She just contacted us and said that she is completely free of pain and no longer suffers! What impressed her the most was that she was living in blatant rebellion to God when this healing miracle happened. She surrendered her life afresh to Christ!

The Prophet said that there would be an outpouring of the Kindness of God in the Last Days. Though all that can be shaken is being shaken, God is still drawing people to Himself. “…and they will come trembling to the LORD and to His goodness in the last days” (Hosea 3:5).

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Renée LaZarrus headed to work on Saturday, October 10, 1998, unaware that her life would change that afternoon. At a nursing home across town in Rochester, Indiana, the petite twenty-one-year-old with dark hair and glasses worked as a nurse’s aide in a ward of residents suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

Renée enjoyed her job. In fact, she enjoyed her life. She and her husband, Jeffrey, sixteen years her senior, had a delightful baby daughter, Kaylynn. They attended Faith Outreach Center, a Foursquare church in Rochester, and took part in various outreach activities, including prison ministry, street preaching, and itinerant evangelism. Jeff’s factory work paid the bills, but they both knew he had a calling to minister full time. Renée, also gifted in evangelism, served right alongside him.

She arrived at the nursing home for her 2:00 p.m . shift and began her usual routine of checking residents, making sure everyone took a turn in the bathroom, and getting them ready for the evening meal.

One resident had soiled his pants, not unusual for Alzheimer’s patients. Renée helped John into the bathroom, set him down on the toilet, and explained that she was going to change his clothes. As she bent over to remove his pants, without warning he punched her squarely in the back. The blow, landing near the top of Renée’s spine, knocked her to the floor and left her immobile. She felt something pop and an immediate rush of excruciating pain.

Renée cried out for help, but the bathroom door, which swung outward, was pulled nearly closed, and no one heard her. Above the injured young woman John now stood poised with clenched fist, ready to strike again.

She realized her only option was to talk him out of it. “John, you hurt me!” she scolded him. “Don’t be a bad boy! I can’t believe you did that, when you’re usually a good boy. Why would you act like that?” Something inspired Renée to begin singing an old hymn, “Jesus Loves Me.”

In a moment John sat down on the toilet and started to weep. Although her back muscles felt like gelatin, Renée knew she had to take this opportunity to get out. Somehow she crawled to the door, pushed it open, and rose to her knees before a nurse spied her and came to her assistance.

Renée never recovered. When she saw her doctor, he diagnosed severe damage to her muscles, tendons, and ligaments. The blow had pushed her spine out of alignment. Spasms in her horribly swollen back, neck, and shoulders caused aching knots.

The doctor took X rays and prescribed pain medication, but could offer few recommendations other than bed rest and regular monitoring.

Moreover, the doctor surprised Renée after she told him how the injury had happened. John, it turned out, was also a patient of his. “Did you know in his younger years he was an accomplished martial arts instructor?” The doctor speculated that John’s punch, had it come at a different angle, could have caused even more harm.

Renée now lived in constant agony, with limited mobility in her upper body. Jeff took over her duties at home and cared for his wife with wonderful patience, but their lives changed. Renée could no longer lift their baby girl to hold her; Jeff had to place Kaylynn into her mother’s lap. Beyond this heartache, Renée grieved most that her injury kept her from raising her hands in worship to God.

A series of medical specialists suggested different treatments: physical therapy, massage therapy, cortisone shots, various narcotics, a TENS unit (used to mask pain), insertion of needles into her head and back. Nothing brought more than limited, temporary relief. Furthermore, the doctors told her frankly that none of these treatments would cure the problem.

One doctor eventually suggested a radical operation to inject a compound into her spine to replace Renée’s ligaments and tendons artificially. Yet even this procedure would merely lessen the pain somewhat. Renée and Jeff declined, and concentrated on seeking the Lord for divine healing while learning to deal with Renée’s disability in the meantime.

Friends at church and in the community continued to pray for them. Renée found that if she fought off hopelessness and maintained an attitude of trust in God to strengthen her, she could function better. In public she worked hard to keep her misery out of her countenance, so people who did not know her might not perceive the pain that lay beneath her stooped posture.

Because of complications caused by her powerful narcotics, Renée miscarried a baby in 1999. The next year, when she learned she was pregnant again, she had to stop taking all drugs and try to get by on massage therapy, hot baths, and prescription-strength lotion. Morphine helped her survive labor, and she delivered another beautiful girl, Rebekah Grace, on January 20, 2001.

