Scripture references: 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21(AMPC); 2 Peter 1:19-21(AMPC); 2 Peter 1:21(TPT); 2 Chronicles 20:20(KJV); Isaiah 48:3&5-7(AMPC); 1 Timothy 1:18-19(KJV); Luke 14:25-26&33 (TPT&); 1 Samuel 15:10-23(MSG); 1Samuel 15:22&24(AMP)
Hello, everybody. It’s wonderful to be in the house of the Lord. More and more wonderful than ever before, even as we grow in revelation about really what God is doing here with us, together. Evidently the Lord has got something for me to say today because it was yesterday afternoon that Pastor John said to me, “It’s been on my heart all morning, it’s been on my heart, that you must minister tomorrow morning.” So, evidently what He has given me, is what He wants to say to us today. Thank you for the opportunity again. It’s always a privilege for me. Thank You, Lord and thank you, Pastor John. It’s just wonderful. Our gifts flow together, but I’m submitted to my spiritual leader. I do not tell him when I think I should be ministering. I flow with what the Holy Ghost says and that gives me confidence this morning. It gives me confidence every time I minister, actually, because Pastor John asks me. Glory to God.
So, let’s pray. Father, we thank You for Your words to us today. We’re expectant. We’re reverent. We’re receptive and our inner-man, our inner-ears are listening. Our hearts receiving, Lord. In Your Name, Jesus, Whose we are and Who we serve. And we all say; amen.
So, because we have a lag with our computers this morning and I need to move along, I’m going to ask you to please turn to the Scriptures in your Bibles. It would be good for you to always be bringing your Bibles with you to church, so that you can turn there, glory to God, in any case of this happening in the future. It’s very powerful for you to see, what I say in the Scriptures for yourselves and then, of course, those of you that are in the messages during the week, you will be able to do it again and again.
I’m going to just remind you where I was last Sunday with you. The Lord had me read Kenneth Copeland’s prophecy that he prophesied in 2009;
The prayer, the prayer, the prayer that’s gone forth.
I’m also reminding you that Pastor John and I were invited to go to Brother Jerry’s church, by Pastor Justin and Annette with Brother Jerry’s blessing, with Brother Jerry’s presence there as well, to come and teach on corporate prayer because the mandate that Jesus gave to His messenger was; you must establish, organize and establish, corporate prayer so that it can increase and intensify. So, the fame of our corporate prayer has spread. Those in Heritage of Faith that have been obedient, you are a part of that. You have a part in that. Like Pastor Garth has said on a few occasions this year; it’s just a matter of time until you all will come because your new creature heart really wants to obey Jesus. So whatever has been preventing you from obeying Jesus’ mandate to Pastor John for corporate prayer, we believe that you will go through a New Open Door in 2020, that in 2020 you will have 20/20 vision for corporate prayer. Glory to God. Because it is God’s way, it’s very clear in the Word of God and it is part of your obedience to the Lord, Jesus Christ to be at prayer connect every week. Glory to God.
So that you can bring your supply of the Spirit. Not to substitute it at some other time; “Well, I’m going to pray for those things another time.” No, God does things with us together, in prayer connect group. He knits us, binds us, there’s things that happen, there’s relationship interaction and there’s spiritual development and maturity that happens as we are together to pray. We learn how to pray together, which is completely different from praying personally. We actually learn to walk together. It’s part of your learning to walk together. Glory to God.
The thing that the enemy really wants to do, is to isolate you because; divide, conquer, divide, conquer. So, if he can isolate you from the things that he wants you to do, then there are things in you that are already being conquered by him, because it’s the devil’s way to get you to be isolated from the Body, to be separated.
So, that’s what I read – the prophecy; The prayer that’s gone forth, the prayer that is going forth, that is where the power release is.
You can go and read about it in the book of Acts, chapter 4. They all were together. They were all in one accord. They all prayed and they did corporate prayer and when they had done corporate prayer, the place in which they were was shaken and God did signs and wonders. Glory.
That is where the trigger to these things is, that’s the way you release them in your church. And thus saith The LORD thy God, “In this hour, which means this time, these churches that are teaching and training people to pray corporately, these churches that are teaching and training people to pray together, these churches, in this hour, that is where the explosion and the Shekinah glory of God will be manifest.
His presence manifest among us to a degree, that will change you and me eternally – His manifest corporate presence. We don’t do church, or come to church for any other reason, this is what I said last week, than to have His manifest presence and we all have been on a journey to bring, Pastor John and I to bring revelations to you so that you can and we can become the kind of people, together, that God will be well pleased to come and manifest Himself. Glory to God.
The glory of God will manifest and the praying churches will walk in it first. They will say, ‘My, my, revival broke out over there.’ No, answered prayer broke out over there. The ‘Awakening’ will come out of congregations. People will run into these houses of worship where the glory of God is residing and hanging heavy.
