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These are my final notes - I finally understood the use of language in Eastern Orthodoxy and Greek Patristics - it really came from a combination of reading Sue Curran's 'Prayer in Another Dimension', Aristotelian Metaphysics and his use of categories - nous, episteme and phronesis and some comments Cal Pierce made about wearing the Armour of LIGHT and it ALL came rushing together - it all converged and I understood WHY they use language like Nous, Phronema, Theoria and why they focus on "the mind in the heart" and the agency of Prayer.

There is an event horizon that you reach where you understand Noetic- Communicative; Epistemological-Intuitive and Phronetic-Virtuitive forms of Spiritual Heart Encounter and Christian Knowing and what remains is Prayer and Scripture.

The most striking thing in all this is the sheer luminous brilliance and original genius of Graham Cooke - I have spent hours, running into days, days running into months and months running into years pouring over his work and comparing it with leading [other] Evangelical, Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic spiritual writings and texts - the man is simply in a league of his own  - a complete genius and it has taken me ten years to understand the mere edges of his thought, spirituality and insight, although I have spent the last four years in intensive reflection on all the written and recorded material I have gotten hold of from various sources - an armoury of LIGHT.

A very seminal genius.

Romans 13:12, "The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light."

As I have discussed before in this Blog, Graham Cooke can be located within the radical Prophetic Tradition of HOLY Fools and here are two more useful weblinks  in addition to the original weblinks I posted:

http://www.hvp.org.ru/holyfools.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yurodivy

1 Corinthians 1:18For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God

1 Corinthians 1:21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

1 Corinthians 3:19 "For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: "He catches the wise in their craftiness."

1 Corinthians 4:10 We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored!

The purpose of HOLY Fools is to show us who we really are and who we need to become in the LORD Jesus Christ.

Being a HOLY Fool is a Prophetic Category and resolutely deals with the radical perception alteration, behaviours, expressions and prophetic actions that come with the Prophetic - his journey is my journey right into and through the Eye of the Needle. 

The inner corporeality of Prayer is the human heart, expressed as that Heavenly Tabernacle, the Cross of [the LORD Jesus] Christ.

'Metropolitan Kallistos TIMOTHY Ware says that we contain within our person the universe, not merely [just] the galaxies light years away [the visible creation], but the great universe of the inner space of the heart [the invisible creation], which is incomparably greater than the outside universe and is in the depth within the human heart.'

The interior Calvary of the human Heart is the universal point of ALL convergence, ALL repentance, ALL Reconciliation and ALL Transformation through our Sanctification.

"I was made to LOVE YOU, I was made to find YOU, made to adore YOU, I was made to LOVE YOU and be Loved by YOU" - from 'Made to Love' by Toby Mac.

I have left a lot of questions unanswered BUT this weblink will answer some of them:

A History of Monastic Spirituality by Luc Bresard.

 http://www.scourmont.be/studium/bresard/:

I have also not explained the dynamics of the relationship between Nepsis [Vigilance], Virtue and the Nous [the Eyes of the Heart] - it is not just a question of do we see BUT how we see with the eyes of our Hearts - Nepsis is Virtuitive Vigilance.

You may like this paper - 'Prayer in Evagrius Ponticus and St. Nil Sorski' - in understanding this relationship: 

http://www.byzantines.net/scranton/evag.htm

One last thing - John Wesley did NOT believe in Sinless Perfection in his systematic approach to Sanctification and in dealing with Romans 7 - we have to distinguish between the Work of the Cross releasing us from captivity to sin [Imputed Righteousness] and progressive Sanctification as overcoming the residual effects of sin [Imparted Righteousness] - if I were to change some of the work of Dan McCollam, Mission Church, Vacaville, California on the subject, it would be on the position of the human heart in this process and in dealing with Romans 7 in relation to regeneration and the Human Heart [or Human Spirit].

It is worth placing Dan McCollam in Conversation with two other Evangelical Commentarians on Romans 7, who hold similar views to his work on the text and its implications:

Thomas  R. Schreiner, Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky

 

Douglas J. Moo, Blanchard Professor of New Testament, Wheaton College Graduate School, Wheaton Illinois

 

So.

 

I have been asked to comment on Archimandrite Zacharias Zacharou and offer my reflections on his work, ministry and witness from an Evangelical perspective - I sometimes encounter him walking about in the Heavenlies and the Spirituals - I can see his inscape and his instress:

 

The reason we sometimes see people around us appearing to be standing in the shade, is that as we become Prophecy and increasingly come into alignment with Prophetic word of the HOLY Spirit at work in us, we increasing shine, Because:

Peter confirms in 2 Peter 1:19 that the Prophetic Word is "a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts"

So we shine with an increasingly brilliant intensity and our words are received.

