Category Archives: Holy Spirit

Messages from one who stands in The Almighty’s Presence

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(Originally published on this blog on 23rd January 2014 and now re-published in view of the increasing expectation lately among Jews of the appearance of their Messiah.)

Angel Gabriel’s introduction of himself is familiar from Christmas scriptures. Yet I propose to connect his messages with the concept of prophesying into Time, especially about the Holy Spirit – and with an intriguing prophecy for Jewish people today.

Angelic Announcements

This post’s title is from Gabriel’s response to an elderly Jewish priest’s disbelief, to which I refer below. Several months later Gabriel was sent to a betrothed teenager, as depicted in 1898 by Henry Ossawa Tanner in Annunciation (click image for gallery).

The maiden’s visitor greeted her,

“Rejoice, highly favoured one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”

It wasn’t so much the surprise of an invisible spirit becoming visible that troubled her, as what he’d said and how it was said. But this messenger then reassured her,

“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

Although not disbelieving what he’d said, the young lady posed a logical question because she was a virgin, “How can this be since I know not any man?” So Gabriel explained,

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.”

At this Mary responded laudably, “Behold the maid-servant of the Lord. Let it be according to your word”.

How different was the young maid’s acceptance of this decree about her own future to that of the very much older priest Zacharias when Gabriel had visited him a few months earlier. Apparently, Mary hadn’t heard about what had happened. Otherwise, there would have been no need for Gabriel to have confided the news of that first miraculous conception.

So what went wrong for her cousin’s husband?

Zacharias had the once-in-a-lifetime privilege of burning incense in the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. In view of its performance being in the Holiest of Holies, this duty was done by drawing lots rather than by a rota from many teams of priests.

Whilst Zacharias was officiating, an invisible, supra-natural spirit subtly scintillated at the side of the altar. It proved to be a holy messenger – an archangel, so some believe. He brought news of the future mission of a mightily powerful man of God – the priest’s own son!  But Zacharias and his wife Elizabeth were childless for she was well past child-bearing age!

However, their prayers for a baby were to be answered and the angel prophesied this special one would be filled with God’s Holy Spirit from before his birth!  It isn’t any wonder the priest was in disbelief! When he asked, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years” , the angel’s response was most emphatic,

“I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.” (emphasis added) 

If you’re unfamiliar with physician Luke’s investigation into those encounters with Gabriel and what happened when the two cousins met, and to Zacharias too, I’d recommend reading his full account here, by courtesy of BibleGateway.com.

Points to Ponder

Those accounts are particularly interesting in connection with speaking into the future, as summarised in Prophesy TO 2014 and Talking to Time seems to work!

Prophesying is speaking forth the mind and counsel of the Lord God, as communicated to an individual. Therefore, it’s a declaration that cannot be known by natural means – a direct revelation from God. [For more see An Introduction to Prophecy.]

Now let’s check Gabriel’s announcements in the light of John Kilpatrick’s message of the first Sunday in 2104, as outlined in my recent posts (ie January 2014):

1.  In that last quotation, Gabriel issued a decree that happened immediately but which had a limited duration. That is, he spoke into Time by prophesying, did he not? Right away the priest became dumb until he was released from the decree’s power when the baby came to be named months later.

My underscoring of “my words…will be fulfilled in their own time” indicates New Testament support for ‘talking into Time’. Gabriel’s words brought from God were not only welcome news but also, and far more importantly, announcements on earth of declarations that had been issued in heaven. They’re excellent examples of oral statements of God’s will and are thus prophetic and creative, in we can understand from the Word of the Lord given to prophet Isaiah (Isa 55:11 – emphasis mine):

So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

Thus, what God speaks not only through His holy prophets but also through His angelic spirits who minister to His people, as well as through His Son, is sure to happen sooner or later.

2. From the principles of Genesis 1 the power of divine and human speech is creative, . The presence of Holy Spirit is necessary to bring about a divinely created manifestation. A Hebrew understanding of ‘over’, or ‘hovering’, in Genesis 1:2 is that Holy Spirit was next to or immediately adjoining what was about to be acted upon – all that was required to start the process was a spoken word.

Therefore, when Gabriel spoke to Zacharias the combined action of his words and the Holy Spirit fully rejuvenated his wife’s body. She was no longer barren but could carry and bring a child to birth normally. And even in her womb Holy Spirit was present to make baby John respond to the sound of Jesus’ mother’s voice!! (Luke 1:39-41)

The same happened when Gabriel spoke to Mary. The ‘overshadowing’ power of the Most High that he referred to carries the same meaning as that of ‘hovering’ in Genesis. Being of the Holy Spirit, the same creative power that was ‘In the Beginning’ brought about an ‘immaculate’ conception after the angel’s prophetic announcement. That is, it would not happen until a decree, a spoken announcement, had been delivered and received. Once again Gabriel had spoken into Time – into the next nine months!

3. The creative application of Gabriel’s prophetic description of Jesus’ kingship and its relevance to a possible prophecy given to the late rabbi Kaduri warrants consideration in another post. Read about him meanwhile in Who are the Jewish people expecting?

Continued in > The rabbi’s note, the PM’s death and the angel’s word – Part 1 

See also, Why this September (2015) is Special: Update 1 – Judaism

Further Reading:

  1. Prophesy TO 2014
  2. Talking to Time seems to work
  3. Is the ‘Hand of God’ a Sign for these times?
  4. I am Gabriel, who stands in the Presence of God (this post)
  5. Thoughts on ‘Rethinking Genesis’ (with discussion).
  6. Surprise! New things! The invisible world is the pattern for the visible

Lion Bites word for today: Invite My Fire!

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Tongues of Fire Acts 2-3

INVITE MY FIRE

I will come and cleanse like a roaring fire, clearing a way for you to complete the work I have given you to do. Ideas have become tainted, projects have lost their potency of holiness, and weariness has set in because the outcomes are no longer fulfilling the original vision and desire that I put with in you.

Remember that I commanded Joshua to burn the towns of the newly invaded promised land with fire, to claim the land. Repent – turnaround – and invite My fire. I will show you what needs to be burned away if you seek me on this. Then walk again into My promises. Take no prisoners. Do not be compromised. See that I can clear the way by cleansing anything that is not of Me and sending My Spirit to empower and re-envision you.

Psalm 97:3-6
Fire goes in front of him and burns up his enemies around him. His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees it and trembles. The hills melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth. The heavens proclaim his righteousness and all the nations see his glory.

fire-of-Holy-Spirit-300x194

Credits:

More: see posts on this tag – Holy-fire.

Why this September is special – 2: Pope, POTUS & Messiah

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Part 1 covered the first of at least three reasons why this month is highly significant:

  1. international events of eschatological relevance. (Brief intro here about this.)
  2. the current Shemitah Year 5775 closes on Elul 29, Sunday 13th September.
  3. last of the current Blood Moon Tetrad occurs on Monday 28th September or Tishri 15, first day of Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles.

Please note I’m not a ‘doom and gloom’ merchant and not being alarmist in presenting  the first item’s ‘September Schedule’.  A couple of those events need a closer look to enable us to better understand what’s going on.

Neville_Johnson-311x350We’re living in exceptionally exciting times as Biblical prophecies move towards fulfilment. In August, Neville Johnson followed-up last year’s ‘Urgent words about a ‘cut-off time’ in God’s timeline’, . In his later session he taught in-depth upon the necessity of our being heavenly minded. Thus, we’d see ‘The BIGGER Picture’ God has for His children and for the new earth, now and in the near future – the Age to Come!

POPE and P.O.T.U.S.

In Part 1, the 23rd Sept entry quoted John Kilpatrick’s observation on Pope Francis’ official meeting with President Of The United States, Barack Obama: “He’s the 226th Pope visiting the president on the 226th day of the Gregorian calendar. Many wonder if something’s being birthed because that’s the gestation period of the human – it’s 226 days!”