I’m very aware of the glory of God hanging very heavy. Heavier and heavier every time we come together. I’m very aware of that. Glory, glory, glory.
People will run in… and they’ll say, ‘Clean, clean, clean! Oh to be clean, to be clean.` They’ll run into that atmosphere…
What atmosphere? The atmosphere of corporate prayer. Not just that, but the atmosphere of reverence. It’s your reverence to go to corporate prayer. It’s your honour, part of your honour of obedience that you give God. Hallelujah.
They will say, ‘To be clean.’ They will run into that atmosphere, that corporate prayer has produced, and My Blood will cleanse them, from the top of their head to the soles of their feet. My WORD will take root on the inside of them, and this church is headed for a Holy Spirit manifestation. It is on us, now. (Kenneth Copeland, This Great Awakening, July 4, 2009)
So, what the Lord wants me to say to you this morning is that God gives men and women prophecy today. He still gives prophecy. So, He gave Brother Jerry prophecy. All these years we’ve brought that prophetic word. He gives Pastor John prophecy. What He had me declare this morning, was prophecy that came inspired utterances of the Holy Spirit – that’s all that prophecy is. We don’t get weird on prophecy. We don’t, I mean, I remember when I was growing up spiritually in my church and you know how God taught me; you feed at home, you eat at home. You don’t go to every other church to feed. The internet is not your spiritual restaurant. He taught me; I plant you here, you eat here, you feed here. I was amazed. Here the prophecies will come that will be for you because they’re from your company. You can go read about that in Acts chapter 4 and 5. They went to their own company. That’s why God said, “My people are information overload.” They surf the web for prophecies and that’s not God’s way. It’s not God’s way.
I was always amazed at people that would come to me and say, “Did you hear what so-and-so prophesied? Ahh, did you hear what so…” and I’ve never even heard of those people. They had nothing to say about our pastor bringing the Word and prophecies from Kenneth Hagin, that we were directly under. They would still be looking and reading everywhere else, except at home. It puzzled me.
So, we don’t do that at Heritage of Faith. We don’t do that. If Pastor John does not bring the prophecy, and the only prophecy we get is through Pastor John, then God deems that to be more than enough. Glory to God. Hallelujah.
He still gives prophecy through men today. So, I’m going to read you these scriptures, just to confirm what God is wanting me to say to you today. I’m confirming it. Glory to God.
Okay, 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21 in the Amplified Bible says this; 19Do not quench (suppress or subdue) the [Holy] Spirit; 20Do not spurn the gifts and utterances of the prophets [do not depreciate prophetic revelations nor despise inspired instruction or exhortation or warning]. 21But test and prove all things [until you can recognize] what is good; [to that] hold fast. (1 Thessalonians 5:19-21 AMPC) So, you are not to spurn or depreciate it. How do you depreciate a prophecy? By not minding it at all. Not believing it, not believing that God still gives prophecy through men and through women where you are planted and where you’re connected.
2 Peter 1:19 and 21 says this; 19and we have the prophetic word [made] firmer still. You will do well to pay close attention to it as to a lamp shining in a dismal (squalid and dark) place, that’s Isaiah 60. Darkness covers the earth, but that prophetic prophecy that comes, the inspired Word of God, whether it comes to you out of Scripture or it comes to you through a messenger and a man of God, that – you ought to pay close attention to it. …as to a lamp shining in a dismal (squalid and dark) place, until the day breaks through [the gloom] and the Morning Star rises (comes into being) in your hearts. That just means until all the light comes to you and to your enlightenment and your faith reaches for that word, to come true in your life and you have it. That’s all that all of that means. 20[Yet] first [you must] understand this, that no prophecy of Scripture is [a matter] of any personal or private or special interpretation. 21For no prophecy, this is the part that I want you to see, ever originated, or originates, because some man willed it, or wills it, [to do so—it never came by human impulse], this prophecy from Brother Jerry, did not come by his own human impulse and I you to hear this; but men spoke from God who were borne along (moved and impelled) by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:19-21 AMPC).
I want you to see that God still speaks prophecy, He gives men and messengers inspired utterances, that we can stake our life on. We can lay claim and lay hold to it. Hallelujah. He gives our spiritual leaders, He gives Brother Jerry and He gives Pastor John, inspired utterance for us, it’s our lamp in a dark place. When you find yourself in a dark place in your circumstances, that’s my lamp! That’s my lamp. His Word is a lamp. It’s a lamp to me. It’s a light for me. Glory to God.
The Passion Translation says this; 21No true prophecy comes from human initiative but is inspired by the moving of the Holy Spirit upon those who spoke the message that came from God (2 Peter 1:21 TPT).
