AFLAME-THE MORAVIAN PRAYER QUEST

The Moravian Revival 1727

Revivals

Introduction

The story of the Moravian Revival is a powerful one that demonstrates that He is the God who restores and keeps His promises. Often in our walk we go through dark seasons where everything seems to fall apart and it looks like it is all over for us. At first glance, it would appear the enemy has won and that our better days are behind us.

We find ourselves broken and lost. We are spiritual refugees, rejected and despised. We recall His promises, but our hope is almost faded. We find ourselves in a place of wondering and crying out to the Lord, “remember me!” We feel forgotten and rejected.

Yet, in this difficult place, He begins to expose areas in us that need crucified. It is a place of death. A place where we no longer can make anything happen in and of ourselves, so we learn to surrender. Our only hope is Him. The only One Who can turn things around is Him.

As He exposes the old dead formalism in us and unsurrendered areas, we go through a season of Him working on us. Slowly, as we yield and simply trust Him, He begins to restore us and open a new door. Then suddenly, everything changes. In His great mercy and goodness, He turns up and we have a divine visitation with Him. We are not the same. Like Jacob, we have wrestled with the Lord and no longer walk the same. Finally, we have come to the place of total trust and surrender to Him, and it is here He meets with us. It is here we discover a place of true victory and a new beginning, where the glory of these days outshines the former ones. We now live wholly for Him, and we find in giving our all to Him, He gives us His all.

Background

1. L. Moody preached in one of his last sermons…

“See how He came on the day of Pentecost! It is not the carnal to pray that he may come again and that the place be shaken.”¹

“God says’ ‘It shall come to pass- I will pour,’ This was His promise through the prophet Joel. The first fulfilment of this promise was on the day of Pentecost. There is nothing in the New Testament to indicate that this was to be the one and only fulfilment of this promise. On the contrary, we read in the book of Acts of many outpourings…”²

A Moravian Historian

Further, this historian wrote…

And verily the thirteenth of August, 1727, was a day of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We saw the hand of God and His wonders, and we were all under the cloud of our father baptized with their Spirit. The Holy Ghost came upon us in those days great signs and wonders took place in our midst. From that time, scarcely a day passed but what we beheld His almighty workings amongst us. A great hunger after the Word of God took possession of us so that we had to have three services every day…”

Count Zinzendorf was a man who had a heart after the Lord, and shortly after finishing college as was customary for a nobleman, he traveled across the major cities of Europe.  Zinzendorf was a man committed to prayer. When he was visiting the Art Gallery in Duseldorf, he saw an image of Jesus with a crown of thorns, standing before Pilate. Beneath the painting were the words, “This I have done for you, what are you doing for Me?”

These words had a deep impact on him who wrote regarding the event…

“I implore my Savior to draw me with force into the partnership of His sufferings, even if my mind struggled against it.”³

When the Lord begins to touch the heart, you can’t run from Him. The Lord knows exactly how to reach you and what words will pierce your heart. If we learn to trust Him, the Lord knows how to reach our loved ones. We never know when or how, but He has an appointment and day of visitation with us. The day when like Paul, we are knocked down to the grown, pierced in the heart, and our world challenged. On that day I pray that like Paul and Zinzendorf, our hearts are soft and bow to the Lordship of Jesus. Here Count Zinzendorf committed the rest of his life to the Lord. In this article, the focus is on the Moravian Revival. Count Zinzendorf played a critical part in the revival so we must talk about him. It started with his surrender to the purpose of the Father and the vision he had to build a Christian community. He would take his inheritance and purchase the estate of Berthelsdorf from his grandmother. Count Zinzendorf was able through the eyes of faith to see not empty fields, but the Christian community the Lord had put on his heart. However, I don’t think he fully grasped what the Lord had planned.

Count Zinzendorf appointed the Pietist John Andrew Rothe as the pastor of the Lutheran Church that was at Berthelsdorf. He commissioned him saying…

“I bought this estate because I wanted to spend my life among peasants, and win their souls for Christ. So go, Rothe, to the vineyard of the Lord. You will find me a brother and a helper rather than a patron.”⁴

I love the heart of Count Zinzendorf. He was not seeking to build his kingdom or boast in his position and authority. If we are to see a revival, it must come through humbling of ourselves. We must submit one to another in obedience to the Holy Spirit. True leadership empowers, and that was the heart of Zinzendorf. But true leaders also deal with issues. As we will see, Zinzendorf did that as well.

In 1722, he built a mansion on the estate and called it Bethel (House of God). He opened his home for all to come on Sunday afternoon for Bible Studies. Soon, he had his first settler come to the estate at Berthelsdorf. A man from Moravia, called Christian David. The Protestants in Moravia were being severely persecuted by the Catholic church, and David asked if the refugees could come to Berthelsdorf. Ludwig consented, not realizing that his dream was about to be fulfilled. Initially, ten refugees came and formed a community called Herrbhut (the Lord’s Watch), on June 17^th, 1722.

