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Holy Ghost & Fire Teaching
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The sparks were flying, the smoke was rising and the sky was changing as the
smoke and its smell moved across the city. So great was the sight that it
could be seen all over the city. One of the large carpet stores was on fire.
As the fire blazed out of control, the people came from all over the city. A
curious soul such as myself could also be found in the crowd. Were the
people there to aid the firemen in distinguishing the fire? Of course not,
we were there, only to watch the fire as it burned. Everything that was not
metal, glass or stone was burning to ashes. After many hours of battling the
blaze the fire was finally brought under control, and all that was left was
smoke damaged. The people who watched that factory burn have had many
exciting stories to tell, including myself.
Fire is a multifaceted force. When contained properly it has the ability to
provide heat for many different uses. Fire is used in furnaces to provide
heat for us in the winter. It is used to warm or cook food. Welders use fire
to melt their rods that hold together some of the world’s largest buildings.
Again, fire that is out of control is a violent force that can do great
damage, such as burn down carpet stores.
Because of the nature and ability of fire, it is no wonder that God refers
to Himself as a “consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29). You see, whether a fire is
contained or out of control, its violent nature has the ability to consume.
This reference to Almighty God as a consuming fire lets us know that the
Lord is not to be taken lightly or for granted. The 21st century has brought
about some events that have placed a demand upon the Lord to reveal Himself
yet to be, the all-consuming fire.
Current events have progressed to the place that not only does the legal
system of this nation promote abortion (legalized murder), we have hundreds
of thousands of so called born again believers who are pro-choice and they
also vote for elected officials who are poster children of the abortion
movement. I am aware of large denominations whose leaders support pro-choice
presidential candidates and governors, and encourage their people to do the
same. I am now speaking of the Church. Has the Church become more a part of
the sin problem than the sin solution? We are commanded, “…neither be
partaker of other men’s sins” (I Timothy 5:22). Many so-called
Christians have left the narrow way to remain in a certain liberal political
party because of the fear tactics of various candidates, a few handouts and
programs that supposedly help the poor. Many professing Christians are so
blinded by these promises and handouts that they literally refuse to see
that these power hungry candidates are only exploiting them. Do we have more
trust in the government than we do in God? Many who say they are born again
believers are no more than a Judas Iscariot who sold out Jesus Christ for
thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 27:3-5).
I can understand if a professing sinner is a homosexual or a lesbian. They
are doing what sinners do: they are sinning! However, it is quite different
when professing born again believers say they are gay. We now have pastors
and bishops of mainline churches who are coming out of the closet and are
speaking boldly and unashamedly about their gay sexuality. Let me speak
boldly also – these people may be gay, but they certainly are not born again
believers in Jesus Christ. A person must be one or the other; they
positively cannot be both. The God of the Bible does not have any gay sons
and daughters. The Bible says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is
a new creature, old things are passed away; and behold all things are become
new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Man was not born a homosexual and woman was
not born a lesbian. These paths of perversion were chosen by these people as
a result of the lust of their hearts (Romans 1:24-27). Even though this
abomination has made its way into the pulpit, no gay preacher or teacher can
change Biblical truth and justify a gay lifestyle. We need the Holy Ghost
and fire in the Church that John spoke of (Luke 3:16-17). The Holy Spirit
will lead us into truth and the fire will burn up the chaff. Many churches
have rejected the Holy Spirit and therefore, we have no fire. As long as
there is no fire in the Church, sin will run rampant in the pulpit, on the
keyboard, in the choir robes and in the pews.
Psalms 104:4 and Hebrews 1:7 declare that He will make His ministers a flame
of fire. Make no mistake about this scripture. It means exactly what it
says. God will take any person who will surrender their will, pray and fast
at the altar of sacrifice until the heavens open, and will fill them with
the fire of heaven. We are to be representatives of exactly who God is. He
is a consuming fire! We are to stand before men in the place of God and do
what He would do in a given situation. Who He is resides within us. When we
speak, our message should be truth. When we pray for people, the fire of God
should be released to consume the dross that is in their lives. His
ministers, as flames of fire are to change the destiny of individuals,
churches, cities and even nations. Whoever will be a carrier of the fire of
God will live a life of great sacrifice, well acquainted with separation,
humility, intercession, truth, fasting and of no reputation.
