An Invitation to the Dance of Life

It's interesting this one - I don't think Christians like dancing very much. Particularly Western Christians! And I must confess I'm not overly keen on it in church - maybe once a year at the Brighton conference during the offering night. But I do have a guilty pleasure - I like going out and dancing in clubs. If you assumed I got drunk when you read that - you assumed wrongly and shame on you. I just like dancing.

So I was at the gym yesterday and was listening to Madonna's newish song "Celebration" (I won't post the video - you can watch it only if you're bad like me!). Say what you like about Madonna and disapprove of her if you will but it was the lyrics that caught my attention. In particular;

"And if it makes you feel good then I say do it
I don’t know what you’re waiting for ...
But for now just come here, let me whisper in your ear
An invitation to the dance of life".

I love the song and have heard it and danced to it a number of times but surprisingly as I was running on the treadmill I felt the Holy Spirit remind me of a prophecy that Terry Virgo brought at the first Stoneleigh Bible Week I went to (2000) which said;

"As you come on your hands and knees, ground that you would have thought was outside your sphere that you were disqualified to get near, I've cleared the ground for you" says the Lord. "I've cleared it for you so that you can dance now. You can dance on holy ground. I've cleared the ground for you! I've provided grounds that are level and clear and steady. Even as I came to My servant Isaiah, undone and ruined by the revelation of My purity, undone forever, I've provided him a burning coal - clensing and purging so that he could be in the holy place. I want you to know that I have provided for you, my sons and my daughters out of My love. You will never stamp the ground to make it level, you will never clear the grounds of thorns and weeds. I have cleared the ground for you.

You are free to dance now because of my eternal grace to you, my kindness and my celebration over you. I celebrate in My finished work. I celebrate in embracing My sons and daughters running home. I invite and welcome the prodigal into dancing ground. I draw back the man whose head is hung low with a sense of inadequacy and failure and say, "This is dancing ground! This is dancing ground!". This, My son, was dead, he is alive again! He was lost and now is found. This is dancing ground! I welcome you into My heart and into My Presence as mercy and a gift to you", says the Lord.

"Out of My heart of love and out of My full embrace, I don't want you to come timidly. I don't want you to come wondering, can I accumulate enough worth, can I demonstrate enough merit that I am allowed in? I tell you, I have cleared the ground by My blood. Only there will you find fullness of mercy and because it is fullness, it is not simply ground to kneel upon but it is ground to dance upon for your welcome is complete. The ground is clear! Come My sons and My daughters - I welcome you to this very place. I am full of ambition for you, full of desire to bless you with My love. Full of tenderness and mercy because of the obedience of My Son that frees Me to bless you. Some come dance, rejoice, drink deeply of My love, says the Lord. Enter in, enter in to the mercy of God. The joy and favour and everlasting love of your God, says the Lord".

The two threads seemed so obvious.

A Christian + real grace = dancing.

Don't worry - this wasn't some legalistic charismatic way to force dancing. The impression I got was simply that when Christians really get grace, they will be so overflowed with joy and celebration that they will dance. The more I thought about it as I sweated on the treadmill, I became rather overcome with an image of nightclubs left empty - because the wonders of the grace of God were so thrilling the church and drawing the lost - that who needs a nightclub to dance in (and hide away) when you can dance and celebrate and rejoice in the church?

Whereas the void at the moment is that if you do dance in church (even many so-called charismatic churches) you will be seen as excessive and "showy". Maybe that's why many Christians do escape to secular music. Maybe that's why God can and does use secular music to speak to His people!

But a day IS coming when the wonder of the revelation of the New Covenant WILL break through to His people and the earth will shake in awe at a people who dance and must dance to express their joy!

Whose Laid Hands on You??!

I had quite a bizarre thought occur to me when I was walking home from work today! I was listening to my IPOD and some of the wonderful prophetic music from the "Glory and Grace Conference Hong Kong 2007" and suddenly an image flashed into my mind. It was this one from my Facebook profile. Isi de Gersigny graciously agreed to be my friend on Facebook - and it was this that I saw. I considered that for a moment and then remembered something that happened to me when I walked through the fire tunnel at the "Glory and Grace Conference".

"And as I was staggering forward I suddenly felt Isi touch my hand with her hand and my chest over my heart. As she did that I felt an electric volt - literally - shock through her hand and go through my body and to my chest!! It was incredible!! When she did that I just found it harder and harder to stand up and the Fire Tunnel people were so so amazingly helpful!! They just gently and lovingly guided me forward and kept praying "More! More!" over me!!".

As I remembered that awesome impartation - a kind of white flash that came from her hands to my body, it started me thinking about impartation and anointing. Rob Rufus spent quite a bit of time helpfully explaining the laying on of hands after his meeting with Bill Johnson and made it clear that when a recognised ministry lays hands on you - something can be imparted. Rob received something from Bill Johnson. That got me thinking. I received something from Isi de Gersigny - a recognised prophetic ministry who goes up into the 3rd heaven and sees angels regularly!

Why am I saying all this? To boast? Of course not - what's there to boast about?! I was just so blessed and fortunate to be at the "Glory and Grace Conference". Just as those who were at the "Glory Encounters" conference could receive from Joshua Mills or Kaye Beyer! I am saying this - because this week has been a particular tough one in terms of the doctrines of grace. I've felt strongly under attack and I've sensed disagreements coming into many of my close friendships. Even a disagreement with my best friend Pete about the best way forward in preaching the message of grace.

I felt this flash image reminder was a gentle, loving and gracious hint from my heavenly Father that I should remember and not forget who laid hands on me and why He allowed that. There is always a temptation in me to want to be the exegete, the apologetic. I do confess that! I love reading - I love writing - I love arguing and I love debating. But God was reminding me that the impartation I received wasn't a teaching anointing - it was a prophetic anointing. My friend Pete on the other hand DID receive a teaching anointing! One of the most key and profoundly powerful teachers in this country went to his induction service and laid hands on him at that time. But I haven't.

