Change

Believers must be able to see what is unseen when we look at what is seen. Current events are not an exception. Change - this is what we have to look forward to. Some change is good. Some might seem bad. In either case, change is inevitable. It is a natural part of life. We as the sons and daughters of God must perfect the art of capitalizing on and learning from all forms of transition and change. Change can always be a good thing if we do not permit our inner man to become influenced by the circumstance. We must only allow God's voice shape our inner man.

I believe that God is taking us as the Body into territory that will mold us and shape us and shake off those things which we have established that will hold us back. I believe that God is going to reshape the paradigms of His church in the West. Change is the theme in the political landscape. I believe this is true in the spirit as well. There has been a shift from the paradigms of our founding fathers of America. There will be a shift in the body of Christ from religious traditions and routines to a paradigm which is more in line with what God intends for His kids. The former is neither good nor bad for believers, but the latter is necessary for advancing Gods kingdom.

Oh, that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down! That the mountains might shake at Your presence-- As fire burns brushwood, As fire causes water to boil-- To make Your name known to Your adversaries, That the nations may tremble at Your presence! When You did awesome things for which we did not look, You came down, The mountains shook at Your presence. For since the beginning of the world Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, Nor has the eye seen any God besides You, Who acts for the one who waits for Him. You meet him who rejoices and does righteousness, Who remembers You in Your ways. You are indeed angry, for we have sinned-- In these ways we continue; And we need to be saved.

- Isaiah 64:1-5

I believe God is about to shake off everything that is made by our own hands, our intellect. I believe God, out of His mercy and grace, is about to take his believers in America into relatively uncharted territory. Before this happens, however, He must test our hearts. He must remove all hindrances. Many are afraid. Fear is a disqualifier in God's kingdom. Do not be afraid. Look for opportunity. The greatest opportunities come in times of change. Taking advantage of such opportunities is dependent, however, upon our ability to give no place to fear. Do not fear. Great potential lies ahead of us. Let us hold fast to God Himself. Being tethered to His presence will bring promotion and favor. God is about to save us from ourselves.

Be a Dreamer

Be a dreamer. No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no heart has conceived the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong on behalf of one whose heart is entirely His.

Be a dreamer. Start dreaming, and dare to risk being disappointed. Dare to risk failure. Dream, then chase those dreams because no matter how far your dreams can take you, God has promised to take you farther. He is looking throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong on your behalf. He wants to take your dreams and expand them farther than the human intellect can understand.

Love Him. This is all He has required. Taste and see that He is good. In Him is pure unending delight. Drink Him up. There is no pleasure greater than God Himself. There is no greater gift than Himself. Once you taste, you will never find satisfaction apart from His very presence. You will not find delight in anything but Him. You will never be disappointed again. Only God Himself is truly good, and you can never lose Him. If He alone is truly good and has promised to never leave you, you can never be disappointed. You can have the greatest pleasure existing has to offer, and you cannot ever lose Him.

He has promised to give those who delight themselves in Him the desires of their heart. When God makes a promise, He keeps it. He can take your dreams and expand them. He will establish them. He will make them a reality. Even if this was not a guarantee, you would still get Him. Even if your dreams were guaranteed to remain unfulfilled, you would still have access to the greatest pleasure in existence. You have guaranteed irrevocable access to the infinite ecstasy of knowing and being with God. When your dreams, however, do become reality in your life, this fulfillment will pale in comparison to the satisfaction you get from simply being with God.

This state of captivation and delight in God will effortlessly lead you to your dreams being motivated by the simple expression of who you are, who God made you. Once Jesus Himself becomes your satisfaction, your source, your obsession, your affection, and your delight, there is no more striving to impress others. There is no more striving to gain recognition or approval from anyone. There is no more striving to prove yourself. There is no more striving to build something. There is no need to build anything because that which will give you the utmost pleasure in life, know and being with God, has already been established for you. All the work involved in relationships has already been taken care of. God has no needs, no wounds, no insecurities, and no fear. He is an unending source of everything you need in a relationship. He is the ultimate Father, the ultimate King, and the ultimate Lover. He is the ultimate pleasure. With such spiritual, emotional, and physical fulfillment, there is no longer a need to do anything but be who you are. Part of being who you are, who God made you, is doing what you love simply because you enjoy it. There is no more striving because everything you do becomes a natural expression of the fulfillment you've found in Him.

