My eldest daughter had just turned 12 and hit that stage every dad waits for. She said, "dad, all the kids are watching Marvel movies. Can I watch Marvel movies now, but like from the beginning?" I played it cool and said—while not trying to smile too big, "well, Neriah, I think that's okay as long as you watch them with me. You know, in case I need to forward some scenes." I also told her I wanted to teach her how to watch movies with God. 

At this point in my journey of practicing hearing God's voice, I was so committed to wanting to release His love as I connected with people. Practically on my prayer walks, I would ask Him particular questions about who was coming into my life that week. Questions like: "Jesus, what do you love about this person?" "Holy Spirit, is there anything you're doing in this person/church, anything you want to say?" And when I ask those questions, I WAIT! Seriously, I will just wait until I get His heart, His perspective, or His feelings. 

In the Inspired Posts on this site, I share how I began to hear his voice for healing. Nevertheless, the point is that when I hear body parts that he is going to heal (for example, “I’m healing knees, or lymphatic system, or left eye”), I immediately get excited to see whom Jesus loves. I couldn't wait to look at the person to whom Jesus- Himself was responding. 

One time at church, I heard "left shoulder," and I shared it with the pastor. When he shared this with the church, one young woman came to the prayer area where I was and said, "I wasn't going to come today, but when I woke up, I heard God say, He wanted to heal me today.” She told us she had slipped on ice and couldn't work for that week but was praying He'd heal her. Moments like that are what I am talking about. Furthermore, when I wait to hear and get it from God, his instruction comes with a supernatural confidence that He will do it. Why? Because of what I believe about the Bible.

In Luke Luke 5:4–6 and John 21:6–8, we read: "And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word, I will let down the nets."And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.

John 2:6-7 He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved, therefore, said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" 

The point is this: when Jesus speaks in real-time, "cast the net," it's a living word which carries the power, nature and activation to perform. When I act in faith on it, charged with His love, His power comes through. 

Back to Marvel movies and THOR:

On one of those afternoons with my daughter, working through the Marvel Saga, I saw a scene where Thor shows up to help the Avengers but is missing one crucial thing. Thor, at this moment, can feel the presence of his anointing from the planet Asgard but still, even with the anointing, he waits. 

The best part is how Marvel depicts this moment. Thor is smiling but waiting. He knows He wants it but needs to wait... As he puts his hand out in the air wide open. And then suddenly, you see this smile, and you hear this wind, and then "Woomf,” it comes barreling in. Thor knows the moment that his hammer comes rushing into his hand — He knows the moment he grasps the handle of his hammer; whatever is in front of him has an unstoppable power coming to it. The moment I saw that scene, I heard the Holy Spirit, with His gentle whisper, say, "that's how I see us."

Immediately the impression was, “James, as you go up the mountain on our walks or get quiet in that secret place of prayer with me, it is like you're waiting with your hand out for the hammer of My heart, the hammer of My specific perspective and nature.” God sees me waiting expectantly to hear Him, what He wants to do, and what He will do. 

Many Christians, pastors, and leaders know, as children of God with the Holy Spirit in us, that we have the anointing of the Spirit (like Thor's anointing from Asgard), but too many of us don't wait. We do not wait or know how to wait for His heart or to get what He wants to do or what He says the need is in a specific situation. 

Can I encourage you? Instead of doing stuff for God, wait until you know it's Him and you're doing it alongside Him... and with your hand out wide open—wait to get what He wants to do.

This doesn't mean we don't read scripture and live from a revealed will. Of course, we still need to do that, but this is about wanting to go relationally above and beyond our ‘regular’ faithfulness to get Him. 

It is not easy, but when you begin to hunger in His presence because all you want is to give Him, and you know what it's like when it's Him, there's something in your spirit that leaps, and you can't help but have the same smug confidence Thor has, as he knows—hand out wide—what's coming. It's a confident trust where you refuse to move when He hasn't said so, and at that point, you feel a new purpose in you. So fun!