Julian Adams Media

It all Starts with What You See

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 16:07:58 GMT

If you want to grow in the prophetic, it doesn’t begin with what you say.

It begins with what you see.

The prophetic is rooted in perception. Not just natural insight, but spiritual awareness—what Scripture calls “the eyes of your heart.” Paul prayed that the church in Ephesus would have their hearts enlightened so they could truly see what God was doing.

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you…” (Ephesians 1:18)

God isn’t distant or withholding. But if we’re going to hear Him clearly, we have to see differently. We need Heaven’s perspective. And that means learning to quiet the noise, tune into His voice, and let Him train our inner vision.

You don’t need to wait for a dramatic vision or audible voice. Often, God speaks through a nudge. A mental picture. A scripture that lingers. A sense of burden or joy that feels holy. These are the first signs that your spiritual eyesight is awakening.

But it takes time. It takes attention. It takes trust.

Just like physical muscles grow with use, your spiritual senses grow as you spend time with Him—not just talking, but listening. Not just asking for answers, but asking for His perspective.

You were never meant to live according to what the world says is true. You were meant to live by every word that flows from the mouth of God.

A Prayer for This Week:

“Lord, open the eyes of my heart. Teach me to see what You see—not just in others, but in myself, in my circumstances, in the world around me. Give me clarity and confidence to trust Your perspective more than my own. Amen.”

This week, pay attention to what you notice. The way you see is often the way He speaks.

Prophetic Perspectives for 2025

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 16:13:16 GMT

In this live session, Sean Smith and Julian Adams share their prophetic perspectives on 2025, offering honest reflections on what they sense God is doing across the earth. With hope and expectancy, they discuss the spiritual landscape ahead and how we can prepare for what’s to come.

Your Story Matters: Here's Why

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 17:27:48 GMT

We are living in a world of dramatic change. The relentless pace of development often leaves us breathless and exhausted. The demand for innovative ways of communicating, inventing, and staying ahead of cultural trends can feel daunting and demoralizing. It can push us into a space where we find ourselves trying to copy rather than be authentic, to imitate rather than create. This pressure can lead us to believe that we need to be more creative, and that our individual stories do not matter.

But nothing could be further from the truth.

Your story, no matter how small, matters and is powerful.

One of the remarkable aspects of ancient manuscripts, like the Bible, is that they tell the stories of individuals whose lives may seem small and insignificant. Yet, God chose to make their lives a memorial of what He could do with a life that the world deems insignificant.

The incredible power of the gospel is that it changes lives one at a time. God is as interested in the individual story as He is in redeeming the cosmos. The aim of the gospel is not just dealing with personal sin; it is about restoring individuals to a relationship with a kind Father. In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis beautifully said, "The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God." Justification addresses our standing before God, but our adoption invites us into a relationship with the Father. It allows us to partake of who He is and to live in a place of deep joy from who He is.

Romans 3:23 reminds us that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Many of us forget that the work of salvation has turned this verse around. Through Jesus, we have been restored to the glory of God. One description of the word "glory" refers to the divine quality, the unspoken manifestation of God, and splendor. It is the revelation of God's intrinsic worth and beauty.

Do you see that? We have been restored to His divine quality, splendor, and beauty.

In a world where it can be easy to feel like just another face in the crowd, remember that your story is significant. Your experiences, your journey, and your voice matter. Embrace the unique narrative God has given you and let it shine.

You are not just a spectator; you are a vital participant in God's grand story.

Your authenticity, creativity, and individuality are valuable. As you navigate the rapid changes of our world, hold on to the truth that your story has power and purpose. God sees you, knows you, and has a plan for your life that is uniquely yours.

Let us celebrate the beauty and significance of each individual story, knowing that together, we contribute to a tapestry of divine splendor and glory.

Pursuing Wholeness: My Journey from Rejection to Healing

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 16:34:39 GMT

Rejection is a powerful force that can shape the trajectory of our lives, often in ways we don't fully realize until much later. For me, this journey began in childhood. I was born with a cleft palate, which affected my ability to speak, and coupled with my passionate devotion to Jesus, I faced daily ridicule and rejection throughout my school years. My speech and my fervent faith made me a target, and I found myself isolated and misunderstood.

Despite the rejection, something beautiful began to grow within me: a deep and abiding friendship with Jesus. Through profound encounters with the Lord, I began to walk in the prophetic. This newfound gift led me to public ministry, where I started releasing prophetic words. However, beneath the surface, I was carrying an immense amount of pain that I hadn't dealt with. This pain manifested as a lifestyle of performance, driven by the need for acceptance and validation. Though I was a new creation in Christ, I was living as if I were still bound by my old wounds.

In Matthew 23:27-28 (MSG), Jesus describes the Pharisees as "manicured grave plots, grass clipped and the flowers bright, but six feet down it's all rotting bones and worm-eaten flesh. People look at you and think you're saints, but beneath the skin, you're total frauds." These words struck a chord with me because I realized I was living like a professional Pharisee. Outwardly, I appeared to have it all together, but inside, I was disconnected from the healing process that God wanted to take me through.

This disconnect had a significant impact on my prophetic ministry. My words, especially those concerning sin, were often harsh and unkind, reflecting my damaged perspective of myself and the world. It wasn't until I began to address my heart issues that my approach to the prophetic truly changed. God started speaking to me about the connection between my gift, my performance, and my worth.

Through this process, He took me back to moments of pain and difficulty from my childhood and even into my adult life. In one profound moment, God said to me, "Son, I want you to grow up and be a child." This statement might seem paradoxical, but it revealed a crucial truth: the posture of the kingdom is one of childlike fascination and trust. My journey into sonship transformed how I viewed the prophetic and how I ministered to others.

No longer driven by judgment and legalism, I began to approach people with love, kindness, and the heart of the Father. Understanding my identity as a beloved child of God allowed me to see others through His eyes. This shift not only brought healing to my heart but also enabled me to minister more effectively and compassionately.

Rejection and pain had shaped my early years, but God's love and healing power brought me to a place of wholeness. This journey has taught me that dealing with our heart issues is essential for authentic and impactful ministry. As we pursue wholeness, we open ourselves to deeper intimacy with God and greater effectiveness in serving His people.

If you find yourself struggling with similar issues of rejection, pain, or performance, I encourage you to invite God into those wounded places. Allow Him to heal and transform you, just as He did for me. Embrace the posture of childlike wonder and trust, knowing that you are deeply loved and valued by your Heavenly Father. In this place of wholeness, you will find the freedom to live and minister authentically, reflecting the heart of God to a world in need.

Four Practices for Hearing God's Voice

Fri, 21 Jul 2023 16:50:24 GMT

In my years of teaching people the prophetic and how to hear God's voice, I've learned several practices that help people hear Him. Here are a few of my most helpful!

Five Prophetic Activations for Small Groups

Tue, 18 Jul 2023 16:42:30 GMT

Prophetic activations are a great way to help your small group or church community become more confident in hearing God's voice. These five activations will help you lead your group prophetically without it becoming uncomfortable or awkward. Try these out, and let me know how they go!

When God Doesn't Answer Your Prayers - With Pete Greig

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 16:40:21 GMT

When Pete Greig's wife got very sick, he didn't understand why God wasn't bringing immediate answers to his prayers. But God reminded him that His silence is never His absence. God will always be with us.

What is Prophecy... and why does it matter?

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 21:14:28 GMT

The biblical concept of Prophecy is widely discussed, and widely debated. But amidst the diverse perspectives and interpretations, one thing remains clear: God loves to speak to His people. By understanding this spiritual gift’s biblical foundation and multifaceted nature, we can demystify prophecy and invite people into a deeper relationship with Jesus.

What is Prophecy?

Prophecy is a spiritual gift given by God to his Church, among many other gifts. These spiritual gifts are abilities given to Christians through the power of the Holy Spirit, and are meant to bless the Body of Christ, and the world as a whole. While some gifts may seem more extraordinary and impressive, like miracles and healings, others may appear less glamorous, such as administration, celibacy, and martyrdom (yes, those are spiritual gifts). Nevertheless, God is interested in the details of everyday life and desires believers to live supernaturally. So, even the seemingly mundane gifts play a crucial role in living a fulfilling life. All spiritual gifts serve as reminders that Christians represent a supernatural God who intervenes in the world.

So, what exactly is prophecy? In simple terms, prophecy is hearing the voice of God.

I’m a father of two young children, and as their father, it is through communicating to them that I can truly understand their needs, guide them, and be actively involved in their growth and well-being. The love and care I have for my children drives me to be present in their lives, to communicate with them, and to foster a strong and nurturing relationship.

In the same way, God, as a loving and relational Father, desires to engage in a dynamic relationship with each one of us. He longs to communicate with us, not out of a sense of obligation or duty, but because of His deep love and genuine concern for our lives. In fact, if God remained silent and distant, it would be abusive neglect, leaving us to navigate life's challenges and joys on our own.

The very nature of God compels Him to reach out to us and speak into our lives. He desires to be intimately involved, guiding us, providing wisdom, and nurturing our spirits. His intention is to walk alongside us, offering comfort, support, and direction as a good Father would.

Understanding this relational aspect of God sheds light on why prophecy holds such significance. Prophecy is not merely a one-way communication; it is a divine conversation between the Father and His beloved children. Through prophecy, God reveals His heart, His plans, and His desires for our lives. It is a powerful expression of His love, showing that He is intimately involved and invested in our well-being.

Just as a loving parent desires to speak to their children to provide guidance and encouragement, God wants to speak to us for our benefit and growth. Embracing His desire to communicate with us opens the doors to a deep and transformative relationship.

What does the Bible say about Prophecy?

The gift of prophecy is written about all throughout the Bible. In 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 and Romans 12:4-8, the Apostle Paul tells us all about it. He writes that prophecy is a gift given by God according to His choice, and therefore, no one can boast about receiving it freely.

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

- 1 Corinthians 12:4-11

Prophecy omes through personal relationship and encounter with the Holy Spirit, but our personal understanding and perception of God can influence and shape the prophetic words we speak. Therefore, it is crucial for prophetic individuals to be diligent students of scripture. If we believe that God is wrathful and judgmental, our prophecies may reflect that perspective. In the same way, if we perceive God as loving, merciful, and full of grace, our prophecies are likely to embody those qualities.

Prophecy reveals not only what God sees, but also how He sees it. In 1 Corinthians 14:3, Paul explains that the purpose of prophecy is to edify, encourage, and console people. This reveals the heart of Jesus, as His words aim to strengthen individuals. Prophecy provides insight into the thoughts and emotions of God, unveiling His perspective on various matters. The threefold purpose of prophecy mentioned in 1 Corinthians 14:3 encompasses building up and expanding spiritual strength, recognizing and affirming the true identity of individuals, and offering comfort and hope in challenging times.

In addition to these functions, the prophetic ministry also unveils hidden aspects: God's present purposes and His plans for the future. We can describe the revelation of God's current work as "forthtelling" and the disclosure of future events as "foretelling." Prophecy uncovers mysteries in the hearts of those who receive it, illuminating God's intentions and desires.

Paul emphasizes that the prophetic ministry should impact unbelievers, causing them to recognize the potency of prophecy and be convicted of their sins. This does not mean publicly exposing and shaming individuals for their wrongdoing, as it contradicts the purpose of edification, encouragement, and consolation. Instead, it refers to the concept of forthtelling, where prophetic words reveal a person's hopes, dreams, and passions, leading to increased awareness of God's presence and the possibility of repentance and conversion.

Prophecy is not solely focused on the future; it is also relevant to the present. As my friend Anthony Hilder writes, prophecy acts as a “spiritual metal detector”, uncovering the treasures hidden within people's hearts by the Lord, allowing those treasures to be revealed and enjoyed by all.

Can Anyone Prophesy?

The notion that only a select few can hear God's voice is a misconception. God's desire to communicate with us is available to all who seek a relationship with Him. As we grasp the relational nature of God, His inclusive communication, His pursuit of our attention, His presence in silence, and our identity as His children, we realize that hearing God's voice is not reserved for a privileged few but open to everyone. Why? Because we’ve been called His sons and daughters.

Through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we cry out to Him, calling Him "Abba Father." This intimate connection assures us of our identity as His children, positioning us to receive and recognize His voice. Romans 8 beautifully describes how the Holy Spirit testifies to our sonship, enabling us to echo the heartfelt cry, "I am your child, and You are my heavenly Papa."

How do I prophesy?

So, now that we know that it’s God’s desire to speak to us as His children, and hearing His voice is available to all of us, how can we begin hearing Him for ourselves?

To delve deeper into the topic of hearing God's voice and learning how to prophesy, I invite you to join my free mini-course, "How to Hear God's Voice."

If you desire to grow in your relationship with God, to hear His voice more clearly, and to step into the prophetic gifts, join us!

How to Hear God's Voice

This free 5-day email course will help you learn how to prophesy biblically and accurately. In each session, I answer common questions I get about hearing God's voice.

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Race, Ethnicity, and Destiny - With Sean Smith

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 16:45:39 GMT

As a young man, Sean Smith lost his father to police brutality. In this video, he shares how he learned to pray for the men who murdered his father, and how he sees his race in light of God's diverse kingdom.

Why We Need Pure Prophetic Voices - With Emma Stark

Thu, 18 May 2023 17:24:08 GMT

t's no secret that the modern-day prophetic movement has not always reflected the heart of God. That's why I'm grateful for prophetic voices who are seeking to restore purity to the prophetic through good theology, and a practice that looks like Jesus. In this video, my friend Emma Stark shares some powerful revelations about how we can restore purity to the prophetic. We tackle some challenging, but important topics like politics (in the US and UK), what it means to be people of the kingdom, and what's missing from current prophetic words.

Making All Things New - Pete Hughes

Wed, 23 Mar 2022 14:07:46 GMT

The story of scripture is a story that moves from creation to de-creation to recreation. Creation is comprised of a world with no sin, no sickness, and no suffering. Humanity is fully alive, fully in relationship with God, and fully in relationship with on another. De-creation is a life turned in on itself. Suddenly our needs, our goals, our ambitions are all that matters.

In this session from the Redeem the Earth Conference, Pastor Pete Hughes (of KXC Church London) shares out of Genesis Chapter 7.

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Dependent on God's Presence - Chris Cruz

Wed, 23 Mar 2022 14:04:52 GMT

In Galatians chapter 3, Paul says are you so foolish having begun in the spirit are you now being made perfect by the flesh. Your dependency on the spirit never gets replaced by your talents, personality, leadership or any other skillsets. Most people start dependent on the spirit but over time begin to rely on wisdom, and skillset and talent over Gods presence. The struggle we have is to not have our need for the presence of God be undermined by self-reliance and self-preservation. We need to understand that God is seeking to move his plans and purposes forward, he wants to redeem the earth, and bring his kingdom to earth.

This is a session from Chris Cruz, of Bethel Church in Redding, California.

Seven Myths About the Prophetic

Thu, 19 Aug 2021 21:05:32 GMT

My Seven Myths About the Prophetic

In this Frequentsee teaching, hear Julian share on "Seven Myths About the Prophetic".

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5 Ways to Grow Your Prophetic Gift

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 19:35:19 GMT

My tips for increasing your accuracy, and communicating more clearly.

This week in an instagram post , I shared some of my favorite tips for growing in your prophetic gift. If we're not intentionally working to mature our gift, we'll continue to prophesy with little impact on the world around us. One of my biggest missions is to help people not only increase their gift, but understand what it looks like to live a healthy prophetic lifestyle.

As I've watched hundreds of students go through my online prophetic school, I've noticed the areas that seem to be the most important when developing your gift. Here are my tips:

1) Develop intimacy with God

Training, practice, and impartation are all good things... but they’re only part of growing your prophetic gift. Your priority should always be to develop your own intimacy with God through prayer, worship, and reading scripture.

2) Wait for God's timing

Not everything you hear from God is for right now. Ask the Lord for the right timing before you share a word with someone, this will not only increase your intimacy with Him, it will increase the effectiveness of your words.

3) Practice discernment

Proper discernment isn’t simply hearing what God’s saying, it’s knowing why He’s saying it. Get in the habit of asking God the big “why” before you share any significant prophetic words. This will keep you from misrepresenting God’s heart with your own assumptions.

4) Communicate Well (not weird)

Your prophetic words should not need the gift of interpretation! Let wisdom guide your prophecy as you consider your audience and context. Seek to present every word appropriately so that people can engage with God no matter their background.

5) Ask God for more

There is always more with God. Moses, hidden in the cleft of the rock, saw God’s glory pass by. But in the new covenant we get to see His glory with an unveiled face. Don’t be afraid to ask God to reveal more of Himself to you!

There's more where that came from!

Did you find these tips helpful? I hope you did. If you're interested in continuing to grow your prophetic gift, join my online prophetic school , Vox Dei. This self-paced online school will help you learn how to confidently communicate Gods heart, step out in greater prophetic accuracy, and walk in a healthy prophetic lifestyle.

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Revivalism & Prophetic Activism - with Pete Portal

Wed, 23 Jun 2021 18:55:49 GMT

Hear Julian Adams and Pete Portal talk about what it means to be an "Ordinary Prophet"

Join me and my good friend Pete Portal, from Manenberg Cape Town, as we talk about racism, revivalism, and prophetic activism.

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Podcast: What Is an Ordinary Prophet? - With Sean Smith

Tue, 25 May 2021 18:52:46 GMT

Hear Julian Adams and Sean Smith talk about prophetic evangelism, racism, and what it means to be an "Ordinary Prophet"

To kick of our new "Ordinary Prophets" podcast, Julian Adams interviews Sean Smith, author of Prophetic Evangelism.

What to Do when People Don't Respond to Your Prophetic Word

Thu, 11 Mar 2021 20:52:50 GMT

Carrying the Burden of the Lord

Can anyone else relate to this? When you step out to bring a word, but the individual or community doesn't seem to receive it. This is one of my biggest frustrations in prophecy.

Here's just one tip for what I call the "burden of the Lord", taken from week 7 of my course Vox Dei!

5 Ways You Might Be Hearing the Voice of God (And Maybe Didn't Know It)

Mon, 02 Nov 2020 17:48:34 GMT

Sometimes simply listening for the voice of God doesn't yield the results we're looking for. I've found that God can speak to us in many different ways, and it's not always the way we expect. In this video, I share five ways you might be hearing from God (and maybe didn't even know it).

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The Difference Between Being 'Prophetic' and Being a 'Prophet"

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 17:05:30 GMT

One of the most common questions I get asked is "What's the difference between being 'prophetic' and being an actual 'prophet'". The Bible writes that all of us have the ability to prophesy (1 Corinthians 14:31), but that doesn't mean that all of us are "prophets" as described in Ephesians 4. I believe it comes down to three things.

Looking to discover what it means to be be prophetic? Sign up for my online prophetic course, Vox Dei

The Power of a Life Laid Down

Tue, 11 Aug 2020 18:42:06 GMT

Why Servanthood is More Important than Influence

In today's culture, many Christians find their meaning in their social media influence and platforms. But what is Christian influence truly supposed to look like? According to Jesus, The power of the Christian life is not simply found in the Gifts of the Spirit, or healing signs and wonders. No... it’s found in a life laid down in love.

Lockdown is An Opportunity for Transformation

Fri, 05 Jun 2020 21:13:30 GMT

In this teaching, Julian speaks out of Luke Chapter 9, and the story of the transfiguration of Jesus. He invites us to change the way we think even as we are in the midst of lockdown. He shares about the transformative power of Jesus, and how he wants to transform our minds.

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Subversive influence, George Floyd, and Covid-19

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:26:33 GMT

A Conversation with Liam Parker of Flow Church UK

Julian Adams and Liam Parker (of Flow Church UK) discuss current events including the death of George Floyd, protests, and Covid-19. Julian gives insight into what influence in the kingdom of God is meant to look like. He also shares from his heart about the effects of racism and white privilege on society, and how we can combat them.

Can You Change God's Mind? (PODCAST)

Tue, 19 May 2020 20:05:04 GMT

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As believers, we are often called to step outside of our comfort zones to take risky steps of faith. When approaching those decisions, how do you determine if something is a good decision or a "God decision?" Join us for a discussion on how pragmatism and the prophetic play into Julian and Katia’s decision-making process. As they talk about their approach to faith decisions, they also give us great leadership tips on how to proactively build a community that expects God to speak.

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What is Revival? (PODCAST)

Tue, 12 May 2020 15:33:20 GMT

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In the course of history, many revivals have come and gone. With each one looking different, it's no wonder people question what revival is supposed to look like. As someone who has lived through many revivals, Julian has a unique perspective on this topic. He believes that revival is meant to be a go and show movement, taking the power of the Holy Spirit out of the church to awaken the world. The best days of revival are happening now, and the world needs to be shown what it means to be a follower of Jesus.

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[Watch] Terra Nova Digital Launch Party

Sat, 02 May 2020 20:56:57 GMT

A digital celebration of Julian's new book, Terra Nova.

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Influence in the Age of Social Media

Thu, 30 Apr 2020 21:44:28 GMT

Influence is a common topic in our modern society. Culture often defines success through materialistic or positional accomplishments, but I believe the kingdom has a different perspective. God often chooses the small insignificant things to influence change in the world.

5 Prophetic Personalities (PODCAST)

Tue, 28 Apr 2020 16:37:48 GMT

Many of us know that God is speaking, but are unaware that our internal world is wired to receive from God in a specific way. In this episode, Julian unpacks five common prophetic personality types. We hope that you will recognize how God is speaking to you, by learning about how the expressive, contemplative, strategic, mystic, and adventurous prophetic personalities tend to hear from God.

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How to Become a Happy Prophet

Mon, 27 Apr 2020 22:09:55 GMT

Here's what you'll learn:

How to interpret the signs and time we are in.

How to prophesy into current world events.

Understanding the difference between, judgment, consequence and warning words.

Jesus As the Gardener

Fri, 24 Apr 2020 17:25:38 GMT

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Gardeners characterize someone who takes on the posture of a worker that is willing to get his hands dirty to redeem messy spaces. When the scriptures depict Jesus as a gardener it gives us a symbolic picture of his restorative plan.

Fulfilling Your Call to Redeem the Earth (PODCAST)

Tue, 21 Apr 2020 19:02:53 GMT

This week Julian discusses his new book Terra Nova. He articulates his heart behind the powerful message of hope. The book is all about our call to redeem the earth and make all things new. In this podcast, discover why Julian believes this message is especially relevant for today as we live in the midst of a global pandemic.

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Heaven was Made for Earth, Earth was Made for Heaven

Fri, 17 Apr 2020 16:06:35 GMT

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Imagine if there was no division between the realm of God and our present world. Salvation would then become a powerful and active tool in the redemption of the earth. Just like in the Garden of Eden, I believe that heaven is intended to be a coexisting reality that makes everything holy, starting here on earth.

Angels, Demons, and Healthy Discernment (PODCAST)

Hello@Maisey.Pro (Maisey Pro) — Tue, 14 Apr 2020 16:48:40 GMT

Welcome back to season 2 of Frequentsee Conversations! This season kicks off with an intriguing discussion on spirituality.

Our culture seems to be increasingly enthralled by new age demonstrations of power. The world is longing for the authentic move of the Holy Spirit, which always points to Jesus as the only way. Join Julian and Katia as they enter the discussion on spirituality, answering questions about angels and demons and discussing their tips on interacting with the spiritual realm.

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God's Original Intention for Humanity

Fri, 10 Apr 2020 16:37:35 GMT

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The Garden of Eden gives us a beautiful picture of God’s original intention for humanity. God wants to restore the original design, bringing back the intricate involvement and deep intimacy found in the beginning of creation.

End Times Theology and the Prophetic

Fri, 20 Mar 2020 17:13:06 GMT

A hope-filled eschatology is one of the most important characteristics of a prophet. If we believe the world is getting worse and worse, we will fail to see the destiny in individuals as we prophesy.

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COVID-19 : My Prophetic Perspective

Tue, 17 Mar 2020 19:57:40 GMT

My prophetic response to the Coronavirus outbreak.

Dealing with the Delay

Mon, 09 Mar 2020 18:00:56 GMT

Between the Prophetic Word and the Promise Fulfilled is a Process

In this teaching, Julian shares about how to navigate that time of delay.

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5 Prophetic Voices that Shaped History

Fri, 28 Feb 2020 18:05:56 GMT

How would the world change if we lived out the prophetic call on our lives? Discover how these five prophetic voices changed the course of history by courageously speaking out against the prevailing culture of their time. In this video, Julian highlights the lives of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Harriet Tubman, William Wilberforce, C.S. Lewis, and Mother Theresa.

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6 Tips for Testing a Prophetic Word

Fri, 21 Feb 2020 17:46:38 GMT

Have you received a prophetic word and then wondered if it was truly from God? Julian encourages us to test prophetic words and provides six tips to help us navigate the filtering process.

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Social Justice and Ecstatic Prophecy

Fri, 14 Feb 2020 17:11:10 GMT

I've noticed that there is often a disconnect between ecstatic transformative encounters with God and practical strategies for social justice issues in our world. In reality, God wants our encounters to lead to the transformation of the world around us.

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3 Tips on Overcoming the Pressure to Perform

Fri, 31 Jan 2020 18:31:27 GMT

Growth in the prophetic will lead to encounters with many people that are hungry to hear from God. Learn my three tips on overcoming the pressure to perform and maintaining delight in partnering with God through the prophetic.

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Why Your Background Will Affect The Way You Prophesy

Fri, 31 Jan 2020 18:14:17 GMT

Having grown up in a culture that told me I was "less than" others, because of my skin color, I am all too aware of how our race, gender, and background can affect the way we prophesy. If we are to be kingdom-thinking people, we must look beyond those things, and prophesy in a way that makes no distinctions. God's heart is to redeem all aspects of your background!

For more on gender equality, read Equal by Katia Adams

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Why are Prophets So Often Misunderstood?

Fri, 24 Jan 2020 16:51:36 GMT

The prophetic is often misunderstood due to inaccurate representations. Viewing prophecy through a Biblical lens allows us to trust God in the process. This relieves the pressure to perform and allows prophecy to be delivered with a healthy balance of justice and mercy.

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5 Tips for Developing a Healthy Prophetic Culture

Thu, 16 Jan 2020 17:44:18 GMT

A healthy prophetic culture demonstrates the value of people and reflects the heart of Jesus. Learn these five tips on maintaining a wholesome internal environment in the midst of ministry.

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Recapture the Vision with Worship Central

Thu, 02 Jan 2020 18:55:11 GMT

Worship Central Podcast

This is a podcast from Worship Central

In this episode the team, Tim Hughes, Luke & Anna Hellebronth, Nick Herbert & Nick Drake explore 'Recapturing the Vision' plus hear a special guest interview with Julian Adams.

The Language of Heaven is Sonship

Hello@Maisey.Pro (Maisey Pro) — Mon, 09 Dec 2019 20:28:14 GMT

Understanding Where We Are in Christ

This might sound too good to be true, but you and I have become one with Christ.⁠ It's in understanding our one-ness with Christ that we realize what it means to be a son or daughter of God. The language of Heaven is sonship!

God Wants to Speak to All of His Children

Wed, 04 Dec 2019 17:44:33 GMT

Katia Adams' Tips for Recognizing God's Voice

In this insight, Katia reminds us that God wants to speak to all of his children, but this can look different for each person - there is no formula for it. This video is an episode of Vineyard Insights , by Vineyard Churches, UK and Ireland.

Help Fund the Manenberg Flats Project

Tue, 03 Dec 2019 17:54:30 GMT

Help Us Fund The Manenberg Flats Project

In a recent podcast episode , we spoke about a movement of young prophets who are rising up to change the world. Our dear friends at Tree of Life and Cru62 , let by Pete and Sarah Portal, are an inspiring example of young people going to the darkest places.

The Manenberg Flats

"We’ve bought a block of flats across the road from our home in Manenberg. We need your support to help us renovate and furnish it for the next chapter of the story. Tree of Life is a small Non-Profit based in Manenberg, Cape Town. For the last five years we have been running a home for young men seeking freedom from gangs and drugs. We’ve now reached a stage where the house is full, and we’re having to turn down people asking us for help."

The Team

It's Time for An Eye Test

Fri, 29 Nov 2019 18:08:09 GMT

Adjusting Our Vision to See Scripture, God, and the World Rightly

What you see and how you see it is critical to how you live and how you behave. In this teaching, Katia Adams calls us to adjust our vision. She reminds us that in order to see the world rightly, we need to see ourselves and God through a correct lens first.

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PODCAST: How to Find Your Calling

Tue, 26 Nov 2019 16:28:45 GMT

Frequentsee Conversations Episode 10

Have you ever asked yourself, "What is my calling? How do I pursue it? Is God in this? In this episode, Julian and Katia address many common questions about calling, and even talk about how to raise up your children into their own callings. Their message has powerful encouragement on how to pursue the mandates that has been placed on our lives.

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5 Ways to Grow Your Prophetic Gift

Mon, 25 Nov 2019 18:24:18 GMT

Keys For Developing Good Prophetic Character

One day, after ministering to a crowd of thousands, a man approached me and asked, “Who do I have to pay to get up onto that stage? I want a platform like yours!” In that moment, his insecurity and need to be recognized meant that he would misappropriate any favor that was given to him.

What he needed was not a stage like mine but a greater value for intimacy with the Father. I remember making the same mistake at one point in my own life. I nearly burnt out in prophetic ministry because I didn’t know how to manage the favor God was giving me. In that season, I got caught up in my identity being prophetic, rather than being a son. Like that gentleman, some may want to get into a place of ministry and influence quickly without understanding the process of stewarding favor.

It was during that time that I came to realize that your character is of immeasurable significance when it comes to the prophetic. You may speak of your great encounters, but people will see your fruit.

Here are just a few keys which I have found important in developing my character in the midst of pursuing prophetic encounters:

1. COMMUNICATE WELL (NOT WEIRD)

It is an issue of character when we resist any effort to find language that can assist people in experiencing what God has for them, whether it be an encounter, word of knowledge or sermon. Godly character seeks to avoid carelessly offending people because it does not want people to miss the inheritance that God has for them. We also need to prophesy with clarity because prophecy does not need the gift of interpretation; tongues does. If the prophetic does not make sense to the hearer, how can it build them up?

Let wisdom guide your prophecy as you consider your audience and context. We must seek to ‘package’ the word appropriately so people engage with God.

I often get to prophesy over business people and, on occasion, the Angel of the Lord will come and stand on my right side and begin to tell me the secrets of their hearts. Aware of the context, I don’t blurt out, “The Angel of the Lord has just appeared to me!” This would not only totally unsettle them, but they would probably stop listening after hearing ‘the Angel of the Lord’, preventing them from hearing what the Lord actually wanted to communicate to them.

2. DEVELOP YOUR OWN INTIMACY WITH GOD

What I have learnt, walked through, and fought for in the prophetic I want to give away, so that my ceiling is the next generation’s platform and they can walk into things more easily than I did. But, what I cannot do is impart my history with God. You have to develop your own.

Because the revelatory realm can be so powerful, you can be accelerated quickly into a place of prominence without having dwelt enough in the realm of intimacy. God is so kind that He will give us favor anyway, but how we steward that favor is very important.

Voyeurism is looking in on someone else’s intimacy. The Church practices spiritual voyeurism when we see the intimacy of others and say we want it, without comprehending the journey they’ve gone through to get there. Let’s not be like Judas, who wanted the kiss of intimacy in the garden but would not join himself in covenant.

3. WAIT FOR GOD'S TIMING

Another thing prophetic people need to learn is to incubate their prophetic and mystical encounters. Too often, after an encounter, we immediately want to tell everyone about it. Growing in the prophetic means becoming someone God can trust with His secrets. Also, incubating can mean the difference between a prophetic word being aborted in its infancy or something being carried to full term and birthed.

Ask the Lord for the right timing before you share a word with someone, this will not only increase your intimacy with Him, it will increase the effectiveness of your words.

4. PRACTICE PROPER DISCERNMENT

We also need to learn how to discern properly . Discernment from the place of insecurity is simply suspicion. Most of the Church, unfortunately, operates in suspicion, not discernment. Proper discernment is the ability to discern not just where the angelic hosts are but why they are present. This is so that we can partner with the angelic and minister accordingly. It’s the same when phenomena like gold dust appear. Get in the habit of not simply enjoying those supernatural signs, but asking God what they are for. If God is responsible for something, I know it is significant and requires a response.

5. ASK GOD FOR MORE

Lastly, I would encourage you to read about prophetic encounters in scripture and ask God for them. Whether you’ve experienced similar encounters to those I’ve mentioned above, or have yet to, there is always more with God. Moses, hidden in the cleft of the rock, saw God’s glory pass by but, in the new covenant, we get to see His glory with an unveiled face.

God has so much for us in this covenant!

This blog post is an excerpt from AMPLIFY: Refine Your Prophetic Gift

How Will the Church Change the World?

Fri, 22 Nov 2019 17:30:01 GMT

What Does it Mean to be God's People?

"It's not enough to have revelation if we don't have transformation"

God is bringing the Church into a new understanding of what it means to be the people of God on the earth. For the sake of the world, He is beginning to shift how we sound, to bring hope to those around us. In this session from Renaissance Conference 2019, Julian Adams shares out of Luke chapter 9, and gives us keys that will help us grasp the world-changing mandate we have been given as the body of Christ.

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PODCAST: Union with God, and Demystifying the Gift of Tongues

Tue, 19 Nov 2019 17:26:44 GMT

Frequentsee Conversations Episode 9

Intimacy and union with God is something many believers long to pursue, yet many find the process daunting. In this episode, Julian and Katia share how intimacy with the Holy Spirit can become a natural part of our daily lives, encouraging us that building intimacy with the Holy Spirit is far easier than it seems. The practical tools they share, can be a great resource for anyone wanting to deepen their intimacy with the Father. As the conversation develops, we venture into the topic of tongues, a spiritual gift found throughout the New Testament. For those unfamiliar with Christian culture, tongues can seem very strange and mystical. Julian and Katia aim to demystify this spiritual gift and explain what it's for, who can use it, and how we can operate in it.

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PODCAST: The Importance of Women in Ministry

Tue, 12 Nov 2019 16:03:28 GMT

Frequentsee Conversations Episode 8

The world desperately needs women to use their gifts in every sphere of influence. This week we continue the discussion on gender equality, specifically addressing the questions of women in ministry and leadership. Katia shares some of the ways she was discouraged from her calling on the basis of gender, and how men can come alongside of women in a way that is empowering and non-condescending. They show us that treating women the way Jesus did can change cultural norms to reflect God’s intended design.

Order the book: Equal, What the Bible Says about Women, Men, and Authority

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PODCAST: Gender Equality, Marriage, and Feminism

Tue, 05 Nov 2019 16:07:50 GMT

Frequentsee Conversations Episode 7

What would it look like if we fully understood God’s design for the roles and authority given to men and women? With the rising popularity of the feminist movement and the discussions rising within churches today, the topic of gender equality could not be more relevant. Julian and Katia are passionate about bringing revelation and clarity to this topic. By opening up about how they function within their family, they define what they believe and show us the importance of understanding truth.

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Do Your Prophetic Words Seem Impossible?

Thu, 31 Oct 2019 17:23:26 GMT

God Wants To Partner With You to See Your Prophetic Words Come to Pass

My wife and I respond very differently to prophetic direction from God. All Katia needs is a hint of prophetic inclination, and she says, “Let’s go!” But I’m much more “rational” in responding to prophetic words--I need to do the due diligence. My response to Katia in these moments is, “We need TEST this word, honey. We can’t just respond to every prophetic word we hear.” I often joke and say I need at least 15 confirmations before I make a move on a prophetic word!

Recently, God began speaking to us about moving--and not just moving to a new house, moving to a new country. A country where we had no visas, no job waiting for us, no connections, and no clue. Not only would this move be impossible, but it would also be unsettling. See, I felt comfortable where we were. It felt like we were just beginning to settle into our home in South Africa, and get a bit of rhythm with our kids. Where we were felt safe to me.

But the prophetic words kept rolling in. “I see God is about to accelerate your move to the United States,” someone prophesied over us at a conference. Needless to say, my immediate response to this word was not excitement. As my wife grew more and more encouraged, I grew more and more frustrated. With each new prophetic word (and there were many!), the impossibilities seemed to grow bigger and bigger. I felt the weight of responsibility that came with each word.

It wasn’t long before God began to reveal to me what was going on in my heart. As I wrestled with his promises, he brought to mind some of Paul’s words in 1 Thessalonians:

1 Thessalonians 5, verses 16-21

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies , but test everything; hold fast what is good.”

As a prophet, somehow I was beginning to despise prophecy. What an irony!

After coming to this realization, the Lord began unpacking it for me even more. See, the prophetic is meant to be an invitation to partner with the sovereignty of God. And the sovereignty of God can never be sacrificed at the altar of His love. God’s invitation in the prophetic is into a loving encounter so that you begin to journey with Him in your process. Sometimes we think of the sovereignty of God simply as a “blueprint” that tells us what will happen. We sometimes think we’re receiving a fortune-telling word, that requires no partnership.

The prophetic is not passive. When we partner with Him, we see the outworking of the prophetic in outrageous ways. Seeing prophecies come to pass requires action on our behalf, it requires a response . And it requires faith.

But neither is God passive in His partnership with us. He does not Give us a prophetic word unless He is prepared to journey with us in it. It’s this beautiful picture-- as we partner with Him in faith, He partners with us in the miraculous, making the “impossibilities” of our scariest prophetic words come to pass.

The Bible says all of God’s promises “find their ‘yes’ and ‘amen’ in Him.” In other words, if you’re looking to find the fulfillment of promises, you have to pursue Jesus, because they find their fulfillment in HIM. Fulfillment of prophecy is not found simply in what you do for Him; the fulfillment of prophecy is found in the pursuit of JESUS.

As God spoke these things to me, the weight began to lift, and I was able to rejoice again in His promises. As the reality of partnership began to sink in, I was able to respond with more faith and trust God for greater miracles in the process of moving. Suddenly, this radical step of faith didn’t seem so impossible. What looked like hastiness in Katia’s response to these prophetic words was actually an understanding of God’s love and sovereignty that I did not grasp, because I was despising the prophetic.

My prayer is that as you read these words, God instills greater faith for those prophetic words that just seem too big, too impossible, and too radical. Pull out some of those old prophecies that you’ve forgotten, and ask for God to breathe new life on them.

Choose to partner with Him.

The prophetic shouldn't be mysterious. It shouldn't be difficult. And it shouldn't be weird . My new eCourse will help you demystify the gift of prophecy, and refine your prophetic gift.

Enroll in Julian's eCourse: AMPLIFY: Refining Your Prophetic Gift

PODCAST: What if I Fail?

Tue, 29 Oct 2019 16:01:53 GMT

How Should Christians Respond to Failure?

Failure is a part of being human, yet it is so difficult to know how to handle the disappointment that often follows. In this episode, Julian and Katia give us practical wisdom on failure as they share from personal experience and biblical knowledge. They discuss healthy ways to fail well as we learn to live out spiritual gifts and how to address moral failure in ourselves and others.

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PODCAST: Emotionally Healthy Spirituality

Tue, 22 Oct 2019 15:55:35 GMT

Talking About Disappointment, Forgiveness, and Emotional Health in Christianity

Emotional and mental health are some of the most popular topics in Christian culture today. In order to be an emotionally healthy leader, you need to root out disappointment and unforgiveness. In this episode, Julian and Katia share their own health journeys, and give us keys for how to live a holistic spirituality whilst in ministry.

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PODCAST: How to Find Your Tribe

Tue, 15 Oct 2019 15:10:09 GMT

Frequentsee Conversations: Episode 4

Today's generation is crying out for community. With the advent of social media and other technology, it is becoming increasingly challenging to find belonging. In this episode of Frequentsee Conversations, Julian and Katia talk about how to create a "tribe." They help us understand how the family of God is meant to relate to each other and the non-believer.

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The Lifecycle of Faith

Thu, 10 Oct 2019 19:36:56 GMT

Journeying with God to your Destiny

We can learn a lot from the story of Jacob in Genesis. The journey that he goes on with God is a powerful lesson, as God addresses his negative mindsets and fills him with the truth that will lead him into destiny. In this teaching, Katia points out four critical moments in the lifecycle of a faith journey and how to walk them out.

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PODCAST: How Young Prophets are Changing the World

Tue, 08 Oct 2019 16:06:42 GMT

Frequentsee Conversations: Episode 3

What is a prophet? In this episode of Frequentsee Conversations, Julian de-mystifies the prophetic into terms average people can understand. He shares his story about how he discovered he was a prophet, and Katia shares what it's like to be married to a prophet. We talk about the 5-fold gifts, as described in Ephesians, and how the movement of the prophetic is changing.

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PODCAST: Prosperity, Generosity, and the Upside-Down Kingdom of God

Tue, 01 Oct 2019 16:27:44 GMT

Frequentsee Conversations: Episode 2

Gratitude and generosity are some of Julian and Katia's highest core values. In this episode of Frequentsee Conversations, we discuss practical generosity in the context of the Kingdom of God. We cover topics like prosperity preachers, engaging faith while giving, and generosity in marriage.

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Living an Impossible Life

Thu, 26 Sep 2019 16:32:58 GMT

How God is Setting You Up for Something Good

In every moment, in every setting, God is setting you up for the impossible. He's setting you up in the ordinary moments and in the hopeless moments. Why? Because He is an over-the-top God, who desires to adventure with you throughout life.

In this teaching, Katia ventures through the Gospels, and points out moments where Jesus reveals this over-the-top goodness and invites us to live an impossible life.

This teaching was originally recorded at Kerith Community Church.

PODCAST: How to Reimagine Your World

Tue, 24 Sep 2019 15:58:00 GMT

Frequentsee Conversations: Episode 1

In the very first Frequentsee Conversations podcast, we introduce Julian and Katia Adams, the directors of Frequentsee. The couple share their hearts for ministry, give background to why they do what they do, and encourage us to stop living small and insignificant lives.

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The Dance of the Trinity

Mon, 16 Sep 2019 19:25:26 GMT

What the Trinity Teaches Us about the Body of Christ

I love the Trinity, and I love the Body of Christ.

Throughout the book of Ephesians, I have noticed this beautiful "dance" between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Father prefers the Son. The Son prefers the Spirit. The Spirit prefers the Father.

I believe this is a model for how we, as the Body of Christ, should prefer one another.

Hope you enjoy this short clip from my Ephesians Bible Study.

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The Offensive Healing of Jesus

Thu, 12 Sep 2019 18:52:38 GMT

How Jesus Confronts Religion Wherever He Goes

The story of healing in John Chapter 5 reveals to us the offensive nature of Jesus' ministry. In this teaching, Julian challenges us to become an empowering Christian community, who are not ' of' this world, but are ' for' this world.

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Practical Faith: Walking Before Talking

Thu, 05 Sep 2019 15:36:43 GMT

5 Ways to Walk Out Your Faith in Today’s Culture

Living by faith is more about walking than it is about talking. In today's culture, we can learn a few lessons from Paul, in Ephesians 5, about how to walk out faith practically.

In this teaching, Katia walks us through the 5 keys to walking out faith.

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Why I Have Hope for Christian Millennials

Sat, 31 Aug 2019 20:10:24 GMT

4 Reasons Young Christians are Changing the World

I have a lot of hope for this next generation of Christian leaders. Even in the midst of what looks like an increasingly "post-Christian" world, where political arguments are taking center stage, and people can't seem to agree.

Much of my year is spent traveling, speaking at Christian events around the world. Everywhere I go, I get the opportunity to meet young men and women who are dreaming with God for a better world. These people are not hopeless about the future, or about the fate of Christianity. They're choosing to tune in to God's voice--his promises--instead of the many other voices.

God is speaking a better word than the world.

Here's what sets these "millennial prophets" apart, and why I believe they will bring Kingdom transformation into every realm of society.

1. A LOVE FOR JUSTICE AND MERCY

The prophetic is all about connecting with God's heart for people. I love that this generation has tapped into God's heartbeat for justice and mercy around the world. They are speaking out against racism, gender inequality, corruption, and other social issues which oppose God's Kingdom.

They are unafraid to initiate the challenging conversations that highlight and lift up the broken in our society. They don't buy into the world's systems of capitalism or socialism but look for solutions which can truly lift up and restore the poorest of the poor with a heart of love.

Along with fighting for justice, they are connected closely to God's heart of mercy--this is what separates them from the social justice movements of the world. They carry compassion for the oppressed as well as the oppressor, releasing a new language of justice, which is both emotionally and spiritually intelligent.

These young people are not just about talk; they're about action.

Under the old covenant, prophets were detached from society, living isolated and disconnected lives. But Jesus gave us a very different model. He got his hands dirty. He got stuck into culture by lifting up women, and serving the outsiders and sinners. He went after those who were considered outside the promises of God and said, "You're also part of this promise." As these millennial prophets engage with society, their action will bring the disenfranchised, the broken, and the hurting back in.

2. CREATIVITY

God never intended there to be a separation between what is "sacred" and what is "secular". In the Garden of Eden, everything was holy.

Creativity is the key that will allow young Christians to unlock and break open a sense of curiosity about spirituality in others. God is calling people out of their church buildings, into spaces that would be considered secular, to redeem them, make them beautiful and sacred once again.

These expressions aren't overtly Christian. They're not bible verses on the back of key-chains or businesses playing Christian music on blast. They're artists, musicians, and designers who, without compromising who they are, release a new sound and rhetoric which engages both hearts and minds.

I can't wait to see the expression that comes out of this next generation of Christians in society--reminding the world what beauty looks like.

3. A DESIRE TO FIND FULFILLMENT OUTSIDE THE CHURCH

I remember a time when being a full-time pastor or elder seemed to be the highest aim of a Christian (that is, as long as you were the correct gender ). But a generation is rising up that doesn't feel tied to the local church as their only expression of Kingdom, but instead seeks out what gives them life, making THAT their ministry.

In the garden tomb narrative in the Gospel of John, Jesus essentially reveals himself to Mary as a gardener. In that very moment, Jesus is reminding us that He is the "new Adam". Adam's job was to extend God's garden all over the Earth. This is important! Jesus' very first revelation as a resurrected king was not as a warrior God, but as a gardener.

I believe Jesus still values His mandate for us to work, just like Adam. He has called us to make all things beautiful, be it in the business world, entertainment industry, tech sphere, or beyond. This young generation is beginning to value their place as workers, hard workers, in the garden that God is gave them to influence and shape.

4. HOPE

God wants to reshape what we think about the end-times. The era of "left behind" is over, and young people are embracing a more hopeful (and biblical) eschatology. It's a departure from some of the prophetic movements of the past, who have prophesied words of judgment, doom, and gloom. Instead, they dream of the goodness of God and his purposes for this Earth, partnering with heaven by displaying love to the broken of society.

They know that if they dream with God, anything is possible.

See, Christianity is not an escape plan. God is not waiting for things to get terrible so that he can sweep us all off of this Earth. In the book of Revelation, we see a heavenly city coming down from heaven to cover the Earth. The government of God's goodness and mercy and peace will be established on the Earth, covering everything.

I believe that God is inviting this generation to partner with Him in establishing a heavenly Kingdom on Earth, through acts of justice and mercy, creativity, and seeking destiny.

Legalism is Killing Your Prophetic Gift

Mon, 26 Aug 2019 20:12:47 GMT

Why New Creation Theology is Necessary to Operating in the Prophetic

Before ever giving a prophetic word, it is crucial that you theologically understand your identity in Christ. You are a new creation, which means that you do not have to prophesy out of a place of orphanhood, or trying to "prove yourself".

As sons and daughters of God, we get to prophesy from the place of knowing exactly who we are in Him.

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When I Don’t Hear God’s Voice

Wed, 21 Aug 2019 19:57:20 GMT

Things to Remember When "God's not Speaking"

There have been moments in my journey with God where it seems as if He has gone silent on me. No clarity. No direction. No answers.

Just silence.

In the past, those moments would have frustrated and angered me, but as I have received revelation on the character of God, I have realised that the best place for me in discovering what he is saying is in rest, not in striving.

In the old testament, Saul offers an unlawful sacrifice to God out of fear. “Then he waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. So Saul said, ‘Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me.’ And he offered the burnt offering.” ( 1 Samuel 13:8-9 )

Under the old covenant, the voice of God is represented through the prophet. It was customary to wait until the ‘word of the Lord’ came before the battle began, so as to hear heaven’s strategy. Saul had waited 7 days and was beginning to be overcome by fear and anxiety. The result is he works for what he is not supposed to in order to gain what is meant to be a gift.

It is often the case that in the absence of God’s voice we work for what He wants to give us in grace . Saul’s impatience has taught me a lot about those moments, and how to deal with them.

Jesus is the final word

Firstly, while Saul was offering an unlawful sacrifice, God’s voice in the person of Samuel was on its way. Often God is working in unseen ways while we are fretting about current circumstances. I find the enemy uses these times effectively to cast shadows on the nature and character of God. It ’s the same trick he played on Adam and Eve. He got them to questions God’s goodness concerning them. He got them to think that God was withholding something good. I am learning not to allow my unanswered questions about my circumstances overwhelm the plain revelation of God’s goodness in the revelation of Jesus. He is the final word on all things pertaining to my life. He is the goodness of God revealed to me in his life lived, his death, his resurrection and ascension to the highest place.

If I need a word from God, Jesus is it!

He is for us, not against us

Secondly, God is hiding himself for me, not from me. Saul lived with a rejection complex. When you study the life of Saul it is continually punctuated by his constant sense of unworthiness. When you live with rejection as your filter, circumstances look like a set up for your failure and downfall. It naturally follows then that God is working against you, not for you. Ultimately Saul’s fear was not the enemy but he feared that he did not have God’s approval. How he thought of himself ultimately reflected how he thought about God. When I understand that God’s silence is not disapproval it produces patience in me to wait for a display of his goodness.

Even in the silence, we can still receive from God

Thirdly, I am learning to celebrate who God is in the midst of the silence. The prophet Habakkuk prophesies that in the midst of no fruitful fig trees and no vines that are bursting with grapes, “…yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.” God’s goodness and kindness to me are not based on what I see, but on who He is. I find that worshipping and reminding myself of his nature unlocks faith in the ‘quiet times’. Often using scripture to do this is the way that God speaks to me. I have found that in the times of what feels like silence, God most often shouts at me through his written word. His revealed word in the life of Jesus is the most comforting to me when I am looking for answers about life. He might not answer my circumstantial questions, but he always answers my heart cry.

It’s best to live un-offendable

Lastly, I have found that living an un-offended life produces many blessings. John the baptizer is stuck in prison. Jesus tells John’s disciple to communicate that his circumstances will not change and ends his discourse by simply stating ‘blessed is the one who is not offended by me’ ( Luke 7:18-23 ). Ouch! That seems harsh. The truth is in this context Jesus reminds John of the messianic promise that He would ultimately be about establishing a new government of peace. This government has come but is not fully here yet. Jesus was in effect saying do not stumble over what you do not yet see because of me. In the end, you will be blessed (fortunate, happy and enjoying grace) by not living offended with Jesus.

In the words of that old saying ‘trust and obey for there is no other way’.

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Stop Waiting for a Visitation From God

Tue, 13 Aug 2019 21:44:16 GMT

How Do We Invite the Holy Spirit to "Move In"?

There was never meant to be a separation between what is "sacred" and what is "secular". It's this very thinking that has led many of us to miss the everyday moments when the Holy Spirit is speaking. In this teaching, Julian invites the Church to stop waiting for a "visitation" from God, when He really wants to "move in".

This teaching was originally recorded at Expression 58 Church , in Glendale.

God is the Ultimate Party-Thrower

Wed, 07 Aug 2019 16:35:08 GMT

Entering the Father's Joy

The Father is the ultimate party-thrower. The story of the Prodigal Son is meant to give us a window into God's heart for us. In this teaching, Katia invites us to "come, and enter the Master's joy".

This teaching was originally recorded at Garden Church, in Long Beach.

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Understanding Words of Knowledge

Mon, 05 Aug 2019 19:03:21 GMT

And How to Receive Them

What is a Word of Knowledge?

God knows everything. It’s not because He is studying everything, but because He created everything. This is what makes Him God. He is the all-knowing God of the universe. The joy for us as His children is that we get to engage with the Spirit of God who reveals the mind of God to us.

‘For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.’ - 1 Corinthians 2:11-12

A word of knowledge is when we receive information from God about people and circumstances. It reveals humanity’s dearness to Him and His nearness to us. I have found that the single most influential currency we have as prophetic people is not in the accuracy of detailed words of knowledge, but in the revelation of God’s heart through words of knowledge.

Understanding words of knowledge.

Jesus never had to try and find words of knowledge, he simply lived in a place of knowledge. We have the ability to live in that same space, because we occupy the same place in trinitarian intimacy as Jesus.

I explain further in the video below.

Increasing Your Accuracy

The only true way to increase your accuracy in words of knowledge is by practicing! This takes time, energy, and a little bit of risk. I have several resources which might help you take those first steps in growing your prophetic gift.

Prophecy For Beginners is a free mini-course with the aim of helping you kick-start your journey in the prophetic. It includes 4 lessons, with homework that will help you practice the prophetic in your every-day life. SIGN UP FREE

Amplify includes 5 hours of teaching, and an online workbook which will help you refine your prophetic gift.

What to do While You're Waiting on God

Mon, 29 Jul 2019 16:34:34 GMT

Finding hope and strength while you wait for God to fulfill His Promises

God created you with a specific purpose in mind, but He's far more interested in your journey than He is in your destination. In this teaching, Julian helps us understand God’s desire for relationship, and what to do when we feel stuck in a space of "limbo".

Don't forget, all our teachings are available on your favorite podcast platform, just search "Frequentsee Teachings"

Or subscribe on Apple Podcasts HERE.

So You Just Received a Prophetic Word. Now What?

Mon, 22 Jul 2019 20:54:36 GMT

How to Walk in the Fulfillment of your Prophetic Words

This is a question I get asked all the time. If you’ve ever been given a powerful prophetic word, you’ve probably asked yourself the same question. How do I see this word fulfilled in my life?

Now, this isn’t an easy question to answer. I wish I could give you my “five step guide” on how to see the fulfillment of every prophetic word you’ve ever been given. But the beauty of life with Jesus is that there is no formula, there’s just relationship. However, while I can’t speak for every experience, every prophetic word, or every person, I can give you some keys which I have found helpful to seeing God’s words in my life fulfilled.

I hope you find these keys helpful, and as you read, remember that they are to be worked out in partnership with Him.

Letting His Word Grow in Your Heart

In Matthew 13, Jesus shares a parable about seeds and soil. This parable can help us understand how to cultivate God’s promises and see them grow in our hearts. God wants to help you begin to encounter and experience the Word of God literally growing in your heart, so that there is fruit for you to eat.

A portion of this parable reads:

When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. - Mathew 13:19

Prophecy is not meant to fall onto the ground and be left there. There must be a cultivation, a growing, and a watering for fruitfulness to occur. It requires partnering with Heaven. To do this, we have to understand the power of the words issued, and plant it in our hearts. How do we do that? By coming into agreement with Him.

Coming into Agreement with Heaven

I come from a crazy Pentecostal-Charismatic church. We say amen all the time, maybe a little bit too much… But what does the word amen actually mean? In 2 Corinthians 1:20, Paul writes about this word, "All the promises of God are yes and amen." Amen actually means, “And so be it.”

When you come into agreement with the word of God and in your heart there’s an amen .

The agreement is a word the Bible calls Symphonia , which means many different sounds coming into one pure sound. Not surprisingly, this is where we get the word symphony. Many sounds from different instruments make one incredible sound. And it’s beautiful.

When you agree, or say “amen”, it releases the sound of Heaven and the blessing of God in your life. Often, when I’m reading God’s word, I say, “Yes, Lord. And so be it.” It stirs something in my heart to agree with Heaven’s perspective about me.

I do the same when receiving prophetic words from others. If the word resonates with me, I come into agreement with it in my heart (and sometimes verbally). In these moments, Heaven and I make the same sound. It’s Symphonia.

Understanding Your Heavenly Citizenship

When a king issues a decree, it is final. There are kingdom decrees that have been spoken over you and I. The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords has determined in His heart to speak a better word over you than what your parents could have, what sin or the world can. He speaks a word of His kingdom, and when we understand and receive that decree, something will begin to grow in our hearts.

Many of us don’t understand that our citizenship, rulership, and our identity are not earthbound (Ephesians 2:6). Who we are in this world is not determined by the opinions of our friends, by our socioeconomic status, or by our past. It’s determined by the cross and resurrection of Jesus. He’s pulled us in Him, into His new kingdom. This decree affects our identity, our future, our destiny, our purpose, and our blessing in Him. And it’s all because we’ve received grace.

The word of the kingdom is not simply a nice little preach, it’s His very thoughts about who you are.

When a monarch issues a decree, we can recognize that something is about to change. It’s the same when we’re given a prophetic word. When we receive something of God’s purposes, when we receive the word of the kingdom, we can be sure that something is about to change in our lives.

Walking Out Your New Identity

I find it fascinating that God determines in His heart to set potential purpose, power, and greatness in something small, almost unseen. It’s the way of God and His kingdom. He takes that which seems small, and He puts it into the hearts of men to grow to become the most significant. The word of the kingdom speaks a whole new identity and possibility.

Today, we have the chance to join in the symphony of Heaven and say Amen over the thoughts, plans, and purposes of God over our lives. Would you dare say yes to His Lordship in every area?

What would change if you chose to believe Him?

Looking for ways to grow in your personal prophetic gifting? Refine your prophetic gift with our new eCourse, AMPLIFY .

Tenacious Leadership

Thu, 11 Jul 2019 21:29:02 GMT

Keys to Christian Leadership

Being a leader in the Kingdom of God requires a lifestyle of risk. But how can we cultivate this? In this teaching, Katia Adams takes us through the life of David to discover keys to tenacious leadership.

Don't forget, all our teachings are available on your favorite podcast platform, just search "Frequentsee Teachings"

Or subscribe on Apple Podcasts HERE .

Politics – Kingdom Series

Mon, 20 May 2019 02:54:12 GMT

There is no worldly system that looks like the Kingdom of God. Unlike the rulers of the world, Jesus models His Kingdship not by grasping for power or position, but by letting go of His position and living with LOVE.

Want A Prophecy For Your Life?

Mon, 13 May 2019 18:52:06 GMT

Getting personal prophetic words is easier than you think

As a prophet, I find myself sometimes being chased down by people who are desperate for the next big prophecy for their life. But God’s heart for the prophetic was never meant to be about waiting for the next prophetic conference and hoping God will highlight us to the great prophet up on stage.

What if your next, life-changing prophetic word doesn’t come from someone else, but instead comes from your own quiet time, as you tune into His voice?

That’s what my latest FREE mini-course is about!

I put these four videos together to share my most practical tips for developing a prophetic lifestyle. The prophetic is a powerful tool in the life of the believer when we operate with a correct understanding of who God is. The words God speaks over us are meant to shape the way we view ourselves and propel us into our destinies!Here are a few of the topics I cover in the course:

+ Can anyone hear from God?

+ How to recognize God’s voice.

+ What if God’s not speaking?

+ How to use the prophetic in the real world.

This course is a great starting point for people who want to begin in the prophetic, but it’s not just for beginners! I’ve included some very practical homework in each lesson for those of you looking to refine the prophetic gift you already have!

The best part about this course is that it’s FREE! Go ahead and click the link below to sign up, and you’ll receive the first lesson in your inbox today!

Capitalism – Kingdom Series

Sun, 12 May 2019 19:13:57 GMT

The system of the Kingdom is an entirely different system than any you find in the world. It’s an upside-down Kingdom, where the least are the greatest, and the servanthood matters more than your position. The Kingdom of God does not operate based on power or money, it operates on love.

Gender Equality – Kingdom Series

Mon, 06 May 2019 19:34:25 GMT

My wife Katia has spoken up on this issue many times, but some have asked what my thoughts are on the topic of gender equality. I am so glad that God has called both His sons and his daughters to rise up in authority and rule the earth together.

Privilege – Kingdom Series

Mon, 29 Apr 2019 20:01:48 GMT

The Kingdom is about stewarding hearts of generosity. Rather than living with a capitalistic mindset, the church needs to learn how to lift up the poor and broken in society. If you find yourself in a position of privilege, it is for the purpose of blessing those around you, because everything you have has come from Him.

Racism – Kingdom Series

Tue, 23 Apr 2019 20:48:02 GMT

Many Christians could take a lesson from the way Jesus dealt with the marginalized in society. Jesus was the ultimate bridge-builder, breaking through into the hearts of people. In the first part of my Kingdom series, I address kingdom thinking on systemic racism and oppression.

A Different Kind of Fire

Wed, 27 Mar 2019 03:07:46 GMT

The book of Acts introduces us to the fire of the Holy Spirit. This fire is unlike any other type of fire; it’s not a new-age fire, and it’s not a fire of judgement. In this teaching, Katia brings new understanding about what this fire really is about.

– TRANSCRIPT

Katia: This morning, I’m going to preach a message entitled “A Different Kind of Fire.” When you entitle a message that, you better be ready for a different kind of fire. And so I hope that you haven’t come to church this morning thinking that it’s going to be neat and tidy. Those aren’t words that generally describe my preaching.

And so I just really want to encourage you this morning, if you’ve been here for 20 years, if this is your first Sunday, let’s just start on this platform that God is real and He loves to speak to people. He loves to meet with people. He loves to show people His face. He loves to show people His goodness. And what that means is that when He is present in the room in an electrifying way… He’s always present in the room because God is always everywhere at all times.

But there are moments where He makes His presence known to us, and when that happens, it’s impossible to stay neat and tidy. It’s like putting your fingers in an electric socket and wondering why you’re shaking. You encounter power and something happens. And isn’t it beautiful that the power that we encounter is not just an unnamed God, an unknowable force, but a person, a God who is so real and wants to meet with us as people so that we would know Him, really know Him?

And so I’m expectant. I can’t preach you into the power of God. I can’t do that. I can show you truth, but actually, He’s the one who makes Himself manifest and everything changes. And so I’m trusting that He’ll show off this morning and I’m going to ask you to trust that with me because we haven’t come just to tick a box.

We haven’t come just as our religious duty. You may have come for that, but I hope you leave with a different understanding of what church is about because coming to church isn’t just about fulfilling the religious requirement for the week. It’s about meeting with a very, very real God and having our hearts transformed.

So we’re going to look at Acts 8 this morning and Marilyn did an awesome, awesome job last week on preaching on Acts 5. I’m really grateful that I didn’t have to do that preach. And so if you’re a part of this family, you’ll know that we’ve been going through a series on The Unstoppable Church through the Book of Acts and I’m just following on in that series.

And from where Marilyn left off last week, a little bit has happened in the life of the Early Church. After Ananias and Sapphira and that whole thing happened, then… And if you didn’t hear the message, listen to the message. It was awesome and that will fill in some of the blanks on that for you.

But after that, the church begins to grow in such a way that they start thinking we need to put in some leaders into place, they call them deacons, who will be very practical hands-on in ministering to the Church, in serving the Church. What happens is as leadership is put in place, because the honor of God-given leadership always brings growth…

So what happens in that moment is yet again, the Church explodes in growth and it makes people take notice of the Church more and more so. And the apostles at the same time are preaching and performing all sorts of miracles and the kind of law enforcement of the city don’t like that very much. So they imprison the apostles, the apostles get set free from prison miraculously, an angel sets them free from the prison. It’s all go in the city. It’s all crazy in the city.

And what that leads to is persecution. And what happens is one of the deacons, a man named Stephen, gets dragged before the court on false charges because in reality, what’s happening is that there’s some jealousy at play because we all know that when God starts doing things in a city, jealousy comes up in people’s hearts because we like to own the power of God rather than partner with the power of God. And so what happens is when we don’t own the power of God, we start getting cross. Anyway, that’s a side note.

So they start bringing persecution against the Church because they don’t get to control what’s happening and it’s not reflecting well on the officials in the city. And they bring Stephen before everyone on false charges and they stone him to death. The first martyr of the Church. Everyone’s thinking, “Wow, this isn’t what I came for this morning. Now I’m really not hoping that that’s what is going to be our experience.”

But that is the reality of many Christians in the world. And I just want to say this, as someone who was born in the Middle East, who knows many people who’ve been put to death and imprisoned for Christ, we get to live a very, very comfortable Christianity. But that shouldn’t mean that our Christianity becomes comfortable.

And what happens in the Church in the West particularly, because we’re not being persecuted in the same way, we kind of make Christianity become incredibly comfortable and it’s all about my comfort and we misunderstand the message of Jesus because Jesus is not comfortable, he’s inconvenient. He’s wonderful and kind, but he is inconvenient. And just because you’re not being put into prison for the sake of Christ, it doesn’t mean that your Christianity should get so comfortable and familiar that you kind of feel like you’re lying down permanently because nothing’s ever happening. I just want to put that out there.

So Stephen becomes the first martyr of the Church. The awesome thing about that moment… This is all introduction. I hope you’re okay with this. The awesome thing about that moment is that Stephen looks up and he says, “I see the heavens opened.” He’s not seeing the heavens opening. He’s not seeing the heavens opened for a moment. The word is thoroughly opened. It’s a permanent opening that’s happened.

And sometimes we go to Open Heavens conferences or we talk about thin spaces in the spirit or… And I’m not knocking those things, but what I’m saying to you is the truth. The ultimate truth for every single person on the planet is that Jesus, in dying on a cross and rising from the dead, what he did was he tore open the heavens for all time because what the cross and resurrection does is that it allows us to meet with God face to face. No longer are we praying to a metal ceiling with our prayers bouncing off. No, the heavens have been torn open.

Stephen saw it and he announced it. Guys, what I’m seeing is not just a little bit of something open, maybe it’ll close again. No, something that has been thoroughly torn for all time. You live under an open heaven, which means you get to know God face to face for yourself. You don’t need to do anything to make that happen. You don’t need to fast some more or pray some more or be better in your morality. God has torn the heavens open and He’s not going to put it back together again.

And so Stephen, even as he’s dying proclaims, “I see the heavens that have been torn open. It is done.” And then the Church gets scattered and this is where things get really exciting for the Church because up to this point, they’ve been living in their Christian ghetto and they’ve been thinking, “Okay, let’s just kind of keep in,” and sure, they’re preaching, and sure, they’re healing the sick, but they’re all together because isn’t it nice when we all stay together? It really is. It’s really lovely.

But you know what? The world needs to hear the message of Jesus, good grace, good God. The world needs that message and it’s not going to happen when we all live inside of our churches together holding hands. It’s going to happen when we get outside of the building. A friend of mine, Alan Scott, said, “Our cities aren’t hard to reach. They’re just hard to reach if we’re sitting in our churches.” It’s true.

And so what happens, even in this horrible moment where on paper, you think, “Oh, gosh, surely that’s a defeat,” we see God doing what He does best, which is using a terrible scenario to display His goodness in greater measure. And so what happens is the first martyr leads to the scattering of the Church and many people are thinking, “Surely this is over,” because they’ve all been blown about all over the place. No, what happens is we’re told that they went about preaching the Gospel.

And so one of the biggest moments of Church mission happens right after persecution of the Church, and this is where we’re going to pick up. So in Acts 8:4 Open in Logos Bible Software (if available)… I’m going to read from the ESV. We’re going to read a few verses, so just track with me if you can. “Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. Philip…”

Now, Philip was one of the deacons of the church. I just also want to say this, those of you who know the word “deacon,” who are familiar with that word, we can make that word so boring. It’s not boring when you read Acts because the deacons did some pretty insane things.

And so I just want to say being a leader in a church, being part of a church should never be reduced to boring anything because if you’re part of the family of God, your life is mental. Take it from me. Verse 4, “Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. Philip went down to a city in Samaria.”

Now, the Samaritans, the place, the area of Samaria, it’s a big city, if you’re going to call it that. They thought of themselves as a nation, really. The Samaritans and the Jews were sworn enemies. The Samaritans were seen as dirty by the Jews.

They’d kind of compromised on what God had done. They didn’t really believe in lots of the stuff that the Jews believed. In fact, they believe that they owned what God was doing and that the Jews were wrong. And so there was real animosity between the two.

Don’t you love it that God doesn’t care about human animosity and human factions? He’s like, “I’m just going to mess this all up for you guys because your sworn enemies are about to become your brothers and sisters.”

So he went to the city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. “When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed…” He’s a man of both word and spirit. Notice that doesn’t mean he’s mediocre on the word and the spirit finding some kind of boring middle ground between the two, which really achieves nothing. No, he’s a man of extreme word and extreme spirit.

“When they heard his words and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was great joy in that city.

Now, for some time, a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, ‘This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.’

They followed him because he’d amazed them for a long time with his sorcery. But when they believed Phillip as he had proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.

When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. And when they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them, they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money and said, ‘Give me also this ability or more exact as the authority so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’

Peter answered, ‘May your money perish with you because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money. You have no part or share in this ministry because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that He may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.’

Then Simon answered, ‘Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.’ After they had further proclaimed the word of the Lord and testified about Jesus, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the Gospel in many Samaritan villages.”

I love this chapter. It’s a chapter full of comparisons, and sometimes if we read it quickly, we’ll miss the treasures that God has put. Do you know, I love the way God hides things for us to find. God never hides things from us because He doesn’t want to tell us. He hides things from us because He understands the joy of discovery.

Yesterday afternoon, I was playing with my two kids. I’ve got a three-year-old and a one-year-old at home, and we created a ginormous den and they had both hid in the middle of that den and they’re giggling all the way as they’re shouting, “Mommy, come find us.”

And now I’m looking under every cushion and behind every door and they’re just so excited and I can hear my boys, each will say, “Mommy, we’re here. Mommy, we’re here.” I’m like, “Yeah, you don’t really understand the point of hiding. That’s okay.”

It’s because the joy of discovery is what’s so exciting about that game. He’s not hiding hoping that I’ll never find him. He’s hiding knowing that I will, and that’s the point. And when Jesus hides things in the Bible, it’s not because he’s trying to be annoying or secretive or it’s only for the special few. No, no. He’s hiding things in plain sight because if we will find those treasures by discovery, he knows that it will make our hearts so excited with the thrill of finding him.

And so I love this chapter because there’s hidden gems. It is a chapter of contrast. The Holy Spirit is a different kind of fire to what the world brings, what magic offers, what the new age realm may be able to present because he’s entirely different, and this passage shows us some of the differences.

The first is a difference in amazement. We’re told that Simon, the magician, amazed the people for a long time. This was not just kind of some random man on the outskirts. This is a man who had gripped the city with his magic and had amazed them. They didn’t know very much. In fact, they knew nothing except the name he gave himself, which was Great.

It’s a lovely, secretive, mysterious message. All he had for them was this message of “I am Great.” In fact, the NIV that I read… I should have read the ESV. But anyway, the NIV translation that I read makes it sound like they’re just saying a descriptive thing, “He is Great. He is the greatness of God.” In fact, it’s a title, “Great.” That was his title. “What’s your name?” “Just call me Great. That’s what I go by.”

He’d amazed the people. Now, there’s nothing wrong with amazement. In fact, we see in many, many, many verses in the Bible, and including this chapter, that when people saw the signs performed by Jesus, when people saw the signs performed by the apostles, when they heard the messages, they were amazed. So I’m not knocking being amazed. In fact, my own experience is that I have stood in awe and been amazed by God many, many, many times. So hear me. Okay?

Amazement is not a problem. The problem is where it leads to. And I want to be really careful as I’m saying this so we don’t misunderstand my message today. But we don’t want to create a culture of amazement, we want to create a culture of encounter. They start in a similar place, but one abruptly ends. The other one enters into revelation. They’re two very different things.

And in this church, in this family, we’ve had the privilege of journeying in a season of greater encounter, of pursuing the presence of God, of saying, we don’t want to go anywhere until we know your manifest presence.

And if you know me, you’ll know I’m 100% on board with that. In fact, when I’m off duty, if you like, and sometimes when I’m on duty, let’s be honest, I may well be the person going crazy at the front. But the point is this, that we cannot settle for just goosebumps. Right?

We love the moments of goosebumps with God. I love those moments where I can physically feel Him because, hey, He created and designed your body to be able to physically feel Him. But that’s not the sum of encounter with God and neither is it the proof of encounter with God. And I really want to charge this church if I can. Go after amazement for sure, but don’t stop there. Pursue encounter.

And often, there’s encounter in the amazement, but if we reduce everything to what our goosebumps are telling us, we will end up coming into a place where we are religious about our goosebumps and we miss fresh encounter with Jesus.

You’re hearing me. I’m saying fall down in his presence, yes, I’m saying you’re feeling the touch of Holy Spirit and you’re shaking and you’re crying and you’re laughing, yes, but often, the beautiful thing, the moment of encounter, comes a few minutes into that.

And I’ve walked this journey, so I’m saying this from personal experience. This isn’t a knock on anyone else. But sometimes we can go, “The meeting was great. I was shaking for a long time,” but all we’ve done is settle for just the doorway. We’ve just dipped our toe in and we think that’s the point.

And he’s saying, “No, I’ve got so much more for you. Keep coming. Keep coming. Don’t grow familiar with the doorway.” And I’ve been around in charismatic circles enough to know that we can get so familiar and enamored with the doorway that we start building monuments around that rather than continuing the pursuits that we started with.

Simon was great at amazing the people. He had nothing to offer of encounter. We are created to be a people of encounter, where we are amazed, where we feel His physical presence, where it’s beautiful, where we’re laughing and crying and got every goosebump. And I think it’s Richard who says that our goosebumps have babies and have more goosebumps. But the point is this, that we’re drawn to Jesus.

What’s really interesting about the amazement in the city toward Simon is that where it said they paid attention to him. They were drawn to him. They saw his signs and they were so amazed by what he did, they gave him their attention.

But what’s interesting is that in verse 6, we see that Phillip came with a message and a different kind of fire and he also amazed them with signs and wonders and deliverance. But what did they do? They paid attention to what he said.

Because what happens is the amazement is beautiful, the revelation and encounter is gold. And so what’s happening is they’re not stopping short of just what they see of Philip and going, “Wow, what you do is awesome.” They’re hearing the proclamation of who Jesus is and they’re drawn to Jesus.

I want to say our moments of amazement are only so beautiful if we get to see Jesus, if we get to know him more. You’re seeing angels? That is awesome. I see them too. Let’s talk sometime. That’s not unbiblical. Lots of people see angels in the Bible. But I don’t want to see angels if I don’t fall in love with Jesus more. Right? What is it that’s winning our attention in the moment of amazement? Because that’s a really good moment for us to weigh up what’s going on.

And there’s two extremes that we can get to. We can get onto the extreme of, “Oh, I’m too spiritual for needing to be amazed. That’s just for the emotional people who just don’t have an understanding of who God is. I’m a word person. You need to win my mind.”

Listen, I’m saying this because I was this person in many, many ways. Okay? Win my mind, you didn’t need to win my heart. I want to see the face of God, not the hand of God. Sounds so spiritual. I don’t need the goosebumps, I know what the Bible says. The problem is He designed you for the goosebumps. The problem is His hand and His face are connected. We start trying to sound more spiritual than God wants us to be, and that’s a problem.

So that’s the one extreme. Let’s throw amazement out completely because we’re bigger than that. The other extreme is amazement is the proof of everything that’s happening. So we stop believing what the Bible says about God being with me because I’m not feeling any goosebumps right now. Has He left me?

We stop believing the power of Ephesians 5, “Be filled with the Spirit,” where it’s actually a passive action. Allow yourself to be filled because he’s the one who does the action. It’s a passive moment. We stop believing that that’s true. When we ask him to fill us and we’re not getting goosebumps, he can’t have filled me today. Not true. The Bible is true all of the time.

So we don’t want to either extreme. We don’t want to be in the camp of I’m bigger than amazement because that’s just silly. He wants to amaze you. It’s fun and it’s a doorway into revelation. But we don’t want to be governed by amazement where we disbelieve the words of the Bible because we didn’t have our goosebumps that day. Right? We want to walk in amazement and walk in truth. We want to say…

I’ve been really practicing this, if I can say, the last few weeks, where I just keep saying, “Jesus, thank you every day. Please fill me,” and I’m really kind of in that moment engaging with the words of Ephesians 5. That’s what I’m kind of meditating on in that moment.

Sometimes I feel like, boom, like someone threw hot water all over me in that moment. Some mornings I feel nothing at all. But in both of those moments, I know that power from the presence of God is filling me and I know the empowerment in my day. I want to tell you, your goosebumps do not dictate what is happening in the spirit realm. But it’s really fun to have goosebumps too. Amazement.

The second thing, different kind of fire that the Holy Spirit is, is who’s at the center of the story? And we’ve alluded to this. Simon, the Great, draws everyone to him as the center of the story. This man who is proving his might with all his demonic works has himself in the spotlight of the story, and yet, with a different kind of fire, Phillip is drawing people to Jesus. You and I are part of his story. He has not come to join you on yours. You’re not the central character in your story. You’re not the hero of your story. He’s the hero of your story.

You know… And this is a scary thing for a preacher to say because it’s sobering. But if people walk out of meetings where I minister amazed at the eloquence of Katia Adams or whatever it is that I’d love them to be amazed at it, but not more in love with Jesus, then something’s wrong with my ministry. I need more presence in my ministry.

And hear me. Honor is really important. The Bible says honor is linked to blessing in life. “Honor your parents so that you will live a long life.” There’s a connection. There’s a beautiful thing about honor in the Bible.

So I’m not talking about dishonoring those amongst us because Jesus is great and you’re not. If you’ve heard me preach before, you’ll know that I preach a message that says you are great, and you are, because guess what? Your Father is the king of the universe and His DNA is inside of you. That makes you, by extension, great, but it’s by extension.

And so if the purpose, if the spotlight, if the centrality of everything we do makes other people look at us, then we’re not carrying a different kind of fire, we’re carrying the world’s fire and we need that to change.

That’s why I kind of get a little bit nervous with titles. I think it’s important to honor people as apostles and prophets. I honor my husband… He’s not in the room at the moment, but I honor him as a prophet. He’s not prophetic. He is a prophet and that’s biblical. Read Ephesians 4. It’s entirely biblical.

But I kind of get a little bit nervous if I’m entirely honest. This is just me. This isn’t a word of judgment. But I get nervous when we have official titles that people must call us because I start thinking, “I don’t know. I don’t know if I want that for me.”

I mean, it’d be really fun if you could all call me Prophet, Apostle, Teacher, Evangelist, Pastor Katia Adams whenever you saw me and that was my official title and I wouldn’t respond if you didn’t call me all of those things.

It’d be fun for me, but what it would do would be to relegate everyone to a second tier of Christianity when they’re around me. That’s not what the fivefold gifts are for. The Bible tells us that the fivefold gift in Ephesians 4 is to raise the entire body into maturity so what you see will be multiplied in you so that you can do it.

When you have a prophet in your midst, if he’s a genuine prophet, what will happen is he will raise the bar of prophecy across the board, so when we have Julian as a prophet in our midst, all of us prophesy better. The gift is an invitation for what we’re all meant to walk into. Do you see what I’m saying?

So honor the gift. But I’m not sure the gift is meant to be a title that we load over everybody else. I think the gift is meant to be an invitation for everyone else to walk in what they see. So it’s awesome because when you hear someone give you a testimony that’s insane, you don’t need to feel jealous about it because when you hear it, you know that God is inviting you into the same experience.

I’m going a little bit off my notes here, but just for a second, I feel to press this. When you hear a prophet tell you about visions and experiences, if your heart goes, “Well, that’s not fair…” Which my heart used to do, so I’m not saying something against you. This is a reality of what I felt.

When Julian, when we first got married, would tell me things, I’d be like, “This is so annoying. Well, of course, you’re a prophet, so you get to do that. I don’t get those dreams. I don’t get those visions.” I was missing the point because when someone tells you what they’re experiencing, what God is doing in that moment is giving you a handwritten invitation of encounter and experience that He has for you.

When an apostle tells you of raising the dead, you’re not meant to roll your eyes and go, “Well, it’s all right for you. You’re an apostle.” You’re meant to go, “I heard you say it, and if Ephesians 4 is actually true…” Which either it is or it’s not, and if it’s not true, then the rest of the Bible isn’t and let’s all go home.

But if Ephesians 4 is actually true, when you hear of someone raising the dead, the point isn’t to go, “Well, it’s all right for you because you’re gifted.” The point is to go, “I get to enter into that same maturity. I get to enter into that same experience,” because what you see the gifts do, all of that is intended to multiply into all of us.

So every time you see a gift operate, every time you hear a crazy, insane testimony, don’t let the enemy put jealousy in your heart or passive aggression or apathy because I’m not going to do anything now because I can’t possibly do that. That’s a lie of the enemy.

Every time you hear something awesome, think, “That’s for me,” because it is. That’s why you’re hearing it. That’s why we share testimonies on Sundays, not because we want to go, “I saw this in England and none of you have seen it.” No, we’re saying those testimonies because if I saw it, you can have it. That’s the point.

What you hear is meant to be multiplied in your own life. It’s not for the special few. It’s not “I’m Simon the Great and I have a secret power that none of you can know.” It’s “I’m Philip the evangelist. I bring a different kind of fire that every single one of you can know because his name is Jesus and I will tell you about him.” It’s a completely different experience.

Third contrast. Simon believed that the Holy Spirit could be bought. It’s a different kind of fire. You know, magicians in the day, those who practiced witchcraft, and we have many in our day who do the same, they pay for the power. They pay either in money or in life. They pay for it because it’s demonic. There has to be a transaction that costs the person something. But Holy Spirit is a different kind of fire and he’s not for sale. He’s free, but he’s not cheap. There’s a difference.

And so Simon, though he’s believed the message, hasn’t been fully transformed by the message, which is okay, we’re all on a journey, okay? So let’s not be rude about Simon entirely here. But he was on a journey and he didn’t get it and he went back to what he knew, the formula he was aware of, which was, “Let me buy what I see.” And the apostle, they… I mean, they come down strong on him because there’s something about recognizing that you will never ever be able to purchase the Holy Spirit.

Now, all of us read this and go, “Clearly, you can’t pay for the Holy Spirit. Clearly, you can’t put in your money and out comes Holy Spirit out of the ginormous machine that you put your coins into and out he comes. That’s not how it works.”

But how many of us are trying to buy him with how often we fast or how often we’re good or how often we pray or whether we did something good this week? How many of us come into a meeting and immediately think through, “What did I do this week? Was it good enough?” And when we don’t feel goosebumps, start thinking, “It’s because I wasn’t good enough.”

How many of us fall into sin… And I’m not saying is okay. It’s not because you a believer. Sin doesn’t become you because the reality is everything about you has changed. So if you’re in sin, stop it because it’s unnatural for you to sin.

But anyway, how many us, if we have given in to temptation, start feeling like, “Now I’m really far away from God and now I have to start the journey of walking towards Him again?” It’s called purchasing the presence of the Spirit and he’s not for sale.

He’s free, whether you’ve been good or bad. He’s free, not cheap, because Jesus died to make the heavens open. But he’s free. Let’s not live a Christianity that may not try to purchase him with money, but may try to purchase him with our works.

And you’ll know if you have this in you, if you get annoyed when the person sitting next to you, not right now, you understand, I’m sure we’re all perfect, but sometimes sitting next to you who’s just walked in the building for about 30 seconds, gets, boom, the power of God and suddenly, they’re giving testimonies of seeing healings every 30 seconds in the week and you’re sitting there annoyed because I’ve been a believer for 20 years and I’ve never seen a miracle.

And rather than be celebrating of what they’re seeing, you’re starting to get frustrated because I’ve put my time in. You don’t get to purchase the power and authority and the presence of Holy Spirit with your time.

And I’m saying this because when I was seven… I’m being so honest with all my mistakes this morning, but it’s because Jesus gets glory when we’re real about the stuff we’ve messed up on. I love that. There’s no shame in the stuff you’ve messed up on because he turns all of it to a glorious expression of how good he is.

When I was seven, or maybe a little bit younger, probably about six, for about a year, I’d been praying to be filled with the presence of the Spirit and speak in tongues and I had all sorts of misunderstandings about what God is like. But anyway, that’s not the point. I really loved Him and I knew He loved me.

And for about a year, I’d been praying, but I never really felt His presence strongly or I’d never started speaking in tongues. And then another family joined our church and one of the girls was nine and she within a week started speaking in tongues.

And I was really cross because I was like, “I’ve put my time in. I’ve put my time in. I’ve been praying for my healing for the last 20 years and Joe comes in and is healed of cancer in the second. Where the heck is God?” You don’t purchase him. You don’t purchase him. He’s free for all of us.

And you know what? Other people’s breakthrough, celebrating that often leads us into greater revelation and encounter. I can’t tell you why things don’t happen immediately all of the time. I can’t tell you that, but I do know that he’s not for sale and we need to do some work in our hearts if that’s where we’re at.

Last one, and this one’s not in the passage. Well, it kind of is. It’s half in the passage. You know the beauty of Acts 8 is actually in Luke 9. Flick to Luke 9. Oh, you don’t have to. I’m going to read it, so it’s fine. Last comparison, a different kind of fire. This is what makes Acts 8 one of my favorite passages in the Bible.

Luke 9:51 Open in Logos Bible Software (if available), “As the time approached for Jesus to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into Samaritan villages to get things ready for him, but the people there, who hated the Jews, did not welcome him because he was heading for Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, ‘Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?'”

Can I just stop here for a second because I think this is hilarious? They’re with Jesus and they have no power. They don’t even know what’s going on most of the time and yet they suggest to Jesus, “We’ll help you out here because you obviously don’t have the power to do whatever you want to do.”

Shall we call down fire? What would they have done if he said yes? Like, “What do we do now?” Never ask Jesus a question where you’re not prepared for all the answers. Okay? It’s a dangerous thing to do. Anyway, I just think it’s so funny. “But Jesus turned and rebuked them.” I love it.

The Book of Luke and the Book of Acts are written by the same author, which is the Dr. Luke. They are a two-part volume. In the Early Church, they came together. They were Part 1 and Part 2. It’s like “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. Well, you don’t obviously read one without reading two and three. If not, you don’t know what happens. They came together.

The author Luke is being incredibly, incredibly strategic and intentional with what he’s writing. Luke 9 and Acts 8 go together because it’s interesting that one of the disciples who wanted to call down one kind of fire on the Samaritans in Luke 9 goes to call down an entirely different kind of fire in Acts 8.

Can you imagine being the Apostle John? Can you imagine standing in the same place where just a little while before you fully understood the kindness of God, you were saying, “These people deserve nothing. Bring judgment on them?” And he goes and he says, “Please let me lay hands on you because I’m going to call down a different kind of fire.”

I want to tell you, Holy Spirit is a different kind of fire to what many imagine God to be bringing from heaven. I read Facebook and it sickens me because so-called Christians are saying that earthquake was yet another moment of judgment from the heart of God, and I think, “What kind of fire have we been understanding?”

It’s like we got stuck in Luke 9, didn’t even read Jesus’ response, which was a rebuke to that crazy way of thinking. We never got to Acts 8 and we still think that God’s the one sending fire of judgment from heaven. What do you think the cross and resurrection were for in the first place?

I want to tell you for your life Holy Spirit is a different kind of fire, a fire of mercy, a fire of grace, a fire of kindness and goodness that will take your breath away. He’s a fire who empowers you, not because you earned his empowerment, but because he is just that greatest. And I want to tell you once he’s transformed you with everything in him, he wants to bring you to a place where you are empowered to lay hands on others and bring a different kind of fire.

We are agents of a different kind of fire, you and me. A kind of fire that isn’t stuck in amazement without encounter. A kind of fire that doesn’t lead people to say, “Wow, you’re great,” but leads people to say, “Wow, Jesus is alive.”

A kind of fire that is not for sale. If he’s not for sale, neither should we be. And a kind of fire that is so full of mercy that it astonishes and that it leaves lives transformed. Why don’t you stand with me for a moment?

He’s here in this room. We don’t need goosebumps, although goosebumps are awesome. So, Holy Spirit, come and impact us to such a way that we feel you physically because that’s what we were designed for. We don’t need soft playing music because, Holy Spirit, you are the power of God.

In the name of Jesus, we invite the fire of the Spirit to come and rest on us, to come and lead us to fall in love with Jesus more, to come and overwhelm us with his mercy, to come and empower us not to put our Christianity and our values for sale for the highest bidder.

Holy Spirit, fall amongst us. In this moment, Holy Spirit, fire of God, hey, we honor your presence. Where you are, freedom comes. So in the name of Jesus, I speak. I speak to depression and I speak to anxiety and I speak to demonic oppression and I say go in the name of Jesus because where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom and he is here right now.

And so I speak just a few months ago, someone got healed of depression instantaneously in one of the meetings that I preached at. That’s because God is kind. And so in the name of Jesus, the same Spirit that broke the back of depression in that meeting, right now, I speak healing for those who are depressed, for those who desperately need the peace of God to quiet the storm of anxiety in their lives. I speak freedom in this place. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is much joy.

And so in the name of Jesus, Holy Spirit of a different kind of fire than what we may have understood, I speak joy in lives. I ask you, Holy Spirit, that people will get in their cars and they just won’t stop being able to… They’ll just laugh and laugh and laugh. That’s why giving becomes hilarious in the body because giving anywhere else isn’t hilarious and isn’t fun. But with the Spirit of God inside of you, even giving becomes so joy-filled because joy has ignited everything in your life.

And so in the name of Jesus, we honor you, a different kind of fire, who is neither nameless nor secretive, but is very much known in the person of Jesus Christ. And even in this moment, I want to say if you are someone who wouldn’t call yourself a Christian, maybe you’re just new to the building and everything I’ve talked about, you’re like, “I’ve never understood that this is who Jesus is,” I want to give you an opportunity because Jesus loves you and he died for you. God is not a secret. God has put Himself on display in the person of Jesus and is inviting you to know Him. And so if you want to know Him today, I want to pray with you that you would come to an encounter with Jesus.

And if you’ve been in this church for 30 years and you would call yourself a Christian and yet you’re suddenly thinking, “I don’t even know if I’ve encountered Jesus and I don’t even know if I’ve ever been baptized in a different kind of fire of the Holy Spirit,” then today’s a really good day to come forward and encounter the person of God because I’m want to tell you Jesus is very much alive and he’s here in this room in the person of his Spirit.

So, Father, we honor you. We say keep doing this stuff in our lives because it’s not meant to be about a church building. So keep ministering to us as we go home, as we have our lunch, as we try to have a nap. Give us dreams and visions to shake us up and to change our lives. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Man: Thank you for listening to this teaching from Frequency. In order to keep this teaching and our other resources for you, we rely on donations from people like you. If you feel led to give, head over to our website, frequency.org, and click the give button. You can find our other resources, like blogs and videos, on our website or sign up for our mailing list, where you’ll receive exclusive content from us.

Is God Really Good?

Tue, 05 Mar 2019 03:35:07 GMT

What the Old Testament reveals about God is an incomplete picture of His nature. Without the revelation of Jesus Christ we only see a shadow of who God is. In this teaching, Julian helps us understand why we can’t know God unless we know Jesus.

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What is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit?

Thu, 21 Feb 2019 18:00:00 GMT

The baptism of the Holy Spirit was never meant to be a one-time event. As Christians, we are invited to be continually filled, and filled again with the power of His Spirit. In this teaching, Julian addresses Acts chapter two, as a part of a Harvest Church teaching series, Acts: the Unstoppable Church. Subscribe to Frequentsee teachings on Apple Podcasts.

Accessing Your Divine Inheritance

Mon, 18 Feb 2019 18:00:00 GMT

In the New Covenant, everything is yours and mine. But if we live with the attitude “I’m not worthy to receive”, we will never take hold of that inheritance. In this teaching, Richard Olivier helps us understand what God has given us access to, and how to access it. This teaching is a continuation of Richard’s previous teaching, Getting Rid of Unwanted Guests . Subscribe to Frequentsee teachings on Apple Podcasts.

Getting Rid of Unwanted Guests

Wed, 13 Feb 2019 06:08:05 GMT

What do you do when fear and doubt take a seat at your table? In this powerful teaching, our friend Richard Olivier gives us tools which will help us face enemies the way Jesus does.

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Everything is Holy

Mon, 11 Feb 2019 18:16:48 GMT

In the garden of Eden, everything was holy and nothing was secular.

Nothing was separate from God, for Eden is the dwelling place of God. It has always been God’s desire for Heaven and Earth to be together. Eden can be seen as a metaphor for God’s temple. Aside from how the garden of Eden and the temple have very similar layouts and entrance points, the temple is, in Jewish understanding, the place where God meets man and where Heaven meets Earth. Eden was the very first temple.

Grasping that everything is holy is the basis for accessing God’s voice in every context and seeing the prophetic operate wherever we go. You do not have to be a prophet to hear God’s voice in spaces that are not considered holy or sacred. You just need to be a daughter or son. Essential to seeing a dynamic expression of God’s voice pervading our lives is to understand that nothing is separate from God.

The only thing that is separate from God is sin, which He dealt with at the cross. God is not sin-conscious, he is relationship-conscious. He dealt with sin so that you and I can now enter into the joy of trinitarian intimacy. It is vital to grasp that everything is holy: your workplace, your family life, your recreation and your creative expression is all sacred to the Lord, set apart for Him.

In the Old Testament, God created a temple in the midst of His people so that they would be a light unto the nations; however, Israel did not fulfill that calling. Consequently, God Himself came in the clothing of humanity: Emmanuel (God-with-us). In the person of Jesus, He demonstrated what it meant to be a walking temple.

A beautiful scene unfolds in John 7 when Jesus cries to the people at the Feast of Tabernacles,

If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.

Jesus is alluding to the river found in Ezekiel 47, which the Feast of Tabernacles celebrated. The Jews were looking to the day when God’s river would flow from the temple. Jesus is saying, this temple built by man’s hands is no longer valid because I am the true temple. I am now the place where Heaven meets Earth. I am the expression of Eden — of pleasure, delight, beauty — on the earth. His call of “Come to me and drink” is a beautiful picture of Ezekiel’s river that river flows from the throne (not to the throne) and covers the earth with life and fruitfulness.

Jesus ushers in a revolutionary shift as He beautifully says, “If you come to me and drink, out of your belly will flow rivers of living water.” He was saying to them, not only do you need to drink from Me as the true temple, but when you do drink from Me, you become a temple. You become the place where Heaven meets Earth, where rivers begin to flow.

Wherever you go life breaks out.

There is a river you carry that releases fruitfulness because you are drinking from Him. Everything is holy, and we can demonstrate God’s divine purposes in everything.

One of the most significant lies the western Church has believed is that there is a separation between the spiritual and the physical. The result is we have given ourselves to that which is tangible around us while neglecting that which we are just as connected to — the unseen reality of Heaven. There is no separation between the realm of the invisible spirit world and this physical world. In fact, most of the world believes that to be true and generally only western nations believe in the separation. For us to shift out of this false thinking, we need to grasp that we are genuinely carrying the rivers of living water within us, just as Jesus said. This will impact how we create, work and live — because the reality we are most aware of is the reality we will most reflect.

God intends that from the throne the river would bless all of creation. As you become the temple from which the river flows, creation is blessed through you. Everything is to come under the blessing of Heaven. No place or person is irredeemable. Every single area of humanity must, and will, come under the gracious rulership of Jesus, and all things will be made new!

There has never been nor will there ever be a divide between the sacred and the secular. It is written, “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

Blessed are Those…

Tue, 22 Jan 2019 18:00:00 GMT

Our lives are not supposed to make sense. Too often we’ve made Christianity about going to church and getting goosebumps, and then going home to our lives that look no different from those of our unbelieving neighbours. But to live in the Kingdom is to be about transformation that goes beyond the four walls of a church building. In this teaching, Katia takes us through one of the most radical teachings of Jesus, the Beatitudes, and empowers us to live beyond what makes sense to the world around us.

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Work is Worship

Sat, 19 Jan 2019 17:27:28 GMT

“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to till it and keep it” (Gen. 2:15).

This point might not be exciting for everyone—in fact, some may want to stone me— but your work is worship.

In the Garden of Eden, work was not toiling. It wasn’t something you had to do to get something. Work was an expression of worship. There are two words used to describe our posture of work: to till is the word abad and to keep is the word shamar . Both words are also used to refer to worship, and to keep God’s law (for example, Psalm 2:11 , 2 Kings 23:3 ). We work in a garden, we worship in a temple.

It is in the first temple, Eden, where we learn that work is worship. Work is not a punishment. It is God’s idea. There was work to be done in beautiful Eden and, even when the Kingdom entirely comes and makes everything brand new, there will still be work to be done. Our work is not running after something or striving to achieve something. It has to happen from the place of worship, or loving who God is, and from the place of desiring to see His Kingdom come.

Sadly many Christians despise their workplaces because they think that the real activity of the Kingdom is on a Sunday morning.

They think, “I need to get to the prayer meeting, instead of going to play golf, because a prayer meeting is more important than my influence on the golf course with some people who don’t know Jesus yet.”

We have to shift the way we think, because life is not lived only on a Sunday morning. God’s intention in the garden of Eden was not to have one “holy day”, because all of life was holy. If we are to impact the world, we have to move away from an expression of life that values gatherings and Church meetings above His Kingdom of love being expressed wherever we go.

I love the Church. I’m on Church leadership and serve in the local Church because I believe that the Church is the most beautiful thing on planet Earth. But she isn’t there to gather to herself. The church is to leave the building and to establish culture wherever she goes.

This is our work. This is our worship, because everything we do unto the Lord is worship.

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Do You Know Where You Are?

Sat, 12 Jan 2019 18:37:26 GMT

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I find it all too easy to forget where I am.

I can go through days overlooking the fact that, although what I see of my surroundings with my human eyes is earthbound, in actual fact I’m sitting joined entirely with Jesus in Heavenly places. Totally joined with Him. So intertwined that there is not a single moment of my day where it’s possible to untangle myself from Him . If He’s on a throne, then so am I. If He’s sitting at the right hand of the Father (Ephesians 1), then so am I.

I’ve been musing over what it actually means to be seated at the Father’s right hand. When scripture mentions the words ‘right hand’, what is it that the Word is trying to communicate? Doing a search through the Bible to open up the significance of ‘right hand’ is a seriously encouraging read. Ephesians isn’t simply trying to tell us our direction from the Father but rather trying to open our eyes to the overwhelming Kingdom resource that we’re sitting in.

Take Genesis 48 for example, when we read of Jacob blessing Joseph’s children, his right hand was so significant that where he placed it was where the lion’s share of blessing, birthright and inheritance would go. Then look at Exodus 15 – from His right hand comes so much power that the enemy is shattered & wiped out. At His right handare pleasures evermore (Psalm 16), a place of refuge (Psalm 17) and source of support (Psalm 18). His right hand is filled with righteousness (Psalm 48) and brings deliverance and salvation (Psalm 60, Psalm 98). From His right hand comes creative power (Isaiah 48). The Son of His right hand is one who He makes strong (Psalm 80).

We are the sons and daughters of His right hand.

We are literally sitting in the wild and uncontainable current of His blessing, favour and inheritance, His power and deliverance and covering of refuge, His spine-strengthening joy and life-giving pleasure, His heart-cleansing righteousness, His ability to create all things from nothing and to bring forth what is seen from the unseen.

Whatever your earthly world looks like today, know this: His enemy-shattering power is all over you. His favour and blessing of birthright rest on you. His arms of comfort and support and refuge surround you. The power to create hovers expectantly over you. You are the sons and daughters of His right hand, and He will bring you strength.

The Servant King

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 18:00:00 GMT

What makes Jesus unique to any other King is that He came to serve. But He didn’t obey the Father out of fear of punishment, instead, He was obedient because it allowed Him to enjoy God’s Goodness. As followers of Jesus, servanthood is not an optional “extra” in our life, it’s actually a part of our spiritual DNA.

Prophetic Word for 2019 - Julian Adams

Wed, 19 Dec 2018 17:46:25 GMT

A Move of God is Coming to England, Hollywood, and Beyond

It’s at this time each year that people ask me what it is that I’m feeling prophetically for the upcoming year. I find it fascinating that as each new year approaches there seems to be an avalanche of prophetic words that suddenly come out. Christians everywhere start looking into the meaning behind specific numbers and calling forth their “jubilee seasons”. Some of us study the Jewish calendar to help predict what our future might hold, or reach out to our favorite prophetic voices to find out what insight they’ve got for us this year.

While I do believe that many of these signs have merit, I always try to remind people of this one crucial reality: because of the finished work of Christ, we are now living in perpetual jubilee and eternal Sabbath rest. It’s important for us to understand the times and the seasons, but it’s more important that our over-arching reality is an awareness that we constantly live within God’s goodness.

God ALWAYS wants to cancel our debt.

God ALWAYS wants to demolish slavery.

God ALWAYS wants to release people into freedom.

While I don’t do this often, this year I did find some time to pen down some of the things I am feeling for 2019. As you read this, keep in mind that His desires for you are Good. And if you’re looking for a personal prophetic word, here it is: He loves you with an everlasting love, and has drawn you with loving-kindness (Jeremiah 31:3 ).

Happy New Year!

In 2019, the Body of Christ will experience a significant breakthrough in evangelistic effectiveness. There are going to be a number of evangelistic endeavours initiated that will produce much fruit as people begin to hunger for a deeper connection with God and as the world goes through a significant breaking open of spirituality as a result of a desire to connect with something transcendent. I believe the Church has a window of opportunity to be the answer to these realities and, subsequently, to experience an incredible harvest.

A Power Shift from East to West

I also see a significant transition in the natural from the west to the east. I believe that governments, financial centres, and authority bases are moving from west to east. Even financially, there is going to be a significant push towards a more eastern authority base. This will be true of the Church as well. I believe that God is going to release an army of missionaries from the east that will begin to invade the west. There are going to be a number of churches that will be birthed because of a high-missional movement from places in the east. God’s hand is on eastern nations in order to release a new way of extending the Kingdom of God. This innovative way of being the people of God will be rooted in significant community, transformation initiatives, and evangelistic breakthroughs. I also feel like God is going to be increasing the Church’s profile in this next season. In eastern nations and in places that traditionally have not been recognized as a spiritual authority, we are going to start to see an outbreak of the Gospel.

I feel like there is something profound on Russia, at the moment. In the midst of travesty and what looks like unhealthy government leadership, God is going to raise up an incredible move of the Spirit in Russia and there are going to be hundreds of thousands of people swept into the Kingdom. As people begin to encounter God, there will be a significant, lasting impact made on the spiritual climate of Russia in a number of places. I feel like there is something of a revival that is going to begin to break out. Even in Moscow, there is going to be a significant breakout of the presence of God and a move of the Holy Spirit. Even the traditional church in Russia is going to begin to experience a reawakening. The presence and the power of God breaking out, evidenced by many signs and wonders, will serve as a hallmark of what He is going to do.

A Move of God in England and Hollywood

I also believe that God is wanting to highlight what He is doing in England. England is on the brink of another great outpouring that will begin to undo some of the unhealthy liberal agendas. It will begin to disrupt the narrative, as more and more Christians find their voice and more and more people encounter the true, living God. There is an outpouring of souls for England. A fresh wave of worship and a fresh wave of encounter is going to be released in the nation of England.

I feel like God is also going to do something quite significant in Hollywood in this next season. He’s already been doing some amazing things through a number of ministries that are involved in Hollywood but I believe there’s going to be a significant move of the Holy Spirit that is going to release a new sound of purity, morality, and grace. This new sound is going to be released from Hollywood through particular movies and productions that will reshape the consciousness and spirituality of a generation.

In addition, in this next season, the Church will gain a clearer understanding of what it means to be authentic. The Body of Christ will begin to comprehend in a greater measure its mandate to be a community that offers alternatives to the ineffective systems that the world is offering. God is giving authority back to the Church in order to be an influential force and to fulfil its commission to be salt and light on the Earth.

Solutions for Natural Disasters

I believe that God is going to release significant resources to the Church to be the answer to some natural disasters that are going to happen in 2019. God is calling the Church to prepare and to get their resources ready so that they can be the solution. The Church will lead the way in problem-solving and will provide practical solutions to very difficult disaster-response situations. I believe that God is going to release an anointing upon the Church to be the “first-responders,” not only in the case of natural disasters but also political crises. God wants to give the Church a clear voice that will begin to direct and shape the way policies and decisions are being made during times of extreme difficulty. It won’t necessarily be overtly Christian but it will be an expression of the Kingdom of God in order to help establish God’s Kingdom on the Earth.

How to Unlock Your Dreams and Destiny

Wed, 12 Dec 2018 18:00:00 GMT

God’s desire is to release destiny over His sons and daughters. In this teaching, Julian helps us unlock the prophetic in our lives, in order to fulfill the dreams our Father has put on our hearts. Subscribe to Frequentsee teachings on Apple Podcasts. Featured Photo: Lucas Sankey

Why You Should Stop Offending People

Wed, 05 Dec 2018 18:00:00 GMT

Sometimes the Gospel is offensive, but it’s crucial that we don’t make it offensive simply for offense sake. I’ve discovered that it is wise to take people on a journey of discovering truth, and our language plays an important role in that journey. Want to see more from us? Subscribe to Frequentsee on YouTube!

– TRANSCRIPT

I am convinced that being offensive for offensive sake is not very Christlike at all and one of the things that I see in particularly in prophetic movements is the sense of the right to offend people without taking them on a journey, the right to offend people without helping people move from point A to point B, and what that produces is an unwise sense of offense that doesn’t actually lead people into a place of freedom. And so, one of the aims that I’ve made in terms of how I do prophecy, how I deliver my prophetic words, how I do anything in the world of the supernatural and the prophetic is to aim for a revelation of God’s heart, to aim for a revelation of who Jesus is rather than simply wanting to offend people.

Now, the truth is that sometimes truth, particularly found in scripture and lived out is offensive. Sometimes it means that we have to say some things that goes against the grain, that aren’t culturally acceptable, that sometimes even is politically incorrect, and that is part of the deal when it comes to demonstrating who God is. God is never going to fit into our box. God’s never going to fit into the way that we want to do things, and often, He will offend our mind to reveal what’s in our heart. But I’ve learned this one thing, that wisdom means I want to take people onto and into a journey of truth so that rather than being offended initially, they learn to come into an encounter with God through his love. I find it very fascinating that very often in my parenting style, I want my children to learn through an expression of my love and favor rather than having to create discipline context or difficult context or offensive context, for a lack of better word. I want them to learn through favor and love and that’s God’s preferred way of dealing us.

And I want to encourage you, when you’re bringing your prophetic words, when you’re demonstrating the prophetic or the supernatural, think about how you’re delivering things, think about how you’re packaging that so that you can lead people who maybe have not ever been initiated into the charismatic world or the world of the supernatural or the prophetic or those who maybe even have a biased or an offense already, won’t you be wise in how you communicate, won’t don’t you lead them gently, like a shepherd would lead some sheep, gently, won’t you speak to them in kindness, won’t you use words that make sense, won’t you avoid religious talk so that actually it is easy for people to enter in to the reality of the supernatural world.

I love what the Bible says in Matthew. It says that Jesus speaking to the pharisees that they would go around the whole world to see one convert and then once that convert has come in, they put all these rules and regulations so that they do not get to enter into the Kingdom, neither the pharisees nor the convert that they went and sought after. I want to be one who’s able to make it easy for people to enter the Kingdom, and the fullness of the Kingdom, the supernatural reality of the Kingdom, and the way that we do that most often is by using words that connect to heart, using gentle phrases that actually liberate people rather than bind people. So, think about how you’re speaking, thinking about how you communicate, think about how you lead people because we never want to be offensive for offensive sake, and part of that requires wisdom in how we walk with people so that they fully come into a great, great encounter with a kind, good God.

Am I Still a Sinner?

Tue, 04 Dec 2018 17:56:25 GMT

Let me be honest, for much of my Christian life I had a secret fear of the Holy Spirit. Partly because back in the day, we used words like ‘the Holy-Ghost!’ (a horrifying thought for a young boy!), and partly because I had heard so many hellfire and brimstone sermons. I remember being taught that if I do not listen to the Holy Spirit, I might end up like Ananias and Sapphira! I would imagine myself suddenly dying in the midst of worship because of my hidden sins! The teachings of those days were so full of legalism. I never understood that the Holy Spirit is so very kind, gentle and he loves to tell me of who I am, not who I was! Now, you might ask me, ‘Are you saying that the Holy Spirit does not convict us of our sin?’. And yes! That’s exactly what I am saying. He now convicts me of who I am in light of the cross . I can already picture some religious cows getting ready for the abattoir of grace! “You mean I get to sin when I want without consequences and the Holy Spirit will just stand by and watch?” Of course not. If your predisposition is to see how much sin you can get away with, something is very wrong! The Spirit of grace, who is the Holy Spirit, is not about what we can get away with, but what we get to enjoy because of our new found right-standing with the Father! He teaches us to say ‘no’ to sin because children of God do not act that way. He reminds us of who we are! Paul did the same thing. He spoke of who we are in order to help us realise we can, and will, overcome sin. In the church at Corinth, there was so much glory and sin in one place, Paul lists the sins of the past, and then he says ‘And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.’ ( 1Corinthians 6:11 ) Thank God for the word ‘ but ‘! We’d all be dead in the water without that word. At the cross, Jesus said ‘It is finished’, this was not a statement related to our pardoning of sin, this had to do with an invasion of new creation upon an old earth that needs to be redeemed. I’m a new creation! You see, at the cross and through the resurrection, a new day dawned, a day of new life. And because Jesus was resurrected, we were resurrected. Just as the Father was pleased after the creation and rested, so, when Jesus had paid the price for the new creation, he could cry out, ‘it is finished’. Because from then on, new life would be breaking out on an old earth, redeeming people and nations and tribes all over the world. In this, the promise made to Abraham before the law would now be fulfilled not because of the law but because the mark of this new creation is a believing people. A faith-filled people! The sum of Paul’s argument is that you were once a people marked by the circumcision of the flesh, but now your identity as the new creation is characterised by your faith! It’s not your right law-keeping or even your lawbreaking that sets you apart, but it is faith! So what does this mean then? My identity is now irrevocably changed. I am a son. Nothing can undo that. The cross is not the end point of our salvation, and it was not for Jesus. Our very life is now hidden with Him on high. The end point is the glorious duty of delighting in the Father forever and ever! I was dead to God, but now this union has produced a oneness with him that can’t be undone! It’s exciting! And what’s more exciting is that the primary reason for this union is the pleasure of knowing Him and being known by Him. Calvin said this: ‘Engrafted into the death of Christ, we derive a secret energy from it. As the shoot does from the root. It is divine energy that flows through you ‘for it is God who works in you both to will and to do his good pleasure’ ( Phil 2:13 ). By the Spirit of God we remember who we really are in Christ.

The Key to Walking in Holiness

Sun, 25 Nov 2018 18:06:25 GMT

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. John 16:7-11

I remember it so well. Sitting in church that morning was so nerve-racking as the prophet called people out. The details were staggering. Every aspect was right! It was razor sharp. It would only be a few moments and then I knew, I’d be called up. I imagined how the Holy Spirit would paint a grand picture for all to see. It would be on public display, all my sin would be revealed. Thankfully the opposite happened. I got a prophecy that morning, it gloriously revealed the heart of God to me. That’s how the gifts of the Spirit are supposed to work, they help build us up and encourage us!

As a pastor, I would often have people in my office come in for counselling. Sins would be confessed, repentance would be seen, yet I kept encountering people who just could not shake off guilt and shame. It’s like they just seemed to pile on people again and again. I met Christians who seemingly embraced grace yet lived like they were no better off than a worm in the grass. It seems to me that a vast majority of the Church seems to live with an incorrect understanding of the Holy Spirit and His job regarding the believer.

Because of unhelpful teaching that emphasises our old nature and it’s sinfulness, many in the church have never read the scriptures through the lens of a forgiven soul. The result is teaching that is sin-focussed, and worship that glories in our old sinful past. One only needs to listen to the some of the songs that have come out of the contemporary Christian scene to see that very often it is focussed on our pre-resurrection state! This is understandable, in that I was a sinner, an evildoer and a God rebel.

But that all changed at salvation.

Gal 2:20 – I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Romans says 8:14-15 – For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, Abba! Father!

My whole standing has changed.

In Christ I died to sin and was buried with Him, raised up with Him, ascended into heaven with Him and am now seated in Him in heavenly places. It all began with the Holy Spirit convicting me as a sinner of my desperate need for Jesus and his finished work on the cross. A little later the gospel writer, John, tells us the sin of which the Holy Spirit convicts us of, ‘concerning sin, because they do not believe in me’ ( John 16:19 ).

Notice this here, it is not just the Holy Spirit coming to tell us what we have done wrong, but he convicts us of our unbelief and convinces us to trust Jesus . Most sermons I have heard on this text have had to do with general sin and how the Holy Spirit will make you feel really bad so you know you’re about to do something wrong, or worse still, after you have already done it. Yet this is not the role of the Holy Spirit in relation to this text. He is clearly calling the sinner to a place of faith in Jesus finished work. It goes onto say that he convicts us of our righteousness. This is a promise given to the disciples as a constant reminder of who and whose they are. ‘Concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer’ ( John 16:20 ).

The Holy Spirit comes to remind us of who we are , not who we were! He tells us of our right standing with the Father, Jesus has gone ahead to make a way for us. This then is the reason for the outpouring of the Spirit, to remind us that we are now right with God, sin has been removed and we are now a display of the goodness of God to the world. This is a far cry from being afraid of the Spirit when he comes to meet with us. He is a family Spirit, he affirms our sonship and tells us we are righteousness.

Therein lies the key to walking in holiness!

Read part two of this blog series: Am I Still a Sinner?

How to Find Your Tribe

Wed, 14 Nov 2018 18:20:24 GMT

I often hear people speak of a nameless and faceless army that will change the world; a grass-roots movement that will not be defined by any one person. While I get what people are saying, I feel the sentiment misses the reality of how God sees us and works together with us. You see, names are recorded in the Bible. Life stories matter. Family history matters. How they connect with each other and, more importantly, with the purposes of God, counts big time! Your story matters, and so who you choose to run with matters as well.

In all of his letters, Paul lists the names of people—even those who have disappointed him—because he is a relational person. His emphasis on family, being the body, finding community, and raising disciples, was not simply a ‘Middle Eastern’ thing. For Paul it was the foundation of the Kingdom revelation he carried that God is 3 but 1. He is community and He has designed us (no matter our personality type) to live in healthy community.

When it comes to living big, who you choose to surround yourself with has a massive influence. Paul warns us that ‘bad company corrupts good judgement’ ( 1 Corinthians 15:33 ). Corrupt comes from the root word ’phthiō’ (Strong’s 5351) which means to ‘waste away’, meaning that hanging out with the wrong company will lead us to waste away. Finding your tribe is so important because it is often the key to helping you walk out your destiny. In 2 Corinthians 2:12 , Paul was so concerned about his relational connection to Titus, more than the ministry opportunity that was presented to him, that I wonder if he saw his connection to Titus as a vital part of how his destiny was to unfold.

Healthy tribes have an ability to call the best out of you. Paul, in the context of teaching about full maturity in Christ, instructs us to speak the truth to one another ( Ephesians 4:15 ). Truth is not a philosophical idea or a doctrine of belief, truth is a person called Jesus. When you surround yourself with people who call the truth—the Christ-likeness—out of you it changes the way you see yourself and the world. We all need role models who set out ahead of us and show us the way, but we also need pacesetters—those who run with us and spur us on in our destiny.

What helps us find our tribe?