So for me personally (and any other people out there who also have a similar call, tug, anointing, impartation ... whatever) - what does this mean? Well a prophetic anointing only works if you are HEARING from God. Hearing from God means spending time with God. Hearing from God means letting God speak and not just filling the airwaves with my prayers, my intercessions, my wants and my desires! Hearing from God means basking in and spending time in His wonderful Word - seeing what He has revealed. A prophetic anointing only works if you SPEAK from God! Speaking what we see. Writing down what we see. Sharing what we see. Not speaking what we think and what we feel - but what GOD thinks and what GOD feels.

One more thing .... I do feel I want to spend more time listening to Isi de Gersigny speaking at her home church in Sydney and (if possible) go and spend time there one day. That impartation came for a reason and I'd like to follow in the footsteps of this awesome passionate lover of God!

Grace + Glory = REVIVAL!!

I had an extremely exciting day today - one of much revelation where I virtually felt like I had a glass stuck to the wall of the Holy of Holies and was listening in on the council of God. If only I could learn how to walk into the Throne Room itself ... ! But anyway. I exchanged a couple of texts with Pete Day and he said one very interesting thing which provoked an awesome vision. In his text he said (I should explain I have leant Pete my iPOD next week when he goes to the Life in the Spirit Conference where Sam Storms is preaching);

"Wow. Thank you so much. In the few minutes of trying to figure it out (the iPOD), God has already spoken! I heard Rob say; "The Grace and Glory Conference is now open!". And God spoke to my heart; "Grace and glory is open! - Now, here, wherever are we are living in grace and glory!".

Suddenly without even thinking about it, I saw a vision of being back in my GCSE Chemistry. I didn't like Chemistry and wasn't very good at it but we were shown a chemical reaction by our teacher very similar to this one;

And I felt God say; "My grace on it's own is indeed a sign and a wonder. My glory on it's own is wonderful to behold and many long to come into it. But I tell you this - the one who hears My voice and learns to bring My grace and My glory together will experience and see a reaction far beyond anything you have ever dreamed! The reaction will be far greater than even this:

He went on; "But whereas these reactions have been used for hatred and for war, when you see My grace and My glory brought together in simultaneous combustion, the shockwaves of life and power shall shake the earth and send principalities and powers screaming for cover, for finally My Church will have learnt the truth - that at the Cross I legally bound the powers of hell - and now nothing not even hell's gates can stand against the relentless advance of My Kingdom and My glory shall cover the earth as waters cover the sea!

So bring the truth of My grace and the power of My glory together and sit back and watch ... ".

Giving away the glory!

I need to share a dream that I had last Saturday night (or actually early on Sunday morning):

I was standing to the side of our church, in one of the side aisles, when a man that I had never seen before came to me and asked me to pray! I laid my right hand on his head and just said "Fire!" (yes, very Rob Rufus, but that is what I said in the dream!) The man just collapsed onto the floor!

But then he began to reach out to me, and he said to me, "I can see the glory on you, but I can't receive it; give me the glory!"

And then I woke up.

It was such a vivid dream and I asked the Lord about it. I believe He spoke into my thoughts - "I want you to have a heart to give away. Enjoy the glory, bask in the glory, but give it away! Bless others and let the glory flow through you!"

It is such an awesome encouragement, and a wonderful call. So much glory, let us give and bless!

Prophecies from Wednesday 19th December 2007

One of the things Pete Day made me agree to before flying to Hong Kong for the "Grace and Glory Conference" in October was that I would come to London, visit him and lay hands on him and pray that whatever blessing and anointing God lavishly gave me would be imparted to him. Because of both our busy schedules it was December before we were able to meet but it was well worth the wait.

We have both debated whether to publish what happened because we never ever want to be accused of hyper-spirituality or trying to exalt ourselves. But Pete's key post recently; "Waging warfare by the prophecies given" - he argued that prophecies and the prophetic equip us to fight the good fight better. So I am prepared to take the risk for being accused of hyper-spirituality. If anyone wants to leave a comment arguing thus - then please do. I can take it.

But the reason why we felt so deeply that we must publish this and share what God did with us - is because we have never before had such a sense of the "Abba" Presence of God. We both were drunk in the Spirit, laughing, crying and rejoicing because of the intimate love of the Father that kept pouring over us in waves. It wasn't just an "experience" of the glory of God. God spoke and re-emphasised what has always been so present in the Word of God.

Here's what He said. The sole reason why we publish this is because we hope that "by the prophecies" - by something that is written here - you too may be equipped to fight the good fight in the ecstatic realisation that Abba Father loves YOU and has chosen YOU from before time began.

Pete: "The Lord is speaking so clearly about "Past Anointings". We need the books of past men. We claim their anointing and capture the heart of those people, their passion and move in their anointing. Fresh bread! Fresh manna! 1. On the Sabbath the manna was preserved so the people would not have to work. But; 2. It was also preserved in a pot and put into the ark. These seasons of past anointings are like past Sabbath manna - it is manna set aside to grow from in future generations. YET! We look for our own Sabbath manna to set down for our future generations. There is a permament relevance to what they say yet let us not forget "Progressive Revelation". There is fresh manna that we WILL receive that those who applaud us could only have dreamed of.

Dan: I saw a vision of the risen Lord holding out a beautiful portrait as we lay before Him. It was the most exquisite, incredible painting I have ever seen. But it wasn't just a static capture of a moment in time! The painting was alive! I could hear the babbling brooks painted on it and the rivers and could hear the birds singing on it! I said; "God what's this?". He said;

"Son, don't you recognise it? It's your prayer you prayed that one time when you felt so ineloquent and so lonely. Son don't you recognise it? It's that song you sang to Me on your own with your IPOD as you were walking to work but shuddered at the sound of your voice. Son don't you recognise it? It's that deed you did in secret for My glory that no-one saw. I am your true Parent! I am your true Daddy! I see the beauty in My loved one's offerings! This is so special to Me, it stays with ME. Not even the angels are allowed to touch it - it's too precious to Me! Don't stop singing to Me, Son! Don't stop talking to Me! Don't stop painting and drawing for Me! I treasure it's value beyond words!".

