Tag: Power of God

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GOD'S STORY

GOD’S STORY: Part 7 – Baptism of Holy Spirit is necessary

GOD’S STORY Part 7 Baptism of Holy Spirit…. He is necessary for growth beyond our sinful nature

Tongues of Fire “sat upon each of them” in the upper room as recorded in Acts 2:3

What does that indicate? And why haven’t we witnessed tongues of fire as they did?

Here at Preparing the Bride, I’m telling GOD’S STORY. Presumptuous?! Not when simply looking at scripture, because scripture is the unfolding of God’s story to us who read it.

How do we prepare as the Bride of Christ? We learn GOD’s Story. Piece by piece, and peace by peace, we learn to walk as He has walked. 

So, I proceed on a deeper look at Holy Spirit, the person of GOD:

The key for our character growth is not how Holy Spirit manifests but why we need Him. For salvation, when we receive Jesus, the Holy Spirit is as a seal upon that prayer commitment. So, one could say for salvation, you only need the seal, not the baptism. But what if you want to walk beyond your sinful nature. What if you desire to “be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect” as Jesus suggests in Matthew 5:48?

We work out our own salvation with fear and trembling… We come before the LORD in humility with repentant hearts. Jesus offers us complete freedom from sin through salvation through faith in Him (Ephesians 2:8-9) but also from sinfulness, from our very propensity to rebel, to sin, to walk in our own will. How is this changed? How are we transformed?

Our transformation is by Holy Spirit

Have you ever wondered why Jesus sent the comforter? Have you ever wondered why He needs to dwell within us? His seal, our salvation, is just the first step.

Have you ever wondered why the Fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) are listed as of the Spirit? 

Our character is in Christ at the moment of our commitment to Him. BUT for our character to be transformed into His likeness by GOD’s sweet grace, He’s provided us with the Holy Spirit. Jesus left earth after His resurrection in order for this “Helper” to come. And how does He help us where Jesus did not?

Jesus is the role model. But Holy Spirit enables us to fulfil the role.

I will say this another way: Jesus, son of GOD, son of man, came to earth that He could take on our sin in our stead. He was and is perfect. But we are not. Even at the point of our salvation, though GOD no longer sees our sin, we still wrestle within ourselves. Anxiety, fear, control, wilfulness, rebellion, impatience, misery, negative thought, jealousy, insecurity… these are just some of the human traits we wrestle against. Holy Spirit teaches us how to rid ourselves of them and He helps us to retrain our thinking and our action toward the love, joy, peace, goodness, kindness, gentleness, patience, faith and self control …. the grace… which He moulds in our character. 

Then we model Jesus with our own unique personality.

How to live without baptism of Holy Spirit… Why live with baptism of Holy Spirit

Apollos was a minister mentioned several times in Acts and in Paul’s letters. Originally, he’d only been baptised in the name of John, until Priscilla and Aquila taught him “more accurately”. (Acts 18)

Apollos moved from having little knowledge to a fuller understanding. Likely he originally knew little of the Spirt having only been baptised in the name of John. Gaining fuller and deeper understanding from Priscilla and Aquila, his ministry must have grown for Paul to refer to him with the respect he showed. (1 Corinthians 3)

Like Apollos in his early days with Jesus, some Believers are walking in partial experience of GOD’s salvation. We all need Jesus, and the seal of the Spirit evidences our salvation. But also we all need Holy Spirit baptism in our journey toward heaven, so that our character can be more effective on earth and I daresay, we live more peace-filled lives. This surely is a delight to the LORD.

Are we saved without baptism of Holy Spirit. Well, of course it isn’t up to me, but I believe so, yes. Is a person without baptism of Holy Spirit equal with those with? I can only witness my own journey… 

My testimony of life before and after Baptism of Holy Spirit

I gave my life to the LORD at age 24. At age 31 I was a committed Christian who swore, was anxious and controlling, lacked inner peace. At age 32 I was challenged by a fellow-believer to seek water baptism. 

At first, I contested. I had been christened as a child. Surely that was the same thing. But that night, before I went to bed, I wondered, “Why was I so argumentative about baptism?” I felt convicted, ‘Because I need to be baptised’ was the answer that fed back to me.

Some days later, that same friend suggested I ask GOD for the gift of tongues. That bedtime on my own, I asked and the LORD bubbled within me, and as I opened my mouth, I began to speak in tongues.

It was shortly thereafter that I was able to find an opportunity to be water baptised. On that evening I testified, “I gave my life to Jesus for myself. But now, I get baptised in order to walk for others’ sake.”

