Val Thomas - Resurrected by the Power of God
5-18-08 * West Virginia
In the Times
What EXCITING times we're living in! When the MAJOR MEDIA reports on a dead woman coming back to life - with no other explanation than the POWER OF GOD - I'm compelled to say, we're in exciting times!
The healing reports coming out - not just from Lakeland, FL but from all over the WORLD - are incredible! It is obvious that we are in a different outpouring - a different manifestation - of the Holy Spirit's power - than ever before.
I see the current move, or outpouring, as one that will not be contained in ANY building, that will NOT be contaminated by any man (or woman), that will not have a title or label, but rather will be a WAY OF LIFE for these final hours.
In the Glory
In 2 Corinthians 3, Paul writes, "...that first glory was not glorious at all compared with the overwhelming glory of the new way. So if the old way, which has been replaced, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new, which remains forever!" NLT
It is my personal belief that we are now beginning to see and operate in the periphery of that glory. Don't misunderstand me - I am certainly not trying to minimize this outpouring. I am not trying to minimize the visitations of glory (even in my own home five years ago). Yes, we have seen some AWESOME miracles, signs, and wonders... resurrections, limbs growing out, gold and oil appearing, feathers, glory clouds, etc., but brothers and sisters - this is just a PREVIEW of things to come! Seriously! Think of what we're seeing right now in the same way you think about those "Coming Attractions" previews you see in the movie theater advertising a film that is coming out soon. The outpouring of God's Spirit that is COMING is going to overshadow this outpouring, and so on and so on, daily intensifying, until that glorious moment when we're transformed in the twinkling of an eye!
The "sleeping giant" is finally waking up, and is going to possess the land! I heard a GREAT statement recently by a beloved pastor friend of mine. He said, "Revival is God's kiss on the sleeping bride, to wake her up and get her ready for the Bridegroom." I really liked that!
In the Love
A notable attribute of this great awakening is something that has been dormant among the followers of Christ for a long time, but is also coming back to life - unconditional love. There is a LOVE REVOLUTION taking place, and I believe it is one of the key components of what we're beginning to see sweep the globe at this time. I believe that those who have been in church for 10 - 20 - even 40 years - sleeping, cold, loveless, are getting touched and coming alive! They are learning how to embrace and walk in the REAL LOVE of God, and to see the manifest power of the Holy Spirit working in and through them as they lay their hands on people and speak life into their bodies... as they wrap their arms around people and kiss them on the cheek, with the words "I LOVE YOU!" Genuinely meaning it!
I also feel it is important for all of us to comprehend what is going on, where we're at (in the overall scheme of things), and to use our words carefully. So many people I encounter are throwing terms around without really knowing or understanding their meaning; they use them because they're trendy and fit with what is taking place at the moment, yet they have no clue what they're really saying. Let's be educated as we learn to stand in the GLORY that is being revealed in this hour.
In the Words
Isn't it awful trying to listen to someone speak who really doesn't know what they're talking about? Or to go even further, what kind of experience is it when someone is trying to sell you something they're really not all that familiar with? As promoters of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, it is very important for us to not only "sound" educated, but to BE educated. Therefore, when we try to tell someone about the magnificent love of Jesus, or the amazing, excellent miracles that are taking place, we should not only sound intelligent, but BE intelligent in our words.
Let's start with the most used (or overused) word we're seeing/hearing right now: "revival". One definition says, "a meeting or a series of meetings of evangelical Christians intended to awaken religious fervor in those who attend." That one makes me want to say, "Yuck!" This says to me, "Let's get some guest speakers lined up, tune up the worship team, do some advertising, and call it a revival." It's a flimsy attempt at manipulating the Holy Spirit into moving on some people, and for what? To fit in? To be able to say "We're in revival?"
Please don't misunderstand me. I know and understand the "Pastor's Heart." It's that of a shepherd... to see his or her flock prosper and be happy... to see church growth... to see the community benefit. And what pastor wouldn't LOVE to host the next great series of meetings like Brownsville, Toronto or Smithton? Or to experience so much growth that they have to build a new sanctuary to hold their meetings? However, this outpouring isn't going to be like that! It's not going to be, "Hurry - let's get tickets for Chicago (or wherever it's happening), before we miss what's going on there!"
What we're experiencing now are the "flare-ups" - if you will - of a WORLDWIDE FIRE that is going to literally cover the globe. We are seeing little fires that are ultimately going to join together and change the face of the world as we know it. We're seeing the birth of a new lifestyle for the believer. I believe this global covering will occur right before the rapture of the church. Am I predicting the rapture? Absolutely not! Is it right around the corner? I believe it is. But the corner could be tiny, or quite large. We just don't know; only the Father knows. What we DO KNOW is this: the reports are coming in more often, from more places, and of more amazing miracles, signs and wonders than ever before.
