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WALKING WORTHY Teaching by Pastor Michelle Di Somma carmel: MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL
ISSUE 39
THE WALLS ARE COMING DOWN Article by Pastor Gerri Di Somma
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carmel: A MAGAZINE PUBLISHED BY CARMEL MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL
ISSUE 39
He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. Luke 9:2
WELCOME We are thankful for all that God has done so far this year and are expectant for what is yet to come, especially the launch of our first international Bible College, starting this September in Italy.
On a personal note, we became proud grandparents again in January and are enjoying the delights of family life. We have also travelled to South Africa and America as God has opened doors of opportunity for us to extend our teaching ministry. We are pleased to bring you this issue of Carmel: Life, full of teachings and testimonies reflecting what God has been saying and doing in our midst. God gave Carmel a prophetic word at the beginning of 2013 saying,
CONTENTS ‘The Walls are Coming Down’, which is the title of Pastor Gerri’s main article. It shows how we need to prepare ourselves to be positioned for walls of opposition to come down. His second teaching, ‘The Battle is the Lord’s’ has a similar theme, revealing key steps that King Jehoshaphat took to position himself for victory. Pastor Michelle’s teaching, ‘Walking Worthy’ shows the importance of our daily walk since it determines our destiny. Pastor Sean Leask is our guest speaker featured in this issue. He conveys how Christians can live free from all sin. Additionally, we’ve included an overview of our Exceptional Women’s Conference, our Signs, Wonders and Miracles Conference, plus two testimonies of people who have ‘found heaven’.
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C:VIEW Exceptional Women’s Conference Signs, Wonders and Miracles Conference
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ARTICLE The Walls Are Coming Down By Pastor Gerri Di Somma
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TEACHING Walking Worthy
By Pastor Michelle Di Somma
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TEACHING The Battle Is The Lord’s By Pastor Gerri Di Somma
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TEACHING Free At Last
By Pastor Sean Leask
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We trust that you are mightily blessed, encouraged and challenged as you read this magazine.
FOUND HEAVEN Testimonies
CONTACT CARMEL CENTRE 817a Bath Road, Brislington Bristol BS4 5NL T: (0117) 977 5533 F: (0117) 977 5678 W: www.carmelcitychurch.org
Gerri and Michelle Di Somma
EVENTS JUNE Fri 14th - Sat 15th Valiant Men’s Conference ‘1:Life’ Fri - 7:00pm Sat - 9:30am & 7:00pm
Sun 16th 9:00am & 11:00am Guest speaker: David Mcdonald
Please note some of the dates and times of up-and-coming events may be subject to change. See Carmel’s website for all the latest information.
SERVICES Sun 09:00am – SuN 11:00am – sun 6:00pm JULY Sat 6th 7:00pm
29th July - 2nd August
Carmel Bible College Graduation Ceremony
SEPTEMBER
Youth Camp ‘The Uprising Advance’
Sun 7th 9.00am & 11.00am
Fri 27th – Sun 29th
OCTOBER Wed 30th Oct – Sun 3rd Nov aGODthing! Conference ‘Discover’
Valiant Men’s Advance
Guest Speaker: Professor Matteo Calisi
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STEP UP! exceptional Women’s
CONFERENCE OVERVIEW
e di somma Pst michell N BRADY E FOY & KARE TERRI SAVELL
SPEAKERS:
Ladies from Carmel and other churches took the next step towards their destiny at this year’s Exceptional Women’s Conference, themed, ‘Walk’. Conference host, Pastor Michelle Di Somma, welcomed guest speakers Terri Savelle Foy and Karen Brady. Their combined messages challenged the women to embrace their individual walks with God and fulfil His plan for their lives. At the start of the Conference, Pastor Michelle said that it would be a weekend of change and she invited the women to join her on the journey. Over the two days, many ladies experienced breakthrough in their lives as they were powerfully impacted by God’s presence through times of worship, ministry and preaching of the Word. EXAMINE YOUR WALK Karen Brady, who co pastors with her husband Paul Brady, began the teaching sessions on Friday morning, saying: “God wants to take you to a new level.” The women were told that they must examine their walk in order to move to a new level in God: Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people). Ephesians 5:15 AMP. Karen detailed how the word ‘walk’ in the original Greek means to tread, trample and crush with the feet. Using this definition, she exhorted the women to recognise the power and authority that Christ has given them. “You have 4
the power and authority to trample on the works of darkness and the negative situations in your life,” she declared. WALK WITH CONFIDENCE Following this, Terri Savelle Foy, Senior Vice President of Jerry Savelle Ministries International and founder of Terri Savelle Foy Ministries, challenged the ladies to walk with confidence. “You will only be able to do what God wants you to do when you have developed confidence,” she said. Using Jesus as an example, Terri showed the women that they each have a specific assignment from God that will glorify Him when accomplished: “I glorified You on earth by completing down to the last detail what You assigned Me to do.” John 17:4 MSG. Terri alerted the ladies to the biggest hindrance to confidence: insecurity. “Insecurity is a dream stealer,” she said. “It will cause you to talk yourself out of obtaining the destiny that God has for you.” Using the Barbie doll as an example, Terri showed how insecurity easily captivates women’s hearts and minds. She warned that the devil uses insecurity to promote low
self-images in women’s lives and thus prevent them from fulfilling God’s plan. “When your self-image changes, your life will change,” exhorted Terri. The ladies were given ten practical tips to build their confidence: “Stand up straight, look people in the eyes, accept and give compliments, speak positively about yourself, dress with confidence, exercise your body, renew your mind, receive God’s love, help others build their confidence and gain a vision for your life.” WALK WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT The schedule stated that Pastor Michelle Di Somma would be Friday night’s speaker. However, the Holy Spirit had other plans. Instead of preaching, Pastor Michelle flowed in the gifts of the Spirit, bringing words of knowledge, words of wisdom and prophecies to the congregation and individuals. Many ladies received prayer and a fresh impartation of God’s Spirit. This overflowed into the first session on Saturday morning. Again, God’s Spirit powerfully touched women’s lives as they responded to Him.
