03 June 2023 Joy and Praise Intensive Part 1 Pastor Sharon Bendixen
(WTB)
Scripture reference: 1 Corinthians 2:9-16 (KJV), Matthew 16:15-19 (KJV), Psalm 127:1 (KJV), 1 Corinthians 3:16 (AMPC), Psalm 19:13-15 (KJV); 1 Corinthians 12:18 (KJV), (AMPC), (NLT), (TPT), Galatians 1:12 (NKJV); 1 Thessalonians 2:13 (AMPC), Galatians 1:12 (NKJV); Acts 17:11 (AMPC); James 1:21 (KJV); Hebrews 4:2 (AMPC), Acts 22:14-15 (AMPC), John 12:48-50 (KJV), John 13:20 (KJV), 1 Corinthians 10:11 (KJV); 1 Corinthians 10:11 (AMPC), Nehemiah 8:1-18 (KJV)
Pastor John Bendixen:
Praise Jesus. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Won’t you just raise your hands where you are right now and just say; Thank You, Lord. Thank You, Lord. Thank You, Lord. We praise Your name. We praise You. We give You honour. We give You glory. Hallelujah. You are our King. You are our Lord. We don’t have to worry about a thing, You take care of us in every way, every day, in everything. Hallelujah. We put our trust in You, Lord. We put our trust in You. Glory to the Name of Jesus. Glory to the Name of Jesus. Glory to the Name of Jesus. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
Won’t you turn to a couple of people around you and just say; I’m glad you are in church today. I’m glad I’m in church today. Amen. You may be seated. I’m glad you’re all here [Pastor John speaking to the music ministry team on stage] Hallelujah. Glory to Jesus. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.
It’s always an everyday living moment where you have to choose to live in the spirit because if you live in the natural realm and you live according to your body, your flesh, your own soulish desires, you are always in danger of living in the next moment of what the next world crisis is bringing and or living in a place where your anxiety and your worry is the thing that drive you and circumstances drive you, rather than the Spirit of God. Amen. Hallelujah.
It is always a good thing. I’m reminded of the Apostle Paul, and I’ve been doing some reading and some wonderful materials by some wonderful teachers in the body of Christ on apostles and prophets. And you know, it is an interesting thing that the Apostle Paul had Agabus come and prophecy over him and say, “This is what is going to happen to this man if he goes to Jerusalem. He will be tied like this …” He actually acts out the prophecy onto Agabus. The Apostle Paul says, “Well, these things might be true, but it is not going to stop me from going to Jerusalem because I know my future lies in – I have to go to Rome – because my destiny lies in Rome.” He actually heard that God was speaking through a prophet saying, “These things are going to happen to you,” he didn’t run away from it, he embraced it.
Now, if you were just a natural person and someone said to you, “Listen, if you do this, you’re going to lose your car or you are going to lose your house or you are going to be put in jail or you are going to be persecuted,” you immediately would start to set about trying to prevent those things from happening. The Apostle Paul did quite the opposite, he said, “I don’t care what awaits me. I have to follow and see what God has for me.” Well, that will tell you right there when he says, “I’ve learnt in every circumstance to be without and to have abundance.” He learnt that in everything to give thanks and to give praise to God continuously because his circumstances didn’t matter his obedience to God and His pursuit of God in life is what mattered because there was his eternal crown of glory, not in just managing his circumstances. Hallelujah.
You know that there is a reason why we are grouped into a category called the Judeo-Christian group of people. There are Jews and there are Christians, but we have the same foundation base of the Word of God and that is why they throw us together as the Judeo-Christian group because we find ourselves in the same base of Abraham as our father of faith. We believe in the fact that God made Adam and Eve and all of the things that the Jews embrace, we embrace. So, we are one group of people in that sense. The only thing they haven’t done yet is recognise that Jesus was the Messiah.
I just want to read this to you as I bring Pastor Sharon to the pulpit. I had this in my heart this morning, you know, the Jewish cantor. The cantor: In Judaism, a cantor, is a trained vocalist and member of the clergy. A trained vocalist and member of the clergy who leads the congregation in song and prayer, teaches music to both children and adults, and officiates major life cycle events. That’s a Jewish cantor.
What I saw when after I left here. I don’t know what it is when I leave, the party begins. You know, but when I left here, I continued to watch what was going on here on YouTube when I got home. And didn’t you see this happening last night? A trained vocalist and member of the clergy who leads the congregation in song and prayer teaches music to both children and adults and officiates major lifecycle events. Well, how do you officiate… I mean, that’s their version of perhaps pastors. But you can officiate in major lifecycle events through music and through prayers. In fact, very often, major events that happen in life happen with the accompaniment of music and or prayers.
It’s a really amazing and a wonderful thing. In the Jewish world, it’s been a long time since I’ve read up on this and been sort of in the flow of this kind of Jewish stuff. Mainly because even though feasts and symbolism and types have a way of enriching our Christian life, and making us understand certain things, we can well live a life of victory and faith without them.
The church went through a lot of years, 20 years, maybe when almost every message had some kind of Hebrew, some kind of Greek, some kind of symbolism, some kind of type, some kind of thing. And so, the church has changed focus slightly over the last 10 or 15 years. But the fact of the matter is that in the Jewish community, actually, some Jewish synagogues, people would go from a long way around, even though there might be a synagogue closer to them. They might go a long way to another synagogue, because the cantor in that synagogue, was extremely anointed, and had a really good backing choir. And the sound and the song that would come from the Jewish cantor would carry with it a momentum of spiritual energy. Hallelujah.
Now, I’m not saying that we must do that. I’m just saying to you that it’s almost like a competition that happens in the Jewish community in synagogues that cantors… And I know that in certain places of the world, they even had competitions between cantors of different synagogues and sound and song. Some of those who have studied music might know this better than I do. But I know that that has happened in time past, not sure if it happens anymore, but there was a thing like that. But what you’re going to witness and what you’re going to experience and what you’re going to participate in this day, and what you’re already experiencing this weekend. Is a member or members of the clergy, people who are appointed and anointed by God to lead spiritually. Leading the congregation, that’s us, in song and in prayer and through the music and through the prayers and through the sound we are being taught how to worship God.
The Apostle Paul said, in everything give thanks. Well, how do you do that? That doesn’t mean you say, “Thank God that this bad situation’s happening to me.” But while I’m going through it, I’ll give Him thanks. Because He, if I give Him thanks, He has a part to play to make sure that everything stays on my alignment and my assignment of my life, and that nothing I’m doing is wasted. Even if I’m attacked by people and by the enemy, none of that is wasted. It’s all going to come towards my crown of life. The overcoming crown of life, the victor’s crown of life. Hallelujah.
Eternity is a long time. We might think that a lot of what we do on earth, we got to make sure that we’re all sharp for what happens on earth. But eternity is a long time, we are but a vapor, the Bible says, while we are living on this earth.
Pastor Sharon is going to be ministering on things that the Lord has given her on music and if the Lord leads her that way, she will have time for prayer and do whatever else the Holy Spirit leads her to do. But it was in my heart, when we announced this weekend, actually, it was in my heart, that the anointing that is on her as a spiritual leader and partner in leadership in this ministry. That her gifting and her anointing should flow today. So, I asked you to open your heart, let the Word of God have entrance into it. And use what’s going to be taught today, and she’s shared just highlights with me a few highlights. So, a lot of what’s going to come today is going to be, I’m ready to receive from her. And I always have both in my personal life and in running the ministry. I thank God for the gift that is Pastor Sharon.
