Supernatural Truth

Susan G. Komen and Planned Parenthood - What's the big deal?

2012-02-04T00:44:00.001-05:00

When I see the pink "breast cancer" ribbon on a product's label, I look for the words "Susan G. Komen for the Cure." And if those words are there, I grab a different brand.

Heartless? Let me explain my reasons, and I'll let you decide.

A few days ago, the Susan G. Komen Foundation (best known for breast cancer research) decided to stop giving grants to another organization called Planned Parenthood (best known for conducting abortions). This caused an emotional uproar that littered the media, Facebook, and blogs for days.

The pro-life community stood by Komen in the decision, sending so many donations that Komen reported giving was up 100%! Nevertheless, yesterday, Komen offered a confusing apology, which many interpreded as a reverse on their stance. Actually, it was just an apology; but the problem is that they still haven't given any indication that funds are permanently cut off from Planned Parenthood. As far as I can tell, it's still only temporary.

Let me be clear: As controversial as I know this is, Komen won't be seeing any of my support until they can definitively say that the relationship is over with Planned Parenthood. "But," you might say, "Komen wasn't paying for abortions--they were paying for breast cancer screenings." That's true, but think about this for a second...

Suppose I started a charity that helped the poor. You might want to give to my charity because it looks like a noble cause. But what if you found out that my charity gave grants that supported social programs operated by the Nazi party? You'd stop giving me money in a heartbeat! Why? Because everybody knows that Nazis are evil. They believe in killing innocent people. Who cares if they might be helping a few? Who cares if my money is designated and earmarked for social programs and not for genocide?

Supporting one aspect of their work silently approves of all of it!

See the problem?

Too many Americans don't see abortion as the atrocity that it is. And many of those who do claim to have a conscience about it are too cowardly to take a stance against it. "I don't personally agree with abortion," they say, "but I do believe that a woman should have the right to choose what she does with her own body."

Where's the baby's right to choose what happens to his or her body? You do realize the baby has different DNA and is therefore not the woman's body, right?

Why is killing a baby perfectly legal when she's inside a person and disgustingly illegal moments after she is born? A baby in the trash can outside your house makes you a psychopath; but a baby in the trash can outside an abortion clinic is a "compassionate social program."

Feeling a little sick to your stomach yet?

I hope so. Abortion is not a political issue. It is not a religious issue. Abortion is a human rights issue. Innocent people are being killed, and others are silently watching--even approving.

And I wonder if you knew this wonderful little fact: Planned Parenthood was specifically founded with the purpose of eliminating poor minorities so that they wouldn't outnumber the so-called "superior" (primarily white) affluent Americans. That's why Planned Parenthood clinics are found in low-income neighborhoods. That's why they spread their propaganda primarily to minorities and the poor.

That sounds like an outrageous claim, but consider the evidence.

Margaret Sanger

Planned Parenthood's chief founder and first president, Margaret Sanger, stated that the purpose of the organization was "to stop the multiplication of the unfit." On page 102 of her work The Pivot of Civilization, Sanger wrote, ". . .we prefer the policy of immediate sterilizarion, of making sure that parenthood is 'absolutely prohibited' to the feeble-minded." Seriously?! In 1915, Sanger published some of her views in a pamphlet, saying:

It is a vicious cycle; ignorance breeds poverty and poverty breeds ignorance. There is only one cure for both, and that is to stop breeding these things. Stop bringing to birth children whose inheritance cannot be one of health or intelligence. Stop bringing into the world children whose parents cannot provide for them. Herein lies the key of civilization.

Planned Parenthood's early years even had some interesting connections with Nazi eugenics, making my analogy from earlier not-too-far from the truth. (A concise and well-footnoted history of Planned Parenthood and their underlying mission can be read at The History of Planned Parenthood, by Mike Perry.)

"But that was back then," you say. "Planned Parenthood doesn't agree with Margaret Sanger's racist, elitist, and bigoted views anymore, right?" Well, consider what Planned Parenthood's current web site states: "Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, is one of the movement's great heroes. Sanger's early efforts remain the hallmark of Planned Parenthood's mission..." (Source: Planned Parenthood: History and Successes).

If you disapprove of a person's views, then you disassociate yourself from their name. I don't see any reputable organizations offering an "Adolf Hitler Award." But since 1966, Planned Parenthood's "highest honor" is the Margaret Sanger Award. The most recent recipient listed on their web site was U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, who said upon receiving the award, "I admire Margaret Sanger enormously, her courage, her tenacity, her vision... When I think about what she did all those years ago in Brooklyn, taking on archetypes, taking on attitudes and accusations flowing from all directions, I am really in awe of her."

I wonder why Sanger is so lauded as a wonderful, awe-inspiring person? If you read her writings, you will be disgusted like I am. She didn't hide her perspectives, but her public-relations people and today's marketing teams have. Why? Because if people knew the true Margaret Sanger--the one who Planned Parenthood still honors and praises--the funding from everyone with a conscience would stop.

Why bring this topic up on a web site about supernatural Christianity? Because I have been meeting more and more Spirit-filled Christians who are siding with liberal politics--politicians who fight for Planned Parenthood and a woman's so-called "right" to kill her baby. These Christians claim that "Liberals are more like Jesus because they care about the poor." Funny thing about that: Syracuse University's Arthur C. Brooks published an extensive study proving that political conservatives give substantially more to charities than political liberals (you can get his book, Who Really Cares: The Surprising Truth About Compassionate Conservatism, or read a few bulleted points in an article from 2008).

Yes, Jesus instructed us to give to and care for the poor. He didn't, however, tell us to petition Rome to take more money from rich people and give that to the poor. And as far as abortion is concerned, Jesus might not have even made it to the stable if Planned Parenthood had been able to counsel His poor, unwed, teen mother.

As Spirit-filled Christians, our stance should be for life. Again, being pro-life is not a political issue; but there are politicians who have made it such. If a politician believes in degrading human life and squashing human rights, then we have a responsibility to allow that issue to trump our thoughts on fiscal policies or any other issue. We have to stand up to this evil.

Slavery is not a political issue--it too is a human rights issue. But if the "perfect politician" finally arrived--a man or woman with whom you agree 100%--yet he or she also believed all illegal immigrants should be turned into slaves, would you still give them your vote? Of course not! Even if slavery would solve all our economic problems, it would be wrong, and such a person shouldn't be voted for. (For more about this perspective, see my 2010 article, "Abortion and the One-Issue Voters - Right or Wrong?")

Human rights transcend politics. I don't care how much you might agree with Democrats or their liberal ideologies--stop approving of abortion. Stop electing officials who support the murder of innocent life. Stop filling congress with people who want to use our tax dollars to support abortion mills like Planned Parenthood. It's disgusting, and I'm appalled that any Christian could do so with a clean conscience.

Do you understand the fuss about the Susan G. Komen Foundation's decisions now? Do you understand a little better why I have avoided that little pink ribbon like the plague?

Am I heartless? Hardly. As a matter of fact, I believe I have a better hope to offer women with breast cancer. It's called the healing power of Jesus Christ. I've personally seen more women miraculously healed of breast cancer by Jesus' power than I have seen women completely healed of breast cancer by the Komen Foundation...and His treatment is completely free!

Jesus didn't come to earth to build clinics. He came healing the sick, raising the dead, cleansing lepers, and casting out demons. Was He heartless?

As the Church, our role in this earth is the same. Jesus said, "As the Father sent Me, I send you." If we will truly pursue the ministry of healing and contend for the possibility of 100% success (which Jesus had in His earthly ministry), then we won't have to worry at all about how much money is being donated to Susan G. Komen (or any other organization for that matter). If the Church will truly love the poor, then we don't need social programs to do it. If the Church will walk in the power of the Holy Spirit, then we will have the market cornered on the true Cure for cancer.

I truly hope that the Susan G. Komen Foundation puts a definite, clear end to the unnecessary funding of such an insidious organization once and for all. But more than that, I hope you are stirred to seek a greater measure of Christ's healing ministry in the Church. Jesus is the answer, and you are His hands and feet. Let's minister healing with boldness like never before.

God bless,
--Art--

Money, Corruption, and Ministers of the Gospel

2012-01-15T22:07:00.002-05:00

Is it wrong for ministers of the Gospel to have an extravagant income? Before you say "yes," let me share a story.

I personally know the brother of a staff member at a well-known Charismatic "megachurch" (if I named it, most or all of you would probably know it). According to this friend of mine, one particular popular singer at this church has an income of roughly a million dollars a year from record sales. Yet she lives in a modest apartment and gives most of the money away. The pastor of the church--who has authored a handful of books and is renowned around the world--lives in a small, ordinary American house with his family and drives a cheap, used car. He too gives most of his massive income away. Additionally, they don't flaunt this generosity, which is why most of you are probably having a hard time figuring out which church I'm talking about.

These ministers make a lot of money. I know this is only a snapshot, but based on this information alone, would you call them corrupt?

Admittedly, I don't have a huge income (at least for an American). I say this because I want to be clear that I'm not trying to justify my own standard of living. My wife and I live in a mobile home. We have two cars--a 1999 Ford Taurus and a 2008 Focus (we wanted a car with safety features for our baby). My wife works two jobs, and I work three (though, admittedly, we both get to do most of our work from home). God regularly provides for our needs, usually just enough to make ends meet, and we're content with that.

I clearly don't make a lot of money. But would it be wrong if I did?

Last month, someone wrote a question as a comment on one of my blog posts. He (or she) asked:

"How much income did you claim last year on your taxes? I believe transparency is the best way to show you truly care about your ministry. Thanks and God bless."

The problem with this question is that it implies that corruption is equally proportionate to income. There's a problem with that. It's not biblical. And it's not true. (Consider the story I mentioned above.)

Generally, when people ask such a question, they think they're doing God a service. Really, what they're doing is revealing their own jealousy under the guise of being a watchdog. "The accuser of the brethren" is Satan. (See Revelation 12:10.) Those who fault-find are children of their father, the devil. Our Father, on the other hand, chooses not to find faults. (See James 1:5.) In the Kingdom of God, we celebrate the success of others while encouraging one another to manage our blessings well.

If a brother has a lack of compassion or generosity, the problem is not with how much money he makes. How do I know this is true? Because if he suddenly quit his job to "rectify" the matter, he would still have just as little compassion and generosity! Making more or less money does not change one's heart. Rather, it exposes what is already in the heart.

When I first read that question from the anonymous commenter, I had the initial knee-jerk reaction that most of us would have: I'm not going to tell someone how much I made! That's private information! Then the Holy Spirit asked me, "Why?" and He showed me how to expose the hypocrisy of the person asking the question.

Here's my reply:

$23,718, filed jointly with my wife. About a fifth of that was ministry related; the rest was secular income. I was on staff at a church and had (if I remember right) an $8,000 housing allowance, which really helped with our new baby.

How much did you claim on your taxes? I believe the best way to show that you truly care about any human being is practicing what you preach.

One last thing: Next time you demand transparency from a person, please sign your name.

Merry Christmas!
--Art

Nearly a month later, I still haven't received a reply.

Apparently, ministers should be held accountable, but other Christians shouldn't. And this is precisely the point: We're all ministers! If the Holy Spirit is in you, then you're a minister too!

Now, suppose you're a renowned surgeon who makes a million dollars a year...and you're a Christian. Don't you see that this means you're a minister who earns a million dollars a year? And now you have to ask why you do what you do with your money, because you should be held to the same standard as every other minister of the Gospel. We are all ministers!

Just because you don't run a "Christian Organization" doesn't exempt you from the Biblical instructions regarding money. And just because you don't make a lot of money doesn't mean you're not corrupt. My income has nothing to do with whether or not I love and serve Jesus.

Corruption does not increase with the level of income. Rather, the exposure of the heart increases with the level of income. If the heart is corrupt with a little, then it will be corrupt with a lot. Others will just notice it more. And if your heart is humble and pure with a little, then it will be humble and pure with a lot. Though, admittedly, you might not be any more noticed than when you had a little (if my friend's story is any indicator). Money exalts the proud. God exalts the humble. A true Christian has the capacity in Christ to be consistently pure regardless of their income. Notice what Paul said:

Philippians 4:12-13--I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. (NLT)

So is it wrong for a minister of the Gospel to earn millions of dollars a year? Well, is it wrong for anyone to earn millions of dollars a year? No. What's wrong is serving it rather than surrendering all of it to the service of God.

That's also true of people with a small income like me. It doesn't matter how much money you make. You're a minister. Everything you have belongs to God (not a mere percentage, like 10%). Are you stewarding it well? Are you asking the Lord how He would have you spend/save/invest/give His money?

If not, then you're no better than a pastor with a private jet, three vacation homes, and a $20,000 toilet.

It's time to stop thinking that we're more holy because we make less money. It's time to rejoice in the success of others. It's time to love more than we point. It's time to hold ourselves to a higher financial standard than we hold others. It's time to obey and honor God with whatever amount of money He allows us to have.

God bless,
--Art--

How to Have a Life of Miracles

2011-12-05T20:54:00.002-05:00

Everyone keeps asking me: "How can I have a life of miracles like you?" Since I've received the same basic question several times this week (mostly in reference to my recent Africa trip), I thought I'd answer everyone at the same time.

I've found that only two things are necessary for a life of miracles: (1) faith and (2) obedience.

If you were looking for something more complicated or "spiritual," then I'm sorry to disappoint you. I'm sure there are plenty of other ministers who would be happy to give you a more fanciful answer, if that's what you're after. As for me, I'll stick to what works.

"But I have faith and obedience, and I still don't have a life of miracles."

No, you don't.

Offended? I hope so. Sometimes our flesh needs to be offended before we're willing to send it to the cross with Jesus. Notice how Jesus dealt with His disciples:

Luke 17:5-6--The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" And the Lord said, "If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and be planted in the sea'; and it would obey you. (NASB, emphasis mine)

In other words, Jesus was saying, "What faith? How am I supposed to increase something that isn't there? First get faith--even a little bit; then we can talk about increasing it."

And how did Jesus identify faith?

Power. The mulberry tree would obey. The mountain would be moved. Faith--the kind Jesus demonstrated and preached about--produces results. "Faith without works is dead." (See James 2:17 and 26.)

A life of true faith will produce results. And if that faith is coupled with obedience to the Lord, then it will produce the right kind of results. James and John wanted to call down fire on the Samaritan village who didn't welcome them. (See Luke 9:51-56.) Thankfully for that village, these disciples tempered their faith with obedience.

The key to making this all work is humility. Humble faith and obedience can be summed up in one simple statement: "I am nothing; Jesus is everything."

That's it. That's my "vision statement." That's why I see miracles. If you think that you're something, then "good luck on your journey." If you think that you have anything of value to offer (other than Jesus Himself and the power of His Holy Spirit), then you're in for a rude awakening.

Theology is great, but I'd like to see the typical theologian do what I did in Uganda. That's not pride; it's my way of making a point. I didn't do what I did because I have perfect theology. I did what I did because of plain old faith and obedience. I had nothing to offer from myself, but Jesus was with me and He did the work.

Notice what happened immediately after Jesus ascended into heaven:

Mark 16:20--Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it. (NIV, emphasis mine)

We simply go, and Jesus does all the work!

I know full well that I could have been killed in Africa for doing what I was doing--especially for doing it the way I was. I don't recommend confronting witchdoctors or Muslim imams if Jesus isn't with you. I'm not talking about simply believing theologically that He's with you. I'm talking about Him actually being with you. And I especially don't recommend it if you're all alone, surrounded by people who don't believe what you believe.

But if Jesus is truly with you, then you're far from alone. One pastor said to me, "I've never seen a white man in the bush who wasn't accompanied by the military or armed guards."

The truth, which I told the people, was this: "I do have armed guards; but you can't see them. They're called angels." Evidently, this was true. Throughout two weeks in Africa (living in a rural village and eating their food), I never once became sick. I was outside every day under the equatorial sun, but I was never once sunburned. Not even the mosquitos were allowed to bother me (even though our base-village is about a mile from a huge swamp). The muslims and idol-worshippers who were opposing the evangelistic meeting didn't succeed at silencing the Gospel. The rain and washed-out roads couldn't even stop us. Jesus was present. He did the work. I was just along for the ride.