Who Where The Moravians?

To understand the story of the Moravians, we must go back to Wycliffe in the 14^th Century. Towards the end of his life, he was expelled from Oxford and his teachings banned from being studied. However, the king married a lady from Bohemia, which resulted in Bohemian students coming to study at Oxford. One of them was Jerome of Prague and he, in violation of Oxford rules, studied the works of Wycliffe. He then took them back to Bohemia, where Hus would study them. Hus would make a stand like Wycliffe against the corruption of the Catholic church, for which he was burnt at the stake. But his followers the Moravians continued. However, they would endure fierce persecution. So they were more than willing to follow David in the hope of sanctuary.

David brought the initial refugees to a swampy stretch of the estate as they were not welcomed in the village. There they found an old unfinished farmhouse that they rested in.

David, who had made a pledge that if the Lord healed his wife, he would return to Moravia for more refugees, discovered his wife had been made well, and immediately set back out for Moravia.

When the refugees first arrived, they were disappointed as only one house was complete and the rosy picture painted to them by David was far from reality. However, a stream of people continued to come from Moravia.

The Hidden Seed

Over the next four years, the community grew to around four hundred. They worked together to build a school and medical building. These Moravians, as I said, were the converts that came out of the ministry of Hus, who was burnt at the stake in 1415. By the time of Luther, they had grown to around 200,000 members. However, from the sixteenth century they were mercilessly persecuted, with only a few being left in Moravia. Their last bishop, Jan Amos Comenius who escaped to Holland, prophesied before that the remnant left would be a “hidden seed” that would grow into a “Fruitful tree.” ⁵

They were a broken people, hanging on by their nails. It seemed like their better days were behind them, but the Lord had not forgotten them. The Lord was faithful to deliver them in their darkest hour. He had a plan for them, and little could they have imagined that this swamp would become a place of divine encounter, restoration and commissioning.

Ludwig declared…

“I want to be used among these people to bring revival…though I may lose my property, my honor, and my life in the cause, as long as I live, and as far as I am able, this flock of the Lord shall be preserved for Him until He comes.”⁶

“The community became the vehicle for Zinzendorf’s adolescent pledge to preach the Gospel to every creature, and especially to those for whom no one else cared.”⁷

Zinzendorf had no clue that the vision the Lord had put on his heart was part of a bigger plan or restoration and would transform the world. As big as Zinzendorf dreamed, the Lord’s plan was bigger. Zinzendorf wanted to see souls won for Jesus by creating a Christian community. However, God created a Christian training and commissioning center that would send missionaries worldwide.

The Storm Arises

Word of the Herrnhut community spread and persecuted Christians from various denominations started coming, including Anabaptists (now Mennonites), Calvinists, Separatists, and even Catholics. The mixed breed of malcontents caused dissension to arise. “As poverty crept in at the door, love flew out of the window.”⁸ As the turmoil grew, along came a man called Johannes Sigismund Kruger. Kruger was a leader and caused great division. The enemy always seeks to kill any work of God and it takes Godly leadership to act with wisdom and shut the door on the enemy. Too often we try to just keep the peace, instead of making a stand for truth. Part of the enemy’s strategy is to go after the leadership. You see true leadership is formed by demonstrating the character of Christ and earning the trust of the people so they will follow you. If the devil can demonize the leader, he can devastate the church. Kruger, a messenger of the enemy, announced that he was divinely appointed by God to reform Zinzendorf, whom he called “the Beast,” and Rothe the “False Prophet.” Kruger attacked the various leaders, calling the Lutherans “no better than a den of thieves.” ⁹

During the last five years, Zinzendorf had not paid a lot of attention to the refugees at Herrnhut, but on his plans for Berthelsdorf. He also had his official duties at Dresden as the king’s councilor. He had, however, made it clear that all refugees coming to Herrnhut had to be fleeing religious persecution and had to agree to the Augsburg Confession. But Zinzendorf knew he had to act. Zinzendorf did act at the right time with great wisdom from heaven. I have personally learned the importance of acting at the critical time. It is easier to say than do, because we hope people will just work out their differences and you will not be dragged into the middle of it. But failure to act allows the enemy to ransack the people. Zinzendorf understood that those whom he had taken in out of compassion were now a group of scheming dissenters.

“At the critical point the Count intervened, and changed the duel into a duet. He would have no makers of sects on his estate. With all their faults, he believed that the settlers were at bottom broad-minded people. Only clear away the rubbish and the gold would be underneath.” ¹⁰

On May 12^th, he summoned them to a meeting where he preached for three hours on the sin of schisms. The best way to defeat the plans of the enemy is truth. Preach the truth. Jesus stood up against the religious Pharisees and hypocrites with truth. Not opinion and not with anger. Truth! However, Zinzendorf understood the importance of humility and prayer. The Battle is the Lord’s not ours. We must surrender the battle in prayer and humble ourselves under His mighty hand, recognizing that it is a spirit of pride that is seeking to destroy everything. The devil always works in and out of pride. We must, therefore, learn the power of humility. The result of Zinzendorf’s action was the squabbling refuges became orderly Christian tenants that promised to obey his Injunctions and Prohibitions.