I just want to pray over her and bless her and speak over her that she will speak with the anointing of God. That she will speak with the Holy Spirit that fills her and completely comes through her mouth, and that she will completely be energized and consumed and overtaken by the Holy Spirit, and that He will have His way and He will have a say in everything that is going to happen in this day. Amen.
Hey, Pastor Sharon, come and teach the Word to us.
Pastor Sharon Bendixon:
Right, thank you for this privilege, Father. Thank You, Pastor John, you’ve already prayed, I don’t have to pray again.
Glory to God, Glory to God. Our key scripture for this time that we are together today is, and I’m going to read it to you. One Corinthians two, nine to 16. This is our key. God is going to do a great work in this church today, in the hearts of those who will have ears to hear, God is going to have a turning point here today for His glory. I am in awe of Him today. I am in fear and trembling today of God, not of men; because I reverence Him to be able to bring the things that He wants to bring today.
So, this is the key scripture today. These messages are coming to us because we are an Ecclesia. We are a church that Jesus is building. These messages are coming to us because He’s building and taking us to the maximum of what He’s building in His church. So here it is. One Corinthians two from verse nine. 9But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. 10But God hath revealed them, and is revealing them to us by His Spirit today, for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13Which things also we speak, I will speak today, not in the words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. That’s going to be happening today. 14But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15But he that is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 16For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:9-16 KJV). Glory to God, we thank You that Your Word speaks here today. Right.
The word that the Lord gave me for this weekend… It’s actually a joy, and prayer intensive. It’s a joy and prayer intensive. So now I’m going to share very briefly with you what an intensive is, in the light of Pastor John ministering to us on being intentional, right?
To be an intensive is that which intensifies or emphasizes there are going to be emphases today, those who have ears to hear will hear. There are going to be emphases. Requiring to a high degree, and intensive is highly concentrated, it’s tending to strengthen and increase causing you to increase in degrees. That’s what’s going to happen to those who are spiritual here today, and who have ears to hear, it’s going to take you. The Word is going to take you. An intensive is involving a lot of work. There was a lot of work that God did here last night. A lot of work. Involving a lot of work, a lot of activity done in a short time. In a short time. So, expect this today for a lot of work to be done in you in a short time..
Intensive is complete, complete, and extremely detailed and done with a lot of care. This is how God has brought about this intensive on this weekend, with a lot of care. Extremely detailed, expect this to come to you like this. Oh glory, glory, glory. And it’s labour-intensive, and it’s done with a lot of care. Intensive activity involves concentrating a lot of people on one particular task in order to achieve a great deal in a short time.
Synonyms for intensive is concentrated. What is coming to you today is going to be very concentrated. I’m going to share with you just now, how you need to listen today. But what’s coming to you is concentrated. You know like concentrated fruit juice that you have to put water with it. This is coming to you very concentrated. It is going to require you to spiritually concentrate.
Concentrated, thorough, unswerving, exhaustive, full, profound, complete, heavy, and intense. Intensive, is a Medieval Latin word intendere and it means to turn one’s attention to strain and stretch, to be fervent and intense. To intend also comes from the 13th century; intenden, to direct one’s attention, to pay attention, give heed, to hear, strain in quest of something. Today, you will hear things you’ve never heard. You will see things you’ve never seen. Things will enter into your heart that you’ve never entered because you love Him. Hallelujah. And it is for this church.
So, here we go. It’s intendere, principally, to strain in quest of something, be zealous, we literally stretched out and extended towards what is happening and what God has got for us in a concentrated… Those of you that have been preparing yourself spiritually, you have the spiritual capacity. You have it, to receive it. So, get it like this. Right. An intensive has a sense of a plan and a purpose. An intensive is designating care of an especially attentive nature given to critically ill patients.
Pastor John made a statement in one of his messages it says, “The church has no idea how far they are behind the spiritual curve.” We have no idea. God in His mercy will not show us, this church, how far behind we are in the spiritual curve. But He intends fully today to make up a lot of ground, spiritual ground in the hearts and the hearers of those who will receive it, in Jesus’ name.
We don’t know how critically ill we are spiritually. We don’t know. God knows. In a typically, an intensive is in a special ward and that’s where He’s got us today. Here are some related words of an intensive; absolute, all embracing all encompassing, all pervading, clean, clear, comprehensive, concentrated, consummate, deep, pervasive, profound, pure, radical, straight, sweeping, unreserved, unrestricted, uttermost. He lifts us up today by His mighty power of His Word. He lifts us up to higher levels in Him. High places in the Spirit with Him. High understandings of things in Him.
It involves a maximum intensive, involves the maximum use of time and energy. Having a high concentration of a specified quality or elements. Yours Lord, all the time, Your quality, You are the elements, we will be in our element. We will be in You, very great and strong You are to come in power and glory to achieve Your maximum for us in a very short time. Intensive preparations I am in with You Holy Spirit, all of this coming to us now. Glory to God. Amen.
That was the point about an intensive. The next point that God is emphasizing is this. He says, “I will build, I will build.” Jesus says, “I will build.” He is the head of the church. He is building. Everything in our lives is to be focused and stretched and strained and to be given attention to, to what is Jesus doing. How is He is building. How is He building? What is He saying? Where is He leading? Matthew 16 verse 15, please. Matthew 16:15. 15He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:15-18 KJV). Upon the rock of what? Peter was not the rock upon which Jesus would build His church. The rock is the rock of revelation knowledge that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Jesus says, “On this rock of revelation that you’ve received, not by flesh and blood.” On this rock of revelation that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, I will build My church. Hallelujah. 18…and the gates of hell (Matthew 16:18 KJV). You see there where Jesus builds, where Jesus is permitted to build. Where Jesus is permitted to build, there the gates of hell shall not prevail against.
That’s one of the things that Kenneth Copeland said. He said, “Most people will not ask the Lord, where am I supposed to be? Where have You planted me? Where have You planted me? In case they might have to go there and in case they might have to stay there.” But that is your wealthy place. That is your wealthy place. He prophesied that some years ago. He said, “In both places where you’re not supposed to be and where you are supposed to be, the devil will attack you. The difference is that where you’re supposed to be, there you will have the victory.” Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
This is for the planted people. God is speaking here today to planted people. Psalm 127:1. 1Except the Lord build the house, except the Lord build the house. Jesus said, “I will build the house and there the gates of hell will not prevail against you personally and against you corporately. 1Except the Lord build the house they labour in vain that build it (Psalm 127:1 KJV). How does He build? He speaks to His local churches very personally. His Words He speaks to them, spirit and life, He leads them. He is with them always.
In the Book of Revelations, chapter 2, He speaks to the church at Smyrna, the church at Ephesus. He writes very personal letters to each local church, the church of Thyatira, the church at Philadelphia, the church at Smyrna, the church, He’s writing seven letters to very specific, no seven of them are the same. He addresses very specific things to each congregation. You have to understand that Jesus is building His local churches. He doesn’t throw all Christians together in one place and go, “Yeah, I’m building them, I’m building them.” No, if you want to go and see how Jesus builds you go and read the letters that He wrote to local churches.
