Good News Church

“Our Debt to the World: An Encounter With God” & Ch. 13 – “Our Identity In This World” – Pt. 1

spolley777 — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:24:15 +0000

ENTERING THE TWILIGHT ZONE

Pastor Bill, and probably some of us here tonight, travel to many cities that are spiritually dark (i.e. Vancouver). You can feel the oppression of such cities when you enter. Considering what we all represent to that city in Christ, we would be wrong to focus on the darkness as though we were impressed with the devil’s work. PBJ: “We come as a house of God. As such I contain a gate to heaven, with a ladder providing angelic activities according to the need of the moment. Simply put, I am an open heaven! This does not apply to a select few. On the contrary, this revelation is about the house of God and the principles of the house apply to all believers. But few realize or implement this potential blessing. With an open heaven I become a vehicle in the hand of God to release the resources of heaven into the calamities of mankind. Angels are commissioned to carry out the will of God. “Bless the Lord, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His word, heeding the voice of His word (Psalm 103:20). He is more eager to invade this world than we are to receive the invasion. And angels play an integral part.

“They respond to His command and enforce His Word. But the voice of His word is heard when the Father speaks to the hearts of His people. Angels await the people of God speaking His word. I believe angels pick up the fragrance of the throne room through the word spoken by people. They can tell when a word has its origins in the heart of the Father. And, in turn, they recognize that word as their assignment.

Pastor Bill says that he recently saw this happen at a meeting in Germ-any. “Before the meeting, I was praying with some of the leaders that had sponsored the meetings. As we were praying, I saw a woman sitting to my right with an arthritic spine. It was a brief picture of the mind, which is the visual equivalent of the still small voice – as easy to miss as it is to get. In this picture I had her stand and declared over her, The Lord Jesus heals you!

“When it came time for the meeting, I asked if there was anyone there

with arthritis in the spine. A woman to the right waved her hand. I had her stand an declared over her, The Lord Jesus heals you! I then asked here where was her pain. She wept saying, “It is impossible, but it is gone!” Angels enforced a word that originated in the heart of the Father. But for that moment, I was the voice of His word.”

Page 2, “Our Debt to the World: An Encounter With God” – Pt 3, Sept. 1, ‘10

GOD, THE DELEGATOR

Instances of angelic visitations to earth are found: when God chose to send the Messiah through the Virgin Mary, He sent Gabriel. When the Apostle Paul was going to suffer shipwreck, an angel of the Lord instructed him on what would happen. Throughout Scripture, angels did what God could easily have done for Himself. So why didn’t he just do them Himself? PBJ: “For the same reason He doesn’t preach the gospel: He has chosen to let His creation enjoy the privilege of service in His Kingdom. Service with purpose affirms identity. A godly self-esteem is derived from doing “as He pleases.” And true service is an overflow of worship (Note: Remember, we always become like the one we worship. How could He want anything more for us than that?).”

WHEN GOD COLORS OUTSIDE THE LINES

With regularity God’s world has been breaking into ours through salvation, deliverances and healings. This invasion has manifestations (appearings) that vary and are quite fascinating and too numerous to count, but are tangible evidence that God always works redemptively!

When laughter breaks out in a meeting, broken hearts are often healed.

Gold dust has appeared on sanctuary seats here when Tom Scarrella was here, as well as on skin and clothing. Sometimes oil appears on the hands of His people, especially among children. Wind blowing through a room with no open windows or doors, nor air conditioning or heating operating. The cloud of God’s presence has filled rooms, appearing over the heads of worshiping believers. Sometimes a beautiful fragrant smell is detected. Gems or gold nuggets have appeared in peoples hands or in Edmonton, on Mahesh Shavdah’s suit as he spoke. Since early 1998, Pastor Bill has had

feathers fall in their meetings, and he thought birds had gotten in the duct-work; but then the feathers appeared in other rooms not of that ductwork.

Pastor Johnson records these events because it seems that many who fully embrace this move of God get offended by these things. People seem to get to a point where they think this has gone as far as it ever will, that they have stretched their faith far enough. PBJ: “Like the generations before us they are dangerously close to regulating God’s work by a new and revised

Page 3, “Our Debt to the World: An Encounter With God” – Pt 3, Sept.1, ‘10

list of acceptable manifestations. No longer is it just tears during a special song or a time of repentance following a moving sermon. Our new list includes falling, shaking, laughter, etc. The problem is – it is still a list. And God will violate it. He must. We must learn to recognize His move by recognizing His presence. Our lists are only good for revealing our present understanding or experience. While I don’t seek to promote strange manifestations, or go after novelty, I do refuse to be embarrassed over what God is doing. The list that keeps us from certain types of errors also keeps us from certain types of victories.”