What is it easier to say? Let there be Words or let there be Light, if HIS Living Word at work in us, is a Lamp to our feet wherever we tread and we do have the Authority to Tread.

Psalm 119:105 Your Word is a Lamp to my feet And a light to my path.

Joshua 1:3a I will give you every place where you set your foot

Job 22:28b light will shine on your ways.

Luke 10:19b I have given you the Authority to tread

This is what it means to walk in the Light.

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

"In his journals, Gerard Manley Hopkins used two terms, "inscape" and "instress," which can cause some confusion. By "inscape" he means the unified complex of characteristics that give each thing its uniqueness and that differentiate it from other things, and by "instress" he means either the force of being which holds the inscape together or the impulse from the inscape which carries it whole into the mind [and Heart] of the beholder" - Gerard Manley Hopkins on"Inscape and Instress" by Glen Everett, Ph.D

I have been asked again about Catharsis [Purgation], Photosis [Illumination] and Theosis [Unification] - these terms MUST flee away - Sergei Sakharov started with these terms when after the death of Silouan, he chose to be eremetic - in the end he understood that it is not about steps, cycles and stages, it is about Encounter.  

Actually, here is weblink on some of the reflections from Brian McLaren on  Catharsis [Purgation], Photosis [Illumination] and Theosis [Unification].

http://up-rooted.blogspot.com/2004/04/summary-of-brian-mclarens-three-phases.html

Do you want to know what was happening to Sergei Sakharov in the Desert - he was being stripped of every earthly dependence - each of you will Encounter your own Peniel.  

The one thing that Anthony Bloom communicated to me was the absolute necessity of Encounter. 

It takes Encounter to be able to say "We shall see Him as He is".

They train young men to be Confessors and then ask where have all the Spiritual Fathers gone?  What do they mean by the term 'gone'?  They have not gone, they have simply become invisible to their pastoral terms of reference.

"I think that today the whole Christian World,including the whole world of Orthodoxy,has become cut off from the simplicity,the all-inclusiveness and triumphant beauty of the Gospels. Christ with his group of disciples founded a Church which was so deep,so all-embracing, so complete that it contained within itself the whole universe."

Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh (Andrei Borisovich Bloom) - Encounter

If they ask you, "are you a Staretz?" say no.  And if they say to you, "if you are not a Staretz, then what are you?  Are you a Prophet?"  Say, we are putting our feet in His footprints which are filling up with Blood and Water'.

If you are His Presence Bearer, a Cross Bearer and a [HOLY] Spirit Bearer - questions like this are the last thing they will ask.  

Christian Spirituality and Revival have one thing in common.  Awakening.

The primary objective of all Christian Spirituality is Becoming Awake.  The Awakening of the Heart or the Human Spirit.  This is what it means to have an 'illuminated Nous'.  To be and become increasingly Awake.

The release of the HOLY Spirit is the act of being woken up to Heavenly and Spiritual Realities - make no mistake if Angels ascended before they descended on Jacob's Ladder - Heaven is definitely on Earth if we just knew how to see.

As an Evangelical I try to get people to read Literature from other Christian Confessions, in addition to Evangelical, Charismatic and Pentecostal stuff - this is a Coptic Orthodox website - I like the paper on the Gift of the HOLY Spirit and particularly the treatment of Scripture in the paper - the word Gnostic in this context is the Christian act of Knowing with the Heart - a Hermeneutical Discernment of the Heart : 

 http://www.coepa.org/

I also recommend a search of the website through its internal search engine under 'The Fiery Spirit' and read the text - 'The Fiery Spirit' - with this text you have to read it carefully and then pray in whatever speaks to your Spirit - I am going to touch you on the chest and whatever you take hold of in this material, will become rooted, embedded and grow up in you and through your Ministry - this is manifest fruitfulness.

In the final analysis I left Academic Theology and the Academy not because I was no longer a leftfield intellectual - I simply exchanged thoughts for heartbeats and I am Burning, Always Burning.

Accuser

I was walking down the street three days ago [January 2008] and suddenly great shafts of LIGHT! erupted out of my body - it was an incredible experience - I really felt like a human LIGHT House - I became Luminous - a House of LIGHT!  The thing about this type of Taboric Light is not in its noetic qualities of Light but in what it reveals around you - I am being turned into LIGHT - I have known that for some time - I have been renegotiating my humanity BUT the frequency of these Encounters is increasing, intensifying and accelerating - in the final stages of this metamorphosis I may spent or devote my time exclusively to Reformed Evangelicals - there is an impartation gathering, building, rising up in me and I will pass the Mantle on - I can feel the ENERGY roaring and crackling, gathering and building - LIGHT speaking with me and the HOLY Spirit whispers, "why worry?" - my hands are Burning - I have become Liquid Fire.

