tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64828400324287112762024-03-05T03:43:37.654-08:00Trinity Church NetworkThe Prayer Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02094390166548767991noreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6482840032428711276.post-41163085936789540822014-02-16T22:46:00.000-08:002014-02-16T22:46:28.113-08:00What We're Experiencing In BethelI've been asked by the leadership team to post an update on the blog about what it's been like, living in Redding, California for the last (almost) 7 months.<br />
As some of you know, my wife Liv, and I felt that God was calling us to move to California for a time for me to go to the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry (BSSM) during the summer of 2012.<br />
Our process in coming here started with a spark which many good friends kept fanning into a flame, telling us that this was the right thing for us to do.<br />
We'd prayed about it and God seemed to keep saying yes, every time we asked Him.<br />
<br />
So, He'd given us a good year or so to get our things in order, and everything fell into place.<br />
The whole process was well oiled and in July 2013, we said our goodbyes and got on a plane.<br />
The following weeks were incredible. God kept opening up doors for us over and over again.<br />
We got a house in the area we wanted. This meant we got the kids into the school we wanted.<br />
On the first Sunday we were in Church, our eldest, Zoe, met an English girl who had prayed the night before for a friend to go to school with. Of course, they ended up in the same class, in the same school!<br />
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Actually starting in BSSM revealed to me that God had a lot more in store for me than I had been expecting. I was given a prophecy somebody had written the previous May for me. It was incredibly accurate.<br />
So began a process that has had me changing my understanding of my 'normal' every couple of weeks.<br />
<br />
Some of you will be wondering what actually happens in BSSM and what it is.<br />
It's a school that has come out of Bethel Church in Redding, which has been running for 17 years now. Every year, the number of students has increased and there are currently over 2000 in the school this year, split into 3 years. I'm in 1st year.<br />
A typical week involves school from Monday to Thursday, the start time varies but is usually between 9 and 10:30 for me and it usually ends around 4pm.<br />
Monday mornings are our Revival Group morning. There are around 65 in mine and my Revival Group Pastor's name is Ben Armstrong.<br />
Our RG meeting will typically involve us sharing testimonies of what God has done in us in the previous week. These can be financial testimonies, testimonies of people getting healed, what they've been learning, something that may have happened to them, etc.<br />
After this, Ben will usually lead us into a time of teaching and this will often end up in us praying for specific people in the group, or for visitors who are in the group.<br />
At 12, we go into the main area in the school and there is worship/prayer until 12:30.<br />
Next, there's Bible teaching, followed by dedicated worship for around an hour and our final teaching session of the day is a member of staff- Bill Johnson, Kris Vallotton, Mark Brookes or there may be a guest speaker in for the week.<br />
The rest of the week follows a similar format, apart from the morning session.<br />
Tuesdays, we have our Advanced Ministry Training (AMT), which allows us to focus on a topic we are interested in. This can range from anything like understanding dreams to photography!<br />
Wednesdays are our Small Group time. These are groups of 5, either all male or all female, which meet every week, and each person in the group is from the same Revival Group.<br />
Thursdays are our City Service day. Mine have been split into two halves. The first half of the year, I went treasure hunting. This is where you sit and ask God for clues about people, then go onto the streets and look for those people. It is the most effective way of bringing the kingdom into the street that I've ever been involved in. We have prayed with so many people on these treasure hunts, have seen some people healed and others had their business blessed. We had the honour of leading one man to Jesus and afterwards, someone prayed for his knees and they were completely healed!<br />
For the second part of the year, I'm on City Project. This is when a group of over 100 students go out into the city and maintain parks, clean places up, trim hedges, cut down trees, sweep up leaves etc.<br />
Doing this allows the students to serve the city, and enables the city to benefit from many people who they can trust to do tasks every week.<br />
It has saved the city millions of dollars in the few years it has been running and allows the students to speak to those around them while they are working.<br />
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Church services are in a few locations every Sunday, at 8am, 10:30am, 1pm and 6pm. There are also full kids church meetings during each service, so the kids get taught throughout the morning. One thing they are taught is that there is no junior Holy Spirit, and it's such an encouragement to see what the kids are learning and experiencing while they are there.<br />
They see God do things that I've been wanting all my life!<br />
They see people healed every week, get visions from God, prophetic words etc. One of the best parts of the week is asking them what they've been doing that day!<br />
Zoe also goes to Kingdom Kids every Wednesday evening which is a club for her age group. She loves it and is always eager to tell the stories of what she's experienced or heard that night.<br />
I usually wait downstairs while this is happening, and catch up on my homework, but the older age group has been coming down and giving prophetic words over the adults, treasure hunting them!<br />
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Liv has been going to a women's group every Tuesday night called 'The Nest'. It was started up to enable women to connect more with each other and they have small groups and guest speakers most weeks.<br />
She loves it and has made friends outside of mine from BSSM, which is a real blessing.<br />
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So, after telling you all of this, what have I actually learned while I've been here?<br />
Probably that my most amazing times have been this year when it's been me and God.<br />
We've had many well known speakers to the school this year who have spoken messages that I'll listen to again and again, yet my most incredible times have been when I've been on my own with God.<br />
Any of the people I'd heard of before coming here, who I've met, have been some of the most genuine, humble people. They aren't superstars, they are just people who have given up everything for God.<br />
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You see, when you give everything to God, He is the only one you can rely on. He is the only one and the only thing you have left! Putting God first is the most important thing that anyone can do in their life.<br />
He is the high everyone is trying to get, He's the solid foundation that everyone is looking for to build their life on, He's the only one who can satisfy the deepest cravings of our souls.<br />
Matthew wrote in his gospel in chapter 6:33:<br />
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<i>"Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well"</i><br />
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Jesus spoke these words because He knew that the biggest need of mankind was to know God the way God intended us to. When we have God in the right place in our lives, everything else will fall into place, not because life becomes much easier, but because our focus is on the One who enables us to get through anything thats in front of us.<br />
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God asked me and my family to give up everything and it involved us going thousands of miles away to spend time with Him.<br />
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He is asking you something right now:<br />
<br />
"What are you willing to give Me so that I can be first in your life?"<br />
<br />
It might be 20 minutes in the morning. It might be fasting coffee. It might be your favourite TV show or your Monday night to go out onto the streets with the Mustard Seed Team.<br />
It might be something much bigger than any of those but I can promise you this, when you get serious with God and decide to put Him first, it will be the most fulfilling and joyful thing you've ever done!<br />
<br />
Rog, Liv & family.<br />
<br />Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15599834472124552541noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6482840032428711276.post-87832171370608083712013-09-30T12:18:00.001-07:002013-09-30T12:18:50.659-07:00Satisfaction in Hunger<p dir="ltr"><u>So</u> we are called to fast in church again, again. I have never managed it and don’t know much about it. This has been my response to these calls all down through the years until one year ago. I laughed in agreement with our Sunday morning speaker recently when he spoke about fasting, he said once the body comes under threat it responds and fights. This I know full well, but I also know now the fight then dies and surrenders, and fasting becomes easier. </p>
<p dir="ltr">My story? For my first 27 years as a believer I had not been able to complete one full days fasting, but this time last year I have had breakthrough in this aspect of obedience to the Word of God. I was preparing to have a SOZO (Greek word meaning “saved / healed / delivered”) and was encouraged by the SOZO ministry team to fast from something for a week before the SOZO. I was determined to fast in some way and determined to fast in a way that I would be able to complete and not have to abandon my plans and feel like I had failed. I wanted to be real with God and wanted to see real, measurable breakthrough in my life. I fasted for that week from tea and coffee as my girls were on my case as they said I was addicted to both. For five days my body fought and reminded me each moment by manifesting a dull headache for the duration of those five days. After those days I started to feel much more alert as if a fog had moved from my head, the headache now was completely gone and I was still fasting. After the SOZO I said I can fast unto God like this longer and have been so doing now for 11 months without coffee or tea. </p>
<p dir="ltr">A friend who noticed I was not drinking tea or coffee asked me was I fasting and why. I told them I was and, being slightly embarrassed that I was only fasting from tea and coffee, I told her in 27 years I had not managed to fast for one day as a believer. Instantly she prophesied over me that I would have breakthrough in fasting from food. I instantly stepped into that prophetic word and before I knew it I had fasted a full day. Did I have any amazing revelation from God while I fasted? No, none. All I had was the knowledge that I had now fasted for one full day and I was happy with this. The same day the following week I did likewise and the same again the next week. As time went by I started spending more time in the secret place (of prayer) on those days, the time I would have spent eating I was now spending in the secret place on top of my usual times in the secret place. </p>
<p dir="ltr">In January, three months after my break-through in fasting, I shared a prophetic word about break-through in Church from Micah 2:13 “One who breaks open the way will go up before them, they will break through the gate and go out. Their king will pass through before them, the Lord at their head.” In these days I have learned of the connection with the prophetic and intentionality. Intentionally stepping into the word and seeing that word manifest, imitating Jesus in allowing the word become flesh in my body. I have since fasted for 2 full day periods and have built on that and completed three day periods without taking food. We grow into Him when we combine our intention and will and apply it to the written and spoken word. An obvious change for me day-to-day is not just learning more from Him, but learning how to release Him as I learn. In these days of break-through I am manifesting Jesus in my life; He  brings the breakthrough. Can I state clearly that this has all to do with me fasting? No – but I can say there has been a marked change in me since this time last year. Was it the SOZO? Was it the prophetic word? Was it the intentionality? No, I can’t say, but I can clearly say it was the Heart of God responding to a heart that is learning to yield. In all these changes the common ground has been a willingness to “step in” to walk in intimacy. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I am currently feeling the call of the Holy Spirit to fast for 7 days, one day each to step into each of the Seven Spirits of the Lord as mentioned in Isaiah 11:2 and have that nature of the Spirit manifest in my body. Now this is something that excites me, the pain in the fasting is nothing compared to the possibility of encountering Him in these days. What if I experience nothing of Him in these 7 days? I now know that’s not possible.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy (Rev. 19:10) and I know by ministering unto the Lord in this way He will release a greater manifestation of Him in my life and a greater blessing on the world around me. This excites me. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Take the prophetic word that was given to me and claim it as your own and intentionally set in motion an encounter with Him.<br>
 <br>
Declan<br>
 </p>
dreamsedgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06723276799381755884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6482840032428711276.post-30841230551821366212013-07-08T12:56:00.001-07:002013-07-08T12:56:59.183-07:00WHAT ARE YOU WEARING? Part 3<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">Part
3 </span></b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">–<b> Shame
for the World<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Jesus
wore shame so that the </span></b><b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">w</span></b><b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">orld could wear glory<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Before Jesus died on the cross he was stripped of
his clothes. This shaming was not just for you and me but for the </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">whole
</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">world. At Pentecost, Jesus asked the Father to
send His Holy Spirit and clothe His children with glory. Jesus became sin and wore
shame so that you and I might wear Holy Spirit glory! The thing is, the Father
expects us to dress ourselves in this garment of glory. Anything less than
being dressed in the Holy Spirit is like walking around naked and </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">ashamed in the spiritual realm</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The garment and the gifts<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2011:29&version=NKJV">Romans 11:29</a> says that gifting is irrevocable</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;"> </span><i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“For the gifts and the calling of God<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><em>are</em><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>irrevocable”. </span></i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">However,<i> </i>if we are only clothe</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">d</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> in gifting </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">and not in the
Garment of the Holy Spirit Himself, while we can move and operate in the
gifting, we are but a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2013:%201&version=NKJV">1 Corinthians 13:1</a>) and despite these gifts we cannot impact life. </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">We must put on </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">the garment of the
Holy Spirit all the time. Then, as we move in the gifts and the calling of God,
these gifting</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">s</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> become finely honed and sparkle like jewels that
accessorise our spiritual clothes. What
is more, we must be dressed by the Spirit on the outside as well as on the
inside in order to impact the world that Jesus came to save. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
Holy Spirit enables encounter and new life</span></b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Jesus was unable to say things to the disciples
because they were unable to bear it. The Holy Spirit speaks in a way that we
can bear and lead us into all truth. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20104:30&version=NKJV">Psalm 104:30</a> says <i>“When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of
the earth”.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Some Christians struggle with Holy Spirit
theology. Like Jesus, the Holy Spirit is not a theology, but a person. Until we
know the person of the Holy Spirit we cannot have a relationship with Him. The
Holy Spirit always glorifies Christ, specifically reveals Christ and makes Christ
known to the world. He</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">takes us out of a secluded</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">
protected Christian environment</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> where we lack a
credible witness to the world</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">for
</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">whom Christ died. When we foster a relationship
with the Holy Spirit Christ is glorified through our lives!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
Holy Spirit displays the glory of Christ to the world<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">My </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Christian
life</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> resembled a city with a Temple but without </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">a</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">
wall</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">. It</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> failed to display the glory of Christ </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">to
a hurting and broken world. And this is what</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> the Father so
desire</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">s.</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <i>“When you
send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth”. </i>I
ha</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">d</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> not been seeing to the business of the Father. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2015:15&version=NKJV">John 15:15</a>: </span></div>
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<i><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not
know his master's<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span class="criteria"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">business</span></span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">. Instead, I have
called you friends, for everything that I learned from my<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span class="criteria"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Father</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
have made known to you”. </span></i></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I had been a servant </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">for too long </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">and </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">missed that Father invites me to be a friend. Friends know
the Father</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">'</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">s business.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The anointed believer bears the fruit of new life<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Just like a city without a wall is unprotected
and less than it ought </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">to be</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">, a
believer without the anointing</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> of the spirit</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> is outside the Father</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">'</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">s design. In Christ we are designed to conquer and</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> we</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> qualified for increase. </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">While w</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">e use the correct scriptures and theology to
support this view</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">we can </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">lack the anointing to reveal this inheritance.
When Adam was in the garden alone, God chose to give him a helper (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%202:18&version=NIV">Genesis2:18</a>). This word “helper” is the same word in the Hebrew as the name given to
the Holy Spirit. God commanded man and his helper to procreate</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">. T</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">his also speaks of the church</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> His bride. In the physical</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> realm</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">, without intimacy</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> man and woman (helper) will not bring forth new life</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">. S</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">o too in the spirit realm, the Bride without the
Holy Spirit anointing will not bear offspring. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2046:10&version=NIV">Psalm 46:10</a> we read<i>“Be still and know that I am God”,</i> the Hebrew meaning of the word
“know” in this verse is “yada” which means “intimacy” and is the same word as
in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%204:1&version=NIV">Genesis 4:1</a> <i>“Adam knew Eve and she
conceived”.</i> The fruit of intimacy is new life. For years I prostituted
myself with knowledge of the scriptures</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> and </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">the fruit my effort was to puff up</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">.</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> I abandoned covenantal intimacy with the Holy
Spirit which gives birth </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">to </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">kingdom
children</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> in the nations</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">.<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Holy Spirit is the one who activates and
creates our renewal. While salvation comes through Jesus, it is the
responsibility of the Spirit to bring renewal to the face of the earth. He does
this </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">by </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">co-labouring with you and me. The Spirit opens
the scriptures for intimacy and fruit of intimacy is new life. Life borne by
the Spirit renews the face of the earth, within and outside the church. The
city without a wall decreases and dies, but the city with a wall prospers, increases
and is displayed among the nations. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Jesus
shows us how to wear the Holy Spirit<br />
</span></b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Jesus laid aside His deity to show us that it was
possible to live a holy life as human by being completely clothe</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">d</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">
in the Holy Spirit. Jesus showed us how to wear the Spirit. </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">God’s plan is for
fullness in the clothing of the Spirit, anointed in Presence. <a href="" name="_GoBack"></a>Our
walk in Him i</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">s a matter of deciding whether to dress in the
clothes he has provided or not. </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">So what are you wearing? Are you just a city with
a Temple or do you wear a wall; strengthened, secured and impregnated by the
Holy Spirit?<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I myself will be a wall of fire around
it [you], declares the LORD, 'and I will be its [your] glory within”</span></i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Zechariah%202:5&version=NIV">Zechariah2:5</a>.<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“When you send your Spirit, they are
created, and you renew the face of the earth”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20104:30&version=NIV">Psalm104:30</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Be still and know that
I am God”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2046:%2010&version=NIV">Psalm 46: 10</a></span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15599834472124552541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6482840032428711276.post-70809825702189615052013-07-01T08:33:00.000-07:002013-07-01T08:33:40.736-07:00WHAT ARE YOU WEARING? Part 2<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">Part
2 </span></b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">-<b> Walled
for Display</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Shortly after receiving this word </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">“<i>overlaid with
glory</i>”</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">, I started to read the historical books of Ezra
and Nehemiah together with the prophecies of Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi
which were instrumental to the events of these times. I started to see
something which I had not seen before.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Jerusalem
did not prosper without a wall<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Having returned from exile in Babylon, the people
of Israel began rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem. They were persecuted and as
a result they stopped building. Only after Haggai and Zechariah the prophets imparted
vision and courage through the prophecies they spoke, did building recommence and
the temple was completed. However, despite this victory, famine and oppression
prevailed. It was only when Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem years later and
rebuilt the broken walls around the city that God’s people finally had security
and protection and began to prosper. Though God had been in their midst security
and protection only came when the wall was in place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Ezra
the helper: overlayed Jerusalem with glory within <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Once the temple had been built Ezra made
sure to teach God’s word to the people of Israel. Interestingly, the name Ezra
means helper; one of the names given to the Holy Spirit. God intended this glory
within <b>FOR HIS PEOPLE</b> to enjoy and to
experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Nehemiah
the comforter: overlayed Jerusalem with the glory on the outside<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Nehemiah’s name means comforter; also another
name given to the Holy Spirit. Some years after Ezra, Nehemiah saw to it that
the city of Jerusalem was overlaid with glory outside the city around by rebuilding the city walls. God intended this overlaying of glory as
protection for Israel and also as a display of strength <b>TO THOSE OUTSIDE</b> it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">How
to wear a wall; the believer and the church<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">The temple in Jerusalem and the wall outside
Jerusalem is a prophetic picture which points to the New Covenant temple of the
Holy Spirit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">The Ark of the Covenant; the first place
where God chose to dwell is a precursor to the New Covenant dwelling place of
God; within the believer themselves. When we become Christians, the new spirit
we are given, the Holy Spirit, dwells within us. In this way, and like the Ark
of ancient Israel, we are overlaid on the inside with the spirit of God, Christ
in us; the hope of glory. God said in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joel%202:28&version=NKJV">Joel 2:28</a> that <i>“In the last days I will pour out my Spirit on all people”.</i> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Just as
the Spirit was poured out on Jesus and rested <b><i>“UPON”</i></b><i> </i>Him so will all believers in Jesus <i>wear </i>the Spirit on the outside, just as
Jesus did. In <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2024:49&version=NKJV">Luke 24:49</a> Jesus says: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><i>“I am
going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you
have been clothed with power from on high.”</i> </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Here it is clear
we will be clothed with the Garment of the Spirit, we will wear the Spirit on
the outside just like Jesus did.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">God is holding out a truth for us to grasp,
which is so liberating that if we step into it and grasp it we will be
completely renewed and will inherit and live the abundant life.</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
wall clothes, protects and shelters the city. The city wears its wall proudly
and becomes reinforced and empowered by its presence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The prophetic words of Zechariah speak of the day
when the Holy Spirit will be a wall of fire like at Pentecost around the
dwelling place of God, a child of God / believer. <i>“… I myself will be a wall of fire around it, declares the LORD, 'and I
will be its glory within”</i> <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Zechariah%202:5&version=NKJV">Zechariah 2:5</a>. This is the same prophetic picture
of the New Covenant temple of the Holy Spirit believer as in Joel 2.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 40.2pt; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Stepping
onto the wall<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Finally, Nehemiah steps onto the wall
itself which causes great joy and celebration to break out among the people. This
is a declaration of trust in the Holy Spirit which is the wall of fire around
the city. Nehemiah cries out for us to do likewise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ezra</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> prophetically declares</span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> wearing the Spirit of Glory within
brings hope, Nehemiah prophetically declares that, security, strength and
comfort come by wearing your fire around you. The Holy Spirit within (the
Temple in the city) was for use by the people of God, the wall (the Holy Spirit
on the outside) is to display the Gods Glory unto the nations.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Declan D.</span></div>
Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15599834472124552541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6482840032428711276.post-5711415878707242192013-06-22T07:14:00.003-07:002013-06-22T07:30:01.047-07:00WHAT ARE YOU WEARING? Part 1<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="background-color: white;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Part 1 </span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">- <b>Overlaid with glory: Inside and Out<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">One autumn morning in 2012 in
fellowship with Trinity Church in The Exchange on Gardiner Street, I walked to
the front of the congregation, picked up a large gold flag; maybe eight by ten
feet and I covered myself with it as we worshipped together. Just beforehand,
the Holy Spirit had asked me to “<i>show the
church what it looks like for glory to fall on, cover and to rest upon a person”</i>.
