A Page Torn From my Bible

A page torn out of my Bible…

For many years I carried a Rhema Study Bible, given to me when I learned I had been accepted at Bible school. One of my favorite passages is:

Mark 16: 15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
19 ¶ So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
20 And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

This was given to me by a nurse from Ottawa, Ontario named Deana Jones. She gave it to me after I had completed a 40 day fast, before being accepted into Rhema Bible Training center, and that particular Bible literally fell apart after 15 years of study and preaching. I have preached these verses so many times, all over the world, with signs following, that what was originally highlighted and marked up, is became completely worn out of my Bible!

This is the great commission, and is the battle cry of the church!

Let me give you a couple of testimonies from these verses:

Once, while arguing with a brethren that was deeply rooted in his unbelief in his thought that the gifts of the Holy Spirit were passed away, and that speaking in tongues were of the devil I confronted him with this verse:

These signs are only for those that believe!

Whatever is not of faith is sin!

You can believe, and speak in tongues, or refuse to believe, and not speak in tongues, but speaking in tongues is only for believers, not doubters!

He became angry and asked me to leave his house. Yet, he could not sleep for several nights, and felt compelled to attend a Pentecostal church moving in revival. At one point the pastor stopped the service and had the 400-500 in attendance to all simultaneously pray in tongues. This man was overwhelmed, and overcome by the power of God, and suddenly found himself speaking in other tongues.

Another time, while working with children, two boys were fighting. I separated them, and one little boy fell on the ground growling and frothing at the mouth. I discerned an evil spirit present, and commanded it to leave. The boy shrieked, vomited, and became very, very quiet. Then he whispered: ‘Is it gone?’ I told him that it was gone, and would not come back, and he began to weep, deep broken sobs, telling me how this evil spirit had come to him in the night, and would torment him and demand he do vile things or it would kill him.

Several days later, his grandpa came to see me to ask me what had happened to his grandson, so I told him. He said that the boy was totally different, and could not thank me enough for praying for him.

Another historic moment in my life was in 2003 at the Hershey convention center, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the night that brother Kenneth E. Hagin was supposed to preach. There was a massive power failure, knocking power out to millions of homes, and the crusade was cancelled. While the crowd stood on the steps waiting to see if we could get in, and told there would be no meeting that night, someone said, ‘Hey, there’s pastor Chris, and he is a Rhema grad, have him preach to us!’ So amidst cheers, I ascended the steps, and began to preach, using these verses: I preached salvation, healing, prosperity, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit for over an hour, and people got saved, healed, filled with the Holy Spirit, and they even took up an offering for me! How were we to know that this would be brother Hagins last big crusade, and that he would return to Tulsa, Oklahoma, and die to go home to be with the Lord.

The Bible I use now, was given to us as a wedding gift from he and miss Oretha:

Yet, I’m still trying to make him proud, preaching this Word of Faith, with signs following, every where the Lord should open doors for me.

Let’s pray:
“Father, open doors and hearts for me to preach your Word, through every available media outlet: Internet, television, radio, the printed page, however, and wherever you might direct. May I be faithful to go and preach, continually, as you are always faithful to work with me, performing your word faithfully, with signs following, in your name I pray Lord Jesus! Amen”

I Have Third Day Faith!

On the third day…

Ex 19:16 On the morning of the third day, thunder roared and lightning flashed, and a dense cloud came down on the mountain.

God seems to like 3rd days!

Jesus came out of the tomb, on the third day!

I choose to release my faith, NOW, that in three days, that is Saturday, our time: I will see God do great things – life from the dead things, thunder roaring and lightening flashing things, where God comes down upon the mountain of my devotion, and meets with me, face to face.

Let’s Pray:

Father, do it again. God of power, might, Creator of Heaven and Earth, meet with me, deliver me, provide for me, again.  In Your name I pray Lord Jesus, Amen!

Prosperity – Power With God

 

 The man at Gate Beautiful:

Acts 3:5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.
6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

Let’s read a couple more verses:

Ex 16:18 And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating

Ps 34:10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.

Pr 28:27 He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.

This begger knew something about the people of God:
1. They gave to the poor.
2. They did not lack for anything.
3. God’s covenant operating in their life supplied not only their individual needs, but enough for the people around them.

Deut 8:18 But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.

What this beggar did not yet understand, is that God’s covenant gives POWER to get wealth. This guy was crippled, and thought he needed money, but what he really needed was the power of God to heal him so he could get up and go to work.

God’s prosperity in not just financial, rather the power of God to meet every human need, freely available, only through Jesus the anointed one!

Let’s Pray:
“Father God, I ask you to release your prosperity into my life today, in your name Lord Jesus, Amen’

 

Is speaking in other tongues of God?