REFUSING TO BE EMBARRASSED BY GOD

PBJ: “His manifestations, while offensive to the minds of many, are limitless in number, and are simple indicators of God’s presence and purpose. Why are they necessary? Because He wants to take us farther, and we can only get there by following signs. Remember signs are realities that point to a greater reality. Many react to this position because they fear sign worship. While their reasoning may be noble in intent, it is foolish to think I can carry out my assignment from God and ignore God’s personal notes along the way.” Just as signs in a city help to point us to a particular place, so signs and wonders are a practical natural part of the Kingdom of God. What if the wise men had not followed the star? They would have had to settle for reading about somebody else’s experience. It is essential that we follow signs, not worship them. PBJ: “When we follow His signs to the greater depths in God, His signs follow us in greater measure for the sake of mankind.”

KNOWING THE GOD OF POWER

We are not only to pursue a gospel of power, but also make knowing the God of power our top priority. Someone with a passion for God will often intimidate someone without it. PBJ’s hunger for God’s power is only surpassed by his desire for God Himself. PBJ: “Something happened in me that won’t let me accept a gospel that isn’t backed with signs and wonders. Is it because I have caught a revelation of miracles on the earth? No! It caught me. I have discovered there isn’t any lasting satisfaction in life apart

from expressions of faith.”

Page 4, Ch. 13 – “Our Identity in This World”, Sept. 1, 2010

CHAPTER 13 – “OUR IDENTITY IN THIS WORLD”

PBJ: “While most of the Church is still trying to become as Jesus was, the Bible declares, “As He is, so are we in this world.” 1 John 4:17

Who Jesus was: the suffering Servant on His way to the Cross. Who He is today: Triumphantly resurrected, ascended, and glorified, seated at the right hand of the Father. John the Revelator saw Him and wrote the words in Rev. 1:14-15. PBJ: “The “as He is, so are we” declaration is far beyond what any of us could have imagined; especially in light of the glorified description of Jesus in Revelation, chapter 1. Yet the Holy Spirit was sent specifically for this purpose that we might attain…”to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” Eph. 4:13. The Holy Spirit came with the ultimate assignment at the perfect time. During Jesus’ ministry, it was said, “The Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. The Holy Spirit comforts us, gives us gifts, reminds us of what Jesus has said, and clothes us with power. But He does all this to make us like Jesus. That is His primary mission. So why didn’t the Father send Him [H.S.] until Jesus was glorified? Because without Jesus in His glorified state, there was no heavenly model of what we were to become! As a sculptor looks at a model and fashions the clay into its likeness, so the Holy Spirit looks to the glorified Son and shapes us into His image. As He is, so are we in this world.”

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

We do not discover the Christian life on the Cross, but because of the Cross. The believer is energized because of His resurrection power. This doesn’t diminish the value of the Cross. Without the shed blood of the spotless Lamb wiping out the power and presence of sin in our lives, WE HAVE NOTHING WITHOUT THE CROSS! The Cross is the beginning, the entrance to the Christian Life, not the end. PBJ: “Even for Jesus the cross was something to be endured in order to obtain the joy on the other side! Heb. 12:2. John G. Lake: “The great majority of the Christian world is still weeping at the foot of the cross. The consciousness of mankind remains fixed on the Christ who died, not on the Christ who lives. People are looking back to the Redeemer who was, not the Redeemer who is.”

Page 5, Ch. 13 – “Our Identity in This World”, Sept. 1, 2010

Bill Johnson compares our forgiveness of sin to someone who had been forgiven a large debt. They have been brought out of the red, but they are

still not in the black. PBJ: “I have nothing unless the one who forgave my debt gives me money to call my own, and that’s what Christ did for you and me. His blood wiped out my debt of sin. But it was His resurrection that brought me into the black.” John 10:10 The importance of understanding this is because, if we do, it will significantly change our sense of identity and purpose. PBJ: “Jesus became poor so that I could become rich. He suffered with stripes to free me from affliction, and He became sin so I might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21). Why then should I try to become as He was, when He suffered so I could become as He is? At some point, the reality of the resurrection must come into play in our lives – we must discover the power of the resurrection for all who believe. Eph. 1:21 & 3:20.

COUNTERFEIT CROSS

Mt. 16:24 is one of my favorite Scriptures. PBJ: “A misunderstanding of this call has led many to follow His life of self-denial, but to stop short of His life of power. For them the cross-walk involves trying to crucify their sin nature by embracing joyless brokenness as an evidence of the cross. But, we must follow Him all the way – to a lifestyle empowered by the resurrection!

The cross-walk is imitated by most every religion. This walk includes self-denial, self-abasement and other forms of admirable religious disci-plines, including fasting, vows of poverty, and enduring disease for the sake of personal spirituality. But if we can show people a life changed by the transforming power of God that gives one a life filled with joy, then they won’t just applaud us, but will want to be like us. PBJ: “Religion is unable to mimic the life of resurrection with its victory over sin and hell. One who embraces an inferior cross is constantly filled with introspection and self-induced suffering. But the cross is not self-applied – Jesus did not nail Him-self to the cross. Christians who are trapped by this counterfeit are constant-

ly talking about their weaknesses. If the devil finds us uninterested in evil, then he’ll try to get us to focus on our unworthiness and inability. This is

Page 6, Ch. 13 – “Our Identity in This World”, Sept. 1, 2010

especially noticeable in prayer meetings where people try to project great

brokenness before God, hoping to earn revival. They will often re-confess

old sins searching for humility.”

