The Revelation of John, the last book of our Holy Bible mentions the rapture(the return of Christ in mid-air to receive His saints) will occur immediately after the last trumpet call. This is taken as the third trumpet call of the Roman military system of 3 trumpet calls before marching into battle.

This is often mixed with the idea of the last trumpet call/sound of the 7 trumpet calls.

We are seeing the first trumpet call into battle, to purify the church of God and returning the hearts of the saints to God/Christ and loving fellowship.

We are returning to heeding prophesies.

We are returning to prayers, prayer warfare and personal purity.

We are returning to house church( not cell church ).

::::::::::::

[-A vision given during Winter 2001]

~by Michael Edds.

I moved to Cleveland, Ohio in June 2000 to assume the position

as Head of School for an interdenominational Christian High

School. The school was new but had severe problems, the most

severe totally unknown to me. Prior to my arrival, a teacher had

been arrested for involving a student in pornography. The teacher

had been convicted and sentenced. Upon my arrival, the incident

had become front-page news in the community. To say the least,

I was shocked and angry with the board who hired me and with

God who sent me.

One night I could not sleep. I was very angry with the Lord for

putting me into this greatly stressful mess. "Surely, I thought,

I desire better than this." Around 2 am, I got up to sit on the

couch and pout. In spite of my upset state, anger and disgust,

the Presence of the Lord settled in the living room. God did not

even pay attention to or address my complaint. Instead, His

presence was so strong that I physically trembled. He spoke

these words, "Old Wells, Fallen Mantles, and New Fountains."

He instructed me to get my Bible. By that time, I too had set

aside my complaint. His Presence was so great that I did not

know if I could survive it.

I opened my Bible to Isaiah 35: 3-7:

"The eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf

shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as a hart,

and the tongue of the dumb shall sing, for IN THE WILDERNESS

SHALL WATER BREAK OUT and streams in the desert. AND THE

PARCHED GROUND SHALL BECOME A POOL and the thirsty

land SPRINGS OF WATER."

I was directed to verse 19 of [Isaiah 43]: "Behold I WILL DO A NEW

THING. Now it shall SPRING [BURST] FORTH. Shall ye not know it?"

The Lord was moving so quickly through the scriptures that I could

hardly keep up. His presence was incredibly strong. I felt like I

was floating. Leaving Isaiah, the Lord took me to Joel 2:23: "He

will cause to come down for you the rain, THE FORMER RAIN

AND THE LATTER RAIN IN THE FIRST MONTH." Then Joel 2:28

was given which states: "It shall come to pass afterwards that

I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT ON ALL FLESH. Your sons and

daughters shall PROPHESY, YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM

DREAMS and your YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS."

Finally, Genesis 26:18 finished the scriptures that the Lord was

rapidly giving me: "AND ISAAC DUG AGAIN the WELLS of water

which they had DUG IN THE DAYS OF ABRAHAM HIS FATHER."

The Lord revealed the meaning of this vision:

The Early Church experienced the fullness of God. They had the

fullness, the gifts and revelation of the Holy Spirit. They were full

of boldness, power and anointing. God turned the world upside

down through them. The dead were raised, the blind received

sight, the possessed were set free, the sick healed and the

Gospel was preached to the poor. The anger of Hell was

violently aroused. The more the devil persecuted and killed them,

the more they multiplied and spread. So Satan changed his

tactics. By 300 AD Roman Emperor Constantine made Christianity

the official religion of the Empire. What Satan could not do through

persecution, he accomplished through promotion, position, power,

prestige, acceptance and prosperity. They SOLD OUT! The

Church backslid and the all humanity fell into the brutality of the

Dark Ages.