1. Core values

Katia and I share core values that determine who we connect with intimately. These values go beyond personality types, gender or cultural background. In these relationships we serve one another and spur each other on.

2. Honour

People who honour others do so because they see value in others. We have found that honour looks to the gold in someone despite the reality of their process, and it means that confrontation in relationships does not undermine the inherent worth and beauty in people.

3. The promises

When you surround yourself with people who speak the promises of God over you, it spurs you on to more in God. These people hold up mirrors of promise to us to remind, exhort, and correct us.

4. Joy

This is massive for us! Joyful community makes the tough times easier to navigate. The Bible is not being allegorical when it says, ‘The joy of the Lord is your strength’. Surrounding yourself with people who are able to celebrate, be joyful, and laugh out loud, even in the midst of difficulties, pours strength into you.

This post is an excerpt from our latest eBook Seven Keys to Living Big .

Discernment vs. Suspicion

Thu, 08 Nov 2018 18:00:00 GMT

Are you operating in discernment, or are you just suspicious? Partnering with Heaven means seeing the gold in someone and calling it out. Instead of seeking out the bad, let’s be prophetic people who help each other find their God-given destiny. Music: Bensound.com

– TRANSCRIPT

So I wanted to take a moment just to chat with you about the gift of discerning of spirits. Often I hear guys talk about this in the context of someone that they’re referencing, and really, it is a character assassination rather than trying to understand what’s going on in the unseen realm.

It’s really important that we understand what the gift of the discerning of spirits really is about. Because in our day, I often hear Christians communicate in such a way that actually undermines and devalues the original purpose and work of an individual. The Bible tells us in Corinthians that the gift of discerning of spirits really is about figuring out what’s going on in the unseen realm, what spurs in operation. Are they angelic spirits? Is it the Holy Spirit, or it a demonic spirit?

We’ve become so accustomed to recognizing the demonic that we’ve forgotten that actually there are more angels than there are demons. Our expectation should be in any given context, in any given moment where we’re dealing with people, that somehow the angelic is involved because we showed up, because we carry the atmosphere of heaven.

Not only that, when I think about the discerning of spirits, what I’m looking for, really, is to be able to see into someone’s life and see how I get to partner with what God’s doing there so as to free them and to walk them into a place of incredible purpose and destiny. This means I have to ask God, “What do you see? How do you see them? And what are the things that you’ve got planned for them?”

One of the key things that I see specifically with Christians who tend to be more sensitive to the realm of the spirit is that often we can confuse suspicion with discernment. The thing about suspicion is suspicion is connected to fear, fear that something bad’s gonna happen or that someone’s gonna do something bad to you. And suspicion creates a context of consistently doubting somebody’s motives, somebody’s intentions for us.

And the reality is that when we see each other through the lens of who God is, through the lens of our Christ like nature, rather than operating in a place of suspicion, we need to operate out of a place of confidence that God will lead us. I have once heard someone say this so beautifully, that openness does not lead us into deception. Sin leads us into deception. So it’s okay to be open. It’s okay to test things. It’s okay to feel things up, but never come at it with a suspicious spirit because suspicious really is about a level of fear in your own heart that God wants to deal with.

Get rid of fear. The Bible says that perfect love casts out all fear. And when we’re loving the one in front of us, rather than being suspicious, we’re gonna choose to see what God sees and look for the gold, look for the purposes of God in them. And where I do sense something demonic, I get to partner with heaven in rejecting and rebuking that thing, rather than coming into an agreement with fear or being paralyzed with someone else’s bad behavior when actually God has given me the authority to speak intellect and to change things in a Christ like way.

And so, I wanna encourage you, when it comes to the discerning of spirits, when it comes to discerning in general, let’s not go for the bad. Let’s go for the gold. Let’s look for what God is doing.

The Revival of Story

Sun, 04 Nov 2018 18:28:18 GMT

King Josiah is a unique king in Judah’s history. He was the last king to sit his entire life on the throne in Judah without being in captivity. He also brought great reformation to the nation of Israel. He tore down false idols that they worshipped and restored an honor of the scriptures for the whole nation. He specifically restored and preserved the testimonies, statutes and commandments of God.

I want to key in on one item here: the testimonies . Testimony is a fancy word for story. One of the most vital things for any ancient culture was the preservation of their stories. For Israel, it was no different. God wanted them to continue telling of the wonders He had done for them, such as their deliverance from slavery in Egypt. You see, these stories were orally told and handed down from generation to generation. Through customs and language, the miraculous grace offered to one generation remained an anchor of faith for generations to come.

We are no different. We read the stories of scripture and are rooted in and through them, not only to the God of the heavens and the earth but to a story much bigger and older than that of our own lives. One of the travesties of our modern culture is that we don’t preserve the stories of our own immediate heritage and legacy of faith.

A few years ago I interviewed my grandparents in our church about their life, growing up, their ministry and their family. There were many miracles and moments of God’s grace that had shaped and defined their lives, but one little story about my great-grandmother stood out profoundly to me.

My great-grandmother, who I never knew personally, was known by both family and friends as a person of prayer. She raised a family during the Great Depression and didn’t have much money. My Memaw (her daughter) would tell me that when they got sick, they would pray, and God would heal because they sure didn’t have enough money to go to a doctor. Likewise, when they had no food, they would pray, and God would provide.

The story that touched me was simple: the maintenance man at the church would hear my great-grandmother coming into the church every day reciting Psalm 103 in prayer.

I decided to go and read the 103rd Psalm again to see what it was all about. As I read the opening passages, I realized that much of the content defined a great bit of the core values that I had preached and lived by in my life of ministry: God as merciful, God as a healer, God as a giver of goodness and our call to worship Him.

But the moment that really took me back was when I got to verse 17 which reads, “from everlasting to everlasting, the Lord’s love is with those who fear Him, and His righteousness with their children’s children.”

I began to weep as I read these words realizing that somehow I was living in her prayers. Things that God was shaping in me had already been shaped in generations that had gone before me – things I didn’t even know of.

Sometimes we miss what a master storyteller God is.

Sometimes we miss that the stories that have shaped the lives of those who have gone before us are the stories that can and are shaping our lives if we let them.

Josiah brought a nation back to its true identity in a moment – largely through the recovery and preservation of story, God’s stories.

While God is doing new and beautiful things, we are invited into a generational continuity… an awareness that we are going places that people have not gone before, but that we do so by benefiting from exactly the places those before us have gone.

Can the revival and awakenings that God is bringing in the present be catalyzed by the stories of the past?

Maybe the best way to see the path ahead will be to examine the path behind and keep on telling the story.

This blog was originally posted by Jordan Sutton on Clearpath.life .

Why Leadership Should Not be the Aim of Our Christianity

Sun, 28 Oct 2018 18:00:00 GMT

Leadership is a powerful gift that is important in the body of Christ. However, I wonder if we’ve over-emphasised this gift at the expense of other important aspects of our character. Hear my thoughts on why I believe leadership should not be the aim of our Christianity. Music: www.bensound.com

– TRANSCRIPT

So I’ve been provoked recently by a number of things that’s happening in the Body of Christ worldwide, around the incredible gift of leadership. I think it’s such a wonderful gift to be able to lead according to how God has gifted you, how God put particular things on the inside of you. But I wonder if in our celebrity status culture, in our looking for one man to lead us culture, that we’ve missed something that is essential to the Gospel. You see, Israel was never meant to be led by a king. God wanted to be their king. God invited them to come into a relationship with him, to lead them, but they looked at that the world around them and saw these kings over nations, and so they chose Saul to be king over them.

Here’s the thing though. God’s plan for our lives is not that we advocate leadership, but that we understand leadership in the context of family, that we understand leadership in the context of love. And what I love about the model that Jesus does is that he doesn’t come to lord over anyone. In fact, he says to the Gentiles, “My aim is not to lord over anybody.” He comes to serve, and he does so primarily through the gift of sonship. And I wonder if we’ve made leadership the goal of church ministry when actually sonship is the goal of all ministry. Jesus said, “I do nothing unless I see my father did it.” It all came out of this incredible relationship. It came out of this incredible intimacy with the father. It flowed out of knowing the pleasure of the father. And I wanna invite you to rethink leadership through the lens of sonship because it breaks off performance. It breaks off failure. It breaks off success mindset that leads us to work really hard in order to achieve something, and then when we get there, we still feel like we haven’t achieved anything.

Whether it’s work in your…in the context of a secular “context” or whether it’s church leadership, all of us need to know our sonship and lead from the place of being securely loved by the father and leading out of who we are as sons in God. That’s what’s gonna make you so attractive to the world, and that is what’s gonna make them ask you, “What is it about you? What is it about the way that you lead that makes me want to engage with you a whole lot more?” When we do that, lives get changed. When we look from the sonship place, leadership becomes a breeze, becomes a lot easier, and we start to see change effect around us because we haven’t come to lord it over anyone, to try to be a king over anyone, we haven’t come at leadership with a forcefulness, but we come like Jesus did, in servanthood, in kindness and in mercy to demonstrate what it really means to be the son of God.

Stop Trying to be Awesome

Wed, 24 Oct 2018 18:47:14 GMT

‘Stop trying to be profound and awesome – it will get in the way of love’ – Shawn Bolz

I’m going to be honest with you – sometimes I find writing a blog really difficult. The trouble I have is that with each new week and hopefully new blog post I feel pressure to come up with something amazing and profound. Something world changing. Something awesome. And as it turns out, coming up with something like that is not so easy. And so I end up spending quite a lot of time staring at the computer screen hoping for some heavenly inspiration to hit me, writing occasionally and all in all wasting a lot of time.

Thankfully though, somewhere in between staring at the screen and practicing my typing skills, I start remembering the advice I heard Shawn Bolz give at a gathering for young leaders and slowly the pressure comes off and I can get back to focussing on what is really important – listening to what Heavenly Papa is saying, being undone by His love again (because everything He communicates is an overflow of who He is: Love) and learning how to overflow with that myself, to other people.

The thing about trying to be awesome is that at its root, it’s a self-serving motivation. Love, on the other hand, is other-centred. Sometimes, what I have to bring may not seem like much – it may not be the most witty or clever. It may not be the most profound. But what matters is this: whatever I do overflows with love .

Of course, this is not just about writing a blog. This is about how we live our lives, how we approach other people, how we think about people’s perceptions of us. When we’re sharing the good news of Jesus with people – what is our motivation? To come up with something clever? To win the argument? To have a story to tell our friends later? Or to pour out all of Heaven’s love on that person? When we pray for the sick and command healing to their bodies, what is our motivation? Are our hearts moved by a desire for Heaven’s fireworks, or are our hearts moved by compassion for the broken? Sometimes I know my heart can be motivated by me wanting to look or sound really awesome, rather than by wanting to love the person in front of me really well.

The incredible thing is that when I read the Gospels, I encounter a God who is consistently motivated by love. Not a weak, romanticised version but the real deal – powerful, passionate and selfless. Jesus healed the sick as an overflow of compassion, not a show of power (see Matthew 14:14 , Mark 1:41 , Matthew 20:34 ). He multiplied food, not because it would make Him look good, but because He was too full of love to send the hungry away ( Matthew 15:32 ). He gave Himself upon the cross as the ultimate expression of Father’s love – not at its root an expression of justice, or an expression of God’s hatred for sin – no, the root motivation of the cross is unstoppable, irrepressible love.

I want to be undone all over again by the raw love of God for me, and want to be a channel of that to those I meet today. Not trying to be awesome – too aware that often that comes at the cost of love – but really seeing the person in front of me and asking, what does it look like to unleash Heaven’s affection on this person right now? It may be something small, i t may be something simple, it may be something inconvenient – but whatever it looks like, it will be love.

Living in an Upside-Down Kingdom

Mon, 22 Oct 2018 18:00:00 GMT

God’s Kingdom didn’t come to set rules and regulations, His Kingdom came to set you free. But how do we live in that reality today? In this teaching, Julian reminds us what it looks like to live out this Kindom life freely, even when it may look upside-down to the world.

Subscribe to Frequentsee teachings on Apple Podcasts.

Permission to Love

Thu, 18 Oct 2018 18:00:00 GMT

Everyday we have the opportunity to love the people we come in contact with. In this teaching, Jeshua reads the Parable of the Good Samaritan, in Luke, and challenges us to be marked by compassion, love and justice.

Subscribe to Frequentsee teachings on Apple Podcasts.

God is Healing Skin Conditions

Mon, 08 Oct 2018 18:00:00 GMT

God is in the business of healing! Julian and I were recently comparing stories of some miracles that have broken out in our meetings, we noticed a trend in the miraculous healing of skin diseases. If you or someone you love has a skin condition, watch and be encouraged as we pray for God’s healing power to break out in your life.

– TRANSCRIPT

Katia: Hey, guys. So Julian and I have recently been sharing some stories together about what God has been doing in terms of the miraculous in some of the meetings that we’ve been in. And we just wanted to share some stories around a theme today with you. Just believing that God is gonna do something, bring some breakthrough, even as we share these stories.

My story is from a few years ago when I was in a meeting in South Africa, and at the end of the preaching time, I just felt led to go after skin diseases. And just, it was a super simple prayer. It wasn’t anything dramatic but just prayed that God would bring healing to any skin diseases present in the room. Didn’t hear anything, any feedback after that meeting, but actually a few months after that meeting I met a lady who came to me. She had beautiful flawless skin on her face.

And she said she was in that meeting and she had had chronic acne throughout her adult life and had super scarred skin all over her face. And in that meeting she just turned to a friend and said, “I’m taking that. That’s for me. I want new skin on my face.” And when I saw her just a few months later, literally within the week after the meeting that I’d been out with her, God gave her a brand new skin on her face. And so when I met her she had beautiful flawless skin. And I just love that. It’s not a necessary miracle in so many ways, but it was meaningful to that woman. She didn’t want the chronic scarring and God gave her a brand new skin in place of that scarring.

Julian: I’ve just come back from a trip to the states where I was speaking at a church in Columbus, Ohio. And we were praying for the sick and just saw God do some amazing things. On my way out of the meeting, there was a couple waiting outside, an older gentleman who had severe psoriasis of the skin all over his arms. And he showed me his arms and said, “Hey, look, look, look what’s happened.” And I was, like, “Well, what’s wrong with your arms?” And he said, “I’ve got brand-new skin. All of the psoriasis that I have been struggling with for many years has completely gone, and my skin is returned to normal.”

God’s doing some amazing things, and we really wanted to trust God for you. If you have any condition, particularly to do with skin conditions, whether it’s in long-term, short-term, whether you’re on medication or not, we wanna trust God for some healing to break up where you are. So I’m gonna ask Katia [SP] just to pray and very simple short pray, and we can trust that God will do amazing things. Please e-mail us, text me of what God’s done. We wanna hear about the breakthroughs that God’s doing, particularly in the area of skin healing. Go for it, love.

Katia: Testimony is prophetic in nature, and so what you’ve just heard us share with you is a prophetic word for something that you may need. And so, yeah, we’re engaging our faith in this moment. And I just declare over each and every person who’s watching this video, in the name of Jesus, we speak healing over skin conditions right now. Whatever it is, chronic scarring, eczema, psoriasis, any diseases of the skin, in the name of Jesus, go now. A new, brand-new flawless skin appear in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Julian: Amen

Game-Changing Words

Wed, 03 Oct 2018 18:53:09 GMT

Ever notice how words can totally change how you feel? One minute you’re walking along with a spring in your step and the next minute someone says something to you that makes your stomach drop and your heart sink. I just had one of those moments. I went from happy to deflated in approximately twenty seconds. Funny timing given the fact that I was thinking of writing a blog on this topic.

God really knows what He’s talking about when He says, ‘the power of life and death is in the tongue’. Makes me want to use my words more carefully.

The wonderful thing of course, is that just as much as we have the ability to destroy someone’s confidence with what we say, we’ve got the power to catapult them into greatness as we call out gold from them. We have the power to speak game-changing words over one another.

The Bible records many game-changing conversations and one of my absolute favourites is the conversation between Queen Esther and her uncle Mordecai (Esther 4). In ancient times women were valued for only one thing – their beauty. There really was no expectation of, or use for a woman other than this. And Esther had fully bought into the world’s estimation and expectation of her. When her uncle came to her and told her of the trouble that the Jews faced and told her to go to the King for their rescue, Esther’s response was (I paraphrase) ‘Are you kidding? Don’t you know just how insignificant I am?’ And in response Mordecai began to speak words that shifted her thinking.

Game-changing words. Words of courage and destiny.

He spoke now all too familiar words quoted by many a christian: ‘Who knows whether you were brought into the kingdom for such a time as this?’ In that moment everything changed for Esther. A woman who thought very little of herself suddenly got revelation that she was created for more than just to sit and look pretty, that she was created with greatness in mind, that she was created for incredible destiny. And because she got fresh revelation of who she was, the course of a nation was changed.

I want to be like Mordecai to those around me. I want to be a woman who speaks words that are game-changing for my hearers. A woman who points people to their destiny and pours courage into them to do the seemingly impossible. I love how reading of Mordecai provokes me to speak words of life over others. But there’s more in this story than just inspiration for how I am to live.

Incredibly, Mordecai is not just a model for us, but is a picture to us of what the Holy Spirit is like. Contrary to popular belief, the Holy Spirit is not busy running around convicting christians of their sin (John 16 is quite clear that this is one of His roles towards the unbeliever) but rather, as we see in Romans 8, the Spirit is busy speaking new identity and greatness over the believer. He loves telling us of our new-creation identity. He loves pouring courage into us to empower us to live lives of great adventure and influence. If we tune in our ears to listen, we’ll hear Him speaking game-changing words over us.

I wonder whether the course of nations will change as we draw in to listen?

Do I Preach Hyper-Grace?

Mon, 01 Oct 2018 18:00:00 GMT

Often I get accused of being a ‘hyper-grace’ preacher, and I am guilty as charged. But not for the reasons you think. Watch my latest Vlog and find out why I believe God’s grace is outrageous and extravagant.

– TRANSCRIPT

So one of the things I’ve been accused of is being a hyper-grace preacher. And what people mean by that is that I emphasize grace in a way that removes any responsibility for dealing with bad habits, issues of sin and bad character. I want to just say this very quickly. I am so guilty of being hyper-grace, but not for those reasons. The word for grace is always extravagant. There is no restraint in God’s part. It is hyper-grace. It is overabundant. It is so overwhelming that it changes everything about you, about your identity and it’s not dependent upon you and that’s why I am hyper-grace in that sense of the word. But what I’m not is a grace preacher that excuses people from dealing with the junk. Dealing with the stuff and responding to the leading of God in obedience.

You see, grace does two things. It provokes obedience and it empowers obedience. In other words, when I get a full revelation and an ongoing revelation indeed of the extravagant kind of beauty of God’s grace in my life, the Bible says in Titus 2:11Open in Logos Bible Software (if available) that grace teaches me to say no to ungodliness so that I get to live in the full expression of my now identity which has been given freely to me as a gift from Jesus. I get to live in obedience.

I’m teaching my son this wonderful phrase, slow obedience is no obedience. When God begins to speak to us, and he calls us to step out in faith, let’s do it quickly because most often when we’re trying to deliberate with God, it speaks of an unsurrendered part of our heart that needs to surrender to the goodness of God. Because where God leads us, He will always reveal his goodness in it. And sometimes obedience does not require reason, it requires faith.

The second thing I love about grace is that it empowers me to live an obedient life. I don’t try work hard to overcome sin. I don’t try and think myself out of sin. I don’t have this kind of, just say no attitude. No, no. Grace begins to empower me because I begin to see, hey, I’m not a sinner, I am a saint. I am not an orphan, I’m a son. I am not forgotten, I’m remembered daily and God will never leave me nor forsake me.

When you live from that place, sin looks like cheap costume jewelry in comparison to the beauty and the kindness that is displayed in Jesus on the cross by His grace. His extravagant, over the top, hyper-grace toward us. Why don’t you try and live like that? Because when you live from the place of grace, you get to enjoy all that God has for us.

The Goal of the Prophetic is Love, Not Accuracy

Thu, 27 Sep 2018 19:01:48 GMT

Paul’s rule of thumb when it comes to the gifts of the Spirit is that they should always be preceded by love. Pursue Love, then eagerly desire spiritual gifts. That’s the order for Paul and it should be for us too. We are living in days where we are seeing incredible accuracy being restored to the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and friends like Shawn Bolz are pioneering a new way in love, demonstrating the prophetic. The levels of accuracy that we see on display can often inspire, entertain and transform all at the same time. I do love it when a crowd listening to the prophetic words spoken over people in their community resonate with the details in that word and are often punctuated with ‘wow!’ or ‘that’s so accurate’. It really does leave us in awe of who God is.

If you are stepping out in your prophetic gift or are novices in words of knowledge it can be overwhelming. It can seem to be so out of reach to get the details so specific. I remember as a young man listening to and seeing some of the most accurate prophets prophesy over individuals with such stunning clarity it would take my breath away. It was in these contexts, though, that I sometimes saw some unhealthy practices around the prophetic. I noticed that often the emphasis was only on the accuracy of the word, no matter how it connected to the person or how vulnerable and exposed they felt. I saw some abuse in this context where the word shifted focus from awe at what God was doing, to being impressed with how the prophet was dramatising his or her gift.

I remember one particular set of meetings in England where I was moving in high levels of words of knowledge coupled with a number of miracles. I prophesied over 3 young men who had never been in church. After prophesying over them, one of them dropped an f-bomb and said to me, “ Dude, are you like a psychic or something? ” Such was the accuracy. It did strike me that the only reference of power they had for what was happening was demonic (thank God those days are over as He is now releasing an army of sharp prophetic people).

As I left that meeting God spoke to me and asked me a question: Son, that was a good meeting, wasn’t it ? I have come to learn that when God asks you a question, it’s not because He is looking for an answer. No, He is wanting to reveal something in your own heart. So I played it safe and simply agreed with God, thinking to myself, Yes! We saw salvations, healings and accuracy in the prophetic. He followed His question with a fatherly correction and said to me, Son, you were not moved by my compassion for those in the meeting . I discovered then what Paul meant by the possibility of having great displays of power but not having love. The bible says we sound like clanging symbols when we do not operate in love ( 1 Corinthians 13:1 ). Most often the sound of that clanging is not heard on Earth, but in Heaven.

People are impressed with power. Heaven is impressed with love.

When we strive to get more accurate in our words without understanding that the operating system of God’s kingdom is love, we move the focus away from Jesus to other things around us. You see, the greatest revelation we can bring people into is that God is love . That His love was fully displayed in the life, death, resurrection, accession and glorification of Jesus. That when we want to discover what God is like we look to Jesus and how he lived. What’s beautiful about pursuing love is that people get what you carrylong before they get what you say. If you have the measles, you can tell people that you have chickenpox, but they’ll still catch the measles.

A love focus removes performance and introduces authenticity.

Love does not need to look flashy. It does not need to be measured. It does not need to be ‘put together’. Love does not need to strive. Love does not always need correct articulation. What love does is it sees value in people because of the intrinsic worth and image-bearing nature of God in all people. And this is the beauty of our sonship, we get the privilege of loving people simply and authentically, from the overflow of love we have received from Him.

Look for moments that are more than sharing information about people lives. Look for the hook of love in the words you give people. When you do this, transformation happens. Shame is removed and hearts are opened. Pursue love. Eagerly desire prophetic gifts. Simple, but oh so powerful! His love is the demonstration of his power.

It’s Time to Leave the Well

Sat, 22 Sep 2018 15:25:31 GMT

Dylan Long’s desire is for people to not just believe in Jesus, but to live like Jesus. In this guest teaching, be inspired by the woman at the well, who took the Gospel to her town after experiencing an authentic encounter with Jesus. As believers, we’re not called to “stay at the well”, but to take God’s love to our streets, cities and nations.

The Purpose of the Prophetic

Tue, 18 Sep 2018 19:16:59 GMT

— This is an excerpt from Anthony Hilder’s new book Hearing the Heart of Heaven: Developing a Personal Prophetic Culture . —

Prophecy is a spiritual gift – one of many – that God gives the church. Spiritual gifts are abilities that God gives to Christians to harness His power and benefit others around them. There are a couple of lists in the Bible and some gifts seem pretty impressive. Miracles! Healings! Leadership! Others are more mundane and a lot less sexy. Helps – notice, no exclamation mark. Giving. Administration. On a side note, celibacy and martyrdom are also spiritual gifts and I can promise you that the only prayers I’ve prayed about those gifts are that God wouldn’t give them to me.

The point is, though, that God is interested in the ordinary details of life, and living life in a supernatural and loving way. So whilst the seeming boring gifts seem, well, pointless, they are in fact key in doing life well. The more spectacular gifts remind us that as Christians, we do represent a supernatural God not of this world who loves to intervene. Here is another example of truth in tension – we need to live naturally supernatural, and supernaturally natural. This isn’t just cute wordplay, but the tension of living with a foot in two worlds. We err equally if we ignore the supernatural as we do if we overlook the natural.

Coming back to the gift of prophecy, Paul lists it within 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 and Romans 12:4-8 . Both passages are pretty clear that it is a gift. God is the gift-giver and gives according to His choice. So no-one really can boast about something given to them for free. That’s fine, but what is this gift of prophecy? Should it enable me to know what stocks and shares I can buy ahead of time in order to become a zillionaire?

Elsewhere, we’re told that ‘the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy’ ( Revelation 19:10 ). In a court of law, a witness would take the stand. They are called a witness because they witnessed something. They are questioned about the incident by a lawyer, or a barrister if you prefer the British version with the cool black robes and grey wig, and the witness literally says what they saw. This account is called a testimony. So this scripture tells us that prophecy is the testimony of Jesus saying what he sees. When we prophesy, we are saying what Jesus tells us He sees about a person or a situation.

Our own view of God will certainly influence or colour this, which is why all prophetic people should be students of scripture. If we believe that God is angry and judgemental then our words will reflect that. It is equally true that if we believe God is a good God, happy and loving and full of mercy to give second chances, then our words will reflect that.

If prophecy reveals to us what Jesus sees, it goes to follow that it also shows us how He sees something. Paul told the Corinthians ‘the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding, encouragement and consolation’( 1 Corinthians 14:3 ). This shows us the heart of Jesus: what He says to people is for the purpose of strengthening them. We can see that prophecy reveals to us the heart and mind of God – what He thinks and what He feels. This verse in 1 Corinthians 14:3 gives us a threefold purpose of prophecy.

Firstly, the Greek word translated ‘upbuilding’ (Oikodome, Strong’s 3619) is a word meaning ‘building, construction, a physical edifice.’ It is derived from two words: the first meaning ‘house’ (Oikos, Strong’s 3624) and the second meaning ‘housetop’ (Doma, Strong’s 1430). The image suggested is adding to a house by building an extension, or increasing the capacity by raising the roof. One goal of prophecy is to speak words of life and hope that build up and increase the hearer’s spiritual strength and size.

Secondly, ‘encouragement’ is a Greek word paraklesis which, at its root, includes the concepts of coming alongside a person, and calling someone by their name. Putting these two ideas together, we could say that to encourage another is to recognise who someone truly is and walk alongside them whilst ‘calling their name’ – reminding them to tell them their true identity, who they are and who they are meant to be. Interestingly, this is one of the roles of Holy Spirit, who is called the parakletos – the Helper – in John 14, 15 and 16. Encouragement is a huge deal in the Kingdom of God because it is a root of prophecy and a function of Holy Spirit.

Thirdly, ‘consolation’ (Paramuthia, Strong’s 3889) comes from a word containing the concepts of coming alongside, and speaking words of comfort and calm. It suggests elements of tenderness and support, like someone who runs up to a flagging marathon runner to reassure, bring water and bring hope to keep going.

Therefore, we see a threefold function of prophecy: firstly, prophecy should strengthen the recipient; secondly, it should fill them with courage and faith as they are reminded of how God sees them; thirdly, it should comfort them and bring hope in tough times.

As well as these three functions, the prophetic ministry reveals two things that are hidden – God’s purposes in the present, and His plans for the future. We could call the revelation of what He is doing in the here and now forthtelling, and the disclosure of the future could be termed foretelling. Because the prophetic reveals what Jesus sees, we can expect mysteries to be unveiled in the hearts of those receiving prophecy.

This is why Paul tells the Corinthian church that unbelievers should be impacted by the potency of the prophetic ministry and convicted of sin because the secrets of their hearts are revealed ( 1 Corinthians 14:24-25 ). Because of the three-fold function of prophecy I mentioned earlier, I don’t take these secrets to be their private sins – I don’t believe prophecy functions like a microphone, blurting out a list of all the bad thoughts, actions and attitudes of an individual for all to hear. Public shaming by believers of another isn’t congruent with upbuilding, encouragement or consolation. Rather, I think these verses are talking about the concept of forthtelling. If a person’s hopes, dreams and passions, known only to them, are told to them by a stranger who claims to be hearing a message from God for them, I would expect some kind of reaction! At least, the possibility of an increased awareness of God being there. One such response to that increased awareness could be a repentance and conversion.

The prophetic is not just for the ‘there and then’ of the future. It is also for the ‘here and now’ of the present. It is a spiritual metal-detector, discovering the gold hidden by the Lord within the hearts of people so it can be uncovered and enjoyed by all.

Hearing the Heart of Heaven, by Anthony Hilder , is an exploration of the Biblical prophetic gifts. Full of accessible teaching, practical tips and helpful examples, this book will help you develop your own personal prophetic culture. Find out more , or Get your copy today.

Judgement vs Warning

Sun, 16 Sep 2018 18:00:00 GMT

As a follow-up to last week’s VLOG, should prophets give words of judgement , Julian shares the difference between words of judgement and words of warning.

– TRANSCRIPT

So, I wanted to give you guys a quick follow up on last week’s vlog around judgment words and warning words and what the differences are between them. As I spoke about it last week, Jesus took on the weight of the sin upon Himself so we no longer need to worry about the judgment of God because all that was needed to satisfy the requirements to deal with sin has now being dealt with. In other words, for God sin is non-issue in the way that we understand it to be an issue because already sin has been paid for. That means the prophetic is now filtered through who Jesus is in the display of His goodness on the cross. It means that judgment words, which deal with our past, deal with our past sins, deal with our future sins, deal with our present sins, God has already spoken one final word and that was in the person of Jesus. We now find that all of His promises in Christ are yes and amen rather than judgmental.

Now having said that, God does tell us about things that might be difficult. He does prepare us for future events that might be really hard for us to walk through. Here’s the beauty of God’s goodness though, the prophetic doesn’t deal with our sinful past, it deals with our future and the revelation of God’s heart concerning our future. And so, sometimes God might know that there are going to be some things that might be really difficult and so He releases a warning word. He releases a word connected to the future that helps us prepare now for what’s about come. He also release His words over nations and over particular situations that are warning-driven in connection with the heart of those people calling them to change, calling them to turn from their ways, not because God is actively pouring out punishment, not because God is actively pouring out judgment, but because sin always comes with pain. And so, God most often will tell His people, “Turn from those ways. Walk away from that sinful attitude, that sinful behavior,” not in order to bring judgment, not in order to bring difficulties, but to do the exact opposite. To stop us from having to walk through that pain, to stop us from having to walk through those difficulties.

Now, when it comes to natural disasters, sometimes God will warn us not because He’s actively allowing, or orchestrating that natural disaster, but because He’s inviting us to partner with Him to pray. We get the opportunity of stopping natural disasters. You see this in the way that Jesus deals with storms. We get the opportunity to engage with heaven, say, “Hey, Lord, we don’t want this to happen.” And then when it does, and we don’t always understand why God would allow these things to happen, we still get to partner with heaven because we’d been warned in order to bring release and relief to some of those places.

So, God is not judging people with natural disasters. God is not judging people with hardship. God is not wanting to expose sin in order to make us fearful of Him, but exactly the opposite, to invite us into a love relationship with Him so we get to feel His heart concerning those things. Never, ever discounting the cross. Never, ever putting the cross to one side, and in so doing, release judgment on someone. No, no, no. He’s saying, “The cross has spoken.” So, turn that way, turn towards Jesus. Look at what He’s done for you so that you get to live in empowering grace and overcoming victory because of His goodness.

Kingdom in the Classroom

Thu, 13 Sep 2018 18:00:00 GMT

We recently had the chance to get together with our good friend Ella to talk about Kingdom. As a high school teacher, she gets the opportunity to influence the lives of young children every day. Hear her explain why pursuing personal wholeness is important in order to bring Kingdom to those you interact with.

– TRANSCRIPT

Hi, my name is Ella. I’m from Cape Town. And at the moment, I’m working as a high school teacher, which is an incredible privilege because you have these young people coming from very different homes, very different worldviews, very different backgrounds, and you get to spend hours of your day with them. As a Christian and as someone who believes that the Kingdom needs to impact every area of our lives, I find that both exciting and challenging because there is only a set amount of time and there is a curriculum and there are things that have to be done in the classroom.

But there are also these young hearts that are waiting for input and waiting to find out who they are, and are kind of formulating these massive ideas about life and themselves. The beauty of being able to remember that it’s not just about classroom time with them, that there is space outside of the classroom and there’s small moments within the classroom to make these connections that go beyond just normal teaching time.

So investing in their hearts, investing in them as people beyond the curriculum, which is, again, both exciting and challenging. One of the things that I find the most helpful in doing that in a really small, simple, practical way is that I find that the more whole I’m becoming myself and the more rounded out and more full I am in my own identity in Christ… The image I have is of myself becoming full and with my borders fully extended. Each child that comes into my class gets to push up against those borders and my, sort of, parameters.

In so doing, they’re testing boundaries, but they’re also beginning to discover who they are. Their pushing against me doesn’t change who I am, but it does begin to change who they are and begins to resonate something of the Kingdom in very small, simple, practical ways in their lives that they may not even be understanding yet, but that I know is affecting their hearts. So the more whole each of us is becoming in our spheres of influence, the more whole the people around us have permission to become, too.

Should Prophets Give Words of Judgement?

Sun, 09 Sep 2018 18:00:00 GMT

Many of today’s prophets feel the need to prophesy disaster as evidence of God’s judgement of sin. People have often asked me why I don’t give such words. Listen to my thoughts in my latest VLOG, and look out for our next video, which will be a follow-up. Want more on the prophetic? Read Julian’s book Gaining Heaven’s Perspective.

– TRANSCRIPT

So people often ask me about why I don’t give judgment, prophetic words in the way that I do my prophetic ministry. And I thought I could take a moment to tell you why that’s not part of the practice of my prophetic protocol. Very simply put it’s because I believe that Jesus has paid for every sin past, present, and future, so we never need to worry about sin. Sin is not an issue that God is concerned about. When we begin to understand that, it frees us up to engage with the world in a very real and loving way which is the heart of the prophetic. The prophetic comes to demonstrate God’s love to people. Judgment would always deal with the consequence of people’s sin as a response from God to people as if what we do, God then judges through bad events through natural disasters, through times of suffering or difficulty in response to that sin that we’ve done.

I do not see this as a biblical option simply because the Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself and not counting their sin against him. God is not weighing up sin or judgment and seeing what he needs to do in order to rectify the scales of sin and bring judgment on people. That’s not his heart. That’s not how’s he working today because Jesus took on all of the sin and all of the impact and all of the rightful punishment that was due to us and He took it in himself so that you and I get to go free. It’s the kindness of God. And I love that the prophetic now gets to reveal that God is not counting sin. He’s not weighing it up, and he’s not trying to work out the measure of judgment that he now needs to bring in order to somehow rectify the balance.

The prophetic reveals the kindness of God. In fact, it always revealed the kindness of God. Some of the earliest pictures in the Bible around the prophetic have got nothing to do with sin and everything to do with the revelation of God’s kindness and his goodness. That is what Moses saw on that wonderful mountain when he was hitting a cliff off the rock. He saw the goodness of God passed by him. And so that’s one of the reasons why I do not walk in a place of judgment or prophesy about judgment towards others because God is not counting our sin against us. God bless you.

The God Who Provides All

Wed, 05 Sep 2018 18:00:00 GMT

The story of Abraham reveals the heart of a God who provides the very sacrifice he requires. Listen as Julian takes you on a journey to discover how to walk through seasons of testing in order to step into a greater revelation of God’s goodness.

Want to be notified whenever we post a new teaching? Subscribe to Frequentsee Teachings on the apple podcasts app.

3 Ways to Create Family Wherever You Go

Mon, 03 Sep 2018 19:32:34 GMT

Nearly two years ago, I felt the Father inviting me into a new adventure. An adventure on the other side of the world. While I was excited about the opportunity, I was not looking forward to leaving my family. It felt like too big a sacrifice to say goodbye to the people I had been so close to my whole life. I didn’t feel I had the strength to make such a huge sacrifice, but then I read Mattthew 19:29:

And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.

Sometimes, God invites us to do crazy things. Sometimes, He invites us to do difficult things. But know that His invitations always come with promises . As I got on the plane to fly across two oceans and establish myself in a new location, I held on to His promise that as I said goodbye to my earthly family (even if just for a season) He would return to me a hundredfold the very thing I was giving up: family.

Family has always been. From the beginning of time, it has been God’s intention for us to live in family with eachother and with Him. Father, Son and Spirit model it for us, and every day they are inviting us into it. One of the things I find beautiful about being a Christian is that wherever I go, there is opportunity for family. I can seek out those people who share the same Father and speak the same language of love. Or I can invite people into the family. Everyone I meet has the potential to become a sister/brother or mother/father.

A few weeks ago, our Frequentsee team gathered with some people from around the world who have a similar heartbeat to our own. One of creativity, mercy, justice, cultural transformation, joy and laughter. Most of these people I had never met before. But in all my years in “church,” I have never experienced family in a way that made me feel more loved or more like myself in such a short amount of time. The more I encounter it, the more I realise that God’s desire was for us to live in and create family from the very beginning.

There are three things I noticed that helped us establish family together:

Eating & Drinking

Feasting is a central theme in Scripture and oftentimes we forget it. Sharing food (and some good wine) with the people you love is important, and biblical. It’s one of the things Jesus loves to do most ( Mark 2:16 , Luke 5:33-35 , Luke 7:34 , Revelation 19:9 ). Some of my favourite moments with the people I love have happened at the dinner table.

The Highs & Lows

My family gets to see my very worst just as much as my best. I take off my mask and stay true to who I am and what I’m feeling. When I’m with them, I have nothing to prove because I know I am loved no matter what. “Doing life” together means you get to see my highs and my lows. I won’t settle for connecting with people only on a Sunday morning. I instead choose to intentionally invite others into all my moments, from the most ordinary to the most exciting.

The Prophetic

Prophetic encouragement is one of the most beautiful things we get to enjoy as people of the Kingdom. The Holy Spirit gives us the ability to see each other through His eyes–past, present and future. Prophecy has the power to cut right to the heart of everyone in the room, strengthening their love for each other. During our week together, I felt my heart grow big as God revealed the great destiny He has prepared for each of my new friends.

For those who have been looking for family, hold on to His promise to set the lonely into family ( Psalm 68:6 ), and begin to take the steps to create family right where you are. It’s His desire for you!

Tips for Prophetic Evangelism

Thu, 30 Aug 2018 18:00:00 GMT

Our friends Sean and Christa Smith have a heart to equip and empower God’s people to walk in a kingdom lifestyle and to take part in a mighty harvest. In this guest VLOG listen to them share some of their tips on prophetic evangelism. For more about prophetic evangelism, buy Sean’s book Prophetic Evangelism . Or if you want to have a prophetic revelation of God’s purpose over the generation, consider purchasing Christa’s teaching Calling of the Generations.

– TRANSCRIPT

Sean: Hey, I’m Sean Smith. And this is my wife, Christa.

Christa: Hi.

Sean: We’re here and we’re doing this for Julian and Katia and Frequentsee. And we super love them and their ministry. Prophetic evangelism is important because it is the spiritual technology of the future. Everyone is hungry for revelation, whether they’re down seeing a Hollywood Psychic in the states or Long Island Psychic. These are shows in the United States. But all over the world, there’s a hunger. I’ll give you an example of this.

One time, I was in Monterey, California, a very new-agey spot. I walked into a new age bookstore and got a chance to witness to a psychic. The Lord gave me three things to tell her, that I was her sign, that she had been in a bad experience with religion. She ended up moving in with an eastern guru that abused her. And third of all, if she would let go of tarot card reading, God will let her grab on to her true dream.

When I shared these three things with her, she began to weep. She began to cry. She said, “How did you know this?” Now had she said that, it would’ve ended. It would’ve been awesome. But right after that, she extends her hands. I grab hands. She gives her life to Christ, renounces Wiccan and divination, and walks out of the new age bookstore to never do it again. This is the power of prophetic evangelism that would not happen any other way apart from the sharing of the heart and the love of God. Prophetic evangelism puts you in contact with the love of God quicker than anything else.

Christa: We’re so passionate about people grabbing a hold of what it is to be a prophetic not only for yourself. Of course, that’s amazing, and inside the four walls of the church. We love that, too. We do lots of trainings and equippings for the church. But our real passion with the prophetic is to take outside the four walls into the world that God’s given you to influence in the every day of your life and actually bring the voice of God to people that are hurting, broken, lost, and searching.

When you bring a timely prophetic word that’s from the spirit of the Lord, rooted and grounded in His love and His purpose and you call it the destiny of God over people’s lives, in that moment where they’re searching, they’re looking, and they want answers but they don’t have them, you bring Jesus to people through the prophetic. It changes everything.

Sean just shared an incredible story about someone that was in a counter version. It was this life that wasn’t fulfilling. He brings the true word of the God. She was searching, of course. But here, she encountered Jesus, renounced that divination, and then walks in the true revelation of who Jesus is. That’s the purpose of the prophetic. When you grab a hold of that, that everything we do in the prophetic is to lead people to encounter Jesus to his feet with the intent of a deeper walk with him, maybe first-time salvation, it’s everything.

Sean: I would say some tips on prophetic evangelism. Number one, practice the discipline of awareness. Wherever you’re at in the marketplace, just look around your surroundings and begin a dialogue with Holy Spirit as to what he’s doing in people’s lives. The Holy Spirit is always moving. You don’t have to get him to move. You just have to catch on with His movement. And I believe it begins by first asking God to give you a heart for people. And then, when you’re in the marketplace, asking in that moment, “God, what are you doing in people’s lives?” That’s a couple of tips that I think about. How about you, Christa?

Christa: I love that. And for me, I know it’s something I had to practice. And I removed the need to be perfect or nail it every time. And one thing I taught my students when I was running schools of ministry was take the verbiage out is this weird to you or expect someone to feel weird. No one feels weird when they encounter the genuine love of Jesus. And so, I wanna encourage you. Practice. Take risks. Take your ego out of it, and recognize this is about Jesus and having people encounter Him. Their lives will be changed, but so will yours.

Sean: If you’re struggling to hear the voice of God, one of the quickest ways to open your ears is to ask God to give you something for someone else. And in that process, it opens up your ears. So here are some things that we’ve learned in prophetic evangelism. We just wanna bless you with that. Lord, anoint them greatly.

Seth Dahl – Can Children Prophesy

Wed, 29 Aug 2018 18:00:00 GMT

Is the prophetic exclusively for adults? Listen to our friend, Seth Dahl , share stories of how God is speaking to children, and explain how you can encourage yours to do the same.

Interested in teaching your children the prophetic from home? Seth’s video class, Arrows , is a 13-week parenting video class designed to equip parents in raising their children to live a kingdom lifestyle.

– TRANSCRIPT

Hey, guys. My name is Seth Dahl, and I’m author of a book called “Win + Win Parenting” as well as some curriculums for training children in the things of God. And today, I’m guest blogging here for Frequentsee. I’m excited to join you. And I’m gonna answer the question, “Can children prophesy?” And my simple answer is yes, they can.

When we want kids to learn to prophesy, though, we need to teach them how God speaks. So He doesn’t just use English, He doesn’t use whatever language that you speak or that we speak, the different languages, He does speak in those, but He uses so many else as well. So one of the most common languages God uses is pictures and visions. Now, I would say videos for children because it just helps them kind of understand what they’re gonna be seeing in their imagination.

But the quick story about this, my daughter just the other week, we were speaking at a conference, she was helping me, and at the end, during ministry time, she’s like, “Dad, I’ve got prophetic words, can I go give them?” So I said, “Of course.” And she’s running around giving prophetic words. But after, I asked her, “How were you getting the prophetic words?” She said, “I was seeing pictures, I was seeing videos, and I remembered something in my life while I was looking at this boy and I gave him a prophetic word from that thing I remembered.” So there’s three ways when you’re wanting your kids to prophesy that you can help them understand how God speaks.

But another thing that’s really important is why God speaks. You know, 1 Corinthians 14:3 says, “He who prophesies speaks edification, exhortation, and comfort to people.” Now, those are big words for kids so I’ve redefined them to be this: build up, cheer up, and draw near. And if kids always do that, then you have the ABCDs of prophecy: always build up, cheer up, and draw near. You know, one thing I tell kids is that any word from God will lead back to God. Some people have got this wrong over the years. You know, they give prophetic words that push people away from God instead of bringing them near. And so it’s just really important when we’re teaching kids to prophesy, we want our kids to prophesy that when they learn why He speaks, one reason is to bring people back to Him, to reconcile them to Him.

So I was gonna say and I forgot it earlier is 1 Corinthians 14:31 says that you may all prophesy one by one, all may learn, and all may be encouraged. And so with kids, they’re definitely included in the all, but it’s really important you just give them a place to practice and to learn and to develop and to give them feedback. And that way, they’re learning and they’re getting encouraged that they are hearing God and that they are interacting with Him and that people are getting blessed by what they’re saying to them.

So one more fun story and then I’ll go. I had a girl one day in kids church grab my shirt and say, “Pastor Seth, God showed me a dream that He gave to a bunch of kids last night, can I share it?” So I gave her the mic, she took it and said, “Last night, God gave some of you a dream that you were driving a school bus but it had no wheels so the angels were taking it around from country to country to country. Who had that dream?” Like, seven kids stand up. And I was already surprised. But then she said, “That was a dream from God. I’m gonna interpret it for you now, tell you what it means.” And she just unloads this prophetic word. She said, “You guys are leaders, that’s why you’re driving the bus. And you were going from country to country, but the bus is like a bumblebee. And when you go to countries, it’s gonna be like you’re pollinating those countries just like a bumblebee pollinates flowers so that the flowers turn into the fruit that is supposed to be growing.” And she’s like, “You’re gonna pollinate countries so they grow what God wants them to grow.”

And I’m sitting there looking at her like, “Wow, the only person who did this in the Bible was Daniel giving the dream to the King and the interpretation, the prophetic word from the dream.” And I became very aware, yes, children can prophesy, but not just prophesy simple, they can get very detailed, very accurate, very clear, very profound, very strong prophetic words for people, words of knowledge, all of it. You know, children do not have all the filters. You tell them God wants to talk to them, they’re ready for God to speak and they’re not complicating it at all. So to wrap it up and to answer the question, obviously, I’ve already said it, but yes, children can prophesy. Just tell them how He talks, why He talks, and give them a place to try to learn and watch what happens.

Bless you guys, here on Frequentsee. So glad to join you. Maybe one day I’ll see you again soon. Bye.

Learn To Love Prayer

Wed, 22 Aug 2018 18:00:00 GMT

Does your prayer-life need a little bit of inspiration? Listen as Julian teaches through the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew chapter 6, and invites us into a joy-filled prayer life.

Looking for more from Frequentsee? Subscribe to Frequentsee Teachings on Apple Podcasts, and stay up-to-date on all of our latest teachings.

– TRANSCRIPT

Julian: I get the joy of being part of the Kenya and Harvest, my name is Julian. And Katia, my wife, and I get to be part of what God is doing in this house and seeing God break out in some incredible ways. And we’re just hearing incredible stories of God touching people, changing people. The Gospel is good news.

Man: Yeah.

Julian: Well, one of you agreed with me. The Gospel is good news.

Some of you might not have heard this story, but we’ve had a number of people getting healed of Asperger’s. And as a result of that, that story of what God has done in our community has been going all over the world and numbers of other people have started getting healed as a result of that story.

I’m gonna say that again, we have had a young lady in our family get healed of Asperger’s. God did a miracle. Something has changed for her. That story is now being multiplied all over the world, and other people are getting healed, connected to her story. That’s good news.

I love how God breaks in in some incredible ways. And tonight, I wanna share some stuff around a very familiar text. If you’ve grown up in South Africa, and if you’ve grown up in a Christian school, you would have been forced to say this many times. You’d all know this, or perhaps, if you’re a good South African, it’s a prayer found in Luke 11 called “The Our Father.” How many of you have heard of that? I’m glad most of you have heard of that.

So why don’t you turn in your Bibles, please, to Luke 11. Luke 11. And I’m gonna, hopefully, in the next 20 minutes…this is gonna be a miracle, unpack this because I believe God wants to invite you into a whole new dimension of enjoying your prayer life.

Some of you are like, “Really? Is that actually gonna happen?” I promise you, you’re gonna get so happy, you’re gonna want to pray every day after this sermon.

There are one or two of you that believe me.

Luke 11:1 Open in Logos Bible Software (if available), “Now, Jesus was praying in a certain place. And when He finished, one of His disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray as John told his disciples.’ And He said to them, ‘When you pray, say, ‘Father, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come. Give us each day, our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who’s indebted to us. Lead us not into temptation.'” And He said to them, ‘Which of you, who has a friend, will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey and I have nothing to set before him.’ And he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me. The doors are shut and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence,’ in other words because of his insistence, ‘he will rise and give him whatever he needs. And I tell you, ‘Ask and it will be given to you. Seek and you will find. Knock and it will be opened to you, for everyone.”

I looked up that word, “everyone” in the original language, it means everyone who asks, receives, and the one who seeks, finds, and to the one who knocks, it will be opened.

“What Father am I, if his son asks for a fish will, instead of a fish, give him a serpent? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion. If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more would the Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”

Why don’t you open up your hands and say, “Father, please give me some more of the Holy Spirit.”

Audience: Father, please give me some more of the Holy Spirit.

Julian: You, guys, are praying, like, good prayers. Well done.

I love this text because, actually, there are some incredible nuances and incredible truth that we get to learn in this text that is meant to propel us into a prayer life that is world-changing, that shifts things overreaching. So I want you to know that prayer shifts an atmosphere. Prayer releases a dynamic in which we get to partner with the sovereignty of God in releasing His purposes on the earth.

It’s why we pray. Because something happens when we do. This is not just some pie in the sky, or the day that we got a guy, but this is steak on the plate while we wait. Prayer shifts things. There’s tangible results that come as a result. And I love Jesus here because Jesus does something so beautiful. He invites people into His most sacred space. This is an invitation.

I remember when I first started going out with Katia, just after we got engaged, we began to pray together and it was one of the most vulnerable things to do because suddenly, the very deepest part of my heart was being revealed to this woman who I’ve now fallen in love with. But it was kinda like, “Oh my gosh. She’s overhearing something.”

Some of you are like, “That is such a good word.” I’m sure it is.

It was such a deep part of me. It was the most intimate part of me. And Jesus is doing this for His disciples. He’s saying, “I want you to come and have a look. I want you to come and enter in. I wanna give you an experiential model of what it means to be in relationship with the Father.”

Because that’s what prayer is about. Prayer, the word that is “er” is used, is “exchange.” What the disciples are literally saying is, “Teach us how to exchange with God.” This is not just, “Teach us how to talk to God.” This is about an engaging with the Father, but an engaging with God so that there’s a divine exchange that happens. When you engage in prayer, it’s never a one-way. God is willing to come and speak to you. Problem is, most of us leave our prayer time before He’s ever had the opportunity to.

And Jesus is inviting us. In this case, He’s saying, “Come, I wanna show how I engage with my Papa.”

We’ll take this off because the lights… Thanks.

For the Jewish, there was a particular context in which they were hearing this. Because for a Jew to enter into prayer, for a Jew to engage in the exchange with God, literally for them, their understanding was to enter into a blessed state.

Now, the word “blessed” means to be extremely happy. I don’t know about you, but when I grew up, prayer was not a happy thing. It was something you had to tick off your morning list-to-do before you went out and carried out with the normal day.

But for Jews’ understanding, to enter into prayer was to enter into this ecstatic, blissful happiness. I wonder if that describes your prayer life.

God is inviting you to enter into an ecstasy with Him. To enter in ecstasy literally means to be caught up with Him. The greatest expression of union that you have is in the place of prayer. There’s something so beautiful, so wonderful, so breathtaking about praying to the Father. And God wants to invite you into this context.

And not only that, Jesus, when He is praying, when He’s talking about what it means to pray, He’s doing so in a particular worldview. How many of you know that worldview takes us on this bad world? When the realities in the end, heaven comes down and sets up a kingdom over the whole earth and swallows up everything. It’s not our escape from this earth to somewhere else that matters, it’s how we live on this earth that matters.

And you see, Jesus is saying, “You’re not just called to plunder, you see.” And this is the problem with some of the prosperity gospel guys. “Live your base life now, get what you want, but never bring any transformation to where you are.” Listen, friends, some of the greatest…I’ll point to God, the greatest revivals are really some accounts of the Azusa Street Revival.

Do you know how profound that was in racist America? That a black man, called William Seymour, gets raised up to lead the greatest move of God in the century? Do you know how profound that was that white and black people were in the same room worshiping Jesus in racist America, so that there was a unity amongst the churches?

Problem is, we enjoy the plunge of a spoil of revival, but we never learn how to occupy, which is why revival dies. You see, revival is not just about an awakening. It’s about you stepping into what Christ has already purchased for you on this earth through the cross so you get to occupy spaces of influence in order to bring transformation.

Man: Yeah. That’s right.

Julian: You see, what place is meant to be a space that you not only plunder from, not only get your paycheck from, not only get your needs met from. It’s meant to be the place that you occupy in order to bring transformation on earth as it is in heaven.

Man: Yeah.

Julian: “Let your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.” I love this because when we get that, we get to understand that heaven has a boundless and endless supply of resource. And so, the most natural thing…and I love what Jesus does. You’ll see that the first three verses are all God-focused, the next three tablets or verses are about our communal encountering of God. So this is, “Give us our daily bread.” This is the kind of shift that’s happening in response to the goodness of God. And I love this phrase because, again, this is speaking through an eschatological worldview speaking about the end coming. And for us, in the Christian life, we know that the end is not gonna be dire and desperate. The end is not gonna look like the church hiding away in bunkers because the anti-Christ is coming near. “Oh, Lord Jesus, help us.” The end looks glorious.

I have a happy eschatology. It means I believe in a victorious church, not some weak limp-wristed, impotent church. I believe she will be powerful, strong, and releasing God’s glory all over the earth. It’s gonna be a happy day when Jesus comes back, not because I’m leaving this earth, but because He’s coming to establish His kingdom once and for all.

And when we think about the end in our biblical understanding, the end always comes with a feast, with celebration. Sheikah bazooka, I love feasting. If you’re one of my friends, you know that my biggest thing to do is to throw a dinner party. Just last week, a week and a half ago, I made fillet steak with pepper sauce and mushroom sauce after it had been soaked in good red wine, olive oil…because that’s holy…and garlic. It wasn’t from Israel, but it still is holy, just so you know.

And we feasted. And then what we did was, we broke bread together because every time you eat good food…and I just wanna underline good, because there’s some bad food out there. Every time you eat good food, it is a picture of the celebration that is to come. It’s why we need to recover table time in our communities, because having people eat at your table, having people feast on your table is a sign that the kingdom of God is coming.

Because He speaks of a future event, of a party that will silence every other party in history because this one is gonna go on for eternity.

Man: Yeah.

Julian: And I can’t wait for the vintage of wine that’s gonna be flowing on that day because it’s gonna be amazing. But you see, when Jesus says, “Give us today our bread,” that phrase is quite interesting because it has three different meanings. Literally it means, give us the bread that we need today, give us the bread of tomorrow, and make sure that we have enough for today.”

And what Jesus is saying in this context is a little bit more beautiful and profound when you understand it through an eschatological worldview. When you’re understanding through the feast that is to come, He is literally saying, “Give us, today, the bread that doesn’t run out from the table that is to come. In other words, the bread that we’re gonna eat one day at that feast, give us that bread today.”

Friends, I don’t know if you get this, but I’m gonna try and unpack this. It means that every single need that you have today has already been met tomorrow, and you get to eat in that right now. You’re sitting there and you’re trying to make a business deal, and you’re thinking, “Sweet Jesus, this might fail. Give us today the bread of tomorrow. Give us some of the bread that is to come from the table of feasting.”

You see, many of us pray too small a prayer. We pray for what we can get now, when God wants to give us what will come tomorrow, right now. It’s meant to release faith. “Give us a whole lot more, oh Lord Jesus. I need to pray so.”

Now I mean that makes two other things, “Give us today our daily bread.” Bread is always gonna be communal. It means that we cannot eat at this table without giving away to those who have none.

Let me just go here a little moment. Can I go here? Can I touch on that wonderful keyword that’s called “white privilege?” Don’t worry, I wanna say to you, you’re not called. For those of you who come out of white privilege, to which I have, to some extent, experienced, you don’t need to be guilty about that. The whole point of your privilege is that you get to share what you have with those who don’t have. Don’t feel guilty. I wanna break white guilt of South Africans who are white. Don’t live under white guilt, that’s not what God has called you to live under.

The point of your favour is that the bread that you eat today, you get to share with community, with people who have none. People get so nervous when I start touching their political power right there. Not only that, eating bread as we get to do at this table speaks of our union with Christ. It is our participation with who He is because He is the bread of life.

I’ll press on. He goes on to say, “And forgive us our sins as we forgive everyone who’s indebted to us.” This is the kind of term or phrase that is being used in this context. It’s not that forgiveness to us is dependent on if we forgive someone.

How many of you know you are forgiven? Every sin, past, present, and future is now forgiven. You don’t need to worry about your sin. God is not worried about it.

I thought I’d get a thunderous applause at that point.

If you’re like me, I am so aware of who I was before I met Him. That I had nothing to offer Him except my sin. And it’s been a divine exchange that’s happened. I’m gonna try and fast forward this, I know I’ve gone overtime, but please help me. I believe God wants to do something tonight.

“Forgive us as we forgive those who sinned against us.” It’s kind of, like, “You scratch my back, I’ll scratch your back,” that kind of term or phrase that is being used here. In other words, it’s a given that the natural result of being forgiven is that you forgive others. Because you’ve been treated better than you deserve, you treat others better than they deserve. And for many of us, we do not understand this because we do not understand what it means to really live in the realm of grace.

You see, grace operates in this way. Grace lifts us up from where we are in sin, and the law of sin is exactly that, legalistic living. It means that what I owe God, I need to repay Him. I don’t know about you, but I could never repay God anything. And this law of legalism, it’s what I do that counts, not who I am. And what Jesus does is He steps into the place of the law and He lives perfectly for you and for me. And He dies a death that we have been caught up in Him so we don’t have to die that death. “We die in Him,” the Bible says.

He was thinking about you when He was dying on that cross so that all of the ramifications of not obeying the law are completely fulfilled. And what Jesus does is He takes you out of the realm of the law and He lifts you up into the realm of grace. He treats you better than you better than you deserve.

And the beautiful thing about that is I didn’t have to work at anything here. I’m simply a recipient by faith of the grace that He has given me. The problem is when it comes to forgiveness, forgiveness works in the context of the law. Unforgiveness works in the context of the law. When you hold something against someone and say, “You owe me for that,” what you’re doing is, “I deserve better, and you now owe me.” And you fall from grace into legalism when you say, “You need to give me what you owe me. I deserve that. You should not have done that. I want justice for what you did.”

Problem is, the devil is a legalist. And the way he works to accuse you is not based in the realm of grace. He can only accuse you in the realm of legalism because you rightly deserve punishment in that context.

And when you hold unforgiveness to someone else, what happens in that moment is the devil goes, “Mm-hmm. I know who you are. I’ve seen you here before, and you know that you’re a sinner, that you’re a dirty, rotten scoundrel, that you deserve punishment.”

And the problem is when you’re holding someone else in unforgiveness, everything that he says about you is true. You see, to fall from grace is not to lose your salvation. To fall from grace is to come back into a place of legalism where the devil can accuse you of everything that you are not, and be right about who you are not.

And when you live in the realm of forgiveness, choosing to treat people better than they deserve…and I wish I had more time, it’s not letting them off the hook, it’s not saying that what I might have done to you is okay. What you are saying is, “I’m choosing to live in the realm of grace and I will treat you better than you deserve because Jesus has treated me better than I deserve.”

When you hold people in unforgiveness, you will always come under the spread of condemnation and torment because the devil has legal right to shoot at you at that point.

And here’s the end. It says, “Do not lead us into temptation.” A better rendering of that text is, “Do not lead us into evil.” An even better rendering of that text is, “Lead us away from evil.” That’s literally what that verse is saying.

I wanna ask you. How many of you believe God, that your sins are forgiven? In the same way, you can believe God for Him to lead you away from trials and from the evil one. The same amount of faith that it takes for you to believe God, that your sins are forgiven, is the same amount of faith that is needed to say, “God, lead me away.”

It requires that we follow Him. And when you follow Him, it’s not that your life is absent of warfare. It’s that you…warfare is refrained through the context of, “Even though I walk through the valley of death, I know He’s with me because He’s leading me away from the very thing that is trying to consume me.”

Spiritual warfare, sometimes, doesn’t look very pretty, it doesn’t look like shocking with the devil. Sometimes, spiritual warfare looks like saying, “God, lead me out of this. I trust in You. Show me the way to go.” And He begins to show you the way to go so that you begin to walk with confidence. And sometimes, you don’t even feel like walking, so you stand.

Graham Cooke makes this great example. How many of you know that the devil does not have the Holy Spirit? Which means the fruit of the Spirit doesn’t grow in him. Which means he doesn’t have patience. And sometimes, the devil wants to play chicken with you and he wants to see if you will move first.

But wouldn’t it be cool to mess with his mind a little bit? Because you have the Spirit of God in you, which means you’ve got endless patience, which means you can stand when the enemy is running straight at you. And having done all, the Bible says, “Stand.” And so sometimes, spiritual warfare looks like standing and the enemy is coming right at you. And instead of moving out of the way, you stand so that he has to move out of the way.

You see, Christians, sometimes miss their moment of upgrade in the Spirit because of impatience. And that’s the only place the devil can get you at. If you can learn to be patient in the purposes of God, to trust Him in the process, and sometimes, when you can’t see the end, just keep standing because you know He’s a good Abba, working for your freedom, working for your Exodus moment.

If you can just stand and out-patience the devil, you’ll get your victory.

Man: Amen.

Julian: The last point that Jesus makes in this whole discourse in prayer is a very simple one. If you are evil, now, how do you give good gifts to your sons and daughters? How much more will the Father give you the Holy Spirit?

I wanna say to you, He is not holding out on you in the midst of your trial. He is not withholding anything from you in the midst of your trial. You see, when Jesus prays this prayer, He’s inviting us to understand how He perceives the Father, how He understands the Father. He invites you into the most private place and He says, “This is what the Father is like. He guides you away from the attack, not into the attack.”

And the key is simply asking the Holy Spirit to come.

Finding Joy In Generosity

Mon, 20 Aug 2018 19:39:56 GMT

I’ve been thinking about Kingdom generosity and abundance a lot in the last few days. I love the invitation in 2 Corinthians 9:7 to enter into cheerful giving – that means it is possible for generosity to be attached to a whole lot of fun and joy. Many of us may not feel the words fun and generosity belong in the same sentence, but the more I enter heaven’s invitation to live generously, the more I’m convinced that it has the power to inject unreasonable levels of joy into our lives.

Here are my favourite reasons why:

Generosity Opens the Heavens

Firstly, as we give generously, stretching ourselves and our means, we get to let go of the reality of the seen realm and tap into the greater reality of the unseen realm where there are limitless resources and storehouses that never run dry. The fact is that if we allow our bank balances to have the final word on how we live and give, then they will have just that, the final word. We will have tied ourselves to them for our provision, for our adventure, for our blessing. But if we allow heavenly storehouses the final word on how we live, on how we give, then our bank balances will not have a defining hold on us and we’ll be allowing a far greater, richer reality to resource our lives.

Generosity Makes Me Look More Like Him

Secondly, when we give generously it is one of the moments when the expression ‘Like Father, like daughter (or son)’ shines most brightly, for our heavenly Papa is the most lavishly generous being in existence – He is the prodigal Father – and we can never out-give Him, but we certainly can look like Him as we live open-handedly. Everything He does is an overflow of abundant generosity. It makes me smile to think I can look a whole lot like Him as I enter into the adventure of giving.

Is God inviting you to give in a certain area today? Lean into that voice, and take a step towards radical generosity. It’s worth it.

What Is Kingdom Creativity

Sun, 12 Aug 2018 18:00:00 GMT

How can we use creativity to bring the culture of Heaven into our sphere of influence? Our friend Micah Yongo , author of the epic fantasy Lost Gods , uses storytelling to challenge the values and customs of the world, and invites people to imagine something greater. Hear him share his thoughts on Kingdom Creativity. Buy Lost Gods on Amazon

– TRANSCRIPT

My name is Micah Yongo, I’m an epic fantasy author. And I wanna spend a few moments talking to you about kingdom creativity. Because for me, kingdom creativity is just a way of communicating something of the high culture of heaven. Of conveying something of the customs, the values, the truths, the priorities, the norms, the ways of thinking, the rules of inference that ultimately govern that particular culture.

And communicating them in the world in a way that isn’t explicitly Christian necessarily, but that does something to invite people into a place of curiosity. Where they get the opportunity to imagine something of the culture of heaven, without necessarily perhaps being able to articulate that that’s what they’re doing. And so being able to kind of imagine worlds, and ideas, and convey them in such a way that are beautiful, that are engaging, that are actually conversant with the culture that people are already able to relate to. But that are also different and distinctive in some way, that allow people to have their imaginations captured in such a way that allows them to be invited into a process, or into a journey of imagining new realities and imagining new ways even to live, new values, new customs, new norms I think is just a really, really powerful thing and for me, one of the things that have always struck me in my heart as in my approach to writing and my approach to creativity in general. There’s something that Jesus said in his prayer that he taught the disciples when he said that we are to pray for the kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. To actually provide in some way, a conduit, or a currency that joins one reality with the other.

And whenever we engage in creativity, whenever we engage in new, and fresh, and distinctive ways of doing things whereby we’re not relying or dependent upon old norms, or old customs, but we’re actually willing to lean in to the presence of God, and lean in to the Spirit, to allow him to actually communicate something through us or with us collaboratively, it does something whereby it opens people up. Because it’s fresh, because it’s different, because it’s new. And it’s not something that’s kind of stayed and something that’s kind of, they are already accustomed to and used to.

And so it really challenges us, it really challenges me in my approach to writing and in my approach to creativity because it’s not about just resting on old laurels, or resting on old routines. It’s about actually having a space of fellowship with the presence of God. A space of fellowship with the Spirit of God, and inviting him into the writing process. It’s about being in a place of worship. And I think whenever we do that, whether it’s as musicians, whether it’s as songwriters, whether it’s as innovators and whatever context or domain that person is occupying and operating in and it allows the presence of God to breathe on that moment and to breathe on what he’s created. And that’s really where the power is, because that’s really what allows people to be engaged, not necessarily, as I said, just so that they can have the opportunity to meet Jesus, but to be engaged in such a way that it allows their imaginations, and their minds, and their hearts to be changed, and to be invited into a new way of experiencing something.

Can Women Be Elders?

Sun, 05 Aug 2018 18:00:00 GMT

Does 1 Timothy 3 restrict women from leadership? In this teaching, Katia takes a look at what this passage means for Women in the church.

This video includes content from Katia's book, Equal. Get the book HERE .

– TRANSCRIPT

Hi everyone. Today, we’re gonna be doing a video on 1 Timothy 3 and specifically focusing in on the topic of eldership. In this video, I’ll be using the word, “Eldership,” or, “Elder” interchangeably with the word, “Overseer,” which is the technical word that is used in 1 Timothy 3. But most scholars would agree that the word overseer and the word elder are interchangeable. And because eldership makes more sense for most churches today, that’s the word I’ll use. I wanna say, right from the beginning, that many scholars wouldn’t use 1 Timothy 3 as their argument against eldership. A lot of complementarian scholars would rather point to 1 Timothy 2:12 where they find the stronger argument rather than looking at 1 Timothy 3. But today, we will focus on 1 Timothy 3. What’s important is, I’m just gonna quote, an influential complementation, scholar Susan Foh, and she says, “There’s only one valid argument against women being ordained, that’s a scriptural prohibition and that scriptural prohibition is found in 1 Timothy 2:12. ” And really, she explicitly states what many believe, that if you want to have an argument against eldership for women, really you need to be looking at 1 Timothy 2 rather than 1 Timothy 3 because it’s never explicitly stated in 1 Timothy 3 at all.

But we’re gonna leave that to one side and we’ll just look at 1 Timothy 3 together. Well, first thing to note is that the language used in 1 Timothy 3 can sometimes make us feel that it’s obvious, elders should be male because the language is masculine. And if we conclude that then we’ve not really understood how Greek works as a language. Greek is an androcentric language, it means that when it uses masculine language that’s not necessarily a comment on gender at all. In fact it’s very common, in the Greek, for writers to use masculine language when they’re referring to both men and to women. So some examples for us John 3:16, “Whosoever believes.” Well, the whosoever is masculine, that doesn’t mean…no one is interpreting that as only men who believe will be saved but rather that we understand, from the androcentric nature of Greek language, that, though it’s a masculine word, whosoever, that includes both men and women. Another example is Acts 1 where it says that there were…it’s very clear there were both men and women in the upper room. And then we’re told that Peter stands up and he addresses, “The brothers.” Does that mean that he was ignoring the women in the room? No, it’s an androcentric language, it means when Peter gets up and says, “Brothers,” we understand him to be including the sisters in the room as well. And so, it’s simply not good interpretive skills to look at 1 Timothy 3 and say, “Oh, the word for elder, the word for overseer, that’s used is masculine, therefore that must be a comment on the gender of the elder.” That’s just not accurate, that’s not how Greek works. And not many scholars would point to that as proof of the exclusion of women from eldership. It’s important to note also that there are no masculine pronouns in the Greek. There are in English because we have to make sense of the text but, in Greek, there are no he or his involved in the text, we’ve inserted that in the English because we’re trying to maintain some flow in the text. But it’s important to see that because, if not, we’ll read the text as more masculine than it was written in the original in the first place.

I wanna quote a scholar, a well-respected scholar, N.T. Wright, I’m gonna read this because I don’t wanna get it wrong but it’s a very important quote. N.T. Wright comments how Paul refers to the bishop to the overseer as a man. And oh, how much confusion we could bring if we cut the quote there. But he crucially goes on, and this is the important part for us to see. He says his reading of the rest of the New Testament inclines him to think that this is more because that’s how Greek grammar normally refers to both genders together and because, in the very early days of the church, the leaders of most communities were probably men. He goes on to say, “I don’t see it as debarring women from this particular ministry and vocation.” So it’s really important to see that that masculine language used in 1 Timothy 3 is not in and of itself a good argument for excluding women from eldership. If the Greek writer, if the writer in the Greek wanted to put an exclusion for women, they would explicitly need to write, “Women are not included.” And that’s the one thing that’s missing from the text, in 1 Timothy 3, there is no explicit prohibition of a woman being an elder.

But complementarians do point to a couple of other things in the text to argue that this is for men only, and we’ll look at that together. One of the arguments is the phrase, “One-woman man,” or, in the English, it’s, “the husband of one wife.” Again, not many complementarians point to this, some really influential complementarians, Douglas Moo, Tomas Schreiner would not oppose this argument. But anyway, we’ll look at the argument. So when we look at one-woman man, some complementarians would say, “Obviously, only men can fulfill that requirement. And so, obviously, eldership must be male.” There’s a couple of problems with that and Philip 10 is really helpful in setting out all of the problems that you would have if you wanted to interpret that phrase in that way. Firstly, one-woman man is a set phrase, it’s an idiom. It was a recognized set phrase in the day, there’s evidence of gravesites of the day having the phrase one-woman man. And really, it’s not a comment on gender, it’s a comment on faithfulness in marriage. It’s very clearly associated with that, meaning it’s not only excluding polygamy, although, obviously, that would be included, but it is actually commenting on being faithful to your spouse. And that’s why Paul puts it here, it’s a comment that the person was faithful to their spouse in marriage, it’s not a comment on gender. Philip Payne points out that it’s poor hermeneutics, it’s poor scholarship to take one word from a set phrase and elevate it above the phrase so that it becomes a requirement on top of what the phrase already means. This is what he means, “It’s unhelpful, it would be inaccurate to take out man from one-woman man, elevate it as a requirement that elders must be male, as well as the obvious meaning of the set phrase which is faithfulness to your spouse.” That’s simply not done, that’s not a good way of interpreting scriptures, similar to taking the phrase, “Govern one’s household,” or, “manage one’s household,” which is later on in the text, and taking out, “one’s household,” and saying, “oh, this proves that elders must be homeowners. That’s a requirement.” Well, that’s twisting the meaning of that phrase, and that would be doing the same in this phrase, one-woman man is a phrase about faithfulness to a spouse, it’s not a comment on gender.

Another issue with using it as a requirement for male eldership is that it actually isn’t seen as a requirement but rather an exclusion. So scholars, and this would be complementarians as well as egalitarians, most would agree on this that this isn’t saying that it is a requirement for the elder to be married but it is a comment of exclusion. So it is excluding those who are unfaithful to their spouse. If you make it a requirement, particularly highlighting the man part, you have to make the whole original meaning a requirement which would mean that marriage is a requirement. Well, that’s difficult to argue. Paul was the one writing this, he wasn’t married. Paul who wrote this also argues, in 1 Corinthians, that he advises people not to get married. Does that mean he’s advising people to do something that will then exclude them from leadership? That certainly seems difficult to argue. And obviously, Jesus wasn’t married, and I’m pretty sure that Paul wasn’t putting about a list of requirements and exclusions which would even exclude Jesus, theoretically, from fulfilling that office. It doesn’t seem to make sense to make one-woman man a requirement. And if it’s not a requirement, that is not a comment on the gender of the person holding that office.

The other thing that complementarians would point to in an argument that this must be a man who fulfills the role of elder is to point to the requirement for a man to manage or govern his household well. And when Grudem says this, he points out how he suggests how the word for manage there is a word that only is used in the New Testament to reference men and, therefore, it must mean that elders must be men. It’s a strange assertion because, in Romans 12, verses 6 to 8, that word is used there again but, in Romans 12, 6 to 8, there is no masculine language in the English. There are some male pronouns that are put there but, if we look at the Greek text, there are no male pronouns. And so, Romans 12, 6 to 8, is not specifically speaking to men, or about men, but does use the same word in the Greek that we see here for managing their own households. Also, the noun associated with the verb used here for managing is used once in the New Testament, and that one time is used over woman Phoebe in Romans 16. And so, again, it seems strange to start arguing that that is a word only referencing men when we’ve got good examples, in the New Testament, that would argue otherwise. The other thing about this is that, in 1 Timothy 5, Paul speaks to the women and speaks to them to rule their households using a much stronger word, in fact, than the managing households used in, 1 Timothy 3, for elders. And so, again, the argument to say that word managing specifically points to men is a very strange argument to use.

There are some other considerations that we’ve got to put in at this point. The book of Titus has a list for eldership, it’s helpful to note that, in that list, there are no male pronouns as there are no male pronouns here. It’s also helpful to note that, in Titus, it does the same thing as the text here, in 1 Timothy, does, which is opens it up saying, “If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, it’s important to note that the anyone that’s used is not an any man in the Greek but is any human.” In 1 Timothy 3:1 , that’s the word that’s used, the first verse, “If anyone, if any human desires or aspires to this office of overseer, they desire a noble task.” If any of us are still stuck on the masculine word that’s used for overseer, well, we’ll have a problem with verse 1 in 1 Timothy because the office of overseer that’s used in verse 1 is actually a female word. And so, we really need to steer clear from using the argument that masculine language means that only men can be elders.

Another point to raise, which Philip Payne does, he does some extensive work on the statistics involved in the requirements for eldership. And he points out that the requirements for eldership used in 1 Timothy 3, there are so many that are, in fact, all of them are used of the teaching specifically towards women later on in Timothy. And he points out that there are about half of the requirements that are used virtually identically, word-for-word, for the teaching that then is specifically for women. And the other half that aren’t identical word-for-word are conceptually parallel. For example, where the requirement might be to not drink too much wine, the teaching for women is that they should be sober. And so, there’s a conceptual parallel that is the same.

And Philip Payne does some statistical work here. He works out the statistical probability of the phrases being used both for eldership and for women. And it’s really interesting, from the statistics of using just the pastoral epistles alone, the statistics of both of those being the same is six in one million. If you look wider at the whole of the Pauline corpus, the statistics of the teaching being the same for elders as it is for women becomes five in one trillion. That’s quite significant statistics and, obviously, gives us an indicator that this wasn’t just random that Paul happened to use the same phrases when he speaks of eldership requirements and then when he speaks to the women, but rather that he was using the same words intentionally. It certainly seems the probable option that he was using those words intentionally to show that what he was requiring of the women would be able to fulfill eldership functions.

We don’t know how many women elders there were in the early church, we don’t know how many men elders there were because none of them, neither men nor women, are specifically named in the New Testament. But what we do know, what is clear, is that from 1 Timothy 3 we cannot make an argument to exclude women from eldership. If we want to do that, we’ve got to use 1 Timothy 2:12 . And if we do that, then we’ve gotta see 1 Timothy 2:12 as a universal prohibition which would mean, in our churches, not only must we exclude women from eldership but we must stop them from teaching and having authority over even one man. It’s very simple, we’ve got to decide, we cannot have it both ways. Either women are allowed to teach and have authority in our context, in which case, the subject of the eldership should be open, or both should be restricted completely in our churches.

Women in Church Leadership: Understanding 1 Timothy 2

Sun, 05 Aug 2018 18:00:00 GMT

In this four-part teaching series, Katia explains the context of 1 Timothy 2, which is commonly used to restrict women in the Church.

This video includes content from Katia's book, Equal. Get the book HERE.

Part 1: Context

9 Minutes

Part 2: Two Keys

13 Minutes

P art 3: Learning, Teaching, Authority

12 Minutes

Part 4: Genesis Story

12 Minutes

My Journey In The Prophetic

Tue, 31 Jul 2018 19:45:53 GMT

One of my favourite people in the Bible is Joseph. A young man who was rejected by his family because he was a dreamer and then, after many years, thrust into the most influential position over a nation second only to the Pharaoh. It wonderfully displays how God chooses people that seem insignificant and unqualified to change society. It seems to me that God raises people up from the least to the most gifted to champion the cause of Kingdom advance. Everyone has an invitation to partner with God to discover their unique destiny. For some, it will be seemingly insignificant and for others, it will be massive platforms. But all it will be full of adventure and excitement.

Everyone gets to play.

God has given me the privilege of serving Him through the prophetic ministry and people often comment that I am able to prophesy with great clarity, accuracy and power. You would think that to be able to stand in front of a crowd of people and deliver such prophetic words would point to a life that is powerful and confident – but nothing could be further from the truth.

I was born prematurely with Pierre Robin Syndrome – a cleft palate is one of its common characteristics – which severely impacted my speech. Added to this, for most of my childhood I had a sickly constitution. All of this affected me in social settings. I was shy and had a fear of crowds. At school, I dreaded any project that included a class presentation, where I was expected to get up and speak in front of my classmates. I would literally be sick beforehand. In fact, my entire school experience was marred by the ridicule of my peers. Their harsh words pierced me deeply and exacerbated my speech impediment and general awkwardness.

At the age of 9, God began to speak to me about shaping nations and releasing his word to many. It was a simple moment of being aware of how big God is and how much he loved me and wanted me to join him in redeeming the earth.

I began to discover that God would impress on my mind and heart things that would begin to happen, events in our family or what people were feeling. It was as if I was able to pick up things that God wanted me to know. From there I started learning how to partner with God in prayer and how to tell others what I was feeling or seeing. Thank God for great parents who were able to help me navigate my sensitivity to spiritual atmospheres.

Talk about God confounding the wise. He took a boy who had been ridiculed for his speech impediment and gave him a ministry of speech – preaching and bringing prophetic words!

God anointed my speech in order to build His kingdom. He took my weakest characteristics, the most insecure, vulnerable part of me, and made it the vehicle for His purposes. It is divine justice. God uses the weak to disarm the strong.

Are there areas of your life that make you feel disqualified, or weak? Those might be the very areas where God’s strength is going to show. His desire is for you to find your unique space that will unlock your destiny, regardless of what might seem to be holding you back.

Hear more of Julian’s personal journey in his book The Kiss of the Father.

Supernatural DNA

Tue, 24 Jul 2018 19:50:08 GMT

Sometimes I’m a bit too hard on myself. In my attempts to live a ‘supernatural lifestyle’ (whatever that looks like), I often beat myself up when I don’t get something right the first time around. Or I assume that I must have made a mistake if whatever I’ve stepped out to do doesn’t quite go as I had hoped or planned.

I remember going out onto the streets of London a few years ago with my wonderful friend Toni and praying for the sick (or anybody we could find who would let us pray for them!) and wondering what I was doing wrong when we didn’t seem to be seeing any miracles happening as we prayed. I remember walking away disappointed as time-and-again we weren’t seeing any ‘success’, wondering if I was really built for supernatural life after all. Maybe the promise of the miraculous was meant for ‘special’ Christians who were more anointed than I was?

More recently though, I’ve started wondering if my only mistake at that time was to underestimate the beauty and the nature of process. When a child learns to walk or talk no one with any sense is assuming that they’ll be able to do it successfully on the first attempt. In fact, no one with any sense assumes that they’ll be able to do it successfully on the hundredth attempt either! It takes countless attempts for a child to step out until eventually, their stumbles look more like walking rather than falling, and their words become intelligible instead of baby babble. But if you look at their parents during this process, they never once punish the child for falling instead of taking a successful step, or for mispronouncing a word for the hundredth time even though dad has taken great pains to sound the word out correctly for the child to follow.

As we see stumbles and hear nonsensical sounds from the child, no one comes to the conclusion that the child wasn’t actually created to walk or talk. That somehow those are gifts reserved for ‘special’ or ‘super’ children – which as evidenced by their failed attempts, our children do not possess.

In the natural, we understand the beauty and nature of process well. Why then, do we not apply this same principle to our attempts at stepping out in supernatural, Kingdom life? Why do we set up such impossibly high standards for ourselves as if our heavenly Papa is growing impatient with us as He watches us stumble, wondering if we’ll ever get it right?

He has grace for the process, and so should we.

Every time we fall instead of walk, our heavenly Papa is there to pick us up, dust us off and say, ‘That’s ok, we’ll try again tomorrow, you’ll get it eventually – I made you to!’ No amount of stumbling and failure is proof that we were not made for the miraculous or that signs and wonders are reserved for someone other than us. Each and every one of us carries DNA aglow with supernatural life, which means we were created with the miraculous in mind.

If you’re someone like me, who still often finds herself stumbling – resembling more a fall than a walk in the supernatural, take heart. Your heavenly Papa is right there with you with a big smile on His face – attracted much more to your faith than your performance – and is saying, ‘That’s ok my love. We’ll try again tomorrow’.

How To Disciple Well

Mon, 23 Jul 2018 18:00:00 GMT

Much of the Church places a high value on discipleship, but it’s not always done well. In this video, I share two keys which will help you disciple people with intentionality and effectiveness.

– Transcript

Hi guys. I just wanted to share two thoughts around discipling and mentoring with you. This is something I get asked about quite a lot. So I wanted to share the two keys that I found most helpful in discipling and mentoring other people. And the first is around being family together and the second is about keeping people accountable for their destiny. So firstly, family. I think historically, in the church we’ve done a lot of discipleship that’s been meeting-based, organizing time to do Bible studies together or I don’t know, prayer meetings together and it’s not that that’s bad.

It’s just that there’s a lot of fruitfulness that comes from inviting people into family and into life with us. I find it incredibly empowering where I’ve invited people into my space, into my life and they can see the good and the bad. They can see the weaknesses and the successes and when we see in the Gospels that’s how Jesus did discipleship. He invited people in to life with him and to journey with him so that they could learn from his everyday circumstances. And so I wanna encourage you if you’re doing discipling, invite people into life with you, into family with you where they can see you with your kids maybe, and your spouse, and just journey together in everyday life moments, dropping grace moments, lots of empowering conversation in your everyday life. And the second thing is accountability.

I think in the past, maybe, we’ve done a lot of accountability around sin and around weakness, getting together on a weekly basis talking about the things we’ve gone wrong with and asking for prayer about our sins, and I think that puts the focus on the negative rather than putting the focus on the destiny that God has spoken over us. And Graham Cooke talks about Ephesians 4, where it says speaking the truth in love to one another and he makes the point that truth isn’t an idea. He’s a person and He lives inside of you and me.

Jesus lives inside of you and me, and so that verse in Ephesians isn’t about getting to criticize one another and then saying, “Oh, I was doing it out of love.” But is rather about speaking Christ-likeness into one another, reminding one another who we are and who we’ve been made to be. And so I want to encourage you in your discipling, create accountability around destiny, not around sin. Create accountability around greatness, not around weakness. And as we remind one another who God has made us to be and who lives inside of us, then actually sin and weakness fade away because we’re focusing on the glory that God has put on us, the glory that He’s put in us for the transformation of everything around us. And so do family, do accountability around destiny. That’s the most exciting way to do discipling.

What is Kingdom – Eric Johnson

Thu, 19 Jul 2018 18:00:00 GMT

The Church is in the Kingdom, but not all of the Kingdom is in the Church. Hear pastor Eric Johnson, from Bethel Church, share his heart on what Kingdom ministry looks like.

– TRANSCRIPT

Hi, my name is Eric Johnson. I’m the co-senior pastor of Bethel Church in Redding, California, along with my wife Candice. You know, I want to take just a moment and share a little bit about what God is doing today around the world, and even more specifically, what’s happening in Redding, with our church and our people and our community of believers. You know, one thing we do know that the church is in the kingdom, but not all of the kingdom is in the church. And as we’ve been diving and driving down that road of thought, we begin to realize, there is a lot more to the kingdom than we’ve ever realized. As we begin to study and lean into what the Lord is saying, we understand that the way that the…our father, the King, and the way His world works, our passion, and Jesus clearly communicated this in scripture, “I want the kingdom of heaven to come to Earth.”

In our journey for many years of going after this [SP], one of the area that have been really fun to see, it took place just a few years ago, actually. I was called to go to a luncheon at a country club, and they decided, “Hey, Eric, can you come in and just share what’s going on with Bethel,” etc., etc. And I had never spoken at this Rotary Club before. So, it was three months down the schedule. I showed up for this luncheon, and I shared for like 10 or 15 minutes, here’s why we love our city. And, you know, I did talk about God just because I’m a pastor and they knew that. But, I just kept it pretty much to what’s happening in the city, and why we love it, why we do what we do because we’re really engaged in our city in a lot of different areas. Toward the very end of this 10, 15 minutes of just giving them some updates, they wanted to do some Q&A.

One guy rose his hand and he…it wasn’t a question, it was more of a statement. He said, “My job, I’m responsible to keep track of all the startup businesses that happen in Redding. 84% of the startup businesses in the last 12 months are from people that go to your church. They go to Bethel.” I was so blown away by that, but I was really encouraged because we as a team had been exploring the idea, what is ministry? Like, what is it? Is it in a pulpit, is it in a church context, or is it bigger than that?

As we’ve been exploring, we begin to realize that ministry, and this would be my definition, ministry is more about who you are than what you do. Once you find out who you are, then everything you do in life has the potential to be worship to the King, to be ministry to the King. But to hear statistically that our people are so in love with our city, that instead of trying to get behind a pulpit, they’re actually trying to help our city economically, by starting up new businesses is the real spirit of entrepreneurship.

So that’s one of the expressions of this message, of going after the kingdom. What does it look like in everyday life? What is it like in heaven? What is the peace in heaven? What are the ideas, the brilliant, the genius of God in heaven and how can we see that? Not just, imparted into us, but it’s actualized in real life. So, we’re really encouraged by what’s happening and now we’re three or four years down the road from that and we are seeing the business sector of our city actually begin to prosper in new ways.

Kingdom is more than just church. It’s more than just what happened, they are actually supposed to affect your city and your region. And to make it a safe city, an economically prosperous city, low crime, low divorce rate, higher education, it should be all of that. And we do play an actual role in that. Hopefully, that’s encouraging and helpful to you.

Women in Church Leadership: Rebuilding Ruins

Mon, 16 Jul 2018 18:00:00 GMT

Gender equality will be key to seeing Renaissance in the Church and in the world. In session 6 of Renaissance Conference, Katia shares her heart on equality for women in ministry. For more on gender equality in the Church, read her blog on the subject, Is God Sexist?

For more videos from the Renaissance Conference 2018, subscribe to Harvest Church on Youtube.

This video includes content from Katia's book, Equal. Get the book HERE.

– Transcript

Katia: You know, the word renaissance is such a fun one. We’ve talked about it loads and loads already. I wanna bring a little different angle and definition of it. It does mean reawakening, it means rebirth, it also means a recovery of interest in something that has been lost or forgotten. And that’s the angle I wanna look at this morning. I wanna give you a little bit of a warning here. What I’m gonna speak on today is something that I’ve never spoken of before. It is a topic that I’ve been asked to speak on and have actively avoided throughout my ministry time. It is a topic that I’ve told Jesus that I really never wanted to speak on. It is something that I am trying to model with Julian in everything that we do in life, but it is something that I’ve never wanted to preach on.

And yet, here I am. And I felt Jesus speaking to me in the run-up to this conference, speaking to me about a shift in my own mandate, and the shift that’s coming to the body of Christ. And so today is maybe not gonna be the stereotypical revival conference preach. I hope it will bring revival because I believe that it can and it should. But I wanna ask you to extend faith with me this morning because me being up here right now is stretching my faith beyond what you would believe. But I’m gonna ask you to partner your faith with mine. And we’re gonna do something that could be really crazy, but it’s fun if we do it together with Holy Spirit.

I’m gonna start in Isaiah 61. And this is just gonna set the scene for us. It’s already been read part of the passage that I’m gonna read. “The spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.” The spirit of the Lord is power, and sometimes He pounces on us in a way that we don’t expect. That’s okay.

“He’s anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound. To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God. To comfort all who mourn. To grant to those who mourn in Zion, to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes. The oil of gladness instead of mourning. The garment of praise instead of a faint spirit.” Jesus fulfilled all of that. “That they may be called oaks of righteousness.” Who’s the they? It’s us. It’s those who are in Christ. It’s those who have been set free by Jesus that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. You were planted to glorify Jesus wherever you go. They, not Jesus, they, shall build up the ancient ruins. They shall raise up the former devastations. They, you and I, shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.

When I was praying about this conference, I felt God speak to me that He wanted to do something that would shift ancient strongholds. He wanted to do something that would deal with something that has been taking root for many, many, many generations. I felt Him speak to me that the time is now in the body of Christ to bring a shift, to rebuild ancient ruins, to rebuild devastations of many, many, many generations. It’s not because we, as a generation, are special, it’s because God, in His wisdom, is so gracious to us that He is giving us the privilege in this day, in this time, in this season, to rebuild some of that which has been destroyed.

I wanna tell you, if you’re living for revival and when you say that word what you mean is goosebumps, you’re living for too little. If you come to conferences so that you can go, “Ooh, ah,” at all the beautiful things Holy Spirit does and then go home and live your ordinary existence, you are settling for far too little. I wanna tell you, revival is not about your goosebumps. Revival is about God coming and birthing something new in you that will shape the culture of the generation that you live in and the generations to come.

And so, we’re gonna look together at some of the ancient truths that have been built and then destroyed. And we’re gonna adventure together this morning of what it looks like, what it means for you and I to start rebuilding cities that have long stood in devastation. We’re not talking about building with bricks. This is a picture here, a picture of a blueprint that was created that was beautiful, that then was destroyed. This is a picture of truth, of a reality, of an experience that God purposed that was destroyed and tragically, some aspects of that still lie dormant in brokenness today. And it’s up to you and I as the people of God to stand up and say, “I will not accept to live in ruins anymore. I will not stand to see the beauty that God created, the beauty that God purposed lie in destruction anymore. I will give myself to see that beautiful city restored to even greater glory than what was originally built.”

Because as Eric said so beautifully, Genesis 1 is our blueprint, Revelation 21 is our trajectory. And so what God is wanting to do is not rebuild Genesis 1, just there, but actually to build on Genesis 1 in so much glory into the trajectory of where we’re going for Revelation 21. And that is the privilege that you and I have. You are living for too little if goosebumps is the high point of your Christianity.

You know, we talk about changing the world and that’s become such a phrase that’s used so often that it loses its power because we think it’s just a catchphrase, it’s just when people wanna have prophesy over you something nice, they say, “You were created to change the world” And we kind of… It’s lost its meaning. But you were created to change the world. That’s why you are on planet earth. Everything about you was designed so that you would shape the reality around you so that it would look like heaven. That’s why you’re here. If you wanna ask me about what your destiny is, if you wanna ask me about what your calling is, I’m gonna tell you it’s simply this, “Go and change the world.” That’s what you were made for. We were made to rebuild the ancient ruins.

Hmm. Okay, we’re gonna base ourselves in Acts 2 to help us figure out what it looks like to rebuild. Acts 2 is a section of Scripture that we…we’re so familiar with. A revival breaks out, a rebirthing of the people of God, if you like. A reawakening of a picture of what God purposed when He made humanity. It’s actually building on Genesis 1 and leading us into a trajectory at the same time, and we’re gonna pick up. So, we’ve had the moment where 120 people, both men and women, are in an upper room waiting for the Holy Spirit because Jesus told them to wait. And then they get so radically pounced on that they all look drunk. When was the last time we will looked drunk so badly that the world had to ask us “What on earth is going on? What are you taking?” But they did. They all looked drunk.

And then Peter gets up suddenly boldened by the power of the Spirit and he gives the explanation of what’s going on. And he describes what’s happening in this reawakening. He gives a picture of the purpose of what God is doing and, in fact, he uses an ancient prophecy to point out that this has been something God is intending for a long time. And in verse 17, he says…he quotes from the prophecy in the book of Joel, “And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh. Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. Your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams. Even on my male servants and my female servants. In those days, I will pour out my spirit and they shall prophesy. I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” It’s a picture of an ancient truth that was purposed. It’s a revelation of what Kingdom is to look like. It’s an exposing of what we should expect when we talk about revival, and rebirth, and reawakening.

And there’s four things that I see in these verses that marks out what kingdom life, kingdom revival, kingdom renaissance looks like, and it’s these four things. And we’ll only focus really on one. But firstly, kingdom life looks like being marked by the Spirit. Holy Spirit is poured out. That is the promise of God on all flesh.

Secondly, it’s marked by equality. And we will spend most of our time on that today. It is a Holy Spirit outbreak on every man and every woman on the old and young, on servants and free. It’s Holy Spirit breaking out everywhere because kingdom life is about equality, and we’re gonna look at why in just a moment. It’s a kingdom marked by signs and wonders. You know you were created for the impossible. If our lives look to possible, we’re not living in the fullness of what God intended for us. You were created to play in the impossible realm. Everything about kingdom life is touched by signs and wonders.

And lastly, it’s a kingdom marked by salvation. If we settle for feeling all gooey inside and pat ourselves on the back because we’re part of this kingdom, oh, shame other people didn’t get in. We don’t understand our Father’s heart at all if that’s our heart. If your salvation is enough for you, you don’t understand your Father’s heart. I have a wonderful boy and a wonderful girl, and if I lost my boy and my girl said to me, “Oh, shame. He’s lost, but you’ve got me. Isn’t it great that I’m here?” She would not understand my heart at all. That’s part of the point of the story of The Lost Son in Luke 15. The older brother isn’t first. If he truly was marked by the heart of the father, that older son would be scouring every neighborhood on planet earth to bring back his younger brother, but he didn’t have the father’s heart. It’s a kingdom marked by the Spirit, a kingdom marked by equality, a kingdom marked by signs and wonders, and a kingdom marked by salvation.

Let’s look at the equality. You know, we read this prophecy and we so often focus on the mode of revelation that it’s talking about, “Oh, there’s gonna be prophecies. There’s gonna be dreams, there’s gonna be visions. It’s awesome. And that’s what we focus on. I can promise you that’s not what the hearers of the day we’re focusing on. They weren’t focusing on the mode of revelation, they were focusing on the people who were allowed to have the revelation because it was scandalous and it was offensive in the day. Even when Joel prophesied it, and in Acts 2, the hearers would be thinking, “What on earth are you talking about? This does not fit my worldview.” Because Peter is talking to primarily Jews. And he starts off saying, “This is what God promised, I will pour out my spirit on all flesh.”

It’s a kingdom of equality where racism and nationalism have no part to play. I wanna say, just as a caveat before this, God loves diversity. No part of what I’m saying today denies the beauty of diversity, but what the kingdom is about is celebrating diversity whilst totally allowing for the rights, the worth, the equality of authority of every single person, whatever camp of diversity they come from within the kingdom. And so, when God says, “I will pour out my spirit on all flesh,” the Jews who were listening, that nationalistic pride of the Jews is saying, “Wait a second, God belongs to me. I’m a Jew. The Holy Spirit is my portion.” They weren’t thinking, “Oh, wow. We all get to prophesy.” They’re thinking, “Am I hearing you correctly? That you’re trying to include gentiles into this promise?” And they’re offended immediately. But racism and nationalism have no part in the kingdom. I’m an Armenian ethnically.

Armenians have so much nationalism, it’s hilarious. There’s so much pride. You meet an Armenian and they’ll tell you their ancestry, and they’ll tell you how we really are the original Christians because Noah’s Ark landed on Mount Ararat, which is in Armenia. “Don’t you know we’re the real people of God? Everyone else is secondary.” Some of their oldest manuscripts of the Bible are in Armenian. “So, there you go. I’m superior to all of you. I hope you know that.” There’s such a sense… I make light of it. I love being Armenian, by the way, but I do make light of it. But there is a real sense when you meet Armenians that there’s something just…we have an edge on the rest of humanity. You laugh, but I notice it in almost every nation when a move of God comes. Revival’s gonna come to South Africa and it’s gonna come through South Africa and the world will wake up and notice South Africa. I love South Africa, but what I wanna tell you, if revival breaks out here, it has nothing to do with South Africans. It has everything to do with the grace of God.

Racism and nationalism have no part in the kingdom. God loves the nations. He loves the different colors. He made it so, so beautifully like a tapestry showing His manifold, His multicolored, His multifaceted wisdom but I wanna tell you, primarily, you and I belong to the Kingdom of God, not to the nation that we’re born in. And we’ve gotta be really, really careful that our Christianity, and our Christian experience, and our revival experience doesn’t tip into a national sense of pride as if our nation is the hope of all of the world, rather than understanding that it is the grace of God and the goodness of Jesus, that is what’s gonna transform the nations. Spirit will be poured out on all flesh. We’re gonna skip the next sentence because that’s where we’re gonna spend most of our time. “But your young men will see visions. Your old men will dream dreams.” I’ve heard so many sermons on why the young men see the visions and the old men see the dreams, and honestly, I think it’s irrelevant. We’re missing the point. The point is that ageism has no part in this kingdom.

We talk about, and you’ll probably have heard this phrase, that children don’t have a junior Holy Spirit. Absolutely right. And the elderly don’t have an elderly Holy Spirit. Sometimes we relegate the old and the young in our communities like they’re either too immature or past their sell-by-date. Listen, if you’re still on planet earth, there is still ruins for you to rebuild. There’s still effect that you are created to bring in the nations. As a community of God, we’ve gotta stop treating the older community like, “Oh, sweet. Okay, let’s get on with the real stuff.” If you have a pulse, you better be getting on with the real stuff. Yes, doctor. “Even on my male servants and female servants.” Do you know how offensive that would be in the day? It’s talking about the slaves. It’s talking about the lowest in the class. It’s talking about the people who were ignored, the people no one would say hello to because they didn’t need hellos. They just needed instructions for work they needed to do.

Classism has no part in this kingdom. No part. And these verses are a renaissance, a reawakening of original purpose laid out in Genesis 1. And we’ll look at that in a moment. Where it’s telling us about the equality of worth and value and authority in the kingdom. And asking us how you and I, we will rebuild that ancient ruin. Because it’s the purpose of God that’s long laid dormant. And I know there are so many in this room… And I’ve been in South Africa for three years and I believe this is a timely word for this nation. This isn’t the part I’m gonna focus on, but just let’s stay here for a second.

There are so many people in this room who do so much to rebuild this ancient ruin. Who are giving themselves, and I honor you. But I wanna ask us as a community, as a people, to keep giving ourselves to this end that all men and women, no matter what class, no matter what color, no matter what age, would find themselves in a kingdom where they are honored for worth, and value, and kingdom authority. Because that is the intention of God. And if we’re not building that, then we’re settling for too little because that’s what we were made to build.

I didn’t give you the title of this sermon. I should have, I suppose. The title of this sermon is Rebuild the Ruins, stop picnicking on them. I feel like too many of us have got so comfortable with our picnic blankets amongst ruins because as long as we’re eating, and as long as we’re fine, and as long as we’ve kind of made a makeshift settlement on those ruins that serves us, it feels okay. But there is an ancient ruin that was created to be glorious and magnificent. An ancient ruin that when it is built, in its full beauty, will radiate the glorious purposes of God. And so, you’re settling for too little for yourself as well as everyone else when you picnic on a ruin.

Let’s focus on the bit that I’m most excited about. A bit that makes me just a little bit nervous. “And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.” You know, the Jews who we’re listening we’re used to the idea of men prophesying. If you kind of do a ratio of male prophets to female prophets in the Old Testament, it will tell you that the male was to be expected, the female was more rare. And so, they didn’t really have so much of an understanding that women were to be caught up in this same thing until Jesus came on the scene and radically changed perceptions.

But at this verse, “Your sons and your daughters prophesying,” is reawakening in us, is bringing a renaissance of a tree that was planted right at the beginning of time in a garden where God made male and female in beautiful equality. And this verse is telling us there is something beautiful that has long since laid dormant for generations, that has been a ruin for generations. But it’s time. It’s time to start rebuilding. It’s time. It’s time to put the walls of this ancient ruin back together again. Because until we do, until the nations see the sons and the daughters of God rising up in full authority, we will not manifest all of kingdom glory on the earth. It is must, it is a necessity. This isn’t an optional extra. And I wanna tell you, this is not a women’s issue. This is a church kingdom mandate, and we have to listen to what Scripture is saying. We’re gonna look at Genesis 1 because some of you were looking terrified, more terrified than I feel inside. That’s okay. But we’re gonna look at Genesis 1 together. Feel free to flick there.

Goosebumps is aiming far too low, guys. Let’s start rebuilding. Genesis 1. We’re gonna look at verse 26. “And then God said, let us make man in our image.” The word man is actually Adam because Adam is both a name in Hebrew, depending on how it’s written, but it actually is primarily firstly the word for mankind. “Let us make mankind. Let us make humanity in our image, after our likeness. Let us give them dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens, over the livestock, over all the earth, over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” You were given authority over creepy crawlies. That makes me feel super happy right now.

And so, God created man in His own image. He created mankind. He created humanity in His own image. In the image of God, He created him. Male and female, He created them. We’re gonna look at lots of different things here.

Firstly, I want you to notice everything that God creates up until this point, He creates according to their kind. The fish of the sea, He created according to their kind, the animals He created according to their kind. Everything He creates, everything that’s living and breathing, He creates according to its kind. But the poem in Genesis changes when He creates mankind. Because for the first time in creation, God doesn’t create according to their kind, He creates according to His kind. You were created according to His kind. You were created supernaturally with the DNA of God in you. And when you come into believing in Jesus, and when you allow yourself to fall on His beautiful grace, and when Jesus sets up home in you, everything of the kind you were created to be wakes up in you. There’s rebirth of the supernatural DNA that is in you. I wanna tell you, you were created according to the God kind and so we get to live according to the God kind. Male and female, He created them.

You know, God is so meticulous in how He creates. It’s quite fascinating. And in each moment, in each step, He creates part of the world and then fills it with whatever is allowed to fill that space. And He creates somewhat of a hierarchy in that. Who creates the oceans and fills it with the fish? And the fish, have given this kind of space. That’s their area. And He creates the ground, and the earth, and the plants. And He creates livestock and animals to fill that space. And He’s kind of meticulously orderly creating a space, filling it, creating a space, filling it.

And then, of course, it culminates in this beautiful moment where He creates mankind, male and female in His image. And He gives them rulership over all things. And He says, “This is the earth, fill it. And Eden was this perfect little pocket on the planet, but the mandate of a man and woman was to fill the entire earth, was to subdue the entire earth so that the glory of God would cover all things. It was the mandate to bring the dominion of God everywhere, not just this pocket in Eden. Sometimes our churches are like our little pocket of Eden. We’re settling for far too little. Your mandate is the whole world.

But as He’s been so meticulous, meticulous to the point, and we’re gonna get a little bit technical here. But He was meticulous to the point of, “You have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” It seemed so random. Why didn’t He just say like, “You have dominion over everything.” It’s like so over the top, meticulous. But He is being meticulous on purpose because He doesn’t want there to be a misunderstanding. Funny though that there’s been a misunderstanding for so many generations. Because what’s happened is even though He was so meticulous in stating every single place of hierarchy and dominion, what we’ve done is we’ve entered in our new version of hierarchy because God must’ve forgotten, which is the moment where He told Adam and Eve, “But Adam, you’re the one really in charge, and Eve, you’re the one to follow.” As if God was interested in pointing out authority over the creepy crawlies, but He forgot to mention how one half of humanity would have authority over the other half.

How have we done this? How is it possible that we have allowed ourselves reading into this passage, something that is never mentioned, something that is, in fact, explicitly refuted in the mandate where God speaks to both men and women telling them to rule over all things. I tell you, it’s an enemy ploy, and it’s a genius one. “How to incapacitate half the body of Christ overnight.” Tell them they weren’t really made to rule. Tell them they weren’t really made to be leaders. Tell them that actually they were meant to be the followers and it was someone else to rule. And I wanna tell you, this is not about feminism because feminism doesn’t have its roots here. This is about being deeply biblical. This is about ancient ruins that come far before feminism. Sometimes people tell me that I’d been won over by culture, not so. I’ve been won over by the Bible. Should we keep going? Are you okay?

Together: Yes.

Katia: You know, women, you and I have a responsibility to hear the voice of God and do what He tells us. No excuses. I wanna stop hearing that, “Oh, I didn’t get my chance,” and “Oh, nobody told me to do this,” and “Oh, poor me.” God said to you, let’s look at it again. “Rule.” Okay, let’s look at verse 28. God said to them, plural, presumably, that means Adam and Eve. “Be fruitful and multiply.” Okay, how was Adam to do that exactly without Eve? “Fill the earth and subdue it.” Men and women have dominion, have rulership, have authority over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the heavens, over every living thing that moves on the earth. No excuses, ladies. It’s not okay to say, “Someone told me that I wasn’t allowed to rule, so I gave up on the destiny that God put on me. So I didn’t listen to the word of God spoken to over me. So I ignored the mandate that was over my life because someone else other than God told me that I wasn’t to rule.”

It’s right here. It’s in black and white. You were created to rule. And I wanna say this again, this is not a women’s issue and the reason is this. When God creates Eve, and we’ll look at beautiful way, He does it, because it’s so profound, but when God creates Eve, He’s looking for a helper, a helpmate. It’s such an unhelpful word, but it’s the word “ezer” in the Hebrew. It’s a word that is used most often throughout the Old Testament of God. It’s a word that is not at all someone who is secondary or someone who is an assistant, unless you feel that way about God, in which case, we’ve got more issues than male, female equality, but it is not about someone who just doesn’t have as much authority, but might be able to be like a substandard, “Come alongside me and given me something sometime.” No, that’s not what it was. The word ezer is someone who is much needed, an the absolute necessity, if not, your destiny will not come to pass. It is a word of strength, it is a word of power, and it is a word of absolute necessity. Listen here, men in the room. You need women to fulfill your destiny. You need women to be all that they were created to be if you are going be all that you were created to be.

This is why I say, this is not a women’s issue. This has so long been relegated to, “Oh, that’s that feminist group in the corner who just can’t be quiet and just can’t have their place in the back.” No. This is why this is an enemy ploy. Not only has it incapacitated half the body of Christ, but it’s taken the legs out from the other half too. Because Adam needed Eve. He couldn’t do his mandate without her. Not without an Eve who didn’t understand who she was, which is actually how we got the fall in the first place, so let’s not go there. But he needed an Eve who knew who she was. An Eve who was fulfilling her destiny.

And women, we need the same from our men. We need men who know who they are, who are not making apologies for being men for too long. And this is why I would wholeheartedly say I am not a feminist for too long. The feminist movement has emasculated our men, has made them feel like somehow, they need to apologize for being men. That somehow, they need to go lower so that women can be elevated. That is not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about equal value and equal authority. I’m talking about men and women rising up to see the glory of God cover the Earth. I’m talking about nothing short of that. But I wanna say this. If we hadn’t let this become ruins for so long, feminism would have been unnecessary.

And the church, rather than looking down on women who are desperate to prove that they were made for more than something that the world has told them… We’ve got to start owning up to our responsibilities, the people of God, and saying, “We’ve done something so wrong. We celebrated the ruins rather than rebuild from them. We have sat and picnicked on them and make theological reasons for why God’s word isn’t really telling us what it’s telling us. And we wonder why the world is in such disrepair. And I’m speaking to both men and women here because, girls, we’ve got just as much responsibility as the men do. Male and female, He created them. He created them together to change the world. You know, so beautiful the way God presses home, how man and woman need each other. We’ve made Genesis 2 a story about male authority. So, it’s really sad because we’ve lost the beauty of what God is doing. God creates Adam first, and it’s cool. The Hebrew is playing on words all along. So, Adam, mankind, gets his name from the dust of the earth, which is adamah in Hebrew. So, there’s a play of words. Adam was made from the ground. Adam was made from the adamah.

And then there’s this kind of community-finding expedition. And God brings all the plants to Adam. Not so much all the plants. Brings all the animals to Adam and He says, “Name them” And Adam starts naming them and starts seeing what the living creatures are. And we’re told in verse 20 of Chapter 2, “The man gave names to all the livestock, to the birds, to every beast.” And we say that was Adam’s authority being proven, and, of course, because Eve wasn’t there, she’s lower in authority. It’s a little bit odd because there’s nothing in the context that talks about authority, but then very next sentence helps us what the point of that moment was. But, for Adam, there was not found a helper fit for him. The whole point of that introduction to animals and naming them wasn’t about because, listen, naming in the Bible again and again is about understanding what the purpose of that creature is. If you look throughout, there’s this naming that is a recognition a of what that thing was for.

And so, Adam sees again and again animal and he recognizes what they’re for, and he gives them names according to their purpose, and yet at the end of it, which was God’s point all along, Adam’s still left standing alone because there wasn’t a single thing in all the world that would fit the purpose of standing alongside him. It was a community-finding expedition. And why did God do it in that way? Because He was trying to show to all of humanity “You were made for each other and you need each other because you will never fulfill your destiny without one another.” And so… Then He does this beautiful thing when hunger is created in Adam’s heart, when suddenly the revelation comes to Adam, there is nothing in all of creation as beautiful as it is that is fit for me.

God puts him to sleep, and for the first time in the creation, He doesn’t build living creatures from the ground, He builds it from the man. Why? Same substance. Equal substance. If God had made from the dust, there could have been confusion. Not that there isn’t now, but there could have been confusion. Oh, maybe it was a different substance. Maybe Eve had substance akin to the livestock, not substance akin to Adam, not so. God did it in a way that would not bring confusion.

He made them of one substance. And He brings the woman to Adam. Oh, now Adam is overwhelmed because he’d seen creature after creature, after creature that was not fit to fulfill destiny with him, and suddenly he sees her and he goes, “Oh my goodness. At last. At last. After all of that searching through every creature, at last, here she is. Flesh of my flesh, and bone of my bone, absolute equality of essence, and substance, and authority, and worth, here she is. She shall be called woman.” And he didn’t name her because he had authority over her, it’s wordplay in the Hebrew. Ish is man isha is woman. It wouldn’t have worked to say Adam and Adamah because that would make her ground. It’s not an authoritative naming. It’s saying, “She’s of my substance. She’s of my substance. At last here she is, of my substance.”

We are created of equal substance, you and I, young and old, black and white, male and female, slave and free, we’re created of equal substance. I’ve heard it so many times, “Oh, no, no. We’re equal in value, not equal in authority.” Not So. He gave them both rulership. We have to rewrite the Bible if we want that to start making sense. But do you? So many are trying so hard to do it. You know, women are the single-most oppressed people group on the planet. It’s not people of color, it’s women. You know, in India and China, there’s a generation of girls that are literally missing. They don’t know what to do with the stats because the birth rate isn’t correct. It doesn’t make sense. There’s a generation of girls that have gone missing and the Church has got to own up and say, “We have preached from the ruins rather than we building them.” And we’ve got to a point where the world believes that women are worthless, women are of less substance, women are not worthy of even taking their first breaths. And you and I have got to take responsibility for that because Isaiah 61 makes it clear, it was our responsibility to rebuild the ancient ruins.

We can’t say, “Oh, but culture has done this. Oh, but it’s the principalities. Oh, but someone else did this.” No. You and I have done it. And I wanna ask you today, will we let it continue on our watch? Or will we stand up in the true essence of revival, marked by the Holy Spirit, marked by signs and wonders, marked by salvation, allowing equality to mark us so that we give the world at picture of what God intended, so we start rebuilding the ancient reality, the experience, the truth that God created? Or will we still sit on our picnic blankets and hide our heads in the sand? It’s time. It’s time.

And some of you are asking, “What about 1 Timothy 2 and Ephesians 5?” I’m so glad you asked. I’m gonna take 10 minutes to tell you why we’ve got it wrong. 1 Timothy 2. Feel free to flick there, you don’t have to. I’m gonna read not really too much of it. I wanna set the setting for you. 1 Timothy 2 is to a church in Ephesus, a church that is in big trouble. Oh, man. You read that book, and if the false teaching that was there doesn’t smack you in the face, you’re not reading it right. There was false teaching about genealogies. There was false teaching about the law. There was false teaching about marriage and food and to need to abstain from them, which really actually explains 1 Timothy 2:15 . Anyway, there was false teaching everywhere. We’re told that the false teaching didn’t come from the fringes, but if you read Acts 20, it tells you that it came from the eldership, not a healthy church. Who wants to sign up to a church where the elders are heretics? Anyone?

Everyone’s like, “Why are you looking at me?” No. No, none of us. That’s the point. None of us wants to sign up to this church. Not a single person wants to be part of this church, and yet we’re told, “Oh, into this context, Paul wrote his thesis of Theology.” What rubbish. It is. It’s nonsense because no church leader on the planet would do that. No one would go into a hot, crazy, messy church where the elders were heretics, where there was false teaching everywhere and start going, “Oh, but let’s just talk about a church order and basic theology.” That’s not what church leaders do. That’s not what Luis and Edna do when they go into a church that’s in trouble. They start talking about where the trouble’s coming from. They start addressing the issues. And we know that Paul did that because in 1 Timothy 2:2, and I really don’t have time to do this fully, so you feel free to read some really good books. Should I tell you some good books to read on this in case you want? Gilbert Bilezikian, “Beyond Sex Roles.” It’s a good book. Read it. Philip B. Payne, “One in Christ,” read it. It’s a really good book. Those are two, those will keep you busy.

