Looking to Belong
There is a cry coming from within the Body of Christ. It is a cry from the heart and soul of many who have been wandering on the outskirts and are looking to belong somewhere! They are looking from the sidelines of the Church desperately wanting to grow and flourish, but feel stuck. They are the disenfranchised, the forgotten, the broken, the orphaned, and those who have yet to experience all that the Lord has for them. They are crying out in their secret place, “Lord, why am I so alone? I want to do more – BE more!”
The enemy is whispering into many ears, lies of doubt and unbelief: “You don’t belong there. Nobody wants you. You’re not good enough. You don’t need THEM!” These lies are swirling among those who have been disappointed with the Church and the Body of Christ, telling them it’s too risky to get close again. And yet, they know they can’t move any further on their own.
Your Spiritual DNA is Calling You Higher – You Belong
If you are one of these who has heard those whispers and feel powerless to change, the Lord would have you know you are not alone. You are feeling what many of your brothers and sisters are feeling. If one member suffers, all suffer together. If one member is honored, all rejoice together (1 Corinthians 12:26 ESV). Though you may not realize it, your spiritual DNA is written upon your spirit and calling you higher!
You are part of an eternal family that is drawing you by the Spirit of God because you do belong. You are but one of the many sons and daughters of the Kingdom who have yet to know the fullness of who you are, what you were born for, and what you were designed for. The cry of your heart is the cry of your Heavenly Father, who longs for you to join the Body so that you can know the fullness for which you were born.
“And He put all things under His feet and gave Him as head over all things to the Church, which is His Body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” (Ephesians 1:22-23)
You are a Vital Part of the Body
There is an aspect of your spiritual growth that can ONLY happen within the context of THE BODY. You are a part of His Body, regardless of which part. You cannot deny it, and you cannot stop it. You have been wired, from your very conception, to be a living and breathing part of the Body of Christ. Not only do you need the Body, but the Body needs YOU! Regardless of your personal experience with the Lord or any encounters and breakthroughs you’ve already had on your own, you will never know the FULLNESS of your call and destiny apart from the Body.
There is, in this season, an increased anointing, authority, and spiritual EMPOWERMENT upon the BODY of Christ. Just as individuals can be filled with and empowered by the Spirit of God, so there is a corporate filling and empowering that goes far beyond what any single Believer can accomplish or experience (Psalm 133).
Consider what happened when the Holy Spirit was first poured out upon those hungry Believers in Jerusalem and the resulting impact of their oneness of heart and corporate commitment:
• Pentecost came as they tarried together in the upper room (Acts 2:1-4).
• Mass evangelism occurred when they met and worshipped together (Acts 2:46-47).
• Greater boldness and courage in the public square came out of corporate fellowship and prayer (Acts 4:29-31).
• Grace for the miraculous increased as Believers walked together (Acts 4:32-33; 5:12-14).
God has a destiny and purpose for you that is intricately tied to His Body. It will require faith to step into it. It will require risk because people may let you down. But, the Father will never let you down, nor will He lead you astray. This is a time when a FULLNESS is coming to the Body of Christ – a fullness of the knowledge of the glory of God (Hab. 2:14), a fullness of the gifts and demonstrations of the Spirit of God (Ephesians 4:13-16), and a fullness of the Father’s perfect love (Ephesians 3:14-19).
In the Body of Christ You Will Discover Fullness
This FULLNESS can only be realized when you join the Body and BE the part you were created to be. This means joining and sticking with a household of faith for the long-haul. If you have been wounded, you can find healing. If you have felt forgotten, you will be recognized and embraced. If you have been rejected, there is a place where you will be celebrated. If you have been alone, you can find your family. There is grace in this hour to belong.
This will be an ACT OF FAITH on your part. To join the Body means to trust your Father who is the Head. He will lead you to the right household of faith. He will teach you to trust again. He will give you opportunities to serve and find your place. The same love that Jesus has for His Bride He will give to you, if you but trust Him.
YOU BELONG to the family of God. It’s time to step in and get attached. Stop visiting and start engaging. Stop looking from the sidelines and step into meaningful relationships within a local fellowship. What man cannot do, the Holy Spirit will do. Keep a humble spirit. Risk again. Determine to serve others in love. Watch who He brings in your path. You are needed, and the Body is looking – even waiting – for you to come and belong.
“And you are part of that building Christ has built as a place for God’s own Spirit to live.” (Ephesians 2:22 CEV)
Wanda Alger
Email: wandaalger@ifapray.org
Website: www.wandaalger.me
Wanda Alger is a field correspondent and writer with Intercessors for America and has contributed to numerous online publications such as Christian Post, Charisma, and Spirit Fuel. She is a recognized five-fold prophetic minister with DOVE USA and is the author of several books including, “Oracles of Grace: Building a Legacy of Wisdom and Revelation.” She and her husband, Bobby, pastor full-time in Winchester, Virginia.
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