Dreamers get a bad rap in this world. They always have. This is because of fear. People are afraid of failure. People are afraid of disappointment, rejection, and ridicule. Do not think for a moment that you have to impress or gain approval from anyone. God alone is the only one whose opinion should influence you, and when He is your ultimate delight, you will do what pleases Him. God's grace is enough to carry you into your destiny regardless of your weaknesses. His voice is the only voice which has your ear.

He is saying to you, "Be a dreamer. I've promised to back you up. Love Me. You will not be disappointed." When you begin to embark on the adventure, you will see that far more is possible and available than you ever dreamed. Do not allow others to put you in a box. Do not put yourself in a box. God doesn't.

Find People Who Burn

There were five men in the Bible who slew giants. One of them was David. The other four were people who followed David. Lesson: If you want to become a giant killer, follow a giant killer.

I want to burn with the fire of God. I want the Christ in me to be released to transform the world around me and destroy the strongholds in my family, my city, and my world. I want to be a thorn in the devil's side. I want the Kingdom inside of me to be released to deliver the captives. I want to see the Bride of Christ set free from her whoredoms and made pure, white as snow, and radically in love with Jesus. This is what I want. I am determined to find one or many who burn with the fire of God. I want to look into someone's eyes and say, "That person has been with Jesus. I want what that person has. I want that same fire to be in my eyes. I want that same fearlessness."

As much as I can help it, I will not allow people who do not burn influence me. I have met people who have a furious fire in their eyes. I want those people to influence me. Most people I have met lack this fire in their eyes. I do not want to be influenced by these people. I want to follow someone with dreams bigger than mine. I want to find someone who is more fearless than me. I want to find a person who has a greater measure of the burning love of the Father residing in them.

PIM/Worship

Last week, I visited Power Invasion Ministries in Denver, CO for the first time. I had not even heard of this church before this past summer. They are a part of a network of small churches throughout the Denver area whose mission is to desperately pursue the presence of Jesus and to take the city for the Kingdom of Heaven. Prior to going, I had heard that PIM was a very unique church. I was not sure what to expect, but Gary Oates was going to speak, so I knew it would be good. I was right about that, but the worship completely took me by surprise. It was certainly the highlight of my time there.

Worship there, for the most part, was unrehearsed. They were prepared to a certain degree, but as soon as they started playing, they would wander into spontaneous songs as the Spirit led. As soon as they started playing, the weighty glory of God [Kabad] came down, and there was such an incredible anointing for intimacy with God. It was an atmoshere I had never before encountered in a service. I believe a primary reason the Spirit moved so heavily was because the worship leader did not "stick to the plan." He just sang the words that came out of his heart in the moment. I didn't want to leave God's presence.

Sinner or saint?

I have a friend with whom I discuss faith often. I always get annoyed when he says, "I'm a sinner." If he had no faith in Christ, this would be true, but he is a believer. Those who believe in Christ are no longer sinners, but saints.

A sinner is someone whose nature is to sin. A sinner can still do good works, but he's still a sinner. When people give their lives to Christ and accept His salvation, they are given a new nature. They are no longer prone to sin, therefore they are no longer sinners. They still sin, but it's not in their nature. This sounds like heresy, but those who are Christ's have been crucified with Him. The old man is dead. When these "new creatures" sin, it is not because it is in their nature. It is because they fail to know their true identity as the offspring of God and live accordingly. This makes them vulnerable to resurrecting the old man who should be dead.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
- 2 Corinthians 5:17

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
- Galatians 2:20

And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
- Galatians 5:24

For in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.'
- Acts 17:28

Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. - Galatians 4:7

Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.
- Colossians 3:9-10

Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin.
- Romans 6:4-7

We are a peculiar people, set apart as a royal priesthood. We are saints of the Most High. The only power the enemy can have over us is when we believe his lies about our identity.

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
- 1 Peter 2:9

When we read that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), we may assume that this applies to everyone. After all, that is what the Bible says. Make no mistake. This is true. However, once we place our lives in the hands of Christ, we are no longer falling short of His glory. Once we are Christ's, we are part of His glorious body. A glory greater than any seen throughout history becomes attainable for us. Once we accept the atonement of Christ, we become saints. Old things have passed away, and all things have been made new. We have sinned and fallen short of God's glory, but we no longer have to fall short. The veil has been torn.

