"Testimony" comes from the word; "To do it again". When you share a testimony of what God has done in a miracle in your life - that testimony is a sharing of a prophecy and it carries with it a power to duplicate what you are testifying happened to you".
So here it is!"I have a sensing in my spirit that for some of you it has been a tough week and you are licking a few wounds today. Not all of you but some of you are licking wounds - some disappointments this week. Some frustrations. How do you know this Rob? Well I have been praying and waiting on God and I want you to know that it is okay to sit here today with some wounds and relax and God is here to love you and heal you and restore you and comfort you. I want you to feel no pressure. You just sit there and listen as I share some testimonies and you let the love of God come to you and just heal you up alright? You will leave this place restored and whole and ready to face life again - alright?
We all have those times - we all have days, weeks or seasons where we go through times where we wonder; "Am I really saved?" - "Am I really a Christian?". That is fine. I've never had one of those days of course! No disappointments! Life has been easy for me! Those are good to have those days - it is good to have those times and God can touch your marriage and restore romance and love to your marriage where there has been a bit of frustration. Anyway some of you will think that someone has told me about your week and you are right. Someone did and His Name is Jesus!
The Bible says that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy so I want to share some testimonies today and then teach a little bit. I want to share some testimonies because you remember that testimonies carry the power to duplicate what they are talking about and so want to read some of these testimonies to you. Last night in our home we had a wonderful time and we had a number of people in this church testifying of some amazing miracles of healing in their bodies that happened here last weekend.
So I want to talk about some of the feedback we have had from around the world in the last week and I think one or two are from the week before. So all of these are current - these are all within the last week and some the week before.
1. So this is from someone by the name of Guy Lacy and he says;
"Hi Rob and Glenda I wanted to get in touch with you to encourage you and City Church International for the impact you have had both within my life and the life of our church plant in Montreal, Canada". Then he talks about how they planted in January this year in Montreal. He says; "This however is not why I am contacting you because I feel like for the first time our church - Victory Heights International - has come to the place of preaching and believing the gospel. I don't say that speaks of the past but only that it speaks of the future. There has always been a mixture of law and grace if not full law in any of the messages I have heard.
That is until I began to listen to your messages on grace in early 2007 and now on the righteousness of God in 2008. I must admit it has taken some time for me to make the turn but now I am turned on baby!!!!".
How many of you found it took you a while to accept this message? If you will tell me the truth it is because it sounded too good to be true. It is because you were dealing with centuries of contradictory information with the mixing and confusing of Old and New Covenants together.
"I can now saw confidently from the Scripture that I am the righteousness of God! Not only can I say it but those in our flock are believing it and confessing it. I can't tell you all the wonderful testimonies that have come from this. Last night we prayed for a couple and the Holy Spirit fell on the room as we confessed and agreed with the Holy Spirit that we are the righteousness of God. We agreed with the Holy Spirit! We are convinced - John 16:1 - Wow!". You remember that I taught out of John 16. "A joy broke out in the room that had us praising God like never before. The Spirit descended so thick on the room that all of us were laid out under the power of God laughing hysterically. I didn't know that it could be this good Rob!".
These are Canadians guys! Someone says; "You couldn't pay me enough money to act that way!". Well when the Holy Spirit falls on you - you will do it for free!
"Opposition to this message has already begun and we expected that even from those close to us. But we are convinced and every Scripture we read convinces us that this revelation now makes sense. I am a slave to righteousness (Romans 6) and there is nothing I can do about it! This is a message that will impact not only Montreal but the nations. This is a message that will set the captives free. This is the message Paul preached and glory be to God!!!!!!!! We prayed for you and Glenda last night and a prophetic word or two came out so here they are;
A. My wife Rachel saw huge container ships in the port of Hong Kong and they were exporting grace all over the world!
B. I felt that Hong Kong was the modern day Rome and that God was once again going to spread the good news through the world at an accelerated rate as it was in the early church. You are exactly where God would have you and it is very strategic for His plans. I hope this encourages you to fight the good fight of faith Rob and Glenda. Perhaps one day we will meet face to face.
Until then much love, Guy and Rachel, Montreal, Canada".
2. You guys are clapping!! Even without me asking! This came in last week from Frank in the UK;
"Hi Rob it's me again! Just want to say; 'Go for it brother!!!!'. Yes the revival is here in Watford Rob. Yes we are under attack - yes the controlling spirit is lashing out but yes - yes - yes many people are being set free. Yes the cloud of the glory is thick and His Spirit is moving. Wooo yay Father - let Your fire fall! Just listened to last week's message. (Rember on; "A Flood of the Glory is Coming!") - Rob just a small taste of what is happening. Our wonderful dear lady and close friend Renee was miraculously healed from her scoliosis on Friday night!!!!! Her leg grew before our eyes as the Holy Spirit moved during our worship time. Rob, Jesus said He is going to bring all things into alignment - what an amazing miracle of how He aligned her body as an example.
Praise You Jesus! Yes it's not about numbers Rob - it is about impact. We are taking the Book of Acts to the streets - His cloud of glory has visibly fallen over us. Just listened to your message; "There is a Flood of Glory Coming" - 10 minutes into your message the glory fell into our home like a thick mist and gold dust fell all over the house even onto my Catholic mother-in-law! Keep it up Rob! We are right behind you!!!!!! We so look forward to seeing you in the UK soon - please send our love to Steve and Gina. Much love Frank and Lara".