An exemplary ministry today is Keith Miller of Stand Firm Ministries - a man who received an impartation from Benny Hinn and whose entire ministry is one continuous kenotic act of giving it all away - of imparting everything he can to everyone around him - a man who is tireless, indefatigable and continously revivified in being a living witness to the GLORY of the LORD Jesus Christ.

If Bill Johnson, Bethel Church, Redding California is walking in the footsteps and footprints of Silouan, Archimandrite Sophrony [Sergei Sakharov] and Archimandrite Zacharias Zacharou in the Enlargement of the Hidden Man of the Heart - the first act of Vigilance is to observe where he is going - as those footsteps and footprints take him further up and further into Revelation.

I am still a Church of England [Anglican] Evangelical - if you understand Thomas Cranmer, then the final expression of the Anglican Reformation is to be Evangelical.

Father George A. Maloney [Roman Catholic] passed on his Mantle - he knew he was dying, in the end he could see Heaven, he could hear the singing coming closer, he knew he was leaving and he opened his hands and let it go and I caught it - or it came to rest on me - the diffference between us?  I am Evangelical and more Fiery - A Flaming Heart - my Mantle will also be cast into that John 3:8 Wind - BUT TIME ENOUGH!  To run the mile ALL ABLAZE!  I AM STILL ON FIRE!

"I have boldly asserted that whatever his peculiar character or circumstances might be, if the prodigal would come home to his Heavenly Father, he would find enough and to spare in the Father's house to supply all his need both for this world and the next; and I have known thousands nay, I can say tens of thousands, who have literally proved this to be true, having, with little or no temporal assistance, come out of the darkest depths of destitution, vice and crime, to be happy and honest citizens and true sons and servants of God.

It will be seen therefore that in this or in any other development that may follow I have no intention to depart in the smallest degree from the main principles on which I have acted in the past. My only hope for the permanent deliverance of mankind from misery, either in this world or the next, is the regeneration or remaking of the individual by the power of the Holy Ghost through Jesus Christ. But in providing for the relief of temporal misery I reckon that I am only making it easy where it is now difficult, and possible where it is now all but impossible, for men and women to find their way to the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." -  From the Preface to 'In Darkest England And the Way Out' by William Booth [the Founder of the Salvation Army] 

This is the normal Christian Life.

                           

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They keep bringing me back - the Quantum Physics of the Eucharist, is that we are becoming the LIGHT of the World - Gregory of Palamas understood this, which is why in dealing with his approach to the Essence and Energies of the Trinity, he deliberately differentiated between real distinction and real division - I would make your final preparations, we are going through and it will turn you into LIGHT!  The Vale is open and the Veil torn asunder.  

In Prophetics, You become the Energy in the eye of the Beholder, because [the LORD Jesus] Christ is in every eye who sees us.  Prophecy is energy and energy is Prophecy.  Prophecy is one of the energy gifts of the HOLY Spirit.  The energies of the Trinity are an expression of their Prophetic Intentionalities.

 

 

 

 

 

This is the full communion.

Matthew 18:20 "For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst."

Luke 22:19,20

19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.

20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

 

 

I like Catherine Brown and I knew her Spiritual Father, Hugh Black - one of the last of the great "Old Evangelicals" in Scotland - a man who could lay hands on you and You would burn and burn and burn for weeks under the Anointing - there are not many men left like that in these Islands, apart from a handful, very few - they have nearly ALL been gathered in...STILL, time enough, the Candle is STILL BURNING! and we will run the mile yet, ALL ABLAZE!

You might like this:

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Solomon Receives Impartation While Dreaming

Did you know that God can impart a supernatural gift to you during your sleep? It's true! We are blessed to read of such an impartation of "wisdom and discernment" given to King Solomon during a dream (1 Kings 3). Wisdom is one of the nine gifts of the Spirit (read 1 Corinthians 12:7-11).

I Kings 3:5-9, "At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, 'Ask for whatever you want Me to give you.'"

"Solomon answered, 'You have shown great kindness to Your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to You and righteous and upright in heart. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count in number. So give Your servant a discerning heart to govern Your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of Yours?'"

The Lord was pleased that Solomon asked Him for wisdom and discernment and the Lord said to him in Verses 10-15, "'Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for--both riches and honor--so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in My ways and obey My statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.' Then Solomon awoke--and he realized it had been a dream."