Three months later their pastor at Faith Outreach Center, Dan Mundt, told Jeff and Renée he sensed a strong leading from the Lord that they should attend a Church Planter’s Intensive training conference. “The church will pay for it,” Pastor Dan said. “We really want you to go.”

The four-day “boot camp” training in Illinois, led by Pastor Glenn Bleakney, confirmed God’s calling on Jeff and Renée to full-time ministry. Jeff stepped out on faith and resigned from his job. The two prayed for God’s direction as they pursued advice from Pastor Glenn and other church planters, although Renée had not felt open to tell him about her disability.

In August 2001, Pastor Glenn invited the LaZarruses to visit his church in Aurora, Illinois, to observe a church plant in progress. Solid Rock Church had already acquired a building, now under renovation for the group of core members Glenn was gathering.

Jeff and Renée and their two girls joined the twenty-five or thirty people at Solid Rock for their service on Sunday morning, August 26. A worship team led in praise, followed by Pastor Glenn’s sermon. After his message, Glenn invited anyone wanting prayer to come forward.

Several people went up. Jeff made his way to the altar to seek God’s direction in ministry, while Renée stayed in the pew with Kaylynn and Graci. Yet as Pastor Glenn and his wife, Lynn, began to pray for people, Renée felt a strong urge to go to the front with her husband. After making sure another woman nearby could keep an eye on the girls, Renée stood and started down the center aisle.

Just then Glenn finished praying for the man next to Jeff. He turned to Jeff, saw Renée coming forward, and pointed to her. “The Lord is going to heal your back,” he declared. “The Lord is going to heal you this day.” As if to confirm the supernaturally discerned word of knowledge, he repeated to Jeff, “The Lord is going to heal her back today.”

Renée began to weep. When she reached the front, Jeff held her and they wept together as Pastor Glenn laid his hands on them and prayed against the affliction in Jesus’ name.

Renée knew this was the divine moment they had waited for, although at first she felt no change in her intense pain. Still, she began to praise God for his healing power. After a few minutes she needed to return to the pew where the woman had been sitting with Kaylynn and Graci. There Renée stood and continued weeping, praising God, and thanking him for what he was about to do. Soon a warmth poured over her, and her body began to move. She felt her spine rearranging and coming into alignment. Her shoulders shifted back from their rounded slump, and her back muscles strengthened to receive the shoulders. In a moment she realized her pain had completely disappeared.

The others in the congregation had fixed their eyes on Renée as soon as Pastor Glenn had spoken the word of healing. They cried and rejoiced with her when they observed the changes in her body. While the worship team resumed the music, Jeff returned to the pew. He took his wife into his arms and asked, “Is it done?” “It’s done!” Renée confirmed. “We’re healed!” Again they wept together.

Renée heard God tell her clearly, Now praise me! She joined in singing, and raised her hands in worship for the first time in nearly three years.

By the end of that service Renée could do everything her pain and injury had kept her from doing. She picked up her daughters, tossed them into the air, played with them, and held them for hours. She has been pain-free ever since.

Renée now tells everyone about God’s restoration of her health, family life, and vigor for ministry. Through her testimony, unbelievers have come to faith in Christ, wanderers have rededicated their lives to him, and believers have received encouragement to pursue deeper relationship with the Lord. On December 2, 2001, the family moved to Indianapolis and began planting a new congregation. While Jeff and Renée spread the seed of vision for Crossroads Foursquare Church, they believe they will see yet more fruit glorifying God as he continues to manifest his supernatural power.

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According to the Bible, the Good News of Jesus Christ is powerful and is never to be communicated in word only. The testimony of the Cross of Christ is to be made effective not only by proclamation but also in demonstration of the power of the Holy Ghost.

Listen to Paul: “My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power” (1 Corinthians 2:4-5).

Elsewhere Paul again declares, 1Thessalonians 1:5, ” Our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.”

When the Lord Jesus walked the earth 2000 years ago, the message He heralded came not only by declaration, but also in demonstration of the Spirit. Luke 8:1 reads, “And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and showing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God….”

Mark 1:39 affirms, “And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils.”

When John the Baptist was in prison, he sent representatives requesting that Jesus testify truthfully whether He was the coming Messiah, Israel’s and the world’s Savior. Jesus concedes that He is indeed the Savior of the world by pointing to the miraculous power of God accompanying Him. “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: “The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them” (Luke 7:22).

Jesus’ ministry credentials was the anointing of the Holy Spirit and power:

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19).