At the point of re-emerging from the water, I felt Joy! ‘Ah’, I thought, ‘so this is what Joy is!?’ I had never felt it before.

From that moment maturity came upon me more and more quickly. I found it easier to yield my will to His. I stopped swearing virtually overnight. Early on, I felt like a part of me was dying and of course it was… the part or at least some of the part of me that very much needed to die: the carnal, fleshly part of me.

I’m still on that journey.  But my understanding of the Word became much more clear and is acute now, in huge part because of Holy Spirit.

Why some say Holy Spirit gifts are passed

Holy Spirit gifts and power often need to be expected in order to be received. Faith and hope rise up in expectation of what GOD can do. 

In the Dark Ages, people believed GOD but Catholicism had taken root in Europe. As a European descendent I know little other historical theology. Where Christianity flourished it was largely either Catholic or Orthodox. And during the Dark Ages, the Medieval times, there was — as far as I understand — little power evidence of Holy Spirit. Perhaps that is where the idea was birthed that such things as miracles had ceased. There are Biblical scriptures namely 1 Corinthians 13 that are taken to mean the gifts end but the saving grace and love of Jesus continue. But that is a stretch of scripture, as far as I can see.

There are forces against faith in Holy Spirit just as there are forces against faith in Jesus. And so, those saved but not walking in the Baptism of Holy Spirit have limited experience of the power and presence of GOD. Perhaps some have tremendous faith in Jesus but if taught not to expect anything more, they don’t seek and they don’t receive.

Further, some may fear manifestations which are reported as Holy Spirit by some but others contest. To that I bring you to scripture: 

Luke 11:11 says,

“If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?”

GOD will not give us something that is unholy or unhealthy. We need to trust Him.

Matthew 7:7-12 says,

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?”

What is the manifestation of Holy Spirit

Ultimately, the litmus test regarding the Holy Spirit is the transformation of our character.

Discernment and experience will tell us whether something is “of GOD” or is “not of GOD”.

Our discernment will be spiritual and not of our opinion. We need to learn the difference.

Yes, there are forces of darkness and the devil is prowling around. But GOD is sovereign, GOD is bigger, GOD’s angels outnumber satan’s demons 2-1.

The manifestation of the Spirit of GOD will draw us closer to Him and will grow our character into that which more resembles His.

Sometimes we might seem undignified. If the LORD is removing some influence from us, we might have to physically break free as well as mentally or spiritually. David danced and his wife mocked him. Who was the loser of the two?

“So David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel. Therefore I will play music before the Lord. And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honour.” Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.” (2 Samuel 6:21-23)

Will you seek Holy Spirt and share His Truth

The reality is that the world is getting darker and we who are in Christ are shining more brightly. But we need more of GOD (and less of ourselves) as offered through the Holy Spirit in order to witness and to stand in these times.

Will you trust GOD more, will you surrender more of yourself to Him, will you receive all He offers, when He offers, in the way that He offers? Will you yield your life 100% to Him? I believe He’s asking us all. Who will say, “Yes and Amen”?

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GOD'S STORY

GOD’S STORY Pt 6 Who is Holy Spirit

“And those members of the body which we think to be less honourable, on these we bestow greater honour; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty”

While this is what Paul writes to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 12:23) in reference to the church as analogous to a human body, so I would ask you to look at this as analogous to the persons of the Godhead: namely, Father Son and Holy Spirit.

So Who is Holy Spirit?

We give GOD All the Glory! But who is GOD: Yehovah, Elohim if not inclusive of all three? Who is Holy Spirit and how does He fit with the others?

The Holy Spirit is to GOD as our most unpresentable parts are to our humanity: vital, for discretion, to be revered.

Part of GOD’s Story then is that Holy Spirit has been given less honour, less respect, less opportunity in our lives as a body of Christ = the church, than the other persons of GOD and I believe this needs to be addressed. Here is my opportunity to share GOD’s Story of Holy Spirit.

Here at Preparing the Bride, I’m telling GOD’S STORY. Presumptuous?! Not when simply looking at scripture, because scripture is the unfolding of God’s story to us who read it.

How do we prepare as the Bride of Christ? We learn GOD’s Story. Piece by piece, and peace by peace, we learn to walk as He has walked. 

So, here we go…. GOD’S STORY Part 6 Who is Holy Spirit

GOD is Spirit. Surely that is first and foremost. He is timeless, omnipotent, omniscient, and perhaps most important for us to understand in order to understand Holy Spirit, is to remember that Our Father: Yehovah GOD, Elohim is omnipresent. 

