Take a Deeper Breath

Many of you reading this are most likely familiar with Acts Chapter 2:1-4. In this passage of scripture as 120 expectant hearts were praying, a sound came from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind , and it filled all the house where they were sitting. Then, there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

This is when the Church of The Lord Jesus Christ was empowered with supernatural power from on high. The power of the Holy Spirit came on them, and in them. Well this power and this anointing that came upon them sent them directly into the line of fire. And extreme spiritual warfare began to break out against them. This infant Church was thrust into the heat of the battle, they experienced great persecution. When reading the book of Acts, by the time we get to chapter four, they have been beaten up pretty good.

Let me stop here and take a moment to tell some of my friends that read this, you are the reason the Lord gave me this word this morning. You, like the book of Acts Church, have been beaten up pretty good lately. You’ve taken some hard knocks and you’ve had the breath knocked out of you. But I am prophesying to you “A New Chapter” Don’t quit, don’t give up. Don’t throw in the towel, there’s a fresh wind that’s about to blow into your life.

Now let’s look at this early Church and let’s see how they responded to their spiritual warfare. The Word says, “they lifted up their voice to God with one accord.”

Notice the common thread between Acts 2 and Acts 4, they lifted up their voice with “one accord.” They had a common goal, and they sought the power of the Holy Ghost to solve their dilemma. And looked what happened again, “And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.”

They got a second wind. That same wind that blew into that upper room in Acts 2, was blowing again In Acts 4.

There is a phrase that we have become familiar with especially as relates to a runner in a race, ‘they’re getting their second wind.’ It is often experienced by a runner who has run until they have reached the point of exhaustion. Typically, just before they catch that second wind most runners feel like their lungs are about to explode, and every muscle in their bodies are on fire, telling them to give up. Then, all of a sudden out of nowhere and without any explanation for it, comes a sudden revitalization and energy and strength to keep running. It appears to some to be almost supernatural. And in many cases, this ‘second wind’ propels the runner into the winner's circle.

Some scientists believe this phenomenon they call “the second wind” to be the result of the body finding the proper balance of oxygen to counteract the buildup of lactic acid in the muscles. Others claim it is due to endorphin production. While others believe it to be purely psychological. Regardless of the cause of it, there is no disputing the fact that it occurs, and this phenomenon has come to be used as a metaphor for new energy, and new strength, at the point of exhaustion.

I felt the Lord say to me this morning to prophesy that he is sending a second wind, a new and fresh anointing to those who have been battling some very difficult opposition from the enemy of your souls. The Lord showed me today that many of his people have reached the point of exhaustion. He said that a spirit like that of a constrictor, a python has attacked many believers, and that Spirit is sent by the devil to squeeze the breath out of God's people.

From Genesis to Revelation the enemy is identified as a serpent. Jesus said that we would tread upon serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy. The devil is a serpent, this morning the Lord gave me a vision of a large snake squeezing the breath out of many in the Church. Pythons can grow up to 30 feet in length and weigh up to 300 pounds, and the Python does not kill its prey with venom, it kills them by constricting and squeezing the breath out of them. The serpent literally suffocates the victim. It squeezes the life out of them.

I feel that the Lord was showing me this morning that many of his children have been under attack and you feel like your breath is being squeezed out of you. The Word tells us that in the last days the devil will speak great words against the Most High, and he will wear out the saints of the Most High (Daniel 7: 25). Wear out mean to afflict, to harass, to exhaust, to push to fainting or weariness, to put under continuous pressure or strain.

Friends I know that many of you have been under attack. It's been continuous, non-stop, unrelenting, and it’s been one thing after another. You've been under pressure, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Every time you get the victory in one area, the devil hits you from another side. I know because I have been experiencing it as well.

What is happening? The enemy is trying to drive God’s people to the point of exhaustion. He’s trying to wear us out, to squeeze the life and breath out of the Church. Breath is life, it is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. If you have no life in you, if you’re not filled with the Holy Ghost, you're no threat to the devil.