Isn't that wonderful!?
3. This is a dear friend of ours - well he has become a great friend. He's a young man - well he's in his early 30's and he leads a church down at Port Edward. He came to the "Glory and Grace Conference" here in Hong Kong and I didn't meet him there but he came. Then he went to the Sydney "Glory and Grace" just a few weeks ago and he got up at Sydney "Glory and Grace" and testified that before he came to "Glory and Grace" and said that the church he was pastoring was pretty dry, absent of the supernatural, little Presence of God and he said it was primarily his fault because he was dry and he was legalistic and preaching the law.
He said he came to "Glory and Grace" - got delivered - the fire of God fell on him and he got delivered and went back and immediately they started having signs and wonders and miracles and his people started to coming to church unsummoned and just volunteering and turning up in the meeting because they were so hungry to experience the Presence of God. The first morning he got back from "Glory and Grace" in Hong Kong, the worship team were practicing and the glory of God fell on them and they fell to the ground. They were talking so long in the glory that members started arriving in the car park - they began to fall on their knees in the car park and then some of them crawled into church and they had hours of meetings and the glory of God on the south coast and it is going up the north coast of Natal.
Something has been affected from Hong Kong!
I met him in Sydney and took him out for lunch and he says;
"Hi friends - thanks so much for all your continued input into our lives and we appreciate your love and support more than you will ever know. Thanks for all the meals, and lifts, and coffees and all - I wanted to boast about how magnificent our God is. This happened after the Sydney Glory and Grace Conference. I was invited to minister at a conference in Port Alfred and it was a conference by the Church of the Nations - about 500 people were there. I did four sessions - two each day. There were churches represented there today and different visitors with Methodists etc. I went to share grace and minister God's Presence with the hope of signs and wonders and miracles. He did not disappoint.
The first night God's Presence came powerfully - many were touched in meaningful ways and lots of falling, rolling, laughing, crying and shaking. God's Presence was tangible and the weight of His glory rested on us. There were also a few healings that night. Almost everyone had sparkles of gold dust. The church enjoyed that as they had not seen it before. The next night was even more amazing. The worship was heavenly and went on for ages. I preached a while on two components that sustain revival. That is - continually hungering and longing for and honouring His Presence and staying in the New Covenant. As I preached, I sensed many strongholds being shattered and truth coming home powerfully. That is what preaching under the anointing does.
Then we had a time of healing where testimonies from the night before of people who were healed and I then asked people to stand up who had the same sickness and explained that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. I asked them to raise their hands and expect them to be healed. I prayed for about 30 seconds commanding healing and rebuking sickness and the power of God filled the building. I then told people to examine themselves. 23 people were instantly healed! Praise God - it was that easy! We can actually do this! It is possible! Please tell all your folk that it can be done! Jesus wants it! It is not a time for super-heroes but for an army of believers who will carry the power of the Lion! Sorry I am getting carried away here - (because I preached on the Lion in Sydney "Glory and Grace") - just so exciting and I did not honestly know if we could see this in our ministry. I hope for it but now we see it! It is amazing!".
Then he gives a whole load of testimonies of the actual healings.
4. Here is Sean.
"Yesterday night I was fellowshipping with Jesus and reading His precious love letter and worshipping Him. Then I had this deep desire to preach the Gospel. It was ten minutes past ten at night. I jumped into my car and drove down-town filled with boldness and started preaching the Word. Later there was a crowd of ten to twelve people. After the preaching, the Bible tells us that signs and wonders follow the Word - being a doer of the Word I laid my hands on a crippled beggar. The power of God hit him and he was instantly healed! Jumping, singing and praising to his Saviour. His friends saw what happened and came up to me and said; "I also believe Jesus can heal me". I laid my hands on him - God is faithful and healed him of severe leg problems. Before we prayed he couldn't lift up his leg higher than 1 cm off the ground. After we prayed him and his friend ran around jumped and testified to the goodness of God!".
I dream of these things! And we have not affected the church - while I was living in South Africa and while I was living in Australia - like we have here. It is happening from Hong Kong! When I was living in Australia God said; "Move to Hong Kong" and I said; "Why?!". He said; "Just do it and when you go there you will touch the nations from Hong Kong". Amen? So we are a band of brothers and sisters who sort of look like a church and are touching the world.
He says; "A shop owner of a fish and chip shop saw everything that happened. He also knew the two beggars and usually hands them out free soup and bread and stood amazed at what happened. The Word was preached and healings were performed just as it was in the Book of Acts. All praise to Jesus! Please follow with me as I want to make a valid point now".
This is a very valid point here - a very valid point.
"This is not the first healing on the street that I did in Jesus Name and it will certainly not be the last. But on a couple of occasions I prayed for people in a church set up and nothing happened. I mean NOTHING happened! Once I prayed for a blind lady in a prayer meeting and nothing happened. The same happened at a church camp this year where I prayed for a man who can't walk - and guess what? Nothing happened apart from some screaming, demon-rebuking Christians trying to save the day. On the streets on the other hand big, big healings and miracles and the power of God moving radically! My question is why? Why big healings on the street and why no healings or limited healings in the church? Answer: people in the street have not been intoxicated with legalistic doctrines. I believe in the Church people are caught up in the "I did not pray and fast enough syndrome". People in the Church try to work for their healing even though they won't say it. Whereby sinners know they have no foot to stand on and only receive it as a gift. One works and the other just receives it as a gift. I felt that God was telling me last night that His glory will be poured out in the streets as in the early Church.