In this connection, at the recent Lancaster Prophetic Conference’s first session, Neville taught about the false prophet and the false church (Revelation 13). He spoke about a very powerful encounter he had with the Lord a year ago:

“He said to me, “I want you to watch for something”. He said, “When the present pope will address the United Nations and Congress it will be the beginning of the rise of the false church”…(Neville then quoted Rev 13:11-14)

“This year, during the last phase of the Blood Moon, the pope, this present pope, will be addressing the United Nations  (the day after) he will be addressing your Congress…that’s right after Yom Kippur – and just before Tabernacles.

“That speech will mark the first time ever a Roman Catholic pope has addressed Congress.

“This is a historic visit in a historic year when the United Nations marks its 70th anniversary.” (From 1:48:35 mark)

Neville went on to refer to many leaders thinking that unifying religions is the answer for bringing the nations peace, but

“The world church will include all of the world’s religions, except Judaism – and Christianity…This meeting will be the catalyst of that beginning.

“Our greatest problem isn’t going to be the Antichrist but the false church because legislation will be introduced that will forbid activities except for those who are of the false church…plus higher taxes to wipe out churches…

“The false church will have great political power and clout. It will strongly advocate the mark of the beast – that’s what scripture says!…

“This won’t affect the true church because it will arise in greater power, greater glory and strength to the dismay of the false church as millions of people come into the kingdom of God!”

Note: 1) 20th-26 Sept – the World Council of Churches is sponsoring the World Week for Peace in Palestine Israel: 2) 21st Sept – UN’s annual International Day of Peace: Bill Koenig asks, could this be the day the UN Security Council resolution establishing a Palestinian state is actually adopted?

JEWS LOOKING FOR MESSIAH

Kaduri readingTo my mind the most remarkable promise of this month is that Jewish rabbis are expecting Messiah. Those who took the link to an earlier post will have read the secret Rabbu Yitzak Kaduri kept about having met Yeshua and that the timing of PM Ariel Sharon’s death (11 January 2014) meant it would not be long before Ha’ Mashiach would come to Israel.

Thus, in seeing beyond Breaking Israel News’ report we could  reasonably expect thousands more orthodox Jews will to be given dreams and visions of the Messiah and to learn his true identity. Is this not prophesied in Zecharia 12 and that it will happen when the status of Jerusalem is constantly under international threat?

 10 “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn…

For example, in July David Hathaway reported in Jesus Is Coming! (emphases mine):

“Jesus will come when the Jews call upon His Name! In June 2013 what the taxi driver said on the way back to the airport was an amazing revelation. He knew who we were, and was a religious Jew wearing a kippah, yet from the moment we got in the car he began the conversation so animatedly that he kept taking the wrong road! He kept saying, ‘Why did we kill Yeshua? He was a good man, He did nothing wrong, He killed no one but healed all who came. Was He Messiah, if so why did we not recognise Him, were we blind? We thought many people in our history were Messiah, but they are not alive today. I search the Scriptures for Him; can you show me where to find Him? All our nation is looking for Messiah at this moment, no one else can save us, can you show me the way?’

“This is why it is so important that we preach the Gospel – suddenly Israel is opening. God, through the Holy Spirit, is opening their hearts and minds to search for Him. The Bible is so clear, Jesus said, ‘If you seek Me you will find Me’.”

In the next part we further consider the Shemitah Year and how the Blood Moon Tetrad may connect with Prophetic Prayer Points for 2015-2020 brought by Charles Shamp.

UPDATES: for more on this topic read Update 1 – Judaism and Update 2 – Islam

A vision: sowing into the Kingdom of God

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Charlie ShampEyeballing me as he speaks, I’m not fully attentive for I’m transfixed by an open vision right in front of me.

What I see swirling around Charles Shamp reminds me of those toy snow-scenes popular at Christmas. Also, perhaps you’ve seen how the wind can pick up and carry things away  – like a ‘dust devil’ or tornado starting up – yet this one wasn’t going anywhere.

But this wind doesn’t bring invisible snow or dust: just money! – that is, currency notes – lots and lots of them!  The space between us has become a blue-grey misty haze with the notes ‘swimming’ around him. Apparently, Charlie doesn’t see them for, although he may refer to something he senses during a meeting, this time he carries on speaking to everyone but I’m not listening as keenly as usual.

Charlie had started as we sat down after worship at the Passover-Easter meeting. Yet I remained standing, not so much out of politeness as he was looking at me, but because of what I could see in the spirit.

It was another of those times I’ve mentioned earlier: Charlie looks at someone and keeps eye contact for a minute or so as he teaches. Every time that’s happened to me, he said something that resonated on something with which I was very well acquainted. It’s not like a prophecy being delivered, yet it must be related to that because what’s said is relevant and increases my understanding – ie. they’re words of knowledge, wisdom and revelation.

This time what he says connects not only right into my experience as a bank officer but also into the open vision!  He tells everyone about the value of sowing into a ministry and makes an unusual analogy that I’d not heard before from any preacher.:

Charlie is of the opinion that financial sowing is similar to lending money. (The normal approach is that, like any offering, sowing into a Christian ministry is donating to the Lord’s purposes and we’re paying back a little of everything we owe Him. I recall, “God is a debtor to no-one”, as He told Job and summarised by Max Lucado in God Owes Nothing.)

However, Charlie is saying – whilst I watch the money swimming around in the six feet separating us, “Consider what a banker does when offering a loan: he sets the terms to our taking the loan and expects it to be repaid”. So too, we may legitimately expect a payback when sowing by reaping some of the fruit that manifests. Moreover, we may remind the Lord.

This new concept of being a banker ‘setting terms for our sowing’ catches my attention because it’s about something with which I was familiar as a bank officer – but not what we’d associate with giving to the Lord.

Also during that session, I recalled what I’ve long known of the promise about the only test we may make of God. And He allows this ‘test’ to emphasise He’s providing a way to enable His people to answer His righteous complaint against their robbing Him! It is the foundation for all tithes and offerings:

“Test me in this”, says the Lord Almighty, “And see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it…”. (Malachi 3:10 NIV)

So I must seek the Lord on Charlie’s claim and check it against scripture. Upon doing so early the next morning Lord directs me to an appropriate scripture (see Note 1 below).

I’m reminded of the parable of talents (Matt 25:14-30) wherein Jesus instructs disciples to put what God gives us to wise use and multiply it.

Although applicable to all gifts He gives us, this parable’s focus upon money supports Charlie’s claim that, in donating funds to what the Lord is doing, we may expect and are promised a reward. Furthermore, as God’s children there’s no reason for not discussing this further with Father and in being quite specific in our requests.

NOTES:

  1. Updated in Revisiting ‘Sowing into the Kingdom’ – re. ‘loaning’ to the Lord
  2. In closing this descriptive account, I’d add that last Sunday pastor Kilpatrick reminded the congregation at CHP about “Sowing into the atmosphere“, especially for prophetical speakers. So, I’ve unexpectedly gone full circle on the post that recommended watching Jonathan Cahn and Bill Salus!

The Books are being opened

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Hope this re-blog’s opening remark strikes a chord with readers. It echoed what I’d been mulling over for a few days: the explosive revelation that kick-started my writing about prophecy! (Email Feb ’09 refers – the scripture cropped up in Sunday’s service!)

Freedom ARC's avatarSons of Issachar

Mike Parsons
with Jeremy Westcott

file000116214914Progressive revelation

How many of us have suddenly seen something in a scripture that we have never seen before? How many of us believe differently to what we used to believe a few years ago? This is the time Daniel wrote of, when the books are being opened and fresh revelation is coming to the church.

Looking again at this passage:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world…

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Wake up and be set on fire!

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fire-of-Holy-Spirit-300x194A loud noise from builders outside awoke me with a start!  It’s the first time in a long time I’d overslept! The alarm had gone off early for Nina to get up (I’d already been up with the dawn). I jumped up as I’d just over half an hour to ‘break fast’, get ready and get out with her before the local crowds descended in town.

An hour later at my desk this Lion Bites email was near the top of my in-tray: L.O.L.!

WAKE UP AND BE SET ON FIRE!