The purpose of each Great Awakening or the bursting forth of a

spiritual well was to restore an element of truth that the Early

Church possessed back to the church. Luther restored 'the just

shall live by faith'. Wesley, Whitefield, Edwards and the First

Great Awakening restored repentance, inward holiness and

"Christ in you." The Second Great Awakening with Barton

Stone at Cane Ridge in the West and Francis Asbury in the East

brought restoration in society through evangelism, missions,

and great social renewal such as abolition, child labor laws, and

suffrage movement. The Third Great Awakening of 1857 restored

the power of prayer. Azusa Street Outpouring of 1905 restored

the infilling and gifts of the Holy Spirit. The Lord stated that He

was going to reopen all of the "old wells" of revival in order to

restore TOTAL truth to His church.

Fallen mantles of ministry and anointing that rested upon the

great men and women of God of old would be picked up and

placed on godly men and women today to finish what was started

long ago. They are the "Isaacs" that will revisit the old wells of

revival and reopen them. The mantles of ministry did not die nor

were they buried with Asbury, Wesley, Stone, Amanda Berry

Smith and others. They have only been "on hold" until a

generation would be born that could relate to them and pick them

up. Isaiah 58:12 refers to them: "And they that shall be of thee

shall build the old waste places, thou shall raise up the

foundations of many generations, and thou shall be called the

repairer of the breach, the restorer of paths to dwell in." The Lord

said, "What once was shall be again."

Malachi 4:5 prophecies that "I will send you Elijah the prophet

before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And

He shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart

of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth

with a curse." He said this was not just a generational

reconciliation between the old and the young. It is a restoration

of His people to the Faith once delivered to the Saints, the Faith

of our fathers. The Lord said He was tired of the apostasy,

deadness, programs, personality cults, plans and politics that

have nearly destroyed His church. He is going to restore HIS

church by returning the "Faith of our Fathers to their children

(descendants) and the children (descendants) to the Faith of our

Fathers." The old wells will BURST forth and the fallen mantles

will be picked up. This will be a "suddenly". Isaiah speaks of it

occurring in the desert places and on the barren heights. In

other words, it will happen in the most unlikely of places. The

Lord continued His interpretation of the vision by explaining to

me that "NEW FOUNTAINS" would gush or break forth also.

Something that has never occurred in any Great Awakening or

in any historic move of God will exploded upon the scene in our

day. Joel 2:23 speaks of God sending the former rain (the Old

Wells of revival) and the latter rain (the New Fountains) in the

SAME MONTH!!! In other words, all of the moves of God and

fallen mantles from Pentecost until now will be reopened and

picked up and combined with a totally new thing from God. It

will literally shake the church and the world. HE WILL RESTORE

A CHURCH WITHOUT SPOT OR WRINKLE! He will not allow

the church to go out defeated. HE WILL ARISE FOR HIS OWN

NAME'S SAKE!

God has been preparing a "Joseph Generation" that has been

enrolled in the "School of Dung." In this schooling, they have

endured the pain of rejection, slander and isolation. The 'Word of

the Lord' has tried them severely. They cry out, "God why? All I

wanted to do is serve you. All seems to have 'gone to hell in a

hand basket'. It seems just the opposite of what You promised.

I am lonely, the organized church thinks I am crazy, a fanatic,

out on a limb. They have rejected me and hated me because of

my love for you. WHY, OH LORD?"

God has been preparing and perfecting these Josephs in the

darkness and in the prison houses of loneliness and isolation for

a day and hour that they will be unleashed as a secret weapon

on the kingdom of darkness. He has allowed all of these things

to happen to them for their good. He has prepared a people that

He can trust with His power, gifts, and anointing. In holiness,

humility and boldness they will fulfill His plans in our day. They

will give HIM the glory. They will give HIM total control of the

coming Great Awakening. The door of their prison house of

utter loneliness and rejection is about to open. Their "word" is

about to come. That word is "the King has need of thee." In

a moment, they will be ushered from prison to position. In a

moment, they will fully understand their long and severe sufferings.

In a moment, they will be brought out into the light of God's divine

destiny for them. God will use them to lead the Coming Great

Awakening.

Along with this final Great Awakening is coming Divine Judgment.

