Photo from Malik Yoba’s facebook page
Bill Harken is one of the characters on the television show Alphas.
No, I don’t think you are actually going to have someone with superpowers at your church, but there will definitely be some people in your church who understand and identify with Bill.
Will you be able to help Bill know God, see himself the way that God does, and have a new sense of purpose?
Bill has a rage problem. When he is faced with a threatening situation, his adrenals pump overtime, and he becomes a destruction machine.
Recently, in one of his rages, he completely lost himself. When he “woke up” he had destroyed most of a room.
The people in your church who understand Bill know what it is to be overrun by their body chemistry. Their problem might be anger, it might be dependencies like drugs or alcohol.
Samson was a man like Bill. He made decisions based on his cravings, and most of the time it wasn’t a good decision. Yet, God used him – just as he was. Samson messed up – repeatedly – and God used him anyway.
Peter was also known to be rash and violent – he even chopped of the ear of the servant in the Garden; yet God not only used him, but he was one of the trusted three best friends of Jesus.
God doesn’t look to see if we have it all together, and He doesn’t wait for us to get it right.
Bill will become a mighty leader, much like Peter. First, he must learn to wait on God to renew his strength. As he learns to hear God’s Spirit, he will find his own spirit being renewed. As his spirit is renewed, it will begin to change his mind, will and emotions. He will be strengthened from the inside. When we are changed from the inside out, even our bodies start to comply.
The flip side to having so much potential is the ability to feel so worthless. When Bill loses it, he feels completely powerless. His healing will begin when you help him acknowledge that he is, indeed truly powerless, but God is powerful – and has made him a man with a destiny.
Can you help Bill listen for God’s voice?
Can you help him get to know God and let God work on him from the inside out?
Can you teach him to listen like Peter and let God empower him to fulfill his purpose?
Will you give him the support and reassurance he needs to admit he is powerless and God is powerful? Can you walk him to the foot of the throne as he asks God to fix it?
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The people in this “Coming to Your Church This Sunday” series aren’t real – even those who are designed from television characters. They are a compilation of people we have known, read about, heard of and heard from throughout the years. Their purpose is to help church leaders get to know those in their congregation and those who might walk through the door. If you see yourself in them, you just have a lot in common with the rest of the human race.
One Response
Just as Jesus used the ‘Sower’ and the ‘Seed’ in his teachings, you have taken a character that is familiar to be many of us “Alpha” fans. Thanks for using writing to encourage believers to reach out to those outside and be real in their efforts. You might find inspiration in http://www.adifferentdirection.com/products/man-of-god-christian-t-shirt for a future article. God bless!
Debby