“I heard the Holy Spirit repeat the same phrase three times:

“Wake up and be set on fire!”
“Wake up and be set on fire!”
“Wake up and be set on fire!”

“As these words were decreed, I ‘saw’ the phrase shooting out over all lands, all nations and, ultimately, landing on all His people.

“To those who chose to listen to the wake-up call from Heaven there is an encounter with the fire of God that will equip you to fulfill His coming purposes. In your response to the call to rise up from your slumber there is a whole new wave of power coming into your midst, to equip you to bring Kingdom transformation.

“Respond to this wake-up call from the Lord! Allow Him to come into your midst, right now, to wake you up in areas that you have been sleeping and allow Him to set you on fire for the sake of His name.

Ephesians 5:14  For this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.”
Isaiah 60:1  Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you

Confirmation of the vision

aurora-uk_2192580k_Image credit Telegraph

The WORLDWIDE vision referred to above is similar to, but more extensive than, Jean Darnall’s 50 years ago of multiple fires being lit across Britain (see Prophecies fulfilled 1).

However and moreover, it reminds me of what I’d sensed a week ago yesterday and which was God-incidentally confirmed the same day by Angela Jeff. She commented early the next morning on my post about Nathan Morris’ prophetic outburst, “London’s Burning”, as follows:

“Yesterday I was reading a wonderful book by James A. Stewart, called “God’s New Thing” – all about Revival. It says this “The two symbols of Pentecost are WIND and FIRE . There is no set program for a cyclone or a prairie fire. A great revival is like a forest fire”. I began to think about the fact that wind conditions have a HUGE impact on the spread of a WILDFIRE.
“The Great Fire of London sprang to mind…and so I googled it and began to do some research…there are some very interesting spiritual parallels that I believe God wanted to remind me of:
“In London in 1666, conditions for the blaze were perfect. A long hot summer had left London DRY and drought had depleted water reserves (does this not sound a bit like the spiritual condition of London today – a dry and thirsty land where there is no water?!) This, coupled with a STRONG EAST WIND meant that all that was required was a SPARK! That SPARK began in a bakery (house of bread) and boom! Suddenly that SPARK became the “consuming fire” that had so often been predicted.
“Cindy Jacobs spoke of a coming “marriage of wind and fire” and Julie Meyers UK prophecy speaks of a move of God like a WILDFIRE!! I feel so stirred that God is calling us to press into these things in prayer. I believe that a second “Great Fire of London” is coming! Another interesting factor which is food for thought is that the Great Fire followed the dreadful plague which had gripped London in 1665. Some say that the fire, as dreadful as it was, was God’s mercy on the city because it purged the city of the plague. Oh how we need that burning cleansing flame to sweep through our capital city! Let’s pray for London!!”

I especially thanked Angela, saying that only yesterday I’d had a strong sense of a likely coming spiritual fire. It may have been specifically for the chapel and establishment we were gathered in for a service for healing.

fire-angels_300wAfter communion, I’d gazed at piles of logs on the lawn outside that had been gathered from the small wood around the premises.  Right away I recalled a photo taken by Gary Beaton at a similar scenario. It showed two ‘angels of fire’!  (I blogged on this a year ago this month in Sighting of angels in a fire.)

Also, I took the opportunity to refer to the “unstoppable firestorm” word brought by Bobby Conner 7 years ago this month.

Angela refers to Julie Meyer’s well-known song “The Bridegroom Cometh” reference to “wildfire”. Delivered at Voice of the Apostles conference in Pennsylvania on 20 October 2012 it prophesies revival coming to Great Britain and Europe. So I replied that Johnny Enlow had brought something in a similar vein 7 days earlier in Windsor UK. (Read my notes on him in Visitors notice heavens more open in England – posted last May! 🙂 

Yes Angela, let us all agree to press in prayer for this revival.

 [Aurora from the International Space Station – image credit The Telegraph]

Kingdom Invasion Tour UK – attend the Shamp’s tour if possible

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As you may expect from the previous, illustrated post about Charlie Shamp’s visit to Guildford, I can recommend your making the effort to attend, if at all possible.

Those who travelled from south and central Hampshire. London and north Kent were blessed to receive healing. And others came from several hours away, even Ireland.

Those wanting fresh insights into scripture will not be disappointed – but be prepared to be challenged!  For example, rather than ‘doom and gloom’, Charlie brought uplifting thoughts and revelation from the Book of Joel on the ‘blood moon tetrad’.  As in my covering note to the re-blog of Justin Abraham’s announcement, I was blessed many times, especially by confirmations of recent insights!

Here’s the itinerary for the tour. For details see Destiny Encounters Events, except for one-night in Romford which is as below, by courtesy of Jane Almond.

Norwich, England: April 10 – 19

Reading, England: April 24 – 26

Cumbria, England: May 1 – 3

Dumfries, Scotland: May 8 – 10

Romford, England: May 14 only (see below)

Belfast, Ireland May 15 – 19

(Location postcode RM1 4PJ)

(Location postcode RM1 4PJ)

The Lord bless you and keep you…

Lion Bites: Watchmen Arise!

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Lion_Roars_email_logo_HIGHER

This word for today is published with the kind permission of the Glasgow Prophetic Centre. (Click on graphic for archive and link to a daily morsel of Lion Bites):

“I heard the Holy Spirit ask, “Where are my watchmen?”

“I am calling my watchmen and watchwomen to arise. I am calling to my intercessors, to those who stand in the gap, to come out of hiding. I am gathering you and I am deploying you this year. Watchmen, would you come out of your hiding and see that I am making a space for you on the earth? 

“The work you do is hidden in the natural but seen in the spiritual. I am not calling you into visibility by man but into acceptance and welcoming by my body. The numbers of my watchmen have been few but I seek to add to you. I will add to you those who have previously been fearful and intimidated by this call and I will add to you even those who ran from the duty in times past. I will multiply your numbers because you are a necessary battalion in my army for these days.”

Those who feel the stirring as you read this – the Lord is anointing you to be a prayerful, Spirit-filled watchman and intercessor for the days ahead. Hear the call of God, follow his direction for He has much to show you and much to do through you!”
 

Ezekiel 3:17
Son of man. I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me.

NB: The above word complements a prophetic declaration on a new revival of prayer given only 12 hours earlier, as reported in the next post.

Holy lightning beyond ‘The Pond’ strikes in the UK!

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Sea by Salvatore Vuono, courtesy of Freedigitalphotos.net

The ‘bolt’ struck in our lounge Sunday afternoon before last and hit my wife!  Not real atmospheric lightning but, nonetheless, the effects are electrical. It’s happened not a few times whilst live streaming to a morning’s service in Alabama. (It was 7th December 2014.)

Nina’s face contorted and emitted an indistinct sound as she squirmed in her seat. Eyes staring wide, eyebrows mid-forehead, electricity pulsed up and down from head to toe and back. It was caused by what was going on a quarter the way around the world southwest from us – on the Gulf of Mexico’s north coast!

Lindell_CooleyIt was the final night of Dedication Weekend for Church of His Presence moving into a brand new building by Daphne, Alabama. Reinhard Bonnke had opened the first night with being interviewed by pastor Kirkpatrick on how he was led into his evangelistic outreach (over 73 million souls saved) by Holy Spirit’s power healing the totally blind – incredible!

Eighteen minutes into Sunday’s worship Lindell Cooley burst into a song new to us, but which became popular when he led praise at the Brownsville Revival,

He has fire in His eyes,

A sword in His hand,

(And He’s still riding a white horse –

Fifteen years later He’s still going across this land).

There’s fire in His eyes,

A sword in His hand,

He’s riding a white horse across this land.

He’s calling out to you and me,

“Will you ride with Me?”

Fiery Eye (R)Fiery Eye (L)At this, Nina started to burn – and continued burning! Join in at 18:30 on this video link. At 1hr59 Lindell tells of the glory of God coming upon that song. Five minutes later he speaks and declares under a strong unction the importance of Ephesians 3:10 for the Church moving into the new season:

10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places,

Alternatively, hear Lindell as a younger psalmist here:

Or play his fiery version with Band of Brothers Bootcamp’s movie clip!

