Jonathan Brenneman's Blog, page 23

Disruptive Prayers

Confronting Lies

In “Confronting Spiritual Opposition To The Message”  and “3 Ways An Anti-Christ Spirit Tries To Get The Focus Off Of Jesus“, I shared some of my experience with confronting spiritual opposition. Today we will look at opposition through disruptive prayers. Disruptive prayers are prayers that are prayed as if Jesus never came in the flesh and as if the gospel is not true. A spirit that denies Jesus has come in the flesh uses them to try to do all the talking.

All opposition that we face from the devil is basically in the form of lies that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God. God never gave authority on the earth to Satan, but to men. Satan needs to deceive men and get them to agree with him, in order to accomplish anything. God also works through men. Jesus came as a man, and His Spirit dwells in men who have been born-again.

In other articles, like Standing Against Fear And Breast Cancer Disappearing, I shared my experience with confronting the lies that the Devil spoke to me personally. Here, we are talking about confronting opposition that we face when other people are being influenced by the lies of an ungodly spirit.

They may be unable to hear the truth. They may become disruptive, or do anything possible to change the topic. In these situations, we must be assertive. We don’t take offense at the person, but we realize that this is the influence of a lying spirit. 

Dealing With Disruptive Prayers

I laid hands on a man after church a few months ago. The pain left, and he was very excited after feeling God’s power. Another person needed to be healed as well, so I encouraged him and a few other people to minister to her. I taught them the importance of commanding the person’s body to healed, because we know God’s will and know that Christ in us is the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:27)

The guy started to pray a long prayer, asking God “please heal this woman.” I stopped him and asked how she was doing. No difference. I encouraged him to do it again, but this time command “In Jesus’ name, pain go and back be healed.” Even then, he seemed unable to bring himself to speak to the condition with authority in Jesus’ name, as opposed to begging God to heal her.

Then the man’s wife came and joined the prayer. She started to go on and on, begging God to do something, saying “God, we know that you can heal this woman.” I’m sure that she didn’t realize how disruptive it was. She would have prayed all night if someone didn’t stop her.

I had to do something. I had to be assertive. If I didn’t interrupt, she would have gone on praying until everyone was anxious to leave as soon as they could get away. The lady sitting in the chair, who needed to be healed, would probably have gone home discouraged and in pain.

I interrupted the long, repetitive prayer and asked the lady receiving ministry if she felt any difference. She didn’t. She was discouraged, about to get up and leave. I said “Wait, don’t worry! You will be healed.” I said “In Jesus’ name, all pain get out. Be healed now.” I asked her how it was. Better. I did the same thing again, and all the pain was gone in about one minute.

What Was Happening?

1 John 4:1-4 (NIV) Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the anti-Christ, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

We recently made the case that we can be absolutely sure of God’s will because Jesus came in the flesh. Then last week we saw that Jesus coming as a man demonstrates God’s desire to partner with man. The fact that the spirit of Christ dwells in us individually and dwells in the church (the body of Christ), is an extension of the truth that Jesus came in the flesh. Jesus not only came in the flesh, but he is come in our flesh. His Spirit dwells in all who belong to him.

Praying seems like a “spiritual activity.” But a spirit that denies that Jesus has come in the flesh has influenced much of the church. When we pray as if God is far away and his will is mysterious, we are praying as if Jesus never came in the flesh. And that is a prayer of unbelief. When we act as if the spirit of Christ doesn’t dwell in us, as if everything is up to God and we have no part in it, we are acting as if Jesus never came in the flesh.

The prayer of faith is a prayer of thanksgiving. The prayer of faith is certain of the Father’s will. And the prayer of faith is combined with action. But if we are praying as if Jesus never came in the flesh, we will spend a lot of time in religious activity with few results. We will spiritualize everything so much that there is little tangible fruit to our faith.

I’m not into lots of religious activity with little to show for it. I’ve had too much of it, and I don’t have time for it. I remember when I used to go to a different church service almost every night. I went to seek the Lord, but little happened. I spent too many years acting and thinking as if God was far away. I want to see something happen. Now. I want to see Jesus glorified. I want everyone to know that he is not just a nice story. He is tangible. We can touch God, because Jesus came in the flesh.

We all have agreed with the lies of an anti-Christ spirit at some time. It’s not that we don’t acknowledge that Jesus came in the flesh. It’s just that we act and speak as if he didn’t. Even though I have broken free from so much of the anti-Christ mindset, I still often recognize when an anti-Christ spirit is lying to me and I need to tell it to shut up.

Next week, I will share a testimony about one of those times. When I realized that I was being lied to I said “shut up!” to Satan the liar, and a wonderful healing happened.

 

The King Is Here. He Lives In Me!

 

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An Anti-Christ Spirit Says That God Doesn’t Need You

Last week we talked about one of the implications of the incarnation. We can know God’s will because Jesus came in the flesh. An anti-Christ spirit denies that Jesus came in the flesh and it tells us that God’s will is a mystery.

Today we are looking at another implication of Jesus coming as a man. This is another key to recognizing the lies of an anti-Christ spirit and walking in the anointing.

God Has Always Wanted To Partner With Men!

God has always wanted to partner with men! He created man in his image and gave men dominion over all the works of his hands. God could have chosen to just control everything himself, but giving dominion and responsibility to men enabled us to partner with him. He did this because he wanted intimacy. He wanted us to be able to share in his work and be partakers in his glory. He loved us! His plan was for the earth to be like heaven as men who were in intimate relationship with him exercised dominion over the earth.

Psalm 8:4-6 (NRSV) …what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?  Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor.  You have given them dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet

Psalm 115:16 (NRSV) The heavens are the Lord’s heavens, but the earth he has given to human beings.

Of course, I’m using the terms “man” and “men” in a generic sense. I’m talking about mankind, men and women. Throughout scripture, God has always looked for people to share in his work. Yet all men sinned. It was through man that death came into the world.

Romans 5:12, 14 (NRSV) Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned…death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come.

God could have withdrawn the authority over earth that he gave to men. But he never did. He never gave up on his purpose. He didn’t say, “Oh well, that didn’t work out too well.” Instead, He made a way of redemption. His purposes were unwavering.

Psalm 33:11 (NIV) But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.

God needs men. Scripture teaches it. I’m not implying that God is not sovereign and all-powerful. God has chosen to need men because of his love and purpose for mankind. He still needs men, because he has never abandoned his purpose.

Amos 3:7 (NIV) Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.

Ezekiel’s prophesy shows us that God wanted to show mercy on the wicked people of Israel. He looked for one righteous man to stand in the gap, but couldn’t find one. Therefore, his wrath was poured out. God wanted to show mercy, but he needed a man.

Ezekiel 22:29-31 (NIV) The people of the land practice extortion and commit robbery; they oppress the poor and needy and mistreat the foreigner, denying them justice. “I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one. So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger, bringing down on their own heads all they have done, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

Isaiah 59 describes the desperate state of things when all men have sinned and become corrupt. Then it says what God decided to do about it.

Isaiah 59: 15-17, 20(RSV) The Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice. He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intervene; then his own arm brought him victory, and his righteousness upheld him. He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation upon his head…“And he will come to Zion as Redeemer, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression, says the Lord.