“In my own pursuit of God, I often became preoccupied with ME! It was easy to think that being constantly aware of my faults and weakness was humility. It’s not! If I’m the main subject, talking incessantly about my weaknesses, I have entered into the most subtle form of pride. Repeated phrases such as, “I’m so unworthy,” become a nauseating replacement for the declarations of the worthiness of God. By being sold on my own unright-eousness, the enemy has disengaged me from effective service. It’s a per-version of true holiness when introspection causes my spiritual self-esteem to increase, but my effectiveness in demonstrating the power of the gospel to decrease.

“True brokenness causes complete dependency on God, moving us to radical obedience that releases the power of the gospel to the world around us.”

Life Group Caribbean Night Sep 5th

spolley777 — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 02:38:58 +0000

September 5th – 6pm till 7:30 pm

Good News Church Youth Young Adult Sanctuary

Music by the Steel Gratitude Band -

http://il.youtube.com/watch?v=rFnaR7a5hf4 http://www.gratitudesteelband.com/GRATITUDE_STEEL_BAND.COM/Welcome.html

Great Food, Lots of Fun, Come join us and get to know your Life Groups at Good News Church

When Heaven Invades Earth

tgarrett — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 04:00:03 +0000

On Wednesdays at 7 pm, Pastor Terry Garrett conducts a series from Pastor Bill Johnson’s book, “When Heaven Invades Earth - A Practical Guide to a Life of Miracles“. This week we will further discover how faith gives us “answers for life’s impossibilities” as we finish Ch. 11, “Our Debt to the World: An Encounter With God”.

Pastor Johnson says from Chapter 11, ”For the most part, the anointing has been hoarded by the Church for the Church. Many have misunderstood why God has covered us with Himself, thinking it is for our enjoyment only. But we must remember, in the Kingdom of God we only get to keep what we give away. This wonderful presence of God is to be taken to the world. If it isn’t, our effectiveness decreases. Does He leave us? No. But perhaps this phrase will help to clarify this point: He is in me for my sake, but He’s upon Me for yours.”

John 10:37 (NKJV) quotes Jesus as saying, ”Unless I do the works of the Father, do not believe me.” From Chapter 9 Pastor Johnson writes, “Jesus gave people the right to disbelieve it all if there was no demonstration of power upon His ministry. I hunger for the day when the Church will make the same statement to the world. If we’re not doing the miracles that Jesus did, you don’t have to believe us.”

“When Heaven Invades Earth” is a powerful statement and testimony on the Kingdom of God. Theologically sound, well supported, and extremely well argued, this message provides a carefully constructed biblical foundation for the average Christian to live and walk in the miraculous power of God. Not only is the supernatural possible, it is our commission. The Great Commission that Christ gave the Church challenges us and makes us responsible to rise up to this supreme supernatural calling. Johnson explains how we are called to dominion in the earth through the divine rule of God.

Books are available through the church bookstore for $14.

“Sowing In Time of Famine” 8-15-10

spolley777 — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 01:25:55 +0000

Gen. 22:1-14 When was the last time you took a big step of faith?

It’s been said many times and in many ways that “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” In the case of Isaac, this is very true. He was not only a child of God’s promise, but he was also a child of Abraham’s advanced age. As such, Isaac had the opportunity to witness first hand the development of His father’s patriarchal faith in God, as Abraham – the father of faith – was learning who Jehovah really was and how faithful this omnipotent King and Creator of the universe was to His promises. Keep your heart soft & learn.

V. 7 Three things are necessary for fire: oxygen, flame and fuel (in this case wood). But a fourth one was needed for a sacrifice: either a lamb or a goat. A poignant scene this is, where the son asks his father a simple, natural question from previous sacrificial ceremonies that he’s observed his father performing, “…where is the Lamb for a burnt offering?” How many times have we asked Father God in a time of need or a time of confusion or a time of fear, “Father, where is the Lamb?” – Where are You when I need You, Lord?” Abraham’s answer in v. 8 is the best one: “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb.” Stay in faith, stay the course. He’s with you!

Please notice those two words, “for Himself”. Since it is God who required the sacrifice of Abraham, it is God who supplied the lamb. The Lord does not say that Abraham is to come up with his own sacrifice, like Cain did, for our own sacrifice is offensive to God. Our works are unacceptable to Him. He requires the approved sacrifice – the one that is the best and the one that is by faith. Therefore, when we give God a portion of what we possess, we are actually acknowledging that all we have comes from Him in the first place, rain included (2 Cor. 9:10 [Isa. 55:10-11; Hos. 10:12]). God wants us to have more so that we can do more for Him and so that He will get more glory.

