We’ve had a couple of weeks of remembering what the Father has done for us. This has to be an ongoing process. We cannot put it down to only these weeks, and then move on. “Remembering”, is what adds to our faith, gives us a testimony and gives glory to God.
Tanya Nel – The Cloud Is Moving On…
There has to constantly be:
• a looking back and celebrating,
• a looking forward and anticipating
• but also, a living now, consummating.
We cannot live in one, and not the other. We will slow down if we only look at the past and we will explode if we only look into the future.
Before I really begin, I’d like to enlighten you of what to expect. The message title is “The cloud is moving on,” and I feel it’s going to be a time where I, like a Hebrew mother, is going to pick up all the forgotten things behind her children, as we pack up camp and move on. Picking up the loose ends, and hopefully, encouraging us all to move with the cloud with joy and in unity.
I’m also trusting for a revelation of the truths that we’ve been hearing in the last while. When we have revelation of something, it becomes our own, and we can step out into that new revelation with boldness.
I’ve been pondering upon the scripture in *John 5:19, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does, the Son also does.”
If we are to model after Jesus, we should be asking the Father what he is doing.
We should be looking to see what the Father is doing, and imitate that.
So I want to ask the question: “What is the Father doing?”
At this very time in history, what season are we in?
All over different parts of the world it seems like God is doing the same thing.
• He is reminding the church of her authority in Christ.
• He is empowering us to go beyond our “normal” walk as Christians and step into that which He has originally designed for us to walk into.
This might not be new information, but as we are remembering, I would like us to be reminded of our call.
When God created Adam and Eve, He gave them full authority over everything on earth.
In Genesis 1:28 God gives us all authority.
In chapter 3, Adam and Eve give this authority away.
The enemy cannot take our authority away, he only has authority when we give him right to it.
A&E listened to the lies of the enemy and gave their God-given authority away by being disobedient –
as they believed the lie,
they empowered it,
elevated it, and
placed the lie became truth for them!
The good news is that Jesus came to this earth,
• because he loves us so much!
• to restore truth – What truth? that we are called to rule the earth.
John.8:32 (Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free).
Jesus laid down His crown and left His throne, His Father and all the angels to die for us.
He gave His own life so that we can have eternal life with Him.
We, who have asked Him into our life, are now saved from everlasting death & sorrow & pain & agony.
We have a life with Jesus for eternity…
Love overwhelming, beauty unending, no pain, no worries, no death, worship unending…
But that’s not all! This is not where it ends.
We have life with Him now! John 10:10
NOW, Jesus has given us power to live His life further here on earth.
We have all authority back! It was given to us in the beginning, it was lost in paradise,
but now we have it back.
Jesus died on the cross, not only to take our sins away (how amazing that is!), but also to give us our authority back.
*Mathew 28:18-20 “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
Why is that important to us? Jesus has all the authority. Why does that effect us?
The clue is in verse 20. “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Which means, if Jesus is with us, and He has all authority, then we have all authority.
Col 1:27 “Christ within you the hope of glory”.
The last words of Jesus is very important.
If I would die & know I would leave these last words with my loving husband & children… I would make it count.
So, looking at the last words of Jesus to His disciples in
*Mark 16:15-18, Jesus says: “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe:
In my name they will drive out demons;
they will speak in new tongues;
they will pick up snakes with their hands;
and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all;
they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
We need to take the Word of God at face value.
Mel Tari: Indonesian who took the Word at face value. What it says, is true!
God is yesterday, today and always the same. (Photo)
Esna: testimony
It is the season of breakout! Look at the rain! Wednesday, when it was raining buckets, like it hasn’t rained for a long time, I kept on rejoicing in my spirit, “Breakthrough! Breakthrough!”
God is on the move. He is active and ready to do great things in our midst.
This is the day of the favour of the LORD. The day of vengeance of our God! *Isa. 61
Let’s ready ourselves to be used by our Maker! How exciting!
The enemy’s grip is loosening. He is loosing his power as the time for the return of Christ is coming soon!
Narnia: “Aslan is on the move”. The wicked witch’s crown of power is melting. Help is on the way.
Weak hands need to find strength again, fearful hearts need to receive courage again.
As the cloud is moving on:
We cannot be found looking at ourselves and our own set of circumstances.
We cannot be found looking around us and finding fault with those around us.
We cannot be found looking to see who is for us, or who is against us.
We need to be focused only on our Jesus.
HOW?
• When we have negative thoughts, we need to change our thoughts immediately.