Man: And your book.

Woman: And your book.

Katia: And my book, I’m reading a book…writing a book on this that I will be out hopefully by the end of the year. But the point is this, it’s not about that. There’s lots of really good material. I’m not making it up, but I’m gonna do a quick summary.

1 Timothy 1 talks about all of the false teaching. And Paul’s telling Timothy, “I told you to stay in Ephesus because this church is in trouble. And I told you to stay there to combat the false teaching and to combat the false teachers. And then he says, 1 Timothy 2, “To that end, first of all, then,” the point being, if you understand the Greek, 1 Timothy 2 is talking about the false teaching from 1 Timothy 1. This is not generic teaching. He’s saying, “This is all the issues that this church have, therefore, these are the things that you need to put in practice to combat that.” Notice none of this is theology. He’s not saying these are the beliefs that you need to follow, he’s saying these are the practices that will combat the spread of false teaching. Very important distinction.

And he says, “These are the practice changes that need to happen.” Pray for all authority. Why? Because part of the false teaching was bucking authoritative figures, were saying, “I know more than you.” How do I know that? Well, 1 Timothy in the Chapter 1 talks about some of the false teachers. If I can find the verse, I might not be able to, but they wanted to teach the law without knowing what they were speaking about. So, there was people in this community who thought they knew more than they did, and they were talking about it. And they were pushing forward to teach their views.

They didn’t respect authority. And so, he says, “First of all, buck that trend by praying for those in authority. Not for those in authority in the church, in fact, for kings, for rulers. Take it wider. Give these people an understanding of how to respect authority. Then he talks about the men and he says, “Give them men this instruction that they shouldn’t fight every time they pray.” Who wants to go to that prayer meeting that keeps ending up in a brawl? This was not a healthy church. And he says to the women, “Women should start learning quietly”. Oh, the translators haven’t helped us here. It’s three times in this chapter Paul uses the word that we translate quietly. It’s strange because it’s not a word about volume, it’s a word about peace. And if you understand the false teaching that repeatedly we’re told in the six chapters brought quarrelling, division, disunity, you’ll understand that what this community needed more than anything else was a restoration of peace. And it’s translated more accurately at the beginning of the chapter where it talks about living a peaceful and quiet life. It’s the same word. It’s not about volume. Paul isn’t saying, “Don’t go and make noise as you live,” he’s saying, “Don’t bring division as you live.” And then he says, “Women should learn quietly.”

He’s not saying don’t talk, he’s saying, don’t be divisive as you learn. Why? Because in this community, women were learning divisively. They thought they knew more than they did. They were attacking their teachers. They were saying, “Let me give you my idea.” How do I know that? Because the whole context of the book is people who thought they knew more than they did. And he uses… So that’s verse 11. “Women should learn quietly.”

Incidentally, in Jewish culture, if you learnt, it was setting you up to teach. That’s why it was so scandalous when Mary… Some of you are like, “What the heck just happened?” That was why it was so scandalous when Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and learnt. She took the posture of a disciple. Disciples existed to learn from the rabbi until they were able to do what the rabbi did. And what does Jesus do when everyone is having an absolute crazy moment? “She can’t be doing that. Get back to where women were intended to be, in the kitchen, Mary. Know your place.” And Jesus says, “Not so.”

She’s chosen the thing that was intended for her. And so, when Paul here says, “Women should learn and do it peacefully,” he’s being countercultural because he’s saying something. Do you know in Ephesus at that time, we had not a single record of a female student? Do you know that? All the ancient lists of students, not a single female name. Paul was being incredibly pro-women. In a culture where women did not learn, in a culture where there was no context for a woman to learn, Paul says, “Let them learn, but let them do it peacefully because they’re not doing that right now.” They’ve suddenly come into freedom in the body of Christ and they don’t know what to do with that freedom. And they’re being deceived by false teachers. How do I know that? It says it in 1 Timothy 5, it says it in the book of 2 Timothy, where it pinpoints how it was the women who were being so easily deceived. And, in fact, right here it says it in 1 Timothy 13 and 14 where it talks about Adam being formed first, then Eve, for it was the woman deceived, not the man. That’s not anchoring the point on women not teaching, it’s anchoring the point on women learning well. Because let me ask you this, is deception a problem about you teaching or is it a problem about your learning?

You’re only vulnerable to deception, not when you’re speaking. I’m not vulnerable to deception right now. I was vulnerable to deception when I started learning this if I wasn’t learning it well. If you don’t know the truth well, you will be vulnerable to deception. What happened in Genesis? What happened when the serpent came to speak to Eve? She misquotes God. Why is it significant that Adam was made first then Eve? It’s significant because the instruction about not eating from the tree was given to Adam, not to Eve. It’s actually the only instruction that we read of the things that God said to mankind that was given to Adam only. It was the part she needed to learn. Unfortunately, it was a part that she didn’t well.

So, the significance of Adam coming first then Eve is not a significance of authority hierarchy. It’s a significance of, Paul is saying right here to this community, “You men have come first in education. You men have come first in understanding Scripture. Women, understand this, you need to learn well. You need to buy your time. You need to understand this truth. Get it into you, get it through you so that when you speak it, you’ll speak it accurately.” He says, “I do not permit a woman to teach or have authority over a man.” It’s not actually, “I do not permit.” It is the words, “I am not permitting.” It is not a universal command.

If you understand the Greek, it is the time where Paul uses something, a phrase that is his advice in a moment, not a universal teaching. It’s the same structure that he uses when he talks about singleness. He’s not saying a universal instruction of everyone must be single. He’s saying, “It seems good to me in this moment.” And he is saying to Timothy right here, who incidentally is the only reader of this letter, it was not a book written to an entire Church. He’s giving it to Timothy who doesn’t know what to do with these guys. And he is saying to them, “Let your women learn. Let them learn in submission to truth and to authority, because if not, they’ll do exactly what Eve did because she didn’t know the truth properly.”

One more minute in 1 Timothy and then we’ll go to Ephesians 5. 1 Timothy 3, section on eldership. I’m just trying to anticipate what questions are coming. You know, this is where the English doesn’t help because in our Bibles today, there are loads of male pronouns. He, he must this, he must that, that don’t exist in the Greek. Not a single one of them exists in the Greek. We borrowed them because the word for elder is a male word. And so, we’ve used it based on our assumptions from 1 Timothy 2 to prove that eldership must be male. Here’s the problem, John 3:16 , “Whosoever believes, though whosoever is male.”

Greek is a language where words are male, female, or neutral, but the reality is every academic under the sun will tell you this. The gender of the word is not necessarily a comment on the gender of the person required to do it. If we read the Bible like that, us girls, better pray for something miraculous because we ain’t saved. I’m not being funny. I’m being truthful. You know, so many sections of the Bible are male-orientated. That’s not a comment on gender. That’s just the reality of the culture. But we can’t do something here that we don’t do anywhere else. We’re not allowed to do that, but we’re doing that based on assumptions based on hierarchy that we’ve implanted into Genesis 1, based on trying to make 1 Timothy 2 say something it’s not saying because I forgot to follow through of my teaching about peace, that women should learn in peace.

And women, “I am not permitting a woman to teach or have authority over a man, but she must be quiet,” which is the word peace again. Seeing as teaching or authority are not in and of themselves mutually exclusive with peacefulness, it’s telling us that something was going on in this community. When women were teaching or having authority in this community, it was at odds with peacefulness. Do you know what’s happened? Paul proclaimed martial law in this community. There was so much unrest and peace needed to be established. He declared martial law.

You know what the problem is in the church? In a season of peace, we’re still proclaiming martial law. But what happens if you deploy your army in a season of peace? You do not maintain peace, you oppress your people. Why do we wonder that feminism is springing up everywhere? I’ll tell you why. The church, for generations, has declared martial law in an attempt to uphold peace, but all we’ve done is brought oppression. It is time to change what the Church is doing. It is time to rebuild ancient ruins. And it’s time to reawaken the purpose of God through men and women on this planet so that the destiny that is on us will be fulfilled in all the world.

I’m just aware of time. Can I do Ephesians 5 really quickly? Okay. let’s really quickly flick to Ephesians 5. We’ll try to do this quick. Guys, I’m giving you summaries. If you’re not convinced, if you’re worried about my theology, feel free to come and speak to me. I’ll give you the 30 books I’ve been reading over the last few months. I’m not being cheeky. I’m being truthful. If you wonder what I do all day, that’s what I do.

Woman: You do it brilliantly, though.

Katia: Thank you. Ephesians 5. Oh, I love this passage so much. Where should we read from, Lord? Okay, let’s read from verse 15. “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, making the best use of the time because the days are evil. Start rebuilding the ancient ruins. Therefore, don’t be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Don’t get drunk with wine because that’s settling for far too little but be filled with the spirit. Be a people marked by the spirit, addressing one another in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your hearts, giving thanks always for everyone to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

I’m sorry, I didn’t see the brackets part that said, “Except for husbands.” I’m being cheeky now. But it’s because of theology has got so deep into the church and the intellectual superiority at the hands of those who would want to say that God did not create men and women equal. And I’m frustrated by it, and I’m tired by it, and I love those people with all my hearts because I know all of us from wanting to be true to Scripture, but it’s enough. It’s enough. You know what, you and I are called to rebuild the ancient ruins of marriage, and we will not be able to do it in marriages that tell women that they’re somehow less, that they’re the follower, that they need to obey, that that’s what submission looks like, because it’s not so. Submit one to another. That includes husbands. Out of reverence for Christ.

And then Paul begins his teaching to wives and husbands. And what is he doing? He actually starts teaching wives and husbands, children and parents, bondservants and masters. He builds it on this one verse of submitting one to another out of reverence for Christ. How do I know that? It’s one sentence from verse 21-22. In fact, when he says, “Wives submit to your husbands,” the word “submit” doesn’t exist in the Greek, he borrows it from the first half of that sentence. Submit one to another out of reverence for Christ, wives you’re… This is how you should do that. And the husbands, the manner of your submission must be loving.

You know, the three groups that Paul talks to were groups that were very common in Roman and Greek ethical conversations. He doesn’t just randomly pick these three groups. He’s being incredibly subversive. He’s doing what Eric was talking about, he’s staying in the game. He’s understanding the structure of the world around him. And he’s saying, “You wanna have those conversations. I’m so happy to have those conversations with you. Let’s put those conversations on the basis of mutual submission.”

Whew, see that didn’t make sense in that context because husbands were the absolute authority of the home. Husbands weren’t required to love their wives. Wives were nothing. Husbands could treat them as their possession. Fathers didn’t need to worry about exasperating their children, fathers were the absolute controller of the home and children were nothing. They had to obey without question. Masters never had to think about the rights or the quality of their slaves because slaves were objects to be used, not people to be valued.

So, when Paul enters the conversation that was the structure of the day and then start saying crazy things like, “Masters respect your servants because at the end of the day you serve the same God,” something was happening that we don’t understand because we don’t understand the culture of the day. He was blowing their minds. He was doing it all on the foundation of mutual submission. Do you know what that was doing to that community? Why did he say mutual submission and then start talking about slaves and masters? What the heck? And he talks to husbands and wives and he says, “Wives, submit as if you would to the Lord.” Why? Because wives were totally begrudging in that context of their submission because they were possessions. It was unquestioning. They had to obey in that culture. And they never did it rooted in respect, they did it because that’s just the way things are.

And Paul says, “Guys, you’re gonna start mutually submitting, but I wanna tell you, wives, your submission needs to be respectful. You need to understand the worth and honor in the man that is in front of you. Submit to him, not because you have to submit him, because you respect him.” And then he looks at the husbands and he says, “Ah, you too, mutual submission.” It’s still there. That’s the foundational verse. But he says, “You don’t want husbands. Your submission needs to be loving. Your submission needs to be laying down your life for your wife.” It’s not begrudging, it’s not like, “Oh, Jesus is so annoying now I have to do this.” No, fall in love with your wife as if she’s your very own body, because guess what she is, they became one flesh and lover in that way. Give yourself for her. That’s what your mutual submission should look like.

And before you start saying to me that it talks about Jesus being the head of the church, and husbands are the head of the wife, absolutely right. But what does Paul say about the head, Jesus being the head and the church being the body? In every reference he makes to it. He doesn’t talk about it as an authoritative hierarchy. He talks about a reality of unity and empowerment. Not once does Paul use that picture in Ephesians about Jesus being the head of the body, the church as if he’s saying, “God is in charge and you’re not, so listen up.”

No, he’s saying, “You’ve been united with Jesus.” The same power that is in Jesus is in you. You are equal. He has made you a co-heir. That is the point. I wanna tell you, husbands, you are the head of the house, and wives, you’re like his body. That doesn’t mean a hierarchy of authority. That means sameness, equal essence. That means one flesh. That’s why he talks about genesis. He says, “One flesh.” That’s all the whole point. I wonder if you’d stand with me.

Bob Hazlett – Renaissance Conference Session 7

Sat, 14 Jul 2018 18:00:00 GMT

Beauty is intrinsic to the very nature of God. Whether you’re in church leadership, the arts, business or politics, God wants to partner with you to release the kingdom in a fresh way. This was the heart behind Renaissance Conference, 2018. Watch session 2 of the Renaissance Conference, with Bob Hazlett.

For more videos from the Renaissance Conference 2018, subscribe to Harvest Church on Youtube.

– TRANSCRIPT

So excited about what I get to talk about today. So excited to follow that amazing sermon message, life-changing revelation that we just heard. So excited because I was awake til 2:00 a.m. last night. And, you know, the Bible says that the Lord does not slumber or sleep. I can verify that’s true because if you’re awake, he is very talkative. And I thought, you know, either somebody puts something in my Roobois tea yesterday or something, whatever that is. My wife said that there’s no caffeine in that. So, there’s no caffeine in that? That’s a lie. Anyway, I was so jacked up last night, but I was…you know, where do you go when you’re in a hotel room and you wanna let your wife sleep, you have to go before the throne if the Lord wants to talk.

So, I literally locked myself in the bathroom and not doing anything, don’t…forget it. All the seers don’t see right now. Okay? But I was just spending some time with the Lord at the throne. You know that’s where you get your greatest revelation. Don’t tell me that you don’t. You think it’s the shower? No, it’s the other place. So, I was taking a whole bunch of notes. What are you saying to me? It didn’t make sense then. It makes a little bit more sense now after what we heard. So, that’s good. I think it’s gonna help us.

Let me do this, I just put our resources out now. I had one of our bags come in a little bit late on the plane. So, I wanna do this. I’m a big believer in that, if we’re only hearers of the word not doers of the word, we might learn something but we never become something. And the way you become something is by actually doing it. And, in fact, we can all teach you what we know and you can learn that, but you can only become what you do. And in fact, you can only reproduce who you are. You can’t really reproduce in others what you know. And so, truth and revelation that you receive, that’s not the end game is to get revelation. It’s to become revelation and that’s kinda where I’m going today in the talk. And so, the resources that I have back there and I know Julian has back there are to help you just to become that and there’s stuff that we flushed out in our life and I can’t wait to hear this book that you’ve fleshed out in your life, become a book. It’s gonna be amazing.

But I have a whole prophetic library back there. About 16 hours of teaching on prophecy, I’ve been teaching on the gift of prophecy for about 15 years. I started just doing in local churches and then I came into relationship with a ministry called Global Awakening. Is Randy Clark been over here at all, in this area? So Randy is, he’s just a good friend, he’s opened up his school to us, I’ve taught there from the first year he had a school and I was just there last two months ago at the voice of the prophets or the annual prophetic conference there. And they told me that the school is 11 years old. So, I’ve been teaching at the school for 11 years, which I didn’t wanna add up the years, how many that is a lot of years. I’m getting old. Anyway, so, we have two schools that actually have taught there. There are four CDs each about eight or nine hours on teaching on the gift of prophecy, and I believe prophecy is a new testament gift for believers. I also believe it should be taught as an old testament grace, that there was a grace that comes on individuals and we can learn something from the old covenant.

I’m not one of these gray skies that throws out the old covenant. I actually think that we can see grace in the old covenant if we see it through a new covenant lens. And we heard that beautifully today. The old covenant was used to reveal a truth that’s been hidden since the foundations of the world, right? And so, I believe it should be taught that way, but I think actually prophecy is actually a manifestation of who God is. The Bible says eagerly desire spiritual gifts especially?

Congregation: Healing.

Pastor: Eagerly desire spiritual gifts especially?

Congregation: Healing.

Pastor: See, I love that. When I go to healing conferences, I always like to just point out that verse, “Eagerly desire spiritual gifts especially?

Congregation: Healing.

Pastor: You know why? Because it’s the best. Anyway, Paul said it. Take it up with him. Let me just tell you, there is a difference between gifts, I kind of joke around about it, but it’s true. Healing is something that happens instantaneously when it happens. Prophecy is not instantaneous. So healing is sort of like being there at the birth of a baby. You know, “It’s a boy. it’s a girl. It’s a shoulder, it’s a back.” Prophecy is more like raising a teenager. Anybody have teenagers in the room? This is how that works. You look at them, you give them all the wisdom and revelation that you have. They look back at you like you’re an idiot. Two years later they come back to you and said, “Everything you said is true. You’re a genius.” Prophetic ministry.

Why do I keep coming back? Because I become more of a genius every time I come back. Someone did come up to me today, “Last year he prophesied to me at Cape Town. I didn’t want you to prophesy me. I didn’t know you, I didn’t really like you, but everything you said come true. You’re my best friend now.” That’s not really what he said, but it was close to that, right? So it’s really awesome. John Paul Jackson used to say, “Every prophet is a false prophet until what he says comes true.” Deep, right?

So, if you wanna learn to grow in the gift of prophecy, I have the two schools there, and then I have three teachings that…six teachings of three CD sets on what to do with you get a prophetic word, how to accelerate it into God’s timing of your prophetic word, if you’re behind your time, how your prophecy makes you who you are created to be. It’s not just what God’s going to do, but what he’s making you into, and then how God can use you to create new… Your prophecy isn’t just for you, but it’s actually to pass on for generations. Abraham’s said… God said to Abraham, “I’ll make you a father of many nations. At first, he had to become a father of one. That took 40 years. But for generations, now we’re called “The seed of Abraham.” Isn’t that amazing?

So his prophecy, we’re still living out. So it keeps giving. So, I have these on CD, but my daughter’s who, up until yesterday I had one teenager left now. My youngest turned 20, so I have no teenagers anymore. I was like holding onto that change of life thing. Now it’s here upon me. So, I’m planning a midlife crisis this year. If anybody wants to buy me a Harley, I’ll be… My daughters told me, “Hey dad, CDs are old school. Get rid of the CDs. People don’t have CD players anymore.” I said, “Well, what’s new school?” They said, “Vinyls.” So I’m coming out with a set of prophetic school vinyls… And then for a little extra fee, I’ll do like a prophecy with somebody scratching the vinyl on the background. Personalized vinyl prophecy will be awesome. No, until that comes out, we have in on an USB drive. Some people call it a memory stick. We call it a USB drive. Everybody say USB.

Congregation: USB.

Pastor: Because one guy came to the table once and said, “Can I get that BS drive about prophecy?” I said, “No, that’s at Julian’s table.” He’s not even here. It would be better if he was here. Don’t worry, I can dish it out, but I can definitely take it. My wife takes it better than me though, so dish it out to her. By the way, that was my wife, Kimberly up there, my little blonde pastor’s daughter who is an alliance in worship and just brings the presence of God everywhere we go. So, that’s why I love bringing her everywhere I go. Thank you. Leanne said, “Kim, I’m glad you come with Bob. He’s much happier when you’re with him.” The first two years, I must have been angry or something. I don’t think I’m angry. I don’t know if I should say this or not, but I’m already in my daughter’s taught my resting prophetic face.

I know there’s another phrase for that, but you guys could figure that out later on. Okay. Moving along, the book about how to hear God’s voice is called, “The Roar”. And it’s actually from Genesis 3, is the first place we hear the sound of God in the cool of the day, or the spirit of the day, man had sinned and created an atmosphere of spirit, the cool of the day, the atmosphere was sin, and God’s voice came with a roar. And it said, “Adam, where are you?” Which means that whenever there’s an atmosphere or spirit of the day, there’s a principality of the day, there’s a sound from heaven that roars to shift the atmosphere, right? And so, and it’s always an atmosphere that draws people back to God, doesn’t push them back behind shame and fear. So, this actually goes through Genesis 1-3 and talks about different ways that God speaks.

There’s a study guide here, it goes through, there’s nine different chapters and at each chapter there’s study guide questions every day, scriptures every day to hear God’s voice in a different way. And then four exercises that you can do to hear God’s voice for yourself and for others. And so, we have a lot of churches that go through this, use it as a prophetic curriculum, small groups that go through it. So, if I can get inside of your head every day for nine weeks, I could do some damage. So I would like to…

And then the last book, this book we’re gonna kind of talk about today, it’s called, “Think like Heaven. Change your thinking. Change your world.” I told the publishers I wanted to subtitle it, “Think like heaven. Don’t stink like hell.” They didn’t think that would be very marketable. So, actually, it’s really a book. It’s a practical seer book, but it talks about what heaven is. I love the way Julian unpacked that for us. Heaven isn’t a place that we go after we die. It’s actually a place that was created so earth can interact with it. And God created the heavens and the earth. And then he put man on the earth to never die. Man would have never died if he wouldn’t have eaten of the tree. Why would he create heaven if man was never created to die? Because it was the place where God was going to interact with man. And you can still interact with God from heaven. It talks about what heaven is. And actually, one of the best descriptions of heaven came from a reformed theologian, from Gordon Conwell Seminary. His name is Meredith Kline. Way too smart for me to even read it.

I read like the paragraph three times to understand i. But he says this, “Heaven is…” He’s actually an ancient, a covenantal Canaanite, covenantal theologian. That’s what he studied, Canaanite Covenantal Theology. And here’s what he said, “Heaven is not… It doesn’t exist out there. It’s actually on the same plane as earth in a different dimension.” I’m like, “That’s a prophetic conference right there. So, I just talk about how we can access that realm. And then, when we do what’s available to us. And a lot of the things we’ve been talking about at Renaissance is in here. But, let me just give you one little thing. There’s a scientific study that that about 50% of the time that you’re awake, that you daydream. It’s true. That’s not a joke, like 50% of the time that you’re awake, your mind is somewhere else. Some of you it’s like 75%.

But when you’re daydreaming, parts of your brain are communicating that never communicate any other time. It’s completely creative and it bypasses a lot of your logical thinking. And so, I believe sometimes when you daydream, you’re actually having ideas from God. The Bible says that there’s some thoughts we need to cast away, cast away vain imaginations. There’s other thoughts we need to capture. I believe that there’s some thoughts you push away you’re supposed to capture them. And there’s a story of a man, Christian man went to church one day, he was daydreaming while the pastor was preaching because there was a problem in his business and he came up with an idea to solve it. He developed a product called Post-it Notes. Ever hear of them? A billion dollar product were invented in church while daydreaming. Just saying, if you happen to daydream while I’m preaching and invent a billion dollar product…

Bethel’s building a really big building and he really needs some help. Just wanna give a shout out for that. Arise and build. All right. So awesome. Great to be with you guys. Thanks again, George and Leanne for having us back and we’ll be at this…we’re at this weekend, right? Yeah. So we’ll be hanging around with you guys on Sunday. You might be tired of us by then. Eric, great hanging out with you. Thank you for bringing the wisdom that you brought. And, of course, you guys just love the way you guys are you. I don’t even wanna define what that is because it’s, you’re not a copy. You’re an original. So isn’t that so cool? But thank you for your boldness and humility today. Rare combination. And so, and in fact, it’s kind of what I wanna talk to you about. So I’m gonna try to follow that talk, and I think this is what the Lord told me. At least this is what I felt like he was telling me at 2:00 a.m. last night. And sometimes what the Lord says at 2:00 a.m. doesn’t sound so great at 12:19.

But, first of all, let’s go to James. And I wanna go there and I wanna show you something from the life of Jesus. I’m gonna call this a personal renaissance. And I’m sorry that I can’t say it the South African way because it’s so much cooler the way they say it, isn’t it? It’s renaissance, still I’m gonna say renaissance because I’m butchering it, but you guys say it much cooler than we did. Let’s go to James Chapter 3, and we’re just gonna look at verse 13, 14, and 15. I’m gonna read from the New King James version because I’ve read from different versions, went back to the original language, and just in the short period of time that I’ve got, and literally this is, we’re talking about less than 12 hours ago. So forgive me if it’s not well-processed. I’m just gonna do my best to be revelatory and hope that all comes out good.

But I did see that it’s a little bit closer to accurate in the New King James version. So I’ll pick out a few words. Let’s do this. So we’ve been talking about wisdom, how God, part of Renaissance is for God to make his manifold wisdom known to principalities and powers. And that was the first message of the first night. By the way, did you hear a lot of interlap, overlapping between a lot of the messages? I mean, Genesis 1? I mean, I’ve preached out of Genesis 1 for the last 20 years and I never heard a couple of things she said, how God made space for everything, and then he filled it. And isn’t it cool how he made space for himself, and it was when Adam and Eve, for Adam and Eve and he just filled them with him? I love that. So, who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in meekness. Everybody say meekness.

Congregation: Meekness.

Pastor: In the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic. We’ve been talking about how change and transformation first comes by a change of thinking. And if we’re gonna change the culture, we first have to change ourselves. Like, we have to have a personal renaissance if we’re gonna see a cultural renaissance. We don’t just need revelation. We actually need for the revelation, for the word to become flesh in us. Jesus became the light of the world because the word became flesh. I love if you take Genesis 1 and John 1, or even Genesis 1-3 and John 1-3. It’s a beautiful description. In fact, some commentators call John 1-3 the eight days of the second creation. And it’s beautiful concept if you juxtaposition, those two passages. John 1 and Genesis 1.

And Genesis 1, when you have Jesus declaring, “Let there be light” and creating things from the unseen to the seen realm. And then in John 1, it says, “And the word became flesh.” So the word became flesh, the word that wasn’t seen became flesh and it dwelled among men. And when that happened, he became the light of the world. So light came into the world when the revelation became manifest in flesh, it was then able to light up the world. So, when the revelation became flesh, when the word became flesh, it became the light of the world. How many have a word for your life? How many have heard a word this weekend? How many got some revelation this weekend?

Let me tell you something. You don’t change the world by getting a revelation. You change the world by becoming a revelation. When the word becomes flesh, it becomes the light of the world. And it’s very important because, especially when we go to process new things in revelation, when God is making himself known to thought processes in the earth, to principalities and powers, that we lived under mindsets, group think for generations, and it could be something simple. Like, I grew up in a white, blue collar, lower middle class, probably closer to lower class family in America.

I know you think everybody has a lot and I understand that. The resources, even though the lowest class in America probably are better than people around the world. We ate government cheese, we had government milk, I wore hand-me-downs, I wore like hand-me-downs, all right? Clothes that are passed down, and that’s really scary because I was actually the first boy. I had three sisters before me.

Actually, my mom went to the thrift store and bought me somebody else’s hand-me-downs, thank God for that, because then we’d had to deal with more than just a poverty spirit. There’ll be a few more spirits that I had to deal with. My grandfather worked in a steel factory. My father worked in the steel factory, worked hard all their life, retired with very little. Nobody in my family went to college. Out of five children, my brother did finish two years of college and no one else in my family did. I was the only one that even went to college, paid my own way through. Just the Lord helped and it was cool stories behind that. Most of my family lives and still lives in the same town I grew up. None of them have traveled outside of the country.

What changed wasn’t what God said about me. What changed is what I believed about what God said about me. And so, the word has to become flesh before it can change the world around you. Now, this is talking about wisdom, and it says, check out verse 15. It says that there’s four kinds of wisdom, two come from one plane or dimension and to come from another dimension. He says this, this wisdom does not descend from above, which means that there is a wisdom that descends from above. So there’s a heavenly wisdom, right? In fact, the first part of James talks about that. It says, if anyone lacks wisdom, let him…Isn’t that good? All you have to do is it.

If anyone lacks wisdom, let him… I wanted you to say it again because you said us, and it warmed my heart for a second because the whole time that Cottey is teaching, like what she’s saying is really smart, but she could say anything and she sounds smart with that accent. And she’s like. I’m sorry. I don’t know if that’s nationalistic, racist. I don’t know what gender, I’m not sure what I offended there, but all I’m saying is I wish I had a British accent. That’s all I’m gonna say. Okay? So, let him ask. Did I swear? Did I say it right? Almost there, it’s really close. I know. It was really close. Like, “What did he just say?” Did he say Os? You see, but what I found out is British preachers can say os, they can say… like Graham Cooke, he swears and so, anyway, sorry, this is terrible. I am getting in so much trouble today.

But look at verse 14. If you have bitter envy, self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast or lie against the truth. This wisdom does not come from above, which means that when we process revelation, we have to also process our hearts first. And to show that to you, just go back to the beginning of the chapter of James 3 there because it talks about teachers. So now I’m gonna first talk about the teachers and then I talk about the learners since I’m a teacher and a learner. Verse one, “My brothers, do not let many of you become teachers knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment for we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in the word, he is a perfect man, able to also bridle the whole body.” That word stumble, it sounds like it’s saying that, if you get the word perfect then you can teach other people. You gotta get it right. And if you don’t get it right, then don’t teach other people. It’s not what it’s saying. The word stumble there means to be offended.

What it means is, if you can let the word come into your heart and not let it offend you, then you are mastering something and you’re being given authority. So offense at revelation will actually diminish your authority. And he goes on to say, and he talks about bridling horses and bridling animals and bridling ships. It’s all about authority and he’s making the point that when you become offended, you lose your authority. You lose your authority as a teacher, but you also lose your authority as a learner. And he’s putting that in the context now of wisdom, and he says, “Who is wise among you in understanding? Let him show good conduct that his works are done with meekness. What does the Bible say? The meek shall inherit…

Congregation: The earth.

Pastor: So meekness in receiving revelation gives you the authority to administer that revelation over the earth. The meek shall inherit the earth. And if you become offended, it diminishes your authority to administer that revelation to the world around you. The reason I’m saying that is because it’s natural to be offended when we learn something new. It’s natural. The disciples were offended. The Pharisees were offended. It’s natural because, in order to have your opinion changed, your opinion needs to be offended, because your opinion is not revelation. But I will show you later, your opinion is important. I don’t believe that you should say your opinion doesn’t count to someone, because your opinion is your truth. And your opinion is your reality. Your opinion is where you’re living. And it’s important to validate people’s opinions.

Some of what I heard this weekend challenged my opinions. And guess what? I get to go in meekness and examine the word. I get to go and meekness is not weakness. Meekness is a place of authority. And so, what he’s saying is, if you don’t operate in meekness, when you receive wisdom, when you receive revelation, you put yourself in a position where now you’re relying on earthly wisdom. A wisdom that comes from the flesh, a wisdom that comes from your experience, a wisdom that comes from your culture. Then, if you submit to that, it starts to diminish to a wisdom that goes with your feelings because now it’s not just the common experience of people, this is common sense. This is common wisdom.

But now, I feel like this is right, so it must be right because that offended me and that hurt me, and that doesn’t feel good. So I want the truth that makes me feel good. That’s called sensual wisdom. It pleases my senses. It feels good to me. And if you submit to that, then he says, it becomes demonic. So now we have the opposite of revelation. We have wisdom that’s earthly, wisdom that can become sensual, wisdom that becomes demonic, which means that if I allow my heart to be offended by truth, what I’m gonna do is start to live out of the flesh, then out of my feelings, and eventually I’ll wind up in a deception that I don’t even know as a demonic mindset in the earth that I’m living under a stronghold. You hear what I’m saying.

And the good news is this, the antidote is just to have meekness, is just to say, “Yes, God, I receive your truth. Now show me what’s true, and I wanna show you that in Jesus because Jesus showed his disciples how to receive revelation and what to do with it when he received it. And here’s my concern. And even last night as I was just praying what can I share, I felt like there was just so much. And I go to a lot of conferences, a lot of conferences. This is one of the meatiest conferences. Like literally, like I ate a steak last night that was so good. I went back to my room just to freshen up for five minutes. I laid down, I was a mistake, because I’m like, “Oh, that meat is so good.” And Lauren’s like, “Walk it off.” Here’s what I’m going to say. You guys need to take the meat you got, and start walking it out. Otherwise, you’re just gonna get bloated and constipated. All right?

Then you’re gonna take a laxative, go back to your church, and make a mess. I’m sorry. I’m a boy. I’m a male. I like bathroom humor, okay? Sorry. See, we can’t do that at home with the girls. Right? All right. So, this wisdom does not descend from above, but it’s earthly, sensual, demonic. But meekness allows us to access wisdom that descends from above. And that’s where what I wanna show you next. Go to Matthew 16. Is this okay? You guys are all right?

Okay. I feel like I’m a little bit making this up as I go along, but anyway, maybe it’s better the way you can process. I want you to be able to process it. That’s really the thing here is that we just receive but we don’t become, we just miss an opportunity. And I really feel like I’m challenged to become something out of this weekend. Really, I’m challenged. And I try to be challenged everywhere I go, but this is really good stuff. So, I’m really honored to be part of this today. It’s just been really good this weekend. So Matthew 16. Let’s go to verse 13. And I’m gonna give you the process for reformational or renaissance thinking. I call it transformational thinking, but personal renaissance and having a renaissance in your thinking.

And there’s three processes Jesus walks his disciples through and it’s important to understand this, that Jesus is about to leave. And he’s demonstrated heaven on earth for three years or however long he’s been with his disciples and he isn’t gonna be around the demonstrate it any longer. So, he needs them to now have the word become flesh in them so they can become the light of the world. All right? So, he’s actually reproducing his process of him becoming, the word becoming flesh, and then walking into darkness and becoming the light of the world. He’s reproducing that process in them. And it’s important because there’s some things that in the church world that we try to short-circuit the process to get people to truth, and we keep pounding them with truth. We don’t let them come through the process.

And what we have to understand with all of the things that we’ve been challenged with… And you guys have different cultural issues here in South Africa than we have. So, we will view classes differently there, but we have it. We would view racism differently there, but we have it. We have different, you know, offenses in our culture and we have different opinions in our culture. But what I’m saying is, is that, there’s a process that people have to go through to come through truth.

You can’t just shine a light in their eyes and they can see. The brighter you shine the light in their eyes, you blind them. And so, you need to help people walk into truth, and Jesus was a genius at this. So, let’s just read these couple of verses. Verse 13, “When Jesus came to the region assessory of Philippi, he asked his disciples, who do people say the son of man is?” They replied, “Some say John The Baptist. Others say Elijah, still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you? He asked, who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the son of the living God.” I still like it in the King James. “You are the Christ, the son of the living God. You’re the Messiah, the son of the living God,” And then Jesus goes on and he says this, “Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my father in heaven,” And then he goes onto this great promise about Peter and about the church and about what would happen. But in verse 20 he says this, “Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.” It’s interesting, right?

Let me just walk you through a process. Three steps to renaissance thinking to transformational thinking. The first one is, is that Jesus asks them a question. “Who do people say that I am?” And their response is actually the opinion of others. Everybody say opinion.

Congregation: Opinion.

Pastor: So, I think opinion is important. In fact, Jesus said, “Who do people say that I am? And their response is important because the response tells us that the people were moving past earthly wisdom. Because the response was, “Some people say you’re John The Baptist. Some say you’re Jeremiah or Elijah.” Right? And so, they’re not saying the earthly wisdom stuff, which the earthly wisdom was what some people say, “You’re an illegitimate child.” That was known. That was a known rumor about Jesus. Some people just say, “You’re from Nazareth. nothing good comes from there.” That would be earthly thinking. Right?

So they’re actually moving past earthly thinking and they’re starting to move into the realm of revelatory thinking, but they’re still operating in opinion, which Jesus doesn’t actually correct. If it were me, I would probably say something like, “Yeah, those people are idiots.” I mean, okay, Elijah, Jeremiah, I can maybe justify that. But John the Baptist, it’s his cousin who’s only a few months older than him who actually had his head chopped off a few months before he asked this question, and people are saying, you’re John the Baptist, come back. The guy who baptized you, who smells like camel and has honey in his beard.

And actually, if I were Jesus, I probably would have said, “Yeah, you could have picked any one of my relatives and I would have been happier than John the Baptist. He’s crazy, crazy cousin John.” Jesus wouldn’t have said that. I would have said that. So, but here’s what we have is that, on your way to revelation, you’re allowed to ask questions. and you’re allowed to be wrong. And you’re allowed to have an opinion as long as your opinion is not rooted in offense, or doesn’t lead you to offense, it’s going to lead you to truth. But your opinion that becomes offended by truth will actually diminish your authority and keep you from being the light of world. Keep you from having the keys to the kingdom, keep you from binding on earth what’s bound in heaven and loosing on earth what’s loosed in heaven, which is what comes after revelation. And so, what we’re looking for is that authority to bind on earth what’s bound in heaven and loose on earth what loosed in heaven. And that only comes with revelation. That comes from above. We’re not there yet, but Jesus’ response to what the disciples’ opinions or other people’s opinions are is important.

Let’s look at what his response is. “But what do you say?” Which means Jesus had no response, which means you don’t have to respond to people’s opinions. You don’t have to argue with people about their opinions. You don’t have to prove that they’re wrong. You don’t have to prove you’re right, because that’s not a revelation. That’s offense. That’s not meekness, that’s offense. And Jesus is operating in meekness by just being quiet. Peaceful, let’s call it. We learned that quietness is peaceful. That was one of my opinions that got changed. That was good.

And so, he asked them a different question. He said, “But what about you? Who do you say that I am?” This is where I always imagined that awkward silence. You know, like when you’re in middle school and the teacher asks a question and there’s that awkward silence. Nobody wants to answer except the really smart kid in the front who’s like raising his hand for every question that teacher’s like, “Anyone else except for Peter, please? Peter, I know you can walk on water. Peter, I know you can raise the dead. Peter, we know you know everything. Let’s ask… Hey, what’s that guy’s name at…Bartholomew? Are you even a disciple?” Is there a disciple called Bartholomew? Okay, Peter, he finally picks on Peter and Peter comes up with the answer.

Well, what’s Jesus’s doing here is actually, he’s asking them what’s their belief or their feeling, what’s their conviction? See opinions usually come from our environment, from the culture we live in. So my opinion about race is formed partly because of my environment. I go to a church that’s 50% to 60% black, African American, we say in America, but that’s not what you say, but that’s what we say. We’re good. Twenty percent Latin American or Spanish descent and about 30% Caucasian. We’re very multi-cultural. So, I like to have conversations because I don’t know what it’s like to drive down the road and to be racially profiled by a police officer. And to be pulled over because maybe I was doing something wrong or maybe they just didn’t know. And I didn’t even know if that was real stuff or it was stuff that was made up by people.

So, I asked the question, “Have you ever had this happen?” Why? Because your opinion is formed out of your environment. And you need to understand other people’s environment in order to value their opinion and to understand that their opinion, even if it’s different from you, is important. And let’s make it something that’s not as controversial as this. How about that? Football, because sports are not controversial. Are you a 49ers fan? He’s a 49ers fan. San Francisco 49ers. Sorry to use an American cultural reference, but it’s my sermon so I will. And so, I’m a Philadelphia Eagles Fan. We won the world championship. I know. I was using this sermon to bring this up.

So, his team did not win the championship. However, they got a really good quarterback and they’re gonna do well this year. And I actually liked the 49ers. I have no problem. I don’t really have an alternate opinion to him. His opinion is a yes for him and my opinion is a yes for me. Now, we should all agree that Dallas Cowboy fans are wrong. Great. You see that? So that’s wisdom that comes from above. It’s awesome.

That’s what I’m showing you here. Okay. So that means that opinions aren’t necessarily right or wrong. They’re based upon someone’s environment and what they’ve been… Does that make sense? And now, Jesus wants us to get past that to revelation. But he actually doesn’t bypass your experience in your opinion to get you to revelation. He values it, or at least he doesn’t diminish it. He didn’t say they’re wrong, they’re stupid. Why? Because he values the person. And so, we as teachers wanna value the person, but we also as learners wanna value the teacher’s experience and revelation. Okay. Secondly, he brings them into conviction which is a feeling, and convictions and feelings are based upon experience. What I like about this is the Holy Spirit gave me four Es that we’re gonna use. So Environment and Experience. This is when he says, “Who do you say that I am?”

And you know what? It’s good to have an opinion as long as it doesn’t offend you, and it’s good to have a conviction as long as it doesn’t lead you to judgment. And so, Jesus wasn’t looking to make a judgment call. “Who do you say that I am?” and looking for them to get it right or wrong. He was actually trying to get them to think differently than that earthly thinking. He’s trying to pull them into a new place. And so, sometimes when God brings us new revelation, he raises new questions for us. And a conversation like this, In fact, the prophetic for me, the prophetic, it’s more important, not the answers that it gives, but the questions that it raises. In fact, that’s exactly the way it works for me. I don’t know anyone else here, but whenever God speaks to me, my first response usually is, “What?”

Because when he speaks, he doesn’t always speak clearly because he’s not trying to give you an answer. He’s trying to lead you into a conversation that you can ask questions you’ve never asked before. Because if he gave the answer, then you’d stop talking to him. Prophecy isn’t God telling you something. It’s God talking to you, and it’s supposed to start a conversation. Which is why we come and you do the work later. It’s not our job. We’re gonna prophesy revival and then you got to do the work, man, come on. Here’s the deal is that your conviction or your feeling comes from your experience and God values your experience, but he wants to take you beyond your experience. And you can have an opinion as long as long as it doesn’t lead you to offense. And you can have a conviction as long as it doesn’t lead you to judgment.

And what’s the difference here? The difference is is that, when it comes to politics, everybody has an opinion, especially in America and everybody outside of America has an opinion about American politics, especially last couple of years in November, and I was like, “I think I’m gonna not schedule any more international trips until after the elections.” So, what’s your opinion about so and so? You know, what the proper response was? “I don’t have an opinion. I’m a prophet.” No? That’s like saying, I’m not a person. I’m a prophet. That’s stupid. I have an opinion, but I have to get past my opinion because sometimes my opinion will affect the revelation I need to get.

And by the way, I don’t always vote my revelation, sometimes I just vote my conviction. So conviction is really important because…and then we’re gonna get to the reason why, because what you do with revelation is important to understand the difference between having an opinion, a conviction about what truth is, and then a revelation about truth is because that your assignment has to go beyond your opinion and your convictions. Your assignment has to go beyond your opinion, your environment, and your experience. Okay? And it has to lead you to another place. It’s called encounter. That’s where revelation comes. And here’s what Peter says, “You’re the Christ. You’re the son of the living God.” And if I were Jesus, the teacher, I’d high five that kid, I’d say, “Yes, Peter, you got it right.” And Jesus kind of does that. He says, “Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah.”

Now, if you’re from the south in the United States, they say, if you say, “Bless you, bless your soul, bless your heart.” Yeah, bless your heart, it’s actually saying, “Oh, you’re really stupid, but nice try.” Oh, bless your heart, you little idiot.” He said, “Blessed are you, Simon, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, not earthly, but it came from my father in heaven.” If you’re gonna say it the Northeast way, he’s saying, “Hey, Peter, good job, but you’re not smart enough to have figured that one out on your own.” And I actually cleaned that up a little bit. If I was from the Bronx, I’d say, “Peter, you’re too stupid to have gotten that one in your own. The father had to give it to you directly.”

Here’s what he’s saying. He congratulated Peter. He celebrated Peter for getting something that was a gift. Peter didn’t figure it, “You’re awesome because there’s no way you could have figured that out. That had to come through relationship with the father.” And so, Jesus wants to draw us into a place where we get stuff we can’t get from our experience or from an environment. It can only come from an encounter. And when we have this encounter, what happens is we get wisdom that comes from above. Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my father has. And they had to get past the offense of other people’s opinions and the judgments that they had made because of their convictions to get to a place where they could hear from the father. And what I love about what we’ve received is that we’re getting the chance to bypass our opinions and our convictions and come to a place of revelation. And what we do with it is super important because what you do with it will determine the authority that you have. Because the revelation comes, the word becomes flesh so you can become the light of the world that wants to light up the world.

And so, this word had to become flesh in them. It’s not just enough for them to know who Jesus is. They have to flesh it out in their life. The proof isn’t gonna come from what they proclaim, the proof in it is the person they become because of the truth. And the truth of revelation isn’t truth just because you heard it, or you received it, but what you become because of it. And when you become it, that’s the proof that it’s true in your life. And so, before you proclaim it, live it. Before you write it, become it, because that’s really what we’re trying to do is become the word. And when we do, the word becomes flesh and it brings light to people around us. And they say, “Well, I want that in my life. I want that light in my life.” You can have that light and you could become that too. Now, walk it out.

And so, he tells them what it’s gonna look like when it becomes light in their life. He said, “Wow, man. You guys, I’m telling you, I’m gonna build my church on this.” And some people say, “Well, he’s saying, I’m gonna build my church on Peter, because he said, ‘You’re Simon. Now you’re gonna become Peter. I’m gonna build my church on this.’” I actually think that there’s truth to that because there’s a manifold wisdom in the scriptures. And I believe he is St. Peter. He just became a foundational stone in the church. Because of that, you’re gonna be an apostolic building stone that I can help build my church on.

I don’t have any problem with that teaching, but I also believe there’s something else. There’s some people that say, “He say, “No, the church is gonna be built on the revelation of who Jesus is. He’s the son of the living God.” I think that’s true as well because revelation is multilayered. That’s where when you get past your opinion, you can get to the yes and stage. It’s not either or. Well, it’s not Peter being an apostle, and it is not the revelation of who Jesus is. Yes it is, and yes it is. I’m sure I’m trying to teach our team this because creativity is stifled when you have an environment of everything is known, everything is certain, everything is in concrete, and we have to embrace uncertainty. We have to embrace the unknown because it’s in a place of uncertainty that hope is created.

It’s the place of not knowing what the future is that we can create a new expectation of the future. And so, the seed of hope has always planted in the soil of uncertainty. And when faith causes it to spring up into the seen realm, then we realize what we’ve only hoped for. And then, the place of the unknown is where creativity is maximized. Because if you’re just building on an artist’s painting, that’s not really creativity. Creativity comes when you got a blank canvas. Creativity comes when you got a page is sitting in front of your face and there’s no music notes on it, but something sparked. Creativity comes when C.S. Lewis said, when I wrote Narnia, it’s all because I saw a lion run through the back of my head, and I wrote the story of Azlan because of one in a blank slate, and a blank brain came a lion. I love that.

And so, what we have to do is, we have to come back in. That’s why Jesus said to come into the kingdom, you have to become a child. A child doesn’t have to know. So, whatever you tell them it’s true. “You can fly.” “Yes, I can fly.” “That towel put it around your neck. You’ll become Superman.” I did that too, run around my yard. Why? Because creativity is maximized in a place where it’s the unknown. And so many of it, and the church is in this place of transition where we have uncertainty, and we wanna make it certain. No, uncertainty creates hope. We wanna know what the future’s gonna be. No, I don’t wanna know it. I wanna create it. I wanna have creativity. And so, we’re doing this with our team. We’re doing this with our kids. We’re learning whenever they give us an opinion, we don’t say, “Yeah, but this.” We say, “Yes, and this.” Why? Because we wanna validate where they are, so we can help them to go where they’re going.

Yes, that’s true. And how about this as well? And that’s really what we’re seeing here is we’re saying, “On this rock, I will build my church. Yes, on you Peter.” Yes, on the revelation of Jesus, but yes to this as well. Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my father in heaven has revealed this to you. And on this rock. What’s the rock? Receiving revelation from heaven. On this rock? I’ll build my church. Wisdom that comes from above will make men to be made manifest through the church, to principalities and powers that will shift the groupthink over the culture. And so, on this rock, I’ll build my church. Revelation. Everybody say revelation.

Congregation: Revelation.

Pastor: So, revelation doesn’t come from your experience. It doesn’t come from…what was that other eight? Was a really good one?

Congregation: Your environment.

Pastor: Yeah, your environment. Thanks. It’s in here. I’m getting to the place where I gotta make the font bigger on my iPhone, but I’m refusing to. I’m like, “No. In Jesus’ name.” The big iPhones came out just in time for me to get readers, you know? it sounds like, “Oh, I don’t have to have my paper Bible with readers. I could just make the font bigger. That’s all right.” I call them my Clark Kent Glasses. So revelation. It comes from encounter, and revelation can be obscured whenever your opinion leads you to offense or your conviction leads you to judgment. You’ll actually begin to shift and what God meant to be revelation that would set people free, truth that sets people free actually leads them into a place of bondage. It can be obscured. And sometimes there’s even a mixture in us because it’s like we know this is revelation from God, but it’s still coming through a pain of my experience. And so, it’s, I know this is true, but I know I’m processing it through this thing.

God’s totally okay with it. And you know what? I’m okay with it too because God loves us where we are. He loved Peter where is “Peter? Good job.” And in by, I think extending that blessing to Peter, he was actually extending the blessing to the rest of the disciples. On this rock. I’ll build my whole church. You guys can get this too, right? And so, our opinion comes from our environment, conviction comes from experience, revelation comes from an encounter. And then Jesus leads into this, and this is really what I wanna leave you with. I think it’s super important. The reason is your assignment is not to go around and tell people your new revelation. Your assignment is to become, for the word to become flesh. Your assignment is to go live it. “I can lay hands on the sick and they can recover. I’m going to go back to my church and I’m going to tell everyone how to…” Just go and lay hands on the sick, and if they recover, people will ask you. And it’s much better to be asked.

You know, there’s something in the culture we live in. We’ve lost the value of hiddenness. And it’s so much part of the process of maturity. You know, David slayed the lion and bear while no one was looking around, and that’s what gave him the authority to slay Goliath where everybody was looking. And it’s not because of the generation. It’s not the millennial generation. It’s the way that we’re growing up, that everything’s public and permanent. Not just public, it’s permanent. Which means, when people see you, they see you that way all the time. And, you know, there’s something the Lord told me early on in ministry, he said, “Bob, don’t reveal yourself to people before your time,” because Jesus didn’t reveal himself to people before his time, because if he revealed himself, they would always see him at that stage of his life.

That’s why his mother had to get over him being his son. That’s why his brothers had to get over trying to get him to come back home. He said, “Who’s my mother? Whose my brothers? The ones who do the will of my father in heaven.” They tried to track with him in a stage of his life he wasn’t in anymore and bring them back to it. And he said, “I’m just going to keep being what my father said I am.” He didn’t get offended by it. And guess what? Mary was the last one at the cross. James became the head of the church. It all worked out in the end. Sometimes people won’t recognize you. And sometimes the people closest to you will be the last to recognize you. But if you just keep being who you are, let the word become flesh. When they discover you, they’ll discover you at full maturity.

Because if people discover you when you become mature…if you reveal yourself to a person that is supposed to meet you here because what you have in your life at this point in your life is what they need right now, and you reveal yourself to them here, you’re not that person yet. You don’t have that thing in your life. You haven’t actually fulfilled what God’s called you to fulfill. Now, they have to overcome that. They have to get over your immaturity in order to receive the gift that God’s put inside of you. And so, let people discover you because God’s put a gift in you that’s worth hiding. He’s put a gift in you that’s worth bringing to maturity. And so, Jesus comes to his disciples, and here’s what he says, verse 20, “After he says all this stuff, then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.”

Oh, it’s like my team just won the game and I can’t… Well, I did tell you, right? I can’t celebrate that I just, you know, got a new car again. Tell people this great victory. You don’t have to Instagram every healing that you experienced. You just don’t have to. In fact, here’s what I think personally. I just leave a little bit in the bank of eternity, because Jesus said, if you do everything you do for men to see you, that’s your reward. That’s okay. It’s a good reward. People clap for you, it’s good. But if you do stuff in secret, the father rewards it publicly. And guess what? There’s a great reward for you in heaven. So, I just tell like my students at global, I say, “Hey, guys, keep a couple things in the bank of eternity. Don’t tell people some really cool miracles. Just keep them between you and God. When you get up top, he’s gonna be like, “Yeah, that was a good one. We were there together. Nobody else saw it, but it was amazing.” Why not? Why not? That really proves you believe who you really are and you don’t have to prove who you are if you know who you are. Right?

And so he’s just saying to them, “Look, guys, don’t tell anybody who I am.” The reason is, once they became what they were gonna become because Jesus was the son of the living God, he was resurrected and they became, and the spirit came back into them, Jesus breathed on them and they came to the day of Pentecost, and the Spirit descended on them. They became something that people didn’t…they didn’t even have to say anymore. They’re just like, “Jesus is real because these guys are different.” Right?

Maybe you take this revelation and your marriage becomes different and people say, “What’s different about your marriage?” Maybe you take this revelation and you start treating people of different skin color or different classes, whatever that is differently, you practice equality and people say, “What’s what’s different about you?” You practice generosity and people say, “What’s different about you?” You see, when the word becomes flesh, it becomes contagious. Light just shines and I think this is one of the greatest ways that we can process revelation.

Just walk it out, because to be honest with you, otherwise, you have a choice to become offended. You have a choice to become judgmental, or you have a choice to just become overwhelmed, like, “I can’t do all this stuff.” Like, this is too much unlearning and learning for me.” Guess what? It is. But in relationship with God, if these guys, these Jewish guys can learn this stuff and walk it out, you and I can walk this out.” You can walk it out in South Africa, we can walk it out in America, we could walk it out in this generation.

See, I have such great hope because my hope is in this, is that, Jesus, and let me back to meekness, that Jesus demonstrated his meekness by not becoming offended by people’s opinions. Jesus demonstrated his meekness by asking questions that other people were afraid to ask, and being willing to receive the answer. And Jesus demonstrated by meekness, by allowing his disciples to not know the right answer right away. By waiting on them, he’s super patient with you. You don’t get this right next week. He’s okay with that. He just wants you to not give up because he’s building something that the gates of hell cannot prevail against it.

By the way, the promises also, the gates of hell will come against it. Like hell’s gonna come against this revelation in your life. But guess what? If you stand on it, the gates of hell will not overcome this revelation in your life, when it comes from the father. Am I making sense to you?

Congregation: Yes.

Pastor: All right. I’m not sure even how to land this plane, but I’m going to ask for help. So Holy Spirit, I don’t even know what meekness really looks like other than what I see in the scripture, but I do know you said the meek will inherit the earth. And what we’ve been talking about is a renaissance in the earth, a transformation of the culture, the word becoming flesh. And God, I’m so desperate for your word to become flesh. I love what we do. I love the prophetic gift. I love the prophetic ministry. I even somewhat love prophetic conferences. But God. I just so much wanna see your word become flesh. I so much wanna see your word, not just be a tool for entertainment, I so much wanna see your word, not just be a tool for gathering crowds. I so much wanna see your word be a tool to transform lives and nations and cities, God, and I believe it can happen. God, I thank you that you’ve been so gracious to us this week to give us such meat and such, even joy and receiving that meat in such wisdom.

God, I know that you won’t give us that because you don’t want us to have it. You said, if anyone asked for wisdom, I would give to them liberally and I will not upbraid. That’s what I hear the Lord say. He’s not just giving us revelation. He’s giving us more than we need because what we need is for a generation. What we need is for a church. What we need is for a movement. And so what you’ve asked him for wisdom, he gives you liberally and he does not upbraid, which means he doesn’t criticize you for what you didn’t have. He doesn’t say, “Why didn’t you know this before? Why didn’t you get this before? Why did you wait so long to have a light bulb go on?” No, he’s blessed are you, good job. You’ve got this thing. And because you got this thing, I can build something on this thing and God, I thank you. I thank you that you’re high fiving us today. You’re high fiving us today. You’re saying blessed are you. You got this straight from heaven and heaven is gonna help you walk it out. And God, we just position ourselves in meekness because meekness is what’s gonna cause this word to become flesh in us. Because meekness is what’s going to allow us to walk in greater authority. And we just declare right now to our opinions that you don’t have the right to be offended even though you have the reality in our life because of our experience. We say we are not gonna let our experience and our opinions cause offense that will keep us from truth and transformation and renaissance.

And we just say right now to judgment that you have no place here, that, yes, we have convictions and we have beliefs, but we just say that our convictions and our beliefs will not stem from a place of judgment of other people. What they’ve done to us, what they haven’t done for us, what they’ve lacked, what they didn’t, couldn’t do for us because God, their lack was based upon their lack of revelation. And so, now God, what we get to do is we get to flip it back on them and we get to bless them. We get to bless them because we have a revelation that they didn’t have. And we get to live out what they wanted to be, but they didn’t know how to be.

And so, we just say, father, that you’re turning hearts of sons and daughters to fathers and mothers. That doesn’t just mean that you’re causing fathers and mothers to come to sons and daughters. That means that those of us who have positioned ourselves as sons and daughters to learn, you’re turning the hearts of fathers to sons and daughters and the hearts of sons and fathers to daughter, you’re shifting hearts right now, God, and you’re causing a generation that’s been in a place of son-ship and daughter-hood to rise up and say, “We’re gonna be fathers and mothers in this generation. We’re going to be fathers and mothers in this generation. And because of it, the land will be restored. The curse in the land will be reversed.” God, we thank you that we don’t live under an old covenant with the threat that there’ll be a curse in the land. But when a generation rises up of fathers and mothers and raises up a generation of sons and daughters that know who they are, our inheritance is released and the land is healed.

And so, God, I thank you right now that judgment and offense leaves this place. And now we have the opportunity to stand in an open heaven, an open heaven before our father and say, “God, we’re not content with just seeing the light. We’re not content with just hearing or having a revelation. But, God, we want to manifest truth in the earth. We want the truth. We want the word to become flesh in our lives, in Jesus’ name.”

How I Make Big Decisions

Sat, 14 Jul 2018 18:00:00 GMT

Making big decisions isn’t always easy. Thankfully we have a Father who wants us to bless our decision making process. Here are the three things I always consider before taking those big steps of faith. I hope these help you the next time you’re faced with what seems like an impossible decision.

– TRANSCRIPT

So, today, I want to answer a question that often people ask me around how to make big decisions and how to follow the leading of God in those moments. And there are three things that I found has really helped me.

The first thing is to figure out where the fingerprints of God are on the decision-making process, so things like dreams, visions, particular words, uncanny coincidences, Scriptures that begin to speak to me about a possible direction and begin to confirm some things that have been put in my heart concerning the leading of God, maybe confirming prophetic words or sparking something of a desire to where God wants to take me in the season that I’m about to face.

And the second thing I have found that really helps me in terms of making a decision is to trust what God has put in me. Do you know, God sees you as a new creation, and He’s put good things in you. He’s put a new heart, which mean you’ve got new desires on the inside of you. And so, allowing God to lead me through those desires, allowing God to speak to me through what He’s built into me in terms of hearing His voice is really important. A little child needs to know and grow in hearing their father’s voice, so the father doesn’t have to keep telling them what to do. God invites us into the same process. He puts things in us, that we know what we need to do by listening to what’s in our heart.

And the third thing that I think is really helpful is discovering wise people around you. The Bible says, “He who walks with the wise, he himself will become wise too.” And so, look for wise counsel. Look for people you can speak to, people who know you, and people who call out the gold in you. You don’t simply see what’s happening through the eyes of the natural, but see through God’s perspective and people of faith, who help you make big faith decisions. Faith requires believing for the impossible even when it looks like it’s not possible. When you surround yourself with people like that, it begins to help you make wise decisions.

So, those are the three things. Look for the fingerprints of God, trust what God’s put in you, and find wise counsel. That’s how you make big decisions.

What is Kingdom Government

Thu, 12 Jul 2018 18:00:00 GMT

What will it look like for God’s Kingdom authority to reign on Earth? Most of us understand authority through the lens of power. We want to know who has power over who. But Jesus’ understanding of power was not about his position. For Jesus, the ultimate demonstration of power was in a demonstration of love by laying down his life. Listen to Session 5 of the Renaissance Conference, with Julian Adams.

For more videos from the Renaissance Conference 2018, subscribe to Harvest Church on Youtube.

– TRANSCRIPT

Julian: Right, Luke 3. If you haven’t found Luke 3 by now, you can give up. “In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being the tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip the tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As is it written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, ‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”

I believe God is doing something very significant in our nation. I believe God is doing something very significant on the earth today, and God is beginning to shift the way we think about what it means to be the people of God on planet Earth. I grew up in a time when we all thought that Jesus was coming back in the year 2000, and thank God he didn’t because I wouldn’t have met my beautiful wife. I’m quite glad for that. But I grew up in a context where to escape this planet Earth was better than to change planet earth. And God is beginning to shift the way we think, so we begin to understand that heaven is coming to Earth, and I love what John the Baptist represents. He is a forerunner as you might know, and he comes in the Bible, says an incredible thing that the message that he brings was a message of change the way you think because the Kingdom of God is within arm’s reach.

A little bit later in the book of Luke, just a few verses later, you’ll see that the Bible says that all of Israel was in expectation for the coming of the Messiah. Now you need to understand that for a Jewish understanding of Messiah, it was not just a savior who was gonna come and save them from their troubles. This was one who would come and establish Yahweh’s rule and reign on the earth and establish a government of His goodness and His Shalom all over the earth. They would have understood Messiah could be the one who would come and overthrow all of the illegitimate powers and authority of the day. They were expecting a conquering Messiah that will come and turn over the evil regime that was established in their context. They lived in an apocalyptic worldview, which meant that the end was near. It meant that there was an expectation that something was gonna shift, but the end for them was not an understanding of us leaving the earth. It was an understanding of God sending His Messiah to establish His throne on the earth.

You see, many of us have bought into unhelpful and unbiblical theology and so we’re waiting for the rapture. God bless you. And if you wanna stock up on baked beans and toast, God bless you. When the truth is that heaven was made for earth. When you read the book of Genesis, you’ll see that they are of opposites, that we begin to get an understanding of marriage. We see night and day. We see how they meant for each other. We see man and woman, how they meant for each other. But the first thing that God creates are the heavens and the earth. You see, heaven is meant for earth. They’ve been meant to be married. It’s why the miracle in John 3, where the water gets turned into wine was so profound. It was a sign because, for the first time in history since the beginning in the Garden, there was this beautiful picture of a marriage where heaven and earth join together and the dynamic power of God multiplied a whole lot of wine.

And in Jewish understanding, when wine came, when wine was produced, it was a sign of the blessing of heaven on the earth. I love that miracle. It’s the most unnecessary miracle in the Bible. It just reveals how good God is. I mean, I’m not quite sure what to do with that theologically. The guys were already drunk and Jesus turned a whole lot more water into wine. You can try work that one out. And so we see John comes and he says, “Change the way you think.” That’s the message he was preaching. The Kingdom of God is at hand and the Jewish people understood that what he was saying is Messiah is about to turn up and every illegitimate power’s about to be overthrown.

The problem is that for most of the Pharisees, most of the religious leaders of the day, they expected a conquering king, but Jesus came as the suffering servant. And so they could not recognize the day of their visitation because they presupposed they had the majority revelation on how God was moving in their day. I’ll move on quickly. And we see Jesus standing before Pontius Pilate in John 18, and he says to Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world.” It’s not a great translation. A better translation is “My kingdom is not from this world,” because sometimes when we think of my kingdom not being of this world, we tend to think that it’s this external reality somewhere out there that we’re gonna go to when we die. But the truth is the Kingdom of God is the government of His gracious rule and reign coming on earth, so when heaven and earth join together in a beautiful marriage, so the government of His peace is established on the earth.

But the thing I love about Jesus’ understanding of the kingdom is that for most of us when we think about kingdom, we think about position and power, but Jesus, when he’s standing in front of Pontius Pilate, he says, “My kingdom is not from this world. Therefore, my disciples aren’t gonna fight to try and overthrow anyone.” This is not a battle Apollo. Let me help you a little bit here. You see, most of us understand authority through the lens of position. Most of us understand authority through the lens of who has power over who? Jesus, King of the universe, who holds the very breath of Pilate, says to him, “No one takes my life, I lay it down.” You see, Jesus’ understanding of power was not about his position. That’s why it says in Philippians like he did not count equality with God as something could be grasped, but he humbled himself and took on flesh. Because he understood something about the nature of going low and going slow, and for him, the outcome of demonstration of power was not the place of authority I have in society, but in a demonstration of love by laying down my life.

My kingdom is not from this world but it is for this world. Jesus said, “The Kingdom of God is in your midst.” He was referring to himself at that point. He was saying, “Here I am. Can you not see what I’m doing? Can you not see how I’m working with the poor, with the oppressed, with the…how I’m lifting women up into a different place in society? How I’m shifting what it means to understand equity and justice and mercy.” You see, for Jesus, the understanding of his kingdom coming was not about an ability to take over everything, but an understanding that in the kingdom, it’s not about your power or your position, it is about your posture.

Let me help you. Luke is writing in Luke 3 and listing the powers, the position of authority, not because he’s a good historian, but because for the Jew, they understood that earthly powers represented a heavenly reality or a spiritual dimension. In other words, the powers that be were not the people you see, but the demonic strongholds behind them impacting the way they lived. When you begin to understand that, you begin to realize that for Jesus, his authority was not expressed through who he could smite. His authority was expressed in how he laid down his life. You see, for many of us, and I wish I could… All the stuff that Eric and Barbara’s been speaking about, I felt like they were reading my notes, so it’s a little bit unfair that I’m here now. But the truth is this, friends, that the leadership dynamic that Luke is speaking of when John gets this word and we’ll get there in a moment, he’s wanting us to understand the principalities and powers that’s at work in that context. He’s wanting us to understand the political climate and the religious climate into which the word of God lands.

Now, here’s what I wanna say about this very quickly. The word “principality” means first ruler. The church is called to be the only principality over your region. Let me help you again. We are called to be co-rulers with Christ. And because we’ve abdicated the place of responsibility in laid down lives of love, because we thought that, “If I can just get a position of power to exert influence over something, then maybe the Kingdom of God will come.” Which is exactly what the people of Israel and Jewish leaders were thinking, “We just need to get a new king.” But Jesus demonstrates his kingship, not through looking for authority, but in laying down his life. Let me just unpack this just a little bit more and we’ll get there. I fear that in the church we’ve heard this great theology by people like my friend, Lance Wallnau, who I love and he’s incredible, about seven mountains. How many of you heard the Seven Mountains story?

And we can think that if we get to the top of the mountain, that’s when we really have influence, but the nature of the kingdom is most often discovered in obscurity and hiddenness first. You don’t need to get to the top of a mountain to serve that mountain. Because for most in the church, we still have an illegitimate understanding, an old covenant view of authority. We still are like the people of Israel who want a king like Saul. Power in the new covenant is love expressed through a laid down life. We had to change the way we think. I wanna say this very clearly. I do not believe that God wants to give the church dominion over anything. I believe God wants to give the church a heart of love over and for everything.

We do not need another Christian party in South Africa to effect change. We need more Christians in every single political party to serve it with love. We do not need a Christian nation. You cannot legislate heart change. If you legislate a heart change, it’s called legalism and that’s the old covenant. Ooh, shika bazooka. I could throw this in just because I feel like having a little bit of fun here. You see, I am so tired of the church trying to change the law around abortion and no one’s willing to adopt. Oh, I sense a little bit of white privilege getting uncomfortable here. In love, of course. Luke lists these powers and he says this, “The word of the Lord came to John in the wilderness.” God overlooked the places of power. God overlooked the position in the palace and he goes to a crazy man in the desert.

You see, for many of us, we expect the presence and the power of God in the kingdom to look like worldly institutions of politics and religion. Oh, I come here with a mandate tonight because something has to shift in our nation because it’s not a government that’s gonna effect the change in this nation. It’s the people of God living in the reality of the new covenant, extending that through love. Let me get back to my notes in case I get into some trouble here. John received this word in the hidden place of obscurity. Some theologians believe that John was part of a particular group of people who lived out in the desert, they were mystic, they were weird, they were crazy. And John gets raised up and I love what God does in this moment of transition, in this moment of change. He calls the people of Israel back to the desert to hear a crazy man declaring the word of God.

And the Bible says that they all went out and there were three types of people who went out. There were the masses of Israel who were beginning to be awakened to something of an expectation that Messiah was about to show up. And then there were the religious leaders and the political leaders of the day who went out to critique what God was doing. John rebukes them and I love this because this is classic of the religious spirit. He says, “You think you are of your father Abraham and you celebrate what Abraham did, but you’re persecuting what God’s doing right now. You’re missing your moment of visitation.” You see, the religious spirit loves to celebrate what God did last year, loves to look forward to what He might do next year, but what He’s doing right now, we persecute.

Oh, no, no, no, no, that church is just a little bit on the edge, out there with the weirdoes, concerned about their theology. But there’s something about receiving the word of God in the place of obscurity, that word, the word of the Lord, the phrase that the Bible talks about it’s called rhema, it’s the rhema word, it’s the now word of God. It’s the prophetic word of God. It’s the word of God that springs up into life. It’s different from logos, which is the written word of God, and it’s the word of God on which He’s breathing right now to establish and to create the future now. That’s what rhema means. And John receives a rhema word in the wilderness, in the desert place, and that word disrupts the narrative of the day and begins to change both the political and the spiritual climate for a whole nation.

I wanna say to you friends and I wanna submit humbly to you, that the prophetic nature of what God is saying to us is not meant to stay in the full buildings of…four walls of a building. It is meant to disrupt the narrative of the political and spiritual climate of our nation. It’s meant to echo and reverb and make noise. So the people came out…I love what happens here. All the people went out to see him. I believe this next move of God is not gonna be defined by one or two leaders, it’s gonna be defined by hungry people. At least people are gonna get baptized, they head of the Pharisees and the political leaders of the day. And there’s something about the word of God that comes into a place, that comes into a particular context that begins to disrupt the narrative, begins to bring a new sound. And to the level that you agree with that sound is to the level that you begin to see the disruptive nature of the prophetic begin to shift some things. And it comes into two specific contexts and I’m so glad Eric touched on this because now I feel like I’ve got freedom just to push this one a little bit.

It comes into a political climate and it comes into a religious climate. Luke is writing this because he wants us to understand there’re two strongholds, there’re two demonic principalities at work, and God’s super seeks those and He goes to a man in the desert and releases a rhema word that prepares a way for the promise to be fulfilled in Jesus. And God wants to release the rhema word to you to shift political dynamics and climates. And you know, if I can just be so bold and I’m not probably gonna win many friends right now, but I’m gonna go for it.

We live in a context of systemic oppression that came out of both the apartheid era and our current government, and it’s perpetuated a system that divides the rich and the poor as far and as long as possible. Now, I understand that everybody thinks they’re an activist because they’ve got a Facebook account, and you can be an amazing activist from the comfort of your arm chair. The way the government of God is expressed is not through social justice because social justice without the king of the kingdom is just a lot of hard work. It is expressed through communities who begin to take responsibility for the spheres of influence and begin to love. Oh, Jesus, forgive me. I don’t wanna be too reductionist right now, but you know the issue around land in South Africa… Can I sense, that stronghold just suddenly…whoa. The issue of land, friends, is not about who had it first. The issue is about the Christian community being biblical and sharing all things with all people, which is what the Bible says.

Just gonna leave that hanging a little bit. I don’t mean to be disrespectful, I don’t mean to be political, but what I’m telling you is God is not calling us to be politically correct, He’s calling us to be prophetically direct. And until we shift some stuff, until you dig into your multiple properties, until you work your domestic helper out of a job because she gets educated, because she gets her driver’s license, because she gets some property and changes the legacy for her family, you are not understanding what it means to be part of this kingdom. It’s probably not a good time to take up an offering, hey? You see, the political spirit comes to control and to confine people in order to serve a systemic agenda. And this happens in the church too. That we prize our systems and our positions over freedom for the very people God has called us to serve. And so as long as my people… I love it when pastor said “my people.” Oh, I didn’t realize they were yours. As long as my people serve me and serve my vision… I tell you if you ever want a popular job, go and become a prophet.

You see, the political spirit will confuse serving the system with serving God and therefore never release people into greatness. You see, these politicians, Herod, they were all about what they could get out of the system and so they kept the people in the system. You see, I’m just gonna shift… I’m not talking about South African politics now, I’m talking about church politics for a moment. Because we’ve confused leadership with politics, and we’ve confused flattery with honor because if I can tell you what I think you need to hear so that you can serve what I want, it’s a great deal, isn’t it? God is looking for a people who’ve received rhema word that cuts through all of that junk. There is a word I wanna say, it’s actually in the Bible. It’s the word, skubala, go and have a look. I think poop, that’s what it means. It’s in the Bible.

You see, the political spirit will seek to get agreement on issues and keep us in a perpetual argument when God is looking for agreement of heart. The word of the Lord comes to John in the midst of that and cuts across that. You see, the political spirit will seek loyalty to an organization and to a memory of past heydays rather than pursuing the current purposes of God for our generation.

I just wanna stay here for a little bit because I feel like I’m hitting a stronghold in this city right now. The ultimate expression of the political spirit is my territory. Who are my people? With Pentecostal Amens right now.

Together: Amen.

Julian: I want you to hear my heart. I’ve served in local churches, I’ve served in apostolic movements, I’ve been a pastor for eight years at one local church, I’ve served as…I get the dynamic of knowing your flock, it’s important, it’s biblical. But when ownership of who’s who and how many trumps the leading of the spirit, that’s politics. When the memory of what God did in previous moves of God through my particular movement, through my particular church becomes the thing that you value most rather than pressing on into the purposes of God, and so you demand submission and you demand following at the expense of individual destiny and purpose…the word of the Lord comes to John into that context and he begins to disrupt that. He began to say, “It doesn’t have to be the same. There’s a new government coming. There’s a new establishing coming.”

And you see, John…I don’t have time to hit the religious spirit, but I’ll just say this very quickly. One of the key things that the religious spirit will do is overemphasize our distinctive over and above our calling. You see, the people of Israel were distinct because they had the sign of circumcision. It was a distinctive and that distinctive was never meant to be an exclusive in or out thing, it was meant to be a sign to the nations that the covenant-keeping God was blessing this nation so that all nations could enter into the same covenant. And what was meant to bless the nations, what was meant to be their call became a distinctive that separated those people from these people.

I wanna say to you, when you start to feel that your group is on the cutting edge, something’s wrong. If you’re sitting here thinking, “Oh my gosh, I wish my pastor was in this meeting. Oh my gosh, I wish so and so was hearing this,” you probably have a religious spirit because if this stuff doesn’t shift your hearts, something is wrong. And John receives the rhema word.

I wanna end with this. The thing that set John apart as a prophet was that he saw something in the future and he began to live in it today. The thing that sets us apart as the people of God is that we have seen a future reality and we are gaining, striding that in community right now. It’s why we do multicultural churches, not because we’re trying to be politically correct, not because we want to fill the quota system, but because heaven looks like every tribe, every tongue, every nation. The reason why we’re going in our local house after equality for men and women is because in heaven, men and women co-equally rule and reign. That’s what heaven looks like so it needs to look like that on the earth.

The reason why we give to the poor, the reason why we think about justice and mercy is not because we want some good work program and a little social justice kick with some wonderfully poor child on our website with a little donate button. We do it because in heaven, justice means that the oppressed and the oppressor go free. You didn’t get that. The reason why Daniel could serve an evil king is because God saw the intrinsic worth in what everyone else saw as evil. Let me help you a little bit, friends. Until we begin to understand that the Bible calls us to see humanity through the image-bearing nature of a beautiful kind God, we will always despise what we think is evil, and therefore, never engage in order to redeem and bring them into the fullness of the purpose of God for their lives.

And you see, John saw a future and the Bible says…that it says that the least in the kingdom is greater than John. You see, what John prophesied, Jesus fulfilled, and what we, as image bearers of Christ, as those who we have received the spirit of Messiah get to do is not just prophesy to something, but begin to demonstrate to that reality right now. John could only ever look, he never tasted, he never saw, and he never entered in. You and I, by virtue of our being filled with the spirit, we get to enter in to the fulfilment of promise. And John’s job was to do this. He was raised up as a new Moses and he’s at the Jordan in the wilderness. The Jordan speaks of the promises of God and he calls the people back to the promises of God because he’s gonna declare who the Messiah is, the one in whom all of those promises find their “yes” and their “amen.” And those waters of baptism are not waters of cleansing for Jesus. They’re waters of revelation.

All of Israel’s longings found in this one. All of Israel’s promises are found in this one, and what John only got to see and declare, we get to declare and demonstrate. Friends, we’re a people of the future. We’re a people of the future who live in the reality of that future right now. Some people have said to me, “Julian, you have an over-realized eschatology.” That means I want too much of heaven right now. I am guilty as charged.

Because the prince of peace is establishing a new government. It’s not a government of power, it’s a government of peace. Shalom, wellbeing, justice, equity for the poor, not just equality for the poor, equity for the poor.

One of the greatest things that I’ve seen, if I may be so bold and humbly say, and the church in South Africa, is that religion and politics have governed the way we live our Christian life. See, I just want you to know that the government of God does not look like Christian television. It does not look like Christian culture. The government of God establishes peace so it makes it easy for people to choose the king of peace. It doesn’t force anyone. It’s why I pray we never become a Christian nation, but we become Christians in this nation who extend peace through laid down lives of love, so the atmosphere is so charged with heaven that people go, “Who runs this country actually? Where do I find the king in this kingdom?”

God’s calling a forerunner people to make it easy. You see, John’s job was to be a new Moses, who made a highway in the desert place so that it was easy for people to cross into the promise. That’s our job. Will you become a laid down lover highway for this nation to enter in to their promises? I wanna release right now an impartation for a forerunner anointing that would take people out of the wilderness into the promise, that will make it easy for people to enter into the kingdom. Please, I just wanna say this, I don’t want you to misunderstand me. I love people who are Christians in politics. We need that. I don’t want you to misunderstand me about the whole Christian nation thing. I just want you to understand that the Kingdom of God does not look like church. It looks like peace established on the earth.

I believe God wants to commission a people who will be a forerunner nation, kinda run ahead and make it easy. We will not pursue places of power to influence. You know, the Bible says that in the end, God will separate the wheat from the tares and there’s something beautiful about that because wheat, or tares, when it is fully grown, stands tall and its head is empty with no reproductive seed. Wheat, when it is fully grown, is bowed over low full of reproductive seed. It’s why it’s gonna be easy to separate wheat and tares. Because in the kingdom, it is not your position, it is your posture that changes everything, and so I’m asking for a forerunner people who will lay down their lives to love this nation, to love communities, to share what they have liberally, to live as the people of Shalom on the earth.

If your understanding of prosperity is about your personal gain, you’ve missed the point of the kingdom. Prosperity is about a community coming under the goodness of God and we do that by being filled with the spirit. John never got to be filled with the Holy Spirit. It’s why even though he was great, those who are now at least in the kingdom and filled with the spirit is greater than John the Baptist. Because not only do we get to declare that Messiah is here, not only do we get to say, “Behold the lamb,” we get to demonstrate Messiah’s kingdom wherever we go.

And so if you wanna enter into the forerunner ministry of being a people of the future, I wanna ask you to stand.

George Gourlay – Renaissance Conference Session 2

Wed, 11 Jul 2018 18:00:00 GMT

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Eric Johnson – Renaissance Conference Session 1

Tue, 10 Jul 2018 18:00:00 GMT

For more videos from the Renaissance Conference 2018, subscribe to Harvest Church on Youtube.

– TRANSCRIPT

Eric: It’s great to be back. I was just here last month. I was in Joburg with some friends doing a conference there, and I had a wonderful time and I thought you know, why don’t we just do two trips to South Africa in a condensed amount of time. I should get a medal just for… it’s just a long ways to get here from where I’m from. It’s about a 40-hour trip, and so 2 days of sitting and waiting and watching every movie on the plane. No, but seriously, it’s an honor to be back and I’m falling more in love with this part of the world, and just excited for what the Lord is doing here. And honestly, I don’t just say that, I sincerely mean that.

And some of our greatest people in our environment are from South Africa. They don’t need an introduction but I’m gonna do it anyway. Richard and Levy Gordon are here. Can you stand up and say hi? They’re fellow Durbanites, and they’re such as a beautiful part of our team back home, and really, we’re so grateful that they’re with us. And tomorrow, Haley Braun will be flying in some of you that know her. She’s from Port Elizabeth, and she’s there. One of our staff as well but she’s spending a chunk of her summer with her husband and two kids with her family. And she texted me a few weeks ago said, “I think I’m gonna fly up to Durban.” I said, “You have to. If I come to your country, you have to meet me there.”

So anyway, we really have…some of our amazing team is from South Africa. And what the Lord is doing here is really phenomenal, and what’s fun about Bethel, what’s fun for us, is we really get the ability to touch a lot of people and to see and feel what the Lord is doing. And you know, for, you know, 20-ish years now, we’re able to see hotspots where, oh man, the Lord’s really doing something significant in that city, or that country, and whatnot.

And I can just recount the various cities, the nations over the last 20 years where it felt like they were just a highlight on that country. And I really feel like South Africa is in the middle of that right now, just the Lord is highlighting this nation, what he’s wanting to do here, what he’s already done, what he’s been doing. And so, again, it’s just fun to be here to be with you guys. But to properly get to know me a little bit, you need to see the rest of my family. So I have a photo. Now, I like to introduce my family. If we could put that up there. That’s not it but it’ll come.

There’s my family and they are not here obviously, but I’m surrounded by ladies. I have a lot of ladies in my life. And when they have friends over, it just multiplies the female gender in my life. And so, I have to make sure my testosterone is at the correct levels. There’s actually scientific studies that they say, if you’re around women a lot and a husband or father have lots of daughters, they notice changes. And so, I have accountability partners in my life that make sure things are good, so I thought I just bring that up right now.

But the woman on the far left, that’s my wife. We just celebrated our… actually not just, we’re about to celebrate our 21st wedding anniversary. And her name is Candace. She’s the love of my life. She’s my best friend. And we just had a 20-year anniversary last fall, and we just went to Italy last month for two weeks. And we had to see that on the Sistine Chapel and that was just phenomenal. It was such a wonderful trip, but we’ve been married for almost 21 years.

And the one next to her, that’s my oldest daughter Kennedy. She just graduated high school earlier this month. And she is working for a dentist in town, and she’s enrolling to… at the moment, enrolled to do dental hygiene. So she wants to be a dental hygienist, and so my dental bills are about to become nothing at some point in my life, praise God. But she is one of the kindest, sweetest, people you’ll ever meet. She just loves people. It brings her life. And when you put people around her and kids around her, she is just the kindest sweetest person in the world, and it’s really fun to see what the Lord is doing in her life right now.

And the one next to her that is Saila [SP]. She is the tallest of all the women in the house, and she like to make that point. And she’s actually… this is a couple years old, she’s actually of my height right now, and she is so excited about passing me up. And I said it won’t happen. The Lord told me it wouldn’t happen. No, I don’t know. She’s my 16-year-old, and she’ll be graduating high school next year. She actually just landed. She’s been texting me like crazy. She just landed in Brazil. She is there for two weeks with Randy Clark, with one of his mission trips.

And we’re so excited for her because I remember I went with Randy Clark to Brazil in 1998, and my wife will tell you the story, but I came back a different person. And so, we’re just praying for Saila that she would just get absolutely rocked by God. But I have to tell you a story about Saila. Saila is a lot…when I met my wife and we got married, it was always in mind that I wish I knew my wife as a little girl. I’d always tell Candace, “I wish I knew you when you were a little. You were probably the funniest…you know, just I wanna see you when you were little.”

And so, God gave us Saila. So Saila is my youngest, and she is a replica of my wife. When she was five years old, she was sitting on the couch one day and she is ranting and raving and she’s upset. She’s five, and she’s mad about something, and she wasn’t making a whole lot of sense. So she’s just upset. She had her toys around her and she’s just kind of upset. We finally sat down and said, “What’s going on?” And she was really mad that all of her toys were made in China.

She was upset. She kept grabbing all the toys and showing the tags and it said, “Made in China or made in Tay-land,” she called it…instead of Thailand, she would say Tay-land. And she was just really irate about the fact that none of her toys were made in Redding, our city. And she was upset about that and I remember pulling my camera out or my phone, I can’t remember what I had at the time, and was recording…she found it the other day, it’s so cute. Her being mad at five actually was so cute. It was actually fun to watch her. And she came up with this plan all on her own. She said, “I wanna put Redding on the map,” and she’s, “I’m gonna make things, and then I’m gonna find famous people to wear them.”

And at that time, the most famous person in her life was my mom, her grandma, Benny. So she said, “And Grandma Benny is gonna wear it, and then everybody is gonna look at her and wanna buy it.” And I’m like man, she got the creative going. She got the business and the marketing. I looked to my wife and I said there’s our retirement plan right there. And honestly, that’s her. She wants to make unapologetically and we fully support it, she wants to make a lot of money in her life. I’m like, “You go, girl. You do it. You go make all that money and don’t forget who fed you all those years.”

So that’s my family, and they say hello. My wife, I’ve yet to bring my wife to South Africa. She wants to come, but we have some stuff in the schedule that just couldn’t allow her to be freed up. And so, my wife and I run the church together, so she’s very much…we actually…I tell people if she’s the pastor’s wife, then I’m the pastor’s husband, and that really is our approach. And people always comment on just the health of the church right now as far just the level of community doing life together. And we have a large church, so trying to build community and life in the context of a large church is a lot of work.

And you know, larger families have to work harder at getting together, it’s just the way it is. But I do credit a lot of that to my wife. She just had to get an anointing on her life to crack that code. And it’s been so fun to run with her especially the last seven years of when we stepped in to take over the church. And so, anyway, she’s home taking care of the home front. Well, I’m excited to be with you for the next few days, and to be here with the Hazletts is such a treat. We love having them come to our church and they’re such a blessing to our house.

I have specific things I wanna cover tonight, but I do need to make sure you guys are ready to do a little bit of heavy lifting. Can we do some heavy lifting on the first night? Okay, apparently not. Can we do some heavy lifting on the first…Some of you are like, “No, I don’t know if I wanna work too hard tonight.” Well, you’re going to. I have the mic. No, but I have three sessions with you guys and a kind of a pretty clear picture of what I wanna do with each one. And tonight, I would like to try to create a framework in line with the conference, in line with the theme of this event, I definitely wanna stay in that line.

And I wanna create some frameworks around this idea of Renaissance. You know, we were just in Italy for two weeks, and one of the fascinating things about seeing…and we didn’t bring our kids, you know, which was obviously fun for us. But the reason I say that is we’re able to do museums and the see stuff without teenagers complaining about being in the museums. It was wonderful. And so, we went to Paris with them and that was an interesting experience, and they did okay, but we definitely killed them with museum. They hate museum, they despise them. They don’t look at them anymore.

So anyway, we were there for a couple of weeks in Italy, and it was so fun to see a lot of the stuff during the Renaissance, and what it did. One of the things I observed that was really fascinating is that they used in that context of art and creativity to tell the narrative, to tell the story of God. It was fascinating. You can look at one painting and it would tell you the story from the beginning to the end. It was so intriguing that one of the biggest things about the Renaissance was to tell the story of the gospel, to tell the story of our Father.

And so, when we talk about renaissance in today’s age, I feel like one of our mandates is not a new one, it’s one that’s being brought back up. One of our responsibility as believers is to tell the narrative of a good God, is to demonstrate it, is to live it, to experience it. I don’t care what field you’re in. I don’t care what we do with our lives. One of your primary privileges in life is to reveal him, it just is. And I wanna hit that from several different angles tonight.

Tonight’s message is actually called Church and Culture. And I wanna unpack five things that I’m gonna just call fundamentals. The reason why I call them fundamental is, is there more than these five things? I’m sure of there are. It’s been a definitive absolute theologically led. But these are five things that we have found that are crucial and instrumental to actually engaging with culture, and seeing things transform.

This morning, we’re with a bunch of great men and women at a breakfast this morning, and we were talking about revival has to look like something. It needs to move not just a… again, revival can mean something different to every person in this room. In America in a Western concept especially in America, revival typically means a tent in the middle of a field, and you have day and night meetings for weeks on end. And that’s typically what most Americans think of revival, but revival to me is when something that was dead is now made alive again.

And so, we talk about revival being revived, how many in this room have had a revived experience at some point in your life? Where you were not doing well, God encountered you and you came brand new all over again. Some of you, it was your salvation experience. Some of you, it was your second salvation experience, and just a revival. And then when God hits a corporate body of people, and people are being revived, it has to go somewhere. The natural progression of revival is to move into transformation and reformation. It’s not one or the other, it should be all three.

And that’s the danger of the church, is our terminology had actually hindered us from moving on a natural progression of once God touches you. One of the great stories in Isaiah, the prophet Isaiah is he…there’s a story where he eats the scroll, the word of the Lord. He actually eats the scroll and ingested it. And then, the next question, God said, “Who’s gonna go to the nation?” And guess who was the first person to raise their hand, Isaiah. So when Isaiah was impacted by God, he was the first one to say I’m going.

And so, there has to be an outflow, an expression of when the Lord touches, you there’s nothing wrong with soaking, there’s nothing wrong with hanging out with God. In fact, you should do it more than you ever have. At the same time, there should be an outward expression of when you are touched by the Lord. It is a normal Christian response, a disciple of Jesus Christ to say what am I gonna do with this that I have now been given?

And it concerns me when the church or Christians, they have these amazing encounters with the Lord, and there isn’t an inclination at all to do something with it. All we wanna do is it keep it to ourselves. That deeply concerns me because it eventually would turn into a swamp. It would turn into a bog. And when water comes in and doesn’t flow out, it’s a really bad situation. It’s not healthy. It’s not natural and it’s essentially not normal for the believer.

Now, I wanna challenge you. If you’ve been touched by the Lord, it’s normal to go, “What do I do with this? How do I let this thing out? What do I do with myself?” That is normal. So we should be expecting even more that when people get touched by the Lord in our church, in our home, in our lives, that they might leave and go do something. That should be a normal thing, and so for our environment, we have a…it’s not a negative thing of a highly transient environment.

What I mean by that is people come in for a season and they’re going, and it’s a process because you get deep, deep connection with people. But at the same time, it’s normal. Why? Because they’ve been touched by the Lord and they’ve got to do something with it. And so, my challenge today or tonight is to create somewhat of a framework that help you and I and essentially help the church of this country to engage with culture like maybe they’ve never had before.

And so, I wanna give you some fundamentals, and fundamentals are important because if you can build on these fundamentals…My wife was really into gymnastics growing up. I actually didn’t think it was a legitimate sport. I really didn’t. I thought…who cares about when they do all that stuff. And the Olympics came on, like big, yep, you know. There’s no skill set involved. That was my very naive myopic… I’m just being honest with you. Very naive and myopic until I met my wife and I realized I am so naive on this.

And I realized that gymnastics is really one of the most important foundational sport for pretty much anything. So it shows you how naive I was. So nonetheless, my wife put our kids in gymnastic which at that time, I wasn’t convinced yet. And as she took a few years…and I’ll tell you why because I’m paying this guy money to teach my kids how to do somersaults. They do it at home with no coach, but yet I’m paying this guy 100 bucks a month, to teach my kids to do what they already do a home.

And I remember for months and even a couple of years went by and I’m like, “What is going on?” I didn’t tell my wife this. I’m smarter than that. But inside, I thought this is a waste of money. They’re doing nothing. They’re just doing their little motion. I wanna see the back handspring. I pay a lot of money to see back handsprings and all the vaults and stuff. That’s what I wanna see when they’re five years old. And so, that’s honestly my thought process. So little by little, what are they doing, they’re building these little fundamentals, and then one day they begin to put all the fundamentals together, and they’re able to do back handsprings in their sleep.

So there’s something about fundamentals, that when you take them separate and you divide them out, they look boring. They’re not fun, but when you put them together, you get a motion that’s very effective and impactful. So I wanna give you five fundamentals that I think will be helpful. The first one is you must have God’s narrative on humanity. I heard this recently. We live in a Genesis 3 world, with the Genesis 1 blueprint with the trajectory to Revelation 21. It’s a beautiful description of where we’re at.

So let me say it again, we live in a Genesis 3 world, with a Genesis 1 blueprint, with a trajectory to a Revelation 21 future. It’s a beautiful image, but I want to talk about the narrative of God. God’s narrative on humanity is crucial. We have to ask the question, do we have a generation one narrative on humanity or do you have a generation… am saying generation, Genesis 1narrative or Genesis 3 narrative? Genesis 1 the image of God, the creation, Genesis 3 is the fall of man and the introduction of sin to mankind.

And I think all of us say Genesis 1, but then we don’t realize oftentimes we actually view a lot of humanity through Genesis 3. And we have to actually go back and get a Genesis 1 narrative on humanity. Years ago, the senior leadership team, we had this retreat and we were in San Francisco and we were about to do a Segway tour. Do you guys know what Segways are? Is that what you call them here? Segway those little two-wheel things you stand on? And Banning and my wife…my wife and I Banning and CJ, we wanted to take…so my dad and mom Kris and Kathy, Danny and Sherry, Paul and Sue, I mean the whole senior team, one of our activities on this retreat was to do a Segway tour.

And you put on this really dorky neon vest and helmets. You feel like a total dork, but once you’re on those things, it is so much fun. So we’re waiting for our tour, and right next to the place where we get our Segway, there’s an art gallery. And I love design. I love art. I love getting into all that. I’m not a connoisseur by any means to art, but I do appreciate a lot of art. And so, let’s go into this art gallery real quick. We walked into this art gallery and honestly it was one of the worst art galleries I had ever been to.

It was horrible. I don’t know why people would even buy anything in this art gallery. And the room was about this size and so, on the walls, white walls, white floor. There was really nice lighting. And there’s all these paintings on the wall, and I remember looking at every painting and the price tags were just like…they did not make sense at all. And I remember thinking to myself this is horrible painting, I didn’t like any of them. And in the middle of the outer gallery, they had this platform, and they had a big chunk of metal sitting on top of it.

And it looked like someone went to like a junkyard, a metal yard and grabbed a bunch of old metal, rusty metal, and welded it together and put it on top of the pedestal. And all these lights are on it. That was their masterpiece. That was like their main piece. I remember thinking this is…I didn’t enjoy it one bit. And soon thereafter, we ended up going home, and in Sunday night worship, if you’ve never been to Bethel, on this side of the stage, most services we have painters that are doing prophetic art during worship.

And so, one Sunday night there was a couple people up front, and there was one gal who was painting this painting. And again, it was a really…in Eric’s opinion, was not a great piece of art. It felt like it got worse and worse. You know, a lot of art starts in the beginning like, I don’t know what’s going on here, and then it kind of turns into something beautiful. Not this one, it was reverse. It was better with the white canvas, that was…and it just got worse, and worse, and worse, and worse. And I remember in worship, I’m like, “I can’t even look at it, it’s bad.”

I couldn’t even lift my head…no, I’m just kidding, like it wasn’t that bad. But I remember critiquing and not liking this painting at all during the whole worship. And so, worship was over. I forget who spoke that night. The service is over and I thought, I wanna go get a closer look at this painting. So I walked over and our stage is about this tall and I’m standing on the ground and I’m looking up at this painting. And I’m having an inner dialogue about this painting, about how much I don’t like this painting. And then, this person came and stood next to me, guess who stood next to me?

The gal that was painting the painting I didn’t like, and I’m like I’m so glad I said nothing out loud. And so, I sat there I’m looking…she’s standing there and I’m looking at it and I said, “Can you tell me what you were thinking when you painted that?” But I said it in the right tone, I wasn’t sarcastic. “What were you thinking?” No, I didn’t do that. I said tell me what was going on, like explain this painting to me? And she began to tell me what would…I don’t remember what it was but I noticed the transformation in seconds that I went through.

I went from not liking this painting at all to critiquing it like, this is horrible. And in a moment as she was telling me her story, what she felt like God was showing her, in a moment I went to, “Wow, that is a really beautiful painting,” like in moment. What happened? I got the artist narrative on the painting, I didn’t leave it up to my narrative.

And oftentimes, when we engage with humanity, we have our own narrative of humanity. We don’t have God’s narrative of humanity. I tell our people I say, please, don’t engage with our city if you don’t have a Genesis 1 perspective. If you have a Genesis 3 perspective, your impact will only be this much, but it won’t be this much. Because you’ll actually abuse people. You will walk in as the superior mindset. Christianity was never designed to make you superior. It was never designed to make you better. It was actually designed to have eternity with him, those are all given, but it is designed to actually serve humanity more than you ever were allowed to.

The transition from law to grace was not…it wasn’t the law. Most of the time we think about the law as what you can’t do, don’t do this, don’t do this. There’s also a whole another set of laws that have to do with you can only do this much. You only go one mile. Don’t go another mile. And that’s why Jesus said, “Oh, go the extra mile,” like go farther than what the law tells you your limits are. So what grace does, grace enables you to serve humanity where the law would never allow you to. So we have to have a kingdom perspective of the entire conversation. And so, I tell our people listen, if you’re gonna go in with a Genesis 3 mentality, you’ll have one ambition, but if you go in with a Genesis 1 mentality you’re bringing the kingdom. And so, God’s narrative on humanity is crucial.

The second thing I wanna talk about, there’s two that I really wanna focus on but maybe kind of go through the second one. The second one is Jesus is not a set of beliefs, he is a person, he’s a relationship. And when humanity gets the conversation that Jesus is just a set of beliefs, this is why the conversation of, well, what’s the different with that belief system, to that belief system, to that belief system? We have to learn to introduce Jesus as a person. We have to learn to introduce…we have to make sure we have a relationship with Jesus as a person not just a belief system.

And oftentimes we start out with a relationship with the Jesus and it gets reduced down to a belief system. Now, to say there isn’t a belief system is not accurate as well. There is a belief system attached to this because our belief system is shaped by the person of Jesus. But we don’t ever leave that to end up with a belief system. We must stay in a relational context. I understand I’m preaching to the choir. I get that. But at the same time, the world, all they hear is a belief system. They don’t get the person of Jesus. So we have to really rethink how we tell people and reveal the nature of God.

The third area that I wanna spend a little bit time on and the last one, we’ll get there in just a few minutes. The third area is…it has to do with the phrase of Bob Jones. I heard the story from Bobby Conners. Anybody know Bobby Conners? If you don’t know who Bobby Conners is he’s a world known prophet, good friend of the house. He kind of largely came out of a morning star movement and I believe he’s living in Texas right now. I don’t know if there’s a Bob. If your name is Bob, you’re like a prophet. Just God said all Bob’s prophet, Bob Jones, Bobby Conners, Bob Hartley, Bob Hadlet [SP]. I mean there’s just a lot of Bob’s going around. So name your kid Bob. If you have another kid, just name him Bob. I don’t know what the next generation to prophet names are but Bob seems to be working.

Bob Jones passed away just a few years ago on Valentines Day, and he is another well-known, respected prophet. And Bob was obviously older and Bobby is younger than Bob, and this was in I think 1970… somewhere in the 1970s. They were doing an event together and Bob Jones was staying in one room, and the younger Bobby Conners was staying in another room. And Bobby Conners wanted to check on Bob just to make sure he was doing okay. This has been the ’70s. And so, Bobby Conners walked down the hall, knocked on the door to Bob Jones to find out how he was doing and no one answered the door.

So he got a little concerned. So he opens the door and he looks across the room and he sees Bob Jones in front of a window looking outside in the middle of a trance, an encounter. He’s frozen. And so, Bobby Conners was like, “Oh, shoot, I just interrupted this encounter.” So he went to shut the door. In that moment, Bob Jones turned around and looked at Bobby, and said, “I just met the strangest man I have ever met in my life, and no church culture would ever accept him.” And the person that Bob Jones meant was Jesus Christ.

And he begin to share with Bobby what he saw. He saw a man integrate and interface with every level of society from top to bottom and left to right, seamlessly. One moment, he is hanging out with prostitutes, the next moment he’s in the temple teaching scholars, as an uneducated man teaching scholars about the law and about the books, and about the Word of God. And then, the next moment, he’s multiplying food for 5,000, 15,000 people, and then the next moment he’s doing something else. And here, you have this man that is able to interfaith with society. He was not underneath any religious spirit or any political spirit. He actually arose above it, and hence comes the phrase “He’s the strangest man I’ve ever met, and no church culture would ever accept him.”

You see, in the kingdom, you’re not guilty by association. You’re not guilty by association in the kingdom. In the world, you are, who you’re associated with that’s the religious and the political spirit. They look to see who you associate with and you’re infinitely locked up with the group, and you’re associated with them, and you begin to create this divide. And that’s what the religious spirit, the religious spirit is based a lot on what you know, and so what are your beliefs? So this is why denominations fight. This is why camp and ships [SP] fight, about what do you believe? What do we believe? What’s the difference?

The political spirit is driven by an entirely different…same principle, but entirely different animal, who you’re associated with, and what can I do to elevate my status and stature in your eyes. And so, for you to be recognized as a drunk and a wine bimber [SP] and you hang out with prostitutes with some nasty association. And Jesus was constantly associated with drunks and prostitutes, and people of that status. Obviously, Jesus could care less. He was able to interface and seamlessly interact with all different levels of society, top to bottom, left to right. And no church culture would accept him. And TD Jakes said this recently, he said, “We would have to teach Jesus how to do church.” If Jesus was alive today, we’d have to teach him how to do church because he wouldn’t fit.

So if you really wanna understand how to impact culture, you have to study the life of Jesus. You have to actually get into the depths of it. Beyond just those miracles and the things that happened, you have to get into what was the operating system of this man? We call it Kingdom and that’s essentially what it was, but what was that operating system? Why did he not care about those things? Why did he just kind of oblivious…seemingly oblivious to the political pressure and the religious pressure? It’s easier said than done, if I might add.

So here, you have this man that’s able to navigate…and he didn’t just…We often think Jesus stepped into a time in history that was an easy time in history. It was one of most complex religious times in religious history was that moment Jesus stepped in. And he was able to navigate it. He was able to not be affected by at least to a majority of the degree. And here, you have this man that’s able to not be driven by political pressure or religious spirit, and he was able to rise above it, why? Because he knew that he was not associated with that, that in the kingdom you’re not guilty by association.

This a challenge for the church today. We have people in our churches that are doing things that are outside of the box, and a lot of leaders and pastors are scared of what are people going to think. And we’ve got a culture that’s based around fear. We’ve got a culture that’s based around…we don’t wanna say it. We don’t wanna admit it, but there’s a religious spirit and a political spirit at the underlying of that thought process. What are people gonna think if I cross the street and go do that thing? Is anybody watching me right now?

We’ve got this awareness, and essentially at the end of the day, it is the fear of man at the end of the day. And Jesus was able to not be fazed by, he just kinda went about life in a normal kingdom way. So I wanna challenge you. We have to understand the operating system that Jesus operated by. It’s vastly different than what we are being taught in church today. And not to be negative or critical, we are just not taught that, and my passion is to see people actually break the barrier to break the mold, crack the code of what it looked like to engage with culture.

Now, there are legitimate fears. There are legitimate… what happens if they get too deep in culture and they no longer are an influence, but they are now being influenced? That’s a very legitimate conversation, especially as a leader of a church, I got people in our house, they’re like, “I wanna go do this.” And I’m thinking through, “Okay, do they have the character that’s strong enough to withstand the pressure of that particular setting or environment?” It doesn’t mean we don’t talk about that anymore. It doesn’t mean we ignore that reality. It doesn’t mean, oh yeah, just go for it. Hope it turns out good for you.

It does not mean that, but it does mean we have to have a different way of thinking especially for leadership, and that we do life with each other to allow here, what do we do to prepare people for that culture? And we’re trying to get everybody to fit into a church context and that’s not going to be the case. I said this this morning, I’m repeating myself, but our goal isn’t to gather everyone under one roof. Our goal is to gather everyone under one Father. That’s our goal. Our goal is to reveal the nature of God everywhere we go, so Jesus was able to do that.

All right. You guys still with me? I’m gonna fly through these. The fourth one and then we’re gonna spend a little bit of time on the fifth one. The fourth one, it has to matter. In Nehemiah Chapter 1:4, it says this, “Nehemiah wept.” I think it’s one of the powerful verses in the book of Nehemiah. This is just my opinion. I don’t know if the book of Nehemiah would exist if Nehemiah Chapter 1:4 ever happened.

Now, the first three verses is very simple, basically, Nehemiah’s home city had been destroyed, word got back to Nehemiah. And who was Nehemiah? He was a servant to the king. He was one of the highest level of servants. He was the guy that tasted the wine, which is a pretty good job, by the way, to taste the best wine in the world, especially at that time. But at the same time, it’s very precarious and dangerous because if someone spiked the wine or poisoned it, Nehemiah would die because he would taste it first to make sure the King never got…you get the point.

So Nehemiah had a very unique position. So Nehemiah hears news that his hometown had been destroyed. And then verse four comes, “And Nehemiah wept.” This is just my paraphrase, I think all of heaven stopped and God said, “Michael, Gabriel look at this. This man wept for his home city. I wanna use him to rebuild that city.” Now, do I think you have to weep for your city? Maybe not necessarily, but I do believe there has to be an emotional response to when your city is not doing well, it has to matter to you. And we have a lot of the church that is in an old paradigm of us and them.

Our mission statement say it. Our actions say it. Our private conversations say it. It’s very us and them, and we have to get out of that and get into a we conversation, not a us and them conversation. And so, Nehemiah, it actually mattered to him and then God said, “There’s my man,” and sent him and the rest is history. Took I think less than three months or two months to rebuild a city that took decades nobody could even figure out how to rebuild a city in decades. And it took one man that mattered to him and the resources of heaven and I think they rebuilt it in like 60 days or 70 days, I forget the exact number. I got numbers in my head.

So what’s the point? It has to matter to you. If your city does not matter to you, I don’t wanna be crass but maybe that’s one reason why you’re not helping your city. If your nation doesn’t matter to you, if it doesn’t bother you that something’s not right, then I don’t know if God wants… maybe he would. I don’t wanna be too crass and hard, but I just wanna make it simple point. It has to actually matter to you. When you read the newspaper about your city, your country, does it affect you or is it, “Yeah, those people”?

What’s the inner dialogue that you have? What’s the dialogue that you have with your staff and your teams? Is your church the hiding place from the rest of the world? Or is it a place to raise up people to change cities? What is it? We have to make these decisions on how we do our structures, our budget, our leadership style. We have to change the way we do things. We talk a lot about affecting cities, but we change nothing in the process. So we have to look at things very differently if we want to actually engage in culture, vastly differently than what we’ve known.

And this is the kind of season that we live in. I’m a sixth generation pastor on my dad’s side, and I’m fourth generation Christian on my mom’s side. I have five options growing up, apostle, prophet, pastor, teacher, evangelist, those are my options. That last part was a complete joke but it’s always fun saying it. I was surrounded by the church. I grew up in church. I was not born on a pew but literally was. I’ve just been in the church my entire life and I can tell you today, as a 42-year-old man, what I’m seeing happen in the church today, in the context of we’re not running from the world now, we’re actually going into it.

And that’s happening in the last 5, 6, maybe 10 years for some, but the last five years there’s been a drastic shift in the church’s approach to their cities and nations. And so, I wanna just say this. It has to actually matter to you. Are you falling more in love with humanity? Are you falling more in love with your city as you get older? Or is your heart getting harder and calloused as you get older? If it’s the latter then you might need to have an encounter with the Lord to change that.

The fact that Jesus would give his life at the end of a horrific three years of ministry, phenomenal three years of ministry from a bizarre signs and wonders, no man has ever seen happened in those three years. But it was also one of the most challenging, religiously, politically, the amount of pressure that Jesus endured for three years. And at the end of all of that, he still said I’m gonna give my life for everyone. What did that reveal? That he actually… I don’t know if this is theologically accurate, so give me some slack when I say it. But I often wondered did Jesus fall more in love with humanity by the end of his three years than how he started. I don’t know if that’s theologically accurate but my point is that he didn’t lose any love.

Actually, his heart got bigger, and I wanna challenge you as you get older in the Lord, and in your city, are you falling more love with your city? Or are you getting more hardhearted toward your city? Are you falling more in love with humanity? Or are you getting more hardhearted towards humanity? Are you guys still with me?

Together: Yeah.

Eric: Okay. The last one that I wanna cover tonight. I told you we’re gonna cover a lot of stuff. This one we need to open the Bible, so let’s go to Daniel Chapter 1. We’re gonna spend a little bit of time in Daniel Chapter 1, and I wanna unpack really… oops, I almost walked right off the stage there. The carpet is the same color I didn’t…

Daniel Chapter 1, we’re gonna read a very well-known story especially for those of you that have been in the church for any length of time. If you are new to scripture and new to the story, this chapter is one of the greatest chapters. Thia book is phenomenal, the man Daniel is a personal hero of mine. Is he anybody else’s hero? Two of you, okay, that’s awesome. Well, I hope by the end of this night, he becomes one of your heroes.

Daniel, what he did, and I want to try to just capture a little bit of what he did in his lifetime, but I think is a blueprint of what the Lord is doing in modern day church. He is actually raising up Daniel. I don’t know if everyone called to be a Daniel, but there are ones that are called to be Daniels. And I wanna challenge you as we read this story. So let’s start in verse 1, Daniel chapter 1.

“In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.” Let’s stop right there. The word besieged, it’s an interesting word, but what it basically means a country came in and took over another country. I don’t think that was a, “Hey, you can have our country now” moment. This was a takeover of a country so this is potentially very violent, potentially very demanding. They took over their way of life. I wanna give you context. This was not a voluntary choice for another nation to come.

So sometimes we read scripture we don’t understand what’s actually happening in there, so they were besieged. It was taken over. So here, we have God’s people being taken over by the Babylonians which was a very demonic, anti-God culture and structure and belief system. Anti God in the most anti-God way especially in that day. In fact, when you say Babylon today, it’s like evil, that’s the dark side. This is what happened when Babylon came in and took over the nation of God, so this is not a pretty picture.

Verse 2, “And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the articles of the house of God. Which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god, and he brought the articles into the treasure house of his god.”

An absolute violation of their belief, I mean talk about disgrace, a violation of your belief system, basically going into your place of worship and pooping on everything. I’m trying to find a word to get you to realize the situation at hand. I mean they absolutely violated their places of worship, by bringing their artifacts of worship, and bringing it into their place to worship. Talk about… imagine that happening right now. This is an absolute violation involuntary in every way, then verse three gets even worse.

“Then the king instructed Ashpenaz, the master of the eunuch to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the King’s descendant and some of the nobles.” Let’s stop right here. They went after the kids. Imagine an evil empire coming and taking your kids away from you, and putting them in what we would call their ministry school. And a Babylonian Empire teaching them the ways, and the culture, and the language of the Chaldean’s and the Babylonians. Every parent in this room would probably pass out, some of you might not even make it out alive.

We’re talking about an absolute ripping apart of society as we know it. This is the dynamic. This isn’t some cute Daniel story. This is absolute horrific situation here. Let’s keep reading. Verse 4, “Young men with no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge, and quick to understand, who had the ability to serve in the king’s palace. And whom they might teach the language and the literature of the Chaldeans.”

Stop right there. So they’re very strategic, this king that comes in is very… Nebuchadnezzar is very strategic. He understood something of how to take over, and to re-culturize. He started with the young man in that culture, the children and he was going to raise them up. It was a three-year process of teaching and training that they would actually become the eventual governors and the leaders of the land, of teaching the Babylonian culture, not the culture of heaven.

This is not a school that you want to go to. This wasn’t like Daniel’s like, “Yay, I am excited.” No, this was a nasty situation. Are you guys still with me? Verse 5, “And the king appointed to them a daily provision of the king’s delicacies and of the wine which he drank. And three years of training for them so that at the end of that time, they might serve before the king. Now, from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. To them, the chief of the eunuch gave names and he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar, to Hananiah, Shadrach, to Mishael, Meshach, and to Azariah, Abednego.”

This is where we get the great story of Daniel, Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego. We get this amazing group. But Verse 8, is the verse that I wanna challenge you on tonight. “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacy nor with the wine which he drank. Therefore, he requested of the chief of the eunuch that he might not defile himself.”

So here, we have an involuntarily horrific situation and Daniel and his three friends are now posed with the question to eat the king’s food. Now, it’s hard for us to understand how food is associated with the belief system, it’s so foreign especially to an American. It might be a little bit more understandable in this context, but for me, to have what you ate connected to your belief system is not a concept that we associate with today. But in this context, it was definitely built into your actual belief system.

So they were being asked to compromise on one of their main beliefs and that not to eat this kind of food. So Daniel had purposed in his heart to not defile himself. Now, what we’re really great at in the church, is making it clear what we’re not okay with. We are brilliant at like, “I won’t compromise there, I won’t compromise there, I won’t compromise there,” and there’s nothing wrong with that. The challenge that I wanna challenge with you tonight is this, is that Daniel stayed in the game. Most of the churches removes themselves from the game. Let’s read a little bit more and I’ll unpack that a little bit more.

Okay. I’m getting ahead of myself just here. Verse 9, “Now, God brought Daniel into the favor.” You notice it said, “Now, God brought him into favor”? When did he bring him into favor? After he recognized Daniel would not compromise. When he recognized Daniel’s not gonna compromise, okay, now I’m gonna give him a level of favor with his master. So sometimes we want God to give us favor before we engage and God’s looking for your heart. What’s your heart gonna do in those moments, and Daniel said I will not defile myself, I just refuse to do it. And God said I’m gonna give him my favor. So now, Daniel has the favor of the Lord with the master, so let’s keep reading.

“Favor and good will of the chief of the eunuch, and the chief of the eunuch said to Daniel, ‘I fear my lord the king who had appointed your food and drink but why should he see your faces looking worse than the young men who are of your age. Then you would endanger my head before the King.’” Now, we’ve got a problem, Daniel has favor. He has a no compromising attitude, and he tells the master of the eunuch this. And the master of the eunuch said, “Listen, if you don’t eat the food, then it’s off of my head. This isn’t gonna work.”

And I love this moment. I would love to be in the room and this conversation the fly on the wall. And this is the key moment for Daniel. Daniel comes up with a creative idea how to stay in the game, and this is his idea. “So Daniel…” and he’s a guy, so guys are gonna understand this, competition. All guys need is competition. We need a contest of some sort like, “I don’t wanna do this. Oh, it’s a contest? Oh, I’m in. I’m so in.” That’s just how guys… at least that’s how I operate.

“So Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of eunuch has set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, ‘Please test your servant for 10 days, and let them give vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king’s delicacies, and as you see fit, so deal with your servants.’”

So Daniel comes with this idea. He refuses to cross the line but he creates an opportunity to stay in the game. So he said, “Listen, let’s do this. I won’t eat your food. My three buddies and I, we will not eat your food. Let’s do this for 10 days and at the end, you can make a judge or you can judge who looked better than the other.” Now, this is a fascinating story in so many levels but I never understood how you can eat vegetables and get fatter. It’s one of the mysteries of scripture I’m still trying to understand. And from my only conclusion is that vegetables today were not the same as they were then. Anybody know what I’m talking about?

Somehow he looked better about, that I would understand, but fatter, that doesn’t make any sense to me. “But nonetheless, at the end of 10 days,” in verse 15, “Their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the King’s delicacies. Thus, the steward took away their portion of the delicacies and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.”

Before we move on, I really wanna implore with you. I want to get you to think we are so good at drawing the line at what we will not do. We are brilliant at it. We pride ourselves on it. We throw it up on the wall. We wear t-shirts about it. We have bumper stickers. We just project that we will not compromise, we refuse, and guess what? We are no longer in the game.