From His hovering over the earth in Genesis 1:2 to Jesus leaving the earth so that He could send His Spirit (John 14:25-26)…. I think it’s fair to say WE STILL DON’T REALLY UNDERSTAND THE HOLY SPIRIT, not that well at any rate.

United with the Holy Spirit, there is nothing our LORD cannot do, nothing we cannot do when we abide in Him.

In John 15 Jesus says,

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another.”

Several times Jesus says “abide in me… and bear fruit”. What is this fruit that he is talking about? He is talking about character and the fruit that counts is the fruit of the Holy Spirit, which Paul lists in Galatians 5:22-23 namely, love, joy, peace, goodness, kindness, gentleness, patience, faith and self control. These are markers of character, godly character, Christ-like character, fruit which flows from the Holy Spirit.

And so in order to abide with Jesus and in Jesus, in order to grow in His character, we need the Holy Spirit. It is through Holy Spirit that we abide and through Holy Spirit that the our character bears fruit. That Spirit which is GOD, dwelling in us, transforming us as we allow, that Spirit which is united with us: GOD in us.

Yes, all humanity can choose love and can choose decency by its will. But only through Holy Spirit can we succeed in bearing the character of Christlike love and character. 

How we grow in Christ

Man wrestles with himself and with GOD. Remember Jacob wrestling for his blessing (Genesis 32:24-29)? Jacob did not get all his answers but he did get the blessing of a new name: Israel. And it is his descendants who would become the nation of Israel. 

We all are like two year olds are we not? Like children who want both to please Mum and Dad and yet also to have their own way, do we not struggle against our love for GOD and our own way?

Holy Spirit teaches us and comforts us — leading us to follow and convicting us when we don’t, touching our hearts to draw near and not to punish ourselves for our short-comings but rather to learn from our mistakes. This is the personal touch of Holy Spirit. He is no less a person with whom we are encouraged to relate than the Father or Jesus. And yet, He is the least known, the least acknowledged of the three persons of GOD. 

As the Father is the powerhouse of GOD — the one in whom we ‘fear’; as Jesus is the lamb of GOD, who models for us our humanity as GOD intends; so the Holy Spirit is deeply personal; He encourages us to persevere. In our humanity we will to do life on its own terms. We wrestle against GOD’s will; we doubt Jesus; we resist the Holy Spirit.

“Come unto me all who labour and are heavy-laden and I will give you rest…” These are Jesus’ spoken words in Matthew 11 but it is through a surrender to Holy Spirit that we can yield, be still, come unto, abide and find our rest.

GOD says, “Come”, “Be still”, ‘Love Me and love others” but we get distracted and diverted as our own will says, ‘Come, do it this way, now!’

All of life is a journey

GOD has offered us a journey of a lifetime when we surrender to Him. Holy Spirit enables that walk in that surrender. Only to the degree that we walk His way, in love, above the clouds of turmoil and strife, full of His grace, truth, love, peace do we live the best life. 

This part of GOD’s Story is simply to say, GOD offers, GOD encourages, GOD asks us to align with, yield to, enjoy, and surrender to Him, and it is through Holy Spirit that we are able to do this.

GOD in our own strength

We are not meant — but often do— live a soul-ish spirituality. We love GOD yes, but we still follow our own will to Him. Instead we must surrender our will. We must surrender to the Spirit of GOD, walking daily in His will and way, if we are metaphorically, to ride on the clouds: Surrendering our body to our soul, soul to our spirit, our spirit to Holy Spirit of GOD will lead us into a spirit-filled walk that is as walking on water and as beyond the earthly condition. We can live as GOD lives, without time, without conditions, without limitations, if we simply trust and obey, surrender and receive.

GOD’s Power and Presence within us

Holy Spirit is the power and presence of GOD. When we abide in the LORD and allow ourselves to live completely surrendered, then we will rise above the temporal, beyond the clouds of emotion and circumstance, into a freedom and grace that is unknown to the earthly person.

What is the Holy Spirit? Who is the Holy Spirit?

He is that part of GOD that enables us to be truly intimate. We know the Father from above. We know Jesus from His earthly walk. We know Holy Spirit because He lives within us. 

THE LORD GOD is seeking to draw us closer to Him. How closely will you allow Him to draw you? Will you yield all to Him? In His Story, He is asking you. He is asking us all.