In 2012, Kenneth Copeland prophesied, these are part of our spiritual legacy and our spiritual heritage. Brother Copeland, he said this, and this stands in the realm of the spirit, this didn’t kick in, in 2012. This kicked in when the church was born in the book of Acts, this kicked in.
The most powerful move of God will take place in the local church. The most powerful move of God will take place in the local church. The most powerful move of God will take place in the local church.
A powerful move of God we had last night in the local church, with people planted. Hallelujah. You are not planted if you just attend this church. You are only planted if you hear these messages, and you do these messages, otherwise you are not planted here, you just attend. The most powerful move of God will take place in the local church, the glory of God will fall in the churches that are preaching and teaching and going strong in the Word of Faith.
Actually, the Lord said to me, “The most powerful Word of God will happen in the local churches that are preaching the full gospel.” The full gospel. Everything that is contained in the Gospel, preaching all of it. So, I said to the Lord, I said, “Lord, I know the power when this word came, I know the power of the word church Ecclesia because of the revelations You have given me, over all these years of the Ecclesia.” God’s legislative assembly, those called out to legislate. Legislate on His behalf to rule and reign. It’s not just a group of people getting together to sing happy songs. And hear a nice exhorting message and go home and live like the rest of the world and have no change. Have no change. Have no change of mind, have no change of heart, have no change of lifestyle. Right so here we go. I said, “But the word local feels to me a bit weak Lord, I’m somehow, I don’t want to put local to church because Ecclesia is so weighty to You.” And I just went and looked at the word local and it comforted my heart.
The year of the local. Local means; to be positioned and placed and confined and appointed to a particular part of the body. A particular part of the body. The Church, the called-out ones by God, to collectively have power and authority in life on earth. Positioned and appointed to this particular part of the body, set in by God to collectively have power and authority in the earth. Local means, pertaining to position. It’s from an old Latin word, localis: pertaining to a place, an appointed place and in this etymology study, this is what I found. Church: place of assemblage, set aside for Christian worship, the body of Christian believers collectively, ecclesiastical with ecclesiastical power and authority. Glory to God. I was comforted because I understood now local church.
I’m going to read to you. I was deeply moved by God, before He confirmed it to me a few days later, through my spiritual father. Therefore, those that receive Pastor John and I, and those that receive our messages have that same Spirit in them. But the Lord spoke to me concerning the Music Ministry, while Pastor John was gone. I’m seeking Him for the maximum for Music Ministry. His maximum, not mine. What His maximum looks like, seeking Him, praying in the Holy Ghost. This is what He said to me, “My first primary priority and intention for Music Ministry is in the congregation and for the congregation. It’s for my church here, and what I’m building here, first.” Secondary, He said, “Secondary is what feeds to others.” This is in the heart of God. He was revealing His heart to me and saying, My heart is that everything in Music Ministry comes here first. It’s my priority. It’s my top priority. Secondary is how it feeds to others.
But first, it’s what I do in my assembly live. And He emphasizes this to me, where My saints gather, live, where I can do live streaming, this is live spiritual streaming, His spirit, live streaming to your spirit. I live stream, I transmit life in my gathered, assembled church, I am present where My people are present. And then He said this to me, He said, “If we, we, us, this Church, keep thinking and expecting our music to go like we’ve seen other churches music go, because of media and television, popular, comparing, we will miss completely because our expectation is misplaced. We will miss completely the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in Music Ministry in this local church.” He said to me, “Clear this out of your heart if you’re going to go to My maximum. My maximum for you and not your maximum.”
That’s why He said, “What your eyes have not seen, what your ears have not yet heard, what has not yet entered your heart.” And He said, “Where have My church’s eyes been looking? They’ve been looking at all the other music ministries. They look with their eyes, they listen with their ears, they hear, it enters into their hearts and then that’s their expectation.” Well, if our music is going to be so great, it’s going to go to all the world. And He said, “Get that out of your thinking. That, to Me, is secondary. My Music Ministry in this church is first priority for My people planted in this church. For these sounds and these songs and these words to pierce and penetrate them and to bring them to completeness as part of My, part of My armoury, My spiritual armoury.”
So, I said, “Lord, that’s very interesting.” That’s very interesting. And then He reminded me about a dream that Pastor Garth had many years ago, he must have been late teens or early 20s. It was before he got married. And he had a dream, and in his dream, he saw SNCTRY for sanctuary – it was abbreviated like that. And the Lord showed him songs and sounds that would come – and then He said this very strong admonition. I wrote the whole dream down. Very strong admonition to Pastor Garth, “Don’t ever speak about other music ministries’ music.” And of course, now I understand is, don’t you look to compare. You’re either better or you’re worse. What does that do to you spiritually? What does that do to us as a congregation? We misplace our expectation completely knowing that God’s music ministry in this local church is for me, to lift me up. Hallelujah.
So, I said, “Lord, well, that is exactly what we’ve done. Everybody’s done that. Everybody in this church has looked at other people’s… what’s going on in other churches – to see if you’re lacking in your local church. To see if perhaps there’s something that you’re missing out on. You know, I was in my early 20’s, I think Brynn was two months old, when the Lord started to teach me, planted in my local church how to feed. He said to me, “Your pastor, Sharon…” Nobody taught me this, the Holy Spirit spoke to me… “Your pastor is seeking Me for the message for every Sunday. You must go with your notebook, and you go with a pencil or pen – and you take, you listen to Me when he’s ministering to you – and then you meditate on it for the rest of the week. That’s what you meditate on.” And so, I obeyed Him, and I would have people in this large church come to me and say… and put audio cassettes in my hand, “Oh, listen to this. Oh, have you heard this? Oh, have you heard this?” Or, “Read this book, read this book.” Or, “Have you heard this? Have you heard this preacher? Have you seen what’s happening in this church?” Or “Listen to this.” And I got so bombarded with this. That Satan came immediately to try to steal that Word that God spoke to me out of my heart. I went to the Lord with it.
Unfortunately for Satan, I went to the Lord with it, and He spoke to me about the simplicity of living in a local church. And He said, “Most of Mine are in spiritual Biblical information overload. They’re not doing any of it, but they’re listening to all of it, and they’re reading it all – the next popular thing, the next best book, the next, the next… and they run all over the place to this conference and that conference and this conference. And so, what Satan was wanting to do to me, is, “You’re missing out on things Sharon.” I’m going to push you, I’m going to push you, I’m going to push you. It’s exactly what he did to Eve. “What you have with God here is not enough. You’ve got to eat other things. I see it’s good to make me wise.” And so, I would just say, “No, thank you.”
I remember asking somebody one day, “Where do you get the time to do this? I don’t understand. “Where do you get the time to do this?” And I was just saying to them, “I’m so busy with what God is speaking to me through the week on my pastor’s message, I don’t have time for this.” And I remember, she looked at me like I crawled out a piece of stink cheese. It’s like she blinked like a bullfrog, on a log, in a hailstorm. “You mean you listen to your pastor’s message? You feed off it the whole weeklong?” I’m glad, I’m glad I obeyed the Lord.
