[notice]A monthly prophetic perspective from Marian and Kate Fitz-Gibbon[/notice]
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Part 2 of reflections on a recent trip which 118 South African Christian leaders made to Bethel Church in Redding, California. See Part 1
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‘The greatest transformational revolution is about to start’
— Shawn Bolz at the Open heaven’s conference, Bethel.
That ripples through my veins. I can really get behind a statement like that.
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The church is aching and waiting for her transformation. To come out of the cocoon and into her beauty. To fly to eternity. To be majestic.
Jesus is coming back for a spotless bride. Let the revolution begin.
Your kingdom come..
Bethel is big on kingdom culture, and rightly so. Bringing heaven to earth means our world being heavenly. Our church culture needs to be so Godly that it inspires awe. Solomon got this right, when he created a world that was way out of its day and age’s league. He understood that a pretty palace, or clever business systems aren’t enough to transform culture. If you’re going to be excellent like God is, it has to seep into every fibre of your world.
At the Open Heavens conference, Bob Hazlett said that cultures are shaped by thoughts not by rules, if you get the mindset right you change the culture.
If culture starts in your thought life, that means we actually have governance over deciding what our world looks like. The world is waiting for us to show it what true success looks like.
Bethel Senior Pastor, Bill Johnson, said that what’s happening at Bethel is unlocking the possiblility of others doing it in their churches, and more importantly their cities. We have the very real possibility of entire cities changed into heaven on earth — if you like heaven’s reality.
Come on South Africa
Come on South Africa, who’s going to reach for this one? I hope we all do, in our own unique ways.
Kris Vallotton, Senior Associate Leader at Bethel, had the following thoughts: A revival’s not a revival unless it changes the city around it. He also said an apostolic culture doesn’t just plant churches and take ground, it culturises that place to look like heaven.
A church is relevant by the impact it’s making on a city and not by its size, and that so often we’ve stuck people in a bunch of meetings at church and they no longer have time to be involved in the things that matter to the city.
I love what he’s saying. We are the light of the world, the saltiness, the goodness, the flavor. We are the ones with the best ideas and the wisest solutions. We have the God factor and the whole of heaven is backing us up, rooting for us. The earth is groaning for us to be revealed as the peculiar race who do outrageously good things in the name of Jesus. That’s not for another generation, that’s for now. We are the ones the Bible is talking about.
One of the keys to seeing heaven on earth is an abundance mindset. That’s what Solomon had. Abundance and wisdom take walks on the same beach every day together.
So much of what we have called wisdom is actually masking a poverty mindset, says Vallaton. He goes on to say that being successful is part of kingdom living. I wholly agree with him.
I live to see the day the Church comes into her full radiance, elegance, brilliance and wonder; and not just spiritually but in every aspect of life.
For this to happen, we need to know who we are. We can’t have an orphan spirit. This all flows out of identity, and that flows out of intimacy.
I really thought I had being a daughter of the king waxed. Until the orphan spirit got broken off me in a fire tunnel. Then I really knew that I didn’t really have it before.
Life as a true daughter, it’s different now. I really know that what is my Father’s is mine, that who He says I am is true. That what He’s promised me is really going to come to pass because I’m with Him.
That which I do not have is only because I am learning to steward it, to understand how it all works, to be mature enough to carry it with excellence. That’s all, it’s definitely not because I am not good enough, or He is not good enough.
That’s freedom. And it’s for freedom that Jesus came. He said if you’ve seen Me, you’ve seen the Father. That’s who the church is called to be to everyone; if you’ve seen us, you’ve seen the Father. That’s adoption. That’s kingdom. To know me is to know my Father.
We walk with an open heaven over us every day. Jesus made this happen when He died.
I can hear the storehouses in heaven creaking under the weight of abundance, laden with every outstanding thing to be poured out on those who understand this, who will walk in their Father’s footsteps to see His kingdom advance rapidly.
I only want to say and do what I see my Father say and do.
Then they will know, heaven came to earth.
Excellent!
Disastrous!
AMEN !!!
I am sorry to say that this is absolute nonsense for Jesus himself said the Kingdom is within us (Luke 17 vv.20-21.)He preached the Kingdom of GOD (a.k.a. the Kingdom of Heaven) about two thousand years ago. Spirit filled born again believers should be warned against seeking another kingdom to come; Jesus himself said that the times are coming (and they are already here); that even the very elect could be deceived if the days were not shortened.(Math. 24 v.22-24). Let us not think that this cannot happen. Moreover, let us be reminded of the following words of Apostle Paul: “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit (of GOD), if so be that the Spirit of GOD Dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ (only),he is none of His. (Rom 8 v.9 KJV) We have to understand that deception will always come via another spirit.It should be noted that deception is at an all-time high in these days. Peter @ Tarka.
I don’t see another Kingdom being promoted here. It sounds pretty good to me. It actually sounds wonderful.
I agree with Peter. This constant rushing over to US to get new ideas makes me sick. Self denial should be our watch word- Mat 26:39. The answer to SA will come from SA Belivers.
Hello Pieter, you are so right.
The revival that everyone is longing for will be in direct proportion to the extent that the Church of Jesus Christ in South Africa is prepared and willing to repent and turn from its wicked ways.
The answer for South Africa to be changed lies with the Church of Jesus Christ, beginning with self examination and the proclamation and heart piercing preaching of the undiluted Gospel of Jesus Christ to a sinful nation.
I agree with Erroll Mulder and Peter McGregor. It is my considered opinion that some of the articles that are place in Gateway News are done without much discernment being applied. I am therefore posting the following warning about Bill Johnson and Bethel church that was circulated several months ago.
[Removed — Gateway News does not publish content from websites that criticise other Christians and ministries]
I thought I was a lone voice when I warned a few months ago against Bethel Ministries and their popular Music. It is encouraging to know that others also discern different and dark spirits in this movement. Let’s pray earnestly that those who follow these false prophets be delivered. Let’s pray not out of anger or vindictiveness, but out of love for them and concern for the Church, which Jesus died for.
Agreed Hugh.
I thank God for Bethel’s faithful,pioneering and risk-taking pursuit over many years of a culture in which the truth of scripture and the example of Jesus are not only studied but lived out. In the middle of last year I had the privilege of attending a conference there and experiencing their regular church life over a period of five weeks. Bethel has a reputation for the unusual and miraculous, so when I was there I was surprised at how much of their focus was on practically fostering healthy church “family” life and relationships. But it then dawned on me that a sustainable revival culture requires a healthy, family foundation. At one of the conference sessions there were many words of knowledge and God healed many people of various afflictions: I was healed of a back injury from a motor accident 35 years ago. Over the past two years I have also been enriched by participating in Bethel’s Global Legacy Leadership Development Programme in which they share on their understanding of stewarding a revival culture. — EDITOR
Andre, I think there is a difference between negative criticism and healthy critique. What you have said is no doubt true, but fellow-believers must be allowed to positively critique and discern. Any study of revivals over the centuries reveals genuine stuff and excesses (lack of balance). Have a good day.