“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) This is not only a call from Jesus to us. This call is from GOD to us. This call is Holy Spirit’s offering to us. 

Will we trust and accept the calling to be fully surrendered to the Creator of the universe?

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Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

Powerless or Full of His Power?

“In You, O LORD, I put my trust; Let me never be put to shame.” (Psalm 71:1)

Do you feel powerless or full of His power?

Goodness of God song link

Power of Intimacy

I sit in the dark at 5am and wonder, where are we headed in this nation?

We have a new prime minister in the United Kingdom who has not been elected (except by his constituents as a local member of parliament). 

We had a new prime minister for 45 days. Then she was booted out by her own party for daring to believe Britain could grow the economy and prosper now.

We had a Conservative prime minister who was voted in by a huge majority including by usually Labour voters amongst the enthusiastic throng, for a cause that was stuck in government because the party in power hated the idea that the nation voted to separate from the European Union. 

I could list the demise of democratic Britain but that would be negative. 

What we have is a somewhat quiet coup of elite parliamentarians against their own party, an opposition who is lacking in acuity, and behind the scenes the wealthy and powerful who are lining their pockets with the mad ideas from the fearful who believe the end is nigh because of climate change.

The end may be nigh, but we don’t know the season nor the time, and it certainly has nothing to do with the natural fluctuations in climate.

The whole scenario — and I’ve only touched on some of the factors — reads like a sci fi novel. We live in a liberal democracy but are ruled by an appointed leader, who doesn’t even have the freedom to lead but is pulled around like a ringed bull, doing what he’s told about the climate change agenda, the economy, and who knows what else!

If the Prime Minister hasn’t any power, then is it any wonder if we, the people, feel powerless. 

I voted Conservative, I voted for Brexit. I won. And I feel powerless. Pity those who voted the other way… It doesn’t really matter now does it? We voted but we got it wrong so powers that be are doing their level best to counter the vote: first regarding Brexit, now about policy and even the Leader.

I sit and I stare and I wonder. Do others say to our Creator,  “Father, we don’t have any more prayers right now. We just want to talk to you… and we aren’t even sure what to say.”

He’s listening. He knows. He cares. And He values our prayers. Our voice matters to Him. “Thank you LORD!” Because certainly, our voice doesn’t seem to matter to many politicians.

Who holds the Power?

We don’t know man’s time table, we don’t know the unoriginal Satan’s time table (New Ten Commandments). But we can see the signs of the enemy and it seems a New Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai are about to be proclaimed. It infuriates me. What can I do? Rejoice in the LORD! We who keep our eyes on Jesus, not the storm, will overcome…. Because GOD is in charge.

“And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—“ (Revelations 2:26)

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Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

The Need for GOD’s Anointing of the Holy Spirit

Is Christian Revival around the corner? I sure hope so… But if it is, we’ll need plenty of help to manage it.

Revival and the Holy Spirit

Are we in need for GOD’s Anointing of the Holy Spirit? Why wouldn’t we be?!

Jesus said, ‘I go that the helper may come’ (John 14:26). How does the Helper help? By anointing us for service, giving us power through His presence: to move hearts toward GOD and to pull down strongholds.

If we want revival — and most of us who follow Jesus do, in some measure at least — we must allow the Holy Spirit to fill us and follow His lead.

There are those in the church who say that the supernatural gifts of GOD are passed. Some suggest, ‘We have the Word now, so we don’t need the supernatural.’ I say rather bluntly, this is a cop out. I think it is borne of the fact that the speakers don’t personally see the manifestation of miracles and therefore they reckon they don’t exist. They might quote, “… pass away but my Word shall not pass away…” (Matthew 24:35) But that scripture is taken out of context. Jesus, as the Word of GOD, was resurrection life that will never pass away. But He left the earth so that He could send His Spirit to fill each of us. It is by the Spirit that I have been transformed: through GOD-given faith and His conviction. I experience transformation and demonstrate it because of His supernatural attendance to me and His infilling within me.

Others who accept the Holy Spirit presence but resist the power, say undignified behaviour is manifested and therefore such cannot be a move of GOD. I say Jesus accepted the undignified, preferring their behaviour to the pride and superficial dignity of His contemporary pharisees. I was once accused of being a pharisee. Me? But I love the LORD! was my immediate response. And yet, over time I realised the religious spirit of the pharisees had affected me. My recognition and rejection of it was instrumental in my maturity and freedom.