What power Jesus possessed! Luke 4:40 says of Him, “When the sun was setting, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them.

Again we read in Matt 8:16, “When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed ALL the sick.”

Now that which makes the gospel relevant to us today is that this same Jesus who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil long ago, is still alive and is manifesting the love and power of God! The gospel has not changed! Christ commissioned His followers including us to present the gospel to the world in Holy Spirit power and might. “And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. (but that’s not all Jesus says. He continues, “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:1, 7-8).

The Early Christians, like Jesus continued in the same anointing and power preaching with authority, healing the sick, cleansing lepers, casting out devils and even raising the dead! Know as well that it is the will of God for you and me to both experience and be employed in the miraculous today. Jesus said to His followers, “Truly, truly, I say unto you, He that believes on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he shall do; because I go unto my Father” (John 14:12).

There are at least four reasons revealed in the Bible as to why we can expect to experience and be used by the Lord in the miraculous today.

1. THE COMPASSION OF GOD
Every miracle and healing Jesus performed was motivated by his great mercy. Consider the following references in the New Testament and be assured that God loves you the same!

Matt 14:14 “And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.”

Mark 1:39-41 So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons. A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.’ Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!”

Luke 7:12-15 As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out– the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.” Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

2. THE COMPREHENSIVENESS OF THE GOSPEL
Matthew 8:16-17 declares, “When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases.”

Jesus was fulfilling what was previously written by the prophet Isaiah, “Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted” (Isaiah 53:4).

You will notice that there is a seeming discrepancy comparatively between Matthew’s wording and that of Isaiah.

Matthew says that Jesus carried our diseases, whereas, Isaiah claims that it was our sorrows that Jesus bore on the Cross. This is no contradiction. The Hebrew word in Isaiah’s text means, “to feel pain.” It can be translated literally or figuratively. The implication of this is something we should not overlook. Get this! The Holy Spirit was saying that Christ went to the Cross to redeem us from the cause and effect of all pain.

We may become ill, but Jesus will heal us if we trust in His finished work at the Cross. If we are brokenhearted, we can be confident that the consolation of the Holy Spirit will be with us healing us of our emotional pain! Sin wounds us spiritually, even resulting in death, but Jesus sets us free from this as well. John G. Lake who saw many healed as a result of his ministry, called such revelation, “The Triune Gospel, ” the Good News that Jesus died for our spirit, soul and body!

3. THE COLDNESS OF MEN:
The third reason why the Lord desires to manifest His supernatural power in contemporary society is because Gifts of the Spirit, signs and wonders, and miracles are God’s seal of validating the message of Christ crucified, risen and ascended on high. There are many today due to unbelief need powerful proof of the truth of the Gospel.

The writer to the Hebrews reiterates this:
“This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will (Hebrews 2:3-4).

Jesus words in Matthew 28:18-20 charging believers to take the Gospel throughout the world are commonly known as “The Great Commission.” It is called a Co-Mission because two parties are engaged in the mission: the believer as well as the Lord Himself. Mark 16:20 is a confirmation, “And the disciples went everywhere and preached, and the Lord worked with them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs.” (NLT)

4. THE COMPOUNDING OF FAITH:
“When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. [Jesus] saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I; don’t be afraid.” Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened” (Mark 6:45-52).

The disciples had witnessed the hand of the Lord intervening in their lives on many occasions, manifesting both divine power and provision. Yet, here in the midst of a storm they were beside themselves crying out to the Lord for intervention. Jesus chides them for their lack of trust, pointing back to the occasions when he had multiplied the loaves to feed the multitudes. Verse 52 states, “They considered not the miracle of the loaves.” In other words, they did not remember or call to mind the power, which Jesus had shown in feeding the five thousand by a miracle, and that, having done that, he had power also to save them from the storm.

Each encounter with the miraculous power and provision of the Lord is meant to produce in us an attitude of faith and trust that God will be with us and deliver us during the next test of our faith. David was confident that he could take down Goliath because of his previous faith victories. God had been with him then and surely He would be with David when he went up against the Giant! “I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! The LORD who saved me from the claws of the lion and the bear will save me from this Philistine!” Saul finally consented. “All right, go ahead,” he said. “And may the LORD be with you!”(1 Samuel 17:36-37 NLT)

What I am saying is that we need the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives demonstrating the power, grace and love of the Lord to us. This will result in us having greater faith. Our spiritual development happens incrementally. In Romans 1:17, Paul said we grow from faith to faith. The Amplified Bible renders it this way: “For in the Gospel a righteousness which God ascribes is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith [disclosed through the way of faith that arouses to more faith]. As it is written, The man who through faith is just and upright shall live and shall live by faith.”

