It's Time To Put The Fire To Some Flesh

  I Kings 18:21-39

What I am about to say may be a very bold statement, but I believe in my spirit that it is a statement of fact.  There has never been a time on the history of the Church where there has been a greater need for the men and women of God to take a stand and to boldly speak up for righteousness.  Our country needs a voice like Elijah’s to champion the call to righteousness and holiness.

There was a time, not that awful long ago, that you could walk into any Pentecostal church in America and hear the unadulterated Word of God being proclaimed in the power of the Holy Ghost and witness conviction over sin, souls being saved, devils being cast out, and bondages being broken.  But today in many of our churches, sadly, there is a watered down bless me message that has no power to convict the heart, a message that does not condemn sin, one that has no power to heal the sick, and a message that cannot set the captive free.

The voice of God is calling, is there a Man?  Is there a Woman?  Is there anyone left in My House that cannot be bought?  Is there a faithful servant among my people who will not be intimidated by politicians, or manipulated by public opinion, is there someone who will speak ‘thus saith the Lord.’  Is there someone, anyone left who will stand on the mountain and face off with a backslidden Leadership, false teachers and prophets, and a nation that has accepted a polluted religion that mixes the worship of ‘self’ with the worship of God.

Elijah knew it back then and the truth remains today, there is only one thing that can destroy this polluted mixture of religion and worship and turn this nation back to God: We must experience the fire of God.  The only thing that stop this invasion of secular humanism, fascination with the occult, the unholy mixture of Christianity and Islam, and stop our nation’s decline into utter depravity is to have an old fashion visitation of the Fire of God.

The church desperately needs to catch Fire again.  The the cry and the prayer of God's people, of the church, must be Lord, “send the fire again!”

The first place the fire must fall is on our pulpits:

There are people standing behind the pulpits in many churches today who are bound by pornography, social drinking and gambling. Mainline denominations are ordaining homosexuals and lesbians to preach the gospel.  Many preachers have fallen into the prosperity trap and they are money driven, they live loose and worldly lives.  They don’t fast, they don’t pray, they don’t seek God, they have no relationship with God, They have become pulpit celebrities who are more concerned with selling books than saving souls.

Lord send the Fire to our Pulpits!

The second place that the fire must fall is in the pews:

Sin has found a comfortable home in many churches today, few Christians really pray anymore or study the Word of God. Ball games, track meets, concerts, recreation, going to the lake, or back yard barbeques have all taken the place of closet time with Jesus.  Believers have found a soft comfortable spot on the pew, but have hearts that are hard, lukewarm, they’ve lost their first love, their passion for God has died, and they are simply going through the motions.  They still know when to shout, when to cry, and when to clap, but there’s no fire, there’s no power, and there’s no anointing.

Lord send the Fire to our Pews!

Finally, the fire of God must Fall in our homes:

Many Christians today have developed an unholy appetite for entertainment that is vile and ungodly. It is debas, sensual, worldly, filled with lust and deception, homosexuality and lesbianism, and because it is funny they swallow it down.  The devil believes that if he wraps his poison in humor that Christians will swallow it because it’s funny and apparently he is right.  The fire of God needs to fall and purify our lives until we won’t receive anything vile, unholy, or impure.

David Said: Psalms 101:3 – “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes.”

We need the fire of God to fall on our internet and burn up everything that shouldn’t be there.

We need the fire of God to fall on our cell phones.

We need the fire of God to fall on our music.

We need the fire our God to fall on our wardrobes.

We need to fire of God to fall on our hearts and minds.

Could you honestly invite Jesus to watch what you watch and listen to what you listen to?  How much impurity, how much sin are you making allowance for? How tolerant have you become to the vile and the unclean?

What are your kids watching and listening to?  Do your children hear Daddy and Momma praying in the Home?  Do your children ever hear you worship God"  Do your children ever see you reading your bible?  Is your house a house of Prayer?

There is only one answer for us: We need the Fire of God

Lord the the fire of God fall on our homes!

They make fun of us and call us holy rollers and they say it is all emotionalism.  Yes there is some emotionalism involved, because the fire of God touches every part of your being: spiritually, physically, and emotionally.  The Fire of God is our heritage.  It is not an unwillingness on Gods part that keeps the fire from falling, it is a lukewarm, indifferent, and tolerant attitude for the spirit of worldliness on our part that holds back the fire.

Matthew 24:12 – “Because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall wax cold.”

When we get sick of this worldliness, and we get hungry for God and begin to cry out to God, heaven will respond as it always has and God will answer us by Fire!

If we want the Fire there must be:

1.  An Altar: There must be prayer, there must be hunger for God, and there must be fellowship with God.

2. A Sacrifice: “I beseech ye therefore brethren that you present your bodies a (living sacrifice) holy and acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service.”  Romans 12:1

 

Focus on the Power, Not the Problem

In Ezekiel 33 God let the prophet Ezekiel know that when you see the sword coming and don’t sound the alarm, then the sword will come and take them away but ‘their blood will I require at your hands.’

However, if you sound the alarm and they don’t listen and they don’t heed the warning then the sword will come and take them away but their blood will not be on your hands, because you sounded the alarm and they refused to listen.

So today I am the watchman on the wall and I am sounding the alarm.  I believe that the coming of the Lord is near.  If you are familiar at all with the prophecies and you look and see what’s taking place in the world today, unless you have your head in the sand, you have to believe it won’t be long now. 

I could try and make you feel good by telling you that everything is going to get better, that the economy is going to get better, that morality and integrity are going to get better, that racial strife and prejudice are going to get better, that our government is going to get better, and that all the tension with Iran, North Korea and Russia is just going to dissolve into world peace.  But if I did I would be a liar, because none of these things are going to get better.

There are a lot of so called prophets that prophesy peace and everything is wonderful and it’s just going to get better, but it’s not true.

Jeremiah 8:11 says, “For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.”

That means the false prophets have put a band aid over a cancer and said it’s going to be alright, but it’s not true.

I want you to know that Yes God is good and God is going to bless his people, and yes God is going to protect and prosper his own.  But I can see that the sword of judgment is about to fall on the ‘lukewarm’ church of America.

But everything is not fine: God is not happy with what is happening in his church, it is not a time of peace, it is not a time to be asleep like Jonah the prophet.

It’s a time of war, it's time for the church to beat her plowshares into swords and fight!

My heart is heavy as I share this word, but I also have the great joy of telling you, that in the midst of wrath and judgment, I feel in my spirit that God will once again make his mercy known and visit us again with revival.

But the first step to healing is being honest and recognizing that there is a sickness.  As a person who has recovered from alcoholism I have come to understand that the first step to recovery over anything is admitting that you have a problem.

Ezekiel 37:1-10

God asked the Prophet the question, “Can these bones live again?”

In other words:  Is there hope for these bones? Can they be restored? Let me bring it home: Can the church ever be revived? Can the Church of Jesus Christ ever quit fighting and arguing over stupid things that have no eternal consequences and get back to being the body of Christ the glory of God in the earth? Will it ever be possible again for the Church to once again be the representatives of the kingdom of God in the earth? Can the church strip off her worldly garments and be clothed in strength and put back on her robes of righteousness? Will the Church ever again be a mighty army of God beating down the gates of Hell setting captives free, healing the sick, delivering the bound and the oppressed?  Will we ever again experience, 'these signs shall follow them that believe?'

Ezekiel’s answer shows us just how bad the situation had become: “Lord God thou knowest.” He shifted his attention from the problem to the power of God.

If you need a miracle, if you need a deliverance, if you need a healing, or if you need a spiritual breakthrough, then you have to shift your attention from the problem to the power of God. Yes you first have to admit you have a need, but then you have to take your eyes off the problem and get them on the power of God.  The longer you look at the problem, the more you think about the problem, and the more you talk about the problem the worse it's going to get.