Holy Spirit – active today

What I testify is this: The Holy Spirit is the LORD within us who enables us to surrender our lives; He gives us leadership showing us how to engage with Him and with others about Him. He is the evangelist, the pastor, the teacher, the prophet and the apostle within (Ephesians 4:11) And He enables the fruits of love, joy, peace, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, patience and self control (Galatians 5:22-23) to grow and supersede our own will and natural inclination to rebel. And it is through Him that miracles are manifested (1 Corinthians 12:8-9). He is the power and the presence of GOD, without whom we have neither His power nor His presence. He has not changed any more than has the Father or Jesus. GOD does not change.

Vocabulary that promotes the undignified

“Hallal” means praise! We are called to join in a manifestation of high praise, ‘flashing forth light like!’ Cymbals crash! King David danced with joy to his LORD, practically naked. GOD is to be revered but He does not control us. He brings liberty. Dignified or noisy, this is the celebration of GOD.

Jesus’ word about the Helper

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” (John 14:26)

For centuries, the power of GOD was squashed with religion. Protestants have blamed the Catholic faith, and it may largely be true that the manifestations of the Spirit were full-on during the early church but were largely wiped out by organised religion. But the chains have fallen off! And so should there be room again for the Spirit, so that we can “live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28)

We need the anointing

Recently, I was in a worship service and tears began to flow as we ministered to the LORD, not only in song but in spiritual warfare, praying for the nation. This began with the steadfast commitment of the worship leader to sing to the LORD but also to pursue Him. In so doing, the anointing came and remained. A call from the congregation for prayer came and then the engagement: spiritual warfare through a unified force amongst the brethren of believers, to bring GOD’s kingdom onto earth “as it is in heaven”. I don’t believe this could have been done without the anointing. But with the anointing, there was faith and a unified voice in worship and prayer. All the glory goes to Him through our passionate pleas to Him.

Abandon

GOD is full of grace and love. We are to revere Him. But we do not have to be religious. Rather we are called to be “like little children” (Matthew 19); children are not self-conscious.

Decorum matters between one another, as does common sense and respect. But sometimes, as the LORD’s presence manifests, so too does the demonic. This is not to be shunned nor embraced, but to be recognised, deliverance* to be undertaken, and freedom to be received (*to protect all involved, deliverance should only be undertaken under specific conditions and by those trained and experienced).

Sometimes there is joy and dancing: David danced; it pleased the LORD! (and led to the barrenness of David’s wife because she mocked him)

The Spirit is unpredictable. The Spirit is free. He does not give us licence to be irreverent but irreverence is not the same as lacking dignity. Sometimes, we need to be met with unpredictable abandon to be set free.

I pray that those who are reading this have either met with the Holy Spirit and have been baptised and anointed by Him, or will pursue Him with their whole heart until they are. The Spirit is no less GOD than is the Father or the Son. There is power from the Creator. There is power in the Word. And there is also power through the Spirit. Embracing Him is what Jesus calls us to do. And we ignore this at our peril.

Implosion of the World

While science is fast becoming debunked by those who preach “whatever we feel is real” and religion in Western society has all but passed away, common sense, fact and reality are becoming as rarely inspected as history. This is the time for Faith to arise. Let us not copy what has gone before: a narrow religiosity that has the imitation of Truth but not the power of it. Let us endorse and whole-heartedly embrace the full Gospel: that we are saved by Faith in Jesus, both for our eternal future but also for our present. Jesus saves, delivers, restores. He is found both in Word and in Deed. And we ignore either at society’s peril.

GOD bless you. In Jesus’ name. May you receive the power and presence of the Lord Jesus, Yeshua, our Messiah, by His Holy Spirit. Amen.

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Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

Expect More: it’s time!

Do you think it is time to expect more from our prayers? I do.

I think it’s time to expect GOD to actually move to heal, to deliver, to renew minds. It’s time for His transformational power to MOVE. How does that happen? When we believe.

Doubt is our enemy.

James 1:5-8 says, 

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.”

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been tossed and blown as much as anyone, and I’m fed up (with myself) with accepting unanswered prayer. Surely, GOD is waiting for us to believe and trust the words we pray!

Let us take hold of our passion, compassion, and determination to see GOD’s power, to experience His presence in the lives of our loved ones, strangers on the street, anyone for whom we feel led to pray.

Father, give me faith!

Matthew 17:18-20 gives an account of a boy being set free.

“Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment. Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” 

Give me, give us mountain moving faith, LORD. May Your will be done, today, now, in Jesus’ name. 

We cannot whip up, stir up our faith…. or can we?