When we give Him the first part of all our increase, then we are talking faith. Because it doesn’t take faith to give what’s left over after the day is done, the bills are paid and the piggy bank is full and mama and I went to our favorite restaurant & movie. It takes faith to step out to do God’s will without having the sacrifice in hand, travel to a distant location, take the “dream-child” you’ve held in your bosom all your life, and then be willing and obedient to slay the dream by sacrificing it to God. Every time you give faithfully to the Lord of your substance or time, you’re dream of what you could do with that money or time is dying; your dream of what that money or time could bring you is dying. But remember, like Abraham, we provide the obedience through faithful giving, for without faith we cannot please God (Heb. 11:6), and He provides the far greater portion – the lamb, the promised land, etc.

Gen.26:1 “The first famine that was in the days of Abraham” refers to Gen. 12:10, where Abraham went down to Egypt for provision. However, with Isaac, he was not to do so during a similar experience. He was told by God what to do in Gen 26:2-6. Imagine if Isaac didn’t trust the Lord and went down to Egypt like his father before him. Folks, we must be led by the Holy Spirit for those who are of faith are children of the Most High God & led by Him. Living faith produces acts of obedience and acts of obedience produce blessings.

In 26:12 we see that Isaac’s sowing in the time of famine was the catalyst that jumpstarted his blessing, which proved God’s faithfulness (v. 3). Isaac didn’t look at the natural circumstances of famine and hold back his seed, for God was his source, not his own strength or nature. If you want to see a modern parallel to this story, rent or buy the movie, “Faith Like Potatoes”. That South African Christian farmer did the very same thing and he became famous worldwide because of his obedient acts of faith.

We are to go from faith to faith, with bigger steps of faith being taken all the time as God reveals Himself to us. God wants to show Himself strong on our behalf, but if we don’t take obedient steps of faith, if we don’t tithe and faithfully trust that our seed sown will produce a harvest, then what can God do with our unbelief and corresponding disobedience? Excuse it, wink at it, forgive it, bless it? No way! He rewards living faith like Abraham’s, not dead works like Cain’s.

Imagine where we’d be today if Isaac hadn’t obeyed God and stayed in the Land of Promise. If he had gone down to Egypt contrary to God’s will, we don’t know what would have happened. Would God start over with somebody else?

Your blessings & mine are contingent upon our obedience. Don’t hinder your blessing. “Give and it shall be given” Luke 6:38 (2 Cor. 9:6). If God is real to you today, then live like it and give like it. He is faithful!

Ch.10; “Powerlessness: Unnecessary & Unbalanced” Pt 2 7/28/10

spolley777 — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 03:34:16 +0000

OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

To begin our study tonight, our first in three weeks from When Heaven Invades Earth, Pastor Bill addresses two very important truths regarding “not grieving” and “not quenching” the Holy Spirit, which will help us deal directly with the trap of comparing “character vs. power”.

When God commands us, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit” in Eph. 4:30, He is revealing how our sin affects God – it causes Him grief. PBJ: “This command is character centered. Sin is defined in two ways: doing wrong things, and a failure to do right things: “To him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin (James 4:17). Departing from the character of Christ in either of these ways brings grief to the Holy Spirit.”

In 1 Thess. 5:19 we have a continuation of this theme where we are commanded, “Do not quench the Spirit.” This mandate is centered upon our need to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading. PBJ: To quench means to “stop the flow” of something. As the Holy Spirit is ready to bring salvation, healing, and deliverance, we are to flow with Him. Failure to do so hinders His efforts to bring us into the supernatural. If He is to be free to move in our lives, we will constantly be involved in impossibilities. The supernatural is His natural realm. The more important the Holy Spirit becomes to us, the more these issues will be paramount in our hearts.”

PURSUE AN ENCOUNTER

PBJ: “At some point we must believe in a God who is big enough to keep us safe in our quest for more of Him. Practically speaking, many Christian’s devil is bigger than their God. How could a created, fallen being ever be compared with the infinite Lord of glory? It’s an issue of trust. If I focus on my need to protect myself from deception, I will always be overwhelmingly aware of the power of the devil. If my heart is completely turned to the One who is “able to keep me from falling” (Jude 24-25), He is the only One I become impressed with. My life reflects what I see with my heart.”

So, to walk in the power of God, we must first pursue Him, since the life of power is a life of abiding in the Vine, Christ Jesus. This means we’re staying plugged into our source of power. However, we must never allow our hunger for the demonstration of power to separate us from our passion for Him. Nevertheless, we also need to realize that our passionate pursuit of spiritual gifts is a part of our hunger for Him (1 Cor.14:1). He commands it!

Page 2, “Powerlessness: Unnecessary & Unbalanced”, Pt. 2, July 28, 2010

PBJ: “In this endeavor I must passionately desire life-changing encounters with God, over and over again. I must cry out day and night for them…and be specific. I must be willing to travel to get what I need. If God is moving somewhere else more than where I live, I must go! If He is using someone more than He is using me, I must humbly go to them and ask them to pray for me with the laying on of hands. Some may ask, “Why can’t God touch me where I am?” He can. But He usually moves in ways that emphasize our need for others, rather than adding to our independence. Wise men have always been willing to travel.”