Jesus Came In The Flesh Because God Needed A Man

 Isaiah 59 is a prophesy about Jesus! God needed a man, but he couldn’t find a any man that was righteous and could stand in the gap. How did he accomplish victory by “his own arm?” He came as a man. Jesus came as a man!

Jesus needed to come in the flesh because of God’s purposes for man. Jesus needed to come as a man because God gave authority to men, and he needed a righteous man. Just as sin and death came into the world through sinful man, God accomplished his redemption through a righteous man, Jesus!

We already read in Romans 5 that sin and death reigned through sinful man from Adam to Moses. Let’s continue.

Romans 5:15-19 (NRSV) But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man’s trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many. And the free gift is not like the effect of the one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification.

If, because of the one man’s trespass, death exercised dominion through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.  Therefore just as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all. For just as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

Do you see how the truth of the incarnation is extended? Redemption came through a righteous man, Jesus. Now righteous men, cleansed by the blood of Jesus, exercise dominion in life. We who are in Christ have received the free gift of righteousness. Now the spirit of Christ dwells in us. We are the body of Christ and have the authority to exercise his dominion. Christ not only came in the flesh, but he has come in our flesh. Paul said it so well in his letter to the Colossians:

Colossians 1:27 (NRSV)  To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

More Lies Of An Anti-Christ Spirit Vs. The Truth Of The Incarnation

Our “hope of glory” is the fact that Christ is in us, God’s will has been revealed to us, and He is able to accomplish it through us! As we saw last week, an anti-Christ spirit says that God’s will is a mystery. It also says that God controls everything and doesn’t need men, because it denies that Jesus came in the flesh. It denies that Jesus came as a man, and it denies that the spirit of Christ dwells in you. It denies that the church is the “body of Christ”.

If we are the body of Christ, then God needs us to accomplish his purposes on the earth. The way he has chosen to work is not from somewhere up the sky, but through you and I. God has revealed his will to you, and he wants to accomplish it through you!

If the anti-Christ spirit can convince us that God doesn’t need us, we won’t do the things that God told us to do. We won’t heal the sick, cast out demons, or set the captives free. We won’t be able to stand in faith or persevere. If we don’t have anything to do with whether or not God’s will happens, there’s not much point to the commands of scripture to pray, to believe, to preach the gospel, or do anything else.

The anointing is the Spirit of God in man. It is Jesus come in the flesh, and it is Jesus come in our flesh. If we don’t do our part, not much will happen. The anti-Christ opposes the anointing by denying that Jesus came in the flesh.

Do you want to see God move? Then act. The Holy Spirit is always working. He’s waiting eagerly for you to partner with him! When I see a person in need, I know the Holy Spirit is working. I just need to do my part and partner with him!

And that’s what God has always wanted! It’s a wonderful privilege that we have to co-labor with God! It’s a love relationship. It’s like a father building a tree-house with his son. The father could do everything himself, but he loves that little boy! He wants to work together with him.

I am overwhelmed with this privilege that God has given me, that I should be called a son of God. I love my Father with all my heart. I pray that each one reading this would come to a realization of the wonderful joy of partnering with the Heavenly Father and sharing in his love and nature.

1 John 3:1 (KJV)  Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God

My heart overflows with thanksgiving to God. He is wonderful, he is perfect, and his ways are perfect. Everything that he has given me is priceless. I’m not a slave, but a son who knows his Father’s will and gets to do my Father’s business.

Wow! I can’t help but weep with gratefulness to God as I write about these truths. His love is wonderful! Next week, I will continue to share about confronting the influence of an anti-Christ spirit in the church.

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I Know God’s Will Because Jesus Came In The Flesh

Last week I shared 3 Ways An Anti-Christ Spirit Tries To Get The Focus Off Of Jesus. Today we talk a little more about recognizing and overrunning the opposition of an anti-Christ spirit.

An Anti-Christ Spirit Denies That Jesus Came In The Flesh

The apostle John wrote about the anti-Christ spirit in 1 John.

1 John 4:1-4 (NIV) Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.  This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,  but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world

The word “Christ” means “anointed one”. An anti-Christ spirit is anti-anointing. It opposes what God wants to do by denying that Jesus came in the flesh. However, we have overcome all anti-Christs, because Jesus lives in us. Not only did he come in the flesh, but he has come in our flesh. The church is his body. Christ in us is the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:27)

Every spirit that is not from God is anti-Christ. An anti-Christ spirit influences the church when it gets us to doubt everything that Jesus coming in the flesh implies for us. When we believe the lies of an anti-Christ spirit, it hinders us from doing the works that Jesus did. Here is one of the major implications of the fact that Jesus came in the flesh.

Jesus Revealed The Father’s Will To Us

John 1:18 (NRSV) No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.

Consider the implications of this. Before Jesus came in the flesh, we could never get a clear picture of exactly what God was like. The view was blurred. God was still far off and mysterious. But now we can see God and know exactly what he is like.

John 14:8-9 (NRSV) Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

Colossians 1:15 (NRSV) He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation

Without Jesus come in the flesh, God is invisible. But because Jesus has come in the flesh, we can see God as he is. We can touch God. God is no longer far away and mysterious. Jesus’ name is Immanuel, meaning “God is with us.”

Isaiah 7:14 (NRSV) Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.

God’s will is rooted in his nature. Not only can we see God exactly as he is, but we can know his will because Jesus came in the flesh. Look at what Jesus himself said. He came as a man and revealed to us “everything” that the Father made known to him. He didn’t hold anything back.

John 15:15 (NRSV) I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.

An Anti-Christ Spirit Says That You Can’t Be Sure Of God’s Will

An anti-Christ spirit says that we can’t be sure what God’s will is. Here is one of the scriptures that it likes to quote out of context.

1 Corinthians 2:16a (NRSV) “For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?”

Many Christians quote this verse in a way that they think is exalting God. Maybe it feels like God is more magnificent and worthy of awe if he is depicted as far away, mysterious, and un-knowable. But the whole context of this scripture is about us knowing the things of God because we have been given the Spirit of God. Here is the rest of the scripture:

1 Corinthians 2:16b (NRSV) But we have the mind of Christ.

An Anti-Christ Spirit Teaches People To View God Through Anything But Jesus

Many Christians assume that if something happens, it must have been God’s will. They assume that God is in control, so he must have planned or permitted anything that happened. When they pray and a person is not healed, they assume that God must not have said “yes” or decided to heal them.

But God has said “yes!” Jesus is God’s “yes!”

2 Corinthians 1:20 (NRSV) For in him every one of God’s promises is a “Yes.” For this reason it is through him that we say the “Amen,” to the glory of God.

If we could see God or know his will through circumstances, Jesus would not have had to come in the flesh! Everything that Jesus did was the will of God, revealing the character of God. And Jesus healed all who came to him. The anti-Christ spirit presents an image of God that is different than Jesus.

How do these lies prevent Christians from demonstrating the anointing? Scripture is full of exhortations to believe, to pray with faith, to be unmovable, and to stand firm on truth.

Ephesians 6:13-14 (NRSV) Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness.

James 1:6-8 (NRSV) But ask in faith, never doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind; for the doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

If we don’t know what God wants, how can we have faith? How can we stand firm? If we think that whatever the current circumstances are is a reflection of God’s will, we will be double minded, driven and tossed by the wind. The anti-Christ spirit opposes the anointing by denying the revelation of God that we have received through Jesus coming in the flesh.