Ezekiel knew the situation was beyond his ability and that the only one who could change it was God.  Sooner or later every one of us will come to a place in life where we are going to have a ‘Lord God thou knowest’ moment.  It’s a going to be a place where you know that your circumstances are beyond human ability, your momma can't fix it, your daddy can't fix it, and your doctor or lawyer can't fix it. That’s the moment when you know that if it's going to get better, it is going to have to be the power of God.

Ezekiel's answer was a statement of dependency, a recognition of his insufficiency his weakness, and his need.

I love God's response.  God says prophesy upon these bones: God is essentially saying, “that's all I needed from you was your dependence upon me now let's get to work.”

God never shows us hopeless conditions and circumstances to overwhelm and frustrate and depress us.  God shows you these kinds of things because God has chosen you to use you and to change the situation.  It was already in the mind of God to make Ezekiel an agent of change.

We look at the Church today and so much worldliness has made its way into her.  Political correctness has overwhelmed the mindset of so many in the Church that now even mention of the Blood of Jesus is considered offensive by a lot of churches.  I'm angry at the devil, he has perverted our spiritual lifeline and many Christians do not even know what’s happening.  It's the blood of Jesus that saves me, that heals us, that delivers us, that sets us free, that sustains life.  The blood of Jesus is our lifeline.

I'm not condemning anyone, but I'm just sounding the alarm!

Virtually every sit com or situational comedy on television is now endorsing and encouraging either homosexuality or lesbianism or both and Christians sit and watch and laugh and don't know they're drinking poison.

The meaning of the word tolerance is:

1. The power or the capacity of an organism to tolerate unfavorable environmental conditions.

2. A disposition to allow freedom of choice and behavior

3. A permissible difference: allowing freedom to move within limits.

4. Broad mindedness showing respect for the rights or opinions or practices of others.

5. To survive the introduction of an organism or a poison in the body.

The church has become tolerant: We have allowed the world to pressure us into conformity, to accommodate the world in the church.  The Apostle Paul urged us not to let this happen:

Romans 12:1-2

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Colossians 2:8

“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”

The fact is whatever you tolerate will eventually control your life

The church was never called to tolerate sin: but to come out from among them and be separate, and touch not the unclean thing.  To shun the very appearance of evil

1 Peter 5:8

“Be sober be vigilant because your adversary the devil as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may destroy.”

The church has fallen far from her high and holy calling.

This message is not to frustrate you, it is not to cause you to feel discouraged or depressed, and it is not so you can fold your hands and hang your head down in despair and hopelessness.  But, neither is it to bury your head in the sand like an ostrich and pretend evil does not exist.  This message is to make you understand that God has called you to be an Ezekiel to your generation.  He has called you to be a prophet and an agent of change.  He has called you to be an intercessor.

You may never stand behind the pulpit and declare the word of the Lord, but you can be an Ezekiel in your prayer closet. You can prophesy the divine destiny of the church, you can rebuke sin, you can cry out for revival, you can prophesy to the wind to come and blow up on His church again.  You can call for the fire of God to fall from heaven and purify his church.  You have a powerful call upon your life: you are called to be an intercessor to this generation.

My purpose today is to tell you: God is going to do it again; God is going to send revival.   The church may have gone down, but she is not out.  She may have fallen from her rightful place but she is getting back up.  She may have gotten her robes dirty with the filth of this world, but she is being washed clean by the blood of the Lamb.

Revival is coming to the body of Christ!

It may look impossible, it may look hopeless, it may look irreversible, and it may looks like the devil is winning, but that’s because we’ve focused on the problem instead of the power!

Truth and righteousness are going to be resurrected and the church is going to once again shine forth with the glory of God, when we focus on God’s power.

It's not over, these dry bone will live again!

 

Faith Is The Victory

This message may just be a word from the Lord for me today, it definitely comes straight from my own personal struggles this week.  The enemy has been working overtime to get me to believe that my life isn’t reflective of the abundant life God’s Word promises, that my faith is weak and useless, and that I have been wasting my time praying for things I will never see come to fruition.  It may be for me, but I believe many struggle with the same thoughts so I am sharing it with you anyway.

I John 5:4 - For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.

I love this old hymn that was taken from I John 5:4:

“Encamped along the hills of light,

ye Christian soldiers, rise,

And press the battle ere the night

shall veil the glowing skies.

Against the foe in vales below

let all our strength be hurled;

Faith is the victory, we know,

that overcomes the world.

 

Faith is the victory!

Faith is the victory!

Oh, glorious victory,

that overcomes the world.

 

To him that overcomes the foe,

white raiment shall be giv’n;

Before the angels he shall know

his name confessed in heav’n.

Then onward from the hills of light,

our hearts with love aflame,

We’ll vanquish all the hosts of night,

in Jesus’ conqu’ring name.”

Faith is the victory!

Faith is the victory!

Oh, glorious victory,

that overcomes the world.

Faith is the victory that overcomes the world.  That’s what the verse in I John 5 says, what an incredible promise from the Word of God!  God is telling us that faith is a powerful thing! It gives us power that we could not achieve any other way.

Hebrews 11:32-35

“What more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection.”

“Who through faith conquered kingdoms…were made strong out of weakness”

That’s the kind of faith and power I want in my life.

But the author of Hebrews doesn't stop there with the words we just read. He goes on to write:

“Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.” Hebrews 11:36-38

I can almost guarantee that no Sunday school teacher ever taught children this side of faith. Can you imagine how that might go? ‘Class, today I am going to show you in the Word how trusting God can get thrown in jail, hated by your friends, and will force you to live in a trailer park the rest of your life.’

 It would certainly send a lot of people down the road.  And I can’t say that I would blame them.  

Nobody I know is interested in a faith that would lead to pain, struggling, torment and suffering. Most people want a powerful faith that gives them confidence – not fear.

That’s why so many preachers preach the “prosperity gospel.” They teach their followers that all they need to do is believe and have enough faith… and their faith will fix anything… and everything will be OK.  It’s a very popular message, I have to admit that even I want to believe it when I hear it preached, especially when I’m facing my struggles. It definitely draws the crowds. They sell a god whose power is channeled through visualization, positive thinking, and “Name it and Claim it.”

"Name it and claim it" is all about naming what you want, claiming it before the throne of God, and then being so intense about your faith that you must receive what you've named and claimed, that it will be yours by virtue of the fact that you vocalized your desire with such faith and intensity that God is obligated to give you what you seek.  Preachers like this draw in people by the 1000s because there are people out there who feel helpless in this world and they want a God who will step in and will fix all your problems.

Don't misunderstand me, I believe in a God who can do all those things.  I believe in a God that can part the sea, close the mouth of lions, deliver men from the fire, heal the sick, and give resurrection life to the dead. I believe in a God who can make me strong when I am weak.

But what I don’t believe in are the false teachings of charlatans who sell a fake faith that teaches people that all they need to insist "having it their way" and God will do what they want done. I don't believe in "Burger King Faith." They teach people that all they need do is speak something that they want to occur and they can get God to bend to their will, not the other way around.  And if it doesn't work, well, then it’s your fault not God’s.

If you don’t receive what you prayed for it’s your fault, because you didn't have enough faith.

The whole mindset behind those kinds of preachers and churches is that faith is the tool you can use get what you want. And if the tool doesn’t work… iit was your fault. You obviously didn’t have enough faith.

For these false teachers, faith fixes everything.  True Faith never lets you down. It makes it so we never suffer, we never fail.

But Let me bold enough to say, if that’s true, then the Apostle Paul didn’t have enough faith!  Paul was beaten and stoned and run out of almost every town.  If they’re right, none of the Apostles had enough faith!  Every one of them with the exception of John died a martyr’s death.  

Did Jesus not have enough faith?  He ended up on the cross and died a terrible death.  

Just before he was betrayed Jesus spent a long time at the Garden of Gethsemane praying about His impending crucifixion and death. Do you remember what He prayed?  “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me.  Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42}

True biblical faith is different than what these preachers preach.  They teach that true faith is when you hand God a sheet of paper with all your requests written on it… and then you believe, expect actually,  God to do what you want.  That’s not Biblical Faith!   Biblical Faith is when you hand God a blank sheet of paper, and then you tell God – not my will, but yours be done. 