Solomon returned to Jerusalem and offered sacrificial offerings before the Lord and then gave a feast for all in his court. Shortly after this, two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him asking him to judge between who was the true mother of a baby child. One of the women's sons had died and only one child remained alive. Solomon had to execute a wise ruling and choose the authentic mother. Ultimately, Solomon's words and actions revealed the true mother's heart in verse 26, "The woman whose son was alive was filled with compassion for her son, and said to the king, 'Please my lord, give her the living baby! Don't kill him!'"

And in verse 28 we read, "When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice."

The entire Israelite community affirmed that their king had received a gift from God. We are privileged to study the Scriptures and understand that this wisdom and gift of discernment was imparted to Solomon during a dream! There is no reason why we too, cannot exercise faith in a similar manner and have an expectation to receive instruction, wisdom and much more from the Lord during our sleeping (and waking).

Flying with the Golden Eagle

Before going on a mission trip to California in early 2006, I had two significant dreams/night visions, one of which I will share with you here. In my dream, I was flying over the streets of California late at night. I was aware that I was being carried along by the Spirit of the Lord. As I swooped through the streets, it was a most exhilarating experience. Suddenly, I became aware of a magnificent golden eagle that was flying ahead of me. I caught glimpses of the golden glory of the eagle from time-to-time as we sped along through the night.

In a split second or pre-emptive discernment, I realized that I was about to collide with the golden eagle. I turned the corner in my dream and did just that--I collided with the beautiful Heavenly being in a face-to-face encounter; and at the same time, I felt a rush of God's glory fill my entire being. I knew right away that I had received an impartation from the Lord. I had complete peace in my heart and awoke to feel the effects of the glory of God in my human frame. (Prophet Daniel describes this, "After that, in my vision at night" in Daniel 7:7.)

My spiritual father, Hugh Black, who has now gone home to be with the Lord, co-labored with the Reverend Duncan Campbell in the Lewis Revivals of the 20th century (1939 and 1949). He often spoke to me of the angels appearing in the Hebridean Islands and how the glory of the Lord was evident on the earth for days after such an encounter--it could be felt in both the body and also seen with the human eye in the earth's atmosphere.

Lifted By the Spirit of God

It is occasionally difficult to find accurate words to convey supernatural experiences. However, we can look to God's Word to find a holy foundation. Prophet Ezekiel writes of his experience of being raised up by the Spirit in various locations, providing us with a solid Biblical perspective of such an occurrence. My description of "flying" with the Lord is simply an alternative way of speaking about being lifted by the Spirit of the Lord and correlates with the experience of Ezekiel in relation to encountering God's glory.

Ezekiel 11:1, "Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the gate of the houses of the Lord that face east."

Ezekiel 11:24-25, "Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the exiles in Babylonia in the vision given by the Spirit of God. Then the vision I had seen went up from me, and I told the exiles everything the Lord had shown me."

Revelation of Glory and in California

Furthermore, my description of the glory experience is also part of Ezekiel's revelatory encounter too. On several occasions, Ezekiel links being lifted in the Spirit (as in verse 24 above) with receiving a fresh revelation of the glory of God.

Ezekiel 11:22-23, "Then the cherubim, with the wheels beside them, spread their wings, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them. The glory of the Lord went up from within the city and stopped above the mountain east of it."

Since we have a Biblical blueprint for receiving an impartation during a dream (as Solomon did), I also have no problem in exercising faith that God truly imparted a measure of His glory to me during the dream experience. You may well ask, "What is the purpose of such an encounter?" I believe this particular glory impartation was for serving Him in California. Every genuine glory encounter with the Lord births a worship-filled response in our hearts along with a desire to shower His love on others.

So what happened during my trip to California? The dream depicted me on the streets, and whilst much of my time was spent ministering in churches to God's beloved children, I was also privileged to go out onto the streets with good friends to minister with the homeless of Northern California.

It was here that we saw the Glory of God manifest in anointed preaching as two more precious souls gave their lives in commitment to Christ; it was here that we saw God's glory poured out in healing miracles and precious words of Christ's life-giving prophecy.

It was on the streets that Jesus healed the darkness of depression that held a dear one bound; it was here that the Lord healed the dislocated shoulder of a young homeless man, whose body was covered with huge spider bites. It was here that Jesus came with tenderness and ministered to a young couple about to be married, pouring out words of healing and hope.

Thus the glory impartation had been for a divine purpose--to minister Christ's miracle working love to those to whom I had been sent.

The Living Creatures

Perhaps the only fully unanswered question remains in the interpretation of the "golden eagle." Some interpret eagles as symbolic of the prophetic ministry; others interpret them as part of apostolic ministry. Prophet Ezekiel describes the living creatures as having a face like an eagle in Ezekiel 10:14, "Each of the cherubim had four faces: one face was that of a cherub, the second the face of a man, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle" (see also Ezekiel 1:10).

