Modern Day Mystics

LONDON, ENGLAND (ANS) -- A victim of the London terrorist attacks has called for love, not revenge, as a response to the atrocity that left 56 dead and many, including himself, seriously wounded.

Christian writer Charles Gardner was naturally shocked and devastated when he heard the news that his brother David had been badly injured in the July 7 blast at the Edgware Road tube station.

However, it does seem that God was protecting him. David saw the bomb go off right next to where he was sitting and was catapulted into the air before coming to rest underneath a pile of debris and dead bodies.

David was immediately comforted by a "Good Samaritan" teacher, John McDonald, who talked with Gardner about Shakespeare and rugby while waiting for help.

A leading light with the Hampstead Players, David was due to appear the following week as Brutus in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, which he was also directing, and was going through his lines at the time of the blast. In fact David continued doing so in the immediate aftermath until the full realization of what had happened dawned on him.

David was traveling on the Circle Line on his way to Kensington High Street, where he works as a management accountant with the Evening Standard.

Although severely injured, the "protection" of the unfortunate victims who were standing probably saved his life. David has since said that he has never before managed to get a seat on the carriage, but he did on this occasion.

"If I had been standing, I would be dead," David told his wife Angela when he finally came round after 72 hours of being under heavy sedation.

David had his left leg amputated, his ruptured spleen removed and was in the Intensive Care Unit at St Mary's Hospital, Paddington. He had to undergo several further hours of surgery to correct a number of problems, which included bleeding to a kidney, superficial burns and removing foreign bodies ("bits of train" as he put it) from his other leg. His hair was singed and he has had a skin graft on his fractured left hand, which has also been pinned.

But David has turned the corner, for which his family is so grateful to God.

Gardner told ASSIST News Service (ANS): "When my wife Linda and I first heard David had been caught up in the blast, we prayed that what had been meant for evil would turn out for the glory of God, and we are sure this will happen. We believe he has been spared for a special purpose."

Significantly, another of David's rescuers was called Jason, a name that means "healer." And the doctor who treated him on his arrival at hospital -- he was conscious and quite talkative at the time -- was the daughter of his now retired doctor dad's long-time former partner in South Africa. Dr Nicole Richards proved to be an "angel of mercy," even ringing his mum to encourage her and assure her that he would recover.

David, 50, only got married three years ago to Angela, who is 35, and they have a beautiful little boy called Matthew, who is just 20 months. Charles added: "David was my best man at our wedding four years ago and is head server at St John's Church, Hampstead."

Though scattered throughout the globe, the Gardner family are very close with news of David's injuries sparking off constant calls and e-mails -- from Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa and even the sand-dunes of Namibia!

It has been a particularly traumatic time for Angela and David's mum Pat, who is 81, though very sprightly. Both of them had rung his office after hearing of the bombings, knowing his route had been affected, only to find that he hadn't arrived, after which they spent frantic hours wondering where he was.

Fortunately David had been conscious enough to give their telephone numbers to the doctor, who sent a text message to Angela. Angela then walked (there was no public transport) all the way from Fleet Street to Paddington, a distance of several miles, only to be initially prevented from entering the hospital due to security.

Like her husband, Angela is a keen marathon runner.

Commenting on the atrocity, Charles said: "As Jesus hung on a cross, marred beyond recognition by the hate of sinful men, he prayed: 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.' In the same way, I pray for the perpetrators of this callous act, that God would forgive them and open their eyes to the love he has shown to all men through his beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ."

David is now making a remarkable recovery. Even the doctors are surprised at his progress.

"We visited him on Saturday and found him in excellent spirits, cheering us all up with his tremendous, and sometimes offbeat, humor. He also gave us many details, mostly unsolicited, of his grisly experiences," said Charles.

"After removing the arm of a dead victim from off himself, he then felt what he described as 'blood and guts,' which he first thought belonged to someone else until he realized it was his own leg. He used parts of his suit as a tourniquet; other passengers also tore off strips from their clothes to help stop the bleeding.

"All the windows and doors were blown out and it is just a miracle he survived at all," Charles said.

"(David) holds no grudge or thirst for vengeance for the perpetrators of the atrocity and is irritated by statements from the media that the victims don't want 'tea and sympathy,' but answers.

"Love is in fact what the world needs more of, he says, and he has been wonderfully borne up by the prayers and support of friends, family and Christians all over the world. Even his old school -- St Andrew's College in South Africa -- were praying for him in their chapel service on Sunday July 10th. That was the day he turned the corner.

"We have seen compassion in action and are most grateful to God and so many people for the overwhelming support and kind thoughts that have been expressed."

Finally, Charles Gardner quoted St Paul as he wrote to the church at Corinth: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God," (2 Cor. 1,3 & 4).

Joni Ames
A.C.T.S. Ministries
www.joniames.org
JoniAmes@aol.com







Last year at this time, I had it confirmed to me that I'd been given a Shepherd's Rod for 2005. I prayed and wondered whether I'd get another one this year for 2006, and I believe I did.

For those of you who do not know what a Shepherd's Rod is, the term "Shepherd's Rod" refers to the belief that God's people pass under His Shepherd's Rod for evaluation and promotion, in much the same way that sheep pass before and are evaluated by their Shepherd. The term also refers to the prophetic revelation and interpretation that the Lord releases on and around the Day of Atonement -- basically, "New Year's Prophecies" and instruction for His people.

The following is what I believe the Lord gave me this year:


SONS OF ISSACHAR CLOCK

The Lord spoke to me about a spiritual Sons of Issachar clock we have been given in this time and showed me that every minute that passes is like money passing through our fingers. It came with directions: value the time you are given as you would value money.

Spend time wisely. Time is life. Time can be used to make money, but money can't be used to buy time. Every minute is far more valuable than money.

Save time. We can save time through a variety of things.

(1) Delegate instead of micro manage. That is even helpful when training others. It gives them a sense of responsibility, accountability, and trust. And it delivers us from a spirit of control!

(2) Make "to do" lists.

(3) Don't drive all over town for the things you are looking for. Let your fingers do the walking through the phone book and find the place that has what you need and go there.

Set time aside for what is important: the Lord, family, friends, and vacations. Even Jesus, who is perfect, knew that He had to take time aside to be refreshed. You'll be a better spouse, parent, friend, and person, for doing so.

Mark/measure time. You may want to keep a journal of what you do with your time. Keep a journal of your prayer requests and when they are answered and how they are answered. There are many times of "spiritual markers," and it is important to mark those times. The Lord writes a book of remembrance about us, and we need to do so for Him!

Be time-sensitive and handle time-sensitive things in an appropriate manner. Don't miss out on those "Kairos" moments when you have a small window of time in which to do something.

Don't be discouraged by time delays or waste your time during a delay. Sometimes, God allows us to be delayed in a traffic jam to keep us from being in an accident. Sometimes the delays to our goals take longer than we desire -- months or years longer. Don't get into murmuring and complaining in that time frame. Use them wisely as time to draw closer to Him.

Know the time of your visitation.

"In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." -- Proverbs 3:6


REPLACE FEAR & DOUBT WITH HOPE & FAITH

I awoke one morning to hear this: "Know that your worst nightmare (worst experience) is the seed-bed of your greatest miracle."

It is important in these times to remain rooted in the Word and keep our focus upon the Lord. As we do that, the Lord promises that we will be kept in perfect peace if our minds are stayed on Him.

The word "panic" comes from the root word "Pan" which is the name of the Greek god of panic and fear. Even as the terror alert has been elevated in our nation in the natural, the enemy has tried to elevate levels of terror spiritually as well.

Terrorism means "Use of force or threats to intimidate or control." Terrorize means:

(1) To terrify

(2) To coerce

(3) To make others submit by filling with terror

Remember, God hasn't given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind (II Timothy 1:7).

Don't let the enemy steal your peace of mind or your hope, and if he already has, I pray this scripture for you and over you:

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, by the power of the Holy Spirit." -- Romans 15:13


"PASSOVER"

The enemy is trying to hasten the death of those who are not yet sealed for the Kingdom. I heard "Pray for Passover." Pray that the storms and terrors pass over us. Pray that they do not hit our families and our nation.

I also saw that taking communion before the Lord would be of great value in our personal times with Him. I also encourage you to take the communion juice/wine and anoint the door posts (temple area) of yourself and your family members, as well as, the door posts of your home and its parameters, your vehicles, work areas, schools, churches, and wherever the Lord speaks to you to do this. Some intercessor groups may even want to mark the gates of their cities in this manner. As you do this intercessory, prophetic act, it would be symbolic of the protection of blood of Jesus, much like when the Israelites put the blood of a lamb on their door posts and experienced Passover when the death angel passed by.


DIVINE POSITIONING/RE-POSITIONING

Go where you are anointed to be and where you can fulfill the purpose and destiny for which you have been called. You were born for this time -- to be a deliverer and encourager in these perilous times!

Be flexible and willing to change, that your circumstances will not hold you back, but rather will fit into His plans for your life and calling. There is nothing more fulfilling than doing just that. There are some who may feel to sell homes and belongings, get a Motor Home, and go on the road. If you are married and come into agreement on that, do not worry about what the neighbors or relatives think! This is a time to hear and obey the prompting of the Lord and "Go for it!"


WOMEN

The Lord continues to call for the "draft" of the Psalm 68:11 great Army of Women.

Many women were sent to the prayer closets to pacify them in years past. But there are now great explosions coming forth, and they are "coming out of the closet" in tremendous power and anointing which they got from that time with Him. And they are becoming a force to be reckoned with, and they set many free!

It is also time for the Titus 3:5 mature women to come forth and raise the younger ones.

These loving, Apostolic Mothers will be used in this time to restore The Lord's nurturing "El Shaddai" (as nurture from the many breasted one [http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Names_of_G-d/El/el.html]) to the church.


DISASTERS

Record-breaking natural disasters (even man-made ones) will increase, as well as, National disasters. BUT. . .

"If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." -- 2 Chronicles 7:14

God is God. Nothing is impossible with Him. He can make suitcase bombs to malfunction and not work. He can unwind the power of hurricanes and tornados. He can take volcanic lava and send it into earthquake fault lines and cause it to be like welding material to seal up the cracks and stop earthquakes. He is God. No one else is.

Stand in the authority the Lord has given to you and speak peace to the storms! Command the twisters to unwind! Demand that the terrorists become confused and fall into their own pits! Speak death to the viruses and plagues! Pray Psalm 91!