Most of you, though, aren't thinking about Africa. You want to see the power of God right where you are. Piece of cake. The same rules apply. You are nothing; Jesus is everything.

Have faith. "Without faith, it is impossible to please God..." (See Hebrews 11:6.) In its simplest form, faith is a relationship of trust. If you truly trust God, then faith will lead naturally to obedience. And as you carry out your obedience with faith, maintain humility. Make sure Jesus is seen more than you are. He is everything. We are nothing.

There it is! It's that simple. Now you know how to have a life of miracles.

In closing, I want to give you a preview of a book I'm currently writing titled Limitless Hope. This is a sample from the chapter about evangelism:

"Limitless hope" causes us to look for opportunities to share the Gospel in radical ways. "Expected disappointment," however, causes us to merely live a good life so people might ask us about it.

The latter is what many Christians tend to do. We tend to spend our efforts figuring out the least we can do for Jesus rather than throwing ourselves completely into our faith and letting God pull back the reigns. Rather than looking for opportunities to share the Gospel and allowing God to stop us (like Paul in Acts 16:6), we look for opportunities to entertain ourselves while telling God that He's welcome to interrupt those plans.

We are soldiers, sent to the frontlines, who are sitting in our camp and commenting about how wonderful it is to be a soldier. Every now and then, one of our fellow soldiers goes out into the battle and returns with amazing stories of victory. The rest of us stay sitting in the camp, marveling at what that person experienced. "I wonder why I never have experiences like that? I sure wish God would send me to do something amazing." Have you forgotten? You were sent to the frontlines of battle! Why are you waiting for another commission? The King has already commanded us to go!

We tend to look for the path of least resistance. When water follows the path of least resistance, it takes a very long time to produce changes. It gradually erodes at nearby surfaces until they're smooth. But the change is generally only surface-level. On the other hand, when something like a flash-flood or tsunami occurs, the torrent of water is moving with too much speed and too much volume to merely follow the path of least resistance. Instead, it plows through everything. More than surface-level issues are changed. Trees are uprooted. Cars and trucks are thrown. Buildings are demolished.

First John 3:8 says that the reason Jesus came to earth was to destroy the devil’s work. As ambassadors of Christ, we share this same mandate. If we're just "good Christians," then we'll visit people in the hospital and make them feel loved. If we're just "good Christians," then we'll mow our neighbor's lawn or shovel snow from their driveway as an expression of kindness. If we're just "good Christians," then we might gradually erode away at the surface until the person decides they want to change.

But if we embrace our roles as commissioned soldiers—if we choose to move forward with the authority and power that have been granted to us—then things will change. The people we visit in the hospital will be healed. We'll stick around after mowing the neighbor's lawn and prophesy truth into their homes—possibly leading them to Christ. Rather than gradually eroding at the surface, we bring people to a crisis of faith—a point of decision. We place before them life and death, and we urge them to choose life.

Be encouraged to get out there and do something! If you have faith, then do something with it. I would recommend that you start with obedience to the "Great Commission," which is essentially to "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel..." Start with your coworkers or classmates. Start with your family, friends, and neighbors. Just go!

Have faith. Be obedient. Stay humble. Jesus will be with you. Miracles will follow.

Jesus is everything.

God bless,
--Art--

Why Don't Miracles Happen in America? ...Or Do They??

2011-12-01T00:38:00.001-05:00

After seeing so many miracles in Uganda, I think the most common question I receive is this: Why do miracles seem to happen like this in other parts of the world while we don't see them here in America?

To tell you the truth, I know where these people are coming from. I've been in their shoes and asked the same questions. But now, I can honestly say that miracles DO happen in America, just like in other nations around the world!

The Sunday after I returned from Uganda, my Pastor preached about physical healing and asked me to share some brief testimonies at the end of the service (You can listen to the podcast here). I participated in the prayer time afterward; and to be frank, I was really wondering if my experiences in Uganda would translate to America.

Sure enough, the miracles started.

A friend of mine brought his two children, both of whom had been in a car accident a few days prior and were having neck and back pain. Both children were healed.
Then came an old man wearing two hearing aids. I asked him to remove the hearing aids so we could test things out. After a few minutes of ministry, he was smiling and hearing.
A woman came who had a spinal injury from which she had suffered for 20 years. After a few minutes of prayer, she said she felt like something was happening. I told her, "Okay. Wait here and let God do what He's doing. I'm going to pray for the next person and then come back to see what's happening." When I returned, she was moving her neck and bending over in ways she hadn't done in two decades.
While God was healing that woman, another approached me who had suffered with a chronic headache for a few years. It instantly left at the name of Jesus. She seemed dumfounded that it was really that simple and wished she knew about this freedom sooner!

At each place where I've shared the testimonies from Uganda, I have seen more miracles. People have come to salvation after seeing the videos and hearing the stories. Many more healings have happened.

I just posted another video depicting ordinary Christians ministering healing--including 300 Kenyan children who had only received Christ about 5 minutes earlier. At the meeting where this was filmed, I had the people minister healing to each other. All I did was teach them how and then stand back.

I'm still receiving testimonies. Three people with chronic neck or back problems were healed, and so was a young man whose ribcage used to be deformed!

Ribcages don't change shape unless Jesus shows up. Apparently, dramatic miracles do happen in America!

Furthermore, I know of a few testimonies from people at that meeting who put their newfound faith and boldness into practice:

One older woman prayed for someone at work--I believe she said the woman had knee problems. Whatever the problem was, she was healed!
Another woman prayed for some ladies at a Bible study. The first was healed of lock-jaw, and the second was healed of a tumor in her breast!
Another young man was distributing meals to the homeless during the Thanksgiving holiday and encountered a woman who walked bent-over, almost parallel to the ground. He stayed and ministered to this woman for nearly a half-hour, and by the end, she was standing straight up and walking without pain! He also ministered to several others who were healed.

I recently led an evening of worship at a church in Dearborn, Michigan. The Lord gave me a Word of Knowledge about a person who had pain in their right shoulder. Sure enough, one woman raised her hand. A couple people laid hands on her, and she was healed within seconds. Before I left, a man approached me and said he was a bass player who had fractured two fingers on his left hand and couldn't play. Seconds later, Jesus had healed him as well.

I've even received two reports of people being healed while reading the articles on this web site! Interestingly, both men had pain in their sides. One of them had been through several rigorous medical tests to identify the problem. The doctors' hypothesis was liver or kidney. But after the man was healed, he went to the doctors for the final tests, and they said there was absolutely nothing wrong with him!

(By the way, if you happen to receive healing while reading this article, please e-mail me!).

"Why don't miracles happen in America the way they happen in other nations?" I am convinced that this question is the fruit of seeds planted by demons. Our experiences (or lack thereof) do not trump the Word of God. The borders of our country cannot stop the Kingdom of God. And all the doubt in the world cannot stop the power of God. There is no excuse for powerlessness in America.

I do admit, though, that people wouldn't ask this question if they were seeing the same things I've been seeing as I travel. Obviously, there is an issue or the question wouldn't be raised. In my observation, the reason Americans don't see as many miracles probably stems from a few issues:

We don't "need" miracles. In America, if you have a headache, you take a Tylenol. In Africa, if you have a headache, you pray. Many times, I would pray once with no results; but after ten or fifteen rapid-fire rounds of ministry, the headache would finally be gone. In America, we are less desperate for healing and more desperate for relief. So when the first ten prayers don't work, we say, "No big deal. I'll just go take some Asprin." Drugs numb the pain, but they don't generally heal the problem causing the pain. Jesus, however, can do ANYTHING!
We're generally afraid of good risks. We love taking socially-acceptible risks--usually with our money. People are generally willing to take risks for whatever god they serve. If God were truly our God, we would take more healthy risks for the sake of His Kingdom and righteousness. But in America, money is god. Self is god. Fame is god. So people take risks for these things while they inwardly think, "I can't go pray for a total stranger...that would be crazy! What if I'm made fun of? What if I'm rejected? What if it doesn't work? What if...." Funny how we don't ask these questions when we're serving our other gods. Who is your God? Take a look at the risks you take and identify who or what they serve. There's your answer.
Our theology is too polluted and overcomplicated. In the video I linked to above, you can see 300 Kenyan schoolchildren ministering healing to each other only 5 minutes after they received salvation. They hadn't heard enough sermons to be convinced that healing doesn't always happen. They hadn't heard all the man-made reasons and doubt-filled lies that we spread around with our fear, unbelief, and pride. Every child in that meeting was healed of something--things ranging from eye problems to bumps, scrapes, and bruises. While we in America sit around and theorize about why healing doesn't always work, I know of 300 kids in Kenya who simply keep asking God to do what they know He can do. Theories are nice, but results are better. Let the theologians debate and theorize while we go heal the sick in Jesus' name. Either Jesus paid for all sin to be cancelled or He didn't. Either Jesus paid for all sickness and disease to be healed or He didn't. It was the same sacrifice. We just need to persevere for the results.
We don't have patience. Another story from the video is that of a woman with failing eyesight whom I ministered to for almost 20 minutes. Americans are used to microwave ovens, fast-food restaurants, and 30-second commercials. I've prayed for people in America who, after 5 minutes, start to feel awkward--or even guilty--because they've been there for "so long." Some apologize and walk away. Some simply give up and say, "I guess this just isn't the day for it." These are lies from culture, flesh, and demons--all robbing Jesus of the reward of His suffering.
We ask questions like, "Why don't miracles happen in the United States?" Yes, I believe this question itself is part of the problem. The very nature of the question shows no expectation that things could ever change. We have a mindset that these things simply do not happen here, and we just want to know why. We generally don't "want to know why" because we intend to fix it. Rather, we tend to ask "why" because we love to fill our minds with knowledge.

Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. I noticed something in Uganda: Many of the people seemed to love more than they knew. In America, we tend to know more than we love. We have become intellectual gluttons--feasting our minds on revelation and rarely doing anything useful with it. We know how to prophesy. We know how to evangelize. We know how to worship and praise. And we tend to be very cute and trendy when we do these things.

But cuteness doesn't open blind eyes and deaf ears. It's time for the American Church to give up on our efforts to be cool, cute, and acceptable. It's time for the American Church to place an intense emphasis on loving the world like God does. It is time to make a decision to counteract the problems I just listed:

Need miracles. Realize that Jesus didn't pay the price of the whipping post so that Tylenol would one day be invented. Medication is nice, it makes us more comfortable, and it does sometimes help us improve. But to do these things without determining that we NEED healing is to say to Jesus that His sacrifice was unnecessary. He didn't seem to think so. We don't "need healing" because of a shortage of medicine; rather, we "need healing" because Jesus deserves to receive what He paid for. If you love Him, then pursue it--not for your sake, but for His.
Take healthy risks. Decide that God is God. Decide that He is worth it. Live dangerously for His sake. He took the ultimate risk for you because He had decided that you were worth dying for. How much more valuable is He?
Love much. Knowledge isn't bad, as long as every time we learn something, we ask, "Lord, how can I love with what I've just learned?" Gluttons are those who have more intake than outflow. The "streams of living water" Jesus gives are meant to "flow out of your innermost being." Put more emphasis on loving than learning. You'll actually learn more that way.
Be patient and persevere. When healing doesn't happen the first time you minister, try again. Jesus said, "Everyone who asks receives." In context, He was talking about asking God to do something for someone else. (See Luke 11.) The only way to not receive is to stop asking. Don't be in a hurry. Take your time with people and don't give up until Jesus receives what He paid for--even if it takes years of persistence.
Expect the miraculous. No more comparing one nation to another. Instead, compare your nation to the Kingdom of Heaven. Then, when you see the differences, pray like Jesus taught: "May Your Kingdom come. May Your will be done on earth, just like it is in heaven."

Miracles happen when people put their faith in Jesus Christ and trust His grace to be sufficient. That can happen in any nation...even America.

God bless,
--Art--

God's Order: Not What You Think!

2011-11-26T20:29:00.003-05:00

My God is not afraid of human faults. He isn't turned off by my inadequacies. If I crave His presence, He does not withhold Himself from me...even if I'm not perfect.

You probably agree. But what if I say that my God also is not afraid of disorder? What if I said that His Spirit still moves within the context of disorder? What if I said that things don't have to be orderly or decent for the Holy Spirit to effectively heal, save, deliver, work miracles, or anything else?

For years, I have heard the words of Paul used out of context: "For God is not a God of disorder but of peace..." (See 1 Corinthians 14:33.) I hear this verse primarily quoted by three groups of people:

First are those who don't believe in Pentecostal/Charismatic gifts; which I think is funny considering that this verse appears in the context of a discourse on such gifts. If you're going to throw out the rest of the chapter, then you might as well throw out this verse too. Right?
Second are those who do believe in such gifts but are uncomfortable with the ways they often take place. Such people look at those who tend to be "flaky" or "spooky," and they use this verse to discredit them. They see a person healed and analyze whether or not the miracle was performed in an orderly fashion, which, they reason, proves whether or not the miracle was God's doing.
And third are the people who believe in spiritual gifts but are uncomfortable with those who have had spiritual experiences that differ from their own. If the experience does not fit their orderly perspective of God, then it must have been a demon.

But do you see that all three perspectives are pointing fingers? Every time I've heard this Scripture preached, it seems to be spoken as though the one wielding it does everything in order. In other words, this scripture is often used to bolster one's own pride--pointing out disorder as a self-inflicted pat on the back.

I have a problem with that. And I believe I can safely say that God also has a problem with that. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. He loves to use the foolish things to confound the wise. Maybe that's why He chooses to use these people.

For years, I thought I had a perfect theology about God's orderliness. I reasoned that if there was order in a situation, then God was in it; and if there was disorder, then it was the devil. I think we need to take another look at Scripture and straighten things out. While God is definitely not disorderly, He often functions within the context of disorder.

When Paul wrote the instruction about order to the Corinthian Church, realize that he had also said to them, "...you do not lack any spiritual gift..." (See 1 Corinthians 1:7.) He pointed out that the gifts they were demonstrating were "the work of one and the same Spirit." (See 1 Corinthians 12:11.)

In other words, while the Corinthian church was incredibly disordered, and while they did indeed need correction for their disorder, every spiritual gift they experienced and expressed was still the work of God. The disorder of the Corinthian church was not proof that God was not in the work. On the contrary, every spiritual gift they demonstrated was the work of the Holy Spirit--even though there was disorder, disunity, and disgusting sin taking place at the same time. Find me a verse that says the miracles, healings, tongues, and prophecies were performed by demons, and I'll change my perspective; but I can assure you it's not there.

My God is not afraid of disorder. Sin doesn't stop Him. A lack of love or unity doesn't stop Him. Disorder doesn't even stop Him. The only thing that stops Him is pride. Maybe that's why so many churches today see so little of God's Spirit at work.

Please allow me to chisel away at some typical prideful thoughts:

If you think you have order in your Christianity but you don't have the same spiritual gifts in operation as the Corinthian church, then "order" has become an idol. You have a false order. You have an "order" that is devoid of God's power and presence.
No matter how "orderly" or "Christian" your meetings may seem, if the supernatural ministry of Jesus and the works of His Kingdom are not being done, then you're not partnering with the Holy Spirit. It's another spirit.
Paul's reason for encouraging the Corinthians to be orderly was not to stop the gifts from happening. It was to make the gifts more effective! It was to help the Corinthians better represent Jesus as they practiced the gifts! Therefore, if you're proud of yourself for not being disorderly like the Corinthians, and yet your "order" is not producing equal or greater power than the Corinthians, then your "order" is man-made. It is a counterfeit. God is not in it. It is worthless.
Godly order is the proper context for doing the "greater works" Jesus promised His disciples would do. If you're not seeing greater miracles than the ones recorded in Scripture, then you might want to reconsider your definition of order. False order cannot and will not produce "greater works."
If you've ever looked at a "flaky," "spooky," "goofy," or "weird" person practicing spiritual gifts in a disorderly fashion, you know how unlike Jesus it looks. If you've judged such a person in your heart, that's probably the reason those same gifts aren't operating in your life.
If you've ever pointed your finger at someone who is practicing a spiritual gift and called it "not of God" because of a lack of order, then you have confused jealousy for discernment. Anyone who would have looked at the Corinthian church (in all its disorder and sin) and said that God was not in it does not have any discernment at all. Paul had discernment. He called sin what it was, he corrected shortcomings, and he clearly pointed out what was God. Discernment is not afraid of muddy water.

