Overview

The book is about developing followers of Jesus who make history His-story – who gain influence in society through invitation (character) and then transform the thinking and culture through the supernatural, combined with the wisdom of Christ.

The reason the author wrote the book is to unfold the mysteries of the Kingdom of God that lie in the invisible realm in order to equip the saints with spiritual gifts and to train them to build strategic alliances with Heavenly allies. The author’s intent is that this book would lead the body of Christ to victories never before heard or experienced – bringing Heaven to earth.

Key points:

• I am the bridge between what should be and what will be – between history and His-story.
• True discipleship is meant to empower people to be transformed into the image of Christ. Religion redefines discipleship, conforming people into replicas of their leaders.
• We must come to the forefront of spiritual understanding so we can lead the nations from darkness to light.
• Jesus developed a faith culture around Him that resulted in Him trusting people before they deserve it… resulting in 11 world changers and one person killing himself.
• Risk opens the door to the adventure in God; nothing supernatural happens without it.
• When people who don’t have the core values of the kingdom (love, honor, freedom, empowerment) try to operate in the supernatural ministry they become destructive rather than constructive.
• Disicpling of nations means assuming the role of training and fathering.
• When the reality of God’s mercy, that we no longer face any punishment for our sins, truly penetrates our souls, there is a simple and natural response… we extend mercy.
• God doesn’t need to create justice through judgment because He already did that in the person of Jesus.
• Believers have greater authority in the Spiritual realm. Unrealized, we become destructive rather than constructive and end up destroying the people we are supposed to preserve.
• In cultivating a supernatural lifestyle we also need accountability for the things done in the Lord’s Name.
• God is always speaking, but He is not human and His first language is not English.
• The Great Commission is to do mega-works with God – to do mission impossible.
• You can alter the course of history through prophetic declarations.
• The goal of true discipleship isn’t that we know the bible but we experience truth and become like the One who teaches us – Jesus Christ.
• “How can we have revival when we value a book the early Church didn’t have over the Holy Spirit they did have?” Bill Johnson
• Be equipped with the gift of wisdom as well as the miraculous to understand the root causes and the Holy Spirit prescription for it, not just healing.

My Personal Learning

In reading this book, the power filled message of the gospel re-sounded in me again – I am powerful and sent to alter history. I was most impacted by the statement:

“Religion has a way of sucking the most powerful people on the planet into a spiritual look-alike contest and calling it discipleship.”

I realized what I have grown up with being called equipping and empowering has been equipping but not empowering. Now I feel free to be me. To create. To dream. To do the impossible. There are no limitations or control on what I can go after. The poor, the lame, the blind, the lost are waiting to see what I have learned.

Action Steps:

1. How is your life re-presenting Christ? What does your life declare about what you believe? If someone observed you from a distance would it be obvious you are a follower of Jesus?

2. Take a risk and DO the works of Jesus. Where do you need to cross the chicken line and just do it?

3. What will you do this week to empower someone around you? Who is waiting for you to believe in them more than they believe in themselves and be launched into a lifestyle that pulls on Heaven?

“Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will never die, but long after we are gone will be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing insistency. Remember that our sons and grandsons are going to do things that would stagger us. Let your watchword be order and your beacon beauty. Think big.” – Daniel Burnham, 1909, The Chicago Plan which, 100 years later, still influences the way city’s are planned in regard to form, function and beauty.

“This will be written for the generation to come, That a people yet to be created may praise the LORD.” Psalm 102:18

Abraham had a dream that went beyond his lifetime. King David had a dream that went beyond his lifetime. Jesus had a dream that went beyond His lifetime. That dream was YOU. “God had a dream and wrapped your body around it” (Lou Engle).

Small dreams, fun dreams, adventure dreams are all wonderful but it is the BIG dreams that keep us on course for life – that provide the beacon, the internal GPS system through life that keeps us on course. As Danny Silk says in his Dream Life talk, big dreams not only help you stay on course, but help you define what to say ‘yes’ and ‘no’ to. Big dreams help define your life.

In addition to keeping us on course in life, the size of our dreams reveals the Creator in and through us. It is hard to have a BIG GOD and a small dream. We serve the LIMITLESS ONE who calls us to live a life dependant on a realm we dont see. We were born to do the impossible. What impossible things is He calling you to do?