The Book of Revelation describes the four living creatures that worship around the throne of the Lamb in this way in Revelation 4:7-8, "The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around even under the wings. Day and night they never stop saying, 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is and is to come.'"

I cannot say with absolute accuracy whether I encountered a living creature or not. I do know that the angelic being was Heaven sent and imparted a measure of the glory of the Lord to me in the vision/dream experience. I also believe that in sharing the dream, the believers of California were encouraged and moved to faith-filled responses. As a people of faith, we are called to exercise faith and discernment. I interpreted the dream as a sign of God's glory given for worship and for mission. A sign with interpretation translates into prophetic understanding. Prophetic understanding births further faith in our hearts and releases destiny as we respond to the glory of God in our lives.

Interpreting Dreams

In the life of the prophet, Daniel, we are able to see interesting interactions with revelations he perceived in the Heavenly realms. In Daniel 10:1 we read, "...a revelation was given to Daniel (who was called Belteshazzar). Its message was true and it concerned a great war." The Scriptures clearly stated Daniel received "revelation," however, verse 1 continues, "The understanding of the message came to him in a vision." In other words, the "revelation" and the "understanding" about the revelation did not come at the same time, but one followed the other.

At a different time, Daniel was praying and repenting for sins in his nation when the angel Gabriel came to speak with him. Daniel 9:21-22, "...while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. He instructed me and said to me, 'Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding.'"

God sent an angel to help His servant gain insight and understanding. The angel Gabriel instructed Daniel in respect to the revelation, even though God had given Daniel and his three associates, "...knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds." Daniel 1:17

It is humbling and helpful to see that the mighty man of God, anointed and appointed, still needed help at times with interpretation. It is faith building to know that our Father in Heaven releases angels to instruct and assist His children with revelation and revelatory experiences!

Seven--A Sign of Completion

Before leaving California, the Lord drew my attention to "seven magnificent eagles" flying together in the air, just as I was approaching my final preaching destination. This was not a vision, but seven "real" eagles that hovered overhead. The Bibles teaches us that God rested on the seventh day and we may safely interpret the number seven as perfection and completion. I left California with God's perfect peace in my heart and a feeling of having completed my Kingdom assignment.

May the God of Israel grant you faith and favor as you pursue His dream for your life and explore the wonderful world of dreams and visions with the Holy Spirit and the angels.

To God be the glory.

Catherine Brown
Gatekeepers Global Ministries
Email: admin@gatekeepers.org.uk

 

Explosive growth
Zaire
Rwanda
Uganda
Nicholas Bhengu
Reinhard Bonnke


During this century Africa has experienced perhaps the greatest outpouring of the Holy Spirit ever experienced. This blessing continues to this day.

Two characteristics of the move of God have been persecution of believers and massive rallies in which signs and wonders were seen followed by many acknowledging Jesus as Lord.

©1999 The Way Christian Ministries

Explosive growth

The rate of Christian growth in Africa since 1910 has been twice that of population growth. Due to the many Holy Spirit inspired awakenings across this great Continent it is soberly estimated that by the end of the 20th Century, Africa, south of the Sahara will be mainly Christian.

---------------------------- There is a link between persecution and revival ----------------------------

There is a link between persecution and revival as we have seen from the Book of Acts. The Holy Spirit seems to have anticipated in many places where persecution would come and prepared his people for that by revival. This is true of East Africa, Uganda and with the Mau Mau in Kenya. The revival came before persecution.

Almost every country across this vast African continent has its fascinating quota of revival stories. A few examples will have to suffice.

Zaire

In Zaire (formerly Belgian Congo) deep in the heart of Africa , the Church was built up through such God anointed pioneers as Livingstone, Stanley, Baptist George Grindfield, Methodist Revivalist William Taylor, Brethren FS Arnott and C.T. Stud of WEC. The blood bath which quickly followed the granting of independence in Zaire on 30 June 1960, brought the Congolese troops their first fiery ordeal.

In October 1960, the newly formed State of Zaire was in the grip of communists the pagan insurgence, who had been trained and planning their rebellion for years. Fighting was widespread. One great Congolese Chief in the Kikonja area was murdered in cold blood and hacked to pieces along with several of his counsellors. His Christian wife, her sister, his mother and several children were killed with them. Corpses strode the area for miles around. People were impaled on stakes. Rebel leaders wore two real dried human hands, one white and one black and their backs proclaimed "No mercy".

No less than 31 evangelical missionary were martyred in Zaire in 1965, as well as hundreds of the most devoted Congolese pastors and leaders and thousands of their members.