"No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling!" -- Psalm 91:10


STIRRING UP OF RACIAL ENMITY, ANTI-SEMITISM & RIOTOUS SPIRITS

Fear and panic does strange things. The enemy is trying to use it in these times to stir up a enmity between races and to revive KKK and Nazi spirits and a riotous spirit, even in areas where there has been much racial reconciliation. We must not let the enemy destroy what God has accomplished.

God will not allow a spirit of elitism to crush His people of any background. He is no respecter of persons. We must pray that the enemy's plans be thwarted.


ALASKA, CANADA, & GREENLAND

Alaska, Canada, and Greenland will be in the news regarding weather, disasters, and global warming related problems.


FRESH BREAD!

For days, I smelled fresh bread in the air. Many are prophetically getting the urge to bake fresh bread. It is a sign of what the Body of Christ is hungry for and what the Lord is giving: fresh bread, not canned, pre-packaged sermons. It may take longer to "get it on your own," but that is what relationship with Him is all about. Once we have it, He then says, "Feed My Sheep."

"Give us this day our daily bread." -- Matthew 6:7

"Jesus is the Bread of Life." -- see John 6:33, 35, 48, 51

Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst." -- John 6:35

"For the bread of God is He who comes down from Heaven and gives life to the world." -- John 6:33

"I am the bread of life." -- John 6:48

"I am the living bread which came down from Heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world." -- John 6:51


MANY THUNDERS

The Lord again spoke to me about thunder. God speaks in the thunder. There has been much rolling thunder, and I believe He is speaking.

I live between two Air Force bases: Hurlbert (special operations) and Eglin (flight training). One morning, when I woke up, I heard a lot of "booms" that rolled and shook the area. I said, "Lord, is this thunder or are they on maneuvers?"

He said, "Both. My angels are on maneuvers, and I'm speaking in the thunder because the battle is heating up."

The Lord speaks in the thunder. In John 12:28-29, a conversation between Father and Son is recorded. The Father made a promise that He has and is going to again glorify His Name. Those that stood by just heard thunder. We don't want to be those who hear only thunder when the voice of the Lord speaks.

Years ago, someone had a prophecy that the Lord was bringing forth "Sons of Thunder" in worship. Don't take that term as gender specific. If the men can be the Bride of Christ, women can also be "Sons of Thunder!"

I believe deep is calling unto deep, and His Thunders are speaking to to the spirit inside of those "Sons (and Daughters) of Thunder" to call them forth for such a time as this. James, the son of Zebedee, and John, the brother of James, were referred to as "Sons of Thunder," due to their passionate (sometimes volatile) personalities. Some even refer to James as "the lightening bolt." I believe they were also soul winners, and the Lord is bringing forth His "unconventional," passionate soul winners.

There is a territorial war over our nation in the heavens right now.

"The kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force." -- Matthew 11:12

Yet we know to fight; it is "'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,' Says the Lord of hosts" (Zechariah 4:6), and that ". . . The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds," (2 Corinthians 10:4).

Many others have commented recently about the thunders, and I believe that the Lord truly is speaking. Like Samuel, we need to say to the Lord, "Speak, Lord. Your servant is listening," and then do just that: LISTEN!

"Hear attentively the thunder of His voice, and the rumbling that comes from His mouth." -- (Job 37:2)


POWER WITH OUR WORDS

Proverbs 31:26 says of the virtuous woman, "She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness." I believe the Bride of Christ will be noted as such a virtuous woman.

He is putting the coal to our mouths and cleaning them up so that our words will become purified -- even the prophetic words we speak forth to others. In the process of this, there will be power coming forth from our words -- creating as they flow forth: healings, deliverances, signs, wonders, and miracles.


"ALL HANDS ON DECK!"

I heard what sounded like a Navy ship's siren and heard, "ALL HANDS ON DECK!" This happened once before, prior to some serious things occurring. I knew immediately that it was a call to the intercessors to get sober and do some "hit the deck, hands down, on our face" serious intercession.

I then saw the Ezekiel 9:1-4 inkhorn brought forth to mark all of those willing to spend time before the Lord and listen for His commands for prayer. Not seen or heard by man, but they are heard by the Lord, and they obey the Lord.

"The Lord said to him, 'Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.'" -- Ezekiel 9:4

"I will gather those who sorrow over the appointed assembly, Who are among you, To whom its reproach is a burden." -- Zephaniah 3:18

"But if they are prophets and if the word of the Lord is with them, let them now make intercession to the Lord of hosts, that the vessels which are left in the house of the Lord, in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem, do not go to Babylon." -- Jeremiah 27:18


OVERDUE BABIES BORN & RAISED QUICKLY!

The longer the wait, the bigger the baby you're going to birth! COME FORTH! This is "due" season!

I saw big, out-of-proportion babies being birthed. They were awkward to handle. But when they were taken into arms of love and nurtured, they became properly proportioned and healthy. Don't be afraid. Don't give up on your babies. The Lord will teach you all you need to know, and you and your babies will make it!

A while back, the Lord showed me that "Due" season was spelled three ways:

(1) Due Season: The harvest is due; the babies are due.

(2) Dew Season: We don't want to go if He is not with us, but the heavy dew, heavy presence of the Lord is here.

(3) Do Season: Time to just DO it!


"MY HUSBAND"

I again heard Hosea 2:16: "'And it shall be, in that day,' Says the Lord, 'That you will call Me "My Husband," And no longer call Me "My Master."'"

This will truly be a time of knowing the Lord as husband, provider, and protector. Many are coming forth from their deserts, leaning on the arm of their Beloved, to fulfill their purpose and destiny. Hold tight to His hand! You are etched on it!


GO FOR IT!

Many of you have passed beneath the Shepherd's Rod for inspection and got a promotion. GO FOR IT! Don't acquiesce the purpose and destiny for which you have been born. Do not let anything start stopping you, or it will always stop you. DO IT! You were born for it! Jesus paid the price for you, and He deserves to get what He paid for!

John Paul Jackson



20,000 Leagues
By John Paul Jackson

You cannot go any deeper in God than into His Holy Spirit.

Venturing into His mysterious, consuming depths is very similar to venturing into an ocean. For some people, the beach is just fine. They like the openness, specifically the sunshine and warm sand. Safe up on the shore, you don’t have to worry about losing control or being pulled out farther than you wanted; you’re completely safe, and nothing can get you—a very important option for some people.

For others, the best part is the snorkeling. What an adventure! You get to be fully submerged in the water . . . at least, as fully as a flimsy piece of plastic in your mouth will let you. Swimming only a foot or two beneath the waves, you are able to see a hundred things beneath the surface that you never would have seen otherwise. When compared to staying on the beach, snorkeling can seem be pretty daring.

But then, there are the people who go deep—way deep, beyond what is humanly possible.

You cannot go any deeper in God than into His Holy Spirit. Some people are content to just be by Him, soaking up the rays. Others only want to get their head wet or have the rush of being momentarily submerged in Him. But others, desperate to find Him or die in the attempt, take a flying leap off the side, with nothing to keep them afloat, nothing to keep them alive beneath the surface . . . except Him.

It’s like stepping off a boat with nothing beneath your feet but the Mariana Trench; suddenly, you are just plain gone, and all that remains is Him.

This is what living in the Spirit means.

Jesus told His disciples that it was to their advantage for Him to go back to the Father so that the Holy Spirit would come to them. In other words, He was saying, “Everything I do is by the power of the Holy Spirit; now I’m leaving so that He can come. And you are really going to like what the Spirit does. You’re going to be empowered. You’re going to have more authority than you have ever had before.”

Jesus did signs and wonders because of the power of the Holy Spirit within Him. Through that same Spirit, the mysteries of God are revealed to you, both the large mysteries that are heralded by angels and the small mysteries that are whispered by children. You are able to bless and glorify God with your words and hands only because of the Holy Spirit. He is the same Spirit who brooded over the chaos of the earth in Genesis 1, and He is the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead. You are intricately, intimately connected with God.

Many of us think that the coming of the Holy Spirit is like a Christian nirvana, but this isn’t always the case. Drowning can be a scary experience. We cannot take precautions with God—we can’t prepare a Route B just in case He doesn’t come through. Having a back-up plan isn’t true faith. With God, it’s all or nothing. No scuba gear. No snorkel. And definitely not an umbrella for the beach.

The secret to living in the Spirit of God is this: You can have as much of Him as you want. If you want the beach, then you’ll have the beach. But if you want the depths of Him, then the bottom of the sea is also available. Which do you prefer?

In this new year, may your heart’s cry be for all of Him—for the deepest depths of the sea.

Author: REVIVALIST TODD BENTLEY



Last week in Part 1 of Holy Ghost Joy we discussed that God wants us not to miss receiving and experiencing His joy as well as having a revelation about the river of His pleasures (Ps. 36:8) This week in Part 2 we’ll not only discover some specific ways to drink from this river, we’ll also come to understand an important principle about drinking found in the book of Esther.

Last week we discussed the river of God’s pleasures (Ps. 36:8) and His desire that we drink deeply from this life-giving river. So today, before we continue to drink from the river of pleasure, I want to invite you to actually jump right in! I believe that some of you are drinking from the shoreline somewhat fearful of really getting in there! Don’t be afraid! We’ll ask the Lord to fill us up from head to toe with His Spirit—then we’ll really be able to stay afloat and receive the joy that’s found in God’s presence. We’ll even have some fun! So let’s pray together:

Father, we want to thank you for your kindness to us! We didn’t completely realize how much you want us to receive and experience Your joy. We want to honor You today as we dig into Your Word, and we invite You to expand our revelation about what it really means to walk with You, filled up with joy.

We want to soak up everything that You want to release to us today! Please fill us up from head to toe with Your Spirit so that we can stay afloat in the river of Your pleasures and receive everything You want to give us.

In Jesus name. Amen.



IMBIBING

Last week we discussed the fact that God is into moving on (touching) our feelings and He wants each of us to release back to Him the same kind of emotions that we share with our husband, wife or friend. Relationship really is a two-way adventure. King Solomon expressed this so well:

"I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride; I have gathered my myrrh along with my balsam. I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey; I have drunk my wine and my milk. Eat, friends; drink and imbibe deeply, O lovers” (So. 5:1).

God wants our whole heart and He is inviting us to come to a sacred place of intimacy with Him so that He can touch us in a way that no one else can. He wants us to imbibe deeply. Imbibe means: to take into the mind and keep, as ideas; to drink (Webster’s New World Dictionary). When we draw close to God with our whole being (body, soul and spirit) He can’t resist our devotion, and as a result, His presence comes upon us. That’s how we imbibe deeply. We’re drinking and soaking in His presence. We’re drinking from the river of His pleasures.