Pete: I saw a vision of the first wedding dance when the bride and groom traditionally dance together in the spotlight alone watched by the rest of the guests. But this dance is the dance of the Father with His Bride!

"And you - Pete, Dan - you are the Chosen! I am stopping right by you and I am saying to you, "May I have this dance?". You are no longer an observer! All eyes are on us and our love". But such is the wonder of My omnipresence that no one will be left out. No one will sit at the back of this crowd feeling their loneliness and their isolation. You will feel My love, you will experience My arms wrapped around you!".

Pete: I saw a reversal of the meeting of the royal family. Usually the visitors will line up and the courtiers or the Lord Chamberlain will bring the royal down the line and will introduce the Queen to the visitor. But here there was a glorious reversal! Here I saw God introducing us to the angels! US! He was taking us down the line of angelic warriors and was saying; "This is My beloved one! This is My son! This is My beautiful daughter! This is My loved one! Meet him! You must meet him! You must see her!".

Dan: "The veil that hung in the Tabernacle was hell's best weapon. I tell you when the veil was put up, hell rejoiced as I wept. For the veil kept My people from My Presence. The demons watched with bated breath as the Old Testament priests crept in hoping I would smite them down. But at Calvary as I reached out and took the veil in My hands and began to rip from top down ... all of hell quaked. "He is BREAKING OUT!" - the scream went out across hell. The veil ripped entirely and forever and My Son declared; "It is finished" and I declared; "I am satisfied!". You can enter in now! The way is open!

So why do so few come in says your God? The veil has been torn for 2, 000 years and My glory cloud stands right in front of you! But you have listened to the lies that the demonic hordes are spreading that the veil has been re-made. The lies of demons even creep in among My church and you will hear Pharisees re-declaring that you cannot come near to Me. Don't hear it! My Son died so that hell's best weapon was destroyed forever! The Glory Cloud is right here! Come in! Enter in freely! says your Father".

Dan: Fill this building with His Presence and glory and He will fill the building with people. London is Mine! There are MILLIONS I want to dance with! There are MILLIONS I want to show My glory to! So fill this place with My glory for the harvest is white and the veil has been torn forever!

"Face to Face Intimacy with God" by Rob Rufus

While we are waiting for Part 4 of Rob's series on the Holy Spirit ...

Preached on the 5th August 2007 - Isaiah 54.

Condemnation is a very dark demonic thing. No condemnation comes from God (Romans 8:1). We prove from the Scripture that all condemnation comes from the devil.

The most dangerous thing about condemnation is that it de-sensitises you to the Voice of God.

All the righteous anger of God's wrath was finished and poured out on Jesus Christ at the Cross. There is no anger left in God. If we say that God has got a bit of anger left then we are saying that Jesus' death on the Cross was no sufficient and we are blaspheming His sacrifice.

All condemnation is demonic - it is a devilish darkness that comes and it has been so successful in the Church world that the majority of Christians probably haven't heard the inward audible voice of the Good Shepherd even once.

My diagnosis is you don't understand grace and the New Covenant and you are living a mixture of Old and New Covenant. God never condemns you and even when you are feeling condemned, He wants to love you and speak to you. Allow condemnation in and it will confuse your faculties that allow you to hear His voice.

When we were born again it was a New Creation designed so that we can hear His voice and commune with Him. The still small voice of God can often happen while you are brushing your teeth or sitting on the toilet! When condemnation is broken off your life permamently you are entering an adventure where His Presence is upon you so strong that you feel you have hold on bare naked wires full of heavenly voltage. You have received an oath that He will never be angry with you again and never rebuke you again.

"I have sworn never to rebuke you again ... My unfailing love for you will not be shaken".

The symbol of God's peace with Noah was the rainbow. The first thing John saw was a throne and he saw a rainbow encircling the throne. Not 180 degrees like on the earth but 360 degrees. So wherever God looks from His throne He sees the symbol - peace, no judgement, peace, no judgement! Everywhere He looks He sees the symbol that says judgement is over. Then it says that the rainbow resembles an emerald - green. So this rainbow was covered by an emerald colour - a translucent colour over the colour of the rainbow. This colour green resembles something fresh and new. The Hebrew "Fresh" means "Translucent, fresh, green".

In the revelation of grace there is a place for daily fresh oil in the anointing.

When you understand that God has taken an oath never to be angry with you again, then you come into the throne room and you receive grace. Every day you live in a spirit of liberty! God said; "I swear I will never rebuke you again". That word "rebuke" means "condemn". God will never speak to you in a way that will split your personality apart and will divide you or destroy you. Many disintegrated Christians end up going to psychics so desperate are they to get their psyches re-intigrated. The devil comes to you and says; "I am God and I am angry with you". Christians who don't know their New Covenant take that as truth. We cannot boast in ourselves - many many pastors have come apart because they thought they were listening to the voice of God rebuking them for their sin. That sin has been totally rebuked on Jesus and all of the wrath has been poured out and exhausted!

The voice of the Father is always always kind and tender and loving. If you hear a roar, then it is the devil and that roar should be rebuked. My God in heaven took an oath that He will never be angry with me again. That spirit of hostility is not from my Father. We don't need a pastor to counsel me or a psychiatrists to fix me - just remember recovery will come quicker if you stand on the truth of Scripture.

That verse is never saying He will not correct us! There is a big different between correction and condemnation. Your sin has been punished completely on Jesus Christ. Plus God took an oath that He cannot reverse to never be angry again but Hebrews 12 says God disciplines those who He loves.