---------------------------- Human flesh was sold openly on Stanleyville market. ----------------------------

A large section of the population between the ages of 10 and 60 were blotted out. Cannibalism was reintroduced with every other vile custom and superstition. Human flesh was sold openly on Stanleyville market. The old men declared they had never seen such abandonment to vice, lust and drunkenness even in the worst days of heathenism. Missionaries who risked their lives to revisit parts of the country found that whole congregations had been obliterated.

Men, women and children had been driven into one Church, the thatch set alight and they had been burned to cinders. All that remained was the ruined foundation of the Church building and the collection of charred bones. Thousands of Christians fled into the forest and just how many died of starvation and exposure will never be known.

---------------------------- The gates of hell could not prevail ----------------------------

However, the gates of Hell could not prevail against the Church that was built upon the Rock. The great unseen Head of the Church had been preparing his people by revival in readiness for their fiery trial. Remarkable visions occurred. Older people among the unsaved, who could not read the Word were granted visions, often of heaven and hell. They immediately repented and believed and became great witnesses for Christ. Such events shook the community and brought in witch doctors who burned their charms.

The wave of the revival blessing ensured that the Church was spiritually prepared to face the onslaught of evil. Throughout the remarkable history of the Mission there had been great evidence of the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit, so necessary to combat the centuries of entrenched evil darkness

---------------------------- A revived church is indestructable! ----------------------------

A revived Church is indestructible. After months of waiting and wondering just how the believers were faring, missionaries who had been forced to evacuate South Africa or other neighbouring countries, heard reassuring trickles of news. The Congolese Christians were hungry, naked, destitute but still believing, standing firm in their faith. They were praying ceaselessly in their hiding places in the forests and in the caves. Their first request was for Bibles, not food!

As the trouble subsided there was an extraordinary revival. More than one rebel said "The more we kill these Christians, the more they multiply. They have got a power we haven't got." .

---------------------------- The more we kill these Christians the more they multiply! ----------------------------

Disillusioned with politics, there was a sudden wholesale turning to God among the people. A Congolese pastor revealed "During the long period when we were cut off from the Missionaries we had a remarkable visitation from the Spirit of God. The Pastors of our district had been fasting and praying because of the bloodshed and persecution. We were praying and the Spirit descended on us in a wonderful way and His gifts operated among us. He told us many things in prophecy, which have all come true. The Holy Spirit began to convict us of sin. As we went back to our Churches to preach the streams of men and women believed on the Lord Jesus and confessed their sins exactly as in Acts 19:17-20, bringing their heathen charms. The revival lasted eight months.". Revival broke out everywhere and thousands upon thousands were converted and added to the churches.

In 1975, the number of believers had doubled again since Independence to 145,000 with 2,400 churches. In 1984, the number of churches was almost 3,000 with a corresponding increase in believers.

Rwanda

To the east of Zaire is the neighbouring country of Rwanda, which is forever assured a place of honour in the annuals of revival for the East African Revival,. which broke out there in 1935 during famine conditions.

---------------------------- The shining faces of believers singled them out. ----------------------------

Within a year it was sweeping Rwanda and Burundi and touching Uganda, Kenya and Tanganyika. Though mainly Anglican it also spread to other denominations. Members of the East African Revival Team relate how these revived believers were nicknamed "Balokole" "The Saved Ones". Their shining faces singled them out.

Evangelical Anglican Missionaries of the Church Missionary Society, working in the East Central African countries of Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda, emphasised the basic teaching of new birth, being filled with the Holy Spirit and living in victory. This teaching undergirded the East African Revival which continued for 50 years after its beginning in the 1930s.

The Rwanda Mission, founded in 1920, experienced local revival in the late 20s and early 30s. Increasingly people prayed. By 1936 thousands were praying and revival broke out at the Mission Station at Thini in Rwanda on Wednesday, 24 June 1936. "It seemed as though the Holy Spirit with his unseen hand gathered together the hospital staff and men from the nearby village. They prayed and sang and some were smitten down under a tremendous conviction of sin. Revival swept into the girls' school and similar manifestations came from five different centres across the mission. Everywhere the mysterious power of the Holy Spirit was at work.".

The African Rwanda Mission had 20,000 converts by 1942 in 700 village congregations with 1,400 trained workers, including some ordained priests. The famous East Africa revival, which began in Rwanda in June 1936, rapidly spread to the adjacent countries of Burundi, Uganda and the Congo, then further around. The Holy Spirit moved upon mission schools and spread to churches and whole communities producing deep repentance and changed lives.

Uganda

The spread of the revival to Uganda is undoubtedly one of the secrets behind the survival of the suffering Uganda Church under the terrible regime of Ide Amin after his coup in 1971. A living Church cannot be destroyed by fire or by guns.