The call to do this came twice in quick succession and on the second call I
moved without analysing or debating the issue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">While I stood covered by
this glory flag and we sang <i>Show me Your
Glory</i> by Jesus Culture, I heard the words “<i>overlaid with glory</i>” spoken powerfully into my being. I was immediately
drawn to the verse in Exodus and God’s detailed instructions for the building of
the Ark of the Covenant; the place where His <i>glory</i> would dwell. I was specifically drawn to the detail that the
ark should be; <i>“overlaid … with pure
gold, both inside and out” <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2037:2&version=NKJV">Exodus 37:2 NKJV</a></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This prophetic act of
wrapping myself up in the glory flag displayed in the spirit realm the Glory
that is available to rest upon everyone who wants it. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Since that day the Holy Spirit has been revealing something
to me that I had not seen before. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Did I get dressed today?</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> <b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The question I began to
consider was; what am I wearing? Functions of clothing in the physical realm is
covering, warmth and identity. When we go uncovered; we are naked and ashamed.
What’s more, if anyone is not dressed appropriately, and they meet adverse
conditions, then they are at risk of exposure and even death in difficult
circumstances. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Parents do not send their
children out naked, no matter how poor the family. God our Father in his
provision has seen to it that we, who have become His children, are adequately
clothed in order to provide us with dignity, identity and protection. What I
suddenly realised is that, particularly as we grow and mature, God like any
natural parent does not dress us Himself. He provides the clothing for us and
expects us to put this clothing on and to wear it in all conditions and at all
times. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">This explains somewhat why many drop away from
God after the initial stages of their growing relationship with Him. After the early
childhood years, or the honeymoon years as some call it when God is doing most for
us in building our new relationship with Him, we don’t realise that as we grow,
God expects us to put on the spiritual clothing he provides us ourselves; he
expects us, as we will see, to dress ourselves in his word and his Spirit. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The spiritual cost of going naked<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">When we are not wearing our garments in the
Spirit we are exposed. </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">There are many
examples in the bible of people, even people after God’s own heart, who were
caught out, without their spiritual clothing on.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">We see this clearly with King Saul, Samson and
indeed David when he was in sin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Without the Spirit, King Saul led the people from
his own power as a man, rather than from his anointing as God’s king. As a
result, he was constantly troubled because, in these times, his authority had
departed. (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Samuel%2018:12&version=NKJV">1 Samuel 18:12</a>)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">When Samson went without the Spirit covering, his
strength departed him and he could not understand how or why he had been
physically overpowered. (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Judges%2016:20&version=NKJV">Judges 16:20</a>)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Even David, the one that God called His son after
(Jesus the Son of David) did not realize the gravity of his sin when he had slept
with Bathsheba and had her husband killed. It was only when he was challenged
by the prophet Nathan that David realized that he had become naked spiritually.
To his credit David repented and was clothed again in the Spirit by God’s
grace. (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Samuel%2012&version=NKJV">2 Samuel 12</a>)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">None of these men were aware that they were not
wearing their anointing at these particular times and that the Spirit had departed
them. If it could happen to these men can I ask how about you? Did you ever
wonder what it must have been like for these men when they realised they were
naked. David wrote in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2051:11&version=NKJV">Psalm 51:11</a> <i>“Do not
cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me</i></span><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 12pt;">”, </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">David was taught a costly lesson during these
days which stood to him thereafter.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">So what WILL I wear? The armour of God is only the
beginning … <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%206:%2011-17&version=NKJV">Ephesians 6: 11-17</a> we are told to put on the
full</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> armour</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> of God and many of us are familiar with the garments listed
in this passage and we put them on and use them to protect ourselves and to fight
our daily spiritual battles. However, in the book of Timothy, Paul also tells
Timothy to fight with the prophetic word he had received. In other words, he
tells him to dress himself in a specific prophetic word and to use this word to
keep himself safe and secure. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1Timothy%201:18&version=NKJV">1Timothy 1:18</a></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i> “Timothy, my son, I am giving you this
command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, <b>so that by recalling them you may fight the
battle well</b>” </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In addition to the items listed in Ephesians that
make up the armour of God, the items of clothing God provides are new, fresh
and specific words revealed to us by the Holy Spirit in dreams or pictures or
through other members of the body of Christ. These words, or garments, need to
be activated by putting them on and wearing them like a suit of armour. We need
these garments to survive and to overcome the spiritual battles we face. As we
individually as believers and corporately as his church wear these words we are
clothed with the grace to REVEAL the glory of God to those around us.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Declan D.</span></div>
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Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15599834472124552541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6482840032428711276.post-44980948947537766812013-05-24T04:12:00.000-07:002013-05-24T04:12:42.379-07:00Joshua: Following In Big Footsteps.<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When we look around, it's easy to see that there are many people who have been exceptional in their particular arena. In sport, there have been many legends through the years. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Michael Jordan is quite possibly the greatest basketball player of all time, to such an extent that he still earns more from the sport and his endorsements than any other basketball player currently in the game, and Jordan is now 50 years old!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Alex Ferguson, is one of the most successful managers in football and he's just retired, leaving David Moyes massive shoes to fill in Manchester United.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jack Nicklaus is still regarded as the greatest golfer of all time, although Tiger Woods seems to be catching him once again.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Muhammed Ali famously said "I am the greatest" and he's still seen to be one of the best of all time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So imagine how Joshua must have felt. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Israel had had an amazing experience, Moses had led them out of Egypt and they had seen miracles that defeated every deity the Egyptians had, just so that they would know how great their God was. Moses was an old man, and he led the Israelites out of Egypt, and as they left, God completely destroyed their enemies. The nation that had been enslaved, were now free. They crossed the Red Sea and were faced with a new land that God was going to give them. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But they turned their backs on God and decided that they couldn't possibly defeat these enemies, so God made them wander for 40 years in the desert.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During that time, God fed them every day, He never left them wanting. He provided for all of their needs, He gave them laws on how they were to live and their clothes and shoes never wore out. He did everything for them, and then as their time of wandering was almost over, Moses went up onto the mountain top and that was the last the Israelites saw of him.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Joshua had big shoes to fill. He was now in his 80's, but he had spent so much time in the Lord's presence he was the ideal person to take over as leader of the nation and this was confirmed to the people when Joshua's first public miracle was to cross the Jordan on dry land.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But how did Joshua become a great man of God? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">So Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, </span><span style="background-color: white;">one</span><span style="background-color: white;"> of his choice men, answered and said, “Moses my lord, forbid them!” <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=num%2011&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Numbers 11:28 (NKJV)</a></span></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Firstly, Joshua was Moses assistant from when he was a young man. He spent his time learning how to lead as Moses did and he watched him, learning to understand his though processes. Basically, he modeled how to learn from a rabbi, by doing as the rabbi did, and this was and has been taught by Jews ever since, even the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, because they wanted to pray as He did.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, </span><span style="background-color: white;">that</span><span style="background-color: white;"> one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.” <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=lk%2011&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Luke 11:1 (NKJV)</a></span></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So Joshua's learning taught generations after him how to learn, by spending time with the master.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yet in Exodus 33, we find out how Joshua became a great man of God:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="text Exod-33-7" style="background-color: white;">Moses took his tent and pitched it outside the camp, far from the camp, and called it the tabernacle of meeting. And it came to pass that everyone who sought the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> went out to the tabernacle of meeting which was outside the camp. </span><span style="background-color: white;"></span><span class="text Exod-33-8" id="en-NKJV-2482" style="background-color: white;"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">8 </span>So it was, whenever Moses went out to the tabernacle, that all the people rose, and each man stood at his tent door and watched Moses until he had gone into the tabernacle. </span><span style="background-color: white;"></span><span class="text Exod-33-9" id="en-NKJV-2483" style="background-color: white;"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">9 </span>And it came to pass, when Moses entered the tabernacle, that the pillar of cloud descended and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the<span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> talked with Moses. </span><span style="background-color: white;"></span><span class="text Exod-33-10" id="en-NKJV-2484" style="background-color: white;"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">10 </span>All the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the tabernacle door, and all the people rose and worshiped, each man in his tent door. </span><span style="background-color: white;"></span><span class="text Exod-33-11" id="en-NKJV-2485" style="background-color: white;"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">11 </span>So the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ex%2033&version=NKJV" target="_blank">(Exodus 33 NKJV)</a></span></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Joshua went into the presence of God whenever Moses did and he remained there when Moses left. Joshua spent his time learning from Moses and when he wasn't learning from him, he spent his time in the presence of God. It's not difficult to see how he managed to become a great leader. He had a servant heart because it was his job to help Moses, and this taught him how to be a great leader. Joshua stayed where the Lord was and the Lord gave him a nation.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So when Moses died, God spoke to Joshua and told him that He was with him, so he had no reason to fear:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="text Josh-1-1" style="background-color: white;">After the death of Moses the servant of the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>, it came to pass that the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying: </span><span style="background-color: white;"></span><span class="text Josh-1-2" id="en-NKJV-5854" style="background-color: white;"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">2 </span>“Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel. </span><span style="background-color: white;"></span><span class="text Josh-1-3" id="en-NKJV-5855" style="background-color: white;"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">3 </span>Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. </span><span style="background-color: white;"></span><span class="text Josh-1-4" id="en-NKJV-5856" style="background-color: white;"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">4 </span>From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory. </span><span style="background-color: white;"></span><span class="text Josh-1-5" id="en-NKJV-5857" style="background-color: white;"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">5 </span>No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. </span><span style="background-color: white;"></span><span class="text Josh-1-6" id="en-NKJV-5858" style="background-color: white;"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">6 </span>Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. </span><span style="background-color: white;"></span><span class="text Josh-1-7" id="en-NKJV-5859" style="background-color: white;"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">7 </span>Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. </span><span style="background-color: white;"></span><span class="text Josh-1-8" id="en-NKJV-5860" style="background-color: white;"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">8 </span>This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. </span><span style="background-color: white;"></span><span class="text Josh-1-9" id="en-NKJV-5861" style="background-color: white;"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">9 </span>Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> your God is with you wherever you go.” <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=jos%201&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Joshua 1 (NKJV)</a></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So what happened when Joshua became the leader of a nation? He stepped straight into the word that God gave him 40 years ago. God told him and Caleb that they could conquer the land of Canaan <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=num%2013&version=NKJV" target="_blank">(Numbers 13v30)</a> and Joshua wanted to act on the Word God gave him. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You see, when God speaks a word into your life, you get to decide if you want to accept it and run with it, ignore it, or hang on to it until it comes to fruition. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To make this happen, God parted the river Jordan so that the Israelites crossed on dry land, showing them that He was with Joshua and showing the Canaanites that they were up against a nation that had a God far greater than any. On a personal note, I love how it says: </span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"</i><i>...<span style="background-color: white;">and the people crossed over opposite Jericho." <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=jos%203&version=NKJV" target="_blank">(Joshua 3v17)</a></span></i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's great how God demonstrates His power to us by building us up and unsettling the enemy at the same time!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Joshua also demonstrated the heart of Jesus in this. The spies he sent out, were obviously men who knew their master as they told Rahab and her family they would be safe, no matter what happened. In a place of judgement, God's mercy was being revealed. The spies didn't even know how the city was going to be attacked, yet when they spoke life instead of judgement into someone, God upheld their word and saved her and her family. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua%202&version=NKJV" target="_blank">(Joshua 2)</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In other words, mercy triumphed over judgement. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Israelites crossed the Jordan by Joshua telling the priests to go into the Jordan before the people and to carry the Ark of the Covenant. They were then to stop in the middle of the river until all the people had crossed and then were to follow the people across. This demonstrated to the people that God was going before them, that He was in the middle of the miracle with them and that He was going behind them. God had shown to the Israelites that He was still able to make the water stop on His command, and that He could still do miracles. He also showed those in Jericho that He was greater than their gods of water and land, in the same way He had demonstrated this to the Egyptians. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It showed that the stories they had heard of the Israelites crossing the Red sea were true, and that this nation, led by this God, were different to everything else they'd experienced!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus is revealed all through the Bible. He is the one who shows us the heart of God. He goes before us, He stands with us and He goes behind us in everything we do. He constantly demonstrates mercy over judgement. He even went so far as to do this when Peter chopped off a soldiers ear as He was being arrested. He didn't say "Serves you right!" and He didn't leave the man to bleed, or leave him with one ear, He showed mercy, He healed him and went with His captors, knowing what was ahead of Him. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Joshua stepped into a place of being under the law, because he followed the leader who represented and still represents the law to Israel, yet he demonstrated the heart of Jesus. The reason he was able to do this is because he had learned to spend time in the presence of God.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Muhammed Ali said that he was the greatest, Moses was the greatest and Joshua was too. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To be great in God's kingdom, you have to be a servant, after all, If Jesus Himself said it, it has to be true!</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="text Mark-10-43" id="en-NKJV-24632" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">43 </span><span class="woj">Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.</span> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"></span><span class="text Mark-10-44" id="en-NKJV-24633" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">44 </span><span class="woj">And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.</span> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"></span><span class="text Mark-10-45" id="en-NKJV-24634" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">45 </span><span class="woj">For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mark%2010&version=NKJV" target="_blank">(Mark 10:43,44 NKJV)</a></span></span></span></i><br />
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<span class="text Mark-10-45" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Roger C</span></span>The Prayer Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02094390166548767991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6482840032428711276.post-83919958626231657052013-04-15T10:45:00.000-07:002013-04-15T10:45:40.556-07:00I Dream Of Margaret Thatcher
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<span class="s1">I had a strange dream last week where a member of Trinity came up to me and asked me to speak at Margaret Thatcher’s funeral......... Yes you read that correctly. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">In my dream I went on to write my speech and in fact gave it at Ms Thatcher’s funeral, when I woke I laughed the dream off as very odd, but it has stayed with me over the last number of days. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">You see, in my dream God told me what he thought of Margaret Thatcher and that is what I shared at her funeral. Over the next few days after her death it saddened me to see that there were street party’s celebrating her death and in fact a song made it in the charts this weekend “Ding dong, the witch is dead” – I confess I actually had a little laugh at that and yet God keeps reminding me of what he thinks of Margaret Thatcher. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">I am aware of the damage this woman did and the heartache she caused for many families throughout Britain both financially and domestically. While all through this God looked at her with love, she was a mum, a wife, a daughter, a sister, a friend, she had a sense of humour, a caring heart underneath the hardness, and above all else God loved her so much that he gave his only son to die a horrific death to save her (and all of us). </span></div>
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<span class="s1">I had no intention of sharing any of this but I mentioned my mad dream to a friend and he suggested that maybe God wanted me to share it with folk, so I’m doing this in obedience. This blog is not about politics but the simple fact of LOVE. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">We are sons and daughters of the most high God we are called to be Jesus and heaven carriers on earth. We have such a gift and are honoured to have the Holy Spirit living in us and I pray, through us. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">When we speak of one another the bible teaches us in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2015&version=HCSB" target="_blank">Proverbs 15 v4 (CSB)</a> <i>“The tongue that heals is a tree of life, but a devious tongue breaks the spirit.” </i></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2019&version=HCSB" target="_blank">Psalm 19 v14 (CSB)</a> <i>“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.”</i></span></div>
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<span class="s1">My prayer is that we would honour one another, love one another, accept one another and in that create a culture of honour. I’m not for one minute suggesting we accept bad behaviour but what would it be like to look upon one another as Christ looks at us? </span></div>
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<span class="s1">Clair Breen.</span></div>
The Prayer Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02094390166548767991noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6482840032428711276.post-32806394426251468472013-02-05T03:47:00.000-08:002013-02-05T03:47:47.926-08:00A surplus of provisionI've been reading various parts of the Bible over the last few months but haven't really concentrated on one particular book.<br />
Before this, I had been focusing on the book of Joshua, which is a fantastic book, and the more I read it, the more of the new covenant I saw through it.<br />
But that's for another post....<br />
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During the recent time of prayer and fasting, I was drawn to the book of <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ezekiel%2037&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Ezekiel</a> and that familiar passage in chapter 37:<br />
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Ezek-37-1">The hand of the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. </span><span class="text Ezek-37-2" id="en-NKJV-21400"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">2 </sup>Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. </span><span class="text Ezek-37-3" id="en-NKJV-21401"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">3 </sup>And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”</span></span></i></div>
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<span class="text Ezek-37-3"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">So I answered, “O Lord <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">God</span>, You know.”</span></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Ezek-37-4" id="en-NKJV-21402"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">4 </sup>Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>! </span><span class="text Ezek-37-5" id="en-NKJV-21403"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">5 </sup>Thus says the Lord <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">God</span> to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. </span><span class="text Ezek-37-6" id="en-NKJV-21404"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">6 </sup>I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>.”’”</span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Ezek-37-7" id="en-NKJV-21405"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">7 </sup>So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. </span><span class="text Ezek-37-8" id="en-NKJV-21406"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">8 </sup>Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.</span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Ezek-37-9" id="en-NKJV-21407"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">9 </sup>Also He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">God</span>: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.”’” </span><span class="text Ezek-37-10" id="en-NKJV-21408"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">10 </sup>So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.</span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Ezek-37-10">The reason I want to share about this passage is because 2 other people shared it with me in various circumstances over the past few weeks and I believe it's a word for now.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Ezek-37-10">So, what was going on in this passage?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Ezek-37-10">Ezekiel had a name that God called him by all the time, in fact 93 times, God used a name for him that Jesus referred to Himself by: "Son of man".</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Ezek-37-10">Ezekiel obviously had a very special place in God's heart if Jesus was going to be known by the same name. I believe Jesus was demonstrating that He was also a prophet, just like Ezekiel was, while Ezekiel was speaking the voice of God, just as Jesus did.</span></span></div>