Is Speaking in tongues of God?

Many of you have already received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with evidence of speaking in other tongues. For you, this is just a useful note set you can copy or email to your friends as an answer to a Biblical question. For some of you though, this is spirit and life, and although you have heard about people speaking in tongues, and perhaps been around it, it has not yet been your experience. Well, it can be, and this little teaching explains emphatically that this is a Biblical doctrine, not just the emotional experience of a few fringe elements. Let’s look at it.

Baptism in the Holy Spirit

1. Why do we need to be filled with the Spirit?

1. After you make Jesus the Lord of your life, it is the will of God that you experience the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 5:18 says, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” It is the Holy Spirit’s ministry not only to impart the nature of God to the spirit of man at salvation, but to come and live in the new creature. His job is to reveal the exact knowledge of God from the heart of the Father. A believer cannot understand, by his own spirit alone, the profound wisdom of God. This is why Jesus said in John 14:26 that the Father would send us the Comforter to teach us “all things.”

When you receive the Holy Spirit, you receive the ability of God. Acts 1:8 says, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.” The word power in that verse is translated dunamis, which means ability and might. It is through the energizing force of the Holy Spirit living in us that we are transformed into effective witnesses. So, to be born again and not filled with the Spirit is like being a train without a track.

The ability you receive to pray with your spirit when you are baptized in the Holy Spirit is powerful. It edifies and builds up your spirit man and puts you in contact with the deep things of God (1 Corinthians 14:4, 2:10). For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

• He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.

We see in Romans 8:26 ¶  Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

• And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

It also allows you to pray God’s perfect will apart from your natural understanding and aids you in interceding for others (Romans 8:26-27).

And according to Jude 1:20-21,

20  But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

21  Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

Praying in the Spirit strengthens and intensifies your personal relationship with God, and helps us in our love walk.

1. How can I receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit?

1. The promise of receiving the Holy Spirit is for everyone in the Body of Christ because God gave His Spirit to the Church on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:32-33, 39). As a partaker of your covenant with God, however, you must individually receive what He has given you.

 I like this picture, reminds me of Rhinhart Bonnke preaching: “A Flame for every name! Your own personal flame!”

When you ask for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God promises that you shall receive.

Luke 11:9-13 says: And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone?…Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

In the Bible, when believers received the Holy Spirit, they began to speak in a heavenly language. Acts 2:4 says, “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” This is still true today. When you accept the Spirit’s indwelling, your spirit will immediately have a desire to express itself in praise to God. The Holy Spirit will give utterance through you as you give Him permission.

When you pray in tongues, you are praying in the Spirit. You are letting the Holy Spirit pray through your spirit. The Amplified Bible says in 1 Corinthians 14:14, “My spirit [by the Holy Spirit within me] prays….” Just as your native language is the voice of your mind, your prayer language is the voice of your spirit.

A Brief Bible study on the Baptism in the Holy Spirit

The promise:

Is 28:11  For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.

• To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.

Acts 3:19  Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Praying in other tongues will cause the weary to rest, and brings refreshing from the presence of the Lord. In today’s fast paced world, who doesn’t need rest and refreshing?

I heard Gloria Copeland testify that the Lord told her, thirty years ago, that if she would pray in tongues one hour/day that everything would be alright. Well, she has been faithful to do this, and everything in their life, health, finances and family are still alright.

Acts 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

It is the promise of God, uttered through the lips of Jesus before He left the earth.

Acts 2:38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

• For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

All who are afar off, means you, right there where you are reading this, for the Lord our God has called you. Now, if we are going to study a certain doctrine or area of theology, we need to look at what it looked like in the Bible. I have recorded here the experiences of other Christians who have received the infilling of the Holy Spirit, to see what happened, and how we can learn from their experience.

Instances where believers were filled with the Holy Spirit:

Acts 2:1 ¶  And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

3  And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

4  And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

5 ¶  And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

6  Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

7  And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?

8  And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?

Read v 4. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and who spoke? The Holy Spirit?

No, they spoke as the Holy Spirit gave them utterance. God will fill you with His Holy Spirit whenever you ask. He will not overpower you and force you to speak. You must, by faith, open your mouth and speak a heavenly language that you have never spoken before.

Act 8:14 ¶  Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:

15  Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:

16  (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

17  Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

18  And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

We see here a number of interesting things.

1. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is an event that occurs after salvation. People had already been saved under Phillips ministry, but then God moved, sent the apostles to them, and then the believers received the Holy Ghost.
2. One of the ways to receive the Holy Spirit is through the laying on of hands.
3. Simon saw something after the Holy Spirit was given. Many preachers have added their interpretation of what they think Simon saw, but let’s stick with the Scripture. There was obviously some type of physical manifestation when believers received the Holy Spirit. I think they spoke in other tongues, but the Scripture does not say, so THIS IS STILL ONLY MY OPINION!