And what Daniel does, he breaks the code because he realized God had assigned him for a purpose in the midst of this horrific situation. And he realized God has called me here, so how am I going to stay involved in this game without compromising. And he comes up with a brilliant idea, so I wanna challenge you. Some of you are in positions right now that your environment is asking you to compromise, and we’re like, “I gotta leave. I gotta quit. I gotta move on.” No, you don’t. You actually don’t, maybe God has called you to be a Daniel in that environment.

I have a guy right now, a really close friend of mine. He is a CEO of a fashion company, a global fashion company that some of you would bother you to know that he’s the CEO of it. Most of the church doesn’t know what to do with Daniel. One Daniel leave and go to a context and serve an evil context. We in the church are like, “We gotta cut off. We can’t have this.” So we fail to raise up Daniel’s… actually, let me back up. We raised up Daniel and then we cut them off and leave them for good. Because they’re doing practices and operations that don’t fit your paradigm. And I understand a lot of you have five questions, well, what about this, what about this? I get all the question and I don’t have time to answer all of them because I don’t know all the answers to it.

But I do know this that God looks for Daniel. Why would God… think about it God raises a man up to serve a man that hates him. That is mind blowing to you. It’s mind blowing that God would raise up a man to serve a man that hates God, like he’s setting up an entire culture and society that’s anti-God in every way, and God is like, “I want you to serve that guy because he hates me.” It is so mind blowing. We can’t do that today. We’re like, “No, no, they’re a part of that denomination, or they’re a part of that company, we can’t do that. That guy is like the devil, no way we will serve him.”

And God didn’t seem to have a problem with it. He’s like, “No, that’s what I want you to do. That’s your assignment. Go do that. I want you to serve Nebuchadnezzar, make him look like a genius,” and we’re like, “God, we can’t do that. We can’t make Nebuchadnezzar look like a genius.” Then how do you explain that and Joseph and the millions of other stories? So we’ve got to get a new operating system of what this looks like. We have to take a step in the realm of the unknown in the church.

We’re like out of this world. I don’t know but we’re gonna figure out if we just keep moving forward. And one thing I noticed in this story, every time Daniel took a step, God gave him more favor. Now, you won’t compromise, okay, I trust you. He gives him favor, and in this moment, when they win the contest look what happened next.

In verse 17, “And the four young men God gave them knowledge, skill, and all literature and wisdom and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.” They didn’t have that before that moment and God was like, okay, so every step they took, God gave them the skill set necessary to thrive in the next season. And we’re like we can’t go until we know. No, sometimes you have to take a step. Oh, now, I have what’s necessary to do it. And a lot in the leaders in the church are like, “I don’t know if we can do this.” You have to because someone else is occupying that space. And if we don’t actually invade that space, someone else will, and they will shape culture that you live in.

And because of our desire to leave this planet, because of our passion to escape this place, someone else took up the seats of influence and occupied these places in culture. And the church is waking up like what have we been doing for 50 years? We’ve been trying to escape this place and God is actually talking about to go into this place. So that’s why it’s exciting for this day and age people of the church to begin to wake up, wait a minute here, we’ve been escaping, and God has not told us to escape. He told us that I should go into the world. The escape part, we just gotta say, that’s gonna happen sometime, someday, and we should all be excited about it, and I am very excited.

But in the meantime, that’s not my assignment, my assignment is how do I get into places in culture. You can tell you’re a lot like Jesus when you’re invited to the parties, you can. This is fascinating that Jesus talked about don’t sin, repent, you’re sinning stop. He was preaching amazing no sin messages. And the people he was preaching to wanted to be with Jesus, that’s not very normal. It’s not normal for the guy that’s preaching against your lifestyle and you’re, “Hey, can you come over? I like you. I wanna hang out with you.” That doesn’t happen today very often, so I think one of the signs of what we’re going to see, and I’m speaking metaphorically for the most part, that you’re going to be invited into their space, why? Because you benefit them.

That’s what Daniel did, Nebuchadnezzar goes, “I like this guy.” I don’t know what it is about him, whether it is the favor of the Lord, and his ability to interpret all visions and dreams that he got in this moment. And Nebuchadnezzar is like, “I like this guy. He benefits me. Whatever he touches, it benefits me.” So he brought Daniel closer and closer and closer. It’s interesting that we don’t wanna benefit people that don’t know God. Why would we make them look like a genius? That’s not the Bible. No, it is the Bible, almost a chunk of the Old Testament emphasizes that.

I’m getting a little bit passionate, and I might get a little bit more. Let’s keep reading, the story just gets better. Verse 18, “Now, at the end of the days when the king had said they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs…” Sorry, verse 18. “The chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. Then the king interviewed them, and among them all, none was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore, they served before the king. And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, about which the king examined them, he found them 10 times better.”

That’s pretty significant, not twice better, but 10 times better than everyone else. Verse 21, “Thus, Daniel continued until the first king of Cyrus.”

Now, in Daniel Chapter 3, what’s in Daniel Chapter 3? Two chapters later is Daniel in the lion’s den. How many know that story? One of the most well-known Bible stories in the Bible. That happened about 16 to 17 years after Daniel Chapter 1. Why is that important? Because Daniel, Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego 17 years later of living in a demonic driven culture, an anti-God culture. Just about every fabric of that society was repelling to God, and they lived in it for 16, 17 years, and a crazy day showed up.

Nebuchadnezzar woke up one day and think, you know what I wanna do? I wanna build a huge statue that resembles me and force everyone to worship that statue. Talk about an egocentric individual, talk about a guy that has some issues. He needed a few Sozos, he needed a few…he needed help. And in the midst of that moment, Daniel and his three friends refused to bow down. What does that tell me? That you can actually live in an anti-God culture and not compromise even 17 years later.

And we’re still, “I don’t know if I can do it.” No, we can. We just have to take steps. It doesn’t mean we jump 20 steps, we take one step and let’s see what the Lord gives us to equip us for that situation. Okay. That’s Daniel Chapter 3. Daniel Chapter 6 is what? Daniel and the lion den, the other crazy story. You guys know that story? This is I think the second or third king later, so now we’ve got regimes. This isn’t one guy. This is multiple regimes that are spiralling out of control of being anti-God. This is 67 to 70 years after Daniel Chapter 1.

How many are 70 in this room? It’s as long as you’ve been alive Daniel been living in the Babylonian Empire. And this law comes out because some men recognized that Daniel still worshiped the true God. And they said, “We’ve gotta get this guy. He’s been around here too long. He’s lasting through all the administration of the Babylonian Empire.” And somebody said, “We’ve gotta get rid of this guy. He’s a problem.” And so, they tricked the king at that time to get a law into place, and the law was this, anybody that worships you in this span of time… sorry, anybody that doesn’t worship the king in this span of time, we’re gonna throw them in jail.

And the king’s like, “That’s a brilliant idea. I like that one.” So he signs the law, and Daniel hears and about it. Daniel goes up to his apartment, opens his windows and has a prayer meeting, worship meeting where everyone can see him. Think about that for a moment, 70 years in an evil empire and he still will not compromise. He still won’t violate his value. In fact, he got more overt about his values like, okay, I get that this is it for me. And he throws his hands up and worship, and the guy that forced the king to write the law tricked him. They see Daniel. They grab and they go to the king to say, “King, you know, that law thing that you signed the other day about the worship things?” He’s like, “Yeah, I love that law. How’s that going? Is with everybody worshiping me right now?” I’m trying to think of that conversation. It’s a fascinating conversation. And they said, “Yes, it’s going really well except we caught one guy. He wasn’t worshiping you. He was worshiping the God with a capital G.” And he’s like, “Really? Who’s that?

And they told the King it was Daniel, and the King’s heart broke, which tells you the relationship between this king who was evil, he was not a good guy. His affection and his love for Daniel, it broke his heart, that he could not pull out of the law because that would show him as a weak ruler. He had to follow through on the decree but it broke his heart. He didn’t just…Daniel didn’t just serve the King. They had an affectionate appreciation for each other that they would do whatever it takes to make sure the other one’s doing great. They would die for each other. And this king realized, oh no, that law I signed is throwing a good friend into prison.

And so, Daniel gets thrown in the lion’s den, and the rules are basically throw him in, and nobody makes it out of the lion’s den. That’s a pretty clear idea. The king is up all night. The next morning, the King shows up, and he yelled down to the lion’s den. He said, “Daniel?” and the reply, the resounding reply from the lion’s den was, “Long live the king.” Talk about the relationship, the affection. He served and loved an evil king. That is very challenging to do. That’s very challenging not to, just observe an evil king, but to be in his to governmental system and still love the guy when he’s making horrible decisions that are so anti-God in every way, but Daniel loved the man and the King loved him.

And so, the king was so excited to hear Daniel wasn’t eaten. So he pulled Daniel out of the lion’s den and they went and found the guy that wrote the law, the lawmakers, and they threw them into the lion’s den. And then the verse said this, “The bodies never touched the ground,” the lion just ate them, shred them to pieces.

I wanna implore with you, we live in a season right now learning how to engage with culture is going to be uncomfortable for a lot of you. And I know there’s legitimate questions, well, what about this, or what about that, believe me, I have those questions, and we are wrestling with them. There are things that we are doing back home with our family, with our church. What we’re doing in our city, we probably would have never done it 10 years ago because it was so far beyond what we understood. But as we’re getting more and more into a better understanding of what a kingdom looks like, we’re beginning to realize, oh, there’s no other option. We have to be engaged. We have to cross this line if you will. And the keys are not to compromise and to make sure you know who your daddy is.

It’s really simple but yet it’s more challenging, more easier said than done. So we live in a Genesis 3 world with the Genesis 1blueprint, with the trajectory to a Revelation 21 future. All right. Make sure I’ve got everything out that I wanna get out. I wanna pray for you, and then I wanna pray for another group of people. If this resonates with you, if this… I know this was a fully loaded five-point which kind of violates all preaching classes they teach you, but I don’t care. I wanted to cover these five areas tonight.

And what I wanna do, this resonates with you. This is something that you’re like, “Yeah, that’s me,” and I wanna step into this in a greater way. I want you to stand because I wanna pray for you. If you’re in a position tonight where you actually want to engage with culture in a way that Daniel did, that Joseph did, even Nehemiah, even Jesus. Jesus interacted with culture that very much against what we call normal. I wanna pray for you all, and there’s a lot of you are standing.

So, Father… if you put your hand out in front of you like you’re receiving, I’m expecting an impartation. I’m expecting a download to take place. Some of you are getting rewired tonight. Some of you are mad at me right now because it violates…like, “What, what, what?” Good, I’m glad you’re mad because that’s my goal. I leave Saturday and your leadership can clean up the mess. And some of you are still in conflict like, “What about this? What about that?” I get all the dynamics. But I wanna pray for you that the peace of heaven would so radically touch you in such a way that you would realize this is your mandate. This is our mandate to actually engage and touch culture like we’ve never touched before.

And it’s going to require a different approach to how we do life in church. Is church a destination, or is church a launching pad? So, Father, I pray for everyone in this room tonight, that wherever they’re at in this journey, if they are fully embracing it, or if they’re not sure about it, or if they’re somewhere in between, I pray that the peace of heaven would rest on them tonight. We pray for the blueprint of Genesis 1 to get us to a Revelation 21 future, in the midst of living in a Genesis 3 world.

So I pray for every person in this room, there will be an actual impartation and a download of what it looks like to be a Daniel, to be the Joseph, to be the Nehemiah, to be like Jesus, where they’re seamlessly integrating with culture and society, and yet remaining true to who they were as a son and a daughter of the King. So I pray for every person in this room no matter how young, or how old, and what realm of influence they have right now. And I pray even tonight just in the next few days that they would find their mind shifting, their paradigms shifting. And we pray for an operating system like no other will be released tonight.

If you can put your hand on your neighbor real quick, and Father, I pray that you would nest them up really good. You would radically touch them, radically touch their life tonight. And we just pray that they would give more than what they came for in the next few days, give more than what they came for. And teach us how to thrive in darkness, teach us how to thrive in a culture that is anti-God, teach us how to thrive in the “Babylonian context.” Teach us how to thrive like Daniel where 70 years later we still refuse to compromise. That’s the generation of people that we want to see raised up in this hour. We pray for that to be released from the person on the right and our left. And everybody said. Amen

Together: Amen.

Eric: If you can grab a seat just for a moment. I wanna end with a testimony, and then I wanna pray for people that this resonates with, and I’ll make this really quick. I got a letter. This was earlier this year. And I got this letter and it was actually in a season of a chain of testimonies and we’ve been going after it increasingly this year specifically. And so, my wife and I did a conference in Norway the previous or last summer of 2017, and I got this letter in February.

“Dear, Eric. I’m not sure if you remember me. My name is Janina. Last year, when you visited Norway, you prayed for me at the Bible School, and since that day my life had become much better. I no longer have Aspergers. I have become more positive and responsible. I now have the ability to forgive people who have done me wrong through my life. I now work with the children in our church. I have reached new heights, etc., etc. In less than three months, I have lost around 33 pounds all of this would not have been possible, etc., etc.”

I prayed for this gal and I didn’t remember until she attached a picture to this letter. And the lady that gave me this letter, they said she was on a severe spectrum of Aspergers, and she would pretty much could not interact with any normal setting, and she was extremely separated. She was very shut down. She was a trapped hurt girl. And we prayed for her she’s been completely set free, and the woman that handed me this letter said, “You don’t understand. She is completely healed across the spectrum of Aspergers,” phenomenal

So that was in February. In March, the next month, we had one of our young men 14-year-old, his name is Simon. His family is from Canada. He was on this severe autistic spectrum. He could not be in a room like this. Anything with lights or heavy sound, or lots of people, he will shut down and hide until they had him in a special classroom and schooling. And it was so intent that the family was so desperate that they moved from Canada down to Redding simply to see if their son would get healed.

And so, he stood on our platform in March a month after I got this letter, on our platform in March, and gave a testimony. He’s 14 years old. His name is Simon and he began to tell a story of how he was addicted to pornography. His inner dialogue was around pornography, and this was his normal phrase, “I hate myself, and I hate everybody.” That was hidden inner dialogue, that was his world that he lived in. To make a very long story short, little by little over a period of time, I don’t remember the period of time, he is completely healed.

Gone to the doctor, the doctor said, “You’re no longer… there’s nothing autistic about you.” But that passion, that explosive nature, he still has that. And he stood up in front of our church and shared a testimony. And then he challenged anybody that had this stand to your feet right now, don’t be ashamed of it. And a ton of people stood up and we’ve been seeing increasing miracles of autism take place recently.

And then, this was last month, a gal was visiting from Atlanta Georgia and she said, “I gotta tell you a story, in 2015 your dad…” So my dad gave a word of knowledge about autism. I don’t remember the specifics and she’s visiting from Atlanta Georgia 2015. “And your dad gave his word,” and she said, “My son was severely autistic, was not in school. We did not have a normal life but any means and your dad gave a word of knowledge. We prayed over our son. He got completely healed.” That was 2015 and she was with us last month. She said, “My son is graduating from Georgia Tech University with honors.”

So we’re seeing dramatic miracles in the realm of Asperger, autism, and head trauma. So if that makes sense to any of you, if you wanna stand for someone else, I want you to stand for your family member or friend that fits any of the Asperger’s or autism, anything in that arena. I want you to stand to your feet, I wanna pray for you, and then I’m gonna hand the mic back over. We’ve seen the word breakthrough. It’s been so fun to see the level and the amount of breakthrough that we’re seeing in this specific area. If you’re sitting by someone that’s standing, just put your hand on them.

And my guess is that a lot of you are standing because of a family member or a friend, and if you’re standing because it’s for you then take this miracle for yourself or this prayer for yourself. So let’s pray together real quick. Father, based on these three testimonies, and the multiple other ones that we’ve been hearing about in the last several years of autism and Aspergers, we declare in the name of Jesus that you bring healing to every person standing or represented in this room right now. We declare whatever it is that needs to be healed, that needs to be fixed, that needs to be brought back into order. We declare life and healing over you in the name of Jesus. So we release the power and the blood of Jesus, the healing power will be released over you right now, and everybody said?

Together: Amen.

Eric: Amen

God’s Great Invitation

Thu, 05 Jul 2018 18:00:00 GMT

God’s voice is always an invitation into greater things. In this talk, Jeshua shares how the inviting voice of God changed his life forever. This teaching was recorded at Harvest Church, in Durban, South Africa.

– TRANSCRIPT

I’m excited to be here with you guys. If you guys can just open to John 15, we’re gonna be reading from John 15, which is an amazing chapter. I apologize in advance for the length of the scripture that we’re gonna read. While you’re turning there, a couple weeks ago, Katia…I don’t know if you guys know Katia Adams who sometimes teaches here on Sunday mornings. I worked for her in a ministry called Frequentsee. And what we do is we travel together around the world and throughout South Africa and just bring kingdom ministry to people. So, praying for people, prophetic teaching. It’s been amazing, I’ve been with them for about a year now, and luckily we get to be based here at a Harvest Church, which is amazing.

But a couple weeks ago Katia came to me and she’s like, “Hey, I want you to write down your life’s message, what is your life’s message?” And if you know Katia she is one of the best preachers in the world, so I was terrified to even open my mouth and try to tell anything to her because I’m terrified to preach in front of her. But she was like, “No, I wanna sit down with you, let’s figure out this. Let’s figure out your life’s message.” And so it got me thinking for the next couple weeks about what that actually is, what is my life message. And I don’t know if this is my life’s message yet because I’m only 23, but this is a mindset shift that God placed in me a few years back that has shifted everything about my life, every single thing about my life. I would not be here in front of you guys if I hadn’t had this mindset shift.

So, I want to encourage you guys there are little small things, little small mindset shifts that can come into our lives that change absolutely everything, so don’t think anything is small. They’re amazing, amazing shifts in our minds, and I hope tonight that this mindset shift that I had is going to impact you guys too. So, I’m just gonna read John 15, we’re gonna start at verse 1 and then go pretty far. I’ll tell you when to stop.

“I am the true vine and my Father is the vine dresser, every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, every branch in me that does bear fruit he prunes that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word I have spoken to you.” So already this is an incredible Scripture, most of the things in here you’ll notice is God acting on behalf of us. He’s doing the acting, all we’re doing is abiding in Him, resting in Him.

“Abide in me and I in you as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine you are the branches, whomever abides in me and I in Him, he is it that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like the branch and withers. And the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned. If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you, by this my Father is glorified that you bear much fruit. And so prove to be my disciples as the father has loved me so I have loved you, abide in my love. If you keep my Commandments you will abide in my love just as I have kept the Father’s Commandments and abide in His love.”

“These things I’ve spoken to you that my joy may be full 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 that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you, no longer do I call you servants for the servant does not know what his master is doing but I have called you friends for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.”

Isn’t that amazing, already. I love, I love that verse…or that chapter so much, it’s changed my life. So, this mindset shift that I was talking to you guys about before is what I call God’s kind invitation, God’s kind invitation. So, that’s, kind of, what I’ve titled the message tonight, but it started a few years back and I’m gonna tell you a little story. If you guys don’t know me you may not know that I grew up in the United States and spent a few years at a ministry school called Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry in Redding, California. And as you guys can probably tell by the title they emphasize the supernatural. The supernatural is a huge part of Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry. And what they mean by the supernatural is signs, and wonders, and miracles, and people getting delivered, set free. All the amazing supernatural miraculous things that had happened in the Bible and are meant for us still today.

And so one of their emphases is going out on the streets and praying for people wherever you are and just laying hands on them and seeing miracles break out on the streets. And I grew up in a church where evangelism meant a couple weeks before Christmas, grabbing a business card from your church, going to work and giving it to someone and saying, “Hey, I hope you show up to church on Christmas Day, this is my church, here’s the address.” And then really hoping they don’t show up to church on Christmas because then you have to introduce them to people and awkwardly invite them over after. That’s what evangelism meant to me, it was as long as I give someone a card, and I, kind of, share the gospel then maybe they’ll get saved someday after years of prayer.

So that was evangelism to me. I wasn’t used to stepping out, going on the streets, and actually praying for people right there. And so when I got to Bethel I started the school and was like, “Cool, supernatural that’s awesome but I’m just gonna worship. I’m here for the worship. It’s amazing. I’m gonna sit. I’m gonna read my Bible. I’m gonna have a great relationship with Jesus. I’m gonna take all the classes but I’m not gonna go out on the streets and I’m not gonna pray for anybody to get healed, that’s just not my style.” I’m an introvert so I just thought it wasn’t me, and that’s what I told everybody, that’s just not me.

So, I actually miraculously…this was the big miracle in my first year, made it through the first year without praying for anyone. It really was a miracle, if you’ve been to Bethel you know that, like, you’re going out on the streets but I didn’t go. Every time I found an excuse and I somehow made it through and I felt pretty accomplished. And so then I go, I get into the second year. I’m like, “Sweet, another school year, this is going to be awesome.” And I had every intention of not getting involved in any sort of street evangelism or anything like that, until someone comes up to me and they say, “Hey, we really need your help. There’s this team that we’re taking down to Reno,” which is my hometown, three hours away from Redding, I love this town. They’re like, “We’re taking a team down there and we’re gonna hit the streets and we’re gonna lead people to Jesus, and we’re gonna pray for the sick. And we’re gonna see people healed. It’s gonna be amazing.” And I’m like, “Oh no, I don’t wanna do this.” But then I heard the voice of God say, “Yes, this is your chance, you got this. You’re gonna have to do it someday might as well do it now.” And so I said yes. I’m like, “Let’s do this, I’ll go, I’m nervous but I’ll go.”

The problem was that everyone there was expecting me to be a professional because I had already done a whole school year in the school. So, they put me…a part of the second year as leadership, they put you with teams of first year students and you teach them how to do the stuff, or walk them out on the streets and lead them. And so I got given this team of four little first-year students and they had never prayed for anyone on the streets before, and they’re looking up to me like, “He’s gonna lead us. He’s going to show us the way we…” Yeah. And I was very nervous on the inside. I’m like, “They’re gonna find out I’m a fraud. This is terrible. Why did I agree to this? This is not a good idea.” But I had to do what I had to do.

So, they released the teams, they send me out on the streets and we start walking out onto the streets of Reno. We’re in the area where there’s lots of prostitution, and homelessness, and the soup kitchens, and things are there. So there’s a chance we’re gonna run into someone who needs prayer. And I start walking down the street, they’re following me, and I see a man start coming down the sidewalk. And he’s limping, and he’s clearly in pain with every step, and he’s got a cane. And the voices enter my brain of, “Okay, this is your chance, you got this.”

And I get nervous and I look back at the first years, and they’re all looking at the man limping and they know that they’re gonna have to pray for him too so they’re nervous too. And on the inside I’m trying to keep it together, and then I hear these other voices in my head that say, “You better do this, don’t mess up, this is your chance.” And then the voices start saying, “Don’t be a failure, you have to do this.” And I think this is God in my head telling me to do this. He’s like, “This person needs you, this person needs your prayer, you better not mess up, you better not miss this chance.”

The man keeps walking closer and closer and closer until he passes us completely. And then I look back at the students, they’re relieved, I’m relieved but then also these voices in my head, “You’re a failure, why didn’t you pray for that man. He may never get to see the love of Jesus because of you. These students they were looking up to you but they may never learn how to pray for the sick because of you.” And so these voices of condemnation kept popping into my head, and so I turned to the students and I say, “I have to go to the bathroom.” And I run into the nearest building and I get into the restroom and I just close my eyes.

I’m like, “Oh, Jesus, where’s your voice?” And then he says this to me, he goes, “You’re not a disappointment, and that voice that you were hearing in your head that’s not me, that’s the voice of condemnation, that’s the voice of fear in your brain. That is not me, my voice does not sound like this.” He said, “My voice will always be an invitation, it’s always gonna be an invitation into great things.” And I didn’t know fully what that meant yet so I started thinking about, I’m like, “What is an invitation, what does that really mean?” And I started thinking about my friends and how when my friends invite me over for a meal, they’re not like, “You don’t want to be a failure, you better come to this braai.” That’s not my friends at all. They don’t say, “Oh, if you don’t come you’re gonna disappoint me, you’re gonna disappoint your family, you must come.” They don’t say, “We’ll stop being friends if you don’t come hang out with me,” that’s not friendship. When George asked me to preach he wasn’t like, “You better do this or else you’re kicked out, you must preach.” No, he invited me, it’s an invitation. And if you have friends who speak to you like that, you need new friends, just saying.

Yeah, no, my friends when they want to hang out with me they say, “Hey, Joshua, this is gonna be super fun, we’re gonna have a great time, we’re gonna have a meal together, we’re gonna share good stories, we’re gonna play some games and we really want you to be there because it would be so fun if you were a part of it. We’ll still do it without you if you don’t come but we really want you there, it’s gonna be super fun.” That’s what invitation means to me, it means it’s kind, loving friendship that says, “Hey, you’re worth it no matter what but I really, really want you to be a part of this.”

And so I thought about that and then God sent me back out on the streets, I have to go out. But this time I’ve got that in my brain, I know God’s voice when it’s an invitation, when it’s an invitation. And so this time when I’d go out and we’d see people limping, or laying down on the street, or looking in pain, instead of rushing to the first person I saw and instead of running away. I close my eyes and just think, “Okay, where is that invitation from God, where is invitation?” And I’d wait until I’d hear God say, excuse me, He’d say, “Joshua, I love you, and see that person over there who’s laying down, I love them too so much, you’re my son and she’s my daughter. How cool would it be if you made her day? How cool would it be if she got to see the love of Jesus today through you? I would love it if you would come with me and love on this woman with me. I would love it if you would pray for them, I would love it if they got healed, why don’t you come? It’s gonna be super fun.”

And so when I’d hear that voice I’d know it was time to pray for someone and it would be so much easier to say yes to an invitation than a, “You better do this, you must do this.” That’s not the way God speaks to me. And so it became easier to step out at the sound of God’s voice and I spent that year learning how to step out at the sound of God’s invitation so much so that it became my favorite thing in the world to do. I would look for opportunities to pray for people on the streets. And I would go into shops and think, “Oh, who can I pray for today?” That was the mentality that I had just because I knew that God was always inviting me into something amazing.

You can think about this in the same way as the life of Jesus, Jesus did everything from His sonship with God, He did everything from sonship. So, God never said to Him, “Jesus, you better prove your worth and go see that person healed.” No, Jesus…it says in the Bible He was moved with compassion for people that He prayed for, He was moved with compassion. So it was a father-son thing, it was His heart, it wasn’t an obligation. And Andrew pointed this out to me a couple weeks ago. The moved with compassion thing, and so something we’ve been doing is going to Gateway and sitting at Starbucks and then waiting till God highlights someone in the room with compassion in our hearts, and then we go and pray for them. And it’s amazing because oftentimes we are drawn to the same person because we have the same Dad who’s speaking the same things over us but it’s a beautiful way to go pray for people when your heart is moved with compassion not a forceful, “Do this or else?” It’s an invitation.

So, let’s go to verse 14 of this chapter, John chapter 15. “You are my friends if you do what I command you, no longer do I call you servants for the servant does not know what his master is doing but I have called you friends.” So it’s that same thing, a friend has an inviting, kind voice, a master has a forceful commanding voice, and so let’s see God as our friend. The beautiful thing about the commands of Jesus is that every time He commands something the power is released to see that thing fulfilled. So for example when Jesus goes and he sees someone who’s blind, and he puts his hands on them and says, “Be healed.” Their eyes open up and they’re healed right there. And so, it’s the same way when he commands anything. When his voice speaks it has the power to do that.

So for example the woman who was caught in adultery, Jesus catches this woman in adultery and after shooing the Pharisees who are stoning her away, he says to her, “Go and sin no more.” And this isn’t Jesus saying, “Okay. I saved you this one time but don’t forget you’re a sinner, you better not mess up again.” It wasn’t him condemning her. It wasn’t him forcing anything on her. No, it was him saying, “Go, sin no more. I have the power in my voice.” Jesus had that power to say that and now she can go and sin no more, it set her free from that day on.

And it’s the same way when God speaks to us about anything, about anything when he’s convicting us, when he’s speaking to us about our sins, it’s always a, “You can do this. That’s why I’m saying it. I’m saying it because you can do it, I’m not trying to hold anything over you, I’m not trying to punish you.” No, He’s saying, “You can do this.” And so, we have to remember that when we’re listening for the voice of God. God’s commands are not a way for Him to have this unrelenting authority over us, His commands are invitations for us to agree with that power that He’s releasing and do the very thing that He’s asking us to do.

And so back to this passage in John 15:4 , it says, “Abide in me and I in you.” So when God says that He’s saying you have the power, I’m giving you this, abide in me and I in you, that’s what He’s commanding. And verse 5 it says, “My command is this…” Sorry, not verse 5, where is this? Yeah 12, sorry, “This is my commandment that you love one another as I loved you, greater love has no one than this that someone lay down his life for his friends.” So, that’s another command of Jesus, He’s commanding us that we love one another as I have loved you, but the beautiful thing is that command carries with it the very power to do it, you guys have the power within you to love your brother, you have the power within you to lay your life down for one another.

So, this whole mindset shifts, the invitation of God, it wasn’t just for me to go out and see people healed on the streets. That wasn’t the only thing it set me free from, it actually did so much more in me. And so I’m gonna go in to a bit more of the lies that, kind of, were broken because of the invitation of God. When I was a kid growing up, like I said, I grew up in the church. And so there was this pastor at my church who would oftentimes get up and preach this message where he would start with, “Be careful what you pray because God might just do it, or worse, God might just do the opposite of that.” And so what he’s saying is don’t say, “God I don’t want to go to Africa,” because you know God’s gonna send you to Africa if you say that.

How many of you guys have heard this stuff in your church? I’ve heard this so many times, “Be careful, be careful what you pray.” He’d say, “Don’t ever pray this prayer. God use me,” because then God might use you and he’s going to turn your life upside down and he’s gonna put you in full-time ministry, and you’re gonna be underpaid for the rest of your life. And I’m gonna like it. That’s what I was afraid of and he told that very story, he told us of how God made him uproot his dreams and go into the full-time ministry. And knowing this guy, I know that his heart was pure and that he actually really did love ministry. He just wasn’t representing the Father’s voice in those moments.

If it was an invitation from God, if this voice, if this God that he’s describing here was an invitation that isn’t an invitation I was going to say yes to. And so there were three lies that, kind of, came into my life because of that very message that I had been preached. The first lie is this, that Christianity is only about sacrifice. Somehow this belief that Christianity was only about sacrifice became one of the central themes of my faith as a Christian when I was younger, simply because of these teachings that I had grown up with. And so, yes, sacrifice is super crucial to the Christian faith. In fact, sacrifice is one of the things that differentiates us from so many other phases. That Jesus came and he died, he sacrificed himself for us.

It’s a beautiful thing, sacrifice is this beautiful, beautiful thing. And obviously in this scripture it says, God’s desire is for us to lay down our lives for our friends. And so, sacrifice is important but if we believe that sacrifice is the only purpose of our faith then we go through life with this really sad faith, it doesn’t lead us onto anything, it’s just sacrifice, it’s this fear-based religion. Jesus sacrificed for us and our sacrifice for others is not the end-all and be-all of the Christian faith, it’s just not. If Jesus voice is an invitation into greater things, if it’s always that kind invitation, then our lives get to be so much more than sacrifice, they get to be so much more.

So, I’m gonna share with you some of the things that are the more, the more of Christianity, the more of our faith. And they’re all right here in this chapter, John 15, if you look at verse 7 again. “If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you.” That’s one of the things that we’re invited into in this Christian faith is actually seeing our dreams come true. God has every desire to give us what’s in our hearts. And looking at verse 11, “These things I have spoken to you that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be full,” the joy of the Lord. We get to walk through this life with the joy, if you haven’t felt the joy of the Lord before it’s so much more beautiful than this happiness or circumstantial goodness. It’s this deep belly laughter, this joy that’s deep, deep, deep inside even in the midst of terrible circumstances, it’s this beautiful gift. That’s what God’s inviting us into.

Verse 16, “You did not choose me but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide.” That we should be fruitful, God wants us to be fruitful, that’s what He’s inviting us into, abundance, life. In the following chapter of this book of John 16:15 , it says, “All that the Father has is mine…” This is Jesus speaking. “All that the Father has is mine, therefore I said that He will take what is mine and declare it to you.” And that sonship we get to partake of the same intimacy with God that Jesus did, we get the same inheritance that Jesus did, we get to see the same miracles that Jesus did, we’re sons just like Jesus was the son of God. We are sons, that’s what God’s inviting us into and He’s inviting us into so much more. He’s inviting us into friendship like I said before. And He’s so much better than a worldly friend, He’s so much better than a friend here on earth. It’s this deep, deep friendship. He’s inviting us into abundant life like John 10:10 says. He’s inviting us into life and life more abundantly. In freedom He’s inviting us to see chains break over our lives, addictions break, freedom. He’s inviting us into the supernatural to see signs and wonders, miracles, deliverances, and He’s inviting us into meaning.

This one’s something God’s been speaking to me about for a long time is the meaning that my life now has because of Him, every area of my life has this richness, this meaning. And that’s something that the world is really searching for right now. They wanna know what is the meaning of life? Why are we here on this earth? And we get to partake of this beautiful meaning.

A few years ago I was finishing my second year of Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry, so I had been going on this journey with God of hearing His invitation, and He said something to me. I was getting ready to go home for the summer and go live with my family, and just enjoy the summer. And He said, “Hey, what if you go and live with your grandparents for the summer?” And he just said that. He’s like, “I’m inviting you, why don’t you come live with your grandparents in the summer?” And I’m like, “Really? Why?” And I just had this thought because my grandparents live in this town, it’s about an hour and a half from where I grew up, and it’s called Carson City, Nevada, which is…think like ghost town in the movies, tumbleweeds everywhere.

There’s not really much to be seen in Carson City, Nevada, and particularly not much going on in my grandparents’ house except maybe golf on TV, and I don’t know what else, gardening. And so, when I heard God’s voice say that, I’m like, “Okay, that doesn’t sound right.” But I was learning to go with this invitation, so I’m like, “Okay. I’ll put that on a hold, I’ll think about it. I’ll think about it God.” And then a couple days later someone offered me a job in that very town that my grandparents were living in and I had already been working at this job, and they said that they could transfer me over there for the summer and make a little bit of extra money. And so I’m like, “Okay, yes. That’s enough for me God, I’ll do it. I don’t know why, I don’t know what your purpose is but I’m gonna go live with my grandparents for summer.” And when I told my family everyone was, like, “Why would you do that? That’s so boring, you can visit them on the weekends. You don’t have to go live with them, that’s terrible,” honestly.

I really didn’t know what the purpose of it was, and obviously that wasn’t a particularly exciting summer. I didn’t make a ton of friends. I didn’t do anything super fun, or go on any holidays. I just sat in my grandparents’ house and I would come home from work and sit down at the dinner table, and I’d ask my grandpa to tell me a story. I’ll just say, “Grandpa tell me a story.” And so my old Italian grandpa would tell me some story which was probably half made up but he had some amazing stories. He was not in the Mafia but I can tell you his three brothers definitely were in the Mafia, at least that’s what he told me.

And so I actually hit the record button on my phone and just recorded his stories because I felt like I wanted to keep those. And then I had to ask my grandma to show me pictures, I’d say, “Hey, can you pull out the memory book?” And she’d pull out all these old, old photos and tell me about her father and her grandfather, and the history of their lives. And there’s some actually amazing stories of history in my family. And then that summer ended and I went back to Redding and did my third year of Bethel. And I didn’t really think too much about that until I ended up moving to South Africa. Excuse me.

And so a little over a year ago I was getting ready to come out here, and I knew it was gonna be a long trip out here. I knew it was gonna be at least 10 months, didn’t realize it’d be way longer than that. And I had this thought as I was leaving, I’m like, “Oh, I really hope that I don’t lose one of my grandparents while I’m gone, that would be so heartbreaking if I did that.” And then October of last year rolls around and I get a call from my mom, and it’s early in the morning, which is late in the evening for them, so I knew something was up. And she says, “Grandpa’s not well.” And at the time he had been in perfect health so it was super unexpected. But she says, “Grandpa’s not well, he’s probably not going to make it more than a couple days.”

And in that moment I was obviously sad but then I just remembered that time that I had had with my grandparents, sitting in their room, listening to stories. And I was never able to say goodbye to my grandpa but there was this beauty in that moment because I knew that God had given me those memories with them, he had given me treasures. And so, that seemingly unimportant summer of just sitting around watching golf on TV actually is one of the most treasured seasons of my life now, I’m so grateful for it.

So, if you guys are in a season where you don’t know what’s going on or you don’t know why God’s called you where you are, there is meaning, look for the meaning. Ask Him, “What is the meaning of this? Why?” Because He doesn’t want to leave us out in the dark, that’s not His heart. He has meaning behind what He’s doing and that’s something other people they just don’t get, they don’t get those moments. So, that’s the first lie that God broke, that Christianity is only about sacrifice.

The second lie is that God’s heart is in authority and not partnership. It is hardest to be an authority figure over us and not a partner with us. John 15:4 , again, “Abide in me and I in you.” This whole chapter of the Bible is partnerships, it’s a give-and-take with God, “Abide in me and I’ll abide in you.” As we do what He commands He gives us the desires of our hearts, as we lay our lives down He lays His life down. There’s this give-and-take, there’s this partnership, He’s not asking us to do anything He wouldn’t do Himself. It’s this friendship. It’s this relationship we get to partake of that.

The scripture says, “Apart from me you can do nothing,” it’s verse 5, “For apart from me you can do nothing,” partnership. And so a part of this partnership with God and the invitation of God is that sometimes God invites us into something and then sometimes we actually get to invite God into something.

I’m gonna tell you guys another story. Two years ago, I was…no sorry, three years ago now I was finishing my third year of Bethel so we’ve done year-one, we’ve done year-two, now we’re in year-three. My third year of Bethel and I’m getting ready to go home forever, and I’m excited, I’m gonna enroll in University. I’m so excited to get back to my family. But God says, “Hey Josh, can you lay that down. I have something better for you, just put that on hold for now.” It was painful but I knew that he was calling me into something good and so I painfully let that go. I said, “I’m not gonna move home I’m just gonna wait for the next best thing.”

So, two weeks later I meet this amazing couple named Julian and Katia Adams who are incredible. They were visiting Redding for a couple weeks, and so we had a dinner party. They had some mutual friends of mine and they were invited over, and we sat down. And they just shared stories of what God’s doing in their lives and what God’s doing around the world, because they do all this travel. They were sharing about South Africa and what God’s doing here. And they were fun and they were cocky, and they were just amazing people. And I thought, “Wow, these people are so cool. I would love to be around them more.”

And so I remember going home that night after that dinner and looking up, and praying, and just thinking, “Oh God, how cool would it be if I went to South Africa?” And he’s like, “Hmm.” And I’m like, “God would you open that door if I asked you to do that?” He’s like, “Yeah, of course.” I’m like, “Cool, let’s go to South Africa.” And He’s like, “Yeah, let’s go to South Africa. That sounds awesome.” And I woke up the next day fully convinced I was moving to South Africa. I hadn’t talked to Julian and I hadn’t talked to Katia, I was going around telling everyone, “Next year I’m going to South Africa. I can’t wait to go to South.” And people are like, “So do they have an internship or something for you?” I’m like, “I don’t know, I just know I’m going.” Because God in that moment He was like, “Yes, let’s do this.” He wanted to partner with my idea.

And so I’m convinced to this day that me being here is my idea, it wasn’t God’s idea. Obviously He knew from the foundations of earth what I was going to be doing, He had the plan and purposes for me but He wanted this one to be mine. And so He let me have it and I’m so excited to be here and it’s been amazing.

It’s the same in the life of David, Julian pointed out to me recently that God actually never asked David to build a temple, it wasn’t God’s idea, it was David’s idea. David loved God so much and he thought, “Oh, I love this God so much, what can I do to please him? What if I build this massive temple and just worship Him.” And God was like, “Yeah, why don’t you do that, that’s a great idea.” David’s like, “Cool, God will you make the plans?” And God makes the plans. And it became this central theme to the entire story of God’s people was this temple, this amazing temple, but it was David’s idea. That’s how much God wants to partner with our dreams and our visions for this world.

He would be willing to let the whole world change because of our ideas, and he wants to partner with us. He wants to breathe life into those things. He wants to help us make the plans. That’s how much he wants to partner with us, “Apart from me you can do nothing.” So this means…and I know at Harvest we talk about this a lot, that whatever sphere of life you’re in, whatever realm of the world you’re in, you’re not less than. Just because you’re not in full-time ministry, God wants to be with us in everything, He wants to partner with us in our dreams. And so this is something that I had to learn.

I was always resistant to going into ministry but then God revealed to me that whatever I do He’s going to bless it. And so I’ve gone after art, I love going after worship, and I have dreams for bigger things. I happen to be doing a bit of ministry too but God wants to breathe on everything, every single thing in our lives. How cool is that that we get friendship with him, we get to be invited by him into great things, and we also get to invite Him into our everything.

I’ve been challenging myself to invite God into every moment of my life. So in the mornings I wake up and I go to work, and I sit there. And I think, “Jesus, how can you be a part of this day, what do you want to be a part of? I invite the Holy Spirit and Father God into the room.” And then sometimes there are areas where I’m like, “Okay God, you might wanna look away.” Or, “Okay God, I’m about to say something you don’t want to hear,” so I’m not going to invite Him into this part. But I’ve realized that when I’m a bit resistant to inviting God into an area of my life it’s probably because I’m living in sin.

And so if there are areas in your life that you’re a bit afraid to invite God into just think about those and ask God how you can invite him into those, because God actually does want to be invited into our sin because He’s the solution to our sin. He’s the solution to everything. So if we’re about to gossip, if I’m about to say something I know I’m not supposed to say, I should say, “Okay God, this is a moment I get to invite you into my life.” So I’m challenging myself with that, it’s not always easy to invite him into everything but I wanna do that, I wanna live that life. So, that was lie number two that God’s heart is Authority and not a partnership.

And this is the last lie that God, kind of, dispelled to do with that memory, and this is the lie that I’m gonna finish on. But the last one is a really big one, it’s that I should be afraid of God’s voice. So, for years and years of my life I remember walking around afraid of God’s voice. And I loved God and I had a heart for Him, and it wasn’t this anger towards Him or this resentment, I was just afraid He was going to tell me something I didn’t want to hear because that’s what I got preached on Sunday mornings. That be careful what you hear from God because He might tell you to do something you don’t want to do, and I didn’t want that. I wasn’t ready to pick up and move to Africa, I wasn’t ready to do that…I mean, ironically, I’ve done that now but I was afraid. I remember even finishing high school and being afraid to ask God which university I should go to, or where I should go just because I thought he was gonna send me the place lowest on my list. And that’s not who He is. He’s always going to call me to greater things. And that doesn’t mean it’s not gonna come with surprises, that sometimes He might point you in a direction that you’re confused about at first but ends up being life changing.

It genuinely means that he’s calling you into greater things, every step of your life. If you’re hearing His voice you can trust that He’s calling you somewhere that’s going to be greater than where you were before. And I remember walking into stores and shops and thinking, “I hope I don’t see someone on crutches,” because God was going to force me into praying for them. Stuff like that, it was this constant fear. And because I had this fear of hearing God’s voice telling me to do anything I kind of just shut His voice out completely, because if I don’t trust Him I don’t want to hear His voice. All of this was rooted in this mistrust of God, he kept me from hearing the truth and the love that He wanted to speak over me. I wasn’t convinced of His love for me. I wasn’t convinced always that I was unpunishable, that I was seated next to Christ because I couldn’t hear His voice speaking those things to me because I didn’t trust Him.

So when you need to hear from God, I’m gonna challenge you guys, rather than to jumping to conclusions, to wait for that inviting voice, wait for the invitation of God. Close your eyes and just wait on that. If He’s asking you to give something up or to throw something away, wait for his inviting voice saying, “This is gonna be good for you, it’s something greater.” If He’s asking you to speak to someone, or to pray for someone on the streets, or to go pray for that person who’s limping over there, He’s inviting you into something great.

If He’s asking you to take this massive step of faith, close your eyes and wait for His invitation into that thing, wait for His power in your life to actually see that thing through. If He’s calling you to repent for something, you don’t need to position yourself as a lost son you actually get to say, “Okay, there’s an invitation here into something great. Jesus where is your inviting voice?” And then He gives you the power again to see that through. If He’s calling you into freedom from a mindset, or a behavior, or a harmful relationship there’s an inviting voice there that’s calling you to greater things.

I wanna live this lifestyle of taking every single invitation God has to offer and I don’t always do it, and I don’t always do it right away. But that’s the lifestyle I wanna live because if He’s calling me into something amazing every time He speaks, then why wouldn’t I want to be a part of that life.

A few weeks ago, me and Julian were in Holland on a trip and Julian was speaking to a bunch of ministry students similar to the ministry school I went to. And he’s like, “Oh, you should share on this, or this, or this.” And I’m like, “Okay.” And he asked me, he’s like, “Do you want to?” And previously that year I had had this conversation with God where I just said, “Hey God, I want to say yes to every ministry opportunity that you have in front of me,” because I knew that I had this a little bit of a fear of ministry because I grew up as a pastor’s kid, and there’s something in me, maybe still that just doesn’t want to be in ministry. It scares me but in that I knew that God had something great for me.

So I said, “God if you invite me into speaking or if there’s a ministry opportunity to pray for someone or to lead something, I’m just gonna say yes to everything you have in front of me.” And he’s like, “Cool, that’s awesome.” But then this trip to Holland, like I was saying, in that day when Julian invited me up, he’s like, “Do you want to?” And I’m like, “No, I’m gonna pass on this one.” And so he gets up to share and those voices in my head, the invitations of God came again and He’s like, “Joshua, are you sure you don’t want to share?” This is God speaking, “Are you sure you don’t want to share? It’s gonna be so fun, you’re gonna change these people’s lives. And even if you don’t we’ll laugh about it later, it’s gonna be amazing. You should totally do this.” And I just chose to say no, I’m like, “Okay, no, I’m good God, not today, feeling a bit tired.”

And I woke up the next day feeling disappointed in myself. I’m like, “Oh God, I made that promise to you that I was gonna say yes to everything this year and I declined your invitation. I’m so sorry.” And he’s like, “Yeah, I know you did that yesterday but today there’s something cooler, there’s something really awesome that’s gonna happen. There’s more ministry opportunities.” And I was able to pray for people that day and do some ministry that day. And so like I said before, God isn’t this…He’s not like our earthly friends, he’s not like our earthly father, whenever we decline an invitation from God He’s always gonna have another invitation, He’s always gonna speak to us again. Still though, why wouldn’t you want to say yes? Why wouldn’t you want to step out? Why wouldn’t you want to say yes to this invitation, this party that God has set up for us? And so that’s the life I want to live, I want to live saying yes to His invitations every single time He speaks.

Let Love Be Your Experience

Tue, 19 Jun 2018 18:00:00 GMT

Ephesians 3 invites us to let love be our foundation, our comprehension and our experience. In this talk, Katia Adams and Kelly Notcutt share how they have experienced the love of God in their day-to-day lives, and encourage us to press into that very same love.

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– TRANSCRIPT

Katia: We’re going to be speaking from Ephesians 3, tonight. If you have your bibles, feel free to flick there. But we’re going to read the verses anyway, and actually, we’re going to zoom in on just one verse, from Ephesians. Ephesians 3:19 , is going to be where we really plug ourselves into. But, you know, it felt really funny this morning, I don’t know if any of you were here this morning, to hear Richard’s amazing preach.

But he finished his preach reading these verses that we’re about to read from Ephesians 3. And so, yet again, I felt a real sense of, you know, God is leading us to this passage. But, you’ll see as we talk, that this will be the most ironic preach in all the world, if all we did was speak, and then everyone go home.

Because this preach is centered around encounter, it’s centered around experience. And so, we’re gonna make sure that we don’t talk too long because we’re gonna leave plenty of time for Holy Spirit to meet with us, and do what only He can do. Listen, I cannot push really hard to conjure up an encounter for you, that’s not the way it works. But, we trust that God is a good God, who loves us enough to meet with us, right?

That’s where we’re entering in tonight. That God doesn’t just want us to speak about Him, but God wants us to know Him, in His closeness, to know Him relationally. And so, we’re going to press in, to that aspect of Him tonight. Knowing that He’s good, He’s kind, and He is eager to meet with us. I can see a few of you just with quizzical expressions.

So I just want to explain something, I had a chest infection, and I’ve been preaching a lot recently. So if you are wondering whether I’m trying to channel Barry White, it’s true. There’s a closeness of my voice to him, but I’m hoping, maybe even in this preach, that my voice will get stronger as we go.

Anyway, let’s read Ephesians 3, from verse 14. “For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father. From Him, every family, in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of His glory, He may grant you to be strengthened with power, through His spirit in your inner being so that Christ may dwell in your hearts, through faith, that you being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and the length and the height and depth, and to know the love of God that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

What I’m going to do is just set the scene. And I’m going to set the scene with three invitations that I believe God is extending to us. And then, Kelly is going to bring life to the third invitation for us. The first is, I believe God is inviting us to let love be our foundation. I love these verses right here. “You being rooted and grounded in love.”

I want to tell you, the gospel starts and ends with love. There is no other motivation in the heart of God toward us than ridiculous, overwhelming, immeasurable love for you and me. I feel, sometimes, we can make the cross and resurrection of Jesus something that’s more about our sin.

God hates sin so much that He sent His Son to die for us. Or no, no, God wants justice so much that He sent His Son to die for us. Or God is a God who is angry, and needs to bring punishment. So He sent His Son to die to take the penalty of sin.

And all of that pales in comparison to the true motivation of the heart of God, which is, John 3:16 . God so loved the world that He gave His Son. He loved the world. It wasn’t your sin that was his focus. It wasn’t the penalty of sin that was his focus. It wasn’t the shame on you that was his focus. It wasn’t him needing to bring justice that was his focus. No, it was his scandalous affection for you and me that was his focus, that was his motivation in sending Jesus.

When Jesus said, “Yes, I’m going to go and I’m going to give myself for people,” it wasn’t about bringing judgment, it was about showing the affection of the Father’s heart. You being rooted and grounded in love. The invitation of the Father, to you and me tonight, firstly, is let love be your foundation, know where your journey starts.

Some of you in this room, you’ll be thinking, “This isn’t actually what I thought I signed up for when I became a Christian. I thought I was signing up for being good, or learning how to behave better, or learning how to please God.” That’s not what Christianity is about.

And some of you maybe you’ve been sitting in church for decades, and that’s what you thought Christianity was about. I want to show you tonight, love is your foundation. It’s not about your morality. It’s not about learning how to be good. God so loves you that He gave Himself for you. Because He wants to set you free so that you can be truly yourself in freedom.

Let love be your foundation, you being rooted and grounded in love. The second invitation, just to set the scene, let love be your comprehension. It’s beautiful words, verse 18, “I’m praying that you may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth, the length, the height, and depth of His affection.”

God is inviting us to get to grips in our minds with the dimensions of His love. It’s an invitation which is slightly tongue in cheek, because He’s saying, “Come on now. Come on, I want to invite you to study this. I want to invite you to push the depths of this. I want to invite you to run as far as you can, in any direction in your mind to see if you can touch the walls, touch the edges, touch the boundary lines of my love.”

He’s saying, “Fill your mind with my affection. Let love be your study. Let love be your mental pursuit. Spend your time grappling with my affection for you.” Gosh, it’s an amazing thing to study. It’s an amazing thing to spend time in the word of. It’s amazing thing to allow our minds to be flooded with the dimensions of His love. Its height, its depth, how deep does His affection go for you?

Is it deeper than your sin? Is it deeper than your last failure? How wide does His love go for you? He’s inviting you, “Come and grapple with the boundaries of my love.” But my favorite thing about verse 18, is verse 19. “And to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge.” Make it your pursuit, by all means, to understand His love.

But His third invitation to us this evening, the one that we’re going to spend our time on, the one that we’re going to take Him seriously on, is let love be your experience. It’s your foundation. He’s inviting us to allow it to become our comprehension. But ultimately, He’s leading us to let it be our experience.

And I don’t know when the last time, you or I, had an experience of His love, but He’s inviting us into it tonight. I was saying to Kelly, and I’m going to finish with this, so Kelly can preach. I was saying to Kelly tonight…I was reading a book before I got here tonight called “God’s Best Friend” by a friend of mine called Gabriel Lopez. It’s a great book, read it. The more I read it, the more I kept thinking to myself, am I even a Christian?

He tells story, after story, after story of encounters. He’s a seemingly normal guy, and you read his encounters and you think, “What am I doing with my time?” Let love be your experience.

Kelly: Hi, thank you so much, Katia. Well, I just want to invite you to continue having an encounter with God’s love. We started in worship and continued when Katia was speaking now, but I just invite you that this is a time to encounter His love. I’m going to be going a little bit deeper into what His love means and…but yeah, just feel free to sit back and receive His beautiful, beautiful love.

So I’m just going to recap that verse 19, which is where I’m going to spend some time. It says, “And to know the love of Christ, which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to the fullness of God, to know the love of Christ, which surpasses knowledge.” The word “love” here, is the Greek word, “Agape.” You may have heard that before. And it’s the highest form of love in the Bible.

And whenever the New Testament talks about Agape love, it’s referring to the definition that we can find in 1st John 3:16 , which says, “This is how we know what love is. That Jesus Christ laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” This is how we know what love is that Jesus Christ laid down His life for us.

Jesus is the ultimate expression of love. The Son of God came to earth, who died for our sins, who died for a people who never, ever could have earned it or deserved it, so that we can be redeemed and have a relationship with Him.

That is, it’s the simple gospel act. That is love. Love looks like Jesus. And it’s not a flaky kind of love. It’s not a love that’s based on feelings. It’s not a love that says, “Yes,” today and, “No,” tomorrow, but it’s a cross-bearing love. It’s a love that died for its enemies. It’s a love that was poured out and expected nothing in return. It’s all consuming, it’s never-ending, it’s outrageous, and it’s extravagant.

That is the love of Jesus. That is Jesus. So I don’t remember, when I became a Christian, I would go to a youth group on a Friday night. My parents would drop me off at, conveniently, happened to be located next to a pub. So my parents enjoyed some free babysitting. And I kind of just, I guess, grew in my knowledge that God loved me, that He was savior.

That He sent His Son Jesus to die for me. And I never went up to say a sinner’s prayer or answer an article, but I just knew, that I knew, that I knew, from a young age, that God loved me, that He really, really loved me. And somewhere, in those young years, I learned about the omnipresence of God, that God transcended space and time, and that he was everywhere, all at one time, which, for my little brain, really confused me.

And so, what I would do is, I would imagine that God was in the room. That I’d see an empty space and go, “Okay, that’s where God is, He’s in the corner over there.” And what I would think is, if God saw me now, would He be happy with what I’m doing? Would He approve of what I’m doing? Or would He be really heartbroken that I’m doing something naughty?

And as a kid, that’s what I was thinking all the time. And what that looked like, for me and my life, is that I went through my childhood and my teenage years as a really good kid, so scared to misbehave. Because what if the God that’s in the room, right over there, sees what I’m doing? What is He going to say? Is He going to come down and crack the whip and disapprove?

I believed the lie that I had to behave in order to be worthy of God’s love. And the truth is that God is not a punisher, but God is an extravagant lover. It says in 1st John 4:8 that, “God is love.” He is that very Agape love that we just spoke about. He is the love that we see demonstrated on the cross. He’s not waiting for you to step out of line. And if you do, He will take His love away, that’s not God. God is love.

That means that the very nature, the very essence of who God is, is the love that we see on the cross. He’s an extravagant lover. And today if you’ve lived your whole life believing that God is angry, that as soon as you misbehave, He’s going to crack the whip, I’m here, we’re here tonight to tell you that that’s not who God is. He’s not a lover, and He does not extend His love to us based on our behavior.

So just back to that verse 19 in Ephesians 3, which says, “That we would know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge. That we would know the love that compelled Jesus to the cross, that we would know the very nature and the very essence of God.” And now that word, “know,” in the beginning of that scripture, is that…it means that something that we know from experience.

It’s an experience that we had, that we know, that we know, that we know that something is true. And the word “knowledge” there is head knowledge, it’s something that comes from understanding. It’s an understanding that you can have in your mind. So know experience, knowledge, and understanding.

So to rephrase a little bit, give me the liberty, I believe Paul would be saying something like, “That we would know from experience the love of Christ that surpasses the understanding of love that we have in our mind.” Now, there’s a big difference between knowing something in your head, right? And knowing something through experience.

When I was learning to drive, I got hold of…I think it’s called a K53 book or K52, I can’t remember. But, it teaches you the rules of the road, right? And I studied this thing, I still failed in my learner’s twice. But I studied this thing, and so, technically, I knew how to drive, right? But it was only until I sat in front of the steering wheel, turned the car on, dropped the clutch and stalled, did I begin to understand a little bit of what driving actually was.

And I feel like that’s exactly what Paul is hitting home in the scriptures. That we can understand, to a certain extent, what God’s love is like, based on our mind and what we can cognitively understand, but there’s so much more that’s just the starting point of the revelation of the magnitude of God’s love.

And this, to me, man, it’s so exciting because it means that what we understand, there’s so much more to that. He says, “It surpasses our knowledge.” So there’s more. So when we think we understand, when we think we’ve come to a final…this is what God’s love means, no, there’s more.

And then, when you think there’s…you’re done, no, there’s more. And there’s still more, and more, and more, and more. Like that is the extent, that’s the magnitude of God’s love. It’s just amazing, and that’s what’s available to us.

And Paul’s not saying here that our head knowledge is futile. That we shouldn’t, yeah, learn at all about God’s love, or read about God’s love, but it’s got to be more than a theological concept. There’s so much more. There’s so much more, we’re invited in this verse to experience His love. And throughout the Bible, we see countless stories of people who encounter the love of God and their lives are forever changed.

One of my favorite stories and that I always think of when I think of the power of God’s love, is the woman with the issue of blood, in Matthew 9. Now, this woman, she extends her hand through the crowd, she pushes through, and she touches the hem of Jesus’ cloak, and her life forever changes.

She receives radical healing. And now, she must have heard about this Jesus. Something must have compelled her, some kind of knowledge about Jesus must have compelled her, to stretch through the crowd, to touch the hem of His garment.

Our head knowledge, what we know about God’s love, what we read about his love, it has to compel us to experience Jesus, to experience that love, it’s got to compel us. It can’t just be theology. So just in wrapping up, and I’ll invite Katia back up, Paul’s prayer in this passage, and my prayer for you tonight is that you would encounter the love of God that surpasses your understanding. That what you’ve read about Him, what you’ve heard about Him, what you believe about Him, that you would begin to experience, that it would be…go beyond just theology.

Katia: You know, the challenge for us is that heart knowledge has a way of creeping back to become a head knowledge unless you steward it, and unless you press into it, and unless you keep pursuing it. And so, for some of us, I know this is the case for me, that there has been historical experiences of encounter with Jesus that has overwhelmed us.

But unless we live in the good of that, unless we keep saying, “And how are we going to encounter each other afresh today, Jesus,” what can happen is that beautiful moment of encounter can creep back up into your head so that it becomes theory once again.

And you’ll know if this is true of you, if you can listen to words about the love of God, or if you can read words about the love of God, and you’re kind of like, “Me? Okay.” And I don’t say that to be rude, or cheeky or funny, because I’ve been there.

And actually, sometimes, as leaders or preachers, you can get into this place in very dangerous territory, because you talk about something so often that you can kind of go, “Yeah.” It’s my job to tell you about the love of God.

But the love of God, if we’re living in the experience of it, should be so overwhelming that we’re undone when we talk about it, because it is scandalous. My husband, Julian, loves to say, “If the grace you’re experiencing isn’t amazing, then it’s not grace.”

Because it should amaze you. You should be blown away. It’s like talking to someone who’s claiming to have completely fallen in love with a person of their dreams. And when you talk to them, they’re like, “Yeah, they were kind of cool. Like, okay, you don’t know what it means to have fallen in love.”

Because once someone has fallen in love, you know when you talk to that person, because they just can’t, “Oh, let me tell you one more cute thing that he did.” And you’re like, “Oh, my gosh, this is the 10th story.” Or it’s like when someone has had a child. Listen, before I had kids, I knew the theory of what it meant to have unconditional love for a child.

But when I held Ezekiel for the first time, oh, my gosh, there was no book that could have explained what I felt. And if you just give me a few minutes to talk to you about my kids, well, the photos are going to come out and you’ll be thinking, “Oh, my gosh, make her stop.” But it’s because I’m living in the experience of that love, and it’s a daily encounter at 6:00 a.m., 5:00 a.m. It’s a daily encounter.

And so, this isn’t just for people, this isn’t for the person next to you, is what I’m trying to say. This is for you. You, who maybe have never encountered the love of God, and you’re thinking, I genuinely have no idea what you’re talking about when you talk about encounter. And this is for you who has had multiple encounters, but who are hungry today.

Because as Richard said so well today, in the spirit, in the supernatural, everything you eat makes you more hungry. And so, yesterday’s experience should be making a starving today for more. And God is never blasé about meeting with us. Oh, He loves to meet with us. Isaiah says, “He rises from His throne to show us compassion.”

He is eager to meet with you and I. And I love it because the sentence ends with, “So that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” You know, the point of Christianity, like I said, isn’t your morality, that’s not God’s endpoint. God’s endpoint is to stuff you to the brim with the fullness of who He is.

With His glory, with His Majesty, think of the biggest words that you can think about who God is, and then understand this, that He has not reserved that simply for Himself, but He wants to stuff you to the full with that reality. You want to talk about His power, you want to talk about His creative ability, you want to talk about how He is worthy of all honor, you want to talk about His glory that shakes the nations.

And He’s saying, “Yes, that’s why I brought you home so that I could fill you with the fullness of all of that.” There’s not a single part of Him that He has held back from you, or reserved just for Himself. But in His incredible, ridiculous, scandalous grace, He said, “I want to stuff you to overflowing with that very same reality.

I wanna say to you, if you are living for your Monday to Friday, just to get through your week, if you think your Christianity is just about not gossiping at work, if you think your Christianity is just about saving time until one day, finally, you’ll die, or maybe be raptured and go to heaven. I don’t believe in the rapture, anyway, but that’s another story for a different time.

But the point is this, if you’re waiting for one day when it will be okay, I want to tell you, you haven’t scratched the surface of what it means to be a Christian. Because what it means to be a Christian today, not one day when you die, what it means to be a Christian it’s to so encounter His love that He’ll so transform you and I, that every part of His fullness will be stuffed into you and I, so that everywhere we go, we will be overflowing with the fullness of God Himself.

That’s why He saved us. It wasn’t to make your behavior good. It wasn’t so that you’d have to go through a charade of a life on earth so that you’ll get to heaven one day. It was so that you’d so encounter Him and you’d live in the fullness of who He is.

Kells, why don’t come up? We’re gonna do some ministry time. And maybe just you want to come and play keys. Guys, we don’t have a script for this part. And if you want it to be neat and tidy, I’m really sorry, it’s not going to be. But I believe God wants to meet with us.

Because if not, this word isn’t trustworthy. And we really need to stop wasting our time, if that’s the case. But if He is to be believed, then He’s to be believed completely, which means He wants to meet with you and me tonight, which means He wants to journey us from head knowledge to heart knowledge. And so, why don’t you stand with us tonight?

Mercy and Justice with Lynn Swart

Thu, 14 Jun 2018 18:00:00 GMT

What does it mean to be a Christian who loves mercy and does justice? In this video, Lynn Swart and Julian Adams sit down LIVE to discuss that very theme. As directors of NewDay United , they both have a heart to see mercy and justice reign here on earth.

To donate or find out more visit NewDay United .

All You Need Is Love

Mon, 11 Jun 2018 20:05:11 GMT

This last month I was one of the millions of people who sat and watched as Prince Harry wed Meghan Markle. I love weddings in general, and this one certainly didn’t disappoint with all the pomp and ceremony and glamour, not to mention the incredible promises of covenant to one another.

I’ve been intrigued by the social media frenzy stirred up by Bishop Michael Curry’s passionate preaching. Voices of admiration rang out almost as loudly as some in the Christian camp booing him for not giving a full enough rendition of sin and its penalty. Whilst I can understand where some are coming from, I’ve got to say I thought his message was timely, beautiful and profound. As I understand from scripture, God is love – and so I’m not convinced that we can ever overemphasise the incredible world-transforming nature of it.

Listening to him preach and reading over some of what’s been commented has led me to scripture again to look at love. I’ve been musing over Paul’s words in Ephesians 3 and am more convinced than ever that God’s heart for the world and for His people is to be totally and utterly overwhelmed and immersed in His love.

Here’s Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3 –

14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (NKJV)

A few thoughts on these verses:

Let love be your foundation

Our roots are in love – that’s where everything starts in our journey with Jesus. Sometimes I think we’ve tried to rewrite the Gospel so that God’s motivation toward us becomes more sin and judgement focussed, but the best-known verse in the world remains true in direct opposition to this sort of thinking – it was because God so LOVED the world that He gave His son. Let’s not muddy the waters by trying to get theologically clever. Let’s be clear – the Gospel story is rooted in one emotion and Paul’s prayer springboards from that place of rooting and grounding: Love. It’s not a flimsy fickle sort of love. It’s not a here today, gone tomorrow kind of love. It’s a world-transforming, cross-bearing, death-defying sort of love. And it’s on offer to you and me.

Let love be your comprehension

Starting in love, Paul prays that we would be able to comprehend it. That our minds will be stretched to understanding the incredible proportions of it. That our thinking would be inundated with this emotion from the heart of the Father. The gospel has you rooted in love, now let’s journey in understanding it, in filling our minds with the truth of it, in trying to grasp the extent of love that our Papa has for us. It’s a study that is so vast that it blows our minds (and boxes of thinking) wide open.

Let love be your experience

Paul’s words are provoking because though he prays that we comprehend the love of God in verse 18, he’s clear in verse 19 that it goes beyond comprehension. No matter how much we study and learn about the love of God it will never be enough because it is so much greater than our minds can fathom. Comprehending His love is a worthy and important pursuit, but it’s an insufficient one. God wants to journey us so that the love that we start in and work to understand is a love that we enter into an experience of. He wants to take us from being merely students to the wonderful privilege of being sons – the first focusses on learning, the second on relational experience.

Where are you in your journey with Jesus? You may be someone who is trying to grapple with the idea of whether God really cares about you, or you may be just starting out on getting to know Jesus and are getting your feet planted firmly into His awesome love. Wherever you are, let me encourage you today – His love is so beautiful to read about and think about, but was never intended to be just a theological concept . He is inviting us to experience Him and His heart, to meet His affection which is beyond any box we’ll ever be able to hold in our minds, so vast that it is breath-taking in wonder and depth.

Let’s step in a little deeper today and invite Him to come and do what He has always intended – to show off with His love so that we come face to face with His affection and are undone in His presence once again.

How To Walk in the Fulfillment of Your Prophetic Words

Thu, 07 Jun 2018 18:00:00 GMT

Prophecy requires partnership with Heaven. In this teaching, Julian gives transformative tools to help you see God’s words over your life fulfilled.

– TRANSCRIPT

Julian: Amen. Amen. Hallelujah. I want you to turn with me in your Bibles to Matthew 13. I believe tonight God wants to just share some things and help you come into the fulfillment of the prophetic word. Now, I want to say this again. I believe that God’s word, the Bible is the highest and sweetest and the most purest form of prophecy you will ever, ever receive. I often self-prophecy. I take God’s word, and I speak it over myself because this is the highest form of prophetic revelation that has ever been reckoned, that will ever be reckoned, and every other prophecy comes in under it and submits to it. Amen?

Together: Amen.

Julian: We agree with that, don’t we?

Man: Yeah.

Julian: And so I… When I’m talking about coming into the prophetic this afternoon, this evening, when I’m talking about how we walk into the fullness of your prophetic word, how we come into a place of receiving, the outworking of prophecy. Even if you’ve never ever received a personal prophetic word, the Bible says something better about you and better about your life that you can walk into. And this word is as powerful in God’s mouth as it is in your mouth when you speak it over your life. And it is important that we understand there are promises in here, prophetic promises, that we can walk into. I thought that was a good point. Let me… I just wanna teach you a little something on the Amen of the Lord, very quickly. The word “Amen,” Paul talked about saying “Amen.” Okay? All the promises of God are yes and amen. It means, “And so be it.”

Now, I come from a crazy Pentecostal Charismatic church, and we say amen all the time. And as a result, some people have slightly got offended with the amen, and now, I understand that, and I’m not asking you to shout out amen. However, when you come into agreement with the word of God and in your heart there’s an amen, there’s an “And so be it,” and you agree with it, the Bible calls that word Symphonia, which means two different sounds or many different sounds coming into one pure sound, which is where we get the word symphony from. All right? So there are many different sounds coming from different instruments but they are making one incredible sound, and it’s beautiful. When you agree with the purposes of God, and you say amen, it releases the sound of heaven in your life. It releases the blessing of God in your life. And so, I often, when I’m reading stuff, I say, “I want that. Yes, Lord. And so be it.” I just shorten it to amen. Because it stirs something in my heart to agree with heaven’s perspective about me so that we make the same sound.

Together: Amen.

Julian: Good. You guys have got it. You’re quick learners. So when you hear something good, you don’t have to shout amen because that is a bit nuts sometimes but just agree with it in your heart. Just go, “Yes, I like that. Or, I’ll take that for me.” Okay. Right. Sorry. That was just on the side and for free. Matthew 13 and we’re gonna look at verse one to nine and then verse 18 to 23. Now, “That same day, Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. And great crowds gathered about him and so then he got into the boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying, ‘A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky grounds, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprung up, and since they had no depth of soil, when the sun rose, they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain. Some a hundredfold, some 60, some 30. He who has ears, let him hear.’”

Verse 18: “Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on the rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy yet has no root in himself but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among the thorns, this is the one who hears the word but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on the good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one place a hundredfold, in another 60, and in another 30.”

The theme here I wanna talk about cultivating a secret garden. Cultivating your heart in such a way as to receive the full weight of what God wants to do and what God wants to speak into your life. One of the things that I notice, and very often people ask me is, “Well, Julian, I’ve received this incredible prophetic word, really amazing, but what am I gonna do with it now? What do I do with the promises of God? How do I walk into them? How do I fulfill them?” And tonight, God wants to help you come into a place where you can begin to encounter and experience the Word of God, literally, growing in your heart so that there is fruit for you to eat from it.

Prophecy is not meant to be something that falls onto the ground, and you leave it there. There is a cultivation. There is a growing, and there is a watering that causes fruitfulness to be produced. Prophecy is not fatalistic. It requires a partnering with heaven.

And so, I want to just pick up a few things. The first thing I wanna pick up is I love this phrase that Jesus used, “The word of the kingdom.” As I’m beginning to grow in an understanding of what it means to be a kingdom people, what it means to understand kingdom dynamic, I’m beginning to read the scripture very differently. Because up until recently, I would read the scripture in an individualistic sense, totally disconnected from the rule and reign of God’s kingdom in my life. And I’m beginning to understand that, actually, when Jesus preaches his gospel, it’s a gospel of the kingdom. It’s a gospel of His ruling and reigning and demonstrating His power in our life. Therefore, how I read scripture, how I understand this incredible salvation that I’ve received by grace, it must be impacted by an understanding of His lordship and understanding of who He is.

Now, when a king issues a decree, it is final, and it’s out working. And there are kingdom decrees that have been spoken over us, where the king has declaring in His heart, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, He determines in his heart to speak a better word over you than what your parents could have. Than what sin can. Than what the world can. He speaks a better word over you. He speaks a word of His kingdom and when you come into that, when you understand that, when you receive that decree, something is gonna begin to grow in your heart.

And for many of us, we don’t understand that actually our citizenship, our rulership, our identity, is not earthbound. Who we are in this world is not determined by the opinion of a psychologist. It’s not determined by the opinion of your socioeconomic status. It’s not determined by the opinion of your past, and it’s determined by the cross and resurrection of Jesus because he’s pulled us in Him, into His new kingdom. And when we hear the word of the kingdom, it is a decree concerning our identity. It is a decree concerning our future, our destiny, our purpose, and the blessing that’s in Him because we’ve received grace. The word of the kingdom is not simply just, you know, a nice little preach, you know. The word of the kingdom is His very thoughts concerning you. It’s His very purposes concerning you.

And if you understand a kingdom mentality, you’d understand, and you guys know this well because you’ve grown up in understanding something of a royal monarchy. There is no democracy in a royal monarchy. What the monarch says, goes. If the queen issues a decree, I know it’s slightly different now, but back in the day, if a king or queen issued a decree, it happened. It was meant to take place and take root. There was potential in that word, and very often, you’d hear of a forerunner running out, so this is where the imagery comes from, a forerunner runs out and declares, “This is what the king says. This is the word of the kingdom,” and even though there is no outworking obtained right there and then, everyone in that community will know something’s coming that’s gonna bring change. And it’s the same when we receive the prophetic word. When we receive something of God’s purposes, when we receive the word of the kingdom, something is about to change.

I find it fascinating that God determines in His heart to set potential purpose, power, and greatness in a thing that is small, and almost unseen, called a seed. And it’s the way of God, and it’s the way of the kingdom. He takes that would seem small, and He puts it into the hearts of men, and that would seem small and insignificant, begins to grow to become the most significant. My bible tells me that one day His kingdom will take over all the kingdoms of this world. I want to tell you, and it’s not hard to prophesy this now, the British kingdom is gonna come down. The American kingdom is gonna come down. South Africa is gonna come down. And His kingdom will rule and reign supreme over all.

Together: Amen.

Julian: That’s the word of the kingdom, and it’s a word that speaks a whole new identity. It is the word that speaks a whole new realm of possibility that out of something small like a seed that speaks into your heart, it begins to grow and develop into something great. Now, the receiving of this word and the cultivating of this word is determined by the type of soil that it falls to. You see, I’ve met a number of people who derail their destiny, who have missed out on their prophetic word because the condition of their heart to receive the seed of the kingdom and the word of the kingdom was not prepared. And, friend, I wanna say to you that there have been moments that I have missed my opportunity in God because I have ignored some things and I have allowed thorns or have allowed a hardness of heart to come into my soil as it were in my garden and I’ve missed an opportunity for the kingdom. And it’s very possible. And so, the condition of your heart will determine the fruitful yield of the kingdom.

If your heart is not ready to receive, if your heart is not prepared to receive, you won’t enjoy the full outworking of what God wants for you. Now, I find it fascinating. The word heart in, most often, in the New Testament is translated as soul very often. And it means your mind, your will, and your emotions. And so, God’s talking about the realm of your mind, your will, and your emotions. He’s talking about what’s going on on the inside of you when no one else is looking. When no one else is watching, how you receive the word of God is determined by what’s going on on the inside of you. Now, I’m praying for a greenhouse in my heart, and the minute I receive the smallest seed, something that happens quickly, and it begins to grow.

And we see four different types of soil, and I wanna press on very quickly because I believe God wants to minister to many. The first soil we see is the hardness, our path, that’s become hard, and so the sower is throwing these seeds. And I’ve seen this in Africa because, literally, they’ll just throw seeds all over the place and it falls along the path. Now, a path may speak of a hard route. I was in Mozambique a few years ago. Hi, sister Mary. An incredible story and there’s a particular lady who was ministering out there, and she often crosses the border from South Africa into Mozambique just a sweet missionary, doing some work just post the war. And as a result, she had to learn how to walk through landmine-infested pieces of fields, and literally, the Holy Spirit will lead her about where she needed to take her first step, the next step, through landmines. I mean… And so we worked there, and she says to us, “Now, listen, you must follow me perfectly because if you don’t, you might step on a landmine.” You clearly know what I did. I was, like, right behind her, following her very perfectly.

But what’s happened is wherever she’s walked now, there is a pathway because her feet and the walking has caused a hardness into that path and the soil is no longer penetrable with any kind of seed. And I find that in the church today, very often, hardness of heart is one of the key things that stop us from entering into the promises of God. Cynicism, unbelief, because, actually, Jesus says, in this context, that the pathway speaks to people who do not understand the words. And for most intellectuals, for most Westerners, we think that faith starts in the realm of understanding first and so if we understand how God does miracles, maybe we’ll have more faith to do them. If we understand how God’s gonna work out my destiny, maybe I’ll have faith to step out in it. But the Bible says in Hebrew that it’s by faith that we understand the world was created.

The starting point for receiving is breaking a hardness of heart and unbelief through faith. And I want to say to you, in the Western world today, one of the biggest battles that we have to face and one of the things that we have to cultivate in our heart is a gentleness and a softness and a believing like that of a little child. Children believe in the miraculous. They believe in the angelic. They believe in the cross and the resurrection and the virgin birth until someone tells them it’s not true. And so we have to cultivate a heart that begins to move from the hardness of our hearts because of unbelief, because of cynicism, because of…

You know, there’s nothing wrong with questioning things, but it’s the way you question. It’s a heart attitude. It’s a heart attitude. And I wanna say to you, and I wanna suggest to you that one of the things that we need to do in these days if we’re to walk in the fulfillment of the prophetic, if we’re to walk in the fullness of the kingdom of God bearing fruit in our life, is to deal with the hardness of our heart and the unbelief that so often dominates our society.

What fascinates me, and if I can be cheeky and I will be, is that there is a generation out there who actually have no problem with anything transcendent. They don’t have a problem with seeking psychic powers. They don’t have a problem with seeking tarot card readings. They don’t have a problem of going for Reiki healing. There’s no need to convince anyone in the world about supernatural power. Yet in the church, it seems like we’re 10 years behind and we’re still trying to convince people that’s what’s in the Bible is true. We’ve gotta break the hardness of heart: cynicism, skepticism. Because what it does is it stops the seed of God from falling into the ground and producing fruits.

And the second thing I notice is that there were some sowed on rocky ground. Now, man alive, I know many rocky Christians. There is a theology that goes around, and forgive me if I step on anyone’s toes, that, well, you know, Jesus really just wants to make a bigger you, you know. Look… What was the way…? I saw a title in a Christian book, “Look Great, Feel Good,” in a Christian bookstore. This is a book for Christians. Now, I’m trying to figure out, help me, Jesus. Is the gospel about my comforts? Is the gospel about my need? Or is the gospel about the glorification of Jesus?

Friend, I wanna say to you, you know, I think that things like “TBN” and “GOD TV” are incredible tools to reach the nations, but not everything that’s on them is very good. And there are theologies and doctrines going around that your comfort is the sole purpose of God. And so, when tribulation comes around, when the economic crisis in England starts to shake, the Christian goes, “Where is God?” And I’m thinking, one of the most certain promises, it is rock solid and sure, is that you will have tribulations in this life. You can say amen to that one.

Together: Amen.

Julian: It’s not one of the little, kind of… You know, I used to get in a little thing called Bread of Life when I was a kid and you could pick out a promise for the day. It was almost like, you know, your Christian horoscope for the day. Let’s pick out a promise. And not once did I pick out, “Take heart. You will have tribulation in this life.” Not once did I pick that up. And God talks about… Jesus talks about a heart that is filled with rocky stuff. There’s a whole lot of seemingly good soil but actually, it’s rock hard because they didn’t understand the character and purposes of God in their life and so the seed begins to fall on them and the next minute, when difficulties come, and they will come, I prophesy, they will come, they start shaking. And because there is no root, there is no depth, there is no soil to their life and to their connectivity with God, they fall off the boat.

Friend, Psalm 105 says an incredible thing in verse 19, I think it is. That the word of the Lord tested Joseph. “Until what God had said came to pass, the word of the Lord tested Joseph.” I wonder if the prophetic line at the end of the meeting would diminish if we taught on, “Are you ready for testing after your prophetic word?” You see, God’s not simply wanting to endorse what you want through a prophetic word. He’s wanting to change you into the very image of Jesus through your prophetic word. You see, all prophecy is summed up in the person of Jesus. One day, everything, all of history past, all of history future, the present, will work to and be summed up in the person of Jesus because everything will come under his feet. My personal prophecy is not something that is just gonna give me goosebumps every time I read it in my journal. It’s meant to point to the reality of Jesus so that my life begins to change so that my destiny is fulfilled in Him. And it’s important that we cultivate a heart that is ready to receive the word of God.

And the third thing, and I wanted just to touch on a few things here. The Bible talks about the word of the kingdom being sowed among some thorns. Now, how many of you have noticed…? Now, I’m not, like, green fingers kind of guy. I didn’t really do gardening. In fact, I’m hopeless at it. But I know this one thing, you never have to plant thorns anywhere. They just seem to grow up all over the place. Have you noticed that? And I just wanna touch on a few thorns that I believe speak of demonic strongholds that begin to wrap around the fruit of the kingdom and suck the life out of it. And I want to speak on a few things. And I think…

I pray I hope I don’t offend anyone and I just wanna give this disclaimer. I come from South Africa, and there are many cultural issues that we have to face and work through if we’re gonna come into a place of wholeness and healing as the church in South Africa. There are loads. But I’ve noticed some in your nation, and as an outsider, it’s easier to notice that. I’ve noticed that when English people come to South Africa, they can hit things much easier because they are outside of the culture. And there are just a few things that I picked up while I’ve been here. I’ve been in the country now for over two years in its entirety. And there’s just a few things that I feel I wanna touch on to help us because I think these thorns are growing up and if left untrimmed, if we don’t pull them out, I think, actually, they could really squeeze the life of God out of you.

The first thing I’ve noticed in the U.K., is that there is right in the very heart of men, an incredible fear of failure. It’s, like, in fact, even in this country, people seem to celebrate failure, and so, if something goes wrong, it’s on the frontpage news. And if something is going really good, no one praises what’s going really good. They’re saying, “Well, we’ll just wait and see for when it all comes crashing down.” Have you noticed that?

Together: Yeah.

Julian: And I find that, as a result, in the church, I hear preachers get up like this, I always find this funny in the U.K., “I just want to start off by apologizing.” And I’m thinking, “What are you apologizing for? You haven’t even offended me, yet.” And everything starts off from a place of, “I mustn’t fail, and so, therefore, I wanna cover all of the bases to make sure that nothing negative happens,” and as a result, it blocks the realm of faith and adventure in God. And another result is that we’re seeing young people being raised up in a context of, if you fail, it’s gonna be celebrated, and it’s gonna be praised, and so they lack any kind of ambition in God to press through that which is normal, to press through that which is expected into the extraordinary.

Right now, the Spirit of God is just touching some people because this is a spiritual stronghold that God wants to break off of you. My Bible says that you are the head and not the tail. It says that you, every piece of ground that you walk on, God wants to give you. I’m not just talking about prosperity. Please hear my heart here now. Although God does want you to be prosperous and we’ll touch on the money issue in a moment. But God wants you to understand that your identity is in Christ. That that which is true of Jesus is true of you. That the same blessing, favor, access, and anointing that is on Him, is on you. You are destined to be a success. In fact, you passed the test without even writing it because Jesus wrote it for you.

Man: Yeah. Thank you, Lord.

Together: Amen.

Julian: Failure is not an option for the Christian. I’m not talking about disappointment now. I’m talking about failure. Because even in your falling down, you’re on an escalator of grace that keeps taking you up. And, friend, I wanna encourage you that until we break this failure mentality, we will never get these two things out. One, performance. We’ll always live in a place of, “I must perform. I must perform. I must do better. I must do better.” And the other thing is a fear of men. And the Bible says a fear of man is a snare. It traps you. It keeps you. It holds you.

I want to tell you. I’m talking out of my own experience here. Fifteen years ago, I was a shy introverted young man who couldn’t even do a class presentation because he was so afraid of failing. I would get physically sick, but God changed my identity. Something made it cultivate in my heart about the purpose of the kingdom. That greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world. That He has given me all things pertaining to life and godliness. That I am an overcomer because of the work, a cross of Jesus Christ. And God wants to break off the fear of failure.

The second thing I’ve noticed, and this is gonna be quite funny, is that there’s a real fear in the area of money and I wanna hit this particularly at this point because one of the things I found… You know, I come from a poor country, and for a large majority of my life, I lived… as a family, we lived just with enough. Okay? We didn’t have anything fancy. Don’t worry I’m not gonna take up an offering. Some of you are looking a bit nervous. But something… but it broke my heart as a young, concerning a spirit of poverty and my need for what I wanted and what I desired caused me to even get into debt at times, and I was just trying to get stuff. Give me. Give me. Give me. Give me. Because I felt I would never have enough because of where I grew up.

And God began to speak to me one day, and He said to me, “Son, do these things… do you hold these things or do these things hold you?” And God began to speak to me about the spirit of poverty. Because you see, in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were naked before the fall. They had no need. But after they sinned, all of a sudden, poverty entered, and they needed something to cover their sin. And I thought God said to me, “The spirit of poverty, it’s got nothing to do with what you have or what you don’t have because you can have everything and still be under a spirit of poverty.” The spirit of poverty has to do with a sinful attitude that misplaces your trust and your ability to believe God in Him for your provision rather than that which is around you to provide.

You see, and it really… Alicia Previn begged me to say this, so many people live under the fear of giving, and they go, “Well, we’ll just give our tithe. It’s just 10%.” So most people actually don’t even give that. But anyway, and that’s not the point. The point is this. God wants you to live in generous giving because you’ll live generously. When you generously give, you will live in the extravagance of heaven. I cannot tell you how many times God has blessed me simply by giving. This watch over here is called a Fossil watch. It’s one of my favorite brands. I love Fossil. I’ve given away two and received three. As often as I give them away, God seems gives them back to me.

Now, I’m not saying you to be unwise. Please hear my heart. Although, sometimes faith is seemingly unwise. What I am saying is that one of the things that often blocks our ability in the kingdom of God from receiving fruitfulness is a fear of not having enough, or even if you have enough, a fear that one day you might lose it all. Jesus said an incredible thing, “If I cannot trust you with earthly riches, how can you expect me to trust you with heavenly riches?” The way you deal with your money is a direct reflection on how Jesus will bring revelation from heaven to you. I will move right along.

A third thing and this is the last thing because I know I’m giving you body blows here. But I do love you, and God wants to cultivate in your heart an ability to see fruitfulness. The third thing is false humility. I prophesied over someone, and they said, “Oh, God could never do that? Oh, do you really think He’ll do that with me?” I’m, like, “He just told me He’s gonna do that with you,” and I’d never… “Not me. I’m just… Woe is me. I’m just a little English guy.”

And I want to say, again, I’m talking out of my own experience here. In my nation, and I hope I don’t offend anyone by saying this, I’m considered what’s called a colored person. It’s mixed race. I know you guys call it mixed race here, but in my nation, I’m colored. And one of the things that the colored people in South Africa have to walk under is a subservience, and they feel subservient because most of my people were servants, okay, under the apartheid system. And so we always used to serve and so if there is a white person around, your natural disposition would be to serve. And in the church, we would have the same thing with a lot of people who will just be, like, really subservient and they call that humility, “Oh, I’m just being humble because I need to serve. I need to serve.” And we connected slavery with servanthood.

I wanna tell you, humility is not denying your gift, and it’s not denying who you are. It’s recognizing the one who gives it you. That’s true humility. And very often, you know, and the classic story, someone was playing the piano really brilliantly, and a guy said to him, “Wow. You’re absolutely fantastic on the piano today. It really helped facilitate worship.” And the person said, “It wasn’t me. It was God.” And the person said, “What about the mistake you made in the third song? Was that God, too?” Because we think humility is being, “Oh, it’s just Jesus.” No. No. Do not…

I recognize that I have a gift from God and trust me, I have done nothing to earn it. I’ve done nothing to get it, but I recognize that in His gracious kindness and in His sovereignty and He’s given me a gift. And you know what? I enjoy it. I love prophesying over people. I love it when people come to me and say, “Julian, and the word you gave me came to pass.” I’m, like, “Yes. Please. Thank you, Jesus.” When people come up to me and say, “That was a really good preach.” I don’t go, “Oh, it was all the Lord.” I go, “Thank you, and isn’t God good?” Because I recognize the gifting and the anointing that is on my life is not from me but from Him. But to simply ignore it is false humility and actually, it’s a form of pride that says you know better than God, and you’re coming for a landing.

The last one. I wanted to touch on the orphans for a bit, but I think this church really does well in that so keep going for it. The last thing I want to talk about is you do really well in dealing with orphans programming. Jesus says, and then there’s seed that comes into good soil. Now, I find the bit about the good soil very fascinating because even in that, He gives varying degrees of fruitfulness, the yield of fruitfulness. And I believe the condition of your heart, the secret garden of your heart, will determine the yield of fruitfulness. I am wanting to make sure I’m pulling out thorns. I’m pulling out the rocks. I’m wanting to make sure that I’m completely clean before God. I’m wanting to make sure that I’m in a place where I’m loving Him, where intimacy is the preoccupation of my heart. You see, intimacy is a currency of faith.

If I had to drop down right now with a severe illness, my dad, who is one of my heroes, will hop onto a plane, fly right over here and come and make sure that I’m okay. How do I know that? Because I know my dad. I call him, and this is a bit nice, but I’m gonna say it. I call him Popsy and I… It is quite cute, isn’t it? And I still, at 30 years old, call my dad Popsy. I know that it doesn’t matter what happens, it doesn’t matter where I am in the world, he’ll be at my side because I know him. I know his character. I know what it’s like to get a hug from him. I know what it’s like to feel his pleasure on me. I know what it’s like when he says, “Son, you did well.” I know him because we have intimacy. The reason I can believe that he will come, the reason I have faith that he’ll come is because I know him. If you want to cultivate a heart that receives the word and grows in faith, you have to be intimate with Him.

And, you know, I saw a book called “The One Minute Prayer A Day,” and I thought to myself, “Gosh, wouldn’t it be great if I got intimate with someone just over one minute, you know?” Like, my future wife to be, will be like, “Hey, we’ve got one minute today and then I’m going. Goodbye.” I don’t think I have a future wife if I did that. Yet many of us do that with God. I’ve even heard teachings on the balance between Mary and Martha, sitting at His feet and doing work for Him. Jesus said the better part is sitting at His feet. Get intimate with Him.

And the other way we cultivate and develop the secret garden is by making sure that our lifestyles are filled with the Word of God. There is an attack on our generation saying, “Hey, let’s give up on reading. Let’s give up on getting the word into our heart.” My friends, young people, read this. I am not an academic. I mean, I don’t have anything behind my name. I don’t have a degree. I don’t have anything behind my name. I’ve just got Jesus, which is really cool. And it’s hard for me to get into this. It is hard for me to read theological books. It’s hard for me to develop the guarding on my heart with the word because I really got to work hard in reading it. You know what? It’s a discipline that I know will yield incredible fruitfulness. Please get into this.

And then lastly, I want to say the best way to develop a secret garden and making sure that your soil, the soil of your heart is rich, is by developing a dynamic, radical friendship with the Holy Spirit. Try and say a few things about the Holy Spirit. We do not serve the unholy trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Bible. We serve a Holy Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. And He is the one who takes those words and cultivates it in our heart. Amen?

Together: Amen.

Julian: The second thing I want to say is the Holy Spirit is not the butler of heaven. He is God, and until we recognize Him and put Him in the rightful place, we will never receive the benefit of counseling, of teaching, of guiding, of power. The third thing… I don’t know which number I’m on about the Holy Spirit now. The Holy Spirit is not at odds with the Bible. He wrote the Bible. There is no such thing as word and spirit.

Man: Come on.

Julian: Jesus is my words, our spirit, and life. They are intertwined, interconnected. As I’m preaching, you have an opportunity to engage in spirit right now. If you want to cultivate something in your heart that’s gonna cause the receptivity of God’s word, you must understand the relationship with the Holy Spirit. Mary, when she received the very word into her womb called Jesus, the Bible says it was the Holy Spirit who overshadowed Mary. That word “overshadowed” means to be overcome with the haze of brilliance. There’s the revelation, the rainbow of God that begins to well up on the inside of you and it begins to grow, and you begin to carry the very word of God in you.

Friend, if we’re to become people who see the full outworking of our prophecies, we see the full outworking of the kingdom of God in our lives really, we have to cultivate the secret garden, and it’s gonna require a radical intimacy. Radical intimacy. For some of you, it’s gonna require that, actually, you set time aside in your day to love on Jesus. Please, I’m not preaching legalism. If you do it out of legalism, you’ll get tired and boring, and it will just be grumpy for you. If you do it out of love, it could be the most rewarding thing. If you do it out of love. He is just so fantastic. I don’t understand why you wouldn’t want to spend time with Him. I don’t understand why it could be a chore or a duty. If it is, you’re probably under a religious burning. You need deliverance. He is so breathtakingly fantastic, and I want to spend my time with Him. He’s lovely. He’s lovely. Isn’t He beautiful?

Together: Yes.

Julian: How many of you have sensed His presence just coming in? It’s like honey tonight, isn’t it? It’s just so sweet right now. This is the sweetness that I want from Him daily. This is what this moment of intimacy, if you engage with him right now, that’s what’s gonna cultivate a secret garden that causes you to receive the word of God so the enemy will not steal it. The seed will grow and bear fruit.

Man: Amen.

Julian: Be overcome by the very Holy Spirit. He is wonderful. He is my best friend, the Holy Spirit. He really is. He’s lovely. When you get to know Him, and you get to sense His presence in moments when all of a sudden, I sensed His presence, and He’s more here than He was a moment ago and I know it’s time to go and be with him. In the moments when, in the middle of the night, He wakes me up, and His presence is there, and it’s the sweetest thing. And in moments when I’m walking down the street and joy begins to fill me, I don’t even know where it’s come from, but I know it’s Him. In the moments when I’m struggling with temptation and sin, and He comes, and He says, “I’m here to help you.” And I overcome it, and I owe it to Him. He’s my friend, and He’s the one who’s the keeper of this garden. He’s the one who’s the keeper of my heart, and when you understand that, there’s grace in it. It’s not hard. It’s not difficult. There’s grace in it.

The Prophecy That Changed My Life Forever

Mon, 04 Jun 2018 20:20:38 GMT

I remember the very first prophetic word I ever received. I was 17 years old sitting at church, in the same seat I found myself in on a weekly basis. Church was a part of my routine, I always knew what to expect, so I was shocked when a stranger came up to me claiming she had a “word from the Lord”. But I was desperate for something. I was in the midst of a depression… lost, confused and afraid. At a turning point in my life.

“God sees you, and He’s standing beside you, with His hand on your back,” she said.

Those simple words impacted me. Not only did they touch my heart, I actually felt them physically. I felt the warmth of a hand on my back comforting me, but when I opened my eyes I saw no one there. And with that, I was convinced. This woman does hear from God.

Fast forward a few months, and I found myself in a new context. As a pastor’s kid, I grew up highly involved in church life. But I don’t remember prophecy ever being spoken about, let alone encouraged. It was one of those things I thought wasn’t for today. So when someone invited me to check out this big “charismatic” church, I entered with as much scepticism as I had curiosity. This church was the kind of church I used to make fun of, with people who claimed they could “see angels” or “speak in tongues”. I had no evidence that those things were legit. I wasn’t interested in miraculous healings, tongues or the other gifts of the Spirit. But there was one thing that drew me out of my comfort zone into a context I considered unorganized, excessive and too emotional.

Prophecy.

The memory of that moment, when someone spoke the right word at the right time, kept playing in my head. If that woman could hear God’s voice, maybe I could too.

When I stepped into this church, it was as if everyone in the room knew God’s heart for me. I had people come up to me and tell me my past, my present and my dreams for the future. Once someone gave me a detailed description of the last 4 months of my life and then went on to describe God’s plans for the next 4 years of my life. How did people have such boldness? Because they were convinced that God does speak, He wants to speak, and He has nothing but love to speak.

I have to be honest here though, at times the prophetic still scared me. To me it seemed unmeasured and dangerous. I even got letters from loved ones warning me of the dangers of the prophetic. “Why do we need to hear God when we have the scripture telling us what to do?”

And yet God kept calling me back to the prophetic, time and time again.

I have since become more jealous for the prophetic. It was a year after that first prophetic word that I enrolled in a ministry school focusing on the “supernatural”. Yes, it was uncomfortable and challenging at first, but with each prophetic word, I became more convinced that God does still speak.

My very first prophetic word was the doorway that brought me into the “more” of God — not only a different expression of my faith, but a greater revelation of the goodness of God. It was prophecy that opened up my heart to other gifts, like tongues, and gave me the courage to pray for the miraculous in my every day. I desire the prophetic because it is biblical ( 1 Corinthians 14:1 ), and it’s prophecy that stirs even more hunger for his written word. Now, the prophetic has become not only something I enjoy receiving but something I am confident in delivering.

Those simple words, “God sees you,” changed my life forever.

Prophetic Preaching

Wed, 30 May 2018 18:00:00 GMT

I never want sermon prep to become a routine that doesn’t involve the Holy Spirit. My aim is to help you feel comfortable speaking in step with what He is saying in any given moment. After years of practicing, here are a few of my tips which have helped me prepare preaches that are breathed on by the Holy Spirit.

– TRANSCRIPT

Hi guys, I want to talk to you a little bit today about something I’m really passionate about which is preaching but not just a kind of dry preaching but prophetic preaching if you like. Preaching that’s been breathed on by Holy Spirit and where we feel confident and comfortable to speak and step with what he’s saying in the moment. So, just a few basics about how I approach preaching and how I approach preparing for sermons that I bring. I think every good sermon has to have three good, strong elements and these three elements I’d say are, firstly, revelation, secondly, crafting and thirdly, good delivery. So what do I mean by them? Well, the revelation is the moment where you get an aha moment, where you’re reading the Bible, where you’re reading something, and suddenly Holy Spirit lands on that in a way that it comes alive or fresh to you in that moment.

Where I’m preaching that’s where I start, I’m looking for that aha moment, I’m looking for that revelation moment where the word has come alive to me in a fresh way. Because if I can find that, then I know I’ve got kind of fresh bread to offer, a fresh treasure to show people. So, I think every good sermon starts with that where the person preparing has found that piece of revelation that comes alive to them. And then secondly, there’s the crafting, and this is, I think, where a lot of people fall down in preparing sermons. Sometimes we feel like the revelation in and of itself is enough and whilst it’s so important, unless we do some work in crafting a sermon, from that moment of revelation, we’ll struggle to take people on the journey in order for them to have their own aha moments.

So the second process part of preaching prep, if you like, is crafting, is taking that revelation that you have, and then intentionally building a sermon around that, that is clear, that is concise, that has illustrations that will bring life to that point. A sermon that really builds towards that one area of revelation that you had, and that crafting is so crucial. So that when you stand up to deliver what you’ve prepared, it’s not just your aha moment and then you’re hoping everyone else will catch on, but actually is something that you’ve crafted very deliberately to allow people to walk alongside you so that they can get to a moment of revelation for themselves. And then there’s the delivery, there’s the clear communication, there’s all the helpful kind of communication tools in terms of keeping eye contact and not using your hands too much that I often do. And on the delivery side, there’s the part where the prophetic comes in.

See, when I prepare my sermons it’s not so much that I write a script, but my crafting is very intentional. So, I will have a sermon structure that I’ll be able to use again and again in different settings. But in reality, whenever I preach the same sermon in different contexts, it can come out very differently. And that’s because when I’m speaking in the delivery part of the sermon, in all honesty, I’ve got two conversations going on in my head, even as I’m speaking the sermon. The one is focused on the preach, the one is focused on the thing that I’ve crafted so carefully, but the second conversation that is going on in my head is with Holy Spirit. And even as I am carefully preaching my sermon, I’m asking Holy Spirit, “Where are you landing on today? Which points that I carefully put together are really important to spend some time on today? And which points that I carefully put together are irrelevant for this congregation?”

And so, there’s this dual conversation going on in my head and it’s so important as preachers that we have those two conversations as we’re preaching. It’s so important that we don’t just rely on what we very carefully crafted but we understand that delivery is more than just being able to speak eloquently. But it’s actually about taking all that we’ve got, and then putting it at the feet of Jesus and leaning on him and saying, “Holy Spirit, now that I’ve got all of this that I’ve created so diligently, which part of it should I use and which part of it should I put aside for today?” Sometimes being a preacher can mean that you become scared to take risks, it becomes safer to lean on what you created rather than to lean on the quiet voice of Holy Spirit. But I wanna encourage you, all you preachers out there, do your work, do the crafting carefully, steward your gift really well and put the time in to create great preachings.

But don’t just rely on the work that you’ve done. In the moment when you’re standing on a platform and when you’re delivering to a congregation be asking Holy Spirit, what are you saying, and don’t be afraid to go off script, don’t be afraid to do whatever you feel Holy Spirit leading you to. Because at the end of the day no matter how incredible the preaches are that we prepare, they become powerless unless Holy Spirit breaths through our words. And so, that’s where the prophetic element comes in. That’s where the risk element comes in for us as preachers. We’ve done the work at home but when we’re on that platform, really it’s us with Holy Spirit partnering together, to deliver something that will bring life to people, that will bring transformation, and you can’t do that in and of yourself. No amount of work at home will be able to do that in and of itself. We need Holy Spirit inspired moment.

So, don’t be afraid to listen to him and to do what he’s telling you, even though it might not be in your notes. You never know, that might be the most life-giving element of your sermon. So, follow him, go where he’s leading and that’s where the adventure is at. And that’s where you really see that’s transformed.

Fear vs. Faith

Mon, 21 May 2018 18:00:00 GMT

David lived a challenging life, but his moments of breakthrough were marked by his faith. Listen as Katia gives us keys to conquering fear and stepping into our own breakthrough. This teaching was originally recorded at Harvest Church in Durban, South Africa.

– TRANSCRIPT

Katia: It’s such a privilege to be here, so exciting that I get to share. You know, the problem with being a prophetic movement and listening to God for His theme for the year is that it really gives the speakers a lot of problems. So, when Dave was speaking about the book writing and then he sees in the bookshop a book on favor and another book on favor, I’m thinking, “I feel your pain, because every single one of you have taken my topic and used my examples too.”

So, in the break, I went upstairs and I thought, ” Okay, let’s quickly change the topic,” and I decided I would preach an incredible sermon on the difference between fear and faith. And then I felt God speaking to me, just a gentle whisper as He does, saying, “Isn’t it ironic that you want to speak on fear and faith but you came up here to change your talk out of fear, not faith?” So, I quickly went back to the original plan.

See, the fear is that I’ll stand up here and I’ll say what you’ve already heard and I’ll look insignificant. Because so often we, as leaders, as much as we know it’s not about us, we feel it’s about us. And so we want to avoid the circumstances where we feel silly, where we feel like we’ve not got something profound to bring because so many other people have brought that profound message.

But what we do in that moment is we deny what God is doing, and what God is messaging, and what God wants to bring, and I really do feel like there is an acceleration even in this conference where God is building to a moment where the balloon is gonna pop as it were, and glory is gonna be manifested. And am I gonna be courageous enough to say to Jesus, “Okay, I don’t mind if I don’t look significant as long as that moment manifests?”

And so I’m gonna speak on things that have been addressed again and again and again. But I really wanna invite Holy Spirit to come and breathe afresh on these words as he’s been doing so far to this point. Because, I feel like there is something that God wants to bring of a transformation in our hearts and minds, where truth goes from our heads and settles in on our hearts. Because I don’t know about you, no matter how many times I hear about identity, there’s things about my identity that need transformed.

So, we’re gonna look at the life of David. Go with it. I’m just gonna settle on a couple of verses from 1 Samuel 22. We’re told, “David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and his father’s household heard about it, they went down to him there. All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented,” wow, what a congregation, “gathered around him, and he became their commander. About 400 men were with him.”

I just wanna use the life of David to signpost some things that can be a hindrance or a pitfall in the season of acceleration. And I think David is such an amazing example of how he navigates through this and sees victory in it. And so the first thing I feel like David is an incredible example is that he was undeterred by brokenness. Both his own brokenness and the brokenness of those around him.

See, in a season of acceleration, we can feel like the cost gets higher and higher and higher, so we raise the standard of who is allowed to work with us. We raise the standard as leaders of what we should look like, we get into a place where, as leaders, we can veneer our CV. We wanna tidy it up, those moments of failure or weakness, we don’t want them on display. Because as much as we hear and as much as we know that it’s about God, we still have this urge within us to maintain by our works what He allowed in the first place by His grace.

I love the life of David. He’s hiding in a cave, for goodness’s sake. And not hiding so well because his whole family hear about it. So, it’s not even, like, a good escape plan. It’s his weakest point, it’s not a moment that he would like someone to shine a spotlight on. And yet, all these guys come around him and what I love about David is he’s not, first of all, putting the leadership veneer on it, trying to explain that low point with some kind of razzmatazz, so the guys think he’s better than he is. “No, oh, guys, this cave is actually super strategic for where we’re going.” Because we can do that. We can take weak moments and feel like we need to manipulate them somehow so that we earn something in the eyes of those who are following us.

But David is undeterred by his brokenness. You know, when seven is the perfect number in your culture, being the eighth child isn’t a great thing. You’re unnecessary, you are surplus. And that’s how he was treated, he was rejected in the greatest moment that his family ever experienced. A family of nobodies who gets the prophets to come to their house, that’s a big moment. That’s the pinnacle of that family’s experience, it wasn’t like an everyday occurrence, it was the feast of all feasts. They would never have that moment again and David was unnecessary.

His whole background, everything that he’d experienced up to this point, was rejection and weakness. He goes to the battleground and starts asking questions of faith and his brothers, “Just what are you doing? We see the evil in your heart, get away from here.” Rejection is his middle name. Even when he does something amazing for the kingdom, he’s rejected by the king. So, he’s hiding in a cave and all these guys come around him, but David’s not trying to tidy up his CV. I wonder how many of us are trying to do that.

You know, I love the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew one and this is stuff that we know. I know that. I’m speaking to a room of leaders. You know, it’s so funny for me the way Jesus puts a spotlight on the weakest moments in his history. There is no part of Jesus that wants to tidy up his resume. There’s no part of him that wants to call Bathsheba anything other than Uriah’s wife. Because he’s trying to say, “Adulterer, adulterer, adulterer,” that’s what he’s doing.

There’s no part of the genealogy that hides the fact that there’s the product of incest in his story. There’s the product of prostitutes, there’s the product of outsiders, but Jesus has no problem with the weakness of his story. Because the Bible says that the power of God is made manifest in weakness. And so often we’re trying to bring some kind of tidy up so that we can boost our power in the story, when God is saying, “Please leave it alone, because this is a moment for My glory to be made manifest, don’t tamper with that.”

And so David is amazing. He’s not deterred by his brokenness. These guys come and he’s heard what God has said over him. He knows that he is intended for King and so he just goes with what God has said. He’s not hiding his brokenness, but he’s not put off by it. He’s choosing to agree with what God has declared over him. It’s about time that we choose to agree with what God has said. At some point, we’re gonna to have to agree, right?

I loved what Pastor Louis was saying last night, wavering between two opinions. At some point, we have to decide, at some point, we have to agree. And I love that David, just even in that cave, these guys come to him and he says, “Yep, I’m the right man for the job, you want a commander, I’ll do it.” The cave is no deterrence. You know, we have to understand that when words of destiny are spoken over us, they attract conflict in the spirit realm. And the enemy is gonna come right at the heart of what God has spoken. And so when you think you’re about to be launched, something often comes in direct opposition but that’s just the precursor to the launching if we understand it correctly.

You see it when God the Father proclaims over Jesus, “This is My son.” And then the enemy doesn’t skip a beat, but picks up exactly where God left off, “If you are the son.” It’s like there’s a continuous sentence happening. He sees the destiny word, there’s conflict attracted right there and the enemy comes where God left off. But we’ve gotta understand that the enemy is playing a game of spiritual chicken with each of us. We’ve gotta understand that what God has proclaimed is like a platform, is ground that has already been won that God is inviting us to stand on.

You know, spiritual warfare in Ephesians 6 is not about running around. It’s about standing. You wanna know what warfare is? That’s it. Stand, stand, keep standing, stand again, keep standing and once you’ve stood, you’ll be standing at the end, right? Because God has spoken, he’s spoken who you and I are, and he’s inviting us to stand on that very ground and not lose heart and not give way. Because the enemy is playing spiritual chicken with that very word and he’s running at us, head on betting that you and I will move before he does.

But what if we don’t? What if you called the bluff? What if we say, “Uh-uh, I’ve heard the word of God and I’m standing.” Because, David here, despite everything in his circumstance, everything that was saying to him, “You are no king,” he found that word and he stood on that ground and he refused to move. Don’t move, keep your ground, stand, stand and stand again.

And he’s not only undeterred by his own brokenness, but by those around him. This is a moment where he needs help, this is like when we’re needing help as congregations and we’re like, “Jesus, please bring the right people to us. Oh, God please, please bring the wealthy givers, the generous of heart, Lord, please just bring him to us.” And then we get the distressed, those who are in debt, the discontented. Wow, glory be, what an army.

But the thing is, when you become comfortable with your own weakness and have allowed the power of God to be made manifest through that very thing, you don’t mind the weakness of others. Because you’ve learned to see yourself through the lens of grace that God has supplied. You’ve learned to see the miraculous work out through you, even in the context of your own caves. And so when God sends around you people who are unlikely, you’re not freaking out, and you’re not looking above them going, “Oh, anyone else? Anyone else? It’s like someone is there like, “Pick me, pick me.” And you’re like, “No, no, not you, I don’t see that hand, I don’t see that hand.” Because you know in a season of acceleration, the cost is high.

And we can have a subtle shift in our paradigm that becomes a success-failure paradigm rather than a relationship obedience paradigm. And so we don’t want to pick the difficult people, because we’re going after success, rather than understanding that God has put us on a journey of relating to Him and being obedient with what He’s given us.

I wanna encourage you, as we step into greater acceleration, don’t lift the standard of who is allowed to play. Because the kingdom is for every single one of us, and the supernatural is for every single one of us. And if God wanted to raise the standard of who was allowed to do what, none of us would be in this room. And so no matter how fast we’re running and no matter how big we’re getting, we need to understand that everyone gets to play in the kingdom. Because entry into the kingdom requires one thing, which is the posture of childlikeness and faith, and everyone can do that.

And so David is undeterred, undeterred his brokenness, he is undeterred by others’ brokenness. I love the way Jesus steps out in the most pivotal moment of his ministry, where he’s just coming into his own season of acceleration. It’s been a quiet 30 years and then he’s on the season and he’s thinking, “I’ve gotta pick the best people for the job, the best people who are gonna come and do incredible things around me.” And so he goes to the wisest and the strongest and the guys who’d learned their scriptures the best. No, he goes to the guys who failed at Jewish school.

That’s the way Jewish school ran. If you were really good from one year to the next, you kept going until when you were in your mid-teens a rabbi would recognize just how awesome you were because by that point, you probably knew most of the Old Testament by heart. And then the rabbi would say to you, “Come, follow me,” which was basically their vote of confidence in you, because a disciple fully represented their rabbi. And so no rabbi in their right mind would pick a dumb disciple. Because it fully reflected on them. A rabbi saying, “Come follow me,” was basically them saying, “You can be everything that I am.”

And so Jesus goes to the ones who failed, Jesus goes to the lowest of the low, because, how do I know that? Because they were fishermen and they were tax collectors, which means they’d failed, no rabbi wanted them near them. And yet Jesus says, in the most profound moment where he’s speaking affirmation and confidence, “Come follow me.”

Do you know the shock that would have been in the disciples when they heard those words? “What? A rabbi wants me?” Jesus is undeterred by their brokenness but uses the unlikely in the moment of his acceleration. Who are we looking for around us? Because we might be missing, in our hastiness, to find the perfect for the task, the very people God has put in front of us to do the miraculous, right in front of our eyes.

Jackie Pullinger, who ministered in Hong Kong and really changed that nation, she says this, which I love, she says, “Our young people are unlikely dragon slayers. Most have failed society, school, and parents, but they have an unearthly courage. Teams have been formed from the broken to reach the broken, the limping help the limping, and so hundreds are touched not by me, but by those like me who are hardly healed themselves.” Who are you looking for? Because if you’re looking for the likely, you might be missing the treasure that God has right in front of you.

I need to end, but I’m just going to throw out a couple of other thoughts. I love that David was unintimidated by opposition, both the giant in your face kind of opposition and the years and years and years of waiting kind of opposition. And I loved what Andrew said this morning, “Warfare is identity.” In the moment of warfare, figure out your identity because that’s where David’s victory was rooted. The enemy is wanting to bring fear about, as he intimidates us and as he calls into question what God has said, but we get to stand on the promises of God for us.

David was uninterested in formula. Louis picked up on this last night, relationship was his aim, not formula. And in the moment of acceleration, this can become more and more costly, because again, our hearts are drawn towards the success of that moment. What worked last time will surely be applicable this time and it’s a little bit of a shortcut so we’re saving some time, rather than having to go back to Jesus and ask if it’s okay. Don’t save yourself some time, it’s a huge detour, it’s not saving you time at all. Because we’re not operating in a success-failure paradigm, we’re operating in a relationship obedience paradigm.

And David was unconcerned with his reputation and I’m gonna to finish with this. I love at the high point of victory, David decides that he’s gonna strip down and dance before the Lord. See, the further we get on in our season of acceleration, the more we can become interested in our reputations. The bigger the platforms, the bigger the congregations, it can become more and more costly to do something that seems stupid.

But, I love this moment where David is like, “I don’t care how big the crowds, I’ll worship Him because He’s worthy, because He’s worthy, because He’s worthy, whatever I look like, He is still worthy, no matter how big the crowd looking at me with mouths wide open, because what on Earth do I think I’m doing? I’m worshipping Him because He alone is worthy.” And no matter how big our platforms get, I wanna encourage you, worship Him because He’s worthy. It doesn’t matter what you look like. And you know, he was unconcerned with his reputation to the point of not building for his significance, but building towards legacy.

I love that at the high point of David’s career, where he defeated Goliath, he was not hoarding that moment, he was not wanting to be the famous giant slayer in the land. But, he takes the 400 losers that we see in the beginning of the story, and he raises them up so that we see in 2 Samuel, they become giant slayers themselves. And where David was able to kill one giant, they are able to kill multiple giants, because David is not concerned with protecting his significance, he’s interested in building Kingdom legacy. And so he wants his sons to run further and further and further than himself.

I love it because he has the idea for the temple that would be the central point of everything in the ancient glide. And what happens is God says to him, “No, that’s not gonna be yours to do.” And David doesn’t fight that, but he hands it over to his son who becomes the famous temple builder. He’s not building for significance, he’s building for legacy. I wanna encourage you in the season of acceleration where the enemy will try to pull us to looking internally, to becoming insular about what does this mean for me? I wanna encourage you that we be a people who consistently ask this question, “What will this mean for all those around me? Because if I can be their springboard then I’ve done my job correctly.”

And so I just wanna ask you, my time is over, there is a big zero being shown at the back, thank you. But I just wanna ask you to stand with me for one minute. Because God has been talking about taking shame away from our own weakness. He’s been talking about allowing acceleration to be something where we hear His words and we stick with what He said. He’s been talking about not being interested in formula, not going back to what we know works but about going back to Him. And I just want to invite Holy Spirit even in this moment, won’t you to raise your hands with me, one minute of ministry.

But Holy Spirit, I ask you to come and do in the hearts and minds what you’ve intended for this conference. And all of these words and all the words that have been said and all the words to come, we pray would be ignited in each and every heart so that the transformation that is on your heart would come to ours. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Dream Interpretation: My 5 Keys

Sat, 19 May 2018 14:59:05 GMT

Exploring the Meaning of Your Dreams

Over the last few years, I’ve realized that God is using my dreams to speak to me. I’m sure He’s been trying to get my attention through them for a lot longer than that, but I’ve only just woken up to that reality! I’ve been asked a few times how I figure out if my dreams are from God or just the random workings of my subconscious? Also, if they are from God, how do I decipher what they mean?