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We have the gift of being able to see the same life bringing power in Ezekiel, that Jesus brought with Him when He came into the earth as a baby.</div>
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So, to the passage. God brought Ezekiel to a place of dry bones. The bones were bleached, dry, old, useless and any life that had been in them had been picked away by creatures, birds and time.</div>
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They were dry.</div>
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As Ezekiel surveyed what was in front of and around him, God asked him <i>"Can they live?"</i> Ezekiel responded and then God spoke again:</div>
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<i>"Prophesy....."</i></div>
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God didn't say yes or no, He told Ezekiel to act, to speak, to do. So Ezekiel did just that, he prophesied to the bones and said:</div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Ezek-37-5" id="en-NKJV-21403">“Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. </span><span class="text Ezek-37-6" id="en-NKJV-21404"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">6 </sup>I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>.”</span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Ezek-37-6">Isn't it interesting that the first thing God told Ezekiel to do was to speak the outcome into the situation?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Ezek-37-6">Before he spoke into the situation itself, God told him to speak breath into it. You can't make dry bones breathe, but you can bring life into them by declaring that God will make them breathe!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Ezek-37-6">This is speaking to me at the moment. I have been given promises in my life that God has spoken over me, and when things look bleak or even dead, I start speaking these promises into my situation and life enters it, God comes in and suddenly, I have a new perspective on it. </span></span></div>
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God told Ezekiel to prophesy into the situation, so he said that the dry bones would breathe and become an army, then he prophesied the practicalities into it. </div>
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The army was raised up because Ezekiel saw who God was and spoke the 'Who' before he spoke the 'how'.</div>
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Next thing, the bones moved, sinews and flesh appeared on them and they became bodies but they weren't alive, so what did God say?</div>
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<i>"</i><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Ezek-37-9" id="en-NKJV-21407"><i>Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord </i><span class="small-caps" style="font-style: italic; font-variant: small-caps;">God</span><i>: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.”’” </i></span><span class="text Ezek-37-10" id="en-NKJV-21408" style="font-style: italic;"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">10 </sup>So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Ezek-37-10">As I read this, I could sense an excitement in God's voice as the bones became people, as they came to life. God was getting excited at seeing life created again, at seeing death defeated and at seeing Ezekiel speak the words of truth that released an army. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Ezek-37-10">God kept telling Ezekiel to prophesy. And as Ezekiel prophesied, what happened? The 4 winds came and breathed into the army. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Ezek-37-10">God has the capacity, the ability and the resources to draw from every direction to fulfill His purpose.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Ezek-37-10">God was excited as He spoke with Ezekiel. It was like He said "Look what's available to you! I can raise up an army in a valley of death!"</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text Ezek-37-10">David wrote in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2023&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Psalm 23v4</a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span class="text Ps-23-4" id="en-NKJV-14240" style="position: relative;">"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,</span><br /><span class="text Ps-23-4" style="position: relative;">I will fear no evil;</span><br /><span class="text Ps-23-4" style="position: relative;">For You are with me;</span><br /><span class="text Ps-23-4" style="position: relative;">Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me."</span></i></span></div>
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David had a revelation of who and what God was, and he knew that no matter how bad the situation was, God was there with him.</div>
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Ezekiel had a further revelation. God showed him that while he was in the valley of death, that God wasn't just with him, but that He was able to raise an army too. </div>
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You see, God has resources available to us in our darkest and toughest times, we just have to ask! </div>
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He has a surplus of provision there for us. </div>
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So, when you next find yourself in a situation that is bleak, even hopeless, ask God to remind you of the promises He's spoken over you. Ask Him to show you the outcome, so that you can speak it into your situation, then watch as He brings you into a place of life. </div>
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Watch as your soul awakes and as your God opens your eyes to the surplus of provision that He has for you!<br />
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Roger C.</div>
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The Prayer Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02094390166548767991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6482840032428711276.post-85843023665300368832013-01-12T03:44:00.000-08:002013-01-12T03:44:45.373-08:00Embrace Transition
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Recently I wrote a blog entitled “<a href="http://trinitychurchnetwork.blogspot.ie/2012/12/who-am-i.html" target="_blank">Who Am I</a>”. Now I want to share with you how this identity is impacting and shaping me.</div>
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<span class="s1">Almost immediately after being baptised with Holy Spirit a few years back, I had a series of dreams and trances which ran for five nights. I kept very much quiet about these dreams because I did not have a reference point for these matters. As time has passed the Holy Spirit has thought me much, so I want to share these dreams with you. Are they for my church, are they for my city or nation, I don’t think that is for me to answer, I believe first and foremost they are for me and you. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">In one dream which I have briefly shared before, I was in the Exchange (our church building). God called me to come to the cross and as I walked I noticed a river flowing from Heaven and falling down on the cross in our building. As the water was falling it took the shape of a cross at times. The song “At the Foot of the Cross” was bellowing out and I knelt at the foot of the cross. As I did so I was soaked in the River of Life and I turned to watch the river flow out amongst the congregation. As it did so I was just struck by what I saw happen amongst the body. The congregation began to minister to each other as the Holy Spirit poured over them. To witness this revelation and see it manifest as if it were totally real was awesome to watch, it was like our very own Pentecost amongst our family.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">In other dream, as I stood in the Exchange and looked out over my city, Dublin, I saw the city as an amazing forest. A silver-back gorilla just beside me began to sing the name of “Jesus” over and over again as he beat his chest as this gorilla does to display his power and strength. As I watched in awe, gradually the city forest became like an orchestra with many silver-back gorillas joining in and singing and displaying like the first one. After some time, they all began to sing the word “surrender” and again after some time they all began to sing the words “Holy Spirit”. This was awesome to watch and heavenly to hear and it has left a mark on my heart that will never be extinguished. They began then to expand the words “Holy Spirit” and sang the different names and different attributes of the Holy Spirit. This was an amazing experience and as time has gone by I sense this dream cries out as we surrender to Jesus we will open a way for our city to see Jesus which will open a pathway that the whole city will become consumed with the Holy Spirit and display the Presence and power of God. This will reach the whole nation and be visible throughout Europe.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Since these dreams and others I have turned to the scriptures for answers and the Holy Spirit has been captivating my heart as I allow Him reveal and release truth into the core of my being. As you read on you will see some of the things He has been revealing to me, concerning prophecy, testimony and encountering in an experiential way the Presence of God. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">Just roll back for a bit of my history and see how closed I was to the prophetic. Just over two years ago a person that I knew but not that well said to me I have a prophetic picture for you. They said I see you, you “were” in a black box and then in a flash, the roof was taken away, then the four walls fell away. I started to laugh because I knew exactly what my friend shared with me. I told him I knew what He spoke of as I had come into a place of experiencing this freedom. He did not know or indeed anyone know what I had been seeing between about 1995 up to the start of 2010. I was having a frequently recurring trance like day dream which I spoke or shared with no one because I feared what people might say or think. In this dream I was in a dark room or box with a small opening or door out into this most beautiful sun light colourful garden one could imagine. My understanding of this dream was a typical evangelical one, there was a garden of beauty through a door and that door was Christ, so this revelation for me was telling me that which I already knew and therefore I never responded in any way to this revelation. Simply I did not understand what the Spirit of God was revealing to me. Today, reflecting on this dream I wonder what would have been if I had properly understood this dream. I had no reference point as I did not believe in the prophetic, I believed a very narrow Gospel of salvation, it was all about the cross and the Holy Spirit’s work was for the conviction of sin. I knew nothing of the Holy Spirit as a person and therefore to have a friendship with the Holy Spirit was not something which I thought available to man. Hearing that word was so lovely because now I knew the Holy Spirit was saying to me that which I was experiencing was indeed freedom in the Spirit. Another friend spoke a prophetic word to me about three years ago and this time though not knowing much about the prophetic, I stepped straight into it because I knew I was pathetically broken in spirit and to my utter amazement I instantly experienced the Presence of the Holy Spirit in my life. Stepping in activated that word and blew my theology out the window. Today I know where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom. I had stepped into the </span><span class="s2">“path of life”</span><span class="s1"> as mentioned in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2016&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Psalm 16:11</a> and experienced His Presence in the process. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">From this experience I have learned that the prophetic must be stepped into so you can activate it in your life. Many Christians fear the prophetic and therefore miss this truth altogether at a grave cost to the church body. Some Christians carry prophetic words for years which I can’t say I understand, I understand pondering the word as Mary did, but it is in the release of the word in faith that creates the word. The prophetic word is the creative nature of God and must be spoken to be created. There is no point is speaking the word after it has come to be and many words because they have not been spoken will be fulfilled but only when an individual with faith comes along to release the word. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">My understanding and theology has changed in these last few years. I hear numerous teachers teach that faith is not a feeling. I believe that is a very narrow view. I believe faith can be felt and in this way my faith is indeed a feeling built on truth. One can know the nature of God but it this nature can also be experienced, it’s not essentially a matter of faith, though to enter into His presence you must walk in faith. Without faith it is impossible to please God. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">Faith comes in hearing, (</span><span class="s2"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2010&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Romans 10:17</a></span><span class="s1"> </span><span class="s2"><i>“faith comes from hearing the message and the message is heard through the word of Christ”</i></span><span class="s1">. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">Hearing is not the same as having heard, heard is what God said, hearing is what God is now saying. Faith is built in the hearing, hearing is an experience that can be felt.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">When Mary visited Elizabeth in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke%201&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Luke 1:41</a>, when the sound (not words) hit Elizabeth, the baby leaped in her womb (ask any mother if they felt that when pregnant). Did the unborn baby understand those words – no, yet the unborn baby responded and Elizabeth was instantly filled with the Holy Spirit. Do you see Presence can be felt, seen and displayed. Feelings are vital in any relationship, and to have a relationship with God the Holy Spirit is impossible without feelings. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">When we are impregnated with the Spirit of God, believe me we will feel it. If you don’t feel it, listen to me; you are discerning the Holy Spirits voice calling you and saying “Come to Me – there is much more for You”. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">Just follow through the Gospels and the Book of Acts and look at the amount of times the Presence (The Presence of God is the Holy Spirit) was felt and look at the manifestation of that same Presence in the people. Paul says in Romans, the Kingdom of Heaven is in the Spirit. More than any other thing my theology has been exposed to the New Wine (The Holy Spirit) and I have felt the strain in my person working through the throwing off my old Wine Skin and taking on a New Wine Skin. New Wine is not put into Old Wine Skins, when I let go of me and died to self, the Holy Spirit invaded and now God has an opening to transform my life. The prophetic gifting is being awakened in the church worldwide and with it the world is witnessing a revelation of the nature of God which has been hidden for centuries.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Presence manifests power because that’s the nature of God. In Church we received a prophetic word at the start of 2012 that declared we were moving into a place of “Presence and Power”. Have you experienced it, if not contend for it, we are told in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2048&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Isaiah 48:7</a> that the prophetic word once spoken is created. Therefore your positioning in Presence and Power is created and its is your responsibility to activate it, grasp the truth in these prophetic words, you must contend for the prophetic. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">We are the pinnacle of God’s creation, created in His image, how He imagined us. We were precisely created to relate with God, all our senses highly tuned to hear from God, yet we box ourselves in to hear from God in such limited ways. Some rely on hearing when being thought, others on eyes while reading the word, but probably most rely on a combination of these two senses. What about touch, smell and taste. Words of knowledge for healing are frequently received through feeling. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">Other ways of hearing are dreams, visions, trances and senses and the list continues, yet dreamers are stigmatised as aloof. I suggest we have allowed a rational culture alienate ourselves from God, precisely like the Pharisees did when the Presence of God walked amongst them in the flesh. Are we really any different today? Are we the churched, the new Pharisees of this day? </span></div>
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<span class="s1">Today I believe scripture without revelation is dead, no different than any other book. </span><span class="s2"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2029&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Proverbs 29:18 </a>says</span><span class="s1"> </span><span class="s2"><i>“where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint”</i></span><span class="s1"> (KJV – <i>“</i></span><span class="s2"><i>Where there is no vision {Hebrew meaning – prophecy} the people perish”</i></span><span class="s1"> and </span><span class="s2"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=hosea%204&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Hosea 4:6</a> says <i>“my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge {Hebrew meaning – discernment, understanding... Greek meaning – revelation}”</i></span><span class="s1">). </span></div>
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<span class="s1">I believe we have allowed a theology based in rationalism dominate and shape our spirit rather than allow the Holy Spirit dominate and shape our theology. Please don’t be offended by this, it’s not my intention, a rational mind or the flesh man restricts the spirit man, a bondage to words that constrict can cause us to feel a comfort and security in a faith that we just accept because “it is written” rather than embracing a revelation that brings us into the Presence of the living God, an encounter with our Creator. I believe our environment reflects the disposition of our heart, the nation reflects the disposition of the church. Our nation and many nations are constricted and I believe this reflects the constraint in heart of the church. We moan and knock our governments and fail to discern that they reflect the heart of the people they govern, who in turn reflect the heart of the church, this is very sobering indeed. If the church were fully committed to the kingdom the landscape of our nation would be transformed, stop moaning at the government and start groaning for the transformation of the church, and the transformation of the church is embedded in the apostolic and prophetic anointing.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">I was given a prophetic word about 6 weeks ago, </span><span class="s2"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2046&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Psalm 46:10</a> <i>“Be still and know that I am God”</i></span><span class="s1">. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">As I read the word I repeated it as “Be still and EXPERIENCE that I am God”. This word “Experience” has dominated my walk with God in recent years. One of the Hebrew meanings for “know” is “experience”. Another word that God has been building into my walk with Him is again related to experience and it is “Testimony”. </span></div>
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<span class="s2"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=revelation%2019&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Revelation 19:10</a> says <i>“The testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy”</i>.</span><span class="s1"> Testimony is written by your experience with God. The root word of testimony is “to repeat or to do again”. In built in the nature of this word is the potential of duplication, when we are impregnated with this expectation we move the Spirit of God to do the Fathers works in us. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">The first use of the word Testimony in the Bible is <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=exodus%2016&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Exodus 16:35</a> and it talks about keeping the “manna” in the Testimony for the generations who come after. Testimony is so critical for the next generation, your children and mine and their children after them. The people of God strayed in the desert and throughout most of the Old Testament age because their people stopped telling the next generation their Testimony with God. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">Where is your Testimony today? </span></div>
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<span class="s1">What is the Testimony of the church today? </span></div>
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<span class="s1">Almost all of the church is invisible in our nation today? </span></div>
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<span class="s1">Lets release Testimony and watch the Spirit of God move.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"> A little later in time Moses built an Ark and was called the Ark of the Testimony (later known as the Ark of the Covenant). The point most of us miss is that the Presence of God sits upon the Testimony Ark, it’s the place where God meets with His people, the place where man comes into the Presence of God. It’ s no different today, the Spirit of God rides upon the Testimony of His people just like the Spirit of God moved as the Ark of Testimony moved in the Old Testament. Moses experienced God face to face and walked in His Presence, that invitation is open to you today, to feel God is normal and I suggest it’s the norm and should be your expectation. This verse has much more for us </span><span class="s2">“The testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy”</span><span class="s1">. Have you ever encountered the “Spirit of Prophecy”? It’s an uplifting experience. King Saul did when he met the prophets on the road and he began to prophesy with them. Prophecy is the Nature of God. </span></div>
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<span class="s2"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%2010&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Matthew 10:41</a> says <i>“If you receive a prophet as a prophet, you receive a prophets reward”</i></span><span class="s1">. Do you wish for this reward, and what about the experience which I say is uplifting? On top of grace, which is receiving what you do not deserve, there is also the principle of “reaping what you sow”. Well I want to tell you, you receive the prophet’s reward as a result of the importance which you place on the prophetic words you hear. If you contend for the prophetic word, like I said earlier, the Spirit creates that prophetic word once it is spoken, declared and proclaimed. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">The prophet’s reward is to hear from God. Contending brings the unseen from the Heavenly realm where it was created into the physical world where it will now be seen, it’s not bound by the constraints of Physics. This is the nature of the world we live in. I beg you to start living in this world.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Have you the courage to leave everything behind and step into the prophetic future and bring the manifestation of the two dreams I shared with you in the beginning of this paper into being. (A city surrendered to Christ, Baptised with the Holy Spirit). When this comes to be, nations will swarm to our nation to encounter the Presence of God. In the past our nation was called “the land of saints and scholars”, this is the modern name give it by intellects. At the said time our land was called “the land of apostles and prophets”, now just grasp our legacy and identity in the Kingdom of God. You know God is indebted to no nation, We as an “Apostolic, Prophetic Missionary Nation” brought an “Apostolic Gospel” to Europe, God’s pay back is 100 fold, are you contending for the outpouring that God intends for our people, He is waiting for us and will wait until the next generation unless the church today grasp and move in their divine calling.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">All the choices are yours, be careful how you choose. What you decide to speak and think manifests around you. What’s taught in our churches manifest in our environment. The dimension in which you allow God speak will be the measure used upon you. Does your heart win the battle with reasoning? If you are a believer, which is your stronger man, your spirit man or flesh man? Does your desire to experience the Word win over your desire to know the word? Does your desire for the prophetic outweigh your fear of the prophetic? Does your duty to give praise and Testimony to God for what He does in your life win over your shyness or sense of modesty which dulls your speech? Is your kingdom a kingdom of light greater than your kingdom of darkness? Is your God greater than fear of the enemy? God is calling the church to shine forth His glory, are you waiting on your leaders to shine for you – believe me they can’t, they shine for Him but so must you.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">I believe the church as we have known it, is now at a cross roads. The future church will be one who displays and models Gods true and full identity, His Triune identity. An Awakening is at hand where the new church will stand in the glory and splendour of the Fullness of the Spirit. The lack of “Presence” in the church will not be accepted, there is currently a hunger for more, and God satisfies the hungry. The new age movement displays more power than the children of God and the lack is not with God. What is your vision for 2013, vision forces you to follow your its plan and restricts all other options available to you, you become of one mind and come into agreement with the vision of God – your destiny. His vision for you fills every ache of your soul and blesses the nations as a consequence. His Kingdom Come be yours in 2013 and forevermore.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Declan D.</span></div>
The Prayer Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02094390166548767991noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6482840032428711276.post-55407843392998713312012-12-06T04:33:00.000-08:002012-12-06T04:33:21.015-08:00WHO AM I?<br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Shortly after I had an encounter
with the Holy Spirit my whole life changed. One of the most significant changes
that I have experienced in this time has been the revelation of true my
identity, who I really am. This revelation from the Holy Spirit is changing me.