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The Early Church initially grew by addition.”Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all” Acts 2:41 NLT; See also, Acts 2:47; 5:14; 11:24).

It is never a small thing when great multitudes are added to the Body of Christ on one or when believers are added to the Church on a daily basis. Most churches in the West have never even come close to seeing such a phenomenom.

However, the most far-reaching expansion of the Kingdom as recorded in the Book of Acts did not happen until the followers of Christ embraced a multiplication paradigm.

The New Testament records that at first it was disciples that increased exponentially. “Now in those days, …the number of the disciples was multiplying rapidly (Acts 6:1 New Living Translation). After time, the growth shifted from disciples multiplying to entire churches multiplying: “Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied” (Acts 9:31).

We all know small churches that justify their few members as a result of them focusing on growing “spiritually.” They claim they are not interested in “numbers.” We are also aware of larger churches that are “a mile wide and an inch deep.” I would like to submit that God’s intention is that we experience both numerical and spiritual increase. The Body of Christ was never intended to grow one-dimensionally. The preceding verse in Acts 9:31 as well as Acts 16:5 makes it clear that the Church is intended to grow deeper spiritually through edification and larger numerically through multiplication!

We are starting “Awakening Centers” where we will be making disciples as well as training and releasing leaders. These Awakening Centers will embrace a multiplication and discipleship paradigm in order to rapidly reach as many people as possible. Such an approach, we believe, will faciliate a grass-roots discipleship movement that will rapidly multiply.

Contact us if we can help you start an Awakening center in your area.

Awake Nations is empowering healthy leaders to reach the harvest in the power of the Holy Spirit! We offer assessment, in-service training, free resources and coaching.

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Often in the scriptures the relationship between God and his church is likened to that of a husband and wife. “‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church” (Eph. 5:31-32). On that glorious day when the Lord Jesus returns, the true church of God will be joined to him as a bride is to her groom on the wedding day. Revelation 19:7 validates this: “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”

As believers our brief stay here on earth is compared to the ancient oriental practice of betrothal. The custom of betrothal as practiced in Bible days by the Jews involved much more than our present day Western custom of engage-ment. It normally lasted a year and was culminated with the wedding of the bride and groom. So serious was it that it could only be severed through divorce. And if one partner was found guilty of infidelity he or she was liable of the death penalty (See Deuteronomy 22:23 -24).

Paul grieved over the Corinthian Church . Evidently they had been seduced away from their betrothed husband Christ. “For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:2, 3).

The man of God was all too aware that the chief ambition of the devil was to entice believers away from a pure single-hearted devotion to Christ. This was his method in the Eden and is still his method to this day. Paul calls the manner the devil uses to affect his cause “craftiness.” In the Greek it is an interesting word. It literally means “to stir to a place elsewhere.” Satan’s plan is to distract the focus of our love and affections away from a single-hearted devotion to Christ to things of lesser or no importance.

During the days of Prophet, the devil achieved his goal among Judah. The vast majority of God’s people in Jerusalem were enticed away from the Lord unto the worship of idols. For this reason Isaiah cries out, “How the faithful city has become a harlot” (Isaiah 1:21).

In the New Testament, Paul declared that the last days would be marked by an apostasy among the people of the Lord caused by demonic enticement. “Some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits” (1 Timothy 4:1). The Bible is emphatic that as Christians we have been called to serve God with undivided affection and unadulterated devotion. To do otherwise constitutes spiritual adultery. Jesus stated, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24).

Beloved, the Bible commands believers to “be holy” (1 Peter 1:13). The Biblical Greek word for holy is hagios. Breaking down the word etymologically, it means “not of the soil or earth.”

The New Testament clearly teaches that our passion in life is to be directed after the heavenly and spiritual, not the earthly and temporal. We are to be a people who are “not of the earth.” Consider the following:

“For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: who set their mind on earthly things .” (Philippians 3:18-19).

And, also, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:1-2).

Imagine a bride that informs her husband that she married him strictly for his wealth! How would that man feel? Surely he would feel taken advantage of. Yet this is the way we treat the Lord! Often we serve Him for what He can give us in terms of earthly benefits, rather than spiritual riches. Yet, the irony of the matter is that if we would give the Lord the preeminence in our lives -seeking first His Kingdom and righteousness -then all of our temporal needs would be met as well! “and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern” (Mt. 6:33 NLT).