The world will see the power of God and not just the church between four walls. Power and glory will be seen in the streets. Glory cannot be contained - glory overflows. Glory overflows into the deepest and darkest corners around the world and glory will take us deeper into the heart of God and glory will give us such a desire and inner drive to do things that Jesus did. Jesus said; "Greater things will we do because He is going to the Father". Rob I will see you in July at the conference in Cape Town and thank you so much for preaching the truth. Sean".
Now I want to say as I share that testimony that some of you may feel condemned because I have never prayed for people in the street or had the courage to go out and preach the Word of God in the street. I want to say this to you - and I am sure Sean will agree - this ministry is all about taking the "Have-To's" off God's people! You "have to" go on the street, you "have to" pray and you "have to" go to church!
"We want to take ALL the "Have-To's" off God's people so that all the spontaneous "Want-To's" rise up!".
If you are born again then you have a new nature in Christ that loves God, that loves people and that loves the Word of God and when you strangle that new nature with laws and rules and "Have-To's" then you kill faith and with condemnation cripple believers. When you tell them that you don't have to do a thing - relax! Chill! Enjoy God! Love God! Then you end up doing things that you never planned to do! Some of you may never preach the Gospel in the street! Let me just say this; enjoy God's acceptance and God's love! Get free of the "Have-To's" and comparing yourself with others and as you walk in the love of God and get filled with God and with the glory of God, then you will find yourself doing a whole load of things that you never thought you would do!
You will do them in a different way to Sean and you will do them in a different forum and a different context and you will find that God leads you into faith actions and you will begin projects and initiatives that will be quite amazing. Then you will wonder; "Is this really me?!". I didn't learn to preach from a pulpit. I preached for my first year in the streets and lead many people to Christ in the streets.
I haven't preached in the streets for years now and I may end up doing that again. I may end up praying for cripples in the streets and many of you may end up doing that! Even though you sit here saying; "I don't know if I could" - well you can't! But when you get full of God and forget about "Having To" and relax then you may end up doing stuff!
5. Here is a guy called Bradley - I know him and he is a dear man from the church in Dubai and he is a pastor in that church. That church is partnering with us and walking with us and gave us about 2 months ago about 70, 000 Hong Kong dollars for our ministry into China which is amazing! Someone while Josh Mills was here gave Glenda a cheque for 78, 000 dollars for our international ministry. Money is coming in! I am believing for our tithes and offerings to keep going up - not because you have to but because you want to! I am believing for this whole building to be filled quite quickly! I am believing for our tithes and offerings to go up to such a place that we can do stuff! I am believing for 50 million Hong Kong dollars to come in just this year! I want to buy buildings cash and buy several buildings. I want to buy studios and care for the orphans and do education! Are you hearing what I am saying here?! I am believing for 50 million!
The reality is to do things costs money! I wish the world would say; "Rob when you get on a plane you are a pastor and you don't have to pay for air tickets". I wish when I went to a resturant they would say, "You are a pastor and you don't have to pay". They charge us! And I have preached grace to the whole eldership of this Dubai church and preached a whole week there to the congregation and that church is going through the roof. They are seeing dozens of people saved every week. They are a showcase of what the grace message is about! All the elders came to the "Glory and Grace" time and I refer to them often and say to people around the world; "If you have a problem with the grace message - go and look at the Dubai church and come and look at City Church International and you say you are afraid that the people will stop tithing because we preach grace - most of the people in this church tithe! But not under law - under Abraham and under grace because they are partners with God and in liberty!
Our people love Jesus and come to church when sick and when they are tired and have had a terrible week - our people are committed in this church! That's what our people are like! Why? Because of grace! He says this;
"Hi Rob I hope this letter finds you and your family well. By listening to you over the web I believe it does. It is very exciting to hear what God is doing in City Church - more of the people getting revelation of this amazing message and being set free. We too here in Dubai are seeing increasing glory on us as a church. Not only in our set weekly meetings but there are many testimonies coming from the marketplace, homes, coffee shops etc. Our meetings are becoming more disruptive as the Holy Spirit is taking over His Church - one thing we know as leaders is that we do not want to try and administrate what God is doing. Rather we are asking Him to lead us as we lead His people.
The desire in my heart for more of His glory has so increased that I have been ruined for life!". He says he can hardly work now and has a very responsible job! He is an engineer! He says the amazing thing is that He is coming more and more but; "I am never satisfied as there can never be an end to His glory. It is impossible to go back".
He then says a whole load of other stuff and says; "Thanks again for the obedience you have in preaching the truth of this amazing gospel - never stop but let the fire burn more and more and become more wild! God bless you, your family and City Church. Love Bradley".