2 Chronicles 20:20 says, 20Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. (2 Chronicles 20:20 KJV) Believe the Lord your God, so shall you be established. You are established by your own reading of the Scriptures and what you find, His ways and you walk in His ways. You’re established when the messenger brings a message to you that you go through with a fine-tooth comb during the week and by the prophetic word of God that comes forth. Glory to God, and so you will prosper. You will prosper spiritually. Then you will also prosper relationally. You will prosper in your assignment. You will prosper in you body, in health. He sends His Word and heals us and you will prosper in every area. Glory to God.
So, Isaiah 48. I just want to show you how God works – it’s His ways, it’s His pattern, just listen. This is how He works, God speaking here in verse 3, Isaiah 48; 3I have declared from the beginning the former things [which happened in times past to Israel]; they went forth from My mouth and I made them known; then suddenly I did them, you see? That’s how God works. He will give an inspired utterance and prophecy that we didn’t know and then suddenly He will do them. For people who are in faith, He will do those suddenlies. Glory to God. …and they came to pass [says the Lord]. 5Therefore, verse 5, I have declared things to come to you from of old; before they came to pass I announced them to you, through who? Through His messengers. …so that you could not say, My idol has done them, and my graven image have commanded them. 6You have heard [these things foretold], now you see this fulfilment. Verse 6. And will you not bear witness to it? Look at this, listen to this, I show you specified new things from this time forth. It is the New Open Door. 6I show you specified new things from this time forth, even hidden things [kept in reserve] which you have not known. 7They are created now [called into being by the prophetic word]…. Who calls them into being? You do, I do. 7…and not long ago; you see these are new things 7…and before today you have never heard of them, lest you should say, Behold, I knew them! (Isaiah 48:3&5-7 AMPC).
Isn’t that amazing that there is a tendency for us to want to be ahead of each other? It is such a competitive spirit. We are not here to compete with each other, and to compare ourselves. I’m telling you, when you compete and you compare, you are right in the devil’s claws, his clutches. He’s got you, because the Bible says, do not compare yourselves among yourselves, it is not wise. Hmm.
You should be drawn and attracted to people that are more spiritual than you, not distracted by them. Attracted to them. We got taught that, when we were growing up, in our church. Brother Jerry, I believe taught us, always make sure that you around people that are up, ahead of you, so that you can come up to them. Of course, Jesus is our, I mean, He is our ultimate, we look unto Jesus, but God has also given us people among us to follow, as they follow Christ. For us to have a heart recognition of that and not to be distracted by them or to want to compete with them. It is your heart motivation, you see. No, we desire to have that part of Christ that is formed in them, I want Christ to formed that in me too, and the only way that He could do that is, cause I am with Him, not cause I put on an outward show.
Then He says this, our part is to do this and Pastor John read this Scripture last week. 1 Timothy 1:18 and 19, 18This charge I commit to you, when you get a prophetic word, this is our part, this charge I commit to you son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare. 19Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: (1Timothy 1:18-19 KJV). So, according to the prophecies that come forth over us, okay he is talking to Timothy about personal prophecy that Timothy received from his life, from where he was planted and where he was positioned in the body of Christ, but the same principle applies to us, according to the prophecies that come to us, we are supposed to war a good warfare, holding faith in that prophecy.
The Passion Translation that Pastor John used last week was, use your prophecies as weapons. Use your prophecies as weapons, against who? Against the enemy that comes to you to say, “You can’t do that. You can’t have that. It is not going to happen for you. You are not worthy.” All those things Pastor John said last week about the impeachment. Satan will always try and come and impeach you, cause you are not good enough. I have 1 John 1:9, I have the Blood of Jesus, I have, I am in fellowship with the Lord and I’m moving forward in this thing. I’ll will not be impeached. I will not be impeached by the devil, you are not going to debilitate me, you are not going to lie to me and say to me, “But for so long you been like this. What makes you think you can do this now?” I’m telling you, you can jump with your new creature, awesomeness right into obedience, any obedience you choose, you can give Him, instantly. That is how powerful you are, that is how powerful that you are as a new creature. Use your prophecies as weapons, as you wage spiritually warfare, right.
The next thing, I am moving right along, the next thing I’m doing is, I am going to now, the point that Jesus wants me to make this morning, to you. This is part of our preparation, that is Luke 1, Luke chapter 1 The Amplified Bible, preparation. Pastor John and I, come in the spirit and power of Elijah to prepare for God a people ready, perfectly prepared in spirit. Some people use our messages to become super souls, they learn our language and they don’t make any spiritual progress, they just learn the jargon and to be seen, to be someone that can fit, but when you put your foot in the message for you to change personally, that’s when it is the real deal. Glory to God.
So, this is what Pastor John said, this is where I have to go know. People are giving glory to God, because of what we as a church have become. What have we become? A Corporate House of Prayer. We have been obedient to Jesus, what He told Pastor John to do in 2008, and now, I mean on Tuesday night, here in Witbank, we hardly had seats. Glory to God.