 Walking In The Anointing

I was once frustrated with many years of powerlessness. I believed that God did miracles, but I wasn’t sure if it was always his will to heal. I thought there might be exceptions. Once I broke free from the influence of an anti-Christ spirit, miracles began to happen all around me. I wrote that story here. I believe that whenever power is lacking in a believer’s life, the influence of an anti-Christ spirit can be found.

You have already overcome all anti-Christs, if Jesus lives in you. The anointing is the spirit of Jesus within you. Walking in the anointing is just a matter of recognizing and rejecting the lies of an anti-Christ spirit. Then you begin to think and act according to the truth that Jesus has come in the flesh. God has been revealed to you, you know his will, and his Spirit is in you working to accomplish it.

Next week, we will examine another implication of the fact that Jesus came in the flesh.

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3 Ways An Anti-Christ Spirit Tries To Get The Focus Off Of Jesus

#Christ The Healer

Last week, in Confronting Spiritual Opposition To The Message, we talked about how a spirit can influence people to interrupt us or suddenly change the topic. We must not become offended at the individual, but instead we realize that a spirit is influencing them and they probably don’t realize what they did.

Today, I share more experiences with confronting opposition. The word anti-Christ means “opposed to Christ”. An anti-Christ spirit is opposed to the revelation of Christ. Here are three phrases that we often hear when a spirit opposed to Christ is trying to divert people’s attention:

 1. “The Power Of Faith Is Amazing”

One night I was at the school across the street. Some people were taking martial arts classes, and a girl’s knee was injured. I began to talk about how God had healed me.

The martial arts instructor immediately cut me off as I was still speaking and began to talk about oriental healing arts. He did something where he pressed on the girl’s knee and tried to move energy to make it feel better. It was obviously far inferior to what Christ could do, since he told me that all of them had chronic knee pain. If it really worked so well, they would all be better!

I recently visited the house of an old lady whom I had never met before. God showed me where she had pain in her body. Every time I tried to talk to her, she cut me off. I realized that it was probably a spirit trying to keep me from saying what I needed to. The spirit was trying to take her attention from Jesus.

I had to be very assertive. As we were leaving and everyone was saying goodbye, I interrupted loudly and said “Wait! I have something to ask you before you leave. Do you have pain right here? And how about your right shoulder?…”

I shared three things. She had chronic pain in exactly the places I described. She had gone through surgery on her right shoulder. I laid hands on her, and the pain left. She was so happy and gave me a big hug.

The people with me immediately started talking about the “power of faith“. One of them was a spiritist. Spiritists believe in the supernatural, but they have many gods. It’s not about Jesus.

I recognized a spirit’s influence when they started talking about the “power of faith”. It was doing everything possible to divert their attention from Jesus. I was assertive, again, and said “Faith is confidence, and confidence can be misplaced. This lady was healed because I have confidence in Jesus. This wasn’t mind over matter, but the nature and love of God revealed. Mind over matter can never accomplish what faith in God can.” And so I began to talk about Christ.

2. “You Have Such An Amazing Spiritual Gift!”

I have often experienced a similar thing in the church. When a person is healed, an anti-Christ spirit tries to get the attention off of Jesus. Christians also sometimes talk about the “power of faith”. Even more often, they immediately being to talk about the “spiritual gift” of the person ministering.

The purpose of the miracle that just happened wasn’t to get people to talk about a “spiritual gift” that a supposedly “special person” has. It was to demonstrate what it looks like for the Spirit of God to dwell in man. It was to reveal God’s love and compassion for a suffering person. It was to reveal Christ, who is the same in every situation, and whose spirit dwells in every believer.

When Christians direct all the focus to a “spiritual gift” I recognize a spirit at work. I have to be assertive. I talk about how the healing shows God’s nature. I remind the people of Jesus’ promise that all who believe in him would do the things that he himself did. I tell Christians who immediately start to talk about a “spiritual gift”, “The same spirit of Christ dwells in you, and he wants to do the same thing through you.”

An anti-Christ spirit makes people uncomfortable with talking about Jesus. It encourages them to talk and act in a religious way in order to divert attention from the revelation from Christ.

The reason that they are uncomfortable is often that they have been taught lies that undermine the revelation of Jesus’ nature and compassion. The healing challenges their view of Christ. It also challenges them personally. If healing is about the nature of Jesus, whose spirit dwells in Christians, they should be able to do the same things. But an anti-Christ spirit has told them that they can’t. Talking about a “spiritual gift” becomes a way to avoid being confronted with the fact that this is who Jesus is.

3. “What Church Do You Go To?”

Another diversion, common with unbelievers and believers, is to ask “What church (or denomination) are you from?” Although this may seem like a common question, I have become convinced that it is usually coming from a spirit which is trying to distract people’s attention from Jesus. People often ask it because the influence of a spirit makes them uncomfortable with talking about Jesus.

Other Christians sometimes ask this question when you share testimonies with them, or when they see somebody healed through your hands. It is usually because they have become comfortable with a religious, spiritualized version of Jesus. They are being challenged by being presented with a Christ who is the same today as the Christ of the Bible, and whose spirit dwells in Christians. They feel uncomfortable with that, and try to change the topic.

Unbelievers often ask this question as well when we tell them our testimonies and share the gospel with them. People would rather talk about church and religion, because Jesus makes them feel uncomfortable. A friend of mine, Judd Sands, recently made the same observation. Here are his thoughts:

One of the most common questions asked by people when they themselves are questioned about knowing the Lord and spiritual things is,”So where do you go to church?” Or ,”What religious denomination are you?”



I rarely tell them or invite them to go where I may be attending . Not because I’m ashamed to, but rather it’s a diversion from the real issue. God wants to speak directly into their lives at that particular moment to set them free, and if I engage with their question it usually puts them at ease. The alarm going off in their soul is making them uncomfortable as the gospel hones in on the faulty wiring that sin has caused .And they start talking about the future or a building, whatever is the way of natural thinking .

Jesus often told people to go home after he ministered to them .

He knew what was in man’s heart. Think about the change that would occur if a man went home to his wife and kids and said , “Guys lets get together now and talk about the Lord.”

Talk About Jesus!

Maybe you have heard these phrases or similar ones before. Maybe you felt like something wasn’t right, but couldn’t put your finger down on what the problem was.

If so, I hope this post has helped you to understand what is happening. It is important to recognize what’s going on, because then you will know how to respond to it.

How do we resist an anti-Christ spirit? It’s simple. We speak the truth to counter the lies. We don’t let the spirit do all the talking through the people it is influencing. We learn to be assertive and to get people’s attention on Jesus. We have overcome an anti-Christ spirit, because Jesus lives in us.

1 John 4:4 (NIV) You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

Next week, I will begin to share more about recognizing and dealing with the influence of an anti-Christ spirit in the church.

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Confronting Spiritual Opposition To The Message

 Continued…

Last week I shared the message which I had just preached to a small Monday-night prayer group. When Moses was between the Egyptian army and the Red Sea, he cried out to God. Yet God told him to stretch out his rod, using his authority to split the sea! And when Jesus’ and his disciples crossed a stormy sea, Jesus expected them not to cry out to him to save them, but to calm the sea themselves! There are some things that we do petition God about, but when it comes to healing the sick and rebuking evil, we are to use our authority.