Maybe you question Nina’s reaction? Let me explain. Since being born-again 25 years ago on 1st of this month, she’s been blessed with the Holy Spirit’s gift of discernment!  Thus, she’s able to tell instantly whether anywhere or anyone has an unclean spiritual influence. This gifting has proven very useful for prayer-ministry – and when visiting Toronto Airport Church, in view of claims that manifestations there were demonic and nothing to do with God.

Also, in Nina’s growing closer to the Lord and leading a Spirit-led life, this sensitivity to Holy Spirit’s prompting has only heightened, as demonstrated above.

Thus, when someone speaks or sings under Holy Spirit’s anointing then His presence within her reacts noticeably, as with this song. It is unmistakably clear acceptance and endorsement of the Godly nature of what’s conveyed. (This assists an understanding of the power of prophetic decrees – see Mentoring Day part 2: Britain at a cross-roads).

Worship under the stars with Lindell

cruise0129Silkily gliding under the stars in the cool of an early Caribbean evening, delegates with Toronto’s ‘Catch The Wave’ conference at sea headed to the ship’s swimming pool nestled below restaurants. But it was planked over – musical kit and our musician/vocalists Kelley Warren and Lindell Cooley were warming up!

2nd March 2006, an unforgettable evening worshiping God under the heavens as we sailed in the dark towards Cuba en-route from Jamaica to the Bahamas. My attempt at short video capture completely fails to do it justice, but the psalmist’s ‘King of Glory’ praise left an indelible mark in my soul.

It got fired up a couple of years later upon hearing Roy Fields play it in Florida and then here in England. Even now, the fire burns deeply whenever I hear King of Glory.

Your face outshines the brightest sun,

Jesus, You’re glorious, You are so glorious,

With eyes that blaze like burning fire, 

Jesus, You’re glorious, You are so glorious.

King of Glory,

Have Your glory,

King of Glory,

Have Your glory,

King of Glory,

Have Your glory,

King of Glory,

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Who or what is the Spirit of Wisdom?

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In the previous post’s covering introduction about Ian Clayton’s book I referred to “the Lord’s Spirit of Wisdom”. This may have puzzled some readers, perhaps perplexing even those who are familiar with the Bible. I didn’t quote any reference because it’s helpful to expand briefly upon this subject.: The prime reference lies in prophet Isaiah’s message of future hope centred in a God-ordained Davidic ruler and his reign, thereby making it a messianic hope. Notes in the New Spirit-Filled Life Bible say that, out of the divided kingdom of ancient Israel and Judah, fresh life will emerge in a new ruler who’s symbolically called a ‘Rod’, a ‘Branch’. Also, it notes Revelation 5:5 describes Jesus Christ as “the Root of David”. A prophetic declaration about this future descendant of king David’s father opens the 11th chapter of the Book of Isaiah as follows (NKJV courtesy of BibleGateway.com, emphases RB):

There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots. 2 The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.

These last six are often considered as six specific functions of God the Holy Spirit, but if that were so then there would be other references to 6-fold and not 7-fold aspects. The word of the Lord that came to Isaiah refers to functional attributes, which implies intelligence and independent existence. This may be inferred from the centuries later account by  prophet Zecharia of being in a heavenly court where he’s told about a the stone upon which are seven eyes (Zecharia 3:9). White Door in SkydoorAfter the Apostle John wrote to seven churches in Asia Minor, as dictated to him by Jesus during a powerful visitation, he went in his spirit through an ‘open door’ into heaven and was able to give a specific description of these seven spirits before the Almighty’s throne:

After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.” 2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. 3 And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. (Revelation 4:1-5 NKJV)

menorahAlthough of fire, please do not think this means these spirits are like ordinary combustion, or like any material objects. In fact, whilst visiting our local church this year Randy Demain told us about having seen seven eyes in his room burning like fire. He learned they were on a 7-branched candlestick, or menorah, with Holy Spirit being the central one. For more  details on this read Hidden Meaning of the Menorah. In fact, a very detailed description of the Spirit of Wisdom comes from the time of the unified kingdom of David and his son Solomon. Soon after the throne passed to him circa 970 BC, the Lord appeared to Solomon by night in a dream and said,

“Ask! What shall I give you?” 6 And Solomon said: “You have shown great mercy to Your servant David my father, because he walked before You in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You; You have continued this great kindness for him, and You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. 7 Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted. 9 Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” 10 The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. 11 Then God said to him: “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, 12 behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. 13 And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days. 14 So if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.” (1Kings 3 NKJV)

Hence the proverbial, “As wise as Solomon”!  And out of this abundance he penned the Book of Proverbs, the first several chapters of which outline Wisdom’s rich repository as well as nature and ‘her’ existence in the Beginning. This instruction is too extensive to quote but read it all for yourself in your Bible, or else here in BibleGateway.com Even so, let us note verses 1:7 and 9:10,

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction… “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding...”

My previous reference to the Spirit of Wisdom should thus be understood in the light of these scriptures. Further reading:

Revelation of God’s Prophetic Timetable

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mike-parsonsIn limbering up to launch 3 years ago I referred to some things happening in the month of this blog’s launch and remarked, “It’s fascinating how events have cycled around and thus returned my focus to similar issues as in November 2011”. In that connection I strongly urge consideration of what Mike Parsons of Freedom Church in Barnstaple wrote earlier that month on Sons of Issachar. It has become increasingly relevant…

Freedom ARC's avatarSons of Issachar

Mike Parsons
with Jeremy Westcott – 

We are getting to the core part of what we set out to share with you. Everything we have posted so far has really been by way of introduction. We are now beginning to look in detail at the prophetic timetable that God is opening up to us, the revelation of His plans and purposes over the coming months and years. Let’s remember, there are no specific dates or times here, just a sense of different phases or periods in which God will be working in particular ways, which He is calling us to recognise so that we can cooperate and participate with Him.

This is the first part of that prophetic timetable:

Each of these is a period of time which does not end, but continues alongside the other periods of time. Over these periods, there are going to be an increasing…

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Plymouth Celebration points to prophetic promises

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Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James,

To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ:

2 Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

Contend for the Faith

3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. [NKJV per BibleGateway.com – emphases RB]

It’s been too long since the exciting time when Nathan Morris ministered in Hull (report) and our watching the Bay of the Holy Spirit Revival nightly. (For brief reports of healing read Video Clips of Testimonies.) The ‘fire in his bones’ makes him a highly charged preacher passionate for Jesus. Whilst the power of the Holy Spirit ministers through him he gets drenched in sweat!

Note my following transcription of his message uses various type founts to try to convey Nathan’s passion and flow whilst speaking.

For those unfamiliar with this British Evangelist and wanting some details, please see ‘Background‘ sub-head in Prophetic word 2012: setting the stage for the End-Times. 

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Click above photo for Nathan’s Facebook page with photos and comments on the Summer Celebration in Plymouth.

The first evening he taught about landmarks and boundaries of the Christian faith which churches are unwisely moving, thus giving room for the enemy of our souls to advance. The topic for the third and closing evening was fire and anointing. When speaking of God’s power his iPad lost its power, which he took as an indication for preachers to not use well-prepared notes but rely instead on Holy Spirit’s leading and inspiration – which  Nathan certainly did.

Extracts from the middle evening follow below. In my opinion, what Nathan delivered is in harmony with what the Lord is indicating as now necessary for the awakening giant to stand on his feet, as mused about in the last post.:

CONTEND, DON’T PRETEND!

“A couple of weeks ago the Lord gave me the title for tonight, it’s just a simple phrase: CONTEND, DON’T PRETEND….Contend; Don’t Pretend!

“I read to you this verse in Jude (above) where there comes this cry from the heart of God, this cry from the Holy Spirit, that says to a generation: in these last days I’m calling a people that will not lay down and accept the norm but they will contend for the Word of God in their lives.

“They will contend for something greater than themselves. We are living in a generation today that is literally watching the final chapters of the Ages come to pass!  How can you watch the news today and NOT SEE that every word that Jesus Christ spoke is coming to pass. This is IT!