Learning how to live this new identity is so exciting, incredibly challenging
and amazingly rewarding. It’s simply learning to live “out of God”, I was
created for this, it is simply my calling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">More than any other thing I would
suggest, the revelation of one’s identity, is one of the primary functions of
the person of the Holy Spirit on earth. As I have been walking through this
identity issue, there is going on within me an “exchange”. I am receiving
revelation from the Holy Spirit as to who I really am and in this process the
Holy Spirit is revealing himself to me as a person, put another way as I get to
know the Spirit, I get to know me. The more time I spend with the Holy Spirit,
the more I get to know Him, the more I know Him the more He shows me who I am,
the more I know my own identity the closer I walk with Him, the closer I walk
with Him the further sin or the desire to sin departs from me. Simply spoken this
is transformation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As I was thinking over the new
way I was now experiencing God, the Holy Spirit asked me a question which threw
me back for a few months. I now think more than two years later I am grasping a
new element of my identity, of who I am. One day the Holy Spirit all of a
sudden asked me<i> “Why do you take the name of the Lord in vain?" </i></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">My first
response was when? How? Where? I told Him I didn’t take Jesus name, or swear by
His name or anything of the kind. Before I became a Christian I was guilty of this
charge hour after hour. (In fact the day I became a Christian, the first
miracle that happened to me was instantly my bad language was removed, this
testified that something significant had changed when Jesus forgave me and
became my Lord and Saviour). </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As I responded to the Holy Spirit, He replied and
said the same thing<i> “Why do you take the name of the Lord in vain?" </i></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">From this
point on I noticed a reaction in my spirit whenever I prayed and used the name
of Jesus. My spirit was sensing a reaction from the Holy Spirit when at the end
of my prayer I used the words “in Jesus name” a question started to burn within
me as I tried to grapple with what this might be. This was pressing hard on my spirit, all of a
sudden I just stopped saying those words “in Jesus name”. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As I prayed in
meetings I would just end my prayer without saying those words. I knew that
this position I was taking was unbiblical, in the book of Acts we see the
example of the apostles in this regard. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts%203&version=NIV" target="_blank">Acts 3:8</a> says <i>“In the name of Jesus
Christ of Nazareth, walk” </i>just to give you one example, but though I knew this
I was unable to say it. I found it funny when others would say these words for
me and that might be all they said. What were they doing? Why were they
finishing off my prayers? They had no idea what was going on within me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">As time passed I pondered what
the Holy Spirit was asking me <i>“Why do you take the name of the Lord in vain?"</i> In
the past two years the Holy Spirit has worked with me on this one. I began to
realise my words “in Jesus name” were just that, words, just plain vain words,
and in using His glorious name in this way I was guilty of sinning against my
Jesus though I never knew it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Once this realisation sank home
with me, I knew I needed to be taught how to move on from this point. Though I
now had understanding, how would this new understanding change things? I knew
it was offending the Holy Spirit and now more than ever I certainly did not
utter those words. It’s amazing once I responded in obedience and stopped
praying in Jesus name, the Holy Spirit moved and brought me on this amazing
journey of revealing a truth that is changing my identity. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans%202&version=NIV" target="_blank">Romans 2:24</a> says</span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> <i>"the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of the
people of God”</i>. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">I believe I have been guilty of this charge. Many times I have
prayed in the name of Jesus just like I said above and today I know those words
of mine were just words, little different when Jesus accused the Pharisees of
babbling when they prayed. Today when I use the words “in Jesus name” I know
the power and authority I release in those moments. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%20115&version=NIV" target="_blank">Psalm 115:16</a> says <i>“The
highest heavens belong to the Lord, but the earth He has given to man”. </i></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">We mere
humans have been given dominion on earth. Did you ever wonder of all places,
why God decided to place man on earth, the same place He had cast down the
fallen angel and all his hordes onto? </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Why make it so difficult for us having
such a “powerful foe” opposing us. It did not take long until satan stole our
authority in the garden when man (we) disobeyed God. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">God foresaw it and
purposed a plan in us that pleased Him. Gods plan was to use His created beings
(us) who worship Him to be the very agents to dislodge the enemies on this
earth. After Jesus defeated him on the cross, God saw it proper that we His
followers should make captives of our captors (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah%2014&version=NIV" target="_blank">Isaiah 14:2</a>). </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">We are purposed
for it. I and you are uniquely made (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%20139&version=NIV" target="_blank">Psalm 139:13-16</a>), I and you are uniquely
for a purpose, God’s workmanship (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ephesians%202&version=NIV" target="_blank">Ephesians 2:10</a>), I and you are uniquely
placed in this generation, in the exact street you live (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts%2017&version=NIV" target="_blank">Acts 17:26</a>) and I and
you are uniquely gifted to bless those we live amongst (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20peter%204&version=NIV" target="_blank">1 Peter 4:10-11</a>). I can
do best and you can do best, that for which the Father has designed you. If I
don’t do it then another may do it but not to the mark that God ordained, it
will be somehow flawed because if I fail to do so anything else is plan B. Just
look at How God trusts and believes in me, no one else has this trust in you or
me, no one. I am completely trusted by the Father and you too.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah%2053&version=NIV" target="_blank">Isaiah 53:5</a> says Jesus has done it all,
He has taken care of the sin issue and the disease issue<i> “He was pierced for
our transgressions….the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by
His wounds we are healed."</i></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Notice it’s all past tense, His work is finished as
Jesus said on the Cross <i>“It is finished”</i>, ours is only starting and the
starting point is that place of rest which Jesus restored. Jesus died on the
cross for me, He took my place. In fact Jesus died as me, If I believe I have
been crucified with Christ (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=galatians%202&version=NIV" target="_blank">Galatians 2:20</a>). When I enter into the covenant of
His Blood, I take His identity, I no longer live, but He lives in me. For the
joy set before Jesus, He endured the cross. What was this joy? Yes it’s me and
you. Imagine He considered it a joy to inherit us and became obedient to death
on a tree. He did it because He loved us and if that was all He still would
have done it, but no, that’s just a small part, there is much more, He did it also
to defeat the work of the enemy on earth and we are part of that plan. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke%209&version=NIV" target="_blank">Luke 9:1</a>
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: whitesmoke; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them
power and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span class="criteria"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">authority</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: whitesmoke; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: whitesmoke; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">to drive out all demons and to cure diseases (It was the same when
He sent out the 72),</span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke%2010&version=NIV" target="_blank">Luke 10:19</a> I have given you<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span class="criteria"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">authority</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">to trample on snakes and scorpions and
to overcome all the power of the enemy. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%2028&version=NIV" target="_blank">Matthew 28:18</a> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: whitesmoke; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Then
Jesus came to them and said, <i>"All<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i></span><i><span class="criteria"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">authority</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: whitesmoke; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: whitesmoke; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go…teaching
them to obey everything I have commanded you."</span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: whitesmoke; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: whitesmoke; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">So as you see all authority has
been given us His followers. Many of us
talk about the great commission but few of us focus on the <i>“teaching them to
obey everything I have commanded you”</i>. One of the most challenging of those
commands is found in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%2010&version=NIV" target="_blank">Matthew 10:7-8</a> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">as you go, preach
this message:<i> "The kingdom of heaven is near. 'Heal the sick, raise the dead,
cleanse those who have leprosy,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>drive
out demons. Freely you have received, freely give”</i> (Notice we are not commanded
to pray for it). </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">When the Holy Spirit connected these two verses for me it was
an amazing revelation to me. Having been</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> Baptised</span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> with the Holy Spirit
three years ago this burning desire to move in healing prophetic evangelism has
captured me, but my theology was stifling me. Now all of a sudden the display
of the power and glory that accompanied the first Christians in the book of
Acts was now within my realm of possibilities. This single revelation from the
Holy Spirit removed from me ignorance in connection with healing and the gift
of healing, removed the question in my head as to whether healing was for today
and now for the first time my head and heart had come into agreement with
scripture that physical healing was indeed for today. More than that, I now know
I have authority to heal the sick. More than this I now am seeing breakthrough
and release testimony. The people of God lost their way as it says in the Old
Testament when they forgot about testimony and remembered it no more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">At a conference recently the Holy Spirit
said to me <i>“You have permission”</i>. These words have been finding a home within
me this last two months, at the time of hearing this it was hard to digest. As
time passed it became more difficult. Tell me where does the authority in these
words end? Think about it, to me there seems there is no end. Authority is
nothing without power and power becomes nothing without authority. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts%201&version=NIV" target="_blank">Acts 1:8</a> provides
the answer to the power issue, <i>“</i></span><i><span lang="EN-US" style="background: whitesmoke; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">But you will receive<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span class="criteria"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">power</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: whitesmoke; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: whitesmoke; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">when the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span class="criteria"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Holy</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: whitesmoke; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></span><span class="criteria"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Spirit</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: whitesmoke; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="background: whitesmoke; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>comes on you”.</i> </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: whitesmoke; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This
is not a salvation issue, over and over again in the New Testament we see that
the believers were Baptised with the Holy Spirit. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: whitesmoke; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">If
they were already believers they already had been sealed with the Spirit, just
read the Book of Acts and see it. How did I miss this truth for years? Who said
the Christian life is boring, my journey these last three years has just been
amazing, just utterly incredible and day by day, revelation after revelation I
am finding out for the first time who I am. Just when you think you have a
handle on it all another door opens. Right now the Holy Spirit is highlighting
a word for me which is responsibility, and I know I will now learn from Him
what this is all about.<span class="apple-converted-space"> I sense a jigsaw
coming together.</span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So what do I say? just to recap, He
has given me authority to trample, Faith to believe, Words which become Spirit,
and told me to go and move in his authority, told me I am as He is (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20john%204&version=NIV" target="_blank">1 John 4:17</a>
<i>“</i></span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>because as He is, so are we in this word”</i>)</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">. He has put His words in my mouth, He has given me permission. He has
told me He Knows me and not just my name, He has anointed me, He has released
me in His authority, I could keep going. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Just who am I? My mindset as a
Christian for the first 20 years of my Christian walk has been a concentration
on sin, my last three years an encounter with the Spirit where Truth is being
revealed. A word I received from Spirit three years ago was <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20John+2&version=NIV" target="_blank">1 John 2:27</a> <i>“</i></span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you
do not need anyone to teach you, but as his anointing teaches you about all
things"</i>…. It has been so rewarding being taught by the Spirit, just sheer
transformation. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Many days I sat in tears just coming to terms with what He was
teaching me. One of the</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">
favourites</span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> The Spirit has taught me is found in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=numbers%206&version=NIV" target="_blank">Numbers 6:24-27</a> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>“The Lord bless
you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to
you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace. So they will
put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”</i> </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">I as a man can put the
Lords name on a person, and because I do this simple act the Lord will bless
them. Who am I, what is this call that I a child of the King possess. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Some might accuse me of being out
of control, but you cannot be a Christian unless you are out of control, unless
you wish to be one of the nominal kind. The measure you use defines the measure
God uses so if you limit God you have limited yourself. To be a Christian and ALIVE
you must surrender full control to the Holy Spirit and that place is achieved
only when you are full with the Spirit, when you are filled with the Spirit, you
are out of your own control and in His control. The ones who retain control are
really the ones out of control because the scripture says God controls all
things unless you hold out. I am the kingdom come, the kingdom of God is within
me, I need to learn how to release that which is within. Unless you know who
you are you are not in a position to release anything. Peter at the Gate of
Beautiful could only give away what he had, and to give it away He had to know
He had it. </span></div>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">We are called to live from Heaven on earth, I am a citizen of heaven
living on earth. My home is with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I am a
Spiritual nomad, or if you like a “Spiritual Traveller”. Elijah was one, Elisha
was one, Jesus, Philip, Paul and lastly John as can be seen from the <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=revelation%204&version=NIV" target="_blank">Revelation4:1-2</a> “</span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the
voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here,
and I will show you what must take place after this. At once I was in the
Spirit" When John entered in at once he was in the Spirit, and we know
from Romans the Kingdom is in the Spirit. </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">All these years I have been an unbelieving believer, believing the bible
but not really believing and accepting it for what is says. I challenge you, Dare
to believe what it says.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Now just when I think I have this
prayer thing figured out, the “in the name of Jesus” thing, the Spirit is
telling me to stop praying. Scary for some but humbling for me. We pray for
things that are already within our grasp. Many pray that God would come down
and change our circumstances or touch our sick neighbour etc, but the truth is
God came as a baby, grew in favour with the Father, died for the world and
opened a way through His blood for the forgiveness of sin and thereby reconcile
all who would call on His name. God has come and you are the answer to the
prayer you make, many times God is not in your prayer, He is awaiting your
faith to step into that which Jesus has already given you, He is waiting for
you to take that authority that He has given you. The Holy Spirit is telling me
to declare it, decree it and proclaim it and walk in it. The other night at 3am
two men were damaging the bus shelter by our house, I could see them through
the bedroom window but I did not engage with them. I had just asked the Holy
Spirit that day to teach me how to walk in the heavenly realm. I commanded the
two men to stop in the name of Jesus and do you know what happened..Nothing (I
was speaking to them as flesh men). Just then I said “I bind you in the name of
Jesus” (I spoke into the heavenly realm), instantly the two men stopped and
walked away. Those men were drunk and in that state had opened themselves to
the influence of a spirit of destruction. When I spoke into the spirit realm
the authority of Christ was released and the inferior authority of the demonic
spirit was instantly bound. When I release His words, all changes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Christ came into my life when I
became a believer, The Spirit of Christ came upon me when I was Baptised with
the Holy Spirit. God’s agenda is “release”, I am enabled by the Spirit to
release his Kingdom, I am the will of God prophesied. In the last days I will
pour out my Spirit was the prophetic word of God, I am that Kingdom come, the
Kingdom of the Spirit. I am transformed, that is who I am. The title of this
paper posed a question “WHO AM I?”. The answer is in the question. I am who I am
because the ancient “I AM” lives in me. He has given me identity, and that
identity is His very presence within me enabled by His anointing upon me the
Baptism with the Spirit. He makes me who I am, He makes me His Kingdom come. I
live because He lives, I breathe because He gives me breath, I awaken because
He opens my eyes. I am nothing without the Father, He sustains my every moment.
I am revival and do you know what, you can be all this too. Dare to believe it
and find yourself living it and not just talking it, though talking it
prophesies it over your life. The cries of my earlier blogs have become my
testimonies of today, God’s transformation power is extravagant. I praise Him
because today He is enabling me live extravagantly and you know what I’m only
starting to live this amazing marriage with my redeemer, and I live it through
the enabling of the Spirit. Thankfully to this point He did not divorce me. Dare
to believe it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">God does not do ordinary. If you just pray ordinary
God does not need to be God and move – we can do this and answer those prayers
ourselves. If fact many say we are the answer to the prayer ourselves and that
is true because our prayer and expectation so ordinary. We are not the ones who
can answer the extraordinarily un-unimaginable prayers, we are not the one who
delivers the signs and miracles – but we are asked to step out and believe and
as we step HE WILL MOVE. Become a people who move God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">You must make a space for God to move – God does the supernatural
“stuff” but only for an expectant heart. Dare to believe it and be transformed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Declan D.</span></div>
The Prayer Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02094390166548767991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6482840032428711276.post-69138058124593508002012-11-16T08:35:00.001-08:002012-11-16T08:35:38.740-08:00Windmills
<br />
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">The following is a word that Lionel has had on his heart to share with us:</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">"While I was attending Core church for the visit of John Arnott of Toronto on afternoon of Saturday 10 November (and so good to see such a crowd there), and during the extended worship time, the revelation word of the Lord came to me:</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><i>I saw a large number of mines with much activity in different parts of Ireland, mining the dark ore, and drawing it to the surface, for export to the industrial areas of Ireland and abroad. Thirty years ago I had witnessed the extensive operations of Tara Mines of Navan in action, and remember the long railway wagons piled high with ore for delivery to Drogheda and abroad for processing. </i></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><i>And then I saw that near to each of these mines were two types of mill – windmills (like Blennerhassett in Kerry) and watermills with huge timber mill wheels, being turned by relatively small streams.</i></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><i>The windmills were drawing up water from the depths of the earth, and the watermills were driving the grinding stones making flour out of the wheat grains. There were a few persons involved in tending and caring for these mills and the output of same, and where people were coming to each mill and gathering their fill of water and flour, to make the bread. All so vivid to an avid bread-maker!</i></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><i>An incomplete understanding came with the pictures:-</i></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><i>The mines and mining industrial scene is like a type of the church of this land, like a large industry involving huge energy (costly to the people), machinery, and activity. It was somehow smoggy like a Welsh coalfield village. I felt that I knew these people, but indistinct in appearance. </i></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><i>The mills represent those small groups of people who are energised by the wind of the Spirit and the river of Life, content with the simple inspired activities, in harmony with the Life Force, giving freely of the fruit of the wind and water.</i></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><i>The fact that the activity of these people was close to the mining activity appeared to suggest to me that they were part of the wider whole scene involving the mining and the mills, but “driven” by a different inner force.</i></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Reflection:</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="s1">Where am I and where are you in the picture story? </span></div>
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<span class="s1">I felt that the fact that some people in the pictures were vaguely familiar indicated to me that I am somehow a part of this mining community and activity, but my desire, longing and motivation of my heart is in the activity of the mills. I love the fresh bread of the Presence.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">At least the pictures and understanding are instructive for me, and hopefully corrective of the thoughts and intentions of my heart. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">As a member of Trinity Community I find this both disturbing and challenging."</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Lionel Mackey</span></div>
The Prayer Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02094390166548767991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6482840032428711276.post-38945463974193840292012-11-13T03:23:00.000-08:002012-11-13T03:23:50.761-08:00The Shepherd Who Led A NationThe Old Testament is full of heroes. All through it, we come across a great man or woman of God who was provided to them at the right time.<br />
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When we read the story of Moses, it's obvious that the hand of God was on him all the way through his life. His first few months in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=exodus%202&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Exodus</a> are nothing short of miraculous. His mother was not going to let her son be killed by Pharaoh, so she hid him for 3 months. At this stage, it was getting too difficult to hide him any longer, so she sought God and then built him a crib that was made to float on the water.<br />
Interesting how she trusted God to look after a helpless child so much, that she placed him in a river known for it's crocodiles!<br />
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Yet, God of course, could be trusted. He watched over Moses in such a way that he was attended to by his sister, nursed by his mother and then raised in a palace by the king's daughter. One act of trust in God made Moses a prince and it was this position that was going to make him a leader.<br />
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Moses as a young man, had now been raised in the palace. He knew about the one, true God and refused to worship the false gods of Egypt. He had been trained to be a prince, to live a life of authority and to see things as one who cared for those who were under his authority. This is why Moses was so angry when he saw a Hebrew man being mistreated by an Egyptian. The prince checked that the coast was clear and he killed the Egyptian, buried him in the sand and thought he got away from it.<br />
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Yet the next day, when he saw 2 Hebrews quarreling, the one who started the argument questioned Moses' motives, wondering if he was going to "Kill me as you did your fellow Egyptian?"<br />
This must have really scared Moses as he fled the land and went to the land of Midian.<br />
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I was thinking about this and The Lord reminded me of a story a friend told me about something that happened to him on one continent, which he realised afterwards, was of the enemy.<br />
He arrived back in Dublin, and a good while later (I seem to recall that it was a number of months), a similar situation came up when a person he was talking to, spoke of the incident in the other country, saying that he had no authority because of it.<br />
This was in a different city, in a different land, on a different continent and in a different language, with different people, yet he was challenged by the enemy specifically.<br />
He recognised this straight away and was able to deal with the situation, thanks to the Holy Spirit giving him wisdom to do it.<br />
I wonder if this is what happened with Moses? Was the devil having a go at him directly? Did someone witness the fight or was it the enemy who was accusing him?<br />
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Our God is bigger than anything the enemy can throw at us, so even when the enemy tries to flex his muscles across different continents, you need to remind him that he has no authority over us, other than a<span style="font-family: inherit;">ny that we give him (letting the enemy into situations gives him sway over how we act and react). Jesus defeated him on the cross and his victory is eternal. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Jesus spoke in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%2028&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Matthew 28 v 18</a> saying:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, </span><span class="woj" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth."</span></i></span><br />
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So if Jesus said He has all authority in heaven and on earth, then the devil has none!<br />
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But back to Moses, he had glanced to see that there was nobody watching him and then killed the Egyptian. If nobody saw him, how did this Hebrew know about it?<br />
The enemy is known as the accuser of the brethren, he will throw your past failures at you in an attempt to stop you fulfilling your God given position that has full authority over him.<br />
It was the Hebrew who started the fight that accused Moses, and Moses fled, knowing that he'd be in serious trouble for killing an Egyptian.<br />
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Moses had been trained to take care of those under him, and in doing that, he got into trouble. Moses had the mindset of a prince and that meant he had great concern for the people under him.<br />
A prince takes responsibility and acts out of authority.<br />
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When Moses stopped running, he was thrown straight into another conflict. He stepped into the place where others were being bullied and stood up for them, only this time, he was rewarded for his deed, and got a wife and a family along with a job as a shepherd. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=exodus%202&version=NKJV" target="_blank">(Exodus 2)</a><br />
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Moses, who had been stepping into situations and standing up for others, was now tasked with looking after a flock of sheep.<br />
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The man who was born a Levite, had married into a Levite family and was in the process of becoming one of the greatest men to walk this planet, who would soon see the Glory of God <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=exodus%2033%20:%2012-23&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Ex 33</a> was watching sheep in the desert when he was called into his ministry at the burning bush.<br />
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Sometimes, God needs to take us back to basics before He will allow us to move into the place He has destined us to be. This time with Jethro would have been a time of real teaching for Moses, after all, Jethro was a priest and Moses would have sat with him, learning the ways of the Lord that he had missed out on while he was in Egypt.<br />
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Moses had moved from the palace where God wasn't honoured, to a desert where God was present. He had moved from a time of barrenness to a time of abundance.<br />
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The thing that amazes me is that Moses was around 80 years old when this happened. God is not concerned about our age. He looks at our heart (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Samuel%2016:7&version=NKJV" target="_blank">1 Sam 16v7</a>) and will call us into where He wants us to be, when we are ready. It took Moses 80 years to be ready to lead the Israelites, so don't ever listen to the lie that you're too old!<br />
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The next part of Moses life centered around the Israelites leaving Egypt. God uses him mightily and sent plague after plague until Pharaoh relented and let them go. Then, when they left, he realised his mistake and chased them down.<br />
Moses, by this stage, knew his God much better than he had as a younger man, and he just trusted Him to fulfill the prophecy that he had been given in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=exodus%203:8&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Exodus 3v8</a><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">"So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites."</span></i></span><br />
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God had spoken, Moses knew God's promise had not been fulfilled so he knew God was going to help them out. God allowed them to cross the sea on dry land and they entered the desert and the first major step in the direction of the promised land.<br />
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God knew that everything that had happened in Moses' life was helping him to become the man God saw him to be. He became a prince, to speak up for the weak, he became a shepherd, to hear from the Lord, he became a leader, to rescue a nation and he became a man who saw the Glory of God.<br />