But here it is here now. This is how He builds strong local churches. I said to the Lord, “Oh, that’s very interesting Lord – that you’re telling me clear this out of your thinking.” Well, He wants us as a whole church to clear it out of our thinking. He wants first things first. He’s building ecclesia here. A few days later, I heard Kenneth Hagin say this, “The Local Church – Do you want to know what He’s putting the emphasis on? The Local Church. He wants to build strong local churches. I want to tell you a secret…” How do you know? “Because Jesus told me. I had a divine visitation of the Lord a little over a year ago – and I’ve never told it yet.” He was very aged when he said this, so when Jesus visited him with this, he was aged, and he said, “I had a divine visitation of the Lord and I’m only permitted to tell you this little bit. The Holy Ghost will never, can never manifest Himself in an auditorium meeting like He wants to, and will manifest Himself in the local church. The Holy Ghost will never, can never manifest Himself in an auditorium meeting like He wants to and will manifest Himself in the local church.” Did we just hear Kenneth Copeland say that prophesy by the Spirit of God? “The most powerful move of God will take place in the local church.” Hallelujah. Glory to God.
Saints, it’s not out there for you somewhere, it’s right here in the local church. The most powerful move of the Holy Spirit is in this church. Glory. And I don’t know what powerful moves of God are happening in other local churches. I’m not supposed to look there, I’m supposed to mind my own business.
Why would you want to go and look? Why would you want to go and see. Curiosity? Curious, because somebody told you now you must go and look just because you can? I know this sounds extreme, but unless you fall in this ditch with me, you’re going to stay the same. You are going to stay the same. Glory to God.
The Holy Ghost will never, can never manifest Himself in an auditorium meeting like He wants to and will manifest Himself in the local church. And He’ll never manifest Himself on television like He will manifest Himself in the local church. And so, if we don’t have strong local churches, in other words, if you’re not strong in the Word and the messages that are coming from the Lord Jesus to you, the letters He’s writing this church, this Heritage of Faith Church at Witbank, unless we’re not strong in that, we’re not a strong church because we’re looking everywhere, we’re listening to everything.
If we don’t have strong local churches, that’s strong spiritual people in the local church. Listen. Strong spiritual people in the local church. It’s not a strong church because the bricks are there. A strong local church means the people are spiritual, they are strong in the Lord and then the power of His might. They’re in union with Him and they are drawing their strength from the union with Him. And they are planting the words and the messages that Jesus is bringing to them in their hearts.
If we don’t have strong local churches, we will miss the real manifestations of the Holy Ghost. We will miss them; we will miss them. We don’t get that Jesus is building His local churches very personally, very personally. Because the auditorium meetings they have their place. He said, “Don’t get me wrong, they have their place. But they are primarily based on whatever manifestation of the Spirit that individual has, and too many times upon the personality of the individual and that’s why they come to naught, and it’s the same way with a television program. But I tell you, that body of believers, that’s the reason He wants to build strong local churches,” and you don’t have to put it up, I’m just going to read the Scripture that he brought; one Corinthians. 1 Corinthians 3, I think 16, Amplified Bible; he brought it. ¹⁶Do you not discern and understand that you [the whole church at Corinth] are God’s temple (His sanctuary), and that God’s Spirit has His permanent dwelling in you [to be at home in you, now listen he said, collectively as a church and also individually]? (1 Corinthians 3:16 AMPC)
Did you get that? Did you get that? He says, “It’s that local church, that local body of believers, but can’t we all get together in a great big meeting? Yeah, but it’s not the same. We’re all coming from different groups, coming from different levels, are you listening to me? Impossible to get into one accord and one Spirit like you should.” like you could? Hallelujah. But you see, all you’ve got there is the manifestation of the anointing of the Holy Spirit’s singularly anointing, using the anointing that’s upon the one that’s ministering, but when the church, the body of believers in a local church come together, there is a corporate anointing, that anointing is much stronger. And there’s something about the Holy Ghost that this modern generation won’t know, unless those of us that do know, tell it.”
And actually, I’m telling it to you, I’m telling it to you. This is how all the days of your life, you will view the local church, you will have honour and reverence in your heart for the local church, you will know for the rest of your lives that all that Jesus does powerfully is in the local church. Hallelujah. Glory to God. Glory to God.
I’m telling it today. I’m telling it today. I’m telling it today. Because God is a generational God and this revelation about Ecclesia, it will live on in your hearts. It will go on and on and on and on and that’s all you’ll ever be able to think about, talk about, work with Jesus about in all these, all these because you want to please the Lord Jesus, and you understand that He builds like this. Glory to God. Hallelujah.
That was a big point; I will build. The local church, I’ve done and then; planted. We’re going to go to Psalm 92:13-15. Brother Jerry came to our church in 2015 and ministered very powerfully on plantedness. Didn’t he? Didn’t he? You’ve all been through his messages. Haven’t you? Didn’t he minister and say, “Dear Lord, if everybody that ever came to me and said, we’re staying with you. The Lord called us to you.” He wouldn’t have a church big enough to put them in. He said, “Every time I look across my church there’s different faces.” “Dear Lord, he said, where did the others go?” They go to their places of comfort, convenience, and preference. They do not go where the Lord plants them.
Planted; he brought this scripture, Psalm 92:13. ¹³Those that be planted in the house of the LORD Shall flourish in the courts of our God. ¹⁴They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; They shall be fat and flourishing; ¹⁵To shew that the LORD is upright: He is my rock, And there is no unrighteousness in Him. (Psalm 92:13-15 KJV)
Hallelujah. What the Lord is wanting to do now, is place in you what was in the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, that said, “The zeal for Your house, Father, is eating me up. It eats me up, Father.” Hallelujah. Glory to God. Hallelujah.
Here’s 1 Corinthians 12, verse 18, here’s the New Testament, corresponding, confirming scripture. But now, 1 Corinthians 12:18. 18But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased Him. (1 Corinthians 12:18 KJV) Not as it pleases you, as it pleased Him. But now… these are different versions. ¹⁸But now God placed the members each one of them in the body even as He desired. (1Cor 12:18 TPT) ¹⁸…God has placed and arranged… as He wished and saw fit and with the best adaptation. (1 Corinthians 12:18 AMPC) Different versions. ¹⁸…He has put each part just where He wants it. (1 Corinthians 12:18 NLT) ¹⁸God did set the members each one of them in the body according as He willed…
So, that’s the question. It’s not what can I do for You, Lord? It’s where must I go and with whom do I fulfil Your plan for my life? With whom do I fulfil Your plan for my life? There is a messenger, there is a legitimate legislative assembly. There the teaching will come. Everything that you need is in the local church, your local church to be planted. This is the Lord’s highest, and this is His maximum. It doesn’t get more maximum than this.
If you’re not in that place, you cannot claim the maximum for your life. If you’re not in the planted place, and you’re not in the receiving place in the planted place, you cannot just claim a prophetic word for yourself. This is to be set into the body. That word set, now as God set. It’s a beautiful word if you study the Greek, it’s He carries you with such loving tender care and He places you into a place where you will feed, and He will lead, and you will drink. It’s Psalm 23. Those that are planted like that. You’re eating there and you’re feeding there and you’re drinking there. Oh, Hallelujah. Glory.
It’s not a… just God sets the members. It’s a beautiful word, that word; set. Music ministry, okay, I’ve gone there. The local church, right.
I have to read to you some of this because this is in our DNA, Pastor John and I. It’s in our DNA. And we will speak it. This is how the Lord Jesus arrested us when I was… When Jesus visited Kenneth E Hagin, Divine visitation in 1987, July.