Here’s a blank piece of paper. I trust you to fill it in with things You want done in my life. Granted, I’ll still make my requests known to God. I’ll still tell Him what I’d prefer to see done in my life.  But I trust Him to choose what He wills.

Jesus told His followers:

"… In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33

Jesus never taught us that a life of faith would be filled with sweetness and light.

Jesus never taught that a life of faith would always be painless and comforting.

IN THIS WORLD YOU WILL HAVE TROUBLE.

Listen to me please, I am speaking from experience, misunderstanding that truth can sour your attitude toward God and drive a wedge between you and Him. A wedge that may ultimately drive you completely from His presence.

If you look at the stories in the Bible you find that God’s people sometimes had to wait years to see how God working in their lives.

Joseph waited 15 years

Abraham waited 25 years

Moses waited 40 years

Jesus waited 30

Paul pleaded with the Lord 3 times, and was beheaded still waiting

If God is making you wait – you’re in very good company.

My point is this:

Our faith is the victory that overcomes the world.

Our God does mighty things in response to our faith.

Our God is faithful.

He doesn't do things on our terms, or on our timetable, or in our way.  That’s not how He works!  But let me tell you how He does work: My favorite example of how faith ought to be is the account of Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego.

In Daniel 3:1 we’re told that “King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, ninety feet high and nine feet wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.”

Everybody was commanded to bow down to this image, but Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego refused to do that. They were brought before the King who said they would have one more chance to bow down to his idol - or they’d be thrown into the fiery furnace.

Their response blows my mind every time I read it:

“O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” Daniel 3:16-18

In other words… our God can deliver us us, but if not - even if He doesn’t remove this persecution, take away this present suffering, deliver us from this pain, or save us from this physical death, we still won’t bow down because He is our God and our faith will ultimately give us the victory over your kingdom when He welcomes us into His.  

And most of you know the rest of the story.

They were saying their faith was the victory that overcame their world.

The King could kill them, but he couldn't kill their faith.

Their God was big enough to rescue them.

But if He did not… they still believed and they would not disobey Him in this matter.

They had no intention of trying to manipulate God to do things their way, in their time.

That’s the kind of faith I want in my life, that’s the type of faith that will lead to victory, and that is the power that comes from the indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit in your life.

Acts 1:8

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

Romans 8:18

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

God has given us everything we need to stand our ground against the discouraging lies of the enemy:

Ephesians 6:10-20

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; 19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,  20 for which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Faith is the victory that assures that I will someday be free of the suffering of this life and in the presence of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  That is the victory which overcomes the world and the truth that I will continue to preach, truth that gives hope to the hopeless, truth that points us to the cross of Jesus, truth that directs us to die daily to our own desires, truth that reminds us of the resurrection power found only in the Son of God and of the fact that if our hope is in this life only we of all people are most miserable, and the truth of a faith that shuts the mouth of that roaring lion who seeks to devour.

Faith is the victory that overcomes this world!

Let Us Get Over, And Go Over

Mark 4:35 – “On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” 

“Let us cross over to the other side,” That’s the Word of the Lord to someone right now, and you need to hear it.  The Lord has spoken to you and given you a word, listen to what I’m saying; someone has a word from God!

God said, “Your prodigal children are coming home.”

He told somebody, “Your ministry is about to go to another level of effectiveness.”

He told you, “Your prayers for a godly spouse are going to be met.”

He has proclaimed to someone, “I will break the chains of your addiction!”

“Hold on, trust in Me, stay in the boat and keep calm.  We’re going to the other side!”

You have a word from the Lord, but your circumstances seem to be challenging your word.  Listen, between your word and the other side you’re going to have to endure a storm.  Between Your word and the other side you’re going to have to stay on course.  Between your promise and it’s manifestation you’re going to have to fight the good fight of faith.  It’s important that you remember in the struggle, the enemy may have enough power to challenge the word that God gave you, but he doesn’t have the power to change the word that God gave you!

Jesus said, “let us go.”

His presence is what will make the difference.  He never promised us that storms would never come, but He promised He was in the boat with us.  He promised His presence, and it is His presence that renders the storm powerless.

King David said, “Yeah though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.”

Moses depended upon the presence of God so definitely that he said, “If your presence does not go with us, don’t take us from this place.”

Jesus said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

I’ve had friends that told me that they would always be there, “you can count on me,” but when things got ugly for me, when the storms were raging in my life, I looked around and they were nowhere to be found.  They were either gone or they became invisible.

Jesus is a friend that sticks closer than a brother, He was there in all my storms, even when I didn’t see Him, He was there!  Before I got clean and sober, He was there.  Before I had nice clothes to wear, He was there.  When I was a child and we lived in a tarpaper shack with no electricity and no running water, He was there!  Regardless of my circumstances, He’s always been there.  I haven’t always been able to enjoy His presence, especially when I was running from it, but He was right there waiting for me to become willing.  He has promised us, no matter what comes your way in life, I will be there with you.

In the scripture passage that I chose it says that, 'there arose a great storm.'  Arose means that it came up out of nowhere.  There was no warning, there was no early warning broadcast system, and there was no advance notice.  One minute everything was going good, all was smooth sailing, and then all of a sudden, the storm is upon you and its in-your-face.

One day you’re feeling fine, and then the next thing you know you’re hearing a bad report from a doctor saying, “I’m sorry there’s nothing else we can do for you.”

One day you think that your marriage is fine, and then suddenly you’re sitting across from your spouse and out of the clear blue sky they hit you with, “I want a divorce.”

One day you go to work and you thought you had job security, you had seniority, you had a nice little retirement building up and that golden parachute was on the horizon, then suddenly your ship starts to get tossed when you hear them say, “the economy is bad and the company is downsizing we have to let you go.”

Storms come and most of the time they appear with no warning, and there are storms in every life.

Living in the South you learn the difference between a common everyday type storm and a super cell storm.  The typical average storm may have a little wind and rain maybe even some thunder and lightning.  But a super cell can produce softball size hail it can produce winds over 100 miles an hour it can spawn multiple tornadoes it’s always filled with deadly lightning.  A super cell is self-perpetuating, the longer it lasts the stronger it gets.  The Bible says that this was, ‘a great storm.’ 

I believe this word is for someone who is in a storm, it’s not your average storm, it’s not just a little wind and rain, the storm you’re in is a ‘great storm.’  And your circumstances appear to be hopeless.  But I want you to know that when Jesus in in the boat, it’s never hopeless.

The devil wants to drown you; he wants to drown you in debt, drown you with sickness, drown you in fear and despair, and drown you in depression and confusion.  But I have a word from the Lord for you, you’re unsinkable.  Listen to what I am trying to tell you, God has a purpose for you and the destiny in you is greater than the storm you’re in.

So what do you do when you’re in the middle of the storm?  You go back to your word, go back to what the Lord spoke into your life and that word will get you through the storm.

Peter started to get out of the boat and onto the water.  I can almost hear the other disciples saying, “Are you on drugs dude?  Get back in this boat, you can’t walk on water, have you lost your mind?” But Peter said I’ve got a word, Jesus said ‘come.’

An anointed word from God spoken over your life will do for you:

What money can’t do

What education can’t do

What friends can’t do

Just one anointed word from the Lord will:

Open doors that were closed in your face.

Cause things to turn in your favor.

Hold you up when everything else is falling down.

Before any of the storms that I have faced came, the Lord gave me a word.  He gave me a word, but He never said there wouldn’t be obstacles, He never said there wouldn’t be problems, He never said there wouldn’t be things that rise up against me.  He never promised ‘victory without fighting.’