Who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit;* for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.
- 2 Corinthians 3:6-11

Royal Identity

My King is the King of kings. I am a king, and He is my king. We are kings, and He is our King. He is my King and also my Father. I am a son of the Almighty King. I am a prince. We who are His offspring are princes.

All that is my Father's is mine. He has freely given them to me. His thoughts are higher than my own. I must let His thoughts fill my mind. His ways are higher than my own. I must walk in His ways and live according to His way of thinking. Any thought in my head that is not in His heart must be done away with.

Being a son of the King, I am a citizen of His world. Here, in His Kingdom, there is no sickness, disease, anguish, sin, or poverty. His Kingdom must come. His Kingdom is what creation longs for. His Kingdom is what the nations yearn for.

Glory of the Latter House

"The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former," says the Lord of hosts. "And in this place I will give peace," says the Lord of hosts.
~ Haggai 2:9

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
~ 1 Corinthians 6:19

But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.
~ 2 Corinthians 3:7-11

When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord's house.
~ 2 Chronicles 7:1-2

Under the new covenant, we, God's people, are His temple. We are the latter temple. The glory available to us is a greater glory. It is a glory greater than that which filled the old temple. If the old temple was so filled with the glory of God that the priests could no longer be in the temple, how much more intense should be the glory of God that can fill us, a temple not made by human hands?

The glory of the latter is greater than the former.

I am the dwelling place of the Spirit of God.

Lord, fill this house with your glory, for I am not my own.

Elementary Principles

Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
~ Hebrews 6:1-3

Whoa! Hold on a minute. Did I read this correctly? This passage just referred to repentance from dead works, faith toward God, baptisms, laying on of hands, raising the dead, and eternal judgement as elementary principles of which discussion should left behind. Completeness, the meaning of the Greek word translated into perfection, is found beyond these.

I don't know about you, but I feel like raising the dead and laying on of hands is not something most Christians accept as part of the elementary principles of our walk with Jesus. When I read this, I think to myself, "If these are elementary principles, then why aren't they assumed as part of church life? If we are to be moving on, then what are we moving toward? These are pretty deep things."

I feel like repentance and faith in God are almost all we (a large majority of Evangelical Christians) ever talk about in our churches. I rarely see laying on of hands and even more rarely see the dead being raised, yet these are considered elementary principles in the Bible. This tells me there are some holes in the foundation of the American church.

Clinging to Christ

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of our God. There is a river full of life, and it flows from Emanuel's veins. This is my life source. I am nothing without it. Every day is a constant battle with the one who is jealous of my sonship. I am so weary of this battle. The River is my only hope. Jesus is my life source. I am nothing with out Him. He is the One Who lives. I am dead to sin because I have been crucified with Christ. I am alive in Him because I have been resurrected with Christ. I must see myself as a son. When God sees me, He sees His beloved son.

Every day is a constant battle to maintain this vision. The enemy knows that I have been exalted above him. The only way he can bring me down is to get me to agree with him. If I see myself as any thing less than a son of God and an heir of God through Christ, I have come into agreement with the enemy.

I am clinging to my Father. I am clinging to Jesus. He is all I have. He is all I can fully trust. I am hanging on for dear life. I am nothing but dust and ashes, yet I am the apple of His eye. It is not by my power at all that I am able to even breathe. Christ within me is what carries me. He is my everything. I can do nothing of any worth except that which Christ does through me.

Dear Noah

Rain had never been seen. What made you so sure you heard from God? A flood had never been seen. How did you know to build a device never before seen or conceived in the mind of man? How did you remain steadfast in the midst of the mockery, criticizm, and shame? What was it about the voice of the Almighty that strengthened your heart and bestowed upon you such great resolve? Did you falter? Did you doubt? Were you judged? Were you rejected? How great it must have been to see your family preserved because you looked like an arrogant fool.

Healing For Today

Lately, my wife-to-be has been ridiculed by someone close to her for believing in the gift of healing. While I try not to respond to such things because arguing is generally pointless, I do formulate responses in my head. Here is my response...

It is not I who lives but Christ within me (Galatians 2:20). Jesus healed people, cast out demons, raised the dead, loved sinners, and really pissed off religious people. Hmm...

If Jesus did this stuff in the Bible, lives through us today, and is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8), shouldn't these things be happening in our lives? I think so. My point is that Jesus can heal people through us, and He wants to heal people spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically by our hands. The apostle Paul understood this and lived it out.

"Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles."
- Acts 15:12

"Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul"
- Acts 19:11

"And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God."
- 1 Corinthians 2:4-5

I think it's rather interesting that Acts 19:11 uses the word unusual to describe the works God was doing at the hands of Paul. To me, healing is not that unusual. What might these works have been? I have some ideas, but I'll keep those to myself.

Bored...

I am bored at work waiting for 4:30 to come. It's pretty sad that this is how I've chosen to kill the time.

7 minutes left...

God is my Father. I am Hi son and I love Him. He loves me more than I could ever comprehend. When He looks at me, He sees His beloved son in whom He is well pleased.

6 minutes left...

He does not see my sin because Jesus already took care of that. He sees the righteousness of Christ.

5 minutes left...

The holy Spirit is my power source. I am talking about dunamis. Dunamis is the Greek word from which we get power in 1 Corinthians 4:20

4 minutes left...

...and 1 Corinthians 2:4-5. This is miracle-working power to do the work of God.

3 minutes left...

This is the power to love the outcasts, heal the sick raise the dead, deliver the captives, multiply food, and the list goes on forever...

2 minutes left...

...because God is infinite. Noe eye has seen what He has in store for us, His kids. I am tired of going to church and watching ...

1 minute left...

...people do religion and miss out on encountering God. This should be the purpose of us gathering. Let's not gather to celebrate a building but a Holy Spirit that has endued us with power.

To Carry Revival: Leaders are Readers

This coming generation of revivalists must be a people who are continually climbing higher. We must be a people doing things no one has ever heard of and seeing things no one has ever seen. This lifestyle requires an unquenchable yearning for learning.

There are realms of life experiences that no one has ever tapped into. When Moses came off the mountain, he has to veil his face because the glory of the Lord was radiating from his face so intensely. This was under the Old Covenant. We are under the New Covenant.

But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.
- 1 Corinthians 3:7-9

What this tells me is that since we are not experiencing this as ministers of the Gospel, there must be more. My point here is that there is always more. God is infinite. Because of this, we must always be seeking to learn as much as we can from the Holy Spirit.

I significant portion of this learning will come from an insatiable hunger for the word of God. We must read it. We must study it. We must devour it. We must allow it to become who we are. The supernatural goes so far beyond our human reason that if the word of God hasn't taken root and become who we are, we will either deny the power of God out of fear of deception or we will begin to glorify the signs instead of the One to Whom the signs direct us. In addition to this, we must seek to learn all we can from those who came before us and those who are currently reaching higher levels of God's glory. This means studying their lives, learning how they lived, and learning from their shortcomings. Leaders are readers. People who are to carry the coming revival must be readers. They must be learners. They (we) must never spend two consecutive days in the same plane of knowledge and supernatural experience. We must be learning until the day we die.

Study to show yourself approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth.
- 2 Timothy 2:15

Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
- Psalm 119:105

Deep Things

"Can you search out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than heaven--what can you do? Deeper than Sheol--what can you know? Their measure is longer than the earth And broader than the sea."
- Job 11:7-9

I was reading through Job yesterday, and this jumped out at me. According to 1 Corinthians 2:10, we can know the deep things of God by His Spirit. These deep things are higher than heaven, deeper than hell, and more vast than the ocean. In other words, they are immeasurable. However, we, God's kids, can know them. This tells me that there is more to life than going to church, reading your Bible, and praying for your friends. There is great power in these, but God is infinite. If God is infinite, then life in Christ has infinite possibilities and experiences. No eye has seen them, no ear has heard of them , and no mind has conceived them.

What are the deep things of God? I don't think God is going to just hand them over. He wants us to pursue Him into realms that violate our understanding.

"It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter."
- Proverbs 25:2

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts."
- Isaiah 55:8-9

I want to know the deep things of God. I want to know what is in His heart. I want to experience Him. I want to know His thoughts. I want Him to violate my reasoning and understanding.

"I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places..."
- Isaiah 45:3

To Carry Revival: Character Test

I'm no genius when it comes to the things of God, but I am still hungry for wisdom and revelation. I say this because while I like to make my opinion known, I realize I have a great deal to learn.

I know the to carry lasting revival, character is of utmost importance. There is miracle working power available to believers that is very dangerous if used for our own self-interest. In order to express the heart of God to the world, we need His character.