God is the only one who can turn any situation around in your life. He is the only one who can bring about an outcome that even in your wildest dreams, you never could have seen.<br />
He can use a child who was condemned to death before he was born, to stand before a king as an 80 year old man, tell him to let his slaves be freed- and by the way, why not give us a load of gifts too while you're at it.<br />
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Whatever is going on in your life, God can help you. Moses demonstrated the relationship that could be attained with God in the old testament. Jesus allows all of us to step into that right now, and the situation, whatever it is, is never too big for God to intervene in.<br />
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Roger C.<br />
<br />The Prayer Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02094390166548767991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6482840032428711276.post-58053222686232607802012-10-30T07:12:00.002-07:002012-10-30T07:12:47.848-07:00The Father’s Cry<br />
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<span class="s1">I am hearing and have been hearing a cry from the Father in recent months that I have not heard before. Maybe I have not been able to hear His cry before or maybe I have been crying so loud that I drown out His cry. Maybe my crying has brought me to a place that I can hear His cry. I don’t know for sure but I do know I hear His cry today.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">When I reflect on this, I have many thoughts and they all seem to point in the same direction. I am asking why is the church today so hurting? Why such brokenness, turmoil, un-happiness, despair, defeat and lacking? Why do we see so little of the Kingdom? Why do we not see prosperous souls? Why do we see so little testimony of the abundant life that Jesus spoke about? Why do we see more defeat than victory, a remnant and not the many or nothing like the nations spoken of in the great commission? Why is our vision so small, why not the immeasurably more that Paul speaks of in the Book of Ephesians? Are these matters connected with our poverty of vision? Does God sense the lacking in our heart and therefore allows our environment reflect that poverty of spirit? Have we become a people afraid to dream and as a result have grown content with that which we now possess? </span></div>
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<span class="s1">By now you have the gist of what I am seeing and sensing and it’s not my intention to be judge, indeed I am not or I don’t wish to provoke you to become judgemental. I am just speaking the questions that my heart is asking God.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">In church now for almost a year the same prophetic words are being spoken over and over again. I divide these words into two categories or groups. One speaks of an outpouring of the Spirit amongst us (river flowing, rain falling, downpour, flood, glory and a flow of liquid molten rock). The other speaks of a blockage, restriction, holding back or being held back (oil wells capped, shackles on our ankles, dehydrated church, feet stuck and a body buried alive reaching out to be rescued). The words appear to be at odds with each other though I sense they are incredibly linked, the outpouring is the solution to the dehydration . One suggests amazing potential in our body but the other suggests there is something holding it all back. One soaked with God ordained blessing and favour, the other hemmed in awaiting release by man. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">Do you ever ponder these words we hear every other week? Do you ever wonder what it is that God is saying? Do you ever feel when we meet as a body something is wrong, something missing? Do you ever feel what we experience resembles religion more so than intimacy or encounter with the living God, if we don’t move into what the Father is saying its religion we have. Many days I feel robbed in the body and yet my heart so desires to be there because that is where we should be. Am I the only one who feels like so? For years I lived out of a poverty spirit, today I don’t accept it. I sense we are being robbed and God too. In Lucan congregation two years ago, a word “we are being robbed” was spoken in our meeting, today I sense the same thing happening.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Where are the ones that live out of Christ’s victory? Where are the ones who are more than conquerors? Where are the ones who will do greater than that which Jesus did? Where is the one that trusts fully in Christ? A verse recently shared with the body <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20John%205&version=NKJV" target="_blank">1 John 5:18</a> “We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him”. Why does sin prevail in individuals saved by Christ? What is wrong? </span><br />
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<span class="s1">Though we understand and identify sin easily, sensing that we are not who we are meant to be is somewhat harder than knowing we sin. On the cross Jesus said forgive them Father for they do not know what they do, even then they did not sense what was really going on. Many today don’t discern either and may feel its normal and therefore they don’t know that they are living in a place of “lack”, or living with a poverty of spirit mentality. But there are also many who know it and don’t know how to respond or react in that place. I was there for years and not one recognized it. Why? Why did I live with such pain and hurt for years and it go undetected? Why?</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Jesus’ death was for a purpose. Don’t allow yourself miss any of that which the Father intended for you. Jesus deserves every ounce of what he put into the cross. The cross is a gate to life. Life is not at the gate, but through the gate. Don’t stay at the gate, gates are access points. The Father cries that you come to Him, coming to Him is entering His presence, not staying at the gate. I stayed at the gate for 20 years. Why?</span></div>
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<span class="s1">When Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, we read after Jesus came up out of the water in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%201&version=NKJV" target="_blank">John 1:29-34</a> that the Spirit came down and remained on Him. Note it says “remained on Him”. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2042&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Isaiah 42:1</a> talks of God putting the Spirit on the Lord (note - not in Him). When you become a Christian you receive the Spirit into you. The Baptism with the Spirit is completely different. Grasping this single point helped change my life. </span><br />
<span class="s1">Looking back at Jesus it then says ‘Then Jesus full of the Holy Spirit was led by the Spirit into the desert’. To be led also means follows, so Jesus followed the Spirit. </span><br />
<span class="s1">We can read in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%204%20&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Luke 4 </a>what happened to Jesus in the desert…three times Jesus defeated the devil and Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit. Jesus demonstrated what so many of us miss and I have missed this for all these years since I became a Christian. Fortunately for me “a knowing” inside of me that there was something wrong caused me to literally cry and call out to God for the more I read about in His word but had not ever experienced. </span><br />
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<span class="s1">Today I hear the Father crying, it’s a cry of his broken heart, a cry that says I want you, it’s a cry that is saying God is also missing something. Please don’t jump on this comment, yes I know God is complete and therefore does not lack, but amazingly He allows Himself be in that vulnerable place of missing you. Jesus cried over Jerusalem, reflecting the Fathers heart, please hear what I am saying, the Father is crying over you, there is more than you currently experience, much more.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Am I speaking clearly above, do you hear me, listen and wait until you hear the Father’s cry yourself? Today most of the church lives in a salvation mindset, one which says I’m saved by the cross of Jesus, I am a Christian. Many Christians are afraid to move from this position. Jesus never told His disciples to wait for the cross or indeed at the cross, but He did tell them to wait for the Holy Spirit. The salvation mindset is better than nothing but if that’s all you have, you are living out of a poverty mentality. There is much more than the cross. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">In the Old Testament we read of Moses’ Baptism, he brought God’s people out of captivity and baptized them so to speak when they came through the Red Sea. This signifies the Baptism of Repentance. A poverty mentality came over those people in the desert. Joshua and Caleb thought differently though. They did not fear the enemy like so many then and so many today. I was there for many years but not so today. Today I believe what the bible says and I trust in Christ, experiencing the reality of this has been an amazing breakthrough for me. I always believed it in my head, I trusted Christ but I doubted much because I did not experience it. </span><br />
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<span class="s1">When I was baptised with the Holy Spirit and experienced the Holy Spirit in my life everything changed instantly. Joshua in the Old Testament also baptised the people of God when they went through the Jordan River on dry land to enter the Promised Land. This was the second Baptism of the Old Testament. Jesus had a second Baptism and now I know I have had a second Baptism. Believe me this is outside the box for me because my background or my experience of Christianity did not have a shelf for the Baptism with the Holy Spirit. Note when Joshua brought the people of God through the Jordan River, they did not stay at that place where they entered the Promised Land, they captured and possessed the land. God is calling us to possess our spiritual birthright, our land, our nation. That’s our co-mission from the Father.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">I believe we are limiting the gospel today and as a result we pick up only a little of the plunder that Jesus left at the foot of the cross when he defeated death. The plunder is the spoils of war for the victors. Who are the victors? If we are honest we have to admit that we have left far too much at the foot of the cross for far too long. More and more I am believing that we have a “remnant expectation”, we dare not expect much by way of miracles, signs and wonders or a harvest because if we allow ourselves have great expectations, we believe we will be disappointed. I use believe this now I know otherwise because I have seen it and tasted it. I believe we are on the brink of an amazing revival in Ireland, this revival is birth in the Holy Spirit, the unknown person of God in this country. Those who step into the Spirit will walk in revival. I know because I can testify to it and so can a number of others amongst us. Am I saying that I am better than you or a better Christian? No not at all, I am saying I am not settling for less and I expect exceedingly more than that which I have now begun to see.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">During the week I read <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2041&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Isaiah 41</a>, I found myself asking where are the Christians such as Isaiah prophesied?</span></div>
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<i><span class="s2">"<a href="http://www.blueletterbible.org/tools/printerFriendly.cfm?b=Isa&c=41&t=NIVP&x=10&y=9" target="_blank">8</a> </span><span class="s1">But you Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend, <a href="http://www.blueletterbible.org/tools/printerFriendly.cfm?b=Isa&c=41&t=NIVP&x=10&y=9"><span class="s3">9</span></a> I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, ‘You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. <a href="http://www.blueletterbible.org/tools/printerFriendly.cfm?b=Isa&c=41&t=NIVP&x=10&y=9"><span class="s3">10</span></a> So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. <a href="http://www.blueletterbible.org/tools/printerFriendly.cfm?b=Isa&c=41&t=NIVP&x=10&y=9"><span class="s3">11</span></a> “All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. <a href="http://www.blueletterbible.org/tools/printerFriendly.cfm?b=Isa&c=41&t=NIVP&x=10&y=9"><span class="s3">12</span></a> Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. <a href="http://www.blueletterbible.org/tools/printerFriendly.cfm?b=Isa&c=41&t=NIVP&x=10&y=9"><span class="s3">13</span></a> For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. <a href="http://www.blueletterbible.org/tools/printerFriendly.cfm?b=Isa&c=41&t=NIVP&x=10&y=9"><span class="s3">14</span></a> Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob, O little Israel, for I myself will help you,” declares the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. <a href="http://www.blueletterbible.org/tools/printerFriendly.cfm?b=Isa&c=41&t=NIVP&x=10&y=9"><span class="s3">15</span></a> “See, I will make you into a threshing sledge, new and sharp, with many teeth. You will thresh the mountains and crush them, and reduce the hills to chaff. <a href="http://www.blueletterbible.org/tools/printerFriendly.cfm?b=Isa&c=41&t=NIVP&x=10&y=9"><span class="s3">16</span></a> You will winnow them, the wind will pick them up, and a gale will blow them away. But you will rejoice in the LORD and glory in the Holy One of Israel.</span></i></div>
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<span class="s1">Where are the ones that claim Jesus’ victory over the enemy? Where are the ones He made into a threshing sledge? Where are the ones that crush mountains? Where are the ones that move with the wind of the Spirit? Today after spending 20 years having my mind battered by the enemy, I have moved into the place of Christ’s victory and I experience His victory in my mind and as a result in my body. The taunts of the enemy are feeble now and I just tell him “IT IS FINISHED” at the cross and he is on his way then. Simple but effective, freedom by the Spirit as promised. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">In all the fuss of life have you like me left the Holy Spirit out of the picture. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2010:27&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Isaiah 10:27</a> says that it’s the anointing that breaks the yoke. The yoke upon me was broken when I was baptised with the Holy Spirit. Today I am seeing Christ’s victory manifest in my life. The person of the Holy Spirit has changed my life completely and in the Holy Spirit I now walk in the presence of the Father. He fights for me and walks before me, it’s a wonderful transformation that I have experienced. This week I was challenged to see the body of Christ as my body. In response to this challenge I write this paper and say to you, this body of mine sees the Father crying for you to experience all of what He has for you. As you experience this abundance, do you know I am going to be blessed because you will become a revelation of the Fathers glory on earth, namely Christ? (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20John%204:17&version=NKJV" target="_blank">1 John 4:17</a>). </span></div>
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<span class="s1">We read in </span><span class="s4"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2042:16-17%20&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Isaiah 42:16-17</a></span><br />
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<span class="s4"><i>“I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them. But those who trust in idols, who say to images, 'You are our gods,' will be turned back in utter shame”</i></span><br />
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<span class="s1">Are you willing to walk in ways unknown to you, along unfamiliar paths because if you are Jesus will lead you there. He will do for you as He has for me, turn the darkness into light before you. To do so you must turn from your idols. Now an idol is an Old Testament word that few of us understand, it simply means something that’s man made and the worst idol of all is religion. Religion is not about which church you attend it’s about the affection and state of your heart.</span></div>
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<span class="s4"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2043:18-21&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Isaiah 43:18-21</a></span><br />
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<span class="s4"><i>“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past See, I am doing a new thing! …… I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. …… I provide water in the desert and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen, the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise”</i></span><br />
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<span class="s1">I am hungry for the new things of the Father. Are you? To drink from His river requires a heart set on pilgrimage as said in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2084&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Psalm 84</a>, a heart that says I have had enough of the old, I want new wine. Andrea Wigglesworth carried a similar prophetic word to us last year. Andrea cried “out with the ordinary in with the extraordinary”. </span><br />
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<span class="s1">Today the Father lays before us a “new thing”, though there may be shackles before us or indeed holding us back, if we are willing to take hold of the Father’s promises, He is willing to break those shackles. For some it’s taking hold of the promises, for others it repentance and forgiveness that will break the shackles from your feet, but I guess it both these for most of us and I believe this is an individual thing and indeed a corporate thing for the body. It’s time, it’s time for release and taking hold of His Kingdom. Don’t wait for tomorrow, tomorrow never comes.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2014:17&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Romans 14:17</a> says <i>“For the kingdom of God is in the Holy Spirit”</i>. I challenge you to adapt a “kingdom mindset” and leave behind a “salvation mindset”. This nation of ours is crying like the Father, our nation crys for an encounter with the living God. I cried for this encounter for years and that desire has and is being fulfilled. Today I hear the Fathers cry, something I never heard before, it’s so beautiful and intimate, it will make you cry. Experience the Father and you will be transformed.</span><br />
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<span class="s1">Declan D.</span></div>
The Prayer Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02094390166548767991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6482840032428711276.post-10047067015216154862012-09-25T02:57:00.000-07:002012-09-25T02:57:20.236-07:00Presence or “Squatting Rights”<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I have just finished
reading the Book of Ezekiel and the last few chapters about the Temple has caught
my attention.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">For years and years I have being
believing a lie from the enemy of God. Two and a half years ago this lie was
exposed when I had an encounter with the Holy Spirit in church. You might want
to sit down to read the next few lines. During our church meeting I was taken
up (in spirit) into the clouds and met the Holy Spirit. Now my knowledge and
awareness of the Holy Spirit has been minimal all these years, yet when I was
taken into this encounter I knew instantly it was the Holy Spirit because I had
just cried out “Spirit of Life I love you” and then I was taken (in spirit)
into this encounter, awesome yes, but what’s better is today it’s more real
than ever, as I have come to know the Holy Spirit much better since then. The
fact that the Holy Spirit is a person, loves me (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2015:30&version=NIV" target="_blank">Romans 15:30</a>), and desires
fellowship with me (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians%2013:14&version=NIV" target="_blank">2 Corinthians 13:14</a>) which I never knew has completely
transformed my life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Since this encounter the word
“Presence” has been burning within me. It’s now captivating me, the Presence of
God. God present with me. I have come to know the Presence of God - the Holy
Spirit walking with me. I have been learning how to enter into His Presence,
how easy it is to do so and I am learning more as I step in to the Holy Spirit
day by day and I actually mean day by day. I have been reluctant to speak
because so much has been changing, my beliefs have been turned up-side down and
this has not been easy to adjust too. Answers to questions I asked did not
satisfy me but only served to throw me onto the Holy Spirit for greater understanding.
As I read God’s word and began searching out these things I have been amazed by
what God has been teaching me. Sometimes I might not fully grasp what the bible
is saying or indeed what the Holy Spirit might say, but as I continue to battle
for insight, Holy Spirit just draws me
in and fills my heart and reveals Himself as I seek. At times I come to a
certain position on an issue only for God to challenge that position soon
afterwards, it’s just so rewarding and encouraging, the process mouth-watering
excitement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">In January this year a prophetic
word was shared by Lionel in church along these lines “God has moved by grace
and favour amongst us, but a day is coming of Presence and Power”. This word
has not left me, it’s an amazing promise for us to take hold of, but we need to
take hold of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">We all know what squatting rights
means (if a dwelling is empty and one gets in and takes up residence,
eventually they receive rights). Now if the Holy Spirit were to speak those
words to you, what would you think? For me it clicked instantly and maybe so
because of what I experienced since becoming a believer. Being a Christian if your
temple: </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>"</i></span><i><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Do you not know that your body is a<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i><span class="criteria"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">temple</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i></span><i><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">of the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i><span class="criteria"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Holy</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i></span><span class="criteria"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Spirit" </span></i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Cor%206:19%20&version=NIV" target="_blank">1 Cor 6:19</a></i></span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Cor%206:19%20&version=NIV" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;" target="_blank"> </a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Is unoccupied then we may have
given squatting rights to Gods enemy. You may argue that if you are a christian
your temple is not unoccupied. I believe when you become a christian you receive
the Holy Spirit into your inner person your spirit and not into your whole
body. This partly explains why as a new christian you can struggle with sin in your
body or indeed in your soul, indeed Paul talks of struggling with sin in the
book of Romans. You can be a Christian and have the love of God and peace of
God within your spirit but yet
emotionally you can desperately lack peace. This point has caused much
debate which I don’t have time for here, I just wish to let you know my stand on
this point. Our bodies (temples) when baptised with the Holy Spirit are filled
with the Holy Spirit and therefore fully occupied. This is a daily process as
we are commanded to be filled over and over again. Now why be filled again if
we are already filled, why be filled again if you were filled when you became a
christian and why were so many in the book of acts baptised in the Holy Spirit
when they were already christians. How come everyone baptised with the Holy
Spirit in the book of acts can give you a date and time when they received this
second baptism. You owe it to yourself to search out the answer to this
question.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Over the last two years I have
become increasingly aware of the amount of pollution we tolerate in the name of
entertainment (books, television viewing etc some of these items glorify the
occult, death, crime etc). Please understand I am not judging here, I have come
to learn that the Holy Spirit just like a dove takes instant flight at the sign
of danger or trouble. When you become a christian your spirit is sealed with
the Holy Spirit (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Eph1:13&version=NIV" target="_blank">Eph1:13</a>). Now it’s important to grasp a seal from God is
indeed a seal, when the Holy Spirit takes flight, it’s the presence of God that
takes flight. The Holy Spirit remains sealed in your spirit, you do not become
a non-Christian.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2012:43-44&version=NIV" target="_blank">Matthew 12:43-45</a> we read about the man where
an evil spirit came out of him:</span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"When an evil<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">spirit<span style="background: white;"> comes out of a man, it goes through arid places
seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the house I
left.' When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in
order”</span></span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The spirit then returns:</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “<i>And the final condition of that man is worse than the
first”.</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If the house (temple) is unoccupied we
give evil spirits squatting rights and they will oppress us to stop the Holy
Spirit being manifest in our being (Believe me I know of this personally – I believed
and came into agreement with lies of the enemy and allowed his lies destroy me
for years). We were designed by God to display his glory, designed by God to
carry the full measure of His Spirit, this is our calling. God gives us the
opportunity to fulfill our destiny, he does not force it on us, the choice is
ours. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Many become Christians, but much less
fulfill their calling or destiny. Many remain drinking milk as Paul says rather
than eating meat; many fail to grow – Why? I don’t have your answer but I do
mine. I became a Christian, great, but I stayed at the cross. I lived
present-past (the cross 2000 years ago saved me), I clung to history and stayed
at the cross (marvelous history though). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Today I live present-future (the cross
saved me to live out of fullness of God (Presence) and change the future, one
of the jobs of the Holy Spirit is to bring the Kingdom of God on the earth). When
I became a Christian Jesus came into my spirit (inner man) but I did not
furnish my house, I emptied my house as Jesus cleaned it up but I did not fill
it with the Spirit of God. God never wanted to be confined to just my spirit
like in the Old Testament when he was confined to the Holy of Holies in the
Temple. When Jesus died the veil was torn and the Spirit of God was no longer
confined in the Holy of Holies. Baptism in the Holy Spirit is similar, the
Spirit of God falls on our whole being so we can then shine like Moses did and
radiate Gods glory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel%2044&version=NIV" target="_blank">Ezekiel 44</a> we continue reading about
Ezekiel’s vision and take up the vision at the outer gate to the sanctuary. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Verse 2 "This gate is
to remain shut". It must not be opened; no one may enter through it. It is
to remain shut because the LORD, the God of Israel, has entered through it”.</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When the Lord enters your temple we are
told to shut the door and keep it shut, if the door is shut can squatters get
in? When God comes into our body (temple) our spirit is filled with His glory.
Ezekiel in the vision was told in three different ways to pay careful
attention. Why? I would imagine the answer is ‘This is a really important point’.
Here is the bit that’s important. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">5 “Give attention to the
entrance of the temple and all the exits of the sanctuary”. <b><o:p></o:p></b></span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If we watch what comes in and what goes
out we learn much about the health of the temple (our life in Christ). If as
commanded we keep the entrance shut what exits should give glory to God. The
fact that Ezekiel was told to make sure the entrance remained closed means it
is possible to open it and shut it as you so wish. Today we are given the
choice to have our entrance opened or closed, but God tell us to keep it
closed. Likewise we are told to keep being filled with the Holy Spirit, but
just because we are told to do it does not meant we do, the choice is yours.
Did you ever watch what leaves your temple, your words, actions, attitudes and
testimony or indeed lack of these, if these items are not good, God is inviting
you to come to him for a make-over. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">We read in verse <i>7:</i></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i>“In addition to all your other
detestable practices, you brought foreigners uncircumcised in heart and flesh
into my sanctuary, desecrating my temple”</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">What’s alarming to me here is though the
Levites (the tribe set apart for service in the temple and for priesthood) did
these things and had the entrance of the sanctuary open God left them in charge
of the temple, but God only allowed them serve people, catch that – only served
people. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Now the priests (verses 15-16) who
faithfully carried out the duties when Israel went astray from God <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">"are to come near to
minister before me. They alone are to enter my sanctuary; they alone are to
come near my table to minister before me and perform my service”.</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Note the difference, these ones get to
minister unto God. These get to minister in His presence. This I know is the
desire of each one of us who are true Christians (remember in New Testament
times all Christians are priests). This type of service to God comes at a
price, the price once you accept that Jesus paid the ultimate price on the
cross for you is that you surrender to Christ which is impossible to do unless
you are filled with the Spirit. You can not surrender without being filled (you
can’t empty your temple without filling it else you will leave your entrance
open and empty or lacking, if it’s not full / furnished it is open to other
influences). A condition of being filled is to have clean hands and a pure
heart else the Holy Spirit will not be at rest and remain. Unless you are
hungry you won’t eat, without eating you become less and it’s also true in the
spiritual realm, without eating you simply will not grow. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This vision of Ezekiel has so much truth
for you and me (the temple of the Holy Spirit) today. It’s a great picture or
comparison of religion and a faith built on presence, if we follow our idols
(anything that takes a place before God in our life – the most obvious idol is the
fear of man and thus relegating God in our life, or another putting materialism
before God) we will miss out on His presence. If you are not in the Holy Spirit,
I believe you are in religion, you may
be a Christian but still in the mould of religion and outside of presence and
this is my belief of what Ezekiel was seeing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel%2047&version=NIV" target="_blank">Ezekiel 47</a> is a continuation of
Ezekiel’s great vision but few of us see this chapter as an extension to what
has gone before it, they are linked. This chapter shows you the what’s possible
for every Christian, to live in the Presence or live in religion. The vision is
- The river flowing from the temple. The river being symbolic of the Holy
Spirit flowing out from the temple into the world. Our call is to be a blessing
to the nations, when we flow with the river, we are a blessing to the nations.
Without effort we produce fruit and healing in the nation. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This is what we know
of this vision. Most if not all of us miss what verse 11 speaks of:</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">"<i>But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for
salt".</i></span><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If we do not touch the river we will remain unfruitful and
not bring forth life. Without the river (Holy Spirit) even though you may be a Christian
there is no offspring, new life or fruit, you are living in religion. Believe
me when I say for years I gave Satan’s crew squatting rights in my life, but in
recent years the Holy Spirit has led me into that which Lionel spoke of in
January, Presence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In church we have just completed during
the summer an excellent teaching series predominantly on the gifts of the Holy
Spirit. Can I challenge you to listen again to Fergus on <a href="http://secure.trinity.ie/resources/trinity-radio/" target="_blank">Trinity Radio</a> (<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/trinity-church-network-podcast/id215837515" target="_blank">or on iTunes</a>) 17<sup>th</sup>
June 2012 and Andy 24<sup>th</sup> June 2012 and Fergus again on the 2<sup>nd</sup>
September 2012. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In their messages they spoke of the Holy Spirit and how
important, no, essential the Holy Spirit is for us. Can I go further than that?