6. Here's a man from Brisbane, Australia - Chris - and he says;
"Hi Rob and Glenda - it was such a blessing to be at the conference - "Glory and Grace Sydney". Thanks so much for all you sowed into people's lives. I have lived with a sense that God was an austere Father". I want some of you to really listen to this. This man was a pastor for many years. He is no longer in full time ministry but is a member of the church in Brisbane. This is a guy who is a pastor! "I have lived with a sense that God was an austere Father". That means a harsh Father. "But at the conference I had an experience that as I looked into the Father's eyes, I was like a new-born baby in the palms of His hands. Gazing into His eyes I sensed that what He was imparting to me was all the love He could pour into me. His eyes say things like; "You are My child and I love you ... You are My child and I will always be here for you ... You are My child and you are safe in My hands ... You are my child and I provided everything you will ever need".
"I now walk in a sense of His approval which draws me to spend every moment I can with Him. I want to encourage you - keep preaching the message of grace. It is what makes people fall in love with God. Then keep loving Him forever. God is not looking for slaves but children who want to walk with Him and love Him. Love in Christ, Chris and Moira".
You say - are there any more? Are you going to teach? Yes a 10 minute teach at the end of some of these testimonies. Some people don't know what to say to 10 minutes! There was a giggle of unbelief!
7. This is from a pastor of an AoG church in Australia who I had the privilidge of meeting while in Sydney at the conference and his name is Andrew McGraw. He says;
"Hey Rob, thanks for the awesome preaching and teaching in Sydney. I felt an amazing sense of God's Presence as we returned on Sunday back to church, God moved in a powerful way. Words of knowledge flowed - a hunger for God was there and many people responded again to the grace message. It is bringing hope to many people who are caught in a web of accusation and condemnation. Praise God for freedom I say. I would love to stay connected with you in some way. We would love to have you come to Melbourne some time to minister. Is that something you are open to?".
And I want to reply over the web - of course! My reply is yes!
"Once again thank you - I have no doubt you and your church are called to be forerunners in this wonderful message of grace and I just want to encourage you to keep proclaiming this message as the reach of your work is touching lives that you may only discover in eternity. Stay the distance. Endure the misunderstanding for the fruit of your work will be millions of changed lives. Andrew McGraw".
8. There are many more but let me give you one more! This is a testimony from Tony in New Zealand. He was at the Glory and Grace Conference and he says;
"Thank you Jubilee International Church". That is Fini and Isi's church. "To dear Fini and Isi, Rob and Glenda and all my friends at the Glory and Grace Conference. When I got home last Monday it felt like I had been away for 40 days although it has only been 9 days. On the Sunday before the conference I went to Jubilee Church as I arrived in Sydney. The praise and worship was so free. We hardly used the songs but sang in the Spirit and prophetic songs and harmony. We entered into another realm. People started laughing and rolling on the ground under the power of the glory of God. We were there on Sunday night service from 6pm to 9:30pm - no one wanted to go home! In fact who wants to go home when God pitches up in His manifest glory?! In the Bible when God pitched up in greater glory, people couldn't stand - they fell! Shook etc. How can the human body handle the immortal glory of our Almighty God when He just reveals a tiny bit of Himself?
In the morning when Fini preached on the voice of God as Fini quoted the Scripture when Jesus appeared to His disciples in the Upper Room, He said; "Greeting!". God spoke to my spirit to show me that He cares about me. I couldn't stop crying. And just as well, I was the first person that Fini prayed for that day. The conference started on Wednesday to Saturday and we had so much of God during this time that no one wanted to and couldn't go home! Under the glory people were falling under the power and majesty of God praying for one another and laughing and shaking just under the manifest Presence of God. Services start at 9:30am and one time we were so much under the glory that we didn't go home until 3:30pm! Then night services started from about 7pm till about 10pm - glory, glory, glory!".
I am just reading what he is saying!
"We were so close to God at times that I swear that angels were there even though I never saw them. On Thursday morning in the second session it was a time of impartation when we waited on God and some of the leaders prayed for us. Then all of a sudden I smelt this perfume but I thought it was a lady in front of me. But it doesn't make any sense - why would she go and put some perfume on between the services?".
I don't know but it does happen! He is a man and doesn't understand!
"Then I smelt the perfume very strongly! It was coming from the aisles and then Fini said through the microphone that some people had smelt wine and perfume and fragrance. Then I realised it was God. I smelt other fragrances as well for about 15 to 20 minutes all around the auditorium. Other signs and wonders were that this lady got a platinum filling (which is Millie here) in her tooth. Someone had a word of knowledge for a filling in her left tooth and she discovered it had been filled with platinum. One guy I was having coffee with suddenly discovered he had a gold tooth - completely gold - and it was a silver filling before. The most important highlight of this conference was the teaching on the grace of God. The teaching about the free gift of righteousness - that once again just like Martin Luther had to stand against legalism in his day and bring about the doctrine of justification by faith that we are saved by grace from first to last - so the same thing is happening again.
God is calling grace reformers to arise again! There is so much legalism in the Church and people think that they can earn their salvation and God's blessing by their own works. Glorious signs and wonders will follow the preaching of the gospel of grace. It is only through understanding and living in grace that we will tap into the greater glory. Legalism, control of man, religious spirits, spirit of witchcraft - control and manipulation, is not the gospel!