Zinzendorf took leave of his assignment at Dusseldorf and proceeded to organize a church within the church at Herrnhut. He created a pact called, “the Brotherly Union and Compact.” On July 4^th, all were called to freely sign this pact. By signing, they promised to end sectarian quarrels and obey the agreement they had previously made with him. The result was a great calm came on the place that summer.

“The whole place…represented a visible tabernacle of God among men,” Said Zinzendorf… ‘for the next few months in the city on a hill was the home of ineffable joy; and the very men who had lately quarreled with each other now formed little groups for prayer and praise.” ¹¹

During the next period, Zinzendorf spent much time in prayer. In fact, on August 5^th, they held an all-night prayer session.

A communion Service

On August 13^th, 1727, Pastor Rothe called a special communion service at Berthelsdorf. Zinzendorf wrote of the event…

“We needed to come to the Communion with a sense of the loving nearness of the Savior. This was the great comfort which has made this day a generation ago to be a festival, because on this day twenty seven years ago the Congregation of Herrnhut, all assembled for communion were all dissatisfied with themselves. They had quit judging each other because they had become convinced, each one, of his lack of worth in the sight of God and each felt himself at this communion to be in view of the noble countenance of the Savior.”¹²

‘“We learned,’ said the Brethren, ‘to love. ’From that day onward,’ said Nitschmann, ‘Herrnhut was a living Church of Jesus Christ.” ¹³

Zinzendorf was twenty-seven, which was also the average age of the people at Herrnhut. At the communion service, he read the “Confession,” and as he did everyone was touched in a very powerful way. The Holy Spirit was poured out. Pastor Rothe fell to the floor overwhelmed by the Spirit. The people began praying, singing, and weeping. This continued until midnight.

“We saw the hand of God and His wonders, and we were all under the cloud of our fathers baptized with their Spirit. The Holy Ghost came upon us and in those days great signs and wonders took place in our midst.” ¹⁴

“Self-love and self-will, as well as all disobedience disappeared and an overwhelming flood of grace swept out into the great ocean of Divine Love.” ¹⁵

If we truly have an encounter with Him, we should demonstrate His love in our life. His love radiates from Him, and the afterglow of spending time in His presence is His love permeates and transforms you till you radiate with it.

“Beloved, let us (unselfishly) love and seek the best for one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves (other) is born of God and knows God (through personal experience).
1 John 4: 7 AMP

The Children

On August 17^th, the Holy Spirit was poured out on the children at Herrnhutt. They began a 24-hour, 7 day a week, prayer meeting. This prayer meeting started by the children would last for one hundred years! As the children came and bowed their knees to the Father, soon the parents joined them. Zinzendorf wrote…

“The children of both sexes felt a powerful impulse to prayer, and it was impossible to listen to their infant supplications without being deeply moved. …The Spirit of grace and supplication poured out upon the children so powerful that it is impossible to give an adequate description in words.” ¹⁶

On August 26^th, twenty-four men and twenty-four women covenanted together to continue praying, one hour each, day and night. Soon the group increased.

Prayer Led to Action

The prayer caused the burden of heaven to arise in the hearts of the people. True prayer should change us. Such prayer should cause an exchange of our burdens for His burden. We should be consumed with the heart of heaven. When it comes to prayer, relationship makes all the difference. We must be right with Him and our desires should clearly indicate that. When we are no longer consumed with the cares of life and desires of the flesh, but the burden of the Father, we have entered a powerful place.

“This small church in twenty years called into being more missions than the whole Evangelical Church has done in two centuries.” ¹⁷

In fact, within thirty-three years, 226 Moravian missionaries had been scattered around the world. They based the daily prayer on…

A fire must always be burning upon the altar. It must never go out.

Leviticus 6: 13

The passionate faith filled prayers carrying the burden of the Father’s heart did not bounce off the ceilings, but touched heaven, and heaven responded. They understood the Lord desired to move in revival and all they had to do was come believing.

The reality is, He desires to move in revival and touch lives way beyond what we could imagine. He is just looking for vessels to surrender to Him, so He can move.

“Every revival throughout history is unique. No two are exactly the same. God uses different people, different methods, and different times. However, one thing is always the same in times of revival. There have never been great revivals without great prayer.” ¹⁸

The Spirit of Worship

With revival it is always accompanied with worship. In the 1932 edition of the Methodist Hymnal it says, “Methodism was born in song.” We also see in Herrnhut as the Spirit was poured out, the floodgates of worship and singing began.