The corrections and disciplines of God are the most pleasurable experience you can go through.

Get addicted to His voice and His Presence! We have got to hear His voice regularly! "Father - don't go silent on me!". He will sometimes hide Himself temporarily so that we will run to Him. If you do not hear a word like "I love you Rob" and it is silence then pray;

BETTER YOUR CORRECTIONS THAN YOUR SILENCE!!

God doesn't have a culture of confrontation so very seldom will He point out something specific as long as we are pressing on eagerly into His Presence and longing to hear His voice. Jesus loves the Church! When you have a spiritual father they need to be a mentor ahead of you with a proven track record of success with years of stability and experience in these things. There comes a point when a father cannot be a father who teaches you anymore because there comes a time when a son must stand up and become a father himself. You should never have anyone trying to correct you who are jealous of you or don't like you. You need someone who will treat your secrets as safe and will love you unconditionally.

Many Christians are fragile and frightened and scared to be themselves because they have been let down and disciplined by people that didn't really love them and were jealous of them and irritated by them. Many Christians have an orphan spirit because they didn't have a father that would discipline them in true love and help them to grow in grace.

Our heavenly Father will never be angry again.

If this message could get into the 1 billion people who say they are Christians then the Church would be a different place. There would be automatic inner healing and stability in the Body of Christ and it should come from the pulpit, not a thousand courses out there.

(v10) "My unfailing love for you will not be shaken". The Hebrew for "love" means "favour, kindness, fondness, grace towards you". He is saying I will give you preferential treatment. My fondness and My affection to bless you to give you supernatural advantages in life will never be shaken. In the Scriptures, mountains often refer to problems. Yet here it says that the mountains will become level plains and the cry will be "Grace-grace-grace!". With this oath in your heart that God will never be angry and rebuke you again - His unfailing love for you will never change - you can see the mountains facing you be removed.

It is a lie that life is meant to be constant traumas! We are meant to go through whole seasons of peace and joy. While we go through seasons of tests - they are not meant to last your whole life. Speak to your mountains and hills and say "My God says you will be removed but His love will never be shaken"! The New Covenant is a covenant of peace! "Shalom" means "Nothing missing - nothing broken"! There is a constant process where your personality is becoming whole and complete in the New Covenant. In Australian culture you only share marriage problems when you are about to divorce - yet in the church you can be open and free from condemnation.

The Hebrew word "Compassion" literally means a Father fondling His child's hair. He has affection for us His Bride. He has tenderness for us!

I wish all of God's people could live in the full rich reality of this and we would see the full reality of the nations being saved.

The more you are free from condemnation the less you can hear the devil's voice. The more God's voice will come in your life the more you are free from condemnation.

(Hebrews 10).

Trance? That's New Age - no it's the counterfeit! Peter in Acts 9 fell into a trance and saw a vision in the heavenly realm. The Greek word speaks of "falling into a trance".

Spirit to spirit communication is faster than the speed of light and your thought process is not as fast as the speed of light. When God says "Come up - I want to speak to you" you are not to think we come up on our hands and knees - that is what demon gods demand of their subjects. But God is our Father and wants us to come up and commune in glory and peace and intimacy. Why can't all the people have this? They can! It's God's will! "I am drawing the hungry in now. The casual enquirers are loved but they will not see the glory of God".

The manifestations occur because people of God are pressing into the Presence of God.

As a church we are operating on 10% of our potential because 10% are carrying the faith for our meetings. When 100% are coming in with the faith to encounter God, our lives will never be the same again. Let the glory of God be stronger without Rob Rufus than ever before. If we are built around my personality then close shop. Don't miss a beat with us not being here! Overdo it and go for it! (Hebrews 10:12). When the church rises up in revelation and crushes the devil under our feet then this Scripture will be fulfilled! When that happens then Jesus is coming back shortly!

By one sacrifice He made perfect FOREVER! That's why He can say He will never be angry again! FOREVER He sees us as perfect! "I've just sinned Lord". But you are perfect! Every believer is a priest and holy means nothing to do with laws.

Holiness means your heart is captured with Jesus Christ and you become more like the nature and character of Jesus Christ! The deception the church makes is that God will relate to you on the basis of your law-keeping and holiness. If you think God relates to you on the basis of your holiness then God's relationship with you fluctuates. If that is the case then you are in serious deception. God will always relate to you as if you are perfect forever.

He will never withdraw His covenant of peace from us - this is our inheritance!! There is nothing on earth to hold my attention more than God's glory Presence.

If you don't regularly have His glory Presence then you are agitated and restless and will look for it in drugs, inappropriate sexual behaviour - because there is something within you saying that there is more to life than paying rent, paying bills. You will never be satisified unless you daily encounter God's glory Presence.

God has never stopped talking to you or loving you. Your worst sin will NEVER make Him pull back because it's already been dealt with at the Cross. Nothing in all of creation will make Him pull back but if you jam your airwaves with condemnation then you will think in your mind that He has pulled away.

God sees you as perfect FOREVER!

Rob Rufus - "Knowing the Person of the Holy Spirit" - 3

Here are my notes from the 2nd in Rob Rufus's sermon series - "Knowing the Person of the Holy Spirit - His Names, Titles and Operations". The notes from the first sermon are here and the second sermon is here. I am so thankful to God for the internet that makes it possible for me to follow with City Church International, Hong Kong - this incredible series!! Rob preached this sermon last Sunday on the 23rd September.

"This conference is Glenda's initiative coming from God. As we have travelled the world many leaders have asked to come and stay in our home in Hong Kong and learn about the grace of God and signs and wonders. It is an honour that they want to come - but this conference was birthed to serve the international community. But we are only 3 years old and we are hosting an international community! God will bless us as we serve them. Have sent out 1, 500 letters to Hong Kong church leaders. Hillsong host a conference for 2 weeks every year and doctors and dentist will take time off to drive delegates to the conference. God is calling us to show just such generosity. Let's go over the top with exaggerated kindness to make our international guests to feel welcome. This will be a trigger and a catalyst as we welcome the international community! We want a flood of Cantonese people coming.