We are increasing, God is increasing it numerically, but He is also increasing spiritually. Hallelujah! He is increasing it spiritually. You see you will never know what a command of God can do for you, until you are obedient to it and you are on the other side of obedience. Then you will go, “Oh my word, this is what you had for me spiritually ,all the time.” You see, you see. Obedience without argument. So, this is what Pastor John said, I want to take this theme a little bit further and I want to say that Jesus, the Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit, do not need everybody in the church. He would like it, well actually He longs and desires everyone of His children, but He does not need everybody in the church to be high level disciples. Listen to those words, high level disciples, make a note of that. He needs some people to be, here’s listen, words, totally dedicated disciples, high level disciples, total dedicated disciples. Now God is bringing you, us all this word today, because it is possible for all of us, and it is His desire for all of us. That’s the only spirit that Jesus is having me bring this in today, is to make this open for you. For you to go through the New Open Door like this in 2020.
He says, He needs some people to be totally dedicated disciples, because if there are some people, that will be dedicated disciples on the earth, then they can represent all of what Jesus intended on the earth. For all of the church on the earth. So, that in the realm of the spirit, God can turn and say to all of the spirit realm, “There are those, there are the people on the earth, that look like Me, that talk like Me, that are like Me. They are with Me, that speak like Me, and all I need is some of them to be like Me, then they can represent all of the people, that have Me inside of them, that have not paid the price, that these people have paid.”
Do you remember brother Jerry’s bag of seeds that he brought? What price are you, Heritage of Faith, South Africa, prepared to pay for the glory, for God’s manifest presence and His manifest power and His manifest goodness. What price are you Heritage of Faith, South Africa, prepared to pay?
So now, I want you to note, so that in the realm of the spirit, He can turn and say to all of the spirit realm, see God works within legal, legalities. He needs people that from the heart have purposed to be a totally dedicated, not on the outside pretence – He sees all that, from the heart. They are allowing Jesus in their heart.
So, now I am just going to read something to you, right, I’m staying right on track here, Lord. All of God’s people, (Pastor John this is a book that you know, you know this book, and it’s Watchman Nee, who was an apostle, who walked very close with the Lord Jesus, and what he says about what you said here.)
All of God’s people have a part in His eternal purpose, but not all will take up their rightful responsibility. Therefore, God chooses a group of people from among them who have chosen Him. Ok? This group is a portion of the whole, a part of the many chosen by God. When this group is compared with the whole, their number is in the minority, but God’s plan is fulfilled in them, and His purpose rests on them.
Maturity has been reached, these mature overcomers differ from the church, but they are included in the church. The Head of the church is on the throne and God’s purpose is not just to have one man upon the throne, but many men upon the throne. (Pastor John has ministered on that).
His original desire was to have a group of people on the throne with Him to exercise His authority. That’s speaking about heavenly spiritual things, here now people. We are seated with Him in heavenly places, but how effective we are in our authority seated with Him, is dependent on our total discipleship, on our complete dedication to the Lord, Jesus Christ.
God desires that Christ and the church, together will bring to fulfilment His purpose. However the majority of the people in the church, will not attain to the throne, only a minority. Why? It’s choice, its personal choice. Because only a minority can go to the throne, because they will achieve God’s purpose and they will be caught up with Him in His presence. Glory to God.
So, because of these ones, there is a war in heaven, and there is a transaction which causes Satan to have no more position in heaven. At the cross, the death of the Lord Jesus has already dealt with the position which Satan gained by man’s fall. In other words, redemption has destroyed the legal position of Satan, now the work of the church, which is God’s secret weapon of love, that all of that wonderful things of His sword of judgement, now the church, the work of the church is to execute in the Kingdom of God, what the Lord Jesus has accomplished in redemption, and thus completely bring to an end, the legal position of Satan gained by man’s fall.
Redemption is Christ’s solution for the fall, the Kingdom is the church’s solution for the fall. The work of judgement was Christ’s, while the task of executing this judgement, rests upon the church. Satan has already been judged by redemption, now he is being judged by the Kingdom.
The work of the church, is that we all together, resist the work of Satan in our lives, we give him no place, that we all together cast out demons. Now listen to this – the casting out of demons does not mean when we encounter a demon we should confront him. Casting out demons means that we cast out all the work and power of the devil, in our lives and in our midst. We lay hold of the authority of the Lord, and stand fast in our position in Christ. He has entrusted this work to the church.
Ok, all right, he has got many wonderful things here, he talks about. He gives examples of the sons of Levi were obedient to the Word of Moses, choosing to serve God above all their human affection – I’m speaking about the point of total discipleship – totally dedicated disciples and high-level disciples. The Lord said to me Sharon, you have to speak to my people about this. You have to make it available to them. They must know that they can be this, all of them.