When the Bible says "Rejoice" what do you think that means? Does it mean to smile? No it means to rejoice by the Spirit of God - laughing, shouting, happiness, dancing with all your might. God is God and He can do whatever He likes in the heavens above and on the earth below. He is the Creator. It is just as easy for God to create for someone a whole new liver rather than heal his sick liver. We didn't come for a particular group or denomination - we came for Jesus. To seek His face alone! No other agenda! There was such unity among us. We just sought after His face - His glory by His righteousness - His grace.
We could draw as close to God as we liked!
I wasn't seeking after the signs. But the Bible clearly declares that God is a miracle-working God and He confirms His Word with various miracles and signs by His Spirit". Then he says here that he is listening to MP3s on the grace of God almost every day.
Let me just give you this prophecy that Joshua Mills gave to us. When did we pick Joshua up? On Sunday afternoon we picked him up from Hollywood at Disneyworld here in Hong Kong of course and we got there about half an hour early. So we pulled alongside of the road outside the hotel and Glenda and I were agonising over some of the opposition that has come from a particular part of the world that we have cancelled going there. There are so many problems that we don't want leaders panicking about the grace message. We love the Body of Christ and we are not going to go in until this period is over and things calm down. We have thousands of people wanting to come to our conference but we still closed it down because it is not about us just getting our way - but it is about the church and the right timing.
So we are going to another city and we are going to hold the conference in another city - so many will fly from the other city to that city. I say that with no judgement over people panicking. I am not an enemy of those opposing us - I love them. I am their friend. I want to see their churches prosper! I don't want to cause division in the Body of Christ unnecessarily. There comes a point where God says you must go anyway because the door is open so do it. You will not always be popular because Jesus wasn't and neither was Paul the apostle. I was reading Acts 21 last night where Paul - this great apostle of grace and a Jewish apostle - that had been shipwrecked and imprisoned and lied about and betrayed because of this message of grace! That was what was being fought about - this message of grace. He was attacked by devils because of this message of grace. The thorn in the flesh - the messanger from Satan - was sent to buffet him.
Right at the end of his life in Acts 21 he goes down to Jerusalem and he meets with James and the other Jewish apostles and the elders of the church there. What is amazing to me is that the apostles in Jerusalem have already drifted from the grace of God and are mixing grace with law again. That happens so easily to the church! They say to Paul; "Paul! We have many Jewish converts here in Jerusalem and if they find out that you are here then it will cause a lot of trouble because they have heard that you are going all around the world and seeing Gentiles and Jews converted to Christ and you are telling Jewish converts that they are not under the law and they don't have to circumcise their children and the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem are mad with you!".
Now I want to say to those Jewish apostles - you are at fault my friends because you have mis-taught your Jewish converts in Jerusalem! The Bible clearly teaches that Christ is the end of the law, we are redeemed from the curse of the law and Christ cancelled the written code that stood opposed to us at the Cross!
And all the "Have-Tos" and all the "Must-Tos" were cancelled and we are birthed into grace. So they say to Paul; "If they find out that you are here there will be trouble so Paul will go shave your head and submit to Jewish rituals". So Paul - blow me down - submits to that! Big mistake! He goes through a purification of Old Covenant and while he is in the temple obeying these Jewish apostles who have come under the deception of going back to law and Old Covenant - while he is submitting to these apostles (which he shouldn't have done) - the Jewish zealots see Paul and rush at him and try to kill him. "Here's the man that is teaching people that they don't have to keep the law and are not under the law!". They start beating him up and try to kill him and the unsaved Romans have to come in and rescue Paul and he is put in prison and goes to Rome.
Friends I want to tell you - anyone that says if you are a Jew and come to Christ but still must stay under law then need to go read Acts 21. It is clear that Paul was teaching Jewish converts that you are no longer under law but are in grace. But he suffered for that message!
If I teach law and legalism and holiness like some people do then I would be popular with the control freaks. But you know who we are popular with? Not the control freaks but with people who are tired of being controlled and being under condemnation and are just loving being under this message! Our website jumped to 36, 000 downloads last month and it will go through the roof friends!
So it is sad to hear these things. So we are sitting in the motor car just before picking up Joshua and we are sitting there agonising saying; "What are we going to do with all this criticism?". It is only coming from a few leaders but what are we going to do with it? Because we have been accused of some ridiculous things! What we are supposed to have taught - and we don't by the way! People who criticise are not listening to the series and are just hearing what other people say! The Bible process says you go to the person you have had a problem with and you don't talk to other people. If you have a problem with me then you don't talk to other people. You don't talk to everyone else about it! And if I am in sin and I tell you; "Don't tell me that - I am the pastor! You are in rebellion" then you go get another person and both of you come to me and you are both witnesses of my stubbornness and my arrogance and then you go and tell the whole church.
"Watch out for that guy - he is a cult leader - he is a controller". You never talk to someone else about the problem you have with someone - you only go to the person you have a problem with! Privately and in the hope that they will say; "I am so sorry I have been treating you like that - you know I am wrong and I repent and ask you to forgive me". Then you don't tell another person! Amen? Someone says; "Well I haven't always done that". Well live free - and don't do that in the future!
So we are sitting in the car agonising saying "What can we do? What shall we do?" and we didn't tell Joshua Mills about the criticism and he comes in and as you know, in the middle of the meeting he started prophesying over us. I was blessed by what he said but I didn't actually get everything because I was getting more blessed by your support as you were shouting and clapping because you knew what was going on!