The only reason we find fault with people who demonstrate greater power than us is so that we can excuse our own lack. The only reason Paul could speak to the Corinthians was because he himself practiced the power of the Holy Spirit. In Chapter 2, verses 4 and 5, Paul wrote, "My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power." Paul demonstrated the same power but was a better representative of Jesus in love, unity, and holiness. That's why Paul had authority to speak to them the way he did. If you're not living a life of power, then you have no platform from which to correct people who do demonstrate power. First take the plank out of your own eye.

I've noticed something about many of the people who throw around the "God is a God of order" verse: They're typically people who demonstrate little to no power, trying to justify their own powerlessness by making powerful Christians look more like them. That's not the work of the Holy Spirit. I would even go so far as to call it demonic.

Interesting how the tables turn when the truth comes to light.

With all that said, I don't condone disorder. I believe we need to do everything we can to discover what God's order looks like.

What, then, does godly order look like? The answer is simple: Jesus.

The ministry of Jesus was very orderly. Hebrews 1:3 says that Jesus is the perfect representation of the Father, so we have to define God's order according to the example Jesus set.

Jesus disrupted funerals to raise the dead. Order is not a nice funeral. Order is the dead living again.
Jesus angrily turned over tables and ran through the temple court with a whip. Order is not a nice tidy church service. Order is judgment beginning with the house of God.
Jesus had no problem associating Himself with sinful people. Order is not a sin-free environment. Order is light infiltrating and influencing darkness.
Jesus preached to 5,000 people without first having a plan of how to feed them. Order is not perfect preparation. Order is seeking first the Kingdom and righteousness of God, knowing that He will confirm His word with the signs that accompany it.
Jesus confronted Pharisees and religious people. Order is not catering to "church people." Order is standing up for true believers and confronting the spirit of religion.
Jesus healed everyone who came to Him. Order is not having nice, manmade advice for people when healing doesn't happen. Order is healing every sick person who comes. Period.
Jesus sent out the 12 and the 72 to preach, heal the sick, and cast out demons before He taught them how to pray. (See Luke 9, 10, and 11.) Order is not waiting until people are perfect to send them in Jesus' name. Order is discipling people through hands-on ministry.

This last example is particularly exciting to me. Jesus sent out the 12 disciples, and they actually did "the stuff"--casting out demons, healing the sick, cleansing lepers, raising the dead, and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom. And when the 12 returned, they argued over who was the greatest; they became exclusive, denying ministry rights to anyone not of their number; and they even considered calling down fire on a village that wouldn't accept them. Rather than Jesus changing His mode of operation, He did the unthinkable: Jesus sent out 72 more!

Clearly, Jesus would rather have messy action than sterile inaction. Holiness is developed as we try to be like Jesus--not as we try to sit around, criticize, and pass judgment like Pharisees. When I minister healing to a sick person and they don't get healed, it forces me to run to God and ask what I need to change so that I can better represent Him. If I never tried to heal the sick, I would still think I have everything right. Today, I still don't see everyone healed, but I sure do see more than I used to.

Pharisees have no power. Jesus does.

If you think you're just like Jesus, try healing the sick. If it doesn't work every time, then you're not perfectly like Him yet. Everyone who came to Jesus was healed.
If you think you're just like Jesus, try walking on water. If it doesn't work, then you're not perfectly like Him yet. Jesus could.
If you think you're just like Jesus, try calming a storm, multiplying food, or raising the dead... I think you get the idea.

None of us is perfectly like Jesus, and the less we try to act like Him, the easier it is to pretend that we do have His nature. But the more we do try to to act like Him, the more we are pressed to actually become like Him. Take a look at the people who do practice power. You can probably learn something from their humility.

Jesus doesn't require order before action. Rather, He chooses to teach us order in the context of action.

It's time to get moving.

God bless,
--Art--

Dove or Turkey?

2011-11-24T15:37:00.002-05:00

Every Thanksgiving Day, I take a moment to ponder whether I should cook a dove or a turkey. Yes, that's right! Let me tell you why.

The turkey has no symbolism for me. Frankly, it's a silly bird. It's tasty, but I find it rather meaningless in the grand scheme of things.

But why a dove?

Thanksgiving is a day when we in the United States take time to thank God for all He has provided in the previous year (or at least that's what it's supposed to be). It is a celebration of harvest.

Ancient Israel also had a celebratory feast day during which they thanked God for the previous year's harvest. It was called "Pentecost." If you know the book of Acts, you know that this was the day when the Holy Spirit descended on the Church. (See Acts 2:1-4.) Suddenly, all the Christians in the place began speaking languages they didn't know, which the Apostle Paul said was a means of expressing "thanksgiving" to God. (See 1 Corinthians 14:16.)

To me, the Holy Spirit is the source of life--He is the One who empowers the workers in the harvest fields. And as you know, because of the way He revealed Himself at Jesus' baptism, His symbol is that of a dove.

However you may celebrate this day (if at all, since I have many international readers), take a moment to recognize the Holy Spirit's presence today. If you've received the gift of speaking in tongues, take a moment to exercise it, allowing your human spirit to utter mysteries of thanksgiving and gratitude to the Lord.

I have two video links I would like to share with you today:

First, if you haven't seen it yet, take a few minutes to watch a deaf woman and some people with eye problems being healed, which took place during my time in Uganda. During the video, you'll hear a sound "like the blowing of a mighty wind," which is what happened in Acts 2 when the Holy Spirit empowered the believers for the first time.
Second, in case your turkey burned today, here's a recipe for cooking dove!

Give thanks!
--Art--

Witchdoctors, Demons, and the Power of the Gospel

2011-10-30T00:37:00.001-04:00

Witchdoctors and demons are real. They have real power. Their power is inferior to the Holy Spirit, but they have power nonetheless. As we're nearing October 31st (observed by many as "Halloween"), I thought it would be appropriate to tell you about light overcoming darkness during my recent visit to Uganda.

While traveling throughout the rural villages, I met many Christians whose testimonies started with being bewitched by the witchdoctors. One man I met used to be completely mad. Before coming to Christ, he was admitted to a mental institution--all because of a witchdoctor's curse that was put on him just before graduating from school. But he visited a Pentecostal church, and Jesus set him completely free. Today, this man is a pastor who operates a church, a school, a hospital, and a Compassion International center (for sponsoring children). He is also a student in one of Pastor Paul's Bible schools where I taught.

In America, we tend to think of witchdoctors as quirky clowns--superstitious nuts who mix tree bark and animal bones to help people fall in love. But this couldn't be farther from the truth. In nations like Uganda, the witchdoctors run shops where they sell potions and cures. And to bring the customers to their shops, they curse them with demonic powers and cast spells on them. The bewitched people then come to the shop and pay the witchdoctors to liberate them from their own curses.

The demonic realm is real, and it is no laughing matter.

On the very first night of my time in Uganda, I was awakened at 2:30 in the morning. At first, I thought it was just jet-lag, but then something strange happened. One of these witchdoctors appeared in my room in the form of a vision that I saw with my physical eyes. I won't go into detail about what he looked like, but the point is that he was trying to scare me. So I said, "No. You don't scare me. In Jesus' name, leave." Then he disappeared.

I thought the problem was solved, but I still felt wide-awake (even though I was completely at peace). I decided to spend my time praying and worshipping, and that's exactly what I did for the next two hours. That's when a second witchdoctor appeared, and I realized that they had been trying to keep me awake and make it difficult for me to minister the next day.

Perhaps this was the wrong way to solve the problem, but it was the first idea that came to my mind. I looked at that second witchdoctor and said, "Thank you for keeping me awake so that I could pray and worship God. It's obvious you're losing, so you might as well let me sleep."

The vision immediately disappeared, and I fell asleep within a couple minutes.

Jesus told His disciples, "I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you." (See Luke 10:19, NIV.) The Greek word used for "power" is the same one used in Acts 1:8 when Jesus talked about receiving "power" from the Holy Spirit. Demons have real spiritual power--Jesus said so Himself. But that power is utterly inferior to that of the One True God.

On days 4 and 5 of my time in Uganda, we were visiting an all-Muslim village overrun with witchdoctors--in fact, the head witchdoctor for the area lived in this village. It's not uncommon for witchcraft and Islam to coexist in these villages. The people will revere Muhammed and worship shrines at the same time. This doesn't surprise me because both groups in Africa generally unite in their hatred of the true Christians. I met many orphans who had been chased away from their Muslim homes for converting to Christianity. Pastor Paul was one of these.

Christ the Healer Church, Buwanga

Pastor Paul had recently sent a young pastor--Fred--to plant a church in this spiritually dark village. The church "building" consisted of some upright poles and three mildly worn tarps. During our first meeting, the only people who came from the village were school children. Pastor Fred patched the holes in the tarps with banana leaves so they would have shade. They were on their lunch break; and since it was a Muslim fasting day, they had nothing else to do. Several children were healed, and several came to salvation.

We were also to hold a large evangelistic meeting in this village. Word came during my first few days in Wanenga that there was a lot of opposition to the meeting. I smiled and told Pastor Paul, "Good. That means the devil is scared of us!"

As confident as I was in my spirit, I have to admit that my flesh was easily intimidated. Here I was--a white American with no bodyguards, preaching the message of Jesus to a Muslim village overrun with witchdoctors. To tell you the truth, I honestly expected to be persecuted. And to make matters worse, before I left home, one of my friends asked, "If you get killed in Africa, do you want to stay in Heaven, or do you want us to pray for your resurrection? I just felt like God prompted me to ask."

And it especially didn't help that the name of the village--Buwanga--means "spear-makers."

Evangelistic meeting in Buwanga

There I was, standing on a makeshift stage in a field full of some 200 villagers. A group of 15-20 stone-faced men sat in the shade of a small building on my right. I wondered at what moment they would rush the stage and start beating me. Pastor Paul told me the witchdoctors and imams (Muslim teachers/leaders) were at the meeting, but they were dressed in plain clothes to blend in with the crowd.

Call me stupid, but I knew this was too good of an opportunity to pass up. I actually started hoping for persecution (after all, I told my friends back home to pray for resurrection if I died!). So with boldness from the Holy Spirit, I declared, "If you're a witchdoctor or an imam, I want you to come up here and join me on this stage. Bring your biggest demon. Bring your Muslim god. I will prove to you that they have no power. Muhammed has no power. The Koran has no power. Your idols and shrines have no power. Jesus Christ can do absolutely anything."

I waited a moment. No one came. To be honest, I was a little disappointed because I kind of wanted to see something weird happen. But no one came, so I continued, "Looks like they're afraid. In that case, I will simply have to show you the power and love of Jesus. If you have pain in your body, a sickness, a disease, an injury, or anything else that needs to be healed, place your hand where the problem is." I paused for a moment and then declared, "Be healed, in Jesus' name... Now test it out. If you're healed, raise your hand and wave it at me."

Scores of hands went up all over the field. I told the people to look around. "Do you see that Jesus has all the power and authority!?" This was especially significant since many of those who were healed had likely received their condition from the curses and incantations of the witchdoctors.

Salvation, Healing, and Deliverance

That day, nearly fifty people from that village counted the cost of discipleship and came to Jesus for salvation. Many demons were cast out. The love of Father God and the deity of Jesus were boldly proclaimed and demonstrated. Pastor Fred later told me that during the next few days, over a hundred people came to him asking for more information about Jesus. That Sunday, his church was packed. One woman said, "I never knew demons could be cast out with words. When I saw the demons taking over the bodies of those people, I expected the Christians to beat drums or sacrifice a goat in order to calm the demon. But instead, they spoke with authority. I see now that Jesus has all power!"

As worldly people celebrate fear, witchcraft, and evil this Halloween, do not think of it as mere cuteness. Recognize that the devil has real power. We're not in a game; we're in a war. Demons aren't cute. They're horrible. But compared to Jesus, they have no power of any significance. We simply need to take the matter seriously and walk in the authority, power, and love of Christ. Jesus Christ has all the power.

God bless,
--Art--

Nothing is Impossible for God!

2011-10-28T16:40:00.004-04:00

You are about to read more than just testimonies. You are about to discover how God wants to heal you! Allow these testimonies to help renew your mind and build expectation for what God wants to do in your life. I believe there are many who will be healed by the time they finish reading this article.

The first three days of my time in Uganda were spent at Christ the Healer Church in the village of Wanenga. This is the home church of Pastor Paul Basuule Habib, who was my host during the entire visit.

Pastor Paul and Art in Wanenga

Born and raised Muslim, Habib had a dramatic salvation experience as a teen. His family chased him away from home, and he was left orphaned. After working with another pastor for a few years, the Lord told him to leave the city and plant a church in a small bush-village overrun by drunkards, violence, and witchdoctors.

Wanenga Christ the Healer Church started in 1997 with Pastor Paul and three Christians in a shed made of sticks and banana leaves. He faced persecution, arrests, and attempts on his life (none of which were successful at stopping him). Since that time, Wanenga has become a different city.

While caring for scores of orphans and widows, Pastor Paul worked hard to scrape together enough money to build a larger church building. He purchased a very small plot of land--just big enough to build a wood and mud church (and God provided miraculously for the "iron sheets" to roof it).

Today, every witchdoctor in Wanenga has either left town, been saved, or died. None are left. Around 250 people now call this church "home." When they all show up, they can't fit inside! Hundreds have been set free from the grip of the enemy.

It was wonderful to step into this atmosphere for the first three days of ministry. Much spiritual ground had already been plowed, and the people were hungry for the Word of God. The following are testimonies from those first three days of ministry in Wanenga:

Day 1:

An old woman traveled 3km by foot every day to the meetings in Wanenga. She had stomach pains that the doctors had been unable to cure. Today, she was healed.
A woman suffered from a spirit of fear--constant nightmares and some kind of physical pain that came with the fear. On Day 3, she testified that she is completely free. She said that she had a dream in which someone kindled a fire in front of her, and the Lord told her to look into it. Immediately she felt freedom. No nightmares, fear, or pain since.
An old man ("Pastor Henry") said he had "sickness of the ears, causing problems." He said he has healed the deaf, but has not been healed himself. He has taken medicine for three years that hasn't helped. Now, he's healed.
An 80-year-old man with back pain. After healing, he was dancing at the front of the church and praising God.
Man named Peter who had diminishing eyesight and couldn't see more than a few feet away. After ministry, he ran to the back of the church and could read the words on the chalkboard.
Also, 20 people came forward to receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. They then went and prayed for everyone who still needed healing. When I asked how many were healed, 12 more raised their hands.

Day 2:

Pastor Paul's 5-month-old son, Paul Jr., had a sickness that looked very much like Malaria (which claims well over half a million lives every year). After prayer, he was healed overnight.
The same old woman from yesterday--who traveled 3km again today: Eyes have been failing, and she missed reading her Bible. We ministered once, and nothing happened. So we ministered again, and she began reading.
An old man came with an intestinal problem. He had an operation back in April, but there was no improvement. The wound still hadn't healed and was causing a lot of pain. After ministry, the pain left and he said the wound was healed.
The village elder ("Musia," which means "old man") was quickly exhausted while walking to church. He had pain in his joints and said he felt like his legs were broken. After ministry, he was running back and forth across the front of the church and said he felt like a new man.

Day 3:

Two days ago, an old woman came for ministry who had a fever. She also takes care of two young children and asked me to "bless them." Today, she testified that the fever instantly left, and the children--who had been constantly fighting--had been getting along just fine.
Another woman had pain in her ears and a fever. Jesus healed both.
An older woman said she had fever and weakness yesterday, but she was healed after ministry and is still healed today.
A woman was having pain in her breast and is now healed.
A young woman was healed of stomach sickness
A woman had a heavy heartbeat, which is now beating normally.
A man came and received salvation. At the end of the meeting, he was healed of severe chest pain.