The Levites were not, were never, ok let me not jump ahead of myself, they decided to choose, to serve God above all their human affection, so God chose them to be priests.
Originally all of the Israelites were to serve God, with total dedication, but they failed, so God chose from among a group of people, who would stand in their place. See, a people, then they can represent like Pastor John said, all of the people that have Me inside of them, but have not paid the price.
Okay, so we must remember that the Levites did not serve God for themselves, by their own selection. Much less did they claim superiority over the others, much less did they claim superiority over the others. You see, you do that in your heart, when you compare yourself to someone else; no. If this had happened they were finished, the Levites were chosen by God to represent the whole body of the people of Israel. What the children of Israel should have all offered unto God, the children of Levi now offered for them.
All right, and then Gideon was also an example. God raised up Gideon, because it’s the ruling, reigning victory that God wants from the church. That’s why we totally dedicated, because we rule and reign with Him to a degree, okay. The responsibility was that of all of the Israelites, the whole nation, but some were afraid, some were slothful, some were prideful. God said to Gideon, “The next cut I’m going to make for you, Gideon is people that are going to say, I had something to do with this. I had something to do with this.” He said, “Tell them if they’re afraid they can go home.” So, the most, the majority of them went home.
Okay, so it says; The work is the overcomers, but the church receives the blessing of that work. Some were afraid and slothful. The same principle is seen, with Zerubbabel and Ezra and Nehemiah and Joshua, came back to build the temple, what they did, was counted for the whole nation. It was reckoned as the recovery and returning of the whole nation.
The principle of the overcomer or that high-level disciple, that goes serves completely and obeys completely,is not that any individual who is especially spiritual, will have a crown and glory awaiting Him. That is not to say that individuals will not be rewarded with crowns and glory in that day. They will, but they are not for, this is not their main purpose. The reason for the overcomers is to be the overcomers or the total dedicated disciple, is not to receive glory or crowns for themselves, but simply to take the position with the whole church should take and to work with Christ in the church. Hallelujah. He needs a group, God is calling. God is calling for this maturity and for this disciple, to stand for the church at this end time. God needs such a group of people, to attain His original goal.
So, I’m going to just read you, some Scriptures the Lord gave me this morning about totally dedicated disciples. He said this to me. Okay, so those were the words that were in the message, totally dedicated disciples, high-level disciples paying the price. The Lord said this to me this morning; it’s got to do with levels of obedience. Levels of obedience, so there is a degree of obedience you can have. You cannot be obedient in some things and not in other things. The Lord told me that I must tell you this today, let me just go there, to these Scriptures. In order to qualify at this time here at Heritage, to be a part of a people such as this, that Pastor John mentioned last week in his message.
You can’t negotiate trade-offs with God. You can’t when it comes to what God needs in the earth for His kingdom purposes. You can’t marginalize with spiritual requirements of the Lord. When God is ready on His timeline with His plan, He does not negotiate. Told me to tell you that today; when God is ready to do something, He’s not, it’s not for you to negotiate. So, this is the Scripture He gave me again, Luke 14, no, no, no, no I’m first going to read from The Passion Translation, Luke 14.
The cost, it’s called in The Passion Translation, the Cost of following Jesus. Verse 25, 25As massive crowds followed Jesus, He turned to them and said, 26“When you follow Me as my disciple, you must put aside your father, your mother, your wife, your sisters, your brothers—yes, you will even seem as though you hate your own life. This is the price you’ll pay to be considered one of my followers. Verse 33 says, 33Likewise, unless you surrender all to Me, giving up all you possess, you cannot be one of My disciples (Luke 14:25-26&33 TPT).
Now the Amplified Bible says this in verse 25, 25Now huge crowds were going along with [Jesus], and He turned and said to them, 26If anyone comes to Me – He turned and said this to them – 26If anyone comes to Me – do you know when He said this? Do you know that portion of Scripture that God has had me bring to the churches here over and over again, about I’m sorry I can’t come, I have a job. I’m sorry I can’t come, I’ve got issues at home with my wife. I’m sorry I can’t come to what you’ve invited me to come to, because I’ve got some land and I got some this, so I can’t come, I can’t give my all, because I know you’ve got the tremendous thing happening here Jesus, but I can’t come. Immediately after He speaks that parable He turns to the crowds and says this, 25He turned and said to them, 26If anyone comes to Me.
Okay so in the Amplified Bible, it says, 25Now large crowds were going along with Jesus; and He turned and said to them, 26“If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife, spouse, and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life – there is one translation that says spouse, that’s why I put it in there, and even his own life [in the sense of indifference to or relative disregard for them in comparison with his attitude toward God]—he cannot be My disciple. Verse 33, 33So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not [carefully consider the cost and then for My sake] give up all – give up all – his own possessions. So we’re talking about a totally dedicated disciple. Glory to God.