As I said last week, it can actually become easy for us to receive all that God has for us from the river of His pleasures—the joy, the fullness of the Spirit. But you know, if you’re like I was, you’ll need to learn how to drink from the river. With this in mind I want to share with you several specific ways that will help you to imbibe deeply.



HOW TO DRINK

DRAW NEAR TO GOD AND RECEIVE

One of the first ways that I learned to drink was by taking the initiative to worship the Lord and press in. As I communed with Him, it wouldn’t take long before I would begin to feel the presence of God and so I would actually lie down on my carpet and soak up His presence. If I felt His presence begin to lift or wane, then once again I would worship Him, pray and press in. As I spent time with the Holy Spirit this way there would be such an exchange of love between us, just like King Solomon wrote about in the scripture just mentioned.

And so I would keep a low posture and continue to drink and if His presence lifted I’d get up again and ask God again for the glory and I’d ask again for His manifest presence to stay. I’d say, “God I am drawing near unto you, draw near to me.” When I felt that glory again, I’d get down on the carpet and soak it up. This would happen again and again—I would be deliberate about receiving from the Lord and giving to the Lord. Remember last week we discussed the fact that there is a difference between being in the presence of God and actually receiving the Holy Spirit. So I began to practice receiving “God consciousness” to the point that now I can close my eyes and in seconds feel the glory of God.



BE SET FREE FROM "PROGRAMMING"

As well, what brought me to the place where I can drink deeply was when I was set free from the “programming” (in religion and in church) that teaches that it’s wrong to have emotions, experiences and manifestations. After the Lord told me to go ahead and drink from the river of pleasure, I realized that if God has a river of pleasure then He is into emotions, feelings and pleasure! This revelation set me free!

Having said that, I do realize that if the manifestations and the feelings aren’t there then we must hold on to the truth and the Word of God. (And the truth of God is the truth of God.) But when the feelings are there then praise God, have the feelings! I’m not in that camp that says, “We don’t need to feel or experience any manifestations.” I’m like, “I need those manifestations!” Listen! A man with an experience far outweighs a man with an argument. I want to experience everything that I say I know because then I really know. Hallelujah!

He wants relationship with us. Listen. You wouldn’t want to be in a relationship with your husband or with your wife and you wouldn’t want to have intimacy and friendship with someone that was just downright cold. You don’t say to your beloved, “Let’s be together and just work. It’s going to be serious, no emotions, no laughter and jokes. No intimacy. Nothing. I don’t want you to feel any affection for me and I don’t want to feel any affection coming from you.” Many of us believe that’s how we must relate to God.

But when we’re set free from those mindsets, it’s a whole lot easier to be able to drink and receive from the Holy Ghost. As I said last week, we’re set free when we make up our minds to deliberately receive from God what He has on His heart for us. When we cooperate with God, we’ll be set free!



BE OPEN TO RECEIVE

One other way is learning how to be quiet and still in His presence (Ps. 46:10)—being open to receive from God. In fact, in that quiet place I learned to come into His presence and lie on the floor with my mouth open! “I am the Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide, and I will fill it (Ps. 81:10). With my mouth wide open, thirsty, He would fill me up from His river of pleasures.

God wants to fill you up, too! Did you know that God issued an invitation through the prophet Isaiah: “Ho! Everyone who thirsts: come to the waters;…. come, buy wine and milk without money and without price…. and let your soul delight itself in abundance” (55:1. 2b). God always does things in abundance. He wants us to go ahead and delight our soul in abundance. He is essentially saying something like this: “Come to the waters. Come without money. I want you to come for the wine.” He is talking about the new wine.

So I started having a revelation about letting my soul delight itself in abundance and about coming to the waters, taking freely. Although I knew that I could drink as much as I wanted, I didn’t actually see “the waters.” I realized that I must come to the waters by faith because without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6). And that’s how we were all saved—by faith—believing that Jesus died on the cross atoning for our sins and then praying and asking Him to come into our heart as our Lord and Savior. We can drink the same way that we were saved. We’re invited to come to the waters and we can drink as much as we want to, just like when we believe from our heart and receive anything else from God.

By faith we can jump into the river, dip our faces into the water and lap it up! I said, “Lord, right now I am thirsty. So I come to the river and I’m going to let my soul delight itself in You. I want abundance, God. And You said I could freely drink so I am dipping myself in your river, Jesus, and I’m drinking right now. I’m drinking, Lord. I’m drinking. Yep. I’m opening my mouth wide! I’m freely taking. Just like Lord when I asked You to come into my life, I’m receiving.” This may seem absolutely foolish to you. But some things really do confound our minds!

Listen. Jesus made some statements and decrees that most of the people never understood, that confounded their minds. The apostle John wrote about the time when Jesus “cried out, saying, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink’” (Jn. 7:37). Right in the middle of the feast, on the last day, that great day of the feast (the Feast of Booths), Jesus got up and cried out, “Hey! Is anyone thirsty? Let Him come unto me and drink!” We might be thinking: come on! Why does God have to shout that out right then and there? That might shake somebody up or offend somebody.

Well, He said, “…let him come to Me and drink,” so I took God at His word. I said, “Lord I can drink freely so I come and I’m putting my face in the river!” I started to drink by faith. And then I started to teach other people how to drink by faith. I’d tell them, “Okay guys, let’s make a barrel; get out your barrel.” Then I’d declare, “We take our barrel and we dip our barrel down into the river and we say, ‘Lord we drink.’” And I’d tell everyone to put their head back and open their mouth and say, “Lord, I tip my barrel back and I drink!” The reason why I’d have people say, “Lord, I tip my barrel back and I drink” is because when we have our mouth open we can’t talk! (And it’s by faith that we receive.)

When we tip our head back and open our mouth we have to receive! We’re directing our heart and our love to God—we’re giving ourselves to Him! And He’s giving Himself to us! You know, there is a principle that we reap what we sow (Gal. 6:7) and when we give generously, we receive blessings in return (Luke 6:38, Prov. 11:25). When we give ourselves to the Lord, He gives Himself to us.



THE "LAW OF DRINKING"

The word principle means: a fundamental truth, law, etc. upon which others are based (Webster’s New World Dictionary). With this in mind, I want to discuss the “law of drinking” found in the book of Esther because there is a principle in this law that the Lord wants us to understand.

Let’s turn to the first chapter of Esther where we read that King Ahasuerus hosted two magnificent banquets so that every invited guest would have a revelation of the riches, glory and splendor of his great majesty (v. 3-5). At each feast royal wine was served in abundance (v. 7). And they served this royal wine “in accordance with the law” which means that each person could drink as much as he wanted or not at all—there was no compulsion (v. 8). The wine was served according to the generosity of the King but nobody was being forced to drink.

Now I want us to come to understand the spiritual principle symbolized in the law of drinking; namely that we’re permitted to drink as much as we want according to the great generosity of the King of Kings! You know, Jesus is making a feast for us! In eternity His followers, believers, will gather together at the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:7-9) where the best wine ever created will be poured into our wine goblets (Matt. 26:29). But for now, here in planet earth He has lovingly poured out precious seasons of renewal and revival for us, His church—an outpouring of the Holy Ghost and renewed intimacy—like good wine. We can drink as much as we want from His river of pleasures!

In this blessed place we can receive fresh revelation of the majesty, strength and power of Jesus Christ and His kingdom. Today, His generosity continues and He is telling us to go ahead and drink the royal wine in abundance. He is pouring out His Spirit with new wine! God is actually working into the heart of His bride a love for Him and a fresh revelation of His glory and His kingdom.



THE FRUIT OF RENEWAL

So we must not offend the Lord with a mindset that believes it’s wrong to go after manifestations and that it’s wrong for God to move in our emotions! Rather, let’s let God offend our minds and any religious self-righteousness dwelling in our hearts. God has a way of offending us, doesn’t He?! The fact is, when He uses the foolish, weak, base things of the world—even people like me—that can offend us! It can offend the “status quo!” But we can take comfort in the fact that Jesus always upset and offended the status quo!

Actually, when we went to Africa, for awhile we offended the status quo there because of the way we ministered. Our contacts said, “Todd, many souls are being saved but you don’t wear a tie like the rest of us. You don’t handle the church meetings like we do and when you minister, the Africans get drunk and laid out under the power of God.” Even though, at first they had difficulty with this, later they said, “But you know what, we really love it!”

Also in Canada I hear some believers say they don’t understand the manifestations and some of the drunkenness. The way we function seems so foolish to them and even offends them. However, they do admit that there is good fruit that has come out of drinking from the river—like thousands of souls saved and miracles happening!

Today, perhaps you’re getting somewhat wet in the river but you’re wanting more—more good fruit manifesting in your life—the joy of the Lord, ministering to the lost, healing the sick and even raising the dead. Maybe you’re not getting as blasted and pickled as you want because there’s a part of you that receives, but you can only go so far and then you shut down.

So we’re going to pray and break the bondages that are hindering you from getting as wet as God wants you to get. We’re going to believe the Lord will set you free from the guilt of wanting more than the walking by faith and not by sight mentality. He wants to set you free from this even as He continues to pour out the royal wine of His spirit in abundance. Your mind does not have to be dry. He wants you to be filled with Holy Ghost joy and to taste and share the fruit of renewal!

I want to invite you to pray with me that by the Spirit of God, freedom and liberty is going to come. Let’s make some declarations, too.



PRAYER

Father, we want to thank you for Your great kindness to us. Thank you for setting such a magnificent banqueting table before us in the presence of our enemies. We want to taste the royal wine and we want to drink from Your river of pleasures according to Your generosity! O God, we don’t take this for granted! We want to drink the wine, the refreshing and the renewal of the Holy Ghost!

Yes Lord, let the vats overflow with the new wine and new oil. Today, Spirit of God, please set us free from religious spirits, religious thinking and that mindset that causes us to get stuck in religious duty. We want to be rid of that guilt that tries to come on us when we want to enjoy the emotions and the manifestations of Your presence upon us.

God, we just want to thank You SO MUCH for giving us permission to enjoy your river of pleasures! We’re smiling, God! Wow! We ARE being set free! Talk about Holy Ghost joy!

We want to take this freedom and joy to the streets! Lord, please anoint us to share the gospel—the good news that the kingdom of God is at hand—so those who are thirsty and weary can come freely to the waters and be refreshed and saved.

We don’t want to keep this good news to ourselves, God. We’re going with Holy Ghost joy in Your name, Lord Jesus! We’re going to share about Your goodness and Your glory!

In Jesus Name. Amen.

Author: REVIVALIST TODD BENTLEY




This is a two part teaching entitled Holy Ghost Joy. This week in Part 1 we’ll discuss being filled with the joy of the Lord, how to receive the Holy Spirit and having a revelation of the river of God’s pleasures. Next week in Part 2 we’ll discover a few different ways to drink from the river of God and how to maintain the fruit of renewal.