If you received this as teaching and just teaching you are little different
than the Pharisees that learned the scriptures but refused to come into
encounter. God’s word is only an invitation to an encounter with God. Without
encounter, without the Holy Spirit the Bible is just a book. </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Please as you listen, act upon the invitation.
When Moses saw the burning bush (Exodus 3), he “thought”..., then he acted and
“went over”. It was only when he went over that God spoke to him. Can I tell
you this is a “burning bush” moment right now, you can just pass comment on my
blog and move on or “step in” and consider my words or those of Fergus and Andy.
I challenge you to camp here until you have an encounter with God. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ask God to help you and teach you, ask
God to release His Holy Spirit and invite Jesus to</span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">baptise</span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> you with the Holy Spirit and then welcome the Holy Spirit and ask Him
to teach you (Ask our church leaders to lay hands on you to receive the Baptism
in the Holy Spirit).In the book of Acts, everyone who was baptized with the
Holy Spirit can point to a date, a time in history when this amazing promise of
God was received by them…when did you receive this same promise. I am sorry for
being so blunt here, but I promise you if you seek this promise and surrender
to Him you will receive it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Holy Spirit, He and He only will
know and tell you what needs changing and how to make those changes, He is the
one that leads us into ALL TRUTH. I could keep going on but I know the Holy
Spirit holds your solution. Be blessed on this your amazing treasure hunt. The
Holy Spirit will unearth for you all your greatest dreams, wishes, wants and
desires. </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">He and He only knows what is best for
you and He never gets it wrong. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Read
Rogers words in the <a href="http://trinitychurchnetwork.blogspot.ie/2012/09/the-tattered-feather-in-old-church.html" target="_blank">blog</a> posted on 10<sup>th</sup> September</span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: #FDFBE8; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">. I encourage you to want like Roger. What Roger speaks about is the
most precious gift, The gift of the Holy Spirit, the actual person of the Holy
Spirit. This is PRESENCE. Allow Fergus and Andy’s words transform your life. Believe
me it’s too easy to miss what’s on offer here. Grasp your “burning bush”
moment, just grasp it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">If
you are hungry – just eat.</span><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Declan D.</span></div>
The Prayer Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02094390166548767991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6482840032428711276.post-81198891382543751412012-09-10T13:37:00.002-07:002012-09-10T13:37:24.084-07:00The Tattered Feather In The Old ChurchRecently, I was at a funeral. The venue was in an old church that had probably been built 200years ago or more. It was very grand inside.<br />
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The windows had stained glass in them and were lit up by the sunlight coming through them. The craftsmanship inside the church was exceptional and had me wondering how some of the masonry was both placed and carved to create some very intricate decor.<br />
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Sometime in the past, somebody cared enough to build a church with the intention of God being worshipped in it for many centuries to come.<br />
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Parts of the church had been modernised of course, the priest now speaks into a microphone and there's even a facility for those who are hard of hearing to be included in the message.
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As I stood, knelt and sat throughout the service, I was saddened by what I was witnessing, or to be more precise, not witnessing.<br />
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There was no passion in the building. It was as if it had been built a long time ago as a place of worship but had now become a place of regular attendance for a few people from an older generation.<br />
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During the service, there were some fantastic words spoken, yet the impact of them was lost on many. The Prayer that Jesus taught us in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%206&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Matthew 6</a>, known to many of us as The Lord's Prayer, where He teaches us to invite Heaven to become a reality on earth was just recited with no realisation that we were seeking a radical change in our circumstances by just saying it.<br />
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However, I've said enough about the negative side. Let's see what there is to learn through this.<br />
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Over the past number of years there have been things happening in various places around the globe that don't fit into our traditional idea of who or even what God is.<br />
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I remember hearing a story in Sunday school around 30 years ago, where there was a young boy in a village in Africa who needed to take a test in his school but wasn't allowed as he didn't have a pencil. He was upset at being left out and went outside the school room with his sheet of paper. He had heard about God providing and that 'Jehovah Jireh' was one of His names so as he sat there in the dirt, he started to pray for a pencil.<br />
As he prayed, he rolled his sheet of paper in his hands and then suddenly realised that it was firm. He unrolled it to see a sharpened pencil inside!<br />
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Imagine the joy on this boy's face, and the reaction of his teacher when he arrived back in the classroom with his pencil!<br />
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His teacher wondered where he had managed to get a pencil, never mind one so fine and the boy replied "The Impossible God gave it to me!"<br />
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That story has stuck in my mind since I heard it. I've longed to meet the Impossible God and see Him act like this in me, and I'm delighted to say, that looking back, He has been doing impossible things in my life all along.<br />
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But I was talking about being at a funeral, in a church that seemed to be lacking something, and that something was the incredible life of Jesus Christ.<br />
In fact, I could even say that Jesus had obviously left the building, after all, Stephen witnessed to this in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+7&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Acts 7</a> in verses 55 and 56, just before he was stoned for blasphemy:<br />
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<i>55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, 56 and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”</i><br />
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But here's the thing: Stephen, had what we have, he had what Jesus gave us.<br />
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Stephen, <i>"being full of the Holy Spirit" </i>knew who he was and what he possessed was far greater than anything on earth. He had a boldness and a relationship with the Lord that was so great, he saw visions of Heaven.<br />
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You see, Jesus had left the building, but He promised that He was going to send a Helper when He was speaking in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%2014&version=NKJV" target="_blank">John 14</a>:<br />
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<i>“If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. </i><br />
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This is what excited me in that old church!<br />
I mentioned earlier things that have happened around the globe when God has moved or started moving in and among people. One of these things was that people noticed feathers appearing, before revivals broke out or during meetings where the Holy Spirit was moving.<br />
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And this is what excited me. During one of the kneeling times in this service, I noticed in the corner of the pew, a tattered, old feather, just caught there in some dust.<br />
I don't think it was a feather that just appeared from Heaven (it had the appearance of one that had been removed from a pigeon, possibly by a cat), but as is the nature of our God, He can speak to us in many ways.<br />
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He reminded me that even though I thought Jesus had left the building, the Holy Spirit was very much still there. Even though I didn't see any signs of revival, The Holy Spirit was very much still there.<br />
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<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%20139&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Psalm 139</a> which David wrote says:<br />
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<i> "7 Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me." </i><br />
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Jesus ascended into Heaven and He sent us the One who is called the Helper, The One who David said is everywhere!<br />
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The Holy Spirit is everywhere, just waiting to be discovered by us.<br />
He is the unnoticed visitor in too many places,<br />
He is the unseen friend in too many rooms,<br />
He is the unheard voice in too many conversations,<br />
He is the unrecognized person in too many crowds,<br />
Yet He is always there.<br />
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There's a phrase that is often heard in Christian circles "The presence of the Lord was really there" and on the face of it, this might seem a bit daft, after all, if the Holy Spirit is everywhere, then surely you can't notice His presence more in one place than another?<br />
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I don't think so: Even though He is everywhere, we need to learn to find Him. One way of describing it is like smelling a rose, the closer you are to a rose, the more you are aware of it's fragrance. This is how it is with the Holy Spirit.<br />
As we get closer to Him, we recognise His fragrance and learn to move where He is moving.<br />
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I don't want to miss out on what God has for me. He sent His Son to die for me, to give me Life, and then He sent me His Helper to help me live a life that will glorify Him.<br />
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I want to be someone who glorifies God in all I do. I want to be someone who learns the fragrance of the Holy Spirit wherever I go. I want to be someone who moves with the Holy Spirit wherever He decides go move, to be a sail that is blown in whatever direction He pleases.<br />
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I want to be one who not only recognises that the Holy Spirit is there, but is willing to do whatever He asks me to do.<br />
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Especially if it's in an old church that's got beautiful stained glass windows.<br />
<br />
Roger C.<br />
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<br />The Prayer Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02094390166548767991noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6482840032428711276.post-92161572042922217722012-08-13T12:06:00.000-07:002012-08-13T12:06:26.165-07:00The Providence of GodYou may not know but our blogs are read in over 50 different countries around the world, so I want to share with you a little of what God is doing in me and my family, Trinity Church Network, Dublin, Ireland. <br />
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Our Sunday morning expression of the love of God and our love for God has been amazing this past year. Our fellowship has being going through a difficult time this past two years or more but I find it so amazing and special to behold what God is doing in our midst. From one that did not enjoy yet attended our church so regularly over the last 20 years in particular I find myself in awe of God today and longing for what He is doing amongst us in these days. To hear our speaker thank all for contributing to our service yesterday was a treat to my heart and my spirit became one with Andy’s words, our morning was beautiful. Many more could have shared on the morning and indeed one has already shared by email afterward.<br />
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I wanted to share a verse about Hezekiah but time did not allow for it, so I will share it now and fill in what God is speaking into me in these momentous days. Our speaker spoke for a short time on Paul and Silas in Acts 16, about working with the Holy Spirit and seeing whole families restored in relationship with God. It was so short the message but punched way above its weight, it was powerful. God did amazing things because two men were obedient. What I wanted to share was similar to what our speaker shared and this really encouraged me.<br />
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Hezekiah had called the people of Israel to celebrate the Passover “out of season” because a sufficient number of priests had not consecrated themselves, nor had the people gathered together at Jerusalem. A Passover had not been celebrated for some time as the people’s hearts were away from God. As Hezekiah’s messenger called the people to attend many laughed and did not come, yet others came. Taking up the story in 2 Chronicles 30:17-20 we read:<br />
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<i>“17 Since many in the crowd had not consecrated themselves, the Levites had to kill the Passover lambs for all those who were not ceremonially clean and could not consecrate [their lambs] to the LORD. 18 Although most of the many people who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover, contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, "May the LORD, who is good, pardon everyone 19 who sets his heart on seeking God--the LORD, the God of his fathers--even if he is not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary." 20 And the LORD heard Hezekiah and healed the people”.</i> <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Chronicles%2030&version=NIV">NIV</a><br />
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Not only had Hezekiah “broken the rules” so to speak with the timing of the feast, but he dared to ask the Lord to pardon the people as they were not ceremonially clean to participate in the feast, and he believed in his God and knew and spoke pardon over the people again “breaking the rules” and declared that all those who set their hearts on seeking the Lord would be healed. Yes the Lord responded to his prayer and pardoned those who sought the Lord. That which was opposed to the people was broken off by one man Hezekiah, his faith in God and the boldness of his words. Hezekiah stepped into the prompting of the Spirit of the Lord and caused the Lord to break the chains off his people. <br />
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Hezekiah stepped in just as we heard Paul and Silas stepped into the Holy Spirits promptings in Acts 16 as we heard yesterday. All who attended our meeting yesterday and any of our church meetings are like the ones who set their hearts on seeking God. Jesus has pardoned each of us and it does not matter what rules we have broken or how unprepared we are to encounter God, if we seek Him the pardon of Jesus is applied to our life and healing is the response of God.<br />
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A few weeks back I spoke out one Sunday morning, when Moses obeyed God and made the Tent of Meetings, when it was finished the cloud of God’s presence came and occupied and filled the tent. The same was true for Solomon, he built the Temple of the Lord and when it was finished the cloud of God’s presence came and occupied and filled the temple. I then said when Jesus cried out on the cross it is finished, the Temple curtain tore in two and that Jesus make the way open for the cloud of God’s presence to come and fill the hearts of believers which is the Temple of the Holy Spirit. Afterward God spoke with me about all the “unoccupied temples” walking the streets of our city, those made by God and in His image, just like you and me, the only difference being that they have not received the Spirit of God. <br />
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Their physical tent/temple, their body is made and they await the infilling of the Holy Spirit. When Hezekiah stepped into the prompting of the Holy Spirit he needed to believe that God would back up his words and come and pardon the people. We know Jesus has pardoned the whole world by dying on the cross, but most of us don’t step into the prompting of the Holy Spirit all the time and enable the Lord release his healing presence. <br />
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I was asked by a friend yesterday why I started painting prophetic pictures and teaching the children to paint prophetic pictures. I answered over 2 years ago God prompted me and then two people challenged me within a few days to paint and they mentioned the craftsmen in Exodus 31. I have just read that scripture and I have been struck with the provision of God. In the few chapters preceding Exodus 31, we see a list of commands that God gave Moses to build the Tent of Meetings, its furniture and furnishings. The list is extensive and exceedingly detailed as was the list for Solomon’s Temple.<br />
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The verses that caught me are as follows:<br />
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<i>“1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 2 “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. 3 And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, 4 to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, 5 in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship.6 “And I, indeed I, have appointed with him Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and I have put wisdom in the hearts of all the gifted artisans, that they may make all that I have commanded you” </i> <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=exodus%2031&version=NIV">NIV</a><br />
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God provided the craftsman (and indeed an army of craftsmen), anointed him and filled him with the Spirit of God, to carry out the detailed command of God. Bezalel means the “shadow of God” and speaks of presence (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts%205&version=NIV">Acts 5</a> tells us of the power in Peter’s shadow i.e. the power in the presence of God), is it any wonder God filled Bezalel with His Spirit, God completes his work; it’s what Bezalel’s name means . <br />
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The Spirit provided wisdom, ability, understanding, intelligence, knowledge and all kinds of craftsmanship. The Holy Spirit made it all work. The word craftsmanship means angel, messenger and ambassador and speaks of spiritual helps like as in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%201&version=NIV">Hebrews 1:14</a>. The name Aholiab means “fathers tent” and Ahisamach means “my brother is support” The abundance of Gods provision for Moses who obediently fulfilled the command of God is just breath-taking, it oozes family and unity of the people of God all under the covering of the Father. These men were there, their parents having named them years earlier and God worked out in them the very desire their parents had put upon them, and used them in their time to be a blessing on the generations thereafter. Had Moses not obeyed, we may never have heard about these men. <br />
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Solomon inherited the works of their hands and placed these same furnishings in his Temple that was filled with the cloud of God’s presence. Not only did God give the command He provided the means to fulfil that same command. God completes His work. We are part of Gods project. We have a major role to play in God filling the “unoccupied” temples with His Holy Spirit. We are anointed and gifted to complete the task, we are called “Christians” meaning little Christ’s or “little anointed ones”. We are equipped with the ability, wisdom, revelation, knowledge and craftsmanship to co-operate with God and complete the “unoccupied temples” about us. In the book of Acts just look at the number of times people were Baptised with the Holy Spirit when the believers laid their hands on them. How many “unoccupied temples” are awaiting your hand be laid on them? So much of what God does is all about family and unity, we need relationship with our brothers, we need to be close enough to lay hands on each other. <br />
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Where am I going with this? I dare say I, and we can say and speak and cry out for our generation, churched, stumbling or un-churched people. I can ask my God or we can ask our God, the great I Am and believe in Him to come. To come encounter the people of our city and nation. I can say and you with me to our God, the creator and sustainer of all things on behalf of a people who are caught in an identity crisis, struggling in economic hardship, unemployment and a poverty mentality, to a nation whose finances are controlled by external nations, to a churched nation who have reacted to sexual revelations of the so called men of God in this land who have not personally encountered the Love of My God, a people who have disowned the God who created them and taken offence with God due to the actions and inaction of mere men as if it were God Himself who carried out these awful acts. <br />
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I ask, do you want to meet my God? If you want the Living God to come like a whirlwind into your whole being and fill you like he did Bezalel in the passage above or pardon you like the generation that Hezekiah’s words brought healing, or transform you completely like the first Christians on the day of Pentecost. If you really want this, if this is what you seek, if you are not sure about your identity or your god or about My God but you know you want more, I challenge you to seek my God and if you say yes and want more then get prepared now yourself to encounter the Living God, my prayer for you like the prayer of Hezekiah if you give me your permission to ask my God on your behalf, the only God who seeks out men is this:- <br />
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Jesus you have pardoned me (put your name here) 2000 years ago on the cross, on that Friday afternoon you paid the price and took my place and forgave me. Just as the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Life then raised you Jesus to life on that Sunday morning raise me (put your name here) today and bring me into an encounter with you that totally and completely transforms my life from this day on. I ask you God to stretch out your hand and I take hold of your hand and want to know your burning presence within me. Just as Hezekiah said all who set their hearts on seeking the Lord were healed, I say all who lift their hand to God will be healed, I ask you the living God to show yourself to me (put your name here) today and heal my life, body soul and spirit. <br />
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Like Hezekiah, I know the Lords answer and I declare over you that the Lord hears you and heals you this day and onward. The Lord rejoices over you with song and dance and feasts you with His daily bread. You are now the Temple of the Living God. The Glory cloud of God is now upon you (Christ in you the Hope of Glory <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=colossians%201&version=NIV">(Colossians 1:27)</a>. <br />
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Just like when Moses, Solomon and Jesus completed their work, the presence of God in the Glory cloud fell and filled the Temple. I declare that the Holy One of God WILL FILL YOUR TEMPLE with His Glory Cloud the very Presence of the Holy Spirit. I DECLARE YOUR “UNOCCUPIED TEMPLE” IS NO LONGER UNOCCUPIED. As you fully hand over your Temple to God the Holy Spirit will transform you into His likeness. The Holy Spirit will fall on you more and more and you will in your life display and demonstrate the Glory of God to mankind. The Holy Spirit will work out in you the verse in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20John%204:17&version=NIV">1 John 4:17</a> <i>“because as He (Jesus) is, so are we in this world”</i>. <br />
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There is no greater calling than to see Jesus manifest and demonstrated in you. This is the pinnacle of our destiny here on earth, this is your identity, and this is who you are. I have just come to realise this is who I am, it’s simply about becoming like him, the greatest honour I can offer God is to become like his son, this is my offering to God.<br />
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Does all this happen instantly? For most no, but hear these words if you have received the prayer above, God has placed His Spirit in you as a seed, This seed is for all of the above and MORE. You are a planting of the Lord. Every plant starts as a seed, becoming a tender shoot growing into a beautiful tree displaying the Glory of God. Believe me you are now a Glory carrier, and if you can’t believe me, believe it because God said so in His word.<br />
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You are destined for completion, step into it and be completed. If you don’t step you will never know. What have you to loose, try it, try Him, taste and see the Lord is good, believe me you will never look back. It’s the most amazing adventure available to man on earth.<br />
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Declan DThe Prayer Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02094390166548767991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6482840032428711276.post-63915360356491880772012-07-27T04:40:00.000-07:002012-07-27T04:40:37.909-07:00The Storm, The Saviour and the Sleep of VictoryAround 13 years ago, I was on my first Trans Atlantic flight, heading to Minneapolis on business. I had 2 travelling companions, one who had been to the US before, one who had never even left Ireland. <br />
On the first leg of our journey, to Chicago's O'Hare Airport, the second companion was commenting how flying was good fun and how he had been told about turbulence beforehand, how bad it was supposed to be and that it was nothing to worry about.<br />
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Approximately an hour later, the pilot announced that there were storms ahead and that we were going to be in a holding pattern for another hour, delaying our landing. During that time, the plane pitched and rolled and dropped and rose. There was silence among the crew, the passengers and everyone was waiting for the flight to end as it was very uncomfortable.<br />
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This affected me for years after. I have flown on many long haul flights since, but have always taken travel sickness tablets (just in case) beforehand, I've been nervous flying and haven't particularly enjoyed it.<br />
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There weren't planes in the bible, but there were storms. The disciples seemed to get caught up in their fair share of them, usually when they were in the middle of a the sea of Galilee: <br />
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<i>35 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” 36 Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. 38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”<br />
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39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. 40 But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”</i> <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%204&version=NKJV">Mark 4v35-41, NKJV</a><br />
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In this instance, Jesus told the disciples that they were going to cross over to the other side. He prophesied to them the outcome of their journey, so if they'd decided to hold onto the prophecy, they would have known that they were in God's hands.<br />
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This however, isn't what I want to discuss in the passage of scripture.<br />
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A number of years after my flight to Minnesota, we were due to go on another long haul flight. I was getting nervous beforehand, and on the Sunday before the flight, I got prayer from Gerry Butcher about it. He asked God to remove the fear and enable me to relax more as I flew.<br />
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The flight went well. I still took travel sickness tablets, but was less nervous than I had been, yet I stil hadn't conquered my fear. It wasn't the flying I was afraid of, it was the turbulence. I didn't like flying through a storm.<br />
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God has been changing me over the last few years, and I've seen Him do things in my life that I've only noticed a while after they happened. Part of what He's been doing in me, is teaching me that it's ok to trust in Him. <br />
In fact, it benefits me most when I learn to trust Him completely.<br />
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Last month, I went on another Trans Atlantic flight, which was followed up by an internal flight that was about 2 1/2 hrs long.<br />
The first flight was fine. In the days leading up to the flight, I'd noticed that I wasn't nervous. I decided not to take travel sickness tablets or anything like them. It was a step of faith by me that I was willing to take and I was happy with the decision.<br />
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We boarded our connecting flight and were told immediately that there would be no in flight service due to the weather that we were going to fly through. I briefly thought about it but wasn't worried. I had decided to trust in God, so knew I'd be fine. <br />
During the flight, there was quite a lot of turbulence, so much that the cabin crew stayed seated for the entire flight and kept their belts on.<br />
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About an hour into the flight, I fell asleep, and stayed asleep for approximately 25 minutes. <br />
When I woke, My first thought wasn't about my flight, or my nap I'd had, it was about Jesus in Mark 4. <br />
Jesus lived in a place of constant victory. He let nothing overcome Him and set the perfect example of how to be a Man on earth. <br />
Jesus was able to sleep through the storm on the lake, something that I found myself doing for the first time on a plane in a storm. <br />
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So what's so significant about that?<br />
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When you can sleep through your storm, you have victory over it. I woke knowing that I'd moved into a new place of victory, something that had bothered me for 13 years no longer had a hold over me. Jesus had demonstrated to me how to be victorious in rest. This is why He was able to wake up and command the storm to be calm. It had no authority over Him, so it didn't worry Him. <br />
He knew they were going to reach the other side of the lake, He spoke it before they left.<br />
The disciples thought they were perishing, Jesus showed them how to have victory.<br />
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We often get distracted by what's going on around us, and let the circumstances get the better of us. I did this and ended up with something over me for 13 years that I shouldn't have allowed take hold in the first place.<br />
If there's anything in your life that represents a storm that has a hold over you, give it to Jesus and ask Him to show you the victory that He's already won for you in that storm. Then trust Him and watch how the victory becomes a reality in your life.<br />
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Roger C.The Prayer Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02094390166548767991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6482840032428711276.post-41375999474509513802012-06-30T18:38:00.000-07:002012-06-30T18:38:29.428-07:00The Heartbeat of HeavenOver the last few weeks there have been a number of instances of the phrase 'The Heartbeat of God' coming up in different meetings. <br />
During our last cell meeting in the west side of the city, we were privileged to be led in worship by Yvonne. <br />
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One of the songs that she decided to lead us in was the Jesus Culture song, 'Let it Rain'. She kept going back to this song over and over again while we were worshipping and using it to lead us into a deeper place with God. <br />
As we worshipped, one phrase spoke to me deeply and it opened up a new place of revelation for me as to who God is and what our purpose is.<br />
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There's a line, <br />
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<i>"Now the heartbeat of heaven, let us hear"</i> which resonated with me.<br />
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I'd never thought about that line before but the amazing thing was that Yvonne mentioned during our time of sharing, that it was this line that drew her to the song for the night. <br />
I go to the gym and there is a facility on most machines in the gym where I can check my heart rate, or my beats per minute. <br />
At rest, my heart rate is somewhere around 65-68 beats per minute. When I'm exercising hardest, my heart rate peaks at over 192 beats per minute, almost 3 times as much.<br />
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My heart rate beats at a speed that is relevant to the function that is required of it. <br />
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This is something we begin to experience when we spend time with Jesus. The better we get to know Him, the better we begin to understand what He is doing, where He is moving. <br />
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Bill Johnson once spoke about a heart transplant, that the dead heart started to beat in unison with the good, alive heart. This is what happens with us when our hearts move closer to God. We begin to worship Him. We begin to understand Him. We begin to work with Him. We are ready to move faster when He moves and we are ready to sit in His presence when He wants us to rest with Him.<br />
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The desire for us to hear the heart beat of heaven is the desire to know God in a closer, more personal way.<br />
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God declared that David was a man after His own heart:<br />
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<i>And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’</i> <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts%2013&version=NKJV">Acts 13 v 22, NKJV</a><br />
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Why was David a man after God's own heart? He spent time learning who and what God is. He spent time on his own, worshipping God when he was a boy.<br />
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He invented a completely new way of worshipping God. Up until David, worship of God required people to sacrifice an animal. David wrote songs and sang to God. He danced before God and raised the bar for what worshipping God was like. He was the one who wrote the first Psalms and he was the one who decided to create a temple where God would be continuously worshipped, all because his heart was after God's.<br />
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David's new move all those years ago was so profound that it has impacted us in a way that it became the new norm for worship. We find it weird if there's no worship in a meeting! That has come about by a man who found the heartbeat of God and introduced us to a new way of worship.<br />
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So, here's the challenge. Are you willing to have a heart that moves in unison with God's?<br />
Do you want to worship Him like David?<br />
Are you going to raise the bar so that God can say "This person has a heart like mine"?<br />
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Learn to hear the heartbeat of heaven and you will be astonished by what God reveals to you.<br />
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<br />
Roger C.<br />
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<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/T_OD2X32_-k" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>The Prayer Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02094390166548767991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6482840032428711276.post-88012228559737488782012-05-21T04:26:00.000-07:002012-05-21T04:38:45.639-07:00Getting dressed.In the mid 90's, I visited the former city of Ephesus, in Turkey. I was on a package deal holiday and it was the one location I was keen to go to. It was an incredible experience, being able to walk along streets that some of the earliest Christians walked on and I spent the day taking photo's and marveling at the place.</br></br>
At the end of the day, I looked at my camera and realised the day's photos were all missing. I had managed to load the film (remember that stuff?) incorrectly and it wasn't moving when I wound it on.