These first three days of miracles were a spectacular beginning to my 12 days of ministry in Uganda, but I believe there is a greater purpose. Revelation 12:11 implies that our testimonies are spiritual weapons that defeat the devil and destroy his work. I feel in my spirit that some of you reading this now are going to be healed of various conditions. The testimonies you read have made you conscious of God's unstoppable power, and you want to experience the same in your own life.

If you need to be healed, I want you to place your hand(s) wherever the problem is and read the following prayer. These aren't magic words--they're simply one person expressing his desire to God:

Father, I thank You for Your love. I ask You to touch each reader in Jesus' name. Stretch out Your hand to work powerful miracles, heal bodies, and transform lives. Thank You, Jesus, for paying the price to make this possible. Amen.

Now, whatever your condition is, speak to it with the authority of Jesus. If it's sickness, say, "Sickness: Go in Jesus' name." If it's an injury--perhaps your leg--say, "Leg, be healed in Jesus' name." Whatever the problem is, speak to it, and tell it what to do in the name of Jesus.

Now, immediately test it out. Try moving something you couldn't move. Is it gone? If so, then spend some time praising God! If not, speak to it again. Jesus paid a very high price for your healing, and He intends for you to receive the gift He purchased.

If you've been healed as you read this blog post, I want to hear about it! Please either comment on this post or e-mail me at Art@SupernaturalTruth.com.

God bless!
--Art--

Hundreds Healed and Hundreds Saved!

2011-10-22T11:43:00.001-04:00

I'm home from Africa! Between the 12 days of meetings in Uganda and my 1 day in Kenya, I saw God work in amazing ways! Here is a short summary from my notes (which only includes the testimonies I was able to write down):

Completely or Partially Deaf:	8 healed
Completely or Partially Blind:	18 healed
Back/Neck/Spine problems:	11 healed
Total Healings from 13 days:	More than 500
Total Salvations from 13 days:	More than 400

Leg problems, hernia, bone problems, babies with Malaria, injuries of many kinds, heart problems, jaw pain, tooth pain, headaches, sicknesses, paralyzed leg, various pains, lungs, arthritis, fevers, rashes, and a one-month-old baby girl who was dying in the hospital...all healed by Jesus!

Many demons were cast out, and many lives were changed. Jesus is SO GOOD!

I'm now in the process of sorting through seven hours of video to produce one concise presentation of highlights from the trip.

Bukiiri Eagle's Nest Church

Perhaps the most fascinating video I have comes from a rural church in the village of Bukiiri. There, I taught the people to minister physical healing in Jesus' name and invited all those who were partially or completely deaf or blind to come forward so I could demonstrate how Jesus works. Five people lined up across the front, and one by one, they were completely healed.

The part that is especially interesting to me, though, is that apart from the general ambient noises of people shifting on benches, feet shuffling, and children squirming, the room was silent during the ministry; but in the video, an unexplainable sound like rain and wind can be heard. It's not audible during the teaching; but as I begin to pray for the first woman (who was deaf), the mysterious sound starts. Then I pray for the next person, and the sound intensifies into a loud roar. As I talk between healings, the sound subsides (a little like ocean waves), and as I pray, the sound intensifies.

I believe it is a sign from the Lord reminding me Who it is that actually has the power to heal! After that time of demonstration, I had the people of the Church minister healing to each other. Another 30 or more people were completely healed by Jesus!

School Children Ministering Healing

Another amazing experience happened on the very last day--while I was in Kenya (just before starting my trip home). My guide, Wycliffe, took me to a school near his home where I preached the Gospel to about 300 students. After explaining the high cost of following Jesus and the rewards of knowing God, the entire room stood to receive salvation. I reminded them of the cost, but they still stood. The students committed their lives to Jesus, and I knew the next thing to do was to help them put this new life into practice...

I asked everyone who needed healing to stand--everything from headaches, scrapes, and bruises to eye problems, ear problems, and severe injuries. Again, everyone stood. Through my translator, I asked, "Really? You all have problems? This isn't a time to be silly--Jesus is a lot of fun, but He isn't a joke. If you don't actually need to be healed, then I need you to sit down."

No one sat! So I had the students pair off and taught them to minister healing to each other. Twenty seconds later, I asked everyone who knew they were healed to sit down. Half the group sat. They ministered a second time, and half of that group was healed. The third time, everyone was healed except for one boy on the front row (After watching the video, I realized no one was ministering to him during the second or third prayer times, but I didn't realize this at the time). I asked what the problem was, and he said he had eye problems and couldn't read. I ministered healing to him in Jesus' name and brought my small-print Bible over to him. He could read!

Over three hundred children were saved and immediately launched into healing ministry within about 20 minutes! I then spent several minutes instructing them in how to follow Jesus and maintain this new life that they received. The children didn't want me to leave, but the airplane wasn't going to wait for me!

It may take me a couple months to process all the video, audio, and photos from the trip; but you can be sure that I'll share it all as soon as possible!

In the mean time, I'll be posting testimonies, stories, and teachings from throughout the 16 days I was gone; so keep an eye on the web site to be encouraged by these powerful stories.

My thanks to Pastor Paul Basuule Habib and his family for taking care of me for the last half-month and for organizing the ministry times. Pastor Paul, these testimonies are as much your harvest as they are mine. Thank you!

God bless,
--Art--

Greetings from London!

2011-10-05T12:16:00.000-04:00

I'm on my way to Africa to train and encourage pastors and their congregations and to share the message and power of the Gospel with the lost. Can it get any better than this?

I suppose it could be better if my wife and son were here, but then I'd probably be more focused on their safety than on the mission to which God has called me. I miss them, but the reward of proclaiming and demonstrating the Gospel of the Kingdom makes the price ridiculously small.

Please pray for me during these next couple weeks. The plan is to meet my contact in Kenya tomorrow afternoon, stay the night there, and then travel to Uganda to minister for the next couple weeks.

Each time I pray for this trip, I start to imagine all the things I would love to see happen: souls being saved, physical healings, deliverance from evil spirits, and even the raising of the dead. I still expect these things to happen, but deep inside, I keep sensing what I believe is the Holy Spirit saying, "Those are all little demons. I don't need to send you to Africa to do what the local believers already know how to do." I am convinced that there is a purpose for my being there--a purpose that is specific to me and my calling--and that excites me!

I don't know what dangers or adventures I'll face, but I do know that God is all-powerful and that He is with me. I do not know if I will have the opportunity to write during the next couple weeks, but you can expect a full report when I return.

In the mean time, please intercede for this mission. I truly appreciate it.

God bless,
--Art--

How to Trust without being Scammed

2011-09-17T11:06:00.001-04:00

A scam-artist invited me to Africa. I said, "Yes."

Was it the right thing to do?

Absolutely.

This is my story:

Last year, I ran into a problem, and it came in the form of a verse in the Bible. First Corinthians 13:7 says that love "always trusts."

As soon as I read this, warning bells rang in my heart. "But you can't be gullible," I argued. "Scams are everywhere! I can't trust just anyone without reservation!"

Nevertheless, the same message came through every version of the Bible I read. The NASB renders the text to say that love "believes all things," and the Amplified Bible goes so far as to specify that love "is ever ready to believe the best of every person."

In other words, if I'm truly going to love a scam artist, then I have to trust and believe the best of him or her. Wouldn't you say that's dangerous? This person only wants to deceive me and steal from me. Why should I trust? The answer is simple: Jesus said to love your enemies, and love "always trusts." It is "ever ready to believe the best of every person." I can't love my enemy without trusting him.

Running a web site like SupernaturalTruth.com seems to attract scam artists all the time. I receive e-mails on a regular basis that invite me to come speak in Pakistan, or India, or some African nation. Many missionaries will tell you that there are people who spend all day sitting in Cyber Cafes, fishing for Americans who will respond to such an invitation. Once the American has a non-refundable plane ticket and has paid for a passport and visa, the requests for funds (to cover "unexpected expenses") start pouring in. Some victims land in the country only to find that the ministry, the church, or even the person doesn't even exist. It's all a ploy to wrangle American dollars.

Naturally, if I blindly trust all these people, then I'm going to be perpetuating the problem while personally winding up in the poor-house.

See the problem?

But the Lord showed me how to make this work. He said, "If you trust Me above all, and if you listen to My voice, then you're allowed to be gullible. The pressure is off."

What a relief! Whenever I receive these phony requests, I have the liberty to trust the person wholeheartedly and simply ask the Holy Spirit how to respond. Naturally, He will tell me to graciously turn down a request. I don't have to know why; I just need to be led by Him.

You can imagine my surprise, then, when I received one of these classic requests from a man in Kenya, and the Holy Spirit said, "Go!"

"What?!?" In my natural mind, I knew that this was a scam just like all the others, but the Holy Spirit was compelling me to go. So I accepted the invitation with joy. Since love always trusts, I spoke to this man (and spoke of him to others) as though he were completely legitimate. I wasn't lying--I was trusting and loving. Until a scam was actually revealed, I had no grounds for accusing him of anything.

I wrote to all my friends and family: "I've been invited to Africa. If you could please help provide financially, that would be a tremendous blessing..." I told my wife and parents, "I could very easily be walking right into a scam, but if the Holy Spirit said, 'Go,' then apparently He intends for me to do something while I'm there--maybe even preach the Gospel to the scammers!"

In my support letter, I mentioned that I still needed to raise $600 to cover the cost of last year's trip to Honduras; so in an effort to be faithful to my commitments, the first $600 would have to go there. Within a couple weeks of sending the letters, the checks stopped coming. Can you guess how much I received? $605.

There I was with $5 to send me to Africa. I started to feel a little relieved--especially given the likelihood of this being a scam. But the Holy Spirit kept stirring my heart toward going.

That's when a woman from my church asked, "So you received this invitation to Africa, but what is God telling you to do?"

"He's telling me to go."

"Good. The Holy Spirit told me to send you there. I work for [a major airline], and I have a ton of 'Air Miles' that I can transfer to you. I can fly you into and out of Nairobi, Kenya, for free."

Within the week, I had my ticket.

By the world's standards, I was doing everything wrong: (1) traveling alone (2) to a country I've never been to (3) in order to meet up with a man who is probably a scammer. But by Kingdom standards, I was doing everything right: (1) Obeying the Holy Spirit (despite apparent danger), and (2) loving without reservation.

True to form, the requests for money started coming in from Kenya. Love "always trusts," so I had no reason to refuse. Then I asked the Holy Spirit what to do, and He said, "Don't send any money." So I wrote back to the man in Africa: "The Holy Spirit told me not to send any money. Apparently He intends to provide for the conference another way. Ask the church to pray, and God will provide."

Every time I said the Holy Spirit forbade me to send any money, the man in Africa would write back asking me how much I was willing to contribute. All the while, I continued to love and trust--while obeying the Holy Spirit's command not to send anything.

Then, a few weeks ago, I received an accidental e-mail from someone associated with this so-called "pastor." It was addressed to someone named "Len," and it invited him to the same church to lead a conference on the same subject, just a few months later in the same city of Eldoret, Kenya. The Holy Spirit prompted me to connect these two "pastors" in love. I wrote to the first, "I just received this e-mail from a pastor in your city who wants to host a similar conference. Perhaps this is the answer to prayer we've been waiting for! He sounds like he has the available funds you need! I sent him your e-mail address and asked him to contact you."

Within hours, I received a reply: "I think we should cancel the conference before we incur any debt."

Finally, the song-and-dance was over. Here's the e-mail I sent in reply:

Hi John,

I am so grateful that the Lord has brought this situation into the light so that it can be seen for what it is. It appears that you were only seeking American dollars from the very beginning--especially since you were unwilling to take any of the suggestions I offered (including help from the other pastor in Eldoret). I plead with you to examine your motives for everything that has happened and seek the Lord in repentance. Your focus was more on money than on Jesus, and the Holy Spirit is grieved because of it. He would have gladly provided for you, but you chose to focus on worldly wealth rather than heavenly reward.

Of greatest concern to me is your sin against the Holy Spirit. No matter how many times I told you that He would not allow me to send funds, you kept asking. It is clear that you do not have a relationship with Him, and for this I would even question your salvation. Again, in love, I plead with you to repent! Be reconciled to God! Return to Him in humility and ask His forgiveness for disregarding the Holy Spirit and focusing on this world's wealth rather than on Him.

If you need to pray with someone or if you need counsel, please let me know. I would be more than happy to help you return to your true eternal purpose in the Lord. My love for you and your family has not changed. God has a wonderful destiny for your life, and He wants you to discover it as soon as possible. His plans for you are amazing.

God bless you, my brother,
--Art

There it was. No more conference. My faithfulness to trust in love led to an opportunity to preach a message of repentance and share the good news of this man's destiny in Christ. It looked like the purpose had been fulfilled. But I still had a ticket to Africa and a calling in my heart to go!

As many of my readers know, there's another gentleman in Uganda who has been inviting me for a couple years to come visit him and the Bible School he runs. He's a member of my mailing list and will no-doubt read this article. I have no reason to believe he's out to scam me. Love always trusts, and I choose to take him at his word. From the very beginning of my plans to visit Kenya, I was already looking for ways to take a short trip across the border to visit this brother. When the conference was cancelled, my schedule was freed up to visit with him for the entire trip.

Am I walking into another scam? I say it doesn't matter. If the Holy Spirit said, "Go," then I have no reason to stay home.

Thankfully, this past weekend, I met a missionary from my denomination who works in Kenya. Over the last week, he has connected me with a trustworthy brother in Kisumu who has agreed to serve as a guide during my visit--providing a place for me to stay and caring for my safety. If the Bible School in Uganda turns out to be a scam, then I will be able to spend my two weeks helping this proven ministry in Kenya. Either way, I know that it's the Holy Spirit who is leading me and guiding this entire trip. He has a plan that is bigger than anything I could imagine.

Please pray for me while I'm in Africa during the month of October. My trip spans from the 5th through the 20th. Pray for powerful demonstrations of the Gospel. Pray for supernatural safety in the face of danger. Pray for further financial provision for my family while I'm out of the country. And pray for lives to be transformed through the power of Jesus Christ.

I don't know what situations you may be facing, but know this: Love always trusts. The only people who need to be skeptical are the ones who don't know the Holy Spirit. If, however, you are led by Him, then you are allowed to be gullible. God will never judge you for loving too much. If anything, you'll be judged for not loving. If you don't love, it is only evidence that you do not know God (See 1 John 4:7-8).

Knowing God makes real love safe. The only way to safely trust everyone is to know God and obey the Holy Spirit. Love always trusts, but God doesn't intend for His children to be laughing-stocks (except perhaps for the sake of the Gospel). Seek first His kingdom, and everything else will be taken care of.

My encouragement to you today is that you trust wholeheartedly, responding to people according to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. If you find yourself taken by a scam, then one of two things happened: Either (1) you didn't hear the Holy Spirit correctly (which will help you learn to better discern His voice in the future), or (2) God had a purpose for leading you in that direction. It's all part of this adventure that we call "faith." The proof will be in the fruit of your decision.

If I were to choose my life's paths, then there's no way I would have gone along with this trip to Africa. But the Lord, my Shepherd, "leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake." One of those paths is "the valley of the shadow of death," but I have no reason to fear because He is "with me." (See Psalm 23.) No matter where you go or what you do, you are always doing the right thing when you follow the Holy Spirit. In this sense, you will never be a victim of a scam--only a joyful servant of the King.

God bless,
--Art--

Overcoming the Spirits of Abortion and Gluttony

2011-09-02T09:28:00.003-04:00

We are in a spiritual war. The war has technically already been won; but as with any war, we still need to battle insurgents who refuse to bow to the victorious King. Two of these insurgents have gained significant influence; and we, the Church, are being called to rise up in response. These two spirits have capitalized on two favorite vices of the world-culture. Specifically: abortion and gluttony. I believe the Lord has revealed how we are to respond, but first we need to be clear about the enemy we’re facing.