As soon as we find our self surrounded by those thoughts, we need to change them.
• Think of something positive about that person or situation.
• Say it aloud and start to thank God for that aspect in that person or situation.
• Thanksgiving thwarts the plans and schemes of the enemy.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Paul instructs us to: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Thanksgiving brings the true justice of the Kingdom of heaven.
The enemy is destroyed by the very thing he intended to use for our destruction.
Just knowing that we can help in destroying the enemy’s plans should alone move us to give thanks!
“Whatever is noble, whatever is lovely… Think upon such things.”
“A joyful / cheerful heart is good medicine.” Proverbs 17:22
I had a vision of Jesus at our prayer time two weeks ago. I could see Jesus as our commanding officer, standing in front of us, as a small, insignificant group of people. We were His army. He was standing close to us, but with eyes like fire. He was looking at us and as we beheld His gaze, we were transformed. Our eyes began to shine like His and we were ready. Our eyes were like fire too, and we were many. I felt like He was preparing us at that very moment! Suddenly, I was aware that this very building was not big enough to hold us anymore. We had to break out…
The power is for every single one of us.
Jesus promised that we “will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you”. Acts 1:8
This power is not for us to keep, or to show off with, but to be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
The gospel must out. We cannot contain what God is doing in our midst.
Illustration: Balloon
Our God reigns! He is the fairest of 10 000. We need to shout this out.
*Is. 52:7-10 “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news…”
The Holy Spirit is not here for our comfort alone.
He is here to save the world! Jesus is not confined to church buildings.
He is so much BIGGER!!
We need to share this glory with the world.
We cannot hold this great revelation (that God is giving to us) to our self.
God is breaking out.
We need to share the wonder of our Father, the glory of the King, the splendour of Christ within us, to the world.
This awesome power is not only for us to enjoy.
The power of the gospel is for all who are thirsty. All who are weak.
Fleur: story of bird that died in the church
Sending us off to England and Portugal, sense of gears on bike clicking into next gear.
Last Sunday when we came back, we could sense a shifting in the heavenlies.
I cannot put my finger on it, but something has changed in the spiritual realm.
Some of you might feel:
“We’ve heard so much of the ’super natural’ and I’m barely making it work in the natural!”
OR others
“I’m quite comfortable with where I am at the moment. I don’t need any more than what I have at the moment.”
We need to understand that it is not just about the miracles or healings, although that would be wonderful to live in those things!
Q: Who would like to be a partner in seeing how Jesus opens the eyes of someone that’s blind?
But there is more.
We are all called to live in an even greater destiny – to be like Christ and finish His work on the planet. John describes our destiny we’ve received in Jesus in *Revelation 5:9-10 “You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.”
This is not for when we have died. This is for now!
Ephesians 2:6 We are seated in Christ in heavenly places. If Jesus is seated on the throne at the moment, then so are we!
As I’ve said earlier, Jesus did not shed His blood only to save us from our sins, but to restore to us a relationship with God, in which we partner with Him as kings and priests, to bring the earth under His rule and reign.
We have delegated authority.
God calls all His believers “kings”.
We might not all live with the authority of kings, but we all have potential as kings and priests.
Only we our self can use or plug into that potential. Like a torch with its batteries lying beside it. It has the potential to bring light to darkness, but will only bring that light if the potential it has, is worked on and then used. The Holy Spirit is our battery. We need to be filled with Him, to be able to shine. We can only do this by opening our self to Him, allowing Him to fill us.
Every one of us have a destiny to stand in a position where we influence people around us. Each of us will have a different size and kind of sphere of influence, but we are all called as leaders in society.
We are not called to “rule over others”.
In the Kingdom of God the power to rule is definitely to serve others more effectively.
So, just as kings provide protection and prosperity for their citizens, so those who serve well in God’s Kingdom will be able to bring safety and blessing to all who under their sphere of influence.
William J. Seymour (The catalyst of the ‘Pentecost Movement’ in the 20th century), turned a tiny Los Angeles horse stable on Azusa Street into an international center of revival. In 1909 he prophesied that, “The time is coming in 100 years, when all over the world the Shakinah glory of God will be manifest” … 2010?
The Kingdom of God is not just talk, it is power.
Ex. 33:14-18 – We don’t want to go without You God. It is You we need. It is You we want.
Not only Your presence & Your rest, but show us Your glory!
Mark Stibbe says, “Amongst the thick darkness and turbulence, there will be a greater glory.”