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All I had left was the first picture of the Roman baths and one or two street shots. I seem to remember that city quite well though, possibly due to the lack of physical evidence that I was there!
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The book of Ephesians reminds me of Ephesus, not just because it is the same city, but because I haven't been reading much of it recently yet always seem to remember a lot of it. So when I went back to read it a few weeks ago, I found that the Lord was teaching me about getting dressed. The armour of God was coming up in all circumstances for me so I listened to the promptings and started reading and studying.
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<i>10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
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14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.</i>
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<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ephesians%206&version=NKJV">Ephesians 6v10, NKJV</a></br>
As I read this passage, I noticed that there was another message behind what was there in front of me. Paul told us to take care of different parts of our bodies, as a soldier would.
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He started off by telling us to <i>"gird our waist with truth"</i>. The belt of a Roman soldier kept everything in place, so it was a very important part of his attire. It's the same with us, we have to be sure that truth is wrapped around us when we go out every day. Being surrounded by Truth means that no matter where we turn, we know that He is there. Failing to do that allows our whole Armour to fall apart.
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The next part of the armour is the <i>"breastplate of righteousness"</i>. The breastplate covered all the vital organs, the heart, lungs, kidneys etc. Wearing righteousness as our breastplate is important not just because it protects our hearts from spiritual attack, but it means that our hearts will be in a place of righteousness and therefore will be protected. The lungs are also a major organ that's covered by righteousness. When you have the breath of Life in you, it's good to be surrounded by righteousness!
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We then get our shoes on, <i>"shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace"</i>. Put these shoes on and you're ready to walk in peace wherever you go. Jesus won the victory and He wants us to walk in the fruit of the Spirit.
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We then pick up our <i>"shield of faith"</i>. Believing that God is bigger and more able than anything that is thrown at us is key to us becoming better warriors for Him. Using our faith to block out both the obvious and the subtle darts of the enemy is how to resist the enemy.
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<i>"The helmet of salvation"</i>- Knowing who God is and knowing who we are in God. When our heads are surrounded by the knowledge of God, there is no room for the enemy's thoughts to take root. Being focussed on God allows us to heed His instructions and knowing who God is, exposes the work of the enemy.
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Once dressed, we can take up our weapon, <i>"The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God"</i>. When God speaks, it happens. When God speaks, it is Truth. When God speaks, it is Jesus. Nothing can compete with Jesus, He is our sword.
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<i>"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it."</i>
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<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%201&version=NKJV"> John 1v1-5, NKJV</a></br>
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Jesus is the Word, He is our sword.
Jesus is our Salvation, the only way to get to heaven, (Jesus said "I am the way"), He is our Helmet.
Our faith in Jesus is our shield.
What Jesus does in us allows us to walk in peace.
The breath of Jesus which has given us life ("I am the Life"), and the righteousness of Him surrounding our hearts is our breastplate.
Jesus said "I am the Truth", He is our belt.
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The armour of God is all about Jesus. Being surrounded by Him, Walking in His peace, Enveloped by His righteousness, Believing His way, Speaking His name, Believing His word. </br>
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Jesus is there to protect us in body (shield), soul (breastplate) and mind (helmet). His desire is to be involved in each aspect of our lives, to enable us to walk in peace and in victory.
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Finally, there is no mention of protection for our backs. We are going into battle, not retreating, and besides that, who do you think has your back when you go out every day?
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Next time you're getting dressed, remember what Jesus said:</br>
<i>“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."</i>
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<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14:6&version=NKJV">John 14v6, NKJV</a></br>
Invite Jesus in, get Him involved and believe what He says, do this and you're ready to face the day!</br></br>
Roger C.The Prayer Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02094390166548767991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6482840032428711276.post-88693301137029860052012-04-30T04:29:00.000-07:002012-04-30T04:29:23.919-07:00Time to walk on the waterLast May, I posted a blog titled <a href="http://trinitychurchnetwork.blogspot.com/2011/05/new-take-on-bible.html">"A New Take On The Bible"</a>. It was referring to the story of Jesus walking on the water and was written from Peter's perspective.
As is often the case, God likes to tell us more and more about the same passage of scripture, and so I've decided after sitting on this for a few months that it's time to share it.<br />
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<i>22 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. 23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. 24 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.
27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”
28 And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”
29 So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”
31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
33 Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”</i><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%2014&version=NKJV">Matthew 14 v 22-33, NKJV</a><br />
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Starting from the beginning of the passage, the disciples had nothing to worry about. Jesus told them to "go before Him to the other side", yet I don't think they realised this when they were stuck in the middle of the sea, as the waves and wind tossed them around.<br />
Jesus spoke into the situation, told them the outcome, and then sent them on their way. Often, we fail to hear what Jesus has spoken to us (ignore the promise) and we worry about our circumstances instead! Human nature hasn't changed much in 2000 years.<br />
So in the middle of the night, the disciples are asleep and Peter is the watchman. Thinking about this story, it really would have only worked as well as it did if Peter was involved, the impulsive disciple, was the one to act first and think after. He was probably a bit bleary eyed when he saw Jesus- even though he didn't realise who it was coming towards him. The fright of what he saw would have woken him immediately.<br />
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Jesus was walking on the water- what a strange thing to do!
Peter wanted some of this so he asked Jesus and was told to come. Peter stepped out of the boat and walked on the water to Jesus, but fear got into him and Jesus had to grab him as he called out "Lord, save me!"<br />
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So that's the story, but what was happening?
Peter allowed his circumstances to become bigger than his God. He saw the wind and the waves and their movement distracted him from Jesus. He didn't realise that God was more in his circumstances than he knew.<br />
This is always the case with God. He is always more involved in our situations than we will ever know. He holds us in the palm of His hand.<br />
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Now this is where it gets interesting. Jesus told the parable of the man who built his house on the rock and the man who built his house on the sandy land <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%207&version=NKJV">Matthew 7 v 23-25, NKJV</a>.
I heard it preached once that the difference is that the man who built his house on the rock was building it on the solid truth of God. Sand is made out of many tiny bits of rock, little bits of truth. When there is no foundation of God in our lives, or we just like little bits of Him, our houses fall down.<br />
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On Sunday last, Gerry Butcher demonstrated what it would be like if we only drank on a Sunday and didn't for the rest of the week. We would die of thirst. As in the natural, so in the spiritual. We drink of the Holy Spirit on a Sunday and forget Him for the rest of the week, we shrivel up and die.<br />
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Jesus was demonstrating how the Christian life should be lived when He came to the disciples on the water. Jesus spent time with the Father, was (is) the Son of God and was walking in the power of the Holy Spirit.<br />
All through the Bible, the Holy Spirit is mentioned in in a similar way to water. The Holy Spirit is poured out, we are filled up, baptised in and by Him.<br />
When Jesus walked on water, He was demonstrating that when your firm foundation is the impossible God, the impossible becomes possible.<br />
When you are grounded in the Holy spirit, the impossible becomes possible, supernatural becomes natural.
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Walking on the water wasn't just a shortcut to the other side of the lake.
Walking on water was Jesus showing us how to live our lives.
Peter sank because he took his eyes off Jesus. He let the circumstances overwhelm him.<br />
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Fix your eyes on Jesus today, spend time with the Father and allow the Holy Spirit to carry you into the impossible.
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Roger C.The Prayer Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02094390166548767991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6482840032428711276.post-6146539143443234452012-04-05T14:01:00.000-07:002012-04-05T14:01:13.406-07:00Contending for MoreHas a scripture ever captured your heart, where it clings and won’t let go? You wake with it, walk with it, eat with it, talk with it and dream with it, and tomorrow it all starts again. This is something I am now experiencing and it’s winning my heart. Two such verses have nabbed me within a short few days of each other one year ago as follows.<br />
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<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Samuel%2012:8&version=NKJV">2 Samuel 12:8</a> <br />
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<i>“I gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more”</i> <br />
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After David commit adultery God spoke those words to him. He already had everything so to speak and yet God said, no you don’t there is even more you could have (even David missed something that was available). This has become my prayer and when I ask God for more I end up in tears, asking for more and more of Him. God’s response is the second verse. <br />
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<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Chronicles%2021:24&version=NKJV">1 Chronicles 21:24</a> <br />
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<i>"No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the LORD what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing."</i> <br />
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This scripture was after David sinned by counting his fighting men (not relying on the strength of God) with terrible consequences to his people. At this time David contended for God’s mercy, was told by God to build an altar to the Lord and then he saw the angel that was ravaging his people at the threshing floor. David wanted this threshing floor. <br />
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Araunah who owned the threshing floor offered it to David for free. Look at David’s response in this verse. David paid in gold and God at this point commanded the angel to put away the sword. This is an amazing passage of scripture, David encountered God and a fear was broken off him which brought break-through for future generations. When Solomon came along the ground work was done and Solomon built the Temple on the site that David bought, the site of Encounter. <br />
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Today I know how to receive more of God, it will cost me the full price, it does not cost nothing, and I also know this is what I hand on to my children, they will walk upon my victories, my victories will be their starting point. Without my victories, my testimonies, my children have to battle for those same victories and only with testimonies of old without having seen it with their very own eyes. Through my victories and testimony they get a head start and so will run farther than I can run. I am contending for more, as the ground I currently occupy does not satisfy me.<br />
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In these last 2 years since I encountered God through the XL Prophecy School, I have as a result an unceasing hunger for God’s word. As God rocked my boat so violently over a period of 7 days, I started asking questions of God, some of the questions can offend man but not God, he really enjoys them and loves teasing out and revealing the answers and setting me free. In these early days I looked at the passage on spiritual gifts in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2012&version=NKJV">1 Corinthians 12</a> and started looking into this gift called “prophecy”. <br />
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As I did so, two other gifts caught my attention and won’t let go off me, the gift of healing and the gift of working of miracles. I did not believe such gifts including prophecy was for today, in fact in my early years in church in the late 1980’s I as assistant leader of a home group (bible study group) would have responded to questions raised by the group by saying that the Holy Spirit gifts were now defunct. Be careful who you ask for answers! <br />
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I gave answers that were wrong. Scripture tells us God will teach us, the Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth. How foolish I have been. What has been going on in me these last two years has been tough at times, God is turning my life upside down and using those very things that I had cast aside to speak deeply into my heart. Today I believe a different gospel, I laugh to myself when I remember the words of a song “I’m losing my religion” and know those words ring true for me. I believed something that man told me and never asked God for His opinion, now that’s close to the definition of religion. Who gave me the right to put that responsibility on any bible teacher, no one, this is a blatant act of disobedience on my part and unscriptural, I have paid a heavy price for this error over the years.<br />
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I have just read through the book of John’s gospel and have been amazed to look at how Jesus operated in these 3 gifts of the Holy Spirit. I want to summarise what John wrote of these gifts, healings released belief in people, the miracles released faith in people, the signs revealed God, Jesus was welcomed because of the miracles, full households believed because of the signs, great numbers followed Jesus because of these miracles, people recognized these gifts were from God, people worshiped because of these signs, the miracles spoke to the people, the signs brought glory to God, the signs enabled people see God, the miracles brought salvation, the signs were a tool for belief, the miracles were so that people would believe. <br />
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In fact at one point Jesus said if you don’t believe my words believe on the evidence of the miracles and can you believe it he also said <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2010:37&version=NKJV">John 10:37</a> “If I do not do the works of my Father do not believe me”. What if we were to apply the words of this verse to ourselves? We concentrate much on communicating Jesus, Jesus didn’t communicate Jesus. He talked of the kingdom of God, displayed the raw power of God and His Kingdom and in so doing released the ability in people to believe in Jesus and confess his name. <br />
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In the early days of Jesus’ ministry, Peter’s asked Jesus to go away from him because he was a sinful man, the evidence of the miraculous catch of fish brought conviction of sin to Peter. (How we need such gifts today as we reach out to a broken world). It’s interesting in the last days of Jesus’ ministry Peter’s response to another miraculous catch of fish saw him jump out of his boat to get to Jesus, unable to wait for the boat to reach land. Peter spent 3 years with the master teacher. He was sent out with the twelve, without the Holy Spirits presence, because the Holy Spirit had not yet been given as our helper. He was then sent out again, a mission training trip you could say, but now with 72 (so not just apostles in case you think it’s got to do with being an apostle). <br />
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Jesus gave them these instructions <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2010:7-8&version=NKJV">Matthew 10:7-8</a> <br />
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<i>“As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give”. </i><br />
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(Note no explaining who Jesus was, just displaying who He was – interesting). The guys came back full of joy amazed by what had been done through their co-labouring with Jesus. The apostles learned how to impact their community from the master teacher, these two mission trips were training for the great commission. Just in case you might say that this was only for when Jesus was alive, read the Book of Acts, Stephen and Philip not numbered among the twelve seemed to operate with a more powerful anointing. If you are still not convinced read about Paul, and if you find them Paul’s relatives that were marked as outstanding among the apostles. How did this all work for Peter, I don’t have the space to talk about Pentecost, the anointing of the Holy Spirit in this paper but I promise I will write again. <br />
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So leaving the anointing aside, there is a real key revealed to us all in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%203:6&version=NKJV">Acts 3:6</a>. When Peter encountered the cripple at the gate looking for money, Peter said …<br />
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<i>"What I have I give to you..."</i><br />
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There is the key, Peter recognized what he had, simple. You can only give what you have, and you only have what you know you have. What have you to give? Freely we received and we are commanded to freely give. As you give your receive. If fact I would go further and say unless you give it away you lose it, look at the parable of the 10 coins, it does not sound fair but it’s the way it is.<br />
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Now look at Paul and more particularly what he says, <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2015:18-19&version=NKJV">Romans 15:18-19</a> <br />
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<i>"I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done-by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ." </i><br />
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Paul dared not speak it unless he displayed it, isn’t this what Jesus did for three years? Does this challenge you, I can’t explain the emotion it stirs in me. Imagine if we chose to do as Paul did, what would we speak during our meetings, our small groups. The same Paul said <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%204:20&version=NKJV">1 Corinthians 4:20</a> <br />
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<i>“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power” </i><br />
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By what power do you speak? These are tough questions that demand an answer, welcome to my life, I love it. I see Him transforming us and am so privileged to have a few very close friends hold my hand and walk with me as we explore who our amazing God is, and what He has for those who believe, and further more what He has for those who believe in more.<br />
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On the 13 February 2011, we were issued with a BHAC (Big Hairy Audacious Calling i.e. into the extraordinary – the supernatural). Two words were breaking our speaker’s heart that day, “How Come”. That was a fantastic message and I would recommend you all listen again and again. I now dare to add a little something to her message or maybe more accurately ask something. Is the How Come answered in Paul’s words above?<br />
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I have to sign off now, so I challenge you as follows. Why are the gifts of healing and the gifts of working miracles so unspoken of in the Irish church? Why do we fear that these gifts lead to the church being deceived? Look as Elisha’s response to the cry of his servant when they were surrounded by the enemy army. Elisha asked God open his servants eyes and once opened he could see that the enemy is surrounded by multitudes of Gods army. Remember the church belongs to God, do we think God is not capable to protect us from the deception of the enemy. To fear is probably the greatest tool in the enemy’s kit (Job feared and it came to pass <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job%203:25&version=NKJV">Job 3:25</a>), fear is a form of idolotary. It says you believe he is more powerful than God and to place the enemy in that position is idolotary, something before God. The sign gifts are pointers, pointers to God. I now believe the sign gifts are the key to break-through, to operate in the sign gifts we must dwell in His presence, and this is only a result of His anointing. <br />
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God gave me a word 15 months ago “What you hold in your eye, you will hold in your hand”, instantly I knew what God was saying. Today I see the same message in God’s word. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2023:7%20&version=NKJV">Proverbs 23:7 </a><br />
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<i>“For as he thinks in his heart so he is” </i> <br />
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[Side note - Do you believe as it says in Jeremiah that your heart is evil, If you do you are believing a lie, that verse is the most abused verse of the bible, do not take it out of context, we in Christ have been given new hearts and He never gives bad gifts]. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua%201:3&version=NKJV">Joshua 1:3</a> says:<br />
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<i>“I will give you every place where you set your foot as I promised Moses” </i><br />
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(this also applies to your spiritual feet, my feet are contending for all these gifts) and <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2018:20-21&version=NKJV">Proverbs 18:20-21</a><br />
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<i>“With the fruit of a man’s mouth his stomach will be satisfied. He will be satisfied with the harvest from his lips”</i> <br />
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As we see in the Spirit, speak it, teach it, we will see it in the flesh. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2010:17&version=NIV">Romans 10:17</a> <br />
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<i>"Faith comes from hearing, and the message is heard through the word of Christ" <br />
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Our words impart life or death, create or destroy. Our ears hear, our faith increases, then our words create. We are in the last days as it says in Acts 2, the last days are marked by the out-pouring of Gods Holy Spirit, cry out for the anointing and watch what happens. There is more, much more and those who contend will lay hold of the Kingdom of God on earth.<br />
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Declan D.The Prayer Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02094390166548767991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6482840032428711276.post-65031509612583915082012-03-28T05:24:00.000-07:002012-03-28T05:24:08.051-07:00Jesus: The Bread of LifeOne of the great things about the local meetings we've been having on the west side of Dublin, is that we are experiencing a new freedom in how we do "meetings".<br />
The plan is simple. We have it in a different family's home every time and that family/person looks after the worship. There are no plans apart from that. The focus of the meeting has moved completely towards the Holy Spirit and we are less interested in getting things done.<br />
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Last night was one such meeting. We had a number of conversations but the one I want to share came out of someone sharing a verse in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2016&version=NKJV">Exodus 16:4, NKJV</a><br />
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<i>Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not.</i><br />
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Bread is a common theme throughout the Bible. Jesus multiplied it from a few loaves to make enough to feed 5,000 men. (Jesus always made and does the best, so you can be sure that this bread was the tastiest ever made!)<br />
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Bread was and still is, one of the most staple foods in peoples lives and many depend on it to keep them alive.<br />