He never promised that there wouldn’t be attacks on my marriage, that sickness would never attack my body, that I would never have to fight a financial battle, or that my children would be perfect angels. He never told me that people wouldn’t lie on me, stab me in the back, or steal from me.  He never said I’d never have a broken heart, or that there wouldn’t be times when I’d cry myself to sleep. But he did say, ‘let us go,’ we’re in this together, and so I am not alone.

If you’re going to get to the other side there are some things you have to get over.

Somebody lied on you, get over it.

Somebody cheated on you, get over it.

Somebody else has the ministry you wanted, get over it!

They failed to invite you to some meeting, get over it!

Somebody abused you: mentally, emotionally, sexually, physically, and you hate them.  You’re holding unforgiveness in your heart toward them, you better get over it.

Your destiny depends on it, to get to the other side you have to get over it.

Don’t let what somebody did to you or didn’t do stop your destiny, it’s not worth it, they’re not worth it.

No man or woman is worth your destiny.

No amount of money is worth your destiny.

Watch out, your boat is taking on water.  I’m trying to reach someone who has let bitterness, resentment, and unforgiveness get into your boat.  You’ve let anger, jealousy, and a critical spirit into your life, and it’s filling your boat and if you don’t get rid of it you’re going to sink.  The only way you’re ever going to get to the other side is to get over it!

Get it out before it kills you, get it out before it sinks you, get it out before it destroys your marriage, get it out before it destroys any hope you have for a ministry, get it out before you say something or do something that you can’t undo, get it out before it sends you to hell.  I don’t know who I’m talking to but God said, “You better get it out.”

There is somebody on the other side of your storm whose life depends on you making it over.  There is somebody who is bound and it is your testimony that is going to set them free.  Someone you know is sick, and you’re going to lay hands on them and bring healing to them.  Someone in your own family is suicidal and God’s word in your life is going to speak hope to them and drive the darkness out of their lives.  Someone else is going through the greatest storm of their life and the testimony of how you made it through is going to help them make it.  You’ve going to make it, because you’ve got to make it.

In or Out?

Acts 20:7-12 (NLT)

“7 On the first day of the week, we gathered with the local believers to share in the Lord’s Supper.  Paul was preaching to them, and since he was leaving the next day, he kept talking until midnight. 8 The upstairs room where we met was lighted with many flickering lamps. 9 As Paul spoke on and on, a young man named Eutychus, sitting on the windowsill, became very drowsy. Finally, he fell sound asleep and dropped three stories to his death below. 10 Paul went down, bent over him, and took him into his arms. “Don’t worry,” he said, “he’s alive!” 11 Then they all went back upstairs, shared in the Lord’s Supper, and ate together. Paul continued talking to them until dawn, and then he left.  12 Meanwhile, the young man was taken home alive and well, and everyone was greatly relieved.”

When I am writing these messages, I try to be as positive as I can be and to speak a word that will encourage people in their faith and lift them up and help them to place themselves in a position so they can receive all the promises of God.  Sometimes in order to receive the blessings God wants for us, we have to be corrected so that we can make some adjustments.

I have a strong feeling that this word may be critical for someone.  I don’t know who you are, but what you do with this word is going to either open a door to blessing, or it’s going to open a door of opportunity for your enemy to prosper instead.

My goal in writing this is that anyone who reads it and finds that they have been sitting in the window, sleeping, will awake and move off the window sill before they fall.

In a spiritual sense there are many in the church today, like this young man, that are sitting in this most dangerous place.

We could assume any number of reasons that he finds himself in this place

* The place was crowded and there was no place to sit

* It was hot and stuffy and he wanted some fresh air

But I tend to believe that he had begun to become disinterested in what was taking place inside, the preacher was long-winded and so he had lost his desire for the things of God, the Word of God was no longer exciting to him and he had stopped being entertained and so he drifted farther and farther away from the presence of the Spirit and Word.

The window is the Place where you can be inside and still see what’s going on outside.  In this context then the window represents that condition of drawing back.

Hebrews 10:39

“But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.”

Today in our churches there is a very obvious “draw back” spirit.  It is the spirit that wants all the blessings of God, healing, miracles, prosperity, but without making a commitment.  If it’s the blessing line they’re first to the front, but if it’s the commitment line, the dedication line, or the consecration line, for some strange reason their bladder goes to acting up, or they have to step out and make a phone call.

This is the spiritual condition that I want to call the “Window Seat”

From the window seat it appears that you have a spectacular view.  The People who are in the window seat can see all the problems in the church.  They can hear every sour note, see how everything should be done, they know right away what kind of praise we should have, they know when the preacher preaches a dud, and they can see all the weaknesses and faults of others.

You still have a great view of all the things that you left outside from the “Window Seat.”  The things that the Lord brought you out of come back into view.  You know what I’m talking about, habits that you had shut the door on, the things that were killing you, hurting your marriage, sins that were causing division in your family and turning your children from God, all of a sudden they become visible again, and from the window seat they don’t appear to be as bad as you remember.  The window seat is a very dangerous place to be, and there are so many that are deceived into believing that they can look at those things and it won’t affect them.  They believe they can stare at it as long as they don’t touch it.

I’m strong I won’t fall out of the window.  It doesn’t kill you to look, right?

It all starts with a flirtatious thought, “Man wouldn’t a cold beer taste really good right now?  Wouldn’t it be fun to smoke just one more joint, or maybe watch one of those dirty movies, just one more time?  Of course I would never do that they think to themselves, I’m just window shopping, just taking a peek, just having a moment of imagination.

Another word that we equate with the word window is “opportunity” and we are told in scripture not to give opportunity to the devil.

Eutychus never intended to fall out of the window.

Hebrews 2:3

“How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him;”

Why did Eutychus fall to his death?

He neglected his passion for the things of God

He was more out than he was in

At midnight he fell from his window seat: all through the scripture midnight is a very critical time:

It was midnight when the death angel passed through Egypt and smote the first born

It was midnight when the cry was made that woke the sleeping virgins

It was midnight when Paul and Silas turned the corner and turned their pain into praise.

“Midnight” is where your situation can go either way, “Midnight” speaks of decision time.

The “window seat” is very uncomfortable at first.  When we first begin to turn our thoughts back on the things of the world we feel shame, we think, “How could I even be thinking about those things.” 

But the more you allow yourself to think about it the more comfortable, it becomes, then without any warning you’re falling.  You’re falling back into that lust, back into those old associations, falling back into your old ways of talking, back into desires that you thought were dead, back into those flirtatious ways, falling back into the habits that the Lord delivered you from.

I am speaking to those who have known the goodness of the Lord, but for one reason or another you have found yourself in the window seat and now you’re more out than you are in.  Please come back inside, get out of the window before you fall and find yourself dead on the street.  There may not be a Paul to bring you back in.

 

The Table Is Set

Acts 2:1-16

 

“1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. 6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. 7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? 8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? 9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, 10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. 12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this? 13 Others mocking said, these men are full of new wine. 14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: 15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. 16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;”

 

On the day of Pentecost the Holy Ghost fell and 120 men and women and all of them were filled with the Holy Ghost.  Tongues of fire sat upon their heads and they began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

 

People who were in Jerusalem for the feast from everywhere witnessed this supernatural manifestation from heaven.  Just like it was back then, it still is to this day, when the Spirit of God moves there will always be a variety of people that will show to witness it.  Of course there must be present the people of God or there will be no manifestation because the Word says there must be at least 2 or 3 “gathered together in His name.  But there will also always be skeptics, doubters, mockers, the fearful, and the pious religious self-righteous scoffers as well.

 

But thank God, most of the time, mixed into the crowd there are usually the hungry and thirsty that are looking for something real, those that are tired of religion and tradition and they are ready to receive.

 

I used to waste a lot of time and energy on doubters, critics, and religious people, trying to convince them that they were missing out on the fullness of God’s gifts, trying to create a hunger in them so that they would desire more and have more of His presence.  Attempting to make them reach for more and become passionate for a visitation from God.  But I have to say I have abandoned that mission, my assignment has been redesigned, I don’t have time to run you down and force feed you God’s gifts, so I am here for those that are hungry and thirsty.