“Church, nations – THIS IS IT! Jesus said in the last days there will be wars and rumours of wars – nation will rise against nation – there will be pestilence and famine in nations around the world – and the love of MANY will grow cold…the LOVE of MANY will grow cold.

“And yet in the darkest of hours – in an hour when many will run with fear, or tremble – the superpowers of this world are ALREADY trembling because they HAVE NO ANSWER.

“Jesus said that the world, the nations, it will be like a woman in labour, there literally will be times when they will CRAVE, they will desire the Coming of the Lord – THIS IS IT!

“What you’re seeing in Israel…what you’re seeing in Russia and in the Ukraine…across Europe. Something is beginning to rise that NO NATION, NO GOVERNMENT, CAN STOP!

“THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE WORD OF GOD HAS PROPHESIED WILL BE THE SIGNS –THESE WILL BE THE SIGNS OF THE COMING OF JESUS CHRIST…He will stand AS KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

“I spoke to you last night, Jesus died and rose again. He shed His blood that you might have a hope…you are CHOSEN.

“I CAN’T SAY THAT ENOUGH TO THIS GENERATION, to those who are watching me now that YOU’RE SEARCHING IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES FOR YOUR IDENTITY. Your identity is found in Jesus! He knew you before you were in your mother’s womb. He purposed you, He destined you – He spoke LIFE into your being.

“When you know that you’re Chosen, when you know that God has purpose for your life you realise there’s something that God is doing in your life that is greater than you are – something that’s greater than your own dreams – something that’s greater than a promotion. You know what, I thank God for blessing these people, but I’m TIRED of preachers telling the Body of Christ that a measure of their faith is whether they have a mansion or a Ferrari.

“What really matters is this: Is the life that you’re living COUNTING FOR ETERNITY? Is what you live for, breathe for and you’re willing to die for, going to count for eternity?

“You see what’s happening in this nation and in America right now – I preached to you last night…the hedge, the line of separation (between righteousness and the world) is being removed. MORALITY IS BEING BLURRED. I see across the Body of Christ as I travel around the world THERE’S A CONFUSION because SUDDENLY THERE ARE THINGS HAPPENING – even in the Church – that people say,“I DON’T KNOW…I THOUGHT THAT WAS AGAINST THE WORD OF GOD!”

“But there’s this generation that arises and says, “No, that’s ok..You don’t have to give your all…you go to church, you sing songs but you can have your own sinful life-style. Live how you want to live…Jesus loves you!

“Well my friend, THAT’S NOT THE GOSPEL because JESUS GAVE HIS ALL, HE PAID THE PRICE WITH HIS LIFE – He gave His ALL and He DEMANDS NOTHING LESS FROM YOU!

“He said, “If you give ME your LIFE I’ll come and live INSIDE YOU. ALL THAT I AM, I will be IN YOU!”

“There’s a generation today – we need the FIRE OF GOD TO FALL UPON THE UNITED KINGDOM AGAIN – we need THE FEAR OF THE LORD TO RISE IN US AGAIN..!  (Loud cheers across packed auditorium!)

“I talk to young people, I start talking to them about the fire of God – I say to young guys, ‘Listen, when the fire of God fell on me it RADICALLY CHANGED ME!’ – You see we want a notebook with 8 steps of ‘how to’…but I’m not that kind of preacher…I just had AN ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS…the power of God took a hold of my life!

“I talk to them about the power and the glory of God. Oh, I’ve seen the glory of God come down like a mist. I’ve watched people paralyzed get out of wheelchairs – the blind see, the deaf hear…I’ve watched as thousands are touched by the fire of the holy Ghost and I SEE A GENERATION LOOKING AT ME AS THOUGH I JUST FELL OFF MARS!! Staring at me as ‘THIS GUY’S CRAZY!’

“What I began to realise is this: THERE’S A GENERATION TODAY COMING UP THAT KNOW NOTHING OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD – THEY KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THE FIRE OF GOD – THEY DON’T KNOW there’s something SO AWESOME AVAILABLE THAT CAN EMPOWER THEIR LIVES TO CHANGE THE DESTINY OF A GENERATION.

“But we don’t want to contend any more…

“I want to speak to the United Kingdom for a moment. I was born here, I was raised here and I want to say that I love the Church. I love the people of God…but I’m an evangelist. I want to see the lost saved…and the thing is this – you CAN’T PERSUADE people into the Kingdom..THEY MUST HAVE AN ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS.

“WHEN THEY ENCOUNTER THE PRESENCE OF GOD THEY ARE CHANGED!

“But it’s like we don’t want to FIGHT for the things of the Spirit of God ANY MORE – we’d rather have a nice service with nice presentation, but just NO FIRE.  Well I’m telling you right now there’s something the Holy Spirit’s placing in my heart,

“It’s time to contend. Time to contend for the Glory of God to FILL our churches, to fill our lives that we might know Him in Whom we have believed!”

Nathan goes on to teach from 2 Kings 4 on the Shunammite woman providing a room for the itinerant prophet Elisha and her faith in the supernatural provision of God being vindicated. She knew despite having been barren and then her boy unexpectedly dying, that ‘all was well’! – indomitable faith had developed because she made room for a man of God and her prayers had been answered.

Nathan tells how, despite having been into drugs, he was saved and filled with holy fire. Then going to church and having read the Bible and about miracles, he realised there was something inside him that made him passionately want to see it happen today. He realised he had to contend for this – not like 1/2 hour ‘fast-food’ Christianity.

“But I learnt I had to abide,. If you want an encounter with God you can’t quit too soon. You’ve got to know what it is to CONTEND, to cry out to God…”I’m here, I’m waiting for You.” He then gives a reminder and word for a viewer who had a prophecy over his life.

“IT’S NOT TIME TO PRETEND BUT TIME TO CONTEND – OUR GENERATION ARE IN THE BALANCE!!

“That’s why I like what Canon Andrew White said. He spoke about suffering and fighting – contending for the faith. YOU CAN’T CONTEND IF YOU WANT TO PRETEND!

“The days of pretending are coming to an end. The days are going to become SO DARK that if you DON’T HAVE THE LIGHT OF HIS GLORY in your life YOU’RE IN TROUBLE!”

On Repentance

“You know why people are against me so much on repentance? It’s because repentance MAKES ROOM FOR GRACE! The devil hates it because the devil knows that if a man responds and says, “Jesus, you have my life, I’ll make room for you. Come and dwell inside”, then he’s in trouble.

“AND I WANT TO SAY THE SAME TO THE CHURCH. People think my ministry’s just about miracles. NO, there’s a message that goes with the miracle – the message is: ‘JESUS DEMANDS YOUR ALL! YOUR LIFE, EVERYTHING YOU HAVE’. And when you make room for Him HE WILL BREAK EVERY CHAIN, every bondage, He’ll wash you, cleanse you – HE WILL SET YOU FREE!

The Problem

“The problem is, when you’ve never encountered the glory of God you don’t even know what I’m talking about ‘cos if you try to understand God in a natural place of your own understanding…one thing God’s got to get His Church to – to get you to – is to a place where you understand that what He wants to do in you is SO GREATER THAN WHAT YOU THINK and who you think you are.

“IT’S SO SUPERNATURAL, IT IS ONLY BY HIS GRACE, HIS PROVISION – HIS POWER, HIS GLORY IN YOUR LIFE – THAT YOU’RE EVER GOING TO MAKE IT.

“You’ve got to look at something that the world says is impossible, that the CHURCH EVEN SAYS IT’S IMPOSSIBLE, and (say) “NO, in Jesus’ name – it IS well”.”

The United Kingdom

“We’re believing God that something will be sparked in these 3 days…I believe God has something for the United Kingdom that is SO AWESOME that the nations will take notice.”

During the Celebration’s final evening one of the many receiving ministry was a severely deaf boy who was then able to hear. Thank you Lord for this and all the healing you are doing. Later, Nathan closed in farewell,

“We’re believing for God to move in our generation in what you’ve seen these last three nights…Can you imagine if the Body of Christ let the Spirit of God move? Not wanting the fake or the strange, but wanting JESUS to be GLORIFIED.