Moses, the meekest man in the Bible, was not allowed to enter the Promised Land because he failed to lead Israel in a redemptive manner in one instance (Numbers 20:12). Read closely...

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals." So Moses took the rod from before the Lord as He commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, "Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?" Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.
- Numbers 20:7-11

Moses' did not express the heart of God toward the people. God did not react in anger when He told Moses to speak to the rock. Moses, however, struck the rock and called the children of Israel rebels. This is not what was in God's heart for His people.

Far to often, great men of God have failed this character test and lost their ministries. Men such as Ted Haggard and Jimmy Swaggart are good examples of men of God who struggled with Godly character. Because of this, they have lost their witness and many people have been turned off to the Gospel of Christ because of this. Their anointing did not leave them, and they were still great men of God (Romans 11:29). Their poor choices, however, hindered their Kingdom influence.

Sin does not disqualify, but poor character does. Poor character fails to deal with sin appropriately. David sinned greatly, but he had great character. Because of this, God blessed Israel for generations after him.

To Carry Revival: Pride Test

To be carriers of Kingdom revival, God's children must be clothed in humility. Pride will render us unable to carry the weight of God's great power and great glory in a way that expresses His heart to those in need of an encounter with the Almighty.

While true humility is a very broad thing, the contrasts between David and Saul will help illuminate some of what it means to have true humility (rather than false or religious humility...sick). The Spirit of God left Saul (1 Samuel 16:14) but remained on David for his entire life (1 Samuel 16:13). Why is this? Saul was afraid of how he appeared to others and he was afraid of what those whom he was leading thought of him (1 Samuel 15:24). He had the fear of man which brings a snare (Proverbs 29:25). When we are afraid of what people think, we are limited in our effectiveness in doing our Father's business. Noah's family would have been destroyed if he was afraid of what people thought of him. No one had ever seen rain let alone a flood, and he was building a massive boat because his God told him to. It is pride to value people's opinions above God's. This is what Saul did.

David, on the other hand, was not afraid of what people thought of him. He was far more concerned with God's reputation. When Goliath was defying God's chosen people, David rose up in the confidence of the Lord despite his lack of qualifications and slew the giant (1 Samuel 17:26-28). David's brother accused him of being prideful. Religion often mistakes confidence for pride. True humility is having confidence in God and walking accordingly. David committed murder and adultery, but the Spirit of God never left him, and he was arguably the most anointed king in Israel's history. This shows how dangerous the fear of man, one of most prominent forms of pride, really is. If a pastor was caught in adultery, he'd lose his job and rightly so, but there are thousand of pastor's who are being dictated by what others think and no one cares. The fear of man is the most tolerated sin in the church today.

Keep in mind that while David was not afraid of what people thought of him, he still refused to dishonor the king who was in a position that was rightfully David's. We should be careful to realize that although humility has no fear of what other's think, true humility expresses the heart of God. In David's case, he understood that Saul, although sinful, was God's chosen king. David refused to see him as anything less than that.

The humility required to be a carrier of lasting revival is made manifest by expressing the heart of God. Like David we must be confident in the word and strength of the Lord and not in our qualifications or reputations, but we must also realize that people, regardless of where they're at in life, are God's treasure.

To Carry Revival: What Does It Take?

The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are completely His (2 Chronicles 16:9). God is searching for sons and daughters who are pursuing Him with reckless abandon. He is searching for people who will be found good stewards of His great glory. His Kingdom is pressing through this natural realm (some would call this revival), and it will take wise sons and daughters to steward the power in which He wants to come. In order to properly carry and perpetuate this revival, believers must show themselves worthy to be chosen (Matthew 22:14).

I was watching a few interviews of various revivalists in which they were all giving their advice on what it takes for a young revivalist to step into the supernatural calling for his or her life. I payed close attention. I want to be known in Heaven and feared in Hell. I took their points and began to study and learn.

There are five things which a carrier of continual revival must have in order to properly manage the power of God in the proportion He desires to give it. There are so many more, but these are five I have been focusing on lately based on what I've learned from these interviews.

• Pride test


• Character test


• Leaders are readers


• Discipleship


• Above all else, INTIMACY WITH GOD

(Please note that when I use the word revival, I'm referring to when a believer or body of believers allows the Kingdom to be manifested in the natural. This includes healing, deliverance, salvation, miracles, and any other manifestations of the Holy Spirit that bring transformation to people's lives and destruction to the powers of darkness.)