Let’s be a people with eyes only for Jesus!

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“Immanuel: God With Us” was fulfilled 2000 years ago at the Advent of Jesus Christ. God literally clothed himself with frail humanity and lived among us for over 30 years eventually dying on the Cross and being raised to live again where He is now seated at the right-hand of the Father where He rules with absolute authority and power. “The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead-whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel” (Acts 5:30-31).

The purpose for God dwelling among earth’s inhabitants in the person of Jesus during the First Century was that they would see His glory. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning…. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:1, 14).

Anytime the Lord reveals His glory to men it results in some putting their faith in Him. “…He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him” (John 2:11b).

Today, God still desires to reveal His glory to the world and He has chosen to do this through you and me – the Church. Jesus declared during His High-priestly prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, “I have given them the glory that you gave me…” (John 17:22). Paul prays for the church in Ephesians 3:19: “….that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!” (Amplified Bible).

Beloved, don’t miss this! We are destined to be a people that are wholly filled and flooded with the life and glory of the Lord! The purpose for this is that the Lord may continue to manifest Himself today as “Immanuel: God With us” so that others will put their faith in Him and be saved.

What is so desperately needed today is people that are so intimate with the Lord that they reflect the divine nature to their culture. The Early Church accomplished this. What stood out about them was not their education, eloquence or expertise, but their intimacy with the Holy Spirit. We read in Acts 4:13, “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.”

You and I have been summoned to display God’s glory to those who do not know Him. As we walk in intimacy with Christ, His grace and glory will be revealed. Those who do not know the Lord will cry out, “God is with us today!”

“But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!” (1 Corinthians 14:24-25 from New International Version)

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Approximately 1 ½ years ago I started to feel an inner growth on the lower right side of my neck, at the base. The growth was firm and about 2 inches in diameter. Each time I looked up I could feel it. I would massage it hoping it was just a pinched nerve, but feared it was a blood clot. Fear hindered me from going to the doctor to have it checked out. My wife and I went on a mission trip in March. My fear increased. I was afraid that the growth it was a blood clot and that it would break loose from the pressure.

Evangelists Glenn & Lynn Bleakney came to Great Bend, Kansas with their sonTyler to conduct a Kingdom Encounter Healing Crusade in April 2009. The first night Glenn preached was Thursday, April 23. The Holy Spirit gave him a word of knowledge. He asked for someone to come forward who was having some kind of neck problem. I did not respond because I did not know if he was referring to me and I had already gone forward for prayer for my shoulder in response to another word of knowledge given earlier that evening.

God spoke to Glenn and Lynn that the miracle services were to continue for another week. We were at the service on Monday the 27th and Glenn asked the same thing: to pray for someone who was having neck problems. I still did not go forward and ask for direct healing, but while Glenn was praying for someone else for healing, I placed my hands on them and repeated every word he spoke claiming it for my own healing.

The very next morning while I was in the shower, I coughed and I was quite surprised as an unordinary amount of blood came out of my mouth! Within seconds, after I lifted my head up to wash my hair, I could feel the lump in my neck was completely gone!

The uncomfortable feeling of it being there was instantly removed. It has now been several months and I feel great. There is no more pain, discomfort or swelling on my neck! Praise God! Thank you Jesus for my healing!

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John the Baptist prophesied of the Coming of the Christ and how He would baptize His disciples with the Holy Spirit and fire. The initial fulfillment of this event occurred in Jerusalem two thousand years ago during the Hebrew Feast of Pentecost. We read in Acts 2:1-4, “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”

Unharnessed, fire is a potent force capable wreaking enormous destruction. James said, “See how great a forest a little fire kindles!” (James 3:5). When controlled, fire is of great benefit to mankind. For example, fire produces power as well as heat; it also generates light. Furthermore, fire is capable of consuming dross and alloys resulting in the purification of metals.

Each of the properties of fire just referenced has a corresponding spiritual fulfillment that reflects a characteristic of the present-day ministry of the Holy Spirit in the world. Let us examine these in detail.

Characteristic #1: Power

In the natural fire produces power. Internal combustion engines, for example, run on the power of fire. Jesus said to His Church just prior to His ascent to the Father’s right-hand, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire is needed today more than ever in order to reap the end-time harvest. The power that God wants to demonstrate to the nations of our world is comparable to nothing ever witnessed in modern times.