Listen! We have a Father in heaven who laughs! Written in the Word is a psalm that tells us that “He who sits in the heavens laughs…” (Ps. 2:4). In the context of treachery and deception, right in the middle of the nations making an uproar and conspiring against the Lord Himself (v. 1-2), what does God do? He laughs!! I think we can learn something from this. Is it possible to be filled with joy and even laughter when the enemy tries to disrupt our lives? I believe the answer is, “Yes”!

The Word also says, “A merry heart does good like a medicine” (Prov. 17:22). Don’t you feel great when you’re filled with joy? I sure do! God wants us to taste His goodness in the “land of the living” (Ps. 27:13). Because of His steadfast dependable character (Heb. 13:8), plus the fact that He is for us (so who can be against us—Rom. 8:31), we can be filled with great joy.

And yes, there is a very serious side to our Father in heaven—He doesn’t laugh at sin and injustice. However, today I want to emphasize the joyful side of God’s personality as well as His desire that we be joyful, too. I hope that today the Word of God will tear down any thoughts that are trying to stop us from drinking from the river of life.

Before we discuss different aspects of being filled with the joy of the Lord and receiving from the Holy Spirit, I want to invite you to pray with me:

Holy Spirit, I pray for the joy, the wine, the music, the dancing and the freedom that is in the Father’s house.

Father, we sense that You are laughing at what the devil thinks he’s going to do against You and against Your anointed ones. I pray today that Your laughter will bring great change, breaking the power of sickness and bondage, in the name of Jesus. And we ask for a release upon us of holy laughter and prophetic laughter. May freedom, healing and deliverance come out of Your laughter and our joy.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.



WE FEEL OUR FEELINGS!

Laughter is refreshing to the soul. And it erupts easily when we receive good news. But when we receive sad or bad news about something, if we don’t choose to see God’s hand in the situation, the news can literally “bring us down.” So we surely need God’s perspective. An outpouring of His wine and oil not only helps us to see His hand, it also helps us to stand in faith on His word. There is power in the Word of God! (Heb. 4:12). No wonder the gospel is also called the “good news!”

When we’re basking in the goodness of God and tasting the wine of His presence it’s a great blessing—something we don’t take for granted. “And wine that makes glad the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread which strengthens man's heart” (Ps. 104:15). But when we’re in a meeting where it seems like everyone but “me” is jumping into the river receiving God’s blessings, it is so discouraging!

There are people who can’t receive the fullness of everything that God wants to give. For instance, they could be in one of the greatest meetings that the Father ever orchestrated, and yet, they leave empty and dry. I believe this happens to people because their mindset has been adversely affected by their difficult experiences in church and religion.

Listen. We’re not supposed to be living life feeling all parched and cracked! God wants us to be filled up with His joy. He wants our “mindset” completely saturated in the truth about who He is and how much He loves us. And we can only be convinced about God’s goodness by the Spirit of God. If we didn’t have feelings about what the Spirit of God is doing in our lives, we couldn’t come to Christ. The Bible says no one can come to Jesus unless the Father draws them by the Spirit of God (John 6:44, 63).

We need God to help us have a revelation of His love and with this revelation there is grace also to feel the conviction that we need to repent from sin. Listen. God is into moving on (touching) our feelings. He wants us to feel His presence, to feel His love and to feel His joy. Then He wants us to release back to Him the same kind of emotions that we share with our husband, wife or friend.

Most of us don’t seem to have a problem with releasing and expressing our emotions (concerning having fun and all the other things that happen in our emotions) with others. But when it comes to God, there’s little room for emotions. Many think that with God it’s always serious and always work and so they really struggle with anybody having fun in church. In their eyes coming into the presence of God has to be with a purpose such as praying or interceding, reading the Bible, praying in tongues or worshipping.



RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT

Some believers struggle with letting themselves enter into the fullness of everything God wants to give them. The need to let go and allow themselves to receive whatever God wants to give them and not feel guilty about what I call “emotions” and “pleasure,” when it comes to God.

You know, before the disciples were released to share the gospel, Jesus met with them (soon after His crucifixion) and said, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you” (John 20:21). When Jesus said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (v. 22). He breathed on the disciples, giving them the Holy Ghost.

He released the outpouring and the presence of the Spirit of God. It’s important to realize that when He breathed on them saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit” that the disciples had to deliberately choose to receive the Holy Spirit. There is a distinction between being in the presence of God and actually truly receiving the Holy Spirit.

Many of us have been taught that we must walk by faith and not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7). “Don’t run after feelings and being moved by what you feel. Rather, only be moved by the Word of God and by what you think or discern.” That’s a half-truth. Also, some Christians say, “We believe in the Word of God but we’re not walking by feelings. We don’t need to feel the joy of the Lord and laugh or feel “drunk” to know that we have joy. We believe that we have joy.”

Well, I believe real Bible-faith is receiving and experiencing everything we say we believe. Perhaps those who say they have joy by way of faith and that they don’t need to feel it (and don’t need to laugh or show any manifestations of that joy) think that they are more mature than that. Maybe they think: You just go at it by faith. You walk by faith and not by sight. Well I say there’s more. Real faith should bring us into manifestations of joy as well as experiencing the joy of the Lord.

But we’ve been taught that the manifestations, the feelings and the emotions of anything that God is doing (in revival) are wrong. With that kind of attitude, we automatically put a block in our mind and in our spirit which makes us unable to receive the Holy Spirit. Then it won’t matter where we go to try and have God breathe on us (Argentina, Toronto or Pensacola) because nothing will happen. No matter how much the Spirit of God is moving we won’t be able to receive it.

One of the reasons for this is because we’ve been taught that it’s wrong to experience “manifestations” of the Holy Spirit. A manifestation might look something like this: a believer can’t walk straight, or even walk at all for that matter because sometimes when the Holy Spirit comes upon us it’s like being full of the wine of His presence.

If you’re asking yourself why you’re having such a hard time entering into the fullness of what everyone else seems to be entering into, it may just be because of what you’ve been taught. “I have to walk by faith. I better not walk by feelings or by sight. That’s emotionalism and hype. God isn’t into my emotions or into pleasure.” That’s wrong thinking. God has more for us than just having a “dry” mindset like that. Let’s truly receive the Holy Spirit, whichever way He wants to touch us.



WE NEED A REVELATION!

I’ve seen believers in a meeting when God’s presence is being poured out. One minute they’re experiencing and enjoying the fullness of everything the river of God is doing and then all of a sudden they’re like a sergeant! “Okay! That’s enough of that! Let’s get back to business.”

Let’s get back to business? Hey! They were already having business! In fact, the Bible says that at His right hand are pleasures forevermore. “You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Ps. 16:11). As I said earlier, I believe that we need to experience everything that we say that we believe in the Bible. I believe that God is an emotional God and that He is a God with feelings. We need to just be quiet and receive and just have a revelation that He wants to fill us up with the Holy Spirit.

The first step in being free to receive what God wants to give us involves having a revelation that God wants to give to us. When we have a revelation of the filling of the Holy Ghost and just how full God wants us to be, then all of a sudden we don’t feel guilty anymore about dropping the mindset of only walking by faith and not by sight. For example, I remember when I first started to come into renewal I felt guilty for laughing all night and being like I was drunk in the spirit. I didn’t worship or pray in tongues and so in the natural it didn’t look like I did anything productive. I didn’t do the works of Christianity. But nowhere in the Bible does it ever say how to do church and that we must preach a (45 minute) message. God didn’t want me to feel guilty because I didn’t do anything “productive.” I was set free.

When we’re set free we’ll have a revelation about emotions and pleasures being essential to real faith and we’ll have enough faith to actually experience what we say we believe. Faith and the joy of the Lord mean that we should be experiencing the joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord has a “look” to it! We don’t just stand around with a stony face and say, “I got the joy brother! Just because I’m not laughing like the rest of you doesn’t mean that I don’t have joy. I don’t have to laugh or be noisy. I have joy. Can’t you see I’m happy? Look how happy I am!”

Then there are people who really do want to receive. “Todd, it’s true. I believe it. I want to receive and experience the joy of the Lord.” But they still can’t get beyond the mindset of what they’ve been taught for years and years—feeling guilty for any sort of pleasure. They’re stuck thinking that somehow pleasure is sin. They need a revelation about God’s love and about the river of God!



THE RIVER OF GOD'S PLEASURES

When I discovered in God’s word that He has a “river of pleasures,” I said, “That’s it! I’m in there!” In the middle of one of David’s psalms where he describes the Lord’s loving-kindness, he says, “They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, and You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures” (Ps. 36:8). God wants us to drink from His river of pleasures! Wow!

Paul the apostle also speaks about drinking, although somewhat differently. He says in Ephesians 5:18: “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.” It’s like he is saying, “Don’t be under the influence and control of intoxicating drink which will cause you to act in ways that are contrary to your character. [Some of you remember what it was like to get drunk and come under the intoxicating drink of the world—how foolish you were. “God, that’s not me. I don’t act like that! Don’t let me ever be like that again. I’m done with that drinking. ”] He is saying,” Go ahead and be filled with the Spirit. Go ahead and be so filled with the Holy Spirit that you are under the influence and control of the Spirit of God to the point that you can’t help but do what is the nature of Christ (but is contrary to your nature).” Now you are under His control. You’re under the influence! You find yourself doing what’s right—righteousness. With boldness you can’t help but tell people about Jesus. You’re full of the new wine of the Holy Ghost. You’re full of the joy.

That’s why Paul puts it in the context of: “do not be drunk with wine …but be filled with the Spirit.” It’s like he’s telling the Ephesians (and us) to go ahead and be under the influence and control of the Holy Ghost and the new wine because the fuller we are, the more we can’t help but do what Jesus wants us to do. The words “be filled” mean to constantly come; come again and again and again and be filled. It can actually become easy for us to receive!

Let’s not ever stay stuck at the place where we think: I better stop drinking now! I better get serious and get some “business” done. That’s enough of experiencing some emotions and feeling that wine. The fact is, we’re empowered to overcome wrong attitudes when we get a revelation of just how deeply God wants to give to us! And the disciples needed this revelation, too!



BE SET FREE!