Isaiah 35:4 declares, "Your God shall come with vengeance, even

God with a recompense." God is going to overthrow the abuse

and control of man in His church. He's going to take back the

'ship' that has been turned into a luxury liner and restore her

back to her original state: a ship of war. HE IS GOING TO TAKE

BACK CONTROL OF HIS CHURCH!!! The Church is HIS bride,

not someone else's. Additionally, this nation is going to be

greatly shaken.

The First Great Awakening preceded the American Revolution.

Before the Second Great Awakening began at Cane Ridge,

Kentucky, a massive epidemic of Cholera occurred. In its early

days, the Third Great Awakening saw every bank in the nation

collapse. This awakening was followed by the greatest disaster

in American History when the nation was ripped apart and

600,000 Americans perished in the horrific War Between The

States. A great earthquake hit California at the same time as

the Azusa Street Outpouring. He is going to shake the Church

and this nation. Only that which is of Him will be left standing.

A great hunger for repentance, seeking God, seeking holiness

and seeking truth has exploded within the 'Joseph Generation'.

They have studied, researched and sought out the Old Wells of

revival. They intensely hunger for God to do it again! They cry

out, "Just one more time, oh Lord!" Programs, politics,

personalities, manipulation, and plans in the church sicken them.

THEY MUST HAVE GOD! They MUST be in His presence! They

are meeting in the homes, in the fields, in the woods, in their

prayer closets and any place that they can totally seek His face.

Their despair has turned into an all-consuming hunger that says,

"Give me God or let me die." GOD HAS HEARD! He is about

to reopen the old wells of revival, He is picking up the fallen

mantles and placing them on men and women, and He is about

to do a new thing!

Every Awakening has incurred the wrath and persecution of man.

When the Presence and holiness of God confronts mankind,

they must make a decision for or against Him. When they

choose to reject Him, they lash out and fight against His

messengers. In the mid-1700s, the Baptist in Colonial Virginia

were beaten, imprisoned, and killed for preaching the Gospel.

The Methodist circuit riders were jailed, tarred and feathered,

beaten, abused and martyred for the message of God. The

reason there is little persecution against the Church in America

today is that there is so little of the Presence and Message of

God to confront mankind. The world has heard how to get rich,

how to prosper, how to have self-esteem, and to feel good. They

have not heard the message, "Repent or perish." They have not

heard the anointed Word of God that demands a decision. Be

forewarned, The Final Great Awakening will usher in a wave of

persecution against the true Church of God. Old Wells of Revival

are on the threshold of being reopened. Fallen Mantles of ministry

are being picked up. New Fountains are rumbling beneath the

surface and about to burst forth. Frank Bartleman (chronicler of

the Azusa Awakening) once said, "To understand what God is

going to do, we must understand what He once did." The most

incredible move of God will suddenly explode upon the scene.

Judgment and a great shaking are coming to the land and to the

church. Persecution of the Isaacs and Josephs, the true saints

of God will occur. However, they will be covered with such zeal

and boldness, they will be like the Fathers of old: "And they

loved not their lives even until death." (Rev 12:11) God will

harvest a holy remnant from this generation. He will have a church

that is without spot or wrinkle, a pure bride for His Son. Be

encouraged. Lift up your heads. Your God has come! "The King

has need of thee!"

~Mike Edds.

-=-=-=-=-

We know from God's dealings with men down the ages that there

is a time to 'wait' and a time to GO. There is a time to sit still

before the Lord and a time for MOBILISATION. Many of us have

been sensing a "change of seasons" for some time. We are

entering a battle-zone for the hearts and minds of the church and

the world. Our footsteps hasten to the sound of war.

I think we know each other well enough by now to speak

plainly and honestly about the days that lie ahead. I have been

running this List for years and I am well aware of the kinds of

people who are on here. Many are the kind that I have the most

affinity with in the world. -The kind who cry and anguish over the

state of today's church, and who find it almost unbearable trying

to fit in with today's "Christianity as usual". The kind who believe

in a different type of Body than any they have ever seen - but who

know not where to find it. -The kind who wander like strangers and

pilgrims in the earth, waiting, waiting, waiting for the 'Real thing'

to be birthed. -The kind who pray with groanings and tears for the

Bride to AWAKEN and put on strength, that the world may

KNOW the glory of God.

