Spiritual Gifts

Watching and Waiting

The Simplicity of Abiding in Jesus

In January of 1989 a dream came to me from the Lord.

In the dream our children were walking single file through a deep canyon, and I was watching them from the plateau above as they slowly moved along.

Today in my mind, I can still see the cliffs and the well worn path winding through the large rocks that were scattered around the narrow bottom of the canyon.

Then with no prior hint of danger, a group of lions approached from behind and overcame the last child in the line. There was no gory struggle, just a sudden pounce. The canyon provided no protection and nowhere to hide, and it all happened too suddenly to avoid or stop.

Then the scene instantly changed. I saw one of our children sitting in a hospital bed and a word came to me from the Lord. The word was, “growing better day by day.” Then the dream ended.

I was startled awake, but everyone else was still asleep. I went immediately to the bedroom to lay hands on and pray for the child I had seen in the hospital bed. There was nothing else I could do, and in the months that followed, the dream was completely forgotten.

Then one day almost a year later, our eldest daughter complained of an ear ache, and within a very few days experienced severe swelling in her neck and cheek. After several hastily arranged visits to doctors and specialists the diagnosis was cancer, a very aggressive tumor in her jaw and ear, called a large celled lymphoma. Chemotherapy needed to start immediately.

My wife and I were stunned by the sudden news, to the point of speechlessness.

So we did the only thing we knew, we went to the Lord in prayer as soon as we arrived home from the hospital and put our children to bed. All we could say was, “God, we don’t know how to pray.” And that was sincere. We honestly did not know what to say.

It is amazing how tragedy reduces a person to nothing, but even more amazing how God reveals himself in that moment.

I only remember a few words being spoken in prayer that night when suddenly the Holy Spirit took over. My entire body snapped to attention and I was speaking in tongues in the most commanding tone I have ever experienced. This gift of tongues seemed to go on for about 15 minutes and the sense of power and assurance was remarkable. I do not know exactly how things transpired in the heavens, but firmly believe that our daughter’s healing was commanded by God that night.

Despite the power of that evening, we went through some very difficult days when our daughter’s life truly hung in the balance. But about one month into her treatment I remembered the dream from the Lord and the word he gave to me. We held onto that knowledge tightly, it led us in prayer, and in the end everything worked out exactly as God said it would.

For eight months we watched as our daughter grew better day by day, until there was not a trace of cancer left anywhere in her body. The medical attention she received was excellent, countless Christians prayed for her during that time, and today she is a strong, healthy person in a very robust profession.

God has miraculously preserved, protected, and healed her on many other occasions, and has also given her a wonderful hunger for righteousness. She’s had challenges like anyone else, but is now a living testimony of someone who loves God with all her heart, despite suffering inexplicably at a very young age through no fault of her own.

And this is the simplicity of abiding in Jesus.

We bring our uncertainty about the past and the future, our lack of understanding, our weakness, our tiny grain of faith, and our failures to him. And in exchange we receive his wealth of knowledge, his power, his great faithfulness, his triumph over every enemy, and his assurance that everything is alright.

No matter how long you have been a Christian, abiding in Jesus is a simple exchange of your corruption for his perfection. It is no more complicated than that. That’s how it was at the cross, and that’s how it still is today.

And if you do not know Jesus, all it takes is a simple prayer, because one step in his direction and he will make sure that you find him!

I don’t care what anyone has told you in the past, stop trying to solve your own problems. And even more importantly, stop striving to please God!

Simply look to Jesus in faith for every physical, emotional and spiritual need. If you truly want to please God, trust him fully by abandoning your life to him. Over and over God promises in his word, “I will plant you, I will nourish you, and I will ensure that you bear good fruit.” No obstacle is too stubborn and no circumstance is too grave. The Holy Spirit will deliver the goods to you when you pray in Jesus’ name.

Remember, Jesus was not afraid to be weak. In fact, the Son of God became a man and suffered all of our infirmities to prove that he is not hindered in any way by our weak estate. In the flesh, Jesus depended completely on the Holy Spirit. And now in glory, he is the one making sure we get the help and strength we need to follow his footsteps.