There was an appointed time when God poured out His Spirit on the believers and disciples after Jesus’ resurrection. That outpouring wasn’t merely a small gust of wind and a little lick of fire. No, the Holy Spirit came as a violent rushing wind and a tongue of fire rested on each disciple (Acts 2:2-3). Everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues (v. 4). Their filling with the Holy Spirit was promised by Jesus: “For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence” (Acts 1:5). That word “baptized” (in 1:5) in the Greek is baptizo. It’s interesting that one of the first places in ancient writing that we find baptizo is an old recipe for making pickles! Have you ever pickled cucumbers? In goes a cucumber and out comes dill! We’re talking about transformation—all pickled with the Holy Ghost.

After the believers were filled with the Holy Spirit they appeared to be drunk so Peter took his stand and told the people, “For these are not drunk as you suppose…” (Acts 2:15) but this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel (v. 16). Because they were all filled head to toe with the Spirit of God, they began to speak with other tongues and the first manifestation of “do not be drunk with wine but be filled with the Holy Ghost” happened to come out with emotions. It happened to come out with wine. It happened to come out filled with the Spirit to such a level that the people accused them of being drunk.

I still know people today that say, “Todd, Peter wasn’t talking about drunkenness. I wish all those renewal, revival preachers would stop distorting the passage of Scripture in Acts 2 by saying they were drunk. They weren’t drunk. The reason people thought they were drunk is because they were praying funny tongues.” That’s an argument that some believers will use to say that this passage of Scripture can’t be used to support that the filling of the Holy Ghost and drunkenness and laughter are connected. But that’s not true.

Each and every person that heard the disciples speak, heard their own particular language spoken perfectly—so it wasn’t a bunch of “babble”. If it was babble, then that would be a good reason to accuse them of being drunk. But that wasn’t it. So there had to be a different manifestation happening that caused the people to say they were drunk. I believe they were staggering and probably had big smiles on their face. They were full of the power of God and Peter had to say, “No, we’re not drunk! It’s 9 o’clock in the morning.” So, the first time you see them being filled with the Holy Ghost, God does it with wine which involves laughter and joy and emotion and pleasure.

It’s notable that later when Paul says, “be filled” (Eph. 5:18) it’s like he’s saying, “Keep having that Acts 2 experience. You never need to feel guilty about being filled (or being under the influence of the Spirit of God and so full of the new wine of the Holy Ghost) that you can’t help but to do miracles and tell people about Jesus.” As a matter of fact, we just constantly see the words “full of the Holy Ghost” and “filled” recorded in the book of Acts (whereby the believers were filled with the Holy Ghost as they ministered). We see in Acts 2 they were filled the Holy Ghost, and then in Acts 3, Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost speaks to the people about their rejection of Jesus and tells them to repent and be saved. Acts 4: 31 says, “And when they had prayed the place where they were assembled together was shaken and they were filled with the Holy Ghost and they spoke the word of God with boldness.” In Acts 6:10 and 7:55 we see Stephen filled with the Holy Ghost.

You see, that’s what happened to me. I got so powerfully hit with renewal and with the Acts 2 kind of experience that even now I don’t know how I got to where I am in ministry. I’m here. I just drank so much, got so under the influence of the Spirit of God and had the power of the Holy Ghost fill me so much that now I’m empowered by the Spirit of God to do righteousness. I’ve come to realize that as long as I stay full of the Holy Ghost I can overcome that old carnal nature that wants to do contrary to what God wants me to do.

Listen. I believe that we just need to wake up each day determined to drink and get full of the Holy Spirit. Then if the pressures come, we don’t be snappy and defensive. And we’ll be able to really pray because we’ll be full of the manifest glory and not striving in the flesh, all dry and cracked!

So we need to be set free of that mindset that says we can only receive just so much from God and then we have to stop and get back to the duties and works of Christianity. We need to be set free to receive. Remember, when Jesus breathed the Holy Ghost on the disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit,” they had to deliberately receive the Holy Spirit. By cooperating with God, that act of deliberately receiving the Holy Spirit set them free. Listen! When we cooperate with God we’ll be set free, too!

Next week we will discover some of the ways that we can drink and be filled with the joy of the Lord so that we’re set free to share about His goodness with the lost (2 Cor. 5:20).

By Ryan Wyatt
Abiding Glory Ministries



I would like to both prophesy something to the Body of Christ and also teach the Body of Christ into the fulfillment of the prophecy. I recently spent the day with Bob Jones (the prophet) and one of the clearest things he told me is that there is an awesome anointing being released at this time to write and impart to people through prophetic writing and teaching.

The Lord has been speaking very clearly to me lately about His desire for His people to GROW UP! The verse he gave me is Galatians 4:1,

"Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all."

God is saying that it is time for the seeds that have been planted from heaven to grow and mature and produce fruit. Who are these seeds of heaven? The seeds are you and me! At the time of your salvation experience you were born again of the Spirit and the seed of heaven was conceived within you. I recently wrote an article on "Birthing Manifestations of the Realm of Heaven on Earth" where I spoke about Jesus being conceived within us at the moment of salvation and our calling to "bring forth" the Son of God just as Mary brought forth the Son into this world. Right after completing this word the Lord gave me another encounter and released the word you are reading now. Let me tell you what happened:

I entered the realm of the spirit and found myself in a forest covered with a gray substance, like ash. It seemed as if the entire land was dead. When I looked at myself, all I saw was a nasty gray color. In the distance, I saw one single ball of brilliant light floating in the air. I walked towards the light. As I got closer, the light began to move away from me as if it was beckoning me to follow. The ball of light approached a wall and passed right through it. I examined the wall where the light passed through and discovered a door. However, this door was like no other door I've ever seen. This door was very narrow and only about waist high. I got down on my knees to open the door and I passed through to the other side. The next thing I saw was a portal-like opening in the wall. I passed through it and entered back into, the land of gray. I looked totally different than I had before. I was covered in the most brilliant, shimmering, golden light from head to toe. The light emanating from my being lit up the entire forest. I watched as people raised their heads to look upon the light and began to walk towards me. The encounter was over.

The Lord immediately began to reveal to me the prophetic symbolism and meaning of the vision. The dead land is this natural realm and the gray ash is the spirit of this world trying to cover up and suffocate the life of the people. The ball of light was a seed from heaven coming as the voice of God and beckoning me to come into His realm. The short and narrow door was a prophetic picture of the posture that is required to enter the realm of the Kingdom and dwell in the Lord's presence. Entering the door on my knees was symbolic of entering the Lord's presence with humility and reverence. By spending time "on the other side", in the realm of the Kingdom, the seed of heaven grew until the deposit of heaven within me became the atmosphere I carried around me. I then "became" the portal, or door, between the two worlds and walking back into this fallen world, as a person full of light, attracted the unbelievers still living in darkness.

This vision was a message from the Lord's heart inviting us as believers to experience everything that is offered to us. The Body of Christ is being called to grow up and begin to live in and function in our inheritance. What is our inheritance? To experience the Lord the way Adam and Eve experienced Him in the Garden of Eden. God wants His people to be restored to that place of intimate friendship once again. It is those who have an intimate friendship with God who will be used as instruments for God's glory!

How do we come to this place of divine exchange with the Lord? Well, first we must realize that we are already complete in Him.


WE ARE COMPLETE IN HIM

Colossians 1:27 speaks of the mystery of Christ in us the Hope of Glory:

"To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."

Colossians 2:9-10 says:

"For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power."

At the moment of our salvation we received within our spirits the most complete and perfect impartation from heaven ever given to man: Jesus Himself. Everything God is ever going to do for us was already done and completed when he imparted Himself within us. How could we ever receive anything better or more complete than God Himself? All the power, anointing, revelation and glory of heaven now reside within you and me. Even more than that, we are now a direct link, or gateway, for heaven to touch earth. Because not only is Christ seated within us but He is also seated at the right hand of the Father in Heavenly places and we are seated there with Him (Eph. 2). The portal from heaven to earth is God's people.

So if we are complete in Him then why are we not seeing the manifestations of heaven on earth in our everyday lives? Because the seed of heaven within us must grow and consume every soulish and fleshly area of our lives until we are totally yielded to the Holy Spirit in every way. The natural process for bringing life into the world is first for conception to take place, then the growth of the baby, and then birth. Jesus was conceived in the womb of Mary but growth still had to take place before birth.


MOVING FROM SPIRITUAL BABES TO MATURE HEIRS

When you are born again, no matter what age you are physically, you are a spiritual baby. You are most definitely a son of God and you are most definitely a co-heir, but still a baby.

Galatians 4:1
"Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all."

Let me put this is in words that directly relate to our lives at this time. We, as believers, are sons of God and co-heirs with Christ. We are "masters of all", just as the scripture states above, but if we are still children then it is as if we are slaves. In a kingdom you can be the son of a King and everyone knows that everything in that kingdom belongs to you but you don't begin to operate as a ruler in that kingdom until you come of age and mature to be a man. Once you grow up and mature then you begin to operate in your inheritance and rule in the kingdom.

It is exactly the same in God's Kingdom. The reason we don't have more of His glory and power manifesting through our lives is because many of the Body of Christ are still babes in the spirit. Look at these scriptures with me:

Hebrews 5:12-14
"For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."

1 Corinthians 3:1-3
"And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you are not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?"


If we want our inheritance than we have to grow up. What is our inheritance? Our inheritance is to eat of the solid food of heaven; divine and secret mysteries, great power and anointing from the Holy Spirit, and the very glory of God as our own atmosphere!


WE ARE GOD'S FIELD, GOD'S BUILDING AND GOD'S BODY

The analogy given to us in scripture is that the kingdom of heaven is planted within us as a seed and it is intended to grow and expand within us and on the earth. In 1 Corinthians 3:9 it says that "you are God's field, you are God's building." Just up from this verse it talks about how men of God planted and watered but God gives the increase to our lives. Just after this verse it talks about believers being the temple of the Holy Spirit.

God has given us the five-fold ministry so that the body of Christ might grow into a mature man with the fullness of Christ and no longer be children.

Ephesians 4:11-14a:
"And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children."

Over the last several decades the Lord has worked diligently to restore the five-fold ministry within the church. Now it's time for the body to be equipped, mature into a man, operating in the fullness of Christ, and no longer be children!

Another great example from scripture about seeds and growth is Isaiah 55. There is an invitation to come to the waters and drink freely. This chapter talks about not wasting our money (time, energy, attention, etc…) on things that do not satisfy but rather we should come and drink of the waters by listening to the Lord and hearing His words. If we will be a people that listen to Him then we will be leaders and commanders, and nations we do not know will run to us because of the Lord's glory upon us. The passage then goes on to talk about something very interesting.

Isaiah 55:8-11
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain comes down from, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."

This passage tells us that God's words that come from His mouth are actually seeds that are planted and sent with a purpose to accomplish on the earth.

John 6:63 says: "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life."