A couple of months after writing out my list of 100 dreams I was in a sunday service and we had a time of praying for the person next to us. A man I’d never met was behind me and after praying asked me if he could give me a message from God. “Sure,” I said. He then said “I feel like God is saying to you to dream bigger.” I felt like saying “Dont you know that Im the dream guy?!” The next thing Kris Vallotton said from the pulpit “There are people here that God is telling to dream bigger.” Wow! Was I getting a message!

Later that day I went through each one of my dreams and expanded them by number and by realm of influence. No longer could I achieve the dreams on my own or within my existing sphere of influence, or within my lifetime. By the time I’d finished I was so overwhelmed (maybe I should say ‘scared’) with them that I didnt want to show anyone. But the amazing thing was that after a month or two of looking over them in secret, I suddenly realized that they were SUPPOSED to ‘scare’ me. They are SUPPOSED to go beyond my lifetime. They are SUPPOSED to lean on resources and community beyond what I have access to. Suddenly my anxiety turned into anticipation as I embraced the BIGNESS of a loving Father God who was inviting me into more of His Presence and power that He couldnt wait to share with me….and those yet to be born! God WITH US is REALLY God with us! What a journey, what an adventure, what a God!

Ive been thinking over some of the recent successes in my life and the lives of people around me and I realize it’s got nothing to do with how brilliant we may or may not be; it’s got everything to do with just doing something. Ghandi, Martin Luther King, Mother Theresa, William Wilberforce… they all shared the same start: when they were unknown they just did something and that simple action propelled them into a momentum that never stopped. They just did it. They stopped talking about it, thinking about it, waiting for it. They just did it.

Prince Jonathan, the son of King Saul in the bible was the same (see 1 Samuel 14). His people were surrounded and outnumbered and outclassed by an enemy that held the high ground. His father, King Saul, the epic commander and hero from a previous battle was sitting under a tree contemplating the situation… for days. Jonathan eventually turned to his armor bearer and said something like “Hey, let’s just do something. Let’s go up and attack the enemy and see what God will do.” His armor bearer was equally as naive or ignorant or stupid or courageous so they went for it. Jonathan said “It may be that the LORD will work for us. For nothing restrains the LORD from saving by many or by few.”

Sure enough, the Lord did work on their behalf. Jonathan and his armor bearer instigated a tipping point in the war. It even seemed like God had been waiting for them to act – waiting to show himself strong on behalf of those who demonstrate who their God is by the way they live their lives. When they just did it, God also showed up and shook the ground beneath the enemy causing such terror they started killing one another. Not only that but the Israelites who had defected and those who had deserted and hid, were catalyzed back into alignment with their identity and fought for the nation they were born into. Who is waiting for you to act? Who does your life say you belong to? What could you do today to ‘just do it’ and move towards your dream?

Show me your faith. James

Well done is better than well said. Benjamin Franklin

Dont tell me what you believe, show me. Bill Johnson

If I dont do the works of my Father, do not believe me. Jesus

She talked about the pain of losing all her dreams and plans, and of the rejection of hearing the person she was closest to say, ‘I don’t want you.’ “The crying part is over,” she whispered sadly. “But I sit at home evenings, and sometimes this urge overtakes me to just find somebody, anybody, who will go out with me, just so I can feel I am not alone.”

Our basic human desires are powerful. When we crave love, or recognition, or freedom, or belonging; the forces of willpower and discipline often seem powerless to contain that desire. Paul has this in mind when he talks about grappling with “a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members” (Rm. 7:23). The basic human needs built into his physical body made it impossible for him to will himself to his lofty ideals.

So how do you coach a person in the grip of an overpowering desire?

The question that turned this conversation was, “What do you really want? What would having a boyfriend give you that you long for when you sit alone at home?”

“Belonging,” she replied after a moment’s thought. “And a sense of being valuable. When he dumped me, I felt like a candy wrapper tossed out a car window on the interstate—like something worthless you pitch without a thought.”

“Is being valued something you really desire?”

“Yeah. My dad was never really good at that, either—I think of all the soccer games he missed and the report cards he never looked at, and being shooed out of the house so he could slouch in that old green chair every weekend watching football all day. I felt like I was more of a bother than a daughter,” she ended, a tear trickling down her cheek.

After a moment’s consolation, I asked, “Do you want to try something to fill that desire?”

“Sure,” she answered.

