What goes off in your head when the unexpected collides with your busyness and suddenly, you’re thrown into slow motion? Is it a delay or a divine interruption? Imagine, for a moment, living a lifestyle where you actually went looking for—even anticipating—those kinds of unscheduled interruptions, with the idea that something extraordinary is just around the corner. Thats exactly what Jesus did when He was on earth.
Jesus’ days were a series of interruptions, unplanned events to which he willingly (even readily) submitted and subjected Himself to. From teaching a large crowd that gathered spontaneously, to delivering demon-possessed men (naked and violent); every unexpected interruption was an opportunity for Jesus to show people The Father. On the other side of each interruption was a significant manifestation of the Spirit all because Jesus made Himself available. As you manifest more of God’s power in you life consider these four tools and expect the spirit of God to enrich your delays turning them into divine interruptions.
Welcome Interruptions
After casting out demons, Mark 5:21 says He returned and was met by a crowd while He was beside the sea. Jesus drew a crowd whenever He was teaching so this wasn’t unusual. As He was teaching a ruler of the synagogue, Jairus saw Jesus and fell on his feet and pleaded for Jesus to return with him to his house to lay hands on his daughter for full and complete healing. Jairus pleaded “my little daughter is lying at the point of death. I ask You, come and lay Your hands on her so that she may be healed. And she will live,” (Mark 5:23.
There was sense of urgency in Jairus’ petition. Timing was everything—it was life or death, after all—and Jairus probably felt like he and Jesus were making good time, considering all the crowds. Then, something happened! And no one saw it coming. Apparently, not even Jesus. As they were moving through the crowd to get to Jarius house, a woman who was haemorrhaging for twelve years touched the hem of Jesus’ robe knowing that if she just touched his garment she’d be healed. As she touched his robe immediately her blood dried up (Mark 5:29).
At once, Jesus knew power had left Him and he abruptly stopped to ask who touched Him. While this interruption is happening, Jairus is thinking about his dying daughter, and just as Jesus was ministering to the woman, a messenger from the house of Jairus brings the message that his daughter has died. But notice how Jesus handled the interruption: Jesus told Jairus, “Don’t yield to fear…keep on believing” (Mark 5:36, TPT).
Fear of what? We’re too late! If it hadn’t been for this interruption! It’s no use now! How many times have you had those kinds of thoughts in the middle of an unexpected change of plans? Jairus could have blamed the woman for his daughter’s death because she interrupted them and slowed things down. But he didn’t. He stayed in faith—and it’s obvious he did, based on Jesus’ instructions to him. Otherwise, his daughter wouldn’t have lived. He wouldn’t have received his miracle.
Understand, breakthrough can happen in the interruptions of life. So, don’t curse your interruptions. Welcome them! That’s how Jesus lived His life. That’s how He perceived and responded to interruptions at any given moment on any given day—and it resulted in Holy Spirit power.
Do A Reality Check
When we get caught up in the busyness of life—and under its pressures—it can be a challenge to think straight and really see matters for what they truly are. What’s fact or fiction, reality or deception. That’s when we need insight: What’s happening, here? What’s really going on?
The very first semester Brother Copeland started attending Oral Roberts University, he was hired as a pilot for the ministry to fly Oral Roberts and assist in meetings.
One day after a flight back to campus, he was riding in an elevator with Oral Roberts and Billy Graham, who were to be speakers at ORU’s graduation ceremony. On the ride up to the administrative offices, Brother Copeland smiled a big smile and thought to himself: This is it—I’m going to graduate in four years, continue to work for Brother Roberts and be part of this ministry in Tulsa!
It wasn’t long afterward that God interrupted Brother Copeland’s plans and said, No, I’m ready for you now. Again, that changed everything! God’s Spirit is charged with getting over to us the truth of every matter, as well as any information we need to know of what lies ahead. Our responsibility—like Jesus’ and Jairus’—is to flex and go with the interruption, which will get us to where we really need to be so we can release faith and His power.
Be on the Lookout for God
As Jesus entered Jerusalem for the last time (before going to the cross), He began to weep and cry out. He was grieved because the “chosen people of God” missed their visitation from God. The Son of God had been among them for more than 30 years, most never knew it, and few embraced it.
For nearly 2,000 years, Jews had been waiting, watching, praying for Messiah. Yet, in all their looking and longing, they missed Him. People are still missing Jesus today. Jesus says, “Behold, I’m standing at the door, knocking. If your heart is open to hear my voice and you open the door, I will come in to you and feast with you, and you will feast with me” (Revelation 3:20, TPT).
How is it possible to hear Jesus’ voice? “The one whose heart is open,” He goes on to explain, “let him listen carefully to what the Spirit is saying…” (verse 22, TPT). Kenneth Copeland and Pastor Greg Stephens, professor at Kenneth Copeland Bible College®, agree that “the day of your visitation” Jesus referred to in Luke 19 refers to the Holy Spirit—or, as Brother Kenneth Hagin used to say, “God in the now!”
When you learn to listen to and flow with God’s Spirit, He will lead and direct you into ALL truth. And the truth is—every day can be “your day of visitation” if you’re on the lookout for God, willing to allow Him into your day—and even interrupt it if necessary.
Get in Jesus’ Head – and Stay There
The power of the Holy Spirit—not the wisdom of man—is what reveals the mysteries of God to us. Those mysteries are knowledge and information that only God’s Spirit knows and only He can reveal. Again, as we become more experienced in listening to the Holy Spirit and going through life with Him as Jesus did, we get to the place where, as the Apostle Paul describes. “Those who live in the Spirit are able to carefully evaluate all things…. and we possess Christ’s perceptions [we have the mind of Christ]” (1 Corinthians 2:15-16, TPT).
Certainly, there are interruptions we can, and should, avoid in life. But there are those times when you look and look and look…and you just can’t seem to find your car keys! “The Holy One has anointed you and you know all things” (1 John 2:20, NKJV). This is why it’s important to pray over everything and seek, search out the mind of Christ in every situation. It’s yours. You have 24/7 access. Use it to get into that place of “listening to God and responding.”
Do what the Apostle John says: remain in the anointing (1 John 2:27 TPT).
These simple tools are what helped keep Jesus on track and in step with His Father—allowing the presence and power of the Holy Spirit to flow freely—throughout His day. Day after day, they helped Him navigate ALL those interruptions. They turned the potential for aggravation into the possibility of a miracle.
They will do the same for you!