John Wesley, while on his way to America from England to minister to the Native Americans, learnt German, so he could on the journey communicate with the Moravians. In fact, he wrote in his journal on October 19^th, 1735, “Singing with the Germans.”¹⁹ John Wesley wanted to learn their secret. He watched them praise the Lord even in the fiercest of storms at sea. He wrote of them, “They are a people who have given up all for their Master, and have learned from Him to be modest and lowly, dead to the world, but full of faith and the Holy Spirit.”

One of the Moravians on board was David Nitschmann.

Charles Wesley, who met Peter Bohler, another Moravian, would write a song based on their conversation, where Peter said, “If I had a thousand tongues, I would praise Jesus with every one of them.” ²⁰The song of course goes, “Oh for a thousand tongues to sing.”

Dead Formalism

Two major areas the Moravians dealt with. The first was, of course, disunity. When they came together in true unity, power broke out. Just as it did on the day of Pentecost when the church had come together in unity. You can’t fake Godly unity. True unity is built upon humility, esteeming one another as higher than ourselves. It is a unity built upon His love.

“We know love by this, that he laid down His life for us, and that we ought to do the same for the brethren.
1 John 3: 16

Love is seen in the laid down life. If we could learn to empty ourselves of ourselves and become yielded vessels He can fill and use, we would see greater power.

Secondly, they addressed the dead formalism in the church. Most believers can go to a dead church and not even recognize that it is dead, or almost dead. Oh, the Father in His mercy will meet people who come to Him in faith and touch them, but the power is absent. Lives are not so utterly changed that they recklessly abandon the old and become consumed with the burden of heaven. Many get a touch from the Lord and get their lives put right, but never experience the Holy Spirit to have their lives turned upside down for the glory. They get blessed, but never jump in the barrel until they become a blessing. They taste of the goodness of the Lord but fail to possess the goodness of the Lord to become vessels of His glory. We are not here to just live better lives because of the Gospel. We are meant to be so utterly changed that the world around us is changed. The early church did not just experience the Holy Spirit and learn to have better jobs, better marriages, etc. That was, if anything, just the icing on the cake.

Oh, we can boast that we are blessed at church and we are better people because of it, but where is the radical power? Where is the Holy Spirit that causes such a fire to ignite in you that you are compelled to act? You understand your purpose on earth is to see souls come to the knowledge of Jesus. You become dead to this world and burn with a holy passion. There can be no going back to the old, because not alone is that old man dead, but now you are a radical believer commissioned by your Creator with a divine purpose!

Oh, I pray that you have such an encounter, that you refuse to settle with just an inner court experience but go into the Holy of Holies and you are never the same. You will feel like a fool until you die, but when you do, suddenly you enter the place of power!

No wonder the early church turned the world upside down. They became dead to the world and they no longer lived but Christ. We need to stop settling for the inspirational gospel, and get the Gospel of power. But it requires a total death. Are you willing to die to all? Are you willing to surrender your agenda, burdens, and dreams and take up the burden and dream of heaven?

The Moravians started off as a broken people seeking to survive. They were running from the enemy. They became a people who were overcomers that now ran to the battle to take back what the enemy stole. Are you broken running from a past? It is time for you to find sanctuary in His Presence and have a visitation with Him. Let Him expose all that hinders and all dead religion in your life. Be a lover of the truth! Your latter days can so outshine your former, that your wildest dreams would never be able to imagine what He has planned for you, if you will surrender and trust Him.

The Moravians became sold out to the Lord. They were not the same. Their lives were committed to reaching the lost. They set up a printing press to print the Bible, Christian tracts and hymnals. They became voices influencing others for Christ. The touched men like the Wesley brothers. John Wesley, in fact, translated one of Zinzendorf’s songs, “Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness.”

The Keys They Learned

Life was not easy for the Moravians. They world work sixteen hour days. But they were trained in three principles that were to equip them to go “out!”

• Jesus gave His life as a ransom for sin. They understood the sacrifice Jesus made and the power of the blood
• Jesus was the perfect example for them to follow. We are to fix our eyes on Him. He is the author of our faith and He is the One who will bring it to maturity.
• Jesus was present with them as Head of the church. If we could just understand that it He is the Head of the church and it is His church, oh, what a difference it would make. We would stop building our kingdoms and ministries. We would give our all for His ALL.

Conclusion

The Moravians went all over the world preaching the Gospel. How many of us would allow the Lord such a surrender so as to allow Him to send us to some land we don’t know? Such surrender that it is not based on our opinion but we are willing to surrender our rights, desires and opinions. We give Him an unqualified, “YES!” Many of us are willing as long as it is convenient and comfortable to us. We say that the Lord can use us, but only the way we want. What if we truly did surrender all and took the burden of the Father’s heart? What if we truly delighted in Him? The world would be changed.