WALK WORTHY OF THE CALL
Walk with Others in Mind
Pastor Michelle then exhorted the ladies to walk worthy of their calling (Ephesians 4:1-2). Explaining that Christians often mistake this ‘calling’ to mean the five-fold ministry calling of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher, Pastor Michelle showed that this calling means an invitation to God’s banqueting table. “Walking worthy of God’s calling means to partake of everything that God has provided for us,” she affirmed.
Saturday afternoon was a time of fun for the ladies; an auction was held to raise funds for Acts of Hope, a charity founded by Pastors Gerri and Michelle Di Somma to help deprived people in Cape Town, South Africa. Acts of Hope financially supports the local council in two vital areas:
You can read Pastor Michelle’s full message on pages 12-13 of this magazine. WALK WITH PURPOSE Saturday morning continued with Karen’s teaching on the purposeful walk of Christians. The ladies were shown that they once walked according to the world’s pattern and were controlled by the devil. “But now our lives are heading in a new direction,” said Karen, explaining that Christians have a new pathway that has been predestined by God (Ephesians 2:1-2, 10 AMP). Karen called the ladies’ attention to the purpose for their new walk: “The purpose for being born again is to bring God’s life to other people.” The women were warned that the devil uses his schemes to distract and lead people off course. Sharing her own testimony, Karen exhorted the ladies to keep walking God’s ordained path despite the devil’s schemes: “The devil tried to destroy our family and ministry by killing our son in a car accident. But my husband and I chose to not allow this tragedy to hinder us from fulfilling God’s plan. We allowed God to minister His peace and comfort to us and kept walking on His ordained path.”
1. Shacks. Those who are homeless need shelter. Shacks are not ideal accommodation, but they are inexpensive and well sought after. 2. AIDS Orphans. Ikwezi, a local charity, provides education, stationery, food, clothing and medication to orphans. All monies raised at the auction were given to Acts of Hope to support these ventures. The ladies enjoyed winning fantastic prizes and supporting this worthwhile cause. Walk Into Destiny Terri concluded the Conference on Saturday evening, addressing the ladies concerning the importance of having life dreams. “What will you do with the rest of your life?” she challenged. “It’s not too late to start doing what God has called you to do. God has not finished with you, but if you stop dreaming, you’ll spend the rest of your life going round in circles.” Terri shared principles that have caused people to succeed in obtaining and living their dreams: “Get a vision and be specific about it; write it down; keep that vision before your eyes; speak it out and pray over it.”
The women were given practical steps to follow when negative situations seek to distract them: “Keep rested, make the right decisions, speak positively, be in a good church, surround yourself with godly people, thank and praise God, and renew your mind.”
The ladies were given practical tips to help them get started: “Start with the end in mind. How would you like to be remembered? This helps you get in touch with your life dreams.” Terri emphasised the importance of discipline and routine, saying: “This isn’t a one off occurrence; the secret to your future is hidden in your daily routine.”
“Doing these things and allowing God to work in you will cause other people to see a snippet of God’s goodness,” Karen affirmed.
‘Walk’ was definitely a Conference that brought change to the lives of many women as they were equipped to walk into their destiny.
You will only be able to do what God wants you to do when You developed have confidence
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Do you believe in miracles? Have you ever seen a miracle happen? During March, Carmel hosted a Conference called ‘Signs, Wonders and Miracles’. Over three nights, supernatural miracles of healing were experienced and witnessed firsthand. Dr. Guy and Ilke Peh, international evangelists and founders of Reconciliation Ministries International, were welcomed as the Conference speakers. Their vision is to see everyone experience the fullness of Christ’s provision: salvation, healing and deliverance. Every evening, Dr. Guy exhorted the congregation to “push the power”. He explained that God’s power is not static, but dynamic with the ability to move and change direction. “Wherever God’s Spirit moves there is a move of His power,” said Guy, encouraging everyone to tap into God’s power and thereby push it in their direction to receive healing from Him. “There is a requirement we must meet on earth that creates a response from the Holy Spirit,” Guy emphasised. “That requirement is hunger. You must be hungry to receive from God.” The following is overview of the Conference: From Paralysis To Perfection On the opening night, Dr. Guy spoke about different types of paralysis using the story of the lame man who was healed at the temple (Acts 3:1-10). “Paralysis stops you from moving forward,” said Guy. “People are paralysed emotionally and psychologically and they need to 6
be set free just as much as the lame man did. The Gospel power is not just for physical healing, it’s also for emotional and psychological healing.” Picking up on the fact that the man had been lame from birth, Dr. Guy explained that natural and spiritual heredity affects people positively and negatively. “Just as DNA travels through the bloodline, so does the sin nature,” he said. “It’s possible for someone’s sin to travel from one generation to another.” Abraham was used an example of how sin progresses in intensity through the generations: Abraham told a lie about his wife, Isaac repeated and added to this sin, Jacob too repeated these sins from his lineage and was known as a professional liar. “We don’t have to die with the same curses from our family line,” Guy declared. “Joseph broke his family curse and changed the economy of an entire nation.” Guy explained that Christians are freed from generational curses through the DNA of their heavenly father: “The blood of Jesus is proactive, it gives new life. It’s also retroactive, reaching back into the generations and healing what happened in the past.” Congregation members were led in a confession to break free from generational curses that had paralysed them from fulfilling their potential.