Interview Day!

Today is the day. I have an interview with Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry. I'm not really sure what to expect, but I'm pretty excited. I get to talk with someone who pastors at a place where the book of Acts is being lived. Really, this is a place where the Bible is being lived. When people in the congregation go out, they minister as Jesus did. Demons are cast out and the sick are healed. There are even a couple of testimonies of dead being raised.

For the past several years, I've struggled with two passages...

And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.
- Mark 16:17-18

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
- John 14:12

I would read these passages over and over again wondering why on earth I don't see these being lived out by the body of Christ today. I grew up in a Pentecostal church, thus speaking in tongues and casting out demons was not new to me. In most of the church, however, I saw none of this. Such things characterized the early church and ministry of Jesus. This frustrated me deeply.

Late last summer, I started to read When Heaven Invades Earth by Bill Johnson, the president of BSSM and senior pastor of Bethel Church. As I was reading through it, I was astonished and quite frankly, relieved. Finally, I see that there are people in the church who are doing what these passages say. These folks take this stuff seriously. Since then, I have been exposed to dozens of leaders, pastors, and ministries who are fulfilling the Great Commission as Jesus and the early Christians did. I feel normal again.

Christ called us to heal the sick, raise the dead, and preach the Gospel to the poor (Matthew 10:7-8). All of these are of equal importance. Christ also said that we will be endued with power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us (Acts 1:8). The word "power" comes from the Greek word "dunamis" which means "force, especially miraculous power, usually by implication a miracle itself." The Holy Spirit also gives us the gifts (tools) to minister His love to others. All of this is a significant part of the training at BSSM. They go beyond the Gospel of Salvation into the Gospel of the Kingdom. Salvation is the key that unlocks the door to a whole new realm of life, the supernatural ministry of the Holy Spirit and destroying the works of the enemy (1 John 3:8).

Spirit Led Mandate

Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.
- 1 Corinthians 14:1

Here lies the simplicity of the Spirit filled life. Jesus was fully man. He was born of a virgin to remain sinless here on earth, but He gave up His divine nature. He took on our likeness and ministered the Gospel of the Kingdom.

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
- Philippians 2:5-7

He not only paved a way for us to enter His Kingdom, but he also demonstrated how to minister the Gospel as a child of God rather than as God. The ministry of Jesus did not begin until the Spirit of the Lord came upon Him. The Spirit of God was the key to Jesus' ministry and He is the key to ours.

When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.

- Matthew 3:16

Pursue Love

When the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus. He, as man, received sonship when he heard God say, "This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased." This is love. We cannot minister to others unless we have a revelation of God's love for us.

He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

- 1 John 4:8

They key to God's love is to see yourself as a son (or daughter).

Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

- Galatians 4:7

Sonship unlocks the Kingdom to believers. Did Jesus know who he was? Yes he did, but this act formally demonstated to the world the crucial revelation we must have, sonship. Sonship is what gives us the confidence in our Father which enables us to love without fear of being hurt and love without the intent of getting something. In sonship, we have everything we need emotionally and physically.

Desire Spiritual Gifts

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

- 1 Corinthians 12:7-11

The manifestations of the Spirit profit all. What are they for? Paul doesn't say here, but the task at hand is discipling nations and preaching the Gospel to every creature. This is an impossible task. However, we have been given a Helper Who specializes in the impossible. His gifts are the tools we are equipped with to minister His love.

Especially That You May Prophesy

But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort.

- 1 Corinthians 14:3

Prophecy is the superior gift. It is through prophecy that we can strengthen, encourage, and comfort a world in need and the broken Body of Christ.

Signs That Follow

He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.
- Mark 16:15-18

I have frequently been accused of being in a cult and doing evil because of my perspective on the supernatural as a part of the normal Christian walk. Here are legal chacteristics of being a believer...

We believe and are baptized into salvation. Simply put, these are the signs which will follow those who believe:

1 - Casting out demons
2 - Speaking in tongues
3 - Healing the sick

There are Christians who don't do these. I am not going to claim they aren't true believers, and I'm not going to say they can't do great things for God. God cares more about souls than anything, but the kingdom is not made up of just souls.

I will say that those who condemn God's people for doing these things are in danger of blaspheming the Holy Spirit. This is far more dangerous than getting sucked into a cult.

From a friend...