The very words from the mouth of God are impartations of life to us! And what is the purpose of hearing God as a friend?

Isaiah 55:12-13
"For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace; The mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off."

We are to be unto the Lord for a name. When we experience intimacy with the Lord and hear the intimate words of His mouth, conception takes place, and fruit comes forth! Instead of thorns and briers coming up in our life we will have the cypress (strength) and the myrtle tree (victory).


THE NATURE OF THE KINGDOM IS TO EXPAND AND HAVE DOMINION ON THE EARTH

The Bible says that the Kingdom of Heaven is within you. We know from scripture that the nature of the Kingdom is to grow and dominate. Look at Mark 4:30-32;

"To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots our large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade."

Likewise, the kingdom is sown within us at salvation and it must grow into a fruitful tree!

Look at Daniel 2:35b, 44:
"And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. Vs. 44: And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever."

The Kingdom of God is meant to expand and have dominion over all other kingdoms. The Garden of Eden was a prophetic symbol, or picture, of God's Kingdom and government. God's original intention for the garden was for it to be tended by Adam and Eve, its borders to be expanded and its government to cover the earth!

We are now God's garden, God's field, God's building, and God's body and we are called to bring the Kingdom of heaven to earth with mighty demonstrations of dominion and authority! But first that garden within us must grow and take dominion over every lesser kingdom that remains in our lives.


GROWING IN FAVOR WITH GOD AND MAN

Did you know that Jesus, Himself, actually grew in favor with His Father? God's love is not partial because He loves everyone the same, no matter what our accomplishments are. However, God is partial with His favor upon man. An example of this is the fact that there are some who are manifesting more of the Kingdom of God in their lives than others around them. In going back to the analogy of the heir as a child within his father's kingdom, we will realize that the Father loves his son just as much when he's a child as when he is an adult. However, the father will give him more favor when the child becomes a man and the King promotes him to a place of rulership in the Kingdom. Look at the second chapter of Luke:

"And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him (vs.40)."

"And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men (vs.52)."

Jesus grew strong in spirit and therefore became someone capable of receiving solid food from heaven. We are created from two different realms. Genesis 2:7, says that we are created from the combination of the dust of the ground (natural realm) and the breath of life (spiritual realm) and we became a living being or soul. It's possible for us to be quite old physically and still be a baby spiritually. We as believers need to exercise our spiritual senses, become more familiar with the spiritual realm through intimacy with God, and become mature spiritual people full of His fullness!

Peter came to a place of such fullness that he carried a healing atmosphere all around him in Acts 5:15:

"so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. Also a great multitude gathered from around the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed."


THE LORD'S HEART FOR THIS HOUR!

Let's not limit how much of God we can have and express. It's time for the Body of Christ to GROW UP and move from babes to mature sons of God and the spotless bride of Christ!

I sincerely believe that the Lord is issuing a clear notice to the Body of Christ that it is time to mature and begin to operate in nothing less than our full inheritance. Part of our inheritance is to carry the realm of heaven within us, upon us, and around us. Let's get serious with God and go after Him like never before. Let's begin to allow that seed of incredible potential within us to be released and display the Glory of God to the world!


"Father, I pray for every person reading this that you would speak to them so clearly about their own lives. Stir up the Body of Christ to maturity. Overshadow us with your Spirit and cause Your Kingdom within us to grow and expand and have dominion over every area of our lives. I pray that mighty demonstrations of Your character, Your Glory, and Your power would begin to spring forth from Your people! In Jesus Name."

John 16:13-15 states, "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.” NAS

With that in mind, here are a few things I feel the Holy Spirit is speaking as it pertains to the New Year of 2006 and beyond.

1) New Generation of Healing Evangelists Emerging

A turn will occur in the global prayer, prophetic and apostolic movement towards evangelism. The cry for souls is arising once again. With this, there will be a thrusting forth by the Holy Spirit of freshly anointed Healing Evangelists who will move both in and out of church circles, mission endeavors and marketplace gatherings. Some of the greatest impact in North America will occur in marketplace outreaches where the gospel will be preached and the sick healed.

A fresh thrust will occur in Prophetic Evangelism as the prophetic movement is sent forth from the congregational and conference settings into shopping malls and the marketplace doing the works of Jesus. As recorded in John 21, Jesus is once again saying, “Cast your net on the other side of the boat!”


2) Jerusalem is a Heavy Stone!

Zechariah 12:2-3 states, "Behold, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that causes reeling to all the peoples around; and when the siege is against Jerusalem, it will also be against Judah. And it will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured.” NAS

We have crossed a line in the spirit concerning the ramifications upon nations and leaders who take an untimely stand against God’s purposes with Jerusalem, Israel and the Jewish people. It will not be “politically expedient” to be wrongly aligned with the apple of God’s eye (Zechariah 2:8) in this hour. The jealousy of God has been stirred to action.

Therefore, we must pray for the leaders of our nations to align with the Word of God and not submit to the spirit of compromise. This is a time that united prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem must arise!


3) The Supernatural Phenomena on the Rise!

There will be a great rise in supernatural phenomena in both the demonic counterfeit arena and the true giftings of the Holy Spirit. Ungrounded believers could be swept up themselves into non-biblical experiences if not established with proper boundaries in the Word of God.

Therefore, there will be the necessity of teaching and clarity on the gift of discerning of spirits. Understandings on spiritual warfare emphasizing teachings on the spirit of deception, familiar spirits, necromancy, generational witchcraft, adaptive deception, and exposing Jezebel’s influence will be a must.

While this is true, on the other hand there is Good News! The supernatural is on the rise! People will be drawn to Christ Jesus as God encounters, angelic activity, interactive visions, and Macedonian missionary calls are experienced.


4) Centers of Prayer and Worship

Centers of Prayer and Worship at the geographical places of origins of the United States will be emphasized by the Holy Spirit. Prayer sites will abound up and down the East Coast of the United States over the next two-plus years. As pressure mounts, the battle between Jezebel and Elijah will be fought out in the public political arena in the United States, Canada, France, Spain, Israel, Iran, Columbia and other key nations.

Various models of city wide intercession will increase. Regional distinctions will be expressed as prayer warriors identify the redemptive gift of God for their locations. With jealousy, I hear the Holy Spirit distinctly saying, “My house shall yet be called a house of prayer for all the nations!”


5) Tumultuous Circumstances in the Natural

It will be a time of increasing both the Judgments and Glory of the Lord in the earth at the same time. Greater glory of the Lord with His manifested presence will shine forth. Disasters, plagues, mudslides, droughts and fires, earthquakes and volcanic activity will be felt in various regions of the earth.

But Jesus will manifest Himself as Prince of Peace in the “eye of the storm” as natural disasters escalate beyond the scope of normality.


6) Transformation Models and Economic Reform

The Joseph Company of creative business entrepreneurs has come of age. Large sums of money, previously withheld from the body of Christ, will begin to be released for transformation of society and especially mercy ministries.

Numerous legitimate investment opportunities for those financially able will be on the increase. This will result in the need for quality controls and practical wisdom to be exercised.

The necessity for prayer for all those in authority will be freshly emphasized including three primary sectors of leaders – the church world, secular government and now marketplace leaders. Marketplace intercession will be put in place.

We are presently on the “Poor Man’s Watch”. This is a global opportunity for authentic compassion ministry of Jesus to be expressed. These Joseph type leaders will be given a stewardship opportunity for the rebuilding of whole cities and nations.


7) Deliverance from Evil Spirits

Deliverance from evil spirits will be on the rise as the Lord grants fresh insight into breaking generational cycles – especially with the spirits of infirmity, witchcraft, sexual perversion and the occult. Hundreds and even thousands are going to be delivered in both public and private settings as the wind of the Lord sweeps again with authority and power at the name of Jesus.


8) The Mini – and the Mega Church

With both joy and tension, a fresh house church movement will be birthed. Hungry souls desiring community, activation of gifts, personal ministry and reading of scripture will band together in homes across the globe.

But it will be a time for both the “Mini and the Mega” church congregations to emerge. Large convention style auditoriums will be turned over into mega churches with vibrant worship while at the same time homes, business places, and chapels at hospitals, etc. will be used for a grass roots level mini-church movement. Both of these expressions will be pleasing to the Lord.


9) Mentoring the Next Generation

We are shifting from the Elijah into the Elisha Generation (II Kings 1 and 2). This new generation of radical believers will authentically walk in the double anointing as Elisha did. Miracles will be on the increase. Unusual signs and wonders will appear! But the joining of the generations is the key to this time of increase.

The hearts of the remaining leaders from both the former Charismatic, Jesus People and Third Wave Movements of the 1960’s, 1970’s and 1980’s shall be turned towards mentoring the next generation as the book of Malachi states. “Lineage and Legacy” will be part of current apostolic burden of the hour. Internships, Master’s Commissions, discipleship, training centers, schools of the Word and the Spirit will multiply as the Elisha Generation comes forth.
Blessings to you and your family in this New Year, 5766 / 2006!

James W. Goll

Prophetic Image Expressions
www.kimclement.com





December 31, 2005
San Jose, CA

But the Spirit of the Lord says, "Listen to the prophet of the living God that opens up his mouth and says the word of the Lord." Because there's no one else on earth that really knows the secrets of the Lord (other than the prophets of God). There are prophets in your house and prophets in your life, and God's going to raise them up. And they will prophesy to dead bones and raise your children up.

God is listening to you as you wave your hands. The Spirit of the Lord says, "Listen to Me. I want to turn you around--no death, only life; no sickness, only health; no poverty, only riches."

God wants to give you something that you've never had before. He wants to open up the heavens so you can see what's waiting for you. Do you want to see what's waiting for you?

Satan wants you to think that he is so powerful. "Do you realize that 2,000 years ago, I did something that no one wants to talk about? I put him underneath My feet and showed him who he really is; he has no power over you. I have sent the angels to watch over. I have sent the angels to watch over you. Satan has no power [over] you."


"A group of youth shall arise and change the laws of this Nation..."

"America, America, I who raised you up shall not forget [you] as you forgot Me," says the Lord. "For I will take you back to Deuteronomy, chapter 8, verse 7 and on." God says, "I have planned great things. And your enemies embarked upon a journey to take the smile off your face, but My people arose. They could not remove me from the hearts of the school children. Though they took me from the schools, they did not take me from the hearts of the children. A very special thing shall take place in this Nation: in Georgia, in Illinois, yes, and in Florida and in California, a group of youth shall arise and change the laws of this Nation," says the Lord.