I am tired of Christian celebrities and conferences that announce the coming of a guru. God is bringing a seaon where He is using the little people of the Kingdom who don't know what they are doing and have no self-confidence. This is the Kingdom. Once they have had a taste of miracles these people will go for more broken limbs and deaf ears.

"(John 5, 14) Jesus said that the people didn't have to believe Him if they didn't see miracles and just so the Church can stand up to an unbelieving society and say you don't have to believe us if you don't see miracles".

"Your Kingdom is not about knowing concepts and bible academics and cerebral information but Your Kingdom is about divine encounters that translate into doing the ministry of the Lord Jesus".

The apostle Paul didn't come parading his intelligence and academics but came with weakness and fear and trembling. His words were not wise and persuasive but with a demonstration of the power of the Spirit. To make change we must dial down on our enthusiasm for the flesh and increase our dependence on the power of the Holy Spirit. This week I tried to raise someone from the dead - I am happy to report that I failed because that offends me and provokes me because it should be done as a normal practice. Jesus said "Go out ... raise the dead ... freely you have received and freely give". The secret is humility and weakness. Dial down the enthusiasm of the flesh. You tried to make this thing happen. The flesh of man represents human ability. You can't take responsibility for raising the dead - you can't do it - but I can. You dial down the flesh and I will dial up the power of My Spirit.

"The whole theme of Galatians is grace versus law or human flesh versus the supernatural. Whenever you see the word "flesh" in Galatians it means human effort trying to be righteous under the law of God".

But sadly the NIV translated "flesh" as "sinful nature" and it is very misrepresented. The Bible talks of Jesus coming in "flesh" which would then mean He came in "sinful nature". In the book of Galatians it says if you walk in the Spirit you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh. If you get to know the nuances of the Spirit then you will not elevate your flesh or dial it up in self-righteousness. In Galatians 6 it talks of "sowing to the flesh ... sowing to the Spirit". Eternal life doesn't mean living forever - we will all live forever either in heaven or hell! (John 17) "This is eternal life ... that you know Him".

"Eternal life means that you have a divine encounter with the living God and that you live with God and know God and hear His voice!".

If you live in the Spirit then you will experience eternal life! Want to talk today about the Holy Spirit in different titles and different Names because His Names reveal different aspects of His character to us. Pull the Word out of me today - have had to walk through intense spiritual opposition today because of this word. It is time to hear this word today. (Galatians 4:6) "Because you are sons God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts that calls out "Abba! Father!". The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of His Son. That means that Spirit causes you to call out "Abba! Father!". It means "Papa!" or "Daddy!".

This isn't an academic doctrinal position but an experience - this is the Spirit of His Son bringing revelation that you are no longer a slave under law. God will no longer disapprove of you but you now have the FULL rights of a son!

Under the law God promises that He will not forget sin. Under grace and New Covenant He promises He will not remember our sins.

The Gospel is a revelation of how right you are with God through Christ Jesus. Jesus identified with you at your worst on the Cross so you can identify with Him at His best at the right hand of the Father.

Faith lives from the invisble realm where we are seated with Christ Jesus.

As you focus on grace there comes a mental peace to your life because grace takes the focus from your unworthiness to Christ's worthiness. It is not just Abba Father but it is a manifestation of the revelation that we have full rights as a son!

These truths are current now! All of that transacted - you move out from Old Covenant thinking into New. This doesn't just get you to heaven but brings mental peace on the earth.

The majority of people in South Africa are there who are mentally damaged and bruised because they were in shame-based churches who preached Old Covenant Law. If we do not preach the good news of the Gospel we are producing mental illness in the Church.

It is an incredible responsibility to preach and teach the Word of God. Much preaching and teaching is dressed up to look like New Covenant teaching but it is Law-based and Old Covenant.

Under the New Covenant if you are sinning currently and your sin stops God's favour on your life then your sin is more powerful than the favour of God.

Romans 5 says where sin abounds grace abounds much more. There are so few miracles in the church because there is so much flesh in the church trying to make you try harder. When the Spirit comes then revelation comes that we are sons with full inheritance. If you think that being holy means keeping the law and go on to break one, then God sees you as breaking every law. You lie and God sees you as not just a liar but an adulterer, an idolater, a murderer. But grace on the other hand sees you as permamently righteous! Grace abounds much more under the New Covenant!

Everywhere you teach this - alarms go off and people say "You are giving people a license to sin". I have checked the church out worldwide. They are sinning without a license! But in legalistic churches people just get better at sinning in secret.

Colossians 2 says we have been made complete in Christ! (2 Corinthians 3:7) - the ministry which brought death came with a fading glory. God has removed the ceremonial law of the 10 Commandments. What was written on tablets of stone? The 10 Commandments! We try so hard to keep the law but break one and we break them all! Try and sustain the flesh and you dial down on the supernatural! The reason the Israelites worshipped the golden calf was because they were self-righteous already. God brought them out of slavery already and announced the law already and told them to keep it fully. If you fully obey all the 10 Commandments the blessings will come! Israel should have said - no! We can't keep them! But they said - everything You say, we will do. So while God wrote the 10 Commandments they were worshipping the idol.

Please don't tell me law-keeping makes you holy. It doesn't. It makes you self-righteous.

The New Covenant starts in Acts 2 on the Day of Pentecost and they came down from the Upper Room drunk they were so full of God! The people down below had done something worst than a golden calf! They had crucified the Lord of glory yet got saved that very same day! Who could wipe out the 10 Commandments? God could. Colossians 2:14 - God cancelled the written code of the rules against you and nailed it to the Cross, triumphing over principalities and powers at the Cross!