This message has so much potential to revolutionize the lives of Christians, that Satan will do anything he can to oppose it. Today’s post is a continuation from last week. This is what happened after I finished preaching on that Monday night.

Dealing With Spiritual Opposition To The Message

I had three words of knowledge to share with this small group. The Lord showed me physical problems which people there had, which needed to be healed. For the first two, I knew who the individual was who had the problem. For the third one I saw a vision in my mind of intestinal polyps, but I wasn’t sure who it might be who had the issue.

Yet as I was finishing, a man was already standing up front beside me to speak! He interrupted me before I could share the words of knowledge! It was as if everything I just said had gone in one ear and out the other. He started to go on and on about crying out to God to split the water when we are in front of a Red Sea. Then he began to pray, asking God to rebuke the devil!

You might think that what he did was incredibly rude. It was! But he didn’t intend to be rude by interrupting me. I don’t think he even realized that he was saying anything different than what I had just said. I believe that he actually thought he was agreeing with me!

I have experienced this repeatedly. It is the influence of a spirit that is opposed to God’s work and has a stronghold in a person’s mind. The person is unable to hear or understand what we are saying when we talk about the spirit of Christ dwelling in believers. They interrupt and begin to pray loudly, begging God to do something and going on and on so that nobody has a chance to rebuke the sickness or oppressing spirit.

Another time, recently, I had just shared some testimonies and begun to lay hands on people. Miracles were happening. A lady began to pray very loudly “God, we know that you can heal these people in your way and in your time…” She went on and on, praying as if Jesus had never come in the flesh, as if God was far from us and we couldn’t know his will! It was extremely disruptive. The time was now, and the people were being healed now!

People who do this in church settings are usually very nice and very devout. They are well-meaning, but there is a spirit influencing their minds. It speaks lies and will do anything to take all the attention and disrupt what the Holy Spirit is doing. I am certain that when people are so unaware of what they are doing and so unable to hear what we are saying, it is the influence of a spirit.

Be As Gracious As Possible, But Be Assertive!

If you are healing the sick, some of you may have similar experiences to what I have described. The person interrupting probably doesn’t even realize what they just did. Don’t take offence!

I have learned to be as gracious as I can, but to be assertive. I encourage you to do the same. We feel afraid of interrupting or being rude ourselves.  But sometimes you have to interrupt, as graciously as you can! Once God gave a woman a dream telling her she needed to go talk to me. This was so that I could lead her into being born again. But when she came everyone else was talking so much, and I didn’t share with her. I didn’t want to interrupt anyone. She left. However, I made a point of finding her again before I left that city, and she did give her life to the Lord!

Tonight, I had to interrupt. I tried to do it in the best way possible. If I hadn’t, the man would have gone on and on until the meeting ended and everyone was leaving. I wouldn’t have gotten the chance to speak.

I shared the words of knowledge. I asked the first two people if they had pain in certain places. They did, and they were healed. The first one already had about half as much pain before I even prayed for her. The second was completely pain-free after hearing the word of knowledge, so she didn’t need more prayer. I also described my vision of intestinal polyps.

Guess who the third word of knowledge was for? It it was for the man who interrupted me! Of course, his condition was not immediately testable like the others were, but I believe that he was healed as well. And although he is didn’t stop begging God to rebuke the devil, I believe that some of the other people there got it! There were excited and very encouraged by the message.

Keep Swinging The Hammer!

I remember helping to build a hurricane shelter in Belize, in Central America. We were carving a place out of solid rock to build a septic tank. I was working with a pick and sledgehammer. It was tough work!

I could hit the rock a few times in the same place with the sledge, and it wouldn’t break much visibly. But the structure was being weakened with each blow. After a few blows, the whole area I was hitting would start to crumble.

Jeremiah 23:29 (NRSV) Is not my word like fire, says the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?

Remember that God’s word is like a hammer that breaks up the rock. Keep swinging the hammer. Keep speaking God’s word. Keep loving people, even when they interrupt you. Don’t be discouraged when it seems like what you say goes in one ear and out the other at first. Don’t stop because it looks like nothing has cracked yet. It can take some perseverance to begin to change religious mindsets that have become deeply ingrained in people’s thinking.

I felt the same frustration when I lived in the US. The Lord helped me to be assertive, yet gracious, in the spirit of love. With perseverance, I saw many people begin to “get it”. I saw Christians begin to break out of mindsets that hinder the church from partnering with the Holy Spirit. I saw others begin to do wonders in Jesus’ name. Now I’m in Brazil. I expect the same.

Next week, I will share more stories of overcoming spiritual opposition in Brazil. Don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss anything!

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When Not To Cry Out To God

What Is Satan Scared Of?

I went to a prayer meeting tonight and shared this short message. The Lord is working here (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and people are being healed. The devil doesn’t like when people are touched by God, and he does everything to oppose it. I thought it might be helpful to some of you to share one of the ways I’ve experienced Satan trying to hinder what God wants to do, and how I am learning to deal with it. I’ll start by sharing the message I just preached in this blog post, and next week I will share about confronting spiritual opposition after the message.

Satan isn’t nearly as opposed to people believing in God’s existence and power, as he is opposed to people understanding that they can know God’s will and see what he is like through Christ. All throughout scripture, we see God desiring to partner with men. God does his part, and we do our part. Satan doesn’t seem to feel so threatened when people believe that there is a God up there in the sky. But he is terrified of Christians finding out that Christ lives in them! He doesn’t mind our religious activities so much as long as he can get us to keep asking God to do everything, yet failing to do our part to partner with what the Holy Spirit wants to do.

I very regularly hear people pray “God, please rebuke all evil.” I’m not sure if this is a common prayer in the US like it is in Brazil. But where did God ever tell us to ask him to rebuke evil? He told us to rebuke it. One of the very reasons that Christ came as a man, was because God gave authority to men. I’ve recognized how these attitudes are crippling many in the churches, resulting in powerlessness. Believers need to learn to use their God-given authority. So this was what I shared tonight:

When Not To Cry Out To God

In Exodus chapter 14, we read the story of the Israelites being trapped between the Red Sea and the Egyptian army. It was a desperate situation, with no hope from a natural perspective. Yet the Israelites so quickly forgot the many supernatural things the Lord had already done to deliver them. They were grumbling and complaining to Moses.

Then Moses prayed, asking God for deliverance. This seems like quite a spiritual, mature response to the situation, doesn’t it? But God said something to Moses that is a little surprising.

Exodus 14:15-17 (NRSV) Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry out to me? Tell the Israelites to go forward. But you lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the Israelites may go into the sea on dry ground. Then I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them; and so I will gain glory for myself over Pharaoh and all his army, his chariots, and his chariot drivers.

The Lord asked Moses “Why do you cry out to me?” Crying out to the Lord wasn’t the appropriate response. Moses already had God’s word. He was commissioned by the Lord to deliver the Israelites.

The staff represents authority. Moses was to use his authority to divide the sea, not ask God to do it. God would do his part and accomplish a great victory.

