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Monday, August 27, 2012

God's Message to This Generation Pt 7

 

Hello my greatest desire. Yes, I’m speaking to you. You’re my greatest desire, the one I love and want a close relationship with. 

As I promised I will conclude by explaining some of the transformations that will take place once your Mine and we are walking in life together. All the inward transformations take place with in your spirit and as you read My Word the Bible, believe it with My faith in you and put it to work in your life, then you will also see many changes happen in your actions, thinking and speech. You will never be the same. I say in My Word that old things will pass away and all things will become new within you. You literally will become a new creation on the inside, a creature that never existed before. I know this is a lot to take in but I’m here with you all along the way offering you My faith to believe and receive all I am saying. 

Here’s two Scriptures that describe some of what I am talking about and the meaning of the word transformed. Romans 12:2 (NLT) 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. 2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV) 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

The word translated “transformed” is the Greek #3339 “metamorphoo” which means to change into another form, to transform. “Metamorphoo” is a compound word that is derived from #3326 “meta” and #3445 “morphoo” which means to fashion, to shape, to form. Our English word “metamorphosis” comes from this Greek word. Like the caterpillar that is transformed (metamorphosis) into a butterfly, we are seeking to be transformed into a new being as well. 
As you give your life fully over to Me to become Lord and the Leader of your life, a powerful transformation will take place on the inside of you. 

A My child which is a joint heir with Jesus (Romans 8:17) you will possess in your born-again spirit all He has done, all He possesses, all that He is and all of the kingdom of God and heaven will be contained within you. Your sins are forgiven and the blood of Jesus cleanses you from all sin (1 John 1:7&9), You are am more than a conqueror through Christ (Romans 8:37), You are transformed from sinful, unrighteous and unholy to righteous and holy in Him (2 Corinthians 5:17&21 Ephesians 4:24), You are delivered out of darkness and translated into the kingdom of God’s own dear Son (Colossians 1:13), You have His power (Ephesians 1:19-20), You have His life (Galatians 2:20), You have His Spirit (Romans 8:11), His wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:30), You have His victory (1 Corinthians 15:57), You have His anointing (1 John 2:20), You have His faith (Galatians 2:20). He (the Spirit of Jesus, the Holy Spirit) lives in you and as He is so are you in this world (1 John 4:17). You are also blessed, holy, accepted, blameless, redeemed, sealed by the Holy Spirit. You will be enabled to do the ministry of Jesus in His love, power and compassion, preach, teach, heal, cast out demons, and raise the dead (John 14:12, Matthew 10:7-8 & Mark 16:15-20). 

When you surrender your life to Me and we begin this wonderful relationship I can promise as you stay close to Me and allow Me to lead you and teach you through My Word, My Spirit and My ministers you will never be lacking for excitement. Your life will not only transform from the inside out but as you learn more of Me and follow Me you will also change outwardly in how you act, think and speak. Plus you will be full of all I have mentioned and so much more and with all this you can help Me to help others just as I have helped you through these brief messages. I know it’s a lot to take in. We can just take it one step at a time. 

First, all you have to do is let your life go and hand it over to Me to take the lead. Another wards just follow Me. You can pray and talk to Me and tell me this which is giving Me your verbal commitment. All I need from you right now is a decision for you to lay down your life so that I can begin this amazing transformation I have described. 

Next after you have done this then you can contact this man in whom I live and am ministering to you through and tell him your story and all that is happening. He can then direct you in your next steps to take in life with Me. I’m waiting. I’m here. Remember I love you and want an amazing friendship with you but you must be the one to take the first step.

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (NLT) 17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” 21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. 

 -Jesus- 
Hear the story of Pastor Steve’s transformation

Friday, August 24, 2012

God's Message to This Generation Pt 6



 Let Me get real with you for a minute and deal with one of the many hindrances and excuses people might use to keep from receiving My love and blessings I have for them.
Some of You possibly aren’t listening to what I have to say and or have rejected Me now or in the past because of so much of what you would call hypocrisy by those saying they are Mine. What you need to understand as I love you and I also love the hypocrites and as you need to know Me and so do they. I have been grossly misrepresented and greatly misunderstood since the beginning of man’s existence.
I will tell you about those who really are Mine. They will have some semblance of Me and My character. If you are looking for perfect then stop looking. There are none perfect accept God. Only God is truly holy and perfect. Those that are really Mine love Me and serve Me out of pure hearts and right motives but they are fallible when they take their focus off Me and place it on themselves. I’m not making excuses but only telling you the truth. They will make mistakes but you know they are Mine when they ask for forgiveness of man and of Me and attempt to allow Me to continue to make the good changes in their character and lives. This is called transformation You will know them by their fruit, how they act and talk.
I say good fruit can’t grow on a bad tree and bad fruit on a good tree. If the tree is Mine then the fruit will match.
So don’t allow this excuse to keep you from Me because you will have to admit you are full of short comings and flaws right now.
Please only judge Me by Me, how I will treat you personally and by what you will learn of me in My word.
I’m good. You’ll see if you give Me a chance.
About those who might be misrepresenting Me. Once you’re Mine please pray for them to receive Me also, so I can fellowship, have a relationship, manifest My love to them also to and heal them from their sins and all that is wrong with them. My desire is for the whole world to know Me and receive my love and all I have for them.
What you need to understand is that anyone who really knows Me can’t act or do things outside of My will or character for very long. The reason is that all My overwhelming love and goodness on the inside of them overcomes and wins out over all the bad that can come from the outward mind and body of a man that is in the process of transformation.
I love all of you and I desire a relationship with you.