After the overthrow of the tyrant, Ide Amin, the Church has been playing a major role in the rebuilding of ravaged nation of Uganda. In spite of Amin's intense persecution the Christian community increased from 52% to 65-70% of the 12 million population. An estimated 300,000 were slaughtered during the eight years rule of Amin. When he returned from his exile Bishop Kivengere said "Let there be no hate, let there be no revenge. We will rebuild our Nation on God's love.".

Nicholas Bhengu

Nicholas Bhengu (called "The Black Billy Graham") was born in Zulu land in 1909. Through various prophetic words and visions from God he formed an Assemblies of God Church in South Africa in 1938 and began to preach with much blessing. He had a dream in which he had the words "Africa must get back to God". Out of this was born his "Back to God Crusade" which took him all over South African conducting large tent meetings. For almost 40 years the Crusade has worked its way systematically across South Africa.

Multitudes have been won for Christ and many of the young converts have entered the Ministry. His first big Crusade was in 1945 in Port Elizabeth. There were a thousand converts in six weeks. It was in East London (South Africa) that the most remarkable work was done. The migration of the Bantus from their kraals into urban areas led to the break up of their tribal ties and society resulting very often in crime drunkenness and immorality.

---------------------------- War was declared on sin ----------------------------

Bhengu declared war on sin and crime. Thousands were converted including thieves who returned stolen goods by the van load and murderers, who confessed and gave themselves up to justice. Many Tsotsis (African gangsters) were converted and some became able ministers of the gospel. An amazed major of police told an Assemblies of God Missionary from England (James E Mullan) "Mr Mullan we have confidence in Mr Bhengu and we want this work to go on by all means.".

---------------------------- It was like the Acts of the Apostles all over again ----------------------------

During those remarkable days in East London, God so poured out His Spirit that it was like the Acts of the Apostles all over again. As Bhengu preached a cripple suddenly jumped up, shouted and threw away his crutches as he walked and then ran, there was an uproar - it was God at work! Nicholas Bhengu said "We did not pray for him, Jesus healed him and he shouted and the people knew that Jesus heals today.".

On another day, a crowd of over 7,000 were assembled in the open air. While they were singing a simple Christian chorus, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as he did upon the household of Cornelius when Peter was preaching in Acts 10.

This happened at half past ten in the morning and a great crowd was still there when darkness fell. Small boys of just 12 years old talked in tongues and prophesied. It was impossible for Bhengu or anyone else to preach. The news of what was happening spread and sightseers came and they too were converted. The numbers continued to increase and the Lord continued to save and baptise them with the Holy Ghost and fire.

---------------------------- The people were so under the power of God they could not walk ----------------------------

The people were so under the power of God that they could not walk. Many of them were prostrated and lay as though they were dead. Bhengu sent for buses to come and take the people to their homes but as soon as the bus drivers and conductors tried to pick them up they themselves came under the power of the Holy Spirit. They said to Bhengu "As soon as we touch them this comes into us.".

In 1971, a Zulu queen was baptised in front of a crowd of 5,000 witnesses. Influential African political leaders were among the converts.

Bhengu is now 75 years of age and respected by both black, white and coloured, throughout South Africa. He has preached throughout Africa and visited Japan as well as Britain, Canada and America.

Reinhard Bonnke

The story of Reinhard Bonnke is perhaps even more amazing than that of Bhengu. Born in 1940, son of a German Pentecostal Pastor. At the age of 9 years he had his first call from God and the Lord told him that he would one day preach the gospel in Africa. He trained at the Bible College of Wales in Swansea, which was founded by Rees Howells, who as well as being a great intercessor, was also a great man of faith. The principle of "living by faith" was instilled in the students and Bonnke acknowledges his debt to that great college. He learned to trust God in a practical way. Reinhard Bonnke's ministry in Africa began with a bizarre turning point of events.

---------------------------- Bonkee learned to trust God in a practical way ----------------------------

A large crusade had been publicised with an international evangelist with a special ministry of healing , however, on the day that the crusade was to start, Bonnke met the evangelist and found him with his bags packed and found him ready to leave. Bonnke found himself faced with a very difficult situation!

He prayed and confessed "Lord, I am not the man who has been advertised but I am your servant and now I am going to preach and pray for the sick and you will do the miracles.". He came before the crowd and explained that the great man had gone but Jesus was still here and as he preached the power of God fell upon the meeting.

He did not lay hands upon the sick but he felt the Holy Spirit was telling him to pray for the blind. When he called out for any blind people to stand up six stood in response. He said "I'm not going to touch you but Jesus will". He rebuked the blindness in the name of Jesus and he commanded that the blind eyes be open.