And when you glorify Jesus, young boys who are deaf leave this place hearing, because THAT is the message of the Gospel in the United Kingdom to the nations of the world…”


Hallelujah!  More happened than shown on the videos, as reported on Facebook.

Micro Blog: Dripping with Oil

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The theme of Unity appears to be growing. Let’s pray now’s the time Father is answering Jesus’ prayer for all believers (John 17:20-25), which involves our becoming one not only with each other but also with Them. And that involves our being in the glory that Father gave to Jesus…*WOW* (Thank you Justin)

A baptism in holy fire

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The following account by Brynn Shamp is so appropriate for what, I believe, may be about to befall many who passionately desire to see the Lord’s face.:

fire-of-Holy-Spirit-300x194BAPTISM OF FIRE

There’s always a moment.

A space in time, seemingly etched out of eternity. In that moment when Heaven meets destiny… a vision is birthed. A purpose revealed. A dream conceived. It is those moments the Greek word Kairos refers to. It’s meaning is, “The appointed time in the purpose of God”, the time when God acts.

We all have these moments, whether we recognize them or not. If you take the time to pause and think back over your life, there are situations that stand out to you. It could have been an ordinary, mundane day; you were going through the motions and then suddenly something stands out. You are remembering a significant moment. A God-moment. I want to share with you a God-moment that I had shortly after I married Charlie (my super amazing preacher-man husband).

It’s Friday night, around 8 pm. I’m 22, and newly married. Instead of heading out to the movies or a dinner date, we headed to a prayer meeting. I had been to several prayer meetings up to this point in my life. Some in the wee early hours of day, when I am sure not even the angels are awake. They were quiet, peaceful and most of us laid prostrate on the floor… seeking our sleep rather than our God. Then there was the ones I went to in college. These were vivacious, as the exuberant prayers of young preachers, teachers and students would rend the barrier between Heaven and Earth creating an atmosphere filled with electric faith.

I had even been to this church’s prayer meetings before, and as we were on our way I expected the kind where each person would take the microphone and pray; declaring and decreeing, prophesying over the specific topic they were assigned. This was not the case for that night. It was to be a God-moment, an encounter that branded me. Like the heated metal of a branding rod, the fiery embossing mark of God would forever be seared into my heart.

As I sat in my chair, lights dim and others spread about the room, I began to seek God.

Previously that night, Charlie and I had a conversation discussing Acts 2 and what we knew of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. We both grew up in Pentecostal homes and churches, and both at young ages received the baptism with the evidence of speaking in tongues. But where was the evidence of the fire? This is what puzzled us that night, what drove us to a place of desperation in God.

Luke 3:16-17 states, “John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.”

So there I sat, deliberate in my petition before God. My face as flint. I would have the fire.

May I remind you that in a place of desperation, a place of an earnest heart, you don’t care what others think. You only care for what your eyes are fixed upon, and mine were stayed upon what Revelation 1:14-16 describes here;

“His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.”

Momentarily I found myself on the floor, somehow pinned there. Lacking the ability to move, to even control my hands and arms. I was frozen stiff at the burning feet of God. It was then, a wave of intense heat came rushing over me and in a panic I helplessly tried to wriggle out of the heavy sweatshirt I was wearing. It felt as if molten lava was pumping through my veins, taking its course through out my body and purging my soul. Like the Prophet Jeremiah who declared,

“His Word is in my heart like a fire. It’s like a fire shut up in my bones! I am worn out trying to hold it in! I can’t do it!”

I too could not keep it in.

I’m not going to pretend that was the most delightfully pleasant experience ever in God, because it wasn’t. It hurt. Yet it was necessary. It was the very thing I was seeking; an encounter with a living God that would burn so deep his love for me that I would forever be changed. It was the Baptism of Fire.

So tonight, as you read this. You might think this all a bit too strange. Or you may just be daring enough to stop playing patty-cake and have a real experience with the living God. You may need a supernatural encounter with Him, to know he is real. He is alive and he loves you with an everlasting love.

“I prayed from a half hour after sunrise to a half hour before sunset. There was nowhere to pray in the Indian camp. I went into the woods and knelt in the snow. It was up to my chin. I wrestled in prayer until a half hour before sunset, and I could only touch the snow with the tips of my fingers. The heat of my body had melted the snow.” – David Brainerd (American Missionary to Native American- Indians)

“Smart men walked on the moon, daring men walked on the ocean floor, but wise men walk with God.” – Leonard Ravenhill

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Brynn Shamp, 7th April 2014

Credit for text and image: Destiny Encounters (click on images for links: minor editorial modification RB). This one is attributable to Iris Global Ministries in Mozambique.:

Tongues of Fire Acts 2-3

 

Is the ‘Hand of God’ a Sign for these Times?

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One of this morning’s emails brought this new photo from NASA. It’s so right for what I was about to write.

Click on the photo for details and here for a commentary on history.  Early photos of this pulsar nebular showed ‘fingers’ only but this latest  shows a ‘fist’ as well, maybe hinting at the contrast between God’s open and closed, or holy, aspects. Or this  could suggest what He’s previously retained as a ‘mystery’ is now being revealed?

You may think I’m stretching serendipity, or happy coincidence, to absurd lengths in my stating this image fits well into what’s happened after I wrote about prophecy, especially on the need for discernment and risk-talking to catch God’s timing for any situation. (See remark at + in Prophecies for 2014 and subsequent post on Talking to Time…).

All that together with an amazing revelation in connection with helping a new friend and an ancient hymn clearly indicates He’s trying to get my/our attention – as though waving a hand in the sky!  And it even involves the ‘invisible bridge over the Pond’!!

Even if ‘over the top’, it brings an interesting insight into the validity of the prophetical gifting with an excellent example of several individuals moving as the Spirit directs towards one purpose (see John 3:8).

But let me start with this morning’s other thought-provoking instance of serendipity:

The Hymn

God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform – the opening lines and tune to William Cowper’s famous hymn have been humming in the back of my mind as a result of a recent communication.  The full lyrics with brief background may be read here, but my memory of what I’d heard in school assemblies many decades ago couldn’t recall its last line. Was it something like ‘the Lord will make the action fine’, or was it ‘plain’?  And does it hint at ‘time’, or could this be to draw my attention to divine intent?

Although then antagonistic of Anglicanism as well as other churches, as the account of my schooldays makes plain, those assemblies were the only way I was introduced to the  great English hymns. Their sentiments were most uplifting but antiquated wording would puzzle me and that ‘action’ reference was one – and it had resurfaced, popping up from the depths of my personal past; which again is to do with time! 

Therefore, let me share the ‘God-incident’ that blessed me in this research. The hymn’s last 4-line verse reads as below but those words about action/time didn’t stop rattling around in the brainbox. So I searched using ‘original’ for any variant of wording – guess what?  The hymn was originally entitled Light Shining Out of Darkness, from which two more lines have been added by contemporary musician Jeremy Riddle to his version of the last verse:

Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.

In His own time,
In His own way.

I was astounded at what a persistent inner nudge had kept me digging for and found! Thank you Lord. [The other phrase, ‘action fine’ closes a verse in poet George Herbert’s ‘alchemical’ Teach Me, My God and King, which I’d often muse upon as a child.]

An Anglican Apostasy?

Over this New Year’s first weekend I read about a trial to ‘dumb-down’ the liturgy for Christenings, as reported in the Telegraph and lambasted by ‘His Grace Archbishop Cranmer’ in Is the Church of England ashamed to preach Christ crucified?  This is all because it’s supposed that today people don’t understand what ‘sin’ means or that Satan exists. So namby-pamby clerics wish to pander to the unsaved instead of teaching them or telling them what the Gospel actually means. They need to follow the example of the Baptist Churches wherein the minister teaches briefly about the Gospel and our obedience to Jesus’ instruction to be baptised.