God's Solution(Resurrection Power)

Gods Solution

Jesus was God's solution to the mess that humans created on earth. He was born as a man, so he was entitled to exercise authority on earth. Because he did not sin, he was not under the influence of evil. That is why the devil worked so hard to tempt him into sin. If Jesus had succumbed to sin, he would have come under the authority of the devil and would have been unable to fulfil his commission.

When the devil managed to get Jesus crucified, he thought he had won a great victory. He believed that he had destroyed the only person who could destroy his power. With Jesus dead, the last threat to the devil's power was gone. God only had one son, and if he was destroyed, God's last option for victory was gone.

We think of Jesus dying on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. That is true. We were redeemed by his blood shed during his crucifixion. However, the cross only dealt with part of the mess on earth. It dealt with sin, but if Jesus stayed dead, the devil would be free to continue exercising authority on earth. No good man was left to establish the Kingdom of God on earth. There was no perfect man to enter heaven with authority to release the Holy Spirit to go all out on earth. The cross on its own was a partial victory. It dealt with sin, but could restore the earth from the harm that sin had done.

Resurrection Victory

The resurrection was a huge victory for Jesus.

1. The resurrection took nothing away from the crucifixion. The pain and suffering of Jesus were not reversed. The penalty for sin was still paid. Redemption was available for all who would trust in Jesus.
2. The resurrection was a huge defeat for the devil, who thought that he had killed the only real threat to his power. By rising from the dead, Jesus exposed the Devil's weakness. He could not get Jesus to sin and he could not kill him, so he now was powerless against him. Jesus could go on and complete his mission and the devil was powerless against him. He could ascend into heaven beyond the reach of evil.
3. The resurrection was a massive defeat for the principalities and powers that carry out the devil's purposes. God used the resurrection to destroy their power.
   

   He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion (Eph 1:20.21).

   The principalities and powers had worked through the Roman empire and the Jewish religious authorities to destroy Jesus. The resurrection turned their best efforts into failure.
4. The resurrection proved that Jesus is the Messiah foretold by the Jewish prophets. David had prophesied that the body of the Messiah would not decay or be buried in a tomb.
   

   Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay (Acts 2:31).

   The world has had many would-be messiahs. Jesus is the only one who has risen from the dead. The resurrection confirmed that he is the saviour of the world.
5. The resurrection was writing on the wall for human political powers. The resurrection proved that Jesus was Lord of all the earth.
   

   God has made this Jesus both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:26).

   If Jesus is Lord, then Caesar is not. If Jesus is Lord, Donald Trump or Putin or Chinse Premier or President or any P is not. When Jesus was raised from the dead, God established him as the true king of the earth. Human empires and powers that do not surrender to him will be swept eventually be swept away.
   The resurrection enthroned Jesus as King of Kings. All human principalities and powers will eventually have to surrender their authority to him. That should really have happened sooner.
6. When Jesus appeared to his disciples after his resurrection, he made this declaration.
   

   All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me (Matt 28:18).

   This was after the resurrection, but before the ascension. All authority in heaven and earth had been given to Jesus. This was the consequence of the resurrection. Jesus had promised that the Kingdom of God was close. He had called for people to get ready for its coming. The resurrection marked the coming of the Kingdom of God, because the reward for his life and death struggle with the devil was authority over all the earth. The resurrection enthroned Jesus as King of Kings and brought in the Kingdom of God
7. The resurrection made it possible for Jesus to ascend into heaven and sit down at the right hand of God. His ascension was the final working out of his resurrection in fulfilment of (Daniel 7:13-14).
   

   In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshipped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

   The dominion that had been given to Adam and Eve, but was lost by them was restored to Jesus. Because he is at the right hand of the father, it can never be taken away, so his kingdom can never be destroyed. The kingdom established on the day of the resurrection can never pass away.

Powers Defeated

Jesus resurrection was the most momentous event that has ever occurred on earth. Prior to the resurrection, the devil, the principalities and powers had real authority that gave them a free hand on earth. The resurrection destroyed their powers. They have continued to hang around on earth getting up to mischief, but their status has changed. The principalities and power are now imposters and trespassers in Jesus world, waiting nervously for Jesus disciples to take up their authority to expose them.

His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord (Eph 3:10,11).

This is an amazing statement. God's eternal purpose is that the church will expose the defeat of the rulers and powers in heavenly realms that was accomplished through Jesus resurrection. We must understand the significance of this. The resurrection makes victory over the principalities and powers possible for the church. This was a huge change. The balance of power on earth was tilted dramatically in favour of God's people.

The resurrection was a huge setback for the powers of evil. They should have been would be totally crushed, if they had not deceived Christians into unbelief about the victory of the resurrection.