Just move out in the boldness of the Holy Spirit. Others will follow.

Revival

So I've been sick for the past few days, but at around ten I've felt 100% better. Now, because I slept most of the day, I'm wide awake. That is my explanation for writing in the middle of the night.

Here is something I've been thinking about quite a bit lately...

When I was in a church service recently, the pastor said something that caught my attention and has begun to bring me a revelation of the distinction between having revival and advancing the Kingdom. What he said was something like this:

"Have you heard of the Pensacola (Brownsville) Revival? How about the Toronto Blessing? We want the [city name here] Anointing."

Later that night, I attended a service at a different church. A man who has been in this paticular city longer than any other active pastor came up to the front and was honored by the other pastors there. He was given a chance to say some things. They went something like this:

"I have seen many pastors and churches come and go, but they all had their own visions and agendas. I want the Kingdom."

The occurances which happened at this latter service where quite similar to what one might see at the Toronto Blessing. There were healings, prophetic words and songs, and people enjoying the presence of God in many other ways. At the former service, there were no such happenings. It was just a routine church service. That night I was wondering why one church was wanting something but wasn't really experiencing it and why the other had little conern for a movement but was experiencing everything that embodied any recent so called revival. It began to click.

What we sometimes see as revival is really just believers tapping into the Kingdom. Too often, we have the notion that revival is a movement where people get saved, healed, delivered, prophesied over etc. What we fail to realize is that what we call revival is really the Kingdom being realized on earth. The revival is what happened in believers to get their way of thinking to align with heaven's way of thinking. The revival happened before the visible manifestations of the Kingdom. Revival is renewal, and renewal is allowing the mind of Christ to take over our logic and reasoning. This is what transforms us, the renewal of our minds.

Think of two parallel horizontal lines. Now imagine that the higher one is the Kingdom and the lower one is the natural realm. Revival is when a particle approaches the upper line. The Kingdom is when a particle reaches and becomes stuck at the upper line. A movement is not what we're after. The Kingdom is what we're after. We can call it whatever we want, but we must realize that when we pray for revival, what we really need to do to see those prayers be made manifest is change the way we think. When the Kingdom comes, what we will see will go far beyond spiritual gifts. It will challenge our understanding to its core. It will be far beyond our control. We must not look for a movement that comes and goes. We must seek to conquer and occupy enemy territory (in the spirit world) for this is the Kingdom. The Kingdom is not a movement, it is a lifelong quest to possess the land promised to us by our King and our Father.

I would like to note that I am a huge supporter of the Toronto Blessing and the Brownsville Revival along with other similar "revivals" such as the Lakeland Healing Outpouring (Todd Bentley) and the Renewal (Rodney Howard Browne). These folks, however, were not and are not looking for a movement. They simply want more of God, and they want that for others. These all have underwent and still undergo tremendous criticism from the church, but they do not care. They know that the approval of God far exceeds the approval of man.

What most of us don't even realize is that these commonly mentioned revivals have seen and are seeing manifestations like uncontrollable laughter, jewels appearing out of thin air, missing limbs grow back, gold dust covering people, physical transportations, angelic visitations, oil flowing from people's hands, glory clouds, and even rain inside church buildings. These things scare even the most charismatic believers, but these must happen. They keep our understanding challenged so that we are never able to control what God is doing. The instant we can make sense of what God is doing is the instant we can create a formula and control what is happening. God's interest is setting captives free spiritually, physically, and emotionally, but He also wants His own sons and daughters to be in awe and in constant wonder of their beautiful Creator. This realm that goes far beyond our intellect is what will allow us to never be able to control or formulate the Spirit. Unfortunately, most believers are too caught up in theology and logic to realize that there is such wonder in allowing God to violate our understanding. They will reject Him because of these signs and wonders.

Promises

Who is the man that fears the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses. He himself shall dwell in prosperity, and his descendants shall inherit the earth. The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant. My eyes are ever toward the Lord, for He shall pluck my feet out of the net.
- Psalm 25:12-15

This is a promise! This we must proclaim over ourselves and live it out.

I am the man that fears the Lord!
He shall teach me in the way He chooses!
I shall dwell in prosperity!
My offspring shall inherit the earth!
The secret of the Lord is with me!
He will show me His covenant!
My eyes are ever toward the Lord!
He shall pluck my feet from the net!