Baptism is to make a personal statement of belief in, and our public identification with, Jesus Christ in His death, burial and resurrection. Also, as at mine and every adult baptism I’ve witnessed, it’s believers opportunity to attest personally to His grace by  testifying to how they came into salvation. (See Romans 6 for incisive scripture.)

Rankled as I was about that news of silly Anglicans tinkering with the heart of Christian belief, I tried not to be distracted away from what I intended to write upon my return to blogging after the holiday season. Upon waking up that Tuesday the thought dropped into mind that many Anglicans are heeding and anointed in the Holy Spirit and trying to move that church forward. Thus admonished, my irritation ceased immediately and the first email of a multitude I later opened was…

A Plea for Help, and a Revelation

NB: to maintain confidentiality the characters are given pseudonyms: ‘Bernard’ (after the founder of a renowned monastic order); ‘Mark’ (after an associate of the Apostles); ‘Paul’ (after the apostle who taught about the gift of prophecy and foretold the future as led by Holy Spirit, as did others).

Bernard’s email asked if I could advise about how to handle a weighty vision about the Church that he’d received as he didn’t know anyone familiar with the prophetic or having more experience than his own. I recalled my feelings after an awesome open vision when it was then hard to find any leader who could help me with it. So I gave a link to my account and, as I felt led, to one from 1993 about a future sifting of the Church.

Later that Tuesday I got an email from Tony in Tucson (over ‘the Pond’) asking if I’d heard about the nonsense over Anglican baptism. I sensed it may be a tangential   connection with Bernard’s material which, I was to learn later, is similar to some of Tony’s dreams of Church. Thus this email was timely and confirmatory!

The next day Bernard provided details of the vision and said he’s recently moved to an Anglican church. It was good to hear its leadership are open to the Holy Spirit and that he’s in training for ordination in ministry. So, I’m pleased he’s in a sound place.

As my Anglican contacts are very few I wondered who Bernard could contact for advice and mentoring and Paul’s name popped into mind right away. I realised I should sound out my Anglican friend Mark in view of his extensive circle of friends in leadership. But I wasn’t able to contact him.

Hassle with an electronic payment on Saturday morning delayed my getting a paper. So I briskly strode into the local supermarket but took an unplanned diversion to get ham. A few people by the deli counter were dispersing as I inserted myself between them – then I heard Mark’s voice as he and his wife walked away!

Neither of us had noticed one another, AND their presence was unusual because they live in another town!!  So we chatted as he enthused about a book he’s reading. It’s on developments in the Church and, in view of his connection with Justin Welby and other leaders, he’ll be recommending God Is Back. No doubt he’d picked it up on his latest sojourn over ‘the pond’.  But I was keen to ask about my new friend’s need.

“Do Anglicans have a recognised office of prophet or someone who can properly handle prophetic material and advise on it?” I asked. Mark replied, “Oh yes – Paul…. He looks at all correspondence personally and considers words and visions carefully.”

Upon my writing about this to Bernard his immediate response was of astonishment,

“My spirit leapt somewhat upon reading that as I have a history with Paul – when I was…he came to me as a stranger rather remarkably and prophesied over me , inviting me into ordination and speaking significantly to me about my future. This seems right to me that he is the contact you had in mind.”

I was stunned to read this – amazed and in praise once again at how wonderfully God moves in the lives of those who love Him and are called according to His purposes. As William Cowper unerringly testified towards the close of his life:

1. God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.

2. Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will.

3. Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.

4. Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

5. His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.

6. Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.

Selah – Amen

Further Reading:

  1. Prophesy TO 2014
  2. Talking to Time seems to work
  3. Is the ‘Hand of God’ a Sign for these times? (above)
  4. I am Gabriel, who stands in the Presence of God
  5. Thoughts on ‘Rethinking Genesis’ (with discussion).
  6. Surprise! New things! The invisible world is the pattern for the visible

[Image credits: NASA and Endless Bridge by Evgeni Denev, Freedigitalphotos.net]

 

Talking to Time seems to work!

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Only upon watching You Are Not a Victim of Fate again with a ‘young’ believer and talking about how that could be applied to her situation, did we realise what we had already addressed for this month has changed for the better!  (One item was the time-critical juxta-positioning of a house/business move which had halted, or was about to fall apart, and an arranged major surgery that would greatly restrict physical ability for moving. So it’s increasingly dicey with passage of time.)

I want to consider the previous post Prophesy TO 2014 further – especially for scriptural stalwarts who may object to Pastor Kilpatrick’s supposition that we can speak into and affect time. As in my reply to Tony’s comment upon that post, the central – even pivotal – point in this claim, as in all prophecy is submission to the Lord’s will and holiness and our speaking with clean lips, not a deceitful tongue, for…

Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully. [Psalm 24: NKJV]

The pastoral letters of Apostles Peter and Paul, especially Jesus’ brother James, warn us to avoid all ungodly speech.

Some objections

Let me answer some possible, albeit valid, objections that critics may raise;

  1. Hebrews 2 doesn’t mean ordinary people for it’s about the ‘Son of Man’ (ie Jesus)
  2. Where’s the scriptural authority for Christians to talk to nature?

1st – Yes, the whole passage is about Jesus but it quotes one of King David’s psalms and as that is recognised as inspired by Holy Spirit then Revd Kilpatrick is quite correct in referring to Psalm 8 alone as the premise of his thesis. Critics may respond that the author of Hebrews makes the meaning of its closing verse quite conditional and, thus, it has not only been omitted but also taken out of context in by the pastor. It reads:

Now when it says “all things,” it means nothing is left out. But we have not yet seen all things put under their authority. 9 What we do see is Jesus, who was given a position “a little lower than the angels”; and because he suffered death for us, he is now “crowned with glory and honor.” [Hebrews 2 NLT – emphasis mine]

But the second chapter of Hebrews goes on to say,

10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying…

This is from New King James Version, which draws attention to these benefits of being one with Christ with a sub-header ‘Bringing many sons to glory’. After several splendid chapters about the identity and mission of the Jewish Messiah, or King of The Jews, we read this explanation in the culminating truths of chapter 10:

11 And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

15 But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before….

Therefore, the full passage actually endorses and augments John Kilpatrick’s teaching because, although using the psalm as referring to the ‘Son of Man’ or Messiah, the letter to Jewish believers focuses upon how Jesus has brought them to the fullness of their faith; ‘perfected forever’. In his account of the Good News Jesus’ closest disciple, John writes about believers’ ‘right to become Sons (children) of God’!  (John 1:12)

That must surely mean Christians should be able to do what Jesus did in the power of the Holy Spirit, does it not?

Talking to nature and time

As an ordained minister, John Kilpatrick cited the following examples in support of what he’d heard from the Holy Spirit about speaking to the year:

  • Jesus speaking to the storm at sea and its subsequent calm
  • Elijah’s blessing to conceive and bear through full-term to proper birth upon his Shulamite ‘landlady’ and her husband
  • Ezekiel’s commands to masses of bones to come together as skeletons and to gain all necessary muscles, organs and flesh and to the air for them to breathe.

He prefaced these with,

“Holy Spirit told me to speak into the year. He said sow into the year, not just with finances, but sow into the year with words of faith…and I’ve learned one thing it’s if you don’t speak to things then things will treat you as a victim of fate…Sow what you desire to bring it forth!”

Therefore, he spoke about all these matters from the viewpoint of our needing to know and apply these principles because we are called to be a kings and priests of God. And let us not forget that this pastor has the exceptional privilege of being used by God to host two long visitations of His Presence since 1995.  Consequently, we would be well advised to consider this teaching carefully.

The prime practical passage John used was Genesis 1 which states how God created by means of the combined action of the Holy Spirit and His spoken word. Therefore, we should do likewise and this means we need to be walking with the Holy Spirit in close relationship with our heavenly Father in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus. It was this sound and detailed teaching which led into the closing implementation of these principles. Hence, my recommendation of this exceptional video to my brother and sisters in the Lord. (John’s message starts at 1:37:45 into the service.)