“Okay, this is fun. Close your eyes for a minute, and ask, ‘Jesus, how am I valuable to you?’ or, ‘What do you value about me?’ and let’s see what he says. When you’ve got something, let me know. Sound good?”

“Okay,” she replied closing her eyes and putting out her hands palm up, as if to receive.

A minute later she opened her eyes. “Wow,” she exclaimed. “I just felt this sense of being welcomed, of having a special place with him. And I felt like he was saying he has had his eye on me ever since I was a little girl. I never realized that—that he is paying special attention to me all the time. Wow.”

We did several more exercises like that around belonging and value, enabling her to experience Jesus actively touching her desires. At the end of the session, she decided on an action step of practicing these ‘desire prayers’ every day.

“I am used to asking God to help me and to help others, and praying about what he wants me to do and all the things I need to change, but I’ve never really asked him how he feels about me. It’s like I talk to God about business, but never about us. I need to learn to pray like this!”

The secret of coaching desire is that our human desires were designed to be filled within our relationship with God. So in these situations, one of the best ways to coach is to lead people into a relationship-focused conversation with Jesus, and then just sit back and watch him do his thing. I get paid the same when Jesus does the coaching, and he is amazingly effective to boot.

There are several keys to making this approach work:

• Your Faith

When you coach this way, you are lending the person your faith that God will speak to them powerfully in a minute. For this to work, you have to believe it will work—in the settled, assured, almost casual way that comes from experiencing it over and over yourself and having it be second nature. Faith is not hoping something good will happen—it is knowing it will. That type of knowing comes from practicing this in your own life.

• No Pressure

When we are anxious we don’t hear God very well. If you are anxious, the person you are coaching will be, too. One way to lessen anxiety is to have them ask God a question and then tell you ‘what they experienced’ after a minute instead of ‘what they heard’.

• Encounter, not Theology.

Faith comes by hearing the Rhema (spoken word) of Christ, not through hearing the Logos (the written word). To paraphrase, faith comes through experiencing Jesus talking to you. Knowing the right words or reciting scripture doesn’t have the power to control desires. Because desires are designed to be filled in relationship with Jesus, you address them by relating—by talking to each other. The relationship itself fills the desire. So while Logos teaches me about the relationship, Rhema impacts me through the relationship. Another way of saying this is that what we’ve learned through intense experiences (the wrong beliefs and defenses protecting our hearts that we want to change) can only be addressed by having different experiences.

One of the primary reasons I launched the Leadership Metaformation Institute was to train coaches and leaders in this inside-out way of working at change. If you’d like to learn to help people meet Jesus in their deepest desires, visit www.Meta-Formation.com.

Tony Stoltzfus is a master coach and coach trainer who has authored eight books on coaching and trained thousands of leaders on how to coach.

Together with Blake and Linda Schellenberg, Eric Hess and Antje Jordan, I took a team of 21 Heaven in Business track students from Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry to New York’s Finance District. We sent teams into the NYSE, prayed for individual business leaders, met with marketplace business groups, did a Heaven in Business workshop and did random acts of hope throughout Manhattan and the harbor. The overall outcome was life being released everywhere we went. Not only that but we were so encouraged and inspired ourselves that Ive already received numerous requests from the team as to when we can return. We have been ruined for ‘normal.’ A desire fulfilled truly is a tree of life.

Below are some highlight testimonies of our trip. They are written as bite-size testimonies so you can copy and paste them to spread the good news.

4.9.13 Presence Invades NYSE

Group of business revivalists went to the New York Stock Exchange with the question “What happens when the Presence of God (peace) is released in Wall St?” They had amazing favor to go throughout the building, onto the podium and into the board room to release “Peace to this house” (see Luke 10:5, 6). They were invited to pray for individuals who received healing, prophetic words, encouragement, refreshing and a general release of hope. At the same time the Dow Jones broke out of it’s rising plane to reach record highs three days in a row. The USA today reported “..the Dows revival” (see USA Today article ). CNN Money reported “All three indexes had one of their best weeks of the year… there hasn’t been any one catalyst pushing stocks higher lately” (see CNN Money). Even the weather was dramatically different from the previous week’s mid 40’s to mid 70’s! #godlovesbusiness

A group of business revivalists visited the NYSE on an ‘educational’ tour. As word got around people started to ask for prayer. One trader was about to get therapy on his neck. He had a stable fracture in his C2 vertebrae. He got the businessmen to follow him outside so they could pray unrestricted. If he turned to the right he had pain of a 7/10. The three businessmen prayed once and the pain immediately dropped to a 4/10. They prayed a second time and the pain completely disappeared. The trader stood back visibly impacted, moving his neck freely and saying “Ive never felt this before… I feel a warmth inside.”

