It took less than 7 hours on the ground in South America for every complacent and apathetic fiber of my being to be exposed. It was my “Welcome to Brazil” moment. Road weary I stood the night I landed with the weighty assignment of leading hundreds of rabid Brazilian worshippers into pursuit of the living God. This love crazed bunch, on par with a zeal much like underground Chinese house church, came to pour it all out and hold nothing back.

Even with hurdles of singing new songs they have never heard in a language they did not know (English instead of Portuguese) and less than perfect sound (very common in Brazil), nothing seemed to faze them. They sang so loudly at times that it overpowered the band – and our stage volume and amps were crazy loud! They danced with all their might. They wept when the sweet presence of God hovered over us. They did not want to stop and would have stayed all night long if we had the strength.

Flashpoints of Truth

I have never been so refreshed in my soul to witness a people so sensitive to God. I did not even realize how casual or lethargic my approach to these meetings had gotten. I thought I was pretty genuine and committed. That was at least until the first chord was strummed. Their purity flung in the face of any root of cynicism in my heart. This is what an encounter with raw passion will do to us if we allow it. I was blasted with a wake up call revealing my lack. Now I am provoked to change.

When glancing at the rigorous itinerary we have in this season, people often ask: How do you stay “fresh” while doing this? (By “this” they are referring to leading over 300 meetings each year). How does it not become monotonous and tiresome? My answer is simple: It is experiences like this in Brazil that are treasured milestones. These are flashpoints that awaken, energize and recalibrate the heart! The truth is that most of these encounters do not come at the biggest, best sounding, hottest events with the tightest band and perfect sound. But they happen on foreign soil (many times in third world nations) in uncomfortable and even difficult situations. Even while writing this on the heels of 27 hours of nonstop travel from Rio De Janiero to Kona, Hawaii, my spirit is still alive and vibrant! My heart burns to be lit afresh with passion and desire!

Sobriety for the Soul

God longs to position us in scenarios such as this if we will let Him. These divine moments are actually gifts flowing from the endless grace of God. We need them to stay fresh and clean amidst increasing cynical and pessimistic spirits that plague our generation and callous our hearts to the tenderness of His Presence. Sobriety is good for the soul and detrimental if we are to embody “clean hands and a pure heart” (Psalm 24) mandate in the days to come!

(Side Note: If the only ministry you are involved in is a suburban, Western style context through conferences and events, I would STRONGLY advise you to visit a nation where global revival is the hottest (ie – China, India, Nepal, Indonesia, Brazil, etc). I guarantee you will receive an impartation that will change your life. Jump onto www.theburn247.com website for a list of trips and join us – we would LOVE to have you!)

Find Yet Pursue Him

To find God yet still pursue him year after year, day after day, meeting after meeting is the great paradox of this journey of love we find ourselves on. We find him, yet it makes us want Him so much more. We but taste of His goodness that satisfies yet remain unsatisfied. How can we live in this seeming contradiction without insecurity or striving for His love but relentless obsession for the fullness?

Saint Bernard of Clairvax articulated it well in this 11th century quatrain:

“We taste thee, O though living bread, and long to feast upon thee still: we drink of thee, the fountainhead and thirst our souls from thee to fill.”

The closer we get to God, the more we want of Him and the more we have of Him, the deeper our longing intensifies for more of Him! Satisfaction breeds complacency, which leads to apathy while silencing the deep groaning for more! We must stay hungry. We must never give in to lethargy! We cannot allow our passion and fervor to diminish – for it is what marks us a peculiar people on the earth! No matter how many services, meetings, prayer times or heavenly encounters that mark us – let it make us even hungrier to experience more! Let each experience be a benchmark of passion that raises the bar every time!

Keep the Zeal

In these days of increase friction, intensity and darkness, we must guard the childlike expectation and exuberance flowing as a river from our innermost parts! (John 7:38) The enemy prowls like a lion to devour (1 Peter 5:8) the joy of our salvation and taint our perception and perspective while quelling the passion that burns deep within!

“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” – Romans 12:11-12

Brazil has awoken a deep groan within me that has been dulled. This is what a true encounter with raw passion will do! It exposes our hardness and reminds of what really aches deep with. Let this testimony provoke you as it did me to relight that flame again during these summer days! Gather with burning embers in your cities, regions or family and pray a fresh grace to pursue God over each other’s lives! Stay accountable with your friends to more than not sinning, but to stay passionately pursuing God, your destiny and calling! Let’s raise the bar and believe for an increase of desire across the Burn 24-7 tribe, Fire and Fragrance and the worship, prayer and missions movements around the world!

We are marked on this journey to carry our passion until the very end! We will finish strong as it increases with every day, encounter and moment we are alive!