"I will send signs in the Middle East on My day that this Nation has attempted to celebrate: Christmas. The earth shook in the Middle East again--a sign that the perpetrators are going to be brought out of their holes and out of their hiding. But I will make an open show of them publicly."


A New Source of Energy

"But a surprise is upon you, a great surprise from the garbage, from insects, shall come from beneath your feet: a new source of energy. Not ethanol only; something else shall come out of it," says the Lord, "discovered, and in the next 18 months. I will show My servants, the prophets, the places to invest. And some shall say, 'This is an Einsteinian craze,' but it shall come from something that Einstein was discovering and bringing forth--but before his time. Therefore, I had to remove him. This is the time where discovery shall bring a new source of energy, and it shall start in this Nation," says the Lord.

Do not say, "Einstein? What about God?"

God said, "I worked wonders, but now, some of the theories shall become fact." And God said, "It shall be so surprising that people shall say, 'What shall we do?' America--no deficit! America--no deficit!"

"And in your White House, I will keep a Christian at the helm for the next three terms," says the Lord.

"This Nation must recover everything that it lost, and this shall take place in a four-year period," says the Lord. For God says, "Now is the time for Me to pay back, and your prosperity has just begun."

"I will take the prisoner and turn him into a prince. I will take your children and raise them up to be Apostles and seekers of the word. And America, you shall rejoice."


"I will multiply in 2006!"

"But now, what about My people? A door has been opened." And the Lord says, "There will be a problem with radiation that the enemy shall try and bring. And it shall come through the mosques." And God says, "Russians shall be involved. But I will snuff it out [and] reveal the perpetrators. And I will take a Kennedy who has lost a limb [and] raise him to be a voice in this Nation. And this Kennedy will break the curse that has followed the Kennedy family and will be the first righteous Kennedy in this Nation," says the Lord.

Listen to the word of the Lord: "I will give you houses and land. Your harvest [and] your wheat shall multiply. Your silver and your gold will multiply. NASDAQ, thou has fallen; you have been raised up [and] gone back down. But now, it's time to rise to the highest place ever." Listen to the secrets of the Lord. The Spirit of God says, "I will multiply in the New Year. Beginning midnight all over the world. . . and having begun--a spirit of multiplication has begun," says the Lord.

The Spirit of God says, "I'm going to hear. I'm going to hasten [and] accelerate My word to perform it. For what you lost in 2003 and in 2004 and in 2005, I WILL MULTIPLY IN 2006!"




Kim Clement
Prophetic Image Expressions
www.kimclement.com

www.hopereeder.com

2006 A Year of Holy Spirit and Fire


We are privileged to spend a lot of time with Bob Jones and talk of the unfolding revelation God is giving through dreams, visions and scripture. We love to talk to, and about Holy Spirit together. Bob shared about a vision he had on December 30th, 2005 and a message the Lord told him to bring out again. The following is what Bob, Roger and I feel is the will of God for 2006.

Critical times are coming upon us and 2006 we must know Holy Spirit intimately. This will be the year of the Holy Spirit and Baptism of Fire! It will be a year that the Body of Christ must lay down differences and make an ALLIANCE of UNITY ‘against’ our enemy that is gripping the Body of Christ. God will judge and cleanse by His Holy fire and this year will be a year of His HOLY FIRE!

Holy Spirit Is Not A Fad

In one of our recent meetings, a man came to me and said, “I remember this kind of meetings in the 70’s! It’s good to see it back!” He was referring to the manifestations of Holy Spirit as if the Holy Spirit was a fad like a pair of shoes that come in style every 20-30 years. This year we must seek to be more sensitive to Him as we will choose to walk in either fear or faith. Romans 8:14-16 says, Those that are led by Holy Spirit are the Sons of God. Galatians 5:16 (Amp) tells us, Walk and live (habitually) in the Holy Spirit (responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit) then…you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God. We must now go to a new level to be led by Holy Spirit and by His voice. He only speaks the things He hears the Father speak. We must be much more sensitive to His voice if we are going to make it.

Opportunity to Forgive

We must respond to Holy Spirit. We can not go on any longer with un- forgiveness and bitterness in our heart. This is an entrance to sickness and all kind of disease. Ephesians 4:29-32 tells us, Let no corrupt communication (foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk, ever) proceed out of your mouth, but only that which is good to the (spiritual progress of others) use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers; and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice. And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

A Priest can not have scales and unhealed wounds. God gives us opportunity to forgive and we need to face them and forgive. Paul defended his Apostleship telling of his wounds and this is the very place, where we have been wounded, that we can receive authority to heal others. God lets it happen so we can receive authority but we have to be healed and we will be more sensitive to this and become a comforter to others suffering of the same. We must embrace our trials to receive authority to heal others. The time is now to choose forgiveness.

Repentance and Intercession

We are all called to the priesthood of Intercession. Those led by Holy Spirit will bring comfort with them. There will be times that even all night, there will be wailings of repentance and intercession. How do you stop from sinning? How do you stop being enticed by pornography? You just stop! You repent and turn to God. The true prophets like Daniel said, Father forgive ‘us’ for the sins of our Fathers. We can repent for the sins of others. We can and must even repent for the sins of our fathers, church, city and nation. Criticism, however opens doors to sickness and poverty and wrath of a King. Prayer and Intercession will go to a whole new level. True repentance is being humble and teachable. We must run to repentance not from it.

Prayer can stop the plagues coming. Prayer and Intercession is when you take a stand between death and the living and the plagues can be stopped as in Egypt. You can disagree with the President or leaders but you can do it respectfully and turn your criticisms into intercessory prayer by being thankful. We need to pray for our President instead of preying on him. We must pray for those in authority and not criticize them.

Walk In The Spirit

There is a grace now to dedicate ourselves. This season of Christmas or Hanukah which is for 8 days is the Feast of Dedication and Jesus himself honored that feast. We are warned clearly that if we are led by the Spirit we are no longer under the Law of flesh and impurities, pornography, strife, jealousy and anger. We must walk by the Spirit and not the flesh. We can not do both.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Gal. 5:22-25

Avian Flu and the Influenza Pandemic of 1918

Terrible things are happening in the world and I believe we can stop the Avian Flu with our prayer and intercession. Authorities say now that it is 100% that the Avian Flu will become a pandemic but we can turn it back. This is not to bring fear but another warning of how imperative it is to walk in Faith and not fear by knowing the Holy Spirit.

Known as "Spanish Flu" or "La Grippe" the influenza of 1918-1919 was a global disaster. It killed somewhere between 20 – 40 million people. Because at that time not every one had birth certificates they could not give an accurate count. What the US Government thinks we are facing is far worse than what we are hearing on the news. We lost more soldiers to flu in 1918 than from WWI battles. Millions died and only 5% were affected. Avian flu stands now at 50% to 60% of those affected die. The 1918 Flu pandemic broke out world wide the same day. It was incomprehensible. No one understood how. It’s demonic! Diseases are demonic. We have got to understand our spiritual authority and turn it back from our homes and our families.

Grab the Incense of Intercession!

Moses told Aaron to ‘grab the incense’ which is Intercession and the plagues of Egypt were stopped. That was a prophetic symbol. We have a better covenant than that and we can stop the plague from our families, our cities and our nation. We must speak it out over our families, ‘It will not come near here!’ We can stop it by intercession. Why are we not doing something about this? We must take authority over plagues coming!

The Avian Flu does not have to be that devastating but it is up to us to stop it. Yes, we can take precautions in the natural too. Exercise, vitamins, eating right, sufficient rest and plenty of fresh water and air will certainly help. If you knew that you had to stay in your home for days, weeks, months, we must also learn to be in relationship with Holy Spirit and lean totally on Him with what lies ahead. We are entering into the greatest times of darkness. Why? Because we have said we can do it without God. We must repent of our hidden sins! If My People, not the heathen, who are called by My Name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then, will I hear from heaven, forgive their sins and heal their land. II Chronicles 7:14 God is looking for us to stop it. Don’t let the flu come near you. Let this divine anger rise up in you and say ‘NO! We will NOT let this come near us!’ We must know how to intercede! We need Holy Spirit!

Now is the time to understanding that we must repent, forgive, intercede and walk in the Spirit and be fortified with Holy Spirit power to endure.

Natural Disasters Earthquakes and Tsunamis and Israel

Back in late summer of 2005 I had a dream about another disaster in New York City. Bob said he too has been seeing that there are still plans to attack our nation’s great city of New York. This would have a great effect on our nation’s economy along with great loss of lives. Clearly the Lord is telling us to intercede.

California is getting ready to be awakened with some great shaking. We need to pray against earthquakes. We need to pray for the east coast of the US against any tsunamis. We can not leave this to ‘chance.’ We must know how to intercede for our nation for no matter where you live in the US or in other parts of the world, we would all be affected.

The Indian Ocean Tsunami of December 26, 2004 generated by the most powerful earthquake in decades is believed to have killed more than 150,000 people. With the one year anniversary a few days ago, the news reports showed some of the children that survived as all they do is catch fish daily in order to survive. It was quite amazing though to see children smiling through such great loss. We too must get use to functioning when all around us 1,000 may fall by our side but it will not come near our dwelling. We must put our trust in Him. Pray and decree Psalms 91 and Psalms 37 over your family this year.

Bob said to pray that God release Michael over Israel as they are very vulnerable right now with PM Ariel Sharon’s condition. We must continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Intense Fellowship With Believers

In 2005 I felt an urgency to increase Christian fellowship. Early in November I heard the Lord clearly say to me, ‘Intense Fellowship with Believers.’ Now fellowship we understand, but He said, ‘INTENSE’ fellowship with Believers.

We have all had our season of being a loner and meeting over coffee for a ‘church meeting.’ I believe the Lord is saying nobody is going to survive that has a superficial relationship with the Church. Church at the coffee house is not a substitute any longer for a relationship with Church people. It’s not wrong but now is the time to take our place in the Body.

It sounds like it’s time for the Church as seen in the book of Acts 2:46, 47, (Amp), And day after day they regularly assembled in the temple with united purpose, and in their homes they broke bread (including the Lord’s Supper). They partook of their food with gladness and simplicity and generous hearts. Constantly praising God and being in favor and goodwill with all the people: and the Lord kept adding (to their number) daily those who were being saved (from spiritual death).

If you don’t get in your place and do what you are called to do, you will not survive. The scripture says, for this reason, many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep because they do not discern the Lord’s Body. I. Cor. 11:29-30 If you miss church fellowship they are going to be way ahead of you. Everyone has been wounded, hurt, forsaken, and rejected but with what is ahead, we must be knit together. If we are going to be partakers of communion, we must commune together and re-member or re-assemble His body as we assemble together. The Holy Spirit is going to make this right. Church may not be right but if you are not there, you are the one not helping make it right. What we are about to face, we can no longer be dismembered but we must find our place in His Body.