Despite the victory of the resurrection, most Christians believe that things on earth will get worse and worse. Many Christians expect the power and influence of evil to grow and spread in an unprecedented way. Those who hold this view are ignoring the impact of the resurrection. They are implicitly assuming that they live in a world that is just the same as it was in Old Testament times. This is a serious mistake. The resurrection was a huge defeat for the powers of evil that should change the way we live.

Political Power Futile

The power of political empires is sustained by the spiritual principalities and powers that work behind them. The defeat of these spiritual powers should have led to the disappearance of the political empires that dominated the ancient world. Daniel understood this because the angel had explained the implication of the rising of the Son of Man.

Then the kingdom and dominion,
And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven,
Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High.
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And all dominions shall serve and obey Him (Dan 7:27).

The resurrection of Jesus made him King of Kings. This undermined the status and power of kings and rules everywhere. The resurrection is a sign that human political powers will eventually fade away.

We live in a compassionate age when people really care about the suffering in the world. Most people want to see poverty eliminated. They want the handicapped to be helped. People want the suffering of animals to be ended.

This compassion and caring is good. Unfortunately, this caring is mostly channelled into the power of the state. People are concerned about unnecessary suffering, but most just assume that if governments are given enough money, they can remove suffering from the world.

This confidence in the power of the state is unfounded. Governments can make some improvements, but they can never provide a total solution to the problems of the world. The resurrection demonstrated the failure of state power and signalled the victory of the Kingdom of God. Those who are concerned about the problems of the world should focus their hope on the Kingdom of God.

Power of the Spirit

The resurrection empowered Jesus to ascend into heaven and pour out the Holy Spirit on his people on earth.

God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. Being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear (Acts 2:33-33).

If Jesus had not been raised, the Spirit would not have come.

The coming of the Holy Spirit changes everything. In Old Testament times, the activity of the Holy Spirit was intermittent. He moved through a few people and was not widely active. Following the resurrection of Jesus, he is active in every believer in a much deeper way.

The full implication of the coming of the Spirit is hard to grasp. The church often lives as if the Holy Spirit is still only sporadically active on earth, much like in pre-resurrection times.

Paul prayed that the Ephesians would have the eyes of their hearts enlightened to understand what it meant.

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead (Eph 1:18-20).

The resurrection was accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit. Those who have received the Holy Spirit have the same power working in them as the power that raised Jesus from the dead. That changes everything.

Kingdom Inauguration

Jesus came to establish the Kingdom of God here on earth, as it is in heaven. The resurrection marked the inauguration of this Kingdom. The Kingdom of God is not something that he will Return to establish at the end age. That Kingdom was inaugurated when he was raised from the dead.

The LORD says to my Lord:
"Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet" (Psalm 110:1).

Jesus would sit at the right hand of God until the Holy Spirit and the church has defeated all his enemies. He will then Return to receive the completed Kingdom and hand it over to the Father.

Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet (1 Cor 15:24-25).

The resurrection was the great turning point in history. It marked the inauguration of the Kingdom of God here on earth.

THE BLOOD SPEAKS

THE BLOOD SPEAKS

Hebrews  8:6:- But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.  12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

The power of the blood of Jesus has provided everything you need to live a life of victory, including Redemption, fellowship, healing, protection and authority over the devil.




As Christians, we know about the blood, sing hymns about the blood, and remember it during Communion. But how many of us truly know how deep its power runs, and all that it has provided for us? Even more important—how many of us use it and apply it in our lives every day?



From Genesis to Revelation, the words the blood are kept before our eyes—a reminder of its importance and significance to God and to us. The sacrifices of Abel, Noah and Isaac, and the Passover lamb, and the giving of the Law all came to pass, but “not without blood” (Hebrews 9:7, NKJV). The blood symbolizes cleansing and purification—the settling of a matter.



God is love. And the greatest expression of His love toward us is the blood of Jesus. That love covers every need man has had or ever will have, and every time we apply the blood, we experience an outpouring of this love. It is love, through the blood, that has created a barrier between you and all the works of the devil.



“Of all the glorious things that the blood means, this is one of the most glorious: His blood is the sign, the measure, yes, the impartation of His love.” —Andrew Murray



Let’s elevate the blood of Jesus to the same place in our hearts that it has in God’s heart—and awaken in our spirits those powerful things the blood has procured for us. The power of the blood of Jesus has provided everything you need to live a life of victory, including redemption, fellowship, healing, protection and authority over the devil.

Faith in the blood produces great results.”

Authority Over the Devil Through the Blood of Jesus
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony.” –Revelation 12:11 (KJV)

Activate the Efficacy and Supernatural Power In the Blood and Experience The Believers Authority over the Works of Hell and Darkness.

The Glory Realm

                                                

                                                  THE SHEKINAH DIMENSION

There is a dimension of God’s presence that the scriptures refer to as God’s dwelling place, or shekinah. We may also refer to this as his manifest presence.