When the Church preaches the Law to God's people, it re-arms a disarmed devil and gives condemnation rule in the Church again and cripples the working of the supernatural in the Church.

The Law was given (Galatians 3:23) to expose self-righteousness and to show them how unholy they were. People can see that the Law is standard exposing arrogance and pride and must throw ourselves on the New Covenant and the grace of God in Christ Jesus. People can sit and hear the message of grace but it's controversial because legalistic people ALWAYS want to bully and dominate people who are in grace. Pride says we can't embrace the message of grace because it looks like we have been wrong. That is being a Pharisee. They claimed they studied the Scriptures about the coming Messiah and yet He stood in front of them and because He was different they rejected Him. They were men of the letter - cerebral men. When you have the living Word of the Living Spirit - when something new shows up you have never seen before and it is God, you seize it. If it is a counterfeit then you can reject it and know it straight away. But if you live as a slave to religious systems you will worry and fret.

Look for the phrase; "Full rights as sons". (Galatians 4:1) "Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts crying Abba ... you are also an heir ...". Don't have a heart for religious calenders. Every day is a day to walk with God.

The first sign of legalism is that you lose your joy. What has happened to all your joy? The hardest thing as a preacher is to stir joy within a legalist.

Ishmael was born by ordinary means but Isaac was born by the power of God. Haggi and Sarah represent the two Covenants. The Covenant wrote on Mount Sinai produces slaves but the Covenant Sarah represents produces free men and free women. Who is your Mother? Romans 7 says we were married to the Law but then died to the Law! Some Christians commit spiritual adultary and go from the Law to Sarah. They don't know which one they belong to. Who is your Mother?! Haggi or Sarah? Even people of grace can be barren sometimes - you can have famine in the middle of favour. You are allowed to be joyful in barrenness!

Legalistic people love to dominate, control, elevate themselves as elitist and they love titles and control. They hate people of grace. They always point out your failures and your shortfalls and hate anything that encourages and uplifts.

Jesus the great High Priest wore ordinary clothes and let people call Him "Jesus". I am Rob. Not Pastor Rob or Rev Rob. That's why millions are leading institutional churches. But millions are gathering under the banner of grace. Don't be discouraged at the millions who are leaving.

It's better to be in the Caves of Adullum in David's Army than under Saul's legalistic rule.

The slavewoman's son will never share in the freewoman's inheritance. Kick the controlling spirit of witchcraft out! Get rid of condemnation! You are born under grace and have full rights as sons! Freedom! You don't need titles to be important but signs and wonders and the voice and Presence of God! What does the name Isaac mean? We are not children of the slave woman but the free woman! "Stand firm and do not let yourself be burdened again by a yoke of slavery". The yoke of slavery is the Law! We have churches around the world desperate for freedom but feel burdened by their sins. Everyone sins in this room! I don't encourage that - but even when you sin, you are STILL a son of God!

My obedience or disobedience does not make me righteous or unrighteous - my righteousness depends on the righteousness of the One Christ Jesus! Grace provides God's gift of righteousness!

The Law says "Do - do - do" to earn God's favour but grace says "It's DONE - you HAVE God's favour!".

Isaac means "Laughter". What is Sarah? Grace! What did grace give birth to? LAUGHTER! When the Toronto Blessing hit the earth, why did the majority of the Church call it blasphemy or evil? Why is joy frowned upon by most of the Church? Because they are children of Haggi. They felt elite because their failure to laugh is proof of their zealousness for God. Rather they are children of the slavewoman. When grace and Abraham got together they gave birth to laughter! What happens when you truly get a revelation of the grace of God? Laughter and joy will be birthed in your life!

Some teach that even if you don't have it now, just keep praising and He will give it to you. Error. Law - law - flesh - flesh! You have it NOW! You are not praising as a work of the flesh to earn it. You have it NOW! You are not praising to earn something! Maybe we have barrenness in our lives. Children - relationships - finance - husbands or wives.

When barrenness goes on in an area of our lives for a long time and are living in grace and believing in grace, yet grace doesn't seem to produce results, the temptation is to go back and try through the law to produce fruit. NO! If you are living in grace and haven't seen the signs and wonders in your life yet and are tempted to go back to a works programme of prayer and fasting and behavioural modification programmes you will drive yourself into insantity and become a religious nutter.

It is not your prayer and fasting that produces the supernatural in your life but rather your INHERITANCE in your life and one day you lay your hand on someone and miracles take place not because you have earned it but because of who your Father is.

(John 14:12) "I pray the Father and He will send you the Comforter who will abide with you forever". How many people can spend 9 hours in their prayer closet every day of the week? If that's what it takes to produce miracles then it is reserved for a few lucky full time guys. That's a works programme so that the Body of Christ will refer to gurus seeking them for themselves and what they do to earn the miracles.

Our heart in this church is to produce the Priesthood of every believer to run with the freedom of the New Covenant! Hong Kong needs it!

There are millions of God's people under the control of manipulating leaders who have taught the law and put them under such confusion and slavery and when they hear the light of grace and freedom and it is too much for those damaged souls and so they creep back into their pitholes of slavery. As a leader I need to be very patient and love and care for the people and bring them gently out into the glorious freedom and light of the Holy Spirit.

Don't come under the Law in trying to be free from the Law. The only One who can help you be free from the Law is the Spirit of His Son.

Rob Rufus - "Knowing the Person of the Holy Spirit"

Having an hour or so to spare at my parents before I go to work, I thought I can do no better than to take some notes from Rob Rufus's latest sermon from City Church International, Hong Kong. He has just begun a mighty series called "Knowing the Person of the Holy Spirit - His Names, Titles and Operations" (Sounds kind of Puritan doesn't it?!). So here are the notes from Part 1 preached on the 9th September (I'm typing as I listen);

"The Church in it's purest form was birthed by God in a state of supernatural drunkenness, liberty and freedom and they never were more in the plan, will and pattern of God drunk in the Holy Spirit. As the Church got more and more sober and intellectual and cerebral and intellectual, the Church got more and more out of the pattern and the will of God".