Do you see anywhere in the Bible where it says that he forged his own way? No you don’t, because Jesus committed his life into his Father’s hands and was led throughout his life by the Holy Spirit.

Yes, he was crucified in weakness. But then in return he was raised in power, glorified, and given the name above every other name.

According to Psalm 32, when we pray, confessing our sin and our need to the Lord, we will be forgiven and experience the same abiding presence of the Holy Spirit that Jesus experienced. And according to John 15:16, when we abide in Jesus as I have described, whatever we ask our Heavenly Father in Jesus’ name will be done for us.

So be very encouraged. God has you in the palm of his hand no matter how weak or unsure you may feel. Confess your need to him and he will do the rest!

He wants to heal, and deliver you today. Simply pray… Jesus is closer than you think.

Watching and Waiting

The Cliff

Shortly after The Golden Chain, my wife received another dream from the Lord, warning of a day when many would be deceived by lying signs and wonders.

In the dream she was on a country road with many other people, all travelling the same direction. She and a few others were walking, but most of the people on the road were running.

Ahead, she saw the road lead directly over the edge of a cliff into a very deep chasm. And from the chasm a sound like a mighty rushing wind could be heard. Those who were running along the road were plunging straight over the cliff without any hesitation. But when my wife looked over the edge, nothing could be seen below.

Then off to the right, standing together on a low hill, she saw a small group of people gathered around a very plain looking man. They were not leaping off the cliff. My wife joined them and the dream ended.

We immediately understood that this dream was sent as a warning. In the future a phenomenon will appear that many Christians will run after, unaware of the danger ahead.

The people travelling on the road represent Christians and the path we all are on together. The chasm represents the empty result of false teaching. And the plain man on the hill represents the Word of God.

The walking group and the running group experienced two completely different outcomes. Those running fell into the empty chasm. Those walking were safely gathered around the Word.

The sound of a rushing mighty wind represents a display of lying sign and wonders. The symbolism comes from the description of the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2:2. But in the dream, when my wife looked over the cliff’s edge to observe what was drawing so many people, there was nothing to be seen. The sound she heard imitated the gospel, but it was not the truth. It was empty, and came from deep in the earth, not from heaven above.

The issue in the church today leading to the fulfillment of this dream is that many born again Christians and evangelical denominations have departed from the Word of God, and are not aware of it. Consequently they are in danger of being deceived by the Antichrist.

Something we must understand in order to interpret this dream and identify true Christianity is that at the end of time, everything planted in the earth (both good and evil) will be ripe for harvest. (Rev 14:14-20) This means that While God is waiting patiently for the good fruit to ripen, evil will have its fullest expression in the rise of the Antichrist, and his eventual reign as a world dictator.

But the spirit of antichrist was already “planted” at the time of the apostles and has been working within the church ever since. Masquerading as the spirit of Christ, scripture reveals that this seducing spirit has been given the power to conquer many Christians and Christian denominations. (See 1 John 2:18-19 and Rev 6:2)

The Bible has plenty to say about this spirit, but the short version is that those under its influence tragically misuse the Word of God. Specifically they ignore Jesus’ teachings about the cross, or deflect the true meaning of Jesus’ words. Plainly stated, they reject the requirement to lay down one’s life in order to gain heaven and save our fellow man. Under scrutiny, their gospel preaching is carnality thinly veiled in spirituality, but many are attracted by these vain prophets and their empty words.

Added confusion arises because the spirit of antichrist maintains its “Christian” appearance, and can appear extremely successful. But the apostle Paul exposes it completely when he calls it another gospel, about another Jesus, which is not the gospel at all. (2 Cor 11:4 and Gal 1:6)

As the end of time approaches this antichrist deception will escalate, because the false prophet will be given the power to deceive through lying signs and wonders. (Rev 13:12-14)

So perhaps now the interpretation of the dream is clear to you, as it was when my wife told it to me.