From Destitute To Distinguished Ilke began the preaching on Saturday night, declaring: “God doesn’t call you by your shame, He calls you by your name.” She told the story of Mephibosheth, the grandson of king Saul, who had become lame at a young age. Ilke emphasised that although Mephibosheth was born to a royal family, he didn’t live in a palace: “he moved from the palace to a place called Lo Debar.” She explained that ‘Lo Debar’ means no pasture and no communication, and was indicative of Mephibosheth’s wilderness existence. “All those years Mephibosheth lived in Lo Debar not knowing that his father had a covenant with the king of Israel,” said Ilke, revealing that the source of Mephibosheth’s deliverance was king David who had made a covenant with Mephibosheth’s father, Jonathan. She paralleled this covenant with the covenant Christians have with God, explaining that because of his covenant with Jonathan, David brought Mephibosheth to his palace and gave him a seat at the royal table. “When we were born again, we entered into a covenant with the King of kings,” Ilke declared. “There is a seat for us at God’s royal table and we are invited to enjoy everything that Jesus has provided for us. All the benefits are ours, we just need to partake.”
From Information To Revelation
there was a twenty-four-hour turnaround of an impossible situation.
Following this, Dr. Guy urged the congregation to connect with the technology of the Spirit. He explained that Christians have a wireless connection to log into the spiritual dimension where they can download and receive heavenly revelations. Guy linked this to the account of Elisha, God’s prophet, who received a revelation regarding the end of the famine that Israel was experiencing and told this revelation to the king (2 Kings 7). “He gave a word,” said Guy. “In the natural, that word didn’t have anything to support it, but faith is the evidence of things not seen.”
From Declaration To Manifestation
The conflict between natural information and spiritual revelation was highlighted as a hindrance from acknowledging and acting upon God’s revelations. “People fall into the trap of information and are afraid to respond to revelation,” affirmed Guy, explaining that finite minds will never understand God’s higher thoughts and ways. The congregation were encouraged to know and trust God in order to respond to God’s revelations. The significance of placing revelation over information was shown through the end result of Elisha’s story:
Guy also called the young people together to pray for them. He prayed that they would receive fresh fire from the Holy Spirit. Prophesying, he said to the youth: “there is a power that is in operation right now working in the Spirit, and God’s going to use you to impact your generation.”
The final night was marked by prophetic declarations. “Words have power, presence and spiritual implication with no geographical limitation,” said Guy. “We must meet the requirement of prophetic declaration to see the manifestation of God’s glory on earth.” Everyone joined together to declare a release of the following blessings into their lives: the prophetic, strategies, skills, ability and intelligence, the ministry of angels, and signs and wonders.
From Sickness To Wholeness None of the meetings took the conventional format of praying for the sick at the end of the service; Dr. Guy flowed in the gifts of the Spirit while preaching, often stopping to
give a word of knowledge and pray for healing. Those who received healing were asked to testify and then Dr. Guy continued preaching. Here are a couple of the testimonies of healing that took place:
For six months, I had been suffering with sciatic nerve pain, which affected the right hand side of my back and my right leg. On the first night of the Conference, Dr. Guy had a word of knowledge about my situation. He prayed for me to be healed while my husband laid his hands on my back. Immediately, I felt heat, like fire, penetrate into my back and I was healed. I have not experienced any pain since then. Praise God! Antonella Forte I had experienced pain in my knees for approximately six months. The pain was so bad that I struggled to walk up and down the stairs and I couldn’t walk very far without being in pain. On the Saturday evening of the Conference, Dr. Guy prayed for everyone with knee problems. He instructed us to touch our knees while he prayed. By the end of that service, I had received my healing. I can now walk without pain, thank You God! Jenny Stoltz 7
THE WALLS ARE COMING DOWN ARTICLE BY PASTOR GERRI DI SOMMA
At the beginning of the year, God gave Carmel a specific promise for 2013: the walls are coming down. God said that 2013 is a year of promotion, where walls of opposition and resistance are going to fall down in every area of our lives. It is significant that God gave us this promise in the year 2013 because there is a link between the promise and the number 13: ‘The walls are coming down’ relates to the account of Joshua and the Israelites who obeyed God’s instructions and marched around the city of Jericho 13 times. Jericho’s walls were enormous in both height and width; the city was the opposition that prevented Israel from receiving their promotion from the wilderness to the Promised Land. During their thirteenth march around Jericho, God commanded them to proclaim a victory shout and, as they did, the walls fell down (Joshua 5-6). A Fresh Start In 2013 Additionally, the number thirteen has biblical importance; from a biblical perspective, thirteen means a fresh start. 8
Superstition and tradition has upheld thirteen as an unlucky number, but there are many occurrences in the Bible that reveal the opposite. The following instances illustrate the biblical meaning of the number thirteen: God had promised Abraham and Sarah an heir despite the fact that they were both old and Sarah had passed her childbearing years. From a human standpoint, the odds were stacked against them. In an attempt to bring about God’s promise, Abraham had a child with Sarah’s maidservant, Hagar. The result was Ishmael, who was not the heir God had promised. When Ishmael was thirteen-years-old, God re-affirmed His promise to Abraham, and Sarah conceived. God prevailed where Abraham had failed. The significance is that, after 13 years, God gave Abraham a fresh start. The walls of barrenness were removed and Abraham received his promotion to be the father of many nations (Genesis 15-18; 21). Thirteen years elapsed between the time Joseph’s brothers sold him
into slavery and the time he became second in command of Egypt, the most powerful nation on earth at that point in history. The walls of slavery and imprisonment were removed and Joseph received his promotion to Prime Minister, which resulted in a fresh start for the nation of Israel who may have otherwise died during the famine in their land (Genesis 37; 39-47). Esther, a Jewish orphan, was promoted to Queen of Persia during the time of Israel’s captivity. However, Haman, one of the king’s nobles, undertook a conspiracy to kill all the Jews and wrote a decree that would seal their fate on the thirteenth day of the first month of the year. God gave Esther a strategy to use her position of prominence to influence the king to authorise a new edict allowing the Jews to protect their lives on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month: On the day that the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, the opposite occurred, in that the Jews themselves overpowered those who hated them. Esther 9:1. God turned a negative situation into