So I was getting so blessed that I had to get it typed out to know what he said. But he says here;
"God says you have been on display and others have been watching. You have been on display for others to look and people to criticise, for people to accuse and for people to point fingers but God says in the middle of the fire there is a manifestation of the glory that is coming forth in your life that wasn't there before the fire and what the enemy has meant for harm - I am taking that thing and turning that thing around and I am causing the greatest gold to come forth.
I am causing the greatest glory you have ever known to begin to manifest in your life for surely you shall begin stepping out of the fire (Rob: "Whoopeee!") and you shall begin manifesting the glory of My Presence in a greater way than ever before and those that were watching while you were on display who said you will never make it - for surely you are a failure, surely it is not of God - God says surely they shall see and it shall not only be a sign and a wonder but it shall be a testimony - the testimony of Jesus Christ, the hope of glory inside of you.
I see you stepping out of the fire and I see you walking into a new place - a new season of blessing. It is opening for you even right now and in that place there is a divine acceleration and a divine increase - supernatural favour, abundance and blessing being poured out upon you. I see miracles beginning to flow where there were no miracles before. I almost see like garden flowers beginning to spring forth where it doesn't seem like they could be any flowers. Didn't seem like there could be any harvest in areas where people have looked and said; "Surely there can not be a harvest" - God says, "I am going to GIVE you the harvest".
Not only shall you see it, but you are going to reap it! You are going to reap it for many see the harvest but do not receive it but God says you shall see it and you shall have it".
Can you say amen!? Thank You Lord Jesus! Now I literally just want to speak for a few minutes.
We live under a friendly happy sky! We live under a Father who's face towards us is one of great favour!
You are very safe in the Father's favour! Men cannot disappoint you because they never appointed you! They can't "Dis-appoint" you because they never "appointed" you! God appointed me to this message before time began! He chose me to bring a recovery of the Gospel of grace and for the Church to be restored to living only in the freedom of the New Covenant.
I do believe we should read the Old Covenant and know the types and shadows that are in the Old Covenant - for Christ is hidden in the Old Covenant in shadow and revealed in substance in the New Covenant! But we don't live under the Old Covenant law at all!
God appointed me for that! So no man can "dis-appoint" me.
No man can fire me because no man hired me! God called me - not as my Boss to salary me but as my Father to do the family business!
No apostle - no man appointed me! God appointed you and me and that's why when people hear this message they stand up against controllers and say "No I am not submitting to that anymore!". My refusing to submit is not rebellion - I am submitting to God! We submit to one another out of reverence for Christ!
But friends, you can NEVER submit to a controller!
It is dangerous! Glenda and I were sitting watching a TV documentary on cults last night - it was on our multi-choice TV channels. It was just shocking as to what cult leaders have got away with. But you know there are some church situations in our modern world that are not as extreme as that but there are signs and traces of some of that bully-boy control! God is saying "Let My people go that they may worship Me and know it is unto Me they are called!". My Father gave me a coat of many colours - I don't care if my brothers are jealous of that! I am going to wear it friends because my Father gave it to me! It's got lots of colours and I am going to wear it because my Father gave it to me. It may make them mad but they didn't give it to me - my Father gave it to me and they can't disappoint me because they never appointed me!
God appointed me! God appointed you! My Father is your Father! Do you understand that your Father is my Father? When you talk to the Father you are talking to my Father! When I talk to the Father I am talking to your Father! Now I see Him in you - I see Jesus in you! You have got to know your identity. Your identity - you are a son or daughter of God. You are a new creation, the light of the world, the salt of the earth, the people of God, the ambassadors of God's government, His children, His glorious riches and His inheritance - you belong to Him!
I want to talk just a few minutes about why you should condemn condemnation and accuse accusation and grab guilt by the throat and get out of the religious boat and float and wear your Father's glory coat!!
I got that yesterday because I was writing a foreword to a wonderful book on grace written by a man called Dion Stevens and is being published soon from Cape Town. That was part of the foreword there! But I want you to open to Romans 8 and this is what I want to say to you - that is very helpful. The New Testament is God's love letter to you and is perfumed with His Presence. The Bible says in 2nd Timothy 3:16 that all Scripture is God-breathed and God-inspired and useful. It says we must "rightly divide the Word of God lest we be ashamed". So this is a principle I teach over and over again in this church and around the world. There are passages in Scripture that are so clear they don't need interpretation and don't need you to try and work out what they say and are so clear that you are secure in Christ. Then you have got other passages that are a little bit obscure and not so easy to understand. Watch out for people that major on those obscure passages and that are not always easy to understand. You come at them with the clear passages that everyone knows that it is saying but they want to go to the obscure passages.
The first question you will be taught in theology class and in exegesis of the Scripture (which is how to read the Scripture) - the first thing you must ask when you open up the Bible is; "Who is this book written to?". The Bible was not written into a historical vacuum. There was a reason this book was written and there were people it was written to! Amen? So whenever Paul writes his letters he always says; "To the saints in Ephesus", "to the saints in Phillipi" - so you know he is talking to those who are in Christ.
All his letters will encourage you on the message of grace and that you are in last Adam secure forever!