The Apostle Paul wrote that the enemies we struggle against are purely spiritual. He also specified that the spiritual beings within the opposing army have varying levels of influence and authority.

Ephesians 6:12—For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (NIV)

Since the war was already won by Christ, these demons have no real authority—only what we grant them. For example, I could be the chief of police in a city; but if I’m buying from the local drug-lords to feed my own addictions, then I’m not able to effectively exercise my authority over them. Instead, I have given them free-reign in my city regardless of the actual legality. In the same way, evil spirits do not have legal authority in this world. Jesus said in Matthew 28:18, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” Nevertheless, we can easily grant false authority to evil spirits by willfully bowing to their schemes. The more people who bow to the influence of a particular spirit, the more apparent authority it has. When a large population knowingly or unknowingly bows to such a demon, we have what many Christian teachers have called a “territorial spirit.”

The Lord revealed to me two significant territorial spirits who have gained influence over a huge portion of the World population—especially where I live, in the United States. Second Corinthians 2:11 says that we are not ignorant of the devil’s schemes, but I have noticed that this often requires that someone sound the alarm. In an effort to call the Church to action, I want to expose these two spirits for what they truly are and suggest some practical steps toward victory.

The Spirit of Abortion

First is the Spirit of Abortion. When the Lord showed me this demon, He said, “My children have rightly taken notice of this spirit’s assault on the unborn; but the enemy has used the gross evil of infant-abortion to blind the Church’s eyes to the more subtle ways this demon works. Tell My people what you see.”

He then went on to show me the strongholds of abortion that fill our nation. All kinds of Americans—regardless of demographic—are aborting their dreams; aborting their commitments; aborting their marriages; aborting their jobs. Even many Christians are affected: aborting accountability; aborting churches; aborting ministry; aborting visions the Lord has given them; and worst of all, aborting faith. We see this spirit’s influence even in many of our young people: aborting their families; aborting morals; aborting society; and aborting their schools. And people of all ages are aborting their own lives through suicide, euthanasia, drug abuse, and reckless living.

We justify all this by pointing out how the “abortion” makes us happy and comfortable. We’re faced with a difficult situation, and instead of dealing with it, we just abort. This same principle is seen in a woman’s so-called “right to choose” whether or not her baby is an inconvenience who should be murdered. The spirit of abortion has infested the United States and many other nations, prompting people to abort good, God-given things for the sake of our perceived convenience and false comfort.

The spirit of abortion is attacking more than just the unborn. I believe this spirit is ultimately behind the culture and mindset of denominationalism (not denominations themselves, but rather the underlying principle), which states that you and I cannot have unity unless we agree about everything. As soon as a disagreement makes us uncomfortable, we abort fellowship and go start a new church.

This same mindset causes us to shop for churches with a consumer mindset—settling in an organization where we find ourselves most comfortable—rather than going where the Holy Spirit leads us. It works great—that is, until a disagreement at the new church makes us uncomfortable. Thus we bounce from one feeble “commitment” to the next, starting over in every place and never really settling into a family where spiritual momentum can be built.

The influence of this spirit is ultimately behind the divorce rate and broken families, high unemployment levels, a faltering stock market, and more. We, the Church, rightly desire to bring an end to these things in the name of Jesus, but I sense the Lord saying that too many of us have bowed to this spirit in other ways: aborting all manner of “difficult” responsibilities and blessings. In a dark twist of irony, our lack of overall success has even prompted many of us to abort the battle itself—allowing the Spirit of Abortion to carry on unchecked.

This mindset in our world-culture has granted authority to the Spirit of Abortion to spread its evil seed throughout the land. As the church rightly focuses on the tragedy of abortion (regarding the unborn), we have largely missed the greater influence of this spirit. Like the police chief who bows to the drug-lords, we cannot take authority over a spirit while simultaneously bowing to it. Christians will never succeed in changing national laws regarding the unborn until we can start living in victory over other forms of abortion in our own personal lives. We must stop aborting dreams, aborting churches, aborting fellowship, aborting persistent prayer, aborting evangelism, and so forth. We must instead press in for breakthrough in our own lives and refuse to bow to the Spirit of Abortion.

Personal transformation precedes regional transformation. We must seek the Lord in repentance and allow Him to root out every stronghold.

The Spirit of Gluttony

The Spirit of Abortion is only one part of the equation. This spirit works in conjunction with another that the Lord has revealed: the Spirit of Gluttony. This second spirit doesn’t have as much to do with food as you might think. Rather, the Spirit of Gluttony has more to do with the indulgence of self.

This spirit has germinated a culture of self-centeredness in our nation and throughout many parts of the world. We see it in our pursuit of wealth and prosperity at the expense of other nations who are struggling to make ends meet. While much of the world lives on less than two dollars a day, we go about our lives paying more than that for our morning coffee—thinking nothing of the hungry family on the other side of the world who could live for a week on the money we just spent on luxury. Never mind our thirty-dollar trips to the movies and forty-dollar cable TV bills.

These things aren’t wrong in themselves—for one thing, we have a higher cost of living in the westernized world. The evil is found in the mindset behind why we do the things we do. Rather than loving others, we often love ourselves. Rather than seeking the betterment of others, we tend to do what we can to make ourselves comfortable.

This relates to the Spirit of Abortion in a huge way. When we’re uncomfortable in a situation—be it a job, a marriage, a church, or anything else—we do one of two things: Either we strive to perform in such a way as to fix it ourselves, or we run away from it. Either way, we’re not living according to the relational principles of faith, hope, and love.

This culture of “self”—fueled by the spirits of Abortion and Gluttony—has infiltrated many of our churches with ill-focused prosperity teaching and what I would call ungodly magic: “If you do this, God will do that.” All the while our focus is on “what we do” and “what we get” rather than on knowing God and participating with Him in loving and transforming the world. Any teaching that focuses on “do this and receive that” is focused on law rather than grace—unless the “do this” statement is simply to “have a relationship with the Lord.” Grace allows us to be blessed as sons regardless of our obedience, whereas law makes us slaves to performance. Gluttony loves to receive but hates to sacrifice for others; in this way, it is utterly divorced from faith, hope, love, and ultimately grace.

Thus many of us go about our lives living in slavery to an inner drive to perform. We focus on the principle of law, which states that “everything that happens and everything God does is somehow connected to my own actions.” We rob Him of His joyful sovereignty and loving nature. We reduce everything to a spiritual law of cause and effect: we’re sick because we disobeyed; we’re healed because we did the right thing; we’re in poverty because we didn’t tithe; we’re wealthy because we did. Before we know it, everything becomes a matter of “sowing and reaping” until all we have is faith in karma rather than in Jesus Christ. Jesus died so that we would no longer reap what we have sown. Instead, we reap from what He has sown. We must learn to truly know Him. The law is a cheap imitation. We serve a loving God who transcends what we deserve—whether good or bad. He doesn’t bless us because we deserve it; He blesses us because He simply wants to.

Baal and Molech

The spirits of Abortion and Gluttony are not exclusive to our country or generation. Their influence is worldwide. And they’re nothing new; they’ve been around since the early days of the world.

From the time Israel was nothing more than a band of tribes fleeing Egypt, these spirits were already at work attacking God’s people. The spirit of gluttony was worshipped as the god “Baal,” and the spirit of abortion made headlines as the god “Molech.”

In Chapter 3 of Purifying the Prophetic, Pastor R. Loren Sandford talks about the Baal spirit throughout world history and even now in America. He writes of how the Canaanites worked the Promised Land prior to the Israelites with great success. Their culture, and thus their religion, formed out of their prosperity. The practice of their religion served the purpose of ensuring favor from their god, Baal. Pastor Loren explained the tension of serving a relational God and how this contrasted in the Israelites’ view with Baal—who “seemed to offer predictability and control.” It didn’t take long before their service to Baal had so intermingled with their belief in the true God that it became nearly impossible to sort out who was truly the Lord of Israel.

I believe the same syncretism with Baal that Israel entered into has also taken place in much of the Church. That’s why we see so many Christians who are more concerned with selfish prosperity and blessing than the cross and sacrifice. We must have both. Prosperity and blessing outside the context of the cross and sacrifice are actually destructive.

God told Abraham that he was blessed in order to be a blessing. How? Through sacrifice in love! God does indeed want to bless and prosper His people—but we’re doing the world a disservice by presenting a false gospel of blind optimism instead of the truth about the joy of suffering and the glory of self-sacrifice for the sake of our Lord and our brothers and sisters.

I was once stricken by Paul’s words in Philippians, chapter 1. In paraphrase: “Whether I die or live, it’s all good. To live is Christ, and to die is gain. It’s better by far for me to die and be with the Lord, but I’ll stay living for your sake.” Paul said it a lot more profoundly, but I was stirred by the sobriety with which he wrote those words. Paul had previously seen into the third heaven—he had tasted the glory that awaited him after death. He knew the unspeakable joy, peace, and blessing that were found in the Father’s presence. But instead of giving up his spirit and accepting physical death to go to that wonderful place, he chose the path of sacrificial love and gladly endured torture and imprisonment for the sake of his brothers and sisters.

In this sense, Paul was not only resisting the temptation of Baal (to be self-centered and “bless-me” focused), but he was also resisting the temptation of Molech (to abort something good for the sake of personal convenience).

Molech was the name of a large idol worshipped by the pagan nations, but it was no ordinary statue. As I understand it, the structure had two big metal arms that stretched forward and a furnace in its torso. As the fire in its body was stoked, the arms would glow red-hot. And in an effort to achieve some form of personal gain, a family would sacrifice one of their children by laying them on the cherry red arms of Molech. God sternly warned the Israelites not to offer their children to the arms of Molech. Children are a blessing! Yet in the same way, we too often sacrifice good, God-given blessings in exchange for temporary comfort and selfish prosperity.

Both Baal and Molech seek to destroy the true blessings of God. Baal tempts people to focus only on personal blessing rather than the greater blessings found in knowing Jesus Christ; and Molech tempts us to sacrifice the blessings we have for the sake of what seems convenient at the time. Neither of these represent the “abundant life” that Jesus came to give us.

This issue of self-centeredness has infiltrated our society. People lie, cheat, and steal to fight their way to the top of the ladder. We’ll do anything for a buck. We run up our credit cards on frivolous luxuries. And all the while our next-door neighbor is careening into a pit of depression and contemplating suicide. Where’s the justice? As Baal prompts us to chase after materialism and as Molech prods us to abort blessing for the sake of comfort, Jesus is calling us to follow His example. It is time to see that sacrifice for the sake of others is of vital importance if we are to bring transformation in this world.

Freedom from Baal and Molech

I once heard international evangelist Reinhard Bonnke question whether or not we are so occupied fighting off territorial spirits in the heavenly realms that we forget to guard our own heart’s door. I agree. Prayer and spiritual warfare are important parts of the believer’s life; but without the armor of God, we’re sitting ducks. The only way we will ever have victory over the darkness is if we live radically contrary lives. We must penetrate the darkness.

Roman 13:11b-14—…The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. (NIV)

Victory over darkness comes as we clothe ourselves in light. We dismantle the grip of territorial spirits by undermining their authority. This happens when we live contrary to the influence of those spirits. If you want to be free from slavery to the spirits of Abortion and Gluttony, then you need to apply the sacrificial blood of Jesus to the infected areas of your life through prayer and live according to the resurrection life of the Holy Spirit.

A territorial spirit cannot usurp your free will. The old adage, “The devil made me do it,” is completely bogus. The devil can’t make you do anything! However, when we are living according to the patterns of this world, we often find ourselves paddling upstream in our Christian walk—struggling against forces that are encouraging us toward the opposite direction. The problem is not that we need to paddle harder. The problem is that we’re paddling in the wrong stream! We must not conform to the patterns of this world. Rather, we must be continually transformed into Christ’s likeness—living according to the culture of His Kingdom rather than the culture of the enemy.

Abandon the world culture. “But shouldn’t we ‘become all things to all men’?” you ask. Absolutely, but realize that you cannot “become” something unless you start as something else. Do not conform to the world culture. Rather, lead it. Blaze trails of kingdom culture while being salt, light, and yeast intermingled with the world as catalysts of the Christ-nature.

It’s really simple. First ask the Holy Spirit to show you what areas of your life still need to come to death at the cross of Christ. Then, expect Him to answer! As you discover areas of your life that are submitted to the spirits of Abortion and Gluttony, confess them, repent, and ask for the Holy Spirit to bring resurrection life into that area.

I am convinced that as we, the Church, corporately overcome the influence of these evil spirits in our personal lives, we will find them losing their grip in society around us. When we find freedom from Baal and Molech within the Church, we’ll be better equipped to bring freedom from Baal and Molech in our nations. That’s how you pierce the darkness! The Lord Jesus is calling us to be living torches who will carry the fire of His presence with boldness and purity. Just as the burning bush was a spectacle and a sign to Moses, we will become spectacles and signs to the world. He is calling us to pierce the darkness “like stars in the universe.” (See Philippians 2:15.)

To put it bluntly, this lifestyle will be an inconvenience to us. It isn’t comfortable to endure hardship—abortion is much easier. And it isn’t convenient to love a relational God when the cause-and-effect principles of the law are so much easier to manipulate. But I tell you the truth: the more you choose to sacrifice your own comfort, the more comfortable it will become to be uncomfortable! Sacrifice becomes a joy when it is born of love rather than obligation.

In the name of Jesus Christ, lead the way in repentance from the Spirit of Abortion and the Spirit of Gluttony. Lead the way, because personal change precedes corporate change. As you allow the fire of God to engulf your life with passion, purity, and love, you will begin to be a living “wake-up call” to the world around you. Just as the first rays of sun in the morning make it easier to wake up physically, so your light will break forth like the dawn and reveal the glory of God to a slumbering generation.

Isaiah 60:2-3—See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. (NIV)

God bless,
--Art--

The Wrath of God Against Mankind

2011-07-28T11:07:00.001-04:00

"The Wrath of God Against Mankind." How's that for a happy title? Today I want to challenge a long-accepted perspective and tell you the GOOD NEWS about God's wrath! By the time you're done reading, you may have a hard time seeing God as the author of sickness, disease, earthquakes, storms, famine, drought, and the like.

Confused yet?

If you are, it's probably because you've been taught that God does these things. We're told that God gives us disease to shape our character, and He gives sickness to discipline us. Hurricane Katrina, the earthquakes in Haiti and Japan, wildfires, tidal waves, and more have all been blamed on God's wrath against sinful people.

I find that strange. Something happened in the last 2,000 years. Once upon a time, sickness was the devil's work, and healing came from God. Today, sickness is said to be from God, and people who minister in healing are often considered to be "of the devil." Likewise, Jesus calmed storms, but today we say He causes them.

Really?

Jesus wasn't confused about God's will. We are. When a Samaritan village didn't welcome Jesus and the disciples, James and John had the bright idea to ask, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?" Jesus, however, rebuked them. (See Luke 9:51-55.) Jesus never blessed a storm, but He did calm one. If the storm were God's will, then Jesus would have been going against God's will to calm it. But we know that Jesus only did what He saw His Father doing. (See John 5:19.)

Now that we're in the New Testament era, our God is doing a "new thing" compared to the Old Testament. We are living in a period of time where grace reigns supreme. As a result, Jesus often healed every disease and cast out every demon in every city He visited. (See Matthew 8:16, 9:35, 12:15, 14:36; Mark 6:56; Luke 4:40, 6:19; and Acts 5:16). Never once do we read about Jesus saying, "I'm sorry. You're a cripple because God is building character in you. I can't heal you today." No. Jesus healed the sick. Period.

But the Bible does tell us something very interesting about God's wrath being revealed today:

Romans 1:18-23--The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. (NIV)

The Apostle Paul continues to define what this "revelation of God's wrath" looks like:

Romans 1:24-31-- Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. (NIV)

In other words, during this season of grace, God's current expression of wrath is to give us what we ask for. To those who want to live according to their flesh, God--in wrath--gives them an insatiable appetite for the things of the flesh. They want sin, so He hands them over to it.

