carmel: A MAGAZINE PUBLISHED BY CARMEL MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL
ISSUE 41
PRESERVING THE PRESENCE OF GOD Article by Pastor Gerri Di Somma
ARISE
Teaching by Pastor Michelle Di Somma
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carmel: A MAGAZINE PUBLISHED BY CARMEL MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL
ISSUE 41
He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. Luke 9:2
WELCOME As we reflect upon 2013, we are truly grateful to God for everything He has done in our midst at Carmel City Church. We have launched three campuses at different locations in Bristol, including an Urdu-English campus. The campuses facilitate our vision of covering Bristol with God’s love. Additionally, we launched our first international Bible College in Italy during September, enabling us to extend our global influence. In this Christmas edition of Carmel: Life, we’ve included a couple of Christmassy themed articles. ‘Myths of Christmas’ dispels some commonly held beliefs about the Christmas story, and Pastor Gerri’s main article, ‘Preserving the Presence of God’ uses the account of Jesus’ birth to help you respond correctly to God’s presence.
CONTENTS For the past several months, the congregation at Carmel City Church have been challenged by Pastor Gerri’s teaching series called ‘The Love Walk’. We’ve included the first message in this series, ‘Conquered by Love’ in this magazine on page 14. We’ve also included other powerful teachings that will help you fulfil your God-given purpose and destiny: ‘Arise’ by Pastor Michelle and ‘Turning Prophecy into Reality’ by Pastor Gerri. And you can also read about our annual aGODthing! Conference, including the testimonies of people whose lives were transformed. We pray that you will experience the fullness of Christ this Christmas Season.
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C:VIEW Youth Camp The Myths of Christmas aGODthing! Conference
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ARTICLE Preserving The Presence of God By Pastor Gerri Di Somma
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TEACHING Arise By Pastor Michelle Di Somma
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TEACHING Conquered By Love By Pastor Gerri Di Somma
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TEACHING Turning Prophecy Into Reality By Pastor Gerri Di Somma
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CONFERENCE Testimonies
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Gerri and Michelle Di Somma
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C:VIEW
This July, a group of young people spent a week of their summer holiday camping in the countryside. Staying in tents alongside the picturesque River Wye, they gathered to participate in Carmel’s annual youth camp, ‘The Uprising’. The purpose of Carmel’s young adults’ ministry, called St Revolution, is to facilitate young people’s encounter with God, and this directive flowed through every activity on the camp. The morning devotions and life skill sessions set the spiritual tone for each day, with discussion questions designed to equip the youth to apply the teaching to their lives. Delegates were divided into teams and spent their afternoons contending for the top position in fun competitive games. The activities, ranging from sumo-suit wrestling to playing netball with a banana, drew team members closer together and new friendships were formed. In turn, this fostered an atmosphere of trust for honest discussions during the morning devotions and life skill sessions.
Moving In Spite Of Opposition
The teaching at this year’s camp was based around the life of Abraham. Carmel’s pastors and youth leaders shared in different aspects of the teaching.
The youth learned that a life of faith is often confronted with resistance from circumstances, peers and even family members. They were shown how taking the path of least resistance led to peril in Abraham’s life, but trusting God despite natural opposition resulted in him receiving his promised son: “Although it was naturally impossible to have a child at his age, he did not move away from what God had said.” The young people were challenged to not give in to the path of least resistance, falling back into old routines through peer pressure.
Stepping Out In Faith
Recovery From Mistakes
In the first teaching, the young people were shown how Abraham took a step
The young people were urged to not allow their sins to hinder them from
With vibrant praise and worship led by the St Revolution band, followed by powerful teaching, the evening rallies were where God changed lives.