So, then the Lord said this to me this morning, He said, “I’m not negotiating.” He spoke that Scripture to my heart that He’s always spoken to my heart; obedience is better than sacrifice. So, He showed me for many years that many of His children will sacrifice something here, so they don’t have to do that. Then they justify themselves.
So, look at this, 1 Samuel chapter 15, Message Bible. It’s exactly what Saul did and God was not negotiating anymore with Saul. It was too important what he was doing with these people. 10-11Then God spoke to Samuel: “I’m sorry I ever made Saul king. He’s turned his back on me. He refuses to do what I tell him.” Okay, so this is The Message Bible. So, 11-12Samuel was angry when he heard this. He prayed his anger and disappointment all through the night. Other translations say he wept. He got up early in the morning to confront Saul but was told, “Saul’s gone. He went to Carmel to set up a victory monument in his own honour, and then was headed for Gilgal.” By the time Samuel caught up with him, Saul had just finished an act of worship, having used Amalekite plunder for the burnt offerings sacrifices to God. He was using what God had told him not to use. But I am using it for You Lord.
Look at this, 13As Samuel came close, Saul called out, “God’s blessings is on you! I accomplished God’s plan to the letter!” 14Samuel said, “So then what’s this I’m hearing – What is this I am hearing. 15“Only some Amalekite loot,” said Saul. “The soldiers saved back a few of the choice cattle and they did everything God told them not to do. 15Only some Amalekite loot,” said Saul. “The soldiers saved back a few of the choice cattle and sheep to offer up in sacrifice to God. But everything else we destroyed under the holy ban.” 16“Enough!” interrupted Samuel. “Let me tell you what God told me last night.” And Saul said, “Go ahead. Tell me.” 17-19 And Samuel told him. “When you started out in this, you were nothing – and you knew it. Then God put you, or He planted you, or He placed you, or He put you, and God said ordering you, God has given us all as a congregation commandments. God sent you off to do a job for him, ordering you, certain specific things. So why did you not obey God? Why did you grab all this loot? Why, with God’s eyes on you all the time, did you brazenly carry out this evil?”
20-21 Saul defended himself. That was his first instinct, he defended himself. “What are you talking about? I did obey God. I did the job God set for me. I brought in King Agag and destroyed the Amalekites under the terms… So you, we find in ourselves, this thing we want to do with God, but I have done this, and I have done that and I have done that. I mean, it is just this, that I mean please compared to what I am doing what is this. Compared to what I have done, this. God is not negotiating with us at this time. He is looking for totally obedient, dedicated people because we can be. I taught you about how we can be obedient, that God has given a new creation, a new creature the capacity to hear and obey. Right.
So, 20-21Saul defended himself. And he says here, The soldiers saved back a few choice sheep and cattle from the holy ban for sacrifice to God at Gilgal – what’s wrong with that?” 22-23Then Samuel said, Do you think all God wants are sacrifices – empty rituals just for show? He wants you to listen to him! Plain listening is the thing, not staging a lavish religious production. Not doing what God tells you is far worse than fooling around in the occult (1Samuel 15:10-23 MSG).
And that is what Pastor John said in his message too, where people say it is better to go to church, than to not go at all. Where did he say that, he says, “No, actually if you keep coming to church and you never change, you know there is a … Let me just get this here, it could be more damaging to go to church and pretend. Because God knows you are pretending, people around you might not know, mostly the Lord will show Pastor John and I who are the pretenders, because He wants us to watch out. He wants us to watch out so that it does not hurt the sheep. Okay, because normally people like that, you know will harm the other sheep.
Because you have got a lot of words and so people will believe you, but it is a lie, it is actually a lie and so you are catching a brother or a sister up in a lie by pretending with them. Sjoe. The Bible, it goes against God’s Word, because the Bible says, be not only to speak the truth to one another but rather be the truth to one another in love. Yeah. So, where am I now. I need to finish this scripture, I am almost done.
23Not doing what God tells you is far worse than fooling around in the occult. Getting self-important around God, that is exactly what Saul did, he was defending himself, look what I have done, okay. Because you have said no to God’s command, he says No to your kingship.
Now you know what that means, what the Lord showed me, He says no to your ability to rule and reign in life as a king. Because you disobey His command, you will find yourself that your authority is not working. Because you know very well what God has been speaking to you about and telling you to do, for years and years through these messages. You find yourself with no kingly rule, because God has made you to be a king. He is the King of kings and we are the kings, that He is the king of. He has created us in His likeness, to rule and reign as kings in life.
You will find yourself powerless, just like Vashti. She had another agenda in the king’s house and she would not come, the way of the king. The counsellors to him said; “We will bring another that will take her dominion and authority away from her and we will bring another that is worthy of that ability to walk in that kind of authority with God and in God”. So, He says no to your kingship. Let me tell you people, in these days you are going to need your authority. You are going to need to be walking in your authority. You are going to need to be walking in your authority, more than ever before.
