THE MINISTRY OF LINDA L. JOHNSON

As we walk with God and ask Him to lead our path, we know to walk by faith.  We ask for him for direction and move accordingly.  However, there were times when I would ask for direction, but I didn’t quite get the result I was looking for.  I knew God was telling me to move that way, but I didn’t understand why it felt like a struggle.  That’s when I discovered I was asking the wrong question.

In August of 2017, I began to praise dance at the church I attend.  The dance isn’t choreographed, rather the praise & worship team sings, the praise dancers minister in unison with a lead dancer in the front.  When I say lead dancer, this is not a designated position for one person, but it’s a role that changes throughout the song service.  This dancer is selecting the movements as directed by the Holy Spirit and the other dancers are following the exact movements.
When I initially began to dance I would only take on the role of a dancer who followed as I was learning the basics.  I had never danced in the past so just submitting to dance in front of the church was a big step for me.  Over time I became more confident in the abilities God gave me, but as we all know once you are comfortable in one place, God never lets you stay there.  It’s time to continue to grow!

Towards the end of the year in 2017, I was positioned as the leader and it was difficult.  To begin there were too many things going on in my mind, such as what should my next move be, I’m not sure what to do next God, that move didn’t look right, etc.  I was frustrated.  God had positioned me to lead, but I felt as if he wasn’t helping me when I asked him, “Lord what should I do next?”.  I planned the initial movement when leading, but keeping up with the counts, trying to follow the move of the Spirit and thinking of the next movement was just too much.  There was simply too much going on in my mind that was causing confusion. (We all know who the author of confusion is don’t we?)  At that point I wanted to avoid the lead role altogether!

I continued to dance and seek God, when he revealed I was not asking the right question.  During a praise dance training session, I was leading and speaking to a veteran dancer.  I was expressing the difficulties I was having and advised I was asking the Holy Spirit “What should I do next, but I wasn’t hearing anything?”.  She then replied and said, “No Felicia, you must ask, “God what would you have me to do?”.  While this may seem minor, God was trying to show me that this is not about me, but the fact that he wants to move through me. 

Without God we cannot do anything he’s purposed for us, but the bible says, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength”.  I wasn’t getting direction because I was asking what “I” should do.  He taught me, Felicia cannot do anything.  When I tried I was confused and I failed.  However, the next day when I went forward to be the lead dance minister, I asked God what he would have me to do next and his anointing fell upon on me like never before through dance.  I was no longer thinking about what I should do next, but asking him to be glorified.  I was asking him to minister through me, to his people.  I didn’t focus on the next move too much, I simply focused on the Spirit and flowed wherever it led me.  That’s how breakthrough occurred for me as a lead dancer.

Therefore, I ask you today, what question are you asking God?  Is it a question centered around “I” or is it “God”?  God wants the glory in all things he does in our lives.  We must always remember that we can do only because he is doing through us by the Holy Spirit, not because we have power to do anything on our own.  I urge you to apply this question in every area of your life and take all focus off of yourself. Ask, “Holy Spirit, what would have me to do?”  At that point, trust him at his word that he will indeed do it!

God bless you,
Sister Felicia