As I travel to cities and nations preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, I am amazed at the grace that God demonstrates to men and women. Just as in the Book of Acts where we read, “And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all” (Acts 4:33), so it is today! I have witnessed the restoration of sight to the blind, the deaf receiving their hearing, the crippled walking and so much more.

I am completely convinced if we are to penetrate the spiritual darkness that has blinded the hearts of so many in this generation then the Gospel must be preached not only in word, but with signs following as well. Miracles are the Lord’s ways of testifying to the veracity of the message of the Cross. The writer to the Hebrews stated, “God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will? (Hebrews 2:4). An example of this is seen in the ministry of Philip. “And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did” (Acts 8:6). Multitudes today will also be convinced of the truth of the Gospel of Christ crucified and risen for them as a result of experiencing such irrefutable Kingdom phenomena.

Characteristic #2: Light

Fire also produces light. As a spiritual metaphor, light speaks of revelation knowledge and spiritual insight. Jesus said of Himself, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12).

The Holy Spirit is quenched when human rationale replaces divine insight and wisdom. The Bible tells us that as citizens of the Kingdom we are to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). Faith is seeing the situation from God’s perspective and not our own. As important as speaking in tongues is, we also need to believe God for a full restoration of the Gifts of the Spirit in our ministries and local churches. The revelation gifts – words of knowledge, words of wisdom as well as discerning of spirits (1 Cor. 12:7-10) – are indispensible for prevailing against Satan’s schemes and advancing the Kingdom of God on the earth.

The devil is incredibly subtle and cunning today. Jesus Himself said that Satan’s trickery would become so widespread and successful in the last days that even the elect would be deceived if that were possible (Matt. 24:. Paul the apostle admonished the church at Corinth that the devil had placed among them those that posed as ministers of Christ, but were in reality agents of Satan (See 2 Cor 11:15).

Recently, while ministering at a large church in another nation, the Holy Spirit drew my attention to a woman in the congregation. He said, “Today I will deliver this woman from demons.” When I gave the invitation for those needing a miracle in their lives to come forward for prayer, this woman was the first to respond. As I prayed for her unclean spirits began to manifest and using the authority of the Lord they were cast out and she was powerfully freed. What happened next is truly amazing. At lunch, after the service, the leadership of the local church informed me that up to this point they had regarded this woman as a prophetess, receiving spiritual direction and counsel from her! One of the pastors shook his head exclaiming, “How could we have been so gullible?”

Jesus declared that the Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth (John 16:13). All of God’s promises of course are predicated by our submission to His will and word. The Psalmist teaches us the prerequisite of acquiring acute discernment: “A good understanding have all those who do His commandments” (Psalm 111:10). Rest assured that if you are submitting to the word of God, you will be protected from all deception and will receive an ever-increasing revelation of the person of Christ!

Characteristic #3: Heat

Heats speak of passion. The Spirit is quenched when the commitment to the work of God is done just as a ritual, in a half-hearted manner. As believers, we are called to serve God not out of mere religious duty, but rather with hearts ablaze! The scripture says, “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord” (Romans 12:11).

In the beginning of Jesus’ ministry He went in and rid those who had turned the Temple into a house of merchandise. Again, at the end of His ministry, He did the same. What evoked such strong passion from Christ? The writer states, “His disciples remembered that it is written: ‘Zeal for your house will consume me’” (John 2:17).

Like Christ, we are to burn with zeal for the word of the Lord today! We are not to be man-pleasers, but God-pleasers! However, if we are to truly be like Jesus in all our ways, we must also be moved with compassion for our fellow-men. “But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd” (Matthew 9:36).

Paul the apostle had such a heart for others that he was willing to pay the ultimate price if it would result in their salvation. Hear his heart! “I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh” (Romans 9:1-3).

Though Paul knew that only Jesus’ death on the cross was a sufficient sacrifice for the sins of this world, he employed hyperbolic language to demonstrate the underlying passion of his heart. One paraphrase helps us to truly understand what he was saying, “O Israel, my people! O my Jewish brothers! How I long for you to come to Christ. My heart is heavy within me, and I grieve bitterly day and night because of you. Christ knows and the Holy Spirit knows that it is no mere pretence when I say that I would be willing to be forever damned if that would save you” (Romans 9:1-3 The Living Bible).

Only God’s love in us can produce such fervour. Thank God! Paul tells us that this has been done by the ministry of the Holy Spirit (See Romans 5:5).