 

I’m going to attempt to teach the teachable, I am going to preach the Word, I am going to set the table, I am going to lay out a feast of God’s power and His anointing in front of you, I am going to ring the bell and call you to the table, and if you’re hungry and thirsty you’ll come and get it.

 

These men and women were under the power of the Holy Ghost and people began mocking them and saying that they were drunk, “These men are full of new wine.”

Peter answered their criticism by saying, “These men are not drunk as ye suppose.”

 

In other words:

The bars are not even open yet, this isn’t happy hour

This isn’t Jack Daniels or Bud light

It’s not the kind of intoxication that you think

It’s not the kind of spirit you’re used to

You can’t get this out of a bottle.

 

Then Peter begins:

“16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh:”

 

All Flesh:

This is not a Baptist thing or a Methodist thing, or even a Pentecostal thing

It’s a Spirit Thing.

It’s not given to an organization or a denomination

It’s given to all flesh

White flesh, black flesh, brown flesh, red and yellow flesh.

It’s for the rich the poor

It’s for male the female

It’s for the young and the old

 

There are only two requirements to receive this last day out pouring:

You have to be flesh

You have to be thirsty

 

David said: “God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;” (Psalm 63:10)

 

David was saying, I have a thirst that nothing in this world can quench.  I have searched for it but it cannot be found here in this world which is a dry desert land.  It is a land that leaves my soul parched and the only thing that can deliver me from dying of thirst is the Spirit of God.

 

If we came to every service with that kind of passion and pursuit of God, we would never have a dry service, because that kind of thirst will break open the heavens every time.

 

Isaiah also had that kind of thirst – “Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence,”

 

One hundred and twenty of God’s children shut themselves up in a room and declared that they weren’t leaving until the rain fell.  They declared by their presence and their persistence that they were drought stricken, their spirits dry to the bone, and bound to die of thirst unless the heavens opened.  Then suddenly, after praying for days, after persistently knocking on heaven’s door, after declaring their need to be refreshed in their spirits, Heaven responded and the Spirit of God rushed in like a mighty wind and filled them all.

Suddenly there came a sound from Heaven:

Not from the synagogue

Not from the scribes and Pharisees

Not from the supermarket

Not from the radio or television or the internet.

But from heaven

 

It was known instantly that something holy, something divine, something supernatural was taking place:

It came as a mighty rushing wind

It arrived with ferocity, intensity, power

It didn’t just drift in like a gentle summer breeze

It blasted through that house like a tornado

And it filled all the house where they were sitting

 

The presence of God does not just come to touch you, it comes to envelop you, and the very atmosphere around you will become thick and saturated with the glory of God.  There is a presence of God that is so heavy and so tangible and so powerful that you can’t even move.

 

2 Chronicles 5:13-14 - “13 It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD; 14 So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.”

 

Isaiah said:

“In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.”

 

Then it goes on to say: “The house was filled with smoke, and the door posts shook at the voice of God”.

 

When the glory of God comes, He doesn’t come to touch us and make us feel good, He comes to fill us and transform us.  That’s why backsliders don’t want to come to church, they know that if they come into His presence He will change them and they will have to stop living for themselves.  I know, because the first day I walked through the doors of my church and into the sanctuary I knew I was in His presence and I knew I was done running from His will.

 

We cannot be effective in the Lord's work without being full of His power, and we can’t be full of His power without being full of His Spirit.  We’re not qualified till we’re full:

Full of the Holy Ghost

Full of Faith

Full of Power

 

Luke 24:49 Jesus knowing full well the work that needed to be done, told his disciples to go to Jerusalem and wait for the promise of power from on high.

 

Peter being full of the Holy Ghost and full of holy boldness, and full of power, lifts up his voice and declares.  THIS IS THAT!

 

Joel said, and Peter quoted him:

When this is that gets here your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:  And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

 

Then he said there would be visible wonders in heaven above and on the earth there would be visible signs of blood and fire and vapour of smoke.  And there would be a great harvest of souls.

 

I can almost hear someone responding to what I’m saying, “We are not to seek after signs, we are not supposed to follow after signs. I understand that, but my God if you're on the right road you should see a sign every now and then to confirm it.

 

I have rode my motorcycle many miles for ministry and pleasure.  There have been times I have traveled unfamiliar roads, and I thought I might be going the wrong direction, that I might be on the wrong road, but then I would see a sign and breathe a sigh of relief because the sign told me I was on the right road.

 

If we're on the right road, the bible tells us we should be seeing signs and wonders.

Let me go a little farther: The bible actually says signs should follow every true believer.

 

I do believe we’re living in the last days. And the power of God has not diminished, and God has not changed his mind.  But the church has gotten lazy, selfish and worldly.  If we’re going to see another visitation of Pentecost and Pentecostal power, the church has to get back to the upper room.  We’ve got to free ourselves from the gravity pull of worldliness and indifference.  We’ve got to shake loose from all this worry, anxiety, and fearfulness.  We have got to get behind closed doors, get down to business with God, and Cry out till heaven opens and earth shakes.

The Power of Praise

I need to prophesy and let someone know that today is your day for a breakthrough. And I declare to you that in the place the enemy said was going to be your end, is the very same place you’re going to step out by faith into a new beginning and the greatest blessing of your life. 

II Chronicles 20:1 - “It happened after this that the people of Moab with the people of Ammon, and others with them besides the Ammonites, came to battle against Jehoshaphat.” 

I could give names to our enemies that have come out to battle us: 

• Health problems 

• Family problems 

• Financial Problem 

• Attacks on our character 

• Attacks on our ministry 

And the worst part is that, just like with Jehoshaphat, it seems like they all come at once. Sometimes life feels like you are in the middle of a war zone and the enemy is surrounding you. You look to the left and there is the enemy, you turn to the right and he’s there again, you look behind you and it looks like he’s hot on your tail, and you look ahead and all you seem to be able to see is more trouble. Your situation begins to feel hopeless. 

I know this morning my friends, by the Spirit of the Lord, that some of you are in that situation. You love Jesus, you’re doing your best to serve Him, and you’re doing your best to live a holy life: 

• You’re reading your bible 

• You’re praying 

• You’re in church 

• You’re paying your tithes 

• You’re sowing. 

• You’re in the fight of your life and there’s no sign of victory ahead 

You fight one enemy and think that you’re making progress, then all of a sudden you look and the enemy sends in reinforcements and comes on even stronger. 

II Chronicles 20:2 – “Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying, “A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, from Syria; and they are in Hazazon Tamar” 

Then here comes the advisors who feel that it’s their role and their calling to tell you how bad your life is, and how nasty the devil is and meanwhile they just magnify what the enemy is doing to you. 

II Chronicles 20:3 – “And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah” 

I want to tell you something you may have never heard, faith and fear both come by hearing. It says in verse 3 that Jehoshaphat “feared.” The greatest weapon that Satan has against the child of God is fear, because fear is the opposite of faith and it opens the door to sickness, depression, oppression, worry anxiety, stress, and confusion. Fear will rob you of your joy and peace. Fear brings you into bondage mentally, emotionally and spiritually. “For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.” (Job 3:25) 

Fear is a product of Satan, it is not of God, “For God hath not given us the spirit of Fear, but of power and of love and of a sound Mind.” (II Timothy 1:7) 

It doesn’t matter how spiritual you are or how anointed you are, at some point in your walk, you are going to have to do battle with the spirit of fear. There are people who are paralyzed by fear, they are held in captivity by fear and even Christians can find themselves a prisoner of war to fear. Fear has many faces and it comes in many areas of our lives. 

Many today are living in fear of a bad economy, fear of terrorists, fear of sickness, fear of losing their homes, fear of losing their social security, fear of failure, and after recent weather events many fear natural disasters. 