By His holy fire, the Lord seeks to consume the dross and the chaff that is
in us and set ablaze our yielded heart, and kindle in us an unquenchable
passion for Him and His purpose. Passion for Him and His purpose is His will
for our lives. If a person does not have a passion in their heart for Jesus
Christ, the fire of God has not burned away the dross. They have not come in
contact with one of His ministers who are as He is, a flaming fire. Passion
for Christ is the result of a pure heart. A pure heart is birthed out of the
consuming fire of the Holy Ghost. His purpose for our lives is all that
should matter. His purpose for our lives encompasses all that we are to be
about. The Church had may as well face this fact: the Lord is a refiner
(Malachi 3:2, 3). All that is not according to His will is subject to His
refining fire. He applies the fire to all that is dross or chaff (sin). To
reject or to oppose the dealing of His consuming fire is to ask for
punishment. Praise, worship or service offered to Him that is mixed with sin
is unacceptable to Him. It is distasteful. It is like wine mixed with water
(Proverbs 1:22). God hates mixture.
Very little can be compared to His servants in the local Church that have
yielded their heart to God and have allowed Him to burn away the dross, the
chaff and the sham. In a season when sin seems to abound in the Church and
in the nation as never before, God is yet righteous. He has not changed
(Malachi 3:6). His refiner’s fire is against that which is unrighteous
(Isaiah 1:25, 26). At His altar, in godly repentance and prayer is where we
will find His holy fire. The time is now for the Church to pray, fast, and
catch on fire. Any individual or church that will not pray and seek after
God with all of their heart is not serious about God and is a
misrepresentation of who He really is. We must get back to the Holy Ghost,
His truth and His demonstrations. He is the refiner. His fire will cleanse
and purify our hearts. I beseech you by the mercies of God; yield your heart
to the dealings of His consuming fire. He wants to transform you into the
likeness of who He is, that you may set your world ablaze.
For our God is a consuming fire: And His ministers a flame of fire.
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"Hot Prayin"
By Mary McIver
“That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and
patience inherit the promises.” Hebrews 6:12
The Holy Spirit is saying to us today to regulate our lives not to be
slothful. If we are to do what God has called us to do, it is time for us to
remove any trace of slothfulness! You may say, “I’m not slothful! I’m not
lazy! I work hard everyday. Matter of fact, I am working hard in the
ministry. I’m preaching the Gospel; I lead prayer; I’m on the Praise Team; I
usher; I clean...(and the list goes on). I’m definitely not lazy. No, that’s
not me.”
The truth is, we can be working everyday and still be slothful. When you
study the word “slothful” in the Greek, the word “nothros” describes
something that is dull, monotonous, or unexciting; something that is slow
and sluggish; or something that has lost its speed or momentum. This
“something” is still moving, but it isn’t moving with the same speed it once
had. The pace may not be the same. The drive may not be the same. The force
may not be the same. Slothfulness defined is not equal to laziness! An
example we can use is the gears in the vehicle you drive. “P” is for
parking. “D” is for drive. “N” is for neutral. When we place our vehicle in
“P” it means I want to park. Too many believers are in “P” for park in their
prayer life. Prayerlessness is a sin before God. I can prove it to you in
the Word of God in I Samuel 12:23. The people of this nation had turned away
from the plan of God for their life and were coming to Samuel for him to
pray for them. This is his response in verse 23: “Moreover as for me, God
forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I
will teach you the good and the right way.”
“D” is for drive. When we place our vehicle in drive, we automatically go
forward. There should be a pressing on in the Church today. A press forward
into God and all He has for us. We cannot casually go through life and have
God’s best. There should be a pressing on in our prayer life today like
never before. The end of the age is upon this generation. The powers of
darkness and the forces of evil are rampant as never before. They are
increasing in intensity and velocity. The hour is upon us for our prayers to
have the fervency that the book of James refers to and the boldness that the
book of Hebrews refers to. “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous
man availeth much” (James 5:16). Effectual, fervent, righteous prayer --
hot prayin’!
“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may
obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).
Bold throne room praying is the mandate of the hour! When we are bold to
come into the throne room, we will come out boldly! When we come into the
throne room, we come out with righteousness that has been established in our
hearts. We don’t have to work anything up. There is just a presence and
sense of righteousness that you have and you will be bold and courageous.