MY STORY – GLORIOUS, BUT NOT PLEASANT

In this section, Pastor Bill relates how he traveled to many cities, including T.O., in his personal quest for increased power and anointing for ministry. Personally, I believe that the Lord called me in two dreams to “Come to Wales” in 2003 in order to impart to me a revival anointing from the Land of Revivals. PBJ: “Once in the middle of the night [@ 3 a.m. in 1995], God came in answer to my prayer for more of Him, yet not in a way I had expected. I went from a dead sleep to being wide-awake in a moment. Unexplainable power began to pulsate through my body, seemingly just shy of electrocution. It was a though I had been plugged into a wall socket with a thousand volts of electricity flowing through my body. My arms and legs shot out in silent explosions as if something was released through my hands and feet. The more I tried to stop it, the worse it got.

“I soon discovered that this was not a wrestling match I was going to win. I had heard no voice, nor did I have any visions. This was simply the most overwhelming experience of my life. It was raw power…it was God. He came in response to a prayer I had been praying for months – God, I must have more of you at any cost!

“For months I had been asking God to give me more of Him. I wasn’t sure of the correct way to pray, nor did I understand the doctrine behind my request. All I knew was I was hungry for God. It had been my constant cry day and night.”

Pastor Bill says that he felt embarrassed at this glorious divine encounter which was not pleasant. He was alone, but imagined preaching God’s Word

Page 3, “Powerlessness: Unnecessary & Unbalanced”, Pt. 2, July 28, 2010

to his congregation with his arms and legs flailing as though he had serious physical problems. He imagined the same thing happening in front of his favorite restaurant with his arms and legs moving about without control. Pastor Bill tired to recall Biblical instances of encounters with God that were awkward, such as Jacob wrestling with the angel of the Lord and walking with a limp ever after. Then there was Mary, the mother of Jesus, whose fiancée couldn’t believe her encounter with God until an angelic visitation changed his mind. The result – she bore the Christ-child…and carried the stigma the rest of her days that she was the mother of an illegitimate child.

PBJ: “It was becoming clear; the favor of God sometimes looks different from the perspective of earth than from heaven. My request for more of God carried a price. Tears began to soak my pillowcase as I remembered the prayers of the previous months and contrasted them with the scenes that just passed through my mind. At the forefront was the realization that God wanted to make an exchange – His increased presence for my dignity. It’s difficult to explain how you know the purpose of such an encounter. All I can say is you just know. You know His purpose so clearly that every other reality fades into the shadows, as God puts His finger on the one thing that matters to Him. In the midst of the tears came a point of no return. I gladly yielded, crying, More, God. More! I must have more of You at any cost! If I lose respectability and get You in the exchange, I’ll gladly make that trade. Just give me more of You!” The power surges didn’t stop. They continued throughout the night, with me weeping and praying, More Lord, more, please give me more of You. It all stopped at 6:38 a.m., at which time I got out of bed completely refreshed. This experienced continued the following two nights, beginning moments after getting into bed.”

PURSUE AGAINST THE GRAIN

PBJ: “Biblical passion is a mysterious mixture of humility, supernatural hunger, and faith. I pursue because I have been pursued. Lethargy must not be found in me. And if the average Christian life around me falls short of the biblical standard, I must pursue against the grain. If people are not being healed, I will not supply a rationale so that all those around me remain

Page 4, “Powerlessness: Unnecessary & Unbalanced”, Pt. 2, July 28, 2010

“comfortable with the void. Instead, I will pursue the healing until it comes or the individual goes to be with the Lord (at this point the prayer of resurrection is appropriate). I will not lower the standard of the Bible to my level of experience. Jesus healed everyone who came to Him. To accept any other standard is to bring the Bible down to our level of experience, and deny the nature of the One who changes not.”

Pastor Johnson says that, when it comes to the ministry of power, he must give away whatever he receives from God because you only get to keep whatever you give away. So look for those who are sick and offer to pray for them if you want to see people healed. Though we are not the healers, we do have control over our willingness to serve those in need. Ministering to the needy gives the Lord the opportunity to show how extravagant His love is for people. PBJ: “The ministry of signs and wonders will go nowhere if we are afraid of failure. As Randy Clark puts it, “I must be willing to fail to succeed.””

LOOK FOR FRUIT

In Mark 10:15 Jesus said, “Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” Pastor Bill points out that the heart of a child is the place where the life of power is at home. Children have a great appetite for learning. We need to be willing to be childlike and read the works of those who have succeeded in the healing ministry, and stay away from the books and tapes of people who say that it shouldn’t or couldn’t be done. Don’t expect people who are expert in one area, such as biblical finances, to be proficient in signs and wonders. Listen to or read authors who walk in power & people who do what they teach. Don’t let the theories of classroom Christianity make you fat, but learn from those who just do it!