The only way to victory is to overcome the spirit of fear. I want to point out a spiritual principle to you, the only way to overcome the spirit of fear is to receive the Spirit of God. The First Thing Jehoshaphat did when he was attacked by the spirit of Fear was he turned to the Lord. 

God has given us everything we need to overcome our enemies and advance the Kingdom of God. “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but they are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” (II Corinthians 10:3-5) 

But it doesn’t matter how mighty or powerful your weapons are, if you do not pick them up, then they are useless as far as you are concerned. Many of the battles that we lose are lost, not because the enemy is greater, not because he is smarter or has better weapons, but they are lost because we do not take advantage of the weapons we have been given. 

I want you to notice something, the first weapon that Jehoshaphat launched against his enemies was the weapon of fasting and prayer. If you are serious about making a breakthrough, then get serious about fasting and prayer. 

Jehoshaphat also did something, that it seems like a lot of people are too proud to do, he cried out to the Lord. There is something powerful in a cry: I’m not referring to prayer here, when you need God immediately, and desperately you don’t have time for those long fancy King James prayers. A cry is an acknowledgement that we need help and we need it now. A cry is a recognition that human efforts have failed and we need a power greater than ourselves to intervene. When I wanted to get sober, it was this kind of cry that brought God’s help. It is this type of cry that creates an avenue for the Power of God. 

“Because they rebelled against the words of God, and despised the counsel of the Most High, therefore He brought down their heart with labor; they fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke their chains in pieces.” (Psalm 107:11-13) 

Because they cried out for help. One of the greatest hindrances to the power of God is pride. Pride will kill you. Never be too proud to cry out to God in your time of distress. What seems like weakness to so many, is actually one of the most powerful thing you can do. 

II Chronicles 20:14-15 – “Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly. And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” 

Look closely at verse 15, you know the part where it says, “This says the Lord.” I want to let you know right now, “Thus saith the Lord” changes everything! I don’t care what the banker, the doctor, the lawyer, or the world around you says, what God says is the only thing that really counts! All that matters is that God’s Word says that when the enemy comes in like a flood, God will raise up a standard against him. All that counts is, can you get a word from the Lord? 

One word From God changes everything! It makes you: 

• Unsinkable 

• Unshakeable 

• Unbeatable 

One word from the Lord turns famine into plenty, sickness onto health, weakness into strength, drought into flood, and defeat into victory. One word from the Lord opens closed doors, shuts the mouths of lions, and sets the captives free! 

In Matthew 8:8 a centurion came to Jesus on behalf of his servant who was sick, Jesus Said: I will come and heal Him, but the Centurion told Jesus he didn’t need to go, all He needed to do was speak the word and the servant would be healed. 

Every natural evidence and impulse was to run away from this great army, but the Word of God was, meet them head on, go out against them. So Jehoshaphat appointed singers to praise the Lord and the beauty of His holiness. And when they started to worship the Lord, He set ambushes against the children of Ammon, Moab and mount Seir which were come out against Judah and they were struck down. 

God confused them, and they began to kill each other Worshiping God in the face of adversity confuses the Satan. If you want to drive the devil crazy, when he throws something heavy at you, instead of feeling sorry for yourself and having a pity party, just start praising God like you lost your mind. 

Some of you have never been able to fully grasp or understood the power of praise. Praise is a powerful weapon because it invites the presence of the Holy Spirit into your moment of terror. The Word says that God inhabits the praises of his people, and when we praise God he moves into our praise, and when God moves into our praise our problems don’t stand a chance. 

Praise invites God to take over and God knows how to take care of your enemies. 

Let me sum up what the Lord wants you to hear: 

• While you’re praising God, your enemies are going into mass confusion 

• While you’re praising God, your enemies are turning on each other 

• While you’re praising God, He is fighting for you 

• While you’re praising God, you are positioning yourself for blessing

What Satan Thought Would Kill You, Made You Stronger

Acts 28:1-6

"Now when they had escaped, they then found out that the island was called Malta.  2 And the natives showed us unusual kindness; for they kindled a fire and made us all welcome, because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold.  3 But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand.  4 So when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live.”  5 But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm.  6 However, they were expecting that he would swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had looked for a long time and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god."

I didn’t sit down this evening with the intention of just writing an uplifting message, it is my intention to give those reading, someone who needs to hear from the Lord, a prophetic word.  I believe that I hear the Lord saying that many of you are going through very stressful trials, in fact some of you are of you are in a struggle right now, and it’s not just a normal everyday trials.  And you’re being hit harder than ever before.

It’s because your testimony and your walk have become a threat to hell. It’s happening to you because you have something that a lot of so called “believers” don’t have, you have something that a lot of churches today don’t have, it’s happening to you because you’re anointed.

In the above text Paul is traveling by ship to Rome to appear before Caesar for his testimony.  Paul warns the crew of the ship that disaster is ahead, but they do not listen.  Let’s be honest, many of us could have avoided many of the hardships in life if we would have just listened to good advice.  Even though they ignored his advice, God was merciful, a lot of us need to say thank God for mercy.

The Lord sent an Angel to tell Paul that He was to spare all that sailed with him.  That fact shouts something to my spirit, “You better stay with the anointing!”  I don’t care how good a ministry looks or sounds, how big it is, how popular it is, or how large the crowd is that they are drawing, the one question you should be asking yourself is, “Is the anointing on it?”

Don’t get me wrong, I am not against talent, I am not against education, and I am not against having a big church, but what we need is the anointing.  When Satan is trying to destroy me, when he’s trying to break up my family, or kill my ministry, it’s not talent, education, a big church, or a well-known name that I need, What I need is the anointing!  Paul was not just a man, he was a man anointed with the Holy Ghost and Power.  You need to stay with the anointing.  Your miracle, your healing, your deliverance, your victory, it’s with the anointing.

 

It’s impossible to overstate the importance of the power of Holy Ghost and the anointing on your life.

 

Your employer may not know it, but they are blessed because of you, your family, your church, they’re blessed because of you.  Because you’re anointed.  Because of the anointing on your life, lives are going to be preserved, souls are going to be saved, and Satan’s plans are going to fail.

In our text we see the Apostle Paul has just survived a shipwreck, now he is bitten by a snake.  Many times these islanders have seen the horrible deaths that had resulted because of the poison of this vipers bite.  As soon as they see this viper hanging on Paul’s hand, they go to forecasting his death. There are some people around you that know what you’ve been going through something, they know the devil has attacked you, and they’re forecasting your death.

This might shock some of you, but there are people that are happy you got bit and they are taking pleasure in your pain, they enjoy seeing your pain.  I’m reminded of Joseph’s brothers who threw him in a pit and left him there to die, and then they sat down and had lunch.  They entertained themselves listening to Josephs cries for help. 

There are people around you that are enjoying your pain, they are glad you got bit, they’re saying things like:

I knew they weren’t going to make it.

I knew that marriage wouldn’t last.

I knew they couldn’t afford that house.

I knew they would never make it in ministry.

I knew they weren’t qualified for that job.

I knew their children were going to end up on drugs or in prison.

Then they say things like:

Who do they think they are anyway?

They should have settled like the rest of us.

They should have just been satisfied with what they had.What doesn’t 

They shouldn’t have ever started that soul winning campaign.

They shouldn’t have started that building program.

They should have just stayed in the boat with the rest of us here in the projects

What’s all this nonsense about blessings and promotions, and walking on the water and healing the sick and working miracles?

They watched him, expecting him to die, but he disappointed them because he didn’t die.  And I want to tell someone right now, you’re getting ready to disappoint some people!  I’m not saying you’ll never be bit again, or you’ll never fight another battle, or you’ll never cry another tear, or you’ll never spend another sleepless night, what I’m saying is that your enemy is defeated and God said to tell you, ‘you’re not going down with the ship!”