So, I thought I’d jot down a few pointers from my own experience in understanding my dreams. Please bear in mind that this post is just me throwing out some things that I’ve found to be helpful and true for me, but is by no means a conclusive teaching on dream interpretation! None of this is an exact science (so be wary if anyone tries to tell you it is) and I have found that dream interpretation is more a journey of feeling out the way God speaks uniquely to you than a clear-cut method that you can memorize and then be good to go! Even so, I trust that this may prove helpful in teasing out how to interpret your own dreams.

1. Pay attention to vivid and lingering dreams

I’ve found that when God is speaking to me, the dreams are incredibly vivid and linger with me throughout the day. I wake up thinking about them and can’t shake them off. It’s almost like they get stuck in me. This is not 100% full-proof, but it is a signpost for me to weigh up the dream a bit more and see if it might be God.

2. Look for symbolic imagery

I’ve learned that there is imagery in my dreams – a specific dream-language if you will – that helps me tease out if there really is an intelligible meaning behind the often weird or jumbled up things I see. I’ve learned that the things I see in my dreams rarely have a literal meaning, but rather specific people or scenarios often represent something that I normally associate with them.

So, for example, houses or buildings tend to be about churches. Transportation vehicles tend to be about ministry. If things are repeated in my dreams, often it is an indication of things about to happen in an accelerated timeline. If there is a dream about my hair (strange I know!), often it is about my unique strength or gift. You can look up online dictionaries for dream interpretation or pointers from people like James Goll or John Paul Jackson . These can be helpful, but I want to reiterate – dream interpretation is in no way an exact science, and most importantly, you are going to need Holy Spirit to be speaking to you about what He’s trying to tell you!

3. Ask God about the people who show up in your dreams

From spending some time tracking my dreams now, I’ve realized that when people who are completely out of the blue (people who I haven’t talked about/thought about/seen in a while) pop up in my dreams, God may be using them to get my attention. Sometimes the dreams have significance for them and need to be shared or prayed over.

4. Recognize the emotions from your dreams

I’ve learned to pay attention to the emotions that are stirred up in me from the dream. If my dreams elicit fear or anxiety for me, then either they are demonic, and I can completely ignore or rebuke them, or they may be Godly warning dreams which I can pray into. What I know for sure is that dreams that bring fear, if they are from God, don’t want me to stay in that place of fear but are intended to move me on into faith.

5. Know when to share your dream with others

I’m coming to a place of understanding that not every God-dream I have is meant to be shared! Sometimes we are too quick to involve others (whether they are in the dream or not), but I’m realizing that often God is sharing something with me because He wants to mobilize me to pray, not necessarily to talk!

So there you have it, a few random thoughts from me on dream interpretation! In reality, the number one most important key for dream interpretation is to be walking in relationship with Jesus. The more we come to know Him, the more we will recognize His voice and decipher His heart through our dreams. He is not a tick-box list or formula that we can learn. He is living and breathing and wants to take us into a journey of knowing one another.

So next time you have a crazy dream, ask Jesus about it and then maybe think through some of the pointers I’ve suggested too. One thing I’m convinced of – He IS speaking , and He WILL teach us to recognize Him clearly, so we can rest assured that as we lean on Him faithfully, He’ll draw us deeper into all He has for us.

New Creation Has Begun

Mon, 07 May 2018 18:00:00 GMT

After the resurrection, Jesus chooses to reveal himself to Mary as a gardener. This is because he wants us to understand that we are now entering into the same ministry he has, which is bringing resurrection life to the world. This message is from Easter Sunday 2018, at Harvest Church, Durban South Africa.

– TRANSCRIPT

Julian: John chapter 20, we are here I promise I’m gonna preach now. “But Mary stood outside the tomb and as she wept she stooped to look in the tomb and she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. And they said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ And she said to them, ‘They have taken away my Lord and I do not know where they have laid him.’ Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but did not know that it was Jesus. And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him and I will take him away.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’” I love that. It’s the best part in this story, “Mary.” “And she turned and she said to him in Aramaic, ‘Rabbi’ which means teacher. Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father, but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ Mary Magdalene went and announced it to his disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord.’ And that he had said this things to her.”

I have been camped in the Gospel of John for about a year. I keep dipping into this gospel. John writes this Gospel to a Jewish audience to help them understand that Jesus is Messiah, that he is all of Israel’s learning’s and all of Israel’s promises fulfilled. And he does so by helping retell the story as it were of creation because the Gospel of John is the story of new creation. And so you’ll see incredible allegories and moments and signs that point to Jesus, the one who releases the new creation in the Gospel of John. And when you’re reading it, it’s kind of like a drama that John, wanted to put on and that drama, the main character is Jesus. The main character of history past and all of history future is always Jesus. And so John wants us to see this beautiful Jesus, this Messiah, this one who has conquered death and sin for all times. And he wants you to come into an encounter and so we use these seven miracles. And the Bible talks about them as signs. John uses the word, “These are the signs that reveal Jesus.” And so you see the seven signs that correlate to seven days of creation, and the Gospel of John starts exactly the same way as the book of Genesis, doesn’t it?

“In the beginning was the word and the word was God,” exactly as it was in Genesis because John wants to get the reader’s attention that this is a new creation moment. And so you’ll see six miracles culminating with the seventh, which is Jesus’ resurrection. But those six miracles speak of incredible things. And so I just want to take a few of them just to help us understand what it means for us to live in this resurrection today. The first miracle, which is by far my most exciting and the best miracle I’ve seen in the bible is when Jesus turns water into wine. It’s completely unnecessary, and excessive and over the top. There’s more than enough. It’s a demonstration of the goodness of God. It’s a demonstration that He’s a God of abundance who wants to lavish us with more than enough. And this miracle happens at a wedding, right, it happens at this man and woman getting married. It’s a picture commentators tell us of heaven and earth being married together again just like it was in the Garden of Eden. It’s a picture of Jesus as a bride groom coming to fetch his bride. It happens on a third day, which is a resurrection or a new creation moment. All of these little signs are embedded into the story. And Jesus takes some water and he turns it into wine. Somebody once said, “The problem is the church has been trying to turn it back ever since.”

And I love this picture because it’s a picture of what salvation is all about and if you’re a guest here and you do not know the kindness of God. If you do not know how kind he is in changing our life, the reality is that Jesus takes these parts of water, which is used for purification. You washed your feet in them, you washed your hands in them to try and get the dirt off. It was part of the ceremonial Jewish law. And what Jesus does is he takes the tapered, disgusting, filthy water of law keeping and religious belief systems, and he says, “I’m gonna change you from the inside out, I’m gonna make it completely new.” And he changes the chemical composition of water and he creates wine out of it, a completely new substance. Oh, this is so good. And that’s what salvation is like, that’s the good news. Jesus takes my effort, my hard-work, at trying to get close to him and he says, “That’s never gonna work.” You can work as hard as you want, you can try and be good as hard as you want, nothing is ever gonna change in and of yourself. So I might as well, recreate you and make you a new creation all by grace, nothing of myself.” Oh, you’re allowed to get happy at that point. It’s such jolly good news we should shout it from the rooftops, right?

Congregation: Yeah.

Julian: And he’d take all of the rubbish, all of the hard-work, all of the dirt, and he says, “Rather than try and conform you and to simply make you a cleaner version, I’m not gonna try and filter out all the junk. All I’m gonna do is recreate you.” That’s the good news of Jesus. And then you see some of the other miracles happen on…zoning on two other miracles very quickly on the fourth and the fifth miracle. And the fourth miracle is, I’ll tell you because I know some of you are trying to do the math. The fourth miracle is when Jesus feeds 5000-plus people. It’s a beautiful, beautiful picture. The Bible says that he’s seated and he says, “I am the bread of life.” And any good Jewish reader immediately would start thinking about the desert wonderings of the Jewish people. How God fed them with manna from heaven and released bread for them to eat in the desert, where it was impossible for them to make anything. I’m so glad that he is a provider that even when there is nothing to create with, he simply takes from himself and he gives and he creates. And Jesus, in the Gospel of John, he’s saying, “I am the bread of life, the manna that the Israelites received in the desert, that was me. I am the sustaining factor to your life.”

And then it’s incredible, I wish I had more time to talk about this, he’s doing this while he’s seated and he’s talking about who he is. It was the position of Moses that you were to take, as he proclaimed the law, Jesus was basically saying, “I am the fulfillment of all of the law. What you cannot do in and of yourself, I accomplish in and of myself.” Oh, man, you can see I’m happy. It’s resurrection Sunday. And the very next miracle… So feeding of the 5000 in the desert as it were the very next miracle, Jesus comes and walking on the waters. Oh, it’s beautiful. And the sign for us would begin to evoke some of the image of the people of God walking through the Red Sea as the Red Sea’s parted. And they walk through on dry land. Jesus was saying to his disciples through the Gospel of John, “I am the one that controls everything. And I bring you into real freedom. I overcome your fear and your doubt and I bring you into incredible freedom.” I don’t know about you, but this just gets me so jolly happy.

And so they’re these seven signs and it ends with the last sign of resurrection where we’ve just got to, that Jesus is alive. He fulfills the last sign simply by being raised from the dead. And he is saying, “Today is a new creation day.” What we celebrate today is that resurrection life, is now broken out all over the earth. And when Jesus says, “It is finished,” he’s not simply saying that your sins are forgiven, although they are. He’s not simply saying, “You know, I’ve done the math of all of creation past, and all of creation future, and all the sin that they will ever commit, and I now have paid for all of that sin.” Although he did that, that’s not what this is saying when he says, “It is finished.” When he says, “It is finished,” he is saying like God sat down at the end of creation on the sixth day, on the seventh day and rested. And he said, “It is good.” When Jesus says, “It is finished,” he is giving a throwback to that moment. He was basically saying, “Not only have I justified you so that I do not count your sins against you. Not only are you now called to be a part of me, but the new creation can cover the earth.” You see, salvation is not just an individual moment, it’s not just me putting up my hand and saying, “Pick me, I want to be saved.” It’s about the redemption of the whole of the cosmos, it’s about the recovering of all things so that all things become as God always intended it to be. Oh, that’s good news salvation is a whole lot more than your one way ticket to heaven, it’s about the transformation of the whole earth. That’s what resurrection means.

And so Jesus says, “It is finished.” And we get to this moment in a garden. John wants to get our, attention because it all began in the garden, didn’t it? In the Garden of Eden, you know this story, Adam and Eve. Living incredible relationship with the Father, living where heaven and earth touches together in perfection. And God says to Adam, “I want you to take this garden and I want you to cover the earth, that which is without form, that which is without purpose, that which is covered in chaos. And I want you to take this garden and I want you to begin cover it. Cover the earth, cover the darkness, cover the void, cover the formlessness of this earth, and re-cultivate it with the garden of heaven.” It’s a beautiful picture, but you also know that Adam and Eve sinned and so they were asked to leave the garden. And the last thing you see in that garden as Adam and Eve leave are two angels guarding the gate into that garden because they do not want anyone to come in. And they’re guarding that beautiful garden and these two angels are standing there with swords, the Bible says, to stop anyone from coming in.

But how many of you know what was lost in the Garden of Eden is restored at a garden tomb in the Middle East. And this garden tomb, the first thing you see are two angels. The last thing you see in the Garden of Eden, two angels. The first thing you see here are two angels, not guarding anything, but looking pretty bored. “Why are you even here, Mary?” Because no longer do we need angels to guard or to block people from encountering the presence and the power of God. No longer do we need to maintain or hold back God’s presence where heaven and earth meet. Some commentators say that this garden tomb is a picture of the Holy of Holies as Jesus’s body, the place where heaven and earth met for the first time since the Garden of Eden, had been kept for three days. And then on the third day, instead of inviting people in, the presence of God gets out. Shika bazooka, I’m happy. I mean, this is why God gives you a heavenly language sometimes. And these angels are sitting there chilled out with not much to do, because what was once contained has now gone viral.

I want to pull on two things just very quickly, which I think is beautiful because this is a new creation moment. This is when the resurrection life of Jesus is covering everything, and what was lost in the Garden of Eden is restored fully in this garden tomb as resurrection life breaks out all around. You see, it was Eve who ate of the fruit first and convinced man to eat of it. And there’s lots of things I’d like to say about that, but I’ll be quiet right now. My wife’s not here. But here’s the beauty is that since that moment when Eve fell, she lost her place in society. She lost her place in purpose, and destiny, and since that moment, all of history has showed us that the most segregated, the most subjected, the most abused, the most violently abused people group on the earth are women.

Help me Jesus. It’s gone quiet here. Eighty percent of South Africa have been subjected, women have been subjected and abused and not regarded. And Jesus is standing here in this garden and there is Mary, who comes. And women in that day, their testimony was not regarded as of any worth. In fact, women in those days weren’t even allowed to testify in a court case. And some of the Pharisees would pray, “God, thank you that you didn’t make me a dog, and thank me that you didn’t make me a woman, or a Gentile.” It was kind of dog, gentile, woman. That was the view. But how many of you know what was lost in the garden as Eve lost her place, Jesus restores at this garden tomb, and he gives a woman the privilege of being the first witness to the resurrection. He gives the woman the privilege of being an apostle to the Jews saying, “I have seen the resurrected Lord.” Ladies, you ought to get happy at that point.

And for the record, you men should get very happy at that point. What was lost in the garden, God has restored in this garden, man alive. I tell you there’s an army of women rising up. I feel like I want to prophecy right now. You’re not gonna be threatened by men, but they’re gonna come alongside men, and there’s an army of men who are gonna say, “Women, we need you.” Well, I’m gonna say, “Amen to that.” But here’s the beautiful moment here. What was lost in the garden is restored in the garden. You see, Adam lost his place in the garden. Adam failed at extending God’s garden, and the primary revelation of Jesus as the resurrected Lord is not one of King of kings, is not one of a warrior God, is not one of a victor, it’s one of a gardener. Mary sees Jesus and John is writing this intentionally, he wants us to see something. You see, there’s a new Adam that’s just showed up and his name is Jesus. The first-born of many new sons, who have the nature and the character of God infused in everything that they are. And so Mary, says, “Oh, you must be the gardener.” And John wants to get our attention. That that which was lost in Adam as the first gardener on the earth has now been restored in the new Adam Jesus. It’s time to get some green fingers again because this garden is gonna begin to cover the earth again. This garden of beauty, this garden of delight, this garden of pleasure, this garden of purpose is gonna begin to cover every aspect of the earth.

You see, Jesus’ primary revelation in the New Testament is he is the new Adam. Where the old Adam failed and you and I were in him, we are now in Christ, the new Adam. And the Bible says the same spark that raised Jesus from the dead, now quickens your bodies. And here’s what Jesus says to them. He says to them, “Sister Mary, go tell my brothers.” He said, “I’m going to the Father and your Father, I’m going to my God and your God.” For the first time since Adam failed in that garden, a new Adam won the right, not just to get our sins forgiven. Not just to give us a free conscience, not just to give us a one way ticket to heaven, but this new Adam inviting us into the same intimacy of relational connection with heavenly papa that he has. The joy of the gospel friends is that I now am a son, I now am connected to the Father, I’ve been invited into the same relationship that Jesus has with the Father. And all the promises that are afforded Jesus are all the promises that are afforded me all by grace.

If you’re a guest here and you’re wondering what this random Cape Colored is doing getting so happy, it’s because I’ve tasted and seen of a historical fact. You see, the reality is the historicity of Jesus means that he lived on this earth, he died and he rose again. And more than 500 people, both in biblical accounts and extra biblical accounts tell of the resurrected lord Jesus. This is not some fancy hopeful reality, or a fancy hopeful hope, dream, this is a reality that happened. Jesus died and he rose again. And there’s evidence to prove it. In fact, if you’re a seeker here today, I want to encourage you to do the hard work because the Gospel is highly intellectually, satisfying as well as experientially satisfying. There’s more evidence to say that Jesus lived, died and rose again, than there is to say that Julius Caesar, ever lived on the earth.

And the primary revelation is that he’s a gardener. You see, Jesus now invites us into the same mission that he has, he’s called us to be co-gardeners with him. The earth’s sphere, our place of influence, our work place is meant to be a garden that begins to become beautiful and reflect the touch point between heaven and earth. Oh, friends, do you realize that we now live in the age of redemption where God is redeeming all things to be the way He always intended it to be? That’s what resurrection Sunday is about. It’s not just about new life that gets me to heaven, it’s about new life that redeems the whole of the universe. Everything the Bible says is coming underneath his feet, and he has been given the name which is above all other names.

It’s why we live in this incredible age of the breakout of God’s resurrection life. It’s why we see healings. It’s why we see the poor getting lifted up. It’s why we going after human trafficking. It’s why we’re engaging in society, not because we want to do good works, but because we are a people who’ve been infused with the resurrection life of God. It’s why we gather on a Sunday to celebrate, and it’s why we send you out to go and demonstrate because we’ve got resurrection life.

The same spark that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you and I. And we live our life book-ended with these two realities, Christ is risen. And Christ will come again. And our lives are slap bang in that middle and there’s a tension. Do we see everyone healed? No, we don’t, at the moment, but there is a day coming when all will be healed. Do we see our present suffering disappear? No, we don’t, at the moment, but there’s a day when there will be no more tears and no more suffering. The hope we have is not because we’re pinning it on some myth, the hope we have is because of the historical fact that Christ is risen. And Christ will come back again and until then, good news. The earth is getting better and better. It’s not gonna get worse and worse. There are more people now who are being trained in literacy in developing world nations than there ever has been. Infant mortality rate has decreased dramatically in developing world nations. The Gospel means that, not only do we get saved, but the goodness of God is displayed. They’re more Muslims getting saved today than any other time of history. Help me Jesus, this is outrageous.

Africa is being evangelized dramatically because the gospel has still not lost its power, resurrection life is still on display. You can go to Mozambique and see a tiny white woman from Laguna Beach called Heidi Baker. Who when she got there, there were less Christians than there were those who believed in Islam and animistic expression of faith. Now, in Mozambique, I think the last stats were more than 51% are born-again Christians. I’ll just throw this in for effect for those of you who are buying your ticket to leave South Africa. The Gospel means that the only demonstration that is to come for this nation is resurrection life, which transforms everything. Because the garden of the Lord will cover everything. Sooner or later, we’re gonna see all of the purposes for which God created South Africa to be. I thought that would go down well. As St. Julian of Norwich once said, that’s not me, it’s a woman. She said this, “In the end, all will be well, and if it’s not well, it’s not the end.”

Man: Yeah, that’s good.

Julian: You are carriers and curators of resurrection life, and God’s called you to the same mission that Jesus has to be a gardener about his Father’s business. Extending resurrection life, wherever you go, it’s why we’re embarking on a building project. Because when people come here, they get to experience resurrection life.

And when you leave here because you’ve come together as a family and we’ve celebrated on a Sunday resurrection day his life, we go with resurrection life. Somebody once said, “More bums on seats mean more lives changed.” I thought I’ll throw that out there, don’t worry I’m not gonna take up a second offering. I’m going to my Father and to your Father. Friends, Jesus chooses to reveal himself to Mary as a gardener, because he wants us to understand that you are now entering into the same ministry that he has. And that’s what resurrection life means. I want to say to you I’m so glad that Christ is risen and Christ will come back again. And until then, what was lost in the Garden of Eden is now being redeemed and restored in the garden of your life, in the garden of your job, in the garden of your family, in the garden of your community, in the garden of South Africa. Will you get some green fingers and change the world around you?

If you’re here today and you don’t know what it’s like to have your sins forgiven, and your conscience cleansed, if you’ve never known what it’s like to come home to a father who loves you. And if you want to know what the Father is like, if you want to know what his character is like, you just need to look at Jesus. The Bible says, “He is the full representation of the Father.” If you ever want to know what God is like, you look at Jesus. He trumps all other revelations in scripture. He is the fullness of the Godhead revealed to us. He is kind, he is good, he lifts up the vulnerable, he puts the orphaned into families, he heals, he delivers, he brings freedom. He finds space for every single person, the fisherman, the tax collector, and the physician alike. That’s what’s the Father is like. And if you’re here and you’ve never encountered the love of a good father who’s not angry with you, who’s not waiting to smite you, who does not hate you, but has always loved you, today is a good day to respond to him.

Cultivating Prophetic Encounters

Mon, 07 May 2018 18:00:00 GMT

We are the children of a Papa who loves us, and we have been wired with His supernatural DNA. So why is it sometimes difficult to experience supernatural encounters with him? Here are a few handles that have helped me personally cultivate those powerful, life-changing moments.

– TRANSCRIPT

Hi, guys. I just want to share something with you. It’s something that I get asked about a lot which is how I’ve developed experiencing supernatural encounters, and how I’ve grown in that area, both in the prophetic, but also just in meeting with God and getting to know him for myself. Often, people hear Julian’s story, and they kind of step back a little bit because Julian’s a prophet, so it makes sense that a prophet would have encounters. But I get asked this question as someone who isn’t a prophet, but someone who is able to prophesy because I’m a daughter of God, so I get to do that. Firstly, I wanna say I’ve developed this in God based on the foundation of knowing that he’s a good Poppa who wants to speak to me, and who is speaking to me. And that he’s designed me with everything inside of me to be able to hear it.

I think sometimes we can disqualify ourselves because we don’t feel like we have a special gift. But actually, the Bible tells us as children of God that we’ve been wired with supernatural DNA. He’s put his seed in us which means that we’re able to hear him because we are his children, and that’s how we’ve been designed. So first and foremost, I’d say if you’re on a journey in experiencing God, in having more encounters with him, I would want to encourage you to kind of put all that you grow on this foundation. That he’s a good Poppa who is speaking, and you are his child. And by nature of being his child, you’ve been designed with everything so that you can hear him. And the second thing I’d say is that just personally, I found that when people started talking to me about some of their own experiences, if I heard someone using big words or kind of impressive words, even words just like, “I had a vision” or “I had a trance,” those words would make me feel like somehow that I was disqualified or disempowered because those words seemed so big and my experiences at that point seemed so small.

And so I wanna encourage you, right from the outset, don’t allow yourself to be disempowered or disqualified by the use of spiritual sounding words. In reality, everyone’s experiences are different, but words like visions or trances, all they mean is that someone is seeing something in their mind’s eye. And so it’s like your imagination. It’s like what happens when you close your eyes, and you see images in front of you. That’s simply what a vision is too. So don’t be put off by spiritual sounding words. You can have encounters with God because you are His child, and that’s what he designed you to have. I wanna give you a few handy tools that I’ve learned. I used to have a lot of static pictures in my mind. So if I close my eyes, I could just see what almost look like a photo in front of my eyes. Sometimes, not even that clear, but a static image, a standstill image.

And I wanna encourage you, however, you’re starting off, whatever you have in your hands is a good place. It’s not just small. It’s not insignificant. Actually, whatever you have, whether it is that you might say to me, “Oh, I hear God with just like a little whisper in my mind. That’s all I hear. I don’t have any visions. I just get a whisper.” That’s a really great place to start because all of our first step experiences, if you like, like my pictures and maybe the whisper that you hear are a doorway into more. And so, this is the first tool and probably the most important tool that I can share with you. Something that has transformed my experiences with God is I recognize that my first step experience was a doorway into more. And God was asking me to engage my imagination, to press into the more.

Now, sometimes, we can get nervous about the use of our imagination because we think, “Oh, that means I’ll be making it up.” But actually, using our imaginations is incredibly biblical. And the reality is God gave us our imaginations as a setting, as a context to experience Him. If you don’t believe me, look into Ephesians 1. It talks about how in partnership with the Holy Spirit who brings wisdom and revelation, the eyes of our hearts should be enlightened. That basically means your imagination should be enlightened. It should be opened up so that you can grasp the hope that you’ve been called to. So that you can understand the riches of your inheritance so that you can understand the greatness of his power. Essentially, that means that your imagination is integral to experiencing God and to encountering the kingdom and so don’t discount your imagination.

Your imagination is not just you making things up, but is actually a context that God has given you so that you can press in for the more of encounter. And so I wanna encourage you with whatever is your first step experience, whether it’s a picture or whether it’s a still quiet whisper in your soul, whatever it is, I wanna encourage you, at that point, to close your eyes and to start engaging your imagination. And simply to start asking yourself if it’s a voice that you hear, what might the person who’s speaking to me look like? What might the heavenly room where God is look like? And start just pressing in by imagining those things or if it’s a static picture like I used to experience, I started asking myself if I saw a door or a garden that was static, I started imagining what that thing would become like if it came alive.

And as I started engaging my imagination, I suddenly found that what had started with me pressing in, soon became something that was drawing me in, in and of itself because it became a very real and vivid encounter. And those static images that I had in my mind’s eye actually became gateways to see God, experience Him, and know Him better. And so, I want to encourage you as you do this, this really is a journey with Jesus. It’s a way of experiencing him, so fix your eyes on Jesus, say, “Holy Spirit, I wanna know you more. I don’t wanna make things up. I don’t wanna imagine you in my image. I wanna see you for real. But I want the eyes of my heart to be enlightened by you, Holy Spirit so that I can experience you, so that I can engage with you the way that you intended for me to engage with you.”

And then allow him to breathe on your imagination, lean in on your imagination, and let him take you into experiences that you’ve only hoped for, that you’ve only imagined before, but now, you’ll actually get to experience. He’s a good Poppa. He is speaking to you. He designed you to hear Him. This isn’t only for special Christians somewhere, this is for every Christian, this is for every child of God. And whatever your first step experiences, don’t belittle it, don’t discount it because it isn’t a vision or a trance. That is an invitation by God, your first step experience, and so lean into that invitation, engage your imagination, and then trust him to take you into experiences with Him.

Prophecy: Not Just for Prophets

Wed, 02 May 2018 15:22:45 GMT

Can Anyone Prophesy?

Being married to a prophet has provoked me into a bit of a crazy wild journey with Jesus. When I first started getting to know Julian, he would often tell me of the unbelievable encounters with God that He was having. If I’m completely honest, I would find it a bit annoying, because I wanted to experience similar crazy encounters too but I thought that they were somehow only ‘reserved’ for those who are prophets. As if being a prophet meant that Julian could enter into a realm that was out of bounds for me – just an ordinary Christian (is there any such thing?!).

Over the last few years, I’ve realized just how wrong that kind of thinking is. Firstly, as children of God we are ALL created to know Him and hear Him and experience Him – that’s not a privilege reserved for prophets, but a reality on offer for all believers. Secondly, the very reason Jesus gave gifts of prophets (alongside the other 5-fold gifts spoken of in Ephesians ) was not to create a kind of tiered system in the body, where some people are ‘super Christians’ and get to do the stuff and the rest of us just stand in awe of them, but rather so that those people could equip and empower the body to do the very same things they do. That’s the point of having grace gifts of apostles and prophets and teachers and evangelists and pastors. Not to have them on pedestals where they do the work of ministry, but instead where they multiply and reproduce the supernatural DNA that they carry to those around them, so that the whole body is raised up to do the work of ministry.

In other words, Julian’s experiences are not meant to make me feel left out and jealous of how he gets to do fun stuff and I don’t, but rather they are meant to invite me and provoke me and empower me into experiences of my own with God.

Realizing Jesus’ intention in giving gifts of people to the church has revolutionized how I anticipate what God wants to do with me. No longer do I hear a story from someone with an amazing gift and think ‘Oh I wish that I could do that!’ but rather now I think ‘Woohoo! That must mean that I get to do that!’.

Every testimony and story you hear of wild encounter and supernatural moments are not meant to make you feel left out, but are meant to draw you in.

What stories have you heard that make you yearn for more? They are not simply stories but are rather invitations whispered by your good, kind Papa, who is holding out His hand and inviting you into the more of who He is. Are you listening? Are you ready to dive in deeper? There is nothing that you have heard or seen in the Christian world that is reserved for someone else more gifted or more ‘chosen’ than you. We are all children of the same Papa who sees us all as His favorite.

What is He wanting to say to His favorite today?

An Emerging Millennial Prophetic Movement // Part 4

Wed, 18 Apr 2018 18:00:00 GMT

I’ve been doing a VLOG series on the emerging millennial prophetic movement , which I believe is about to sweep the earth. I’ve noticed four characteristics which will set these young men and women apart from past moves of God. Every Thursday I will be releasing a new VLOG, all leading up to my very first Facebook Live session, on 26 April. Here is VLOG 4 of 4

4. BELIEVING A HAPPY ESCHATOLOGY

God wants to reshape what we think about the end times. Unlike in the past, this new generation is going to live with the expectation of HOPE and VICTORY, not fear of being left behind. They will dream of the goodness of God and his purposes for this earth, partnering with heaven by displaying love to the broken of society. They will know that if they dream with God, anything is possible.

– TRANSCRIPT

One of the jobs of the prophetic is to help shape our eschatological world view. Eschatology simply means the end of things. And the prophetic throughout the Old and the New Testament had this ability to unlock a window or picture about the end so that people could see it in the now. And I believe God wants to increasingly reshape the way we think about the end times. I remember growing up thinking about the 666, the mark of the beast, watching movies called “Left Behind” and all sorts of very scary pictures of what it will be like in the end times.

But I’ve come to understand both theologically and experientially, the goodness of God and His purpose on the earth. It’s not that God wants to take us out of this earth. The Bible is so clear that in the book of Revelation we see a heavenly city coming down from heaven to cover the earth. It’s not that we’re gonna escape, it’s that we’re going to see heaven cover the earth. The government of God’s goodness and mercy and peace, being established on the earth and covering everything.

And what’s gonna mark this millennial prophetic generation, is that we’re gonna live with an expectation of hope, with the expectation of victory. Not the expectation of fear, of being afraid of being left behind, we’ll be taken out of this big bad world, but actually, that God is coming. And I love that already when you think about this millennial generation, this twinkle in their eye, this sense of we can dream and see anything become possible. And I believe that’s part of the redemptive purpose of God for this generation, that there will be those who will begin to dream, who will begin to see the end, the goodness of God. That eschatology is not about fear, it is about His goodness coming to the earth. That we begin to dream and partner with heaven for that to come to earth. That in our serving the poor, in our working with those who are wealthy, in shaping policy in government, in education, in different spheres of society, that all of that releases a demonstration of the goodness of God. And I believe it’s time that the millennial generation prophetic voices begin to be raised up and begin to speak a new word. One of hope, one of great expectation, one of the goodness of God coming. Not just for one day when we die, but here on earth right now.

Things are getting better. There are less people dying of communicable diseases today than there were 20 years ago. People are living longer. Healthy living is taking over the earth in many different places. People are getting a new concept of what it means to live healthily, of what it means to live long. Things are getting a little bit better. And millennial prophetic voices see this and begin to prophesy more of the goodness of God, even into the ever increasing picture that He is a good God, who’s coming back to make all things good.

Hey guys. Thanks so much for engaging in the latest of luxuries around the emerging millennial prophetic movement. I wanna encourage you, God is doing something unique. And it’s been so much fun connecting with you around some of these topics. I do wanna encourage you, we’re gonna be doing a Facebook Live on the 26th of April. And if you want to ask some more of your burning questions, why don’t you drop us a line below. Also, we’re hosting a day together called Amplify which will be a mentoring day, specifically designed to pull out the prophetic in people. And so, if you feel like you’re emerging in the prophetic, if you feel like you’ve got loads more questions, why don’t you find out more information in the description. There are links to all of the information you need right there. I wanna encourage you to sign up quickly. Spaces are limited and they’re filling up fast. So, keep engaging with us and don’t forget on the 26th of April we’re gonna do is Facebook Live, where I’ll get to answer some of your burning questions around what God is doing with millennials and the prophetic.

Don’t forget to comment your questions, tune in to Facebook Live on 26 April!!! Photo by Craig Mannheim featuring Freddy L . Are you looking to refine your prophetic gift and see it released more fully in your sphere of influence? Consider signing up for Amplify, a day of prophetic mentorship. There are only 120 spaces, so sign up today!

An Emerging Millennial Prophetic Movement // Part 3

Wed, 11 Apr 2018 18:00:00 GMT

3. A DESIRE TO FIND FULFILMENT OUTSIDE THE CHURCH

In this next move of God, vocational ministry is no longer going to be where most of the church finds fulfilment. A generation is already rising up that seeks to find who they were created to be and fully engage with that. Where in the past becoming a full-time elder or pastor seemed to be the highest aim, millennial prophets will invade the marketplace, education, government, and creative spaces with love, and an assurance of who they are in Christ.

– TRANSCRIPT

One of the most incredible dynamics in the Gospel of John is that Jesus essentially reveals himself as a gardener to Mary in the Garden Tomb narrative. And I love that because Jesus and the gospel writer is wanting to hint at the fact that Jesus is the new Adam. And Adam had a job to do in extending God’s garden over the earth. And Jesus’ primary revelation before he is King of kings, before he is the warrior God he reveals himself as a gardener post-resurrection. And that’s because I believe Jesus values our mission on earth to make things beautiful, he values our mission to work.

And I believe in this new dynamic of millennial prophetic voices work is gonna be key that the emphasis on full-time vocational ministry is not gonna be where we’re gonna find our fulfillment, the highest aim is not to become a church pastor or an elder but to find who we are and who God created us to be and to do and fully engage with that. If that means being involved in the market space, in education spheres, in different spheres of society, we’re gonna do that in order to release God’s grace and mercy and in order, as it were, to become the gardener in the garden that God gives us and to make it beautiful so it looks like heaven on earth.

I heard someone once said that Jesus is coming back, let’s plant trees. And I believe that is so powerful that actually the point of Jesus coming back is not to take us out of this earth into a detached heaven, but to bring his kingdom on the earth and fully renew everything. And a millennial prophetic generation begins can make things beautiful now as a picture of what it will ultimately be when Jesus returns.

And I believe God is inviting this millennial generation to partner with him in the area of beauty and renaissance to make things beautiful, to value their place as workers, hard workers in the garden that God is giving them to influence and to shape. And to release his word into that perspective and to unlock dreams for their areas of influence. That is super exciting when you live like this because then everything matches and everything is spiritual, nothing is detached, everything is holy to God.

And God wants to invite us into that place of knowing that the earth has been set apart for his glory and for his redemptive purposes and we as this rising prophetic generation have a part to play in that. It is super exciting when you get that because you get to live out of who you are not simply what you do and that’s the heart of the prophetic.

Don’t forget to look out for next week’s video! Are you looking to refine your prophetic gift and see it released more fully in your sphere of influence? Consider signing up for Amplify, a day of prophetic mentorship. There are only 150 spaces, so sign up today!

The Tipping Point Season

Fri, 06 Apr 2018 18:00:00 GMT

There is a shift coming to the body of Christ. In this talk, Julian shares a prophetic word for the Church, we are entering a “tipping point season”.

– Transcript

Julian: Wow. We are living in some exciting days, aren’t we?

Congregation: Yeah.

Julian: I love what God is doing. I so love being part of this team at Harvest. It’s such an incredible privilege to be part of the senior leadership team alongside George and Rich and their wives, and Patrick and Carol. And I love what God’s doing, and I do wanna encourage you, we need 2 million Rand, which is not a lot of money.

Man: No, it’s not.

Julian: I’m gonna talk to the congregation over here quickly. We need 2 million rand which is not a lot of money, because God has spoken over this house to Ian and numbers of other people to planted this… It’s so cool. I think I saw John Carrie somewhere. There he is. This is the man who’s responsible for all of this, and planted this where no one was living around Durban, Umhlanga area, okay? It wasn’t very popular to be here. And planted a church that is now, I believe, getting ready in an increased measure to serve the city.

Ian and Rosanne have always had an incredible anointing to host the move of God for a city and for a region. And I believe that’s what we now get the privilege of doing as Harvest. And we need to create a facility that’s not just brilliant because we want it to be brilliant, it’s not just creative because we want it to be creative, but it’s because it’s an opportunity for the city to come into a space where they feel loved, welcomed, served well, and they can encounter God.

And so you…we’ve got a number of conferences happening, coming up over the next few months. We’ve got Accelerate in April which is our cotton conference, as well as Renaissance, which is gonna be one of our key conferences this year, which is gonna serve people from all over South Africa. And so I wanna encourage you would you partner in faith and dig deep and give lots of money.4

I’m just gonna be very cheeky. George might kick me out here. You know the Bible says in…I think it’s 1 or 2 Timothy, that we are to command the rich. Do you know that? Elders and senior leaders are to command the rich as to what to do with their money. Now, if you do not have to think about food or the clothes that you’re wearing or the place you’re gonna sleep tonight, you are in the top 80% of high-income earners in the world, which means you are rich. It’s got so quiet in this church, suddenly.

And I want to invite you, not because we want to give to a building, but because you want to give to lives changed, to invest in this.

Man: That’s good.

Julian: Amen. That’s not my sermon, but I thought I’d throw that in. I want you turning your Bibles please to Acts chapter 10 and verse 44. And while you do, I wanna start off by saying this, I wanna caveat this message before I start to preach, that although I am known as a prophetic minister all across many, many different nations now, and I get to prophesy over some incredible people. Just this last few months, I’ve prophesied over diplomats and actors and significant, high net worth individual people, as well as some of the poorest of the poor, and it’s an incredible privilege to do that. I love when God gives me the opportunity to do that, and I love the prophetic.

I love all of the symbolism of the prophetic. I love the way God uses certain nuances to communicate to us, but I am not one of those crazy prophets. Well, maybe a little bit. I’m not always looking for a particular sign. I’m not always looking for a particular word to try and confirm something. I do not ever get woken up by God, and so I love it when people say to me, “You know, 3:00 this morning, I was awoken by an angel.” And I’m like, “That doesn’t happen to me. I have a deal with Jesus.” His word says, “He gives his beloved good rest.” So I don’t like being woken up. But on Thursday, God woke me up at 3:00 in the morning, which is very inconvenient because I love my sleep.

I know I’m killing a few religious cows right now, but I don’t mind. “Religious cows make the best burgers,” somebody once said. Obviously, God can wake you up. I’m not being offensive. Don’t worry, but God woke me up, which is not the usual thing He does with me at about 3:00 in the morning, and it was one of those weird encounters. And I wanna unpack that, and I’m trusting that God’s gonna communicate something of His heart to us, because I believe that when you understand the season you’re in, you get the maximum benefit of that season, right? If you sowing in a season of reaping, you’re wasting your seed, right?

It’s important for you to understand what season you’re in, the time that you’re in, because the Bible says in Ephesians that we are to redeem the times. It literally means we’re to redeem the opportune moment. We can’t let it go amiss. We gotta grab a hold of it because, in those moments, it seems like God does a whole lot more than He does at other times. And this is not about our performance. It’s not about what we need to do, but it is about recognizing who He is, because sometimes God will alert us to what He is doing in a heightened way so that we have our faith levels lifted and believe him for more of the impossible.

And so God woke me up at about 3:00 on Thursday morning, which is quite unusual because it was so jolly hot in the room, and I needed to put on the air con. Katia and I have thermostat issues. She is always cold. I’m always hot. And so I was like, “I can’t handle this. You gotta put the air con on,” went back to sleep, and I felt the Lord say to me, “I’m wanting to get your attention, son,” which I replied, “But Lord, I’m sleeping.”

And as I did that, the phone began to ring next to our bed, our landline, three times. Now, our number’s unlisted. We don’t give that number to anyone. And we hardly ever use that line because we use our mobile phone, and it began to ring three times at different times. And Katia was like, “Oh, man, this phone.” And I was like, “That is so weird,” and immediately, into my mind popped a Sunday school verse that I used to remember and memorize when I was a young boy from Jeremiah 33 verse 3, that popped into my mind, which is the telephone number of God. That’s what they used to tell us. “Call to me and I will answer you and I will show you great and marvelous mysteries.” That’s what Jeremiah 33 verse 3 says, and God said to me, “Son, I want to get your attention.” And I knew I needed to listen at that point. You don’t wanna mess with God at 3:00 in the morning.

So I said, “Okay, God. You’ve got my attention.” And as I began to focus in on His presence, how many of you know that heaven is a co-existing reality? You don’t need to work hard to enjoy the presence of heaven. You don’t have to work hard to access the realm of heaven. It’s a co-existing reality. All you need to do is become more aware of that reality. When you do, you enter into heavenly atmosphere and you get to live from that place. It’s very simple. It’s not difficult. And as I began to become aware of the presence of God around me, I sensed His presence in a heightened way, I was aware that I was in the throne room. I was aware that I was in this moment of the intensity of God’s presence. And in that moment, I was reminded of a friend of mine, Matt Hogarty.

Katia and I were just bringing into senior leadership team a couple at their church last weekend, which is why we weren’t here. Went and lay hands on them, brought them into senior leadership, and Matt made a throwaway comment seemingly. He said, “We are in a tipping point season.” And I remember thinking, “Oh, that’s lovely.” You know, I hear some of that often. You know, people read Malcolm Gladwell’s book, and its like, “Oh, tipping point, tipping point.” And I was like, “Cool. But as I became aware of the presence of God at around about 3:00 on Thursday morning, I felt the Lord say to me, “Son, you and the church are coming into a tipping point season.”

And I immediately began to see these bowls in heaven and they were being filled with the very prayers of the saints, they were filled with worship, referring to Revelation. It’s a biblical picture in Revelation Chapter 5, there are these bowls in heaven. And I was so aware of worship that was happening around the throne. I can sense the presence of God even right now as I’m speaking. So aware of the tangible dynamic of God’s glory. I was also aware that there was an anticipation in heaven. There was the sense of heaven standing on tiptoe because something was about to happen, and I felt God say to me, “We are in a tipping point season. The church is in a tipping point season, where it’s almost like the tension of the wobble that begins to happen before something begins to clip. It’s happening in the spur.

And I felt God sending me the thing about a tipping point is that when something reaches a tipping point, there’s nothing you can do to stop the tipping point from happening. Now, as I’m speaking, you’ll notice that there is rain happening and thunder and lightning, and I don’t want to be super spiritual because everything is spiritual, right? But when I first started coming to Durban, the Lord spoke to me very clearly. He said, “Every time you need to bring a prophetic word to Durban, it will rain.”

And I know there are numbers of people in this room who have seen me in different contexts begin to prophesy over Durban. As I have done that, rains begin to come. It’s a sign that follows me, not only in Durban, but in other places, so this is not inconsequential that’s it’s raining right now, and God is wanting to highlight your attention. He’s wanting to build faith, the sign points to Him, okay? The sign is not the thing we get fascinated with. The sign points Him that we are in a tipping point season, and there is nothing that you can do to stop him from pouring out outrageous favor on you.

Woman: Come on.

Julian: That’s a good word, Julian. And I felt God begin to remind me of a tipping point season in the book of Acts, and we’re gonna get there in a moment, but I want to encourage you if you are part of the Harvest family, you need to download this morning’s message by Richard. Richard preached an outstanding message of moving from a church-mindset to an apostolic mindset. What God is doing in this tipping point season is establishing this house and many other houses in the city, many other churches in the city as a genuine apostolic expression that begins to pull on heaven, so that what’s in heaven becomes a reality on earth. And I’m not just saying that because it’s a catchphrase to say. I’m saying that because God is about a transformative work. He’s about an apostolic work, and it’s not gonna be centered around one apostle, it’s going to be centered around an apostolic people.

It means we’re gonna find our space, our gift, and our grace and operate from that place. And so, if you can, turning your bibles Acts chapter 10 and verse 44, and I’m gonna ask Jesus to help me. Is there somebody in this section over here…? I wonder if we could just get some of this bank of light just down a wee bit. Somebody in this section over here, you… No, no, I don’t want the lights on. I want these lights in my face. This is why we need money.

I’m not even on paid staff and I’m asking you for that. Can we pull these lights down just a little bit, please? Just so that I can see… There’s someone in this section over here, you are a significant crossroads to do with your business right now. I think you’re working in the tech space possibly. You’re in a significant context where God is bringing you into incredible increase, but there’s like this gap that you need to take… In fact, I feel like over the last three or four weeks, you’ve had a number of meetings and conversations with some people, not in Durban, but outside of Durban. There’s like…I feel like Skype calls, and you’re asking God for confirmation. Can you put up your hand if that’s you? It’s got… You’re in tech space. Is that you? Would you stand? Thank you. Yay, God.

This is about a tipping point for you, all right? God is about to join the dots and bring you into space where you’re gonna have some connections. I don’t know why I’m seeing Germany over you, for some reason. I don’t know if you’re involved, or if you have any partners, or if there’s anything in Europe, but I feel like there’s going to be a significant door opening for you in Europe that is going to begin to release some favor for you here, because God is building you to be a resource base in the city for the nations. And there is any… You have an incredibly sharp mind. I see an ability to process numbers. I see an ability to put things in the right place very quickly. I see an ability to even probably numbers. I didn’t even know if you can do that, but I can feel like numbers being programmed.

And I feel like God is gonna begin to anoint your insight and wisdom in the tech space and your negotiating skills so there’ll be some closed even within the next two to three months. So get ready, God’s favor is on you. Amen.

If you’re not in Acts chapter 10 by now, give up. Acts chapter 10 and verse 44. “While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word and the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles, for they were hearing and speaking tongues extolling God. Then Peter declared, ‘Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. And then asked him to remain for some days.” That’s wisdom right there.

I love this particular juncture in the book of Acts. This is a moment of a tipping point for the church, and I want to pill some points out of, some moments out of that because I believe God wants to speak to our future family, and I believe God wants to speak to you as individuals wherever you’re from. This is a tipping point moment for the church. Peter has this incredible encounter with God where he falls into a trance. The word literally means to be caught up in ecstasy. It means he got real happy in God. He was so happy that he started seeing some visions. We need some of that tonight.

He has this incredible encounter with God and the result is that, Cornelius, who’s this man, a Roman centurion soldier who is a devout man, who prays to God and he gives a whole lot of money to the poor. God sees him and his prayers and his actions in giving money to the poor come up to God as a memorial. In other words, God could not get rid of this guy because his prayers and his giving to the poor meant that his face was before God all the time. That’s pretty awesome. I want to be like that in my prayer life, like, “Oh, my gosh, it’s Julian again.”

Literally, he came up before God as a memorial. In other words, he was literally standing there like a memorial stone saying, “Hey, remember me. Remember me.” And he has this incredible encounter. The Bible says, “He was in a visionary encounter when an angel appeared to him.” Some of us don’t really like talking about angels because we all think we’ve gone a little bit spooky, and we’re gonna try to worship angels. Can I just say those angels are real, and they are some of the most bored spiritual beings at the moment because many of us do not know how to access the realm of the spirit. We don’t know how to access the angelic realm and partner with heaven, so the angels begin to do bidding on behalf of God for us.

Like, if you’re not inviting the Holy Spirit along with all of his angels to help you in your business, you’re probably not doing that great in your business.

Man: Amen.

Julian: But there’s all this supernatural activity and it’s at this juncture that God’s about to open up a door so that the rest of the world, those who are not…people who come out of Israel, people who are not Jews, will suddenly have access into salvation. It is a pivotal moment for church history. This is possibly the most important tipping point in church history since the resurrection. And something’s about to happen because the Holy Spirit’s about to be poured out upon some Gentiles.

I always say this, moving from a church mindset to apostolic mindset, means we’ve got to leave something behind in order to embrace something new. It means that sometimes, you’ve got to leave the structures and the way you’ve done things up until now, in order to get into the new space. When a tipping point season happens, you have to understand that what you’ve been holding on to will not withstand what God’s about to pour out on you.

Man: Yeah, it’s good. It’s good.

Julian: And so in every context where there’s an apostolic motion, where there’s an apostolic advance, and by apostolic I simply mean, releasing the kingdom of God’s government on the earth. It means that it moves beyond church buildings, it moves beyond meetings to establishing a foundation and a government that significantly transforms culture. What happened in Acts chapter 10, we are still reaping the benefit of because God chose one man, the centurion soldier, to change the culture of Rome, so that it paved the way for the evangelization of the nations.

A man who oversaw 80 people who happened to be in government. Somebody help me here. What God’s about to do is not going to be contained in the four walls of a building. And in order for anyone to be an apostle, you have to be someone who is connected and plugged in to supernatural activity. You can’t… Some people talk about being an apostle and they lead apostolic movements. What they mean is we have a big church and we happen to plant many churches. That is not apostolic. That is wonderful management.

Don’t call yourself an apostle unless you start showing up and showing up with some Kingdom signs and wonders. It’s in the bible. Paul says in Corinthians, “These are the marks or the signs of an apostle.” They’ve had an encounter with Jesus face-to-face. They move in signs and wonders and miracles, and they produce many sons and daughters who do the same. I’m gonna move on quickly because we’re all loving apostolic movements right now, but the reality is that the only apostolic movement on the face of the earth is not some network started by a man. Paul did not set out to start an apostolic movement. He joined the kingdom movement that Jesus had already begun.

And we’re gonna have to shift something in our thinking that God wants to release us as the people of God to join the movement of the kingdom. That signs and wonders breakout wherever we go. That the only way we do strategy as the people of God, is not by sitting down with pen and paper and planning what we do next, it’s by responding to heavenly vision.

Paul, when he stands before King Agrippa in Acts… He doesn’t say, “King Agrippa, I was obedient to the strategy that I wrote out in the desert.” He says, “I was obedient to the heavenly vision I received.” You see, we’re a people of the Spirit because we are responding to prophetic revelation and we strategize along what Holy Spirit is doing. It’s why nothing’s ever gonna be predictable in our meetings. Nothing’s ever going to be predictable in the way we plan our year. Nothing’s ever gonna be predictable in the way we do things. Oh, Lord Jesus.

And I believe God’s bringing us to a tipping point, but before we get to the tipping point there has to be a convergence. There has to be a gathering of momentum. There has to be a point where things begin to meet so that it begins to tip on over and the bowls that are in heaven begin to spill out all over the earth and we’ll begin to see things change around us. And there’s three things I wanna touch on in terms of converging points out of this encounter. The first thing I want to say is God chooses to answer a man who happens to be a man who prays, and it happens to be a man who has concern for the poor.

The bible says, “He was a devout man.” In other words, he was devoted, and being devoted is not about a habitual packing of doing the same thing every day. Being devoted is about a posture of extravagant worship. And how many of you know that Cornelius did not have a revelation of God as Father because he had no encounter of the Jewish God other than what he could observe from the outside? But he knows enough about this God that the Jews serve that if he just begins to focus on Him… Now, you need to understand, in Rome at that time, he could have served hundreds of other gods. But he’s choosing to go after this God, and he somehow gets this into his heart that, “If I give to the poor, there’s going to be some blessing for me in that.”

“He who gives to the poor lends to God,” that’s what the Proverb says. And there’s something about our worship that cannot simply be horizontal. It’s going to be released in justice and mercy wherever we go. You cannot come to church and talk to a good God and live in that space of encountering Him without impacting your wallet concerning the poor, the broken, and those who are vulnerable. It means you cannot just simply go, “Let’s put five bucks in to the Honestly fund. Oh, it’s so quiet, suddenly.

We can’t just drop 5,000 rand into the village fund. No, no, no, no, no. Jesus said, “The poor will always be among you.” We think of that as an excuse to tolerate the poor, but I want to tell you that’s not what the bible is saying, and that’s not what Jesus is saying. He is saying, “The poor you should have among you, in your family.” Help me… It means that if your heart is not moved to love on the poor and the broken, if it’s not moved to impact your wallet, if it’s not moved to engage, to catch, to hug, to love, something is wrong in your encountering of a good God.

I know you all came for the happy prophetic word, but here’s the deal. What I love about this is that this man’s devotion had to spill out to those around him. I’m so excited. I know there are numbers of prayer initiatives that’s happening. We’ve got City Story that’s happening, you know, once a month on a Thursday night where we’re praying and believing God for a citywide impact. This is the city of which William Branham who is one of the greatest prophets that ever lived said he’s never encountered the power of God in any other place like this. This is the city that my friend Terry Virgo who in Ian and Rosanne Gourlay’s church… Oh, this is the town.

In Ian and Rosanne’s church in Amanzimtoti, writing his book, he has never ever felt the power of God as clearly as he did in those meetings. I am telling you, God wants to do something for the city. And it’s something about when God begins to shake people up to begin to pray and things like City story begins to pop up or then we have our 24th in house of prayer that’s happening here at Harvest once a month where we’re praying for 12 hours believing God for something to shift.

Listen, one man who oversaw 80 people in his regiment shifted something for the whole entire earth simply because he prayed to a God that he didn’t even know, but he could see He was good. Imagine what your prayers can do because you got a revelation of the goodness of God. I wonder if we have maybe become a little bit dismissive of prayer movements because of what we think is excess, and we kind of have this little saying, you know, “You can’t just pray. You need to do something.” Prayer is doing something. I’m gonna say that again. Prayer is doing something. Listen. I no longer say that when I pray for people, nothing happens because there’s a bowl in heaven that is getting filled with what I’m asking God for in faith. And sooner or later, somebody’s prayer is gonna land in that bowl and tip that whole thing on me.

When I pray for the sick, and people come to me and say, “Oh, you know I’ve had Benny Hinn pray for me, Reinhard Bonnke pray for me, had Bill Johnson pray for me. I’ve had all the greats pray for me and nothing has happen.” I wanna readjust their lens because no prayer is ever wasted in the kingdom. Like if what the bible says is true, and I believe it to be entirely true and trustworthy, then there’s a bowl in heaven that is getting filled up with prayers from all over the world that’s about getting ready to be poured out somewhere.

When you pray something always happens. We’re coming into a convergence where God begins to meet many things together and boom, there’s a tipping point. And prayer and our pursuit of justice and mercy. I don’t know about you. I’ve got some friends who…I mean, I can’t mention their names, who are planting schools in the worst war-torn countries in the world, in Syria, in Iraq. They’re planting schools and bringing justice and mercy. And this is not, you know, rough and tough people. This is a young lady looks like she could be Miss America, blond hair, you know, eyelash extensions, manicured nails, you know what it’s all like. And there she is having to be protected by angels in the worst of the worst of the worst because she’s convinced that what she does has an impact. When mercy collides with prayer, something begins to shift over a region. I’m gonna say that again. When mercy collided with prayer, something shifts over a region.

If your prosperity does not lead you to be on who extends…oh, help me Jesus, mercy to the poor… Oh, I’m gonna just… Can I be cheeky? Help me Jesus. Can I ask you, as a man of color, who’s had our family land taken from us forcibly not to reduce the arguments about land t one single thing, because it’s a whole lot more layered. Oh, it’s gone so quiet suddenly. It’s a whole lot more layered than you think. And can I ask you to find the heart of God, not about how the government should respond, but how we as those who have more should respond.

Because the issue is not about who’s got what, the issue is about being generous with all that you have. That’s what the Bible commands. I’ll move on quickly. That wasn’t supposed to come out, but it did come out there. God bless you. The second converging point, which is so important for us to understand, and I must press on because I don’t wanna keep you forever, is that God redefined Jewish culture with heavenly culture. Now, I’m gonna kill some holy cows right now, but please forgive me. This is the most definitive moment in the book of Acts. And God’s aim is not to bring us back under the law.

He doesn’t tell us to become more Jewish in order to become more Christ-like. Help me Jesus. I’m gonna kill some holy cows. You can wave your Jewish flags all you want. That’s not what’s happening here. What’s happening here is a breaking out of law and legalism, and God begins to break in to a space that was never supposed to happen. Listen, Peter, a few months earlier decides to cut off the ear of a soldier because he was trying to defend Jesus. This is the same Peter who’s going, “I want to make Jesus King forcibly because we hate the Romans. We hate the imperialism of the Romans and how they force us to be who they want us to be.”

So when a sheep falls out of heaven and God says, “Eat whatever you like,” and then says, “There’s some Roman soldiers who are coming up to you right now, you need to go with them.” Do you just go, “What? Are you for real?” Because everything inside of him will just say, “This goes against my cultural preference.” If we’re to move into a tipping point, we’re gonna have to let go of old structures, old wiring schemes, old leadership styles, old revelations to skip into the new. Everything Peter knew was like if you were a Jew, you should never hang out with a Gentile.

But I’m so glad that Jesus took that on his head and he established a new covenant, and he said that, “Now wherever you go, that place becomes clean because you showed up.” Something has to shift in our hearts from what we expect of our cultural preference. Our cultural musical style. Nice, little skinny jeans, white boy rock. And I’m pulling off some skinnies tonight. That moves us into space where we expect the unexpected. That moves us into a place where we’re not holding onto the way it is always been. I’ve been a pillar English church. That’s the problem. You’ve not moved for a long while.

Oh, I can see the hate mail coming now. Peter has to replace spirit-filled revelation over traditional expectation. Listen. We like to think that we’re, like, new church, you know? We’re charismatics, we’re new church, we don’t meet in steeples. We, you know, we have nice church now. We have drums. We’re no longer fuddy-daddies dressed up, you know, in a dress and call him “Father.” It’s all fine now. We’re the new church. Pioneering. We’ve been around long enough to have some traditions that will block us off from this coming move of God if we do not position ourselves under the tipping point of his favor. Shika bazooka. Help me Jesus.

The third thing that happens… Actually, let me just touch on this. Sorry. We have to get over old structure and come into a living structure. Friends, there is no space for nostalgic reference points in the Kingdom because the Kingdom is about a future reality breaking in right now. You cannot keep going, “But you know when I was 25 this is how we used to do it. This is how we used to do it God two days ago,” because we’re living a future Kingdom breaking… We’ve not seen what it yet looks like because it’s future.

Thirdly, convergence point number three. Speedy obedience. I’m teaching my little son, Ezekiel, and Lord Jesus help me, this might not be working so well after tonight. I said to him, “Son, slow obedience is no obedience.” And he still does what he wants. But here’s the deal. Peter is mixed of having a heavenly encounter and God says to him, “There’s a Roman soldier and two servants are coming to you. I want you to go with him.” He interrupts his encounter and obeys God and immediately goes with him. And this convergence of God, where the tipping point begins to happen, we must be a people who obey quickly.

Though we go twiddle our thumbs hoping for the sweet by and by, but we begin to step into what God is doing now. Now. You see, for many of us, we only express our faith in a passive agreement with what God says rather, than in active participation with what God says. You see, I can believe in the principle of sowing and reaping, but that doesn’t mean, I am participating in faith with the principle of sowing and reaping. Can I please get an “Amen?”

Congregation: Amen.

Julian: Faith requires obedience. It does not require understanding. Faith does not require understanding, it requires obedience. The bible talks about the obedience of faith. You see, many of us, we wanna understand before we step out in faith. The problem is faith only operates in the realm with the unseen and the unknown. It’s why Hebrews says, “It’s by faith that we understand.” It’s not by understanding that we have faith.

And I wanna call you to live a reckless life of holy expectation that when God speaks to you, you’re ready to move. You’re obedient. And it’s out of these three converging points that the tipping point happens and the Holy Spirit falls upon this household. And the door, for us as Gentiles, begins to open up. And here’s what I wanna say about the Holy Spirit’s outpouring. Now, when the Holy Spirit is poured out, one of two things are gonna happen to you. You’ll either celebrate it or you will be offended by it.

When the Holy Spirit is poured out there is no room for indifference. Listen. These guys, the Jewish people who were with Peter, were all circumcised as a sign of their covenant to God. And what God intended as a provocation to the nations so they would know that this covenant-keeping God was on the people of Israel, Israel began to use as a distinctive that produced spiritual elitism and a separation mentality that rather than inviting the nations in, they began to say, “We’re it.” Help me here Jesus. The minute you think that your group, your church, your home group, your revelation is it, you’re in danger of operating under a religious work. Shika bazooka.

What was supposed to signify the covenant-keeping nature of God became this thing of, “I’ve got it, you don’t. And you don’t get to join.” I wonder of our churches and many of our contexts have become a spiritually elite club that rather than inviting the nations in, has become a context that separates us from them rather than engaging with them. I remember when the Holy Spirit began to be poured out in Toronto in 1994. How many of you were around for those days? There were some wild and heady days, where Holy Spirit was being poured out, people were falling out, laughing, getting drunk in the Holy Spirit, shaking. There was some outrageous phenomena that I still can’t make sense of today.

And I remember people saying things like, “Oh, that’s that Toronto church in Canada, you know? Those holy rollers, these people who like falling out.” “Oh, you know, they’re so into like phenomena and manifestations, not really God.” Or, “You know, they don’t really preach the bible that well there. Can’t be God.” Or, “You know, those people just go there for the prophetic word. They go there for the personal ministry.” We’re not into that, we’re into the real stuff.

The move of God will always cause you to either celebrate it or be offended by it.

Man: That’s right.

Julian: You know what happened 24 years later? I just wanna give you three examples of what’s happened. I love that move of God. Heidi Baker encountered God in Toronto in 1994. She has since planted over 5,000 churches. She now has 10,000 churches all over the world in 20 different nations. And seen countless thousands of people get saved, has shifted the demographic of Mozambique to be a majority Christian nation, when just under 10 years ago, it was a majority Muslim and animistic nation.

Those people who fall out and do that Holy Spirit stuff, gold dust… I mean, no. Can’t be God. Or let’s talk about Randy Clark who will soon be published in the medical journal in America. Helping people understand that faith-filled prayer should be a viable option for people who are terminal, because you’ve got so many documented encounters of people who have got healed. Somebody help me here. Oh, this one is good. It’s just gonna tickle you funny, this one. Nicky Gumbel, the vicar in an Anglican church. Oh, Lord. That traditional old wineskin.

The other greatest church body movement in England at the moment is in the Church of England. But listen to this. During the move of the Holy Spirit, they filmed the Alpha course. If you look at the original Alpha course, you’ll see Nicky Gumbel getting quite tipsy in the Holy Spirit. Here’s the result. Around 1.2 million people in the UK alone have done the Alpha course. Twenty-three million people worldwide have done the Alpha course in 169 nations or countries. And just to throw this one in, the archbishop, the current archbishop of Canterbury got saved on an Alpha course.

But you know that move of God, there’s a little bit of excess. You gotta, you know… When tipping point happens, it’s messy, it’s outrageous, it’s excessive. So I wanna ask you, do you wanna step into tipping point because I can tell you that you’ll either be offended by what God’s about to do in this next season in South Africa, in this next season in the church, or you will celebrate it. I find it outrageous that God takes one man of peace and he opens the whole Gentile world to receive the gospel of peace.

I wonder if we have some people in government in this room tonight that God’s setting up for a tipping point. I wonder if we’ve got some people in business here tonight that God’s just getting ready for a tipping point that could actually impact nations. I wonder if we’ve got doctors in this room here that God’s just getting ready for you to come up with some incredible ideas that would solve some of the most complicated medical procedures. I wonder if God is getting business people and medical faculty together to find mission into the worst parts.

I wonder if we’re in a tipping point that’s gonna move us out of having a, “ring-a-ring O’ Roses, we all fall down,” in church meeting, which I love. To being a people who take what we have in here and begin to network, begin to connect, begin to find each other in the city for the sake of the city, because I believe we’re coming into a tipping point mode. And you can do nothing to stop what God’s about to do. But you can miss it by not standing under the full weight. I don’t want a little splash over. I want to be right in the middle of that fountain when the overflow happens, when the ball gets tipped over, when suddenly, favor that I just cannot handle and so I have to call some other boats to come and help me.

But you need to know it’s gonna look different, it’s gonna be full of Holy Spirit activity, and it’s gonna start from a place of devotion. Outrageous worship. I wanna tell you last week we had an incredible time at church. I wasn’t here, but I heard some incredible stories that worship just took on a whole another level. This church, we’re getting ready for extended times of worship. And it’s gonna connect with prayer and an overspill of mercy.

You know, I heard this incredible story. I’ll end with this, of Angus Buchan and Mitchells Plain. I come from the Cape flats so I know what it’s like out there. Just don’t mess with me. I’m a gangster at heart. But I love what happened with Angus Buchan. Some gangsters walk up at the prayer gathering, and what does he done? He takes off his clothes and he gives them a bible. And, you know…yeah. Here’s the deal. Our worship isn’t moved to extend mercy. Man, I know. I’m wondering if we worshiping right. We’re at the tipping point, and you can either stand in the way of God’s favor and get as much as you can, or you can stand on the sidelines watching and waiting and thinking, “Let me just test and see if this might just be a real move of God.” And miss what God wants to do in this season for this generation, for the sake of this nation.

An Emerging Millennial Prophetic Movement // Part 2

Wed, 04 Apr 2018 18:00:00 GMT

Last week I started a VLOG series on the emerging millennial prophetic movement , which I believe is about to sweep the earth. I’ve noticed four characteristics which will set these young men and women apart from past moves of God. Every Thursday I will be releasing a new VLOG, all leading up to my very first Facebook Live session, on 26 April. Here is VLOG 2 of 4

2. CREATIVITY

God is moving the church outside of the building, and redeeming the places that are labelled “secular”. The key to this is going to be creativity, which is something that has been lost in many of the past moves of God. Without compromising who they are in God, these young prophetic voices will release a new sound and rhetoric which engages both hearts and minds. These creative expressions will unlock a sense of curiosity about the spiritual in those who may have been rejected by the church, bringing them into a community that can show them the love of God.

– TRANSCRIPT

So I think another aspect to the rise in prophetic move of God that’s happening in the Earth today, particularly amongst Millennials, is an understanding of God as Creator and releasing that creativity in this generation. And I believe God is bringing a clarity around moving the church outside of the building into spaces that will be considered secular, and redeeming them, and making them beautiful, and making them sacred again. And I believe creativity is gonna be the key to that. I believe it’s gonna impact in terms of entertainment. I believe there are gonna be prophetic voices that will be raised up to release a new song, to release a new rhetoric that will engage people’s hearts and minds in order to release a Kingdom dynamic that would make it easier for people to come to the King.

And I believe part of creativity is meant to unlock and break open a sense of curiosity around spirituality. And although words might not be used that we’re used to, Millennial prophets are gonna release a holy curiosity and a spiritual appetite to a generation that will cause them to begin to go on a journey to discover who Jesus is and how he impacts their world. And I believe part of that is establishing communities in urban areas, in rural areas, that look different, that act different, that engage with the world around them in a way that demonstrates, above all, the incredible love and mercy of Jesus. And this Millennial company of prophets are gonna be able to not compromise who they are in God, yet engage with the worst of society in society’s eyes, engage with those who maybe the church has rejected, and engage with them in such a way as to bring them into community that genuinely connects them to the heart of the Father.

And so I believe creativity is gonna be so key in getting the church outside of the building and releasing the Kingdom of God, wherever this rise in Millennial prophets goes.

Don’t forget to look out for next week’s video! And comment your questions on our Facebook and Instagram.

An Emerging Millennial Prophetic Movement // Part 1

Wed, 28 Mar 2018 18:00:00 GMT

In the midst of an intense political atmosphere, both here in South Africa and throughout the world, I have been asking God what the next big move of the prophetic will look like. One of the key things I have been considering is an emerging millennial propheticmovement, which is already beginning to sweep the earth. In my travels around the world I’ve met young prophetic men and women who are dreaming with God for a better world. I’ve noticed four characteristics which I believe will set them apart from past moves of God. Every Thursday, over the next four weeks, I am going to be releasing a new VLOG. Then on Thursday 26 April I will be doing my first Facebook Live session to answer any questions on the topic. Here is VLOG 1 of 4

1. A LOVE FOR JUSTICE AND MERCY

This new generation will speak out against racism, gender inequality and other injustices. They will initiate challenging conversations about justice for the broken. They will not buy into the world systems of capitalism or socialism, but will genuinely work on solutions which lift and restore the poorest of the poor. Along with fighting for justice, they will be connected to God’s heart of mercy. They will carry compassion for the oppressed as well as the oppressor, and release a new language of Justice which is both emotionally and spiritually intelligent. They won’t be afraid to engage with culture, even stepping out into the most broken and lost in society.

– TRANSCRIPT

Hey guys. Over the last few weeks in South Africa, we have had some incredible things happening in the political arena. And it got me thinking around issues to do with mercy, justice, issues to do with equity for the poor and the broken, and bringing God’s kingdom into both the lowest places in society and the highest places in society. And what it means for the prophetic, and what specifically it means for the prophetic in this generation.

And as I’ve been thinking about this, I felt like God’s been giving me some insight into the rising millennial prophetic movement that I believe is gonna impact this generation and release a new sound and a new way of thinking around the prophetic. And one of the key things I feel like God is speaking to me about is being connected to the side of love for justice and mercy; not one or the other, but both together. And I believe being prophetic for us, in this season, means that we’re speaking to issues to do with racism, to do with gender inequality, to do with equity share in terms of releasing wealth to the broken and the poorest society and not buying simply into system of capitalism or socialism, but bringing God’s heart into that arena so that we see the broken lifted and restored.

And I believe God wants to release millennial prophets who are able to connect to his heart, who are able to feel his emotion for the broken, who are able to prophesy into circumstances that impact war-torn countries as well as wealthy countries, that are able to release new perspectives and a new language that is more emotionally connected, more spiritually intelligent, and more engageable culture in order to transform it. I believe God wants to release prophets who think differently, who get into the nitty-gritty of society.

Under the old covenant, prophets are detached with society and isolated lives, disconnected. But Jesus models what it’s like to be the best prophet. He gets his hands dirty. He gets stuck into society. He lifts up the place of women. He speaks to the outsider, the foreigner, the soldier. He releases them into a place of destiny. He goes after those outside of the promises of our God, for extra, he says, “You’re also part of that promise.”

And I believe that the prophetic ministry needs to release a psalm that brings the disenfranchised, the broken, the hurting back in. And I believe God wants to use millennials to do that because they’re so aware of who they are and what God wants to do. And I believe God is gonna release that through this generation in this next season.

Don’t forget to look out for next week’s video! And comment your questions on our Facebook and Instagram .

Feasting At The Wedding

Mon, 05 Mar 2018 18:00:00 GMT

Throughout his life, Jesus displayed the extravagant love of God through signs and wonders. In this teaching, Julian reminds us how to keep God’s love as our focus while pursuing revival.

– TRANSCRIPT

Julian: Good evening, and it’s good to be here this evening. I love doing the kind of, you know, one of the first Sundays in the year preachers because most people expect me to come with a prophetic word for the next year. And I don’t know if you’ve noticed most prophecies always start off with, “It’s a new season.” And I’m like, “It’s been a new season every single day for the last few years.” And then something like this, “It’s the year 2018, and that means new things are about to open up.” I’m like, “uh” because the reality is Jesus is our Jubilee. I’m not looking for another jubilee year, I live in a perpetual ever increasing jubilee.

Okay, I’m gonna preach somewhere else tonight, but every day is a new day in him because his mercies are new every morning. So a single date change does not change God’s intention toward us. A calendar change does not change the fact that his prophetic purpose for us is the same yesterday, today, and it will be the same tomorrow because he wants us to walk in the fullness of who Jesus is. So if you’re looking for a nice prophetic word this year, there you go. You live in a perpetual ever increasing jubilee, so you might as well go ahead and enjoy it.

I’d love you to turn your Bible’s please to the Gospel of John 2. If you were in the meeting this morning…if you guys come to our evening meetings and you consider Harvest your home, I really want to encourage you make sure you get the download of the morning meeting because we’re really trying to get deep in terms of understanding culture and understanding what God has for us. And George preached just brilliantly on acceleration and what God is bringing us into in this year. And I want to encourage you download it, listen to it, it’s gonna change you.

I have been stuck in the Gospel of John for about eight months. Every time I try and get out of the Gospel of John, something new pops up and impresses me. I love that the Bible has that ability to consistently impress you when you read it. If you are not impressed with the Bible, you’re probably reading it wrong. And I love that God is a happy speaking God and that he’s speaking to us in incredible ways. And I was just struck George, mentioning some stuff this morning out of the Gospel of John about wine and God turning the water into wine. I’m gonna be reading out of that tonight, and so we’ll start in verse 1. “On the third day, there was a wedding at Canaan in Galilee.”

“And the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. And when the wine run out the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’ And Jesus, said to her, ‘Woman, what does this have to do with me my hour has not yet come.’” Well, some would say, translation say, “My time is not yet come.” “His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’ Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rights of purification each holding 20 or 30 gallons,” that’s about 800 bottles of wine just in case you wanted to count.

“And Jesus said to his servants, ‘Fill the jars with water,’ and then fill them up to the brim. And he said to them, ‘Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.’ And so they took it, and when the master of the feast had tasted the water,” and I want to add there the dirty water, the water that was used to clean hands and feet, that’s what it was. “When he tasted it he did not know where it came from. And though the servants who had drawn the water knew, the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first. And when people had drunk freely then the poor wine, but you have kept the good wine until now.’ This the first of these signs Jesus did at Canaan in Galilee. And manifested his glory and his disciples believed in him.”

And now I love the Gospel of John because the Gospel of John really is John writing a new story, writing a new beginning for the world. Often people talk about the Gospel of John as the new Genesis. And so the Gospel of John starts off like, “The beginning. In the beginning was the word.” Starts off exactly as he does in the book of Genesis because John is writing very strategically, he’s writing very clearly about what it means for us now to grafted into a new kingdom where we get to start a new life with new creation bright thoughts. And you’ll read the Gospel of John, and you’ll see that there are six miracles that coincide with the six days of creation. And then the 7th miracle is the resurrecting miracle.

And the resurrection miracle of Jesus being raised from the dead speaks of the fact that now creation can cover, new creation can cover the earth. And so when you begin to look at John, and you begin to see what he’s writing and what he’s writing about, as you begin to read it, you begin to see that there’s a massive paradigm shift that God wants to bring to us in this incredible revelation for us to enjoy. It’s why I want to encourage you if you can to get a hold of a teaching series by the Bishop N.T. Wright called “The Everyone Series.” It’s a great easy read for you to read with your Bible to help unlock what the scripture is really saying. It will be really helpful and it will build you up. But you’ll notice then John, begins to unpack, he’s wanting to paint a picture. In fact, some people even say John is almost creating a bit of theatre to help us understand and to point that Jesus is fully God, and fully man. To help his hearers and his readers understand that this is the king of Glory that had hit earth.

This king took some dirt from the earth and he covered his glory with it. I love that, dirty glory. That he is so kind that he would not count equality with God as something to be grasped, but he would humble himself and put on flesh. I love that. And the fullest revelation of God is Jesus. If you want to know anything about God, look at Jesus and you’ll see what God is really like. And we get to this one, his first sign, and I want to unpack that because God has been staring something in my heart around expectations for revival, around the expectation for an outpouring, around expectation for a little bit of mess. Amen. Can you say amen to my own points because they’re jolly good?

And so this is the first sign, and so I want you to think back to the Garden of Eden. I want you to think back to what God is wanting, or what John the writer is wanting us to understand through this. And one of the things that we notice about this first sign is that something is recreated, something is made new. John connects this even to the resurrection because you’ll notice it says, “On the third day at the feast.” And you read throughout the Gospel of John, you’ll see that the third day is always in reference to resurrection day.

I’m so glad that we leave in the third day forever now. We live in resurrection life forever, and so when John says, “On the third day,” he’s wanting the hearers to understand this is the resurrection moment. This is a new creation moment, and what he does is he takes something from the earth, he takes something that is dirt and he turns it into something new. He turns the properties, he creates something new when he turns the water into wine. Somebody once said, “The church has been trying to turn the wine back into water ever since.” And he turns the water into wine, it’s a new creation moment, it’s a moment where something is being created in newness.

It’s also a moment for us to understand that Jewish people would have understood that when the sign of miracles broke-out when there were breakouts of God, it was a sign that heaven was touching earth. And I love this beautiful moment of resurrection because it’s happening at a wedding. It’s happening in a moment where there’s gonna be a marriage that will come together. And anyone who is a Jew who’d be reading this would understand that there was a moment at the beginning of creation in the Garden of Eden where heaven and earth, who seemingly are opposites, came together. And they were in perfect harmony, they were in perfect unity in the Garden of Eden.

And the subtle nuance that John wants us to understand is this is a marriage moment of heaven and earth. This is the way the kingdoms gonna look from now on. And not only that, it’s gonna look like celebration, it’s gonna look like intimacy, it’s gonna look like beauty. And I want to say to you this year God wants to call us back to a bridal paradigm where we fall in love with our bridegroom. Where we fall in love with the beauty of who he is, and if you’re a guy and you’re getting slightly freaked by the thoughts of falling in love with a man, that’s okay, that’s all right.

God calls women sons in the Bible, so they have to deal with that. The point is not about a emotion that is based on human relationship, it is about an unlocking of emotion and divine pursuit of the one that we love. And this is dynamic of Him saying, “I’m wanting to bring this new marriage of heaven and earth. I’m wanting to bring this new marriage of a people who are called out to the one that I love.” And, you know, I heard someone say, one of my friends said, “This is weak. So often we talk about the bride and we have seminars on how to be a better bride, and we have seminars on how to build a better church. But not many of the church, not much of the bride actually knows the bridegroom.”

And Jesus starts and does his first miracles, a miracle intentionally, at a wedding because he’s wanting to say, “I am the bridegroom and it’s time to celebrate. It’s time to get the party started. It’s time to get a little bit loser in here.” And listen, this is a picture of the feast, the wedding feast that gonna come one day, that’s gonna be so great, it’s gonna be such an amazing party that’s gonna last for eternity. Shika [SP] Bazika [SP], I’m gonna say it again because some of you need your faces to recognize that you’re invited to a party that will go on for eternity. You see our hope today is not based on whether God’s gonna do a miracle tomorrow, our hope today is based in the fact that the resurrected Lord.

The third day moment of new creation has already come. And there is a feast that we will partake, that we have been invited to that will kill every other party that’s ever been heard, and it will go on and roll on and roll on and roll on. And just when you think you’ve had your full he’s gonna say, “Hey, have some more wine.” It’s outrageous. He’s wanting us to come into an understanding that you get to participate in the reality of that celebration right now. How many of you remember in Luke, I think it’s chapter…I forget chapter 11 where he talks about the wonderful prayer, “Our Father who art in heaven Hallowed be thy name.”

And we often talk about that, “Forgive us this day our daily bread.” And we think of that in terms of our daily needs, but when you understand that in the original, it’s not talking about meeting our daily needs. It’s talking about give us the bread of tomorrow, it’s an expression that will be spoken of concerning the feast that which is to come. Jesus is saying, “Pray, and when you pray say, ‘God give us the bread that we will eat at the feast one day right now.’” It’s not about, “Please give me another 100 bucks, so I can pay my rent.” It’s talking about extravagance, it’s talking about over the top crazy abundance because in heaven there is no lack.

And God is calling us to a feast, and the thing I love about this text is that Jesus, he takes the tapered, warm, dirty water of the law. And all of the ability to try and work really hard to get clean and he says, “I’ll take your hard-work that you think is gonna get you somewhere, and I’ll show you what I can do with it and completely change the chemical properties of it, so that the maturity of wine is found in it.” You know, the thing that strikes me, you know, sometimes people say to me, “We need to get a lot more thirsty for revival.” And I agree with it, I understand the sentiment, but what Jesus does, in this context, is he gives people who already were a little bit happy.

And he says, “I know you’re a little bit happy so, I’m just gonna give you a whole lot more,” because the nature of revival is not to satisfy what you think is your thirst, the nature of revival is to pour out an excess from heaven. I’m gonna help you a little bit here just very quickly because when you get this it’s incredible. Revival is not depending upon out thirst, it’s depending upon his willingness to pour out new wine. You see, God’s desire to change the city of Durban, God’s desire to change South Africa is not dependent on how hard we pray, or how many fasts we do. It’s not dependent upon my repenting for the land 10 times, again and again, and again, trying to clean myself again and again and again. God takes what is dirty, God takes what is filthy, God takes what is our attempt at obtaining the miraculous breakthrough and he says, “You can’t do it, so just let me do it for you.”

You see when you get prayers from the place of a bridal paradigm, you’re not asking him for something that you need, you’re joining him in something that he’s doing. God wants to shift our paradigms in terms of why we meet, in terms of why we come together because I kind of get the feeling that God wants to embarrass us with his excess. You see whenever you read the stories of past moves of God…I love reading the stories of revival. I love listening to the stories of how Catherine Kuhlman would have queues and queues of people waiting outside the building. And as you would get there, before the meeting even started, people would be getting healed as they were waiting in the queues.

At Greyville Race Course there was a man by the name of William Branham who rocked up, and there was such power displays that he records it as the best meetings he has ever had. Many healed, many saved, many encountering God. I think of Maria Woodworth Etter who would get up, and as she would preach she would be so caught up in the inebriating presence of God that she would get lost in his presence, while everyone else would fall under conviction within a few miles radius around her. Shika Bazika man. Or Smith Wigglesworth on a train going through Yorkshire countryside, and the towns coming under conviction because he carried the sense of the presence of God. Because there’s something about treasures in jars of clay.

There’s something about people who carry this wine, who try to do it really hard. Who try to work really hard, “And, God, I can’t do it, so you change me from the inside out.” You see I believe God wants to heighten the availability of this wine to us and the freedom because it’s superabundant. And the thing is when we read about these revivals and we listen to the stories of what God’s done, what we don’t read about are the critiques, are the people who spoke against it because we often, as the church, love the glory in what God did in the past.

We love to look forward to what God will do in the future, but we very often prosecute the present moves of God. And so we say things like, “We need to just worry about their theology, they’re a little bit too much kingdom now at the moment. You know, won’t you think it will protect our people?” You know, all this reckless love of God stuff, we need to be careful about the words that we say because mm-mm if you were at our youth conference two weekends ago, we had about 40, 50 kids on the floor flapping like wet fish. They were a little bit excessive, they were speaking in tongues, being filled with the Holy…it was super excessive, it was messy. I wonder, church, have we become a little bit too respectable. I’m feeling the glory even if you’re not.

I wonder if we’ve just got so used to the party the way it’s always been. We’ve had some great wine, it’s been cool amazing wine, you can probably go home now. And God’s going, “I want to get a little bit excessive.” You see in the west, we think that excessiveness is wasteful, in the kingdom excessiveness is not waste, excessiveness is a demonstration of God’s extravagance. And God so extravagantly pours out his blessings at this wedding feast. I mean, it was outrageous, 800 bottles of wine after they had already got a little bit happy. Now there are some scholars who would try to tell us that it was a low level of alcohol, they probably weren’t drunk. The thing about excessiveness, the thing about extravagant is it’s always offensive. These guys were drinking proper wine. Some of you are like, “Oh, my gosh.” It’s why Ephesian’s says, “Do not get drunk on…”

Congregation: Wine.

Julian: I’m not saying that Jesus endorses drunkenness, that’s not what I’m saying. I’m just simply saying that Jesus dropped the mic at that party and says, “I’ll let you make that decision,” and walks away. Super excessive, over, I mean, it’s superabundant, crazy, embarrassing, like you know, irreligious. I am…I’ll tell you guys, my wife and I just got blessed with two nights at the Oyster Box Hotel. Sweet Jesus in heaven, there’s an open heaven over that hotel. I was, like, getting downloads and because I’m social media savvy and I’m connected with the millennial generation, I thought, ” let me post this picture up,” and the first thing I thought was, “Oh, my gosh, if I post this up people are gonna do the sums, they’re gonna think that I’m super wealthy.”

“And they’re gonna think that I’m probably milking the church for money, and I got to be really careful. I just don’t wanna, you know, talk about the blessing that God’s given me because people are gonna misunderstand it, and they’re gonna judge me.” And then I just thought to myself, “You know what, I don’t give a continental pop really.” Because the reality is the blessing and abundance of God is excessive, it’s over the top embarrassing. And the culture of revival is one that is excessive. People come to me like, “All this laughing in church, it’s a little bit excessive. We need to just control it a little bit.”

This is the favorite one, “We need to pastor our people through this one.” You know, I’m really not happy with this 15-year-olds getting filled with the Holy Spirit because they’re about to go to school and school it’s really hard. We need to help them. Just give them the real suffering gospel that will help them.” The nature of revival, the nature of outpouring is excessive, it’s abundant, it’s messy. I wonder, Harvest, have we become a little bit too predictable, have we become a little bit too happy with the party as it’s always been.

And has any you noticed, throughout the gospels, when Jesus does multiplication he does it twice, there’s more than enough. When the woman breaks the alabaster jar, and they say, “This is wasteful, this is excessive.” Jesus goes, “No this is what’s needed.” His understanding of excess is need. “No, no, this is needed for my burial.” People have accused me of being one of those health, wealth, prosperity preachers and I probably I’m a little bit guilty. But here’s the deal, when you think that you’ve hit a ceiling with God’s blessing, he wants to pour out the real wine because you’ve been working for that. And he wants to show you what he can do when you don’t work for it. Because favor and blessing is not depending on my ability to work for it, it’s depending on my ability to drink from it. Ephesians 5:18 say’s, “Do not get drunk on wine.” It’s the happy command. If you wanna be legalistic in the kingdom, this is what you need to be legalistic about, “Do not get drunk on wine but be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

If you wanna follow any kind of rule, follow that rule because what happens when you get filled with the spirit is your speech changes, your walk changes, your behavior changes. I’m just gonna leave that one hanging a little bit longer because you see, God wants to invite us into the excessive nature of his blessing toward us. He wants us to so be intoxicated with him that we’re not quite sure what to do with ourselves anymore. And so whoever we see…listen when God began to move in 1994 with what’s called “The Toronto blessing” or “The Father’s blessing” I crawled around, and I still do when the Holy Spirit comes.

There were moments when it was just excessive and over the top and I had people trying to tell me, “You shouldn’t be doing that.” I was at a very prim and proper Bible school and found myself, how shall I say, slightly inebriated in the Holy Spirit. And the dean of the Bible school looked at me and said, “That’s disgusting.” And, you know, it’s incredible what people do when other people are happy, but anyway, that’s another story. But the overflow that happened around me meant that my evangelism was carefree. I didn’t work at evangelism, I wasn’t trying to work at, “I need to change my sphere of influence.”No, my sphere of influence was changed because my sphere, on the inside, had been so filled with wine, with the intoxicating presence of God.

It’s into this moment, this resurrection moment, this marriage moment where heaven meets earth. It’s into this moment where this excessive, abundant, over the top, some would even say wasteful expression of God’s goodness. Sorry, I just can’t get over that, right? It’s, like, it’s so over the top His goodness. Help me, Jesus, help me articulate a little bit better here. It is so over the top His goodness. It’s not like He’s really good, He’s superabundant over the top good. He’s so good he invites us, He says, “Whatever you ask, think, or imagine, I will go beyond that.” Your imagination becomes the seedbed to display His goodness.

So if you can imagine it, you can have it. And it’s in this context of marriage, it’s in this context of celebration, it’s in this context of feasting, it’s in this context of outpouring that Mary, says to him, “You need to do something about the wine.” And I’ve had lot’s of people, great theologians, who have been cautioning me saying, “Julian, you need to teach very carefully on what’s called Kingdom Now and Not Yet.” And that’s a simple theological phrase to say that God’s kingdom has come in the person of Jesus, and we see miracles, signs, wonders. But his kingdom is still coming, and one day it will make all things new.

And I understand that tension, I understand that were in the kingdom now and not yet, But Mary does something here that is outrageous. She places a demand on the future kingdom right there ahead of its appropriate time. I don’t understand it people saying to me you know, “We’ll just gonna wait for the timing of God, He’s sovereign.” Mary is like, “I don’t care about that, I want my miracle now.” I mean, I understand it in the economy even, but what I do know is that Mary had promises in her heart for 30 years, about a king who was called Jesus, who happened to be her son. They were promises that have been growing in our heart for 30 years. And I kind of think she got to the point where she went, “You know what, I want some of that right now thanks.” And sometimes we lean into what we call the not yet, ” Well, you know, the kingdom hasn’t fully come, we just have to understand that he’s not always gonna do stuff.”

And we’re leaning that at the expense of an expectation and an anticipation of what he can do right now, even though it seems like outside of time. Every time I pray for the sick that’s what I’m learning [SP] into I’m saying, “I know that there’s some warfare around us. I know that everything is not as it should be, but I’m just gonna go ahead and ask you anyway. Get me some of that right now please.” What are you asking God for? And I’m not talking about the plausible, I’m talking about the impossible because faith can only operate in the realm of impossible. I wonder how this…have we become a little bit too respectful and too nice, and middle class. Glory, “I had my nails done,” I actually did by the way, “Had my nails done.” I’m a real man, I can say that. You know, “I’ve got my new nice car it’s amazing.” Great, new, amazing wallpaper at home. Beautiful.” Those things are great and they’re signs of God’s blessing, but if they operate in the realm of the possible it’s not faith. What are you asking in the realm of the impossible? What does it look like to shake a nation? What does it look like to take some wine and pour it out and make it messy all over the place? I’m just gonna preach to myself anyway.

The happy command means you get filled, and it’s in this context that Mary says, “Give me some of that now.” And Jesus says this, “It’s not my time, it’s not my hour.” And whenever you see that in John, he’s talking about the moment when his glory is most revealed. And his glory is mostly revealed not in the signs and the wonders, his glory is most revealed not in the raising of the dead, his glory is most revealed, not in the multiplication of bread. His glory is most revealed when he’s on the cross and he says, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” Because in that moment the God of the universe chooses to become weak by human understanding, and in that weakness because of his love, he wins over a whole new creation to himself. You see the pursuit of revival is not about power, the pursuit of revival is about love. It’s about a life that’s laid down.

You see Jesus dreaded this moment as he was standing before Pilate, and Pilate said, “Do you not know I have the power to take your life.” Jesus, says, ” No one can take my life. I lay down my life.” And that act of love burst open the volts of glory. That act of love caused a doorway to be opened in the heavens so that now there is this love revival that is meant to flow from you and from me to everyone and everything that we touch. Because the new creation is not about a display of his power, it’s about a display of his love.

You see the kind of revival culture that we’re going after in this church is not simply one of signs and wonders, although we love that, and in a moment I’m gonna invite him to encounter him. It’s not simply one of good organization of skills, yet we wanna be organized, but that’s not what we’re after. It’s not simply one of having a bride that is super organized and well prepared no. No, now, we want that. It’s one who’s pursuing the lover of the universe called Jesus. It’s about longing for him, the Song of Songs says, “Your love is better than wine.”

There’s something about a longing that once you’ve tasted of the good stuff, once you’ve tasted of the wine that he has created, you want some more. And in end with the story, and I don’t think I’ve ever shared this in a public forum quite like this. Some of you might have heard me tell the story in other context. A few years ago I was in a church where I was part of the pastoral team in Cape Town. And we were having what’s called a “Resolution Meeting.” And those are meetings where God just broke-out in incredible power. In fact, Ross Ann, you came to some of them, Shawn [SP] would have been in some of them, and it will just a come and drink.

And I wanna encourage you this evening to our come and drink time. Like, we just… Man, I work much better when I’m drunk in God. When I’m drunk in is love, I love…I tell you what two days with Jesus and with my wife and I said to [inaudible 00:035:35] “I feel like I’ve had a second honeymoon.” Because there’s something about falling in love with him that makes you love everyone around him, makes you love your wife better, makes you love your kids better. So some wives are going, “You need to go and drink some of that stuff, please.”

And I was in this meeting and God just got me filled. I mean, it was crazy, I couldn’t walk. I was so filled with the Holy Spirit. And what you would expect that when God breaks out that those things happen. How many of you know the river has not stopped flowing. It’s not like God went around about 1997, “That’s enough church, no more blessing for you.” The river is still flowing. I’m gonna say that again because some of you need to just take a little drink there. The river is still flowing. God is still moving.

And as I was on this floor drinking from God, I went into what felt like an open vision. And an open vision, for those of you who might not be used to that term, is when it seems like it’s very real in front of me and everything else around me seems to fade into obscurity, seems to be out of focus. And so I’m in this open vision, which is Biblical by the way, you see that happen in scripture if you want references I can talk you to you afterward. And in this open vision, I’m in what looks like this massive cellar room of heaven. I’m feeling a little bit happy as I’m talking about this right now. And I’m walking into the cellar room of heaven.

And I see this names on it, Smith Wigglesworth, Aimee Semple McPherson, Kathryn Kuhlman, saints of old who moved in incredible power and in revival and in the presence of God. And I can see Maria Woodworth-Etter. I can see just loads of people’s names on there. It’s just incredible, and as I’m walking around them God says, “I am about to pour out my spirit in a very fresh way, and I’m releasing a blend of a new wine that will take the essence of past moves of God and bring them together into one new wine for the church to drink.”

And so I am like, “This is amazing.” And I’ve learned that God is extravagant, so he doesn’t open up a tap for me to drink from, He just begins to hit all the taps off. So I’m literally seeing Smith Wigglesworth’s tap of a barrel of wine just pouring out all over the place. Catherine Kuhlman just like this barrel of wine pouring out all over the place. It’s just incredible, just wine all over it’s literally coming up to my knee, and he said to me, “Go ahead and take a drink.” And so I did, I put my glass into this thing and I did this. And as I did that wine, real wine filled my mouth. Now I’m not quite sure if your theology allows you to drink wine, mine does.

So I went, “I’m gonna drink.” And I totally drank it in, and one sip instantaneously got me completely…I mean, they had to carry me out of the meeting. It was unbelievable. And I was completely…I mean, it was incredible and shortly after that I’ve seen loads of miracles, amazing things happening all over the place. But I eventually sobered up enough to go to the spa, I know that is a sin I know. If you’re a spa owner, God bless your business. But I go to the spa with some friends and I’m sitting there. Now I’m…you need to understand I’m literally…my head is spinning, my legs are weak, I’m feeling giggly like some of you are feeling right now you just don’t want to let it out because you sat in. You know, wine doesn’t care about what other people think. Let me say that again, when you drink wine a little bit too much, you don’t care what other people think. When you drink wine it doesn’t really care about what other people think.

And so I’m sitting there and I’m literally, I’m trying so hard to concentrate on people because they’re talking at me because I am not there. And my friend then says to me, “Guys, I had this really wired experience tonight. I was on the floor and I walked into what looked like a cellar-room. And on these cellars were names of revivalists, and then God broke off all the taps and all these wine started flowing together. And as I drunk from it my mouth filled with physical wine.” Now you don’t have to believe this that…I really don’t care really, it happened to me. It happened to my friend, and it happened to three other people that night.

All around people were saying, “That is bizarre that happened to me.” Go figure, put that in your pipe and smoke it. I got a feeling that God wants to take some of the tapered water of your hard effort. Some of the filthy dirty water of you trying to make it work and clean yourself up, and turn it into some wine that gets poured out wherever you go. And here’s the deal friends, learning to live on this side of the respectability line, you’ll never be able to drink freely and change the world around you.

[00:42:00]

[Silence]

[00:48:42]

Here there’s some power on her boom right now. Steve Turner, the intoxicating presence of God is hitting you right now. There it goes right through you. God, I release your presence to increase right now. The reason why I’m asking these people to stand is because I wanna bless what God’s already doing. So I’m just gonna do that, then we’re gonna pray for anyone who wants prayer.

Oh, I love it Ross Ann is getting drunk, oops somebody help her there quickly. The mama of the house is getting drunk that means any one can get drunk. And it’s not about an external manifestation or phenomena. It is about God taking the inside of you and transforming it into wine that gets poured out of you. The wineskin of revival is not structured to family, and I release wine to flow in the context of family right now. God, I bless what you’re doing to these people right now. Someone just receive it right now. I bless what you’re doing. Steve Currier [SP], receive. I bless what you’re doing Lord. And I just wanna asked everyone to stand because in the next three or four minutes…

I don’t know if you can sense the intensity of His presence is beginning to build, and here’s that wonderful thin-line of, “We’ve had some wine, it’s been a good party or do you want to get excessive for God.” The Message puts it this way, “Do not get drunk on wine but be filled with the Holy Spirit. Drink huge drops of him.” Kyle [SP], go ahead. The creativity that’s in you is gonna burst forth from you as you drink, you were born into the move of the spirit. You’re a drinker, go ahead and drink from him. This is the life source that’s gonna unlock creativity and favor that will cause you to get into places that you’re other colleagues will only hope to get into. Boom, there it goes right through you. Now some of you are struggling to receive because you’re not quite sure how to. I wanna help you. You don’t need to get super intense, He wants to bless you more than you want to be blessed. All He’s asking you to do is just say, “Give me some more.”

Get into the excessive extravagant work of God. Ask him right now to do something out of time just for you. Just watch his increase is gonna begin to be poured out right now. Some of you are gonna begin to get so freed-up. God increase your presence right now, release your life, release your joy, release your glory right now. When you think you’ve had enough ask him for more. When you think you’ve had your fill, ask him for more because revival is excessive.

God, I thank you that we’re not looking for revival, we are a walking revival. He’s just hovering. Bible says the kingdom of heaven is within arm’s reach. I Just want to just go ahead and prophetically pull some of heaven down right now. I know heaven is in you, but I’m just prophetically I’m gonna walk into it. You just go ahead and pull on the excessive nature of your Father, pull on the extravagant over the top, over the top nature. Now just when you think the parties done, he goes and turns a whole lot of water into wine. God, release your glory. It’s in the excessive, extravagant nature of God that his glory is revealed. Release your glory right now all over this room.

There is a lady in this room you have despised manifestations in other people. And God right now is about to feel you with his presence. I’m not gonna ask you who you are, but God is filling you right now. You’ve often gone, “I don’t like that, it’s too much.” God just wants to get a little bit too much with you just because he loves you. Release the too much of heaven, Lord. Come Holy Spirit. I’m gonna take just a few more moments and I wanna…for me, I think we often need to linger a little bit longer, but I know some of you need to go home and that’s fine. But I just feel like there’s something of heaven breaking out right now. Fill your people, fill their mouths with wine from heaven right now. There’s someone here you’ve battled to speak in tongues for a long while. Right now, as you take a deep breath in, tongues are gonna be released.

You’ll just suddenly begin to speak in a heavenly language, just go ahead and do that right now. If you’ve not been baptized in the Holy Spirit, this is a good time, be baptized in the Holy Spirit. Go ahead take a deep breath and you can begin to speak in tongues any time you want. Some of the young people go ahead and drink, you can have some more. God, we repent for being respectable and predictable, and we want to ask you to get the party started in this place. We say, “God, go ahead mess up our plans, interrupt our meetings.” Oh, this is so dangerous. God, inconvenience us with the wine of heaven. Stacy, the power of God is just hitting you right now. Somebody just get behind her very quickly. There is literally glory just hitting you boom there it goes right through you in Jesus name. Release your presence. If you’ve not been to a church service where people laugh and fall over, it’s all in the Bible. This happens when the presence of God comes. God, I ask you to release a lovesickness in our hearts for you.

A lovesickness for your presence. We don’t just wanna be a good bride who’s detached from her bridegroom. We wanna be a bride who’s in love with her bridegroom. And some people are gonna have some words of knowledge for healing. If you can just make your way up quickly. Guys, it would be nice to bring words of knowledge for healing specifically, won’t you quickly come. Right, here’s what I’m wanna do, I’m just gonna end like this. Just come and stand on this side for me, please. Guys who’ve got word of knowledge for healing who’ve been asked of come.

Hey buddy, have some more. He is not drunk as you suppose, these are drinking buddies clearly. Just go ahead and drink. Listen, if you’re offended with joy God bless you, heavens gonna be a very awkward place for you.

[00:58:57]

[Silence]

[00:59:14]

You might be asking me why I’m waiting because this is not about upfront, I want you to connect with him. Just go ahead and drink oops. Now you guys have lost all respectability, now just focus in on him right now, just drink from him. There’s a wave of his presence breaking up friends, you get to drink. What’s happening up front it can happen anywhere in the building just drink.

Carol Burnett [SP], this is your year of crazy in God. Oh, there it is, I can literally see the lightning from heaven just all over you right now. It’s gonna be hard for you to keep it together this year because you’re gonna be having so much fun it’s gonna be excessive. And the very nature of generosity that you display, it’s the very nature of generosity with which the Father is gonna pour it out upon you. Get ready. All right, I wonder if you could just hold hands all across just very lightly. I am not saying this for a fact, but I can see the presence of God like sparks all over the place. Can anyone else see that by the way?

If you can see like sparks just wave your hands at me because…yeah, like numbers of you, it’s like sparks breaking. That’s the sign of the presence of God, angelic activity that’s in the room. There are about four hands that went up. You know, what I love about the presence of God, the people who recognize it first are the kids. Can you see how fascinated they are? It’s what I was like when I was a kid because they can see something with the presence of God and because it’s funny. So as you just hold hands, I just wanna release favor and blessing all over this place. You already have it. I just wanna say this you don’t need anything to come upon you, you have the Holy Spirit as the river within you. The wine is on the inside. The wine is on the inside. You just need to become aware. All those young ladies over there God just touching you all, just go ahead. Amberley [SP], right from you all the way down the presence of God is hitting that whole area boom there it goes right through you all.

I wanna say this again this is not about laughing, it is about drinking, although laughing is good. The greatest form of spiritual warfare happens when we laugh. The Bible says God laughs at His enemies. When you join in what He’s doing it’s the greatest form of spiritual warfare. God, I say increase right now. Get it a little bit looser in this place, Lord. Shake it loose, Lord, shake it loose in this room. This dear brother with the blue shirt the presence of God is all over you right now. And I can just see like an increased weight of his goodness coming upon you.

So Father, I just release your presence right now. Now as you’re holding hands, what’s gonna happen is the presence of God is gonna begin to sparkle in different parts, and it’s gonna hit like electricity. You young guys will you hold hands because God wants to touch you too. Send more, Lord, right now in Jesus name. Father, right now in the name of Jesus, I thank you for your presence in this room. And now I ask you reveal your glory. Reveal your glory all over this room right now. Yap, that’s it more right now. Let the intoxicating presence of the Holy Spirit be poured out all across this room right now. More right now, more right now all over this room.

Let people be overwhelmed with your presence, overwhelmed with your goodness right now. Production manager, Anthony, there’s some glory on you right now, go ahead and receive it. Some of you need to actually physically laugh at the enemy because God is just broken some stuff off of you. There’s a gentleman with a Jeep T-shirt on, the power of God is just hitting you right now. I can see it all over you boom right now, you and your wife are getting it. Boom there it goes wow, thank you God that was so funny. If you need healing right now, God is releasing some healing just go ahead and drink. There’s a young guy you’re standing next to Steve Turner, the power of God is just on you. You’re called to be one who carries the prophetic voice to your generation.

God is releasing you in such incredible anointing. There’s an inheritance that you have in God that is gonna shake nations and it’s not gonna look normal, it’s not gonna look predictable, it’s not gonna look religious because religion bores you to bits. And you’re gonna reach the sub-culture in the sporting world that is gonna shake things. And even this last week you’ve been asking God for direction about the next season of your life. And God says, “I’m gonna start to speak to you in such great clarity and authority because you’re called to shake and shape things.” God’s got an adventure for you that’s gonna be wild and free, you’re not gonna be bound by anything.

And his power is just on you right now, and he is filling you right now with vision and with dreams. He gives you permission to color outside the lines. Go ahead color outside the lines. Oh, God’s breaking out all over the place. This is my live Pentecostal bullet, I’m gonna shoot it now. So if you want in on getting filled this is a good time. We were gonna have words of knowledge, but most of the team are on the floor. If you need healing, I will encourage you to come up to the front, there will be someone here to pray for you. If the team that was supposed to bring words…how many of you know in the presence of God you don’t need a word of knowledge because God wants to heal you anyway.

God’s presence is just here. If you need some healing just come up. There’s some of you need some breakthrough in your bones, laughter is gonna do you good like medicine to your bones the Bible says. If the team can stand up and help pray that would be great, if not… This is Stacy’s first week on the job and she’s drunk already. The rest of us let’s just lift up our hands toward heaven. If I can just get someone ready to put on a worship album in a moment that will be great. If you wanna receive and drink, you’re welcome just to come up front and just carry on drinking.

God’s presence is just touching people right now. This dear lady with the black on, God is doing something with your immune system right now. I don’t know why I see immune system, but is that right? Does that make sense to you? I don’t know if it’s like an immune condition, but I see your energy level is really low, I see imbalances in your body. God is healing that right now. And the power of God’s just coming upon you boom, there it goes right through you. That’s it, that’s power on you right now and is re-calibrating the balance in your body right now in Jesus name be healed, be healed.

I want to encourage just let her rest in the presence of God. Don’t worry if she falls God’s just on her. If I could get a lady to come and help pray that would be wonderful if you’re on our team here because God’s healing this lady. Somebody’s getting healed of stenosis in your right ear right now, stenosis is that you? Father, right now I release healing over stenosis right now in Jesus name. And numbers of you have stenosis right now I declare healing in Jesus name. There’s a lovely lady with glasses on you put both of your hands up. Yeah, you. Ma’am, God wants you to know that upon the intercession that you’ve made over a number of years nations have been changed. And I feel like you have been in a season where you felt like you’ve been forgotten, like God’s passed over you like your time is done.

God says, “No, it’s just begun because you’re gonna partner with heaven to release outpourings of God in obscure places in the earth because of your prayers. And I feel like there’s a fresh visitation. I see you at the age of about 18 or 19 coming into an encounter with God in a very real and a deep way. And I don’t know if it was on a youth camp or something like that, but I just see you encountering God in your late teens early 20s in terms of the call of God that on your life. And God says to you, “I’m gonna resurrect some stuff that happened in that season of encounter and there’s a fresh season of encounter coming to you. And it’s gonna begin even right now.

So just as you close your eyes and lift your hands, his presence is coming over you. God says, “The late night journaling where you ask him for particular things even for your family.” God says, “There’s some breakthrough coming.” There it goes right through you, his presence overwhelms you right now. Sorry, guys, I know this has gone over time. I know it’s gone overtime, but we’re just gonna release healing upon people. Father, right now in Jesus name I declare healing. Guys, if you’re on ministry team in our church, just come and lay hands upon some of this folks. Just release the presence of God. Kate [SP], if you wanna pray for people who are sick go ahead.

And for the rest of us, this is gonna be my final prayer for real I promise. Aren’t you glad God’s glad? Are you glad God is happy? Father, I’m asking you right now just even as we close for real this time. Holy Spirit, turn the water into wine again, we give you permission not that we even have the right to, to mess our world, to change us around, to inconvenience us with your presence, and your power, and your glory. And, Lord, I ask you for a wave of your presence right now. A wave of your presence right now to hit your people. You are free to go now. If you want to receive some more and you just want someone to bless you, to pray for you, I want to encourage you you’re welcome to come and stand up in front.

We might not even get to you to pray for you, but I want to encourage you just walk in and say, “Here I am God, fill me.” There’s an incredible sign of his and goodness. Some of you, you can come and partake of communion and literally as you drink of the wine, as it were some of you are get intoxicated because this a meal that heals all right. And as you come and drink and eat, some of you…this is a physical sign of the feast that we will enjoy one day. And I want to encourage you come and partake, come and drink, come and eat because God’s gonna fill you.

And so God, we bless people right now, we release your anointing in Jesus name. And we thank you for your presence. If you want some prayer from the prayer ministry team, feel free just come on up, there will be someone here to bless you, pray for you. Please feel free to join us. I think there is coffee, is that right, available? Please feel free to do that. I’ll pray that the coffee turns into wine too. But go ahead, God bless you. Do you want to say something George? God bless you. Thank you for coming. Next week our morning meetings are at 8.00, and then at 9:45 feel free to come. God bless you.

Again, if you want ministry, if you wanna just come and receive, you’re welcome to come and stand up front, come and receive. There’s some people to pray for you and to bless you just come and receive.

Who Are You?

Thu, 15 Feb 2018 18:00:00 GMT

Everywhere Jesus went he was asked this one question, “Who are you?”. In this teaching, Katia Adams helps us understand how to live like Jesus by leaning on Him in every moment. You were made to play in the impossible, and the impossible only happens when you lean on Him.

– TRANSCRIPT

Katia: It is my privilege to be standing here this morning. I love this house. Julian and I, and our kids love being part of this family. And if you’d seen me at about 7:00 this morning after a sleepless night with our kids… We’ve got a two-year-old and a nine-month-old who both decided it was the perfect opportunity to wake up through the night. If you’d seen me at 7:00, you would have seen me a little bit worse, but over the last hour and a half, I’ve just felt God speaking to me so powerfully that, to be honest, within about two minutes of the worship time, I was saying to Julian, “I’m raring to go. I can’t wait, I can’t wait.”

So, I think God is gonna do something quite significant in us as a people this morning. And all through the worship time, I think, triggered by this song about his love awakening us, I had this story running through my mind. And it’s a true story. A lady who I’ve met a couple of times, don’t know her very well, this happened to her. She’s Welsh and living in the States, but she’s Welsh and she had gone on a mission trip to, somewhere in Wales, actually, with a whole group of people. And she felt God speak to her about going into this old beautiful church in Wales, and she felt God say to her… I mean, it was quite…if you can imagine with me one of those seriously traditional, beautiful, old stone buildings where it’s silent inside. And there’s such a sense of reverence and religion, and it’s all mixed together. But it’s not the sort of place you feel like shouting aloud or even talking aloud, you use your inside voice when you’re in that place.

And she felt God speak to her in that place and she felt God tell her to start shouting, “Wakey, wakey.” Not the sort of thing you would want to do, probably, anywhere in public, but certainly not in a place like that. But she’s a woman of faith and a woman of courage, and she felt God stir this inside of her again and again to the point that she just couldn’t deny that it was God speaking to her.

And so she started shouting, “Wakey, wakey, wakey, wakey,” into the silence. And suddenly, she began to see, in the supernatural, a mobilization of kingdom in that place and the angelic rising up and beginning to tell her how they’ve been asleep for a long time because no one had chosen to mobilize the supernatural power of God in that place. And suddenly, the atmosphere of that place was changed.

And as we were singing, “Your Love Awakens Me,” I thought to myself, “Wouldn’t it be a good thing to do this morning, to start shouting ‘wakey, wakey’ to ourselves, to our own spirits, and to the atmosphere in this place?” Seriously, God is moving in this place in a phenomenal way. If you’re a visitor today, this church is an awesome one. God is in this house.

But there is always more waking up that we can do, because his love is here afresh and wants to bring further realization to us of His goodness and His kindness, and further understanding of who he has made us to be.

And so, I wonder if you’d be very kind and do this with me, because if not, it’s kind of embarrassing me doing it all by myself. Would you stand with me for a moment?

And listen, you don’t have to shout, although I’d encourage you to. It’s quite releasing, really, because it’s such an odd thing to do. But I’d really like you to engage with this moment. This isn’t a gimmick. I feel like God has reminded me of this story for a reason because he wants to wake our hearts up.

And so, I just wanna encourage you, however is most engaging for you. I wanna ask you to say the words “Wake up. Wake up.” And I want you to speak that to yourself. I want you to speak it to your own heart and to your spirit. Wake up, wake up, wake up. And if you wanna shout it, shout it. And if you wanna whisper it, whisper it. But I’m asking you to engage with it. Can you do that with me?

Together: Yes.

Katia: So let’s go for it. Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up. I speak to hearts in this room and I say, “Wake up.” I speak to minds in this room and I say, “Wake up.” I speak to spirits in this room and I say, “Wake up.” We speak to the supernatural power of God in this place and we say, “Wake up.” Kingdom rise up in this place, light dawn in this place that the world would never be the same again. In Jesus name, amen.

Right, take your seats. If you’re gonna fall asleep in this sermon now, it really will be a miracle. I don’t mind if you do, it’s fine. Okay, let’s go for it. So, today, I’m gonna be looking at a couple of scriptures in Song of Songs, so feel free to flip to that book, if you like. I’m gonna read the Scriptures, so if you’d rather just listen, that’s totally fine.

I’m gonna pick out two verses that are, I think, quite astonishing. One of them I used to read, thinking that it was talking about God, until I started doing a bit of research and realized, no, it’s not talking about God, it’s talking about us as the beloved. And the verses I’m gonna look at are verse 10 in Chapter 6, and verse 5 in Chapter 8.

And in Chapter 6, it says this, “Who is this, who appears like the dawn, beautiful as the moon, bright as the sun, awesome as an army with banners?” That’s talking about you and me, that’s not talking about God. “Who is this, who appears like the dawn, beautiful as the moon, bright as the sun, awesome as an army with banners?” And in Chapter 8, it says, “Who is this coming up from the wilderness and leaning on her beloved?”

I believe God is taking the church further in her destiny in this season, where we would become a people who are so provoking, so startling, so astonishing with who we are and how we live that the world can’t help but say, “Who is this?”

And I think sometimes, we can shy away from what God wants to do in and through us because we’re saying, “No, no. No one must see me as a child of God. I must be invisible so they see God.” But what happens is, we actually squash the work of the Spirit because what he’s trying to do in us is do something so miraculous that people will see us, and then they’ll see the lover who we’re leaning on. And we’re trying to squash it. “No, no, no. I must be invisible. I’ll just remain small and quiet.” And if anyone notices anything that God has done, straight away we’re like, “No, no, no. It wasn’t me. No, let’s not talk about that,” because we’re embarrassed because we think that’s what humility is.

And God is saying, “No, I made you to be a people that the world will stand up and see and hear and go, “Who are you? How are you doing what you’re doing? How are you saying what you’re saying? How are you living this way?” And then we can just step to the side for a moment and show them our lover, and say, “This is the one I have been leaning on all along. This is the one who’s brought me from the wilderness into the place of promise.”

And so, I believe God is doing a switch for us in this season, where we would stand up and we would own who we are, not out of the place of pride but out of the place of understanding that is the Spirit working in us to make us signs and wonders that will point to his goodness and his greatness in all the world.

If you look at how Jesus lived, it’s amazing because people asked, “Who is this?” all the time when they were around Jesus. He calms a storm, and his disciples who’d been with him, who knew him, suddenly shrink back and go, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him.” And they’re shocked and they’re astonished and they have no logical answer for who is standing in front of them because he is so otherworldly.

And he forgives the sick so that they’re healed and stand up. And the Pharisees are offended and angered and they say, “Who is this? He thinks he has the right to forgive sins.” They do not have a logical box for him. He’s completely different. And so they have to ask the question, “Who on earth is standing in front of us? He goes into cities, and straight away, the atmosphere changes in that place.” And people are stirred up just because Jesus is there and the crowds start asking, “Who is this?” He starts speaking in the synagogue and people don’t know what to do because they’ve never encountered tangible power when someone speaks in such a way. And so they start asking, “Who is this who speaks with such authority?”

I wonder what questions people are asking when they see you and me. I feel like we’re too logical, we’re too reasonable, we’re too respectable. We make too much sense. I feel like we walk outside and we give too logically, we love too logically, we judge too logically. And so we blend in too logically. And yet, we were created, everything in you and me is created to cause people to be stirred up in the right way, to cause people to start asking questions that their hearts have been screaming all of their lives but they just never knew how to voice them until they see us and suddenly, hunger rises up in them and they start saying, “Who are you? How are you doing what you do? Why are you giving so generously? Why do you love me when I don’t deserve it and I act the way I do? Why are you so non-judgmental when all I’ve known about Christianity or religion is that it judges the broken?” And suddenly, people are asking the question that we were created to provoke all along. “Who is this? Who is this?”

I love looking at these verses a bit deeper. We’re gonna look at Chapter 8 first. I think it kind of makes more sense that way. “Who is this leaning on her lover coming out of the wilderness?” Out of the wilderness. The wilderness is a barren place, it’s a place of wandering and it’s a place of brokenness. And God’s intention with you and me is not for us to stay there but to lead us out of that place, and notice there’s only one way out.