a positive one. The walls of opposition were removed and the Jews were promoted into a new era of freedom. Prepare For Promotion These biblical examples emphasise that the number thirteen refers to a fresh start. God has promised a fresh start in 2013 where walls of opposition will come down. However, it’s important to recognise that God has a purpose for our promotion that goes beyond our personal blessing. For example, Joseph’s promotion served to save a nation from famine, and Esther’s promotion served the purpose of saving the Jews from annihilation. It is also vital to note that the promise of the walls coming down is not automatic; all God’s promises are conditional and this is no exception. The condition of this promise is that we position ourselves for God’s deliverance and promotion. The story of Joshua gives us insight into the preparation we must undertake in order to position ourselves for the walls of opposition to come down.
1. God Is For Righteousness Joshua and the Israelites had crossed the River Jordan and were heading towards Canaan, their Promised Land. Jericho was the first hurdle in their way. As they camped outside of the city, a Man stood opposite Joshua. Biblical scholars agree that this was a theophany, an instance where Jesus appeared physically to someone in the Old Testament. Not knowing this, Joshua asked, “Are You for us or for our adversaries?” The Man replied, “No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come”. Joshua 5:13-14. The Commander’s response indicates that He was neither for Israel nor for Jericho. This is better understood when we consider that God shows no partiality and is not willing that anyone should perish (Romans 2:11; 2 Peter 3:9). The reason Israel overcame Jericho was not because God loved Israel and hated Jericho. God loved them both equally, but Israel obeyed God’s commandments whereas Jericho sinned against Him. God responds to
those who are righteous, those who keep His law. That’s why obedience to God’s command secured Israel’s success: “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success”. Joshua 1:8. In the same way, we must position ourselves for God’s promotion through obedience to His commands. Like Joshua and the Israelites, we can discover how to live righteously by studying God’s Word. 2. Worship Positions Us For Promotion Following the Commander’s response, Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshipped, and said to Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?” Joshua 5:14. The Hebrew word for worship, ‘shachah’, means to bow down and prostrate oneself. The outward action shows submission towards the one being worshipped and 9
God’s promotion is linked to the place, people and purpose He has predetermined, therefore it’s vital that we stay in position and stay connected.
acknowledges their authority. It is a total abandonment of self in order to worship. It was in the place of worship that God instructed Joshua regarding His battle strategy to conquer Jericho. This is significant because worship focuses our attention upon God and, as a result, we are better able to hear His voice. God will give us a strategy to overcome our walls of opposition, but we must hear His instructions. Worship provides an atmosphere where His voice can be heard clearly. 3. Sandals And Silence Go Hand In Hand The Commander of the Lord’s army responded to Joshua’s worship saying, “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.” Joshua 5:15. Sandals represent man’s effort, abilities and ideas. God was telling Joshua to remove his ability to defeat Jericho because God had a supernatural plan. Likewise, we must remove our efforts to remove opposition and promote ourselves. Rather, we must allow God to reveal His strategy for the circumstance. After receiving God’s battle plan, Joshua commanded the people to keep silent when marching around Jericho’s walls (Joshua 6:10). Their silence prevented them from speaking negatively regarding the situation. Equally, we must be careful about the words we speak. It is better to remain silent than to speak negative words that create doubt and unbelief. Silencing negativity will also enable us to keep our ears open to hear God’s voice. 4. Protect What Is Sacred Joshua relayed God’s battle plan to the Israelites explaining that the Ark of the Covenant would go with them as they marched around Jericho’s walls. Joshua positioned the Ark in the middle 10
of the army, keeping it in the centre of their midst. This is important because the Ark of the Covenant contained the Ten Commandments and was the means through which God’s presence was manifest to Israel. By keeping the Ark central, they protected what was sacred (Joshua 6:6-9). We must also protect what is sacred. We do this through upholding and protecting the principles of God’s Word. We mustn’t attempt to change God’s Word and His standards to suit us, for when we compromise God’s truth we become ineffective Christians. Rather, we must guard against secularism and the traditions of men. 5. Stay In Position And Stay Connected The Israelites obeyed God’s commands to march around Jericho’s walls the exact number of times He specified. Not one of them broke rank; they each stayed in position until God brought them victory. Equally, when God gives us a strategy to overcome our walls of opposition, we must obey His instructions. God’s promotion is linked to the place, people and purpose He has predetermined, therefore it’s vital that we stay in position and stay connected. 6. Faith That Endures Brings A Shout That Delivers The Cure Considering the unconventional battle strategy, it’s likely that the Israelites felt foolish marching around Jericho’s walls each day. It’s also possible that the inhabitants of Jericho mocked them for their seemingly futile battle plan. However, they endured, remaining strong in faith until God brought their promotion. At that instance, their shout of victory caused the walls to come crumbling down. Likewise, we must endure in faith and remain obedient to God’s strategy,
even when it seems impractical or difficult. James exhorts that the end result of endurance is a life complete: let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. James 1:4. Walls Of Impossibility Become Stepping-Stones Of Opportunity When Jericho’s walls fell to the ground, the boulders became stepping-stones for the Israelites to enter the city, destroy it and obtain their promotion: the inheritance of the Promised Land. Equally, when our walls of opposition crumble, they will become the stepping-stones for our inheritance. Our ‘walls’ of opposition may not be a physical city that needs to be destroyed; it could be that our walls are sickness, fear, depression or lack. Nevertheless, the very same walls that are currently hindering us from obtaining our promotion, our rightful inheritance, will become the stepping-stones for our victory. Instead of focusing on how daunting our walls of resistance appear to be, we must focus on the enormity of God, the one who is not limited by anything and who is well able to destroy city walls with a mere shout!