The Church was birthed under the Anointing! Peter preached an ordinary sermon and 3,000 got saved. It isn't how clever or how spiritual we are - it is whether we have God in our midst. If we have a lot of God in our midst then a lot of things take place!

"What the Church calls 'decently and in order', they mean by that is conservatism, the control of man, noone gets saved, no devils come out of people, no one gets miraculously healed, no blind eyes opened, no deaf ears opened, no one is raised from the dead and no one gets excited about Jesus! That is 'decent and in order' - the order of the graveyard".

"We are decently and in order - of the Resurrection Life!".

What's just happened is the message. Last checked - God is in a good mood and He is planning on being in a good mood for the next billion trillion years because of the Cross of Jesus! Why are we wanting to let our lives be soaked and saturated in the Holy Spirit? One of the words speaking of the Holy Spirit is "baptismo". A cloth would be "baptismo" into a dye and the very fabric and substance of the cloth would come out a different colour.

"God wants to "baptismo" us into the glory so we are saturated, immersed, filled with God and wherever we go there is an outflow of the excessive abundance of the Presence of God!"

The more of God coming into your life - two things will happen - 1. You will have an intimacy with God. The word "intimacy" speaks of being "One". Intimacy with God exceeds every other desire and passion in our lives. Burdens and anxiety will lift off you when you are intimate with God. God said; "Son they are trying to get New Testament results through Old Testament methods. I will come through New Testament grace in New Testament power and THEN My people will pray and fast!". Revival has come! It's here! It is not the time to get caught up in the cares and worries of this world. We have been waiting 400 years for the inheritance that is ours! Don't waste this life now!

"We have crossed the Jordan and we are going in! If you are legalistic and stay on the wrong side of the Jordan, your manna is drying up and it's tough! We are no longer wandering in the wilderness eating manna, going around and around mountains! We have replaced desert with vineyards we never sowed, houses we didn't build, land we didn't buy - and milk and honey is ours now!".

In the heart of all this there are lukewarm Christians caught up with worries!

"We need to get away from Christians who have a form of godliness but deny the power!".

Lukewarm Christians who serve when it is convinient! So firstly we must know the Holy Spirit because of INTIMACY - secondly because of INFLUENCE. The Holy Spirit will give you influence. "3, 000 saved" - that is influence! There is an influence coming from another realm of glory! That is quite different from dry evangelism knocking on doors and trying to get people converted.

"New Testament evangelism is that you get drunk in the Holy Spirit, get so free in God with an influence of the Presence of God and THEN people's hearts are touched!".

Speaking to over 20, 000 people every week through our website. That is influence! Preaching and speaking on God Channel - that is favour! Shut the TV and the cell phone off and go and get into His Presence! This series on the Holy Spirit will be a 6 to 8 part series as we head towards our Glory and Grace Conference. Some of you have felt the Presence of God and not sure what to do with it.

"This isn't for special people or special moments - this is your daily inheritance and your daily privilidge. This isn't through the Father or the Son - this is through the Spirit and He is equal to the Father and the Son!".

There is only one God but three distinct Persons - the most transcendent and mysterious doctrine. You don't have to understand it!

"There are too many people thinking instead of drinking!".

The more you know the Holy Spirit, the more you fellowship with the Holy Spirit - He will reveal Jesus to you and you will have access to the Father and you will have encounters with heaven through the member of the Godhead on the earth. If you want encounters with Jesus it isn't about how much you do or do not sin, or pray or do not pray. This is the New Covenant - not the Old Covenant!

"The Holy Spirit is not third in importance - His function is third but His importance is not! He is a Person, not a power and not a force".

If the Holy Spirit is a power we will want to get hold of it BUT if the Holy Spirit is a Person then we will want Him to get hold of us. If the Holy Spirit is a power then we will want it to accomplish our will and whim BUT the Holy Spirit is a Person then we will want to surrender to Him in awe and wonder. If the Holy Spirit is power then we will feel superior and proud we have it BUT if the Holy Spirit is a Person then in His great love the Third Person of the Trinity has chosen to dwell within us.

One of the greatest workers of miracles in the last century was Kathryn Kuhlman and she said; "We do not use the Holy Spirit - He uses us. He is not looking for perfect or holy vessels - He is looking for yielded vessels fully surrendered to Him".

That is what holiness is - yielding to Him. The Father plans everything, the Son pays for everything at the Cross and every good gift comes from the Father. (James 1:16) "Comes from the Father" but it must come through the Son.

"You can only experience it when you walk in the Spirit and know the Holy Spirit. If you don't know the Holy Spirit you cannot receive the Father's blessing because they don't know the Holy Spirit".

Evangelical conservative legalistic Christians do not know the Holy Spirit because He must be walked with in daily occurances. We want to talk about His titles and His Names so we can get insight into what He is like and what He does so we can get to know Him.

He is known as the Holy Spirit - He is a Spirit who is holy. He will always treat you in a pure way - never in an abusive way. He will always treat you with purity, integrity - He is moral - never legalistic. Demonic spirits that the New Age operate by are lying spirits that promise power. Demons make people sick and so when psychics pray for you the demons will lift off and you can feel a measure of healing. The Western world is opening up to the New Age in an unprecedented way. The Holy Spirit is a Holy Spirit - a lovely, wonderful Spirit of God.

(Psalm 51:11) "Do not take Your Holy Spirit from me". David understood that without the Holy Spirit - he was finished. Many Christians today wouldn't even know the Holy Spirit had gone if He left!