Right now the devil is pumping out his poison trying to take you out:

Trying to kill you

Trying to kill your marriage

Trying to kill your ministry

Trying to kill your anointing

Right now it may feel like and look like the devil is winning, but I want you to look over your shoulder and see what God has already brought you through.  Some of you have been lied on, you’ve been falsely accused, rejected, some have been through divorce, through foreclosure, and lost your job.  But guess what?  You’re still here!  God didn’t bring you through all of that to be destroyed by this.  The same God that brought you through that, will bring you through this.  To God, this is no different than that.

You need to tell the devil today, “I ain’t dying I ain’t quitting, I ain’t giving up. I won’t quit dreaming, I won’t quit preaching, I won’t quit prophesying, I won’t quit praying, I won’t quit sowing, I won’t quit believing.  I’ve been bit before, and I’m still here.”

You’re going to make it.

I know it’s painful but it’s not fatal.

I know you’re wounded, but God will heal it.

I know it looks bleak, but God will turn it around.

I know tonight your crying, but Joy is comes in the morning.

Somebody reading this feels like Paul:

You survived the sea, lived through a ship wreck, and now you’ve been bitten by a deadly Viper.

You just got out of the lion’s den and now you’ve been thrown into the fiery furnace.

You just got out of debt, and now sickness has hit your body.

You just got your job back and now your marriage is under attack.

You’re wondering: Why me?  What have I done?  Why is it happening to me?

You love God, you go to church, you tithe, you read his word, you strive to live holy, and none of this makes any sense.  I thought I was anointed and that the hand of God was on my life.  Well I know this is going to sound crazy, but that is exactly why it’s happening to you.  It’s because you are anointed, it’s because the hand of God is on your life, it’s because you are a threat to hell.  Because you won’t compromise, because you are lifting a standard of holiness, in the midst of a wicked and perverse generation, because every time the devil looks at you, he sees Jesus.  The anointing on your life makes you are a target.

And if the devil knew what God was about to do in your life because of his attacks, he would have left you alone.

But he thought he was going to kill you.

He thought he was going to take you out.

He thought he was going to break you.

He thought you would quit.

He thought he would crush you

He thought you would get full of his poison, and become bitter and critical and resentful and angry.

But he was wrong!  Paul didn’t die, you didn’t die. That serpent sunk its fangs into Paul’s flesh and injected that poison into his body, but when that poison hit the anointing that poison died and the anointing just got stronger.

The anointing went to another level

Paul’s testimony went to another level

You’re not going to die, you’re shaking it off and moving up.

You’re going to another level in the anointing.

You’re testimony is going to another level.

You’re going to walk with a greater anointing and a greater authority than ever before. 

You’re going to cast out bigger devils than before, your faith is going to take you places you could have never gone before.  Circumstances that used to trip you up and hold you down will no longer bother you.  The sick will be healed and those in captivity will be delivered, more be people will be blessed because of your testimony.  

God gave this word to me and told me to share this truth with you...

...The anointing of the Holy Ghost does not exempt you from the bite of the viper, but it gives you power over his poison.

 

 

No More Forever

Exodus 14:13-14 (NKJV)

13 And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever.  14 The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”

After the Israelites had been in bondage for over 400 hundred years the Lord sent them a deliverer named Moses.  Now we find them on their way out of the Egyptian kingdom and at the edge of the Red Sea.  God has visited nine plagues upon the Egyptians and so the Pharaoh told the children of Israel to get out, he agreed to set them free.  And with them they took much of the wealth of Egypt in the form of gold, silver, and precious jewels.

But now, after having had some time to reconsider the Pharaoh begins to have second thoughts.  He decides that letting them go was a mistake and he pursues after them with six hundred of his chosen chariots.

After many years in bondage the children of Israel came out of Egypt thinking:

• That their bondage was over

• That this chapter of their lives was over.

• That they would never again feel the sting of the whip up on their backs.

• That they would never again suffer the oppression of slavery

But Pharaoh didn't want it to end, he wanted them back under his control.

In a recent sermon our pastor pointed out that Egypt represents sin, that the Israelites going through the Red Sea represents baptism, and that the presence of God in the cloud and the pillar of fire represent the Holy Spirit’s presence to guide and lead us until we receive the promises of God that we have hoped for.  What an insight and encouragement this has been to me from God’s word.  God has a plan for my life, God has a plan for your life as well.  He wants to free us from the bondage of our sin, to wash us in the waters of baptism, and to give us power for living and reaching the end, our inheritance, by blessing us with His presence through the baptism of the Holy Ghost!

How many of you know that Satan doesn't let go of his former subjects so easily?  The devil doesn't like giving up any territory.  Once you are freed from the chains of sin he will come after you, he will try and get you back into your chains, and he will use any means necessary.

My purpose today is not just to write a feel good message, my purpose is to speak into the lives of those who are being pursued by Satan, to declare to you today that God is going to put an end to Satan’s work in your lives. God gave me this words to create and establish today as the end. I am telling you that the Lord has told me, many of you are going to reach the end.

I don't know what it is in your life that has been trying to destroy you, but you know and God is aware of your situation.  I don't know if it’s physical, spiritual, relational, emotional, or if it’s financial, but here's what God says about it.

Nahum 1:7-9

7 The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him.

8 But with an overflowing flood He will make an utter end of its place, and darkness will pursue His enemies.

9 What do you conspire against the Lord?  He will make an utter end of it.  Affliction will not rise up a second time.

How many times have you faced situations and circumstances and problems in your life and wished you could just put an end to it and move on?  How many times have you wished you could just say the end and it would be over with?  How many times have you looked at the mountains and the giants you’ve faced and heard the enemy whisper, “You’ll never be free, I’m going to keep coming at you.”

Satan is a liar and he wants you to buy into his lies:

• He wants you to just accept it as normal

• He wants you to think it'll be easier on you if you just learn to live with it.

There's something about us that when our normal is interrupted there is an immediate resistance and we fight against it. But when the situation or problem continues over a period of time then we tend to lose our fight and ultimately accept our condition, our situation, our problem as the new normal.

• But I want to stir up the fighter in you.

• I want to wake up the anointing in you.

• I want this word to stir up a rebellion in you against everything that is contrary to the Word of God in your life.

I don't care how long your addiction or struggle has plagued you, or how long you have suffered in your heart, body, or mind, if it is contrary to the Word of God, then it’s not normal!

You may have learned how to coexist with it. You may have your nitroglycerin tablets, your insulin, your Lortabs, your Xanax, and your Nicorette gum.  All these things may help you cope with your lions and your giants, but it is not normal.

Cancer is not normal, diabetes and heart trouble are not normal, drug addiction and alcoholism are not normal, divorce is not normal, homosexuality is not normal, strife and division in your church is not normal, and always struggling to pay your bills and living under a burden of debt is not normal.

There may be a history of cancer or diabetes in your family, and the doctors may tell you it's in your DNA, but it’s not normal because you have a new bloodline and a new DNA…

II Corinthians 5:17

“If any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new”

You may look at your family tree and see alcoholics, drug addicts and wife beaters, but it’s not normal you have a new family tree, Jesus is the vine and we are the branches!  There may be homosexual and lesbians in your family line, but it’s not normal!

I’m not trying to be politically correct, I'm trying to start an uprising against anything and everything that is less than God's will for your life. You will never experience a change until you recognize what is abnormal, until you identify those things which are out-of-order in your life and you rebel against it.  And you will never rebel against what is abnormal and out-of-order until you are convinced of God’s normal and God's divine order for your life.

• Sickness cannot be normal when Jesus took 39 stripes to heal us from it.

• Poverty and lack cannot be normal for children of the King

• Fighting and arguing can't be normal for marriage, our marriages are supposed to be mirror images of the church’s relationship to Jesus Christ.

• Living under a yoke of fear and worry can't be normal because the Bible says, “God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind”

I don't know who I'm talking to, but somebody is making up your mind right now, that the devil has pushed you around long enough, and now you're the one who's going to do the pushing.

I hear the spirit saying, “Behold I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

I began writing today with this word in my spirit, God told me to prophesy and tell His people, “It’s not over, it’s not ending, it’s not finished, it’s only the beginning – when God is in it, all things are new!”