Take hold of God’s word to you in 2013: the walls are coming down. God will promote you if you do not act independently of Him. Settle in your heart today to prepare for God’s promotion: live righteously, worship God, remove self effort, eliminate negative speaking, protect the sacredness of God’s Word, stay positioned, stay connected and endure in faith. Make this your confession: The walls are coming down and I will abound with favour all around!
God has a purpose for our promotion that goes beyond our personal blessing.
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N is God’s vehicle for God’s Word is the sword of the Spirit and ‘‘A Word in Season’ proclaiming the power of the Gospel to the nations. This monthly message on CD is available for you today. Contact the ‘A Word in Season’ office at Carmel Centre. You can also view our catalogue online at www.carmelcitychurch.org/category/word-in-season 11
WALKING
WORTHY
TEACHING BY PASTOR MICHELLE DI SOMMA
God has a plan, purpose and destiny for our lives that He wants us to fulfil. It’s essential for us to understand that the way we walk, that is, the manner in which we conduct ourselves on the journey of life, will determine whether or not we fulfil the plans that God has ordained for us. Many Christians are obsessed with their destiny, wanting to know what it is and how it will be fulfilled. However, we mustn’t allow these questions to preoccupy our thoughts because simply walking in God’s commandments will lead us straight to our destiny. God has not left us in the dark wondering how we should walk and conduct ourselves; He has given us very clear instructions in His Word. We can discover how we must walk by studying His Word for it will guide and direct our steps (Isaiah 30:21; Jeremiah 6:16).
That’s why it’s imperative that we choose to walk God’s way as revealed in the Bible. Doing so will leave a legacy of blessing. Those who choose to walk their own way and ignore God’s instructions will leave a very different legacy: one of devastation. To leave a godly legacy of wholeness, security, faith and blessings we must take care of how we walk. The following are steps to take on our walk towards destiny: 1. Walk Worthy Of His Calling Through the Apostle Paul’s writing to the early church, we are exhorted to walk worthy of the Lord and His calling: I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called. Ephesians 4:1 (also see: Philippians 1:27; Colossians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 2:12).
Walk In The Right Direction The choices we make regarding our walk will affect and impact our lives and the lives of future generations, our children and grandchildren. 12
Christians often mistake the word ‘calling’ to mean the five-fold ministry calling of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher. However, in the original Greek text, ‘calling’ signifies
an invitation to a feast. This calling is an invitation to partake of everything that God has provided for us at His banqueting table. In the same way that human parents provide natural food for their children, God has provided a feast for us as His children to enjoy. This means partaking of all the benefits and privileges that God has provided: health, wholeness, prosperity, peace, anointing, wisdom and much more. Paul’s words, walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, reveal that there is way to walk that is worthy of God’s invitation. The Greek word ‘worthy’ used in this verse means ‘suitably, worthily, in a manner worthy of, appropriately’. In order words, we must walk suitably, appropriately and in a manner worthy of God’s invitation to feast at His banqueting table. We do this by partaking fully of His blessings and provision. It is not arrogant for us to feast at God’s table since He prepared it for us and expects us to partake. It glorifies God when His children walk in the fullness of all that He has provided; it reveals His loving, generous and healing nature.
Christians who don’t know what God has made available for them don’t walk worthy of His calling, His invitation. That’s why it’s crucial for us to discover what God has made available for us at His banqueting table. We accepted God’s calling, His invitation, when we were born again. It’s our responsibility to walk worthy of His calling, that is, to live a life of merit, by discovering what is available at God’s table and partaking of it. 2. Walk Contrary To The World Paul further wrote that we are to walk contrary to those who don’t know God: you must no longer live as the heathen (the Gentiles) do in their perverseness [in the folly, vanity, and emptiness of their souls and the futility] of their minds. Ephesians 4:17 AMP. Sadly, many so-called Christians behave, act, think and speak like the world, like those who don’t know God. Sometimes, it’s difficult to notice any difference between a Christian and a non-Christian. But there should be a difference; God has delivered us from the kingdom of darkness and made us brand new creatures (Colossians 1:13; 2 Corinthians 5:17). Paul explained how we are to walk contrary to the world: put off the old man, our former conduct and put on the new man, our new conduct in Christ (Ephesians 4:22-24). This requires effort on our part; we must determine to no longer behave, think or speak as we did before we were Christians. It starts in our minds; we must renew our minds because thoughts result in speech and action. It’s important that our thoughts, speech and action are aligned with God’s Word because words have the power of life and death within them and every action provokes a reaction, positive or negative, which will determine our future (Romans 12:2; Proverbs 18:21; Galatians 6:7-8). Putting off the old man and putting on the new man is part of our walk towards destiny. Behaving, thinking and speaking like the world and adopting its philosophies will send us on a path away from God’s purposes where we will not experience His blessings.