Paul writes in 2 Timothy 1:6, “Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.”

And so we can proactively seek to build up, stir up, drive up our faith. Let us do so, all to the glory of GOD, that we might see Him move powerfully to transform lives in these days.

Let’s expect more, much more, of GOD’s transformational power and manifest presence, that healings will take place, hearts and minds will be moved, and more of GOD’s glory will be revealed.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen

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Preparing the Bride of Jesus Christ

Power of GOD in Ephesians

How closely have you looked at Ephesians lately?

The power of God is encapsulated in Ephesians. Have you had a taste lately?

I was reading it through recently and paused after chapter 3, so overwhelmed and amazed at the promises therein….

“that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body,” and “that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,” (Ephesians 3:6a, 16)

Yes, it is the letter that winds up in chapter 6 teaching us about spiritual warfare. But even before that chapter, it is rich in the promises of the power of GOD to all who believe and are children, followers of Jesus. All the power of the promises to Israel, all of the power of the resurrection of Jesus, all of the power of those who believe are expressed in Ephesians, open to gentiles as well as Jews.

I urge you

Study it. Digest it. Allow it to cover your soul and capture your spirit. Trust it. The Word of the Lord is rich and powerful… Allow it to embrace you and you will grow exponentially. This is what each of us needs — to grow into the likeness of our saviour and lord, Jesus, Yeshua Messiah. Today, why not begin with Ephesians…..

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Reflections and Poetry

Spiritual Anointing: a poetic reflection

He saturates by His Spirit

soaking my soul in His power

I shimmer, I shake

as His tidal pours through me

with a current of Love

He electrifies me

excited, awestruck

between fear and bliss

I am stirred.

Quaking with torrent bubbling

I am washed; intense waves of affection

and my soul surrenders

bears its toll

it’s beautiful exhaustion

flooding the moment

as a wave of peace

washes over me.

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Reflections and Poetry

What is God: a reflection

Names

God is Yaweh. He is “I Am”. He is Yehova. God is Adonai Elohim and LORD. These are some of His names.

Character

God is good. God is love. God is merciful, kind and patient, gracious and just. These are some of His attributes.

Roles

God is Creator of the Universe. God is Abba, Daddy, Father. These are two of His roles.

But what is He?

Relationship… with Whom?

We who are born again, we who are evangelical or charismatic – we focus on the relationship we have with God. But do we fully grasp what God is?

The mighty God of the universe, Creator of sun, moon, stars — and mankind — has given us Himself. Some shun Him in order to determine their own lives, prove their independence, and test His love by denying His existence.

We who know Him through His son Jesus, and having been gifted the same Holy Spirit as fathered Jesus and breathed life into Adam and hovered over the universe when it was a blank slate, we need to recognise just how incredible He is. Because if we truly grasp the incredulity of all His magnificence, we might believe God can heal, God can change our destiny, and God must be obeyed.

What is God?

I’ve been a Believer and follower of Jesus for over thirty years, and I’m still learning. I’m still discovering the width and depth and breadth of God’s power and love. I’m only just beginning to consider His justice and His wrath, which is enough to compel me to walk a better witness, as I don’t wish anyone to encounter His wrath.

What is God? The truth is, my words cannot fully convey what He is. Master. Supreme. Creator. These come the closest to describing what I understand Him to be.

And if I could find the perfect word to encapsulate God’s identity, would it make a difference? Would more people follow? Would more followers bend the knee? Would I be a better person?

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.” (Psalm 111:10a) My God is wonderful, full of grace and truth. But as times are shortening, and I’m beginning to realise that the wrath of the LORD is just as strong as is His love, I am beginning to quake in awe, wonder, praise and fear.

I don’t want to miss His blessings. I know He won’t turn on me and harm me. But I also don’t want to allow others to walk into His wrath, or for any of us to miss the generosity of His love, lavished on me and lavished upon others.

And now too, as I mature, I am only just beginning to grasp: neither do I want Him to miss celebrating with His chosen ones as they receive all He has prepared for them.

God is wise. He allows us to choose. But He also calls. I’m tired of wrestling with myself between receiving from Him and doing things my way. I’m wanting more and more to follow His call.

And as I recognise the incredible awesomeness of His sovereign love and authority, I also want others to see it, to trust it and live under it. It will make them happier, me happier and Our Sovereign LORD happier too.

What a wonderful world He’s created. What a wonderful world it would be if we all knew it!

“The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness.” (Psalm 24:1a)