---------------------------- "I can see, I can see" ----------------------------

Suddenly there were cries of "I can see, I can see!". One woman came to the platform and said "For many years I was completely blind.". She was handed a Bible from which to read and with hands trembling and with great excitement the congregation erupted in shouts of praise and thanksgiving to God and this indeed was the turning point in Reinhard Bonnke's ministry in Africa.

He founded a multi-racial team in liaison with Christ for All Nations. Before very long he was using a very large tent seating tens of thousands. The power of God was increasing during the period from the 70s through into the 80s. At his meetings thieves began to return stolen goods.

---------------------------- They received 3 large truck loads of stolen goods ----------------------------

One newspaper ran with the headline "Hundreds of Thieves have seen the light". It went on to say how they had taken stolen goods back to the police. They had received three large truck loads of stolen goods. The publicity led to between 10,000 and 15,000 people attending a single service in that Crusade, with many hundreds of conversions including 20 policemen.

Although Bonnke's ministry has seen remarkable success throughout the world his greatest burden is for Africa. Throughout Southern Africa his 10,000 seater tent has been too small in recent days. In 1980 some in 1980 100,000 people made a decision for Christ in his Crusades and that figure has probably been surpassed in each succeeding year. His ministry began to use the world's biggest tent which seats over 30,000 people. It cost well over one million pounds with many extras for great trucks to transport the tent around Africa.

---------------------------- Bonkee believes that Africa is on the verge of its greatest revival in its history ----------------------------

Bonnke believes that Africa is on the verge of the greatest revival in its history and he sees the tent as a great combined harvester which will roll from Cape Town to Cairo. He and his team believe that God will triple their harvest of souls to 300,000 per year in the big tent.

Such is the move of God's Spirit in Africa but the world's largest tent has proved too small to contain the crowds flocking to hear gospel. In Spring 1990, Reinhard Bonnke gave away his great tent to a group working in Mozambique. He is now attracting crowds numbering in the hundreds of thousands. Equipped with high powered amplifying equipment he is geared to be able to address crowds of up to one million. The response to the gospel is increasing all the time. The winds of God's revival power is blowing across Africa.

I was Praying and suddenly the ANOINTING of the HOLY Spirit BURST up through the floor and from the walls like GREAT Springs!The DEEP opened UP! and Sighed!  and I was immediately covered in the Anointing and it rose up to my chest and thickened like ointment and time and space fled away and I was taken up into Vision and Jesus was speaking to me - immense and free and I felt TOTALLY PURIFIED AND SANCTIFIED - I am NOW working on pressing out this experience every day in my quiet times and continuous Prayer - I am beginning to understand what was happening to Jacob when he walked straight into a Camp of Angels!  This is WALKING in the Spirit!  BURNING! ALWAYS BURNING!  I AM ON FIRE!  But not consumed!

Genesis 32:1  Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2 When Jacob saw them, he said, "This is the camp of God!" So he named that place Mahanaim.

Galatians 5:16 But I say to you, walk in the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.

You are lifed up into a level of intimacy and Communion with Jesus which flows beyond Words, for you become Words and you realise they are being spoken over you - right down to your DNA and beyond.

 

I reached out and grabbed hold of someone, in the midst of this IMMENSE ENERGY flowing through me, in Church and my hands were on FIRE and they ignited! I literally opened my mouth and breathed LIVING Fire into them! We have to understand the "Energy Gifts" of 1 Corinthians 12 - really understand them. 

I know, I know, I looked wild, incandescent and blazing and I could literally have picked them up like a feather in that moment - this is what is like when one of the Energy Gifts kicks in....

1 Corinthians 12:4-6

4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.

5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.

6 There are different kinds of energies, but the same God works all of them in all men.

I saw the same uncreated energy of the HOLY Spirit working so powerfully in Dutch Sheets, he just tilted his head back and ROARED! and then the sonic boom hit me - it was like being hit by a Tornado!  That impartation kept me buzzing like a fridge for a week!

Colossians 1:29 To this end I labour, struggling with ALL His energy, which so powerfully works in me.

 

 

 

The Changes...where to begin.  Increasingly, I am being turned into LIGHT!  and that sounds mad, because I am still a human being and still flesh and blood. 

Incredible things are happening - I  walk into Church and the worship kicks in and I AM BEING TAKEN UP INTO REVELATION LIKE JOHN - I am increasingly being purged of sin - I almost need an entirely new type of language to talk about this or to describe this:

I am going to use two pieces of Scripture to framework this:

Romans 2:4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realising that God's kindness leads you towards repentance?

Hebrews 13:3 Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow-prisoners, and those who are ill-treated as if you yourselves were suffering.

We have to really understand that NO-ONE will experience anything Heavenly in a substantial, lasting and enduring way, until they have taken hold of Hebrews 13:3 and really lived it out and I am talki