Prophetic Worship, Angelic Activity and Portals of Heaven

This year is the year there will be a marriage between the Prophetic and the Word released in worship, the decreed word. Decree a thing and it shall be established unto you. Job 22:28 There is no greater power than the power of agreement in the union of a marriage. This year you will see this union of agreement of the prophetic and the word in worship open the portals of Heaven and release the power of Holy Spirit to accomplish the purposes and plans God has for us, our family, church and nation. Angelic visitations will increase as we have not seen before as we lift worship to the Throne room level. One purpose of Angels is to carry up our intercession and praise to the Throne. We must allow Holy Spirit to take us up into the Throne room, high above the circumstances and beyond normal limits.

The Fire of God, True Holiness and Revival

God is judging His House first. I. Peter 4:17 This year the FIRE is coming! In the New Years conference Rick Joyner was talking about the Fire of God and my cell phone rang. Even though it was set to vibrate it resounded anyway. However this was a confirmation as the ring tone was a song ‘I’m on fire when You’re near me, I’m on fire when You speak.’ God will come in Fire. Isaiah 66:15-16 His chariots will be like the stormy wind to render His anger with fierceness and His rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by His sword will the Lord execute judgment upon all flesh, and the slain of the Lord will be many.

God is a consuming Fire. Hebrews 12:29 It is God’s manifest Presence. The Fire of God itself will burn up everything that is not of holiness. Holiness is obeying the Word. True Holiness is having an intimate loving relationship with God! There is almost no distinction between Christians and non Christians in integrity and morals today. I believe this year there will be a defining line drawn between that which is Holy and that which is common. Ezek. 42:20 God’s consuming holy fire is making a distinction and we will be able to recognize the difference between that which is holy and that which is common as He makes that distinction clear by His Holy Fire. Lev. 10:10

True revival was founded upon repentance and the cleansing by Holy Spirit. I believe the Baptism of Fire is a life sustaining necessity. We do not have a choice. It will pull out cancer by the root, give authority over plagues and raise the dead. We must have the Baptism of Fire.

Baptism of Fire the Will of God

The Baptism of Fire is for the purpose of cleansing the threshing floor. Mathew 3:11-12 John said, there is one coming greater than I whose shoes I am not worthy to loose and He will baptize you with the Holy Ghost and Fire. This is the year of Holy Spirit. This is the will of God. We must have a daily walk with His Holy Spirit and Fire. This holy fire is contagious! When we focus on Him, read the Word, pray and intercede, walk in the Spirit, like Jeremiah, there will be FIRE in our bones.

Holy Spirit is coming upon us bringing conviction and purification, so that we can have authority and power to overcome. This will be the year of Holy Spirit so we say thank you Lord for the wilderness, trials and difficulties that have helped us to know you more. But we want to cross over to our inheritance and inherit the Kingdom. For the Kingdom is not meat and drink but Righteousness, and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost. Romans 14:17

Bob Jones Vision

Bob had a vision on December 30, 2005 he felt was for the end of the year and in preparation for 2006. In the vision he was given a huge riffle with a huge scope on it. Looking through the scope he saw there were no bullets in the riffle. The Scope is vision. We all have vision of what He wants to do. The Scope is seeing the needs but we need the power to change. We all have the real true vision but He can’t trust us with the power yet. This year we need the Power. We need the bullets so change can come. The Word is the Power. Power begins this year. The Lord said to put this on the refrigerator. The Lord said to tell them to prepare as I want them to make a New Years resolution so I can trust them with bullets so change can come. There needed to be power to change. Power comes when trust comes.

Some have 2 or 3 Fruit of the Spirit, others more but no power. The Power will be released this year. The Lord told Bob to bring out a message he was given a few years ago. The Lord said to quit using My Name without results. He is going to take the shame off the Church for using My Name.

The bullets are the 9 Fruit of the Spirit. The Gifts are given, the Fruit of the Spirit is maturity.


LOVE: He saw the ORANGE. Sun kissed. Focusing on the Lord and kissing Him. The sweet companionship of the Lord and Love has got to be the foundation. Christ is our greatest pleasure as Holy Spirit reveals Him to us. Holy Spirit is to mature us to present us to Christ.
JOY: He saw the PEACH and it was sweet. Joy means a sense of well-being knowing Jesus loves me. We are the only thing God has put His Spirit in. When we do right, it will start a relationship with Him and we will be strengthened. We are the Lord’s greatest pleasure. Knowing this is a sense of well being. He is our Paraclete which means the One who stands beside us. The Standby. Advocate and Intercessor.
PEACE: He saw the APPLE speaking of health. We are the apple of His eye. That gives us peace with God. Freedom from disturbing thoughts or emotions.
PATIENCE: He saw the PEAR (a bit grainy) speaking of long life bearing fruit in old age without complaints. Enduring life without grumbling and complaining which brings serpents. Instead, why don’t we praise?
KINDNESS: He saw the TOMATO speaking of having a big heart and very generous. This is important and the hub or center of the wheel or the fruit. The whole thing revolves around this as kindness which leads to repentance.
GOODNESS: He saw the STRAWBERRY small in our eyes but humble and healing virtue. Healing comes out of our hands, out of our spirit as we are small in our own eyes but very sweet and humble. If you see the strawberry, you see the beginning of healing. When Jesus healed the virtue came out of Him. It will keep you motivated.
FAITHFULNESS: He saw the GRAPE representing great loyalty. Loyatly says NO to our options, No to sin, and NO to that which does not have relationship with Jesus. The Fire that is to come is going to reveal the Jealousy of God and of that which distracts us from Him. Those who have been faithful get ready for Faith to rise up in you and move when you least expect it.
GENTLENESS: He saw the BANANA soft hearted, gentle and sweet. The banana has potassium in it which will give your fuel for a new heart. Be gentle especially with your children for they are the next generation.
SELF CONTROL: He saw the GRAPEFRUIT sweet and bitter. The sweet is focusing on the Lord and the bitter is to keep putting to death the old man. Kill it! Having control over our emotions so that our emotions don’t control us. Self control is the most needed in the Body of Christ in every way.

We all have victories but let’s go the whole 9 yards! The Fruit of the Spirit are the bullets, the power we need. Let’s run to Him and not from Him. The Gifts He gives. The Fruit we produce, which is maturity so we can be trusted with the power.

The power we must have for change and it is by the power that works in us that He is able to carry out His purpose and do superabundantly far over and above all that we dare ask or think (infinitely beyond our highest, hopes or dreams). Eph. 3:20 This year we need the power. You don’t give a child a loaded gun. Bob, Roger and I feel the Holy Spirit is the will for our life this year. This is the year He is going to make us press in by necessity, for the Kingdom of God is not in word but in power. I. Cor. 4:20 This year our message will come forth in demonstration of the Holy Spirit and Power… so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men (human philosophies) but in the power of God. I. Cor. 2:4-5

Hope Reeder

Praise Alive Ministries, Inc.

Author: Revivalist Todd Bentley


ANGELS RELEASE FINANCES



Scripture also speaks of another angel that releases finances. I understand that God will supply all my need according to His riches in glory (Phil. 4:19). Do you know what that means? There are riches in glory because the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it. He is the God who supplies our needs according to His riches in glory. The bible even tells us that the silver and gold are His. So when I need a financial breakthrough I don’t just pray and ask God for my financial breakthrough. I go into intercession and become a partner with the angels by petitioning the Father for the angels that are assigned to getting me money: “Father, give me the angels in heaven right now that are assigned to get me money and wealth. And let those angels be released on my behalf. Let them go into the four corners of the earth and gather me money. Let them gather my partners.” You know why it’s important to pray like this? Because the Devil wants to cut off your cash flow. He wants to hinder and block your finances. He wants to do whatever he can to hinder you from receiving the blessing and provision that God has for you. Sometimes praying about it isn’t good enough because you need to prevail in heaven where the angels and demons are actually fighting. We want to push back the demonic forces, so sometimes we need to say, “Father, let those legions of angels assigned to release financial breakthrough, come into the earth right now and loose the Devil from the money assigned to me. I call in that money in the name of Jesus.” Sometimes when I pray this way, bam! … I’ve got the money I need within a few days. Yes, I get financial breakthrough because God is my source. If man doesn’t have it for me, God does. Yet the Devil is trying to keep it from getting to me. Even though God heard me on the first day, the Devil wants to delay it 21 days or as long as he can. But I’ve got to get the angels involved with my incense and say, “C’mon God, let those angels come and help fulfill your word—you promised me the blessing of the Lord that makes one rich and You add no sorrow with it.





ANGEL OF THE PROPHETIC



Now let me talk about an angelic experience. Twice Bob Jones asked me if I had seen a particular angel that was in Kansas City in 1980. He asked me as if he expected that this angel was appearing to me. He told me that this angel helped birth and start the whole prophetic movement in Kansas City in the 1980’s as well as helping to nurture the prophetic as it broke out. Within a few weeks of Bob asking me about this angel, I was in a service in Buelah, North Dakota . In the middle of the service I was in conversation with Ivan and another person when in walks an angel. As I stared at this angel, I sensed the Lord saying that this was the angel that Bob Jones was speaking about. This angel appeared to be floating a couple of inches off the floor emitting brilliant light and colors. The angel began walking up and down the aisles of the church putting gold dust on people. “God, what is happening?” I asked. The Lord answered: “This angel is releasing the gold, which is both the revelation and the financial breakthrough that I am bringing into this church. I want you to prophecy that the angel’s appearance is a sign that I am endorsing and releasing a prophetic spirit in the church.” See, when angels come, they always come for a reason; we need to actually ask God what the purpose is. Within three weeks of that visitation, the church had given me the biggest offering I had ever received to that point in my ministry. Thousands of dollars! Thousands! Even though the entire community consisted of only three thousand people, weeks after I left the church the pastor testified that the church offerings had either doubled or tripled. During this visitation the pastor’s wife (it was an AOG church) got totally whacked by the Holy Ghost— she began running around barking like a dog or squawking like a chicken as a powerful prophetic spirit came on her. Also, as this prophetic anointing came on her, she started getting phone numbers of complete strangers and calling them up on the telephone and prophesying over them. She would tell them that God gave her their telephone number and then would give them words of knowledge. Complete strangers. Then angels started showing up in the church. I believe this angel released a financial and prophetic anointing in that place. The people in the church began having trances and visions and the pastor began getting words of knowledge and moving in healing. That congregation also saw more financial breakthrough than they had ever seen before.