Another trader had pain in his thigh/hamstring. After prayer and a prophetic word he tried to test his leg to make it hurt. When he couldn’t find any pain he said…. “this is weird!” #notweird #newnormal

4.9.13 Marketplace Leader Healed of Back Pain

Business revivalists met with marketplace group in New York and went in to NYSE to pray and release peace into the heart of America’s finance industry. The marketplace leader (ex NYSE trader) was struggling with back pain to the point of not being able to communicate clearly and about to leave. One of the business team offer to pray for him and found out one of his legs was shorter than the other. His left leg grew out 3/4 ” and all back pain disappeared.  He tried to make it hurt again and he couldn’t. This was so good because he was the one setting up prayer for everyone else on floor of NYSE and got encounter with God for himself when he was least expecting it.

4.9.13 Revival in Restaurant

Group of business people were out to dinner Junior’s Cheesecakes, Times Square, NYC. By the end of the meal the waitress wanted to know who they were and what they were up to in New York. They mentioned they were business ministry school students and they were here to visit and pray for business people. They then gave the example/ testimony of a NYSE trader healed from C2 stable fracture. She was amazed. They asked her if she had pain and she didn’t so they asked if they could tell her what the Father saw in her. She asked if that was psychic. They said no it was Jesus, so she let them speak into her identity. They saw picture of her being held by a father who was rocking and crying with delight over her. She said she never had a father. They continued to speak Father’s blessing and then dropped a 50% tip into the mix. She was rocked. They then asked if there were any of her colleagues who had physical pain. She left to find server who had a busted cruciate ligament. They asked him if he had heard the testimony from the stock exchange. He said no so they asked waitress to tell him. She did! Then they prayed and prophesied over him and the pain in his knee dropped while his mobility increased.

4.11.13 Divine Business

Two business revivalists in the insurance industry had a business meeting in New York. One was from the West coast and the other had responsibility for northeast portion of US market. He took over the Manhattan office in 2011. Of the 56 offices in the northeast, Manhattan was the worst. But a year after taking it over, Manhattan became office of the year. All he did different was “God I’ve got to experience your kingdom in this office” and would pray each morning before people arrived. The west coast business revivalist had a word for him: “Holy Spirit wants you to know your sleepless nights will stop now.” He began to weep. He had been diagnosed with a condition of a racing heart and the previous three nights hadn’t been able to sleep. Last 5-10mins of their business meeting was spent just praying in tongues and enjoying the Presence and peace of God.

4.11.13 Log College, Great Awakening… again

Group of business revivalists visited the site of the first revivalist school in America – Warminster, PA (1726-). They rang the church bell and shouted “wakey wakey” then stood and prayed in the same room where George Whitfield, William Tennent and Gilbert Tennent discussed how to wake up America to revival. Next day they met with a group of business revivalists in New York and one of the New York group had a vision of thousands of angels racing into Manhattan from every side. Excited the group shared the wakey wakey story from the previous day. America’s third Great Awakening has already begun!

4.11.13 Insider trading

Business revivalist was praying for an ER doctor in New York. He heard the word ‘algorithm’ in his head. In spite of no connection or interpretation, businessman shares the word with the ER doctor. “God said you are going to create a new algorithm.” The doctor started smiling. He said “I’m starting a new business and the folder on my computer where all the information is kept is called algorithm because that is what I’m going to do.” #insidertrading

4.13.13 Restaurant Encounter 

Team of business revivalists were having dinner at a restaurant in NYC. Another table of middle aged women were celebrating a birthday and making just as much noise but for different reasons. Business revivalists decide to go over and give them a spiritual blessing. Turns out they are French Canadian teachers. Team just happened to have a French member so got her to bless them in French then in English with team surrounding and laying hands on their shoulders. Next thing it breaks up with groups of revivalists praying over each teacher for physical pain, marriage pain, children pain and generally releasing hope and blessing. One of the women had fibromyalgia and would wake each morning with pain and low energy. The next day the business team were having lunch at the Shake Shack in downtown NYC and literally bumped into the same women! Turns out she had woken that morning feeling great! #randomencounters