To give us an example, Pastor Bill writes, “Someone once brought a book to my office that was critical of the revival that started in Toronto in January of 1994. I refused to read it and threw it away. You might say, “You’re not very open minded.” You’re right. I am responsible to protect what God has given me. No one else has that assignment. Burning within my soul is a piece of the original flame from the day of Pentecost. It’s been handed down

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generation after generation. That fire burns deep inside, and because of it I’ll never be the same again. My passion for Jesus is growing continuously. And the signs and wonders He promised are happening as a regular part of life. For me to consider the criticisms of this revival would be the same as giving audience to someone trying to prove I should have married another woman. First of all, I love my wife and have not interest in anyone else. Second, I refuse to entertain the thoughts of any person who desires to undermine my love for her. Only those who will add to my commitment to her are allowed such an audience with me. Anything less would be foolishness on my part. While I have no time for critics…I do welcome the “wounds of a friend” (Prov. 27:6). The corrections offered through meaningful relationships keep us from deception.”

WHAT IF NOTHING HAPPENS

Where do we go if we teach, preach or witness and nothing happens? To the drawing board – our knees. We are not to make excuses for powerlessness, as the Church has been guilty of doing for decades, creating doctrines to justify our lack of power instead of crying out to God until we are changed by Him. No an entire branch of theology exists based upon a lie that people came to believe and has infected the Body of Christ with a fear of the Holy Spirit. Under the guise of staying undeceived, it deceives. PBJ: “The word must go forth with power. Power is the realm of the Spirit. A powerless Word is the letter not the Spirit. And we all know, “The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Cor. 3:6 NIV). Lives must be changed in our ministry of the Word. Keep in mind that conversion is the greatest and most precious miracle of all. 1 Cor. 1:17 If the gospel is powerless, it is because human wisdom has had its influence.”

PRAYER, THE GATEWAY TO POWER

PBJ: “Whenever I have taken time to seek God about the need for power to back up His message, He always come through with an increase. Miracles increase.” When Randy Clark notices that there are certain kinds of healings that are not taking place in his meetings, he cries out to God, mentioning specific diseases in his prayers, such as the brain and dyslexia. He would

Page 6, “Powerlessness: Unnecessary & Unbalanced”, Pt. 2, July 28, 2010

then get a breakthrough in brain diseases. Specific prayer requests are measurable and therefore good, Pastor Bill points out. Sometimes our prayers are too general so that God could answer them and we would never know it.

PBJ says that, “After learning this principle from Randy’s example, I began to pray for disorders in the brain. One such miracle came to a woman named Cindy. She was told that a third of her brain was shut down. As a result, she had 23 learning disorders. She could do nothing with memori-zation, numbers, or maps. On one of our Friday night services, she stood in line for prayer for the blessing of God. When she was prayed for, she fell under the weight of His glory. During the time in which she lay there overcome by God’s power, she had a vision in which Jesus asked her if she would like for Him to heal her. She of course said yes. At His command, she jumped up off of the floor and ran to get her Bible. For the first time in her life everything was where it was supposed to be on the page. When she testified of the miracle a couple of weeks later, she quoted many verses she had put to memory in such a short time.”

PAY ME NOW, OR PAY ME LATER

The cost of the anointing has been spoken about very much. No question, walking with God in power will cost those who give themselves to this high calling. But something is even more costly – the absence of power. Next week we will study and discover how our powerlessness affects eternity. So don’t miss it! In fact, invite somebody.

Ladies of Good News Church – Sunday Morning Bible Study

spolley777 — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:52:40 +0000

Join us on Sunday morning@ 9:30 a.m. in the middle annex as we find freedom from insecurities through Dog’s Truth about us using material by Beth Moore & Joyce Meyer.

Diana Lancaster is Leading this Study

Men’s Sunday School Sunday 9:30 a.m – “Grace” by Andrew Wommack

spolley777 — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:47:15 +0000

"Grace" by Andrew Wommack

All men 18+ are invited to the Men’s Sunday School class located in the Board Room @ 9:30 a.m.

Gerald Carpenter is the teacher for this class.

The material being used is Andrew Wommack’s “Grace” study manual. Handouts are included.

James Nesbit “MS Moving” release of a new song and sound Event August 20th

spolley777 — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:42:25 +0000

Friday, August 20th @ 7pm

Good News Worship Center

“MS Moving” release of a new song and sound.

http://www.jamesnart.com/ministry/

James Nesbit has an unusual ability to help the Body of Christ see eternal reality through the gift of art. James has worked with many artistic mediums, but in this season works almost exclusively in the digital format.

A portion of his assignment in the earth is a Habakkuk 2 assignment – to write the vision and engrave it so plainly (through digital imagery) that everyone who passes may be able to read it easily and quickly as he hastens by.

It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. James believes he, as a prophetic artist, has a responsibility to magnify the words of the prophets, and serves the voice of the prophets by adding sight to sound.

“As we serve one another in preparing the way of the Lord, our gifts accentuate each other, so each joint is joined fitly together supplying the strength the other needs.” – James

In 2005 James and his son Isaac (who was eleven years old at the time) worked together for three months creating prophetic art for all fifty states highlighting the prophetic decrees Dutch Sheets and Chuck Pierce released over each state on the 50 State Tour. James believes strongly that these words are the true prophetic blueprint of America, and created the art so that intercessors throughout the land could have the true vision of their state before their eyes, and with one voice call these United States into the fullness of their prophetic destiny.