We have many 'cave-dwellers' and wilderness-dwellers on this

List. We have many "underground prophets". We have many

people who go to church - and even lead in the church - and

yet their heart is always yearning for the missing glory - a glory

they have never yet seen.

So are we in the hour of mobilisation? Are we in the days of

the "Gideon's 300" and of David's 'mighty men' fighting out

of the cave of Adullam? Is this indeed the hour for war?

Before the 'John the Baptist' Conference my answer probably

would have been "no". But after what I saw and sensed over the

weekend I have to tell you that my answer has become "yes".

"Behold, I will do a NEW THING; Now it shall SPRING FORTH.

Shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the WILDERNESS,

and RIVERS IN THE DESERT" (Isaiah 43:19).

After much prayer and pondering, I believe that our response to

this should be two-fold. And it should be very simple:

(1) We need to connect with each other regionally so that we

can pray and fellowship and RAISE OUR VOICE AS ONE in all

parts of this nation.

(2) It is the 'WORD' that will do the work, and all we have to

do is get that word heard LOUDLY - first by the church and then

by the world. Everything else will follow. (What do I mean by the

'word'? -Further explanation is below):

When I was at the Conference, God led me to lay out FOUR

BASIC ESSENTIALS that we need to stand for:

We stand for:

(1) Repentance

(2) The WHOLE Gospel

(3) A return to "BOOK-OF-ACTS" type Christianity

(4) We will gladly GIVE OUR LIVES for these things.

-This is what the 'word' is all about. It is primarily a word of

REPENTANCE and RESTORATION aimed at the church. These

are the four things that we need to agree on before we can move

forward. At the Conference, everyone was almost unanimous in

agreeing to these four things.

So am I talking about a "MOVEMENT" here? Yes I am. You

need to know, and be in no doubt at all, that what I am talking

about in this email is a nationwide MOVEMENT. You can call

it whatever you like. The 'John the Baptist' movement? -Whatever.

None of that really matters. What matters is that it is all about

getting the 'WORD' to the church and letting that word bring

real transformation and change.

We are not talking about starting a 'denomination' or a church. We

are not talking about some new "system". We are talking about

(1) Simply bringing like-minded people together, and (2) Bringing

the WORD to the CHURCH. (-Largely a word of REPENTANCE).

So what do we do in practical terms?

(1) As I said, I need to find a way of connecting the people on this

List who live in the same region. (-Obviously only those who want

to participate will be put in touch with each other). I am working on

this, and I will let you know.

(2) We need to have groups formed in the cities of America and

we need to hold a "JOHN THE BAPTIST" CONFERENCE in

these places. What this does is gather many of the like-minded

people from that region, thus enabling us all to connect. There

is no unity or strength in being completely 'scattered' everywhere

like we are now. That is not God's idea of "Body". Too many of

us are alone and vulnerable and "unconnected". The Conferences

are one-off events, but the groups that are formed will continue

to meet and pray together, and to represent this 'word' in their city.

(3) These groups must never meet on Sunday morning. They

are not a "church". But they certainly are a gathering-place.

I believe many of these meetings will be PRAYER-oriented with

'open-mic' sharing times, etc. -Truly open for the Holy Spirit to

move. We will need godly co-ordinators in each place to help

run these meetings, and also to set up the Conferences.

What is a "Conference"? It is simply a gathering of people

for ministry and preaching. Nothing more than that. Remember,

it is the local people who will be continuing this whole thing

after the Conference is over. They are the ones who will be

RAISING THEIR VOICE in their area. The Conference is just a

simple way of getting everything jump-started. (-Maybe once a year?)

The end result will be regional 'John-the-Baptist' type fellowships

all over the nation. -All preaching and impacting the CHURCH

where they are.