Here is the definition of revival I prefer: "the process of bringing somebody back to life... " Now, that one rocks! I hear so many say that revival only pertains to Christians being "set on fire for the Lord" again. I disagree. Per the above definition, revival is "making alive that which is dead." The WORLD at large is spiritually dead. Our job, according to the words of Jesus, is to get out there and bring them back to life! To REVIVE them! And in this situation, the "defibrillator" is the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
Another word being thrown around right now is "impartation." I honestly believe that very few people using it know what it really means. Therefore, I felt it important to examine its actual meaning and how it is used in the Word.
According to the dictionary, impart means, "to communicate information or knowledge..." I believe many people are getting this word confused with "transference," which means, "the transferring of something from one place or person to another." As many pastors and leaders have indicated in recent weeks, this "FIRE" is "transferable." In other words, if I get it on me, and I touch you, you'll get it on you.
Paul used the word "impart" (Greek word metadivdwmi) to say he wanted to "give" or "share" with his friends a spiritual gift. In other words, he wanted to "communicate his knowledge" to them about a spiritual gift. And, I'm sure in the process, they would ultimately receive the gift (if they wanted it) through impartation (communication of the knowledge of) and prayer (possibly through transference).
"Anointing" is another word that is very misunderstood. In fact, most people believe this is something that "falls on them" - like a mantle in the Old Testament that would be placed on someone's shoulders. We even have songs that communicate this idea. Let's first examine the word "anoint." According to the dictionary, it means, "to rub oil or ointment on a part of somebody's body, usually the head or feet, as part of a religious ceremony." Almost every instance of this word found in the Bible uses it in this context. However, in such passages as Acts 10:38, 2 Corinthians 1:21-22, 1 John 2:20 and 1 John 2:27, it is used in the context of a PERMANENT ointment from the Holy One - the Holy Spirit - rather than oil. Since the Holy Spirit doesn't reside on our exterior (outside of our bodies), then one would quickly understand that this "anointing" lives on the inside of us (at the spirit level). The Holy Spirit anointing is inside every believer, just waiting to be activated and released to do the work of healing and bringing LIFE!
Of particular concern is the term to "move God." I'm sure you've heard people say things like, "If we just pray harder or sing louder or weep longer, we'll move God." God already moved. It's already a done deal. God, by grace, has already provided everything we will ever need. Our singing, wailing, weeping, or begging doesn't move God. Even faith doesn't move God. If God hasn't already moved by His grace, then our faith can't make Him. Faith simply appropriates what God has already provided by grace. If He's already provided for our needs by His grace, then faith is just our positive response to what God has already done - not something we do to get God to respond to us.
I know that for many this will be a hard concept to process. But, if you really stop and think about it, using common sense, doesn't it stand to reason that EVERYTHING we would ever need was provided for in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the provision of his Holy Spirit? God has already provided it ALL! Why would He go through all that He did, only to leave us with a system where we need to grovel on the floor to get him to move? I think not! It is up to US to move! It is up to US to realize what we have and who we are and begin appropriating the power of the Holy Spirit the way the disciples did.
Think about this - Jesus never taught his disciples to go around and find sick people, and write down their names and prayer requests, and then bring them back to him for consideration. Quite the contrary! He instructed them to go find the sick and "HEAL THEM" in His Name! And furthermore, the Bible says that EVERYONE they ministered to received healing! Wow! When I noticed that, I immediately realized a few things - a) it is absolutely God's plan for EVERYONE to be healed; b) potentially, every single person i minister to will be healed; c) the power to heal came from the Holy Spirit anointing that was inside of them - and is inside of ME! (and you!) What a deal! It's already provided for!
I encourage you brothers and sisters - let's use wisdom when choosing our words, and not make statements that are contrary to God's plan or to His Word. EVERYTHING we need has already been provided for us. We are in the most exciting time in history! It doesn't take a scientist to realize that we are at the "one minute before midnight" - let's take what He's given us and run with it!
Go and heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons, and bring the LOVE of Jesus to as many hurting and hopeless people as you possibly can!
You've got the stuff! Go out and use it!
Blessings,
Dave Moore
River of Glory Ministries
Antioch, CA
---
Thankyou for contributing to Revival-Fire!
You are currently subscribed to revival-fire as: [revivalfirenetwork@gmail.com]
HOW TO JOIN:
Send an e-mail to:
revival.fire_admn@yahoo.com
Subject: subscribe revival-fire, yourusername@yourdomain
To UNSUBSCRIBE, send the following message
to: lyris@hub.xc.org
subject: unsubscribe revival-fire, yourusername@yourdomain
Enter the following line in the main text body
unsubscribe revival-fire, yourusername@yourdomain
Comments? Questions? Contact the following:
Revival Fire Site Overseer/Supervisor: Pastor Rich Oliver, Family Christian Center
e-mail: riverrgo@msn.com
Technical and Admin oversight: Eric Leach
e-mail: revival.fire_admn@yahoo.com
TO POST MESSAGES TO REVIVAL FIRE:
Send your message as an e-mail
TO: revival-fire@hub.xc.org
Subject: (insert your message subect)
REMEMBER!!! If you hit "Reply" to a message received, it will only go to the
original poster, not everyone on the list. If you want your response to go to
all members, make sure the "TO:" address is revival-fire@hub.xc.org
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No comments:
Post a Comment