Both C. Peter Wagner and Cindy Jacobs have said James is one of the leading prophetic artists in the earth today.

“MS Burning with The Father’s Heart” Conference Sat Aug 26-28

spolley777 — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:37:14 +0000

New Horizons Church, Jackson MS

Thursday – Saturday, Aug 26th -28th

Speakers Include:

Dr. Church Pierce – Glory of Zion Ministries

Paul Keith Davis – White Dove Ministries

Barbara Wentroble – International Breakthrough Ministries

James Nesbitt – Prepare the Way Ministries

For registration information, go to: www.repairersofthebreach.com or email ruthyoung@avisia.com

For info please call: 662-284-7420 or 662-415-9515

When Heaven Invades Earth – Ch. 10, “Powerlessness: Unnecessary & Unbalanced” 7/7/10

spolley777 — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 23:51:44 +0000

PBJ: “I’m not impressed with anyone’s life unless they have integrity. But I’m not happy with their life until they are dangerous (…to the powers of hell and the works of darkness). As much as I have the ability to do so, I’ll not let those around me get away with just being nice people.

“Many believers have made it their primary goal in life to be well-respected citizens of their communities. Good character enables us to be solid contributors to society, but most of what is recognized as a Christian lifestyle can be accomplished by people who don’t even know God. Every believer should be highly respected AND MORE. It’s the and more that we’re often lacking.

“While character must be at the heart of our ministries, power revolutionizes the world around us. Until the Church returns to Jesus’ model for true revolutionaries, we will continue to be recognized by the world merely as nice people – while [the world] is overcome with disease and torment, on its way to hell.

“Some Christians actually have considered it to be more noble to choose character over power. But we must not separate the two. It is an unjustifiable, illegitimate choice. Together they bring us to the only real issue – obedience.”

Pastor Johnson says that while teaching a class about the importance of having signs and wonders in the ministry of the gospel, a young man who was a student said, “I’ll pursue signs and wonders when I know I have more of the character of Christ in me.” PBJ: “As good as that may sound, it comes from a religious mindset, not a heart abandoned to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In response to this student’s comment, I opened to the Gospel of Matthew and read the Lord’s charge (Mt. 28:19): “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.” I then asked him, “Who have you the right to determine when you are ready to obey His command?”

IMPRESSING GOD

PBJ: “Does anyone think that God is impressed with us when we tell Him, “I’ll obey You when I have more character?” Character is shaped through obedience. Jesus commanded His disciples to go, and in goi ng they were to teach all that they had been taught. And part of what they were taught was

Page 2, “Ch. 10 Powerlessness: Unnecessary and Unbalanced”, July 7, 2010

specific training on how to live and operate in the miraculous (Matt. 10:1, 5-8, 17 and Luke 9:1-6). They were commanded to “heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and cast out demons (Matt. 10:8). And now they were responsible to teach this requirement as the lifestyle for all who were to become followers of Jesus Christ. In this way, His standard could remain the standard – the norm for all who call upon the name of the Lord for salvation.

“Many consider themselves unworthy of God using them in the miraculous, and therefore never pursue that realm. Isn’t it ironic that Christians will disobey God by not diligently seeking after spiritual gifts – they won’t lay hands on the sick or seek to deliver the demonized – because they realize their need for more character. In none of the commissions of Jesus to His disciples did He deal specifically with character.

Is it possible the reason there are so few miracles in North America is because too many before us thought they had to become better Christians before God could us them? Yes! That single lie has kept us in perpetual immaturity because it protects us form the power-encounter that transforms us. The result is we have converts trained and over trained until they have no life, vision, or ingenuity left. This next generation of converts must be handles differently. We must help them by giving them their identity as world changers, provide them with a model for character, passion, and power, and open us opportunities to serve.”

In his book Fresh Fire, Mario Murillo says it like this, “When he picks up a Bible, his focus will not be on emotional healing or self-esteem. He’ll ask you where the trigger is and how you fire it. When he reads the Word, he will want to apply it to the taking over of neighborhoods for God!”

THE ANOINTING, A KEY TO PERSONAL GROWTH

In order to fully develop Christ-like character, a person has to server under the anointing. PBJ: “Anointed ministry brings us into contact with the power needed for personal transformation.” Pastor Bill calls this empowering for supernatural endeavors, and we find examples in both the OT & NT. For example, in 1 Sam. 10:6 we find the prophet Samuel saying

to soon-to-be King Saul, “Then the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you,

Page 3, “Ch. 10 Powerlessness: Unnecessary and Unbalanced”, July 7, 2010

and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man.”

We find an important principle here – that the vessel of the Lord is transformed by the anointing that flows through them. That is why, as I said, it’s important to serve under anointed ministry – so that you can be exposed to the power needed for personal transformation.