When you get to the Book of James - and you must understand that James is inspired by God and I love the book of James - but James starts off by saying; "To the 12 tribes". So it isn't to the saints but to the 12 tribes. You think; "Who are the 12 tribes?". Not to the saints! There may be some difficult passages there but don't get confused or worried about it because he is talking to a mixture - sometimes to Christians and sometimes to Jews. So he is talking about; "Beat your hearts oh you sinners!" in James 4 - he is talking to self-righteous people under the law and you need to discern and rightly divide!
If you read 2nd John and 3rd John - you will see that John the apostle says the lady to whom he writes and to whom he is writing to. In 1st John he doesn't tell us who he is writing to! So you must be careful who he is writing to. He doesn't say to the saints. Many people believe (and I agree) that in 1st John - he is writing to a mixed audience of Gnostics and Christians under the influence of Gnostics.
Gnostics were the New Agers of 2000 years ago. They didn't believe that there was any sin in the world - that whatever you do it isn't sin. So John is writing to the Gnostics and Christians influenced by them (not the Gospel of John but 1st John) - to a mixed audience. So I personally believe where he says in 1 John 1:8 where he says; "If you confess your sins, He is faithful and just" - I personally believe he is talking to people that need to get saved. Later on he talks to Christians that are under the influence of Gnostics.
I have got to say that - because I want to encourage you to read your Bibles and always ask; "Who is this letter being written to?". Because this book should be something you read with joy!".
And not read something that will confuse you! You know what I am saying? When it gets to Hebrews chapter 10 we love the first half because it says; "By one sacrifice He has made perfect forever all those being made holy". So we are perfect forever in the righteousness of God! He says there is no more sacrifice for sins left. Now you don't need anymore sacrifice because the final sacrifice was made and you are righteous and perfect forever! Then he writes on and says; "If after receiving the knowledge of the truth then you continually deliberately sin, there is no sacrifice left but just the wrath of God". So you think; "Well I've sinned a few times since I got saved and it was deliberate too!". All sin is deliberate friends! I committed adultery and didn't know it happened!?! All sin is deliberate.
But what is the context? Who is he writing to? He is writing to Hebrews - Jews that have been converted to Christ and some haven't been converted to Christ and he didn't say "You have been saved" - he said; "You received the knowledge of truth". Receiving the knowledge of truth is a whole lot difference from receiving salvation. The whole book of Hebrews is writing to Jews to explain to them the Old Covenant is inferior and Jesus is superior - the New Covenant is superior with better promises and we are perfect by one sacrifice! Now you know the truth but you haven't come to Christ and continue to deliberately sin. He tells us what that sin is! They are trampling the blood of Jesus under foot! What are they doing? Putting their faith in the law - putting their faith in Old Covenant sacrifices and not in Jesus. Paul says that there is no sacrifice after Jesus so whatever you are doing - if you keep rejecting salvation in Christ and keep relying on the law and temple sacrifices and animals and goats and sheep then you will go and face God one day without any salvation because Jesus is the only and last sacrifice for salvation.
He is talking about their deliberate sinning is rejecting Jesus and relying on the Old Covenant and on the law and on temple sacrifices system. Read the book in context! That's all! You see the church has been programmed for years with condemnation so that when they read the wonderful letters of Paul to the saints they get so excited and then read other books and they are not sure who they are written to and then go; "Oh this is contradicting the good stuff and what is it?! Good or bad?!". So you have Christians who are spiritual schizophrenics and enjoy grace but avoid those parts of the Bible that seem to contradict.
No! Read those parts confidently! They do not contradict but confirm how powerful this grace message is! And warn people don't go to the Law and don't rely on Old Covenant sacrifices because that is trampling the blood underfoot.
We do not trample the blood under foot! We are delivered! God is not counting our sins against us - we are perfect forever! We don't need another sacrifice - Jesus is enough! We are the righteousness of God and we are out of first Adam and are in last Adam! The only reason that legalism has been able to stay in the church is because of wrong Bible exegesis and taking obscure passages and majoring on them instead of reading them and getting our theology from the letters written to the saints - I am a saint! I am in Christ! Those are the letters that I build this message of grace on! Amen?
Let's look at Romans 8:1; "There is now therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus". Now we are going to go to verse 31. I want to show you something that is very important. Your heavenly Father is not condemning you - He is not accusing you. I want to prove to you that He is doing the absolute opposite to condemning you!
He is not condemning you or accusing you but has actually taken a posture of responsibility to protect you and defend you against accusation and against condemnation.
Revelation 12 says the devil is the accuser of the Christian. The devil! Your Father is not accusing you and not condemning you but defending your innocence - not through your performance but your innocence through the blood of Jesus and the righteousness of God and Jesus performance on your behalf. Now I promise you if the Father is defending your innocence and if the Father is not accusing you or condemning you - Jesus is doing the same and the Holy Spirit is doing the same. If the Father is defending you and not accusing you then the Holy Spirit will not point fingers at your fault or convict you of any sin except the sin of unbelief in Jesus.
He will convict you and convince you that Jesus has gone to the Father and what is Jesus doing at the Father's right hand? Interceding and mediating for you that you are the righteousness of God and the Holy Spirit is convincing you that the devil who accuses you is judged and condemned! You can't have a Father who is defending your innocence and a Spirit who is pointing out your failures and making you feel guilty. You can't have a Father who's doing that and Jesus is condemning you. Father, Son and Holy Spirit act in unity to defend your innocence and there is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus!