Acts 10:44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.

45  And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.

46  For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,

We see here a number of interesting things:

1. God couldn’t wait for Peter to finish preaching before He baptized these folks in the Holy Spirit. Seems one can get saved and filled with the Holy Spirit all in one shot.
2. These believers did not need hands laid upon them to receive the Holy Spirit, they simply believed the Word they heard.
3. One of the initial evidences of receiving the Holy Spirit is to speak in tongues.

Acts 19:1 ¶  And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,

2  He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

3  And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism.

4  Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.

5  When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

6  And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

We see again, a number of interesting things:

1. Again, the Holy Spirit baptism is a different event than salvation. These people Paul preached to were already saved.
2. Again these people received through the laying on of hands.
3. They spoke with tongues as initial evidence of the infilling of the Holy Spirit.
4. They also prophesied: they did not have to wait years before prophetic gifts from the Holy Spirit were given to them.

Overview:

These are the only four accounts recorded in the Scripture of believers being baptized in the Holy Spirit.

Two received through laying on of hands, two received directly. You can receive this gift directly from God, right now as a direct response to this Word that you have heard.

Scripture interprets Scripture and Jesus said: Matthew 18:16

But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

Three of the four cases, and possibly the fourth, spoke in tongues as initial evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

You will speak in other tongues after you are filled.

I remember a couple of years ago, a friend of mine asked me to prove to him from the Scripture that the infilling of the Holy Spirit is Biblical. I shared with him, the verses I just gave you. He was still not convinced, and argued vehemently that these Pentecostal and Charismatic gifts had passed away with the 1^st Century church. I asked him to show me that in the Scripture, and he showed me several vague references, but nothing concrete. Seems the denomination he came out of didn’t believe in the infilling of the Holy Spirit, and they were well grounded in their unbelief.

Well, I brought this man to a Pentacostal Church, and as God would have it, the pastor asked everyone to pray in tongues for five minutes before the service. This man was shocked at the heavenly roar, and obvious power in what happened, but still unconvinced. He invited me over for coffee and then argued vehemently that speaking in other tongues was of the devil, and that I was involved in some cult.

So, I said to him this: “Do you believe Jesus is God the Son, and that God raised Him from the dead?” Yes, of course he replied. “Have you accepted Jesus as your Saviour and Lord?” Of course! He replied heatedly. “Do you believe the Bible is the Word of God?” I pressed. Yes, he replied angrily. Ok then what do make of these two verses:

Hebrews 11:6  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.

“The fact that we are here debating the Word of God shows me that you are diligently seeking God, looking for His best for your life. Right?”

What are you getting at? He asked.

Read: Mark 16:17  And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

Jesus said these signs would follow those people that believe. I believe, therefore I speak in other tongues, you don’t believe so you don’t. Don’t let this bother you any more. God is not going to force His good gifts upon you, for tongues are only a sign for those that have faith, for one who believes. You refuse to believe, so you will not speak in tongues.

He was so angry that he asked me to leave! Well, I thought that was the end of it, and I went down the road rejoicing. Yet, I met him again several weeks later. Seems he went back to that Pentecostal church to argue more, but during worship, he got filled with the Holy Spirit, and began speaking in other tongues, and has continued to do so, every day since. To God be the glory!

If you desire the infilling of the Holy Spirit or if you are unsure whether you have received it, say the prayer below:

“Father, I am a new creature in Christ. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit to enable me to be a powerful witness of Jesus. I believe that I now receive the Holy Spirit just as the disciples did on the day of Pentecost. Amen”

 

Now open your mouth and speak!

 

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Do I Need To Confess Jesus, out Loud?

Why Confess Jesus?

John 12:42 ¶ Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:
43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

Unless these people, changed their mind, and openly confessed Jesus, at a later date, they missed the kingdom of God, salvation, and eternal life!

“But I pray silently”, you might say, “God knows my heart and thoughts!” isn’t that enough?

Well, no.

Not because I say so, but because the Word of God says so:
Ro 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Mt 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

Confess your faith in Jesus today. To Him, before men, and He will confess You before the very throne of God, and you will not only experience salvation, eternal life, and heaven as your home, but the power of God, now, in this life, for when He confesses you before our Father in heaven, our Father hears, answers, and responds to your life, in power.
Simply because you confessed, out loud, the Lordship of Jesus in your life.

Let’s Pray:
‘Father, I declare that Jesus is my Lord, today, now! Give me courage and boldness to confess Him at church, at work, before my family, before all men. As I do, I trust you to protect, deliver, bless, and establish Your kingdom in my life, for Your glory Lord Jesus, Amen’