1 John 2: (NLT) But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him.

-Jesus-

Thursday, August 23, 2012

God's Message to This Generation Pt 5



I love you so much I want you to give Me all of you. I saw you when you were in the womb and being formed. I knew how all your days would turn out even before they were. No, I’m not a psychic. I’m just, God. None of you and I mean none of you were mistakes no matter how you were conceived and what you were born into. I don’t make mistakes. What you have to understand is that man does and the evil that is in the world causes things to happen that are not My will since it has temporary rule at this time and all those who aren’t Mine are subject to them. Remember we discussed this in the last message. This is one of the reasons I desire you to come to Me, so you will be protected from a lot of the evil in the world.
As I have said, I love you and desire all of you to come to Me. You might think this is possessive. You’re right. It is. It is a possessive desire of love for you that you can’t even comprehend right now. I want all of you so I can give you all of me, all that I am and all that I have.
When you fully give yourself to me I come to live in you and at this time your spirit has a radical transformation take place. Death leaves and My life comes in it’s place. You become like Me on the inside. My word says that you become a new creation on the inside or as My word says also, born again. You receive a new spirit and a new mind, a new will and new desires. The power and desire to disobey Me and live a selfish life is taken away from within you. All darkness is taken away, you become full of My light  You become adopted into a whole new family. All your sins are forgive and forgotten by Me. All your past is forgotten and can be forgotten by you. You will have a whole new life to begin all over again with a clean slate with Me helping you all along the way as much as you want. I will heal you of all the bad you have done or that has been done to you in your past, present and future. You will also have access to all My blessings, promises, wisdom, guidance, love and so much more. The best is that now you will have complete and total access to Me, to talk to Me, hear from Me and be with Me any time you want.
You will need to get to know Me just like in any relationship and learn to trust Me fully. It will take time but I am gracious, patient, kind and understanding. What I really want is to become your Best Friend.
In my next message I will expound on this more, the process of your transformation. It will be fun because I’m a good God and all My desires for you are good.

Exodus 34:6-7 (MSG) "God, God, a God of mercy and grace, endlessly patient—so much love, so deeply true—loyal in love for a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, rebellion, and sin. Still, he doesn't ignore sin. He holds sons and grandsons responsible for a father's sins to the third and even fourth generation."

-Jesus-

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

God's Message to This Generation Pt 4


Please allow Me to explain in a very simple way why I returned to earth so we could have a wonderful relationship together while you’re here and for all eternity with Me.
As you have probably heard I created man out of the dust of the earth and breathed My life in him. I then put him to sleep and made a woman for his rib. You know them as Adam and Eve. I know this sounds really out there and hard to imagine but remember I'm God and the Creator of the entire universe and all therein. I have no beginning, no end and have always existed. Now that should shake you up a little more. I love you and I can only tell you the truth because there is no lying in Me. I am Truth.  Give Me a chance, you will see.
I blessed Adam and Eve with all in the garden and all they could have ever wanted and needed. I gave them dominion over all that is on the earth and told them to be fruitful and multiply. I even walked and talked with them every day in the garden. I covered them in My glory. We all had a wonderful life together loving each other and enjoying or time together. 
I only asked that they obey one thing. Don't eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil because the day they did they would die both spiritually and physically. Their doing this would separate them from Me and all that I am and all that I had for them.
Unfortunately through lies, deceit and their own selfish desires they did disobey and eat and opened the door to the knowledge of good and evil to all humanity. For their own sake I had to remove them out of the garden because I am holy and the darkness of sin would have been destroyed in the presence of my unapproachable light. It was a grievous day for Me and for them. I can never explain all the pain we went through having to part ways. I did continue to watch over them and their off spring but the rebellion and sin of man became very destructive and intense.
You see when they believed the lie of the serpent and yielded to his will they gave themselves and all mankind who came from them over to his control and all I had given them. They and all mankind then came under the rule of Satan. Man became increasingly more evil as the Evil One began to rule their hearts and the earth.
Since I had given man free will and dominion over all the earth there's nothing I could do accept come down in the form of a Man to get you all back. Jesus came from My seed but his body was from this earth, formed from his mother and father. Through His virgin birth He came to earth as a Man but with divine blood, pure blood. Not the blood from the original man, Adam. I know the virgin birth still messes with a lot of minds but I think it’s pretty cool. I’m God and I love to blow your minds to show you how amazingly awesome I am and how much I  love you and all this I have and that I am is for all of you to freely receive.
I have many laws I have set in motion that not even I will break. One is that I gave man dominion over earth. So a sinless Man would have to recover it back for Me. Another law your all well aware of is gravity. My laws have been put in place not for restraint but for your own protection.
Jesus, a sinless Man came to earth for all of you. He was sinless because He didn’t have the blood of Adam but My blood. He also kept all the commandments of Mine. He actually fulfilled the Law I had written.
You can read about His very short life in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. There is prophecy about Him though throughout the whole Bible. Prophecy is just Me speaking. While here on earth Jesus demonstrated all that I am and the amazing love and desire for all your good.
He was fully Man and God; the Son of Man and Son of God at the same time.
He was a Man just like you but with God on the inside. He gave up all His Divine attributes to come and be with you. He had to be born, raised by His parents, obey them and My laws, be baptized and did no ministry until the Holy Spirit can upon Him.
He was My Son, the love of My life. I had never been apart from Him. When You see Him you see Me. He is just like Me, the Father.
Jesus came to die. You might ask why would You send Your own Son to die? I sent Him to die for you because, I love you. One law I made is that sin can only be forgiven through the shedding of innocent and pure blood. Read the Old Testament and the Book of Hebrews and you can have more understanding. In the Old Testament they sacrificed animals which only cover their sin. Jesus came as the Lamb of God that took away the sins of the world.
All have sinned (broken My laws and disobeyed Me) and fallen short of the Glory of God. The wages (the price paid) for your sin is death. Just like Adam. I Jesus came that you might be saved from your sins and have an abundant life with Me here on earth and for all of eternity.
So I came, I was crucified, died, was buried and rose again for all of you. All this because I love you and I made the way for the separation between us from sin to be bridged so we could have a most wonderful relationship with each other as it was in the beginning in the garden. My death reconciled all of you back to God.
My Beloved, this is why I came.
I am waiting for YOU to come to Me. I have things to show you that will blow your mind and so many wonderful blessings awaiting you when you receive Me. I have a purpose and a destiny for you that only I will fully be able to reveal you and it's only in Me that you will really be whole and satisfied.
Matthew 11: 28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