Let's read this (v31) - "What then shall we say in response to this? If God is for us - who can be against us?". Let me read that again! "If God is FOR US who can be against us?!". You can have people come against you but they can't succeed! Because God is for us and then who can be against us? "He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also along with Him graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies! Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus who died more than that, who was raised to life is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us - who shall seperate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written we face death all day long". That is one of the joys of being an apostle. "As sheep to be slaughtered - no in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life neither angels nor demons, neither the present, nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else".
That sums it up friends! "Neither anything else in all creation will be able to seperate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord". Everything else refers to even your sin! Under the Old Covenant your sin definately would seperate you from God.
But under the New Covenant - better covenant, better promises, superior Mediator so NOTHING in all of creation can seperate you from the love of God! Anytime you feel seperated from God's love that is not authentic, legitimate or integrity - it is a lie from the devil and you have not guarded your own heart but allowed condemnation to come into your heart because of ignorance about the New Covenant.
So when you are feeling condemned, you think "That must be because I deserve to be condemned!".
No - you did deserve to be condemned, but Jesus was condemned in your place and you are given His righteousness so you are the righteousness of God and there is now NO condemnation to those in Christ because the Father is defending your innocence and so is Jesus and so is the Holy Spirit! That is why you MUST condemn condemnation and actively accuse accusation and you MUST take guilt by the throat and you MUST get out of the religious boat and float and you MUST wear your Father's glory coat!
You must! For the sake of millions of Christians who are confused about this clear and simple reality of the New Covenant! You must walk in joy and live free from condemnation! You MUST!
"I am going to close with this and I am going to make a statement now (and when you get this and you will, you will understand the basis of my entire ministry). This is what my entire ministry is based on and this is what the entire "Glory and Grace Conferences" are based on and why there is such power encounters in those conferences and this is what this entire church is based on - the statement I am going to make. The success of this church is based on this and the influence we have on so many nations is based on this statement:
"To the degree that you get rid of condemnation over your life, to that degree the glory Presence of God will manifest over your life. Much condemnation? Little glory Presence on your life, your home and your family. Little condemnation over your life? Much manifest glory of God over your life! No condemnation over your life? FULL manifestation of the fullness of glory over your life!".
We will not do the works Jesus did and the greater works which He promised a generation would do until we deal with this issue of condemnation! The more you get rid of condemnation, the thicker and more beautiful the glory coat of the Father comes over your life. The more you carry people will see Jesus in your life and will feel Him in your touch and feel Him in your words. There are churches that say; "Yes but we had a glory meeting and the Presence of God came". Yes I know but weeks go by and very little is left. What they call the Glory Presence is a very low anointing and they have only Presence very occasionaly because they have a mixture of law and grace so when they get the grace part right and get a bit of the glory and then they go back under law and see the glory fade.
2 Corinthians 3 - Paul says the ministry of death or the 10 Commandments written on tablets of stone brought condemnation - a ministry of death and a fading glory. But the gift of righteousness in the New Covenant brings an unfading glory. To the degree you get rid of condemnation in your life, to that degree you will walk in the glory of God. Any time of the day and I will pick this up next week and show you what condemnation is. It is not sinning and feeling bad - you shouldn't even feel bad when you sin - you should say; "Father I am sorry - that is not consistent with my nature but I thank You it is dealt with at the Cross". There are a lot of other ways the devil attacks us with condemnation. It isn't just in the area of sin but in the area of disappointing people, fitting into their plans for your life.
You think religious condemnation - but there is a whole lot of other condemnation that will diminish the glory in your life.
I want a priesthood of all believers so that EVERY believer in this church is UTTERLY free from condemnation so the full glory is on everyone of you so when we come together there is a glory explosion! A glory explosion!
The unbelievers don't mind glory explosions - they just think "Normal -normal church!". I will close now but Bill Johnson said in Sydney something. If there wasn't such persecution on this grace message then I would take the credit for it! But I am glad that Bill Johnson has to take the flack for this because when he said this in Sydney I almost fell off my chair. I thought that is what I have been saying for the last 3 and a half years! He is leading a reformation in the earth today of signs and wonders in the local church. He said;
"You cannot lose through your bad works what you did not gain through any good works".
All we have is the righteousness of God and Bill Johnson knows they have had a revival of signs and wonders for years and years now and he knows you cannot have that if there is any kind of condemnation over the people of God. That dear brother said; "It is easy to get sinners miraculously healed but it is difficult to pray for sick Christians to get healed". Because Christians are beaten by religious legalism and feelings of unworthiness and that I haven't done enough to earn this. Amen? Healings should take place easiest in the Church actually! Also easier there. But this should be really easy here because we are the people of grace!
Give the Lord a shout and a clap just for the heaven of it!
3 comments:
I haven't been able to finish listening to this one yet, but listened to a lot of it last night. Amazing testimonies! I felt right away that we should contact Guy Lacey in Montreal, only about 10 hours driving from us! And their church plant is pretty much the same age as ours as well, so we looked him up and will probably give him a call soon. I think you're so right about not skipping the testimonies, they are so so powerful.
Dan have you been on this blog yet?
http://jesusisreal.wordpress.com/
Where is the main message so I can download it
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