I draw comfort from the story of Elijah. There is a very strong message for us in 1 Kings 17.1, that when we are working for God, the source of our supply will never dry up. What I need, what I lack, will not stop the supply of the Anointing Oil of the Holy Spirit and the Bread of the Word of God in my life. The Word of God and the Anointing of the Holy Spirit will never fail me, even in a time of drought.
Effectiveness of a powerful faith
Faith has been the motivation behind my life! Right from the beginning I’ve wanted to please God. When I received the Holy Spirit aged 15, I knew 1 Corinthians 12 says there are nine gifts, and Paul says choose, covet the best gifts… I can pray in tongues ‘more than anybody’, I can prophesy. But the one gift I wanted more than any other was the gift of faith.
Living Sacrifice - Holy and Pleasing unto God
God so impressed Romans 12:1 on me when I was a teenager: ‘I beseech you to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.’ God is talking about normal service, nothing exceptional – for every believer – the norm. Today the churches are talking about being normal, taking care of yourself, not working too hard… But the challenge is ‘reasonable service’ – giving your whole life as a ‘living sacrifice’! Everything! God didn’t call me to be an ‘evangelist’ or a ‘preacher’ – He said He wanted ALL of me!
The miracle of answered prayer, Part 3
Don’t be discouraged. I want you to get a Vision of what God can do in and through your life! Get into your ‘watchtower’ and pray until God answers you and shows you His Power and His Glory! O Father, open people’s eyes, let them get into that place in the ‘watchtower’ where You answer them when they cry to You, “How long are You silent?” O God, be not silent, but show Your Power and Your Glory! In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
The miracle of answered prayer, Part 2
Looking back over more than 70 years of ministry, seeing the difficult times I’ve been through – God has never failed me! There have been ups and there have been downs in my life, but as the Bible said, "The Lord answered me!" Sometimes in our lives we need the patience to wait for the fulfilment of God’s Promises.
The miracle of answered prayer, Part 1
There are periods in our lives when it seems God is not answering. But that does not mean God is not there, that He’s not listening. The communist prison was the worst time in my life – yet God used it to work one of the biggest miracles in my life! When I look back, I thank God for that time! Like Habakkuk, there are times when we have to go through the despair, “How long will I cry and You will not hear?!”
God wants to show His Power in your life!
God wants to show His Power in your life! He will use your affliction - that sickness or calamity - and turn it into a demonstration of His Greatness. Regardless of the reasons for our suffering, Jesus has the Power to solve it. Don't be so concerned with the 'Why' in your life, fix your focus on the 'Who' in your life - Jesus!
The ever increasing Power of God
In the Old Testament there is such a level of faith in the promises of God – strongly revealed right through every part of the Scripture! Read the famous chapter on faith, Hebrews 11, it is referring to the Old Testament, the stories and miracles of the prophets! Look how powerful the miracles in the Old Testament were for those who believed!
Faith ignited by Works
Faith is ignited by Works. In James 2.22-23, we see Abraham combined his faith with what he did: his faith was made perfect, it was imputed to him for righteousness, and he was called the friend of God! Oh, that this might be said about us! “You see,” James says in v24, “by works a man’s faith is demonstrated, and not by faith alone.” Faith HAS to be followed by fact. “For,” v26 “as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is DEAD also.” The ‘works’ are the very spirit that give LIFE to the body of ‘faith’. God bless you.
Are you in a valley?
'The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures... Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me...' The 'valley of the shadow' is more literally translated as, where the light of the sun is cut off. I want to tell you: wherever you are, whatever your trial, no matter the problem - even if you feel the light of the sun is cut off - God will not fail you.