It’s something that will proceed from your heart when you are talking to
God. I believe that God has released a boldness and courage for this time,
especially for end-time pray-ers! God said, “And it shall come to pass
afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and
your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young
men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in
those days will I pour out my spirit” (Joel 2:28-29). So, when the Holy
Ghost is poured out on all flesh it will include a glorious side effect of
boldness that’s needed for this final hour.
Neutrality (“N”) must not be a part of our prayer vocabulary. Take time out
today to check out the spiritual temperature of your prayer life. Are you in
park, neutral or drive? And if you are in drive, what’s your pace? What
speed and velocity are you moving at? Determine in your heart you will not
travel “pony express” in the Spirit, but you will be flying “concord
express”! You need to have a constant check on yourself. As you have
therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk, regulate your lives and
conduct yourselves in union with and conformity to Him (Colossians 2:6). You
need to be running tabs on yourself all the time. Check to see if you have
lost some enthusiasm or zeal, or if you have become less interested in the
things of God. Has your prayer life become sluggish, dull, boring or
uninteresting with no conviction?
The Holy Ghost is saying “stir yourself up!” Charge your spirit! But you,
beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith (make progress, rise
like an edifice higher and higher), praying in the Holy Spirit. Possess the
fire that once burned in your heart passionately for God, and as you are
completely consumed by the fire of God, thou wilt be hot! “ I know thy
works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot”
(Revelation 3:15). BE HOT FOR GOD!
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"The Spirit of Elisha"
By Pat Beck
The following text is taken from Pat Beck’s book,
“Serving Your
Leaders Effectively.”
Just as Joshua, Aaron, and Hur faithfully served Moses (Exodus 17:8-16), so
did Elisha serve the old Prophet Elijah. Elisha was submitted to authority,
and Elijah was in authority. Their relationship is another example of church
order between a pastor and his congregation. By making himself available to
serve, Elisha positioned himself to receive from Elijah.
On three separate occasions, Elijah invited Elisha to part company with him
(v. 2,4,6). Each time, Elisha stated his determination to stay with Elijah
and serve him wherever he went. Servants in the house of God must have this
same pro-active mentality. You should consistently offer to assist your
leaders and show them your commitment to serve.
Elisha followed Elijah to Bethel, Jericho, and Jordan, and the sons of the
prophets at each location were a source of distraction. At Bethel and
Jericho, they reminded Elisha that Elijah was not going to be his master
much longer. Elisha gave the same reply in both instances, indicating that
he knew that and was focused on God’s will for his life (v. 3,5). Because
God called him to serve Elijah, Elisha did not change his confession in the
face of repeated distractions.
At Jordan, the sons of the prophets watched Elijah and Elisha, but did not
say anything. With his mantle, Elijah divided the waters and they both went
over on dry ground (v. 7-8). The other sons of the prophets, the talkers and
busybodies, remained behind.
There are rewards to faithfully serving God’s leaders. After they had gone
over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be
taken away from thee” (v. 9). Elijah did not say that to the other sons
of the prophets because they were left behind!
It was God in Elijah who invited Elisha to ask for whatever he desired. How
would you like God to invite you to request anything of Him? After being
faithful to your leaders over a period of time, God will invite you to
partake of Him in a way that will baffle those who are not submitted.
Elisha asked for a double portion of the anointing that was upon Elijah (v.
9). Elijah agreed, as long as Elisha saw him taken up into heaven (v. 10).
To have the anointing, those who serve God’s leaders must be watchful!
Elisha obeyed, and saw Elijah taken up into heaven by a whirlwind, a chariot
of fire and horses of fire (v. 11-12). Because of his service and obedience
to Elijah, Elisha received the double portion he requested. The double
portion enabled Elisha to split the waters in the same way that Elijah had
(v. 14). Elisha went over and put to work the anointing that God had given
him.
Before you can walk in the spirit of Elijah, you must walk in the spirit of
Elisha. Before you can walk in power, you must walk in service. Before you
can be a leader, you must be a follower. If you humble yourself under God’s
mighty hand, He will exalt you in His timing (1 Peter 5:6).
Elisha put in double time for the double portion. He cast aside all
distractions so he could faithfully serve the man of God. Elisha listened
and obeyed his master. Servants in the local church must have the same
attitude as Elisha in order to be effective.
You must be willing to put in double time for the double portion!