I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, "You are My Son, today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession."
- Psalm 2:8

This is another promise we can take and must take hold of. When we indentify with Christ, it is He Who lives through us. We become children of God. We are the body of Christ. We must take hold of this promise, for when we do, we will inherit the nations and possess the earth.

Greater Works

Yesterday, I was talking with a friend about healing as a part of the Christian life. He brought up a good point. In John 14:12, Jesus said, "The works that I do you also will do and even greater works because I go to my Father." Obviously, Jesus raised the dead, healed the sick, and cast out demons. My friend brought up the point that this also includes loving and discipling people.

I tend to talk quite a bit about signs and wonders as being what we are called to do as ambassadors of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). I understand that our walk is not and should never be limited to these, but as I was thinking about his point, I realized something. Jesus called us to do not only what He did but also to do things that go beyond scope of the miracles and life transformations He did. This means that the body of Christ should, in fact, be the most innovative and creative people in the market place. This means removing poverty in places where no one could, finding cures no one else could find, and playing music no one has ever heard before because the Spirit of the living God, the Creator of creativity and the Inventor of innovation, dwells within His sons and daughters.

Jesus said to make disciples of nations (Matthew 28:19-20). This cannot be done without the leading of the Spirit and transformation of the environment around us. This is why Pentacost happened. We needed to be endued with power from on high to become Christ's witnesses throughout the whole earth (Acts 1:8).

Jesus never found a cure for cancer or aids. He is the cure, and we can expect to see healings even now. However, if there was a Spirit-filled, on-fire believer who officially cured cancer with science, that would transform the medical industry, and God's dominion would be established in that realm of society.

The reason we can do greater works than we saw Jesus do in the Bible is because we are His body. He is still working, but now it is through us. Even now, Christians must be living in such a way that of the governemnt of the Kingdom there will be no end, for it is ever increasing (Isaiah 9:7). We can do greater works because earth is not yet like heaven.

David's Suddenly

I've always wondered what it was like for David when Samuel came to his house and anointed him king over Israel. Imagine yourself at work, minding your own business, carrying on with everyday life, when suddenly you become anointed to become the next king. Herein lies a key to realizing the adventure of life that God is leading us into.

David lived a lifestyle of intimacy with God. He killed a bear and a lion when no one was looking. In other words, he placed more value on victory in the secret place than public victory in which there is much recognition. He lived a lifestyle of praise and worship even as a boy. He was a man after God's own heart. This heart condition was already cultivated within him when suddenly, he was thrusted into a calling much greater than he could've imagined. God saw that David was more concerned with the heart of God than pleasing people or gaining recognition. Because of this, God knew that David would be a good steward of His nation of Israel.

David was God's example for us that no eye has seen , no ear has heard, and no heart has concieved the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. He knew the heart of his King and lived accordingly. What followed was more than was humanly possible. David was the youngest child in a low class family in the least of all the tribes. Yet God chose him to be king.

You can never predict what God is going to do on your behalf. If you will seek only to know his heart, events of profound significance will follow. Around every corner could be something you never saw coming that radically changes your life and forever changes your present circumstances. We must pursue the heart of our Father, for when we do, His dreams will be made manifest in our lives. This revelation somehow makes seemingly hopeless circumstances opportunities for God to suddenly bless our socks off in such a way that makes us say, "I never saw this coming. Who am I that God should choose me for such a massive promotion in the Kingdom?"

Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; and Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
- Psalm 40:5

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts."
- Isaiah 55:8-9

Delight yourself also in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.
- Psalm 37:4

Vision

The drummers began to play according to the rhythm of the Spirit. I began to march. Immediately, I found myself marching out onto a ledge overlooking a vast landscape. This was a land I had never seen before, but it was my home. It was covered with pools glowing with the reflection of the setting sun. I wondered within myself where I was. I heard the Lord say to me, "You are now marching into your promised land."

Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, Whose heart is set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, They make it a spring; The rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; Each one appears before God in Zion.
- Psalm 84:5-7

Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.
- Genesis 13:17

No eye has seen.

But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him."
~ 1 Corinthians 2:9

What God has planned for each person in love with their Creator is something no one has ever seen. It is something no one has ever heard. What God has in store for me goes far beyond what I could imagine. This is a promise. I am tired of being around Christians who limit their walks to a couple of social gatherings each week where they can get their ears tickled and feel warm and fuzzy inside. There is immeasurably more to walking with God, and I'm going to obtain it!