Where are we at the midpoint of 2008?
2008 has been the greatest year of ministry in 30 years of ministry for me. It started small and slow but in March something dramatic shifted (in me at least) and has not let up till now. And I hope and pray it does not let up!
In order to see where we are at it’s important to look at where God wants to take us. To do that I want to briefly look back at Psalms 8. If it is true that the Psalms number that correlates to the year number in which we live contains a prophetic word, then we need to be sensitive to what that particular Psalm is saying. I know there are other scriptures and passages God is impressing on people, but because we only see in part, we can only prophecy the part we are seeing. Therefore I simply am speaking forth what I am seeing through my small lense.
First, Psalms 8 is a refocus of attention on Jesus! Much of what American Christianity, especially Pentecostal/Charismatic Christianity has produced in recent years has been tainted with narcissism and a very selfish, self seeking kind of entertainment that has literally left a bad taste in the mouth of the world. Even though much of the world declares us to be a Christina nation, church attendance is poor in many areas and we are battling the greatest attack of the Laodicean spirit I have seen since I began to serve Christ 32 years ago. But God IS moving in a way that is re-directing the attention to be on HIM on not a man or a denomination!
Psalms 8:1 O LORD our Lord, how excellent [is] thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
Secondly, The wave of the Spirit He showed me last November while I was in Wytheville Virginia is happen…not only in Lakeland, Florida, but all over the world!
I know many people have major problems with some of the things that are happening in Lakeland. But I don’t know Todd Bentley…never been in one of his meetings. And the only way you could really judge the Spirit and the anointing that is being released in a particular service or revival (I think) is to be a part of that particular service. I do have a problem with female angels, simply because there is no scriptural precedence in scripture for that. But if people are being delivered from sin, drugs, alcohol and are being set on fire with a genuine love for God, I say God can do whatever He wants…any way He wants. I know this will cause me to lose some readers and friends, but I cannot cast judgment against something or someone until I go there myself, or meet that person for myself. People who do not really know me and know my heart would judge me as being too hyper or even manipulative at times. But until you really know me, spend time with me, and understand where I’ve come from and the real cry of my heart, you really cannot judge my ministry. Only from a distance. Everyone I have talked with (and I have talked with many) who have been to Lakeland, tells me it’s the real deal. All I know is everywhere Pam and I go, young people are being swept into the Kingdom of God and are now being used to touch and transform cities and very possibly nations!
Just last week Pam and I had the opportunity to minister to a group of High School students in Soe, West Timor Indonesia. We would have been arrested if we had said some of the things I said in a school in America! But those students were so hungry and receptive, and many came to an outdoor meeting we held that night and were set on fire by the Power of the Holy Spirit!
We also saw a group of young men, some of them who had grown up in Soe that had moved to Bali, got saved and set on fire for God, they led worship to over a thousand people in weather so cold, every American I know of would have left and went home! God used those young men and women to draw people into the Presence of God so the Word of God could be sowed in their heart, and many, many lives were changed for the Glory of God! God is pouring out His Spirit in a new way on young people all over the world! In fact, every extended meeting we have had this year was extended because of the hunger and thirst and response that is being demonstrated by the youth of that area. In Charlotte North Carolina, there has been a Holy Spirit breakout in Rick Joyner’s church that was birthed by young people, many of them about to be kicked out of school, being touched, changed and set on fire with the Presence of God!
Psa 8:2Â Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
Thirdly, every week we are getting reports and testimonies to us that people are beginning to experience the unusual presence of angels in services as well as in their personal prayer time. I have had several experiences this year that I could relate to a visitation of angels, but I must stress: EVERY VISITATION OF GOD OR HIS ANGELS IS TO BRING GLORY TO HIM AND A GREATER FOCUS TO JESUS CHRIST AND HIS LORDSHIP!!!!!!!
Psa 8:3Â When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
Psa 8:4Â What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
Psa 8:5Â For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
Lastly, something I believe is to come this year is a great release of a message of dominion. With this message of dominion is also come a stripping of the political clout the American church has had for the last 30 years. I am grateful for the men of God He has used to call us to get involved in the political process. But the open door to the White House we have had for the last 30 years is closing to a certain degree. This is happening because God is tired of us putting our confidence trust in a political party and not in Him. When the church gets back on her knees and walks out her faith with Him, the nation, the economy will turn around in His timing! The downturn in the economy, the gas price explosion and even a potential for America to experience food shortages and even greater loss of jobs is in reality God’s mercy attempting to get our focus back on Him and off our exploits and abilities to make money. HE is the one who gives us the power to get wealth!
The message of dominion that God will bring forth is not going to say the church is taking over; again, we are being stripped of our political maneuvering! The dominion message that God is bringing forth will impart a grace and an anointing to break the yokes off our lives that have kept us addicted to secret sin, unforgiveness and a rather mundane carnal Christian existence!
I know this has been long, but I have much more bottled up in my spirit! God is not about to do something: HE IS ALREADY DOING IT!
Oh Father, Let the fire fall!!!!!!!!
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