I have already spoken to James Smith and David Kirkwood

about all this. Both of these men carry a message that I believe

is essential to such a movement in this hour. David carries a

word on the Poor and our use of Money that is just pivotal and

urgent in the West right now, and James carries a word on

'Revolution' in the church. My own specialist area is probably

the "WHOLE GOSPEL" - teaching people how to walk in

"Romans 8" Christianity - how to truly experience 'FULL

SALVATION'. -You would be surprised at the impact of a

message like that, even at this Conference. -So that is my

main contribution.

As I said, some of the preaching at this recent Conference was

at a different level from anything I have been involved with before.

And I guess it has to be, if we are going to see anything like a

real 'breakthrough' in this nation.

All three of us have agreed to hold further "John-the-Baptist"

Conferences around America - to see these regional fellowships

raised up all over.

Friends, the above is a simple outline of the only Battle Plan

that I feel God has given me. It is not complicated. But it does

serve to GATHER THE PEOPLE and to GET THE WORD OUT.

And that is all I believe it is meant to do.

Please take this to God in prayer and see if He would have you

become a part of it. Personally I am suddenly very excited about

what God wants to do this year. It feels like the right time to me.

And so many at the Conference were saying the same. (-Which

caught me by surprise).

This has to be a year when a "clear trumpet sound" goes forth.

The church must be called to Repentance. The days are short.

So are we truly willing to 'set the trumpet to our mouth'?

Obviously there will be further talk about all this over the next few

weeks. Please keep the whole thing bathed in prayer, my friends?

God bless you all.

Kindest regards in Christ,

Andrew Strom.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Apostle Handley

Mar 8, 2005

======================================================================================

HOW TO SUCCEED WITH NOTHING

While looking out my window one afternoon, the Lord asked me two questions:

"If you had nothing and had nobody to help you, how would you fulfill the Great Commission?"

"What would you tell the Christians who are in prison, being persecuted for their faith, about how to reach the world for Christ?"

I had been meditating that afternoon about such things, and the answer to the two questions the Lord asked came succinctly. I wrote down my answer to the Lord immediately, listing the following seven (7) tools with which to carry out the job.

1. God's Word, the Holy Bible;

2. Faith;

3. Prayer;

4. Jesus' name;

5. Tongues;

6. Forgiveness; and,

7. Vision.

[] GOD'S WORD, THE HOLY BIBLE

In the Bible I can find 7,000 promises from God that are available to me, and from which I may appropriate my needs, deliverance, healing, favor, direction, and MIRACLES.

I would see in the Bible that God wants me to witness for Christ: to give evidence of what Christ has done for me through my words and actions. I would see that God wants me to lead people to Christ and to train them. [Matthew 18:18-20] This would involve training them to do everything that Jesus had commanded me to do, including baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. I could baptize them in rivers, lakes, churches, oceans, bathtubs, or in tarpaulins in the desert.

This training would involve teaching them to witness for Christ, and to share their testimony with others. It would also include: preaching and teaching; healing the sick, and casting out demons. I would see the great need of establishing a school "behind every bush" to train believers.

In the Bible I would see God's plan for the ages, and God's plan for me. I would see God's plan for the Church: the universal invisible Body of Christ, and the local gathering of believers, whether two or three ... or thousands ... meeting together. Jesus taught us, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." [Matthew 18:20]

I would see the importance of establishing local churches: groups of believers who gather to study God's Word, to pray, and to worship Him; and from where the local community and government may be blessed; as well as people in other nations.

In the Bible I see God's goals for Planet Earth and the Second Appearing of Messiah Jesus to Jerusalem to establish His kingdom for 1,000 years. I see that before He returns, the Gospel will be proclaimed and published among every nation, race, tribe, people, and ethnic group of the earth. [Mark 13:10]

[] FAITH

I would use my faith, based upon God's promises in His Word and knowing what God wants (His will made known in His Word), to create and bring things into being. I would use faith, the same kind of faith that Abraham used, to believe God for what He says in His Word.

"Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, 'So shall your seed be'."