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But going back to Exodus, the Israelites had been in the desert and were hungry, so they moaned. They failed to see how blessed they were. Firstly, it was their moaning that kept them in the desert for so long. They could have walked their journey in 11 days, but God had other ideas. They could have been wiped out as a nation, but God revealed His father heart and showed them mercy, provision and blessing.<br />
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You see, right back at the beginning of the Bible, when Adam and Eve sinned, God proclaimed a curse over mankind:<br />
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<i>17 Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’:<br />
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“Cursed is the ground for your sake;<br />
In toil you shall eat of it<br />
All the days of your life.<br />
18 Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you,<br />
And you shall eat the herb of the field.<br />
19 <b>In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread<br />
Till you return to the ground,</b><br />
For out of it you were taken;<br />
For dust you are,<br />
And to dust you shall return.”</i><br />
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<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%203&version=NKJV">Genesis 3 vv 17-19, NKJV</a><br />
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As part of the downfall of man, God had cursed the ground so that man would have to work it by the sweat of his brow to eat bread. Whether or not the Israelites realised it, God was not just easing their punishment, He fed them and in the process, He actually lifted a curse that He had put over man from the beginning. <br />
This same curse is no longer on us as Jesus paid the price in full for all of our sins. God showing us His heart the whole way through the Bible, giving us examples in the Old Testament of the new covenant that He was planning for us.<br />
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However, there's more.<br />
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This manna- or "What is it?" as it was called, was provided as daily bread for the Israelites. They weren't allowed to keep some for the next day, it had to be eaten that day, except for the sabbath, when they were allowed to take a double portion of manna.<br />
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Moving into the New Testament, Jesus in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%206&version=NKJV">Matthew 6</a>, teaches us how to pray and part of that prayer is that God would "Give us our daily bread".<br />
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Jesus, when He was tempted in the desert also mentioned bread:<br />
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<i>Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. 3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”<br />
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4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”</i> <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+4&version=NKJV">Mt 4 vv 1-4, NKJV</a><br />
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Jesus was making a point here. Bread is a staple part of the diet, but it is useless if we don't have the Word of God in our lives on a daily basis. <br />
Jesus knew that the most important thing in our lives is our relationship with God. It was the most important part of the day for Jesus. When He fed 5000 and walked on water, twice in that day He set aside times to be with the Father.<br />
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We can't survive on yesterdays word alone. It is the most important part of our lives when we spend time with God, nothing, even our next meal is more important than that.<br />
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There are so many examples of this throughout the Bible. Jesus Himself set the best example, Mary and Martha had different approaches when Jesus came. One worried about feeding Him while the other spent time with Him.<br />
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This is what God wants for each of us. He longs to spend time with us, He loves listening to our questions and problems, He loves to feed us and He loves to minister to us on a daily basis.<br />
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You see, in the natural, if you don't eat, you get sick and die. In the spiritual, if you don't eat the Word of God, you get sick and die. Even if you feel like you aren't getting anything out of your quiet time, keep at it. Not every meal we eat is a 5* meal, cooked by a 5* chef, yet we still eat to live.<br />
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Whenever we eat on the Word of God, it's a feast that brings us into a deeper and richer life every moment we spend with Him.<br />
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That's the significance of the Bread of Life.<br />
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Roger C.The Prayer Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02094390166548767991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6482840032428711276.post-3510312186633484802012-03-13T04:34:00.000-07:002012-03-13T04:34:27.804-07:00Took my Fish and Gave me BreakfastI just love Gods word, it’s alive and powerful and new every day. I have just finished reading John’s book of good news (the gospel) and have been utterly amazed by Jesus ministry to those who came to watch and listen. The way Jesus went about his work reminds me of a very funny verse I read in Habakkuk 2:1 “I will look to see what he will say to me”. How can we SEE what is SAID? There is something in these words that our minds won’t allow us grasp. Read John’s gospel yourself and see the number of times Jesus says that the “signs and miracles” were tools of belief. I get the impression that the signs were every bit as prevalent as his words. The two co-existed and worked together, the signs proved the words and the words were confirmed by the signs. I will come back to this point a little later.<br />
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The last chapter of the 4 gospels, <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%2021&version=NKJV">John 21</a> gives us a glimpse of something about Peter and that which Jesus was teaching him. It’s interesting in the first gospel in the Bible, Jesus introduces himself to Peter in Matthew 4:19 saying "Come, follow me,"and I will make you fishers of men”. Jesus invites this uneducated fisherman, in the fisherman’s language to follow him and then prophesises Peters destiny. (I have been so encouraged by the unity in the prophetic call that God has been pouring out declaring our destiny and of this city and land over our fellowship now for the last year or more – Gods word is still alive). At the end of the four gospels Peter is in despair. He was just trying to come to terms with the “untimely” death of Jesus Christ, he was trying to come to terms with the reports of the resurrection of the Jesus, then coping with the unfathomable seeing the risen Christ in the flesh. Peter could make no sense of it and who could blame him. Peter turned back to that which he knew and off with him fishing through the night, maybe it was easier to work at night because it was not easy sleeping at these times. <br />
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The next morning all was about to change for Peter, as they were fishing Jesus called out to them from the shore. You could say this was a second calling of the disciples, just like Moses was called twice or David or Saul on the road to Damascus. (It’s been amazing these last number of Sunday mornings to listen to Jesus calling us as a body to “Come away with Him” – Is this our second calling as a fellowship, if it is, and I believe so, watch out because the outworking of the second calling is always one that powerfully draws a dynamic response). Just look at how Peter responded. Over board Peter went when the call came. Here’s how John told it. John 21:9 "When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread". v10 Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish you have just caught."… v12 Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." John 21:15 "Simon son of John do you love me..Yes Lord..Feed my lambs."<br />
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As I was looking at this passage of scripture something caught my attention that I had not seen before, the disciples saw that Jesus had fish on a fire and also some bread, Jesus asked for some of Peter’s fish and cooked them breakfast. Why? Did Jesus not have enough fish? Where did he get his fish? Did he get the head count wrong? I don’t think so. Jesus asked of Peter and received from Peter. In that process Peter giving his fish, Jesus received them and turned Peter’s fish into breakfast. The disciples saw the fish and bread, Jesus saw the end product. I was just struck in that moment how Jesus’ fish and bread became a complete breakfast when Jesus mixed it with the “fruit of Peter’s hands”, the meal was now complete.<br />
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In an instant I was prompted / reminded of the difficult verse in Colossians 1:24 “Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church”. As I reflected on this verse I sense the Holy Spirit is saying when we give Jesus our lot and receive His lot, we somehow make the perfect finished work of the cross complete. I want to explain my words and not offend you. Jesus actual death on the cross is complete and can’t be added too. But if Jesus just died on the cross and that was it, there is something “still lacking”, something not complete. The Holy Spirit saw to it and through His Power raised Jesus three days later and makes his wonderful work on the cross more complete, but still in my opinion somehow there is something incomplete or lacking. We fill up in our flesh what is still missing in the cross when we simply come in surrender, total abandonment of our hearts to Jesus Christ our risen Saviour. Without our coming the Cross and Resurrection is dead to us, we remain as 2 Corinthians 3:14 says “But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away”. Though Jesus has died and risen, nothing has changed. But when we COME to Christ 2 Corinthians 3:16 says “But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away”. <br />
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This in my opinion was the intent of the Fathers heart, a completely completed bride for Christ, a partner a co-labourer, co-worker. God is the God of the living not the dead, He’s the First and the Last, the Alpha and Omega. The Old Testament is dominated by the Father, the relationship with his people, generations of blessing to those in the family, and holy inheritance. The gospel times display Jesus the Saviour, walking with the Father anointed by the Spirit holding the hands of man. Today our times the day of the Holy Spirit, “I will pour out my Spirit on ALL people”. We live in complete days, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit within. We are Co-workers with Christ, God has ordained it that we men and women have dominion on earth, as we co-work with Christ through the power of the Spirit to release the kingdom of God on earth, the kingdom of the presence of the living God, the reign of God on earth. God chose man to make a name for Himself 1 Chronicles 17:21 says “And who is like your people … the one nation on earth whose God went out to redeem a people for himself, and to make a name for himself”. If we are Christ’s co-workers as the Bible says, well this means if we do not work with Christ that Christ will not work either. This was God’s plan, he chose man to display his kingdom and defeat the works of the enemy, God chose his created beings, you and me to defeat the works of the enemy, if we do not obey this command, God will simply wait for another generation to do so. He will not change his plan and do the job Himself. Christ wants us to co-work with him. When you answer Jesus’ call and come to Him, God anoints you with His Holy Spirit as you ask him and God releases his very being, his presence in your midst. You then cooperate with God in defeating the works of the enemy and bringing salvation and healing to a broken world. When we co-work with Christ “signs and wonders” co-exist with the words of the gospel we speak. We speak in His power and things are created.<br />
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Romans 12:2 says “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may PROVE what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God”. Paul suggests that our actions should prove our words, that a transformed person should be able to prove Gods presence to an unbelieving world. Does this scripture challenge you, it causes great tension within me because my cry is that the tangible presence of the triune God be displayed through every word I speak and every move I make. I long for signs to prove Gods word in this city and nation and our words be confirmed by signs from God. Signs glorify God and give glory to Jesus, we are called to glorify Christ, I can’t think of a better way to bring honour to God than be a glory carrier on earth. <br />
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Lastly once Peter grasped what Jesus had done for him and the assignment for him “Feed my lambs”, Peter moved into a position to receive (Love demands an action). He was transformed by the renewing of his mind. He moved out of self pity into identity in Christ, "and I will make you fishers of men”. Once Peter shifted his mindset the Holy Spirit invaded because now Peter could receive his anointing and minister the love of Christ to the lambs. Lambs are new born, the anointing is primarily manifest to bless the world not the church. The fields are white for harvest. David said in Psalm 40:3 “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD”. The “Days of Many” are upon us, Revival is sweeping across the world and forceful men lay hold of it. This is my calling, this is your calling, this is our calling. It’s time for the bride to say come.<br />
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Declan D.The Prayer Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02094390166548767991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6482840032428711276.post-73694030384574635232012-02-20T05:18:00.000-08:002012-02-20T05:18:42.118-08:002012, The year of Power and Presence.On Sunday 12th, Gerry Butcher shared a word from the Lord. It was a picture of a barren place with oil wells on it which were capped. <br />
Then the fire of the Holy Spirit came and started to ignite the wells that were uncapped, and they burned with a great intensity. This is a very significant message from the Lord. <br />
I don't want to try to add to what was spoken that Sunday morning but I do want to share what the Lord has spoken to me about it.<br />
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I saw the picture as Gerry shared it. I saw a large, dry and barren land and the Lord told me that this is very significant. The oil wells were on this land and the Lord told me that just because we can't see something, doesn't mean it's not there. <br />
God looks at the heart- He said so to Samuel:<br />
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<i>7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”</i> <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Samuel+16%3A1-13&version=NIV">1 Sam 16 v7, NIV</a><br />
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God knows that oftentimes we look on the surface and we miss out on the potential of what's underneath. We see a barren land, God sees the oil field underneath. We see capped oil wells, God sees those oil wells burning with a fire that is only from Him.<br />
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When Gerry shared this picture, The Lord started speaking to me about Elijah, and He reminded me of the sacrifice on Mt. Carmel (you can read it in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20kings%2018&version=NKJV">1 Kings 18</a>).<br />
Elijah had been on top of the mountain with the prophets of baal, 450 of them and the people had been given the option of going with God or with baal. <br />
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Elijah knew his God. He had a confidence and a boldness in his God that meant he knew Jehovah Jireh would provide for him at his time of need. Elijah let the prophets of baal select which sacrifice they would offer up to their "god". This might seem bizarre, but Elijah knew what was going to happen, and that they would not be able to offer a sacrifice to baal.<br />
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You can read the story yourself, but the outcome was this: baal was not able to answer the requests of 450 prophets so Elijah taunted them, reminding them of all the things that baal wasn't and God is. God never sleeps, never goes away, is never deep in thought or busy.<br />
These prophets spent hours, begging, cutting themselves, pleading but nothing happened.<br />
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Elijah started to build his altar. He placed 12 stones, one for each of the tribes of Israel and built his altar on it. He dug a large trench around the altar. He then stacked up wood and cut the bull into pieces, placing them on the altar. His sacrifice was almost ready. Under normal circumstances, he would now light it but Elijah knew God had a better plan. He also knew that God would send fire, so he raised the stakes. (God is always able, when we raise the stakes, it is no more difficult for God than when we don't).<br />
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Elijah drenched the altar, completely. <br />
Then he did it a second time.<br />
And then he did it a third time.<br />
It was so wet that the trench was filled with water.<br />
What looked to be a completely daft thing to do, on a human level, is but a Joy to the Lord.<br />
Elijah prayed a simple prayer and the fire of the Lord consumed everything: The sacrifice, the wood, the stones, the water and even the dust.<br />
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The people knew who is the Lord when this happened and they fell prostrate and worshipped Him.<br />
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You see, The fire of God is the most powerful force there is. It doesn't matter what we've done, what excuses we've made, what impossibilities we've put in place, God can overcome and Elijah knew this. <br />
He knew it because he knew his God. He knew his God because he spent time with Him. <br />
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At the beginning of 2012, The Lord gave us a word that we are moving from Grace and Favour into Power and Presence. <br />
Elijah saw the Power of God because he was used to being in the Presence of God. <br />
This year, God is longing to spread His Holy Spirit Fire like wildfire. He has a desire to pour it into us, to release us into the image of Him that we were created to be. <br />
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Elijah spent time in God's presence and God's victory was complete- even the dust was burned up. Elijah gave the altar to the Lord and God accepted it in a way that had never been seen before. A supernatural fire that consumed everything. No ashes, no bits of bone, no broken stone fragments. Elijah gave it to God and God said yes.<br />
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It's our choice. We can either decide to leave the cap on and refuse the fire that God is sending, or we can spend time with Him, sitting in His presence, allowing Him into our lives and getting to know Him so that we too, can see His power released.<br />
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Say yes. Go and spend more time with Jesus this week than you normally would. There is no better way to spend your time. Watch His power flow as we become more aware of His presence.<br />
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Roger C.The Prayer Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02094390166548767991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6482840032428711276.post-75671522222714318052012-02-16T11:42:00.000-08:002012-02-16T11:43:34.876-08:00Have you met John’s Jesus and God's Jesus?John 1:29-34<br />
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29. The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!<br />
30. This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'<br />
31. I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."<br />
32. Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.<br />
33. I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.'<br />
34. I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."<br />
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This is a very interesting passage of scripture, the Gospel written by John is the only Gospel that expands on the introduction of Jesus to man at the start of his three years of ministry.<br />
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Just to back up, Jesus is now approximately 30 years old and we are told very little of those first 30 years. A very small few were told by God before Jesus birth what was about to happen. God spoke of Jesus as the Savior (save, make whole, heal, preserve, deliverer), Immanuel (God with us), Jesus (salvation), Christ (anointed one) and Son of God. Jesus Although born on earth in a humble stable, most of us don’t notice the fanfare from Heaven that accompanied his birth, the star illuminated the sky, the glory of the Lord shone around and music and song from Heaven broke out, creation noticed and joined with Heaven and celebrated this Life and praised God. That was pretty much it, we are also told Jesus grew in wisdom, stature and in favour with God in these early years. This last bit sounds a bit odd if you see Jesus as God (which he was and is), but we are told that he left all his divinity behind him (Philippians 2:6-8 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man).In this light I can understand Jesus growing in wisdom, but as God it would not be possible to grow in wisdom, where would the source of the wisdom be. <br />
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Now back to the day God publicly introduced Jesus. John the Baptist, a man (not just an ordinary man but an old school prophet) introduced Jesus in John 1:29 "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”. John like you and me probably more familiar with worldly ways introduced Jesus as “a solution for our sinfulness” this he could understand (What’s in this for me so to speak). Probably aware of the guilt that we all wear as men and women because of our short comings and failures, John was acutely aware that we are incomplete and walked burdened with our sin. You might say John’s immediate need swayed the words he chose when he introduced Jesus. To be fair to John the Baptist it is most probable that his mind did not allow him comprehend what it meant to baptize with the Holy Spirit and Fire. These are the words he used to tell the people in the desert about the one who was to come, but when that One stood in front of him he called out “The Lamb of God” which was a fitting and a beautiful introduction.<br />
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What I find amazing though is how God introduced Jesus to John. John 1:33 “I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit”. God’s plan is much more and therefore Gods introduction of Jesus is more revealing. Yes Jesus is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, but God did not call us to be washed clean, He called us to transform the very place we walk, to bring Heaven to earth, and to make a name for God on earth. (1 Chronicles 17:21 and who is like your people--the one nation on earth whose God went out to redeem a people for himself, and to make a name for yourself). We are unable to do this without being washed clean though and therefore I gladly come to the cross to be washed clean. Just because we are washed clean does not mean we can carry out our God given purpose. <br />
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Acts 10:37-38 offers insight into how we carry out our mission “You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached--how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him”. Jesus a mere man showed us how, He accomplished great things as a man because He was anointed by the Holy Spirit. When we are Baptized by the Spirit just like Jesus, abiding in Him we carry Gods presence everywhere we go and transform the very ground we walk upon.<br />
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The previous blog entitled “<a href="http://trinitychurchnetwork.blogspot.com/2012/01/god-of-increase.html">The God of the Increase</a>” spoke of Elisha picking up Elijah’s mantle. Note he had to pick it up, note he asked for more and note as a result he received both. Jesus just like Elijah was taken into heaven. Just like Elijah’s mantle fell back to earth, so did Jesus' mantle fall back to earth. It took Jesus mantle 10 days to fall back to earth because it is alive and full of power and presence. Only one could pick up Elijah’s mantle, but do you know what? <br />
All that come to Jesus can pick up his mantle. Remember you can be washed from sin and become a child of God but that does not mean you have picked up Jesus mantle, Luke 11:13 says how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" Are you hungry enough to ask? Jesus appeared to 500 people between the resurrection and his ascension, taught them and gave them instruction. Did you ever wonder why only 120 turned up on Pentecost morning, that’s just 1 in 4. <br />
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I met John’s Jesus in 1985 and Gods Jesus two years ago. This time 2 years ago God asked me to dance with him at our Sunday service in Lucan and I did just that, Two nights later at a prayer meeting in town I was so desperate for the life that’s spoken of in the bible that I cried out in a loud voice “Spirit of Life I love you” and just at that moment Heaven opened an I encountered Jesus is a way not known to me. Since that day onward I have fallen in Love with Jesus my savior in a completely different way and seen Him move in ways natural to this world because He made it but described as supernatural because the minds of men can’t comprehend it. <br />
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Isaiah 55:1 says "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. To the world this makes no sense, how can you buy without money. To those of Christ you must participate in the buying process, Jesus has already paid the price so come buy without cost and remember your wallet never ever runs dry in Gods kingdom so keep shopping.<br />
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Declan D.The Prayer Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02094390166548767991noreply@blogger.com0