A few years ago, I attended a what was called an ‘Idea Exchange.’ Ministers from various churches and denominations across the country were invited to that meeting. At that meeting some of the ministers asked me, “Brother Hagin, what is the secret of your success?” And I answered, “The only secret of success I know is walking in line with the Word of God and praying and listening to the Holy Spirit.” That’s it. “I simply listen to what the Holy Spirit of God says to do, and then I do it.” Actually, everything I’m doing today is the result of believing the Word, praying in other tongues and being obedient to what God told me to do. Thank God for the value of praying in other tongues. Sometimes, I interpreted my own prayers. In fact, that is how I first started interpreting at first – by interpreting my own prayers.
To tell you the truth… Ah, now I remember why God wanted me to read this to you, because He is giving you His maximum today. Kenneth Hagin reached a maximum. And God said this is part of the young people’s legacy transfer. It is part of our legacy transfer to anybody that has ears to hear, and it is available to you.
To tell you the real truth about the matter, praying in other tongues was instrumental even in showing me about my marriage and my children. It’s available to you. This is available to you. You want the maximum, you can go for it, I cannot minimise this. It’s part of our legacy transfer and the Lord wants you to have it all. He wants you to have it all. Glory to God.
He says here, he says: I was praying up in a barn loft that belonged to one of my deacons. I had been going with Oretha for a while at that point. I began praying in other tongues about my future, and I prayed this all out in other tongues. This is important for you to get now, because this is a concentrated thing happening here. Because we are going to get to a point somewhere, where God says, “My pinnacle, my maximum is Pentecost.” To be babtised in the Holy Ghost. To pray in other tongues and to pray out things in your life. To hear the Holy Spirit and obey Him – that, and only that. I prayed the interpretation out: I saw in the Spirit that I would marry her and that we’d have two children, and that’s what happened!
I got that in prayer. I didn’t get that because I was standing in the office of the prophet, because I wasn’t. When you get down on our knees and find out for yourself what His plans are – because He will put His approval and His blessing on His plans – it works so much better. It will work, almost work like clockwork.
There we go. There we go. And he would just tell people – people would get to him, come to him and say to him, “God has also told me to do a Bible School. Help me Brother Hagin.” He’d say, “The same Holy Spirit that you’re saying told you to build a Bible School will show you how to build your Bible School.”
If we get those lines blurred, we could find ourselves in the sin of presumption. Presumption is you’re crossing over boundaries here, jurisdictions here that are not yours to touch and yours to cross. That’s why Pastor John and I and Pastor Christi and Pastor Garth, we do not counsel people from other churches. What audacity do you think you have to come and bring something to other pastors’ sheep where Jesus is building Ecclesia? Whoa! My, my my. Everything you need, He gives to you where you are planted in your local church. The Lord wanted me to read that.
So now, next point – next punch point. How are you receiving the messages that come to you? How are you receiving them? How are you listening to me today? How do you listen to Pastor John when he brings – This is a very big shift that the Lord, a liberating, loving shift that God wants you to make, you and I. How are you receiving His messages? You see, when God brings a message through a messenger that has been listening to Him, the transmission is perfect. It’s perfect. The transmission is perfect. “How can you say that? How can you say that, Pastor Sharon? Pastor John’s not a perfect person. You’re not a perfect person.” Well, let me tell you what we press for. We pray in other tongues. And we hear what the Lord says to us. We know when He speaks to us because we are His sheep, and we know His voice. And we’re listening for His voice, and He gives us the messages. And we say only what we hear our Father saying and we do only what we see our Father do. And if there’s a percentage of that, that we’re still coming into the Father, did matters not to the Father, the 95% will be in any case too rich and too much for you to digest it all.
Right, how can you say that? This is what the Apostle Paul says, and I know, I am speaking here for myself today. But I live as a wife with my husband, totally in love. Submitting to him in a Scriptural way, a Biblical way. Not a slavish way. In a Biblical way, as unto the Lord. And I’ve lived with him, and I know his life. And I know when he says he’s heard from the Lord, my spirit has always witnessed with it. I know. I know that I am speaking, as well today for Pastor John, Galatians 1:12. Let’s look at this. What Apostle Paul. What, what, what, what nerve did Apostle Paul have to say this? Apostle Paul was a man, like Pastor John is a man. Like I’m of mankind, right. 12For I neither received it of man, he was speaking about revelation knowledge, For I neither received it of man neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ (Galatians 1:12 NKJV).
Hallelujah. Glory to God. That’s how I’ve always lived my personal life before we came into ministry. Was by the revelations of the Word, teaching me how to be a mother; teaching me how to be a wife; teaching me how to be a saint of God in the church with my brothers and sisters. Teaching me about finances and prosperity. By revelation of Christ. By revelation of Christ. Hallelujah, glory, hallelujah. He gives us revelation to lift us up into the glory of His presence, glory to God. Revelation is the starting point. It’s only the starting point. This is where many of the saints think, “I’m receiving revelation.” That’s the starting point. The next point is to absorb that revelation in that light and to live in that light until you’re walking in the fullness of that light. Hallelujah. Then you can say, “The revelation has lifted me up into His glory.” Then you can say, “The revelations are lifting me up into His glory.” Glory to God.
1 Thessalonians 2:13, Amplified Bible. This is Apostle Paul, saying this, 13We especially thank God, speaking to the church at Thessalonica, speaking to the saints planted there. Look what they were doing in their church. 13We also [especially] thank God continually for this, that when you received the message of God [which you heard] from us, you welcomed it not as the word of [mere] men, but as it truly is, the Word of God, which is effectually at work in you who believe [exercising its superhuman power in those who adhere to and trust in and rely on it] (1 Thessalonians 2:13 AMPC). All of those beautiful things concentrated we are getting here today. Hallelujah. Those of you who adhere to and received it and believed it, you reason to drive out of your mind. You got into the realm of reasoning, you got into the realm of relevance. You put yourself against that word, it’s not working in you. You are against God. You’re against the message. Those of you that would not receive I will take the children, you’re against God because He brought that message. In its totality. In its completeness. Fully concentrated for months and months and months and months. To this church.
So, it exercises… That’s what the power of God’s Word. So, we are still on this point. How are you listening? How are you listening today? Are you listening resisting? God says, “Since I judged the whole world, I don’t even judge you for not listening to the messages. I’ve given all matters of judgment over to Jesus.” And then Jesus said “I don’t judge you either. The Words that I speak to you, they judge you. They judge you.”
Acts 17:11-12 Amplified Bible. Look at these Jews in Berea, I believe it was. They were in Berea. 11Now these [Jews] were better disposed and more noble than those in Thessalonica, for they were entirely ready and accepted and welcomed the message [concerning the attainment through Christ of eternal salvation in the kingdom of God] with inclination of mind and eagerness, searching and examining the Scriptures daily
to see if these things were so (Acts 17:11 AMPC).
I remember when we were first planted. I mean, I grew up in the AFM. I grew up, but we never heard the message of prosperity. So, when that message of prosperity came to me, at first, I was offended. But I went to search the Scriptures. I went to search all the Scriptures to see if these things be so. And then, the Holy Spirit showed me, “These things be so. Be happy, be glad! Be happy, be glad! I have taken care of all your provision for all of your life.” Hallelujah. Glory to God.