We have a very similar story in the New Testament. It’s found in Luke 8:22-25. Jesus said to his disciples “Let’s go to the other side of the lake. But a windstorm came, and the boat was filling the water. Maybe it was dark. Maybe they couldn’t see the land. They were afraid.

Their response in their distress might seem very appropriate. They cried out to God. “Jesus, save us!” But Jesus rebuked them for their unbelief. Why?

Jesus had already commissioned them to cross the lake. They weren’t supposed to ask Jesus to calm the story. It was they who were supposed to calm it!

There are times to ask God to do something. The New Testament talks about prayers of petition. But there are some things that we aren’t supposed to ask God. What should we not cry out to God to do? Lets look at Matthew 10.

Matthew 10:7-8 (NRSV)  As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons.

We are not to ask God to do the things that he has commanded us to do. We don’t need to ask God to heal the sick. Peter and John didn’t ask God to heal the beggar. They told him to get up. We don’t need to ask God to rebuke evil. He told us to rebuke it! Paul didn’t ask God to rebuke the demon that was possessing the slave girl. He told it to get out!

Remember, Ephesians teaches that Jesus was raised from the dead and seated at the right hand of God, far above all power and authority! And then it says that we were raised with Jesus and seated with him. So we are also seated far above all power and authority. When we learn to do our part, partnering with God who is faithful to do what he has promised to, the results are marvellous!

 To Be Continued…

Some of my readers may have wanted to see God heal the sick, but felt frustrated with the results of your prayers. If that is you, this message may help you. God has given you authority to rebuke the works of the enemy! Next week I will share about the spiritual opposition that I encountered after sharing this message with a small group, and how I confronted it.

(Note: This message is partly inspired by Bill Johnson’s teaching about Jesus crossing the stormy sea with his disciples. That was one of the teachings that changed my life almost 10 years ago. It is also partly inspired by a John G. Lake sermon on Moses’ prayer.)

 

 

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The Big Knife-Rescue From Suicide

Stories And Testimonies

I love talking to older people and hearing their stories. In past posts, I have shared a few stories from my grandmother’s life, including Grammy’s First Trip To Heaven, Grammy’s Second Trip To Heaven, and Supernatural Multiplication Of Ham. Here is another story that she told me a little while ago. I thought this was a very encouraging and inspiring testimony

I have been writing about Divine Protection over the last few weeks. My Grammy worked for many years at a Rescue Mission for the homeless. Many of the residents loved her for her gentleness and kindness, calling her “mom”. She has been around some very dangerous people at times. Some of them were felons or people who were mentally unstable, and they often had to call the police. While I was talking with her recently, I asked if she had any stories of escaping danger that she would like to share.

She said “Oh, God has protected me many times. Once I was walking on the street outside of the Mission and the Holy Spirit told me to look up. I saw a rifle pointing at me from a third-story window. I walked very quickly and went inside before he could aim and shoot.”

Then she told me a very touching story of another time when she felt that God protected her. More than a story of God’s protection, this was an encouraging testimony of the impact that a few kind words can have on someone.

The Big Knife

My Grandmother was a receptionist at the Mission. When people came to apply as new residents, she was the first person they went to. She took their names and information, then told them about the services that were available for them. As she was taking their information, Grammy often spoke to the applicants about what the Lord could do in their lives.

One day as she was introducing an applicant to the organization, she said “You know, we are a Christian mission, and I hope that while you are here you will take advantage of the opportunity to read the Bible and see what God might have for your life.” He immediately pulled out a big knife!

Grammy’s heart skipped a beat! She knew that here, this was no joke. They had encountered murderers and rapists passing through many times before. But she quietly asked the Holy Spirit what to do, and she felt like she was to stay calm. So she asked him, What do you have that knife for?

 The man replied, “I was planning to kill myself with this knife, but I just decided not to. Nobody ever showed that they cared about me before, but you just did.” Grammy asked him if she could have the knife, and he gave it to her. She realized that she had just rescued a man from suicide!

The Power Of A Few Kind Words

Grammy hadn’t said much, but she did show this man that she was concerned for his well-being. She mentioned God having a plan for his life. Little did she know that she might be saving his life by preventing suicide as she spoke those few words.

Sometimes we see how rough some people are, yet do not realize the trauma’s and difficulties that they have faced. Yet God sees those things and has compassion on them. I have met children who had heartbreaking stories of abuse and neglect, but they were rescued. What about the people who never were rescued and are still struggling to deal with such hard experiences? There are so many people who have experienced very little kindness in life.

Sometimes we have no idea how our words, or a simple display of love can influence a person. With the anointing of the Holy Spirit, a few words can change the course of a person’s life forever. Life and death really are in the power of the tongue. (Proverbs 18:21) Sometimes as we interact with a person, we think about how they have wronged us, or even how they might hurt us. Yet the indwelling Holy Spirit is thinking about that person’s need and how we can meet it.

How many people have been saved from suicide by a few kind words? Grammy’s experience reminded me of the story of Don Richie, an Australian man who officially saved at least 160 people from committing suicide. His family believes the true number was closer to 500. Don smiled at people who looked distressed and asked if he could help them. If you have never heard about Don before, you can listen to his story in the first video below. In the second video, you can see Don’s house and the place where he convinced so many people not to jump to their deaths.

I pray that the Holy Spirit would help us to become more aware of the needs of people around us, and to see how we can meet them.

 

 

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Escape From A Kidnapper!

In the last few weeks, I have been writing thoughts and testimonies of divine protection. Last week’s post was about two believers who were saved by an angel from death. Today we have a guest post from a friend -Brian Hogan- who has been in danger so many times that he wrote a book called “An A to Z of Near-Death Adventures“. This is an excerpt from his book. I thought that you guys might enjoy this story!

“K” For “Kidnapping”

I have been on the receiving end of God’s protection in harrowing and life-threatening experiences more times than I can count. I believe that there is a “hit” out on me from the Prince of Darkness and that God has prevented it from being carried out again and again. Being a apostolic church planter and trainer of church planters and having been instrumental in bring the Mongolian people into the Kingdom of God may have something to do with the enemy’s desire to “rub me out”.

At any rate, I wanted to share one story with you that exemplifies God care even before I served Him . . .

(Spring 1971) I was nine years old and doing my best to ignore pangs of guilt. I was ditching choir practice at church and hurrying home to enjoy an afterschool snack with Patty Jean, our live-in childcare. Patty Jean was a close family friend from my mom’s hometown of Blue Island, Illinois, and was staying with us while she attended college. This pretty, Jesus-freak hippy girl traded room and board for watching over me while my mother worked at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles. I had my first crush on Patty Jean and was trying to get her to promise to wait until I was old enough to marry her (there was only an eleven-year difference!). This probably had a lot to do with my decision that day to skip choir.

Brian Hogan in choir gear with Patti Jean. No wonder I ditched!

Our home at 214 N. California Street in Burbank, California, was only one long downhill block from my school, R. L. Stevenson Elementary. It was usually an uneventful walk, aside from having to scurry past our street’s “haunted” house at the top of the hill. This neglected place looked more like the set for The Addams Family rather than any of the other houses in our quiet neighborhood. It produced delicious thrills of fear in all of us kids on California Street. My house was far down the hill on the opposite side of the street, but I dared myself to walk on the right-hand, or scary, side.

