursuit of ministry over prayer or doing over being creates the lone ranger. The lone ranger is on a personal crusade or mission and does not need a community. He depends on himself and not on the Lord. Baptism in the Spirit calls us to community. So often people do not grow because they do not belong to a community. It provides prayer, nourishment, challenge, and commitment.
Community also opens us up to the most challenging journey of all, and that is the healing process in one's life. Baptism in the Spirit leads us on a twofold journey. One is a journey outward in witness and gifting, the other journey is an inward path into one's own healing and change. This latter journey is the most difficult. It brings us into complete dependance and trust in God and we become the wounded healers. This journey has separated the sheep from the goats. Many who were baptized and renewed in the Spirit balked and dropped out when they had to face their own brokenness. Strangely enough, even though this is a lonely journey, it cannot be done alone. Neither can it be denied. People seek a comfort zone and in Jesus' renewal there is no comfort.
One of the greatest signs of growth is to know that one is loved. For each of us that is the personal encounter with Jesus as Lord. St. Philip Neri was so consumed with the love of Jesus that he refused church promotion and ecclesiastical honors so that he would have time to love Jesus. There is a story which says that certain bones in his chest swelled to allow room for his heart to swell with Jesus' love. It is with this on-going conviction of Jesus' love that one grows in the Renewal.
The one who most loved Jesus here on earth was Mary. It is a significant mark of growth to watch the influence of the Marian movement on the Charismatic Renewal over the past two decades. Mary's influence and guidance has centered the Renewal on Jesus. No one can say that Jesus is Lord unless it be given by the Holy Spirit, and this is confirmed by Mary. Mary constantly points the renewed heart to her Son, Jesus. "To Jesus through Mary" is an old slogan, but it has been verified once more in the Renewal of our time.
The Charismatic Renewal will grow as we personally grow and pray to belong to Jesus and to one another in community. The Renewal calls for growth and a closer walk with Jesus. Remember the churches in Revelation chapters 2 and 3. They were dominated by fear, jealousy, apathy, sensuality, and departure from the Lord. Are we bound to repeat these, or do we accept the challenge of growth and maturity in prayer, community, and the cross of Christ?