Without the Holy Spirit, finite demons will get you addicted to all kinds of darkness but the Holy Spirit promises He will never leave us or forsake us. If Jesus won't leave us or forsake us then neither will the Holy Spirit because He is the revealer of Jesus to us!

"Much of the church will tell you that the way to a clear conscience is to "DO". Rubbish! It hasn't worked for centuries! That makes the people of God more condemned! (Hebrews 9) - You don't get a clear conscience by doing good and serving! You get a clear conscience by the power of God and the New Covenant".

"A perfect Saviour - a perfect sacrifice at the Cross perfectly satisfied the Father on our behalf and a perfectly satisfied Father gives you and me a perfectly clear conscience".

Our conscience is based on the eternal finished work of the Cross. The Father looks at me and says "Conscience clear!". Too many Christians don't have clear consciences because they don't believe the debt has been paid. There were people today in this room who were sitting passively watching people get blessed and hoping that one day they would be holy enough to encounter God - that is Old Covenant thinking!

"Legalistic self-righteous arrogance says we have a clear conscience because of what we do!".

The Father gives the Holy Spirit to people who don't deserve Him but He will give the Spirit in abundance! (Luke 11:13). He is also called the Spirit of God! (Genesis 1:1-3). Once the Spirit of God moves in your life things will take on form and order and beauty and light. (Romans 8:14). He is called the Spirit of the Lord! These different titles mean different things! (Judges 6:34) "The Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon". When the Spirit came upon Gideon - 300 men destroyed an army of 3, 000.

"The Spirit of the Lord comes on people like Samson and Gideon and you to defeat overwhelming numbers that oppose you. To stand here and believe we can touch China and influence millions of people around the earth because we believe He is the Spirit of the Lord. Numbers and opposition and sieges and mountains cannot hold us in IF we walk in the Spirit of the Lord!"

It MUST be the Spirit of the Lord coming upon you that will defeat the devil. You cannot face overwhealming numbers without the Spirit of the Lord.

He just wants to be with you because you have been justified freely through the blood of Jesus Christ! He can fellowship with you! You can't stop doing things wrong unless the Spirit of the Lord empowers you! It is stupid to say "Get holy and then He will come!". He WANTS to come to weak, sinning, demon-oppressed Christians and He will come upon you and you will rise up and face overwhelming numbers of opposition!

It is not enough to get baptised in the Spirit and talk in tongues. You have to get to know the One who empowers you to speak in tongues. We must want to know the Spirit of God who drives out demons and who leads us. We want to know the Spirit of the Lord who came on Gideon. We want to know this Mighty One who will raise up a standard against the Evil One! You can deal with the Mideanite army - 300 will chase them and hack them to pieces! (2 Corinthians 3:17) - "Where the Spirit of the Lord is - THERE is liberty!".

"The Holy Spirit never tries to manipulate or control you with guilt".

Where He is - there is liberty. When you go into churches and find self-obsessed and analytical Old Testament thinking Christians, that is a demonic spirit.

"Never try to fight a man or woman operating by the Spirit of the Lord! Never try and criticise any man or woman operating in the Spirit of the Lord even if their doctrine is wrong. Watch what happens to the opponents and critics who come against those operating in the Spirit of the Lord - it is fun to watch! Life gets very exciting when you know the Spirit".

"(Ephesians 5:18) - Present tense! "Be BEING filled!". It is no use being baptised in the Spirit at the end of the Second World War and spoke in tongues for 3 minutes! Be BEING filled with the Holy Spirit. Many think of an empty glass being filled with water - that is static and boring! That isn't what the Greek is saying! "I'm half full now I am full".

The language is of a big sail of a yacht being FILLED with wind! Christians in a move of the Spirit of God can sit motionless! But others lives are moving forward and being empowered! God wants to bless but they need their sail up - to be BEING filled! The sail is faith that because of the grace of God He can't help Himself but bless us!".

Marriages get changed! How to get your wife to treat you like a King - treat her like a Queen! There are so many things to talk about the Holy Spirit and we are heading towards the Grace and Glory Conference! Sails are catching wind and moving! No more talk of "trying to pray for the sick". When your sails are full and you want to pray for the sick, you can't help but pray! We will see holiness and revival when the sails are up and being filled! The unsaved don't have sails - they don't know Jesus or the Holy Spirit!

"We are the people of the Holy Spirit! We are His ambassadors!".

Every person on the planet soon will have this One who we are talking about poured out upon them! The pneuma of God - the breath of God will take you to more intimacy - more influence on the people of the earth.

Prophecy of a Rainbow from Hong Kong!

I'm just listening to an awesome message that Rob Rufus made reference to at "TOAM 07" and at CCK the Sunday before when angels came down and manifested themselves in their church. That in and of itself was absolutely awesome enough but Rob made reference to a prophecy that came during the worship.

"A Rainbow means that judgement is over!".

I have always "known" that because I grew up in a Word church. But I don't think I ever really "knew" it. Rob said that the prophecy made reference to the rainbow circling the throne and that truth just sank into me. Judgement is over! Peace is made! I must be honest - Terry Virgo's last session at TOAM 07 didn't really bless me very much. I found it quite odd being in the overflow session with the corresponding sound issues and was struggling that the conference was coming to an end so my overwhelming impression from that message was Terry pointing at the screen (and what seemed like me) saying "You stupid man".

Please don't misunderstand me. I know Terry and I know why he preached what he did. I'm just being honest - that's how I reacted to the sermon then. I'm going to listen to it again sometime and I am sure that in the context of grace that Terry preaches, I will benefit from the message but the enemy did a hatchet job on me and plunged me into doom and condemnation.

This prophecy is like a Patriot missile to totally wreck that.

"A Rainbow means Judgement is over! And a Rainbow circles the throne! Bold I approach the eternal throne and claim the crown! Hallelujah! God doesn't look at me and say "You stupid man" - He looks at me and says "My beloved son!".