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"He Healed Them All"
By Debbie Beck
Much has been said over the years about the subject of healing. Some believe
that healings and miracles went out with the last apostle. Others believe
that God “sovereignly” chooses whom He will heal on a daily basis. Many have
based what they believe on their own personal experience or the experience
of others. There is one problem with all of these beliefs. Not one of them
is found in Scripture. None of these opinions should determine what you
believe about healing, or any other subject for that matter. True faith can
only be birthed from one source – the Word of God. Romans 10:17 tells us, “So
then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
The Word of God should determine what we believe about every area of our
lives. This is a simple concept, but many people base what they believe on
anything and everything but the Word of God. We cannot allow our mind to
draw its own conclusions outside of the Word of God for any reason. I Peter
1:25 tells us that the Word of the Lord endures forever! God has not changed
His mind about anything in His Word, including healing.
Colossians 1:15 tells us that Jesus was the “image of the invisible God.”
The William’s translation says, “the exact likeness of…” Jesus was the
physical, visible representation of God in the earth. That was a tough
concept to grasp even for the men who followed Jesus in His day. The
disciple Philip once asked Jesus to show them the Father. Jesus answers
Philip in John 14:9.
“Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou
not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how
sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?”
Jesus very plainly tells His disciples that when you look at Him, you have
seen God. If we take this scripture for what it says, then I can look at
Jesus and see everything I want to know about God. When you want to know
God’s will in a certain matter – look at Jesus. How He responded would be
the exact response of God, because Jesus was and is God. Now that we
understand that we can know God’s will by looking at Jesus, let’s look at
Jesus in the area of healing and miracles. Read the passage below for
exactly what it says.
“When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.
And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou
wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched
him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed”
(Matthew 8:1-3).
Jesus didn’t have to think twice about this situation. The Father God inside
of Him spoke up immediately and said, “I will.” There is no confusion in the
Bible about God’s will concerning healing. It is God’s will for you to
be healed! You may say, “But that’s only one man.” Let me give you
another example.
“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and
preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and
all manner of disease among the people. And his fame went throughout all
Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers
diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those
which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.”
Matthew 4:23-24
In these verses there were crowds of people and every one of them got
healed. How? By faith! They believed the Word they had heard that Jesus
could heal them. The only place ever recorded where Jesus was hindered from
healing them all was where there was unbelief (Mark 6:5-6). That is still
true today. The reason why there are no healings and miracles in many
churches is very simple. They refuse to qualify themselves through faith.
Faith is necessary to receive from God. “But without faith it is
impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is,
and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews
11:6).
Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for
ever.” God’s will has not changed, and His healing power is still at
work in the earth today! Build your faith by hearing, reading and speaking
the Word of God concerning healing. Get a hold of some good faith-building
materials that will fuel the fire in your spirit. Reach out in faith and
receive what belongs to you in Christ.
With his stripes, you are healed!
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"We Are Not Ashamed"
By Pastor Jim McIver
We
are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not
in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not
destroyed....”
II Corinthians 4:8-9
Though we have been laughed at, mocked and scorned, we, the Church, will
not fade away. We are the world’s only hope for salvation, renewal, and
revival, and we will remain until Jesus comes for us. We have been
troubled, perplexed, persecuted and cast down. At times, we’ve been our
own worst problem. Nonetheless, we are needed. Without us there will be
no revival. Actually, this world is not even worthy of us being here.
We should never be afraid or ashamed of who we are. I am not talking
about a denomination, organization, nationality or culture. I am
referring to the Body of Christ, the blood bought, blood washed people of
God who make up the Kingdom of God. We are somebody! We are the Embassy
of God, Ambassadors representing the Kingdom of God, of whom Christ is
king. We have been given a mandate and authority. Regardless of the
onslaught of the enemy, we prevail. The enemy’s only place is under our
feet (Luke 10:19). He is trampled on by the power invested within us by
the living Christ. The proud, the arrogant, the blasphemer, and the
degenerate laugh and scorn us, as though to intimidate us and make us
inferior. Ignore all of that. It’s only a facade; something temporary.
One by one, many of them will come to the Church depressed, broken,
suicidal, sick and just plain lost because they do not possess the way.
Be neither intimidated, nor angered by this godless generation. Pray for
them. They need our prayers, our understanding, and our patience. We are
the Church, and we are needed. The Church possesses what none other does.
The degenerate doesn’t know or understand that. My greater concern is
this, do we the Church understand our position in the earth? We are not
to be afraid or to run and hide. We are not to separate ourselves, take
our little water jugs and dried food to some desolate place, hiding from
the anti-Christ, waiting for Jesus to come. That is selfishness, and it
is unscriptural.