4.10.13 Building Gates and Walls

Business revivalists went to New York to seek the wellbeing of the city. They believe God wants to prosper the city by rebuilding/restoring/protecting the walls (Wall St…) and gates (places of influence and entry). Amongst other things they did a harbor tour praying over the harbor ‘gate’ and the Statue of Liberty. The boat happened to be called “Miss Gateway.” At the end of the tour they stood in Battery Park (original city defence) and prayed and blessed the city in the different national languages they represented (Korean, French, English, Mandarin, Portuguese, German, Norwegian…). The American citizens on the team repented on behalf of the nation from arrogance, superiority, and dishonor towards other nations and for rejecting the immigration mandate that the nation was founded on. Other nations released forgiveness and thanked and repented for idolizing America as Savior rather than Christ as Savior. It was a beautiful and powerful thing!

4.10.13 Random Prophetic Impact

Business revivalist was about to do treasure hunts in Grand Central Station, NYC. She has a random word of knowledge for a Fashion Designer – “Squirrels.” She argues within herself wether to give it or not… “Why not lion or eagle or something powerful?” Finally she goes to him and tells him the word and asks if it means anything to him. He immediately responds “Inheritance. God is speaking to me about inheritance.” Turns out he had just received inheritance of taxidermy squirrels from his parents who had in turn received them from their parents – squirrels = inheritance! #godknows

4.10.13 Bathroom Provision

Businesswoman with growing Executive Suites Lease business. She was short of cashflow to put in additional bathrooms due to expansion of Suites in a high rise apartment/office block. However God said “Just do the plan, the money will come.” She did the planning then opened up walls and found plumbing was already there! It had been closed up in that exact space in the wall but never used in 30yrs. Untapped resources. Plumbing only ended up costing $250. You don’t have to create it just had to tap into it.

4.10.13 President of Fashion house Overwhelmed by Voice of God

Business revivalists meet with the President of a fashion house in New York. They begin to prophesy into his identity and purpose. After 15mins, with tears in his eyes, he calls a time-out. “If you don’t stop I’m going to completely lose it.” #whoareyoupeople?

4.12.13 Back Pain Healed in Restaurant

Business revivalists out for lunch. They sit next to a couple who were about to celebrate 52 years of marriage. She was an actor and he in television. The couple ask what the group are up to in New York so the revivalists tell testimonies then ask the couple if they have any pain. Couple say “At our age you expect to have pain Dear.” Business revivalists disagree and ask where pain is and if they can pray. Few seconds later she cannot make her back hurt anymore and his hip pain is gone. Good lunch!

As you read these testimonies what happens to your own hope and faith? What’s stopping you doing the same?

When you discover and begin to live from the desire of your heart you can resoundingly say “I was born for this.”

Eric Liddell, the Olympic runner, made famous in the movie Chariots of Fire was quoted saying “When I run I feel the pleasure of God.” When you live from the desire of your heart aligned with God’s dream for you, you will feel His pleasure and fulfill what Jesus said – “that your joy may be full.” (see John 15:7, 11 and 16:23, 24)

God made you and before you were born made mention of your name. He wrote it on the tablet of your heart. You were born with a purpose.

Since November 2011 some business friends and students we have been going into local businesses on a regular basis to give lunch and a slice of Heaven. We copied the idea from Blake and Linda Schellenberg of Co-Labor Ministries in Portland, OR.

We get to see hope released, dreams restored, bodies healed and balance sheets improve. It’s just pure fun.

Around May 2012 a group of us were returning from another taste of Heaven in business and sharing what was most significant for each of the team. I blurted out “Wouldn’t this be fun to do in Wall St?” Immediately the people in the car, including myself, responded “Yes!” We had no idea how it could happen but the idea that fell out of my mouth resonated and echoed around the car as a previously hidden desire in our hearts – to bring Heaven to business people in Wall St, New York – arguably, the heart of the American business community. What could happen when Heaven and Wall St collide?

The more I thought about it the more I got excited about what could happen – although I had never been to the east Coast of America before, let alone New York!

I had no idea this was part of God’s dream for me until I heard it out of my own mouth – a desire of my heart. I had simply been doing what was fun and then taken the next step.