The Hebrew word used for this dimension of God’s presence, shekinah, is almost always used in the verb form (shakan) in the scriptures. It means to reside or permanently stay, to abide, continue, dwell, inhabit, remain, or rest upon. It has a sense of continuation or long duration. There is another Hebrew word that may be used for a short-term visit (yashav), but the shekinah presence is meant to be abiding presence, not a brief visitation.

This manifest presence is also called the glory of the Lord. The word “glory” in our English Bible is translated from the Hebrew word kabod which means heaviness or weightiness. The glory of God is literally a heavy or weighty sense of his presence.

His omnipresence permeates all places and time, his indwelling presence resides in us, but his shekinah presence or glory comes to rest on us.

We recognize the shekinah glory of God in our midst by the manifestations of his goodness and his power. When the shekinah presence, or the glory of the Lord, comes to rest on a place or a gathering, the gifts of the Spirit become evident in increased measure. These are grace gifts, or manifestations of his goodness to us. It includes gifts of healing and deliverance, of salvation and breaking of bondages, of prophetic words and words of knowledge, of miracles and demonstrations of his power.

The manifestations may be internal or external. They may be something one experiences personally or privately, or they may be visible for all to see. It may come as an overwhelming peace that surpasses our understanding, or exuberant joy that is unquenchable and full of glory, or an overflowing love poured into our hearts.

"Now the Lord is the Spirit. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, seeing the glory of the Lord with unveiled faces, as in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord" (2 Cor. 3:17–18).

Some things in the Spirit cannot be grasped by faith alone. There are also some things in the Spirit that cannot be released through an anointing. That's why we must learn how to bring forth the glory. Faith says God is present, the anointing says God rewards, but the glory says, "I Am."

In a moment's time, the glory can capture your miracle and overshadow the most difficult situations. The glory is not limited by time, space or circumstance. Neither is it limited by the mind of man or earthly ability. It is eternal and flows into those dimensions with every good and perfect gift that comes from above. There are no limitations in the glory realm.

Faith calls the anointing, but the anointing calls the glory."

Can you see how these three realms come together and form a new dimension? The power shifts from dunamis, which is the anointing (miraculous power, might and strength), into episkiazo, which is the New Testament cloud of glory, an overshadowing, supernatural influence.

Peter walked in this new dimension of God to such a degree that:

"So that they even brought the sick out into the streets and placed them on beds and mats, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might touch some of them. Crowds also came out of the cities surrounding Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those who were afflicted by evil spirits, and they were all healed" (Acts 5:15–16).

This shows how the shift from anointing into glory is a shift from working personal miracles to moving into a pervading influence with the atmosphere of heaven.

As we work in the anointing, God works in the glory. We hear and obey the simple instruction of God, and get ready to move into a greater realm. When the glory comes, we stand in the glory and allow God to do His work.

The glory is the highest level of power known to man. In the Scriptures, we read about this episkiazo that overshadowed Peter, James and John on the mountaintop where they witnessed the physical transfiguration of Christ and the appearance of Elijah and Moses. (See Matt. 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35.) This same glory overshadowed the Virgin Mary and implanted a miracle within her womb (see Luke 1:35.) In the realms of glory, I have seen those who suffered with infertility find their miracle. Healing through the anointing is no longer required in the atmosphere of glory because, in that atmosphere, sickness can no longer exist.

The influence of God's glory spreads deep and wide. There is no place or person the glory cannot reach. There is no situation where the glory cannot extend its miracle touch. The glory is the realm of highest power. Are you hungry to go deeper in the Spirit? He has greater things prepared for you as you determine to enter into these glory realms.

Show Us the Ancient Paths- Tom Inglis

1.Lord we confess that we have wandered
Far from Your purpose and plan
And willingly walked in the wrong direction
We've disobeyed Your commands
Father forgive us, Spirit come lead us
Back to the way
Back to the truth
Back to the foot of the cross

2.Show us the ancient paths
Lead us along eternal highways
We want to walk in the ways of Jesus
We want to enter Your rest
Show us the ancient paths
Lead us along eternal highways
We want to follow the footsteps of Jesus
We want to enter Your rest

3.Lord it's Your mercy and good intention
That constantly calls us to You
Your infinite patience and kind correction
Your covenant love coming through
You are our hope and our salvation
You promise joy
Your give us grace
And courage to carry the cross
(repeat)

4.We want to leave a clear set of footprints
For those who will follow behind
Signposts in our lives that point to Jesus
A pathway they'll easily find
We want to fill up the sufferings of Jesus
As we obey our lives display the glorious way of the cross
(repeat)

5.Lead us along
We want to follow
We want to enter your rest
Show us the ancient paths
Lead us along eternal highways
We want to follow the footsteps of Jesus
We want to follow the footsteps of Jesus
We want to follow the footsteps of Jesus
We want to enter Your rest

The Ministry of Angels

Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.