First, Paul says that God gives people over to "sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies." In other words, God says, "You want sexuality apart from the safety of the marriage covenant I designed? Go for it. Just know that I won't bless it. And without My blessing, your bodies will be degraded." Today, sexually transmitted diseases run rampant. In some school districts, the sexual education programs won't even use the word "disease," teaching students that these conditions are inevitable. "Everybody gets them," they say, "So rather than teaching you to avoid them, we will teach you to manage them." Do you see how far our culture has slipped into depravity?

But God's answer is not to wipe these people out with a flood or send an earthquake or rain down fire from heaven. Rather, He lets them experience what they want: Life without His blessing.

Second, Paul says that God gives people over to "shameful lusts"--specifically homosexuality. I find it interesting that we Christians put so much work into suppressing and stopping people from practicing this sin. God actually says, "You want that level of depravity? Go for it. Live it up. And when you discover how lost you are, let Me know. I'll be happy to rescue you." Perhaps if we devoted as much time, energy, and resources to demonstrating God's love and grace as we spend fighting "the gay agenda," we might actually be more effective for God's kingdom. But I suppose it's easier to wave picket signs, petition school boards, and lobby politicians than it is to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, and cast out demons (like Jesus told us to do in Matthew 10:8). That's right; take the easy route. (Pardon my sarcasm...)

Taking a stand for a certain standard of society is great citizenship, but it is inferior Christianity if not accompanied by signs, wonders, and miracles. Jesus never said, "Listen to Me because I know the best way you should live." And He never said, "Listen to Me because I agree with what the Bible says." Rather Jesus said in John 10:37, "Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father," and in John 14:11-12, "Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father" (NIV, 1984).

Thirdly, God wrathfully gives people over to "a depraved mind so that they do what ought not to be done." The Greek word for "depraved" is formally used to describe metals and coins that are deemed unfit for use and rejected. It implies worthlessness. In other words, these people have chosen to live without eternal value, and so God allows it--even to the point of removing His purity from their thought-lives. Rather than having the mind of Christ, setting their minds on things above, and advancing the domain of our heavenly King, these people "invent ways of doing evil."

At this point, you might be wondering if all this is fair. If God is handing these people over to sin, then how can He hold them accountable for it? There's an answer:

James 1:13-15--When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (NIV)

In short, God's wrath is different today than it was in the Old Testament. The sacrifice of Jesus has eternally set us free while temporarily holding back the destructive wrath until the appointed time. We know from the book of Revelation that a destructive version of wrath is on the way, but it's not here yet. Today, God's wrath works hand-in-hand with His grace.

When I worked in childcare, there was one boy who thought it was funny to scream during naptime, waking up the twenty other sleeping children in the room. I would tell him, "Oh, you can't do that in here. That's for outside." Then I would take him outside and say, "Okay, now you can scream."

At first it was a game for him, and that was just fine. I let him scream until he got it all out of his system. Then I said, "Come on, you can scream more than that! ...Louder! Come on!" I encouraged him to keep screaming until he was exhausted. Then he asked, "Can I go back inside now?"

"Not until you're done screaming."

"I'm done! I'm tired! Please! I want to take a nap!"

Then we went back inside, and he napped with the other children.

By giving this little boy an outlet for his wrong actions and encouraging him to keep going until he was sick of it, I spared him and the other 20 children from a restless nap-time. God does the same thing. He lets sinful mankind become more and more sinful in hopes that we will get sick of it. The same way He gives freedom to the believer (which Romans 6 calls being a "slave to righteousness"), He also gives freedom to the sinner (which Romans 6 calls being a "slave to sin"). Either way, we have freedom; and either way, we are slaves.

The question is this: Who is your master?

If you aren't sure, then simply take a look at your life:

What is your response to disaster? Do you sit back in your La-Z-Boy chair and say, "Well, it looks like Jesus is coming back soon!"? Or do you do what you can to speak the peace of Heaven into the storm?
What is your response to sickness and disease? Do you counsel people and tell them to let God use it for His glory? Or do you heal the sick?
What is your response to famine, drought, and poverty? Do you avoid the homeless, the hungry, the naked, and the poor? Or do you go to them with compassion, expecting God to sufficiently multiply whatever resources you have?

One position looks like Jesus, and the other looks like the world.

1 John 2:6--Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. (NIV)

God bless,
--Art--

What's wrong with Kevin Dedmon's Treasure Hunt Evangelism?

2011-06-09T12:06:00.001-04:00

It looks like I struck a controversial nerve with some folks...not that it bothers me. Last year I wrote two articles describing the "Treasure Hunt" style of evangelism made popular by Kevin Dedmon's book, The Ultimate Treasure Hunt. It started with my own testimony in an article titled "Treasure Hunt Evangelism--God's Healing Power in a Meijer."

On one hand, I've had great feedback--in fact, one young lady recently commented on my second article who was actually FOUND by Christian "treasure hunters." In her comment, she testifies about how she had just been saved on Christmas Eve but didn't have a church--that is, until God reached her on the way to a bar with friends. You can read her story in the comments of my article: Treasure Hunt Evangelism, by Kevin Dedmon.

On the other hand, I've had some concerned commenters wondering if God is really in this stuff. One anonymous writer warned, "Do you know Dedmon's techniques are really Psychic Questing? Buddhists and Occultists have done this for thousands of years. And now the church has embraced them. Check it out yourself. Don't be so open minded that your brain falls out." And today, another gentleman wrote, "I am very worried about this. It sounds like 'cold-reading' to me. I honestly don't see any warrant for it in the New Testament as what appear to be 'words of knowledge' in the way you describe them were certainly not 'treasure-hunt' style shots in the dark. I really have a problem with what you're describing here."

Personally, I've seen the results first-hand. I've seen Jesus Christ revealed and glorified. I've seen the people amazed by God's love and His attention to the details of their lives. I'm not bothered by the nay-sayers.

But I do care very deeply about reaching the lost with every tool available to us! And I also want to be sure that we don't scare people away from what I have seen to be a very valid and valuable tool in evangelism.

With this mindset, here is part of the answer I gave to the first anonymous writer:

The gifts of the spirit are not about being open-minded. I care very much about sound doctrine and what is true.

Jesus said, "You will know them by their fruit." So what is the "fruit" of Dedmon's ministry? People are healed, set free from evil spirits, and forgiven as they give themselves to Christ.

The technique is simply this: There are billions of people on this planet who need to know about Jesus; but clearly, He knows better than any of us whose heart is ready to receive at this exact moment. So we ask Him: "Lord, please lead us to someone who you specifically want to target today." And then He does.

I have a hard time believing it's the work of demons, guiding us to people to pray for them and lead them to Christ. As Jesus said, "A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand."

...I'm curious if you have read Dedmon's book? I wonder which of us is jumping to conclusions?

Just a thought.

And to the second writer, I responded:

I completely understand your concern. Do notice, though, that the Apostle Paul led an entire missionary journey to Macedonia simply because he had a dream in which he saw a Macedonian man. Likewise, Ananias visited Paul to heal his blindness and facilitate his conversion--and it was all because he had a vision of where to go and what to expect. As it turns out, there actually are some New Testament precedents--they just have a different name and look a little different because Treasure Hunts are structured rather than random.

If you're going to base things purely on New Testament precedent, consider this: The New Testament doesn't say anything about handing out literature or Gospel tracts...that sounds a lot like what the Hare Krishnas and Jehovah's Witnesses have been doing for years. Should we abandon these practices because of how similar they are to cults and false religions?

The devil doesn't come up with anything new--he only perverts what God has created. The gifts of the Spirit are not New Age powers. Rather, New Age powers are cheap counterfeits of the supernatural abilities that God designed for the Church to use in reaching the lost and transforming culture.

I find it interesting that so many people have problems with the Treasure Hunt method given the statistical results of people being saved, healed, and set free on a regular basis in the name of Jesus. It doesn't bother me--I just find it interesting.

I'm open for discussion on this, so feel free to raise more questions.

I'm curious if there are others among my readership who have either practiced "Treasure Hunt Evangelism" or been found by it. I'd love to hear your stories! And there are probably others who still have problems with this method. If that's you, I'd be happy to discuss things further!

If you fit either of these categories, it would be great to read your thoughts. Feel free to comment on this post.

God bless!
--Art--

Generational Curses and Sin

2011-05-06T15:41:00.003-04:00

Do we need to be concerned about generational curses and generational sin in the New Covenant? I've read plenty of books that say you do, and I've read other books that say you don't. Both sides use the Bible to back up their perspective.

But today, I want to offer you a balanced perspective that may help bring some clarity, and perhaps healing into your life.

I received an e-mail last week from a man named Mark who asked a series of questions. I felt one of them would be a great topic to share here. Mark wrote:

What is your take on inner healing ministries that set people free from generational curses and blood lines?

While there is solid biblical grounds for what these ministers do, I feel some of them go about it the wrong way. All of them tend to base their premise on God's own statement that He visits the sins of the fathers to the third and fourth generations (See Exodus 20:5; Exodus 34:7; Numbers 14:18; and Deuteronomy 5:9). This much is true.

Those who are not under grace (through Christ) are under the law, and so this principle affects their lives. The Law still applies because Jesus didn't abolish the Law when He came (See Matthew 5:17-20).

Generational sin typically shows up when a person says something like, "My grandpa was an alcoholic, my dad was an alcoholic, and I'm an alcoholic. It's just in my blood."

True deliverance is available in the atonement (which is a fancy word referring to the price Jesus paid in His death and ultimately the victory He procured in His resurrection). In prophesying about the Messiah, Jeremiah said:

"In those days people will no longer say, 'The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge.' Instead, everyone will die for his own sin; whoever eats sour grapes--his own teeth will be set on edge. 'The time is coming,' declares the LORD, 'when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah" (Jeremiah 31:29-31, NIV, emphasis mine).

In other words, the New Covenant sets us free from family history.

Jesus is the perfect example. Matthew and Luke reveal a family history for Jesus that includes prostitutes, adulterers, liars, and murderers. But John comes along and presents a different lineage: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God....And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (See John 1:1 and 14). Then, in verses 12 and 13, John tells us that those who receive Him and believe in His name also get to become children of God--no longer bound to the influence of natural descent.

So do Christians need to be set free from their family line? I would say "yes and no." If you have come to Christ with faith that He has redeemed you and made you a new creation, then you are indeed already free. But if you're a Christian by belief and yet still struggling with the sins of previous generations, then there is certainly a deeper level of freedom in Christ to be experienced. In such a case, the solution is to bring your family identity to the cross.

For example, the Bible doesn't say that "fits of rage" are sin...unless you have an "Irish temper." No. Sin is sin. We need to stop pridefully embracing the sins of our ancestors and surrender everything to the cross. We need to surrender our family identities to embrace the identity of Christ. Only then can we walk in resurrection life.

Let me also say that I know of many Inner Healing ministries that are very Christ-cenetered and focus on the cross and resurrection. One such ministry--which is actually one of the pioneering influences on the entire topic--is Elijah House Ministries, founded by John and Paula Sandford. The Sandfords never actually liked the term "Inner Healing," saying that it was a bit of a misnomer. They regularly said that the work of sanctification (being made holy) is a matter of deeper death and fuller resurrection in Christ--not merely "fixing" something that is sick or broken. Sin requires death, not healing (See Romans 6:23).

If you're struggling with overcoming certain sins that have run rampant in your family line, now is the time to surrender your family identity to Christ. Generational sin is broken the same way as any other sin: through the cross. The blood Jesus shed was for your freedom. Offer your identity to the Lord so that you can embrace a new lineage: "Children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God" (John 1:13, NIV).

God bless,
--Art--

The Truth about the Human Soul

2011-04-30T18:46:00.001-04:00

Are your mind, will, and emotions actually part of your soul? Or are they part of your spirit? You might be surprised at the answer I gave to a question from Jim who wrote:

I find your take on body, soul and spirit interesting and I have some tough questions for you (well I think they're tough). What happens when someone has a near death experience? He leaves his body, but it appears he still retains his soulish functions (i.e. mind, will emotions). Besides, what leaves the body? The spirit? The soul? An integration of both perhaps? I would like to hear your opinion on this question.

Great questions! They are indeed tough questions, but they're also ones that I've considered and researched before. You'll have to forgive the length of my reply, but I can't think of a more concise way to adequately show the scriptural foundation. I hope this sheds some light on what you're wondering.

First of all, the three parts of body, soul, and spirit are only listed in one place by name: 1 Thessalonians 5:23. We also see the principle of these three parts in Genesis 2:7, where it says that God formed man from the dust of the ground (body), breathed into him the breath of life (Hebrew here is "spirit"), and man became a living being (which could be translated as "soul," as it is in the American Standard Version). Notice that the concept of a soul comes into play when the body and spirit came together. These appear to be the only two places where all three parts are presented together.

However, what we do see over and over again in the Scripture is the contrast between body and spirit. This is because these are the primary parts of man. I liken it to the logo for MasterCard. The circle on the left is the body, the circle on the right is the spirit, and the interlocking portion in the middle--where the two main parts converge--is the soul. So while we do consist of three parts, the third part only exists because the first two have come together. When the two parts separate (as at death), the third part disappears. The soul only exists in the context of body and spirit being fused together.

So when someone has a near-death experience, it is his spirit which leaves his body. Paul said that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthains 5:8). This is confirmed in Psalm 146:4 and Ecclesiastes 12:7. Likewise, when Jesus died, the Bible says He gave up His spirit (Matthew 27:50). And when Jesus raised a dead girl back to life, it says that her spirit returned (Luke 8:55).

Here's where things get a little interesting. We say that the soul is the mind, will, and emotions, which is mostly true (as I'll back-up in a moment). But a deeper study shows that the true source for the mind, will, and emotions can be found in the spirit. A quick run through a concordance gives us a little insight into how the spirit functions:

A spirit can be stubborn (Deuteronomy 2:30)
A spirit can be bitter (1 Samuel 30:6)
A spirit can be in anguish (Job 7:11)
A spirit can be deceitful (Psalm 32:2)
A spirit can be crushed/brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18)
A spirit can be willing to serve God (Psalm 51:12, Matthew 26:41)
A spirit can be humble (Psalm 51:17, Isaiah 66:2)
A spirit can be embittered (Psalm 73:21)
A spirit can grow faint (Psalm 77:3, 142:3, 143:4)
A spirit can ask questions (Psalm 77:6)
A spirit can be faithful (Psalm 78:8)
A spirit can be proud (Proverbs 16:18)
A spirit longs for God's presence (Isaiah 26:9)
A spirit can be wayward (Isaiah 29:24)
A spirit can be distressed (Isaiah 54:6)
A spirit can be misguided and misleading (Ezekiel 13:3)
A spirit can be troubled (Daniel 7:15)
A spirit can rejoice in God (Luke 1:47)
A spirit can serve God (Romans 1:9)
A man's spirit knows his thoughts (1 Corinthians 2:11)
A spirit can be gentle (1 Corinthians 4:21)
A spirit can pray and sing (1 Corinthians 14:14-15)

Remember also that angels and demons are spirits, and they too exercise free will and free thought (otherwise Satan couldn't have rebelled against God). In short, the human spirit is the true source of one's mind, will, and emotions.

At the same time, though, when spirit and body come together, there is a sort of "infusion" that takes place. Notice in the above list how many of the spirit's traits are sinful: stubbornness, bitterness, deceit, pride, etc. Are we to believe that these traits came from God? No way! These are traits of the fallen nature of mankind. So how did they wind up in the God-breathed spirit? By the infusion of body and spirit. Our pure spirit, which came from God, gets contaminated when breathed into the corrupt flesh, which descended from Adam.

While God only creates what is good, righteous, and pure, the sinful nature of mankind causes us to be born into this world as fallen beings. Psalm 51:5 says that we are sinful from the moment of conception--which happens to be when the pure spirit from God is breathed into the corrupt flesh from Adam. Perhaps this is why 2 Corinthians 7:1 says that we must purify ourselves "from everything that contaminates body and spirit."