Characteristic #4: Purification

The final work of the Holy Spirit is to purify the people of God resulting in us being conformed to the image of Christ. There is a prophecy in the Old Testament that speaks of the coming of Messiah and the righteousness He would produce in the people. “He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the LORD An offering in righteousness” (Malachi 3:3).

The ancient refiner would place precious metal into an iron pot that was directly situated over a fire. He would then stoke the fire until it burned with a ferocious heat resulting in the precious metal turning to liquid. After the metal was fully melted, he would examine it periodically to determine if the purification process had run its’ course. The dross and alloy would eventually separate from the precious metal and would float to the surface. The refiner would then skim these off of the surface. This process would be repeated several times until he was certain that the precious metal had been duly purged. How did he know when the refining work was complete? There was a test: He would look into the pot and when he saw his own reflection he knew the gold was pure!

Romans 8:29 teaches us that Father saved us in order that we would be “…conformed to the image of His Son….” Understand that the Holy Spirit is with you no matter what you may go through! He is at work, creating you in the image of Christ. The promise of the word in 1 Peter 1:7 is that “…trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold–and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold. So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world” – New Living Translation.

In a day and age when many Christians are devaluing the importance of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire, we must remember that Christ commanded His apostles wait in Jerusalem for this experience of power before they dare venture out to minister to the world. “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). We desperately need a fresh outpouring of the Spirit in our local churches and lives today!

If you have not yet been baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it us for prayer!

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The preceding instructions are extracted from a most memorable event in the life of one of God’s chosen servants. Moses shared sweet communion with the Lord for 40 days and nights on the top of Mount Sinai. Most people think of this strictly as the occasion when God transmitted the Ten Commandments for His people to abide by. However, the Law was not all that Moses received; he was also given the pattern or blueprints for a building that would later be known as the Tabernacle.

According to the writer of Hebrews, the Old Covenant Tabernacle, with all its accouterments, merely foreshadowed spiritual truths to be fulfilled later in Christ: who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things… (Hebrews 8:5). This is significant; we should not miss this! God was saying that the people were to build a sanctuary in order that He may dwell among them. From the beginning, the Lord has earnestly desired to possess a people who would, in addition to upholding His laws, delight in His coming into their midst for the express purpose of sharing intimate fellowship.

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?(1 Corinthians 6:19).

Under the New Covenant things have changed. God no longer dwells in a physical structure, but in His faithful people the Church. Evidently, the Corinthians Christians failed to grasp this, for later, Paul reiterates this truth: And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God; as God has said, ‘I will dwell in them, and walk in them’ and ‘I will be their God, and they shall be my people’(2 Corinthians 6:16).

GOD IS PREPARING HIS PEOPLE TO MANIFEST HIS GLORY TO THE WORLD.
Frequently, I hear believers discussing God’s plans for the last day’s church. The Lord’s strategy for His church is the same today as it has always been: preparing a people to display His glory to the nations!

It will take a powerful manifestation of the presence of the Lord to convince the ungodly masses of our day of the truth and power of the Gospel of the Kingdom. Yet this is what the Lord is determined should happen! The glory of God is revealed only through His Church, the place where He now tabernacles on earth.

When the first-century Jewish leaders arrested Peter and John, it was not human capabilities (education, eloquence, or experience) that alerted and led them to the reality that something was unique about Peter and John. Conversely, it was the supernatural— the glory and image of Jesus stamped in their hearts! And, because of their intimacy with Jesus, they reflected divine qualities. Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus (Acts 4:13).

Knowing that the spiritual union of believers in the Father and the Son would make the glory of God apparent to the world, Jesus prayed for His followers: That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me (John 17:21-23).

GOD WILL NOT DWELL JUST ANYWHERE.
The Lord longs to show forth His resplendence to a world that is without hope and without God. Often, however, He cannot, because there is a short supply of what the New Testament calls vessels of honor… (See 2 Timothy 2:21).

As vessels or instruments in the service of our Master, we can bring either honor or shame to Him. For this reason, Paul exhorts us to purge and sanctify ourselves so we can experience a restoration of power and usefulness in His service: But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.

Again, Paul spells out the veracity of this matter by asserting that the promise of God dwelling and walking in us is subject to the attainment of definite conditions. Note these prerequisites: Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty (2 Corinthians 6:17-18).

God instructed Moses to tell the people to …Make me a sanctuary ; that I may dwell among them (Exodus 25:8). Sanctuary, as employed here, literally means, a sacred or holy place. It is a term that was never used to designate a building or structure used for mundane or irreligious purposes. Moreover, the root word is “qedesh,” the same word utilized in Ezekiel, to describe God as …I am the Lord that sanctifies them (20:12). God will not dwell just anywhere; He must have a holy and separated people in whom to live and through whom to move.