"And being not weak in faith, he [Abraham] considered not his own body now dead, when he was about a hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb [who was about 90]:

He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

And being fully persuaded that, what God had promised, He was able also to perform." [Romans 4:18-21]

So ... if you KNOW what God has promised you in His Word, all you have to do is BELIEVE and OBEY ... like Abraham!

[] PRAYER

Jesus taught us, "And all things, whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive." [Matthew 21:22].

I would use prayer not only to talk to God and be in close companionship with Him, but also to make my requests known to Him. I would tell Him what I need and want, and ask for advice as to how to operate to achieve my goal.

James, the first bishop of the church at Jerusalem, and the Lord's brother, taught us:

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, Who gives to all men liberally, and does not reprimand for asking; and it shall be given to you." [James 1:5]

For an in-depth study of prayer, go to the Archives of The Apostles Group and select the newsletter "How To Talk To God" dated August 11, 2002.

[] JESUS' NAME

Jesus said, "If you shall ask anything in my name, I will do it." [John 14:14]

When you as a believer use the name of Jesus you are identifying with the Master of the universe. It is that name at which demons and Satan tremble, and at which they must become subservient to you. Jesus said, "And these signs shall follow them that believe: In my name they shall cast out demons; they shall speak with new tongues ..." [Mark 16:17]

The name of Jesus lets demons know the authority in and under which you are operating. It is not only your Power of Attorney, but it is also your POWER! It is the name which gives you life.

"But these are written, that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you might have life through his name." [John 20:31]

Use the name of Jesus to not only bring deliverance to others, but to maintain your own freedom, power, and blessing. And so it is with the name of YAHWEH, the Hebrew name of The LORD: the self existent One.

"The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous run into it, and are safe." [Proverb 18:10]

[] TONGUES

Tongues, the language of the Spirit, is the software that makes it possible for you to decree supernaturally. When you speak in faith, based upon God's Word and will, you decree miraculously. However, there are times when you do NOT know what to decree ... OR ... how to speak the proper programming language. Tongues, the language of the Holy Spirit, enable the believer in Christ to accomplish this.

For an in-depth study of how to attain this power and blessing, go to the website at 1. www.realmiracles.com and select Advanced Studies from the BLUE navigation bars at the left of any page. In the Advanced Studies section, select the five (5) volume series titled "How To Receive God's Power" (DCC 9 through 13). Or, you may write for the 32 page booklet by Apostle Handley. Send your request to:

Handley WORLD SERVICES Foundation Box 'A' Downey, CA 90241

USA

Request the booklet "How To Receive God's Power."

[] FORGIVENESS

Yesterday, a person who is not a Christian asked me this question: "In what area of your life are you most often challenged to use your faith?" I didn't have to think long. My answer was, "In the area of forgiveness." This is an area in which we need to make sure we are "clear" at the start of every day. And, actually, at the end of every day!

I remember as a little boy, one night just after I had covered up in bed, my older sister said to me, "Daddy told us never to go to bed mad at each other." And then we made up with each other. The Holy Bible tells us, "Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath." [Ephesians 4:26]

It may not be a wrathful or angry situation that is bothering you. It may be a strained relationship, bad thoughts towards someone, a word of gossip. Or, it may be nothing you've done wrong; it may be something someone has said or done to you ... or said about you ... and that is bothering you, especially if you are undeserving of the words or action.

Jesus taught us, "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." [Matthew 6:14-15] Unforgiveness is something you can't take to Heaven!

In Mark 11:22-26, Jesus told the disciples, "Have faith in God." He taught them about speaking in faith, and about receiving in faith. However, he also taught them at the end of this contextual passage that there was something that could hinder them from receiving miracles and answered prayer: it was unforgiveness.

"And when you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone: so that your Father also which is in Heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in Heaven forgive your trespasses." [Verses 25 and 26]

If God can forgive us of a whole lifetime of sin and disobedience � even sins about which no person on earth knows � can we not forgive someone else for the one, or a few, or even many sins they have committed towards us?! And ... if our Heavenly Father had not made a WAY for us to be forgiven by sending His only Son to die in our place on the cross ... we would be under the constant condemnation of death and Hell. How can we not forgive others?!