So 24-25Saul gave in and confessed, “I’ve sinned. I’ve trampled roughshod over God’s Word and your instructions. (1 Samuel 15:10-23 MSG) I have highlighted this part. I care more about… dot, dot, dot, dot, dot. I care more about, I care more about, I care more about, like that parable, I care more about my relationships with my family. I care more about my land that I have got, and my houses that I am building, I care more about my business stuff, okay.
And the Amplified Bible says, 22…Has the Lord as great a delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, … In verse 24 Samuel says, 24Saul says to Samuel, I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared … (1Samuel 15:22&24 AMPC). I feared other things, I feared people, I feared my children, I feared my spouse, I feared other things. So, I transgressed God’s word because I feared. Fear put you fairly and squarely in satan’s arena, that’s why Kenneth Copeland said all those years ago, you have to deal with fear like a rattlesnake.
That’s where the Lord wanted me to go today, and then, He said; He asked this question and He said: “The people will probably be looking at you this morning Sharon saying, “So, are you one, Pastor Sharon? Are you one? Are you a totally dedicated disciple? Are you one that has given your full allegiance?” It was so interesting to me that that question came up in me and I I said, “Lord?” And I felt like Peter. You know, Lord. You know, Lord. He said, “Do you love me? Are you one Sharon?” It was quite a sobering moment for me to be honest, like Pastor John’s been ministering, you have to be honest first, before you can move forward in your spirituality.
The Lord showed me about this New Open Door. He said to me, “It’s actually quite narrow, it’s the narrow door.” The narrow door leads to life, true spirit life. He said, “It’s going to bring supernatural increase in every area of your life, spiritually, in every area of your life. So, approach the door with reference and caution, go over the threshold, having full cognisance and having you spiritual wits about you, and you have to clear out the old, Leviticus 26, to make room for the new, to move through, the New Door, Sharon. There is much old baggage, old words, old sayings, old clichés, old things that you bring with you, is what’s going to stay on you, as you try to go through this New Door, old ways, old stuff that have lost their use, like old shoes, a long time ago, Sharon. You have to clear out the old, Leviticus 26, says to make room for the new. Let Me help you by My Holy Spirit, old ways of having conversations with your husband, old ways of treating, old ways of speaking, you know.” Hallelujah, Glory to God.
One of the examples He gave me was, “Do you remember how I arrested you, when you wanted to say to Garth while he was bringing that sound out with those words and you wanted to say, “But this is not a congregational song.” Remember, how I arrested you and I said to you that’s old. That’s, where does that come from, those were not even my words. I don’t even speak that, these people are going to learn these songs, so quickly and I don’t care what it sounds like compared to the old. I’m bringing in a new sound into this place, and they are going to be able to learn it, and they are going to learn to love it, even if it’s a bit new at first, like a new shoe. It’s a little bit, oh, it’s a “bietjie styf”, it’s a bit tight, but they are going to learn to love it and they are going to get and a new is going to keep coming and keep coming and the new sound is going to be able to and He said, “So Sharon in your life and in your “in jou wese en jou denkwyse” or what, you know, you going to, you’ve got old things, old things come.”
Jesus said, “I’m going to make all things new, come on speak in your new tongues for your new door, let me make all things new, come on, come on.” Hallelujah. Glory to God. Drop all the old things, come to Me, so I can show you what they are. Can tell you what they are. Let those old filters, just be dematerialised in My presence as you come to Me. Glory to God.
While you are driving, while you are praising Me in the car, while you are in the morning, in the shower, just be with Me and I will show you, how to let go of the old to make room for the new. Don’t take the old through the New Door with you, Sharon. I was like, whaa joh, okay, Lord, I, You are serious about this. You are serious about this. I said to the Lord; “Well, I am pressing, that’s one thing I do know, Philippians 3:12, I am reaching, I do know and I am forgetting all that is behind me, I am speaking, and I am depending on the Holy Spirit,” and then I said this to Him, “But I need Your Holy Spirit and Your Fire. I need Your Holy Spirit and Your Fire.”
Because, the war of wills, I need Your Fire to burn in me. I need every one of Your available Spiritual elements, that you can serve me with, of which Fire, I know. A Fire of God, when it, I let it burn in me, how it can purify and burn things out of me. I said, I need your Fire, Your Holy purifying Fire. To burn in me uninterrupted and unlimited, Father. You know, I can’t do this myself, You know I’m not even trying to do this by myself. You know, I’m relying on Your life, resurrection life force in me to transform me. You know, I’m not going to put on a facade. I’ve had too much revelation from You about pretences and immense offence to You.
I am relying on Your Holy Fire to burn. His Fire burns in many ways, His Fire burns through His Word, is not My Word like fire. You need to ask God for the Fire from His Word, and co-operate with that fire and and just let Him do a wonderful, fresh new work in you, of getting the old out. Hallelujah.