-Jesus-

Monday, August 20, 2012

God's Message to This Generation Pt 3

Yes, I love you. I love you with all My heart and all that I am. You know? I am love. My very being and essence is love. All I do is out of love.
Why do I love you? I choose to love you. I spoke your earth into existence, made you from the clay of the earth, breathed My life in you and made you in My image and likeness. How can I not love you? You’re from Me and a part of Me. I Am your Creator. My love never fails and never changes for you no matter what you do. My love isn't based on feelings or your actions towards Me but a choice. My love gives to you what you don't know you need or might not want.
I came to earth out of My love for you. I came to give you, Me!
I'm so grieved at all that is happening to all of you because it need not happen. It's not My will nor My desire for all the bad that is on earth. I am a good God and no bad is there that I can do.
I gave humanity control over all that's on earth and in the garden my first two children out of selfish ambition and deception gave it all over to the Evil One. He is the one who is behind all the evil you see on earth and in man.
I created man as a free will being to choose as to whether to love and serve Me or love and serve himself, someone or something else. But no matter what you do or have done, I love you and desire a close relationship with you.
I forgive, YOU.
Will you accept My forgiveness and receive all My love and blessings I have for you?
I sincerely hope you will. Remember, I love you.

Jeremiah 31:The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying:
“Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love;
Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.
-Jesus-

Friday, August 17, 2012

God's Message to This Generation Pt 2

I love you and desire a relationship with you. I desire a daily dialog with you and for you to get to know me through prayer and my word, the Bible. I desired you and longed for a relationship with you so much I came down in the form of a Man so you could come back to Me. There are so many things I wish to tell you about Me and my desire for you. I will as I continue to keep speaking to you. I am good. There is no evil in Me. All My thoughts towards you are good and for your benefit.
I understand that many of you don't trust me or don't even believe I exist. I will give you this challenge that many of My children over the centuries have taken with Me. Ask Me to personally reveal Myself to you if I am real. I have begun this process already through these messages to you. I am here. I am listening. I will patiently wait for you. I LOVE YOU! Yes! I really do love you and there is nothing you can ever do so bad to stop me from desiring you to come to Me and receive My love.

Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord,
 -Jesus-


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Thursday, August 16, 2012

God's Message to This Generation Pt 1


As the time grows closer to the hour of My return there are many, a multitude I desire to come to Me. I desire a deep, close and intimate relationship with every young man and woman of this generation.
I have a wonderful purpose and destiny for all of you to fulfill. If you were to know Me as I really am many of you wouldn't be so far from Me. I LOVE YOU!
So many over the last centuries and yes even the last decades have misrepresented Me. Some have taken My love and grace to the place of perversion, partial truths and licenses and others have made Me out to be a mean and vengeful God ready to destroy you at any time.
My thoughts towards you are for good and not for evil. To give you a future and a hope. I am a loving God, a merciful God. A God that wants for you the very best I can give you. You see, I created you and I LOVE YOU!
I created you and all the beautiful creation that you see around you for My good pleasure. All of you are My creation but only a few are My children. Come to Me. I'm waiting for YOU! I long to bless you with My love, My goodness and all the amazing plans and purposes I have had for you even before you were born.




 Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 

-Jesus-

 
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Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Apostolic Prayers: the Spirit of Revelation (Eph. 1:15-23) – MIKE BICKLE

Apostolic Prayers: the Spirit of Revelation (Eph. 1:15-23) – MIKE BICKLE
IHOP-KC Mission Base
www.IHOP.org

Apostolic Prayer: Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation (Eph. 1:15-23)
After I heard of your faith...and your love...16 I do not cease...making mention of you in my prayers:
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him (Father), 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know (experience) what is the hope of His (Father’s) calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
(Eph. 1:15-23)
I. CONTINUAL PRAYER TO THE FATHER OF GLORY FOR THE SAINTS (EPH. 1:15-17)
I do not cease...making mention of you in my prayers: 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit... of revelation in the knowledge of Him... (Eph. 1:16-17)
A. Paul was writing from his prison cell in Rome to a Church that he knew well since he established the church of Ephesus (Acts 19-20). Paul received reports that that they we filled with faith and love. This greatly encouraged Paul in his imprisonment.
B. We see Paul’s revelation of the power of prayer. Paul did not cease to make mention of the
Ephesian believers in prayer (Eph. 1:16). God will give the spirit of revelation to us to the degree that we ask Him to. We must not have “trust” God’s sovereignty in an unbiblical way by
“trusting” Him to do what He requires us to do. We cannot do God’s part and He will not do our
part. We must seek to obey Him as we fill our heart with His Word and ask Him for revelation.
Ask and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened…(Mt. 7:7)
You do not have because you do not ask. (Jas 4:2)
C. We see Paul’s revelation of the power of prayer as well as his highest focus in prayer (for the
spirit of revelation). Paul did not cease to make mention of the Ephesian believers in prayer
D. Paul appealed to God as the God of Jesus and the Father of glory (Eph. 1:17).
1. The God of our Lord Jesus Christ – what God did for Jesus in His humanity is the ideal
picture of what God is committed to doing for His people.
2. Father of glory – the glory that God possesses is the glory that He longs to impart to His
people according to their hunger for it. This is the core reality behind this prayer.
FORERUNNER SCHOOL OF MINISTRY– MIKE BICKLE
Apostolic Prayers: the Spirit of Revelation (Eph. 1:15-23) PAGE 2
IHOP-KC Mission Base
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E. Paul had just outlined specific aspects of the Father’s willing to give His glory (spiritual
blessings) to His people in Christ (Eph. 1:3-14). This is one of the clearest and most
comprehensive statements in the Bible describing the grace and glory that God lavishes upon His people (Eph. 1:8).
F. God, motivated by love, predestined (determined) that those who said yes to Jesus would be
made holy and blameless before Him and would enjoy the exalted position of being His adopted children (Eph. 1:4-5). God established the final plan to glorify His people in His sight. Paul is revealing that God’s plan was predestined (determined) not the chose of the individuals. For this reason, Paul continued in prayer that that saints would experience more of this predetermined plan which reveals God’s longing and commitment to lavish His grace on us (Eph. 1:15, 17).
He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without
blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons... (Eph. 1:4-5)
You have crowned him (the redeemed) with glory and honor, and set him over the works of
Your hands... 10 For it was fitting for Him...in bringing many sons to glory, to make the
captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. (Heb. 2:7, 10)
Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,
16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: (Eph. 1:15-16)
G. God’s plan was always to bring us into His glory. He planned to bring the heavenly realm
together with the earthly realm that we might experience His glory in fullness forever.
The mystery of His will...10 He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which
are in heaven and which are on earth... (Eph. 1:9-10)
H. Our spiritual foundation is in receiving from the Father who gives His glory in different ways:
1. He gives us His power, wisdom and love (tender mercy and affection).
2. He reveals His beauty in which He fascinates His people (Rev. 4-5).
3. He gives from His desire to share (impart) His glory to those He loves.
II. THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND REVELATION IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD (EPH. 1:17)
That the Father of glory may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,
18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know (experience) what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe (Eph. 1:17-19)
FORERUNNER SCHOOL OF MINISTRY– MIKE BICKLE
Apostolic Prayers: the Spirit of Revelation (Eph. 1:15-23) PAGE 3
IHOP-KC Mission Base
www.IHOP.org
A. Paul prayed that they might come to more fully experience the knowledge of God in active
intimacy (Eph. 1:17-19) as the only way to walk in the glory of these spiritual blessings (Eph.
1:3-14) in this life. This prayer for active intimacy with God has one general request with three
specific requests that flow out the main one. Paul understood that intimacy with God was the
essential foundation for us to experience the three specific requests (Eph. 1:18-19).
1. It is helpful to know that Paul's primary prayer focus was that people know or encounter
God by receiving the spirit of wisdom and revelation.
2. In other words, to receive living understanding (divine illumination) as God the Spirit
reveals God the Father and Son to the human spirit.
B. Our greatest need is to receive a greater measure of the spirit of wisdom and revelation. This is almost always the greatest need of your loved ones (saved and unsaved), ministries, cities, nations or governments that you pray for. Satan’s most common attack is the opposite of this by releasing accusation and deception to confuse our hearts.
C. Our eyes being enlightened explains what it means to receive the spirit of wisdom and revelation.
In other words, our minds are enabled to perceive God and God imparts grace to our affections to love God and feel His presence.
D. God’s glory is helps us sustain a lifestyle of receiving His supernatural influence on our heart.