THE WORD OF GOD IS OUR PATTERN FOR HOLINESS
We prepare and sanctify ourselves to become fit habitations of God’s glory by building our lives on the pattern of His Word: “According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it” (Exodus 25:9).

Paul unashamedly admonished Timothy to “Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus ” (2 Timothy 1:13). The Psalmist also exhorts, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word” (Ps. 119:9 NIV).

Our Lord Jesus taught that sanctification occurs through obedience to the Word of Truth: “Sanctify them through they truth: Your word is truth” (John 17:17).

WE MUST HOLD FAST TO ALL THE COUNSEL OF GOD!
Known as the Great Commission, Jesus’ final words to His followers, prior to His ascension were, “…Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15). The specification of this work is often overlooked. It demands that we are engaged in “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you…” (Matthew 28:20). preaching.jpg

Paul charged ministers of the gospel to guard painstakingly and meticulously their lives and teachings. Neglecting to do so will culminate in disaster! “Keep a close watch on yourself and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right, and God will save you and those who hear you ” (1 Timothy 4:16 New Living Translation).

When the Lord spoke to the Prophet Jeremiah, He summoned him to share with the rebellious people of His day the full content of God’s indictment against them. Notice that not even a single word could be omitted! “This is what the LORD says: Stand in the courtyard of the LORD’s house and speak to all the people of the towns of Judah who come to worship in the house of the LORD. Tell them everything I command you; do not omit a word ” (Jeremiah 26:2 New International Version).

Many preachers today, because they love the praise of men, will not herald the full-gospel message of self-denial and uncompromising obedience to all of Christ’s commandments. But Paul was not a hireling; he unflinchingly declared, ” …how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house. Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:20, 26, 27).

IT IS CRUCIAL THAT WE SEEK OUT THE WILL OF GOD FOR OUR LIVES.
When we veer off the Bible route, we are headed for trouble—no matter how sincere our intentions may be. David had a noble aspiration in wanting to transport the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem ; however, good motives are not enough. God’s will must be done His way! “It was because you, the Levites, did not bring it up the first time that the LORD our God broke out in anger against us. We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way” (1 Chron 15:13 New International Version)

The Lord had given clear directions as to how the Ark of the Covenant was to be carried (Exodus 25:12-15; 37:1-5; Numbers 4:15). Nevertheless, the children of Israel neglected to search the Scripture to know how they were to execute God’s plan. Ignorance is no excuse! We have the word. We must study to show ourselves approved to God (See 2 Tim 2:15).

When God summoned Saul of Tarsus he informed Him through His servant Ananias that “The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth” (Acts 22:14).

Like Saul of long ago, the Lord has not abandoned us to happenstance or fortuity. We too can “know his will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of his mouth!”

Those who search after the Lord with all their heart’s, inquiring of Him, will find His perfect will and purpose for their lives. And, as they walk in it, they will be blessed and will manifest His power and glory to the world.

God’s promises us that His richest blessings are ours to experience if we build according to the blueprint of His Word!

“Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. For whose findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord. But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death” (Proverbs 8:34-3 6).

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The Church by and large does not understand her purpose for being on the earth. It is not to heal the sick, cast out demons, feed the poor, or even win the lost!

As important as these emphases are, Jesus made it clear that our mission is to “make disciples of the nations” (Matthew 28:19). A disciple is one that after he/she has been completely trained and brought to maturation mirrors the mannerisms and exemplifies the teaching and training of the mentor. “The disciple is not above his teacher: but every one when he is perfected shall be as his teacher” (Luke 6:40).

Our teacher is Jesus Christ! The mission of the Church is to reach men and women and disciple them in such a way that they become conformed to the likeness of Jesus Christ. “For whom he foreknew, he also foreordained to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Romans 8:29).

The Father’s agenda is raising many sons for glory (See Hebrews 2:10)! True sons walk in the Spirit of holiness that Jesus did (1 John 2:6) and do the greater works He spoke of (John 14:12).

In the process of making disciples, it will be necessary to preach the Gospel, feed and clothe the needy, heal the sick, cast out demons, teach the word of God, etc. However, these things are the means to the end, not the end itself! The perfecting of the saints (Eph 4:12), which is synonymous with making disciples, is the goal and the mission that we are summoned to fulfill! Let’s focus on that!

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