The valley of dry bones was no threat to anyone. But when the wind, when the breath of God, the Holy Ghost began to blow, “they came to life and stood up on their feet--a vast army.”

One hundred and twenty discouraged followers of Jesus in an upper room in Jerusalem were no threat to the devil. But suddenly, a rushing mighty wind of God began to blow and filled them all with the Holy Ghost and commission them with tongues of fire and they turned the known world upside down.

300 foxes were no threat to the Philistines until Samson put them in pairs and tied them tail-to-tail and set a Fire Brand between their tails. Then they were weapons of mass destruction. They burned up the corn, the vineyards, and the olive trees.

That's what the devil is afraid of, the fire of God. The devil is not afraid of our programs, our singing, our preaching, our church attendance, our talent, or our knowledge of the Bible. But what gives the devil nightmares and sends shockwaves through hell is a church on fire. A church that is alive. When the church is on fire, when everything we do is driven by the wind of God, everything changes.

When the wind blew in the book of Exodus it divided the Red Sea for the children of Israel to cross over, and it was a wind that closed that same sea on Pharaoh and all his army. It was a wind from God that brought the rain that ended a three-and-a-half-year drought. It was the wind of God that turned the valley of dry bones into a mighty army. And it was the wind of God that blew through that upper room on the day of Pentecost and turned a bunch of broken-hearted disciples into the greatest force for God the earth had ever seen and gave birth to the New Testament Church.

Then in our reading it tells us; many of the same disciples were gathered together in prayer. Because of their faith, and because of their boldness and testimony of Jesus Christ, they had been persecuted. In fact they had been threatened and commanded not to preach or teach anymore in the name of Jesus. But they left rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer for his namesake. Then instead of gathering together and complaining and comparing their wounds, they prayed.

Essentially what they said was: God we need more power, we need another dose. That’s where Acts 4:39 –40, come into the picture:

“And now Lord behold their threatenings, and grant unto thy servants, that would all boldness they may speak thy word. By stretching forth thy hand to heal and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy Holy Child Jesus. And when they prayed the place was shaken where they were and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and they spake the word of God with boldness.”

They got a second wind, a refilling, a fresh anointing, a fresh fire, a fresh baptism. Then in chapter 5:12, we read:

“And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people.”

I know by the Spirit I'm talking to some people today who are tired, worn out, many of you are at the point of exhaustion. You feel like you've had the breath knocked out of you. Some of you feel like you're running on empty, you love God but that python spirit has been squeezing the breath out of you. You’re having a difficult time understanding what is happening.

The python counts on you struggling and fighting aimlessly, because when you kick and scream, you exert energy and you exhale breath and he just tightens his grip. But I am exposing the devil today and that spirit is being broken right now. And right now, God is sending a second wind. That’s why you’re reading this right now, God is sending a second wind, a fresh wind into your life. You're going to breathe again!

Never has Church needed a fresh outpouring of the Holy Ghost, a Pentecost anointing. A second wind from heaven. A fresh baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire. The great need of the church is a fresh anointing, a fresh fire from heaven.

I believe that God is sending a second wind right now. You’re not going under your going over. You're not going to be defeated you're going to be victorious. Today we're putting that serpent under our feet where he belongs.

My Friends, it’s not a sin to run out of breath. We have all been there. But the sin is in believing that you can keep on in your own strength, in your own self-effort, and you neglect the presence and the power of God. You just keep on trudging along in the strength of the flesh. I don’t care who you are, how spiritual you are, or how anointed you are. You will at some point in time run out of gas, you will hit the wall; you will need a second wind. And the good news is that the same Holy Spirit that filled that upper room in Acts 2, was the same Holy Spirit that filled the room in Acts Ch 4, and He is the same Holy Spirit that wants to fill the room where you are right now.

Praise God! Right there wherever you are, just lift your hands and begin to breathe. Something's breaking right now. The anointing is destroying the enemy's grip right now. There is a fresh anointing coming your way, that second wind, the breath of God. Open up to His outpouring right now and take a deeper breath.