God said that he is getting ready to put a period at the end of a long hard battle.  He said to tell you to quit looking for those old familiar enemies, because you're not going to see them anymore.  

He's drowning your enemies.

• Sickness and disease are going down.

• Addictions and bondages are going down.

• Depression is going down.

• Poverty and lack is going down.

• Marriage problems are going down.

• Worry and stress are going down.

You might be asking yourself, ”What do I have to do?”

Here's what God says for you to do, “Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord that He will show you today, for the Egyptians which you have seen today you shall see them again no more forever.”

In other words God is saying, just stand over there and watch me work, and while you're praising me, I'll take care of business.

The more you praise Him the bigger he gets.

There are some things God expects us to do and requires us to do. He requires us to read his word and learn his will. He requires us to believe His Word and confess His Word as truth.  But when you have done everything you can do, when you prayed, you fasted, you confess the word, you rebuke the devil, you plead the blood, and you shout the name of Jesus.

Then God says, I'll take it from here:

• You stretch out the rod, I'll divide the Red Sea.

• You walk around the walls and shout, I'll knock them down.

• You stand on my words, I'll rebuke the cancer.

• You prophesy to the wind, I'll make the dry bones live again.

• You sow your seed, I'll bring the harvest.

• You stand still and praise me, I'll lose your chains and open the prison doors.

Today is your day to look from the shore and see your enemy removed from your life forever.

s 14:13-14 (NKJV)

13 And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever.  14 The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”

After the Israelites had been in bondage for over 400 hundred years the Lord sent them a deliverer named Moses.  Now we find them on their way out of the Egyptian kingdom and at the edge of the Red Sea.  God has visited nine plagues upon the Egyptians and so the Pharaoh told the children of Israel to get out, he agreed to set them free.  And with them they took much of the wealth of Egypt in the form of gold, silver, and precious jewels.
 

But now, after having had some time to reconsider the Pharaoh begins to have second thoughts.  He decides that letting them go was a mistake and he pursues after them with six hundred of his chosen chariots.

After many years in bondage the children of Israel came out of Egypt thinking:

• That their bondage was over

• That this chapter of their lives was over.

• That they would never again feel the sting of the whip up on their backs.

• That they would never again suffer the oppression of slavery

But Pharaoh didn't want it to end, he wanted them back under his control.

In a recent sermon our pastor pointed out that Egypt represents sin, that the Israelites going through the Red Sea represents baptism, and that the presence of God in the cloud and the pillar of fire represent the Holy Spirit’s presence to guide and lead us until we receive the promises of God that we have hoped for.  What an insight and encouragement this has been to me from God’s word.  God has a plan for my life, God has a plan for your life as well.  He wants to free us from the bondage of our sin, to wash us in the waters of baptism, and to give us power for living and reaching the end, our inheritance, by blessing us with His presence through the baptism of the Holy Ghost!

How many of you know that Satan doesn't let go of his former subjects so easily?  The devil doesn't like giving up any territory.  Once you are freed from the chains of sin he will come after you, he will try and get you back into your chains, and he will use any means necessary.

My purpose today is not just to write a feel good message, my purpose is to speak into the lives of those who are being pursued by Satan, to declare to you today that God is going to put an end to Satan’s work in your lives. God gave me this words to create and establish today as the end. I am telling you that the Lord has told me, many of you are going to reach the end.

I don't know what it is in your life that has been trying to destroy you, but you know and God is aware of your situation.  I don't know if it’s physical, spiritual, relational, emotional, or if it’s financial, but here's what God says about it.

Nahum 1:7-9

7 The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him.

8 But with an overflowing flood He will make an utter end of its place, and darkness will pursue His enemies.

9 What do you conspire against the Lord?  He will make an utter end of it.  Affliction will not rise up a second time.

How many times have you faced situations and circumstances and problems in your life and wished you could just put an end to it and move on?  How many times have you wished you could just say the end and it would be over with?  How many times have you looked at the mountains and the giants you’ve faced and heard the enemy whisper, “You’ll never be free, I’m going to keep coming at you.”
 

Satan is a liar and he wants you to buy into his lies:

• He wants you to just accept it as normal

• He wants you to think it'll be easier on you if you just learn to live with it.

There's something about us that when our normal is interrupted there is an immediate resistance and we fight against it. But when the situation or problem continues over a period of time then we tend to lose our fight and ultimately accept our condition, our situation, our problem as the new normal.

• But I want to stir up the fighter in you.

• I want to wake up the anointing in you.

• I want this word to stir up a rebellion in you against everything that is contrary to the Word of God in your life.

I don't care how long your addiction or struggle has plagued you, or how long you have suffered in your heart, body, or mind, if it is contrary to the Word of God, then it’s not normal!

You may have learned how to coexist with it. You may have your nitroglycerin tablets, your insulin, your Lortabs, your Xanax, and your Nicorette gum.  All these things may help you cope with your lions and your giants, but it is not normal.

Cancer is not normal, diabetes and heart trouble are not normal, drug addiction and alcoholism are not normal, divorce is not normal, homosexuality is not normal, strife and division in your church is not normal, and always struggling to pay your bills and living under a burden of debt is not normal.

There may be a history of cancer or diabetes in your family, and the doctors may tell you it's in your DNA, but it’s not normal because you have a new bloodline and a new DNA…

II Corinthians 5:17

“If any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new”

You may look at your family tree and see alcoholics, drug addicts and wife beaters, but it’s not normal you have a new family tree, Jesus is the vine and we are the branches!  There may be homosexual and lesbians in your family line, but it’s not normal!

I’m not trying to be politically correct, I'm trying to start an uprising against anything and everything that is less than God's will for your life. You will never experience a change until you recognize what is abnormal, until you identify those things which are out-of-order in your life and you rebel against it.  And you will never rebel against what is abnormal and out-of-order until you are convinced of God’s normal and God's divine order for your life.

• Sickness cannot be normal when Jesus took 39 stripes to heal us from it.

• Poverty and lack cannot be normal for children of the King

• Fighting and arguing can't be normal for marriage, our marriages are supposed to be mirror images of the church’s relationship to Jesus Christ.

• Living under a yoke of fear and worry can't be normal because the Bible says, “God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind”

I don't know who I'm talking to, but somebody is making up your mind right now, that the devil has pushed you around long enough, and now you're the one who's going to do the pushing.

I hear the spirit saying, “Behold I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

I began writing today with this word in my spirit, God told me to prophesy and tell His people, “It’s not over, it’s not ending, it’s not finished, it’s only the beginning – when God is in it, all things are new!”

God said that he is getting ready to put a period at the end of a long hard battle.  He said to tell you to quit looking for those old familiar enemies, because you're not going to see them anymore.  

He's drowning your enemies.

• Sickness and disease are going down.

• Addictions and bondages are going down.

• Depression is going down.

• Poverty and lack is going down.

• Marriage problems are going down.

• Worry and stress are going down.

You might be asking yourself, ”What do I have to do?”

Here's what God says for you to do, “Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord that He will show you today, for the Egyptians which you have seen today you shall see them again no more forever.”

In other words God is saying, just stand over there and watch me work, and while you're praising me, I'll take care of business.

The more you praise Him the bigger he gets.

There are some things God expects us to do and requires us to do. He requires us to read his word and learn his will. He requires us to believe His Word and confess His Word as truth.  But when you have done everything you can do, when you prayed, you fasted, you confess the word, you rebuke the devil, you plead the blood, and you shout the name of Jesus.

Then God says, I'll take it from here:

• You stretch out the rod, I'll divide the Red Sea.

• You walk around the walls and shout, I'll knock them down.

• You stand on my words, I'll rebuke the cancer.

• You prophesy to the wind, I'll make the dry bones live again.

• You sow your seed, I'll bring the harvest.

• You stand still and praise me, I'll lose your chains and open the prison doors.

 

Today is your day to look from the shore and see your enemy removed from your life forever.