The Church is to be the salt. We are to provide taste, set the standard
and preserve. The Church is to be a light that men in darkness are drawn
to. They will come, just keep on being the light. We are a city on a
hill, and everyone is to know we are here. We hold the keys to life in
the now and hereafter. We, the Church, have truth, we have mercy, and we
have grace. These cannot be found anywhere else. Christ is in the midst
of His Church. Who He is, we are, and His Kingdom is within us (I John
4:17). We cannot be ignored.
When the barren wife comes, we pray for her and she bears a child. When
the child is born, we dedicate him to God. When the child is sick, we
pray for him and God heals him. When he is discouraged, we counsel with
him, pray with him and show him the way. We teach him to sing, to
worship, to pray, and we aid the parent in developing godly character in
him. When he is older, we provide a wedding ceremony and marry him, and
when he dies, we bury him and rejoice that he is ever at home, no more to
roam. That is the power of the Church.
We must preach, pray, worship, sing, counsel, comfort and walk the walk.
We must witness and wait with holy, prayerful and joyful anticipation.
Many will come — where else will they go? The Kingdom of God, the Body
of Christ, this glorious Church (Ephesians 5:27) has been given the
ministry and the Word of reconciliation. The Church, and none other has
been given the authority by the Word of God to unite man to his Creator,
his Lord and only source of true life. A sinner cannot lead a sinner to
Christ; man’s only true hope. The Word of reconciliation must come
through a believer, the Church (Romans 10:13-15, II Corinthians 5:17-21).
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life...” (John 14:6). This
same Jesus is the Head of the Church, whose body we are (Ephesians
1:22-23). We are one with Him, nothing more and nothing less (I
Corinthians 6:17). We, the believer, must understand our position and
hold fast our confidence (Hebrews 10:35). We are not being ignored, we
are being watched intensely. We have the answer: Jesus, the Son of God.
Do we understand that?
Again, I will say, we cannot and are not being ignored. Denied maybe, but
not ignored. God won’t allow us to be ignored. When least expected, He
causes us to surface in the most unlikely places. No one can stop that
from happening. Even a king’s castle has spider webs. The unwanted and
the unlikely, we are where men think we ought not to be. There is a
connection someplace, and it will be found. We are being watched. The
eyes of the world are on us, looking at every move we make. Guaranteed.
When Jesus was just a baby, Herod sought for Him (Matthew 2). Herod tried
to get as much information about Jesus as he could. Herod wanted him
dead. Just think, an adult, a ruler, a king and his kingdom was troubled,
afraid, intimidated and upset by a baby! For whatever reason, good or bad,
when the child was born He was sought out, searched for and found. Some
loved Him and worshipped Him, but a king and his kingdom hated him and
desired to destroy Him. Jesus was not ignored. He was watched! We are
being watched! The Kingdom of God and His Christ is established, stands,
prevails and rules over all. The enemy is terrified at that fact.
We are subjects to (or in) His Kingdom. His authority is in us, and we
reign with Him. We, the Church, are necessary and needed. In time of
trouble, we will show up; we will be there. We have been brought to the
Kingdom for such a time and task as is before us. We must be informed that
we may be relevant. We must impact the world with the transforming Gospel
of Jesus Christ.
Loved or hated, accepted or rejected, we must focus only on the purpose,
the mandate and the commission. We cannot fade in the trap of self-pity
because of rejection. That is only being denied, not ignored. If I am
being denied, I know I have been acknowledged because you can’t deny what
hasn’t been acknowledged. If I go to the bank and ask for a loan, they
may deny me the loan, but will have acknowledged that I was there. That
fact cannot be ignored.
The Church is here to stay until Jesus comes for us. Men may laugh, scorn
and mock us, but we will stand. The enemy may attack us, cast fiery darts
at us, and try to cover us with gross darkness by refusing us our rights
and defaming our character, but we will not give up, quit, or even back
off. We will and must wrestle in prayer and hold high the bloodstained
banner until hell and all of its subjects understand a few things: we are
not distressed, we are not in despair, we are not forsaken, and we are not
destroyed! We are built upon the Rock Christ Jesus and the gates of hell
shall not prevail against us (Matthew 16:18). We win! The devil is
defeated, and Jesus is Lord.
An excerpt
from Pastor Jim McIver's book Cry For Revival.
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