This is the most neglected spiritual treasure on this planet.
E. The unaided mind cannot receive revelation because it is living understanding from the Spirit.
We have received...the Spirit...that we might know the things...freely given to us by God...14
The natural man (unaided mind) does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are
foolishness to him; nor can he know them... (1 Cor. 2:12-14)
Blessed are you...flesh and blood has not revealed this...but My Father in heaven. (Mt 16:17)
F. The Spirit reveals God by enabling our human capacities to receive more. Thus, it takes a
lifestyle that aggressively pursues the things of the Spirit to receive more of the Spirit. The
strongest eyes are useless when a person is in total darkness. The natural man has no spiritual
sight. His eyes do not perceive Jesus’ power and beauty.
G. The Scripture is more than intellectual ideas, but it is a divine revelation, an unveiling of spiritual things which requires supernatural abilities and produces spiritual effects on the "eyes of our understanding being enlightened." In other words, we must pray for this as the top priority in our life. This must not be reduced to "our minds receiving new ideas."
H. God as light imparts insight, holiness and happiness with anointed encounters.
FORERUNNER SCHOOL OF MINISTRY– MIKE BICKLE
Apostolic Prayers: the Spirit of Revelation (Eph. 1:15-23) PAGE 4
IHOP-KC Mission Base
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I. It takes God to know God, thus, we must earnestly pray for more of this. To Paul this was the
primary need for the Ephesian saints. Revelation is the most powerful influence that equips our
hearts for wholeheartedness. If we can see what Paul saw, then we can embrace what he
embraced. Seeing determines the depth of our sustained choices for holiness.
J. That you may know (experience) (Eph. 1:18) – to know is to encounter and experience God’s
glory. Revelation is the unveiling of God Himself.
1. The Greek word "knowledge" (epignosis) refers to experiential knowledge which is much
more than informational knowledge of true facts about God.
2. To know or encounter God is the essence of eternal salvation (John 17:3; Phil 3:10).
This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only God and Jesus Christ. (Jn 17:3)
K. Paul prayed a general prayer that they receive more revelation of God. Then Paul added three specific prayers that flow out of encounter. He wanted the people with enlightened eyes to know (Gr. eidenai) or experience three specific dimensions of God’s glory:
1. First, to have assurance (hope) related to their life calling (assignment) in God.
2. Second, to experience the wealth of being God’s inheritance (what He desires most).
3. Third, to experience God’s power in our mind, heart and ministry.
III. EXPERIENCING THE ASSURANCE OF GOD’S CALLING FOR OUR LIVES (EPH. 1:18)
That the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation...that you may know
(experience) what is the hope (assurance) of His calling… (Eph. 1:17-18)
A. The first specific request relates to what we are to do. Paul wanted them to have assurance or confidence in knowing God’s calling or divine assignment for their lives and how God evaluated their calling or lives work.
B. God has a tailor made mandate or assignment for each person’s life that includes both the present and future. This brings us confidence in our dignity and greatness before God.
C. God offers us a great future. He wants to impart confidence in us now, that is related to our
present labors and struggles that are so small and weak and seemly insignificant in man’s eyes.
FORERUNNER SCHOOL OF MINISTRY– MIKE BICKLE
Apostolic Prayers: the Spirit of Revelation (Eph. 1:15-23) PAGE 5
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D. What we are to do: our calling (destiny) speaks of our unique assignment that God has given us.
This is a vast subject that encompasses time and eternity. In this age, our assignment changes
through the seasons of our life. The revelation of our destiny, Divine mandate, unique purpose
and design is essential to walking with our hearts fully alive.
E. This specific part speaks of knowing God’s revealed will in our life.
Epaphras...always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and
complete in all the will of God. (Col. 4:12)
F. This is one of the main emphases in Paul’s prayer for the Colossians.
We...do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His
will...10 that you may have a walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in
every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God... (Col. 1:9-10)
G. We have the glory of a significant function now and in 50 years, 500 years and 5,000 years, etc.
We have a specific work in our life that we must faithfully carry out with meekness and a servant
spirit. The significance of these labors is only clear to those with enlightened understanding.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared
beforehand that we should walk in them. (Eph. 2:10)
H. We do very small things that are great in God’s esteem. Wisdom is knowing what God esteems.
We can live with certainty that our small labors will reap great rewards before God.
Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you
ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord. (Mt. 25:21)
I. To evaluate our lives and labors with living understanding. The very small things are evaluated
by God as great. Every compared to God is very small. There are 100 billion stars in the Milky
Way Galaxy. However, God has created over 100 million galaxies in the known universe. We
will never produce something that is big to Him. Our freedom is in seeking to establish
something that is great in terms of love, meekness and understanding not in terms of seeking to impress God or men but the biggest of what we build with our hands.
J. Our small and weak function now will dynamically impact our position and calling in the New
Heavens and Earth. We must have assurance related to our present calling and labors to live fully alive. We must be anchored in eternity to walk steady in our assignment in this age.
K. Our life is dynamically changed when we have assurance that what we are doing is valuable to God. In other words, we feel powerful when we know that God esteems the way that we spend our life (even if men do not sees its value). It is powerful to have confidence that what we do and the sacrifices we make matters greatly to God and that He will remember it forever.
L. It includes the revelation that there is continuity of what we do in this age with the age to come.