So what, then, is the soul? The soul is the mind, will, and emotions of the human spirit as they function within the context of a human body. It is both material and immaterial--part body and part spirit. This is why medical science can observe the soul at work in terms of biochemicals and glandular secretions, but they cannot comprehend life and consciousness. They can see the results of the spirit in the body, but they cannot observe the spirit itself because it is immaterial.

Again, the soul is the byproduct of body and spirit being together. Some problems in the soul are spiritual in nature: if deceit is in our spirit, then deceit will be in our soul. And some problems in the soul are physical in nature, like when you get grouchy because you haven't eaten or slept. If your soul is troubled because you haven't slept, it's not because you have something wrong spiritually. You just need some sleep! Likewise, if your spirit is troubled, then it won't matter how much sleep you get--your soul will still be troubled.

Lets look again at the sinful capabilities of the spirit. Remember, these take root at the moment of conception because of our fallen flesh. Therefore, the person in the world often doesn't know any difference between their soul and spirit--both act the same and are ruled by the desires of their flesh. But for the Christian, we have a distinction! Hebrews 4:12 says that the word of God divides soul and spirit like a sharp sword. This is necessary because the spirit of the Christian is no longer sinful and contaminated. On the contrary, Ezekiel 11:19, 18:31, and 36:26 all talk about God giving a person a NEW spirit.

When we "die with Christ" by relying on His sacrifice and considering our old life dead, our sinful spirit goes to the cross with Him. But Jesus didn't stay dead! If we have died with Him, then we are also raised with Him (Romans 6:5). Something happened in Jesus between "day 1" on the cross, during which He literally became sin so that sin could be put to death, and "day 3" when He rose from the dead, victorious over sin, death, and the grave. The same transition takes place in our lives. Second Corinthians 5:17 says that we become new creations: "the old has gone, the new has come!"

In Christ, our spirits are made perfect once again, renewed by the power of the Holy Spirit. And yet, we still tend to wrestle with sin in our mind, will, and emotions. Sometimes this is because we have not yet surrendered our entire spirit over to the Lord (thus requiring a fuller devotion and a deeper death on our part), and other times it is purely because of the desires of our flesh. Whichever the case, this is why the process of sanctification (or being made holy) is so important).

As true Christians, the word of God has come and drawn a distinction between soul and spirit. Whereas it used to be that our spirit was capable of stubbornness, bitterness, deceit, pride, and so forth, we now have a new spirit from the Lord. We start to see that our spirits desire what is right and in harmony with God's will, while the thoughts, will, and emotions of our souls tend to lean more toward spirit or flesh at any given moment. The believer's spirit can be trusted while the soul should always be questioned.

Granted, the spirit can still be contaminated as we live in this world (2 Corinthians 7:1). This is why we need to maintain a close relationship with the Lord by which we are continually cleansed and renewed. As David prayed after his sin with Bathsheba, "renew a right spirit within me."

Proverbs 20:27 says, "The human spirit is the lamp of the LORD that sheds light on one's inmost being." Your spirit is the real you. When it is alive in Christ, it exposes the sin in your soul caused by evil desires. It shines light on your inmost being. The contrast in your soul between what is spirit and what is flesh becomes gradually more apparent, and you find it easier and easier to live according to the spirit. Your thoughts aren't confused by the flesh anymore. You have self-control and a sound mind.

What does this mean for us when it comes to eternity and salvation?

Well, we've already seen that the salvation of our spirit comes when we surrender to Christ. The old has gone, the new has come. We receive new life as God gives us a new spirit. This aspect of salvation is instantaneous. But there is another part, which is still being worked out. First Peter 1:9 says that we are currently receiving the salvation of our souls. In other words, this part is a process that happens throughout life. This is likely the form of salvation Paul was talking about when He said to "work out your salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12). And thirdly, we have the salvation of our bodies, which will happen at the end of time when Jesus returns (1 Corinthians 15:35-58).

So when you die during this age, you spirit leaves your body. Your soul ceases to exist, and you stand before God as a spirit. Either your spirit is corrupt because of the contamination of this world, or your spirit is pure because of what Christ did in you by faith. Your spirit--whether pure in Christ or contaminated by the flesh--is free to function and exist without present influence from the desires of the flesh. It is thereby exposed for what it is.

And at the end of time, we will be given new bodies--perfect, glorified bodies. And can you guess what happens when a perfect, glorified body is united with a pure spirit? You have a clean and righteous soul that is free from corruption. This puts you in a condition in which it is easy to live for Christ throughout all eternity.

Again, I wish I could have given you a shorter answer, but I hope this solves your question.

God bless,
--Art--

Being a Source of Peace

2011-04-11T23:52:00.001-04:00

Did you know that as a Christian, you carry with you a supernatural peace that can influence the spiritual atmosphere wherever you go?

In Matthew 10, Jesus commissioned His 12 disciples to go into the surrounding cities: "As you go, proclaim this message: 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give" (Matthew 10:7-8, NIV).

But have you ever taken note of verse 13? There Jesus is talking about finding a place to stay while in the nearby villages. Then He says, "If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you."

This raises three questions for me. First, what determines whether a house is deserving? Second, how do I let my peace "rest" on a house? And third, why would Jesus want me to withdraw that peace from an undeserving house?

The first answer is easy. A deserving house is one in which you and your message are welcome. This is explained better in the very next verse: "If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet." If they receive your message--and ultimately Jesus--then let your peace rest there. Otherwise, don't.

The second answer requires a little bit of study. The Greek word for "rest" in this passage is "erchomai," which means to come from one place to another, to come into being, to arise, to come forth, to be revealed, to find influence, to be established, and to become known. It is the same Greek word used in Matthew 3:16 to say that the Holy Spirit--in the form of a dove--descended from heaven and "alighted" on Jesus. Just as the Holy Spirit came in bodily form and alighted on Jesus, you carry with you a spiritual peace that can come from you and alight in a place that is worthy.

Sound a little weird? I'll explain more in a moment.

And this brings us to the third answer. There is good reason to withdraw your peace from an undeserving house. If a person does not want to receive the message of Jesus--if they want to continue to live in sin--then they are better off without peace. With peace, they would be comfortable in their sin and remain unchanged. Without peace, they might be uncomfortable in sin and perhaps cry out to Jesus for salvation. As you can see, the people living in sin are better off without peace.

Wherever you go, seek to change the spiritual atmosphere for a time. Once the people have tasted the peace from God that you carry with you, they will be in a position to decide whether or not they want to receive the Source of that peace, which is Jesus Christ. If they want Him, then bless them and continue on your way. If they don't want Him, then withdraw your peace and don't leave it there.

How? How do we release or retrieve this peace? It's all a matter of authority. Jesus invaded a storm with His peace. "Peace! Be still!" The wind and the waves stopped immediately. He had the authority to rebuke the storm, and the result was peace across an entire lake. We also see it throughout the New Testament as the writers say things such as "Peace be with you." It's not just a meaningless colloquialism or cultural saying (like when we say "bless you" after a sneeze). Rather, these writers were exercising their spiritual authority to actually administer peace to the readers (see 1 Timothy 1:2, Titus 1:4, Philemon 1:3, 1 Peter 5:14, 2 Peter 1:2, 3 John 1:14, Jude 1:2, etc.).

Lets make this really practical. The people who live without Jesus are vulnerable to the enemy and live with constant inner turmoil. Many are desensitized to the chaos--not even realizing how lost they are without Jesus. Others are keenly aware that life is a mess. If you, then, being full of the Holy Spirit, come into that person's life, the peace within you should be influential enough to silence the storm in that one's heart, mind, and spirit. Those who are desensitized will be awakened to another way of life, and those who are aware will be intrigued by the shift in the atmosphere. This is why people are often drawn to Christians and say things like, "I always feel so good when I talk to you."

This peace is important because it enables the other person to focus on the message you speak. The ongoing destruction of the enemy is silenced for a time, and the person is free to hear the truth expressed in love. If he or she receives that message, then you have an opportunity to grant that person a blessing of peace. If he or she rejects the message, though, then you should let them know: "I'm sorry to hear that. Hey, if the chaos of everyday life gets to be too much for you, let me know. I'd be happy to talk to you about Jesus again. He wants you to surrender everything to Him, and then you can live in peace like I do."

You have a peace that needs to be shared. Be a good steward of that peace. Ask the Holy Spirit if you should let you peace rest with a people, or if you should withdraw whatever peace you have to offer and go your way. He will guide you in the most beneficial and effective direction.

As James 3:18 says, "Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness." The result of your peace is a taste of God's kingdom in the world around you. Lives will be changed, and miracles will happen.

By the way, if you feel like you don't have peace, and you're wondering how to get it in the first place, simply ask God for the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:22 tells us that peace is a natural result of having the Holy Spirit in your life. Furthermore, Paul said in Philippians 4:9, "Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."

In other words, act on the Scriptures. The more we steward peace through active ministry, the more peace we receive.

2 Thessalonians 3:16--Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you. (NIV)

God bless,
--Art--

Historical Evidence for Jesus Christ

2011-03-30T23:35:00.001-04:00

This week, I received a question from Nick, who wrote:

Hey Art,

Lately I've been looking up stuff to help me witness to people. One of the things I've been searching is proof that Jesus existed. I was on some web sites where non-believers were saying that the only proof we have is the Bible and Josephus's "forged letters."

I know Jesus is real, but where are the sources to prove so? Any solid concrete proof you know of?

The answer to this question is a HUGE one. If you really want to investigate it in-depth, check out A Case for Christ by Lee Strobel. He was a former atheist who investigated the historicity of Jesus and concluded that He must have been a real, historical person. Not only that, but his research convinced him that Jesus was and is indeed the Son of God.

An interesting DVD that I like to watch every year around Christmas is called The Bethlehem Star. It uses math to trace the solar, lunar, and astral events surrounding Jesus' birth and death. You can find out more about this (and pretty much read all the information and science) at BethlehemStar.net. I find this to be a pretty powerful scientific argument for the biblical account, and I highly recommend the DVD if you can get it.

As for Josephus, he wasn't writing mere letters--he was an historian. The atheists actually have no evidence that his writings were forged. On the contrary, they start with the idea that Jesus never existed; and if He never existed, then there couldn't possibly be any evidence for Him. Logically (they think), this means that any apparent evidence is either a forgery or a myth. All the while, their logic is based on a presupposition that has no basis apart from their own bias.

This would be like deciding that George Washington never existed, and then claiming that all the evidence for him is a forgery and a myth. Nonsense. Actually, there is more early historical documentation supporting the existence of Jesus than there is supporting the existence of George Washington. I can actually make a stronger case for Jesus' existence than Washington's.

If you want to see excerpts from a bunch of ancient writings that reference Jesus (including Josephus), check out Extra-Biblical Historical Evidence for the Life, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus. I can't vouch for the entire web site as i haven't investigated it, but I certainly appreciated the concise list of quotes.

Even better (in my opinion) is an article explaining some of these ancient historians, which can be read at Ancient Evidence for Jesus from Non-Christian Sources.

I hope this helps!

Finally, I just posted a new teaching in the e-store titled Ten Keys for Sharing Your Faith with an Atheist. As always, if you can't afford the teaching, simply e-mail me, and I'd be happy to send you a free link.

God bless!
--Art--

Ministry Update: Baby Boy, Book Release, and More!

2011-03-25T23:17:00.000-04:00

Hello, friends!

I have more good news than I can handle, and I thought I'd share some of it with all of you! In today's ministry update, I'll share briefly on each of the following:

Our new baby boy!
Our new book release!
Our new traveling ministry!
Our new business!
Our new web sites!

Our new baby boy:
Josiah Samuel was born about five and a half weeks early on January 29th, 2011. He was 5 lbs. 3 oz. and 17 inches long. From the start, he was a healthy baby boy! Today, he and mommy are doing great. Thank you to those who saw our Facebook updates and prayed for us that week!

Our new book release:
The Word of Knowledge in Action (foreword by John Sandford and endorsed by Bill Johnson, Robert Ricciardelli, R. Loren Sandford, and others) will be officially released on May 1, 2011; though I'll have my copies some time in early April. You can download a free small group study and order signed copies of the book at my new web site, WordOfKnowledge.org.

Our new traveling ministry:
Starting April 11th, Robin and I will begin traveling far more extensively. We'll start at a seniors' gathering in Michigan on the 12th and then travel to Pennsylvania for (1) a young adults meeting on the 13th, (2) a leaders meeting on the 15th, (3) a Deliverance and Inner Healing seminar on the 16th, and (4) a Sunday service on the 17th. Then we'll come back to Michigan to minister at some local churches.

We're looking for more churches to visit and serve, so please share our information with your friends and pastors. Check our ArtThomas.org for more information.

Our new business:
To supplement our traveling ministry, my wife and I will be getting back into the world of web site development, which we left a few years ago so we could devote our time to youth ministry. If you or someone you know needs an affordable, professional web site, please e-mail me at Art@NewSiteNow.com.

Our new web sites:
In addition to WordOfKnowledge.org and ArtThomas.org, you may have noticed that we now have a new e-store at store.ArtThomas.org. All the prices and information are the same as the old store, but the new format will allow for more versatility and growth. As always, if you can't afford a download, just e-mail me and I'll be happy to send you a link free of charge. Same goes for material products like books and CDs--I'd be happy to send them at cost (shipping and materials). I care more about your spiritual growth than my income!

You may have also seen that we launched the site for the Wildfire School of Supernatural Ministry. If you'll be in southeast Michigan this summer, be sure to check us out!

Finally, be sure to check out and "Like" the Facebook pages for:

Art Thomas Ministries:

The Word of Knowledge in Action:

Wildfire School of Supernatural Ministry:

SupernaturalTruth.com:

Now that all these things are in place, I'll be getting back into writing here on the blog; so stay tuned for more teachings in the coming weeks!

God bless,
--Art--

Effective Spiritual Authority

2011-02-28T11:25:00.000-05:00

Have you ever wondered why some people seem to have more success in spiritual warfare than others? If Jesus gives the same authority to every believer, why do some seem to be more effective at healing the sick, casting out demons, and engaging in spiritual warfare?

Today I will show you how to truly walk in the authority of Christ.

There are two basic types of authority that we all deal with--both in the natural and spiritual realms: positional and relational.

Imagine that you're driving down the road and an average person starts flashing his headlights at you. Would you pull over?

Of course not. But in the ridiculous event that you did, suppose the man got out of his car and approached you in a Hawaiian shirt and cut-off shorts. Would you give him your license and registration?

Suppose he said, "You're under arrest! Come with me!" Would you go?

No way! Such a person has no positional authority.

Positional authority, as the name suggests, has to do with one's position. A police officer has positional authority because he or she has been granted that position by someone with higher positional authority, like a police chief, who got his job from the mayor; and the list continues up the line until ultimately ending with God (Romans 13:1). It doesn't matter if you have never met the person before; you had better listen to what he or she says. You may not like positional authority, but that's why police officers carry nightsticks, Tasers, and guns!

Romans 13:2-4--Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. (NIV)

Positional authority is always granted from the top down. Relational authority, on the other hand, comes from the bottom. It has to do with the authority that one person grants another in the context of relationship.

A great example is a mentor. Mentoring relationships that are based on positional authority often fail because it is not the right context for intimate questions and accountability. But mentoring relationships that have been sought out by the person desiring to be mentored are consistently more effective. Relational authority is built on trustworthy consistency over time.

Other examples of relational authority could include trusted friends, spouses, and spiritual leaders.

To reiterate, positional authority is granted by someone with higher authority--ultimately being traced to God. Relational authority, on the other hand, is granted to a person by someone who wants to be a follower.

This is very important: Positional authority only works until it is trumped by relational authority. Parents may have positional authority in the home, but if they grant their children too much leniency, the kids will start to rule the house! A husband may have positional authority from God, but if he bends to his wife’s every whim, he has granted her relational authority. Or suppose you are pulled over by a real police officer, and when he approaches your car, you realize that it's a friend of yours who is a pushover and always agrees with everything you say. That person may have positional authority, but you could probably get away by jumping into a lighthearted conversation, making the friend laugh, changing the subject, and saying, "See you later!"

With enough time, relational authority trumps positional authority. On the other hand, relational authority can also be granted in an instant if the potential leader is convincing enough.

