Introverted Intelligence: God's Introverts are Rising Up to Reveal His Brilliance by John C, Meyer
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By John C. Meyer
There is no doubt that Papa God is moving in this hour and powerful things are taking place all over the earth. We are seeing things shift at accelerated speeds, and many believers sense something huge is on the horizon. I don't believe it's merely wishful thinking, I believe it's God and He will have his way. I don't know about you, but Papa has been doing a lot of inner transformation, as well as outer transition in our lives personally. He's taking us deep, really deep, into the cellular memory of things for the purpose of strong foundations and intimate mystery unveiling. It has been wonderful, and if I'm completely transparent, very challenging at times.
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There is no doubt that Papa God is moving in this hour and powerful things are taking place all over the earth. We are seeing things shift at accelerated speeds, and many believers sense something huge is on the horizon. I don't believe it's merely wishful thinking, I believe it's God and He will have his way. I don't know about you, but Papa has been doing a lot of inner transformation, as well as outer transition in our lives personally. He's taking us deep, really deep, into the cellular memory of things for the purpose of strong foundations and intimate mystery unveiling. It has been wonderful, and if I'm completely transparent, very challenging at times.
With all of the movement going on in The Kingdoms of this world that are seen, there has also been a deep work that has been going on within the hearts and minds of many who call themselves introverts. Many of us have read the articles, heard the sermons and listened to our friends share about the journey in general, and how challenging it has been, but what we didn't fully realize is the spiritual depth we were gaining through it.
Trusting the Process
The unveiling of the true Bride has been taking place all along, and if we are not careful as a global body we will miss the pulsating heart of God in what He has been conveying to His Beloved. It's not hard to see the challenge and difficulty of what we are going through in life, because we tend to side with those things are seen and felt in our every day existence. What's challenging is to remain focused on the faith and trust of what our Good Father is doing at a deeper level.
For example, we can double down on a habit or even a truth when faced with pressure because we think if we can simply push through the opposition rebuking the enemy, things will get better all of the sudden. While in some cases this is true, I have found there's beauty in the furnace and the seal to the door will not break through a decree if God hasn't opened it to a smokeless season. It's not that it's enjoyable being tried by fire, but there's a knowing that the pressure and pain are causing something of great value to rise from the heat.
Psalms 22: 4-5 (NAS) In You our fathers trusted; They trusted and You delivered them. To You they cried out and were delivered; In You they trusted and were not disappointed.
God has been changing our paradigms and many of us thought it would look much different than it has. Many believers were simply caught up listening to the outspoken persuasion of the extroverted telling us to have more faith, and if we could just reach a certain level then we would see our circumstances quickly change. If we would only give more, decree more, and believe more, then we would be free from the pain and everything would fall right into place exactly as they told us it would. Now, don't get me wrong, I believe in great messages, Godly decrees, and faith filled words, but there are seasons in life where God simply and profoundly removes the "run" from our soul so we are able to walk out of the fire transformed, without the smell of lingering smoke. The nature of the extrovert sometimes begs to run away from hard things, but notice how Papa in His wisdom knows how to bring the diamonds out in the walk through those who calm themselves enough to process well.
Daniel 3: 26 (MSG) Nebuchadnezzar went to the door of the roaring furnace and called in, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the High God, come out here!" Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego walked out of the fire.
Spiritual Extroverts Learning from Spiritual Introverts
I believe we are in a time period where we are beginning to see the changing of the guard in the way we learn from one another. For a long time now we have watched as fiery, outspoken extroverts have blazed trails across pulpits preaching the message of repentance, while leaving the intelligence of the introvert either locked up or left behind. Preachers have stood shouting with thunderous decrees at the devil to loose his grip from those who were bound, and they've declared to the Church that if we tried just a little harder, fasted a little longer and believed a little more, we would see the end of evil and the ushering in of The Kingdom. While all this may be good in and of itself, I believe that something else was taking place simultaneously in the hearts of His introverted children. God was walking these "Spiritual Introverts" through deep levels of intimacy, cleansing, creative development, and supernatural impartation in the hidden places. He was preparing them to be revealed in order to come alongside the "Spiritual Extrovert" to help them to see what their efforts had meant at deeper levels.
It's not in Papa God's heart for any of His children to walk alone, and it's certainly not in His heart for any of us to feel like we have the edge or the upper hand in revelation or personality. So what He loves to do is bring forth the help that is needed for eyes to be opened and ears to hear his heart more clearly. You've heard that if you're quiet God will place someone loud around you, right? It's much the same way where this "Introverted intelligence" is now coming alongside the extrovert to help them see that it truly is about unveiling the beauty of The Bride-Groom King who longs to see His Bride come to place of genuine expression fueled by rest and acceptance of all His expressions.
The Great Cover Up
I am truly grateful for the many things the Lord has removed from my life, including the garments called religiosity. It's the very clothing that looks beautiful on the outside but does a good job of covering up the authentic nature of who we really are. In other words, if I am an extrovert that enjoys being the "Life of the party", then it can either be genuine expression of my persona or it can be the great cover up for something I am being forced into through peer pressure or the need to be accepted and important. God is clearly drawing a line these days, and that line is symbolic of what it means to step over into complete authenticity or remain wearing the covering of religion.
Friends, many have been guilted into living a life that has the appearance of godliness but denies the real power to be our true selves. It's when we become ourselves that true anointing and love bursts forth and onto the scene of humanity. But when we feel the pressure to perform or become something we are not is when we remain covered in someone else's reality.
Introverted Contribution is Vitally Important
The definition of an introvert in the natural sense is described as a person who tends to turn inward mentally. Introverts sometimes avoid large groups of people, feeling more energized by time alone. This is not necessarily a bad thing. It simply means they become more creatively coherent and alive when they are alone. This is something extroverts need as well; time alone to hear from God and to stir the flow of creativity.
Why are the introverted so important? There are several reasons why.
They teach us that's ok to have alone time.
They show us that quietness and silence is a good thing.
They are good listeners.
They see the big picture.
They innovate.
They are not afraid to go deep in their walk.
They know themselves.
They are creatively gifted.
The important issue here as it relates to the extroverted expression lays in the way the introvert sometimes gets passed by or unnoticed. Since they tend to be more inward focused, the extrovert either overshadows them or overlooks their wisdom. This is why 1 Cor. 12 is so vitally important. Paul describes the body of Christ likened unto the anatomy of the human body. He also speaks of the parts that are seen and the ones that are not. The parts that are unseen are those who also have a vital part in this world.
1 Cor. 12: 19-26 (Living Bible) What a strange thing a body would be if it had only one part! So he has made many parts, but still there is only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, "I don't need you." The head can't say to the feet, "I don't need you." And some of the parts that seem weakest and least important are really the most necessary. Yes, we are especially glad to have some parts that seem rather odd! And we carefully protect from the eyes of others those parts that should not be seen, while of course the parts that may be seen do not require this special care. So God has put the body together in such a way that extra honor and care are given to those parts that might otherwise seem less important. This makes for happiness among the parts, so that the parts have the same care for each other that they do for themselves. If one part suffers, all parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.
Yes, we need each and every part, whether intro or extro in nature. God says it's time for the hidden intelligence and fruit of the introvert to come to the aide of the extrovert. For in doing so, we will see a love, gentleness, creativity, and brilliance this world is longing for. It's time for the "Extro" to listen to the "Intro" of the hidden wisdom being made manifest for such a time as this.
In Him,
John Meyer