In spite of this I did nothing immediately – I had no idea how to proceed with this crazy dream, at least at this time. I just kept on doing what we were doing locally.

A couple months later the missions team director at Bethel bumped into me wondering if I would be willing to lead a missions team this year. “Of course… if I can choose where we go.” “Sure.” “Ok, we will go to New York… the finance district!” Six months later, with 21 students and three business people we headed to Wall St. The rest was history.

I had no idea the impact this would have. I thought it was just a dream or desire of my heart. I was wrong. This was a dream on God’s heart for me. Wow. Everywhere we went we saw people experience God like Ive only dreamed of. It was like He was going ahead of us. We would walk into a building and atmospheres would literally change from hopelessness and despair to faith and joy. We got to witness a trader healed of a stable fracture of a C2 vertebrae (neck injury caused from a tree landing on his car), all other kids of body pain disappear to the amazement of individuals, senior executives overwhelmed with God’s heart and plan for their lives, hundreds of business people activated in hearing God and releasing hope and encouragement and waiters and waitresses overcome by this group of happy people who demonstrated the reality of God at work. But even better than that, we got to see individauls reignited in connection with a loving Father and acticated to partner with Him in their realm of influence. The rest will be HIStory.

It started with a simple desire of my heart. The desire of my heart revealed God’s dream for my life. The resulting partnership is what I was born for.

So what are the desires of your heart? What would you do if you were fearless? If nothing were impossible what would you attempt? What things in the earth would you like to start, or end? What is the desire of your heart that is God’s dream for you?

For more on discovering the dreams and desires of your heart go through the activation and coaching exercises in Dream Culture: Bringing Dreams to Life.

Well, you can know what God’s dream for you is. And you can dream it with Him. And He wants to fulfill it WITH you. So how do you discover God’s dream for your life? What is the unique purpose that He has designed you to fulfill?

One thing to know is that the actual process of discovering God’s dream for you is part of the adventure, part of your relationship journey, part of His dream for you. He hides things for you to discover along the way. Life is more like a family treasure hunt than an individual hundred meter race.

So here are where some of the clues for God’s dream for you can be found:

1. His word

2. The de-sires of your heart

3. Personal encounter with Him, hearing His voice

4. Night dreams, prophetic words, visions…

5. The voice of fathers and mothers in your life

Let’s start with His word – it is living and active and He can breathe life on any passage so that it speaks directly to you in a moment.

Jesus knew who He was and what God’s dream for His life was, directly from scripture (and He only had the equivalent of our Old Testament). In Luke 24:27 Jesus was walking with two disciples and beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

When John the baptist was questioned about who he was and what his purpose was he quoted the writing of the prophet Isaiah saying “I [am] ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the LORD” (John 1:23).

I have a number of specific scriptures that have defined my purpose and have marked my journey or history with Him – as Ive been daily reading scripture, as Ive searched out a word during times of difficulty, as Ive woken in the morning with a particular phrase or reference in mind.

At one time I was asking God to tell me His purpose for me. For a couple weeks we were going after this corporately as a church – for each of us to hear God for ourselves about what He has called us to be and do. One morning as I sat listening for Him, a thought popped in my head ‘Titus 1:5‘. Ive learned that those thoughts are His voice speaking to me, so I checked it out. It reads “For this reason I have left you in [region], that you should set in order the things that are lacking…” I suddenly realized that is exactly what I do – in business consultancy, in local church discipleship, in international mission work, I have a gift to help people clarify what it is they are wanting to build (individually or organizationally) and resource them with the missing parts to build it. That is who I am and what I do, and it was written of me before I was even born!

So what if you asked God to show you His dream for you in His word? Ask Him to reveal that to you this week. Then set aside extra time to read, soak, worship and listen to His voice. What impossible things has He given for you to do in the earth?

Source: Rhythmofsuccess.com

We then received specific words that we were here for ‘an extended period of time’ and that ‘our Greencard would be easy.’ Almost four years later (May 2012) we won the Diversity Visa lottery that gave us fastrack access to an American Greencard (this gives a foreign citizen the same rights of an American except for voting).  This last week (10mths later) we successfully completed the final part of that process which involved an interview at our local consulate. Approved. God was right after all! We now just wait for the physical documentation that confirms what has already transacted.