Perhaps it was my brief burst of speed past that house that attracted his attention. Maybe there were foul spirits operating in that place. At any rate, I had just made it past the fearful house when a beige 1963 Ford Galaxy pulled to a stop next to me. A young man leaned over and spoke to me through the open passenger side window.

“Hey, kid. I have a mini-bike in the trunk and am looking for the trails where I can ride it. Do you know where they are?”

We were facing down the street and the scrub filled hills of Griffith Park were clearly visible straight ahead of us. I didn’t know anything about motorcycles or mini-bikes or anything motorized, but, ever helpful, I guessed, “The trails are up there in Griffith Park,” and I pointed toward the hill.

“Thanks!” He replied, with more seeming gratitude than my ignorant help warranted. “Would you like to come along and ride with me?”

“No” I quickly responded. I knew better than to accept rides with strangers. I started walking again.

Pulling up alongside me, he asked, “Where are you headed?

“Home. It is right down there,” as I pointed out our house in the distance.

The scene of the crime-looking down California St. to my house

“I can walk. It’s real close.”

“Hop in. I’ll give you a ride home.”

“No. Let me pay you back for the directions you gave me. Just get in and you will be home in a few seconds.”

His logic seemed sound and I felt like I’d be impolite rejecting his kind offer, so I got in. He started down the hill. When we came to my house I told him “Here it is,” but he just kept driving without a word, right past my house. As we drove toward the intersection, just 266 feet beyond our house, I realized this was a kidnapping. I instantly had a vision of myself sitting in choir practice, where everyone would think I was, and bitterly regretted my wicked decision to play the truant. As he paused at the intersection of N. California and W. Alameda Ave., preparing to make a right turn, I could see all the costumed “Let’s Make a Deal!” hopefuls lined up across the street in front of NBC Studios, and briefly thought of getting out and screaming for help. My abductor read my mind and clenched his hand on my shoulder. Hope died.

I was terrified. The only thing I could do was pray. Since I’d offended God by refusing to sing to Him, He was my only appeal. I silently called out to Him.

“God, I’m so sorry. Please save me from this man. Please, please, please. Help me! Get me home!”

As we turned onto Alameda, racking sobs began to push up from my chest. More tears than I thought possible began to spout from my eyes, and I began to wail like I’d never done before. I had no idea what was happening to me, but God had just given me the spiritual gift of uncontrollable crying!

The man told me to shut up. I could not. I only cried harder. He repeated his demand several times with increasing menace in his voice as we drove down that busy street.. I wanted to comply, frightened of what he might do if I didn’t, but I was helpless before the supernatural gush of inconsolable weeping. He turned left onto N. Hollywood Way and began a torrent of verbal abuse as he cursed me and threatened with some words I had never heard before and just about every word I knew and had tried out—with a mouth scrubbed out with soap as my payment. I put my hands over my mouth to stifle my sobs but it was as useful as trying to stop the flow from a fire hose with your hand.

He turned right on W. Olive Ave. and drove a half mile. As we crossed the bridge over the concrete-jacketed Los Angeles River, my abductor pulled out a Bowie knife and held it against my throat.

“Quit crying! I haven’t done anything to you, but if you don’t stop I swear I will cut your head off and make you stop!”

I redoubled my efforts to squelch my squalling. I was trying to save my life. But my desperate attempts to silence myself only resulted in adding violent and loud hiccups punctuating my tearful lamentations.

As we turned left onto Forest Lawn Drive, the beginning of the perimeter road around Griffith Park, I could see the channel of the Los Angeles River on the left side and chaparral scrub covering the hills to my right. I knew that just ahead lay Forest Lawn Memorial Park, a sprawling and typically Californian cemetery. I had been there many times to see the faux historic churches, Liberty Bell, mural, Crown Jewel replicas, and the famous graves. Now I had the unwelcome thought thrust into my brain that I might very soon be taking up residency in a grave there.

As the misplaced verdant green of the cemetery came into view amidst the unrelenting dry greys and browns of the surrounding hills, my kidnapper lowered the knife and gripped the wheel to turn right onto a dirt road. We went up the hill about 200 feet and pulled off into a stand of dry bushes. We were exactly across from the famous Hollywood sign on the opposite side of the hill. Stopping there, he parked and came around to my door. I was bawling as loudly and moistly as ever as he pulled my arm and forced me into a clearing in the brush, screened from prying eyes on the road below.

“It’s all right. You’re fine. Stop your stupid crying!” the tall thin man demanded again, throwing out a filthy blanket pierced with foxtail burrs onto the dry sandy ground.

I tried again, but with no more success than before. My shoulders wracked with sobs and periodic hiccups. His face glared rage and disgust with my unseemly display. I was sure my time was extremely limited as I noticed he’d replaced the knife in its belt sheath.

He then did something completely unexpected. He reached down and undid the snap and zipper on my jeans. He then pulled my pants and underwear down around my ankles. I was shocked beyond words. I was naked in front of this stranger. I didn’t let anyone see my privates anymore. Even my pediatrician, Dr. Vera Schlamm, a survivor of the Nazi death camps, had surrendered to my demands that my underpants stayed on while she examined me. She was sensitive to my childish modesty, perhaps because her own had been so cruelly stripped from her, along with her clothes, on the roll call grounds of Bergen-Belsen.

Shocked and shamed, I wanted to protest, but even as I tried only wails came in place of words. He next pulled off my shirt and demanded that I lie down on the blanket behind me. Howling with more force than I’d ever managed in my life, I complied. He then undid and lowered his own pants, revealing an adult nakedness I had never seen before. He kept on his plaid shirt that I thought looked like something a lumberjack would wear, its tails not quite covering his privates. I was horrified. I had no conception of what he intended, but something in me screamed that this was really wrong.

He stood there for what seemed like an hour and was probably less than a minute, looking down on a naked weeping nine year old boy. Then he yanked me to my feet by my arm and, with a fresh torrent of cursing, pushed me toward the car.

“Get your pants up and put this back on!” he yelled, throwing my tee shirt into my face. I quickly complied and slid into the passenger seat, willing myself to be silent and invisible. I was unsuccessful, as my unworldly wailing continued unabated. This bawling completely astounded me, and I had no idea where it was all coming from.

My kidnapper stomped around and slid back behind the wheel and started up the car. We raised quite a cloud behind us as he tore back to the paved road. Even though I could see that we were returning the way we had come, and sensed that I had escaped something really horrible, I still wept loudly.

He was silent as he drove us back across the river into Burbank. The only thing he said was, “You need to keep your mouth shut about this, okay? If you tell anyone I will come and kill you with my knife. I know which house you live in.” Then he fell back into brooding silence. When we pulled back onto W. Alameda Ave., he reached across me and opened the passenger door. We were driving slowly in the right lane and the curb was sailing by just four or five feet away. I was looking out the open door with alarm, having never before been in a moving car with a door open. Without a word, he viciously shoved my shoulder and sent me toppling out of his car and onto the pavement. I rolled to the curb, and leapt to my feet and starting running toward home. I never gave a backward glance. I don’t remember when exactly the weeping stopped, but it may have been immediate upon my ejection onto the road. It had continued unbroken from the moment I had called out to God for help, until I was free. As I ran, I took stock. Aside from minor road rash, I was physically unharmed.