Every day I start my day with what is commonly known as the Lord's Prayer (the disciples prayer He taught them). I clear out any unforgiveness or bitterness so that I can pray successfully and in power ... AND ... so I can experience success. My prayers for myself, friends, associates, and loved ones ... and the prayers for others around the world ... depend upon me forgiving others.

"And you be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you." [Ephesians 4:32]

[] VISION

When was the last time you "dreamed" for God? IMAGINE! What would your life and ministry be like if your present hindrances were removed? And, what would your life be like if you could accomplish all the things you IMAGINE ... or ASK for? C. S. Lewis, in his book The Weight of Glory, said, " ... our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak!"

David succeeded in killing the giant, Goliath, the same way the two men of faith, Caleb and Joshua, succeeded in entering the promise land: because he SAW, as they did, obstacles as opportunities for MIRACLES: avenues through which God could be glorified! The size of the person is more important than the size of the problem. Who are you on the inside and Whom do you trust!

Don't focus on the giants … focus on God. That's why the enemy lies to you. The devil wants to get your attention away from your Heavenly Father: away from His love for you and His ability to provide for you.

Study the following newsletters from the Archives of The Apostles Group:

"Remove the Barriers" (May 04, 2003)

"The Vision and the Miraculous" (May 11, 2003)

"An Anointing for Success" (May 18, 2003)

Change your thinking. Think BIG. "But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved." [Luke 5:38] Think PAST the limits of your mind. Stretch out your horizon of ENDEAVORS and THOUGHTS. "These things began Jesus both to DO and to TEACH." Base your thoughts, your goals, and your endeavors upon God's Holy Word. Use your faith!

Think BIG!

Believe!

Receive!

Act!

Multiply!

To SEE with the mind's eye … that is, to envision … can encompass the following: imagination, thinking, and decision making. To "cut out" with the mind's eye is to SEE IT, or to THINK IT upon the tablet of your heart or human spirit.

In Job 22:28 we read, "You shall also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto you..." In the original Hebrew language the word "decree" is a primitive root form of the word "gazar", which means "to cut out exclusively, or to decide". In its primitive form it is used also as a "quarrying" term ... as in cutting out stone from a rock quarry. It means more than to "say" or "speak." It conveys the meaning of "cutting something out in your mind's eye"; that is, "to envision [to make a vision], to decide upon it, and confess it" ... and then it will be established unto you!

To decree is the progenitor of heart belief and mouth confession. It is BOTH the nucleus and "all-encompassing" embryo of initiating great moves of the Holy Spirit on Planet Earth. This is why we need to SPEND TIME MEDITATING GOD'S WORD. We're NOT talking about New Age type meditation, which can actually be used, and even energized, by demonic forces. We're talking about MEDITATING God's Word so we KNOW HOW to work in alignment with our Father in Heaven, Jehovah.

Increase your vision. What can you SEE? What can you IMAGINE? How greatly can you ASK or THINK?

"Now unto Him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ASK or THINK, according to the power that works in us, unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen." [Ephesians 3:20, 21]

At the beginning of this newsletter I shared with you two questions the Lord asked me:

"If you had nothing and had nobody to help you, how would you fulfill the Great Commission?"

"What would you tell the Christians who are in prison, being persecuted for their faith, about how to reach the world for Christ?"

I answered those two questions in this newsletter. You might ask me: "How do you know what it's like to be in jail for Jesus?" I know because I HAVE BEEN in jail for Jesus ... for preaching His Gospel. Never teach what you can't do.

"The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began to DO and TEACH." [Acts 1:1]

Nine people were saved as a result of the Holy Spirit using me to preach inside the jail cell, plus the Lord gave me victory in one of the largest court cases of this kind.

"Then said Jesus unto him, 'Go, and do thou likewise'." [Luke 10:37]

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