Much insecurity and fear is related to lacking this revelation of our greatness in God.
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M. This specific part speaks encompasses more than having assurance of salvation. It is vital to be assured we are partakers of God’s effectual or regenerative call. Paul was laboring in prayer that they have more than assurance of salvation since they were already fervent in love and faith (Eph. 1:15).
IV. EXPERIENCING THE GLORY OF BEING GOD’S INHERITANCE (EPH. 1:18)
That the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation...that you may know
(experience)...what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints… (Eph. 1:17-18)
A. The second specific request relates to who we are to God. This prayer is to realize that we are God’s inheritance. By making us His inheritance, God has revealed His passion for us. Paul spoke of both our inheritance in God (Eph. 1:14) and of God’s inheritance in us (Eph. 1:18).
B. Paul is making a reference to Moses’ revelation from God in Deut. 32:9.
For the LORD's portion is His people; Jacob is the place of His inheritance. (Deut. 32:9)
"They shall be Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "...I will make them My jewels.” (Mal. 3:17)
Jesus...who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross... (Heb. 12:2)
C. We are God's inheritance. We are what the Father has given to the Son as His reward. God's valuation of his people is established by his valuation of Christ. To see the value that God places on us, Paul wants us to experience some of the "riches of the glory" of being God's inheritance,
D. Who we are to God: this touches the issue of our spiritual identity. This is very different than
what we do before God in our calling or mandate. It is the revelation of who we are in God’s
heart and affection. We see our greatness, value, dignity, honor and beauty that we have in Jesus’ eyes. We are the prize of all the ages that the Father gave the Son. We are the reward that He most longs for. In this revelation, we see the greatness that we possess before Jesus’ heart.
E. Much of our insecurity and fear is related to lacking this revelation of our dignity.
F. We confess that we are Jesus’ favorites in that He loves us as the Father loves Him.
As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you... (Jn. 15:9)
G. We confess that we are the Father’s favorites in that He loves us as that He loves Jesus.
That the world may know that You...have loved them as You have loved Me. (Jn. 17:23)
H. There are infinite riches (wealth) in being the focus of God’s affection. The power of knowing
this is without precedent in human experience. We confess that these truths as Satan’s attacks us.
My Beloved is mine, and I am His. (Song 2:16)
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You have ravished My heart, My sister, My Bride... (Song 4:9)
I am my Beloved's and His desire is toward me. (Song 7:10)
V. EXPERIENCING THE EXCEEDING GREATNESS OF GOD’S POWER (EPH. 1:19)
That the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation...that you may know
(experience)...19 what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe... (Eph. 1:17-19)
A. The third specific request relates to how we are empowered to live out our life in God. This
prayer request is to experience the power of God. Power (Gr. dunamis) refers to a God’s strength and energetic grace that we need to overcome temptation. This is the power available to all believers (Phil. 3:10; Col. 1:11).
B. How we are to live out our life in God: We must not be content with powerless Christianity.
Rather, we contend for NT Christianity that experiences the power of the resurrection. Much of
our insecurity and fear is related to lacking this revelation of our provision.
You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses
to Me...to the end of the earth. (Acts 1:8)
VI. THE WORKING OF GOD’S MIGHTY POWER IN JESUS (EPH. 1:19)
That you may know...19 what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe,
according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. (Eph. 1:18-23)
A. God manifested this power in Christ in three different instances. This is the same power that we experience when we say no to sin or pray for the sick or for God’s justice to break forth.
B. The first manifestation of God's power in Christ was manifest in Jesus’ resurrection and
ascension to the Father’s right hand (Eph. 1:20-21).
1. Jesus was exalted far above all rule and levels of authority in the demonic, angelic and
human realms (Col. 1:16; Phil. 2:8-11) in the present and future (1 Cor. 15:23-28).
2. Jesus as a Man was elevated to the Father's right hand because of His obedience to death
(Phil. 2:6-11).The destruction of death occurred when Jesus was raised as the firstfruits of
our resurrection.
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C. The second manifestation of God's power in Christ was the Father making all things subject to Christ (Eph. 1:22). God will show forth Jesus as a Man the head over all creation. God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything (1:22). All God's sovereignty is mediated through Christ (1 Cor. 15:27; Ps. 110:1).
1. Adam lost his lordship over creation when he sinned. Jesus re-gained it by His obedience
(Eph. 1:10; Rom. 5:12-21). Jesus’ lordship over creation will be obvious when He reigns
over the earth in the Millennium (Ps. 8:6; 1 Cor. 15:27; Heb. 2:6-8).
2. Jesus will exercise authority over everything in creation including the land, seas and
skies.
D. The third manifestation of God's power in Christ is when the Father placed all things under
Jesus’ feet and appointed as Him as the Head over the Church which is His body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way (Eph. 1:22-23; 4:15; 5:23; Col. 1:18).
1. Part of this dimension of His lordship is evident now. We can claim the authority of Jesus
our head as we resist sinful and satanic opposition against us. The church is both the body
of Christ and the fullness of Him who fills everything in with God’s presence and
blessing through Jesus (Eph. 4:10-11).
2. The Church could not come into being as a body filled with God’s Spirit until Jesus had
ascended into heaven to become our head.
E. All God’s power works through and for the good of His Church. Jesus’ sovereignty is exercised for the benefit of His church.
F. Paul continues with these ideas in Eph. 2, where he describes that God made us alive with Christ and raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly places (Eph. 2:4-6).
G.