I burst into our front door, screaming for Patty Jean. She ran into the living room and I ran into her arms. Then I started crying again, but these tears were natural. I poured out the story between sobs and Patty Jean held and comforted me, then led me into the kitchen, and while wiping my face with a wet washcloth, told me that we were going straight to the Burbank Police Department.

As we were heading out the door toward her Ford Maverick parked in front of the house, the phone rang. Patty Jean ran back in to answer it. It was my mother asking if everything was alright. Patty simply told her, “Brian was kidnapped but he is fine. I’m taking him to the Burbank Police Department now. Meet us there.” My mom calmly replied, “Okay. I will see you in twenty minutes.”

Just recently I found out the rest of that story. I was visiting my “Aunt” Marcia who still lives in Burbank (my mother died in 2011). Marcia went to nursing school with my mother at the University of Michigan, and they had come out to California together and were roommates as they worked at Children’s hospital. They ended up marrying best friends (both of whom abandoned their families after fathering children) and were still very close. When I asked Marcia if she remembered my kidnapping, she said, “Yes, because I was with your mother as she found out you’d been kidnapped.” I’d never heard this and asked her to relate the story.

“Your mom and I were in a nursing supervisors’ meeting at the hospital. Suddenly I saw her smile disappear and her face blanch. Carol immediately stood and left the room without a word. No one said a word, but puzzled looks passed around the table. A few minutes passed and she returned, swept her papers into a folder and announced, ‘There is an emergency with Brian and I have to leave.’ We had no idea what caused this completely unprecedented behavior, but we just pitched in and covered for her the few hours remaining in the day. It wasn’t until the next day that she filled me in. Of course, I was shocked about what you endured, but the thing that really amazed me was what had happened with your mom. She told me that in our meeting she had suddenly had a powerful and undeniable impression that something was wrong with her son, and she rushed out to call home. She had reached Patty Jean just a moment before she shut the door and left the house. You know the rest of the story. She paused only to grab her things and tell us she was leaving and then rushed to meet you at the police station.”

I was amazed at this story that I had never heard, and Marcia simply said, “You and your mother were alone in the world and only had each other. That caused a powerful bond where she could sense your distress even eight miles away.”

The only things I remember from the rest of that day were a Detective Coyle asking me lots of questions about the man, his car, and everything he said and did, while writing down all my words, helping a really cool police artist draw a picture of my kidnapper’s face (I really felt like a bad describer, but the drawing later helped Det. Coyle to break the case), and my mom arriving and wrapping me in her arms. Those were the best tears of the day.

In the year to come my abductor was caught and brought to justice for the kidnapping and molestation of twenty other boys in Van Nuys and Burbank. I was the only one where he stopped short of full molestation. The charges in my case were only lewd and lascivious conduct with a minor and kidnapping beyond city limits. I bore witness at his trial and he was convicted.

Forty-six years later I found my kidnapper on Megan’s List and paid him a visit at his home.  If you want to know what happened when victim and kidnapper met – read my book. There are 25 other tales just as thrilling and every one is an example of Divine Protection.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

BRIAN HOGAN earned his Master’s in Ministry from Hope International University in Fullerton, CA specializing in World Christian Foundations. He is a sought after speaker, trainer and coach. Brian serves full time with Church Planting Coaches, a global ministry of Youth With A Mission. He serves YWAM on the Frontier Mission Leadership Team. He enjoys sacred-cow tipping, hanging out, climbing his family tree, reading books, traveling and trying anything new, novel, and different.

Brian has participated in, led, and started organic expressions of Jesus’ Body in the USA, Malta, and Mongolia. He coaches those involved in these movements on five continents, especially focusing on unreached and unengaged peoples and where the church isn’t.

Brian is the author of There’s a Sheep in my Bathtub: Birth of a Mongolian Church Planting Movement. These days he and Louise call Northwest Arkansas home.

 

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Divine Protection Part 5-Rescue Through Supernatural Transportation

Rescued by Angels

Last week we talked about being delivered from violence through miracles. Today’s story includes a miracle of supernatural transportation. It is an event that happened last year in a very dangerous part of the world. I got permission from my friends to share the story. For the continuing safety of the believers involved, some details are omitted. The events I am about to share have been confirmed by many witnesses, and we have every reason to believe that they are true. Scripture shares more than one story of Christians being removed from prison by angels.

Acts 5:17-21 ((NRSV) Then the high priest took action; he and all who were with him (that is, the sect of the Sadducees), being filled with jealousy, arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors, brought them out, and said, “Go, stand in the temple and tell the people the whole message about this life.” When they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and went on with their teaching.

Acts 12:6-19 (NRSV) The very night before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison.  Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his wrists.

The angel said to him, “Fasten your belt and put on your sandals.” He did so. Then he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.”  Peter went out and followed him; he did not realize that what was happening with the angel’s help was real; he thought he was seeing a vision.  After they had passed the first and the second guard, they came before the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went outside and walked along a lane, when suddenly the angel left him.  Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hands of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”

As soon as he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many had gathered and were praying. When he knocked at the outer gate, a maid named Rhoda came to answer. On recognizing Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the gate, she ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the gate. They said to her, “You are out of your mind!” But she insisted that it was so. They said, “It is his angel.” Meanwhile Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the gate, they saw him and were amazed. He motioned to them with his hand to be silent, and described for them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he added, “Tell this to James and to the believers.” Then he left and went to another place.

When morning came, there was no small commotion among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. When Herod had searched for him and could not find him, he examined the guards and ordered them to be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.

Later in Acts, we read the story of Paul and Silas being freed from prison. As they were praying and singing hymns to God, there was suddenly an earthquake that was so violent is shook the foundations of the prison, all the doors opened, and all the chains fell off. Perhaps Paul and Silas remembered what had happened to the guards when Peter was rescued from prison, when they had mercy on the jailer instead of just getting out of there while they could! (Acts 16:16-34)

Kidnapped By Extremists!

This happened in a country where believers are often severely persecuted and some other Christians had already been killed. Two Christians were kidnapped by an extremist group after helping another Christian family to escape death. The extremists beat them, handcuffed their hands and feet, and imprisoned them in a cave. They had until early the next morning to disclose the location of a person whom they had helped to rescue, or their heads would be cut off.

Several hundred believers began to pray and fast for the brothers who were kidnapped. Someone prayed that the Lord would send his angel to rescue them, as Peter, Paul, and Silas were delivered from prison.

At about one o’clock in the morning, the two Christian brothers, with their hands and feet shackled, began to pray and ask Jesus for deliverance. The mountain shook several times as they were praying, and they continued.

“I Have Been Sent From Jesus To Help You”

Suddenly, a bright light shone in the cave and blinded the twenty men who were guarding them. A shining man stood before them and said “My name is Michael. I have been sent from Jesus in to help you. Take hold of my hands and close your eyes. Let’s go!”

As they reached out their hands to hold the angel’s hands, the handcuffs on their hands and feet fell off. They closed their eyes, felt a wind blowing on their faces for a moment, and found themselves standing on the street of their hometown. Michael disappeared.

They were dumbfounded and stood in shock for 20 minuets, trying to understand what had just happened! Then they found a Christian who took them to another town. Everyone was amazed to see them alive!