Some evidence

In addition to the above, our local fellowship has already been practising commanding weather and on several occasions recently observed changes, especially in the down-grading of last weekend’s approaching storm systems.  I recall hearing Heidi Baker at the 2012 Revival Alliance conference speak of having diverted a monsoon heading for Mozambique, and this was confirmed by our pastor who had been in Durban at the time. She reported the meteorologists as being unable to explain why their predicted path for the monsoon had not materialised!  Praise the Lord!

So it certainly appears in our experience that there’s empirical support for a Biblical  approach to speaking to nature – including time.

ALSO, see this blog’s On Engaging Time and John Kilpatrick Ministries’ Voice Activated.

Further Reading:

  1. Prophesy TO 2014
  2. Talking to Time seems to work (this post)
  3. Is the ‘Hand of God’ a Sign for these times?
  4. I am Gabriel, who stands in the Presence of God
  5. Thoughts on ‘Rethinking Genesis’ (with discussion).
  6. Surprise! New things! The invisible world is the pattern for the visible

[Scripture quotations are courtesy of BibleGateway.com]

Prophesy TO 2014

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Far over ‘the pond’ from Britain and deep in ‘Dixie’, close to the Gulf of Mexico, a man of native American stock lay awake in the early hours of New Year’s Eve. Lying eyes open, hands behind head, he wondered “What’s 2014 gonna bring?” and pondered its possibilities. But the Holy Spirit was tracking this pastor’s  mental meanderings and interrupted them to command:

“You are not a victim of fate. You don’t wonder what the year will bring, you tell it what to bring!”

When the pastor told his large congregation about this last Sunday, 5th January, they erupted enthusiastically. Before going on to implement his teaching on this at the close of service, Holy Spirit summarised it as, “Set your year with your mouth!”.

After reading Bridge over ‘The Pond’ and Prophecies for 2014 you may realise how the entire session amazed us as we watched it ‘live’ on the first Sunday of 2014. My report cannot do justice to this exceptional teaching, which may be an example, or fulfilment, of one part of a bullet-point prophecy heard only 6 hours earlier at our UK church, viz:

  • A new understanding about how to receive and give prophetic understanding.

TJohnK 214_logohis preacher was conveying a new instruction from a revelation he’d received from the Lord about applying prophecy. That is, not the usual way of delivering what’s on His Mind by speaking prophetically straight into the heart of a matter, or revealing truths about a person and thus edifying them, or about the Lord’s action plans.

Pastor had heard from the Lord about how to use prophecy as specific creative words.

To my mind, it’s a logical extension of the power of the spoken word when God created everything, as told at the start of the Bible; And God said. “Let there be light”  (Genesis 1) and amplified in the simplicity of the Gospel according to John; In the beginning was the Word... (John 1). Also, men and women are creative because we’re made in God’s image.

Pastor had opened his teaching not upon either of those scriptures but on one where the psalmist was inspired that mankind was created ‘a little lower than the angels’.:

“What is man that You are mindful of him,
Or the son of man that You take care of him?
7 You have made him a little lower than the angels;
You have crowned him with glory and honor,
And set him over the works of Your hands.
8 You have put all things in subjection under his feet.”

In quoting this from the Letter to the Hebrews the pastor stressed that ‘all’ means ALL, which implies it must include time. As better phrased in the Living Bible translation, it means ‘Nothing is left out’, as here:

…And you have put him in complete charge of everything there is. Nothing is left out.”

In view of my interest in time’s non-linear, cyclic nature (more here and cycles tag) I was wrapt in attention.  John’s later explanation of how we can transcend time and cover past, present and future by means of faith brought yet another link with our local church’s morning service!  (Ie. where our minister had spoken about a ‘Year of faith’.)

Pastor John repeated our pastor Lindi’s oft-repeated remarks about acceleration, that everything’s happening so quickly. He believes, “Holy Spirit has took (sic) the knob of time and turned it up!”

He spoke about ordinary matters and events now moving at an increasing pace and that in the Bible there’s still so much to be fulfilled that the sand is running so quickly out of the hourglass. On this he said the Lord’s saying,

“I’m going to do a ‘hurried-up’ work!”

This is similar in intent, if not exactly in meaning, as another point in our bullet-point prophecies:

  • Also since last August, the heavens are opening up faster.

This teaching is so significant for every Christian to grasp about what the Lord is doing at this time that I cannot recommend it highly enough for your study. And you can join in with a practical activation where the audience (local and worldwide) speaks as led by the Holy Spirit into personal situations for 2014.

To follow this exceptionally encouraging session click on above image of John Kilpatrick or on http://churchofhispresence.org/media/player/media/you-are-not-a-victim-of-fate/video/. His message starts at 1:37:45, which may be found by clicking half way along the progress bar and clicking the pause/play button.

After listening to Pastor Kilpatrick for over 3 years this must be his best ever!  For more on this please read:

  1. Talking to Time seems to work
  2. Is the ‘Hand of God’ a Sign for these times?
  3. I am Gabriel, who stands in the Presence of God
  4. Thoughts on ‘Rethinking Genesis’ (with discussion)
  5. Surprise! New things! The invisible world is the pattern for the visible

Be mightily blessed in Jesus’ name, my friend.

[Image credit: Endless Bridge by Evgeni Denev, Freedigitalphotos.net]

Modern prophecy on USA & Israel approaches fulfillment

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Grand Canyon Wpaper113Am grateful to a critic of revival and the prophetic who castigates the promise of greater blessings and quickening power coming to the Welsh Outpouring, as declared by Chuck Pierce. (I will deal with that defamation later.) Continue reading →

Hidden Meaning of the Menorah

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Melissa’s description speaks right into what I sensed during worship yesterday as our assembly sang “You provide the fire, I’ll provide the sacrifice”. I sensed a flickering spread of orange and red with ill-defined objects bowing low and knew this was before the Throne of God. Mulling over Rev 4, I wondered if the image represents the flames of the seven spirits. So be mightily blessed as you inwardly digest this post.

Melissa Johnson's avatarDefining Words

MenorahSymbols of the corporate church abound in scripture. We are alluded to as the bride of Christ, God’s vineyard, the body of Christ, and His temple built of lively stones. Whenever it comes to the individual believer, however, I’ve heard relatively little in the way of scriptural symbolism. In preparation for a conference this month, I stumbled onto a rich trove of delights in studying the 7-candle menorah. The following is a digest of my findings that may prove to stir something within you, too!

Before we start, let me briefly explain the difference between the 7-candle and 9-candle menorah, and why we are focusing on the former. The 7-candle menorah is the traditional candelabra prescribed for use in Tabernacle of Moses. It has come to be a symbol of Judaism and much more as we will, here, divulge. Nine-candle menorahs are known as Hanukkah menorahs, and are lit during…

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Paul Keith Davis and Rick Joyner discuss ‘Times and Seasons’

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If you liked Paul Keith Davis’ teaching on the 3 anointings then you will like this 83 mins chat with his friend. (It is superior value to anything on the ‘one-eyed’ blind god we call TV.)  Their closing answer to an online question made it rather personal for us last night because we’d learned of Frances Metcalf’s profound ministry in the Lord through our local church.  May you be blessed in hearing these men of God.:

 

Topics covered:

  • current events – Church in transition – 2013-14
  • full discipleship foundations – contemplative prayer
  • angelic encounter whilst writing The Final Quest
  • Jesus knocking to come into what belongs to Him
  • the Rev ‘overcomers’ are not ordinary churchgoers
  • the greatest tribulation/opportunity in global history
  • confrontation with false teaching in spirit & power of Elijah
  • ‘koinonia’ (real fellowship) essential for preparing The Bride
  • role of past overcomers/witnesses in today’s acceleration
  • different destinies within heaven
  • 1st Century Apostolic ministry required for 21st Century
  • questions from online viewers – grace – true holiness – restoration of family structure – is USA in scripture (v good point from Rev 12) – increasing evil
  • Francis Metcalf’s experiences of rapture and translation, difference between them, an understanding of the message of Enoch.

The final four minutes are highly instructive and encouraging and I pray the Lord will give you an understanding and insights into these matters. The whole ‘webinar’ is a rich banquet. Thank you gentlemen.