Those running on the road will fall to the deception I have described, because they previously rejected the central doctrine of true faith in Jesus. “And whosoever does not bear his cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:27)

Following Jesus without embracing the cross is not the truth, it is something else. It is an imitation. To be Jesus’ disciples we must walk exactly as he walked, fully determined to go to the death of the cross.

And to know his power, the same principle applies. “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone. But if it die, it brings forth much fruit.” (John 13:24)

Cast your life and the outcome of it completely onto God! Trust the Holy Spirit for everything you need now and in eternity. You will gain not only your own life, but others besides!

So many in the church today are baffled that there is no power, so few being saved, so little joy in worship, no shout of victory in the camp, such poor discernment among leadership, and so much fear of what the future holds. It is simply because we are not going God’s way.

Now, before moving on to other things in future posts, can I advise you one final time? Search the scriptures carefully. There is a reason we are instructed to die to self… because it is the ONLY way to be Jesus’ disciple and to experience his resurrection power in the here and now.

Stop trying to manipulate your circumstances. God can change them in an instant, when it’s time.

Rather, let the Holy Spirit lead you through the wilderness if that is what it takes. I am there. All true men and women of God are. It can be a lonely, difficult path, but it is the path to glory and power. And in the midst of it all, God’s word promises joy, peace, and his presence to comfort and to guide. (See John 16:24-33)

Then tell the truth to as many people as you can along the way. Forgive their insults like Jesus did. Pray that the Holy Spirit will turn their hearts and teach them to embrace the cross too.

It is the only way that you will have the pleasure of snatching them from the devil, and taking them with you to glory.

I know you are aware of the preaching at Times Square Church in New York, but this particular message is especially timely.

Check out         http://www.tscnyc.org/media_center.php?pg=sermons&mi=47133

Watching and Waiting

The Baptism with the Holy Spirit

“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:1-4)

Two weeks after being born again, I left the farm where I worked and started a new job as a purchasing agent for a mining exploration, equipment manufacturer. Two weeks later, another new employee started in the sales office, and about two weeks after that he came to my desk one morning with a big smile on his face.

“You’re a Christian, aren’t you?” he said. I was pleased that he noticed and responded, “Yes I’m a Christian.” Then with an even bigger smile and without any hesitation he said, “That’s nice, I’m a witch.”

And it turned out that he was very seriously the warlock of a witch’s coven, who also held a 7th degree black belt in the Korean martial art of Hapkido, and was fully immersed in the worship and power of Satan. He seemed a friendly person but pursued me for over a year, many times describing how Lucifer was the real power, and illuminated one, and that Jesus could never do for me what Lucifer did for him. He also demonstrated very real demonic power, particularly on two occasions, first “punching” me in the chest from about 40 feet away (hard enough to almost knock me down), and another time bringing a lightning strike onto a nearby high voltage hydro electric tower in the middle of the industrial park. Writing about them now sounds wild, but these things really happened.

Then one day on the bus to work, God stepped in. After reading John’s gospel where Jesus says, “If you love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it sees him not, neither knows him: but you know him; for he dwells with you and shall be in you,” I arrived at my stop, and closing my Bible, walked down the center aisle to the exit door praying, “Lord, I know you are with me – I want you in me.” I had nothing particular in mind, and just wanted to know God more than anything else in the world.

Immediately I was speaking in tongues (while walking down the steps of the transit bus to the street), singing in tongues, and praising God. Walking the rest of the way to work, the praises, the songs, and a language I had never learned continued to flow from within for almost fifteen minutes. It wasn’t that I could not stop, I just did not want to!

Now let me explain the reason for telling this story.

Remember the witch, empowered by worshiping Lucifer and practicing martial arts, who was sent to my desk every day for 15 months to cast doubt?

HE NEVER SPOKE TO ME AGAIN.

And from that day until the day I quit that job 5 months later, he never asked and I never told him what happened. But the demonic spirit in him recognized the Spirit of God in me, and never challenged the name of Jesus again.

God wants to fill you with his Holy Spirit.

Fast, pray, and seek Him.

God is the one to trust now.