Christian books, even, helpful books, self-help books will tell you that you can find your way out of that wilderness. They’ll tell you lots of steps, lots of strategies to get out of that place. They’ll give you really, really helpful guides to walk your way out of the wilderness. I wanna tell you that’s a bunch of nonsense. You can’t get out. There is only one way out of the wilderness, and it’s leaning on the beloved. There’s no other way out. It is leaning on who he is, wholeheartedly putting our weight on who he is that leads us out of that wilderness.

And look, this verse isn’t just about salvation, but it is also. So, if you’re in this place and you’re not a Christian, maybe, or you’re questioning or you’re just not sure, I wanna describe to you what being a Christian is, and it’s this. It’s recognizing that Jesus is God Himself, that Jesus came to die on a cross to wipe away all of the brokenness, all of the sin, all of the death and destruction that we have brought into this world. And then he rose again because he overcame all of that.

And now, as a Christian, what that means is to say, “I know who you are and I’m gonna put my full weight onto you. I’m gonna let you lead me out of my brokenness. So, I’m gonna let you lead me out of my sin. I’m gonna let you lead me out of all of the places where I feel like I’m dying inside because you can do it and I believe you for it.” That’s what it means to be a Christian.

And so, if you haven’t done that yet, I really wanna encourage you, today is a good day to do that. Today is a good day to say, “Jesus, I wanna lean on you to get out of the wilderness. I’m fed up of trying to find a map.”

But it’s not just about salvation, it’s not just about becoming a Christian. It’s the reality of the journey of being a Christian where we’re stepping further and further into the wholeness that God has intended for us, and you do that by continuing to lean on him.

The funny thing about leaning is that it’s actually not so easy because you lose all control. If you’ve ever had a kind of fracture or leg injury and you’ve had to lean on someone completely, for them to take all of your weight and lead you, it’s actually quite a difficult thing to do because we are innately wired and desire to have control of where we’re going. And so, even if you’ve broken your leg, you’re still trying to put some weight on that broken leg because it feels so completely crazy to lean entirely on someone else and let them lead 100%. It’s not an easy thing to do, but the Bible tells us in the Book of Proverbs, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding.”

The thing about leaning is that it’s literally a place of resting yourself. It’s a way of supporting yourself. And we have a choice to make. Trust or understand. That’s our choice. Trust or understand.

You know, belief is still a choice, it’s still a system of faith, because we’re choosing our understanding. But the problem with understanding is that it will lead you only to a certain point and no further. But trusting takes you all the way, because we can’t lead ourselves to wholeness, we can’t lead ourselves to the promise. It’s only by trusting Him and allowing Him to lead us that we can go. Simply put, and I think Bill Johnson says this, “Our hearts will take us where our minds cannot go.” You will not understand all the places that Jesus wants to lead you.

It’s beyond us, because he’s taking us into impossibility, which means our minds are like, “Whoa, what is going on? I don’t get it. I don’t get it.” That’s a really good place to be. Stay in that place because that means you’re leaning, that means you’re going, “I don’t see where we’re going. I don’t know what we’re doing. Oh, you’re taking me beyond the point of comfort.” That’s the place of leaning. Stay there, because as you lean on him for the impossible, guess what? The impossible starts happening.

I wanna ask you, when was the last time you purposely, consciously took yourself out of the place of understanding because you were leaning so heavily on Him in the supernatural? I wanna ask you, when was the last time you took such a step of faith and risk that if he didn’t show up you would be falling over quite spectacularly?”

Do you know how we tend to do leaning? And I say this because I know it. I do it all the time. We kind of prepare for the leaning. We make sure our safety net is there to catch us, we ensure that there’s a harness on us in case, somehow, he steps a little bit too far and we would fall. So, we’ve got not only a plan B, but a plan C, D, E, and F already in place because our anticipation is not one of him coming through. We’ve prepared for him not coming through.

What are you anticipating? What are you preparing for? Are you preparing for the alternative plans if he doesn’t come through? Are you preparing, making away completely for him to shine as you lean on him?

It’s not easy. You know, it’s not easy because, sometimes, we misjudge where he’s going to step, and we do fall. And I was speaking to someone yesterday, who actually echoed some of my own journey, where she’d really believed God, where she’d put all of her trust and faith for a miracle to come because she really believed that was His will, where she’d felt like she’d heard him. And yet, a miracle didn’t come through. And now she’s saying, “I don’t even believe I can hear him, because I was so convinced I’d heard him, and it didn’t happen. How can I trust that I’d know who he is and I know what he says?”

It’s hard because that’s sometimes our experience. And it’s the reality of journeying and leaning on him, because sometimes we misjudge a step. But do you know what happens in those moments when we fall? He’s not moved any further or he’s not looking down on us, going, “What is wrong with you? When will you learn already?” He’s already crouched down with us, dusting us off, saying, “Let me heal your wounds. Come, stand with me again. Come, lean on me again. Don’t worry, we’ll learn how to do this together.” That’s his promise to you and me. He’s journeying with us, teaching us how to fully lean on him.

It’s worth doing because the adventure and the thrill is in the leaning on him. If not, you can, as a Christian, live a very safe, predictable life. You do that and you’ll miss your destiny, because you were made to play in the impossible, and the impossible only happens when you’re leaning on him.

A number of years ago… I think I might have told this story here, apologies if I have. But a number of years ago, God started speaking to me about my own plan Bs and how I needed to let them go. He showed me…I had an encounter with him where I saw myself as a small child, and I saw myself. I was clinging to his feet as he was walking, but he wasn’t really getting very far. I have a two-year-old, so this happens all of the time. He, like, comes and attaches himself to my legs and I’m like, “Ezekiel, let go of me.” And he’s like, “Go, Mommy go.” And I’m like, “Dude, I can’t move. You’re on my feet, you need to give me some space to walk.”

But God showed me that that’s exactly what I was doing with him. I was clinging to his feet. So I was so close. I was keeping him so very close, so tangible, but I was sitting on his feet, restricting his movement. I was controlling his movement but I was telling him to go. And he was saying to me, “You’re trying to control where we go, we won’t go very far.” And then I saw him in this encounter, pick me up and put me on his shoulders. I no longer had any control of where we were going. It was actually quite scary. I was holding on to his hands but there’s this kind of totally out-of-control feeling where you’re higher than you were before. And that’s scary in itself, and now you have no control over where this person is gonna take you and what this person is going to do.

But, suddenly, I saw I was moving with God in a way that I’d never been moving before. And we were going further and we were doing much wilder things than we would do if I was controlling the pace. I wanna ask you, are you sitting at his feet or are you sitting on his shoulders? The thrill is in the shoulders. It’s scary and it’s risky. But he’s inviting us today to be a people who lean wholeheartedly on him, and as we start doing that, the world is going to take notice because we will be astonishing in the things that we do and in the ways that we do them, and people will start asking, “Who are you?” And then they’ll see the one we’re leaning on.

Let’s look at Chapter 6. It says, “Who is this who looks down or appears like the dawn?” Do you know you were created to be the morning dawn of the kingdom into a broken world? That’s who you were made to be. You are the dawning of the light of the kingdom, into the kingdom of darkness. That’s who you are. You radiate the light of the kingdom of God unto this earth so that the kingdom of darkness begins to shrink back. And notice, the thing is, the light cannot help but overcome the darkness. Have you ever seen the dawn starts to dawn and then night just overtakes it and suddenly, we go back into night again? No, because that’s not how it works. How it works is, the light overcomes the darkness, the light goes ever stronger and the darkness gets ever dimmer. And that’s who you are.

And the enemy will tell you, “Oh, no. The darkness is the one dawning all over you.” And you’re on the back foot and you’re on the defensive, and oh, it’s just gonna get so much worse. You better watch out, you better get really ready, as Christians. And when he says that, he doesn’t mean you better get on the offensive. What he means is, you better hide out somewhere and just wait it out because the darkness is coming. But he’s a liar. You are the light of the kingdom dawning onto the kingdom of darkness. And you, your light overwhelms the darkness, your light overcomes the darkness. The light that is in you is so powerful that the dawn breaks and the darkness dims. That’s who we’re made to be. Who is this? Who is this who appears like the dawn?

It’s echoes of Isaiah 60. Isaiah 60 says, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen on you. For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples. But the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.”

What I love about Isaiah 60 is it shows us that we’re not to arise and reflect, as many of us believe, but we are to arise and shine, which means, as the light of God dawns on us, it doesn’t only bathe us with his goodness and his light, but it actually changes who we are entirely, so that what was once his light becomes our light and we start shining in and of ourselves because he’s changed our very substance. It says, “Arise, your light has come.” And then it says, further on, “Nations and kings will come to your light.”

He’s changed your very substance. As you encounter him, everything changes about you. He’s not just giving himself over you and washing you with his goodness, he’s magnetizing every part of your being so now you become the very thing you have beheld. It’s amazing. I think Bill Johnson puts it this way, “Your capacity to see and taste changes your capacity to become.”

Are you seeing and tasting his light? Because that’s changing everything about who you are. And it’s time for the church to arise and shine, because God wants to bring kings and nations to us. You were created to be the light of the kingdom dawning so that kings and nations will see the light that you bring and will come to you. That is who you are. That is what you were made for. Nothing less than that. Nothing smaller than that. Do you recognize that everywhere you go, literally, there is the light of the kingdom dawning? Everywhere you go, every place you go into, there is kingdom light dawning. And sometimes we try to hide it, and sometimes we wanna cover it, and sometimes we don’t even recognize it, which means we don’t even partner with what we are created to do. But if we see it, and if we understand it, and if we choose to lean on Him, then we will engage with this very thing that is happening from us, which is light rising all around us.

You are created to change your world. That’s not just a gimmick, that’s not just a catchphrase, that’s not just a line that has become popular in the church. No, that’s what you were created to do. That’s why you’re here. If you wanna ask me about why you’re here, “What’s God’s purpose for my life? What’s my destiny? What am I called to?” this is what you’re called to. You’re the dawn of the kingdom on the earth. Be fully yourself and everything will change around you. That’s who you were made to be.

And what does that dawning light look like? Well, the following verses tell us. Firstly, they say, “Beautiful as the moon.” Do you know that God is interested in beauty? He really is. He’s not just a function God. He’s not just like, “How can we do things in the most efficient way?” Sometimes we make holiness that or righteousness that. We make it sterile. Sometimes our churches are sterile because we’ve forgotten that God is not just robotic and efficient. He’s lavish, and over the top, and fully created. And loves the beautiful.

I love it in Genesis 2, where it says God made the trees. It says, “He made them so that they were pleasing to the eye.” An old way of saying, “So that they were beautiful.” He made the trees so that they were beautiful and good for food. He could’ve made them so that they were ugly but efficient. But he values beauty. He thinks it’s cool.

It’s like, “Look at this flower.” I can just see him. Sometimes we make him too robotic. But I can see him, Father, Son, and Spirit making the world, making flowers and going, “Look how beautiful this one is. Isn’t it awesome?” Making creatures that are weird, and wonderful, and going, “Wow, look at that one. I came up with something even more amazing today, look at that.” Because that is who he is. If you make him less than that, you’re making Him robotic. That’s not who He is. He loves beauty.

And, you know, you and I were created to bring beauty on the earth. I think for too long creatives in the church have been somehow put down like what you’re doing is frivolous. What you’re doing is actually Kingdom. It’s the light of the kingdom dawning on the earth. I wanna honor you if you are a creative in this room. I wanna honor you if you are an artist in this room. I wanna honor you if you are a musician in this room. I wanna honor you if you are a designer in this room. I wanna honor you if you just like beauty, because that is the light of the kingdom dawning.

Wherever we go, we are created to make the world more beautiful. And it may look so tiny as seeing some litter and thinking, “That doesn’t belong there. I’m gonna pick it up.” It may be so tiny as consciously starting to think, “I wanna enter rooms and leave them making them look more beautiful. I’m just gonna fluff up this cushion over here.” Because that’s the light of the kingdom dawning. We laugh, but that’s us consciously engaging with something we were created to do, which is, wherever we go, making the world look more beautiful. And it’s seen in the tiny things that we feel like we can do. Because some of you will be looking at me going, “I’m not creative.” Well, I beg to differ, because we’re all creative, because we’re all made in the image of God. But that’s another sermon for another time.

But you may be saying, “I don’t draw. I don’t see in color. I don’t even know what to appreciate.” Well, there’s something that all of us can appreciate. Every one of us were made to see a room and think things, “How can I make this place more beautiful?” And it might simply be by being ourselves, breathing kindness, and goodness, and light into that room just by who we are. You might not even need to do anything. You know you are beautiful? That’s one of the lies that the enemy has loved to bring in because he doesn’t want us to see who we really have been made to be.

You were created to bring beauty on the earth. Beautiful as the moon, bright as the sun. I love this one. You can’t really look directly at the sun for too long because it makes your eyes go really funny, and you’re not meant to do it for very long because it can actually damage you because there is such radiance, such brilliance, such purity to the brightness of the sun that it’s difficult to look at. It’s called glorious. The sun is full of glory. And that’s who you and I were made to be. We were created to be…our light was created to be so brilliant, so radiant, so glorious that it’s like you can’t help but look but also can’t look for too long because it’s so powerful. That’s what your light looks like, bright as the sun. You are glorious. You are full of His glory.

I’m not making it up. John 17, Jesus is speaking to the Father and he says, “The glory that I have been given, I have given them.” Past tense. Them being Christians everywhere. It’s not like, “One day, when I get to heaven…” Heaven, by the way, isn’t a destination. So that’s odd because we’re already in heaven, because heaven is a reality, as well as Earth, and they’re touching each other even now. But we say this, “One day, when I get to heaven, as a destination after I die, then I’ll be glorious, then I’ll be full of His glory.” Not true. Not true.

You already have been given the fullness of His glory. The same glory that was on Jesus, where people encounter him in visions and fall over because he is so brilliant. His glory is so overwhelming that they literally cannot stand up in his presence. The same glory that we see at the Transfiguration when he’s on the top of a mountain with a few of his disciples who just knew him as Jesus, the man who did some awesome miracles. And suddenly, the veil is taken, and the shining, radiant brilliance that was the reality of the substance of Jesus is on show. And they don’t even know what to do but fall down because they’re so overwhelmed at the brightness of the sun. That’s what your light looks like. You are glorious, you are full of His glory.

And Exodus 33 gives us a glimpse as to, what is glory? It’s such a difficult word to put your finger on. But Moses said, “Show me your glory.” And then God does two things. He manifests his presence, and he allows Moses to encounter his goodness.

You are full of His glory, and your dawn is dawning on the Earth with His glory. What that means is you are overwhelming the darkness with the manifestation of His presence and an encounter with his goodness. Everywhere you go you are a gateway to people knowing his presence, suddenly feeling, “God is in this room.” They won’t know how to say it. They won’t be even able to say, “God is in this room,” but they’ll suddenly feel something overwhelming as we engage with what comes from us, which is glory. And we’ll be ushering in the presence of God and a tangible encounter with his goodness.

His goodness looks like something. It’s tangible for people. And sometimes we’re so quick to want to evangelize, out of a good heart. We want people to know Jesus, so we’re telling them about him, which is good. I’m not saying it’s not good. But I feel like, sometimes, what’s more awesome is for us to allow the light to dawn through us with his beauty, with the radiance of his presence and his goodness, and with his power, which we’re about to come on to. So that people go, “Who are you? I’ve never met someone who does good things like this. Good things that aren’t coated in sickly religion, but good things that are at home with the broken. I’ve never met someone who gets down in the dirt and sees me, actually sees me and engages with my brokenness. I’ve never met someone who does things that aren’t just lovely, humanitarian-aid type things to do but go beyond that to pulling out the value and the worth of that person. And so, who are you?”

And then we can say, “I’m the one leaning on my beloved. Come and look at him.” It’s an easier way to evangelize because you are stirring hunger, being fully yourself. And then the next logical conversation is, “Come and meet my Jesus, he’s so beautiful. He’s taken me out of the wilderness and he wants you to come out of the wilderness too.” “Beautiful as the moon, bright as the sun, awesome as an army with banners.”

You are so powerful because the same spirit who is full of tangible power, who raised Jesus from the dead is inside of you, has changed your very substance so you radiate with the power of God. It’s all over you and it’s in you. You can’t help but be powerful when you engage with what is true of you.

You are awesome as an army with banners. Imagine that, an army full of regalia. Imagine looking down at the horizon and seeing thousands, upon thousands, upon thousands of soldiers all dressed with banners everywhere saying who they are and where they’re coming from. Imagine the sound of thousands, and thousands, and thousands of soldiers marching. Imagine how overwhelming that would be for you as you stood there, all by yourself, with thousands coming towards you. And that’s what the enemy feels when he sees you. You are awesome as an army with banners.

The Bible tells us he trembles. He trembles. You have been made so powerful because God himself has made his home in you, and has charged every cell of your being with his glory, that you are awesome as an army with banners. So when the enemy tells you, you are small, and insignificant, and tiny and under your circumstances, and backed into a corner, just laugh because that’s ridiculous, because you’re the army with banners and he’s a trembling fool.

You’re not backed into a corner and you are not small. The power of God radiates from you. Do you know he sees Jesus in you more than we do, sometimes? I remember the first time…well, one of the first times, as a child, I had an encounter with someone who was demonized.

Look, if you’re not a Christian here and you’re now starting to freak out a little bit, the reality is, the Bible tells us God is real and the devil is real. And you just have to look around at the brokenness of the world to recognize there’s something really bad going on somewhere. And that’s called the devil and all his lies. We don’t need to be afraid of that as Christians because we’re the powerful army.

But I remember being a child. I was a Christian, I was in a Christian family and I was leaning on Jesus as best I knew how. And I walked into a room and there was a lady, a petite lady who was struggling with some oppression that the enemy had brought on her life. And it was an encounter between the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness. And I just remember that this woman who was, obviously, showing signs of a demonic manifestation. I was a child, at the time. She suddenly turned and the reality of the demonic came out of her and she said…the demons said in reality, “Get her,” meaning me, “Out of here.” And she was terrified looking at me.

And I remember thinking, as a child, like, I left the room. I’d just gone in to get something and kind of came upon this whole scene that I didn’t fully understand, but I remember leaving the room. I was a tiny little girl, and thinking, “That demon was scared of me.” Like, it was crazy, because in the natural, I was not scary. I was smaller even than I am now, which is quite difficult to imagine.

I was a child, but I saw the terror from this demon who was shouting, “Get her out of this room.” And I walked away with this understanding that Jesus lives inside of me. And even when I don’t know that, even when I don’t recognize it, even when I don’t partner, the enemy recognizes Jesus inside of me and trembles at his name.

You are an awesome army with banners. Jesus lives inside of you and His power radiates from you. You were created to bring the dawn of beauty, glory, and power, the manifestation of His goodness and presence here on the earth so that people will stop and look and say, “Who are you?” You were created to change the world with the light dawning from you. You were created to lean so heavily on your beloved so that you walk into the impossible and the unknown.

Let me finish with this quote. It’s from a friend of mine, Alan Scott, and he says, “We can’t impress our cities into life. We can immerse them in the life to come. We can bring life. We must bring life. It’s our assignment for which we will be held accountable. Developing life-giving churches at the center of the city involves more than creating irresistible environments marked by excellence and service. Any human industry can accomplish those goals. Life-giving churches are defined by the life of another world. They are steeped in the impossible.” You are steeped in the impossible. Everything about you was created to change the world.

I wanna encourage you. Family, let’s let the light of the kingdom dawn from us. We are dawn bringers. And let’s change the world as we go out of here. Our cities aren’t hard to reach, but they are hard to reach if we stay in this building. Let’s go and bring the light to where it needs to be brought most. Let’s go and provoke, “Who are you?” and show them our beautiful Jesus. Won’t you stand with me?

The God-kind

Wed, 17 Jan 2018 15:28:59 GMT

Just a quick confession at the start of this year: I started a ‘read the Bible in one year’ plan. I’m already behind.

BUT despite the fact that I’m finding it a challenge to get through all of the reading for each day (not really the point, is it?!) God’s been speaking to me wonderfully through the book of Genesis and has set me up with a thought that i’m trusting will shape this year.

I was reading the familiar creation story again and something exciting popped out at me. As you read the account of God making the world, you see that God creates everything that fills the earth according to its kind – plants and trees ‘according to their kinds’ (1:11) and fish and birds ‘according to their kinds’ (1:21) and beasts and livestock and creepy crawlies ‘according to their kinds’ (1:25). And then this recurring phrase suddenly changes when God makes man. He doesn’t make humanity ‘according to its kind’ as you would expect from everything He’s created so far. Rather, He creates humanity according to HIS kind – ‘in the image of God He created them’ (1:27).

You were created according to the God-kind. You are not ‘only human’ as the enemy would love you to believe, putting a lid over you of what you can and can’t achieve. There’s actually no such thing as being ‘only human’ in that sense, because humanity wasn’t created with the limitation of its kind – it was created with the impossibility of the God-kind.

At this time most years, I look ahead with both excitement and some sense of being overwhelmed as my diary is booked right until the end of the year already and there is so much that I’ve agreed to that feels far beyond me. But since reading Genesis 1, I’ve had this recurring thought in my head – I’m not ‘onlyhuman’. There is no such thing. I’ve been made according to His kind and right from the beginning He designed me to think outside the box and to disagree with seeming impossibilities. Yes, the fall broke that beautiful reality, but coming alive in Christ brings me right back to my original design and His original intention.

So, as you look ahead to this year, I want to encourage you to ignore the enemy’s condescending lies that you can’t possibly have what it takes because you are only human. What a lot of nonsense! You have been made according to the God-kind where His intention is for you to live outside the box of possibility and feasibility. Everything in your make-up was designed to touch the impossible and shine with His glory on the earth. Get ready 2018, you’re going to be the year of smashing impossibilities.

This post was originally published on KatiaAdams.me

Why I Want You To Prosper

Tue, 12 Dec 2017 15:38:02 GMT

I have just returned from a trip to the United States. With my wife and two kids in tow, it was a busy trip yet a time of great reflection. Part of our time was spent in the Bible Belt where I suffered a massive culture shock. Most of my church experience has been in South Africa and Europe, where church culture and Christianity has historically been on the decline. The majority of the contexts in which I have worked have been slightly more conservative in their expression of Christianity.

The reason I was so surprised was not because of the sheer number of mega churches or the overwhelming Christian culture (certainly not all positive). Rather, I was shocked by the outrageous excess, choice and resources that are available to Christians. I have heard many of my peers on this side of the pond judge and dispose of the so-called “health, wealth and prosperity gospel.” I never understood why they were so fierce in their criticism of it but after this recent trip, I now understand and not for the reasons you may think.

You see, I have been convinced for many years that God wants us to be blessed, healthy and fully provided for. The reason I believe this is not because of my circumstances but rather His character and goodness based on the revelation of God in Christ. SO I wanted to pen down my thoughts on what I believe around prosperity.

The concept of prosperity is not a new one.

It is deeply connected with Israel’s history and is a greeting regularly used by most Hebrew-speaking people. It is the word shalom . Our english equivalent is peace. We sometimes think of peace as the absence of war, but for the Jewish worldview it was much more. Shalom embodied the blessing, peace, prosperity and wellbeing of Yaweh. Shalom was a way of life and something you were given if you obeyed the rules and regulations of Yaweh.

In the Old Testament, shalom was most exemplified in Israel’s history during David and Solomon’s rule. When there was peace being worked out in Israel, its people were prosperous. Since then, Israel longed for the day when a king like David would again conquer all their enemies and establish riches and economic freedom for everyone.

In the New Testament, Jesus established and released the shalom of God through His gracious rule and reign. Unlike in the Old Testament, shalom is not a by-product of law keeping, but rather something we are provided with by grace. Jesus made peace and its full implications available to us because of the cross. As a result, all things – every area of society and life – are coming under His government of shalom.

Many have objected to the thought that prosperity or even healing is found in the atonement. The argument is settled for me simply in the truth that anything good we now receive is by way of the finished work of Jesus. He is making all things new.

He is making it the way he always intended it to be.

I know some of you might be thinking, “Are you saying that the measure of Christian success is determined by how healthy or wealthy you are?” If that was the case then I fail on both accounts. What I am saying is that God is good. He used a human example to demonstrate His goodness in Luke 11. ‘If you, being an evil father know how to give good gifts, how much more will your father in heaven?’

He wants us to be fully provided for. The Bible says so in Philippians 4:19 , ‘And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.’ Paul says elsewhere that ‘For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.’ This verse explicitly talks about money. Rich is rich…not just spiritually but financially in this context.

The problem is that most of us reduce these great scriptures about God’s goodness to us in the here and now .God’s kingdom, the full expression of His gracious rule and reign, has been inaugurated in the earth through the life Jesus lived, his death, his resurrection and his ascension to the right hand of God. God’s kingdom is now breaking out and is the only government in which true shalom, health, prosperity and relational wellbeing is found. The degree to which we experience this true shalom is found in a tension called ‘now and not yet’.

Now and not yet.

While the kingdom has fully come in Jesus, it is still coming through His people as God is about His great work of making all things new. One day there will be no poor among us. One day all sickness will be healed. One day all people will thrive as the fullness of His government of peace is established and swallows up this fallen world, making all things the way God has always intended. Heaven’s reality will swallow up this present age.

Until that happens, our lives are meant to be a prophetic picture of heaven on earth. The coming reality of God’s goodness and abundance should be reflected in our lives for the sake of the world. It’s not for more stuff or bigger houses. It’s for us to meet the needs of those around us . The way we reflect the goodness of God in our generosity is an opportunity for people to encounter Him and His kingdom through us. This goes beyond any sowing and reaping principle. To be generous with all we have is a direct revelation of the nature of God. Connected to that generosity is a complete confidence in God’s ability to provide. I give because my giving is not connected to my resource but to a deep revelation that God is good. I don’t give simply out of what I have but in obedience to his leading. This has meant emptying my bank account a few times.

Many people have been offended by what they see as ‘excess’ in both my ability to receive blessing and my desire to bless others. People get upset that I’m often upgraded on flights or even have people pay for me to fly business class. Both seem extravagant and reckless in nature, especially when you believe that true Christianity is only expressed through poverty and piety. Yet this extravagance is exactly what God is like. I love it when He embarrasses me with His goodness. I love it because I get to partner with Him in blessing others.

Prosperity only makes sense in the context of Kingdom life.

The government of heaven comes with a different economy. It’s an economy not based on capitalism or socialism. It’s based on extravagance. The kind of extravagance where gold is something you walk on and precious stones are what you build your gates with. In the Kingdom economy there is enough for everyone. No striving. No works. More than enough. It requires the simplicity of receiving. But here’s the deal about Kingdom living: it requires you to give it all away.

As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty,

nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God,

who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.

1 Tim 6:17 .

Notice Paul does not despise wealth, he simply redefines our view of it. Many of us read this (particularly in the Western context) and dismiss this text for those we deem as rich. The truth is that if you do not have to worry about your next meal, you are VERY rich. Paul goes on to say:

They are to do good, to be rich in good works,

to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for

themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they

may take hold of that which is truly life.

The ultimate goal of kingdom prosperity is not some ‘name it and claim it’ mantra of blessing. Rather, it’s a re-orientation of God’s people becoming the solution to the world’s depravity and being a prophetic community that answers the deep spiritual needs and practical realities that many people face. It’s about enjoying God’s bounty and giving it away without agenda. It begins with being generous with what you already have. The church in the West must learn to be a blessing and not just receive blessing. You will not give when you have more stuff until your learn to give what you have now.

My greatest lesson in generosity has come from my mother. She lives a life of giving away much. When I was a child it was not uncommon for us to see our ‘stuff’ sown into other people’s lives. Yet even in the midst of poverty, not once have I seen my family go without or be in lack. The impact of her giving will speak for many years to come.

I’ve learned how to give when it seems like I have nothing.

I have often been offended by mega preachers asking the poor for money. I am so glad that God is bigger than that. You see, I get to work among some very poor people, and have seen that the principle of generosity as the foundation of true prosperity works in the worst situations! I have noticed how living a generous life even in poverty begins to unlock Kingdom activity and provision, which begins to have a generational impact as whole families begin to walk out of poverty and into abundance. It may take years but it works. It just works.

People have often accused me of having an over-realised eschatology, or that that I want too much of heaven now. I am guilty as charged! I want as much of it as I can get to provoke others to jealousy for the kingdom themselves! Ultimately, the issue of blessing and abundance on earth is actually an issue of worship. People will either worship the stuff they have, or allow the stuff they have to be a platform for worship. Irrespective of what I have, I am learning to be content in who I have. I have Him. He is my exceedingly great reward.

May God be gracious to us and bless us

and make his face shine on us—

that your ways may be known on earth,

your salvation among all nations.

May the peoples praise you, God;

may all the peoples praise you.

May the nations be glad and sing for joy,

for you rule the peoples with equity

and guide the nations of the earth.

May the peoples praise you, God;

may all the peoples praise you.

The land yields its harvest;

God, our God, blesses us.

May God bless us still,

so that all the ends of the earth will fear him

Psalm 67

This post was originally published on JulianAdams.me

Words From Another World

Tue, 28 Nov 2017 16:05:54 GMT

I think it’s Bill Johnson who said ‘The reality you’re most aware of, is the reality you will reflect’. It’s a statement that has stuck with me. It’s the statement that inspired me some years ago to spend a whole lot of time on youtube watching videos of Kathryn Kuhlman and David Hogan and other men and women of God who see God move in incredible signs and wonders, many of whom are completely eccentric, but who carry something incredible in terms of friendship with Holy Spirit (a lesson in not letting packaging offend us, but in looking further to see the gold in people).

I want Kingdom reality to be the one I reflect more than worldly reality. I want signs and wonders to be a norm in my life. I want the supernatural to be instinctive for me. And so my aim and desire is to immerse myself in the world of the Kingdom – whether by praying or reading or singing or watching videos of people who are ‘doing the stuff’ so that my time is spent plunging my head and heart and senses into a more wonderful world than I can ever imagine.

Recently I was reading through the book of Acts and was inspired in this journey of Kingdom experience again when I read these words –

‘… for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard…’ ( Acts 4:20 ). What I see and hear, is integral to what then comes out of me. In other words, the reality I’m most aware of, is the reality I will reflect. And so I’m provoked again to spend time seeing and hearing afresh. How can I expect to speak and live fresh bread if I’m not seeing and hearing it? I can’t pick at dry leftover breadcrumbs and expect to birth anything fresh. This isn’t just challenging for me as a preacher (although it certainly is provoking!), but this is about me as a woman, me as a mum, me as a friend and wife and daughter. If I want my words and life to carry life, I better spend time with the One who gives it.

So here’s my challenge to us all today. What are you spending your time seeing and hearing? Because whether or not you want to, you will be speaking it. So let us make sure what we see and hear is worthy for us to speak it. Let us immerse ourselves in the reality of another world. The world we were made for. The world we are joined to. And the world we have been given authority to reflect.

This post was originally published on KatiaAdams.me

The King Who Is Victorious

Tue, 21 Nov 2017 18:00:00 GMT

When you know where you are seated, your attitude has to change. We are seated in victory alongside Christ. In this teaching, George goes through the Gospel of Mark.

Misconceptions About The Prophetic

Thu, 16 Nov 2017 18:00:00 GMT

– TRANSCRIPT

So, some of the common misconceptions around the prophetic that have often stopped people from engaging with the prophetic I find often begins with a misunderstanding of how the prophetic gifts work and often people equate prophecies, subjective revelation, to the same authority as scripture. The reality is that the highest form of prophecy is scripture. God moves upon people prophetically to write these words. They trump any other kind of revelation that is subjective. God’s word is objective and we have to filter whatever we hear through that context. It is not equal. It is submitted, the prophetic is submitted to scripture.

Some of the other things I find is often the packaging of the person bringing the prophetic is slightly weird, eccentric, slightly odd, sometimes a little bit disconnected from society. I want to say that the prophetic is meant to engage our hearts and our intellect. It’s not meant to leave us hanging. Some of the prophets in the Old Testament were very intelligent people. Some of the prophetic writers of the New Testament were highly educated people. And we need to understand that the prophetic needs to be communicated in a clear and concise way, otherwise people won’t understand it, otherwise people won’t know what to do with it, the only gift that needs interpretation, the Bible says is the gift of tongues. Prophecy does not need interpretation. So, it’s really important that it is very clear, it is very authentic, it’s very real. You don’t have to use a different accent. You don’t have to try and be super spiritual. You just need to be yourself and communicate from that place because that’s how the prophetic is most well received.

I think lastly, one of the things that I find is a misconception around the prophetic is that the prophetic is somehow fatalistic. That couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, the Bible says in Paul’s letter to Timothy that some people can shipwreck their faith because they’ve not navigated the prophetic word well. In other words, prophecy doesn’t have a guaranteed end. The prophet Agabus in the Bible prophesied over Paul about a particular thing that would happen and it didn’t quite happen that way. Jonah had a prophetic revelation that God would destroy Nineveh and because it was a clear prophetic word, because Nineveh repented, God relented from destroying Nineveh. The reality is prophecy is like a window that opens us up to God’s intended and preferred future for us but we call to partner with Him. He invites us into a partnership with Him, and as we partner with Him, the prophetic begins to unfold. It’s not fatalistic and it’s not fortunetelling. It is a partnership and an invitation into a relationship with God.

Why is the prophetic so misunderstood? There are so many misconceptions that keep people from engaging with the prophetic in a healthy way. The prophetic is not fatalistic, and it is not fortune telling. Let’s represent it well. This post was originally published on JulianAdams.me

Words of knowledge

Mon, 30 Oct 2017 18:00:00 GMT

I often get asked about my process of receiving words of knowledge. Here is the answer to that question in my latest VLOG. I hope this helps you understand the prophetic a little bit more, and gives you the confidence to step out in words of knowledge yourself. Look out for next week’s video!

This post was originally published on JulianAdams.me

– TRANSCRIPT

So the promises that happen in my mind when I’m asking God for words of knowledge is actually, really simple.

LEANING INTO GOD IN

Worship: My posture is one of expectation that God wants to speak to me. Not just for me.

Love: but because He actually loves people. And words of knowledge are a revelation of His heart. A revelation of His love towards people. And so I’m leaning into that love.

Security: I’m leaning into the security that God wants to speak more than I want to hear.

And it’s in that space that God often will drop, normally a word, or slight impression. I don’t know if you’ve ever slept on what’s called a memory foam pillow. When you sleep on a memory foam pillow, it’s like there’s an impression of your head left in the foam even when you lift your head up. And that’s, kind of, what happens to me. It’s like God places an impression on my heart, on my mind, through pictures, through maybe sensation in my body, through a feeling, or through some information that randomly just drops into my mind, into my head. And it’s there. It’s like I can’t get rid of it and those are some key ingredients that help me know that it’s probably God because I’ve got a developed track record now with Him. And so I listen to that and I step out on that.

FRAME IT IN AN EASY WAY

I try to frame it, if someone is not being exposed to words of knowledge, I will frame it in a very easy and accessible way, like, “Hey, do you have a son?”

If they say, “Yes,” and if I’ve got the name I’ll go, “Is his name, Jonathan?” And they’ll go, “How do you know that?” That’s the point that I then go, “Well, God likes to speak to us and He just gave me a word for you.”

If they say, “No,” it means I can walk away without having to defend God, as it were. I just get to reveal God’s heart. Most times they’ll ask why, at which point I can say, “I’m practising hearing God’s voice and I just wanted to share something of God’s heart for you.”

If it’s in church, I think one of the key things for me is framing it in, as an accessible way, and really going after the word of knowledge with clarity, and again, everything has to be bathed and marinated, as it were, in the heart of God.

It needs to flow from love. We don’t just want information for information’s sake. We want information for love’s sake, so it reveals God’s heart.

So the process for me is very simple. I have learned how to recognize the impressions, the thoughts, the pictures, the words, the little thoughts that pop into my head randomly, particularly when I’m talking to someone or praying for someone, I’m leaning into the love of God because he wants to speak very clearly. And I then step out on the basis of that. And the reality, sometimes, we make lots of mistakes, but the more we keep leaning into God’s love, and not our performance, or our need to get more information, but simply that He is love, the more we get to see breakthrough in these areas of words of knowledge.

The Greatest in the Kingdom

Tue, 24 Oct 2017 18:00:00 GMT

What kind of King do we follow? One who laid down his life for his people. In this teaching, Julian helps us understand how to reflect the Kingdom by serving those around us.

– TRANSCRIPT

Julian: Can’t you just love the sense of God’s presence here this morning?

Congregation: Yeah.

Julian: It’s so wonderful when God breaks in and takes an ordinary building like this and makes it a place of His dwelling. I absolutely love that. God is so, so good, isn’t He?

Congregant: Yeah.

Julian: Well, one of you agree. Won’t you turn in your Bibles please to the gospel of Mark? If you’re a guest here, we have been tracking through the Gospel of Mark, “The King Here and Now,” and we’ve been unpacking some aspects of the Gospel of Mark to help us understand what it looks like to live a Kingdom lifestyle. And we’ve been having so much fun, just incredible stories of breakthroughs, and healings, and encounters of God’s mercy as people have got fresh revelation out of the book and the Gospel of Mark, and I want to unpack a few things. Before I do, I just really wanted to prophesy over one or two people, and I just want God to just drop them on my heart. So this gentleman with the curly hair up front with the hat on, what’s your name?

Greg: Greg.

Julian: Greg, hi. I see God really wanting to encourage you that you’re at a particular juncture right now. You’re at a particular crossroads in terms of some big decision-making, in terms of what God’s calling you in terms of the next season. And you’re kind of looking between a number of options and you’re saying, “God, what does this need to look like?” And I felt like God wanted to remind you of your core call, that you’re called to live on the sharp sides. You’re called to live on the edge. You’re called to be one who is an adventurer because I can see you’re like doing those kind of free rope climbing up rock faces where there’s just no safety net. And it’s like there’s this thing of adventure that’s on you. And I just feel like God wants to remind you you’re an adventurer.

And I feel like this next season you’re to choose and make decisions inconsistent with faith steps in adventure, that you’re not gonna have all your ducks in a row always, that you’re not always gonna have all the answers. And that part of that actually is about a prophetic call that’s on your life. That God put some prophetic stuff in you, and often, leaders and people around you don’t quite get that about you. They don’t often get who you are because your language, the way you are, the way you see things, the way you dream is sometimes so different. And it’s gonna be because you may be a provocation to boththe church and the world about how to live on the sharp side of the cutting edge, about how to live in the purposes of God.

And so, God really wants to encourage you. It’s a new season for you, and it’s a season of adventure. And nations, see, numbers of nations begin to open up in front of you, nations that are slightly unusual, nations that don’t… It’s not like just going to the UK like everyone else does. Some other stuff that God’s got for you. There’s some Eastern nations that God wants to open up to you, places of adventure that’s gonna cause you to go because you’re gonna have a voice into those places and bring the Kingdom of God. It’s not just gonna be about holidays and fun, but it’s gonna to be about divine connections that release God’s Kingdom. And God just wants to say you are called to leadership. You’re called to be someone who runs ahead of the pack to help people walk into His purposes. So God’s hand is really on you. Amen.

And then, just before I carry on, I felt like God’s showing me that there’s somebody possibly in the middle section, towards the second half of the building, you’re in the process right now where you need to make some big decisions to do with business and to do with…the phrase I got was recapitalizing or reinvesting into a particular aspect of a business. And you’re asking God for some wisdom to do with that. I think you’re a gentleman. Can you just quickly put up your hand because I feel God wants to speak to you? I think you’re in the second half of the building or possibly in the middle.

Thank you, sir. Won’t you stand up, if that’s all right, just so I can see you? I’m not wanting to embarrass you. Sir, I feel like God wants to say to you that the past season is not gonna determine the next season. And that you’re in a place where you’re trying to figure out, “God, do I invest this money? What do I need to do?” And I feel like God is going to give you some strategic pointers of the next two or three weeks about how to reinvest and recapitalize, because God is going to begin to bless, and God is going to begin to cause a network of opportunities to unfold before you so that you can make the favor-filled decision that is going to begin to take your business and the opportunities that you’re in to the next level.

And I just feel like God is in the season of restructuring, in the season of reforming, that God is gonna give you real wisdom and grace to be able to do that well. And you’re going to see the fruit of your labors, and you’re going to see the fruit of sowing over numbers of years even from places that you’ve not sown in. And so, I hope it’s making sense. And I really feel like God’s saying, “I’m going to show you very clearly about this next season and that you’re to trust Me because you are hearing from Me.” That you haven’t missed it. You are hearing from God, and He’s gonna begin to open up the right doors for you. Amen. Bless you.

Yay, God. So Mark chapter 15. We’re gonna read from verse 1, “And as soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and with the scribes and with the whole council. And they bound Jesus and led Him away and delivered Him over to Pilate. And Pilate asked Him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ And He answered, ‘You have said so.’ The chief priests accused Him of many things. And Pilate again asked Him, ‘Have You no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against You?’ But Jesus made no further answer so that Pilate was amazed.”

“Now, at the feast, he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked. And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas. And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them. And he answered them saying, ‘Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?’ For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered Him up. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead. And Pilate again said to them, ‘Then, what shall I do with the Man you call the King of the Jews?’ And they cried out again, ‘Crucify Him.’ And Pilate said to them, ‘Why? What evil has He done?’ But they shouted all the more, ‘Crucify Him.’ And so, Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas. And having scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.”

We’re gonna unpack this this morning, and I hope you’ll track with me. And I just wanna give you some quick understanding around the Gospel of Mark. The Gospel of Mark is written predominantly to a Gentile audience, to a Greek audience who are in bondage to the Roman Empire. And so, we know this because when Mark is writing, he leaves bits of information out, like the genealogy of Jesus which would only make sense in a Jewish context because they place an emphasis on that. There are a few other things that begin to show us that Mark is wanting to help the reader understand the context that Jesus is in, in particular, even around explaining some of the festivals and what happens in Jewish culture. And so, they would not have been aware of that, and Mark is helping them understand that.

And there are two parallel themes that run throughout the Gospel of Mark, which is really important for us to understand. The first one is that the Kingdom of God is here and now, that Jesus rocked up, and when He rocked up, all of heaven broke loose.

Congregant: Yeah.

Julian: It’s such good news. Heaven began to invade the earth. Heaven began to be demonstrated wherever Jesus went. And so, the first few chapters of the Gospel of Mark, you’ll see this wonderful word, “and immediately,” immediately. Immediately, the Kingdom broke out. Immediately, the man was healed. Immediately, they were on the other side talking about how Jesus moved from one side to the other supernaturally. “Immediately” is the phrase that you’ll see. Mark is wanting us to understand the immediacy of the Kingdom, that the Kingdom of God is here and now. It’s good news. The Kingdom of God is here and now. We’re not waiting for a coming Kingdom, the Kingdom has already broken in. We’re not waiting to die to go to heaven to experience the Kingdom. The kingdom of God is here and it is now. And Jesus demonstrated it with signs and wonders. Jesus demonstrated it with acts of mercy and justice to describe and to reveal what kind of Kingdom this is. It’s a Kingdom that comes with power. It’s a Kingdom that is meant to be experienced. I’m so glad that we don’t have to wait till the day that we die to experience God’s goodness. We get to experience it right here and right now.

Congregation: Amen.

Julian: Amen, Julian, very good point. The kingdom of God is here and now. There’s a demonstration that we can enter into right here, right now. It’s how His Kingdom works. So, if Jesus says, “The Kingdom of heaven is here,” things begin to happen. And so, I wanna say to you, the Kingdom of heaven, the Kingdom of God is here. It’s here.

Congregation: Yeah.

Julian: It’s here. And to show you that the Kingdom of God is here, somebody has just gotten healed of a condition in your shoulder that’s caused incredible pain. And I think it’s your left shoulder. If you begin to move it right now, you’ll see that the pain is lifting or it’s probably all gone already. And if that’s you, the pain is lifting or it’s going away, I want you to lift up your hands quickly. There we go. The Kingdom of God is here and now. You’ve had pain in your shoulder?

Congregant: [Inaudible 00:10:50].

Julian: And now? How long have you had that problem for?

Congregant: About three or four days.

Julian: Come on. Now, the Kingdom of God is here and now. So, if you came in with pain this morning, if you came into this meeting and you’re going, “Oh, I’ve got some ache or pain or any other ailment, the Kingdom of God is here and now for you to get healed. So I want you to check it out. Do something you couldn’t do before. Notice, we’re not even having soft-playing music for this one because God’s Kingdom is here. We don’t need to create an atmosphere. The Kingdom brings the atmosphere. So check it out, do something, move. Sometimes you got to do something by faith in order to…the Bible says, “The man stretched out his hand and got healed.” And if you know that the pain has either lifted or it’s now completely gone, I want you to quickly put up your hand and say, “Julian, God has done something with my body,” quickly, because His Kingdom is here and now.

There’s one. There’s some more. Like two over there. Anyone else? Quickly, put up your hands. We’ve had two people. I’m gonna go for three. Going for three. Three over there. Let’s go for four just because it’s fun. Check it out, do something. If you know the pain is lifting or it’s completely gone, quickly wave your hand at me again. Who else? We’ve had three people. I wanna see a fourth person get healed because the Kingdom of God is here and now. Somebody is actually getting healed of, like, a block in their ear. You’re gonna feel like a pop just right now. God, is that you? Come on, look at that. There’s another person over there. You have pain in your ear and the pain is now gone? It’s lifting? Come on. Father, we declare complete healing.

The point of the Kingdom being demonstrated is not just so that we get to celebrate the signs and the wonders, and so we should. How many of you know if you’re grateful for what God is doing, He increases it? All right. Jesus was thankful for some fish and some loaves and it multiplied. Too many of us are holding out for what God’s not doing, we miss what He is doing. The kingdom of God is not just a demonstration so we go, “Yay, it’s wonderful,” although that’s fun. How many of you… Oh, can I just…going off [inaudible 00:13:16] I’m just gonna say, do you know God is super extravagant?

Congregation: Yeah.

Julian: And He is super outrageous. He does [inaudible 00:13:24] any restraint. The first miracle Jesus does is He turns a whole lot of water into wine. The church has been trying to turn it back ever since, but I’ll move on quickly from that point. He turned water into wine for a party where people were already drunk.

Congregant: Yeah.

Julian: I mean, put that in your religious pipe and smoke it. God is completely outrageous in His goodness and in His kindness. And when you think you’ve already had enough, He goes, “I’m good.Do a whole lot more.” It’s a sign of the Kingdom.

But the reason why Mark is wanting to emphasize these signs of the Kingdom is so that we begin to understand that those signs point to the King. They point to the reality of a good King. It’s not just that He’s a King, it’s the kind of King that He is. That He is a good King, that He is a loving King, that He’s an overwhelmingly beautiful, overwhelmingly kind King who is concerned about every aspect of our lives. And so, Mark is wanting us to understand this. And we come straight up through the whole way that Jesus lived His life, because you need to understand that the aim of Jesus was not just to die on the cross. It was to live a life as an example of what the new community of God would look like, if we understood that because of the cross, our sins have been forgiven, and all judgment has now been removed so we get what we don’t deserve. Oh, it’s beautiful. It’s the gospel. That’s what it’s like.

So everything that Jesus did, His whole life is speaking to a reality of that Kingdom. When He breaks bread, when He fellowships with His disciples, when He restores the woman found in adultery, it’s all pointing to the kind of King that He is. Nothing is insignificant about the life of Jesus. And Mark wants us to understand this.

So, we have seen His whole life, and we’re standing now before Pilate. And you need to understand that there’s a powerful play that’s happening here. There are two authorities. There is human authority in the form of the Roman government. Caesar was known as the son of God. Did you know that? It was his title, the son of God. And we’ve got Caesar’s representative, Pilate, who thinks he’s super powerful, who think he’s authoritative, who thinks he has the final word on death. All right?

Congregant: Yeah.

Julian: Caesar and the Roman Empire thought that they were gods. They thought that they had the final say on death. And then we’ve got Jesus, who seems weak and timid, who says absolutely nothing throughout this whole ordeal. He looks like He’s just such a pathetic excuse for a King. And Mark is wanting to intentionally heighten the tension of what’s happening in this moment. He wants us to understand that there are two powers that are working at this moment. And so, he deploys this phrase, “Are you the King of the Jews?” He does so 32 times in this whole discourse. He wants us to understand that what Pilate is getting at is that, “I am more powerful than you. The representation of my Roman Empire Kingdom has more authority over You and I decide when You die.” Little did they know. Little did he know, that he was standing before the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. Little did he know that he was standing before the One who holds his very next breath.

And so they’re standing there and there’s power play. You see, the way that Caesar would enforce that power was through violence, was through judgment, was through control. You see, the peaceful regime of the Roman Empire wasn’t peaceful. It was only peaceful because of the crucifixion. It was only peaceful because they would kill people on a cross. It was the most torturous, most evil, most disgusting form of death. Excuse me, people wouldn’t even talk about it because it was such a bad thing. Saying the word “crucifixion” was not a fun thing. It was something that was shameful. And Jesus would have grown up seeing people being crucified. You can imagine the tension in the garden then when He said, “God, if it be Your will, pass this cup because…” You know, for His whole life, He was seeing people being crucified on a hill. He’d seen incredible pain. He’d seen incredible suffering. And Jesus is standing before them. And Pilate, as a self-proclaimed authority over death, saying, “You know, I got authority over You. I can take Your life.”

In one [inaudible 00:18:42] the Gospel, Jesus says, “No one takes my life. I lay it down.” Yet there’s Jesus. And Pilate is trying to do the math, right? He’s trying to figure out if one plus one really equals two, because Jesus is standing here. He’s got no headquarters. He’s got no manifesto that’s written down anywhere. He’s got nothing that sets Him apart as a King. He’s trying to figure out, he’s not even got followers at this point because they’ve all deserted Him. And Pilate is trying to figure out, “What on earth is going on because who is this so-called King of the Jews?”

He doesn’t quite get it because he sees power, he sees authority connected to his position, connected to his status, or how the world gets to run. We think that power and authority comes because of position or finance, comes because of my status, or my identity, and my title. No, no no. Jesus is modeling something very different, altogether surprising.

And I love this beautiful discourse because Pilate says, “Do you want Barabbas or do you want Jesus?” And the crowd says, “Give us Barabbas.” Barabbas means Bar-abbas, son of the father. And there is a guilty son and there’s an innocent son. And the guilty one goes free because the innocent son says, “I’ll take his judgment.” And that’s the beauty of the Gospel. We get to go free as sons of the Father when the innocent Son who should be free says, “I’ll take your guilt, I’ll take your shame, I’ll take your judgment.”

Congregant: Wow.

Julian: If that doesn’t make you happy, I’m not quite sure what will. The simplicity of the Gospel is powerful. You don’t need another revelation. You don’t need another Greek word study. All you need to know is that your sins have been forgiven and that you’re now a son and daughter of the most high God.

And we see the power of imperialistic Rome exercising, “That we’re gods. We can kill when we want. We can destroy everyone.” And we see Jesus. And something actually powerful happens, something actually amazing. Jesus who’s lived His life demonstrating the Kingdom, Jesus who’s lived His life by taking 12 men and forming a new community that looks like heaven on earth, this Jesus, at the height of His ministry, at the most successful time in His ministry, chooses to lay down His life, a King who lays down His life out of love in order that forgiveness might flow.

When everyone else could have said, “But you’re so successful, you could start your political party now, and you could overtake Rome, and you can overthrow Rome.” He goes “No, no, I’m gonna go quietly.” And Mark does a whole lot of fancy footwork and he alludes to this so beautifully here. He says, “And Jesus no longer answered them.” And He was led like a lamb to the slaughter silently, silently. Jesus says nothing, and it’s an illusion right back, it’s alluding to right back in Isaiah 53, where it talks about the Messiah coming as the suffering servant. Rather than a conquering King with army and might like the world does, rather than a conquering king who will use judgment and force to establish his throne, He comes in differently. And He lays down His life in love.

You see, the beautiful twist and the drama of the Gospel here is not that Jesus forces you to become a Christian, it’s not that Jesus exerts His creative power in which He created the galaxies in the universe, it’s not in that. It’s not in the ability for Him to have been able to call down fire from heaven or hundreds and hundreds of angels to deliver Him. It’s not in the fact that He has power to withhold the very next breath of Pilate. It’s in the fact that He says, “I will lay down My life in love.” Man, the powers of darkness and certainly imperialistic Rome did not recognize that the greatest force in human history is not exerted through military power, it’s not exerted through pedantry, it’s not exerted through some special place in society. It’s exerted through the power of a laid down life.

Jesus lays down His life in love and He gives up His life. And the powers of darkness thought that was it. But how wrong they were because, you see, the greatest force in history is not an ability to act, it’s not might to act. The greatest force in history is love. And because God is love, His power is not displayed because He has ability. His power is displayed because He has love. And love does not look like force, it does not look like coercion. It looks like a choice to clothe Himself in human flesh and to lay His life down for those who are lost and dying. And in that giving up His life, in that submitting to the so-called powers of the day, Jesus proved that He is the King of the universe. He proves that He actually is the true Son of God. He proves that He is the Lord of lords because the very last enemy, death itself was given a death blow because of His laid down life in love. And on the third day, He rose up and overcame death and sin, and all of the darkness, and all of the powers that surrounded Him.

Congregation: Wow, come on.

Julian: Can you imagine what Pilate was thinking right then? Listen, one thing I’m not supposed to squash is one thing I have authority over. People are starting to talk about it. “He’s alive. He’s alive. He’s alive.” He’s been seen by 500 people. They are reliable witnesses, both externally and internally of Scripture that talk about the resurrected Lord.

Oh, friends. This is the beauty of the Gospel, friends. That God did not come to establish His kingdom through calling down wrath or judgment, but God chose to fully identify with humanity and its sin, and its darkness, and its depravity, and said, “I will fully be immersed into it. I will be fully clothed in it because I love them and I will lay down My life for them. And just when humanity thinks it’s in the darkest hour it has ever been, I will burst forth from that grave with glory and majesty and declare my ultimate victory over death once and for all.”

You see, it’s all about love. It’s about love that lays down your life. You see, the surprise in the Gospel is that Jesus did what every other king would never do. And that He gave up His life so that His kingdom will be restored in all of its glory and all of its beauty.

I don’t know about you but that’s such good news. What does this mean for us? What does it mean for us in this context? I want you to turn very quickly to the epistle of Philippians. I love it. Jesus’ life is vindicated by the Father as the Father raises Him up in glory. There’s nothing like a laid-down lover. There’s nothing as magnificent as someone who says, “I’ll lay my life down in love.” And that’s what Jesus did for us.

Philippians 2:5 Open in Logos Bible Software (if available), “Having this mind among yourself, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped but emptied Himself by taking the form of a servant. Being born in the likeness of men and being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross. Therefore, God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name so that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.”

Congregation: Amen.

Julian: Wow, man, we can go home. He laid down His life so that we’ll be lifted up. And here’s the requirement, this Kingdom looks exactly like a King and how He lived. Friends, Jesus is coming back as conquering King, I have no doubt in my mind. He’s not coming back as the suffering servant. He is the conquering King. He is the conquering King. And when He rocks up, He’s gonna show up and show off, and everything will be put back into order the way that He’d always intended it to be. But up until then, we need to have the same mind as Christ because the single most powerful force in the world is not what you have to offer him by way of your strength. It’s not what you have to offer Him by way of your pedigree. It’s not what you have to offer Him by way of your position in society, or by any other ways that we understand the world to work because Jesus said, “My Kingdom is not of this world.” It looks entirely different. It looks like servant-hearted-laid-down lovers. That’s what it looks like. It doesn’t look like my ministry, my title, my anointing. It doesn’t look like, “Give me the place of most influence because that’s where I want to influence from.” It looks like laid-down lovers.

You see, friends, we want to be a phenomenal church, don’t we? At Harvest, we wanna be a church that is the most welcoming. Not because we wanna have happy smiley faces at the door, although we really, really do want that. I often wonder what would have happened if the younger brother in the story of “The Prodigal Son” met the older brother first. For too long, we’ve had people at the doors of the church as it were who are older brothers. We need fathers and mothers who are happy.

Congregation: [Inaudible 00:30:54]

Julian: Wow, that went over like a [inaudible 00:30:59] balloon. I’ll say amen to that myself. The reason we want to be a good family is because our family exists for the benefit of others, not for ourselves. We do not serve because we want a big church. We do not serve because we need to do more things. We serve because there’s a lost and dying world that need to encounter the reckless, overwhelming, unrestrained love of Jesus.

Congregation: Amen.

Julian: And love looks like something. It looks like…servanthood is not slavery, friends. Slavery has a master that says, “You must do, and if you don’t, you’ll be punished.” Servanthood says, “I’ve got a Father, and I’m part of a family.” And we serve together because that’s what family does. It’s how family lives. If you are involved in serving particularly on Sundays or in any aspect of church life, can I ask you to stand very quickly? Where is Tracy Dawson [SP]? You need to stand. I wanna take a moment very quickly to honor Tracy Dawson. She has served…hold, hold, hold on because you need to embarrass her. She has served serving our kids’ work for years and years. This is the first break she has been on, I don’t even know how many years. We’ve got one of the best kids’ work in Durban. And I want you to honor her right now. Go for it.

Now, here’s the thing. Church, can you honor these people who serve among us, please? But here’s what I wanna say to you. I’m [inaudible 00:33:12] talk straight, forgive me. We need people who will be laid-down lovers. We’re not serving in church to our own end. We’re serving because a new community of the Kingdom has been formed. And how we’re serving our family determines how we serve the world. And you do not need a call from God to serve. We need some more kids who would help us. “I need to figure out if I’ve got a call.” No, you don’t. No, you don’t. You’re part of the family.

And I’m not talking about work. If you’re gonna feel guilty about not serving, please don’t serve because we don’t want guilt-driven servanthood. We want love-driven servanthood. We need some help with rosters in terms of welcome or car park attendants. “You know, well, I just need to see if it can fit into my schedule this week.” Yeah, I find it fascinating that South Africa… Can I be honest for a moment?

Congregant: [Inaudible 00:34:29].

Julian: I wonder if we can become a little bit selfish in the way that we serve because right at the base of our homes, we have people who serve us hand and foot. Servanthood…oh, that went very quiet suddenly there. And by the way, one of the ways that you can serve the people who serve you is by paying them a proper living wage, not paying them 100 bucks a day because that’s not a living wage. You’re looking at anything between 220 to 250 rate to really help your domestic helper live a proper life per day.

As a family, we have cut down the numbers of days we have with our domestic helper in order to pay her a bigger salary so that she can serve us well and that we can serve her well. That one was just for free. And you can’t talk about [inaudible 00:35:34] starting your own home. You don’t need a call for servanthood. Servanthood is gonna cost you, friends. It cost Jesus His life. And the biblical requirement…this is not a local church pastor asking you this. This is Jesus, this is the Bible. Have the same mind, that we serve without restraint. You know, one of the things I love about this church is we’re not wanting to abuse people in this servanthood. That’s just as [inaudible 00:36:10] stupid. But we do wanna provoke you. Friends, if we don’t do family well in service to each other, even when it’s inconvenient, I guarantee you you’ll not do service well to a lost and a dying world out there.

I often find it fascinating, we have to learn how to serve people who serve us because we got a different Kingdom through which we serve, because it’s compelled by love. And I need to remember this because tomorrow morning, I’m going to the Home Affairs Department, sweet Jesus. Help me. I would love it if there’s some people who will fast and pray for me tomorrow. I know this is not the highlight of the message, but it should be. Jesus, when talking to James and John, makes a phenomenal statement. He’s on the way to the cross, and James and John are having an argument about who’s gonna sit next to Him on His throne because they were still thinking in terms of human power. They were still thinking in terms of human authority. And Jesus says, “The greatest in the Kingdom are those who serve.”

Oh, I wonder how many domestic helpers are gonna get the biggest rewards in heaven. Jesus doesn’t deny the desire for greatness. He doesn’t say, “Being great is bad.” No, no, no. Greatness in the Kingdom is a good thing. He just redefines it for them and insists it’s servanthood. And I want to call us as a community. Would we serve one another really well, even when it’s inconvenient? Even when it cuts across our schedules? Amen, Julian. Yes, I volunteer. Would we serve in ways that honor one another, love one another, care for one another? Would we serve each other in a way that releases something of the compelling love of God so that our community become so attractive to the world that when they walk into this atmosphere, what they feel is a family and love, and we can genuinely say to them, “Welcome home?”

Wouldn’t it be great if people started getting saved not because we did an altar call on a Sunday, but because they met you on the streets on Monday, and because of the way you served your boss, because of the way you served your friends, because of the way you love because love looks like a laid-down life. And so, I wanna call you. I wanna call you into a place of holy action because it’s really not about your ministry. It’s not about your title. It’s not about what you do. It’s about us being the family of God who have the mind of Christ and live a love-compelled servant life that serves the lost and a dying world. Will you be those people to do that?

I just want to ask Christy [SP] and Togo [SP], if you could just quickly…yeah, I don’t know if Togo is here. We’ll just wait for a moment, but I wonder if you’d stand. Let’s just stand very quickly. We’re gonna pray for Christy and Togo. They’re gonna be moving to a new village. They’re not leaving our community. They’re still part of our community, but they’re gonna be moving in terms of season change, down to a new village and just having some time of real rest and recuperation and being filled. And Christy has been serving. She is one of the happiest people I know.

Congregation: Yeah.

Julian: Absolutely love her heart. And is Togo coming? Oh, he might come. But I wonder if you would…well, he is coming. Why don’t you just stretch out your hand to Christy, if that’s okay, and be thinking of Togo. I think he’s outside, probably serving at the moment. But I wonder if you’d just stretch out your hand to them. We wanna bless them as they make this new transition and this new move. Remember, they’re still part of our community, okay? And we want you to love them, care for them, bless them, do all the stuff that we do as family together. Is that good?

Congregation: Yeah.

Julian: Father, we just thank you for this wonderful couple. We bless them. We bless all that they stand for, all that they enjoy as sons and daughters of God. And, Father, I pray that as they go into this next season, you would outrageously bless them.

Congregation: Yeah.

Julian: God, I pray for an abundance of maple syrup for this Canadian, in Jesus’ name. And I pray, God, that you would bless Togo and Christy, and Sam, and Tandy, that God, they would know your goodness in this season, outrageous provision, outrageous favor, outrageous grace. God, we bless the work that Togo is doing in establishing an organization that will train and equip the youth of this nation. And, God, we bless that, and we ask You for Your favor, in Jesus’ name.

Congregation: Amen.

Julian: Amen. All right. The rest of you, why don’t you lift up your hands as we end this meeting. Thank you so much for being at Harvest this morning. Remember, if you do consider or you are considering making Harvest at your home, the 17th of October is gonna be a good night for you to find out what we do and who we are.

Father, I thank You for Your incredible grace and kindness. God, I pray that we will be an army of laid-down lovers who would not grasp at power or position, but we will grasp at a laid-down life of servanthood and love, in Jesus’ name

Answering Your Questions on the Prophetic

Mon, 23 Oct 2017 18:00:00 GMT

– TRANSCRIPT

I really wanted to just start talking around the prophetic. At the moment, on the internet, in churches, in books that I’d written, the prophetic always seems so mystical and out there and weird and not engage-able for many people. And I wanted to make the prophetic accessible. So, this is a series of questions and answers that we kind of put together and we hope it’s gonna serve you really well. The prophetic is super important, not because it’s a bunch of words that we’re simply communicating, but because it’s a revelation of God’s heart and His love for people. And when we understand that, it becomes a powerful tool that we get to use to love on people, to draw them into God’s perspective about them, to lift them into their destiny, and to call out the gold. And all of humanity are broken image bearers of God. There is gold in them that we need to call on so they can be reconnected to their creator and to the one who loves them. And I believe the prophetic needs to be restored in every sphere and every context of life so that we can communicate God’s perspective, God’s purpose, God’s plan, and God’s heartbeat to the broken, the hurting, the marginalized, the down and out, the up and out, the poor, the rich, so they get to get a revelation of a good, kind, happy Father who wants to bring them to be co-heirs and sharers and participators in the beautiful Kingdom that is now breaking out all over the Earth. That’s why we’re doing these videos and I hope it’s going to help you.

– TRANSCRIPT

So, for me, hearing God’s voice began when I was very little. God began to speak to me from a young age through various impressions, thoughts that would come into my head randomly that I began to recognize in terms of a pattern, that when I would dream things, think things, feel things, they would start to happen around me. I’d feel things about family members, and then it would happen. Thankfully, God was really kind. My parents are amazing and they helped recognize that as the voice of God. I then began to practice hearing God’s voice, initially with journaling. I read a great book by Mark Virkler called “Hearing the Voice of God,” and I began to journal, and I began to write some stuff down. And that really helped me gain an internal track record with God as to how to hear Him.

I think the key things for me were very simple impressions, nothing super-dramatic. It wasn’t like I was hearing Sean Connery saying, “Julian, this is the Lord speaking.” It was very simple, little thoughts, little impressions, little pictures, which then began to translate. I think the thing for me around developing this gift was actually when I started stepping out. And actually, from about the age of nine, I began to step out in prophetic words, in sharing what I was feeling and what I was seeing. And just seeing how that worked out, seeing how that impacted people, seeing how I began to interact with that, and began to recognize, “Oh, this is God.” And I think the big key around stewarding the prophetic is actually about obedience and crossing the fear factor and actually just stepping out and really believing that what you’ve got is something from God.

I think the biggest lesson I learned in the prophetic was the simplicity of encouragement. Encouragement is the simplest form of the prophetic, and it helped me to begin to realize that, no matter what I was doing, no matter what I was feeling, no matter what pictures I was getting, if I could just encourage people, that would reveal the heart of God. And I began to do that with some of the more specific words of knowledge or revelation I was getting. I would wrap it in encouragement. So even if the revelation or the word of knowledge was wrong, the encouragement was always gonna leave people feeling happy, feeling like they’re connected with their loving, kind Father. I think that’s the big one that’s really helped me in growing in the prophetic, is encouragement, stepping out, and obedience.

Is the prophetic still relevant? I’ve been thinking a lot about how to make prophetic words more accessible in a culture that often seems resistant. I got onto Instagram last week and asked my followers what questions they have on the subject. I’ll post my answers in a few VLOGs over the coming weeks. Here’s an intoduction video as well as the answer to my first question: “ How did your journey in the prophetic begin?”

Living the Victory… Before the Breakthrough

Wed, 11 Oct 2017 17:06:51 GMT

Have you ever had one of those moments where someone points something out from scripture and you think to yourself ‘How have I not seen this before?!’? On Sunday evening I was listening to an outstanding message from George Gourlay – ‘The King who is Victorious’ (i’d really recommend you have a listen – it’ll be up on the Harvest Church podcast soon) and he mentioned something about Jesus’ posture in victory that rocked me.

He pointed out the verse ‘ The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.” ’ (Mark 12, quoting Psalm 110). Notice this – Jesus is sitting on His throne in the perfect rest of His victory even BEFORE the enemies are made His footstool. He is modelling what it looks like to live in Kingdom victory before the final expression of breakthrough. He is in complete and utter rest. No striving, no pacing around in worry, no begging the Father to come through as if we need to beg and plead to get Him to act… none of that. Rather He is seated in total confidence that the victory He has won is irreversible, unshakable and is being inevitably worked out . The footstool part is just a matter of time.

I’m so provoked by this. There are so many things that i’m trusting for and praying for and if i’m honest, pushing for. And it’s not that any of those things are bad, but on Sunday evening I was reminded that although I may not feel it at times, the most true reality is that i’m living in a seat of victory in Christ and the enemies that I see (suffering, injustice, sickness etc) and the breakthroughs that I long for are going to come about not from my pushing but from my understanding of what’s already been done and what’s been promised by a faithful Papa. I’m not saying we stop praying or fasting or anything else we feel faith to do. I’m just suggesting we do those things with the beautiful peace that comes from complete confidence. Rest doesn’t mean inactivity (we know that Jesus isn’t inactive even as He’s seated – He’s interceding for us) but rest does mean certainty.

I have a wonderful friend who is living out this truth in the most remarkable way. She is sick. Sick to the point of death. And while her body has been slowly but steadily ravaged by the horrible disease that is cancer, i’ve never seen a more inspiring and Jesus-pointing model of resting in victory even before her breakthrough. She’s not out of touch with what is happening in her body. She’s not living a super-spiritual denial of the facts. She’s well aware that this cancer will take her very soon should her breakthrough not come on this side of eternity. But even as I type this i’m overwhelmed as I think of the sheer confidence she’s living with. He is good. He WILL make the enemies a footstool. It’s only a matter of time.

But this isn’t a truth that’s only relevant for us if we’re trusting for a breakthrough of healing. This is a truth that is a gift for our everyday moments of life. Our good good Papa is offering us a perfectly peace-filled place to live from. Confident, certain and unshakable. Victory over pain and sickness and death and brokenness is irreversibly ours because we’re in Christ. And rest assured the footstool is being prepared even as you read this.

This post was originally published on KatiaAdams.me

Leading from a Clean Heart

Sun, 08 Oct 2017 18:00:00 GMT

What strongholds are holding you back from your God-given call to lead? In this teaching Katia teaches us how liberating it can be to break those strongholds, because Kingdom breakthrough exists only in the realm of grace.

TRANSCRIPT

Katia: I hope you’ve come ready to do most of the hard work yourselves because, really, what I’m gonna do is lead us a little bit in some training, and then get you to do some things as we go along. So, I hope you’re happy to do that and ready to do that.

You might find it helpful, if you’ve got something to keep notes, you might find that helpful because there’ll be some things that I recommend that you do you keep note of and then we’ll go through praying through those things. So, maybe get your phones out or pens and paper. If you’ve got a great memory, that’s totally fine, I won’t be offended if you’re not writing anything down, but you might find it helpful.

I just wanna say that a lot of what I teach tonight is stuff that I’ve learned, either from the Freedom in Christ Course, which is by a guy called Neil Anderson and Steve Goss, and also from Catch the Fire Leadership School of Ministry, and mostly by the honor, it’s taught there. So, I just wanna give credit to them because a lot of my thinking for tonight’s teaching has come from these guys.

What I’m gonna be speaking on is leading from a clean heart. Leading ourselves, leading our families, leading our communities. And so much of what we’ve been going through in the last few weeks, in terms of getting us to a place of recognizing who God is as our Father and getting to a place of recognizing what our own identity is. And what we’re gonna do tonight is really to get us to a place where we are sons and daughters, living out as sons and daughters of a good, kind papa, and free from some of the things that can entangle our hearts and hinder us from walking into breakthrough and seeing really the kingdom come in and through us.

So, that’s what I’m gonna be focusing on tonight where we’re gonna be looking at three specific areas. And we’ll get into that in a second, I just wanna read a verse from John 14:30 to give us a platform for this evening. But actually, before I do that, let’s just quickly pray because I really feel like tonight isn’t an information night. It really is a night where we need Holy Spirit to be speaking to each of us, to be highlighting stuff that maybe we’ve never even thought of or seen in our own lives. So, why don’t you just pray with me for a second?

Father, we ask you to keep us awake, to keep us alert, and to keep us sensitive this evening, that we would really be able to focus, even after long and tiring days maybe that we’d be able to hear your voice speaking to us. And Holy Spirit, you are the one who sets us free. And so I really I ask, tonight, as we just touch on areas that may seem like hard work for some of us if we’re honest, our prayer, Holy Spirit, that you would make us so sensitive to you that we would see what you are seeing in our hearts. And whatever it is that you want to deal with and help us work through tonight that we would be open to that and that, tonight, this would be a place of real freedom for many, that we would walk free of things that whether we’ve known or not known, but we would walk free, in this room, and we would leave things behind and never need to revisit them again.

So, Holy Spirit, we ask, we were singing it. Have your way in this room. We pray that, we hunger for that, Lord, knowing that information will not set us free but encounter with you will. So, we’re leaning in on your presence and we thank you that you are here. Keep us awake, keep us alert, keep us sensitive. In Jesus name. Amen.

Together: Amen. John 14:30 , Jesus is saying, “I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming.” The Devil is coming. “But he has no claim on me. I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.”

I love that phrase, “He has no claim on me.” And really, how Jesus lived is a model for how we are to live. We participate in what Jesus did and how Jesus lived. And so, when Jesus says the enemy has no claim on him, that is something that is a promise for us. If we are in Christ, the enemy has no claim on us.

And I wanna make something really clear tonight. What I’m talking about is not salvation, is not about earning some kind of merit with Jesus so that we go to heaven. If you are in Christ, you are a son and daughter of Jesus, full stop. Nothing can change your status and your position in him, nothing can separate you from the love of God. That’s what the Bible says, right?

Together: Yes.

Katia: So, what we’re talking about tonight is not about earning something with Jesus, is not about getting our way into heaven. That’s already safe and secure if you are in Christ. And if we are in Christ, then the Bible says, because of what Jesus says here, the enemy has no claim on us. That is a done deal. Except if we give him permission.

See, the Bible tells us that Jesus on the cross disarmed the enemy, he stripped the enemy of all of his authority. And we know it, we know the difference. There’s authority is the permission to act, power is the ability to act. So, on the cross, Jesus stripped the enemy of all authority, he does not have permission to act. But he still has the ability to act and if we give him the permission by our agreement, by our partnering with him, then he will have authority in our lives.

So when Jesus says, “The enemy has no claim over me,” that is our promise and that is our portion. But we have to learn to steward that and walk in that. Jesus has given us victorious ground, but it’s our choice whether we live on that ground or whether we give that ground away.

And so, some of what I’m gonna talk about tonight, I really wanna make it clear, I hope that it’s really clear, right from the beginning. This is not about salvation, this is not about earning something. This is about stewarding what God has already given us, which is that the enemy has no claim over us. We stand in a place of authority, he has no authority over us unless we give him permission. Clear?

Together: Yeah.

Katia: Everyone happy? Good. Okay.

But there are three main areas where if we choose not to follow what God has given for us, then we will end up in territory that we don’t wanna be in. And so, we’re just gonna really simply look at these areas. At the end of each area, I’m gonna lead us in a response time. And that’s where the hard work is gonna happen. So, I’m just gonna open up the three areas for us and then I’m gonna get you to do some work through it.

First area. Something that we can get free from is the area of unforgiveness. Jesus gives us three kind of reasons to forgive. The first is in Matthew 6, and it’s simply that he commands us to. He tells us when he’s teaching us to pray, “Father, forgive our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.” It’s a really simple thing. Jesus teaches us to forgive, he tells us to forgive. That’s a reason to forgive because we wanna obey him, because we trust him, and because we know his rules are good. Agreed? Simple.

Second reason to forgive is in light of the extent of our own debt. So, there’s this parable in Matthew 18 that Jesus says, which I think we’re all familiar with. Where there’s these two servants of a master, and one has a lot of debt, and he comes and he’s cleared of all of his debt because he begs the master for freedom, he begs the master to be freed of the debt. And then there’s another servant who owes this servant a very small debt, and this servant just won’t let it go. And the master is angered by this and he says to the first servant, “Look, I forgave you all of this debt. I forgave you a million rand debt, and then you go and you lock up this second servant for a 10-rand debt.”

And really, Jesus is there saying, “Guys, you need to understand the father forgives you a million rand.” When you’re holding on to your 10-rand debt from someone else, you don’t understand the extent of forgiveness towards yourself.

So, there’s an understanding. First, we forgive simply because Jesus tells us. He’s good, we trust him, we wanna follow his footsteps. Secondly, we do it because we recognize we’ve been forgiven so much. Who are we to stand against someone else when God Himself has forgiven us a greater debt than we could ever understand? But the third reason, I believe, is actually the most compelling, and it’s for our freedom. See, the thing about forgiveness is that it sets us free. If you forgive someone else, it actually does not impact them in the slightest, but it impacts you incredibly. It has life-transforming power.

And so, we’re just gonna walk through why I say this because there’s so much Biblical precedence for this. Firstly, it’s important for us to recognize that unforgiveness is a form of legalism. It’s legalism towards somebody else. When we withhold forgiveness from someone, what we’re saying is, “We want you to get the justice for what you did. We want you to get what you deserve.” Correct? We’re saying, “You did this thing against me. Richard, you were mean to me, and if I am not gonna forgive you, that means I want you to get what you deserve for your meanness, for your cruelty.” Whatever it is. Right?

Problem with that is what we’re saying is, “We want you to live in the realm of the law.” Because the realm of the law is where justice is served. The realm of the law is perfectly just, you get exactly what you deserve for every single action. The realm of the law has no mercy in it. The realm of the law is where you get repaid for all of the things that you’ve fallen short on, which is punishment and death. The problem really, is that you can’t insist that someone else lives in the realm of the law without yourself living in the realm of the law, too. You can’t live in two different realms, it doesn’t work.

And where Jesus comes in, he gives us the ability to live in the realm of grace. It’s a better realm, it’s a higher realm, it’s a beautiful realm where you’re not given what you deserve, you’re given mercy instead. It’s a realm where Jesus isn’t counting all of your shortcomings and then saying, “Right, for each of this, I’ve done the maths and this is what you need to pay up.” It’s a realm where the maths is incredibly…is just wiped out, the slate is clean. Two different realms. We can’t live here, in the realm of grace, towards ourselves, and live here in the realm of law towards other people. It’s simply impossible.

And that’s why Jesus tells us to forgive because he’s saying, “Guys, if you wanna live in the realm of grace, if you wanna live in the realm that’s free, you’ve got to let go of your unforgiveness. If you cling to unforgiveness, immediately, you get sucked down into this realm.”

Now, you can live in the realm of the law and be a Christian, but you’re not gonna be a very happy Christian. And the reason is the realm of the law is the place that the enemy loves. Because the realm of the law is a realm of accusation because you are justly accused. And the enemy’s name is “the accuser.” He loves the realm of the law. In fact, he loves to tempt us into unforgiveness because he knows if he can keep us in unforgiveness, he’ll keep us in the realm of law, and then always, we will justly stand open to his accusation. He loves it. He loves it because then he is able to justly tell us just how bad we are. He is then able to justly stake all of his hatred on us and stop us from walking in freedom because he knows we’re stuck in the realm of law until we let go of that unforgiveness, and then we can live in the realm of grace again.

It’s a profound thing because he lies to us and he tells us unforgiveness, really, is making us powerful. It makes you feel like you’ve got control. You’re like, “I’m withholding my forgiveness from you, huh.” Well, the person, first of all, is entirely unaware of that. So, it’s not a place of control at all or power. And actually, it’s a place where you submit yourself to the enemy’s power unwittingly often, unknowingly often, sometimes scaringly knowingly, but we prefer to hold on to that unforgiveness.

But I really wanna encourage you tonight, guys. Let’s let go of unforgiveness. And look, forgiveness is not about saying that that thing that happened wasn’t terrible. That’s not what forgiveness is. Forgiveness is not about belittling this thing done against you. But forgiveness is about looking at it square in the face, acknowledging the terrible pain that some of the things done against us have caused, but then saying, “I’m gonna choose to set me free. I’m gonna choose to put myself in the realm of grace because I don’t wanna live in a realm when I’m easily accused. I don’t wanna live in a realm where the enemy prowls around like a roaring lion. I wanna live in a realm that the enemy simply does not understand. Where the enemy is entirely paralyzed to move because he doesn’t know what to do in the realm of grace because none of his accusation makes sense. In the realm of grace when he comes to you, tells you you’re awful and you’re a sinner and you’re rubbish, you are so connected with Jesus in the realm of grace that it’s laughable because you are like, “Any accusation that even made sense before doesn’t make sense now because you’re talking about Jesus who died on the cross for me. It’s all gone, it’s all buried. You’re talking about a man who was dead and now I’ve been raised in Christ.”

And so, tonight, we’re gonna do some work on unforgiveness. And we’re gonna ask Holy Spirit to open up our eyes and to touch on our hearts any people who we may not have forgiven in the past. And you might be surprised by some of the people that come to mind. I wanna encourage you, even if you’re thinking, “Really? I don’t know, I’m not sure.” Work through the process of forgiving them because if there’s anything that the Holy Spirit is highlighting, then we wanna just quickly deal with it and let it go so that we can be in a place of freedom.

You know, in Galatians, it talks about falling from the realm of grace. And it says this, “For freedom, Christ set us free. Stand firm, therefore. Do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Look I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you.” Circumcision was their main source of legalism in that day. “I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision, that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law, you have fallen from grace.”

It’s a terrible description of what we’ve been talking about. Holding on to legalism will always mean that we fall from a realm that we want to be in. And unforgiveness is a major part of that. So, we get to choose which realm we wanna live in.

2nd Corinthians says, “Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed what I have forgiven, if I’ve forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ so that we would not be outwitted by Satan.” Forgiveness is a form of spiritual warfare. It’s a form of actually outwitting the enemy who’s trying to outwit us.

And so, tonight, we’re gonna do some spiritual warfare, you and I. And look, forgiveness, sometimes you forgive the same person 100 times, that’s okay, but it is us, consistently, coming to Jesus and saying, “Yet again Jesus, I set them free because I’m setting me free.” And yet again, we choose to submit ourselves to the realm of grace, rather than submitting ourselves to the yoke of the realm of the law.

Okay, so some warning signs…just before we do some of the work ourselves, some warning signs that you might be living in unforgiveness.

Firstly, you have loads of accusation in your head. If you’re someone who lives with accusing thoughts constantly, that is, you just can’t seem to shake it. All day, every day, you’ve got words about how rubbish you are, all the things that you’ve done wrong. If you’re someone like that, is probably a signal that there are some unforgiveness going on somewhere, because once you let go of that, you enter into the realm of grace and accusation really does stop. It actually, really, is as simple as that.

Secondly, you can’t seem to get into a level of breakthrough in terms of whether it’s healing, whether it’s…whatever it is, kingdom life, there seems to be a constant blockage. And sometimes I get asked to pray for people who come to me very simply and say, “I feel blocked. I can’t seem to enter into breakthrough, I can’t seem to run with grace, I don’t know what’s going on.” My number one question is, “Is there anyone you need to forgive?” And so often, people are like, “What does that have to do with anything?” Well, it’s got everything to do with the realm you’re living in. And kingdom breakthrough exists in the realm of grace. You can’t have kingdom breakthrough in the realm of law, it doesn’t work. That’s the whole story of the Israelites, it doesn’t work. Which is why Jesus came to bring grace.

And so, if you are someone who either lives with accusation or lives with a sense of, “I’m blocked, I can’t seem to get anywhere,” then that might be signals that you need to work through some forgiveness with some people.

So, let’s go for some work. Is this okay? You guys, happy, awake, alert?

Together: Yes.

Katia: Great.

So, why don’t we just all shut our eyes for a moment? We’re gonna do this personally, and then I’m gonna ask you to make a corporate response because I believe there’s power in community.

Together: Yes.

Katia: Listen, I wanna say this is a safe space. No one is watching, no one is taking notes. Every single one of us is gonna have to work through forgiveness and everything else that I talk through tonight, okay? It’s called “being human.”

And so, I really wanna make it open to you. Please, please, don’t be shy of responding tonight for fear of what that might mean or what people might think. Let’s go for freedom tonight, let’s not hold on to this stuff for fear of what our community might be saying, okay?

Together: Yes.

Katia: This is a safe place where we’re all gonna respond at different points, but first of all, I wanna lead you into a personal response. So, let’s just close our eyes. Holy Spirit, I just ask you to come and speak to us. Come and lead us. I pray that you would make our hearts sensitive. Now, I just wanna encourage you, in this space, why don’t you go ahead and ask Holy Spirit, you don’t have to do this out loud, ask Holy Spirit to bring to your mind any person who you need to forgive. And you might see their face in your mind or you might just, kind of, get a sense of who it is, and we’re just gonna wait for a few minutes for this. Holy Spirit be speaking to us

And as people come to your mind…and I’m gonna give a few minutes for this response time. As people come to your mind, I’m gonna encourage you to be specific about what you’re gonna forgive them for. General forgiveness tends to mean that we don’t engage with it fully because we’re trying to avoid the pain. To forgive, we’ve got to process the pain of that moment.

And so, I wanna encourage you, when someone comes to your mind, if the process of forgiveness is to be specific to say, “Jesus, I choose to forgive this person, for doing this to me, that made me feel this way.” That last bit is seriously important because it makes us engage with the wrong that we feel has happened to us. And then I want you to say, “Jesus, I set them free and I set me free to live in the realm of grace as you have allowed me to.”

And so, let’s just do this for a few minutes.

Father lead us in forgiveness. Give us hearts and minds that are sensitive to you.

And some of you are gonna need to process this in forgiving yourself.

Now, there may be things that you are holding against yourself. And in this moment, I wanna encourage you to set yourself free, to forgive yourself for the things that you just feel like you shouldn’t have done or you should have done and didn’t.

Father give us the courage to set ourselves free.

And some of us are gonna need to process forgiveness against God. Now, that doesn’t mean that he’s done something wrong because we know that he is good, but sometimes, we know that in our hearts but we hold offense against him for whatever it is, for things that we’re disappointed for, for breakthrough that we haven’t seen, for people who we lost rather than so healed, whatever it may be.

And so, in this moment, I want us to acknowledge if that’s you. Father, I forgive you for doing this that made me feel this way. I acknowledge that you weren’t in the wrong, but Lord, it made me feel this way, but I release that. I wanna set myself free from living in the realm of unforgiveness and the law.

Now, as we’re doing this, I wanna invite the power of community in this moment. And so, if you’re someone who’s responded in this, not everyone will have, but I know that a lot of us will have. So, I’m gonna wait because I know we will have.

If you’re someone who’s responded to this, I just wanna encourage you to stand. And what we’re gonna do is everyone else is gonna stand with you in a moment and we’re gonna lay hands on you, and we’re gonna pray blessing on you, and the grace of God to rush in where there has been accusation and where there has been lack of breakthrough, okay? So, if you’ve responded to this, if you’ve forgiven anyone in this time, I wanna ask you to stand up.

And most of us are standing, which is amazing, which is wonderful because freedom is coming. And so, if you’ve got anyone standing near you…now, if everyone is standing in your row, then maybe, just put your hand on the person on your right and a hand on the person to your left, and just bless them with the grace of God. Just speak blessing, breakthrough over them.

In Jesus’ name, we speak grace, we speak blessing, we speak breakthrough over each and every one of us in this room. I speak against the enemy’s accusations and the enemy’s lies, the enemy trying to pull us into the realm of law. And in Jesus’ name, we come against the enemy’s words and we say, “Be silenced because the realm of grace provides mercy and provides covering and you have no claim on us, in Jesus’ name, because we stand in Christ.”

And so I speak an onslaught of grace and mercy, of breakthrough and blessing on to each life that has walked into freedom tonight from unforgiveness, in the name of Jesus. Thank you, papa, for your goodness, thank you that this is the realm of grace that you enter us into. Ha, we acknowledge the power of that realm and we say, “Yes, Lord,” to the freedom that you hold to us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Together: Amen.

Katia: Okay. Great stuff. Everyone doing okay?

Together: Yes.

Katia: Second thing that can entangle our hearts but God wants to bring us into freedom from, and it is judgments and inner vows. Now, I’m gonna talk through some spiritual laws, and then we’ll go on from there. I just wanna say there are three spiritual laws that I’m basing this on. The first is the spiritual law of judgment. And I’m gonna read some verses. Romans 2: 1 , “Therefore, you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another, you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.” Matthew 7: 1-2, “Judge not, that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you pronounce, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Okay, first principle from that. You become like what you judge. It’s pretty simple, that’s what the Bible tells us. Don’t judge because you’re gonna do exactly the same thing that you judge, okay?

Together: Yes.

Katia: Law one, the law of judgment. Law two, the law of sowing and reaping. Galatians 6:7 , “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.”

So, the principle here is that you will reap, in kind, what you have sown. So, if we sow judgment, we will reap judgment that’s heaped on us in exactly the same measure.

So, law one was the law of judgment. Law two, the law of sowing and reaping. And the third law is the law of blessing and honor. And we read Deuteronomy 5:16 , “‘Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God commanded you, that your days may be long, that it may go well with you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.” And then Romans 12 extends that from honoring your mother and father to outdoing one another in honor, in all of the community.

And the law of blessing and honor is this, the principle is that honor which is the exact opposite of judgment, is life-giving. Honor looks for the good and lifts it up. Judgment looks for the bad and condemns it.

So, law of judgment, law of sowing and reaping, law of blessing and honor. Very simple laws that this is all rooted on.

And the thing is then if we live in judgment against people, we’re gonna walk in that same thing. And you see this so, so clearly with cycles and families. Ever wondered why abuse follows cycles in families? Well, it’s actually because this law is being worked out the entire time, from generation to generation. So, a son who is beaten judges his father for that beating. But actually, weirdly, crazily, the world doesn’t understand why, but the Bible tells us why. In that very same judgment, often, that repeats itself again and again from generation to generation. The same person who hated his father for doing that thing does the same thing to their own children, unless we see God come and break that cycle in grace. But if we live in the cycle of judgment, we serve it and we reap it in the same kind.

And the thing about judgment is that it often, it has two siblings, if you like. One is inner vows and one is bitter expectations. And inner vows go like this. We look at that thing that we judge and we say, “I judge that, I condemn that,” and internally, we go, “I will never be like that.” The problem is with that inner vow, first is rooted in pride, not in grace, because, “Me, in my strength, will never be like that.” Well, we don’t wanna go there because me in my strength can’t do anything. Frankly, I’m living by Jesus’ strength. And, of course, it’s rooted in judgment, which means you’re gonna reap exactly that which you don’t want to reap. The exact opposite of that vow comes into action.

So, in that abuse victim situation, the son who is abused who is saying, “I judge you. That’s terrible, that is a wrong thing to do,” is also saying, “I will never grow up to do this to my kids.” And then, in a strange turn of events, of course, that very same thing happens. So, that sibling number one is inner vows.

Sibling number two is bitter expectations. And it’s the person who judges and who, kind of, has that vow, then sees the world through that lens and expects that same behavior from everything. So, for example, the person who has a manipulative mother, let’s say. That person judges the mom, “I’m never gonna be like you,” but increasingly, start seeing people as manipulative. Have you ever seen how people who have one thing happen to them seem to be a magnet of that same thing again, and again, and again? Abuse victims. It’s a strange phenomenon, but it’s not strange because it’s Biblical, but it is a strange phenomenon where the same thing, people who get abused seem to be magnets for abuse and it seems to keep happening in their life. But it’s because of this law where they’re consistently expecting that which they’ve judged, they now see the world through that lens and it keeps coming back. Sowing and reaping, sowing and reaping that very same thing.

So, judgement stands with two siblings. Inner vows and bitter expectations. And I just wanna tell you a little bit of my own story in this, because this isn’t theory, this is life for me. So, much of the freedom that I walk in now is because I got the privilege of being in a conference where all of this was spoken about and I came into freedom.

Before Julian and I got together, I was in another relationship which wasn’t even, really, a relationship. It was a confusing two years of my life, let’s just put it that way. And it was one of those relationships that I like to call a pseudo-relationship where you’re in a relationship but you’re not, and no one clarifies anything. And both parties get strung along for a very long time, and it’s incredibly painful. And that’s exactly what happened to me. And during that two years, that was really painful for me, in my early 20s, I also had a couple of people who were very close to me who had got engaged to very well-respected, wonderful Christian guys. Two friends of mine, one in my family, one a friend. Both of them got dumped by their fiancées only a few weeks before their wedding.

And during that time, I started forming what I didn’t realize was a judgment against men in my heart. I didn’t realize it at the time, but really what happened was against the guy who I was in this weird relationship with, and against the guys who I saw broke my loved ones’ hearts, I started judging them. You know, “What kind of Christian are you? How can you do that?” All that kind of stuff. It was judgment. I wouldn’t have said it was, but it was, plain as day, judgment.

And then I started making some inner vows. You know, “I would never treat anybody like that. You know, that’s not a Christian thing to do.” All of that. The sibling of inner vows came out. And then, really, the sibling of bitter expectations, it always comes about, too. That route takes hold, whether you want it or not because you start seeing the world through that lens.

So, by the time I met Julian, I used to have this joke with my friends and we would just, kind of, go…anything that went wrong, we would roll our eyes and go, “Oh, men.” And it didn’t have to be anything to do with guys at all, but it just kind of became this running commentary of our lives. It became this thing where we belittled guys, where we expected guys to be at the foundation of all problems. And it was, externally, a joke, it was, internally, a bitter expectation. And Julian will tell you about our relationship. I made him work really hard. And he says that and he smiles because he’s like, “Wow, she was a great catch,” and he’s very kind about it. But really, some of it comes down to this, is because I had bitter expectations in my heart. When I met Julian, I hadn’t fully resolved what was going on in my heart against guys.

And I was very guarded from him, and I was very nervous that he was gonna do the same thing to me, string me along and then drop me and break my heart. And I was very, all throughout our relationship, really, until we got married, there was this wrestling in my heart of, “Is he being truthful?” And it made his life really difficult because I would be hard work for him and I would accuse him of things and I would say to him…we would have fights where he’s thinking, “What on earth is going wrong with this chick? I’ve told her I love her, I’ve now proposed to her and she’s still, kind of, in this place or wrestling.” But it was because of the bitter expectation.

And when I finally woke up to what was going on, when God was kind enough to show me the judgments, the inner vows, the bitter expectations, really, it came crumbling down very easily. Because once you repent, which basically means breaking agreement, breaking your partnership with what the enemy has lied to you about, with what the enemy has sown in your heart. And look, we like to blame things on the enemy because it’s actually much easier to say, “Oh, it was the enemy’s fault.” Well, the enemy lied but I said, “Yes.”

Man: Yeah

Katia: Okay?

Together: So, it’s a partnership there. And so, we’ve got to break agreement. We’ve got to say, “Lord, I repent for this judgement. Who am I putting myself in the judgment seat? I don’t know what’s going on, and thank God I don’t have to be the judge of everything. And so, Lord, I relinquish my feeling of a right to judge, and I break agreement with this inner vow. I know that I do not have the power to do anything different to any other human being. It’s by your grace alone that we stand.”

And so, when I started breaking these things, when I started repenting, when I started repenting of bitter expectations, of seeing the world through this faulty lens, I saw such beautiful freedom come. I made such beautiful relationships and friendships with guys where before, I’d kind of been a bit like, “Something is gonna happen. I don’t trust you, you’re gonna do something. If it’s not to me, you’re gonna break someone else’s heart.” It was that kind of negative view, and yet, there’s so much life where I’ve come from that now because I get to walk in friendships with guys and trust them fully and know that God, by His grace, is leading them as much as God, by His grace, is leading me. Does this make sense?

Together: Yes.

Kata: And so, I really wanna lead us now in doing some work on this because I can’t do this for you. And some of us will not ever have recognized some of the stuff that’s going on in our hearts because, often, we’re just not good at connecting with what’s going on internally.

And so, we’re gonna ask Holy Spirit to lead us in this moment, to lead us in showing us if we’ve judged anybody, if we’ve made inner vows against anybody, if we’ve got bitter expectations that have taken hold because of our judgment and inner vows. And then we’re gonna simply start repenting, breaking those things. It is breaking agreement with that judgment, releasing that person from that judgment, agreeing that grace should be on them as much as grace should be on you and walking free.

Sounds like something we can do?

Together: Yes.

Katia: Great. So, why don’t you close your eyes and start inviting Holy Spirit? Very simply the same as we did with forgiveness. Holy Spirit, will you show us any areas that we may have judged people?

Now, it might be a “legitimate thing,” and I say that in inverted commas. We’re not excusing people’s sin, but we don’t have to judge people’s sin. Jesus does that, we just walk away.

And so, Father, whatever it is that we’ve sinned, where we’ve kind of condemned someone for an action, I pray that you would bring that moment to our hearts. And Father, help us, give us courage to relinquish agreement with judgment, relinquish agreement with inner vows, and relinquish agreement with bitter expectations, in Jesus name. Come Holy Spirit.

And again, we invite the grace of God to rush in. Holy Spirit, where there have been judgments, where there have been inner vows, bitter expectations, I ask you, by your grace, that you would breathe those cobwebs, those toxic darts, even now, away from our hearts. That you would uproot bitter roots that have taken place in our hearts. And instead, that you would rush in with life, and grace, and freedom, in Jesus’ name. That Holy Spirit, we would come into places of deeper encounter with you.

And so, again, I wanna invite you, because I believe in the power of community. If you have responded to something about this section, would you just stand up? And we’re gonna pray for one another, we’re gonna speak grace and blessing over one another, we’re gonna pronounce freedom over one another.

I’m just gonna give you a few more moments because I’m sure there are more of us who’ve responded. This is not a moment to shy away, this is a moment to say, “Yes, I wanna step into the freedom of this. I do not wanna live in judgment anymore, I am not on the judgment throne, thank God for it. I live in the realm of grace and the realm of grace alone.”

And so, if you’ve got someone standing next to you, a lot of people are standing, so maybe, just put a arm to the person on your right, to your person on your left. But I would love every person who is standing to have a hand on them. We’re gonna speak blessing over you, in the name of Jesus, where there have been judgments, and inner vows, and bitter expectations. We thank you, Father, that you breathe freedom, that you come and your love, and your mercy, and your grace, and you break this cycle of these things. In the name of Jesus, we say that these cycles will not go round and round, that what we have judged will not come back on us, but in Jesus’ name, the wonderful grace of the Father steps in.

And so, cycles are broken now in the name of Jesus, not to be reaped, not to be seen again in our lives. And so, we speak grace, upon grace, upon grace, upon grace on every life in this room, every person standing, in Jesus’ name. I speak the grace, and the blessing, and the peace of the Father over you, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Together: Amen.

Katia: Great stuff.

Everyone still happy?

Together: Yeah.

Katia: Last one.

So, last area that I wanna look at is demolishing strongholds.

Now, strongholds are habits and patterns of thinking that we often don’t even recognize. If you imagine a car stuck in some mud, the more that car tries to move, the more it gets stuck in that rut and the tire tracks get deeper, and deeper, and deeper. And no matter how hard that car tries to maneuver, there isn’t going anywhere else except for those tire tracks now because it’s really deep in the mud. Can you see that picture in your mind?

That’s what strongholds are like. Because it’s a pattern of thinking that gets reinforced again, and again, and again, and again. So the mud, those tire tracks get deeper, and deeper, and deeper ingrained in us. It becomes our natural habit of thinking about a certain thing, but in reality, it becomes the lens that we see the world through. Clear?

Together: Yes.

Katia: So the thing about strongholds is sometimes it can feel like they’re such a huge thing. And the enemy loves to reinforce strongholds with his lies. In fact, really, I believe the Bible teaches us that strongholds is where the enemy likes to sink his hooks. So, I’m just gonna sidetrack for a moment, just bear with me.

But I just wanna say this because I think we get this wrong, often, in churches when the Bible talks about demonization and never talks about demon possession. The enemy does not get to own any human being, at all, because God made every human being. And whether human beings are fallen or not, they belong to Jesus, full stop. The enemy doesn’t get to own them.

And there’s that story that is told in the New Testament of the man where the demons set up home. And we think about that as if that story is about that human being, that the home of that demon was the human being. That’s simply not true because the demon never gets to fully possess a human being, because demons don’t own us. Strongholds is where the enemy gets his hooks in. And when the Bible talks about demonization, it doesn’t mean that every person with strongholds is demonized, just to clarify, but I’m just saying this because I want us to get it right in church circles. No one is ever demon-possessed. Demons sometimes hook on to strongholds. Okay?

And so, when we’re praying for people for deliverance, let’s not make it a bigger thing than it is because no devil, no demon, gets to own a human being, ever, full stop.

Simply, what we’re doing is unhooking the enemy’s hooks from a stronghold. And the best way to do that, often, isn’t the power encounter of the moment, although we see that very biblically, where you cast out demons. But I like a more fun way of doing it, which is a truth encounter, because when we understand the lie of the stronghold, the stronghold comes crumbling down, and there simply is no home for the enemy to get his hooks in to. Makes sense?

Which is why truth sets us free, because when we come into an encounter with Jesus, who is the truth, and when he sheds his light on to the things, the wrong habits of thinking that we have, strongholds simply crumble. And honestly, it’s like they’re like puffs of smoke. Sometimes the enemy can make you feel like a stronghold is a brick cement castle that is a fortress that you can’t defeat. And then, when it comes to praying through it, repenting through it, you realize that castle, that fortress that you’ve always seen, was actually made of cardboard and a puff of wind of grace and it’s broken very quickly.

And so, strongholds or not, something for us to fear or something for us to be really worried about, but it is something for us to take authority over and walk in freedom from. 2nd Corinthians 10 says, “Though we walk in the flesh, we’re not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.” You already have everything you need to destroy any stronghold in your life and in anyone else’s. We’re already equipped with the armor. It’s ready to go, it’s simply done as we engage with what Jesus has already given us.

We destroy arguments, every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ. So, we don’t have to put up with strongholds. We don’t have to live with these habits of thinking. No matter how many years you’ve had that lens on, Jesus walks with us into freedom. And listen, from my experience, and I’ve done a fair amount of pastoral care and counseling in the last 15 years, from my experience, demolishing strongholds happens in two ways, and usually, both things happen for the people. One is that there’s a powerful moment and there’s an initial breaking, and the second is a process of stewarding a new habit and learning to walk in the truth of that.

And so, I’m gonna talk us through both things and I’m gonna encourage you, if any of this makes sense to you or hits home to you, to do both what we did tonight and to walk this through in stewardship when you get home, over the next few weeks.

I just wanna highlight, and you might wanna write these down, some common themes in strongholds. And often, these interlink. And when you look at, kind of, wonderful giants, spiritual giants in counseling, they repeat these themes again, and again. This seems to be what comes up most in people. Six strongholds. Rejection, abandonment, unworthiness, fear, shame, and control. Rejection, abandonment, unworthiness, fear, shame, and control.

And we need to recognize that a stronghold is formed by two things, and both things are necessary. One is enemy lies, two is our agreement. Those things come together. And when those things come together in agreement, then, a stronghold can form, over time, as we repeatedly, agree with that same lie of the enemy.

So, I wanna tell you a little bit of my story to bring this home, and I’ll give you another example as well.

Actually, let me tell you my friend’s story first. So, my friend, actually, he was talking about this, the first time I heard all about this. He was telling me his story, and it was about his story of being sent to boarding school when he was five. Lovely family, loved by his family, they thought they were doing the right thing. But when he was sent to boarding school, the enemy started whispering lies to him and telling him, “You’re here because, actually, your parents don’t really want you around.” And slowly, but surely, the more the enemy lied to him, the more he, kind of, allowed that lie to sink in. And it was a lie of utter rejection.

“Your parents don’t really love you, and that’s why they sent you here. And they don’t really want you back, and actually, they don’t really look forward to holidays because they don’t really want you.” And this thing kept being reinforced. And the more he heard the enemy lie, the more at the ripe old age of five, bless him, this thing took root as he continued to agree and think, “Yeah, that makes sense. They wouldn’t have sent me here otherwise.”

And so, this stronghold of rejection started to take root. But as I said, strongholds often interlink. And it’s pretty rare, actually, to see one stronghold working in isolation because it often has siblings that come up. And so, as this stronghold of rejection started to sink in his heart, a second stronghold of unworthiness started to be built up too. And a stronghold that said, “Oh, well, there’s obviously something wrong with me.” And the enemy is saying, “Yes, yes, you’re on to something, that’s exactly right, there’s something wrong with you. That’s why your family rejected you.”

And so, this then started being built. And this poor kid, by the time he’s six or seven, is living with a stronghold of rejection and a stronghold of unworthiness that is so strong in his heart he doesn’t know what to do with it, but his entire lens of the world now comes through a place of rejection and a place of unworthiness.

On top of unworthiness, then came fear, because now he started thinking, “Well, if my parents did this and there’s something wrong with me, then this is what my life is gonna be like. And my whole world is gonna be this horrible thing where no one likes me because I’m, obviously, unlovable.”

And so, this thing of fear started to be built in his heart, just as securely as rejection and unworthiness. And the enemy, of course, loving every minute of this, kept telling him, “Yes, the future is not gonna be good for you. There’s nothing to look forward to, you better be scared of what’s coming, boy.”

And so, this was his experience until he met Jesus. And Jesus starts speaking to him and telling him, “These are lies, these are lies. I have created you for a wonderful future. You don’t need to be afraid of what’s coming because I love you, because unworthiness is not something that I’ve put on you.” And slowly, but surely, brick by brick, the cardboard fortress came falling down as Jesus breathed grace into where the enemy and this boy, by agreement, had built strongholds.

And really, what was built, that became a pattern of his view of the world over many years, came down over some months. There was an initial sense of life as he met Jesus, and he recognized this is lies, but he needed to unlearn that way of thinking. He needed to learn, he needed to get some friends and help get that car out of that rut and start moving it in a different direction.

And really, my experience of strongholds and, really, walking in freedom came…and if you were in the first session that I did in this series of Link, you will have heard me say when I was at the Leadership School of Ministry with the Catch the Fire guys, and in one of the sessions, I think it was the one after demolishing strongholds, God started speaking to me and started putting his finger on some strongholds in my own life. And he started showing me, and I referred to this in the first session, how when I was born, I was born with a medical condition that made me stand out, physically.

And all through my childhood years, my mom would try to help me with it. And bless her, she was doing the right thing, the best thing. But actually, the enemy jumped on what my mom was doing and made me feel like I was somehow wrong, that somehow, my mom was ashamed of me, that she was saying, “Oh, this thing is horrible, let me change you.” And that’s not what she was doing. I know that now, but at the time, that’s what happened in my heart. There was a sense of, “You are somehow shameful because you weren’t made perfect.”

And then, so on that stronghold of shame that started being built in my heart, came a sibling of unworthiness, and so the enemy started lying to me. Now, I wanna tell you, I was raised in a wonderful Christian family. My parents loved me, they raised me in Jesus. I can’t remember a day that I wasn’t saved. I technically, probably, became a Christian when I was about three, got baptized in the spirit when I was about six. So, this isn’t like I was in a terrible scenario and all of these things were happening, I was actually, living a very wonderful, privileged life, I know that. But all of this stuff was going under the surface, and I didn’t even know it.

And so, this stronghold of unworthiness started being built in me, where I really believed, somehow, I am not lovable enough, even by God, so he made me this way. That was what I believed. And that lie took hold. And, of course, the enemy is cheering that lie on as loudly as he can, and reinforcing it as loudly as he can, in whatever situation he can.

So, any scenario where something went wrong or where I did something embarrassing, the enemy would jump on that and say, “Yes, see, that’s because you were made faulty. You need to understand that, that you are less than the other people, and so you’re not worthy. And even though people tell you God loves you and he does, because he’s really good, it’s not because you’re any good. It’s just because he’s that good.” And so, even the love of God became something that became different from what most people understood it because it was like, “Wow, God is so amazing, he loves me. I’m filthy, and awful, and terrible, but he’s great because he loves me.” That’s not the gospel that is preached in the Bible.

God sent His Son because He loved you so you were bought at a great price. Which means, to him, you were worth a great price. And so, in this conference, Scott was so kind to me. He literally, it felt like this thing was in a dark place in my heart. I didn’t know it existed. By the time I went to this conference, I’d been ministering for about seven-eight years. I’ve been in pastoral care for at least that long. I’d done loads of counseling up to that point. I didn’t know this thing was there. And then, Holy Spirit, so kindly, just, pup, turned the light on. And boom, everything changed for me, because I’m like, “That’s a lie. I know that’s a lie.”

As soon as the light of Holy Spirit was shone on it, that stronghold crumbled. Because I was so aware the enemy is evil and I have been ingrained with him all this time, unwittingly. Just saying “yes” to the enemy’s lies, lies that I know are simply ridiculous.

And so, in that conference, God set me free. But I had to learn to steward that, I had to learn to steward how I saw myself and how I spoke about myself because unworthiness makes you talk rubbish over yourself. You keep agreeing with that thing.

And I have to be honest with you, I have to keep learning that. And it’s wonderful having Julian in my life because he tells me and we do this for each other because it’s a good thing. And do this in your communities, catch each other saying lies about ourselves. And Julian catches me and goes, “Sorry, can you say that again? Just the truth of it this time.”

Man: That’s good, I love it.

Katia: And so I have to…you know, when I say to him, “Oh, I look rubbish.” “Sorry, what did you say?” And I know exactly what he’s saying, “Oh no, I don’t know rubbish, Jesus made me great.” Whatever it is. “Oh, that was the worst preacher ever, it was such a waste of time.” “Sorry, what did you say?” It’s a good thing to do because we all need to do it for each other because we all have the elements of this. This isn’t something that’s unique. Listen, these six things are the six most common things that all of humanity works through.

And so, all of us, at different moments, have to deal with these things. But I know that, for me, shame and unworthiness were something that I just hadn’t seen. And the reality is they grew the sibling of control because shame often partners with control because you wanna control how people see you because you’re so ashamed of who you really are.

And so, Jesus started unraveling those things, so kindly, so beautifully. And of course, it’s a journey, but I can tell you, “Wow, it’s so good to feel free from the rubbish of this thing, from the toxins that this thing was constantly feeding into my life.

And so, I want us to do some work for the last time this evening.

Now, if you didn’t write the common themes, I wanna ask you to write them now because you’re gonna do some work on them. So, unless you’re able to remember the six, which is totally fine. But so, we’re talking about rejection, abandonment, unworthiness, fear, shame, and control. Rejection, abandonment, unworthiness, fear, shame, and control.

And I wanna say, rejection and abandonment are similar but they’re slightly different. Rejection feels more like an active thing, that someone has, actively, rejected you. Often, with abandonment, it feels like a passive thing. It’s often like parents who were there but not really there. That, often, takes hold of abandonment rather than rejection because you don’t feel like someone actively rejected you but, somehow, passively, you found yourself alone.

So, I just wanna lead us into a thing where we’re asking Holy Spirit, “Holy Spirit, simply, can you highlight if any of these things are having a role in our thinking. If any of these things have become a little stronghold, that Holy Spirit, you can easily take down because we wanna repent of our agreement.” And really, I wanna encourage us, we’re not abdicating responsibility when we do this. You and I, I did this, I agreed with those lies, okay?

And so this is our moment to say, “Oh, the enemy is so rubbish, it’s all his fault.” He’s a liar, yes, but we also bring agreement. And so, in this moment, we’re gonna repent for our partnership in those strongholds. We’re gonna repent for agreeing with the rubbish lies that the enemy has been feeding us and, in fact, reinforcing those lies ourselves. And so we’re gonna ask Holy Spirit to show us if any of these strongholds have taken root, and then I want you to ask Holy Spirit where that stronghold came from. Because not only do we wanna identify strongholds, but we wanna identify their origins. And the reason for that is it’s really helpful to go back to that place and see what Jesus was doing and see what Jesus was originally saying over that place. And then, we’re gonna repent for believing the lie, whatever the lie is attached to that stronghold.

And I want you, in that moment, to ask Holy Spirit to show you the truth instead. So, for me ,very simply, God showed me unworthiness, he showed me that the root, the origin of that was from when I was really young, when I believed that I wasn’t somehow, lovable enough, which is why he made me faulty, which is all a huge lie, but anyway. So that was the origin. And then, God showed me, of course, that the lie is that I’m not lovable and somehow, he made me faulty. And the truth is that he loves me dearly, and the enemy tried to take me out, but God, in His kindness, restored me. Yeah?

And so, what we do in that moment, as we repent of the lie, as we start agreeing with the truth, this is a moment of power and breakthrough, but the stewarding of that comes where we keep breaking that lie and agreeing with the truth. Now, it might mean that you need to go home, and for the next few weeks, every morning, consciously, intentionally say, “I break my agreement with this lie that I’ve believed for many, many years. And in Jesus’ name, I choose to agree this truth.”

And I would encourage you to do that out loud. And it might be that you’ve been believing 1 lie, it might be that Holy Spirit shows you 50 lies. I wanna encourage you, on a daily basis, out loud, because there is power in our words. I really wanna encourage you because there is something about changing the ruts of those tires that they’ve sunk in, and it is about unraveling that mindset. And so, every morning, I wanna encourage you, identify the lie out loud, break agreement with it, and then partner with the truth instead that should fill the space of that lie. Does that make sense?

Together: Yes.

Katia: But so, in this moment, let’s close our eyes. Last part. Holy Spirit, I ask you to put your finger on any strongholds that have taken root in our hearts.

The King Who Calls Out Destiny

Sun, 24 Sep 2017 18:00:00 GMT

Jesus had a habit of creating leaders out of unlikely people, from unlikely places. Are there areas of destiny you haven’t seen fulfilled because you don’t feel qualified? In this sermon, Katia invites us to step into all that God has called us to with confidence.

TRANSCRIPT

Katia: I get the privilege of speaking on the King Who Calls Out Destiny this morning and I’m going to speaking from a few verses in Mark 1, Mark 2 and Mark 3. So, feel free to flick there but we’re gonna just rapidly go through the verses. So, you’re welcome just to hear me read through the verses and then we’ll get straight into it. So Mark 1:16-20 , “As he was going along by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net in the sea for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, I will make you become fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. Going on a little further he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother who were also in the boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and went away to follow him.” Mark 2:13 , “And he went out again by the seashore and all the people were coming to him and he was teaching them. As he passed by he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting in the tax booth and he said to him, “Follow me,” and he got up and followed him. Mark 3:13 , “And he went up on the mountain and summoned those whom he himself wanted, and they came to him. And he appointed 12 so that they would be with him and that he could send them out to preach and to have authority to cast out the demons and he appointed the 12. Simon to whom he gave the name Peter and James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to them he gave the name Boanerges which means “Sons of Thunder.” And Andrew and Philip and Bartholomew and Matthew and Thomas and James the son of Alphaeus and Thaddaeus and Simon the zealot and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.

I love these verses because they are laden with meaning if we understand the culture of the day, and we’re gonna get to it in a moment. The more I’ve read and the more I’ve studied this week, the more overwhelmed I’ve been with the gracious kindness of Jesus for calling out destiny in the least likely. And we’re gonna get to that in a minute but I just want to say to start off, I love how destiny shaping moments, moments where these guys came in to the purpose for which they’d been created, moments that called out the greatness in them. I love how these moments happened in everyday life in everyday moments. Jesus is walking along the seashore and he sees guys at work. They’re not in a church meeting in a revival context. They’re not at the synagogue where it would be the natural place perhaps for God to speak. No, they’re at work in their everyday context and in that moment God steps in and bam, everything changes for them. I think sometimes when we’re talking about destiny, when we’re talking about what is God’s will for my life or God’s purpose, often we start searching out places where we feel like God might speak and more often than not, that’s a meeting context. We’re looking for the next prophet. We’re looking for someone from the stage to call us out because what does God want me to do with my life becomes a big question, but I love this that Jesus interrupts the world of men and calls out greatness from them in their everyday setting.

You don’t have to find God in a meeting place. I thank God that he is in meetings too. He’s in this place tangibly but if you’re looking for God to speak to you, do you know he loves to interrupt your everyday world to call out destiny in you. It’s not about the setting because this was a very everyday setting, but it is about being open to interruption. I love that these guys are working away, Jesus interrupts them and they could have said, “No, we’re at work, come back later. Meet us at the synagogue, speak to us again when we’re off duty.” But, in that moment, something happens in these guys that enables them to be open to the interruption of God. And I wonder for how many of us our everyday life becomes so…well, we become so focused in on it that holy spirit is tugging at us and speaking to us and introducing interruption to us and we don’t recognize it for what it is which is God saying to us this is a moment of greatness because we’re so zoomed in on our diary and on our plan.