By applying God’s truth to these areas of our lives, we will find success (Psalm 1:1-3). 3. Walk Circumspectly In Wisdom Paul highlighted the difference between two types of people: those who are fools and those who are wise. He wrote: see then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise. Ephesians 5:15. Wise people walk circumspectly, that is, diligently and accurately. They walk with care, watchful that their conduct will not hinder someone else’s walk with God. Conversely, unwise people give little thought to their walk. They go through the motions of life without considering the consequences of their actions. I call these people ‘roundabout Christians’; a roundabout Christian continually goes round in circles not realising that there is a pre-ordained, God-given path for them to walk on that will lead to their destiny. King Solomon penned these words of wisdom for us to follow: ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left; remove your foot from evil. Proverbs 4:26-27. This scripture reveals that a wise person is constantly aware of their every step and every decision. Christians who are stuck on the roundabout of life can jump off by pondering their path. We must apply this wisdom every day because taking time to ponder the path of our feet, the way we walk, is vital for our journey’s success. Walk Daily Towards Destiny Your Christian walk is just that: a walk. It’s not a sprint or a marathon; it’s a walk. It requires you to take the appropriate steps on a daily basis. Every day you must walk worthy of your calling by feasting on God’s provision, walk contrary to the world by putting on the new man and walk circumspectly by pondering the path of your feet.
God has not left us in the dark wondering how we should walk and conduct ourselves; He has given us very clear instructions in His Word.
By applying these steps you will walk on the path that God intended for you and fulfill a purposeful journey and destiny. 13
HE BATTLE IS THE LORDS TEACHING BY PASTOR GERRI DI SOMMA
During His last days on earth, Jesus addressed His disciples regarding His imminent departure and the promise of the coming Holy Spirit. At this point, Jesus said: “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33. Since Jesus spoke these words to His followers, they hold relevance for us today. As Christians, we should not be surprised when troubles come for we live in a fallen world where sin and its penalty abound. Even though trials in life are a certainty, they need not overwhelm us for Jesus’ words assure us that He has overcome the world and its troubles. Responding to Challenges Rather than allowing tribulations to overwhelm us, we must seek God for a strategy to overcome. The biblical account of King Jehoshaphat’s 14
response to a challenging situation reveals principles that, when applied, positioned him for victory. Jehoshaphat faced a challenge that had the potential to destroy him and his kingdom: the kings of Moab, Ammon and Mount Seir had joined forces to battle against him and overpower him. However, his response to seek God, to pray, to obey and to worship determined the victorious outcome (2 Chronicles 20: 1-25). We too can experience victory by understanding and applying the same principles when we encounter trials: 1. Seek God To Combat Fear When Jehoshaphat was informed of the intended attack against him, he feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. 2 Chronicles 20:3.
Fear could have easily captivated Jehoshaphat’s heart but he dealt with that risk by seeking God. The king and the people also fasted, meaning they practiced self-denial. Most likely, they denied themselves the pleasure of food. Likewise, when we face challenging situations, we must choose to seek God and not fear. This will entail effort on our part. Instead of seeking consolation from food or drink, we must seek God and deny ourselves the right to find a man-made natural solution. In the long term, these natural solutions cause bigger problems. Just as fasting denies the body of food, we must deny ourselves of whatever is necessary to spend time with God and seek Him for a heavenly solution. 2. Pray To Receive A Strategy Once the inhabitants of Judah gathered together to seek God, fast and pray, Jehoshaphat stood and prayed aloud.
when God gives us a strategy to overcome our challenges, obeying His instructions may take us outside of our comfort zones. However, we must obey God, knowing that His strategy will position us for victory.
His prayer contained three essential elements: he encouraged himself in the Lord by reminding himself of God’s covenant, he presented the situation to God and waited upon God for His solution. The outcome shows the power of corporate prayer: as they waited upon God, His Spirit came upon Jahaziel and he prophesied God’s strategy for the situation (2 Chronicles 20:6-17). Waiting for God’s strategy was vital for their impending victory and we must equally wait patiently for God’s solution to our trials. Impatience will cause us to make rash, emotional and naturally logical decisions. We mustn’t be pressured into making a decision before God speaks, but wait patiently for His instruction. When His strategy has been revealed, we can be assured that our obedience to His instruction will bring success for God stands over His Word to perform it (Isaiah 55:11; Jeremiah 1:12). It’s significant to note that God didn’t reveal His strategy directly to Jehoshaphat; He spoke through Jahaziel. Similarly, God’s solution to our problems may be in the mouth of someone else. This adds another dimension to the meaning of the scripture: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. Hebrews 10:25. 3. Obey To Be Positioned Through Jahaziel, God instructed Jehoshaphat and the people to approach their enemies the following day. God told them the specific place to position themselves and gave His strategy to stand still and not fight: “Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel. You will not need to fight in this battle.
Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.” 2 Chronicles 20:16-17. For trained men of war, this was an illogical strategy to deal with their enemies. Yet, their obedience was crucial. That’s why God preceded His instruction with an exhortation to not be afraid: “Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” 2 Chronicles 20:15. Likewise, when God gives us a strategy to overcome our challenges, obeying His instructions may take us outside of our comfort zones. However, we must obey God, knowing that His strategy will position us for victory. 4. Worship To Increase Faith Upon receiving God’s instruction, Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bowed before the Lord, worshipping the Lord. 2 Chronicles 20:18. Through praise and worship, Jehoshaphat and the people built their capacity of faith in order to obey God and face their enemies. They needed to increase their faith because God’s strategy of standing still and not fighting seemed more challenging than the original problem. However, praise increased their faith as they declared their trust in God to fulfil His promise to fight on their behalf. Equally, when God gives us a strategy to overcome trials, we must praise Him for the strategy and victory He has promised. This will build our faith in what God has spoken. Since God has promised our victory, we can praise Him before the manifestation of it, knowing that He is not a liar and that He is faithful to keep His word (Numbers 23:19).
5. Act To Obtain Victory And Provision The next day, Jehoshaphat and the inhabitants of Judah rose early to face their enemies and Jehoshaphat appointed people to praise God as they took their position in the battle. As they praised, God fulfilled His promise to deliver them by bringing confusion into the enemy’s camp. This caused their enemies to destroy one another until no one was left standing. Jehoshaphat did not need to fight in the battle, just as God had said (2 Chronicles 20:20-24). In addition to obtaining God’s victory, Jehoshaphat and the people enjoyed God’s abundance of provision: an abundance of valuables… and precious jewelry… more than they could carry away… they were three days gathering the spoil because there was so much. 2 Chronicles 20:25. Likewise, when we position ourselves according to God’s instruction, He will bring us victory and provision in every situation. Enjoy The Spoils Of Victory God was not limited by the trial that Jehoshaphat faced and He’s not limited by your trials, either. Stop allowing challenging circumstances to overwhelm you and instead seek God through prayer and fasting to receive a prophetic word from Him. Make yourself available to hear from Him, increase your capacity of faith through worship and position yourself for victory and provision by obeying God’s word. Prayer, prophecy and praise are vital for your success as a Christian. The battle is the Lord’s, but it’s your responsibility to position yourself for victory. Start today by seeking God’s strategy and He will turn your negative situation into a positive, victorious one. 15
FREE AT LAST TEACHING BY PASTOR SEAN LEASK When we accepted Christ’s salvation, our spirits were re-created and the Holy Spirit came to live in us, making it is possible for us to live a sinless life. The Apostle Paul confirmed this, stating that sin shall not have dominion over us, for we are not under law but under grace. (Romans 6:14). However, even as Christians, we still commit sins because our bodies and souls have not been re-created or born again. That’s why the Bible emphasises the importance of submitting our bodies, thoughts nd emotions to God and His truth. This provokes a question: can we ever be free from sin? Thankfully, the answer is yes, but this freedom comes through a process called sanctification.
Freedom through Sanctification Our new identity in Christ means that we are positioned free from sin, but we only experience this reality through the process of sanctification, which simply means to be made pure and holy. Sanctification is something that only Jesus can work in us, but we must be willing to allow Him. There are certain things we must do in order to position ourselves for His sanctifying process. There are conditions we must meet otherwise we will continue to allow ourselves to be dominated by our earthly nature instead of our spiritual nature. Christians often misquote Jesus’ words, saying, ‘who the Son sets free, is free indeed’. Yet, Jesus used a stipulation using the word ‘if’: “If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed”. John 8:36. 16
The conditions that need to be met by the word ‘if’ are found in the previous verses: Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31-32. This scripture reveals a four-part process that will lead to our sanctification, a life free from sin:
1. Believe In Jesus Jesus addressed His teaching to the Jews who believed Him. John 8:31. This reveals the first precursor to liberty: belief in Jesus. Although elementary, belief is often missing from our lives. We frequently confess that we believe but our actions show that we don’t actually believe. In fact, our actions are the outward evidence of our inward beliefs; they reveal whether or not we truly believe in Jesus. The belief that must underpin our lives is that God is who He said He is and will do what He said He would do. With this belief, we will not doubt God’s Word, but rather obey its instructions. For example, the Bible states that the tithe, ten percent of our income, belongs to God as a thanksgiving. God promised to open the windows of heaven and pour out abundant blessings to those who obey this commandment. Yet, Christians often withhold their money, choosing to respond to their circumstances rather than responding to God’s truth. If they truly believed, they would act. Likewise, we must be doers of God’s Word, not just hearers of it (James 1:22).
Examine yourself: do your actions show that you truly believe God or do they expose your unbelief?
Challenge yourself to align your beliefs to God’s Word.
2. Abide In His Word After addressing the aspect of belief, Jesus drew attention to another precursor: “If you abide in My word…” John 8:31. It is essential for us to abide in God’s Word for it is where we discover God’s character and nature. Since God is the Word, it is through His Word that we know Him and build a relationship with Him (John 1:1). Additionally, abiding in God’s Word will cause our faith to increase for faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17. The more time we spend reading the Bible, the more we will know God and hear Him speak to us and, as a result, our faith and relationship with Him will develop. The importance of abiding in God’s Word is highlighted by the fact that the devil wants Christians to be biblically illiterate. Such Christians are not a threat to the devil’s kingdom because they neither know God nor hear His voice. The devil has deceived some Christians into believing that they don’t need God’s Word. However, God’s Word is fundamental as it is the only way we know Him. We don’t know God through His gifts, just through the Word. Everything else simply confirms and supports what the Bible has already established.