That got me reflecting over our journey – this crazy but wonderful adventure with God. We left everything but gained so much. Our fears were exposed but our trust was built. Our dreams were tested but our hope was realized. We lost comfort and certainty but found in us more than we could have imagined. We authored a book that has been translated into multiple formats and languages. We developed a DVD curriculum that is being used in schools, churches and community centers in multiple nations. Our story has catalyzed family’s, businesses, missions, community centers and more. We thought we would give our lives to build the lives of people but we are now building an organization to build the lives of people. How did we stumble on such increase? What was the key to this ‘success’?

The more I reflect on this the more I realize the answer is simple. One thing is the secret source of success, now and ongoing. For me this is best illustrated in the image below that comes from the children’s animated movie Megamind. Minion is the sidekick of the main character of the movie. Minion is an alien fish. Outside of his water-filled space suit he just flaps around. But in his suit he has the appearance and impact of a super-being! Selah.

The Presence, the very Person of God is my water and my space suit. With Him clothing me I can do anything and I have absolute peace. If I neglect the priority of being filled and clothed with Him then I freak out and flap around (just ask my wife and kids). He is the Secret Source to all success. He is the source of all favor and increase. The closer and more aware of Him I become, the more outstanding ‘performance’ I seem to walk into. But like Samson and Hezekiah and Gideon and Solomon and all the heroes of old, the source is not of myself or my hair or my wisdom. The source is Christ.

What is the source of your success? What are you doing to protect and prioritize the Source over the success? What are you doing to keep the main thing the main thing?

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders

Let me walk upon the waters wherever you would call me

Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander

And my faith will be made stronger

In the Presence of my Savior

Oceans by Hillsong United

Source: Indulgy.com

Overview

The book is about experiencing who Father God is; it is an invitation to a daily, life-transforming relationship with our Heavenly Father. He loves us passionately and wants to flow through us so that the people around us experience His love. The book clearly exposes the barriers to experiencing Father’s love and how to break free from the past and daily receive His acceptance, comfort and value.

The book is written because the message (enabling us to daily walk in the Fathers love and acceptance) is key to our relationship with God and with people. The greatest vacuum in the world is the nature of God as Father; it is a world-wide crisis that has resulted in breakdown in relationships everywhere. In the church it is the same and results in performance-based-ministry for love rather than an overflow of life  from love.

Key points:

• God likes us as well as loves us. Feeling His phileo love produces a deep sense of peace and rest as a result of being approved and accepted. Any ministry motivation other than that rooted in love results in performance.
• The great commandment comes before the great commission. We were made for love.
• I am His happy thought and nothing can change that. Unconditional love is not based on the merit of the recipient but the loving nature of the giver.
• The only place our needs will truly be met is in the Fathers embrace. When we take our inheritance without relationship we create a void that cannot be filled and end up in counterfeit affections (power, position, places, performance or passions).
• The older brother syndrome hinders me from experiencing Fathers embrace. When our motivation shifts from love and honor to fear of punishment or loss – A prince working as a self-appointed servant.
• Unresolved father issues hinder me from experiencing Fathers embrace. If you don’t feel protected, comforted or safe in your fathers presence you may find it hard to feel safe anywhere else in your life (including approaching Father God).
• Unresolved mother issues hinder me from experiencing Father’s embrace. If you don’t receive affectionate touch, receive loving eye contact or receiving loving words, you may grow up with an inherent fear of relationships and life. The feminine side involves compassion, intimacy and the ability to receive.
• Placing my love of law (rights) over the law of love (relationship) will hinder me from experiencing Fathers embrace. You decide whether mistreatment is a blessing or a curse to you by how you respond. By loving you embrace the Spirit of Christ.
• Choosing darkness (hiding, shame, sin) over light (humility, openness – God) hinders me from experiencing Father’s embrace. The blood of Jesus does not cover what is hidden.
• Choose to dwell in His abiding love on a daily basis by dealing with issues immediately, keeping humility before God and man and being transparent about what God is and has done in your life.
• At the core of my being I was created for people to TASTE God’s love flowing through me. Any thoughts or feelings that are not at rest in love, affection and tenderness are not me; they are my un-restored soul. The secret of abiding in love rests on Christ, not on me. His work, not mine. Receive not achieve.
• My first ministry is to receive Fathers love then make it known to my family. Ask God to show me when I do something that devalues or brings shame to any member of my family (like unresponsiveness). Humility is the key. Serve others.