These two Christian who were rescued from death thought that the cave had collapsed onto their captors when they were rescued by the angel, but they were not sure. Not long after that, the word began to spread that a cave made out of solid rock had collapsed and killed about 25 people. The rest of the extremist group thought that these two Christians had been killed along with the men guarding them, so they stopped hunting them down. They didn’t know that the believers had been rescued by an angel and supernatural transportation!

Pray And Believe!

May this story (as well as the other stories I share) encourage you to take seriously the promises of scripture about believing prayer. May you be encouraged by the reminded that the Lord sends angels as ministering spirits to help us when we ask for help and when we speak God’s word. I pray that your eyes be opened all the more to the spiritual reality that is around, and to the possibilities that are yours in Christ, far more than you could ever ask or imagine! This story is a good reminded to pray for Christians who are facing severe persecution.

Hebrews 13:3 (NRSV) Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured.

As I write, I remember a story that I once heard of another believer who was imprisoned in the former Soviet Union. (I’m don’t remember anymore where I heard this.) He was naked in a cold cell, freezing. He was desperate and began to cry out to God. He didn’t know it, but other Christians were praying for him. The Lord sent an angel to keep him warm in prison.

For more about “the prayer of faith” and signs that the Lord gave my family as we prayed, check out Part 1 and Part 2 of “Supernatural Rain In My House”. Next week, I will have a guest blog post. Stay tuned to hear how the Lord delivered Brian Hogan when he was kidnapped as a child!

 

 

 

 

 

The post Divine Protection Part 5-Rescue Through Supernatural Transportation appeared first on Go to Heaven Now!.

Divine Protection Part 4-Protection By Miracles And Deliverance

In part 1 of “Divine Protection”, we talked about having God’s perspective when facing threats, in order to be able to see armies of angels and fear no danger. In part 2, we discussed the role of prayer and of hearing God’s voice in escaping danger, like Joseph and the wise men were warned in dreams about how to escape Herod. Part 3 was about overcoming evil with good, as we bless and pray for those who would harm us. As we saw in the story of Elijah and the Aramean armies who were blinded, overcoming evil with good is often combined with an element of supernatural protection. Today, we will discuss protection through miracles.

Fire From Heaven!

In 2 Kings, we read a story of Elijah being delivered from bands of men sent to take him. They were consumed by fire from heaven!

2 Kings 1:9-15 (NRSV) Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty men. He went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, “O man of God, the king says, ‘Come down.’” But Elijah answered the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then fire came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.

Again the king sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty. He went up and said to him, “O man of God, this is the king’s order: Come down quickly!” But Elijah answered them, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

Again the king sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. So the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and entreated him, “O man of God, please let my life, and the life of these fifty servants of yours, be precious in your sight. Look, fire came down from heaven and consumed the two former captains of fifty men with their fifties; but now let my life be precious in your sight.”Then the angel of the Lord said to Elijah, “Go down with him; do not be afraid of him.” So he set out and went down with him to the king

This story was probably the reason that in the New Testament, Jesus’ disciples asked if they should call down fire from heaven to consume the Samaritan village that rejected their ministry. Jesus’ response?

Luke 9:55-56 (NIV) But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village

However, there are still many modern-day parallels to this story of Elijah and the fire from heaven. Instead of the fire consuming the attacker, it stops them in their tracks and can also deliver them from the demons that influenced them. Even when Jesus’ opponents came to arrest him, they fell to the ground when he said who he was. Jesus chose to go to the cross-they could not have taken him unless they were allowed.

John 18:4-6 (NRSV) Then Jesus, knowing all that was to happen to him, came forward and asked them, “Whom are you looking for?” They answered, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus replied, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said  to them, “I am he,” they stepped back and fell to the ground.

Violence Stopped By Miraculous Intervention

 Carlos Annacondia is a prominent evangelist of the revival in Argentina. In his evangelistic crusades, larger percentages of the populations of whole cities have made commitments to follow Christ. His evangelistic crusades have been especially marked by many people being delivered from demonic oppression. It is often found after many evangelistic crusades that only a small percentage of the people who made commitments for Christ have a significant change in their lives that can be seen a few years later. However, Annacondia’s crusades have been unique in their long-term impact.

Annocondia has preached in dangerous places, and he shared several stories of the Lord’s protection in his book Listen To Me, Satan. On one occasion, a woman hid a knife in her clothes to kill Carlos. When she came near to kill him, she instead fell on the ground and was carried to a tent to receive deliverance minister. When they were ministering to her they found the knife, and the heard her story afterwords. (Pg. 122)

When Carlos was in the city of San Martin, people told him to not go up on the stage because several men were waiting to shoot him. He was unmoved, because he saw from God’s perspective. He told them that he must pray for the sick, and those who were waiting to shoot him would soon be kicking their way to the deliverance tent. It sounds like he had come to expect this! When he took the microphone and said “Jesus”, the armed men fell to the ground and were taken to the deliverance tent, just as he had said. (pg. 123)

In the city of San Justo, a sniper tried to kill Carlos. Every time that he tried to shoot, a fog covered the platform so that he couldn’t aim. The gun would not fire when aimed at Carlos, but fired when pointed in any other direction. After trying several times, he also ended up in the deliverance tent. (pg. 124)

 Here is the testimony of another assailant. “I was the one throwing the stones on the roof, and I can’t believe what has happened to me. I grabbed a big stone. I wanted it to go through the roof and hit you and kill you. As I was about to throw it, my hand froze. Then my fingers went limp, and the stone fell on the ground. But that wasn’t all; I felt two strong hands pushing me, and I moved forward almost one and a half meters. I turned around, but I didn’t see anybody. I felt pushed again, but there still wasn’t anybody there. Push by push I was brought to the entrance of this place. The last push was so strong that I ended up in the middle of the congregation, and when I wanted to stand my legs wouldn’t support me.” (Pg. 125)

In another place, a group of armed men came out of hiding to shoot Carlos. Without even noticing the armed men, he put his hand out of the car window to wave goodbye to some people. The next day he found out that they saw the armed men who were aiming at them fall to the ground when he put his hand out of the window. (Pg. 126)

On another occasion, bandits tried to set his car on fire. When they came near it, they fell on the ground. They tried to push it, but the license plate was on fire and they couldn’t touch it. Other thieves stole chairs, but when they tried to sit on the chairs, the chairs were burning. Strange things happened with the other stolen objects as well. (Pg. 126)

I have personally heard testimonies from many other people who were at gunpoint and the gun wouldn’t fire, or whose attackers were scared because they saw angels. Todd White  shared the story of when a drug dealer fired at him repeatedly from ten feet away as he got into his car to drive away. He heard God speak to him in the car “I took those bullets for you”. There were not even any bullet holes in the car! Apparently, the bullets vanished or were stopped before they hit the car. It was improbable that Todd would not be hit at such a close range, but impossible for his car not to be hit.

If you begin to ask other believers about what the Lord has done in their lives, you may hear some amazing stories! Such instances of miraculous protection are much more common than many of us have imagined!

Next week, we will talk about deliverance from violence through supernatural transportation. I will share a fairly recent story about two believers being rescued by an angel from captivity and impending death.

 

 

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