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Spiritual Authority By Andrew Wommack

   
Please take a minute to read this letter I recently received from a 19-year-old girl.
Dear Mr. Wommack, I realize that you must receive frequent letters regarding your ministry. But even with that knowledge, I feel compelled to write. I've just finished listening to your audio series entitled "Spiritual Authority," and it has changed my life.
When I was in junior high, I became involved in Wicca, or Paganism. For two- and-a-half years I toyed with the powers of Satan, calling on numerous demons to do my bidding. Not only was I demon possessed, but I was heavily into drugs and alcohol. A few months before I became a Christian, I began to realize that I was no longer in control. In fact, I was the one being controlled. My free will was so entangled with Satan's deception that I lost the ability to think for myself.
On August 29, 1996, I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior. At the moment I confessed my sin and gave my life to God, He delivered me from the demons, drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, and sexual relationships I was involved in. I thought I was rid of Satan's power for good.
It wasn't long before fear started to overcome me. The demons I once fellowshipped with tormented me day and night. I could see them in the corner of my room while I was trying to sleep. When I was outside at night, I could feel their presence. After a while, I began to cope with it, and it became an everyday part of my life. I knew they couldn't touch me, but I was terrified nonetheless.
Almost four years after my conversion, I was still dealing with these demonic forces. It was only when I listened to your series that I understood the power and authority I have over them. Instead of literally hiding under my blankets at night for fear of the demon in the corner of my room, I smile, say a quick prayer of praise to God, and fall asleep.
Your illustration of how we sometimes picture demons was of particular interest to me. You say that we picture them as towering beasts with claws and such, when in reality they are sniveling, little things. That is so true! The only power they have is the power we give them. What a blessing to finally realize that! My outlook on life has totally changed, thanks to your willingness to be used of God. If it were not for the godly truths of your ministry, I would still be enslaved by my fear.
I am now actively pursuing the calling God placed on my life, a calling to ministry. I am excited and anxious for the future and the things that God will be able to accomplish through my obedience. My Christian walk is stronger than ever before, and my friends constantly ask what's different about me. They don't seem to grasp that a nineteen-year-old can be so in love with God that it's physically evident.
Again I thank you for your willingness to step out in faith and be used of God. God, through you, has touched my life and, I'm sure, the lives of countless others. I'm looking forward to listening to your other teachings.
Tori from PA
 
