Monthly Archives: September 2010

-The Lord is Slaying Giants –Time to Cross Over

Rafting in the Jordan river

(Jordan River via Wikipedia)

This morning at the Marketplace Prayer Group the Holy Spirit showed me a picture of the Lord slaying giants.

The theme of the morning was ‘crossing over Jordan’. there was a sense that many of us there this morning were on the bring of being able to cross over into ‘the promise land’ in our jobs, businesses, and ministries.

The vision originally came in response to one particular brother who had been experiencing health and financial issues and at the same time had received miraculous provision.

However also during that time he had received numerous words that seemed almost ridiculous in the face of what he was currently facing yet the lord this morning was confirming the validity of all of the incredible words for future business and ministry he had received.

While meditating on the vision I believe that the Lord told me that it was also for everyone there and the American church in general.

Many of us have been facing ‘giants’ standing in the way of fulfilling the visions and calling that the Lord has given us over the years. Sometimes those words seem almost ridiculous in the face of all of the challenges that we are personally facing.

Many of us have been looking for and praying for revival in America. Now is the time to cross over and receive it. Now is the time to step forward in faith. It is time to stop looking at all of the ‘giants in the land’ and the reasons it can’t be done. The Lord himself is slaying all of the giants standing in the way. Praise God! 

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-Ephesians 4:11-13: Apostles and Prophets? The Proof is Right There!

Holy Spirit dove window

(Image by hickory hardscrabble via Flickr)

Occasionally I still hear about, read about, or run across folks that question whether the 5-fold ministry from Ephesians 4 is for today.

Nobody has any trouble accepting the ministry of evangelists, pastors, or teachers of course. It is always apostles and prophets that folks gag on even in some Pentecostal and Charismatic circles.

I happen to believe that the answer to the controversy can be found in the scripture itself:

Ephesians 4: 11-13:

"It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,…"

Why?-Verse 12:

"to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up…"

For how long? -Verse 13:

"Until we all reach unity in the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."

Has the church ever reached "the whole measure of the fulness of Christ" at any point in church history? No! Therefore these functions of ministry are still with us if the Word of God is to be taken seriously.

It is my contention that these functions of ministry can be detected in every generation in various degrees down through nearly 2,000 years of church history. Most of the time the folks who personify these functions may have gone by different titles during their lifetime and ministry.

In fact today whether these ministries are in the church or not has nothing to do with ‘titles’ or the use thereof. It is all about specific ministry callings, and functions.

Apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher -I believe that these ministries have always been in the church and will continue to bless the church wherever they are allowed to function until Christ comes back.

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-Reap Now! Don’t Wait for Revival

Golden Fields on the Way to Gordium City of Ki...
(Image by voyageAnatolia.blogspot.com via Flickr)

John 4:34-36
35 Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.
NIV

On Saturday while I was praying the Lord showed me a golden field of grain that was ripe and ready to harvest. Then the scripture above came to mind along with the words:

This is the day of your visitation don’t miss it.

I meditated and prayed over the meaning and timing of the word and the following clearly came to me:

-Reap Now! Don’t wait for revival.

I believe that this is a word particularly for the American and Western church. Revival is already going on nearly everywhere else—Africa, India, China, and even hidden revivals in North Korea, Iran, and all over the Middle East. There is a great world-wide harvest going on everywhere but in America and the West.

Many of us have been praying for revival with the perspective that once it came then there would be a great harvest and untold thousands would accept Jesus and turn the whole country around. But now I believe that the Lord is telling us to begin the Harvest and not to wait for revival. The fields are ready right now.

Now is the time to bear your testimony and tell folks about how Jesus has blessed your life.

Now is the time to pray for that sick neighbor.

Now is the time to demonstrate the Love of God that passes all human understanding to everyone around you.

Now is the time to reach out to all those unsaved relatives that you have been praying about for years.

Now is the time to teach your children about Jesus.

Now is the time to lead your adult children back to Christ.

Now is the time to teach your grandchildren about the Good News.

Now is the time to encourage that fellow worker that is depressed and tired of living.

Now is the time for all of the servants of Jesus to begin an all out harvest and signs, wonders, miracles, and healings will follow.

In the midst of it all we will realize that revival has come and it won’t be just another ‘feel-good’ time at church. This revival is destined to be in the marketplace, in the schools, on the job, at the malls, in the neighborhoods, on mainstreet, in the ghetto, and at Wal-Mart too.

 -Reap now and revival will come.

*Top

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-Remembering 9/11/01: How Should We Respond?

The pictures are still horrific and engender in us all a remembrance of where we were when we first heard about the 9/11 attacks. Nearly 3,000 died and two wars resulted from the event and we can now say that the world is a much smaller place than it use to be.

But how shall we respond to all of this?

<<Read the rest on my Answers For The Faith blog>>            *Top

-Happy New Year-Rosh Hashanah, 5771

A shofar made from a ram's horn is traditional...

(Shofar via Wikipedia)

Happy New Year!

Actually Rosh Hashanah, the Biblical new year began at sundown last night (Wed) and ushered in the beginning of the year 5771 on the Jewish calendar and Judaism’s High Holy Days-  a 10-day period of repentance that culminates on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement –Sept. 18.

Most Christians pretty much ignore this Biblical celebration since it really it isn’t on the traditional church calendar. However many ministers and particularly those called to minister in the prophetic recognize a special significance and work of God related to the Biblical calendar that Jewish folks still go by.

It was during this season that I received my first call to the ministry 44 years ago and later when I was turning 30 had a commissioning experience that still marks my life and ministry today. So usually during this time and particularly on Yom Kippur I take some time to evaluate where I am at and repent of my failures with a look towards being a far more effective witness for the Lord Jesus Christ in the year to come.

It is amazing to me when I look back to see that this time of the year usually marks all of the major changes in my life and ministry. I use to chalk it up to my birthday being in October but now am convinced that changes in my ministry in particular seem to more closely reflect the Biblical calendar. 

I use to think I was alone in this perspective until I ran across several major prophetic ministers who also have experienced significant happenings during this season. Some have come to believe that during this time of the year ministers and ministries come under the rod of the master and are evaluated –some to be promoted, some to decline, and others to stay pretty much the same.

Happy New Year and Blessings to all.

Don’t forget to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and the Jewish people particularly during this time of celebration. Also pray for revival in America, we need it.

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-Watch Woman Get Healed and Walk for First Time in 22 Years

This YouTube video was shot during a revival service on Friday August 27 at the Mobile Convention Center. It is 13 minutes long showing a progressive healing. It begins with Delia Knox in a wheelchair as she has been for 22 years since she was paralyzed in a car accident on Christmas Day 1987.

After several minutes of prayer she begins to get some feeling in her legs then after more prayer stands up with some assistance and walks haltingly around. Incredible!

The second video is 2 minutes long showing her at the Revival service one week later on September 3 and now she is able to walk some without assistance:

Delia Knox is a music minister and popular singer who pastors Living World Christian Center in Mobile, Ala. along with her husband, Bishop Levy Knox.

The revival service was led by former Brownsville Revival leader John Kilpatrick who remarked that the services in Mobile, called the Bay of the Holy Spirit Revival, looked like they had the making "of another powerful revival":

"We have miracles taking place, we have souls being saved, the glory of God has moved back in like it did on Father’s Day 1995.

“Already things are happening quicker than they did even at Brownsville," he said in late July. "The word’s spread. I think it has the potential to be a really powerful revival."

According to a Charisma article before the Knox healing the Mobile, Alabama revival had already seen numerous signs, wonders, and miracles including healing of the blind and the deaf, and even some folks who watched the services online.            *Top