One of the most comforting teachings in the Bible is the way in which angels work with believers...

ANGELS ASSIST AND MINISTER TO BELIEVERS

“But to which of the angels has He ever said: ‘Sit at My right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool’? Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit Salvation?”  Heb 1:13-14

The angels assist us in a way very much like waiters. They fetch and carry. (See also Rev 22:9; 1 Kings 19:5-7; Matt 4:11)

QUESTION: HOW CAN WE BE SURE THAT ANGELS ARE INVOLVED IN OUR AFFAIRS?

Answer: with our words (Dan 10:12; Eccl 5:6; Matt 18:18). Our words often determine the response of Heaven towards us and the resulting circumstances or situation. Pray. The Sword of the Spirit is the spoken Word of God. You bind your angel when you fail to confess the Word. Angels are obedient to God and His Word.

“Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.” Luke 12:8-9

We see that there is no such thing as a silent disciple. We must speak God’s Truth. There is no place for anyone who is ashamed of the Gospel. When soul winning, expect the angels to minister to those you are witnessing to. It is important to remember that angels cannot preach the Gospel - only we can. However, we can ask God for the angels to protect and strengthen those to whom we are witnessing.

ANGELS PROVIDE PROTECTION

“The angel of the Lord encamp all around those who fear Him, and delivers them.” Psalm 34:7

“For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” Psalm 91:11-12

The latter verse was misquoted by satan to Jesus, but is an example to us that angels do protect us, but we must not provoke them or the hand of God to action.

Examples of where angels helped believers include the story of Daniel in the lions’ den. (Daniel 6:22). Note Daniel’s  confession (or the words he speaks). Another example is in Genesis 21:8-21 where we see Hagar and Ishmael protected from thirst. Again read Matthew 18:10 for an example of the work of angels.

In 2 Kings 6:17 we see Elisha shielded from national foes. In Acts 12:5-11 Peter is guarded  from a sadistic government official and in Acts 27:9-44 Paul and his companions were kept from death during  a shipwreck. another instance we see angels at work helping believers is in Acts 5:19 when the Apostle is let out of prison.

ANGELS MINISTER STRENGTH AND ENCOURAGEMENT

“Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.”  Matt 4:11

“Then an angel appeared to Him from Heaven, strengthening Him.” Luke 22:43

Jesus was encouraged and strengthened during His fast.

These Scriptures indicate with clarity that angels do act as ministers of strength and encouragement.

ANGELS HELPS IN GUIDANCE AND DIRECTION

God may give guidance in various ways:

Through the Word; the Voice of the Holy Spirit; through dreams, visions, an inner witness (conviction); through circumstances, a word from other people, through the gifts of the Spirit (like prophecy) and through angels.

The following Scriptures detail situations where angels ministered guidance to individuals:

• Mary and Mary Magdalene told on the morning of the resurrection to tell the others that Jesus has risen (Matt 28)
• Philip told which road to take to find the Ethiopian (Acts 8:26)
• Cornelius told to send for Peter (Acts 10)
• Paul told that he must stand trial before Caesar. (Acts 27:23-24)

ANGELS ACCOMPANIES PRAYER

This ministry can be clearly seen in the following two examples: in Acts 12( when the church was praying for Peter’s release from prison) and Daniel 10 (after 21 days of prayer, Daniel’s answer arrives via an angel).

ANGELS HAVE A MINISTRY TO THE DYING – ANGELS TRANSPORT a SAINT’S SPIRIT AFTER DEATH

“So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.” Luke 16:22  Lazarus’s spirit was carried by angels to Abraham’s bosom. When God’s saints fall asleep in death, the angels escort the spirits to Heaven.

ANGELS GUIDES OUR WAY

Angels work towards prospering the way of believers: “See, I am sending an angel before you to protect you on your journey and lead you safely to the place I have prepared for you.”  Exo 23:20

Just as the Holy Spirit is God inside of us and central to see God’s Kingdom advanced, the angels of God play the role of ministering along side of those who inherit salvation.

Hebrews 1:14

“Are not the angels all ministering spirits (servants) sent out in the service [of God for the assistance] of those who are to inherit salvation?” (Amplified)

Are we conscious of the Spirit within us? Are we aware of the angels of God ministering along with us? How does fasting and prayer play a role? These two devotional elements in our lives are lethal to  the enemy, explosive, being essential to the awakening of our spiritual senses and to the activating of angels. (Daniel 10:3,12-13) David tells us that prayer returned to his heart when he fasted. (Psalm 35:13) This tells us that it was more than words for David, but that the spirit of prayer was awakened within him. God’s Word is also awakened within us through this radical expression of devotion.  As well, the angels of God are activated by the Word of God spoken in faith. (Psalm 103:20) Now more than ever we need to be awakened with bright eyes of faith not only to the Spirit within us but that the angels of God would find a place of activity in our midst.

Holy is the Lord (Elders