I come from the UK. Well, originally I come from the Middle East but I grew up in the UK and everything there is very on schedule. And everything is put into the calendar and you know exactly what’s going on from nine to five in your work day. It’s a very scheduled environment but I’m finding increasingly that if I stick to my diary for everything that’s meant to happen in the day, I will miss God moments consistently. And I want to encourage you, let’s be a people who are not looking at the setting for God to speak but we’re saying to God increasingly, “I’m open to your interruption.” And when interruptions come our way, let’s be a people who are immediately thinking, “God, are you trying to tug me into a destiny moment?” When we get that flat tire, when we bump into someone who maybe isn’t so comfortable for us and we’re rushing to get somewhere. When we see someone broken and there’s just something that catches our eye about them, let’s not be quick to rush on in our schedule but let’s be a people who are opening ourselves up to interruption. Because I honestly wonder how many times a day God is speaking to me through interruptions and how many times I miss that because I’m looking for the next point in my schedule.

I think of David who gets up one morning and he’s sent on an errand. His dad says to him, “Look, I want you to go take some food to your brothers. Your brothers forgot their lunch, why don’t you take it to them.” A very simple everyday moment and Jesus interrupts him. He sees Goliath, he starts hearing words that he thinks, “No, this is not okay for someone to say this about God” and something starts stirring in him. And if he hadn’t been open to the interruption of that moment, if he’d been so focused in on his everyday errand, maybe he would’ve thought, “Well, this isn’t anything to do with me. I’m off home again.” But no, in that moment, as something as the spirit of God I believe starts stirring in him, David gets courage in him and he thinks, “Well, this isn’t what I came for but this is what I’m going to stick around for right now.”

And I wonder if there’s something to be said for us, something for us to learn in those moments. Listen, you’re never gonna know when your destiny moment is about to hit you, you’re not gonna know. That morning is gonna be a normal morning for you. It’s not like you’re suddenly gonna get goosebumps as you walk out of bed, “Ooh, today is the day that God is gonna impact me.” It doesn’t work like that because he’s the God of the everyday moments and so you’re not gonna have goosebumps. You’re not gonna start floating about your bedroom and think, “Oh, I know now. I better be watching for it today,” that’s not what’s gonna happen. You’re gonna wake up, you might have a fight with your spouse, you’ll be running late for work. You’ll grab a banana because you didn’t have time for breakfast. You’ll be sitting in your car wishing the traffic away and then God begins to speak and I wonder if we could be more and more a community that just postures our hearts for those moments of interruption because he loves to speak greatness in those moments. He loves to find us in the crazy everyday moments because he’s a God of the everyday.

Sometimes we can super spiritualize words like destiny as if they are revival words. Well, they are but not in a meeting context. Destiny is about your everyday life, the everyday people that you come across. The everyday moments where we get to choose whether we’re listening to the interrupting voice of holy spirit. And listen, he’s not so convenient at times. It wasn’t convenient for Zebedee that his sons jumped out a boat that they were working in. It wasn’t convenient for these guys because this is how they made their living. But, holy spirit knows what he’s doing and he loves to bring us into a great adventure in our everyday moments if we’ll only be available to listen to the interruption.

The second thing that I love about this is that destiny has got nothing to do with your credentials. Listen, in the context of the day, the guys that Jesus picked were incredibly significant and would’ve caused a huge amount of scandal, and let me just talk through some of the context. So, we’re looking at a devout Jewish context. For these guys in Galilee, the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, would’ve been the most important thing. It was the centerpiece of their lives. It was the thing that governed how they made decisions. It was the thing that governed how they dressed. It was the thing that governed how they farmed. It was the thing that governed absolutely everything, all of their choices, how they got married, where they lived. All of those things were governed by the Torah. It was the centerpiece of everyone’s lives. And it meant that the rabbi’s who taught the Torah were the most influential, the most significant people of the day. They were the guys that every man wanted to be. They were the guys that every mother wanted their sons to grow up to be. That was the dream, being a rabbi or having a son who was a rabbi because it was just the most influential role in that community, and so to become a rabbi, you would need to be educated. And listen, education wasn’t a luxury for them. Education was a way of life. I love this quote by Josephus who was a first century Jewish historian. He says, “Above all else, we pride ourselves on the education of our children.” And another first century rabbi said, “From six upwards, accept the child and stuff him with the Torah.” I love that, that’s how they saw education. Get a kid from the age of six and just cram him full of the Torah and there you have it, a child who is well educated.

And so education for the Jews looked like this, most boys went to school from the age of six. Even the poor ones, they started off at school and between the age of 6 to 10, the first part of school was called Bet Sefer which was the House of the Book. And the whole curriculum for those four years for those kids would be to memorize the Torah, that’s what they did. They sat and they memorized the first five books of the Bible. And by the age of 10, these guys would be great. They would know the Torah off by heart which is why if you look through the scriptures, if you look at the New Testament, Jesus teaches so confidently and his crowd understand the Jewish scriptures, it’s because they were stuffed full of the Torah from the age of six. So when Jesus quoted scripture, it wasn’t like guys were saying, “Oh, what is he talking about?” They knew it, they knew their scriptures because they’d been taught it from childhood.

And so when you got to the age of 10, the best of the best started to show themselves. You know, by that point you knew the kids who were really intelligent. The kids who really had an aptitude for learning. The kids who were great at memorizing. And those kids, only the cream of the crop would be taken to the next level of education. The other kids, the kids who didn’t cut it, the kids who didn’t make the grade, they’d be sent home to start learning the family trade. They’d become farmers, they’d become fishermen, they’d become whatever it was, they’d learn the trade of the family. But the best of the best would stay in school. And from the age of 10 to 14, they’d enter the next level of education. And the next level of education entitled them to start memorizing the rest of the Hebrew scriptures. And they would literally in those four years memorize the entirety of the Old Testament, and this is still true today. Listen, this gives me a huge amount of respect for rabbinic schools because even today, Jews all over the world who are part of schools memorize the Old Testament. It’s pretty provoking actually. I struggle to memorize one verse here and there. They were well learned in the entirety of the Old Testament by the time they reached 14.

And in that time they were also trained in oral tradition, in how to ask questions. So, you notice that even the way Jesus answered questions with a question, that was because he understood the culture of the day. He wasn’t being difficult. He understood that the most learned amongst them were taught to answer a question with a question because it showed that not only have you understood the question initially asked, but you’ve understood it so much that you can take it to the next level in a question yourself. And so that’s what they did up until the age of 14. And by this point, anyone who was still in study by 14 was pretty amazing. And the next level of education for them was to apply to a rabbi to become just like them. And what they would do is they would seek out rabbis that they respected and they would go to the rabbis and they would be interviewed and the rabbi would ask them all sorts of questions from the scriptures. He would make sure that they knew it word for word. He would make sure that this student who was applying to him to be a disciple to him would be so good because the rabbi would be represented by this student. It would reflect on the rabbi how good this student was. Everything about this student had to be weighed. They could not be found wanting because if they were, it would reflect badly on the rabbi. And so they went through quite a rigorous application process, rigorous interview so that the rabbi would ascertain whether they were worthy of discipleship. Because being a disciple wasn’t just learning from the rabbi, it was literally taking the rabbi’s mantle onto themselves. It meant when the rabbi said, “Yes, come follow me,” it meant that the rabbi was saying, “I believe that you can be just like me. What you see in me, what you see me say, what you see me do, I believe that you are worthy to become just like me. You are worthy of my mantle. I have interviewed you and I see that you are not found wanting, that you are valid and worthy and I approve of you.” It was profound.

And so one of the ancient rabbi’s would say that discipleship meant that you were covered in the dust of the rabbi’s feet. And that was both figurative and literal because the rabbi would be walking in a dusty place and the disciples would be following his every move. They literally went every single place the rabbi would go and the dust from the feet of the rabbi would cover the disciples. Gives new meaning to gold dust, doesn’t it? Gives new meaning to when Mary is sat at Jesus’ feet because that was the posture of a disciple, and in that day would be scandalous that a woman would be allowed to touch the dust on the rabbi’s feet and yet Jesus says she’s worthy to do that.

And so it’s a beautiful moment when Jesus is walking along the seashore and sees some fishermen because you see, these guys were not worthy to be disciples. In the culture of the day if you were a fisherman or if you were a farmer, you were substandard because you were the little boy who got rejected from school. You were the little boy who didn’t make the grade. You were the little boy who hadn’t made the cut because you had been rejected from further study and had been sent home to learn the family trade. And so no farmer, no fishermen, no tax collector in his right mind would ever go to a rabbi and say, “Let me be your disciple.” It would be a humiliating exercise because they simply were not good enough. And so Jesus, he’s walking along and he sees the boys who didn’t make the cut and he thinks, “I’m gonna change the world with those guys.” It’s a beautiful moment. Everyone in that place would’ve heard of it. It would be scandalous. Listen, I’m sure that this is why some of the Pharisees were so irritated because they’d be like, “I went to school with Peter. He got kicked out when he was eight. He was rubbish, and here he is being a disciple as if he’s worth that.” It would’ve got so…into so many people’s hearts and minds as an offense because these guys didn’t earn what they’re doing. It would’ve been a cause for ridicule of Jesus because these disciples would now reflect on him. And so they’d say, “What kind of rabbi is this? Look at the guys who are following him. He’s chosen guys who are just rubbish.” Can’t reflect too well on him can it?

And so Jesus says, “Come follow me” to the substandard, to the guys who are insignificant and unworthy. And sometimes you look at it and you think, “Wow, it’s so crazy because it was so radical for them.” They left everything and they followed him and it was. But if you put your feet in Peter’s place, here’s a rabbi who walks past him and says to him, “Come follow me.” It is not an invitation to radical living, it is a word of affirmation because that rabbi is saying to him, “Peter, you’re worthy. I look at you and I know you can be just like me.” It’s a word of affection. It’s a word of validation. So when we read that Jesus picked disciples, it wasn’t random. It wasn’t ordinary in the day. No, it was so counterculture to everything that would be expected. Everything that would be seen as acceptable because he takes these guys who simply don’t have the credentials. And listen, he says, “I will make you fishers of men.” He understood what he was doing. He wasn’t crazy. He wasn’t a really bad rabbi. He understood what he was doing because he knows that who he chooses has got nothing to do with that person’s credentials. It has everything to do with how good a leader he is. He is the one who authors them into fishers of men. He says, “Come to me and I will make you this.” And listen, when Jesus says that, it’s not wishful thinking. He knows that who he is, his words over us are empowering. They create in us what he proclaims.

And so when he said that word to these guys, something happened, everything changed for them. They’ve respond to his word of validation and it’s true for us. Listen, you might feel like you’re the top of your field, “Why wouldn’t Jesus pick me? I’m awesome.” You might feel that way which is great. But listen, he doesn’t love you and choose you because of your credentials. He simply doesn’t. They’re wonderful, they’re great, he blesses them. He loves to have favor on you but you’re a grace choice not a good choice. No matter how good you are, no matter how strong you feel, there’s nothing in the kingdom that you can maintain from your credentials, that’s not why you’re chosen. And listen, you might feel like you’re right at the bottom of the barrel. You might feel like you’ve got nothing to give. You might be sitting here and approaching your life in the kingdom like, “No no, I am the least. I am least. Jesus is never gonna use me to do anything. I couldn’t possibly do anything. Everyone in my life has always told me I’m rubbish and I’m a loser and I’ve got nothing to give.” And you might be looking at your credentials as if they are necessary to do something awesome in God. And I want to tell you listen to what Jesus does here because he’s not interested in their credentials. He’s interested in what he can make people be which is anything and everything.

I love the fact…gosh it’s such a relief that I’m standing here not because of credentials but because God chose me out of his grace. It’s exhausting believing that you must maintain something in your credentials. If you feel like you open something because of your credentials, then you’ve got to maintain it by your credentials. But if you understand that life in the kingdom is open to you because of his wonderful, overwhelming, breathtaking grace, then you can live by his grace to maintain it. Listen, I’m not talking about poor stewardship, please hear me. I’m not saying that we then go, “Okay, well I’m just gonna sit back and relax because I don’t need to do anything. Jesus is going to lead me.” He is gonna lead you by his grace but isn’t it a wonderful adventure that we then get to partner with him? But we can never see our partnership as what’s earning us the right. I was a child when I felt like God called me to this sort of ministry, to speaking and preaching and helping build and plant churches. And since then, I’ve given myself to study and to all sorts of different theological schools because I’ve wanted to partner with him in what he called me. But listen, none of the things that I’ve learnt have earned me the right to be here, none of them. It’s my privilege to partner with him but none of my partnership is earning me a right because I know fixed in my heart that I’m not the good choice. I’m the grace choice.

When I first started working for a church in my early twenties, I didn’t have this understanding in my brain. And so I tried really hard to be all that I thought I was meant to be now that I was working for the church, now that I was employed for a church. I really felt the pressure to be appropriate in how I lived and in how I worked and I tried so hard and I ran myself ragged. And within about six months, I was burnt to a crisp because I was exhausted because somehow in my heart this had gone wrong in my understanding because I felt like my credentials were important. I felt like I needed to maintain something. And when Jesus started unraveling that in my heart, thank God for wise leaders around me. He started saying, “You were never chosen because of your credentials.” He’s so gracious. He’s so kind. He finds these guys who were seen as insignificant, who were seen as sub standard and he says to them, “Come follow me because I’m gonna make you something. I’m gonna author you into something that will shake nations and change history.” And his word is the same to us. He’s saying to you today whether you feel at the top of your game or at the bottom of the chain, “Come follow me because I see greatness in you.” And his word over you is not wishful thinking, his word over you is power to accomplish what he invites you into.

Quickly, I’ll go onto the last thing here. I love the image in Mark 3 where it describes that Jesus calls these guys. He gives them new names. He appoints them as apostles and it says he calls them so that they would be with him and so that they could be sent out to preach and have authority to cast out demons. I think sometimes we can start asking, “What is God’s purpose for me? What does destiny in the kingdom look like?” I’ve been asked this question so many times. “How do I find the will of God for me?” And I feel like these verses explain to us what it looks like to have kingdom destiny. Now, it’s gonna give you the components which is the same for every single person when God speaks destiny over you. The context might change but the components never will. And it’s this, what does destiny look like? It looks like identity, intimacy, authority, that’s what it looks like.

Listen, when Jesus called the disciples, it would’ve been crazy because people would start saying, “You know that guy Peter who used to be a fishermen?” “Oh, I thought he was still a fishermen.” “No, no, no he’s not a fishermen anymore. He’s now a disciple.” And people would be like, “What do you mean he’s a disciple? He’s not trained to be a disciple.” But suddenly conversation would happen around the disciples because Levi who once was a tax collector was now a disciple of Jesus. Everything in his identity would’ve got upside down because of who he now belonged to. Listen, when Jesus speaks of destiny, word over you, no matter what the context of that word is, whether it’s for you to be a mom raising champions at home or whether it’s for you to be a CEO of a company, the destiny components are still the same for each and every one of us. The first part of destiny is identity. He’s calling us as sons and daughters. It’s as simple as that. Whatever you once were in your identity is now changed. You are set free from that because Jesus has made you his son or his daughter. That’s who you now are and everything we do in destiny has got to flow from that place. It’s a scary thing when you meet people who are like orphans but who are climbing for kingdom destiny because somethings go very wrong then because love doesn’t become the aim or the outflow, position does.

If you want to know the will of God for your life, I’m giving you the components very simply, firstly is identity. He wants you to know that you are his son and daughter. You are an heir of the kingdom of heaven, that’s who you are. No matter what you used to be, that’s your identity now. You’re no longer a sinner. If you are in Christ, you are a saint, full stop. Peter who once was a fishermen was now an apostle. Everything was different about his identity, everything is different about ours.

The second thing about destiny is that it’s about intimacy. He called the disciples to him first and foremost so that they would be with him. You want to know the will of God for your life? It’s closeness. It’s walking with him. It’s spending time with him. That doesn’t mean that you’re gonna close yourself off in a prayer or closet 24/7, that means that we learn what it is to walk with holy spirit in our everyday moments just like the disciples did. They ate with Jesus. They partied with Jesus. They walked in different villages and places with Jesus. They went to get food with Jesus. Everyday life happened in closeness and that’s the will of God for you and me, that everyday life would happen in closeness. It’s intimacy and then it’s authority. For my identity and intimacy flowed their authority to speak and to cast out demons and to heal the sick and to raise the dead.

The will of God for you if you’re a teacher is to preach and to cast out demons and heal the sick and raise the dead. The will of God for you if you’re a financial adviser is to preach and heal the sick and cast out demons and raise the dead. The will of God for you if you’re a student at school is to be preach and heal the sick and cast out demons and raise the dead. Identify, intimacy, authority. Preaching doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re gonna stand on a soap box but it does mean that you’re gonna be a breath of life from the kingdom where you are. It means that you’re gonna speak hope where there’s the broken and hopeless around you. It means that you’re gonna release the peace of heaven over the people around you who are anxious. It means as a student you’re going to exams and your friends are freaking out and you just start speaking heavenly peace over people. You don’t even need to use jargon. You don’t need to say, “The blood of Jesus gives you peace.” But you are an agent of peace in the world, that’s who you are. And listen, I do think there is a place for owning the name of Jesus, so please hear me correctly. But I think he gives us wisdom in how we preach and he certainly doesn’t give us licence to judge in when we preach. But it’s a licence to love people well. It’s a licence to stand next to your friend who’s saying they’ve got backache and they’re not sleeping well and saying, “Hey listen, I belong to a kingdom where healing happens. Can I pray for you? My dad is really good at healing the sick. Please can I pray for you?” It’s about when your friend says to you that their parent, their sister, their cousin has got cancer and is sick in hospital. It’s about us saying, “I believe in a God of the miraculous. I’m gonna start praying.” It’s about seeing those who are oppressed in the demonic and start in speaking freedom from bondage over them.

The will of God for your life, identity, intimacy, authority. I love it, he interrupts the everyday moments. This week he’s gonna interrupt you. I wonder if you’ll be courageous enough to even in this moment to say, “Jesus, interrupt me. Come and speak to me in moments where I’m doing my thing. Interrupt me, I’m open.” I love it, he calls the substandard. He calls those who didn’t make the grade and he changes the world with them. I love it because he calls us to a life of destiny which is one of knowing who we are, knowing who he is and knowing what he’s made us to do. Why don’t you stand with me for a moment. Father, we just want to say we love you. We’re so overwhelmed by your kindness that you choose us because of your breathtaking grace. That you see us whether we’re strong or weak or whether we think we’re amazing or not but you see us and you choose us and you call us and you say, “I will make you into world changers not because of your credentials, but because of my grace over you.” And so Father I pray for each and every person in this room. I ask you holy spirit that you would speak destiny words over us. Words of intimacy, words of identity, words of authority, that you would create in us the understanding of who we are, of who you are and what you made us to do for your glory and your kingdom advance to shake this city and to shape nations. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

Audience: Amen.

Identity

Sun, 17 Sep 2017 18:00:00 GMT

Understanding who we are in Christ is vital to walking in authority and power. At the centre of our identity should be the Love of God. In this teaching, learn how to let God’s love shape your identity. This is a guest teaching from George Gourlay of Harvest church.

The King Who Opens The Heavens

Wed, 30 Aug 2017 18:00:00 GMT

Jesus came to reveal not an earthly kingdom, but a supernatural kingdom. In this teaching, Julian goes through Jesus’ supernatural walk throughout the Gospel of Mark.

– TRANSCRIPT

Julian: Yea, God. What an amazing time already. I’m so excited about this morning. And I get to kick off our new series this morning. We’re gonna be looking through the Gospel of Mark and encountering the King in the Gospel of Mark. Our series is called “Here and Now.” But before I drew that, I just wanted to play a very familiar clip that I’m sure many of you have seen before, just to remind you about the goodness of our King and I thought it was worth the three minutes of my preach time. So I wonder if we can roll that clip, that would be great. Thanks.

Male Voice: The Bible says my King is the king of the Jews. He’s the King of Israel. He’s the King of righteousness. He’s the King of the ages. He’s the King of heaven. He’s the King of glory. He’s the King of kings, and He’s the Lord of lords. That’s my King. I wonder, do you know Him?

My King is a sovereign King. No means of measure can define His limitless love. He’s enduringly strong. He’s entirely sincere. He’s eternally steadfast. He’s immortally graceful. He’s imperially powerful. He’s impartially merciful. Do you know Him?

He is the greatest phenomenon that has ever crossed the horizon of this world. He is God’s Son. He is the sinners’ Savior. He is the centerpiece of civilization. He’s unparalleled. He’s unprecedented. He’s the loftiest idea in literature. He’s the highest personality in philosophy. He’s the fundamental doctrine of true theology. He’s the only one who qualifies to be an all-sufficient Savior. I wonder if you know Him today.

He supplies strength for the weak. He’s available for the tempted and the tried. He sympathizes and He saves. He strengthens and sustains. He guards and He guides. He heals the sick. He cleansed the lepers. He forgives sinners. He discharges debtors. He delivers the captives. He defends the feeble. He blesses the young. He serves the unfortunate. He regards the aged. He rewards the diligent and He beautifies the meek. I wonder if you know Him.

He’s the key to knowledge. He’s the wellspring of wisdom. He’s the doorway of deliverance. He’s the pathway of peace. He is the roadway of righteousness. He is the highway of holiness. He is the gateway of glory. Do you know Him?

Well, His life is matchless. His goodness is limitless. His mercy is everlasting. His love never changes. His word is enough. His grace is sufficient. His reign is righteous, and His yoke is easy and His burden is light. I wish I could describe Him for you. He’s indescribable. He is incomprehensible. He’s invincible. He’s irresistible. Well, you can’t get Him out of your mind. You can’t get Him off of your head. You can’t outlive Him and you can’t live without Him.

Well, the Pharisees couldn’t stand Him but they found out they couldn’t stop Him. Pilate couldn’t find any fault in Him. Herod couldn’t kill Him. Death couldn’t handle Him, and the grave couldn’t hold Him. Yeah, that’s my King.

Julian: Come on. Let’s lift up and shout. Why don’t you just tell Him how great He is. You can do a little bit better than that. Come on, let’s lift up and shout our praise. He is good. That’s my King. That’s my king. Just a little bit longer, come on. Just a little bit longer. Let’s lift up His name. Let’s lift Him up. He’s good. Oh, that’s my King.

Congregation: Woo.

Julian: Woo. That just made me happy, we can go home now. Fantastic. Well, can you open your Bibles please to the gospel of Mark in chapter 1, and we’re gonna be tracking through this wonderful gospel over the next few weeks, and I get the joy of helping you encounter the King who opens the heavens over your life. And I’m trusting this morning that God will do some amazing things with us and in us.

I love being part of this community. Katia and I are just so enjoying what God is doing with us. I feel like we’re on the tiptoe of something significant that is going to shift and change not only the city of Durban but will attract the nations to this place. Amen.

Congregation: Amen.

Julian: So John chapter 1:4. John appeared baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sin. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the River Jordan confessing their sins. Now, John was clothed with camel’s hair, and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached saying, “After me comes He who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

In those days, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when He came up out of the water, immediately, He saw the heavens being torn open, and the Spirit descending on Him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven saying, “You are my beloved Son, with You I am well pleased.” The Spirit immediately drove Him out into the wilderness and He was in the wilderness for 40 days, being tempted by Satan. And He was with the wild animals and the angels were ministering to Him.

Now, after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the good news, the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe the gospel.”

I’m trusting that God can help me unpack this text and what we just read this morning. And I wanted to just help you by laying a little bit of a foundation about what’s happening in this context. Israel is in an incredible state of awakening. God has been doing something through the prophet John. The Bible says that Jesus regarded the Prophet John as the greatest of the Old Testament prophets. And so, he rocks up, and he’s baptizing at the River Jordan and people are coming out of Judea and Jerusalem in the thousands to be baptized and to confess their sins while they’re doing that. I wonder what kind of meeting that was where they are all confessing their sins, again, baptized in water in the same time. And something was awakening in the hearts of Israel at the time, something was stirring in the hearts of Israel.

Whenever God moves, like He does in this context, it’s because He is awakening hearts. It’s not because we can make anything happen. The Bible says in the Gospel of Luke that all of Israel was in expectation because something of the spiritual climate was beginning to change. And I just want to make a quick moment and a prophetic point here. God is doing something in South Africa at the moment when a few months ago a million people gathered to pray. God is awakening something of the hearts of people. That didn’t just happen by accident. It means something is moving. There’s an expectation of breakthrough.

And whenever there’s a spiritual climate like this, where God is moving, particularly in Jewish context, whenever there was an awakening, the expectation was that Messiah would come, that Jesus Christ or the Christ would be revealed in that context. So there was this expectation, “Could the Messiah come? Could it be now that He would overturn the Roman Empire with all of its illegitimate authority? Could it be now that Israel would finally enter into the fullness of its promises? Could it be now that this Messiah King would usher in Shalom, the peace and the rule and the reign of Yahweh in this context?” And so, they’re expecting something to happen. And they’re going out of their towns and out of their cities into the wilderness to be baptized at the River Jordan for the forgiveness of sins.

Now, this is quite a wild moment because if you know anything about Jewish history, you’ll understand that the Jews thought they were God’s favorite, and indeed they were in that context. They were chosen by God to be a holy people. There was no expectation they needed forgiveness of sin. There was no expectation that they needed any help because they already had the favor of God on them. That’s what they believed. In fact, the sign for the men in that community was that they were circumcised. It was a sign that they were God’s holy people. They were God’s special people. And so, John is inviting people to get baptized for the forgiveness of sins. And the Pharisees are getting extremely frustrated because the audacity of John baptizing Jewish people as if they needed forgiveness of sin. It’s a wonderful picture that the law and all of your ability to keep law does nothing to actually restrain the heart from sin.

And to the ordinary people who began to understand something was lacking in their life realized that all their law-keeping, all their sacrificing, all the stuff that they were doing to try and get right with God was not working. There was a sense of, “I must be baptized because I know that I’m a sinner.” And the Pharisees missed that moment completely.

I find it fascinating that whenever Jesus deals with Pharisees, He does so harshly because He’s wanting to offend their mind to reveal what’s in their heart. And so, even John calls them a brood of vipers in this context. And the Pharisees missed the moment because they did not recognize what God was doing either in John’s day or when Jesus was on the scene. And one of the big things about the religious spirit that you’ll find, the ability to try and keep the veneer of good works externally but have no inward change, to keep the veneer of behavior modification but no heart transformation, is that it gets you into a program of works in religion. That means you always have to try and attain God’s favor and miss out on what God is doing.

One of the key signs of a Pharisaical spirit is that they will recognize what God has done in the past, they will look forward to what God will do in the future, but they will persecute the present moves of God. And so, in Matthew 25, Jesus addresses the Pharisees and He says, “You glory in your father Abraham, and you celebrate him, and you look forward to the resurrection when that day comes, but you persecute Me. You do not come to Me who has the words of life.” And the Pharisees miss out on what God wants to do in that moment because they don’t recognize their spiritual bankruptness and their need for John’s baptism.

And John is baptizing at this amazing river called the River Jordan. Now, the Jordan was a memorial to promise. It was a space where all of Israel knew this represented the promises of God. How many of you remember the stories of old when Israel had to pass through the River Jordan to get into their Promised Land? This was a moment, and you’ll see that at every juncture of Israel’s history, Jordan is very specific and very connected to promise. And so, John is inviting people into the river of promise with an expectation that somehow, someday, it will be fulfilled. And onto the scene walks Jesus.

And Jesus comes to John, and other gospel writers tell us that John says to Jesus, “I need your baptism.” And Jesus replies, “In order that scripture might be fulfilled, you need to baptize me.” And I’ve often wondered, why did Jesus need to be baptized if He wasn’t a sinner? Because the baptism that John brought was the baptism for sin and the forgiveness of sin. And I think there are a number of theological reasons, but one I wanna point to is this beautiful fact that Jesus literally is the fulfilment of all of Israel’s longing, of all of Israel’s promises, of all of Israel’s desires. And so, Jesus walks into the river of promise, and gets baptized, and gets immersed into the promise. And He comes out of the promise and the Bible says, “The heavens were torn open.” And in that moment, the validation of all of Israel’s longing is found in one person called Jesus because all of the promises of God are yes and Amen in Christ Jesus.

Congregation: Amen.

Julian: All that Israel was hoping for, the shalom that they’re hoping for, all got unveiled in Jesus. Indeed, it’s why John came as a prophet. He came to reveal the Christ. It says in one other gospel, it says that, “I would not have known this was the Christ unless I come to baptize.” The whole point of His baptism was a revelation that this, this one man, is the embodiment of all of the promises of God, and they are yes and amen in Him. It’s a beautiful, beautiful picture. And we see the heavens are torn open.

Now, I love where it says that the Father speaks over His Son. And I’ve said this before in this church, but I wanna say it again just because I really love it when I hear this. Jesus had done nothing significant for the Father. He hadn’t healed the sick, He hadn’t raised the dead, He’d done absolutely nothing that was of any significance for the Father other than lived His life up until the age of 30. And the Father says, “I am well pleased in You.” I’m so glad that our pleasure, that the pleasure that God takes in us is not based on what we can offer Him or what we can do. The pleasure that God takes in us is simply because He loves us. If you are not a Christian here today, and you’re trying to figure out how I need to make my life right with God, I’ve got good news for you. In Jesus, you’ve been reconciled to Him. God simply wants to pour out His pleasure on you. All you need to do is receive it.

Congregation: Amen.

Julian: That’s the good news. That’s the good news. And the Bible says something incredible. It says that the heavens were torn open. I love this because we sometimes think that God is reluctant in meeting us where we’re at. And since the Garden of Eden, where heaven and earth dwelt together in perfect harmony and in divine unity, the heavens have been shut. And since then, God has been on tiptoe until this moment to tear open the heavens. Not just to neatly open it and give you a little glimpse, “Here’s a little window.” Who wants a window or a door when God has torn open the heavens? Jesus is the King who tears open the heavens for us.

Now, an open heaven or understanding this dynamic is really important because in Hebraic understanding, in Jewish understanding, the concept of compartmentalizing the way we do in the West, which comes from a Greek mindset, is foreign to them. In a Jewish or Hebraic mindset, heaven and earth are intertwined. Heaven is the place where God dwells. It’s not just a postmortem place, it’s not the place we go to when we die, heaven is the other reality that is impacting this reality. And as Christians, our worldview is not separated dynamics of the spirit and the physical realm. It is an intertwined reality because we understand that everything that has been created on the earth was first created out of the unseen realm of heaven.

Congregation: Amen.

Julian: Amen. And so, we need to understand that when the heavens are being torn open, it was an unveiling of the realm that has impact and control over everything. You see, for the Jew, they understood that heaven is the place where God dwells. It’s a place where His throne is established. It’s a place where He utters decrees. It’s a place where He communicates His love from. It’s the place where angels dwell. It’s the place where saints of old who’ve gone ahead bow down and worship Him. This is the realm of heaven. It’s the realm of God. And that realm was torn open in the person of Jesus. And so, Jesus says, “Change the way you think because the realm of God’s favor, the realm of heaven, the realm of where God dwells is now within arm’s reach. The kingdom is at hand.”

Congregation: Amen.

Julian: And they would have understood something of the beauty of this moment. Because, you see, Israel and the prophets of Israel used to pray prayers like this, “Who can ascend the hill of the Lord? Only who has clean hands and a pure heart.” And they’d all look around all of Israel and there was no one who could do that. Jesus comes and the heavens are torn open. The beauty of the prophets in that they cried in Isaiah, “Oh, that You would rend the heavens, tear the heavens and come down.”

You see, God’s desire and God’s design since Eden has always been to be Emmanuel, God with us. In fact, God is so passionate about being with His people that even in the Old Testament, He confines Himself to a little box called the Ark of the Covenant. It’s the only time that you see God in a box and He says, “If you touch that box, you’ll die.” But He wants to be with His people. And in this moment, we see the beautiful picture of the Trinity as heaven is torn open, the voice of the Father, the Spirit descending upon the Son, God with us.

Congregation: Amen.

Julian: And the beauty is that the heavens will never, ever be closed because I’m in Jesus. Because if you’re a Christian, you’re in Jesus. It means that there’s never gonna be a day where the realm of heaven, the supernatural activity of heaven, will ever be shut off or shut down to you.

Congregation: Amen.

Julian: That’s good news. You’ve got free access just like Jesus had into the very dynamics of the supernatural activity of heaven. Do you know what the Bible says in the book of Colossians in chapter 3? That we are to fix our mind or to set our mind on the things above. I used to read that saying I need to fix my mind on Jesus. And in a sense, that’s true. But what that verse is saying is there is an activity in heaven that we can fix our minds on even where Christ is seated. And the beauty is, we’re seeking in Him.

Congregation: Amen.

Julian: You see, Jesus is the King who opens the heavens and opens the realm of supernatural activity to us.

Male: Awesome.

Julian: You see, this kind of supernatural activity changes everything. Many of us are just waiting to die to engage with that supernatural realm of heaven when the reality is you get heaven right here, right now. You’ll see the world immediately throughout the Gospel of Mark because He wants you to understand the kingdom is, here and now. Something that the dynamic rule and reign of God’s supernatural activity is now all over the earth and is within arm’s reach. You get to grab it. It’s beautiful. It’s cataclysmic. It changes everything when you begin to understand that. When we begin to get a grasp of the kind of supernatural activity, everything changes.

I find it fascinating that most people do not need to be convinced of the activity of the enemy. I find Christians and non-Christians find it easy to believe that there are things like demons and the demonic realm. And I find that most Christians have been so preoccupied with the demonic realm that they’ve forgotten there’s a whole realm of activity that happens in the supernatural that involves all sorts of angels, and miracles, and amazing things. I wonder if we should focus and set our mind on that realm a whole lot more than the realm of the enemy.

You see, the dynamic of the supernatural realm of heaven is not disconnected from earth. Many Christians compartmentalize things like body, soul, and spirit as if they are separate entities when actually they are part of an integrated whole, that they work together and impact on each other. And when you live in a worldview that connects the realm of heaven to your life and to your sphere of influence, everything changes. Because when you begin to understand the supernatural activity of heaven, you begin to expect healing.

So at Harvest, as a community, we are believing here and now for more healings. In Breakthroughs, in our first meeting, within 20 seconds, we saw 8 people put up their hands to a measure of healing. You can celebrate that, I’ll just wait for a moment, because our expectation is that the kingdom of God is here and now.

Congregation: Amen.

Julian: Our expectation is that the supernatural realm of God is breaking in on us because Jesus said we can grasp that, it’s an arm’s reach. We expect miracles. We expect breakthroughs. I love what’s happening in Mark chapter 1. It’s quite a wild one. You’ll understand that when the Bible talks about Jesus going into the wilderness to be tempted, it’s an allegory or an image of what happened in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve were tempted in the Garden of Eden. Jesus is tempted in the wilderness. All of the writers are trying to draw a prophetic picture of what’s happening. And in the Garden of Eden, one of the things I love…don’t worry about the baby, that’s okay. We love babies at Harvest. We don’t mind them crying, it’s part of the deal.

I always love it how people think the Holy Spirit is gonna go when a baby cries. I promise you that the Holy Spirit is a dove but he’s not that scared. I mean, I’m scared of crying babies, but the Holy Spirit is not.

One of the things I love about what’s happening here is it says that Jesus was hanging out with the wild beasts in the wilderness. Have you ever read that? I mean, that is like a little throwaway comment that Mark is putting out there. The reason he’s doing that is because in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve would have hung out with lions and elephants and bears. They would have hung out with animals that were humongous and they would be in perfect harmony. And Mark is giving us a quick little picture of this new kingdom that’s breaking out, that even the disorder that is coming to creation, Jesus is redeeming. Man, alive, that’s amazing. Listen, we can expect authority over weather patterns.

Congregation: Yes.

Julian: I’ve been in a context where I had the joy of commanding a storm to pass over and for the duration of our conference or our meeting, it was an outdoor meeting, it did not rain over that area, even though it rained all around, because we now have authority even over nature. I know that’s wild but it’s true.

Congregation: That’s true.

Julian: I mean, Shekuabuzka right? Listen, we can expect the miraculous. We can expect unusual signs and wonders. I believe…oh, I’ll throw this one out very quickly. I am so looking forward to the day when rather than affirm natural disasters as the judgment of God, happy prophets will rise up and command those weather patterns to be changed around so that there is right equilibrium in the weather patterns as a sign of the blessing of God. I don’t get prophets who prophesy storms and impending doom because Jesus paid the price for all of the judgment that was against us. That one we insist for free and I know it offended someone, so God bless you.

We can expect multiplication of food miracles. I can think of three times in my family history. We grew up at times with relative need and we’ll often have to trust God for our food. I can think of times when angelic beings supplied food for us. I can think of times, one of the big things we used to do as a family, my mom and dad still do this, and it really taught us a lot about generosity, is that when we’re in need, we would give. That’s just how we lived our life. And if we didn’t have any money to give, we’ll give our food. And if we didn’t have enough food to give, we’d share our food.

And one of the things I loved is seeing my mom say, “Right. We do not have enough food even for our family of five, so we’re just gonna invite another family of five and have a meal together.” And God would multiply the food and we go all have seconds.

Congregation: Amen.

Julian: This is what it means to be part of a supernatural Kingdom. I mean, like, I don’t wanna settle for just, you know, a little bit of provision. I wanna see the incredible overflow, an abundance of the miraculous in what God’s doing. It’s what happens. We can expect this every time. We can expect dreams and visions. We can expect gifts and graces from the Holy Spirit. That’s what it means to be part of a supernatural open heaven Kingdom. This is what Jesus does, because from here on out, after His baptism, what follows Jesus? Miracles, signs, wonders, multiplication, dynamic demonstrations of the here and now Kingdom.

Oh, brothers and sisters, why settle for an ordinary, well, actually a not so ordinary Christian life when you can have the extraordinary? Not only that. We can expect angelic visitation and encounters. I mean, Jesus in this context, this is the Bible saying this, not Julian Adams, has angels ministering to Him. If Jesus needed angels to minister to Him, I’d like to suggest that we might need them too

Congregation: Amen.

Julian: It fascinates me, friends, that we so often expect demonic visitations in the night that we’ve forgotten there are more angels than there are demons. We should expect that more than often, and we should expect God to break in through the angelic. There’s a whole host of demilitarized and engaged angelic beings because we’ve not encountered them or entered into a partnership with heaven to expect them to move on our behalf.

The Bible says in the book of Hebrews that angels are ministering spirits sent to minister to those who would inherit salvation. I’m an inheritor of salvation that means I can expect angelic interventions or visitation. It’s in the Bible. And we start getting a little bit scared. There are only three warnings against angels in the New Testament, only three. And there are hundreds of scriptures about the angelic.

Listen, the angelic, and I’ll talk about those warnings in a moment, the angelic was so expected in the book of Acts, I love this, that when Peter is in prison and gets freed up by an angel, by the way, all right? He gets freed up by an angel. Peter walks up at the door of…I forget whose house it is. They’re all praying. And Rhoda, the servant girl runs down halfway, hears his voice, gets so startled that she runs back up and says to the guys, “Guys, Peter is downstairs.” And you know what their response is? They said, “It is only his angel.” I mean, that tells me two things. One, that we should expect guardian angels because the early church expected that. I’m just simply saying what the Bible says here. Not only that, they were so accustomed to angelic visitation, they were like, “It’s only his angel.” I’m like, “Duh, open the door, find…” I mean, I don’t get that. I feel like running downstairs, “Where is the angel? I wanna see.” But we become so fearful that we’re gonna miss Jesus in it that we forget that we should expect the angelic.

There are three examples of warnings against angels in the Bible. The first one is in Corinthians where Paul talks about true apostleship and what apostleship looks like. And he says, “Even if an angel, even if an apostle comes to you and says, ‘This is what it looks like,’ if it is contrary to what I’ve revealed to you, they are not true apostles because even the devil masquerades as an angel of light.”

The second one is quite a weird one. It’s in Galatians. And Paul is saying to you, “If an angel preaches a gospel to you that mixes law with grace, it’s a demon. He is literally saying, you can go read this in the book of Galatians, that any gospel that mixes your legalistic efforts to try and gain God’s approval is demonic in nature. He says, “Oh, foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, who has brought you under a demonic spell when you mix your attempts at getting closer to God, when you try and obey any aspect of the law and the jury system of the law, and you try and live in that now, you are under a demonic spell because it’s all of grace, and that’s it, full stop. Nogal.

And then, the last one is in the book of Colossians. He says, “Do not get caught up with people who have all these images vainly puffed up and do not get caught up in those who worship angels.” I want to suggest to you it is really stupid to worship an angel. But I also want to suggest to you that the letter to John, who had an incredible revelation has an encounter with an angel and falls down and worships him or tries to worship him in the book of Revelation. And the reason is because they carry the presence of Jesus. It was so beautiful to him that he thought, “This could be Jesus I’m worshipping.” Now, a true angel would say, “I’m not Jesus.” But here’s the deal, friends. The angelic carries the presence of Jesus into our circumstances, and when rightly discerned, we get to partner with that.

I’ve heard some people say we shouldn’t pray for encounters with the angels, that we shouldn’t pray for visitation from the angelic. Well, Elisha the prophet prays for it. He prays on behalf of Gehazi who is overwhelmed by the things that he’s facing and he doesn’t know what to do. And so he says, “God open his eyes.” And immediately Gehazi’s eyes are opened to have an encounter with the angelic and he realizes that there are more with us than those who are coming against us. It’s good news. We can expect angelic activity in our lives. You can pray for it. You can expect it.

The Bible says in the book of Psalms that He sets His angels charge over us. I’m believing God for all sorts of manifested dynamics and expressions of angelic activity because when that happens, we get to give Him glory.

And here’s how you measure all of those things. It’s very, very simple. One, is it gonna cause you to love Jesus more? Do you want to live holy? The Bible says you will know them by their…?

Congregation: Fruits.

Julian: In 1994, there was an incredible outpouring of the Holy Spirit called “The Toronto Blessing.” By the way, that’s still going. The river is still flowing. I quoted the part that says there was all sorts of signs of people falling out, laughing, being filled with the Spirit. It was some of the meetings were pandemonium as God brought down…It was just credible. And people would say, “It must be the devil.” People use words like, “It’s the Kundalini spirit.” I didn’t even know where they got the Kundalini spirit from, but anyway, here’s the deal. If you are loving Jesus more, if you’re living holy, if you’re reading His Word more, how can that be of demonic inspiration? Because the devil would be real stupid to try and get you to love Jesus more, to read His Word more, and to live holy. It’s totally contrary to his nature.

I remember when in some of my meetings I got very offended by God. We have seen a lot of people receive gold dust on their hands, or on their faces, or on their clothes. And the first time that happened, I was like, “Jesus, I did not want these in my meetings. You know, how dare You interrupt my meetings with all this gold being pulled out?” And I remember trying to think now, “How do I measure these ways?” And you just need to use your brain sometimes. You know, that’s what the church often needs to do. If it’s in the Bible, in principle, we can receive it in experience, all right? And the reality is, friends, that not all truth is in the Bible, but the Bible is all truth.

The truth of aerodynamics is not in the Bible. You know, the truth of projectors and how light works is not in the Bible, but the principles are there in that God is the creator of everything. And so, when this gold dust starts to kind of pouring out, not any dust, I think it’s just a little bit of dust from the streets of gold, but anyway, I started to fear, “How do I measure this?” Then had to look to the fruits. Are there principles of this in the Bible?

Do you know there are some incredible manifestations of God in the Bible? I mean, if you read the book of Ezekiel, most of us will get freaked out by it because it’s outrageously full of incredible encounter. The principles are there. And so, what we’re looking for is, “Is this giving glory to God? Are we gonna live holy? Are we enjoying God more?” And two, “Does it connect with the heart of Scripture?” That’s very simple. It’s not very difficult. But we’re to expect these kinds of supernatural encounters. I think that’s good news, right? I’m so glad that the God of the angel armies are with me and on my side. They’re on your side too.

And Jesus gets baptized and the Holy Spirit comes down and rest upon Him because something is happening here in this moment as the heavens are opened. And John is intentional…sorry, the gospel writer of Mark, his intention is trying to contrast John with Jesus. And so, you see John saying, “I baptize with water, the one who comes will baptize in the Spirit.” He’s trying to help you understand that, “I’m coming to the end of my ministry and there is a new ministry coming.” And then, the gospel writer to Mark says, “And when John was arrested, Jesus began to declare, ‘My kingdom is here.’ It’s within arms’ reach.” It changed the way you think.

And I believe it’s very important for us to understand this, because Jesus came to establish a new way of being the people of God. He came to establish a new way of living a life in the person and the Spirit of God. And so this word “baptize” means to immerse, it means to marinate. It means to find your place in.

The beauty of being a Christian, friends, is that we’ve been immersed into the very life of the Spirit. And John came to declare this King. John came to declare this Messiah. But the Bible says, “As great as John is,” and you remember some verses in other gospels, like John saying, “I must decrease that He might…

Congregation: Increase.

Julian: …increase.” We sometimes use that to talk about how we need to become less of ourselves when actually that is not what that verse is saying. You see, friends, the beauty of life in the Spirit is that when the Holy Spirit comes and dwells in you, he makes you fully you.

Jesus became fully who He was in expression. He was always God, always man, but became fully who He was in expression when the Holy Spirit came upon Him. When flesh was empowered by the life of the Spirit, He could be fully God and fully human at the same time. I want to suggest to you that for us to be fully who God’s called us, we need the indwelling work of the Spirit. It’s not that we become less, because what John is referring to here is the fact that he, as the Old Testament law-based prophet, was now coming to an end because there was a new era being introduced in the person of Jesus. That way you had to repent for sin, there is now good news. The Heaven is open and accessible, and it comes by the Spirit.

Jesus…sorry, John says to Jesus, “I need Your baptism.” And Jesus says, “In order that might be fulfilled, you need to baptize Me.” And you remember Jesus said, “Anyone who is least in the kingdom is greater than John the Baptist.” You see, the reality is John never got to enter into the life of the Spirit like you and I do. And so, anyone since the ascension of Jesus and the outpouring of the Spirit is greater than John the Baptist because where John the Baptist got to reveal Jesus and got to show Jesus to the world, we now get to live in the life of Jesus by the Spirit and demonstrate who He is in a way that John could never.

Man, alive, that’s amazing. Do you realize you carry the Spirit of Jesus in you and on you? That where John only got a taste tester to try and forerun and try to show something, we now get to live in the reality of Jesus’ Spirit. Oh, brothers and sisters, that should make you really happy.

Congregation: Yeah.

Julian: You see, baptism in the Spirit or being filled with the Spirit, being marinated in the Spirit is not a one-time event, it’s a dwelling place. That’s why Ephesians 5, what I like to call the happy command in the Bible, says, “Do not get drunk on wine but be filled.” And it’s a continual verb. It means be filled. Be filled. Be filled again. Be filled some more, be filled some more, be filled some more, be filled some more. Be filled, be filled. Be filled, keep on being filled. Have a little bit more, drink some more, be filled, be filled, be filled, be filled, be filled again. And when you are again getting filled, be filled some more.

Congregant: Yeah.

Julian: It’s a happy command. Why don’t you just go ahead and be filled right now? Just drink from His presence right now. This is what it means to live life in the Spirit. And that opens up all sorts of things like speaking in tongues. I wanna encourage you if you’ve not spoken in tongues and you are a Christian, God wants to give you that gift free just because. Prophecy, joy. You see, the difference between Jesus’ prophetic ministry and John’s prophetic ministry is that John’s came saying…This is about the forgiveness of sins. Jesus came anointed with the oil of joy saying, “This about my Father’s kingdom you get to enter in.” That’s what it means to live under an open heaven. You see, the least in the kingdom now gets to enter into the life of the Spirit. Yeah, Harvest, we’re going after a supernatural community.

Congregation: Amen.

Julian: It’s gonna look different to an actual community because we are in super to the natural. And the thing about our natural or our supernatural, that’s God’s natural. We’re gonna live in the natural realm of heaven because it’s open to us.

Brothers and sisters, can I encourage you? This life in the Spirit is what provides assurance, it’s what provides power, it’s what provides love. It’s everything. In Him we live and move and have our being. We are expecting supernatural outbreaks. We are expecting supernatural breakthroughs because that’s just who our God is. I’m so hungry for more of that. And that’s what we’re going after. It might not always make sense, but it will always lead us to Jesus. What’s your expectation? Won’t you stand, please?

John is the last of the Old Testament prophets. The law has been fulfilled in Jesus. The prophetic ministry that Jesus introduces us to is one of the Spirit not of judgment. I’m so glad, it’s good news.

Your expectation today, brothers and sisters, is that God wants to fill you with His Spirit not with judgment or wrath. And I wonder if you’d lift up your hands because I want us to marinate just for a few seconds in the person of the Holy Spirit because he’s the empowering dynamic. I just wanna say this very quickly. The Bible says that Jesus was driven into the desert by the Spirit. If Jesus had to submit to the life of the Spirit, so do we. Some people are afraid that if we pray to the Holy Spirit we’ll dishonor Jesus. That’s just the spirit of stupid. Whenever you’re touching the Trinity, they’ll reveal each other because they can’t help but to reveal each other. They are not insecure.

And so, Holy Spirit, we invite you again. We release your presence, not because we have control over it, but because you are so eager to meet with us. And so I say be filled with the Holy Spirit. Be filled with the Holy Spirit. Father, we thank you for angel armies that are already in this room waiting to work with us this week. We release angelic activity right now. We release the expectation of the supernatural Kingdom of God to break out wherever we go. And so, we say, come Holy Spirit. Manifest your presence all over this place. Release Your glory and Your grace right now. We release habitation right now over people and fresh baptism of the Spirit right now.

Oh, God is shaking it up right now. I can feel His presence in this place. There’s a shaking and a moving that’s beginning to happen right now. The power of God is breaking on upon many of you right now. There’s a dynamic of favor that’s being unlocked right now in you. We declare healing right now. We declare miracles right now. The supernatural Kingdom, the King who opens the heavens. We release the open heavens right now.

Freedom From Oppression

Tue, 22 Aug 2017 18:00:00 GMT

Because of the cross, every one of us has access to freedom from oppression. Julian shares keys to stepping into freedom in Christ. This sermon was recorded at Harvest Church.

– TRANSCRIBED

Julian: Tonight, I wanna talk a little bit about freedom from oppression but before I do, I need to do this. I just wanna introduce you to a friend. Many of you know that our ministry, Katia and my ministry, is called Frequentsee and we’ve based it at Harvest in this season. We’ve got our offices up here which is really great. And we’ve got an incredible friend who’s come all the way from the U.S.A. Is this okay? Cool. From the U.S., and he’s joining us to volunteer and work with us for the next eight months. He is not a refugee, but he is in this country from the U.S. And his name is Jeshua, it’s like Joshua but with an E. And he is an amazing young man, he did three years at Bethel, and he is part of what we’re doing. And so Jeshua, why don’t you stand up so people can just see you, wave at them? A really cool guy.

Great, I’m gonna be talking a little bit tonight on freedom from oppression. We’re gonna talk about demons and how to get rid of them. Are you up for that?

Congregation: Yeah.

Julian: It’s gonna be awesome. I wanna just make a few disclaimers. Am I allowed to do that? And they’re one or two disclaimers. Firstly, I’m not an expert on this but Jesus is. Secondly, I might say some things that you might theologically disagree with.

Now, the aim of good preachers are not to tell you what to think, but to help you in how to think. So if you disagree with me theologically, that’s okay, you don’t have to stone me. Because all it means that we can hold disagreement and still love one another. Is that okay? And so if you find…I personally don’t think I’m going to say anything too controversial, so relax. But this is very clingy up here. Is there any way we can help the sound a little bit? Thanks, Ed. He’s working hard over there. That’s better.

So just I wanna encourage you to be open, is that okay?

And just to give yourself some time to think through what it really means for us to understand what freedom looks like in the Body of Christ. There is a lot of teaching out there. I’ve read manuals that have more than 2,000 pages on how to get free from demons that have made me fall asleep. And the Bible makes it look very easy.

Okay, why don’t you turn in your Bible please to the letter to the Ephesians? We’re gonna be reading through three bits of scripture and then I’m gonna unpack and hopefully help you cope. Ephesians 6:10 .

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over the present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand firm.”

I want you flip over to the book of Colossians, and we gonna read from Chapter 2:8.

“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of this world, and not according to Christ. For in him, the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.”

That’s a good word right there.

“And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh or carnal nature, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, past, present, and future. By canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. Therefore, let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body is nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, and grows with a growth that is from God.”

And then I want you to flip further on to 1 Peter 5:6 and then we’re gonna unpack this.

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all of your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded, be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.”

Now, I wanna unpack biblically what it means to bring freedom to people. Now, I want you to notice that I’m intentionally not using the word deliverance, not because I have anything against deliverance. But because for most people when we use the word deliverance, we think of the exorcist and we think of people screaming and shouting and demons coming out. And actually, when the Bible talks about deliverance, it’s talking about the ever-increasing freedom which we already have in Christ, that we now get to enjoy. Amen, and so it’s important for us to understand. Do you know that the word possession is not in the Bible in the original Greek? No one can be possessed by a demon. The word in its original refers to a level of demonization. In other words, the greater the stronghold the greater the control that demonic influence will have on us. But when you are a Christian you belong to God, you cannot be possessed by anything else.

Congregation: Amen.

Julian: And so I just wanna lay that quick foundation because I now want to unpack what it means for us to come into freedom. One of the things that I have noticed particularly in western societies that have been governed by the intellect is that there has been a disconnect between our understanding of the spiritual world and the physical world. And what happens is we live in a dualism where we are more governed by what we see around us physically than really understanding that the spirit and the physical world are connected. You cannot separate them, all right? And you’re not to live in a way that separates them, which means your work is very spiritual to God. Your family life is very spiritual to God. It’s not just a practical outworking of something physical. Everything is intertwined and interconnected. Do you understand that?

In Hebrew mindset, the Jew understood that it was as spiritual to take a day off and have fun as it was to go to the temple. Everything is spiritual. And when you begin to understand that, you also understand that in this dynamic realm of the spirit and the physical world, there are demonic influences which come from the enemy. Now, I just want to remind you about the enemy. I wanna remind you about the devil just for a moment. I promise we won’t stay here too long. And I think some of what I’m about to remind you is gonna produce some incredible joy for you.

Firstly, the devil is not God’s equal. He’s not the opposite of God so you don’t need to worry because he is a created being. Which means that God is still large and in-charge. You don’t have to get nervous in the service when you’re thinking, “Oh, my gosh, is the devil coming after me?” Because I’ve got even better news for you, the devil is not omnipresent. He can’t be everywhere at all the time. And I promise you, I doubt whether his headquarters are in Durban, just for the record.

And even if you have done some lay lying and some, you know, research I promise you the devil is not really that concerned about Durban. And if you saw him last night in your bedroom, I’m really worried about you then because you must be very important to him.

The devil is not omnipresent and it is a more biblical way of speaking to talk about the enemy rather than about the persona of the devil. Paul talked about the enemy of abhorred, he talked about our battle against the demonic realm, okay? So you need to understand that he is not omnipresent.

The other thing I wanna tell you about the devil which is really helpful for you to understand is that he does not own the world. The Bible says the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof. In other words, the reality is that the devil does not have the final say or authority in this world. We just read that scripture in Colossians, the Bible says that Jesus made a public spectacle of him on the cross by making him obedient to who Jesus now is as the exalted king. The devil cannot and does not have authority in this world. We will talk about how he exercises his authority in a moment.

But when you begin to understand some of those fundamental positional realities, you begin to understand that the enemy’s schemes are a lot less complicated than you think. That’s good news. Not only that, you need to understand that whilst we are in a fight, in a battle, we now have come into the reality of victory which was purchased for us at the cross. You need to understand that the cross deals with three things. The cross deals with my vertical relationship with God, the cross deals with my horizontal relationship with people around me, and the cross deals with the cosmic powers and authorities that have been set up across the earth to now bow its knee to the Lordship and the Kingship of Jesus. Oh, that is such good news.

It means that all of history is working to one thing. All of history is working to the moment where they will bow its knee before the throne of Jesus and declare he is Lord of all. Now, whilst that victory is immediate because the cross had immediate effect. Immediately people were getting saved, immediately people were coming into the reality of this kingdom. It also has a…how do I put this? It’s got an immediate effect and it’s got a future effect as it’s breaking in on earth now. The presence of the future is the reality of God’s kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. Do you understand that?

And there is a tension that is in that context which means that the enemy has some influence to the degree that we give it to him in our lives, so as to work out his purposes in a way that contradicts the purposes of God. And here’s what I mean. How many of you remember there’s a difference between D-Day and what’s the other? And the end of world war, can’t figure which one it is?

Congregation: D-Day.

Julian: D-day, all right, it is D-Day. So there’s an announcement in D-Day, World War II is over. It’s done. Everything is fine. But there are some people on the battlefield who are still fighting with the enemy because they haven’t got the news yet. You get that? The D-Day for the Christian was that moment when Jesus died.

He disarmed all principalities and powers of their authority. That is such jolly good news. All power and authority has been disarmed. The enemy is not walking around with AK-47s. He’s been disarmed, okay? But he’s still taking part shots because until the kingdom fully comes and swallows up and deals with all of the kingdoms of this world we’re gonna be in a bit of a battle.

But our battle is secure because it’s not only focused on D-Day, the cross of Jesus, it is also focused on his resurrection, his ascension, and he’s soon coming back and return to planet earth. It means that our hope in this tension right now is not, “Oh my gosh! What’s gonna happen if the devils take on? What am I gonna do?”

Our hope is no matter what the devil throws at me, there is a day coming when the kingdom of God will break in on the earth and all things will be made new. And all things will be as God intended it to be. So our battle is never for victory. Our battle is always from victory. That’s good news. So when we talk about spiritual warfare and we talk about the reality of the spirit world, we do not approach it from the place of fear. We approach it from the place of authority.

Secondly, that’s just a little introduction about the devil. You got that. Now, we’ll move on to the freedom stuff.

One of the most phenomenal moments, the most phenomenal moment in your life was the day that you became a Christian. Something radical happened in that you didn’t just become a better version of your old self, you become a brand new creation.

And the Bible says that you died in Christ. It means that your sinful carnal nature which was predisposed to sin, which was predisposed to the demonic, which was predisposed to everything that is contrary to God, is dead and buried. There is no evil left in you. You do not have a dual nature on the inside of you. You are holy, holy, holy to the Lord.

Congregation: Amen.

Julian: And here’s why. I need a big guy. Greg, why don’t you come and help me quickly. Here’s just the reality of it. Again, I just wanna quickly show you this. This man is Jesus, look at him. He kinda looks like him. Why don’t you step forward just a little bit? Two things very quickly, my original nature is not sinful. My original nature was found in Christ before it was ever found in Adam. It means I am Christ-like. Sin distorted that nature. Sin distorted that image.

And the Bible says that I was in Christ when he was on the cross. When the Father looked at me he sees Jesus. And the payment Jesus made for my sin past, present, and future, that’s good news, by the way. Past, present, and future was dealt with at the cross. All of the judgment, all of the debt that was needed to cover that sin has been dealt with. That means we now are unpunishable. You need to get this, friends.

There is never a moment where God is out to punish you. Can I be even more cheeky? There’s never a moment where God is out to punish the world because Jesus died for the sin of the?

Congregation: World.

Julian: The whole world. And so when things go wrong, when the demonic is on display, it’s not the judgment of God. He is perfectly good all the time. Well, that went over like a lead balloon, but anyway. The Bible says I was in Christ when I died. My old nature, that sinful nature is completely gone. I then was resurrected in Christ, so as Jesus is alive today I am in him. Can there be a demon in Jesus?

Together: No.

Julian: That’s good news, by the way. I am in him which means the reality of my now new life is not dualistic in nature. There’s not some little thing that’s gonna pop up and go, “Whoo, I got you now.” I’m in him, I’ve got a new nature. The old is gone, the new has come. And the reality is that new nature is now expressed in the resurrection life of Jesus. Which means my empowerment as a Christian is not based on my ability to stay holy or keep holy. My empowerment as a Christian comes from his life which now flows through my veins. Thanks.

Now, that is important to say because here’s the deal with the enemy. There is a difference between power and authority. Authority is the delegated responsibility to act and to initiate and to do something. Power is the ability to do something. So, for example, the difference between me and a local traffic officer in stopping traffic is that the traffic officer has authority to stop traffic and they will stop. Me I might think I’ve got the power to stop traffic but I don’t have the authority to.

Power is the ability to act, it’s the ability to do something. Authority is the delegated commission to do something.

The Bible says that the enemy’s authority was taken from him. Now, listen, he’s powerful. The Bible says don’t be fooled, the enemy is out to get you. He’s powerful, but he doesn’t have authority to do that. And the only way he gets to have authority to work in your life is by you making agreement with him and his lies concerning your identity. And in doing so, you give him the permitted authority to then being to outwork that demonic influence in your life.

The greatest battle that ever happened was on a hill called Golgotha, where Jesus stripped the enemy of his authority. The greatest battle happened on that hill, Golgotha, meaning the place of my skull. The greatest battle for the Christian that will ever happen is not on some high mountain where you’re trying to bring down some demonic stronghold. It is gonna be in the place of your skull, which is why what you allow in here is very important to evaluate and monitor because not every thought that gets into your head is from God.

And until you understand your identity, you will never be able to fight thoughts that come into your mind. And in doing so, you agree with the enemy because you’re now authorized and deputized to be a kingdom reality to people around you. So you got authority. When you agree with the enemy, the Bible uses that word symphoneo. It means the coming together of many sounds to make one sound.

When you start resonating with the sound of the enemy, authority is given to him so that he can act in power in your life. Which is why we see Paul instruct us to take every thought captive and make it obedient to the reality of the living Word. Because if we don’t, the enemy finds a place of strength in your mind, which then begins to distort your identity and beings to impact the way you behave. Did you get that?

Congregation: Yes.

Julian: I have found that in dealing with deliverance, if I can get people to believe the truth, we don’t need to have to worry about the bucket parade and vomiting and all that rubbish. I promise you. And because people love sensationalism, we think the louder the better. I wanna tell you truth brought in the context of love changes the way people think so they are empowered to deal with the demonic voices that are coming into their head themselves.

My aim in this teaching is not to teach you simply how to cast out devils. I’m aiming to teach you how to recognize what’s happening in your mind. Because what you allow in the seedbed of your mind begins to grow and produce fruit which then begins to have some measure of authority and control in your life. So that’s the foundation, when we agree with the enemy, we give access for controlling forces to take root in our lives. So that does mean for some people, there is a level of demonization but not possession. Okay? There’s a level where the enemy is able to oppress and able to control.

But I’ve got good news for you because the gospel is good news. When you change the way you think about who you are in him, you certainly have power and authority to overcome that which the enemy brings to you. It’s really important to understand this because I see in the Body of Christ books written that emphasize what the Bible doesn’t emphasize. The Word of God emphasizes your new creation reality. It does not emphasize the demonic.

So, I wanna give you some helpful… let me get to where I need to go, here we go.

Here we go. I wanna just quickly touch on doorways that begin to open up in terms of the way we understand how the demonic influences us. And then at the end, we’re gonna pray for people because remember, we’re working towards a few weeks’ time where we’re gonna give you tools to do this for other people. But the reality is only to the degree of your own freedom, do you get to bring freedom to others.

And I wanna say to you there’re numbers of who might be struggling with some stuff and because you’ve been a Christian for a long time, you maybe have settled with behavioral patterns, that you think, “Oh, well, my father did this or my father, it must be a generational curse.” We’ll kill that one a little later, don’t worry.

The reality is that God wants you to live completely free. Completely free and he wants you to be a freedom-bringer wherever you go. And so the aim of this teaching is to do two things. To help you understand how to recognize the enemy’s voice and kick that thing out, and two, how to bring freedom to others, okay?

So here are some doorways for influence in terms of the demonic. Deception. I wanna say to you that discernment operating in the context of fear is suspicion, not discernment. And often, we are so afraid of deception that we try to discern things that actually all we are doing is being suspicious, sometimes even of the things that God is doing. So I wanna change the way you think a little bit. Openness does not lead you to deception. Sin, consistent sin, leads you to deception.

The reality around deception is that when you emphasize the main and the plain… I’d love that, thanks. The glory heat is here, thanks. When you emphasize…oh, it smells lovely.

When you emphasize the main and the plain of the gospel, you will be hard pressed to go into deception, hard pressed. Because the reality is the gospel is so exhilarating you don’t need anything more. Deception comes in and I can guarantee you, when you see a book go like this, “Five Secrets on Going Deeper with Jesus,” you need to start getting warning bells already. Because brothers and sisters, there is no new truth other than that what is already revealed in Jesus Christ.

It is finished. When he said it was finished, he meant he is more than enough. You don’t have to try and look for the deeper hidden meaning of reality. If you’re struggling to do miracles it’s not because you’ve got the technique wrong, it’s because you’ve got your identity wrong. So you don’t need another course on how to do more miracles.

And there is in the Body of Christ a fascination with finding out the deeper meaning. We just need to figure out how many numbers are in that verse so we can work it out. And if there are three sevens then it’s holy unto the Lord. That’s a load of nonsense, said very lovingly. Because in Jesus everything is revealed. There is no new revelation, there is no new truth. And if it is new to you, it’s only because you’ve just discovered it, not because it wasn’t there before.

When Paul writes to the church in Colossian, in particular, he is hitting a particular gnostic heresy. Gnosticism means the pursuit of the hidden things. I mean, gnostic heresy in those days was that there must be more to Jesus than what was revealed on the crossing in the resurrection and our forgiveness of sin. And you had to find that more out by dealing harshly with your body called asceticism. So they would fast long, they would beat themselves, they would deny themselves in order to get a deeper revelation of Jesus.

The problem is dear brothers and sisters, Jesus is fully revealed in His glory on the cross and in His resurrection and accession. There really is nothing more because of that truth is gonna take us on for eternity.

And deception often comes in for the believer when you’re trying to pursue something out of the bounds and realms of what’s clearly revealed in scripture. What’s revealed in scripture is a whole lot of stuff already. And I often tell people… I’ll just go here for a moment. I heard of a course called, “How to Translate Supernaturally.”

You know, in the Bible, there are people who translated supernaturally, and so this is a course to teach you how to go deeper in translating supernaturally. And I thought to myself, most people in the church can’t even heal tummy aches. Why are we trying to do that when we haven’t got the main in the plain done well? I’ll move on.

The second area of doorways that can open up is ignorance. What you read, what you watch does have influence over you but you do not get demons by osmosis. Like, oh, I’m gonna try not to rent right now. I need to just control myself. There are some people who take to Facebook about some of the most stupid things that you mustn’t watch. You better not, it’s demonic, you better not watch this. My friend… Oh, here’s a little one and I know I’m gonna offend some people, so please forgive me.

Reading “Harry Potter” is not gonna give you a demon, but not understanding some of the implications and not helping your children understand what they are reading can open them up, not always but can. So when my little boy comes to me at the age of about 10 maybe and he says, “At school, we need to read “Harry Potter.” I’m not gonna go, “I forbid it, you will not read “Harry Potter.” I’m writing a letter, I’m starting a protest. I’m gonna get up there and I’m gonna shut that school down. How dare they read something satanic?”

I’m gonna teach my boy how to discern what he is reading so that he has the ability to think and process, so that whenever anything else comes up he’s got the skill set to do that again when I’m not watching. But ignorance of the demonic often looks like us putting our head in the sand and not being aware to the fact that there is a demonic world and be more aware of the fact that we have authority over that world. Does that make sense?

Congregation: Yeah.

Julian: I must press on. Unrepented involvement, in particular, occulted practices. Now, I wanna say this right at the beginning, the minute you became a Christian, the hold of sin was broken. Please say amen to that.

Congregation: Amen.

Julian: You got a new nature. You don’t even have a generational curse on you anymore. You got a new bloodline, your bloodline is not connected to your parents. That is good news, however, acting when you didn’t have renewed mind the same influence that might have happened in your parents or your parents’ parents will visit you. And if it finds a space to agree with, it will start to have an influence in your life, which is why it looks like you’re doing the same thing your parents did. All you need to do is change the way you think.

And it’s the same for occulted practices. Sometimes people come out of, and I’ve worked with a lot of Satanists, I have seen incredible freedom. And again, the reality is not so much about trying to cast a demon out of them, but simply trying to help them understand who they now are and being brave enough to say, “I’m not associated with that stuff anymore. I’m now a Christ follower. I’m a new creation. The man who did those things is no longer living because the life I now live, I live in Christ.” But because some people have not dealt with some of that and their mind is therefore not being renewed, they still live in the power of it. And the simplicity is tonight we’re gonna prayer and we’re gonna break some of that. Amen.

Congregation: Amen.

Julian: Repeated sin, this is just a very simple one. Sin is stupid. If you’re involved in repeated sin, sweet Jesus, wake up. That is not your new nature. You got a new nature, you don’t have to live in that. And the power of sin is always in its secrecy. What you keep secret in the area of sin will always have power over you. And the Body of Christ is disabled not because they don’t have power but because they do not understand that in the kingdom, there is no shame.

Which means I can be authentic with my struggles. One of the greatest moments for me was when I shared with someone as a youth pastor, my struggle with pornography. Oh, that went over well. I have mentioned the word pornography in church. I struggled with pornography. I’ve got to make sure that my heart is consistently turned towards God because that’s my new nature. And I’m making sure I’ve got friends who I can talk with when back in those days, I had to share with them, it was the most vulnerable thing. But in the vulnerability and in the contest of no shame, where I didn’t have anyone to, “Oh my God, he’s a youth pastor and he’s struggling with pornography? Oh, we need to disqualify him from ministry.” No, no, no. They went, “Okay, we’re gonna take you on a journey into your freedom,” and the result is freedom.

And we have got to break shame in the church because shame and secrecy go together. And if we’re to be an authentic community, it’s gonna start by saying to someone, “Hey, I don’t have my stuff together. Can we talk about that?”

I’m just, I wanna linger here a little bit because in the Christian world, we have prized performance over authenticity. And we’re gonna have to break it down somewhere because if we can’t be real in church, where can we be real? Because I can tell you this much, when people come in off the street who are not Christian and they walk into here, they can spot a fake smile a mile away. We’ve got to be authentic about some of this stuff.

I remember some young guy sitting down with and saying, one particular young guy in my church coming to me as a youth pastor saying, “I’m really struggling with homosexuality.” And in that moment I could have called down hellfire and brimstone, “You’re an abomination to the Lord.” But I didn’t, I loved on him. I said, “This is okay, we can work this thing through.” Now, he is happily married and got kids. And even if he wasn’t, I’d still be loving him. And I just wanna say there is no such thing as a homosexual demon, but I’ll move on. Amen, Julian, Amen. Just thought I’d say that. I’ll move on because I think that might have offended somebody.

Guys, if you’re in repeated sin and you’re struggling with repeated sin, we want this place to be a safe place where you can share because your performance is not connected to your value. Am I giving license to sin? Absolutely not, don’t be silly. It’s inconsistent with your new nature. But am I saying God’s grace covers to the worst of the worst? You bet you I am. He’s just that good, friends, he really is.

One of the other things, and this is the last thing and then we’ll talk about how to fight, is unforgiveness. Now, this is a big one and I wanna help you understand how unforgiveness works because many Christians don’t understand this. And they quote scriptures like, he will hand you over to the oppressors if you don’t forgive, almost like a judgment. When we’ve misunderstood what the Bible is saying. When the Bible talks about falling from grace and oppression by the enemy because of unforgiveness, this is how it works.

We all, before we were saved, were living in the realm of the law, right? Which meant that the law kept accusing us saying we have done something wrong which we had. Correct? And so the enemy could join with the law and go, “You’re wrong, you’re wrong, you’re wrong.” And the enemy was right, so he could take pot shots, he could do what he wanted in this realm of the law because he was right about our wrongness.

We then get saved and we come up to a much more beautiful expression called the law of grace. And the law of grace says that I am free not because of what I have earned or achieved, not because of me trying to keep my law, because all have sinned and fallen short of the glory, all have broken the law. I now am up in this place of grace because Jesus decided to lift me up out of the miry clay and put me in his grace. What a beautiful day that was.

And I live now in the realm of grace. So when the enemy comes going, “You’re wrong,” I go, “I’m a new creation, I look like Jesus, he wasn’t wrong.” That’s good news. That is such good news. When the enemy comes and goes, “You’re such a loser,” I go, “Actually, no, I’m not. I’m seeded in Christ now above all principalities and powers and authorities.” This is what the Bible says about you. The problem is there’s that work colleague who snubbed you and took your job from you and you want some justice. And so now you’re in a place of unforgiveness because they did something wrong to you.

How could they wrong me? I demand retribution. I demand justice. The problem is grace has treated us better than we deserve, therefore we have to treat others better than they deserve. And when we don’t and demand payment for what they have done wrong, we fall from grace back into legalism. And when you fall from grace back into legalism the enemy goes, “You’re wrong,” and he’s right about you being wrong again.

And when you’re in this place the enemy can torment you, can bombard you with thoughts about you because you’re demanding law to be applied to someone else. And in demanding the problem is that when you demand law from someone else, you need to live by the same law.

When you’re in a place of unforgiveness and some of you are getting pictures of people right now that you need to forgive. There are some of you sitting in this room and you thinking, “Oh, my gosh, there’s that person, there’s my brother, there’s my sister, there’s my mother, there’s…” When you live in this realm of unforgiveness where the law operates, you default your inheritance which is found in Christ and your protection which is found in grace. Not because God is making something difficult for you, not because he’s handed you over, but because you’ve chosen to step into the realm of law.

Brothers and sisters, if you’ve got unforgiveness, the aim and the key to overcoming that is not simply by going, “Okay, I’m gonna try to forgive them.” The key is to lean into grace and realize how much God has treated you better than you deserve. So that you can then go, “I forgive and I release. Because I’ve received what I did not deserve, I’m able to give what they do not deserve.”

I wanna say to you my dear, dear friends that these things open up the door to the enemy and you will have oppressive thoughts. And here are some of the things that you will see in the way that you know that maybe there are some demonic oppression. Bondage to particular sin, addictive behavior, dominating irrational thoughts, anger, irrational fear, ongoing sickness in particular circumstances, not all of them, okay, particularly family sins that seem to be destructive that we seem to get, it’s because God wants to unbreak that so you know that that generational thing is broken.

Suicidal thoughts, fascination with the paranormal and the dark side, those things, those kinds of things are showing a predisposition towards the enemy having some kind of stronghold in your life. But I’ve got some good news for you, it does not have to be that way after tonight.

And in a moment, I’m gonna pray for people and it’s not gonna be like mass crazy deliverance. God is just gonna set you free. For some of you, there might be some manifestation. That’s okay because when demons manifest in church, is because they are going not because they are coming. But I wanna say to you, the reality of freedom is not in the manifestation of the demon leaving or breaking its stronghold off of you. The reality of freedom is in changing the way you think about who you are.

So, here are some keys very quickly. You’ve got to recognize the activity of the enemy. Our prayer, the weapons of our warfare are not of this world. They are not carnal in nature, they are spiritual. God is giving you an ability to discern things, God is giving you the ability to walk in authority. You can use that.

For some of you tonight, some of the stuff that I have mentioned in terms of behavioral patterns, things that you’re really under, all that you need to do is to do some self-talking and go, “Hey, Julian, you’re a new creation. That is not your behavior is like.” Therefore, today we’re gonna stop and we’re gonna break the power of it, so that we can start working in the name of Jesus, we’re gonna start walking into freedom. All right?

I do wanna say this very quickly because I think this is very important. There is in the Western church, an incredible disdain and disapproval of psychiatry and psychology. And I wanna say to you there are some physical dynamics, I’m married to a doctor, so I’ve had a long chat with her about this, physical dynamics that impact your emotional disposition in your body.

And often, what we might think is demonic is actually just needing a little bit of help with medication. And I wanna say this that medical miracles are still miracles, all right? I wanna also say this that God has released grace to you, and you can get what you need from him and sometimes that’s gonna be a journey. Did you get that?

Congregation: Yes.

Julian: And it is okay to go on that journey. Okay? Because sometimes we think that the kind of freedom that we get from God is a one-size-fits-all. Freedom is incremental but positionally, it’s in abundance. It’s as I renew my mind, I get more and more freedom. Does that make sense?

Congregation: Yeah.

Julian: If you’re on medication for anxiety, if you’re on medication for some of these things, it is not a lack of faith to stay on your tablets while you journey into the place of freedom. Now, I have seen a number of people particularly with bipolar get set free instantly. They come off all their medication, but I wanna encourage you if you’re in that place because at best, in fact not at best, always any sickness is demonic in nature. Okay?

So we can deal with that and the root. Okay? And we recognize that it’s demonic but for some people, it’s gonna take a journey and I think there are more complexities around faith and how God heals than a one size fits all. Okay. I just wanna say that and I wanna say that that’s not a lack of faith, it’s not a lack of faith. But I do wanna say you can position yourself in a place where you’re saying, “God, I know you can do this, I’m gonna believe you. Even if it takes a few years to get there, I’m gonna believe you.”

I have seen instant healings of bipolar and I have seen the progressional healings of bipolar. Both are valid and both are equal. I know some people might have a different position on medicine in terms of healing but the goal of the kingdom is a 100% health, amen?

Congregation: Yeah.

Julian: Anyway, that happens by means of grace is God’s work in our lives and God has given doctors to help some of us in that area. In a few weeks’ time, I’m gonna be teaching on the gift of healing and then the next day I’m gonna go in for an operation, not because I have a lack of faith. Just thought I would say that very quickly.

We need to learn to recognize the voice of the enemy and the activity of the enemy and deal with it quickly. Don’t play around with the devil, all right? Get truth and apply it into your situation as often as possible, God’s truth. If you can’t get it yourself, get your friends to tell you who you are, not who you are not. All right? Understand your authority. You’ve got authority, resist the devil, he must flee you. I can promise in the Bible, resist the devil and he will flee. Plan opting for the devil.

Remind yourself of how you are covered by a spiritual armor that has been given to you by grace. I know some people put on the spiritual armor every day. I have never taken it off from the day I got saved. Why would you do that? His spiritual armor is very comfortable, by the way. You can sleep in it. Your dreams get covered by it.

Lastly, sometimes spiritual warfare looks like standing. And having done all…

Congregation: Stand still.

Julian: Because in the words of one of my favorite saints of old, Saint Julian of Norwich, who actually was a woman, by the way. She said this, “In the end, all will be good, and if it’s not good, it’s not the end.”

Sometimes spiritual warfare looks like I’m not moving. And here’s the beauty of that. The enemy does not have the fruit of the Spirit. He doesn’t have patience. And sometimes in the words of my wife, the enemy wants to play a game of spiritual chicken with you. He wants to see who’s gonna be the first to move. And if you, with the empowerment of patience by the spirit, the fruit of the spirit that you now have, can simply just stand and outpatient the enemy, you will get your victory.

Having done all…

Congregation: Stand.

Julian: I am gonna outpatient, he can be running at me at a thousand miles per hour but he’s the one that has to move. Man, that’s good news. And so when you feel like you got nothing to do, when you feel like you have spoken in tongues for five hours and your quota for the day is now over, stand. This is my background, I ain’t moving from the enemy. You can run at me but you’re the one who’s gonna have to move, not me. That’s good news. You’ve got the fruit of patience, the enemy doesn’t. Sooner or later, you’ll see God’s goodness on display. That’s good news.

Now, I wanna pray for some people in a number of areas and I’m believing God for breakthrough. Remember, we wanna be free because here’s the deal, hurt people hurt people, free people free people.

You cannot lead anyone beyond the level of freedom you enjoy. And so I know that there are numbers of you who’s struggling with demonic oppression. There are some of you in habitual sin. There’s some of you who are struggling to control your thought life with negative thoughts that are bombarding you. South Africa is going downhill. It’s never gonna happen. Can I just say this at all? I feel the Holy Spirit on this one. You will never have authority over that which you don’t love.

How many of you love Jacob Zuma? Can I get an amen in this place? What sound are you agreeing with over this nation? If you can’t love him, you can’t pray for him. It’s not even in my notes.

Listen, if you want South Africa to change and if you want a voice of authority in your sphere of influence, you gotta love it. Because the difference between the enemy’s power and God’s ability to move is love. God is always motivated in his power from love. His ability to act is not connected to his strength, it is connected to his love. If you don’t love it, you will not be able to pray for it and you won’t have authority over it. Amen.

Congregation: Amen.

Julian: And there are some of you who are struggling with thoughts, I feel like there some of you who’ve got people in unforgiveness. As I touched on that some of you immediately started thinking about people you need to forgive. God wants to bring some freedom to many of you. There’s some of you who have made inner vows. You’ve gone, “I’ll never be like this person,” and now you’re living in that same weight of sin and difficulty because of judgments that you brought against other people. You need to break that today. If I had more time I’d talk about end of hours, but we just don’t have enough time. There are others of you who are struggling with anxiety. God wants to bring freedom to you. I believe there are numbers of you struggling with depression, God wants to bring freedom to you.

Somebody said this, “People often think that the demonic is only found in places like deep dark Africa.” He said, “No, no the demonic is found in the West. It’s just that the Western demons are a little bit more sophisticated.” And we’ve confused sometimes what is demonic work, “Oh, well, this is just the way I need, just the way…” Everyone thinks like this, everyone does. No, no, no. Your highest life in God is outrageous radical freedom. That’s what Jesus paid for and Jesus wants to get what he paid for, friends. And so tonight, we’re gonna get what Jesus paid for in your life because you don’t have to live under oppression, you don’t have to live in anxiety.

You know, I struggled with depression for myself in my early to last 20s. I was on medication, but you don’t have to live there, friends. If you’re on medication I wanna encourage you to please work with a wise doctor and help them understand you’re on a journey of faith. Can you work with them to the place of being weaned off medication? Don’t just come off unless God has spoken to you very clearly and you’ve submitted it to wise counsel around you, do not just make that decision.

Please, hear me that it’s not a lack of faith, it’s called wisdom. But I believe God wants to bring freedom for people, it doesn’t underestimate the fact that God wants to do that. And so what I wanna do is I’m gonna ask you in a moment to stand and I’m not gonna make you put up your hand to say, “Oh, I’ve got a stronghold.” But what I’m gonna do is I’m gonna ask you to open your heart and allow God to put his finger on areas of your life that have not come under the understanding of the new creation reality. Okay? And then we’re gonna break those things and if it’s as unforgiveness, we’re gonna break it. If it’s anxious thoughts, we’re gonna break it. If it’s decisions that you’ve agreed with the enemy around, we’re gonna break that. Okay?

Listen, just the simplicity of saying, “I’m such a loser,” right there, you’re agreeing with the enemy’s assumption of you and you’ve given him power. Your words are important because your words create realities.

So how many of you are up for some freedom?

The emphasis is not gonna be on the technique, the emphasis is gonna be on the freedom. Amen.

Congregation: Yeah.

Julian: Let’s stand. Guys, if one of you could just come and play on the piano for me, please, it’d be really helpful.

If could just have some of the house lights down just so I could see, that would be wonderful too, please. I think these banks of lights just need to come down a wee bit. Actually, no. That’s almost perfect, there we go.

Now, here’s what’s gonna happen. I’m just gonna pray. Now, for some of you, there’s gonna be some demonstration of freedom, that’s okay. This is a safe place. Amen.

Congregation: Amen.

Julian: You’re not gonna be judged on what happens tonight, okay? Because the kingdom of God is shame free. I wanna say this again, it is shame free. And if you’re struggling with shame, we’re gonna break that thing off you too because some of you actually need to process what you’re going through. Here’s what I do not wanna do tonight. I do not want you to think that being prayed for tonight removes the responsibility of processing some of these things with close friends in order to not only get the immediate freedom but the long-term freedom.

Because so many in the Christian world, we avoid pain thinking that is faith’s fault. A Christian perspective of pain is that we walk through the valley of the shadow of death because we know he’s with us. We face the pain and we come out victorious. And there are some of you who have unprocessed trauma and pain which is causing the way you think and the way you behave to be evident in your life. You’re gonna have to process that with someone. Amen.

Because part of renewing your mind is helping unpack and process what’s happening in your heart and in your mind so you can come into freedom. So I wanna encourage you to, follow Roseanne’s diary or whoever, close people that you know who are mature in God. Who you can say, “You know, I need to process. I need a half an hour of your time just to talk through one or two things.”

Your home group leaders, people you know they’re spiritually more mature than you, or not even spiritually more mature because that’s such performance language. Someone you can trust, who you know is living in freedom, all right? Just get with them. Talk with them. Because part of the process of freedom is gonna be in the way that you communicate and talk and face the pain of some things. Is that okay?

Congregation: Yes.

Julian: We’re gonna take 10 to 15 minutes and then we will be done, we will be done by half-past eight. I know it’s a bit late, but these meetings are becoming so much fun, aren’t they? God’s freeing so many people now. It’s like we got a whole new sense of anticipation in God. So why don’t you close your eyes and if you wanna put your hand on your heart, you can.

You are a good Father. You’re so good and you want such outrageous freedom for us, Father. Jesus, you wanna get what you paid for, you want us to walk in full freedom because who the Son sets free is free indeed. And so Father, we come knowing that you are good and you wanna bring freedom. We come knowing that the enemy is defeated for. We come knowing that Jesus is resurrected, ascended, and seated at the right hand of the Father, and that’s exactly where we are right now. But Father, we come knowing that for many of us we’re gonna renew our mind around some truth, we’re gonna come into some freedom. And we wanna be people who bring freedom to others. And so here we are saying God, come put your finger on areas in our life that are dominated by demonic inspiration and thinking. Put your finger in areas of our life that are governed by trauma or past hurt or unforgiveness that we now need to process and deal through because we know that freedom is positionally ours and now we want to experience it. We don’t wanna wait till we get to heaven to enjoy freedom because it will be of no use there. We want freedom here on earth so that we can set many people free.

I’m gonna begin to go off to some things and declare breakthrough over you. If some of these things make sense to you, I want you to agree in God. And as you do that, just to simply go, “I’m free from this now.” And then in a moment, you’re gonna declare what you’re free from because you’ve got authority over the enemy.

So Father, right now in the name of Jesus, I take authority over demonic thoughts, inspiration, and strongholds in every area right now. I speak to anxiety and depression. In the name of Jesus, I break your hold right now. I break the authority that says this is a life sentence. I speak to suicidal thoughts that have governed people’s thinking right now in the name of Jesus. I break the hold that says, “There’s no other way, there’s no other escape,” and in the name of Jesus, I say, “You must go right now. Go right now, in Jesus name. You no longer have authority. Truth has exposed you so you cannot stay, we break agreements right now. Agreements with the enemy that says I have to look live like this forever.” I speak to long-term illnesses and sicknesses, when men and women have said, “I just have to live with this,” and right now I break agreement with the enemy and I say, “Healing is your portion in Jesus name.” I break the back of addiction saying that this is just part of my DNA I just predisposed to this. I say to you, you’ve got a new DNA, you’ve got the DNA of Jesus. And I break addiction, I break sexual addiction right now. I break substance addiction right now in the name of Jesus. Go right now, freedom right now.

Some of you are actually starting to feel things physically in your body, right now, that stuff is just lifting. Lift right now, go, go right now. There are about four of you, you’re feeling like a tight band around your head right now. I’m gonna break that because you’ve been living in the place of oppression for a long time. In the name of Jesus, oppressive thoughts, you must stop now because truth has exposed you. Now go in Jesus name. Lift off right now in the name of Jesus. I speak to fear right now in Jesus name, irrational fears right now. Fears that dominate, fears around safety, fears around dying young, fears around getting cancer, fears around health scares. Right now in the name of Jesus, I declare God has not given you a spirit of fear, but he has given you a spirit of love, of power, and of a sound mind in Jesus name.

There’s a lady here, you fear going insane because your mother went insane in your teenage years and was put into an asylum. In the name of Jesus, I break that off of you right now, the fear of insanity, the fear of mental health issues that will get you to put out into a mental health clinic. Right now, I break that off you in Jesus name. Lose the people right now truth exposes you, the truth is a person called Jesus. Right now.

There’s some freedom coming to people right now. Some of you are feeling stuff lifting off of you, lift off right now. There are some of you, you’ve had thoughts in your mind that keep coming particularly at stressful time that you’re just gonna drop dead of a heart attack. Some guy here who’ve been dominated with those thoughts, right now I break that off of you. And I declare that heaven says you will live a long fulfilling life, in Jesus name, that his predisposition towards you is life.

There some of you who have been involved in the occults and you’re still having some of the similar occulted experiences. And you’re really afraid that somehow the demonic is gonna have influence over you. God’s gonna break that right now. In the name of Jesus, I break and if you’ve been involved in occult, God’s gonna free you. Just agree with me right now. I break the back of the power of the occult over people not because it’s happening now but because it happened 2000 years ago over your people. And so in the name of Jesus, I break the lie of the enemy that the occult still has power over you, whether it’s fortune telling, whether it’s Satanism, whatever it is, right now, I break that off of you in the name of Jesus and I declare freedom. Freedom right now, freedom right now, freedom right now in Jesus name.

Now, here is the one I really wanna go for. If you’ve been living in the realm of the law because of unforgiveness, and you’re wondering why your sleep is disturbed, and you’re wondering why you can’t find peace and anxiety seems to plague you. If there is someone who you need to forgive or people you need to forgive right now, there’s is grace to lift you up because that’s where you’re already seated. And so you’re gonna need to, in your heart, right now begin to picture that person. And you need to begin to picture the pain of that hurt, the disappointment, the anger, the frustration. I wanna say to you that this does not justify what they did to you. This does not give a sense of, “Well, it’s okay, it’s irrelevant what you’re feeling.” It doesn’t, my friends. If you’re been in a place where you were abused, if you’ve been in a place… I actually feel like there is a lady here who was raped and you’ve lived with it for a long time, that is not okay. There’s a particular man who was robbed of a lot of money in this room right now as I’m speaking, it was not okay that you lost that money. For some of you, your relationships with your parents were emotionally abusive, it is not okay. But grace means that despite what was done to you, Jesus can heal you.

And so if there’s…I feel like there are a number of you who have been abused, spiritually abused by leaders, it’s not okay. But right now if you will choose to forgive, God’s gonna lift you up into the realm of grace where the enemy cannot accuse you and you get what you don’t deserve. You get freedom, you get liberty, you get joy. So I want you to just right now picture that person and I want you right now to say, “Father, I choose to forgive them and I hand them over to your grace because I’ve received much grace.” Just do that right now. And right now I break tormenting spirits that have been given to people because of unforgiveness. In the name of Jesus, I say right now that you no longer have right to torment in the midnight hour, you no longer have right to torment in people’s lives. And in Jesus name, you now have to go because there are angels that are filling this room right now, assigned to men and women to protect, to cover, and to walk with us in light of the joy and peace of knowing that our sins have been forgiven and that he does not count them against us anymore. And I release forgiveness right now. So right now, God is setting people some people free.

Some of you right now, this is could be a moment where it’s really gonna be difficult. I now want you to release them, literally release them. Say, “God, I choose to give them over to you because I know you’re much kinder in dealing with some of these things.” Some of you are gonna have to say, “I want the best.” I’m not excusing what happened but I’m saying grace heals what happened. Jesus, now I declare freedom in this place. I declare freedom in this place. I declare freedom in this place right now. I declare freedom and joy right now in Jesus name.

Roseanne: I also feel there are some people here, you’ve taken on responsibilities that actually was never for you to take on. You’ve carried things that you were never meant to carry. I feel, for instance, somebody took over a parents’ role because the parents did not parent as they should have. So you took on the role for your siblings and your family and you’re carrying that because that is what you thought you had to do. You’re carrying things that you feel that you need to carry the burden for somebody else. I feel the Lord is saying he wants those garments that circled upon you, the garments of heaviness to come off you, to lift off you tonight. So I’m gonna ask you if you will just put up your hands and just…if that’s you, we can all lift up our hands so that nobody is sort of looked at. If we can just lift our hands and I just say, “Father, I thank you, that you lift the garments of heaviness off everyone here Lord, that has carried things that they were never meant to carry. I ask that you lift it off in Jesus name and I thank you, that you cloth them in garments of praise and garments of joy. Lord, that they will walk out of here free from those things that are have clothed them in heaviness in Jesus name. I thank you for freedom, free indeed in the name of Jesus, be free indeed in Jesus name. And I thank you that every garment that is upon you, feel it being lifted off you now. Feel it coming off you now in Jesus name. You will feel it being lifted off you in the name of Jesus.” Some of you are feeling it coming off and I thank you for that freedom in the name of Jesus.

Julian: Come on, let’s just lift up a shout for a moment. God, you’re so good. I do wanna honor Roseanne for pioneering freedom literally in hundreds of people’s lives. And just as she prayed I felt something really shift over people right now. Okay, God is bringing such radical freedom. So I just want you, maybe just one more time, I’m just gonna ask God just to feel you and then in a moment, here’s what I want you to do. I want you to turn to the person next to you and just pray God’s best on them. I often say, you get what you sow, right? So if you sow good stuff, you’re gonna reap a harvest of good stuff. So why don’t you sow some prayer into people’s lives and we’re gonna end by just praying for one another. How many of you sense God’s done something in your hearts tonight in terms of some of this stuff? That’s wonderful. Can I encourage you in your small groups, in your connect groups, with friends, begin to talk about some of this stuff to process it, okay? Because God’s gonna liberate many of you. We want stinking thinking out of our minds, don’t we? We want the reality of who Jesus to take root in us. Amen.

Thank you, Lord, there is somebody here, just a quick word of knowledge, and I’m gonna ask you to respond. I see somebody here who when they were a baby they were dedicated to some kind of a demonic influence or demonic guard or an ancestor or something. Your mom told you, your father told you about it that we’ve given you over to this thing. And you’ve been living with an incredible sense of fear since then. If that’s you, I don’t wanna embarrass you and I’m not gonna make a big spectacle, I just wanna declare freedom over you. If that’s you, can you just quickly lift up your hands, God wants to bring some freedom to you. Your parents literally told you, they gave you over to a deity or something that now you recognize as demonic. If that’s you, just quickly lift up your hands. Maybe if you could all close your eyes for a moment, no one looking around because in the lifting up of your hand, God’s gonna do something. All right? I’m not doing this because I wanna be proven right but because God wants to bring freedom. If that’s you, quickly lift up your hand and you can put it down as quickly as you put it up. You know that that happened to you, that somehow you were given over to a deity of some sort that was demonic that you recognize now. If that’s you, quickly lift up your hand and put it down. I’m just gonna wait.

If that’s you, just very quickly. Okay. Father, I declare your radical freedom over people. I thank you tonight that people have been set free through the renewing of their mind. And God, I pray that you would release grace on people to stand. Okay. I encourage you praying tones is one of the most underrated forms of spiritual warfare. Praying tones, as often as you can, when you’re driving your car, whatever you’re doing, make it a habit because it’s one of the ways that we get to stand against the enemy without even focusing on the enemy because prayer is to Him, is to God, it’s beautiful. And so your whole focus is on Him and while you’re focusing on Him, the enemy has to move away. It’s such good news. So, hey, why don’t you grab the hand of the person next to you, just take a moment and pray for the person on your right. In a moment, we are gonna pray for the person on our left. Just take two seconds, just pray for them, just release the goodness of God on them.

Expect the power of God to fill them right now. Except God’s anointing to break out on their life.

Now, pray in the opposite direction. The lefts can pray for the rights.

And so Father, we thank you for your goodness. We thank you for your kindness. We thank you for the grace that sets us free. And we’re gonna enjoy this freedom for the sake of kingdom extension and for your glory. And I wonder would you look up, a huge shout of freedom and joy like you’re really free, just go ahead and shout like you’re free. Come on, lift up a shout. Come on, let’s do it for one minute. Let’s just shout the shout of victory. Come on, shout the shout of victory. Shout the shout of victory. Come on, keep going, keep going, keep going. Keep going. Shout the shout of victory. Whoo, ha-ha. Yay, God. Can I encourage you to download Katia’s preach on what the enemy wishes you didn’t know? It will really help you in terms of spiritual warfare. And just remember this, you and God make the majority. Plus He’s got two-thirds of the angels. The enemy is on a losing streak, in fact, he’s already lost. And so if you’ve run out of energy just keep standing because soon or later, you’re gonna see the goodness of God. And may God bless you.

Free To Be You

Sat, 19 Aug 2017 18:00:00 GMT

Growing up in church can sometimes make it difficult to be your authentic self. In this talk, Jeshua Glanzmann shares his story of discovering authenticity in the midst of ministry. This talk was recorded at Harvest Church, in Durban, South Africa.

Life In Abundance

Mon, 14 Aug 2017 18:00:00 GMT

Our God is the God of excess. Abundant living is not simply an option for certain believers, it is an invitation for each one of us to display the lavish love of the Father to the world around us. In this teaching, Katia unpacks the implications of Jesus’ words in John 10:10 .

– TRANSCRIPT

Katia: When my little one-year-old delightful son, Ezekiel, woke up this morning just after 5, I was thinking, “It can’t be morning already. It can’t be morning already.” But here we are, anyway. And everyone feeling awake and happy now? I am so excited about this morning because I’m about to take a risk. And it’s always fun when you take a risk with Jesus, right? People are like, “No, it’s not.” No, it really is because the amazing thing about taking risks with Jesus is that the outcome really doesn’t matter so that you’re entirely safe in taking the risk because your value and your worth is predetermined, isn’t it? So the outcome of your action really doesn’t matter.

And I’m gonna take a risk this morning because I’m gonna go with what I feel like Holy Spirit has put on my heart rather than a safe bet. And for me, that is a risk, but it’s a nice one because I know regardless of what happens this morning, that God is so jolly-pleased with me. And I wanna start with that because I feel like that’s important for some of us. Even this will be important for some of us. Whatever you do, wherever you are, whatever you take steps in life, your value, your worth, is predetermined. And your Papa is singing in joy over you. Do you know, He watches us when we sleep and as Psalms tells us, “He sings songs over us.” There’s such an overflow of joy from Him even when you’re doing nothing at all. He’s just so jolly-pleased with us.

And so, it’s kind of fun getting to do what I’m doing this morning because I know that my Papa is beaming right now. Not just over me, over you too. As you sit there and listen or don’t listen, doesn’t matter. As you daydream or as you pay attention, do you know your Papa is beaming over you? And He’s saying consistently in the heavens, “That one’s Mine. Look at that one. Hey, angels, gather round. Look at My son, look at My daughter. Aren’t they awesome?”

Do you know, it’s funny. With my son, Ezekiel, sometimes when he’s asleep, I’ll get out my phone and I’ll look at photos of him. And I think, “Isn’t it funny I’ve spent all day with him and yet I miss him when he’s sleeping and I’m keeping looking.” And if someone looks at my face in that moment, they’ll laugh at me because I’ve got this slightly dazed smile on my face because he’s mine and I love him, and I’m so proud of him regardless of how that day has gone. That’s your Papa over you.

Right. Let’s get on with this. That was a total tangent, by the way. And what I’d love to look at is Living Abundantly this morning. This whole last week, God’s been speaking to me about abundance and excess. Now, there’s a word we like in the church. And has been challenging me and provoking me to become comfortable in living in that place of abundance and excess. So, we’re gonna look at a couple of some passages. Some of you are looking so worried right now. It’s gonna be fine, I promise. We’re gonna look at John 10:10 , and we’re going to look at Mark 6. And we’re gonna use those verses just as a springboard for some thoughts on the topic.

But I really feel like this is a message for us as a community and as a family in this season because I feel like God is gonna take us on a journey and He has an intention for us to come to a place of being comfortable with these truths. Because when we’re comfortable with these truths, then we’re open and receptive to some of the crazy things that He wants to do. And until we’re comfortable with these truths, we shy away from all that God wants to do because we don’t want Him to get a little bit over the top now. And we’re trying to encourage Him to just, “Come on now, be measured now, be controlled.” But we’ve gotta become comfortable with these truths because I think God wants to go a little bit wild and crazy with our community. And so, He’s leading us into a place of settling something in our hearts. And I hope and I believe He’s gonna do that this morning.

John 10:10 , 1 verse, “The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy.” Let’s just say that together. “The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy.” I wanna just say right off the outset, let’s never confuse the devil’s job description with God’s. If something is stolen from you, destroyed, or is killed, that wasn’t God. That’s the devil’s job description. And sometimes in trying to explain the challenges and the hardships we go through, we start confusing whose job description it really is. “The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but I have come,” Jesus says, “that they may have life and have it to the full, or have it abundantly, or have it in excess.”

I like that. He’s come so that we may have life, not just the amount of life that would be needed for us, because that would be entirely reasonable and logical. No, no, he’s come so that we could have life and have it in excess, i.e., have leftovers – stuff we don’t need, stuff we’re never gonna use, stuff we’re not even gonna access. But that’s who He is. He is an excessive God, and if you don’t like that, then I’m really sorry, but I didn’t make up His character. He is excessive by nature. He loves to be lavish. He loves abundance.

And before we start over-spiritualizing this verse, because we really like to do that, because it makes us feel more safe, and start saying the life that Jesus was talking about is purely spiritual life or it’s about eternity, we can’t really apply this, the word that’s used here is Zoe life. And Zoe life is both physical, and spiritual, and both about the present and the future. It holds both of all of those things together. So, we can’t start saying, “No, no, no. The abundance that’s being talked about is the spiritual gifts that will be on show when we’ve all died and gone to heaven.” No, no, no. He’s saying, “I’ve come so that everything you experience in me will be in excess.”

Some of us are so trying to scrape by, trying to manage, trying to believing that we’ve just gotta somehow survive and hold it together. And I wanna tell you if that’s the Christianity you’re living, then there’s so much more for you because Jesus didn’t come so that you could survive. Jesus didn’t come so that he could meet your needs, Jesus didn’t come so that you would have just enough. He came to bring you life in so much excess that it’s embarrassing.

Second set of verses that I’d like to look at. I keep going back to this episode with Jesus and his disciples. Mark 6, we’re gonna start at verse 30, “The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all they had done and taught.” So, this is in the context where Jesus had sent out his 12 disciples and he’d equipped them, empowered them, “Go and heal the sick, go and cast out demons.” So they’ve gone on incredible adventures and they come back and they’re reporting to Jesus, and they’re on a big high. But if any of you have ever been in the ministry, well, you’d also know that they’re also exhausted. And they come to him, they’re telling him everything and he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.”

I wanna pause there. This isn’t the aim of this meeting but I do wanna say that sometimes the desolate place is a place where God has an intention for us. And I’m not saying that He brings desert places to us, but I am saying, if you’re in a desert place, that God has an intention for it, and He’s gonna use it for good and even for your rest and refreshing. And that’s what happens here. They go to a desolate place so that the disciples can rest, for many were coming and going and they had no leisure even to eat. Now, we’re gonna look a few versions down and you’ll see that this is the time where Jesus multiplies food and his disciples are involved in that miracle.

I love it because at the beginning of the story, what the disciples were unable to access for themselves, by the end of the story, are giving away to others. Beginning of the story, they can’t even eat. They don’t have the time, it’s not the right setting, they’re struggling to even access food. By the end of it, they’ve learned how to multiply food by God’s grace so that many can eat. It’s pretty cool. And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves.

Now, many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When he went ashore, Jesus saw a great crowd and he had compassion on them. Everything awesome starts with compassion. If you wanna see the miraculous, it starts with compassion. Because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.

And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place. The hour is now late. Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” But Jesus answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy 200 denarii-worth of bread and give it to them to eat?’ That’s about two-thirds of a year’s salary. And they said… Sorry. “Should we give them something to eat?” and he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out they said, “Five loaves, two fish.”

And he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups by hundreds and by fifties. And taking the five loaves and two fish, he looked up to heaven, said a blessing, broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all and they all ate and were satisfied. So, they reached the point of being full. And they took up 12 baskets full of broken pieces and the fish. And those who ate the loaves were 5,000 men.

I like this miracle for so many reasons, but at the moment, I’m loving it because it speaks of the excess of our father. He could have done it so everyone had the exact right amount. So that everyone was bursting full, He could have done it. It’s not like He didn’t know how much everyone would eat. It’s not like it was kind of a guessing game and hopefully, this would be enough. “Oh, look. Yay, we’ve got leftovers.” That wasn’t the point. He did the leftovers intentionally. He knew how much would be required to be multiplied and He went way beyond that because He’s trying to prove a point here.

He’s taken them to the desolate place, and the desolate place is meant to be a springboard for them, both for rest and for the miraculous. I wanna tell you, “Whatever your setting, it is a setup to display the goodness of God.” Whatever your setting. Some of you may be hearing me and thinking, “I am in the desert right now. There’s nothing around me. Nothing good can come in this place. And I don’t know what to do.” And I’m telling you, whatever your setting and whatever has put you in that place, I wanna tell you, God has an intention for that place. Your setting is a setup to display His goodness.

Just like this context. We’ve got no food, it’s a desolate place, we haven’t even eaten. We’ve got nothing to give. And Jesus is smiling and he’s thinking, “Guys, you don’t get it. Your setting is always a setup for me to display my goodness.” And when he wants to display His goodness, it’s never gonna be just enough. It always goes into excess. It’s kind of embarrassing. “Jesus, what a waste, 12 baskets of food. Now, what are we gonna do? This is terrible, we shouldn’t be doing this. Who are we gonna give this to now? It’s gonna go off, it’s hot, desert humidity.” This isn’t like, “Oh, wow. This will keep fresh for a while.” Bread and fish, mixed together in baskets in the desert sun. His point isn’t, “Oh, we’re gonna put this to very good use. Don’t worry, everybody.” His point is, “I am a God of excess. My intention is not that you have just enough. My intention is that there are always leftovers.”

Now, I wanna say, before I really offend some people… I’m hoping not to offend anybody. But because of the word Zoe, that means life, and because of the physical nature of this miracle, we can’t deny that the abundance that Jesus wants to bring is, in fact, physical in some measure. Now, I’m talking about abundant living in all aspects. So, I’m talking about an abundance of joy as much as I’m talking about an abundance of food. I’m talking about an abundance of peace as much as I’m talking about an abundance of finances. And I don’t want you to think all I’m talking about is money, but I also don’t want you to think that I’m not talking about money. Because what Jesus is speaking about encompasses absolutely everything in our lives. He wants to bring us to a place where we are comfortable with excess because that points us to something of his lavish goodness. And we’ve gotta get comfortable with that.

Let me move on. Just to say, I’m not denying the place of suffering. I’m not denying that bad things happen to Christians. I’m not denying that we’ll all face difficulties. That is a fact in Scripture. But let me say it again, what I am denying is that Jesus thinks that suffering, in itself, is good spiritually. I am denying that. Because all suffering is good for the Christian if it points to something victorious and glorious in the meantime. Your setting has got to be a setup, if not, something is wrong. Listen, the cross, in and of itself, is not glorious if you don’t have the resurrection. And some of us are so adamant to defend suffering, it’s almost like we would like to defend the cross at the cost of the resurrection as if the resurrection is irrelevant. No. Even Paul says, “If the resurrection didn’t happen, we’re all in trouble.” It’s not like the cross has some spiritual merit in and of itself. It’s in light of the resurrection where the cross is glorious.

And I wanna say to you, if you’re a Christian who defends suffering, and if you’re offended with someone talking about victory, and glory, and abundance, even in the context of suffering, I wanna say to you, “But that’s the gospel. That’s the kingdom.” If we wanna defend suffering purely because it’s a spiritual discipline, then we’ve got it all wrong because everything in life is meant to be a springboard to display His goodness. And if we’re nervous about His goodness and His glory breaking into the place of suffering, as if, “No, no, I need to learn the hard lesson a little while longer,” then we really don’t get what He is about. Suffering will happen, challenges will happen, difficulties will come, guaranteed. And all of them is His intention to display His goodness. All of those things are His intention to bring about such a glorious fireworks display of how awesome, and kind, and abundant, and lavish He is.

I could tell you stories of people who’ve been imprisoned for their faith, who’ve been taken into solitary confinement for months, and in that place of suffering have had the most incredibly lavish physical experiences of Jesus. The setting is merely a setup. It’s all about what we believe and anticipate in that moment. I’ve been provoked by Mathew 20 as I’ve been thinking about all of this. Mathew 20 is when Jesus tells the parable of the workers in the vineyard. And I’ll just say the story rather than read the verses just to keep this brief.

But he tells a story of how an owner of a vineyard goes to hire servants for the day. And he hires guys right at the beginning of the day and they agree a price which is one denarii, which would be a very normal daily wage at that time. And the guys agree to that. Of course, it’s fair, it’s right. And they go and work in the vineyard. And throughout the day, the parable goes that the owner of the vineyard keeps going back to where the servants would be standing waiting to be hired for the day, and he keeps going back all throughout the day and keeps hiring more people. And after he’s agreed the wage with the first guys, we’re told, with the next set of guys, however many there are, he keeps just telling them, “Come and work for me. I’ll pay you what’s right.” They don’t necessarily agree a wage, but he promises to be just.

And so, throughout the day, workers keep coming and joining the others in the vineyard. And at the end of the day, he says, “Right. Gather everybody in. We’re gonna pay the guys who started last first.” It’s an interesting way of doing things. He’s trying to prove a point. And the guys who’ve only been working for an hour or two, they come in and they get one denarii, a whole day’s wages. Now, the guys who started first are now thinking, “Oh, hang on, if they’re getting one denarii, we’re gonna get something different to what was agreed, surely.” But Jesus says that the vineyard owner pays everybody one denarii. And by the end, when the first guys have been paid, they’re grumbling because they’re saying, “This isn’t fair.” And the vineyard owner says to them, “Why are you cross? I gave you a fair wage. I gave you exactly what was right. I gave you what was agreed. Why do you begrudge my generosity?’

And I love that one question, “Why do you begrudge my generosity?” The thing is about grace, and the thing is about abundance, and the thing is about the excess of God is that as Christians who’ve been Christians for a while, we can get a little bit nervous about God being lavish to those who don’t deserve it. And when we say that, we mean other people, of course.

I’ve been a Christian for quite a long time. I’m actually quite good at being disciplined and obeying Jesus. I must have earned something by now. I know I got saved by grace. We all know that. No one’s disputing that. But I’ve earned something now. I really don’t like how that person who’s been a Christian for a week is starting to get all sorts of blessings, they’re gonna get way too big-headed. And we try to tell God how to control Himself because it’s pastorally inappropriate what He’s doing. True? Some of you are smiling far too knowingly. I know it’s true because I’ve been around the church for a long time. And I’ve been this person. I’ve been this person.

When I know the person next to me who has fallen into sin is still being blessed by Jesus, and it offends my insides. And I’m thinking, “You’re being too lavish. You need to teach him a lesson now.” And what we don’t understand is God is saying, “Why are you begrudging my generosity?” What we don’t understand is that He’s been ridiculously generous to us. And that’s simply how grace works. We can’t buy in to one portion of it. It is what it is, universally.

And for some of us, we begrudge Him His generosity towards us. We’re shy of God being over the top with us. We’re embarrassed when we’ve been blessed. And we try to make excuses and reasons for it, and most often, this comes with material blessing. Someone says to you, “Nice car.” And rather than saying, “Yeah. Isn’t God so kind? This is the best thing,” we say, “Yes. No, you know, it was a gift and I’m really careful how I drive it, and I give lots of people lifts.” Your Papa is excessive, and lavish, and abundant. Let’s get used to it.

His intention is abundance. And we don’t need to be shy. We don’t need to hold Him at arm’s length. We don’t need to try to coach Him into being a little bit more reasonable, but rather, we can start anticipating His over-the-top goodness and start enjoying being channels of that to other people. Ultimately, this isn’t about you or me getting really fat and really rich at the expense of others because there’s enough grace to go around for everybody. And there’s enough abundance for everybody. And He is excessive to everybody. That is His intention. And sometimes He does it all by Himself, and sometimes He likes to use you and me to do that. But, the kingdom is excessive in nature, and if we’re gonna sign up to everything that He has, we’ve gotta get comfortable with receiving His excess and giving His excess too. And that can become the [inaudible 00:25:18] part for us.

He doesn’t seem to mind waste. He doesn’t. He doesn’t mind that there’s 12 baskets left over. He’s not embarrassed when a lady breaks a perfume jar and there’s waste. Because there’s something right about being lavish. There’s something that fits into the kingdom with that. I love Luke 6:38 . It says, “Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be poured into your lap.”

This week I’ve got some sugar and I was trying to put it in a jar, and I knew there was too much sugar in the bag for the jar, but my stubborn streak came out and I’m like, “I’m gonna get this thing in there.” Ever done this before? So, I pour sugar in and then I’m shaking it to make it go down again. And I’m trying to press on it, and I’m pouring more, and I’m pouring more. And I keep doing this. And I know that we’re reaching the limits but I’m gonna try a little bit more, and, of course, it overflows and there’s sugar everywhere, and now I’ve gotta clean it up. But that’s this verse.

Jesus looks at us and goes, “I know how much you can take. Oh, let’s try a little bit more. Let’s try a little bit more. Let’s keep going. Oh, it’s pouring over, it’s spilling everywhere, all over your lap, that’s a waste.” Never mind, He’s excessive. And the whole point of this in Luke is to say to us, “Listen, there’s this crazy cycle in the kingdom. It’s not about earning something, it’s about getting onto this crazy cycle which is just going round and round, which is, He gives excessively, you give excessively, more excessively comes back to you, you give… It just goes round, and round, and round in circles.” And if we’re gonna learn to live in abundance, we’ve gotta get really good at receiving abundantly, and we’re gonna have to get really good at giving abundantly. Really good.

It means when we see someone who needs something, or maybe not. And we just have a little nudge like, “Oh, I wonder if I could do that. I wonder if someone could meet that.” Then our next thought in living abundantly can be, “Right. How much do they need? Why don’t we do a little bit more than that? Why don’t we give excessively? Why don’t we give embarrassingly? Why don’t we give abundantly?

Sometimes we have leftovers for unexpected visitors, don’t we? My husband Julian is an amazing cook. Thankfully, he does all the cooking in the house, so that’s great for me. But he’s really funny, I think, when it comes to portion sizes. And he has this philosophy that if the food finished, there wasn’t enough. And I’m always like, “No, no, we all ate and had our full, that was enough.” And he’s like, “No, no, no. There’s always gotta be a little bit extra so that people feel like they could have more if they wanted.” That’s just the way he grew up. I find that funny.

But the thing is, the good thing about having leftovers is when an unexpected visitor knocks on your door, you can feed them straight off. Some of your excess is gonna be used for the unexpected visitor. We’ve gotta be really good at living in the abundance of God knowing that some of what is spilled over all over our laps, we’re gonna come into encounter with someone who is in desperate need of joy, or grace, or peace, or kindness, and we’ve got it in abundance and excess. And in that moment, we don’t have to somehow try to access something or conjure something up, it’s like, “Oh, look, hang on. I’m living in abundance on this. Come and feast with me because there’s leftovers for the unexpected visitor.” And He wants that physically too in our lives.

The excess that we have in our homes, those things are awesome and good, and He wants you to get comfortable with it because His kingdom is excessive. But there’s also moments where the unexpected visitor comes and says to you, “I don’t have a pillow,” in passing conversation and you think, “Well, I’ve got an excess of pillows. I’ve got some in my storage cupboard.” Great. The whole point is to give off your excess because you’re part of the crazy cycle. Do you know you can’t ever out-give God? That’s just true. It’s not about earning something. You’ve gotta hear me on that. It’s not like, “We’re now gonna give so that we earn something in the kingdom.” It’s about joining the crazy cycle of the kingdom that’s going on with or without you. Abundance, giving leads to abundance, giving… It just goes round and round.