Then, I know that His fire can just burn to just because it burns in you and He just takes hold of your vessel, I know sometimes you see me and the anointing is in me but it’s actually the Fire of God for me, burning things up in me, as I’m speaking to you. How about that? How about that? The Fire of God burns in you by the Holy Spirit. You shall be baptised with the Holy Spirit and with Fire, it makes your flesh tremble, but He is working, He is working, you can’t explain it. No explanation needed. Just ask Him for His Holy Fire to bring about a Holy fear and a reverence, and a clarity of a bright light to you.
I read to you all those years ago, Pastor John about Norvel Hayes, he said that baseball was his idle. He had such idolatry in his heart as a born again believer. Very dear friend of Kenneth Hagin’s and Kenneth Copeland and Brother Jerry Savelle, that went on to be with the Lord about two years ago in his 90’s. He said after he got saved and God called him, he said he had everything in his life went around this. Church was like this and yes, and tithing and yes, but this, his life revolved around this.
So, he made arrangements for everything in his life around that. He said he was in his lounge one day and he was crying out to God, because of just wanting to, just wanting to give his all, and he didn’t know how to give his all. He said, in his living room, on his own the Fire of God hit him. He said he wept and he cried and he wept and he said he groaned. Pastor John brought that Scripture, that even when I don’t know what prayer to pray as we ought to He makes prayers out of our wordless sighs and groans. He said when he came up out of that encounter with God – a bit like Jacob, wouldn’t you say? Wrestling with God, when he got up off there he said, “God burnt baseball out of me. I never had a desire for baseball again.” He said, “Did the enemy come back to try and tempt me? Yes, but it was burnt out of me. I wasn’t about to allow it to come back into me.” And so these are things that are at our disposal as new creatures as the Fire of God.
I pray the Fire of God comes upon us, the Fire of God burns within us, His Holy Fire, His Holy purifying Fire, purifying us of all our idolatry. Things that are more important to us than Him. That’s what idolatry is, things that are more important, and sometimes, in our minds, we get so tired of knowing, “I can’t give that up. It’s been in my life so long.” No, no, no, this is the time of the Fire of God. Hallelujah. To come and make you a totally dedicated disciple if you want to be, you can be. His Fire and His Holy Spirit will help you. Hallelujah, hallelujah. Glory to God. Hallelujah. Praise the Lord.
Some of you are sitting here this morning and you’re so desperate to want to serve God and be a totally dedicated disciple. Let the Fire of God burn in you, young man, young woman. Just say to Him now here, “I welcome Your Fire, I welcome Your fire.” Just in your heart, “I welcome Your fire, I welcome Your Fire in my life and in my heart.” Hallelujah. Yah, let Your Fire kindle upon me, kindle within me, Lord. Purify me, purify me, Lord.
The Passion Translation says, John said there is one coming, who is mightier than I. I’m not worth even of being His slave. I can only baptize you in this river, but He will baptize you into the spirit of holiness and into His raging fire.”
May Your Fire rage in us, Lord. Let it rage in me. May it rage in us. This Aramaic text says, He will baptize you in the spirit of the Holy One and in light. A baptism of light or fire, will cleanse and change a life giving new power to live with God, live for God and deal with every issue that hinders love and passion from burning in our hearts. It is the baptism of the Holy Spirit, with fire that is needed today. Glory, glory to God. Hallelujah.
Father, we thank You, that from this message onwards, not only the fear of the Lord, but the fire of God, will kindle upon us and within us. We long for the baptism, we allow ourselves to come into the baptism of the Holy Spirit and into Your raging Fire. Hallelujah. Glory, glory, glory, glory, glory glory to You. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Glory to You Jesus. Praise You, praise You, praise You. Praise You.
It’s a real thing, His Fire. It’s a spiritual element, it’s a spiritual part of God, His Fire. Have faith in His fire, have faith in the light, have faith in His Holy Spirit, to be able to take you completely. Just keep putting yourself in the place where you want to, where you want to, and He’ll take more of you and more of you, and more of you until He’s got all of you. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah. Glory, glory to God.
Father, I pray for Your people this morning. I pray for Your people. I thank You, they have heard Your Words now – there are many that desire to be baptized, fresh baptism, a fresh baptism in Fire, fresh baptism of Fire Lord. Thank You that You will work this word now. This word You will accompany it with signs following, the signs following in their lives even this week, even today, Lord. They’ll find new conversations, new words, new things Father. Hallelujah. It will burn so beautifully Lord. It will burn in homes, it will burn in conversations, it will burn in the thought lives, it will burn in our hearts Father, until we are all completely Yours, Father. In Jesus’ Name, we all say, amen.
God bless you. Thanks for coming.
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