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away from all that was comfortable around him and took a step of faith towards God. Delegates were told that taking a step of faith towards God requires a firm decision to do whatever is necessary to follow Him. Hindrances, such as perceived inferiority, fear and complacency, were highlighted as areas that must be overcome in order to take a step of faith. During the group discussions, the youth were encouraged to take steps of faith towards God and His plans for them during the week.
moving forward and serving God: “Abraham was not perfect. He lied to protect himself and disobeyed God’s instructions, but he is known as the father of faith.” The youth were shown that they overcome sin by following Abraham’s response of repentance. Delegates were encouraged to be genuine with God about their current condition, knowing that nothing can separate them from God’s love (Romans 8:38-39). They were also exhorted to accept responsibility for their actions and receive God’s forgiveness through repentance (1 John 1:9). The Reward of Obedience To conclude the week’s teaching, the young people were shown the result of obeying God’s instructions as Abraham did: “The blessings that Abraham received were far greater than what he gave up in obedience. He gave up his hometown, but received an entire land as a possession. He was willing to sacrifice what was most precious to him, but his resultant blessing extended to his children and beyond – even to us.” As the young people understood and applied the principles learned from Abraham’s life, several were filled with the Holy Spirit and others were baptised in the River Wye.
C:VIEW
The true meaning of Christmas is the reality of Jesus’ birth. However, over the centuries, several facts surrounding this historical event have been altered, resulting in misconceptions that are now accepted as truth. Imagine the typical scene portrayed through nativity plays and Christmas carols: Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus in a poor stable surrounded by cattle, shepherds and three kings, with a star shining above them.
Secondly, the Bible doesn’t specify how many wise men visited Jesus. Therefore, we cannot be sure how many there were. Certainly, we shouldn’t assume that their three gifts meant that they were three in number.
Most people, including Christians, accept this scene as the truth of what happened when Jesus was born. However, the Bible is the only accurate record of Jesus’ birth and it reveals errors in this typical nativity scene. These errors are the myths of Christmas.
Oh Holy Night
Let’s dispel some of these Christmas myths: We Three Kings Of Orient Are Perhaps it’s the number and nature of the gifts brought to Jesus that started the myth about three kings. Certainly, three expensive gifts were given to Jesus. However, the quantity and quality of the gifts does not relate to the number of gift givers or their status. Firstly, they were not kings; the Bible calls them ‘wise men’ (Matthew 2:1-2). Biblical scholars agree that they were astronomers who had noticed the star that led them to Jesus.
The night, or day, Jesus was born was indeed holy. However, it’s traditionally believed that everything happened in one night: Joseph and Mary arrived in Bethlehem, they couldn’t find room at an inn so settled in a stable, Jesus was born, they were visited by shepherds, and a star shone above them leading the wise men to the stable. The gospels record a different version of events. Firstly, Mary did not arrive in Bethlehem urgently needing to give birth. Jesus’ birth occurred at some point after Joseph and Mary arrived in Bethlehem: while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. Luke 2:6. Secondly, the wise men did not visit Jesus when He was a baby. They arrived in Jerusalem seeking His whereabouts after His birth (Matthew 2:1). Then, they continued their search and found Jesus when He was a young child, not a baby: they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshipped Him. Matthew 2:11.
Away In A Manger Finally, let’s address ‘the stable’ myth. The Bible says Jesus was laid in a manger, but it’s unlikely that He was born in a stable due to the local inns being full. The original Greek language used in the gospels indicates that there was no space for Joseph and Mary to stay in the guest room of a relative’s home, not at a traveller’s inn. Additionally, the Jewish culture and the Greek language help us to understand that Joseph and Mary lodged on the lower level of a house where animals were traditionally sheltered at night, not in a stable. Joy To The World Despite these myths, it’s a fact that Jesus was miraculously conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, lived a sinless life and became the sacrifice for our sins. It’s a fact that when we receive Him as Saviour, He forgives our sins and makes us holy, empowering us to live the Christian life through the indwelling presence of His Holy Spirit. Find out for yourself what the Bible says about Jesus’ birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension, and make this Christmas one that is founded upon His truth. 5
C:VIEW
CONFERENCE OVERVIEW This autumn, Pastors Gerri and Michelle Di Somma welcomed Christians from Carmel and other churches to Carmel City Church for their annual aGODthing! Conference. Online viewers also tuned into the Conference sessions that took place from 30th October to 3rd November. The Conference theme was ‘Discover’ and its purpose was to help believers discover their place on the Christian journey and equip them for their calling. Pastors Mark and Trina Hankins were welcomed back as guest speakers. This was their fifth Conference at Carmel and, once again, their ministry impacted the lives of many individuals.