James 1:21. I want you to see this. 21Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, here’s, ‘how are you listening,’ receive with meekness, receive with meekness, receive with meekness the engrafted Word (James 1:21 KJV). You see when you are receiving the Word with meekness, the Amplified says, a meek spirit, when you receive the Word with meekness and with humility and not with questioning and reasoning and doubting and murmuring and speaking against it in your heart; when you receive it with meekness then it’s engrafted. Then it becomes engrafted.
To engraft something is there’s a plant here and I’m taking something and I’m putting it in. I’m putting it in there. That’s what the Word of God is capable of being in your heart. It’s capable of being an engrafted Word, but an engrafted Word only is an engrafted Word when it’s received in a spirit of meekness. Not just received in the spirit of meekness but received with zeal and great, great, great wanting to have it in me. Receiving it with great regard. Here’s the Lord speaking to me today, I receive all of this with such great regard in my heart. That’s what the Word of God is capable of producing, doing in you and to you. That you can receive it in a spirit of meekness and it just is engrafted, it just comes… okay I’m jumping ahead of myself now.
It says here, Hebrews 4:12, Amplified please. Hebrews 4:12 12For the Word that God speaks this is the rhema word, you see the engrafted Word is the rhema word. That means you hear God speak it to you. Not just because we speak it, but you hear it spoken to your heart. You hear it spoken to your heart. Right. 12For the Word that God speaks it’s talking here about the word that Moses spoke to the people in the wilderness. It was coming directly from God. This here in Hebrews chapter four. 2For the Word that God speaks through Moses, through Joshua, through Apostle Paul is alive and full of power it exercise it’s superhuman power in you [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, soul and spirit going to and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:2 AMPC)
So here comes the rhema to me. It’s doing all of that at once. At once I’m at one with the Word. At once I’m at one with the Word. It judges me right now in the light. In the light I am receiving His Word right now. Hallelujah. That’s what the Word of God is capable of, but how are we listening?
I’m coming to a very big point here. Here’s Acts 22:14 and 15. Acts 22:14 and 15 – this is something else the Lord wants you to see here – Amplified Bible. This what God called Apostle Paul to. This what God has called Pastor John to. This what God has called me to. Right? It’s the principle of it, when you’re called into the clergy, I believed you said Pastor John, to the clergy.
Look at this, this is what Apostle Paul said. 14…The God of our forefathers has destined – somebody was prophesying this over Paul; prophesying it over Paul – 14And he said, The God of our forefathers has destined and appointed you to come progressively to know His will… So, that is what happens to Pastor John and I, as leaders in this Church. We progressively come to know His will for this Church. Not for your individual lives, that is the power of Pentecost for you, for you. Right. Hallelujah. For God’s plans and purposes for your life. But for the ecclesia, and the things that He’s got for us together and the messages, look at this, to perceive; 14… to know His will [to perceive, to recognize more strongly and clearly, and to become better and more intimately acquainted with His will], and to see the Righteous One (Jesus Christ) (Acts 22:14 AMPC).
How do you see Him? The same way as you’re supposed to see Him; in the Spirit, when you’re with Him, you see Him. In the Spirit when you’re with Him, you should be seeing Him in the Spirit. Not His features, but His eyes of love for you, His heart… You know who He is in the Spirit, you see Him. Didn’t somebody say in the Word, “And not having seen Him, you love Him” (1 Peter 1: 8-9). And not having seen Him, you love Him.
14…to see the Righteous One, to hear a voice from His [own] mouth (Acts 22: 14 AMPC). Do you see that? 14…to hear a voice from His [own] mouth and a message from His [own] lips; And then 15…you will be His witness unto all men of everything that you have seen and heard (Acts 22:14-15 AMPC).
John 12: 48-50 King James. 48He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not My words, – This is Jesus speaking – 48He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not My words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him (John 12: 48 KJV). You will stand before Jesus and He will say, “I brought you all these messages. I brought all these Words to you.” Right? 49For I have not spoken of Myself; but the Father which sent Me, He gave Me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. 50And I know that His commandment is life everlasting: Whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto Me… (John 12:48-50 KJV).
So, you see, the transmission is perfect. When a messenger has heard a message from the Lord, to bring to a local church, he has heard, she has heard from the Lord; brings it. So, the transmission is beautiful, and it’s perfect, but the problem is on the receiving end, the receiver. You have to check your source. How are you listening to the messages? With a meek, a meek spirit? Willing and a ready mind? A meek spirit? Or are you in your soul? In your intellect? Are you in your intellect? When spirit and life is coming to you? Jesus said, “The Words that I speak to you, they are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63). Today I say to you the words that I speak to you, they are spirit, and they are life.
So, the receiver, you have to check the source. If Jesus is transmitting to you spirit and life, and you are souling the messages, you’re getting nothing engrafted. There is nothing active and alive and energizing in you because you are in your soul with the message. You are in your intellect, and Jesus is giving you from the Tree of Life and you’re listening from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil; ‘I’ll decide what’s good and I’ll decide what’s evil’. And for those of you who don’t know what I am talking about, Pastor Garth’s message.
You’re so self-conscious about yourself, and yourself in your world. So, when the messages come to you, “I reject that, I reject that”. The most powerful thing that Pastor Garth said in that message was, “It wasn’t just a little bit of fruit. It was the devil saying, “You just do what I did. I will be like the Most High God when I got kicked out of heaven. You say that you will be like God, eat this suggestion. Eat this suggestion, and you be kicked out of this garden”. That’s how God kicks you out of this garden, is with suggestions. You reason the message, you get into the realm of reason, relevance… And the other thing that he said that was so powerful is, “Satan wanted you eat of this fruit, you be sovereign. You decide for yourself what you’ll take and what you won’t eat.” I’ll eat this of this message, but I won’t eat that. Make yourself sovereign, not God. Don’t make God sovereign, you be sovereign. And you take that fruit of the tree of the knowledge of evil right into you, and God says to this church today, “Stop doing that. Stop listening to the messages that come to you as spirit and life with your intellect, with your soul”. You can’t soul spirit and life. You can’t work it out. If you, if you listen to the message, you say “Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick. Nah, tick, nah, tick, tick”. And you’re so self-conscious of yourself when the message comes to you. That’s bondage, that’s not freedom. That’s not maximum. But just to have your spirit ready to receive the words of life, will set you free. It will set you free. Right?
Come Sunelle, come and share a bit about that, of what’s happened in you before we break.
Sunelle Delport:
So, the biggest part of that came from Pastor Garth’ messages about the self-consciousness is that it’s, it’s exactly what you said now, Pastor Sharon. It’s eating from the tree of knowledge while you listening to life, and saying, “I’ll be the judge, I’ll stand as the judge”. And something that the Lord just said to me now while you were speaking, He says to me, “You don’t want to be the judge”. He says to me, “That if you think about how you judge other people, how you judge other people, that’s the same way you judge yourself. And if you think that you will be a more merciful judge than God will, you’ve got it wrong”. So, He says, “That God doesn’t want you to be the judge, let Him be the judge, because His judgement is merciful. And His judgement is Grace. And it is the judgement that is freeing, and it is the judgement that is liberating to you. Liberating to your spirit and to your mind.”