James 1:5 says that “If anyone lacks anything…” He’s talking about wisdom in this context. “If anyone lacks wisdom, they should ask God who gives generously.” That word “generously” is an adverb that comes from the word… I’ll read it to you just so you feel like I’ve done some research here. Haplos is the word, that’s not probably how it’s pronounced anyway, but the word literally means without fault, where we get our word generously from in the English. It means that when God gives, everything is unfolded in heaven. So, it is open-handed and free. The whole connotation of that is He doesn’t hold anything back.

You’re like, “God, I need this.” And he’s like, “Okay. let’s just open up the storehouse. That’s it. Open the doors.” All the grain pours out. That’s great. That’s how He works. Because there’s always more in the kingdom. But He is giving unreservedly to us as we ask. And sometimes we think that God is there like, “God I need wisdom,” and He’s going, “Okay, here’s your one portion of wisdom for today. Use it wisely. Come back when you need some more.” We have this image, “God I need this financed,” “Okay. Exactly how much do you need? I’ll give you this, make sure you give me back a tenth so I’ll make sure that we figure it out some…” He’s not like that. He’s not measured, He’s not controlled in that way. He’s excessive. His hands are open as He gives. And some of what He’s trying to draw us into is an anticipation of that.

I can’t remember where it is in the Old Testament, but the people are asking for rain and the prophet tells them, “Dig holes, dig wells, and the rain will come, and the water will fill.” That it’s what they anticipate for that gets filled. The rain falls but the more holes they dig, the more wells they dig, the more water they receive. And I feel like in this season, God is drawing us into a place where He’s saying, “Dream bigger, think bigger of me. Stop thinking of me as careful, and counted, and measured, and controlled because you’ve just gotta keep reading the stories, and the parables, and everything that Jesus did to recognize He’s too big for that.

Can you imagine when the lost son returned to the father, and the father said, “Kill the fattened calf and give him the best robe.” Can you imagine if the lost son had been like, “Father, the fattened calf is a little bit too much. That’s the prized calf, we don’t do that. And, you know, I’ve just come. Let’s just have a party, let’s settle for a goat.” It’s interesting because the older son later says, “I would have settled for a goat.” And I feel like the father wants to shout in that moment, “I don’t want you to settle for a goat. I had the fattened calf.” And the father says to the older son when he’s grumbling about how he would have settled for a goat, the father says to him, “All I have is yours.”

And sometimes we’re saying, “Not the best robe, Lord. Just get any robe, I just need a robe.” And He is like, “I wanna give you the best.” Why? Because it glorifies Him. Because it shows and displays to the heavens and to the Earth the lavish goodness and kindness of our Papa. And so, when we give, let’s give the best of ourselves. Let’s give the best robe. Let’s join the crazy cycle of abundance. It’s so much fun to live in.

In Mark 14… I’m gonna go back to a story that I’ve referenced, and we’re gonna finish with this. There’s a story of the woman who comes to Jesus… This is a great chapter, Mark 14. Jesus is reclining at the table eating. That’s how they ate in ancient times. All the guys would be reclined around the table. There would be no women eating with them.

And we’re told that this woman comes into the room where Jesus is reclining, which would be embarrassing already, and she gets to Jesus, which would be a challenge because they’re all reclining in a circle so it’s not like they’re sitting in individual chairs where she can easily get to him without touching anybody else. But she gets to Jesus and she takes an alabaster jar, which would be costly in and of itself, but we’re told that it was full of pure nard, which would be incredibly costly, and she breaks it to anoint him. And we’re told that everyone… There’s people in the room who were watching and some of them are saying, “What a waste. What an absolute waste.” She takes what is costly and she breaks it. She takes what is costly and pours it, and then onlookers cannot understand a lavish act and call it a waste.

It’s a beautiful story in and of itself, but its beauty is really a foreshadowing of a few verses later, and we miss the point if we don’t read the entire section in Mark because it’s paired with another dinner that happens only a few moments later, where Jesus is again reclining at a table with his disciples. And where he picks up some bread, and where he breaks it, representing something incredibly costly, “This is my body.” And he pours out some wine, representing something incredibly costly, “This is my blood.” And where a few verses later when he’s actually been broken and poured out, we see that people, yet again, onlookers cannot understand the lavish act and scold or mock and I’m sure many who wanted more shook their heads and said, “What a waste.” These two pictures go together. What is costly is broken and poured out.

What I would hate to do this morning is to make you feel like abundance comes cheap. It doesn’t. When Jesus promises us life in excess, it’s not about us as Christians being so other-minded and so selfish that we don’t understand cost. No, it’s about us as Christians recognizing the lavish act of one broken and poured out so that we say a wholehearted yes to the crazy upside down wild adventure of His kingdom. It’s about us living abundantly, overflowing with thankfulness, overflowing with a sense of, “I’ve gotta give this good stuff away,” not because we think it’s cheap, but because we understand its worth.

I can see that there’s bread and wine-ish out. And I just wanna encourage you today to take some, to take some with friends, to take some with people you don’t know, and to think for a moment of that lavish act. And recognize as we eat and drink, that what we’re saying is, “I’m a yes for abundant living. I wanna think bigger of you and what you wanna give to me, I wanna anticipate your lavish kindness. I don’t wanna tell you how to be pastorally wise, God. I wanna be a good receiver. And I wanna know how to partake of this, to be an excessive giver. Help me. Open my eyes to where I can give, what I can give, how I can give, which parts of me I can give. Help me give the best robe, not begrudgingly, but knowing that there’s a room full of the best robes in heaven. And I’m entering simply into the crazy, wonderful cycle of abundance in the kingdom.”

Let’s just stand together for a moment. We’re gonna end now. Father, we love You. You are overwhelmingly kind, and compassionate, and generous. And Lord, we wanna repent. We wanna say sorry and change the way we think. If we have tried to control You, or if we have tried to get You to be more measured, if we have judged how You have been gracious and generous to others, Lord, we wanna change the way we think. We wanna enter into abundant living in the kingdom, being great receivers of our Papa’s lavish kindness, and being great dispensers of that kindness too. Open our eyes that we would see where You wanna give to us, and open our eyes that we would see where we can give to others. We say we are all in to this crazy cycle, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Honour, The Culture of Heaven

Thu, 03 Aug 2017 18:00:00 GMT

As believers, we have a call to bring the Kingdom of Heaven to Earth by the way we treat one another. In this sermon recorded at Harvest Church, Julian teaches us how to discover the value and God-bearing nature of every person we meet.

– Transcript

Julian: Today we carry on our culture series, and I wanna unpack what it means to live in a Culture of Honor. The reason why we’re doing the culture series at Harvest is because we’re not just a people who are on a mission to get somewhere, we’re not just wanting to fulfill a purpose, but we are… although that’s part of what we wanna do. What we do wanna do is know how we’re gonna fulfill our purpose. We wanna create the why, and we’re wanting to create the feel of how we get to where we need to be.

And we know that heaven has a culture doesn’t it? The kingdom of God has a particular culture, it supersedes every other culture on the earth. And we want that culture to be made manifest to be very real and alive here at Harvest. And so we’ve got a few values that we’ve put together that help us describe not just where we’re going, but how we’re gonna get there. Culture really is about the feel of what we do not just what we do, and so we’re wanting to be wise in how we communicate that because there are particular values that undergird our culture that we want to make sure is lived out in every aspect of our lives, and indeed in the great City of Durban and in this Metropolitan of ‎KwaZulu-Natal.

I hope you’re up for that because how many of you know that we don’t come to church? We are the church right, we’re not wanting to build big buildings, we’re wanting to build big people. And part of that means that we’re living in a space and in a way that reflects what heaven is like. And I wanna read a very familiar story to you out of the life of David, as he has a particularly interesting interaction with King Saul.

So 1 Samuel chapter 24, and verse 1. “When Saul returned from following the following the Philistines he was told behold, David is in the wilderness of En Gedi. So Saul took 3,000 men out of all of Israel and went to see David and his men in front of the wild goat’s rocks. And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, and there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself.” And I’ll just leave that there. I’m not quite sure what to do with that one, but it’s in the Bible.

I hope you read scripture like I read scripture, I think that’s hilarious. Anyway, “Now David and his men…” this is even more hilarious and very awkward. “David and his men were sitting in the innermost part of that cave, and the men of David said here is the day of which the Lord said to you Behold I will give you your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you. Then David arose…” again very awkward. “And skillfully cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. And afterwards, David’s heart struck him because he had cut the corner of Saul’s robe. And he said to his men, the Lord forbid, that I should do this thing to my Lord, the Lord’s anointed to put out my hand against him seeing he is the Lord’s anointed.”

The old King James will say “Touch not the Lord’s anointed.” So David persuaded his men with these words, and did not permit them to touch Saul, and Saul rose up and left the cave and went on his way.” This is a jolly awkward situation to be in. I want you to flip forward into the New Testament into the Epistles if 1 Peter and chapter 2:17. “Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood or the church. Fear God, and honor the emperor.”

Now we wanna unpack what it means to live in the culture of honor, what does it mean for us at Harvest to live in a culture of honor? Now I think that when we begin to understand honor, we’ll begin to understand how we can be a people who subversively change the world around us, how we can be a people who bring something of God’s Kingdom wherever we go. Honor is not just a buzzword in the church at the moment, and I want to highly encourage if you’ve not read “The Culture of Honor” by Danny Silk, I want to encourage you to get the book, download, buy the book, read the book.

It’s really helpful to unpack what it means to live in a culture of honor, and if I had another 10 sessions, we would not have enough time to unpack what honor really means. But when you begin to understand that heaven has a culture in which everything thrives in which there is life, you’ll begin to pick up something of honor that’s in heaven. Indeed honor is the culture in which heaven thrives, and so whenever you read through the Scriptures, particularly where there is a picture or a glimpse into heavenly reality, or what is actually more real than this, you’ll see phrases like glory and honor being thrown around all the time.

You’ll hear phrases like “Glory and honor belong to the Lord,” and indeed, glory and honor to begin with him. Our understanding of honor must be solidly rooted in the reality of his goodness in who he is. And I wanna just to unpack what it means now for us to live in honor, because honor is so vitally important that we see how God operates in Trinity, is based on the principle of honor. Your God is not threatened by Jesus, and Jesus is not threatened by the Holy Spirit. In fact, they prefer one another and make room for one another, as the moment and grace is needed for one another. It’s a beautiful picture.

In fact, theologians call this word Perichoresis. It speaks of a dance around one another that make room for each other, it’s a beautiful picture of how honor works. Now what glory and honor often are used interchangeably but they mean two different things. Glory is the revelation of someone’s worth or God’s goodness, or God’s worth, but honor is the esteeming of that word. So for example, if I could use this example, when we came into this building… I mean it’s a pretty good building, but it’s not holy right, there’s nothing holy about this building. My aim most Sundays is to get the church out of the building not into the building, amen Julian.

We come and we worship God. There’s a sense the presence of God. Now how many of you have ever been in a room with your back to the door, you’re doing something somebody walks in quietly, but you can sense their presence can’t you? Well, when we worship and we suddenly start to sense the presence of God, it’s like God’s saying here I am I’ve just showed up. It announces that he’s here. Now announcing that someone is here does not do anything for us to get a revelation of who that person is.

And so God doesn’t just come in his presence, he then begins to reveal his glory, his glory is the revelation of his intrinsic goodness. And so the first picture of glory that we see particularly in the Old Testament, is of Moses, and he sees God’s glory pass by him, and the phrase that Moses uses is “The goodness of God passed by me” in connection with his glory. The glory of God is the goodness of God on display, it’s who he is. And we have a response then after encountering his glory to do something with that, and honor is that response. We then esteem his glory, we value his glory, we honor his glory.

You see it is possible to be in the presence of God, and see his glory and still not honor his glory, glory reveals, honor esteems. And what’s beautiful about this picture, actually is that the Bible says in Romans 3:23 Open in Logos Bible Software (if available) “That all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” We’ve all fallen short of a revelation of God’s goodness, but now that we have saved, we’ve been restored to that revelation of his goodness. And God is so incredible in his understanding of honor, and how this works that he puts his glory in you, he puts his goodness and worth in you.

You should say hallel-flipping-ujah at that point because that is outrageous, God puts his glory in us, the only reason why we give him glory, is not because we got anything in and of ourselves to him, it’s because he’s put his glory in us. Because we are image bearers of his glory. I find that completely scandalous, it should be shouted from the rooftops that God puts his glory in mankind. And although we are broken images bearers of this glory, we are still image-bearers nonetheless. And the beauty of salvation is and we are now restored to that glory, we get to demonstrate that glory whenever we go.

Honor then means not only that we are honoring God, and I’m gonna unpack this in a moment, but we learn to value one another because of our intrinsic worth before God. How many of you know that Hitler had intrinsic worth before God? How many of you know that the ISIS regime has intrinsic worth before God? It’s got mighty quiet suddenly, but anyway because he created them in his image. I’ll move on quickly.

You see honor is the process by which we esteem what God has put in other irrespective of the things that we are not. Honor celebrates who you are not just who you’re not. We’ll talk about truth-telling in a moment and will help unpack it. But when we begin to understand that in heaven you are honored for who you are, that when we manifest culture on the Earth everything changes. If I can learn to honor you, if we as Harvest can learn to honor one another for who we are, not who we’re not, it’s going to dramatically change this community.

Jesus does this all the time, I don’t know if you noticed but Jesus… and I pray I get this reputation, liked to hang out with sinners. You know I pray that the gossip scandal that hits Durban is that Julian likes hanging out with sinners. That Jesus became of no reputation in order to give honor to the lowest of the low, the broken of the broken. You see the way he deals with women, women were regarded as absolutely nothing in every single encounter with women, Jesus restored honor to them.

And then there’s those filthy tax collectors who like to take our money. You know, the ones that are corrupt, you know the ones who take bribes behind the scene, Jesus used to hang out with them and have meals with them. Can I please get an amen here, because that sounds a lot like our country sometimes, and he restores honor to them. The woman caught in adultery she is in absolute [inaudible 00:12:03] and he honors her. Man alive, wouldn’t it be great if we learned to honor the worst sinners of all sinners. Because that’s how heaven operates, heaven operates in honor because honor is the ability to esteem one highly, and see worth in someone despite who they are not.

David does this with Saul in three ways, firstly he’s in this cave, and he sees Saul, and his natural response is not to kill soul, but to honor God. Until we see God rightly, until we honor him rightly, will not be able to on the one another rightly. You see David is more concerned about what God has said about this person, than is about what he thinks about Saul in that moment.

One of the key starting points for us in order to live in the place of honor because you need some honor when you standing in the queue at Home Affairs trust me, is to see through the lens of who God is, I honor him first, therefore I honor everyone else around me. I honor him with my time, I honor him with my worship, I honor him with my finances, I honor him with the way I build relationally to one another. I honor him when I love the poor and the broken, not just in Uzbekistan, not just in Tanzania, but on the streets of Durban.

When I know how to honor him, everyone else becomes a reflector, an image bearer of his glory. You see the reason why we have to love one another, it’s not because we have to like one another but because something of God is in you. Therefore not only do I have the responsibility to love you, I actually have a responsibility to like you, that went over like a lead balloon.

David puts God first in his understanding of honor, and he puts the moment that he could kill Saul into perspective. Listen, Saul was out to destroy David, but he choose to see Saul through the lens of who God is. And God said of this man Saul, “He is anointed.” Brothers and sisters who are we to have a different opinion about the worst sinners of sinners than God does? Honor means that because we love him, and we see him rightly, we see everyone else rightly.

Now I’m not saying this at the expense of truth-telling, because Saul had some issues let’s be honest. This was an insecure leader who used his position as a place of control and authority over people. But here’s the incredible thing is that when we learn to honor people for who they are, and the grace that God is put in them, rather than who they’re not, we join in an agreement with the heavens perspective about them which releases life into us.

Now there are some cultures that have used this particular verse “Touch not the Lord’s anointed” as a platform to solidify position, as a platform to solidify power for personal benefit, rather than for others benefit. And at Harvest, we don’t elevate one position over another, because it’s not about your position at Harvest, it’s about your value. So George who is the lead pastor, George and Lee Ann [SP] who are like the mom and dad of this house, we don’t put them on a pedestal that goes we’re not worthy, here’s double tithe, although they’d like that.

We’re not putting them on a pedestal because of their position as pastors, we honor them because of the grace of God that is in them, we recognize what’s on them. You see pastor, apostle, prophet whatever title was never ever designated to be a title in the Bible, it was designated to be a function.

And that function means that I might be leading in some way or another, but that does not mean I have more authority and power over you, because the only person who has authority over you is Jesus.

And so were not doing hierarchy in this church, but we are giving honor. We recognize the grace and we say that grace that’s on your life I need in my life, and therefore I honor you in a real way. George and Ann don’t have a special parking, they don’t have a little plaque that says, Hi, right Reverend, apostle, and Prophet George and Lee Ann Gulay [SP]” no, we don’t do that. You don’t have to get your prayer needs met by some special group of elite Christians up front, because you have glory in you.

The answer to your prayer, the answer to your need, is not coming to get a special Holy Ghost touch. I don’t why I did the sign of the cross but it looked religious, because the Holy Spirit is in you. So do you wanna devalue the gift that George and Lee Ann are to us? No, we don’t, but we don’t need to do anything more to get God’s blessing, because he’s already given it to us. And when you honor people in the incorrect way it’s called flattery or idolatry.

You see if I’m trying to use the principle of honor to get something for myself, that’s manipulation. It’s trying to manipulate God, listen the point of honor at Harvest is that we all get to do the stuff. We all get to prophesy, trust me you do not need another prophetic word, you just need to do what you heard yesterday you’ll be fine.

You don’t need to get a special prayer cloth from someone, you don’t need to get holy anointed oil from Israel, to get your breakthrough, because your breakthrough already dwells in you, and his name is Jesus. You see the thing is, Saul had the crown, but David had God’s heart. You see honor works by recognizing who he is and then I can rightly recognize who we are, and in that process of honoring one another, everything changes.

You see honor doesn’t ignore weakness, honor chooses to believe the best in the midst of weakness. I get lots of emails from people asking for prophetic words, sometimes I go to some conferences where I get assigned a armor bearer to look after my Bible as if I can’t carry it myself.

And we put ministries on a pedestal in some cultures, in my culture in colored culture, the pastor when he comes to your house like literally, you do everything you can to serve that pastor, that’s idolatry.

I’m not talking about neglecting who we are, and who God is as, but as a church, we all have a part to play. You see the second thing I love about David is that he understood that honor was not for his benefit, it was for the benefit of everyone else. And so in that moment when he could have killed Saul, he realized that if I honor this man, my rulership which is coming to me soon will release honor on everyone who’s alongside of me, so that the favor that’s on my life is the favor that comes on to everyone else’s life.

You see it’s easy to insult, it’s easy to join the chorus of the world, it’s easy to gossip, it’s easy to point out weakness, it is a different thing to go looking for gold in the midst of rubbish. And here’s the incredible thing I love this, these men say, “The prophetic word is coming to pass. God said you can do as you see fit to your enemies.” But David sees through that and he says, “Saul is not my enemy, he’s anointed by God.” That challenges me to the core, because there are some people that I wanna karate chop in the head.

But you see I realize that because honor is on me and in me because the only way you get to understand someone else’s worth is by rightly seeing him, and rightly understanding who you are.

Because you love your neighbor as you love yourself, and if you don’t know that you’ve got intrinsic worth to God, that even if you did nothing significant for God ever again, you still have intrinsic worth, you still have honor, you still have a measure of his glory in you even if you did nothing that would still be true of you.

See when I get that, it means how I treat my friends, that means how I treat Julian well. Means to honor him not because of what he can do, but because he’s got intrinsic worth and glory, and value to the Father. And because the Father values me it’s easy to value him.

David could have killed Saul and he would be rightly justified, but David sees through that and he realizes that the honor that God has put on me to be king, if I extended well right now, it means that all of my subjects come in to honor and come under the same favor that’s on me. Because here’s the deal, if David killed so in that moment, those men would have had an example of what to do when David start messing up in his leadership.

You see leadership is not gonna be perfect, your friends are not gonna be perfect, but you’re gonna have to make a choice to honor them in the midst of it. It’s not denying what they’re doing wrong, it’s not denying their weakness, it’s just choosing to say in the midst of the weakness… and listen when you understand honor, you realize that everyone is powerful, and so you can have brave conversations with them. And I wanna say this particularly in church because I see a lot of people going around saying, “I’m so offended by church, I’m offended by that leadership, do you know what they did to me?”

Here’s the truth of friends, offense is never given it’s always taken. And when you understand your worth, you realize that you can be unoffendable. There’s nothing you can do that can offend me because I have a choice to pick up that offense or not. Somebody say “Amen.” so if you are in offense, I want to encourage you, build a bridge and get over it. Because it doesn’t matter where you are you’ll pick up offense because offense is connected to a wrong perception of who you are, and who the person is. Do you know that God can never get disillusioned or disappointed with you, because he never had any illusions about you in the first place. Doesn’t deny truth-telling but chooses to honor in the midst of weakness.

Third thing that I love about David is honor makes space for everyone. You see the reason why we’re doing church nonhierarchically, the reason why we’re doing this culture series, is because there are so many gifts, so many anointing’s, so many graces in this church, indeed every single person under the sound of my voice, you have a grace from God, you have a gift from God.

And we wanna create space where we all get to be who we need to be without feeling threatened by who someone else is. Because in a culture of honor, when one person wins a victory we all win a victory. It means that when Ann [SP] does a killer worship moment and glory clouds appear and gold dust appears, we don’t go, I wish I was the worship leader on that stage today. We celebrate his victory, as if it’s our victory, because honor makes room for everyone.

No one needs to be threatened, well their gift’s a little bit bigger than mine because at the end, God is not gonna evaluate who you are in comparison to anyone else. He’s gonna evaluate what he’s given you for your life, and for your season. Honor makes room for everyone, and you see this with David. David is not threatened. The Bible says, “He had famous men join his army,” and he’s not going I better keep them under control, we don’t want them getting too much freedom here. Because they might try to usurp my freedom.

Brothers and sisters, whether or not you’re up front here is irrelevant, because your worth does not change according to your position. Your worth is intrinsically a revelation of God’s goodness and nothing can change that irrespective of your position. That’s such good news, and at Harvest relationships are never in negotiation, we love each other irrespective of what we do. They might be some evaluation around what we do but your intrinsic worth will always be the same, because you’re an image bearer of God, and you’ve got glory in you, therefore I honor you.

What does this mean for Harvest? And this is where I wanted to just unpack it a little bit. Well firstly the thing about David and him saying “I will not touch the Lord’s anointed” is that that principle in the New Testament means that we are all anointed. There’s not one especially anointed person, we are all anointed, the Bible says in 1 John, “That you have an anointing from the Holy One that dwells in you.” It means we are all of equal value here at Harvest, we might have different functions according to the grace of God gives us, but we all have equal value and we’re going for what is best in our family.

George and Lee Ann, mum and dad, lead as were this family, we’re looking for what’s best for our family. And that’s how we make decisions, and sometimes it means that Jason at the back might have more prominence than Johnno [SP] in the front. And we don’t get insecure and go oh my gosh, because we all realize we’re anointed, were all gifted

Not only that it means that we celebrate who you are, not who you are not. And by celebrating…help me here on this one Jesus, I don’t mean tolerate. We don’t tolerate one another at Harvest, we celebrate one another. We go you are amazing, you’re phenomenal, you’re outrageous, we love each other. We celebrate when people take risks even if it fails. Like I just did at the beginning it was a little you know, lesson in real life.

And we don’t just go, oh that’s nice, what we wanna do away with at Harvest if you don’t mind is what I call the golf clap. You know what golf clap is, well done, jolly good show, great shot, do it again if you can. I hate golf claps, we’re gonna celebrate people as if the Sharks actually scored a try. I’ve got a confession to make, I’m actually a Stormers supporter, but I’ve just ordered my first Shark jumper. The Lord is moving.

We’re gonna celebrate people and you know what, we’re gonna celebrate them even before they’ve done anything. So here’s the deal, when people get up here to preach, I wanna ask you to celebrate that preacher as if they gave the world’s best sermon before they’ve even preached. So when people get up here faith is built in their heart to give you the best. And I want us to practice that. In a moment we’re gonna honor someone and here’s the deal, I don’t want you to be all nice and churchy. Okay heaven is loud, if you don’t like the loudness of our music, God bless you when you get to heaven, you will need a glorified body to handle that sound, his voice is like the sound of many rushing waters.

I’ll just move on quickly, the sound guys will come and pay me something at the end. But here’s the deal, friends, we’re gonna stand to our feet in a moment and we’re gonna celebrate this person as if as if they are just absolutely amazing because they are. And it doesn’t matter what you think of them, today we’re gonna celebrate them. And here’s how we’re gonna do, I’m first gonna talk about who they really are. I’m not gonna lie, I’m gonna fabric, I’m not gonna… I just wanna illustrate how we do honor in this church.

And I really wanna honor Lee Ann Gulay, hold on hold your applause because in a moment we’re gonna so embarrass her she’s not gonna know what to do. And here’s why I want to honor her, this is how honor works. She has served in this church alongside George, looking after three children in order to facilitate what God is doing in George and in this community. She prays for him, she often gets things behind the scenes in terms of pastoring and loving people who not many other people see. She came into this meeting this morning saying “There are a few guests who didn’t know what the time was but I connected with them,” there not many people who do that.

Not only that, she has had to walk through some really difficult seasons in this church alongside George, and she’s had to hold her tongue, when I would have just karate chopped everyone and said you wanna criticize me, let me show you how I can criticize. But she’s not done that, she held herself in poise in order to honor the people in this church, more importantly, to honor George and God. And so I want us to celebrate Lee Ann, and I want to ask you to right now stand to your feet whoopi [SP] cheer and embarrass her, with the honor and the goodness of God, because of a life that is served well in this church. Would you do that, please? You can do a little better than that, keep going, keep going, keep going, keep going some more, keep going some more, and some more, and some more. Now how many of you feel really depressed right now? How many you feel… do you see what honor does, can you sense a life in this room?

Everyone: Yes.

Julian: So we honor you, Lee Ann, we know there’s a price that you paid, and no one else has seen and we say thank you, for doing that. Take your seats, I’m nearly done, I promise. Do you know the Bible calls us to outdo one another in honor? Can you sense the tangible presence of God here right now? That’s because honor has been demonstrated. If you don’t know Lee Ann, she’s one of the leaders at this church, George and Lee Ann lead this church, one of the pastors here.

She’s not just pastors wife, by the way, she’s got her own gift, and her own anointing which she serves in this church with. But here’s the deal friends when we live in this place of honor, an atmosphere of heaven is released, so to demonstrate that right now. There is someone I think you’re a lady I think you’re on my left side, you walked in with some pain today, I think something to do with your neck maybe. If you begin to move that right now, you’ll see that the pain is either lifted, or it’s completely lifting, or it’s completely gone.

So if that’s you I think you’re on my left side here, you came in with pain, is that you sir? Sorry this is your left, yeah, this is my left your right, but I feel it’s actually in this side not that side, sorry. If you came in with a bit of pain, I want you to check that out, and if you know the pain is lifting or if not completely lifted just wave your hand at me very quickly. I’m not trying to embarrass you but God has just healed someone. You might be somewhere else in the building just quickly wave your hand at me, there we go. The two ladies in this section who came in with some pain, and now it’s lifting or it’s lifted can we celebrate that?

Now notice I didn’t pray for that, heaven was just released and so healing happens in the atmosphere of heaven because of honor. Let’s outdo one another in honor, honor looks like generosity. I want us to live in a place of outrageous honor, being generous with one another and outdoing in our generosity. In my previous church the Kings Arms in England, one of the things that we did as a church was treasure hunts in order to bless people in our church for finance. So we’d ask God where we needed to go, who we needed to give it to.

And it broke something of a poverty mentality of our church because honor values the work of someone. When I got engaged to Katya, I looked for the most expensive ring I could find within my budget, because I wanted to express value. Honor goes hand in hand with generosity because what you value you will give to. If you value this community, look outrageously out give one another and bless one another.

Won’t it be fun. No one needs to know, you just slip 5000 Rand into someone else’s pocket and bless them. I mean can’t you say this [inaudible 00:37:13] we’ll talk about generosity. Katya and I have learned that if you give generously you live abundantly, it works.

Let’s be super generous, not just with our money but with our encouragement, let’s encourage one another because honor works in the context of encouragement. Encouragement didn’t mean to lie to one another, it didn’t say something that they’re not, but you can find something about someone that you can encourage them irrespective of who they are. I used to do this in England, you know, in England because it’s so gray so often, a lot of the people that work particularly in checkouts at the local shop are a bit grumpy you know, they’re just unhappy. Which I understand because they’re inside, its gray, it’s miserable and no one really says thank you very often. Not all English people are like that. Leo sitting in front she’s a very happy English lady.

But I’ve learned that if you can just encourage someone with a thank you, or I appreciate what you’re doing, or here’s a chocolate, it’s incredible. Because you see in the UK, they don’t pack for you, you have to pack for yourself, I know that’s quite a shock isn’t it? I learned… you see how honor works sometimes. I’m like I get there I go ma’am thank you, so much for serving me you, are really doing me such a great service today just doing this. I know it’s your job, but I can’t imagine that it’s always the most fun, and you probably get some really unhappy customers, and I just wanna say thank you. In fact, here’s a chocolate just to bless you, just put it through the till because I want you to be blessed today, and have a good day.

Well it’s incredible what happens, it’s like they get back some steel in their backs and they’re like “Why thank you, sir, I’m gonna help you pack today,” and off they go packing. Now I obviously don’t just do it to get them to help pack, but it’s incredible. You know, honor just begins with simplicity of respecting and saying thank you.

Two last points and then we’ll be done, actually one last point. That verse in 1 Peter that I read says “Honor everyone.” You see it’s easy to talk about honor for us as a family at Harvest, but actually, the requirement honor is for everyone. It means everyone, it means the person who’s serving you at Home Affairs. Like I’ve just had this experience. I don’t wanna honor Home Affairs at that point, I want to burn Home Affairs down at that point. But I have a choice to value them for who they are.

The Bible says, “Honor the emperor.” Shikabazuka on this one. How many of you have learned how to Jacob Zuma? David could have killed Saul, but he recognized that God in his sovereignty put Saul as king over Israel at that moment. When you have a cup of coffee, and someone brings up good old JZ in the conversation, what’s your first response? I was chatting to someone earlier who said he knows Jacob Zuma, and he said to me, “In those early days he was a powerful revolutionary who wanted freedom for people.” Now I don’t know where he’s at the moment, what I do know is that somewhere in all of that there is someone of intrinsic worth before God

And the Bible calls me to honor our Emperor. When that was written, it was in a persecuted church context. Peter would later on go to be crucified upside down we’re not persecuted yet. It’s gone very quiet in this charismatic church, today. How are we honoring him on our Facebook media posts? How are we honoring one another on our Facebook media posts? Because you see in the Kingdom honor works from the lowest to the highest. Jesus honors the lowest in society as if they’re the highest in society.

I find it fascinating… five more minutes I promise. That when I go into some people’s homes that I’ll stand in the kitchen, and they will not introduce me to their domestic helper at all. As if that domestic helper is inconsequential, as is he or she is not a person. Katya and I have made a decision to live in this place of honor, which means for us we have cut back on our own comfort in terms of having a domestic helper seven days a week, because we don’t just wanna pay minimum wage because paying minimum wage is not honoring that domestic helper. Because no one can live on minimum wage in South Africa.

And so we cut back, said we can pay a better salary to our domestic helper, so that she can put her kids through school, so that he can have good food, so she doesn’t have to miss a meal during the week, it’s gone so quiet suddenly. This is where honor works, because the Bible says, “Honor everyone.” Honor works when a woman who’s just had an abortion walks through our doors and we love her as if she never did anything that would destroy her life or her family.

This is what people need to feel when they walk into Harvest. It means that when a man or woman with same-sex attraction walks into this house they feel loved because in this house, you don’t have to believe, behave in order to belong. In the house, you belong before you need to behave or believe. In this house, we love sinners, because we all were once… see honor doesn’t just work when it’s all nice because we like each other, you see honor only works in the context of disagreement.

It’s most manifested when John and I have a disagreement, and I don’t like what he says to me, but in that moment I think you know what, I don’t agree with what you’re saying, but I really love you, and I honor you, because you’ve got worth before God. We have to honor everyone in every way irrespective of who they are, and what they’ve done wrong. I’m not… please hear me I’m not saying we deny what’s going wrong in our country. I’m just saying we choose to believe what heaven says about our country, over and above what any administration could accomplish or not accomplish.

Brothers and sisters honor is the way heaven works, and it’s a high value in this church. Would we honor one another, would we be a people who bless one another, and encourage one another “Outdo each other in honor” the Bible says, and would we honor every single person? I wanna say that in South Africa one of the greatest strongholds is around service industry. Can I encourage you to create a subversive message of honor, for those who serve you at restaurant, at Home Affairs, your petrol attendant, whoever it is, would you go over the top in honor?

So when people hear about these groups of people in Umhlanga that they go in Umhlanga everyone seems to be really nice, and it’s because Harvesters were out doing one another in honor. Will you stand to your feet, please? I don’t know about you, but hearing a message like this, make me fall to my knees and say God give me some more grace please [inaudible 00:45:42] for me. I was so challenged because I had a bad attitude this week to a driver who cut us off, and I had to restrain myself. But honor looks like something, and I wanna look like someone who honors those around me.

Why don’t you close your eyes, Father we thank you, for your goodness, we thank you for all that you are. Would you release grace for us to live in a place of honor, would you release grace for us to live in a place that values people because of their intrinsic worth, not because of what they are for us, or what they can do for us, but simply because of who they are in you? We thank you for what you’ve done.

Here’s what I really want you to do if you are a parent of a child in kids work, would you outrageously and overwhelmingly bless Tracy, and her team when you go up? And just give them the hugest thank you, and just honor them. Heck if you wanna give them money, give them some money, do something to express your honor to them. Would you do that for me? Because we want every department in our church to feel honored and loved for the way that they serve, not because we have to, but because this is what family does, this is who we are.

Freedom Series – Shame

Wed, 19 Jul 2017 18:00:00 GMT

– TRANSCRIPT

One of the scriptures that I think about is with the woman who was bleeding for 12 years. She must have felt such shame over that time. She would’ve had to proclaim herself unclean. I can’t even get my head around what that would feel like and telling people, “Don’t touch me because I’m unclean.” People must have thought that she was under the judgement of God. She must have thought that. It’s just one of those stories that blows me away because of the pain and suffering that she must have experienced.

There’s this beautiful moment where Jesus heals her. He deals with the shame and that’s my favorite part. He heals her physically but it goes so much further than that. He says to her,”Daughter.” He knows that she’s carried shame for 12 years and she needs this encounter with Him that will set her free from the grip of shame and the best way to do that is to redefine who she is. I can imagine it, that she’s there and she’s broken and she’s stooped over. She looks at Him and He says, “Daughter,” and suddenly everything is different about how she sees herself. I remember once getting a prophetic word at a moment in my life when I was struggling with shame, who I was. This lady came to me and she said to me, “God says your name means the right thing.” Katia means pure. To me, her word was absurd. Pure wasn’t a word that I would have described myself as. I was living in a place of shame.

Shame is different to guilt. Guilt is feeling bad about something you’ve done. Shame is feeling bad about who you are, to stop us from recognizing all that God has already put in us. What he saw me as, He was seeing me more accurately than I was seeing myself. I think that’s the way of walking in freedom from shame, allowing Him to proclaim over us what is the deepest truth about us. He redefines how we see ourselves so the power of shame is broken. He’s not agreeing with the enemy that we’re ugly, dirty, faulty, but rather you were made for greatness, powerful, and wonderful and that’s where shame gets broken. You are not faulty, less valuable, or dirty, or broken. You are powerful, wonderful, quite simply magnificent, and that’s the truth.

Freedom Series – The Power of Woman (Part 2)

Mon, 17 Jul 2017 18:00:00 GMT

– TRANSCRIPT

In our last video, we talked about freedom from oppression for women and we wanted to do a follow-up video thinking through more of the practicalities. What does it look like for women to take responsibility for their own freedom? And what does it look like for a guy, maybe for your wife, girlfriends, or daughters, how do you empower them to walk in all that God has put in them? We’re talking about women flourishing and just living up to all that God has put in them but in a beautiful way, responding to the call of God on their lives.

So, ladies, I get asked a lot, how has God taken me on this journey? How has God taken me from someone who, at one point, was questioning the call of God on my life or whether that was my own sinful desire, to a woman who feels empowered and liberated in what I’ve seen in scripture? And I can only tell you from my own journey, the first thing, you’ve got to do the work in terms of reading scripture and coming to a place of peace in your own heart. What do you feel that God is saying about you and your call? Keep a journal of what God is speaking over your life. Keep feeding and feasting on the words that He’s spoken over you rather than allowing the culture around us to dictate to us who or what we should be. Be courageous. This is a battle in the body of Christ. Embrace your femininity. This whole series is to present the heart of our Papa and to love each other as we express what’s on our hearts.

For the guys, create a context for the women around you so that they be able to flourish. The best thing for women in the body of Christ, I believe, is for them to feel like they are pursued to fully flourish. Spend time with the Father and invite Him to come and blow apart the boxes that we put Him in. The reality is how we see Him is how we’re going to represent Him. Lead women all around you so that they’ll be able to walk into their own destiny. You were created to change the world, to shape nations. What we’re really asking is for you to partner with us, to envision us and give us courage and strength. I believe that this is one of the most significant issues that faces the body of Christ and I feel like God has given our generation a unique privilege to see this battle won completely. This is for every woman and for every man that we would walk alongside each other fully free and fully empowered to see the Kingdom of God on Earth.

Is God Sexist?

Wed, 12 Jul 2017 17:24:04 GMT

A Case for Egalitarianism

I recently read an incredibly sad and provoking book entitled ‘Half the Sky’ by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. It is a book all about women, documenting how women are the most oppressed people on the planet today. It shows oppression to be not only the horrors of human trafficking, but a wide range of experiences where women are told they are somehow less or smaller than the men around them. It’s a heart wrenching read, but also one of mobilizing the reader to action. It’s the sort of book that makes you want to stand up and change the world because surely when God created woman, He did not intend for her to be oppressed and held down but rather to lead and shape the world around her. He did not make her small and insignificant, but placed her in a place of honor in creation – alongside man – to rule the world (Genesis 1:28) .

About a decade ago if you had asked me what I believed God’s intention was for women I wouldn’t quite know how to answer you. As a child I grew up thinking that girls were equal to boys in every way. I believed that I could be or do anything. In my late teens I had a conversation at church that shook that belief in me. A conversation that left me questioning what God’s heart really was towards women. And that conversation – painful and confusing as it was at the time – was an incredibly helpful one in hindsight as it set me on a journey of study and encounter. I wanted to come to a place of peace in my heart – to understand what God’s intention is for me as a woman and to understand what scripture says about my role.

I’ve written the points below as a brief summary of some of what i’ve read and understood from scripture. I hope this post will be an encouragement to many – that the God of the Bible is FOR women and is not interested in holding them back. I hope also that this post may make some readers think again about some of the scriptures that may have been used to suggest that God has placed a lower ceiling on women than He has on men. In the end, I hope that whatever your view on the role of women, you will find me not to be offensive but rather passionate and ultimately full of love for both those who agree and disagree with me. I think that God is much more interested in us loving each other within our different opinions than proving our point to be correct but doing so in a way that lacks love for one another. I hope the former will be true of me.

Please bear in mind that I’m not trying to write this post as a conclusive thesis on the matter – I’m writing with my two children under two around me… makes for a somewhat chaotic writing process!

For the purposes of brevity, I’ve summarized my view on the role of women down to three main headings:

1. Equality from Eden to eternity

2. Jesus loved to liberate women

3. Paul loved strong women

1. Equality from Eden to Eternity

In Eden we see that Adam and Eve both had a mandate together to rule over and subdue the earth (Genesis 1:28) . Adam didn’t rule Eve to then rule the earth. They were equal co-rulers. Before the fall, men and women were created to rule alongside one another. There’s no hint of hierarchy. There’s no hint that Adam was the main ruler and Eve the subordinate.

Some have tried to use the word describing Eve – a helper (Genesis 2:18) – to insinuate that her role was somehow a deputy to Adam. But if we look into the word helper (in Hebrew: Ezer) we realize just how absurd that insinuation is. The word does not have the connotation of inferiority but rather of adding strength. In the Old Testament, the word Ezer is most consistently used of God – the point being that it is a word describing someone who is bringing much needed strength rather than someone who isn’t important enough to be the main leader.

Others have tried to use creation order as their basis to prove that Adam had more authority than Eve. There’s not much logic to this however. If anything, creation becomes more complex and authoritative the further on in order. The animals came before both Adam and Eve. That doesn’t give them greater authority, but rather the opposite! I certainly don’t claim this to prove that Eve had more authority than Adam, but neither do I find justification for claiming the opposite.

Jumping ahead from Eden, right through to eternity, we catch a glimpse in the New Testament again of God’s desire to see men and women standing alongside each other – together in equality to rule and reign. Men and women are co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17) , seated in Him (Ephesians 2:6) and reigning with Him (Revelation 5:10) , the focus no longer our gender but our oneness in Christ (Galatians 3:28) .

I wonder why, when God created men and women to rule together from Eden to eternity, we would think that His intention for our present age is any different? Why would we think that God would introduce hierarchy as His intention now when hierarchy is not His intention either in Eden or in the Kingdom fully come?

2. Jesus Loved to Liberate Women

If Jesus is to show us the heart of the Father, then we see that Papa God loves to liberate women and see them flourish in roles that some would reserve only for men. Jesus let Mary sit at his feet (Luke 10) – the posture of a disciple – scandalizing everyone around Him as He redefined what a woman could and couldn’t do. He catapulted the Samaritan woman into being the first evangelist (John 4) and used Mary as the first witness to His resurrection (John 20) – completely disinterested in the fact that this would make the testimony of His victory weaker to those who saw women as somehow less able than men.

Jesus’ encounters with women consistently lifted them up and honored them. I wonder if this is true of us who represent Him? I’m not talking about patronizing or flattering women. I’m talking about allowing women to walk in authority – as Jesus did – despite what the traditions around us may think. His example is both encouraging and provoking.

3. Paul Loved Strong Women

I love reading through Romans 16. It’s a chapter where Paul honored those who labored with him in the gospel. The chapter is full of affection, admiration and respect. The remarkable thing about that chapter is that Paul names several women within it. He is not offended by their strength, not taken aback by their gifting, not scandalized by their positions of authority. He honors them: Phoebe, Priscilla (who interestingly is named before her husband Aquila in case you are still adamant that order connotes authority), Mary, Junia (who alongside her husband Andronicus is named as outstanding among the apostles), Tryphena and Tryphosa, Persis, Julia. Women who were deacons, apostles, co-labourers in Christ. No hint of hierarchy or male dominance in Romans 16.

It’s interesting to me that we largely ignore how Paul loved and affirmed strong women who had authority in Romans 16, ignore how he didn’t put any gender qualification on operating in gifts of the Spirit including teaching and leadership (Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12) or in holding offices of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher (Ephesians 4) all in favor of a handful of verses he wrote to a church that was struggling with false teaching and so needed specific, corrective insight (1 Timothy 2).

I find this sad because 1 Timothy 2 is no more authoritative on the role of women than the other verses, it’s just that it gets much more airtime. It’s tragic that people defend holding women back by claiming that they are just following the ‘plain reading of scripture’ when what they mean is that they are following an inadequately shallow reading of 1 Timothy 2:11 +12 whilst ignoring the ‘plain’ reading of Romans 16 and Galatians 3:28 and 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4, let alone taking into account the broader brush strokes in scripture of the heart of God and Jesus’ example towards women.

This blog will become far too long if I go too in-depth on 1 Timothy 2 but let me just say a few things to whet the appetite –

1. The word translated authority in 1 Timothy 2:12 (authentein) is an incredibly complex word. This is the only time it is used in the Bible. The normal word for authority (exousia) is used multiple times by Paul elsewhere but here he chooses the word authentein – we would be in error if we did not see this as a caution in how we are to translate the word. This has led many well respected academics and theologians to point to authentein not being a word meaning just authority but rather a word with the connotation of grabbing or usurping authority.

2. The word translated as silent or quiet in 1 Timothy 2:11 by many is the greek word ‘hesychia’. Outside of Paul’s teaching on women, this word, or its Greek root ‘hesychios’ are found in four other places in the New Testament – 1 Timothy 2:2 , 2 Thessalonians 3:12 , Acts 22:2 and 1 Peter 3:4 . In all these contexts, the word conveys a sense of being at peace/at rest/peaceable rather than having a low level of volume! It would seem that Paul’s instruction is that women learn in a way that is at rest rather than resisting or argumentative towards instruction (this fits well with the general tone of the surrounding passages about encouraging unity and peace rather than division).

3. Even without the complications around translating ‘authentein’, 1 Timothy 2:15 should make us aware that this whole passage simply cannot be interpreted at a cursory glance. There is no way of getting away with a ‘plain reading’ of 1 Timothy 2. If you walk away at a shallow reading of the chapter, you will walk away in error. Many have done this with the teaching on women.

4. The context of the book of 1 Timothy is I believe a great key in its interpretation. It was written by Paul primarily to correct the false teachings being propagated in Ephesus. It was not a letter laying out his core, timeless beliefs (which would be more true of the book of Romans for example), but rather a letter trying to correct specific errors in a specific community. If we mistake Paul’s applications to a specific community as his principles for all communities, we run the risk of falling into great error ourselves.

There is much more that I could say on these headings, let alone all the other headings i’ve left out! But, let me finish this post by saying this:

The more I read and study scripture, the more I realize that God loves women. God’s heart is to liberate women. He wants full expression of life in women as much as in men and has put His incredible authority on women as much as on men. He has called men and women together to manifest Kingdom life all over the earth. He is not the author of misogyny but rather is a proud Father cheering on His daughters (and sons!) to bring heaven to earth as heirs of His Kingdom. Isn’t it time we as the church joined the cheers of our Father for women to be powerful and beautiful and all they were created to be? Isn’t it time we honored the Priscillas and Junias and all the rest among us? Romans 8 tells us that all creation is longing and waiting for the full revelation of the children of God.

I think it’s time to set our women free.

Preferring Earthquakes to Whispers

Mon, 26 Jun 2017 17:31:15 GMT

I’ve got to be honest, I got really grumpy with God this week. Grumpy to the point where I must have resembled my toddler having a tantrum about not getting whatever it is that he wants. Grumpy to the point where I was accusing Him of not caring and not being all that He’s promised He will be. I think God must have used up extra patience from His storehouse on me this week…!

The thing is, it’s been a tough few weeks – battling illness in our home, children not eating or sleeping (or both!), multiple visits to different medical professionals and scary diagnoses being mentioned and looming threateningly overhead. The levels of pressure have been up and the number of hours of sleep have been low. That’s a dangerous combination right there.

And so, after another night of broken sleep my frustration and hurt and disappointment and weariness came tumbling out in some big questions – ‘Where are you God?! Why aren’t you breaking in? Don’t you care? We feel like we’re drowning over here!’ In all honesty, it felt good to let it out. It wasn’t my prettiest moment, but it was real! The funny thing is, even as the accusations were coming out of me, there was a deeper truth holding me steady in my heart, aware that the questions were rising out of my flawed perspective and sleeplessness rather than a new found discovery of flaws in Him. But it did my heart good to let the hurt out so that I could invite truth and affection in. Once i’d spent my hurting emotions fully, I was able to just be still for a while and as I did that, of course I could hear Him speaking into my circumstances.

I was reminded of 1 Kings 19:11-13 when Elijah is waiting to encounter God, but God is not in the dramatic earthquake or wind or fire but rather in a quiet gentle whisper.

The truth is, i’m a woman who likes breakthrough earthquakes – quick, epic turnaround moments where the landscape of my circumstance changes drastically in just a few moments. And of course God does work that way at times, and I really love it when He does! But the reality is, that’s not the only way He brings breakthrough and life. Some of His ways are more subtle, quieter and less dramatic. It’s easy for me to miss the whisper when i’m hoping to see Him in the earthquake. But this week, after my outburst, God has graciously been pointing me to all His whispers of breakthrough in the last season. Whispers of incredible loving family and community who have surrounded us and given us strength. Whispers of health improvement in small increments where it’s easy to overlook the improvement because it’s not complete… but it’s improvement nevertheless! Whispers of miraculous energy levels even despite shockingly low levels of sleep. Whispers of smiles and giggles from poorly children where love and joy has overpowered illness. The list goes on and on when I start to adjust my lenses.

So i’m writing this this morning with my circumstances having been somewhat improved but not yet completely restored. But i’m smiling and full of hope knowing that God is whispering to me even now and that every moment of my setting is a set up for me to encounter His goodness if I’ll just stop and be still and let the whispering God envelop me again.

Freedom Series – The Power of Woman (Part 1)

Sat, 10 Jun 2017 18:00:00 GMT

– TRANSCRIPT

When I think the word women, I think strength, power, courage, a love that is willing to push past pain, a God bearer, a warrior, beautiful, raw, creative, beauty that God has made. I think of a part of the heart of God. I think equal, valid, worthy, free. When I see women now in the church, I see potential not fully realized. Fear, caution, restriction, women who aren’t sure who they’re meant to be. And sometimes, I catch a glimpse of more who is being all that she was created to be. And when you see a woman like that, is I’m convinced one of the most beautiful things on earth. I see 1 Timothy 2 translated where women should be silent. The Greek says “Women should be peaceable, see a scripture as a weapon against women where God intended this to be a safeguard for women.”

I grew up free. My parents believe that women can do anything. I had a conversation in a church setting. I must have been late teens, early 20s, and I was told that the gifts that God had put in me, the things that I was most excited about, they weren’t gifts from God. But rather, God had put them in me as a strange test to see if I would fully submit. And if I tried to step into any of those things, then that would be rebellion rather than obedience to God. I remember feeling confused and really upset if I’m honest, crying out to God one day, “God why do you hate women?” And I’ve realized He doesn’t hate women. His heart is not to hold women down. He really wants to see women flourish.

When I look at the breadth of scripture on this, I see freedom, value, God lifting women up. I see that women are called to bring the kingdom of heaven on earth. I see women named as rulers. I don’t see inequality, subordination, hierarchy. I see freedom and liberation throughout. When I see the future, I see a generation of women who know who they are and who are unapologetic for it, who know their value before God and are not willing to settle for anything less, who don’t know anything but freedom, flourishing, value, and worth, seeing miracles happen all around them, who know the power of God in, and free them wherever they go.

Freedom Series – Fear

Thu, 25 May 2017 18:00:00 GMT

So often I find that fear cripples me. And as hard as I try, I can’t overcome these fears in my own strength. Recently I sat down and processed my thoughts on fear, and what I do to step into freedom in those areas.

– TRANSCRIPT

God has said that I’m a queen not a pawn. Before, I really felt like I was just part of some big game and I was insignificant. But we’re actually royalty. We’re queens on the chessboard. We can go wherever we like. And to be honest, it’s a bit scary putting it out there. The fear of failure comes into that one for sure. One of the things that I know God has been journeying me on is in the area of fear. Fear in me didn’t look like me being afraid but actually looks more like anger or frustration and more often than not it’s fear of failing. And so, I can get frustrated with myself or frustrated with a situation or with a person. It’s a mask for this fear in me that I don’t want to fail, I don’t want to get it wrong. And there’s this fear of disappointing people around me.

I know that fear is a normal emotion. Everyone experiences it. I get that. I don’t think it’s something that we ever stop experiencing. Even though I experience fear, I’m not driven by it. And that’s the question for me. Is it possible to live life in a way where I experience fear and then I decide to do things anyway? I guess I’ve come to a point of really journeying with God in love because 1 John 4 talks about how perfect love casts out fear and I’ve come to the point of realizing that I don’t overcome my fear by simply trying harder, by somehow trying to work out courage and bravery in myself, but rather if I want to overcome fear, I need to spend time with God understanding His heart for me. Any fear that is impacting me to the point that it is changing my decisions or motivating my decisions, that fear is an indicator that I haven’t come to grips fully with the affection of God for me.

And so if you’re someone in that space grappling with fear and being motivated by fear, I want to encourage you, just stop. Close your eyes. Rest your head and lean in on the one who loves you. It’s His affection that undoes and uproots the grip of fear in our lives, and the more we encounter His love and tenderness for us, then we can truly walk free from fear. We’ll still feel it but we won’t be driven by it. He just loves us and I’m coming to grips with the fact that He’s not afraid to love me over the top.

Prophetic Word for South Africa

Sat, 20 May 2017 18:00:00 GMT

May 21st 2017 – Julian Adams gives a prophetic word for the nation of South Africa. Harvest Church, Umhlanga, South Africa.

– TRANSCRIPT

Julian: “And I want you to look and see what I’m doing. I want you to look, guys, beyond the horizon, I want you to gaze above the periphery, above that which is seen with the naked eye, to begin to see what I’m doing beyond that which is seen with the physical.” Now, folks, God said to me, “Season change is upon us.” I believe it’s for us, it’s a house and Harvest, but I believe it’s for us as a city in Durban, and indeed I believe it’s for us as a nation in South Africa. It is season change time. And there are moments in history where God begins to do something so marked, so profound, that a whole season is named by it, and is marked by it. A calendar will bring about a change because of a year, or because of a physical season, or because of moving from 1999 to the 2000s. It brings a change. But I feel like the Lord is saying, “I am not just bringing about a calendar change, I am not just bringing about a physical season change, I am bringing about an era change. Like, I am moving you from one era, where you’ve been known by one name, into and a new era where you will be known by so much more.”

Now, I was reminded of the Industrial Revolution era, that caused an acceleration in productivity, an acceleration in machinery, an acceleration in technology. It marked out that era. Reminded of the tech era that began to hit us as we begin to discover what it means to have the internet and to do emails, and to have virtual reality conversations, and to engage in a tech level that is unlike anything we’ve seen. We’ve been marked in this era by the advancement of computer technology, and technology that is making communication faster and quicker. But, I believe the Lord is saying, that the church has often lagged behind. But in this season, He is bringing an acceleration so that we step into a new era very quickly. And, this era is gonna be marked by significant-miraculous breakouts, it’s gonna be marked by significant demonstrations of reconciliation, even at a government level. They’re gonna begin to do what no one thought was possible, “For I am God over this nation, and I am God even in this house, I am going to begin to do a significant work that will mark the next era by the intervention and the breaking in of my Spirit.

“I want you to know that the thinking that got you where you are today,” says the Lord, “Is not the thinking that will take you to where you need to be, for I am bringing a whole new wineskin, a wineskin that is built in relationship, a wineskin that is built in the miraculous, a wineskin that is built in apostolic mothers and fathers who will re-establish people in true identity so that they will do the impossible exploits that I have called you to do as Kingdom people. And I want you to know, even as government change is upon us, even as the powers that have been enthroned over this nation begins to shift and begins to move, even as I pull one down and I put a new one in, this season is gonna be marked by the church regaining and refinding her voice, not in protest, not in arrogance, and not in religion, but she will find her voice as a mother and as a father to a nation again. Even as I raised Joseph up to be a father in Pharaoh’s house, so I am releasing a new sound amongst my people, for this season is a new era. The way it was done and how it was marked in the past is no longer. And so I want you to lift up eyes, cannot your hope in the financial institutions of this nation, cannot put your hope in the political democratic process. I want you to look to me, for I am releasing a new era in South Africa. I am releasing a new era in this nation, and it will change the world,” says the Lord.

Man: Yes, Lord.

Julian: And so lift up your eyes again, lift up your hearts again, lift up your voice again, for surely, the mighty one of Israel is arising in your midst.

Woman: Thank you, Jesus.

Julian: Surely, the mighty one who established the nations simply through his word is beginning to move, and beginning to shake, and beginning to release a new era over this nation, over this house, over this city. Lift up your eyes and see afresh again, hear again with new ears, allow hope to rise again, for hope does not disappoint, It is a new season. “But I tell you,” says the Lord, “It’s more than a season, it’s a new era that is marked by the miraculous intervention of my Spirit in this nation.”

Woman 2: Thank you, Lord.

Julian: Just begin to respond to Him right now. I don’t often bring prophetic words like that. In fact, I don’t think I’ve brought one like that in this house yet.

Woman 3: Thank you, Jesus.

Julian: But, I feel a stirring in the heart of the Father, I feel the moving in the heart of the Father. Something is beginning to shift, something is beginning to move, and it requires a response to Him. “I tell you there will be much exposing, but there will be much deliverance in this season. There will be much uncovering. But I tell you,” says the Lord, “Much shame will be removed from this nation.” So just begin to respond to Him in worship, begin to love on Him. God is beginning to move, something new is beginning to break out. It’s an era of miraculous intervention, it’s an era of angelic visitation, it’s an era of signs and wonders, it’s an era of the church having her voice restored. A voice of, “Grace, grace, grace”. Oh, we look to you Lord. If you know how to pray in the Holy Spirit, or pray in tongues, I want you to begin to do that right now. I want you to begin to pray in the Spirit, as we call on God for this new era to be ushered in. Watch and see with new eyes, listen to hear with new ears. We declare it in your name, we declare it’s a new way. We declare that there is wine that is pouring from heaven again. Hallelujah.

Woman 4: Oh, hallelujah…

What the Enemy Wishes you Didn’t Know

Tue, 28 Feb 2017 18:00:00 GMT

Is Anyone Listening?

Thu, 16 Feb 2017 17:35:34 GMT

Recently I was reading Matthew 6 and something so simple yet incredibly encouraging jumped out at me. If we don’t understand the Father, we’ll think we have to bring something ‘worthy’ to make Him listen to us – in Matthew 6, Jesus talks about reliance on clever and long winded language. But in reality, if we are basing His listening to us on anything we have to offer – be it gift, strength of faith, impressive eloquence or anything else we can think of, then we simply have not understood Him.

As He teaches, Jesus here makes a step from the incorrect belief of gentiles that long prayers lead to being heard and simply says instead – your Father knows . Your Father is listening not because of anything you can bring. He listens simply because He is your Papa and He knows. He knows your needs. He gets it and He gets you. He’s listening not because of what you can convince Him of. He’s listening because of who He is. He is your Papa and His heart is for you. A little further on in Matthew 6, Jesus teaches against worry and does so again on the basis of relationship. He is your Father. And you are valuable to him. Not because of what you do, but because in making you His child He gave you value. Full stop.

So today as you go to Him – whether in hurried prayers in the midst of thousands of demands, or whether in hours of glory and soaking up His goodness, understand this: He’s listening to you. Not because of anything you are or aren’t doing, but simply because He’s your Papa and that’s what He does. He really is just that kind.

Feeding Thousands with my Packed Lunch

Wed, 25 Jan 2017 17:41:05 GMT

For a little while now I’ve been thinking over the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand. It’s an epic story – almost unbelievable – yet it really happened! My focus hasn’t been so much about Jesus and the incredible miracle He performs, but rather His disciples and their role in the whole thing. I’ve been trying to put myself in their shoes, trying to imagine how they felt as Jesus asked them to do something so completely ridiculous as feed a crowd of more than five thousand people with someone’s pitiful packed lunch.

Can you imagine it? Matthew 14 tells us that Jesus and the crowd are in a desolate place – there’s no hope of relying on anything in that setting to bail the disciples out when Jesus asks them to feed the crowd. The disciples are faced with thousands of hungry people… a crowd that are so hungry that they may well be tipping into the well known phenomenon of hanger (the meeting point between hunger and anger!) at any moment! And as they face this crowd that may well turn into a rioting mob pretty soon, Jesus is asking them to do the impossible.

Just at the point when things probably seemed like they couldn’t get much worse, Jesus gets everyone to sit down so there’s an increasing sense of expectation, prays over five loaves and two fish and then breaks them up and hands the pieces (which when divided by 12 can’t have been much more than one handful each) to his disciples. At that point the disciples must have been looking into their hands and then looking up at the crowd wondering what on earth Jesus expected them to do. Was this some kind of painful, un-funny joke? It’s actually quite an embarrassing moment if you think about it. They must have been so nervous as they made the walk from Jesus towards the crowd, they must have been calculating how many crumbs they could break their handful into and wondering how many people they could possibly placate before the crowd would start rioting in disappointment and frustration. Surely not an easy moment for them.

I wonder at what point the multiplication happened. At what point did the disciples realise that the pieces just kept remaining in their hands even though they were handing them out. Please note that there’s no mention that the disciples had any help carrying the food which presumably means that the multiplication didn’t happen all in one go at the beginning so that the disciples knew there would be enough for everyone, but rather must have happened in the process of them walking from one person to another which meant that they required faith to keep going until the very last person’s needs were met.

It’s remarkable to me that they did it. That they agreed to Jesus’ crazy plan. That they obeyed even when what they held in their hands right up until the very last second was painfully small. The fact that they did walk from Jesus to the crowd with such meagre supplies tells me that they must have been convinced enough about Jesus’ heart for them and ability to do something amazing (although my guess is they had no idea what kind of miracle was about to take place), to make them walk forward into the crowd, rather than finding the quickest route out of that desolate place. The disciples must have believed that Jesus was for them. That Jesus wouldn’t set them up for failure in such a horrible elaborate way. That Jesus wouldn’t ask them to do something if He didn’t have some kind of plan up His sleeve. They must have had enough faith in who Jesus was for them to empower them to walk towards an otherwise pretty certain beating up.

I’m so inspired by what the disciples did. At the beginning of this year as I’m looking at a busy diary and fresh challenges (some fun and some definitely not so fun!) and increasing demands on what I already feel are meagre resources, I’m provoked by the faith of the disciples to meet the challenge head on. They knew Jesus enough to know that He isn’t mean. They knew Him enough to know that He isn’t a fan of cruelly setting up to fail those who trust in Him. They knew Him enough to know that He cared about them and that when He put them in crazy situations it was because He wanted to do through them equally crazy miracles!

So, at the beginning of 2017, as I look at the packed lunch in my hand and feel the nudge of Jesus to walk forward and feed thousands with what surely is not enough, I’m challenged to believe that His heart is for me. That He loves me. That He’s not setting me up for some kind of spectacular defeat, but rather catapulting me into the wonderful realm of the miraculous. I’m provoked to press myself ever deeper into His heart for me so that the crazy situations I find myself in, the situations that feel horribly overwhelming, suddenly become opportunities for increase and Kingdom breakthrough.

What resources are you holding in your hand at the start of this year and what situations are you facing that far outweigh your ability? Rest assured, it’s a set up. A wonderful, God-filled, Kingdom-favoured set up. He’s going to do the impossible and He’s going to do it through you.

Gaining Heaven’s Perspective – Documentary

Mon, 09 Jan 2017 18:00:00 GMT

Frequentsee led a team of young people to Clarens, South Africa for “Gaining Heaven’s Perspective School”.

Do You Not Care?

Thu, 04 Aug 2016 17:45:58 GMT

This morning I was thinking again of the story of Jesus and his disciples in a boat in the midst of a storm. Remember that one? Jesus is fast asleep while his disciples are understandably terrified as the storm rages all around them and the waves are breaking in, filling the boat. They think they’re going to drown and are wondering why Jesus isn’t doing anything to help. They find him asleep and wake him with these words, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’ ( Mark 4:38 ) And Jesus amazing, wonderfully gets up, speaks to the storm and suddenly everything is quiet and still again. He then turns to the disciples and asks them, ‘Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?’ ( Mark 4:40 ).

Often I have read these words and thought that Jesus was asking the disciples why they didn’t have faith that He could calm the storm, but I’m not so sure that that’s what He’s getting at anymore. I think that Jesus’ question as to whether the disciples had faith is in relation to their earlier question – ‘Teacher do you not care that we are perishing?’ – which in fact was a question of love not of power. They weren’t asking whether Jesus could calm the storm, they were asking if He cared enough to do so. ’Do you not care that we are perishing?!’… ‘Here we are in the midst of a storm and you are fast asleep as if you don’t care enough about us to do anything about the waves that are about to overwhelm us!’ And Jesus turns to them, having quieted the storm, and asks them why they are afraid and if they still have no faith.

If 1 John 4:18 is right, perfect love drives out all fear. Jesus sees the disciples are afraid and the reason is that they have not fully understood His perfect love and so in the midst of the storm, fear rushes in because their hearts are crying out with questions about His heart and whether it has enough affection for them to meet them in their most vulnerable space.

I wonder how many who read this today are finding themselves in the midst of a tumultuous storm. I wonder how many of us in our brokenness are crying out with questions about God’s heart towards us. There’s nothing quite like the combination of a storm and a sleeping God (or so we assume because of His seeming lack of breaking through) to make us question whether we really are that important to Him and whether He cares all that much for us. The enemy loves to jump into the boat with us and shout in our faces that God doesn’t really love us and the storm is proof of it. Oh but don’t listen to the enemy – he is a liar. His only intention is to deter you from your destiny. Let me encourage you, even in the midst of the most terrifying of storms: GOD LOVES YOU. His heart is full to overflowing with affection for you. He sees you. He hears you. Even in the midst of your storm, He is putting in motion His plan to make all things work for your good and has dispatched His goodness and mercy to be your unwavering companions. Take heart, stand tall, lift up your weary head and let the warm rays of His steadfast love light your way ahead.

Keep on Walking

Mon, 01 Aug 2016 17:56:04 GMT

This week I’ve been reading through the account of Abraham and Sarah and their crazy radical challenging life. What’s struck me is that the Bible’s account of their story doesn’t really start with them but starts with Abraham’s father Terah.

In Genesis 11 we’re told that Terah had three sons, one of whom (Haran) died while they were in their homeland of Ur of the Chaldeans. We’re then told that Terah set off from Ur to go to the land of Canaan but when he came across a place called Haran he settled there instead and never made it any further into his adventures. I wonder if he settled in Haran because of the son that he had lost of that same name?

It makes me think of how crucial it is for us as the people of God to process our hurts and disappointments well. If we don’t learn to fully deal with the hurts of our past, we may like Terah be tempted to settle in places where we end up keeping those wounds alive rather than walking free into the crazy wonderful destiny that God has marked out for each of us.

The beautiful thing about this story is that God redeems what is lost for Terah and calls Abraham to continue journeying to where his father had started out – and promises all of that land as an inheritance for him and his offspring. Oh the kindness of our God – giving to Abraham what Terah had hoped for all those many years ago.

Let me encourage you (and me!) today: let’s be quick to bring our wounds and hurts before Jesus and allow Him to bring healing and restoration to our hearts and minds so that we are a people who walk fully free of our pasts, empowered to keep pressing forward into all the adventures that God has promised us.

Facing our Valleys of Defeat

Tue, 19 Jul 2016 18:11:52 GMT

Over the last couple of days, I’ve been reminded of some well-known verses in the book of Ezekiel (chapter 37) where God takes the prophet to a valley filled with the bones of an army. It’s a valley that represents utter hopelessness and total defeat – you only see a graveyard of an army if that army was defeated.

And yet, into this hopeless place of defeat, God speaks to Ezekiel and tells him to prophesy to these dead, defeated, dry bones and tell them to live. And of course, as Ezekiel obeys the promptings of God and makes prophetic declarations of life even in this valley of defeat and failure, life springs up and what was once silenced by the enemy is restored to full strength and glory.

I wonder how many of us carry the shame of our previous defeats? Moments where we failed to be all that we’re created to be. Moments where opportunities – so promising – were missed and seemingly forever lost. I wonder if for some of us, God is calling us to revisit these valleys in our hearts where we have grieved over dry bones, and is prompting us to declare life into the places where we’ve fallen before.

What strikes me about the passage in Ezekiel is that we’re told there were very many bones – a vast army defeated – and that they were very dry – this defeat had happened quite a while ago. I believe some of us are being called to revisit the places we would see as our biggest defeats, our most epic failures, and into those many bones that may have been in the valleys of our hearts for quite some time, we are to start prophesying flesh and breath and life.

The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the grave is very much alive in us and still loves to bring dead bones back to life. In a Kingdom where the grave itself holds no permanence and weakness is the perfect platform for power, defeats and failures are merely opportunities for God to show His nature as restorer of what is broken all over again. Let Him in, excavate those dry bones and let Kingdom power break out to make the valleys shake with the sounds of life once again.

Living in the ‘But God…’ Space

Tue, 12 Jul 2016 18:54:00 GMT

It’s been a few months now that I’ve been living in the ‘But God…’ space. You may not call it what I do, but I can bet that you’ve lived in that space too at some point or another. It’s the space where all your circumstances seem to be completely opposite to what God has promised you. It’s the point of tension between what your world looks like and what God has said it should look like. It’s not an easy space to live in.

And when I’m in that space, I find the words ‘But God…’ trip off my tongue so frequently. ‘But God, why are you letting this happen?!’… ‘But God, don’t you remember what you’ve said?’… and on and on my questions go. Initially my ‘But God…’ questions were not questions of faith but rather questions of complaint. Questions which at the heart of them contained doubt as to whether God cared about what He’d said and what was going on in my life. But then I read some words in Genesis 32 which changed the ‘But God…’ question for me.

In Genesis 32 we see Jacob who has been called by God to go back to the land of his fathers hearing some seriously frightening news that his brother, Esau (who Jacob previously cheated out of his father’s blessing) is on his way to meet him with 400 men by his side. Not news that Jacob wanted to hear at all! So when he hears the news, this is what Jacob prays –

9 “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good,’ 10 I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. 11 Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children. 12 But you said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’”

Here’s Jacob obeying the call of God and trusting His promise to him and suddenly he hears terrifying news. News that stole every last bit of courage for his home-coming out of him. News that filled him with fear as he realised that he may never make it to his homeland given that Esau was on his way to meet him and presumably was not particularly impressed by the wrongs Jacob had committed against him. As Jacob stood bang in the middle of the point of tension between what He’d heard God say to him and what his circumstances seemed to be screaming at him (i.e. TURN AROUND AND RUN AND SAVE YOURSELF!), he began to pray a ‘But God…’ prayer, but not one that was steeped in doubt but rather in faith –

‘But you said, ‘I will surely do you good…’’ (verse 12)

Jacob stood in the ‘But God…’ space and chose to make it a place of courage, a place of faith. He reminded himself (and God!) of the goodness promised him and then refused to obey what his circumstances were telling him to do. He refused to turn around. He refused to give up. He made his home in the ‘But God…’ space. But God had promised to surely do him good, so onwards he would go.

I wonder what promises God has spoken over you that your circumstances are trying to get you to turn away from? I wonder whether you are listening to the discouraging voice shouting in your ear ‘Turn around! You’ve got it wrong! Go back to where it was safe!’ or whether you’re allowing the still small voice to wash over you with ever increasing certainty, ‘But You said you will surely do me good.’

God has promised that His goodness and mercy will follow you all of the days of your life. Into the wind, into the waves, into the heart of the storm they will follow you. Don’t give up. Don’t turn around. Onwards into his promises let us go, choosing to make our home in the ‘But God…’ space until all the other things fade away and what He has promised unfolds in all its brightness before our eyes.

Thanksgiving is our Dialect

Wed, 27 Apr 2016 19:27:40 GMT

Recently i was reading through Ephesians 5 and came across this verse that really impacted me –

‘… instead [of filthy or foolish talk] let there be thanksgiving’ ( Ephesians 5:4 )

The Message translation puts it like this: ‘Thanksgiving is our dialect’.

I like that. I am created to be a woman who is fluent in thanksgiving. A woman who is aware of her good, good Papa in all circumstances so is able to speak the language of gratitude irrespective of my surroundings. A woman who finds that thanksgiving is instinctive – not something i have to actively think about but something that just comes out naturally.

Much like learning any language, it may be challenging to begin with and the language may not flow too easily from me. But, with enough intentionality, enough time given to practice and any language becomes increasingly instinctive.

I want thanksgiving to be instinctive for me.

A couple of weeks ago i read a Bill Johnson quote – “Complaining proves nothing but that you can hear the voice of the devil”.

Complaining is a practice completely at odds with thanksgiving. Complaining puts me in the slip stream of the devil’s ideas and intentions for my circumstance. Thanksgiving on the other hand is the language of heaven – constantly connecting me with the heart of my kind Papa who has shown His goodness to me time and again.

So here’s my challenge to you and to me – let’s be a people who start speaking the language of our home and let thanksgiving flow from our lips. Let us step out increasingly to see our intentionality lead to fluency. Let our natural response in all circumstances become the dialect of thanksgiving because we are a people who know that our Papa is with us and His goodness will be our ever present reality.

The Three D’s

Wed, 03 Feb 2016 19:49:58 GMT

In my quest to stop ‘playing it safe’ in life, I’ve been asking myself some hard questions about what I believe God has created me to do and how I’m positioning myself for it. It’s not good enough to fill our journals with prophetic words that people have given us and simply wait for them to happen. God invites our involvement. And while only God can bring the words to full fruition, our role is that we would position ourselves in faith for them and, crucially, when an offer of a compromise comes along, refuse to settle.

The Devil aims to try to derail us from our prophetic destiny and to do so he often uses one of the three Ds:

Distraction –

If the devil can get you looking in any other direction, he will. Whether it be sin, or just getting busy with life, or even other ‘good’ pursuits – as long as it’s not the reason you were created, he’ll happily lead you there.

Discouragement –

He loves this one. Whether it be by intimidation or by causing delay if the devil can he will try to sap all the courage from you so that you won’t have the heart left to pursue your destiny. Look at the life of David – he had to overcome both the in-your-face intimidation of Goliath and the long years of waiting in Saul’s shadow in order to step into the fullness of his destiny as King of Israel. Intimidation and delay both have one purpose in the mind of the devil: discouragement.

Diminishment –

If he can’t succeed in either of the above, he’ll go for a compromise to diminish your impact. His plan is one of containment – if you have to pursue your destiny, he’ll try to get you to stop at a lesser stage than the one you were created for. Look at Moses for this one. God tells him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and when he tells Pharaoh that, Pharaoh initially says no and then starts offering Moses a compromise instead –

Exodus 8 – ‘If it’s worshipping your God you’re after Moses, why don’t you just do that in this land? I’ll let you worship, but just stay in Egypt’

Exodus 10 – ‘Okay, okay, if you have to leave Egypt, why take all the bothersome women and children with you – they’ll only slow you down anyway – why don’t all you guys go alone instead?’

In both cases, the enemy’s intention was clear – if Moses insisted on pursuing his destiny, then an offer of a compromise would have to be made so that at least there would be a diminishing of the effect of his destiny.

I feel like often we are good at spotting the first two of the enemy’s tactics, but sometimes stumble at the last hurdle. Maybe we feel like close enough is good enough, or are nervous to hold out for the fullness of what God’s spoken – what if it doesn’t come to pass and we’re left with nothing to show for all our trouble? But let me tell you, both of those thoughts are whispers directly from the enemy’s camp. Don’t pay him any attention – he’s a liar!

Don’t lose heart! You were made for greatness, and the enemy knows it. Keep fixing your eyes on Jesus, keep listening to the voices of those who have gone ahead all standing witness to the faithfulness of God. He who called you knows what He’s doing. Refuse to turn aside, refuse to let your knees get weak, refuse to settle for less than the full prize. Keep your eyes straight ahead, for just beyond the horizon, just beyond all the enemy’s scare tactics, you’ll see the sun in all its glory rising.

Playing by the Rules

Thu, 21 Jan 2016 20:02:21 GMT

Do you have a theme for your year? Every January i like to spend some time thinking, dreaming and praying to get a sense of what the year ahead is going to look like and to settle myself into a truth that i believe will be key for the challenges and adventures ahead – a theme for the year if you like.

For any of you who’ve been following this blog for a while now, you may remember that last year’s theme was God’s faithfulness – and boy did i need to return to that wonderful truth again and again as my husband and i said goodbye to loved ones, moved countries, took on new jobs, renovated a house, found new friends and had a gorgeous little baby boy! Faithful is certainly one of the words i’d use to describe my Papa God in 2015!

So, looking ahead for 2016, i’ve stumbled upon a new theme for a new year. This one’s going to require more courage from me. My theme for this year is ‘Playing by the Rules’. Now that may not sound like it will need much bravery to see it through, so let me try to explain –

In Ezekiel 11 God tells the Israelites

“You have not walked in my statutes, nor obeyed my rules, but have acted according to the rules of the nations that are around you.”

As i read this verse a couple of weeks ago, it struck me that we are all playing by someone’s rules. No matter how we live our lives, no matter how independent-minded or unusual we like to think of ourselves, the reality is each of us is living life either according to Kingdom rules or worldly ones – there is no other option.

The more i think about it, the more i can see how big a temptation it is for me to live by worldly rules – rules that dictate how i spend or save my money (usually selfishly and in accordance with my bank statement), rules that dictate how i interact with people (often seeking to please people so i will be liked), rules that dictate whether i take risks or not (failure is something to be feared so playing it safe is often deemed more ‘sensible’). The temptation to live by worldly rules is strong because it makes me feel more in control.

Playing by Kingdom rules is much more risky. Now, don’t get me wrong – when i mention Kingdom rules, i’m not talking about the 10 commandments. I’m talking values far deeper and far harder than 10 simple laws. I’m talking about outrageous, over-the-top love like Jesus modelled, even to my enemies. I’m talking extravagant generosity, for my finances are dictated by the unlimited resources of heaven and my Papa who loves a cheerful giver is my provider. I’m talking crazy faith that laughs in the face of risk – for faith pleases Him, not performance, and so the fear of failure need not have a hold over me anymore. I’m talking unreasonable joy and unshakable hope and mystifying peace.

So, you see, my theme of ‘playing by the rules’ is no easy task – it will take courage to live in the grace that will empower me to live according to these rules. But oh, i want to go all out in playing by them. I don’t want to play it safe any longer. I want to be outrageous and unreasonable and unshakable and risky. And i want to do it all to the glory of God.

How about you?

The Breakfast That Breaks Disappointment

Thu, 10 Sep 2015 05:05:22 GMT

In recent days I’ve been thinking a lot about the power we have in forgiving ourselves. Unless we’re able to embrace God’s grace and mercy in wiping the slate clean for us and walk freely forward without looking back at our own failures, we’ll never be able to step fully into all that God has for us.

I keep going back to Peter’s story in the gospels. The ‘head boy’ of Jesus’ disciples who then falls so epically in denying Jesus just before His death… we all know the story. The bit of the story that i can’t get out of my head is the series of events after Jesus has risen from the dead.

We get a little hint that all’s not well in Peter’s heart when Jesus speaks to the ladies at the tomb to ‘Go and tell the disciples and Peter’ ( Mark 16:7 ) about the resurrection. Why would Jesus feel the need to say ‘and Peter’ when Peter was one of the disciples – and arguably one of the most important at that? Had Peter been voted out of the discipleship group? – we get no indication from that in scripture. Maybe Jesus knew that Peter would need special encouragement after such a deep failure, to see himself again as the person he’d been called and created to be. Maybe Jesus wanted Peter to know that He still believed in him, that He still wanted him in his original role, even after the betrayal.

The next clue that we get that Peter’s heart is hurting is after Jesus has appeared to him and the disciples. Jesus turns up and shows the disciples that everything He ever said and claimed was true and that He really is God. WOAH!!! Time to throw a party! Jesus is alive and is GOD! But Peter does’t throw a party. In John 21 we see that knowing everything he now knows, Peter decides to go back to his old job – ‘I’m going out to fish’ ( John 21:3 ). Now what on earth would make him do a thing like that? This is the same Peter who once said there’d be nowhere to go outside of Jesus because He ‘holds the words of life’ ( John 6:68 ). Why’s he now walking away from Jesus who’s just had His most victorious moment? I wonder if it’s because Peter couldn’t shake off his sense of disappointment in himself. I wonder if it’s because He couldn’t look at Jesus without seeing his own worst and lowest moment and he couldn’t take the pain of that. I wonder if Peter walked away not so much because he was seeing Jesus differently, but because he was seeing himself differently – because he no longer felt worthy of his ‘head boy’ status but now was struggling with such a sense of unworthiness because of his failure that he decided to walk away.

But here’s the beautiful thing – Jesus was not disappointed with Peter. Disappointment requires for you to have had higher expectations of someone than what actually happens. But Jesus had accurate expectations of Peter right from the beginning. He knew that Peter was going to fail dramatically even when He called him. He knew on the night it happened and so warned Peter that ‘“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. but I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” ( Luke 22:31 -32 ) We often read these verses thinking that when Jesus is praying for Simon’s faith not to fail, He’s praying that Peter won’t betray Him – but i don’t think that’s what Jesus is getting at at all because in the very next sentence, Jesus makes it clear that Peter will fail, but will then turn back. I think the ‘faith’ that Jesus is praying for is not the faith that stops the mistake, but the faith that helps us to continue believing in His words declared over us, in what He’s called us to be after the mistake is made so we’re able to turn back and strengthen others. Listen up: Jesus is not disappointed in you when you fail, because His expectations of you have always been 100% accurate, so He saw what was coming even when He called you. What He’s drawing you towards and strengthening you for is the ability to accept His grace over you, for the courageous faith to believe Him even when you no longer feel like a person worthy to carry His promises. The power to ‘turn back and strengthen the brothers’ is the power to forgive yourself and believe Jesus’ words over you again.

In one of the most tender moments of the gospels, the God of the universe cooks His disciples breakfast so that He can help one of His friends back to a place of faith again (John 21). Jesus calls Peter back from his sorry fishing expedition so that He can restore him to the fullness of his call and so that he can step freely into the destiny marked out for him. I wonder how many of us need to accept Jesus’ invitation to breakfast this morning? I wonder how many of us need to invite Holy Spirit to empower us to walk free from the shame of the past? Let Him in today – He cannot wait to break off the chains of your self-disappointment so you’re able to run again with full abandon the race marked out for you.

Another World

Tue, 01 Sep 2015 05:14:52 GMT

There are some friends that pull you towards another world. Friends that stir in you a hunger for something more, something other, something altogether more beautiful than the world you’re living in. Talking to them awakens in you the cry for the life you’ve always wanted, the life you were created to live – even if you were unaware of it before. This week i have the privilege of spending time with just such a friend. Talking to him of miracles and encounters and heavenly resource and Kingdom breakout tugs at my heart for more than i’ve settled for.

I don’t want to build my life simply with routines to inform me about another world (which is so easily what ‘spiritual disciplines’ can be reduced to), i want to build my life with routines that enter me into that world.

For whether i know it or not, that other world, that upside down Kingdom is coexistent with and in fact dominant over the world i’m living in. And if i want to, if i allow the cry of my heart to bubble up, if i listen to the quiet but determined invitation offered to me, i can experience in the here and now the vibrancy and colour of that Kingdom as it becomes my most perceived reality. Who are you spending your time with? Find friends who will help you listen to your heart cry. Put into your life-diet books and video clips and blog posts and anything else that will tug at you until you cannot ignore the life you were always created to live. ‘Seek the things that are above where Christ is seated… set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth’ ( Colossians 3:1O pen in Logos Bible Software (if available)+2) – notice Paul isn’t saying ‘set your heart and mind on Jesus’ (although that’s a great thing to do!), but he’s saying ‘fill your heart and mind with the things, the realities of heaven where Christ is’. Let’s live from heaven’s technicolour reality and let the pale greys of earth fade away.

Commands, Rebukes, and Life-Giving Promises

Tue, 30 Jun 2015 05:30:00 GMT

I realised something this week: the way I read my Bible & hear God’s voice has completely changed over the last few years.

I noticed it as I was reading 1 Peter & came across this verse: ‘Be holy as I am holy’. Now, the way I used to read this & hear God’s voice in it, was a command. God commanding me to live a holy life because He is a holy God. But I don’t read it like that anymore.

This week as I read those words, I was aware that I was hearing a tone of promise not command. I was hearing life-giving, fully transforming words where Jesus was declaring over me ‘Be holy’ much like he would declare healing over someone – ‘Be whole’ – not a command to them to make it happen, but a declaration of life over them – ‘This is what I’m saying you can be & now are’. Why? Because He is holy. His DNA is holy & that very DNA is in me. I get to be holy not because I try to be but because He has put His DNA in me & therefore I will be holy. I hope this makes sense to you – a promise, not a command.

I realise too that I now read words that I used to see as rebuke – words like ‘Go & sin no more’ – as promise not rebuke. Again, Jesus releasing life-giving transforming words over the hearer. Because He says it, power is released to accomplish it and therefore it’s a promise not rebuke.

What enables us to access the power of the promise is how we hear the words. If we hear Jesus’ words as command or rebuke that’s all the power we will encounter. But if we recognise in His words transforming power (which is His intention) and take hold of his words as such, explosive miraculous life will lay hold of us.

I wonder, what is Jesus saying to you today? If it’s ‘Stop sinning’, it’s not a rebuke but a word of empowerment – releasing over you the power needed to stop sinning. If it’s ‘Lay hold of me’, it’s not a command but a promise – he is to be found by you. If it’s ‘Run faster’ (ooh such a goody!!), it’s not a rebuke or command but a word of supernatural acceleration.

Hear his intended tone & you will reap his intended purpose: life and life in all its fullness.

A Simple Impossible Life

Tue, 23 Jun 2015 05:42:06 GMT

A little while ago i was reading from 1 John and stumbled upon some words that have got lodged into me. Words that provoke me with their simultaneous simplicity yet impossibility. Words that make me want to live differently and fill me with hope because i know i was created to live differently – everything God has put in me is enough to see these impossible words come to reality.

‘And this is His [the Father’s] commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another’ – 1 John 3:23 (ESV)

Now at first glance you may be wondering why these words have stopped me in my tracks and are filling my thoughts – they’re so basic. But i think that’s why they’ve got me. In reading these words i started thinking about what my every day moments would look like if i actually did both of the things i’m commanded to. What would my internal life look like and what would my interactions with the world outside me look like if my moments were motivated by living out these two things?

What does it look like for me to really BELIEVE Jesus in my everyday moments? For me to put my full weight of belief on Him? To believe what He says about Himself – that He’s good – really good – not just a little bit good but so lavishly good that He takes my breath away; that He’s strong enough for all my weakness and in fact most glorified if i press into Him in the moments where i come face to face with my greatest inadequacies; that He’s kind and loving and gracious and full of laughter and the only one i need with me in a storm. And what does it look like for me to really believe Jesus about what He says about me? – that i’m wonderfully made; that i can live truly free – free from fear, free from enslavement to man’s thinking and expectations and ‘wisdom’; that i’m powerful because His power is at work in me; that there’s God’s very DNA coursing with life in me prepared to take impossibilities and make them possible.

And what would my world look like if i learnt to really love others? Not just those i like. Not just those i find convenient. But really lived in a place of loving the people i meet every day, every moment? Love may look different in each different moment depending on the person before me and the needs of their heart. But i wonder, could i really be the sort of person who truly LOVES people, all the time?

And herein lies the reason for me finding these words stuck in my heart and echoing in my brain. The sheer impossibility of being a woman who lives her life according to these simple words staggers me. A woman who would believe Him and love others with all her heart. Now that seems a simple but tall order.

But the more i think about what God has promised for those of us who have put trust in Him, the more i realise that i don’t have to pray to become this person, but i get to embrace myself as this person because that is the reality of God giving me His nature. His nature at work in me is overflowing with belief. His nature at work in me is the very essence of love. And so my prayers have become less striving – ‘Oh God, turn me into a believing, loving person’ to ‘Oh God, help me embrace my real identity, because my new nature from You is a fully believing and loving person’. Subtle difference in words but massive difference in the fruit. I’m now staggered not only by the impossibility of the command, but more so by the graciousness of a good, good Father who has created in me the very nature able to live out that impossibility.

I want to encourage you today – won’t you join me in entering the adventure of living this simple, impossible life? A life where really all our moments boil down to us believing Him and loving others? Let’s make it our day’s mission to be more of who we have been made to be – fully believing, fully loving. And so the simple impossible life will ever so steadily become our reality.

What He Sows He Reaps

Sun, 22 Mar 2015 18:00:00 GMT

Recently I was teaching on the principle of sowing and reaping. The Bible (and nature) is pretty clear on this – we reap what we sow. You reap in kind what you have sown. You can’t sow apple seeds and expect to reap oranges. You can’t sow unrest and expect to reap peace and unity. You can’t sow in honour and reap anything but honour. Both in the good and in the bad, you’re going to reap what you sow. Pretty simple.

Got me thinking – it must mean that God reaps what He sows. And that then must mean really good news for us, because He has sown supernatural seed in the hearts of His followers. Incredible miraculous, life-giving, identity-transforming, power-infusing seed! And He reaps what He sows. Which means what God has sown in your life, He will see through to fruition. There’s nothing that He’s planted in you which will be wasted or come to nothing – His seed in you is good, and His work in you is trustworthy.

As you go about your day today, know this: what He’s started, He’ll complete in you. You don’t have to try really hard to be good, you don’t have to strive to keep the rules, He’s not relying on your strength or ability to perform, He knows His seed is what has the power to yield the fruit in us. We just get the privilege of leaning on Holy Spirit who loves to lead us into all truth – into the experience of true reality. He has sown in us wonderful new creation seed. Watch how it bears good fruit in His hands.

Songs in the Night

Tue, 17 Mar 2015 18:00:00 GMT

‘By day the LORD commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me’

Just a little thought today, because i can’t get these words out of my head this morning. Wonderful, strength-giving words from Psalm 42. Words that pour courage deep into me because i know whether in the day or night, whether in the brightest moments or darkest valleys, i am surrounded. Surrounded by His love, surrounded by His song.

I love the thought that in the night time God’s song is with me. His lullaby fills the atmosphere around me and chases away the hopelessness of the dark. There are songs that He reserves only for the night. Songs that bring peace in the midst of storms. Songs that bring comfort in heartache and strength for battle. Songs that ultimately speak of an unimaginably good Papa who’s got you in His hands.

As you read this – whether the sun is shining brightly over you, or even the moon is hidden on the darkest night – know this: He has committed Himself to loving you persistently and tenderly. There is not a moment where He hasn’t chosen to surround you and cover you. You are never alone and you’re never outnumbered. He’s got you.

Glory in Unlikely Places

Sun, 01 Mar 2015 18:00:00 GMT

I love the way God delights to use the least likely to reveal His glory. I can imagine Him in Heaven smiling to himself and choosing people for tasks that are much too big for them – knowing His grace is sufficient and His power will be most magnificently demonstrated in their weakness. It gives me hope and courage to step into all that God has invited me into – He’s got this, He’s just been kind enough to invite me along for the ride. I’m not the good choice, but I’m the grace choice – and that’s fine by me!

Beyond encouragement for myself, it provokes me to keep my eyes and ears open for unlikely sources of God’s glory in those I meet. If I’m an unlikely means of His goodness to others, surely others will be that to me? I wonder how often I have missed a means of God’s grace to me because I have rejected the packaging in which it’s come? I wonder how many unlikely vessels I’ve brushed aside because they don’t fit my ideas and expectations?

Here’s some food for thought: If you only stop for what meets your approval, you may be in danger of missing that which has true supernatural substance.

In the book ‘Beautiful One’, Anne Stock talks about the disguised nature of the Old Testament Tabernacle. The tabernacle was filled with all sorts of incredible earthly treasures and housed the very presence of God. But God in His wisdom commanded that its outer covering would be goats and rams skins (see Exodus 26). Any casual observer would see nothing special from the outside – just a large, brown tent. But oh if they only got close enough to really see, they would discover the treasure hidden within. A humble covering housed unimaginable beauty. I suspect God often takes pleasure in choosing unlikely coverings for spectacular content.

I want to be a woman who’s seeing with supernatural eyes. A woman who isn’t swayed by external packaging – neither unduly impressed, nor unfairly dismissive – but has trained her supernatural senses well to pick up on the slightest hint of glory wherever it may lie.

And I want to challenge you today: keep your supernatural eyes open. Who knows what treasure you may find?

When Dreams Don’t Come True

Sun, 15 Feb 2015 18:00:00 GMT

A few years ago two friends and i moved into a council estate in south east London. Our aim was simple – we wanted to be an expression of the Kingdom on earth – to love and befriend the community, heal the sick, feed the hungry, proclaim freedom to the captives… you get the idea. Central to our vision was a tired looking building right at the heart of the estate which we wanted to turn into a community centre – a place where we could serve and love and feed people from. The idea was exciting and crazy and full of adventure – and we loved it! We felt like God had spoken to us, given us a strategy, provided us with a home on the estate and we couldn’t wait to get started.

Fast-forward almost 5 years on and you’ll find the same estate with no community centre. Some of us moved out of the estate onto different adventures. A few other courageous adventurers moved in to take our place. Some beautiful unlikely friendships were formed with a few people on the estate. But as yet, no obvious outbreak of what we dreamt. All that we lived and breathed in our hearts and minds have somehow not made it into earthly reality – yet. I have to be honest, it’s painful when i think about it. It makes me sad to think back to wild, exciting hopes and dreams spoken of and prayed into in our little flat – hopes and dreams that we didn’t quite see through to spilling over outside our front door.

So five years on, i have to admit that sometimes dreams don’t seem to come true. But i want to say as emphatically as i can through my computer: it’s still worth the dreaming. And here are a few reasons why:

1. God is attracted to faith, not performance. It makes me smile because i know every person who was involved in throwing themselves into that dream for the estate brought pleasure to God’s heart. I can seem Him beaming over us even now, because we took the risk, because we believed that we could make a difference, because we believed that God plus one person is a majority no matter how many stand against you. And i still believe those things with all my heart. I would rather go out on a limb a million times more and fail whilst trying, than stay safe in my own secure bubble never jumping into the unknown with God. The thrill is in the jump.

2. Going on adventure is wonderful and painful and crazy and fun and may not have any of the results that you were aiming for, but if you have open eyes, you’ll see lots of results you hadn’t anticipated. I learnt so much in the years that i lived in that little grubby flat. Learnt how to pray and then pray and pray some more, learnt about my fears, learnt about how far i was willing to jump into the unknown if i thought God was in it, learnt about how hard my heart can be toward the broken and how much i need to embrace the new loving identity that God has given me, learnt about how faithful God is even when things don’t go as planned, learnt about how beautiful deep friendships can be, how precious friends are who agree to go on wild adventures with you just because they love you and have your back.

3. Nothing is wasted in the Kingdom. Nothing. The time we gave to that estate is not wasted but sown. The prayers we gave for that estate are not wasted but sown – God heard every one. The energy and money and dreams and hopes and anything else we gave are not wasted but sown. The Kingdom operates with sowing and reaping. My friends and i, and doubtless many before and after us, got the privilege of sowing. We put good seed into that ground. Miraculous seed. Supernatural seed. And that seed can’t help but grow. I may not be the one reaping on the estate – but i know someone will, because the seed we planted was good and inherently fruitful. Not only that, but in all that time that we were sowing on the estate, God was sowing into us – and His seed in us is good, fruitful and miraculous. I get to reap the benefit of that seed and oh i am so very grateful to Him for it.

Maybe not many of you reading this have dreamt of living on a council estate. But i know many of you will know what it feels like to see your dreams seemingly not come true. Let me encourage you, keep dreaming anyway. No matter what the enemy would want us to believe, one way or another, our dreams will bear much fruit.

Living a Fascinated Life

Sun, 01 Feb 2015 18:00:00 GMT

One of my favourite authors is a man called G.K.Chesterton . I still remember where I was when I read his book Orthodoxy, vacillating between being unable to put it down and forcing myself to slow down because I didn’t want to finish it too quickly. I felt like i was eating a feast – simultaneously feeling full and satisfied and yet hungry for more delicious mouthfuls. It is a book filled with fantastic insights and provoking arguments. If you haven’t already read it, do. I promise it will do you so much good.

In Orthodoxy, Chesterton talks of ‘the eternal appetite of infancy’ – a state of fascination and wonder and delight, even in repetition. He writes, ‘Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, “Do it again”; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, “Do it again” to the sun; and every evening, “Do it again” to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.’

Jesus said that His Kingdom belongs to little children – the way in is child-likeness. Child-like faith that is quick to believe and sees no reason to doubt. Child-like questions that are motivated by curiosity and not skepticism. Child-like joy that is always ready to bubble over into laughter and delight. Child-like fascination and wonder where repetition does not breed boredom but causes almost unreasonable excitement as the words ‘again, again!’ are exclaimed again.

In my eagerness to seem ‘mature’ I wonder if I have lost some of the beautiful child-like fascination that my Heavenly Papa so delights in. I wonder if I have somehow mixed up maturity and religious behaviour in my head and so become a more solemn version of the woman I was created to be, missing the fun, sun-lit moments that my Heavenly Papa is joyfully setting up for me. Some years ago Jesus spoke to me and encouraged me to take my grown-up ‘leader hat’ off and put my ‘child hat’ on instead so that I wouldn’t pass by moments pregnant with His goodness and pleasure because I was too busy being grown up. Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote, ‘Earth’s crowned with heaven and every common bush afire with God, but only he who sees takes off his shoes; the rest sit around and pluck blackberries’. I want to live my life seeing heaven crammed in every moment, I want to see and take off my shoes, I want to persistently wear my child hat so I am ever increasingly caught up in wonder at my marvellous Heavenly Papa. He really is so worthy of wonder – if only I will open my eyes to see.

True Humility

Sun, 25 Jan 2015 18:00:00 GMT

It seems to me, that some christians have a problem with the concept of greatness. Not so much a problem with God being great, but more so difficulty with the idea that God made humankind to be great. A belief that to think ‘too highly’ of ourselves, to really believe that God has put anything great at all in us, is walking on dangerous ground and should be avoided at all costs. Better to think less of yourself than to risk falling into pride.

But i’m not too sure of this logic and this is why –

When i examine scripture, i see that every time someone thought of themselves in ways that were less than accurate, in ways that made less of who God had made them to be, there were disastrous consequences. I think of Eve in the garden of Eden right at the beginning of time. The serpent came and offered her the ability to become like God. The ironic thing of course, is that Eve already was like Him. She’d been made in God’s image. She already had what the devil was dangling in front of her. And yet, because she did not see herself accurately, because she thought of herself as less than what God had made her to be, she traded everything for the promise of something she already had.

All throughout the Bible this scenario repeats itself in different ways. The first generation of Israelites out of slavery in Egypt show the same problem. They looked at the promised land, loved what they saw of the land itself but became intimidated by the people of the land for they saw giants around them and saw themselves as grasshoppers. They thought less of who God had made them to be – His own people, empowered to take the land. They saw grasshoppers where God declared them to be victorious warriors and in their unbelief they traded what would have been incredible steps into their destiny for years of wandering in the desert and loss of all that was promised. The difference between them and the subsequent generation was nothing other than an understanding of who they were and who their God was. One generation thought less of themselves and perished, the next generation took God at His word about what He’d spoken over them and became conquerers.

Interestingly even with Jesus, the devil tried to bring doubt in His mind about who He was. In the desert where the devil tempted Jesus, the temptations were centred both around the character of the Father and around the real identity of Jesus. ‘If you are the Son of God…’ the devil said. If Jesus had begun to think less of Himself in that moment, everything would have been lost. But wonderfully, He saw His Father and Himself completely accurately. He would not be drawn to think less of either of them. And so the enemy was defeated.

I believe the enemy is bringing the same old questions and doubts to the people of God now, just as he has been doing right from the beginning. He understands that if he can make us believe less of ourselves than is true, then he’s got a good chance of stopping us in our tracks and robbing us of our God-given destiny. He doesn’t mind clothing all of this in the idea of ‘humility’ – twisting the word to mean something it doesn’t so christians wholeheartedly take hold of thinking less of themselves with the misguided notion that they are becoming more godly in the process.

The truth is, thinking less of yourself than is accurate is dangerous and foolish. God has put greatness in us. He’s made us in His image and adopted us as His children and given us the privilege of being heirs of His Kingdom. He has made us brand new creations with godly natures aglow with supernatural DNA. To deny any of this is to enter into the enemy’s trap.

Someone once defined humility not as thinking less of yourself but to think of yourself less. I like that. I don’t want to fall into the enemy’s trap to think less of myself – God has put greatness in me and i’m so grateful for it! But to think of myself less and to fix my eyes on Him and all those He loves. Ah, now that’s humility i want to lay hold of. Let me encourage you – be honest about how great God has made you to be, and then put your focus on the God who gives you greatness in the first place. It will make you someone full of courage and faith – knowing He’s put everything needed in you for your destiny, and knowing He who began a good work in you is faithful to see it to completion.

Make Faithfulness Your Home

Thu, 01 Jan 2015 18:00:00 GMT

At the beginning of this year I feel older. Not older in a tired way, but older in a deeper, fuller way. Older in the sense that this last year was full of rich experiences – some wonderful and fantastic, some ok, and some down right miserable. But what made them all rich is that in every one of those experiences, the faithfulness of God shone through. Whether in the highest mountain peak or the lowest, darkest valley, He cannot help but be Himself – good, loving, faithful, true and oh-so-breathtakingly-kind. And so i sit typing at my computer with a smile on my face, seeing His fingerprints all over 2014 and looking forward to another year where i’ll get to glimpse even more of who He is, both in the good and in the bad times.

Yesterday i read an invitation to ‘feed on faithfulness’ (Psalm 37). I like that. I’ll be taking it as my theme for this year – whatever the circumstance, i’ll be digging deep into the treasure chest of His faithfulness and feeding off of it for fullness of life. I plan on making His faithfulness my home, secure in this wonderful truth, that there’s more than enough of His goodness for all of us.

Potent Commands

Fri, 05 Dec 2014 18:00:00 GMT

One of my favourite books read this last year has been Chuck Parry’s ‘Free Falling’. If you haven’t read it, do. It’s a challenging, inspiring, thought-provoking book chronicling the many miracles Chuck has witnessed during his life so far. I remember reading it in a coffee shop and the presence of God falling on me so wonderfully and sweetly, i felt thoroughly undone and put back together again all in one moment. One of the highlights for me is when Chuck talks through his take on Jesus’ words in John 15, ‘If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love’. He makes the point that Jesus is not referring to the 10 commandments or some rule book. In fact, if you go through the New Testament looking for commands that Jesus gives, (which i haven’t done, but Chuck has!), those given most frequently are:

Be made whole (summarising all of His healing commands)

Believe

Fear not

When Jesus teaches us to live in His love – a position of rest, of receiving – He tells us to pay special attention to His commands – commands for us to live in wholeness, commands for us to put our full weight of belief in Him, commands for us to live lives free from fear (for perfect love casts out fear).

I want to live just such a life. Whole. Faith-filled. Fearless. The beauty is of course, that Jesus’ words have within them the power to accomplish that which they demand. This is why he never prayed for the sick, he simply told the person to be healed. It’s why he said to the woman caught in adultery, ‘Go and sin no more’ – not a word of disapproval, but one of transformation, for as he said it power was released to her to go and sin no more. It’s why Peter who had observed the potency of Jesus’ commands says to Him as Jesus is walking on water, ‘Lord, if it is you, tell me to come to you’, for as Jesus gives the invitation ‘Come’, power is released for Peter to step out and walk on waves alongside His master. Jesus is not placing on us a heavy duty of obedience, but in speaking a command over us He is releasing the power for its accomplishment. And so, Jesus’ commands become wonderful invitations into lives of fullness and freedom. No matter who you are or where you are today, Jesus is speaking a power-filled invitation over you, words of heaven’s potency – be whole, believe, fear not. Because He has said them, we get to walk in them. Wow.

Happy Intercession

Mon, 17 Nov 2014 18:00:00 GMT

The week before Julian and I got married, his mum became very ill. She was admitted into hospital and every day the report from the doctors got worse and worse leading to a call the night before the wedding telling us that she wasn’t going to make it through the night. In that moment, i felt like we were going to be swallowed up in grief and loss, just at the moment where we should have been caught up in great celebration. Amazingly, what the doctors predicted didn’t happen – mum pulled through, the wedding went ahead, and though she wasn’t there to witness the day, she’s alive and well today to witness our marriage. In the weeks after our wedding, Julian and i spent some time processing what had happened – we felt like we’d got caught up in a whirlwind that threatened to destroy our joy and peace and though we were thrilled at the turn-around in mum’s health and the wonder of being married, we needed to process some of the disappointment of his mum’s illness and her absence on the wedding day.

Shortly after this, we were in Redding, California for a conference at Bethel Church and i had an encounter with God that has completely transformed my understanding of battling in the whirlwind. God burst in on me in such a way that i spent about an hour and a half crying with laughter – i could not control it and every time i tried to stop it, another wave of pure, overwhelming joy would wash over me. What was unusual about this encounter is that it started as i was having my dinner in the hotel. You can just imagine what kind of scene i was making! Poor Julian had to half carry me out into the car, and again had to help me into the evening meeting of the conference. As i lay on the floor completely undone by this laughter i started asking God what on earth was going on. I had not asked Him for this hysterical manifestation so i knew He must be up to something!

He began to tell me that He was teaching me about warfare. That He was showing me how to be an effective intercessor – His joy is strength (Nehemiah 8), and in a battle, God knows we need strength. He spoke to me about how He wanted me to pursue this kind of happy warfare next time i was caught in a whirlwind that threatened to destroy. This is warfare Jesus style – get super happy in God, tap into the rivers of joy in His heart and laugh at the enemy’s plans, laugh at his lies and start declaring the exact opposite into being. After all, our Father laughs at the enemy (Psalm 37) and prepares for us feasts in the presence of ours (Psalm 23). It’s time for us to stop living an anaemic version of christianity because we’ve overlooked the importance of joy in the battle. When was the last time we accepted God’s invitation to feast in the presence of our enemies? To fill up on His joy and goodness and kindness and stand our ground and laugh at the absurdity of the enemy’s tactics.

Joy is not a frivolity. Joy = Strength. Live a life devoid of joy and i’ll bet there’ll be a great shortage of strength too. But accept the invitation to dive into God’s joy and you’ll find all the strength needed for the battlefield. Laughter is powerful and intercession can be fun. Who knew?

Living Recklessly

Sun, 09 Nov 2014 18:00:00 GMT

A few years ago i had a picture during a time of worship that has been going through my mind in recent days. What i saw in that moment changed how i lived life subsequently and now as its memory has been floating around in my mind, i’m feeling afresh its provocation to step out just a little bit further than my predictable, safe normality and allow myself to be stretched again. In the vision i saw myself jumping into ocean waters and swimming as deep as i could go and then returning to the surface to catch my breath. I had this feeling of needing to go deeper still, so i would jump back into the water again and try to get to new depths, before inevitably having to come back up to catch my breath.

The vision continued like this a number of times – repeated cycles of me plunging into the waters, trying to stretch to greater depths but always, disappointingly returning to the surface to catch my breath. As i tried to make sense of what i was seeing, i felt the Father gently but firmly pinpointing my problem – i was struggling to reach the depths i longed for because i was always saving enough breath to return to the surface. His invitation to me, though simple, was completely radical to the sensibilities of my ‘rational’ thinking – He was inviting me into adventure with Him where i would not save enough breath to return to where i’d started but i’d invest it all in exploring new depths of His heart. No more safety net. No more sensible reserves incase my God adventure didn’t come off.

No going back.

His invitation was full-blown, abandoned, head-long plunging into the unknown with no intention of ever coming back to the surface. Of choosing to make my home in the depths of His heart and His adventures for me. To take the hand i’ve been dealt with today and go ‘all in’ on it. I don’t know about you, but i don’t want to reach the end of today knowing that i still have breath in me for returning to the surface. I want to live today recklessly spending all my reserves, trusting that the One who calls me to Himself has more than enough to sustain me on this crazy wonderful journey of following Him.

Aglow with Supernatural DNA

Sun, 02 Nov 2014 18:00:00 GMT

I think I may be too hard on myself. In my attempts to live a ‘supernatural lifestyle’ (whatever that looks like), I often beat myself up if I don’t get something right first time around or assume that I must have made a mistake if whatever I’ve stepped out to do doesn’t come off as I had hoped or planned.

I remember going out onto the streets of London a few years ago with my wonderful friend Toni and praying for the sick (or anybody we could find who would let us pray for them!) and wondering what I was doing wrong as we didn’t seem to be seeing any miracles happening as we prayed. I remember walking away disappointed as time and again we weren’t seeing any ‘success’, wondering if i was really built for supernatural life after all. Maybe the promise of the miraculous was meant for ‘special’ christians who were more anointed than i was?

More recently though, i’ve started wondering if my only mistake at that time was to underestimate the beauty and the nature of process. When a child learns to walk or talk no one with any sense is assuming that they’ll be able to do it successfully on the first attempt. In fact, no one with any sense assumes that they’ll be able to do it successfully on the hundredth attempt either! It takes countless attempts for a child to step out until eventually their stumbles look more like walking rather than falling, and their words become intelligible instead of baby babble. But if you look at their parents during this process, they never once punish the child for falling instead of taking a successful step, or for mispronouncing a word for the hundredth time even though dad has taken great pains to sound the word out correctly for the child to follow. As we see stumbles and hear nonsensical sounds from the child, no one comes to the conclusion that the child wasn’t actually created to walk or talk. That somehow those are gifts reserved for ‘special’ or ‘super’ children – which as evidenced by their failed attempts, our children do not possess. In the natural, we understand the beauty and nature of process well. Why then, do we not apply this same principle to our attempts at stepping out in supernatural life? Why do we set up such impossibly high standards for ourselves as if our heavenly Papa is growing impatient with us as He watches us stumble, wondering if we’ll ever get it right. He has grace for the process, and so must we. Every time we fall instead of walk, our heavenly Papa is there to pick us up, dust us off and say, ‘That’s ok, we’ll try again tomorrow, you’ll get it eventually – i made you to!’ No amount of stumbling and failure is proof that we were not made for the miraculous or that signs and wonders are reserved for someone other than us. Each and every one of us carries DNA aglow with supernatural life, which means we were created with the miraculous in mind. If you’re someone like me, who still often finds herself stumbling – resembling more a fall than a walk in the supernatural, take heart. Your heavenly Papa is right there with you with a big smile on His face – attracted much more to your faith than your performance – and is saying, ‘That’s ok my love. We’ll try again tomorrow’.

I Smell Fresh Bread…

Fri, 17 Oct 2014 18:00:00 GMT

Recently I was reading Darren Wilson’s book ‘Igniting Furious Love’ and came across a paragraph which made me stop reading and start praying instead. Ever had one of those moments? The paragraph was in a chapter on evangelism by Heidi Baker. She responds to the suggestion that people we come across may not be hungry for Jesus and says, “‘What if nobody is hungry?’ you ask. If you get into the presence, into the intimate presence of God, if you get into the holy place, if you’re connected with Jesus, in love with Jesus, breathing, eating, dreaming with Jesus – then fresh bread, the bread of presence is in your hands and even the rich cannot resist fresh, fresh bread.” And that got me thinking. So many of us get caught up in the latest strategy for evangelism. We listen to multiple sermons on how to reach the lost and how to be more effective at preaching the Gospel. But i think Heidi Baker may be onto something here! The reality is, even if you feel full, if you walk into a bakery where fresh bread is being made, the wonderful aroma is enough to make you start salivating. Just a moment ago you were thinking about how full you felt, but in the presence of the smell of fresh bread even the most self-controlled individual begins to melt. I feel provoked to be someone who carries fresh bread. It’s not good enough for me to describe bread to people – that will not ignite hunger – I hav to be carrying the real deal so that the fragrance will create a hunger in them, even where hunger was previously thought to be absent. Sharing the gospel is not about me following some tick-list of things to say and do, but is about coming to the bread of life, soaking up His presence, learning to carry and host His presence, so that i become the fragrance of Jesus to a lost world – the aroma of fresh bread really is irresistible.

Refusing to Change the Subject

Thu, 09 Oct 2014 18:00:00 GMT

I think it was a sermon from Graham Cooke that i was listening to – he said the devil doesn’t have the Holy Spirit in him and so it’s impossible for him to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit so he cannot be patient. It then follows, that in whatever situation that you’re in, if you’re in the place that God’s put you and the devil’s trying to come against you, if you just keep going, you can out-patience him. It’s like he’s playing a game of supernatural ‘chicken’ with you – coming at you head on – and he’s betting that you’ll be the one to flinch and change your course first. But what if you don’t? What if you’re the one who stays on course for longer? What if you refuse to change the subject causing him to lose patience and move first? I was mulling over all this when my amazing friend Sarah (of the aforementioned costa coffee experience) told me of some research she’d heard that shows that couples who are unhappy and wanting a divorce, if they just decide not to divorce (that’s all they have to decide – no change in behaviour, no new marriage strategy), in the vast majority of cases they’ll testify to being happy together in 5 years time. Just a simple decision to not change the subject, to keep going forward, to refuse to quit and voila, they’ve out-patienced the devil who loves to bring division and breakdown of relationships. It’s easy to assent to this idea of out-patiencing the devil from a distance, but harder when you’re the one going through the difficulties. When all that is around you is crumbling and the temptation to point the finger at God and say ‘Why aren’t you answering my prayers?! Don’t you see? Don’t you hear? Don’t you care?’ pulls you like an overwhelming current. I had just such an experience in this last month. Suffering a personal loss and feeling the effects of it in my own body with things seemingly going downhill even after much prayer. After a month of no recovery, i started to grow impatient. Impatient with the situation, impatient with God. And just as i was about to push Him away and give up i remembered Graham Cooke’s advice to out-patience the devil. And so, there was only one thing for it. I decided to write all my disappointments and hurts on a piece of paper then stand on that piece of paper and worship until i connected with God and had a good attitude. It may have taken a couple of hours (i’m a slow learner), but i tell you the sense of wonder when God touched my heart and all that felt like ash slowly turned beautiful in my heart was incredible. He really is able to turn mourning into dancing (Psalm 30) and out-patiencing the devil has turned out to be one of the best things i’ve done in a long time. Keep going. Keep pushing. Once you’ve heard God’s opinion, refuse to change the subject and you’ll see just around the corner, eventually, sometimes oh so gradually, the glimmer of heaven breaking in on the seams of earth.

Glory in a Coffee Cup

Sat, 04 Oct 2014 18:00:00 GMT

This morning I had the best coffee ever. I’m serious. My amazing friend Sarah suggested we meet at 7am at our local Costa coffee shop so that we could have an hour of catching up time before she caught a flight to the States and before I got on with work for the day. I thought the early start (I love my sleep!) was a big sacrifice but oh. my. goodness. was it worth it. We talked about everything from our marriages to out-patiencing the devil (more on that another time!) and from our extended families to the Kingdom of God breaking out in our everyday lives so that we’re no longer just trying to get through the day but we’re allowing God to use our normality to be the doorway for His outrageous goodness to transform our realities. Pretty awesome stuff for 7am. It occurred to me that slowly but surely Jesus is helping me renew my mind so that i really believe Him. Not believe the theoretical possibility of His life in me, but really believing Him for all that is true of heaven and His presence to make its home in me and to radiate from me to others. I’m realising more and more that i can put my full weight on Him. My full weight. Not holding onto something incase He should give way, but sitting on His truth like i’m sitting on the chair i’m in right now – not even the tiniest concern that it’s going to give way. I know it’s sturdy. I know it’s secure. And so I’m completely at rest in it. Psalm 9:10Open in Logos Bible Software (if available) says that those who know His name trust in Him. I’m loving the adventure of getting to know His trustworthy name all the more and so slowly relinquishing my hold on my ‘plan b’s’. Lots of food for thought… and all this from just a morning coffee with a friend – think I may do that again!