Isn't that awesome! Praise the Lord for the power of the truth and how it sets us free (John 8:32). The only power that Satan has is the power of deception, and the worst thing about deception is that you don't know you're being deceived. Otherwise, it wouldn't be deception. Once the truth is received, deception loses all its power. Therefore, Satan loses all his power when we know the truth.
Many people don't know the truth about Satan's defeat. In fact, many Christians are the very instrument the devil is using to foster the deception that he is still a powerful foe. "Spiritual warfare" is one of the hottest topics in the church today. People are expending great amounts of energy constantly battling the devil in ways contrary to Scripture, but in reality, Satan has already been defeated. We don't need to defeat him again.
We need to believe that Satan has already been completely destroyed (Heb. 2:14) and simply enforce his defeat. The only power he has is the power to deceive. Our battle should be against the wiles (trickery) of the devil (Eph. 6:11), not the devil himself. Any other approach is actually giving the devil authority and power which he doesn't have, and he uses that to intimidate us. The only weapon Satan has is the power we give him when we believe his lies.
Warfare only takes place between two undefeated foes. Once an enemy has been conquered, the war is over. Satan is a defeated foe.
Colossians 2:15 says, "And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it." The archaic meaning of the word "spoiled" here is "to plunder; despoil" (American Heritage Dictionary). This means that after Jesus defeated Satan, He stripped him of everything he had, specifically the keys of death and hell (Rev. 1:18). Satan has no power to imprison anyone.
The Greek word that was translated "shew" in this verse (Col 2:15) is "deigmatizo" which means "to exhibit" (Strong). This comes from the root word "deigma" which means "a specimen (as shown)" (ibid.). Satan is like one of those bugs we had to capture for biology class. We caught it and then impaled it on a board with a little pin to exhibit it. You need to picture the devil nailed to the cross of Jesus like a bug on display. Hallelujah! Take that, Mr. Devil!
The Greek word that was translated "triumphing over" in Colossians 2:15 is especially significant. It means "to make an acclamatory procession" (ibid.). This is specifically referring to the way the Romans had a "triumphant procession" after they had defeated their enemies.
Upon conquering an enemy, the Romans would hold a parade. They would take the conquered king, strip him naked, and drag him through the crowd behind the conquering king or commander for all their subjects to see. He would be humiliated and insulted, but that's not all. They would also cut off the thumbs of his hands and the big toes of both feet. This was to assure the subjects this enemy would never be a threat to any of them again. He could not hold a sword and he would never be able to run again. There was no need to fear him any more. Any rumor about him ever challenging Rome again would be scoffed at because the citizens had seen him in the parade.
The same thing happened to the devil. That's what this verse is referring to. Jesus not only beat the devil, but He had a triumphant procession to display the devil to the universe as a totally conquered foe. Satan should never terrify us again. Unfortunately, many Christians have missed the parade. They haven't seen God's triumphant procession that was pictured in God's Word where Satan was displayed as a totally defeated foe. They are circulating rumors that Satan is a powerful foe to be reckoned with. That's not so.
Satan is still alive, and we do have to reckon with him but only because he has so many lies circulating about his power against us. These are all lies, and therein lies Satan's power. If we believe his lies, he then uses our own authority, which our fear grants him, to work his destruction in our lives. He has no power of his own. He's using the power and authority that our misdirected faith gives him.
When I was just beginning my walk with the Lord, I came into the knowledge that demons do exist, and they are not all in Africa. We encounter demons often, and they are the workers of much of the evil we see every day. At first, this caused a fear in me that actually gave these demons in-roads into my life. On one hand, I was resisting them, but through fear I was also empowering them.
An example of this happened to me in Arlington, Texas, where I grew up. I was in love with the Lord and wanting to minister to people. I decided to open up what I called "Arlington Christian Center." It was going to be a home where people who were being controlled by things like alcohol, drugs, sex, etc. could come and stay while we broke the power of the devil over them and helped set them free. I rented a two-story house, right on the edge of the University of Texas at Arlington campus, and started fixing it up.
This house had been a fraternity house, and there had been a lot of demonic activity in the house prior to our occupancy. The people were gone, but not all the demons were. There were some strange things about that place. One night I was working up there at 1 a.m., and some demons attacked me. There was no one in that house except me, but I was being hit and choked, and I was fighting for my life.
I ran out of that house and got in my car and backed out of the driveway. I was ready to "burn rubber" and get as far away from there as possible. Just before I got the car into drive, I heard the Lord say to me, "What are you doing?" I told Him I was getting away from that place as fast as I could. He then reminded me of the Christian's armor that was described in Ephesians 6:10-18, and He said, "There isn't any armor to cover your back."
I knew what He meant. He was saying that the armor He had given me only worked when I faced the devil, not if I turned and ran. I thought, Lord, You couldn't want me to go back into that place and face those devils. He never said anything else to me. I pulled back into the driveway and thought about that for what seemed to be an eternity. Finally, I got out of the car and walked back into that house. I spent the rest of the night fighting off fear and those physical attacks of the devil. When I left in the morning, the demons were gone, and there was a supernatural peace in that place.
During that time, I had a lot of demonic attacks against me. I had dreams where demons would attack me, and I would wake up bleeding from those encounters. They weren't just in my mind. I was being physically attacked. That also happened one night in Louisiana at a Bible conference. It felt like I was being choked to death. I won, but these demonic encounters were not fun.
Then one day as I was praying and binding every demon on every continent, it dawned on my ightning-fast mind that I was actually spending more time in my prayers talking to the devil and rebuking him than I was talking to the Lord. I knew that wasn't right. The Lord began to reveal to me that all my attention on the devil was actually giving him these in-roads into my life, which caused all these attacks.
I repented and changed my thinking and focus and guess what? It's now been at least thirty years, and I have never had another demonic manifestation in my life. I have seen demons manifest around me in other people, and I've cast them out, but those personal attacks stopped nearly instantly. There has never been another one because the only reason Satan's imps were able to manifest like that to me in the first place was because of the fear I released toward them. The fear is gone, and therefore, so is their power.
This is an awesome revelation and one that is not the dominant theological position on Satan and demons today. This truth desperately needs to be communicated throughout the body of Christ.

*I must say that the teachings of Andrew Wommack I have read and or listened to, shook me a little at first but have brought a radical revelation that is transforming my life. I am finally in the process beginning to receive all God has for me.
Please visit his website.
I have been studying the word and preaching for over 20 years now. I have learned there are many gifts and anointings and we all have our part and revelation. This is why God has called us to a Body ministry as His Church. 1 Corinthians 12
Where I am lacking in my life or ministry I find someone who has it and I study their teachings. You can't be a good teacher accept you first be a great student.
I hope you also will follow this wisdom.
On this Blog I will publish any teaching that has helped me. Many will be from others and some , myself.

Be Blessed!
Pastor Steve 


Steve O’Brien, Coach/Pastor
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