And so, part of the self-consciousness that we need to let go of, and it is going to be a battle, Pastor Sharon. It’s a battle in your mind, even now, even now sitting listening to you this morning, it’s a battle going on in my mind saying, “No, no, that’s not what God says. That’s not what His Word says”. It’s that scripture saying, “Taking captive every thought, and bringing it under the obedience of Christ”. Every thought that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, the knowledge that you have of God, the revelation knowledge you’re receiving right now. There’s thoughts coming to exalt itself against that revelation knowledge as you sit here, as you receive these words of life. And in that moment, you have to say, “No, no, I take that thought captive, you have no right to bring that thought to me, you have no right”. Because in the Garden of Eden, the enemy had a right to be there. So, he has a right to come to your mind. But he doesn’t have a right to stay there if you don’t let him. But you are going to be the one that says, “I won’t let you, I won’t let you bring that thought to me.” So that’s it.
Pastor Sharon Bendixon:
So, when you first started to practise yourself in listening with your spirit, and not with your mind, to see where you are in this message, to compare yourself to the message, to compare the message to yourself, when you stop doing that you had many questions? And the Lord showed you something very powerful about the rich young ruler, Sunelle?
Sunelle Delport:
So, what the Lord said to me is that, “That while you’re listening to the message that is coming these questions, and that what He showed, showed me about what the rich young ruler did, is he said, “Lord, how? He said, Lord, how do I go to the maximum?” That’s what he was asking essentially, “How do I go to the maximum?” Which was a good question. Jesus wanted to answer him, and He gave him the answer, He said, you know, “Sell everything you have and come and follow Me.” And then he said, but in his mind, I can just imagine, in his mind is, “But oh I have so many possessions and what am I going to live from, and how am I going to walk with God – How am I going to walk with Jesus this way? Maybe even thoughts of, I am not worthy to be a disciple. I am not worthy I can’t walk with Him. You know, because what he did when Jesus said, “Come” like He did with Peter, “Come and follow Me.” What he did is he immediately questioned that rhema word. He questioned that Rhema Word. And what the Lord just showed to me is that when you read further down in that scripture, Jesus was actually giving him the answer to all;
Pastor Sharon Bendixon:
For the rich young ruler.
Sunelle Delport:
For the rich young ruler, he was saying, so he left and went away sad, because like “No I can’t, I am this, I am that, and I am, you know, I have all the stuff that I now need to sell. So, he went away sad instead of staying long enough to hear what Jesus said at the end of that chapter, saying, “That whoever leaves house, or wife, or husband, or father, or mother, whatever you leave behind, you will have not only a hundredfold in this life of everything you lay down but have eternal life in the life to come.”
Pastor Sharon:
Yes.
Sunelle Delport:
And so what the Lord just said to me, “He didn’t stay long enough to hear the answer to all his questions. Because he went away sad and not rejoicing at the Rhema Word coming to him.”
Pastor Sharon Bendixon:
Whereas when the Rhema Word came to Peter, he didn’t question it, he just lept out of the boat. He couldn’t wait. Hallelujah.
Are you listening differently now, Sunelle?
Sunelle Delport:
Absolutely Pastor Sharon, it has changed completely. The way that I receive the Word and how it is engrafted in me, and I almost find myself not having to work at it ever. Not even in the message, because I mean if you are always doing these comparing, there is a lot of work that is
happening in you to now sort out what is right and…
Pastor Sharon:
Where you are at, and Spiritual conditioning.
Sunelle Delport:
Yes, the judging is so much work, if I can say it that way. You know, and when now it is just receiving the Word and knowing that it is; Pastor Sharon when you shared about receiving messages from a messenger, what the Lord showed you when you were planted in your local church, Pastor Sharon, The Lord just said to me, “It is not about the language, the English language that you use, it is about the Spirit Words that are coming out of your spirit to my spirit.
Pastor Sharon Bendixon:
Yes!
Sunelle Delport:
It is not, it has nothing to do with “Ahh did you use the right word there, is it the right tenses, is it the right this? It is about the spiritual life coming to me from your spirit and bringing that spirit and life from God’s Words into my Spirit.” And, all I have to do is say, “Yes Lord, yes Lord, yes Lord I receive Your Spirit life, I receive Your Spirit Life, and it is engrafted in me.” That is it.
Pastor Sharon Bendixon:
So that you can walk it out much more easier.
Sunelle Delport:
Yes. Yes.
Pastor Sharon Bendixon:
You can get out of the boat with that Word quickly.
Sunelle Delport:
Yes. And not be hindered by my own soulish…
Pastor Sharon Bendixon:
Activities of, I measure up what I don’t measure up.. what I don’t think this is right, or…
Sunelle Delport:
No, Ja, Ja, just walk it out.
Pastor Sharon Bendixon:
Thank you my darling.
Praise the lord. Glory to God. Glory to God. Can you see how liberating this is? That was in the message of Pastor Garth… The first thing when you eat from the tree of knowledge of yourself, of good and evil, there is death. Not physical death, but there is death to the life of the Word that could come to you. Do you know that that tree, the Lord showed me this last week, it is called the Tree of Zoe, that word tree of life, the word life is Zoe, it is the tree of Zoe, it is the God kind of life. So, when the messages are coming to you, it is coming Zoe, it is coming to me. It is coming to me, so I don’t want to be eating from the tree of death. Comparing myself. Looking at myself all the time. Just receiving the purity and the power of God’s Word to my spirit, letting it judge me, all the thoughts and purposes of my heart and going, “Yes, yes” That is pure scripture – Glory to God.
Are we going to finish now? Are we going to have a bit of a break for 15 minutes, should we have a break?
[Pastor John Speaking].
Pastor Sharon Bendixon:
Go ten more minutes. Right. So, has that helped you?
And then I want to show you this other one, John 13:20 from the King James Version, then we go to the next point. We go to the next point. John 13:20 King James Version. This is Jesus speaking again, He is saying, 20Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth Me; and he that receiveth Me receiveth Him that sent Me. (John 13:20 KJV). So, the Father sent Jesus, Jesus goes to heaven, He gives gifts to men and then He is saying, “If they receive You, they receive Me and they receive the Father.” Hallelujah.
So. next point, next point. Just see how well I’m doing here. Okay, right, okay. Point; where are we now, this particular local church? We’re going to make a start with this. Where are we now, this particular – this is a point. This is a concentrated emphasis.
Pastor John and I have been on a spiritual journey. Right? There are some who heard the call – Pastor John and me – there are some who heard the call and came to be planted here according to the will of God. Some are here still, many have left. Brother Jerry said, “Dear Lord, if everyone that ever said to me that the Lord has called them to be with me, stayed, I would not have room enough to put them all.” It matters not to us; it matters not to us. It matters not to us. It matters to us in the sense that we see, we know, we know what is happening. Now you have taken yourself away. Whatever your reasoning is for that. But it doesn’t matter to us in how we move forward with God.
By revelation has He led us by His Spirit. God is still going to accomplish through Pastor John and I and this Ecclesia, those who stay. He is still going to accomplish His purposes in eternity, on earth and in eternity. We’ve experienced that too many times, God just bringing, just putting, just… We don’t lack at all. By revelation has He led us by His Spirit and lo, this is how He gave it to me, He is with us always even unto the end, from Jesus the Head of the Church building here. Where are we now? At this specific time the Lord is bringing this home to us.