We grant relational authority every day to people who we don't have to follow. We go where our coworker wants to eat for lunch, we do what our friend wants to do in the evening, and we even step out of the way of strangers who seem frustrated at the supermarket, letting them get their way. There would be no consequences from God for disagreeing with these people because He has not granted them positional authority; but for whatever reasons--good or bad--we go along with whatever they say. We grant them relational authority even though they aren't officially authority figures.

Spiritual Application

By now, you should have a decent grasp on the concept of positional authority versus relational authority. Now it's time to bring all this together.

According to Paul, Jesus Christ willingly gave up His positional authority and came to earth as an average person who gained influence through relational authority.

Philippians 2:5-8--Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! (NIV)

That's powerful to me! Jesus didn't come to earth and command people to follow Him. Rather, He invited them. He was consistent and trustworthy. The crowds were drawn to Him. If they left, He didn't burn down their houses or send His disciples out like thugs to beat them. When James and John wanted to call down fire on a Samaritan village for rejecting them, Jesus rebuked the young men (Luke 9:51-55). Jesus could have exerted His positional authority on earth, but He knew that relational authority was more powerful.

Nevertheless, while it is true that Jesus practiced relational authority in regard to mankind, He always expressed positional authority toward sin, sickness, unbelief, Satan, and demons.

Jesus also shared that positional authority with His disciples:

Matthew 10:1--He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. (NIV)

Luke 10:19--I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. (NIV)

Matthew 28:18-19a--Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations... (NIV)

To echo the words of Paul that I quoted earlier from Philippians two, "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus..." When it comes to people, an attitude of love and compassion requires that you try to earn relational authority with them. Don't force your beliefs on people--rather, model those beliefs consistently and regularly invite people into the Truth you have received. But when it comes to the enemy, use the positional authority that Christ has given you, and don't be afraid to command demons to leave and never return (Mark 9:25).

Many Christians think they don't have this authority in Christ because they have never seen it in operation. Their problem is not that they don't have positional authority. They do have it. The problem is that we so often give the enemy relational authority by surrendering ourselves to his desires, thus stepping out from under the covering of Christ.

Remember, you have the keys to grant relational authority to whomever you like, and relational authority trumps positional authority. Whenever you give in to the enemy's desires, you surrender your spiritual position. Metaphorically speaking, suddenly you're the parent whose kids are running the house. You're the husband whose wife leads the family. You're the pushover police officer whose friend just weaseled out of a ticket. You have positional authority over demons as long as you don't choose to relationally surrender to the desires of those demons.

If you want to see greater victory over the enemy, then stop letting the enemy have victory over you. Jesus purchased your freedom. Take every thought captive. Guard your heart. trust in the sufficiency of Christ to keep you spiritually free. Maintain your positional authority over the enemy by refusing to grant him relational authority.

God bless,
--Art--

The Greatest Threat to Mankind

2011-02-27T22:27:00.001-05:00

It would be easy to assume that the greatest threat to our wellbeing is the devil and his demons. Actually, this couldn’t be farther from the truth. In reality, the devil isn't much of a threat at all.

For those of us who are living in relationship with God, Satan is an inferior spiritual being whose only real power can be found in the lies we will believe. And for those who do not have a relationship with God, demons should be the least of their worries. Such people have made a greater enemy for themselves.

Colossians 1:21—Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. (NIV)

Our God is a good and loving God. In fact, He is so good that we can't even comprehend the magnitude of His goodness. His love has no limits, and His passion for us can't be measured. But for some reason, many people make themselves His enemies, choosing to disregard Him and live for themselves. God does not want to be an enemy to us, but we often choose to oppose Him.

The result is that people find themselves without His loving protection, and a day is coming when everything that is not eternally protected in Him will be destroyed. The heavens, the earth, and everything in them will be destroyed. And if a man chooses to be an enemy of this amazing, all-powerful God, then he has placed himself in the way of that destruction. Instead of an eternity with the God who loves him, he has "only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God" (Hebrews 10:27).

Notice how Peter describes this destruction, but pay closer attention to how he describes God in the midst of it:

2 Peter 3:9-14—The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.

So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. (NIV)

Our loving Father could have ended everything thousands of years ago, but He doesn't want anyone to perish. He wants those who live as His enemies to change their hearts and come to Him. God will put off the end of time as long as possible so that everyone has an opportunity to discover His love (Romans 2:4). But He has promised an end; and in His righteousness, He can't wait forever.

When Jesus admonished, "love your enemies," He wasn't telling us to do something outrageous. He was simply encouraging us to do what He already does. Even when the whole world stood opposed to Him, God provided a way out by sending Christ. If God wanted people to suffer for their sins, then He wouldn't have sent Jesus to provide a way out of the future destruction. God loves His enemies and embraces everyone who repents and comes to Him.

Romans 5:10—For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! (NIV)

The greatest threat to mankind is not demons; it is actually the One who loves us most. If you want to be God's enemy, then go for it. Let me just warn you that it's a bad idea. I would recommend with Peter that you "make every effort" to live at peace with Him. Make Him your stronghold, and He will protect you. He loves you beyond measure, and He has provided a way out of the future destruction by offering to be your protection and peace.

God bless,
--Art--

Ghosts or Evil Spirits? ...and How Do We Deal with Them?

2011-02-21T22:58:00.001-05:00

Have you ever encountered an evil spirit in a place? American television is littered with "ghost hunter" programs in which curious people with no authority jump into situations that are way over their heads. Without the authority of Christ, all these people can do is propagate fear to the masses. They're not dealing with ghosts as they suppose. They're interacting with demons who love planting seeds of fear in the hearts of mankind.

Today I received a question from "Maggie" who asked:

I am sort of embarrassed to ask a question about this, but I know I need a Christian answer.

I have been a born again, non-denominational, Bible-believing Christian for 10 years. My husband is also, but He is currently deployed in the military. We recently purchased a home, and my daughter and myself moved without my husband due to his deployment.

Immediately upon moving in, I felt a strange presence (evil spirit?); mostly in my room (the master bedroom), and I sort of tried to disregard the feeling even though I discerned something was not right. After a few months, I began experiencing some uncomfortable, inexplicable sounds and smells, which were completely frightening.

Just recently, my daughter saw a "shadow" from the hallway on her door. I saw a similar shadow last night, followed by the most horrendous and most frightening nightmare that I have ever experienced in my life. I woke up completely wet in sweat and shaking. I wanted to pack up my daughter and leave, but instead I turned on every light in the house, opened my Bible to Luke, and started to pray.

I just need some advise as to how I should proceed. I know I have the authority in Jesus Christ to stand firm and to overcome. But I also understand that Godly counsel and reinforcement from fellow Christians is important. My human side wants to flee, but I also know that in Christ, He alone is in control, and He will protect us.

Please understand that both my husband and I are professionals, and we live in a beautiful home in an affluent neighborhood. I have never experienced such terror, and I need some suggestions, and mostly and immediately, prayer.

Thanks.

Here is my reply to Maggie:

Hi Maggie,

Thank you for contacting me! Your story is nothing to be embarrassed of. In fact, it's a very common one that I've helped walk people through in the past. You're right that it is an evil spirit, and I think I can give you some insight.

When I was first growing in my relationship with Christ, I went on a trip with my pastor. As soon as we walked into our hotel room, he started praying and asked that the Lord would cleanse the room of any sin/evil that had taken place there in the past. Then he told me something that has stuck with me ever since. He said, "I've never been in a hotel room that didn't come with baggage."

Years later, my wife and I were on our honeymoon. I didn't think about what my pastor said, though, until it was the middle of the night and I was waking up with the same symptoms you described--nightmare, shaking, and sheets soaked with sweat. When I woke up, I "saw" a "man" standing at the foot of the bed, and I was gripped with fear. I commanded him to leave in the name of Jesus, and he ran out. The whole atmosphere of the hotel room changed to one of peace.

The same can be true of houses. When that same pastor was between homes, he and his family were staying in a rented house for a few weeks. I helped him move into the rented house and immediately felt like something was wrong. I couldn't put my finger on it--something just felt spiritually dark in the atmosphere. Standing in the kitchen, I explained to him and his wife what I was feeling, and that's when I physically heard a growl. No one else heard it, but I heard it as clear as if a dog had been next to me. It came from the cupboard under the sink. When I opened the cupboard, there was a one-gallon jug of gin. "Alcoholism," I said. The feeling I had was now making sense.

Just then, my pastor's kids ran in and said, "Dad, you have to see the basement!" We walked downstairs to find that the finished basement had a full bar set up. Clearly, through the previous owners' sin of drunkenness, an evil spirit had been given legal access to that house. If we hadn't dealt with it, it would have had an opportunity to mess with the new occupants. Instead, however, God placed us in that house to bring a new spiritual atmosphere for future occupants. I can't describe how it all works, but I have had enough experiences to know that it's real (and not outside the realm of what is biblical).

My first suggestion is that you ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any foothold in your own heart that might compromise your authority over that demon. It sounds like you've been walking in close relationship with the Lord for some time now, so you're already in the right condition to exercise the authority of Christ. But if the Holy Spirit brings some sinful action or mindset to your attention, it's best to deal with that first.

Second, ask the Lord to empower you with His Holy Spirit. In John 20:22, Jesus breathed on His disciples and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit." This was before He ascended into heaven. So the question naturally arises as to what happened on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2:1-4. If they had already received the Holy Spirit, what was so special about their experience with the mighty wind and the tongues of fire? It must have been important because in Luke 24:49 and Acts 1:4, Jesus admonished His disciples not to go anywhere or do anything until they were clothed with the power of the Holy Spirit.

My point is that every Christian has the Holy Spirit within them. Ephesians 1:13 says that from the moment we believed, God gave us His Holy Spirit as a seal--a stamp of approval, if you will. But Jesus was clear that this wasn't enough if these same disciples were to spread this Gospel throughout the world. To the very same disciples who had already received the Holy Spirit, Jesus said, "Wait here until you receive what My Father promised," and then explained, "...you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you..." (Acts 1:4 and 8). As Christians, we need more than the seal of the Holy Spirit on our lives. We need also need His power. If you have more questions about this, please let me know.

Finally, take authority in the name of Jesus. Command the spirits to leave, and ask the Lord to bring peace into your home. In Luke 10:19, Jesus promised, "I have given you the authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you." Trust that His authority is enough.

I'm going to send you a free link to an audio teaching I did about our authority over the enemy. It's titled "Deliverance Ministry." I think it would really be an encouragement to you.

If you have any further questions, feel free to ask.

God bless,
--Art--

Interpreting Visions from the Lord

2011-02-11T13:09:00.001-05:00

Last week, I received an interesting question from Mitesh, who asked, "I see triple numbers in flashes while awake or asleep--like '111' or '888.' It's mostly '111.' What should I do with these things?"

Here is the reply I gave to Mitesh:

Hi Mitesh,

Flashes of numbers, words, or pictures can sometimes be a means of the Lord speaking to us. I have heard many testimonies of Christians seeing flashes of the number "911" in the weeks and months before the World Trade Center terrorist attacks of 9-11-01. For what it's worth, I think this could very likely be Him.

The question, then, is what could be meant by the numbers you're seeing. In Zechariah 1:9 and 19, the prophet responds to some puzzling visions by simply asking, "What are these?" The same way the Lord gave you the vision, He can also give you the interpretation. So try asking Him what the numbers mean.

Through Jesus Christ, God invites us into relationship with Himself. Trust that Jesus has made a way for you to commune with the Father and simply ask what your vision means. I find it interesting that in Luke 11:1 (perhaps this has to do with 111?), one of the disciples asks Jesus, "Lord, teach us to pray." Ask Him to teach you how to commune with Him. Ask Him to reveal the meaning of the vision, and He will.

The prophet Daniel found himself in a life-threatening scenario in which the king of Babylon was demanding his magicians and wise men to do more than interpret a dream he had; he wanted them to also tell him the dream itself! When no one could do it, Daniel came and pled for his life and the lives of others by asking for some time.

Daniel 2:17-23--Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven and said:

“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;
   wisdom and power are his.
He changes times and seasons;
   he deposes kings and raises up others.
He gives wisdom to the wise
   and knowledge to the discerning.
He reveals deep and hidden things;
   he knows what lies in darkness,
   and light dwells with him.
I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors:
   You have given me wisdom and power,
you have made known to me what we asked of you,
   you have made known to us the dream of the king.” (NIV)

So, Mitesh, I would recommend that you cry out to the Revealer of Mysteries and ask Him for an interpretation. And I would add, continue to seek Him even after you have an answer. Ask Him to show you what to do with the answer. Ask Him how to respond. Then, whatever you sense from the Lord, see if it lines up with what God has already said in the Bible. He won't contradict Himself.

God bless,
--Art--

How Long Should a Sermon Be?

2011-02-07T11:18:00.001-05:00

How long should a sermon be to get powerful results?

Yesterday I visited Fowlerville Freedom Center, a church I helped plant about seven years ago in the rural community of Fowlerville, Michigan. My former pastor, Dan Vander Velde, brought me up front to introduce me to the church that has now doubled in size since I left two and a half years ago. Then, without any warning, he said, "Art doesn't know I'm going to do this, but I'm just going to give him the mic and let Art do what Art does."

I preached for barely 5 minutes about the Gospel--how Jesus has purchased our forgiveness, physical healing, and deliverance from the enemy. Then I invited everyone who needed to receive one of those three things to stand. About 90% of the people stood, and then we prayed.

When I gave the microphone back ten minutes later, we had already heard immediate testimonies of healing and deliverance. The Holy Spirit didn't need me to convince people of anything. He just needed room to move.

I actually learned this principle from Pastor Dan way back when we planted that church. He shared the shortest sermon I have ever heard in my life.

First, he had someone read Peter's "Day of Pentecost" sermon (Acts 2:14-29). Following Peter's original message, 3,000 people were added to the Church. Admittedly, verse 40 says that Peter warned them with "many other words," but the point was that the message itself was easily expressed in about 45 seconds worth of text. That's all it took! The entire focus of Peter's sermon could be conveyed in 45 seconds!

My pastor then said, "It's not about how much you say; it's about the Jesus you reveal."

And that was the end! Shortest sermon I ever heard, and yet, it was one of the most memorable.

Long sermons can be effective, but they often aren't very memorable. Consider, for instance, the story of Paul and Eutychus in Acts 20:7-12. Paul preached so long that Eutychus fell asleep and tipped right out the second story window, plummeting to his death. I find it rather funny that Luke didn't see fit to reproduce the contents of Paul's sermon when he wrote the book of Acts. The long-winded message was forgotten, but everyone remembered that Paul raised Eutychus from the dead!

Does this mean that God doesn't use long sermons? Of course not. Actually, the longest sermon I ever heard was also preached by Pastor Dan--it was 3 hours long. But since it was inspired by the Holy Spirit, it was not a problem to listen for that long. Again, what counts is not the length but rather the presence of Jesus.

Whether you're preaching to a crowd or sharing the Gospel with a friend, the goal is not to blabber on and on about how much you know. Why bore a person with unnecessary details? Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and considerate of the other person. Share only the details that are truly necessary in the moment. Focus on the word God has placed on your heart and don't worry about explaining all around it unless the person asks you for more detail. In this way, we can love Christ and love others.

It's not about how much you say; it's about the Jesus you reveal.

God bless!
--Art--

5 Things a Christian Should Do on a Snow Day

2011-02-02T11:12:00.001-05:00

With much of America buried by the massive winter storm that just rolled through, I thought I'd offer my thoughts on five things a Christian should do on a snow day:

Make a snow man.
Spend time with friends and family.
Call someone you haven't talked to in a while.
Drink some hot chocolate.
Take a nap.

If that sounds too "unspiritual" to you, remember that the Lord has a purpose for resting. Even He rested on the seventh day of creation; so if you don't think you need rest, are you saying you're better than God?

Christians can have fun too. :-)

Have a nice break!
--Art--

P.S.--I suppose I could add "pray" to that list; but if you're really a Christian, you won't need someone to put it on a list for you!