1 Sam. 10:9 & 10 tell us that two things happened to Saul out of this encounter with the Holy Spirit: 1) “God gave him another heart.” 2) “Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he prophesied among them” [the prophets]. PBJ: “Saul was given an opportunity to become all that Israel needed him to be, (a king with a new heart), and learn to do all he needed to do, (hear from God and declare His words – prophesy).” Pastor Johnson goes on to explain how he had a friend in his church with a very strong, prophetic anointing that gave him a place of influence within the church. However, this man had a huge character flaw that put him spiritually crip-pled him and his family for a season. During this season, he still retained a very strong prophetic anointing. The brother thought this meant that his successful ministry was a sign of God’s approval of his private life, which happens to be a common misconception by many.

The man’s position of influence caused Pastor Bill to feel it was especially important that he bring him under discipline – the kind that brings an indivi-dual into personal victory, not punishment that bridles a person with shame.

PBJ: “No organization is any stronger than its ability to discipline its members, whether it is a business, government, church, or family. Part of my restriction was for him was to keep him from giving prophetic words for a season.” The man accepted this necessary direction.

After several months, Pastor Johnson compared the statement regarding King Saul to his friend’s situation, and Pastor became troubled. He realized that if he didn’t allow him to minister under the anointing, the he would be limiting his friend’s exposure to the anointing that was the very thing that would seal and establish his victory in the matter. PBJ: “When I released him to prophesy again, there was new purity and power in his voice. It was his personal encounter with the anointing in ministry that “turned him into another man.” PBJ’s footnote: “This illustration is not to take away from the importance of discipline. Biblical discipline is not punishment. It is

Page 4, “Ch. 10 Powerlessness: Unnecessary and Unbalanced”, July 7, 2010

“choosing, in love, restrictions that are best for that person and the entire church family. The length of his discipline was nearing the point at which it would have become punishment and would have kept him from the very thing he needed.”

COUNTERFEITS EXIST

PBJ: “A counterfeit hundred dollar bill does not nullify the value of the real thing. Likewise, a counterfeit, abused, or abandoned gift does not invalidate our need for the Holy Spirit’s power to live as Jesus did. Pennies are not counterfeited because they’re not worth the effort. In the same way, the devil only works to copy or distort those things in the Christian life that have the greatest potential effect. When I see others who have pursued great things in God but have failed, I get motivated to pick up where they left off. It tells me there’s a treasure in that field, and I’m ready to look for it with reckless abandon. (Reckless abandon is not the same as spiritual careless-ness. Most of the failures in the past have come because leaders became too detached from the people that God put in their lives. I pursue danger-ous things, but I keep accountable, and I work to protect my relationships on all levels. I believe this is the realm of safety that many have abandoned in their pursuit of their “treasure in the field”.

“Many of those who are embarrassed over the abuses of power, and the subsequent blemishes upon the Church, are seldom offended over the absence of signs and wonders. … But the eyes of Jesus quickly look to see if there is faith on the earth – “When I return will I find faith on earth?” Luke 18:8. For every charlatan there are a thousand good citizens who accomplish little or nothing for the Kingdom.”

THE PURPOSE OF THE POWER

To say that Jesus’ power exists only to help us overcome sin stops short of the Father’s intention that we become witnesses of another world. PBJ: “Doesn’t it seem strange that our whole Christian life should be focused on overcoming something that has already been defeated? Sin and its nature have been yanked out by the roots. Many constantly call out to God for more power to live in victory. What more can He do for us? If His death wasn’t enough, what else is there? That battle has already been fought and won! Is it possible that the process of constantly bringing up issues dealt with by the blood is what has actually given life to those issues?

“Many in the Church are camped on the wrong side of the Cross. Apostle Paul spoke to this issue when he said, “Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:11). The word reckon points to our need to change our minds. I don’t need power to overcome something if I’m dead to it. But I do need power for boldness (as in Acts 4:28-29) for the miraculous and for the impossible. Part of our problem is this: we are accustomed only to doing things for God that are not impossible. If God doesn’t show up and help us, we can still succeed. There must be an aspect of the Christian life that is impossible without divine intervention. “Make no mistake, character is a supreme issue with God. But His approach is much different than ours. His righteousness/ character is not built into us by our own efforts. It is developed when we quit striving and learn to abandon ourselves completely to His will.”

CLOTHED WITH POWER

The disciples were in such great need for power to become witnesses that they were not to leave Jerusalem until they had it. “Power” is dunamis, and it speaks of the miracle realm. The root word means “ability”. Imagine it – we get to be clothed with God’s ability!

Even though the remaining 11 apostles were already the most trained people in signs and wonders in history, except for Jesus Himself, they still needed to be clothed with power from on high, which came from a power encounter with God Himself. And they knew they had it when they got it!

PBJ asserts that some have said it’s improper to seek for an experience with God because of their fear of error. “After all, many deceived groups have come from those who based their beliefs on experiences in conflict with Scripture. Under the guidance of such attitudes, fear becomes our teacher. But why aren’t those same individuals afraid of belonging to the doctrinally stable camps that are powerless? Is this deception any less dangerous than that of the power abuser? Will you bury your gifts and tell the Master when He comes that you were afraid of being wrong? Power and character are so closely aligned in Scripture that you cannot be weak in one w/o undermining

the other.” In two weeks David & Diana will share; then the rest of ch. 10.