We are going to go to a portion of Scripture now. He gave me an ensample to use. He gave me an ensample to use. Let’s put up that scripture there, Caitlin. An ensample to use from the Word. 1 Corinthians 10:11, King James Version. I was just telling the people here that are working in the church, I’m enjoying my King James so much that I’m even speaking King James. When I saw ensample I thought, let me go to the dictionary and there it was in all the dictionaries. It’s not an obsolete word. Ensample, it is an example, we know that but ensample, isn’t it beautiful? Okay, and here it is, 11Now all these things happened unto them, that’s why we’re going to, God gave me that particular chapter as an ensample of where we are now, this church. Ensample. 11Now all these things happened unto them for examples (ensamples) (1 Corinthians 10:11 KJV). Everybody say, ensamples. [Congregation repeats the word, ensamples] It’s lovely, hey, the way it just rolls off your tongue. Let’s say it again, ensamples. [Congregation repeats the word, ensamples] I’m going to ask you for an ensample later. Okay, an ensample.
The Amplified Bible says of this verse 11 that we’ve just read, 11Now these things befell them by way of a figure [as an example and warning to us]; they were written to admonish and fit us for right action by good instruction, we in whose days the ages have reached their climax (their consummation and concluding period) (1 Corinthians 10:11 AMPC). Can you see this? Are we living in days that have reached their climax, their consummation and concluding period? For sure. God is fitting this church out for the things that are coming on the earth and He wants us strong and ready and overcoming everything. Overcoming everything all the time; habitually, continuously, and repeatedly being overcomers in all things – personal, in all things in this Ecclesia, in this Church. If Paul, the Apostle said he was living in the last days, we certainly are, as well.
Nehemiah chapter 8 is where we are. The Lord says, “This Church is in Nehemiah Chapter 8.” Shall we start to look at it, Pastor John? Okay. I need my King James. We are going to look at it out of the King James because that is what I put here. Nehemiah chapter 8 is where we are and we’re going to read it. Glory. Here we are, Nehemiah, chapter 8 is where we are. It is so good. It is so good.
1And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel. 2And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. 3And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive, there are many ears here today that are so attentive.
And so, 3…the people were attentive unto the book of the law. 4And Ezra the scribe, or Pastor John or Pastor Sharon, stood upon a pulpit of wood, that’s so beautiful to me, the pulpit, it’s the only time the word pulpit is ever mentioned in the Bible. A pulpit of wood, this is perspex, but it’s a pulpit so that all the people could see them. It’s for a practical reason. Right? stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam. Right? Wonderful. Wow. I mean I had Sunelle at my left hand just now.
5And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up: Look at this congregation. They all stood up. Nobody told them, they stood up. Such an honour for the Word of God. They asked Ezra, such a people, “Teach us. Bring the Bible. Open the Scriptures up to us.” And when he began, they all stood up to hear.
6And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground. 7Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, these names are so beautiful, they were actual people like us. Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place. 8So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
9And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the Lord your God; mourn not, nor weep. Heritage of Faith Church, this is our time to mourn not and not to weep. It’s not a time of mourning. It’s not a time of weeping. This is where this Church is at right now. This is holy this time unto God, 9…mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.
The Lord showed me here, they weren’t receiving. There was something faulty with their receivers, they were looking at their own condition and weeping because they were not coming up to it. They mourned and they wept. When the Word of the Lord was being read and the Lord said, “No. No, no, no. This is not a time to mourn and to weep.”
10Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; don’t be sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength (Nehemiah 8:1-10 KJV).
This is coming to a strong point of God now. This is the context that the Lord gave me of our church, this is not a time to be comparing yourself to the Word of God, and finding yourself, weighing yourself up to it, and finding yourself wanting and lacking and then being mournful and sorrowful and weeping about it. This is a time to receive what the Lord has said to you so far; how to listen, how to listen now, how to listen. You must listen to the Word of God with joy, not comparing yourself to what you used to be.
You must receive the Word of God with joy. There are so many scriptures I still want to give you. It’s not a time for you to weep. It’s not a time for you to have regret. It’s not a time for you to mourn. It’s not a time for you… not here, not here, it’s not a time for us, it’s not a time for you.
10…for the joy of the Lord is your strength. 11So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved. 12And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them. 13And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to understand the words of the law. 14And they found written in the law which the Lord had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month: 15And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written. 16So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim. 17And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths… (Nehemiah 8:10-17 KJV)
Our deliverance has come. God says our deliverance has come. As a people, God has brought us to this place of maximum. God has brought us to this place of understanding of Ecclesia. God has brought us to this place of understanding. Today, He cleared a lot of things up for us; how I must listen, what Jesus is all about, the local church that is so precious to Him. He’s just making some points here to make sure that you understand some things, that you don’t have to weep, and you don’t have to mourn. You can make the switch to joy.
17And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun, that’s Joshua, right, unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness. (Nehemiah 8:17 KJV) Very great gladness. 18Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly. (Nehemiah 8:17-18 KJV)
Hallelujah. He gave me this as an ensample. And then He took me immediately to this prophetic word of Pastor John’s:
This is Our Day of Deliverance
Pastor John awoke triumphant!
It is time now to declare everything in victory!
It is a shift!
A turning point happened and a spiritual knowing.
It is like someone just arrived at a city full of wealth and productivity and it all belongs to them by inheritance!
It is like in the upper room – they burst into the streets with Holy Ghost Energy, invigorated, infused completely by the Holy Spirit – such was their exuberance.
This precedes the wealth, the miracles, and the multitudes!
There is a combination here: he spoke. There is a voice for victory – a shout.
There is a rejoice in the release but there is still prayer to be made for the increase.
You see, we have to still pray it out. Our deliverance has come, but we still have to pray it out. Hallelujah. There is still prayer to be made…
…for the increase, the evidence
For the strengthening of the hands of the people
You have to fortify. We’re getting to that. God wants a fortified, spiritually fortified people. The way you fortify and the way you edify is with joy and praying in the Holy Ghost. Hallelujah. And so, it says here:
The perfect scripture for this is: Strike the ground. I’m going to get into that.
The knowing of this victory is so strong – A certainty.
Now we are praying for the increase, the evidence, the size of it, the scope and the scale of it.
The increase of the manifestation of what that has to do with this Victory!
This is the striking of the ground in prayer.
We have had to push to get to this point.
It has shifted now.
Those people with Ezra had to push to get to that point. They pushed to get to that point. Suddenly, Ezra said, “No, no, no, no, no, no, this is not the time to mourn. Now is not the time for that. Now is the time for booths, for booths and gladness.” Hallelujah. And so:
This is the striking…
The knowing of this victory is so strong… Okay.
The increase of the manifestation of what that has to do with this Victory!
This is the striking of the ground in prayer.
And it’s from this point that I’m coming to you with prayer, right. It’s joy. It’s with joy in prayer. It’s very strategic and intentional that we have to manifest this joy, now. We have to be a joyful people, now. You have to be a joyful person when you listen to the messages. You can’t listen to the messages grieving and weeping, looking at your own condition. You can’t.
We are in a season of continuous praise and rejoicing, he said.
I’ll read that again when we return. 1 o’clock, John? Right. See you at 1 o’clock, everybody. Bye.
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