Examine yourself: are you abiding in God’s Word or are you biblically illiterate? Challenge yourself to abide in God’s living, vibrant and dynamic Word.
3. Allow Him To Disciple You Jesus’ words show us that those who meet the requirement of abiding in His Word are His disciples: “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.” John 8:31. Disciples learn their master’s beliefs and behaviours and replicate them in their own lives. This is illustrated by the relationship between martial arts instructors and their disciples. It’s easy to detect the identity of a disciple’s instructor simply by observing the disciple’s fighting style; the disciple will replicate the instructor’s movements exactly. Equally, to be a disciple of Christ, we must replicate His teaching and works. The early disciples were first named ‘Christians’ meaning ‘followers of Christ’ because they were seen replicating Jesus (Acts 11:26). By definition, a disciple follows his master. To be a disciple of Jesus, we must follow Him by being led by the Holy Spirit: for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. Romans 8:14.
Examine yourself: does your life exemplify the true meaning of ‘Christian’ or is it just a title you use? Challenge yourself to be led by the Holy Spirit in everything you do.
4. Know Him As Truth Jesus concluded His statement regarding liberty with the last precursor, which is to know the truth: “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32. This means we need to know Jesus since He is truth: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” John 14:6. This is not an intellectual knowledge about Jesus, but knowing Him intimately. Intimacy is the result of spending time with someone and, as has already been established, we spend time with Jesus through His Word. Merely having knowledge about the Bible or the ability to quote sections of
it does not constitute knowing Jesus personally. However, we can know Jesus through His Word. This requires listening to the Word, meditating upon it and hearing what God is saying through it.
Examine yourself: do you simply know about God or do you know Him intimately? Challenge yourself to know God through His Word.
Walk in Freedom Jesus stated four precursors for your sanctification and liberty: believe in Him, abide in His Word, allow Him to disciple you and know Him intimately. If you’re born again but are not experiencing the full freedom that Jesus purchased for you, allow the Holy Spirit to lead you through this process. Revisit the ‘examine yourself’ and ‘challenge yourself’ sections and be willing to submit to the Holy Spirit’s guidance. 17
SALVATION HAS NO BOUNDARIES God’s love extends to every single person in the world; He died for all people, regardless of nationality, culture, gender or status. His love reaches people from all walks of life in all parts of the globe affecting change in the lives of people who receive Him as Saviour. This is evidenced in Esther and Ken’s stories. Even though they grew up in different continents, when they called out to God, His love reached out and met them at their point of need. Listen to other stories of people who have found heaven: www.foundheaven.com
Esther Sardar
I grew up in a Christian hom e and my parents took me to Church every week. As a young girl, I sat at chu rch with my colouring books and listened to what the Pa stor was saying. However, I was a fearful child, driven by anxiety and this affe cted practically every decisio My friendships suffered becaus n I made. e I feared close relationships and I was anxious about what people thought of me. One day at church, the Pasto r asked if anyone wanted to be filled with the Holy Spirit. urge to respond. So I did. Tha Internally, I felt a strong t day I had my first significan t encounter with God. He fille Spirit and I spoke in tongues. d me with His Holy Even though I was only about eight-years-old, this began my spiritual journey of pursing Go I read the Bible, preached to d passionately. my teddy bears and played my guitar while singing songs to helped me to draw close to Go God. These things d and to mature as a Christian . Over the years, I’ve experie supernatural protection and nced God’s provision and have learned to submit my fears and anxieties Without Jesus, my life would to Him. be full of turmoil and depres sion. I’m now happily married with my own daughter. My God-g iven talents are being used in where I lead worship and wri my local church te worship songs. God’s pea ce leads me on the adventure of excited about what He has for life and I’m me in the future.
Ken suckling
born and raised. s in Zambia, so that is where I was arie sion mis e wer nts are ndp gra stions and pent-up anger My parents and , I didn’t know God. I had a lot of que God ved ser and d love ily fam my get to heaven because of my Even though disobedient, thinking that I would still and us ellio reb ame bec I . God s toward parents faith. time, my choices wrong and displeasing to God. Over e wer w kne I that gs thin g doin n, tionship with God I continued in my rebellio needed to have my own personal rela I that lised rea I . pair des and os rs, I gave my life left me in a state of cha . So, one day during my teenage yea ven hea to me get to faith ’ ents par me. I asked God to set and not rely on my s God, He forgave me and accepted ard tow ons acti us ellio reb my pite to Jesus. Des me free my fears, and He did. and this brought my tanding about God’s love towards me ers und in wn gro e hav I , day that e Sinc . questions and anger to an abrupt end is with me and He forgives erience difficulties, I know that God Although I still make mistakes and exp ld have no purpose and I would have continued living recklessly. wou and helps me. Without Jesus, my life n to serve the Body missionaries. God gave us the visio as bia Zam to d rne retu y entl rec I My wife and g and supplying Bibles ways including teaching, encouragin ous vari in this do We e. ther ist of Chr d. ney at and material goods to those in nee Follow Ken and Claire’s ongoing jour
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