My heart- in the words of Bill Johnson

I have been reading this amazing book called "Dreaming with God" by Bill Johnson. And this one chapter I read a few days ago I just can't get out of my head. I have something called "values" which is a very simple word that most of know, but I have written down the 11 values that define who I am. And three of these 11 values are talked about so eloquently in the first few paragraphs of this chapter that I thought I would share, something that defines my heart, and inspires my spirit: (emphasis added by me.)

The Creative Edge

When unbelievers lead the way in inventions and artistic expression, it is because the church has embraced a false kind of spirituality.

One of the most natural parts of being created in the image of God is the ability to dream. It's a God given gift. Yet many believers, in their attempt to please God, kill the very capacity He gave them. They reason, "To really please God I must get rid of everything to do with self!" It sounds spiritual to many, but it's more Buddhist than Christian. If we pursue that line of thinking for long we end up with neutral believers. Self-mutilation need not be physical to be perversion. Any time we try to cut away at what God placed in us, we are entering a form of spirituality that the scriptures do not support, and are contributing to a spirit that works against us having a truly effective witness. It is not wise to crucify the resurrected man and call it discipleship. The cross is not for the new man; it's for the old man (Romans 6:5-9).
Many have even prayed, "None of me, all of you." God had none of us before we were born and didn't like it. He created us for His pleasure. A better way to pray would be, "All of me covered by all of you!" ...

in an earlier chapter Johnson puts it this way:

"We always become like the one we worship. But it's not because we've been programmed to wish for the things He wants us to wish for; it's because in friendship we discover the things that please Him- the secret things of His heart..."
"A good way to remember the intent of the word desire is to break it down by syllables. "De" means "of." And "Sire" means "father." All desire is "of the father." The question should not be "are my desires from God?" The question should be, "With what, or with whom have I been in communion?"

I guess I hope that more believers can be encouraged to live from the desires that are born in them through their intimate fellowship with the Lord. Don't let the enemy tell you the lie of religion in which you must crucify your dreams, the very dreams God has placed in you and is waiting to help you fulfill, in the name of sacrifice. Remember that obedience is always better than sacrifice, what dream is God waiting for you to believe Him for?