My Personal Learning

In reading this book my foundational beliefs and motivations were being repaired as it exposed and helped me deal with past hurt and the hurt of others. It introduced me to a new level of relating to Father God and His love – to rest and receive in a daily relationship as opposed to work and achieve.

Action Points

1. Prioritize daily time spent solely receiving His love.
2. Minister to other FROM love rather than FOR love (performance). Live from the overflow of Christ in you; His overflow of love you have received. You can only give what you have, so you MUST learn to receive more.
3. Ask the Father to sensitize you so that you are more aware of when you do something that devalues or brings shame to those around you, especially your family (eg. Unresponsive to needs).

Source: Spartan-strength.com

One of our dreams is to own a home in Redding, California. We sold our perfect home in New Zealand in order to come here. After three years of no income we are now starting to rebuild financially, but just when we think we make progress something comes up that knocks us back again. To top that off, should we be focussing on the kind of house we gave up to come here, or just a cheap doer-upper to get going again? Either way we just used up the deposit replacing a vehicle that died…

Then there is God. He has given us numerous promises about land in this land and specific words about what our house will look like. Dont’ you need money for that God???

Who do we believe? God or our bank account?

And how do you keep going when you seem to be going nowhere? What is wisdom and what is just stupid faith or denial?

So, here’s some steps from my journey that have helped me stay motivated, keep faith in a limitless God AND make practical steps towards the impossible dream.

1. Remember the Lord

Go back over what God has spoken to you. Regardless of what it looks like, He is the God of the impossible so keep your eyes on Him until you haven’t got eyes anymore (and then you get to see Him face to face anyway!).

Write down the prophetic words, scriptures or dreams He has spoken and review them frequently. Prioritize time in His Presence, especially when it’s impossible, because when you are with Him impossible becomes logical. The opposite is also true – the further you get from His Presence the more impossible EVERYTHING seems.

2. Remember the testimony

We have a crazy number of supernatural property provision testimonies. These are not third party ones we heard from someone who heard from someone… These are first hand. I met the person given a $400,000 home and got to sit in it and have them pray over us. I slept in the hospital converted to a school and church that was purchased for $13,000. I personally met the couple that received a check for $1.3 million for their building (and then another check for $100,000 a few days later). The testimonies now seem to hunting me down! I can no longer avoid them! So I read and remind myself (and others) of them, telling God “Do it again!”

How do you record your history of testimonies? How often do you remind God and yourself of them? What will you do about that right now?

3. Ask God For Your Part

Assuming you have made the Lordship decision, you are in partnership with GOD. That is worth a pause.

Dont assume you do nothing OR run about trying to do everything. Ask the One who knows ALL THINGS. What is His part and what is your part? You may be surprised.

Six months ago I asked Him what our part was in moving towards our own home. I heard Him say “Just wait and trust me.” That was the last thing I wanted to hear because I don’t do wait very well. OK God, but what shall I DO? “Just wait and trust me.”

A week ago I was getting discouraged and revisited the question “God are we crazy believing for supernatural provision? Should we just be moving towards a temporary doer-upper? I just need to know so I set my expectation and action accordingly. Im tired of waiting…”

I then re-wrote out some of the words and testimonies that are unavoidable in my memory and history with Him. Looking at those it was pretty hard not to believe for supernatural – but I needed confirmation. I then went into staff meeting Sunday morning and the first testimony was about the supernatural provision of jet boat. What!!! That’s not even near a basic need. God speaks through testimony and He was quietly shouting to me, confirming my expectation for supernatural supply.

But I wasn’t about to stop there and do nothing. I asked Him again what my part was. This time I instantly heard, “Do a budget.” What?!! How do you budget supernatural provision? I could argue, but have learned it’s not worth the effort, so I came home and redid our household budget with my wife. Practically supernatural. A couple days later I heard Him say “Now, write out your list of what you want in a house.” I could have said Ive already done that, but Im not stepping back now regardless how simple or obvious it may seem. The greater lesson is Im learning more about His Voice and His Ways on the journey (Hint – that’s the One Thing).

4. Do Your Part With All Your Might

Finally, if you are going to do something, do it well. A half-hearted attempt is often worse than no attempt at all. Whatever you do, do it unto the Lord – He see’s and rewards accordingly. Lukewarmness is like vomit so dont mess with it!

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Written by Apostle Paul to YOU (Romans 15:13).