The following is an overview of the Conference: The Spirit Of Faith Pastor Mark opened the Conference on Wednesday evening saying. “Every believer has the spirit of faith.” He used the life of the Apostle Paul to explain that the spirit of faith does not make Christians immune to adversities, but it enables them to endure hardships and be productive in God’s kingdom (2 Corinthians 4:8-14, 11:23-28). Teaching from Mark 11:23, Pastor Mark showed the congregation how to activate the spirit of faith in their lives: “The spirit of faith believes and speaks.” The story of Bartimaeus was told to illustrate that faith released through words produces results. “Faith works the same for everyone and for everything,” exhorted Pastor Mark. “Release your faith. Don’t be silent. Give your faith a voice.” The Joy Of The Lord On Thursday evening, Pastor Mark taught on the importance of joy. “A key to our victory is learning to rejoice in times of difficulties,” he said 6
highlighting that both Paul and James exhorted the brethren to rejoice in all circumstances, including trials (Philippians 4:4; James 1:2-4). “Get happy in the middle of a trial,” exhorted Pastor Mark. “Your joy demonstrates Christ’s triumph and communicates your trust in Him to turn the situation around.” By His Stripes Pastor Trina took the stage on Friday evening and shared her testimony of healing from long-term asthma. She described how she studied and meditated upon scriptures about healing. “God’s Word became a treatment to me and I gradually improved. Today, I am completely healed,” she testified. The congregation rejoiced with Pastor Trina as she explained that the years of meditating on God’s Word brought further healing results when she was later diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour. “God’s Word concerning healing had been planted in my heart and it became a shield of faith to me in that time,” she explained. “Mark and I confessed the Word and praised God. A week later, I had a biopsy and the doctors were amazed to find that the tumour had disappeared!” Using her life experiences, Pastor Trina taught the congregation to obtain healing by paying attention
to God’s Word, studying and meditating upon it, speaking it aloud and praising Him for His wonder working healing power. Who We Are In Christ “The moment you made Jesus your Lord, you became a whole new creature,” declared Pastor Mark on Saturday evening. “Nothing exists of what you used to be. You have a whole new identity. You’re a whole new person in Christ Jesus.” Pastor Mark conveyed the importance of Christians understanding their new identity in Christ, saying, “Identity and destiny are connected.” Two essential elements to understanding this new identity were given: be filled with the Holy Spirit and hold fast to the confession of faith. “The Holy Spirit will take what Christ has done and make it a reality in you,” explained Pastor Mark. “And your continual confession of faith agrees with who God has made you to be.”
The Thursday and Friday morning sessions contained further teachings from Pastors Mark and Trina Hankins. Pastors Gerri and Michelle also brought messages that impacted the lives of the Conference delegates. Thursday Morning Sessions Pastor Trina kicked off the Thursday morning session by teaching on the benefits of praying in tongues. She
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explained that tongues strengthens the spirit, edifies the inner man, gives boldness to speak the Word, releases the resurrection power of Jesus, makes the Word alive and brings perfect rest. Following this, Pastor Michelle taught on the importance of having a guarded heart. “We must guard our hearts, because out of our hearts flow the issues of life. Our hearts will either produce rivers of living water or the stench of death,” she said. Using the parable of the sower, Pastor Michelle described various influences that affect the heart condition of Christians, if unguarded. “Guarding your heart is like having a watchman on duty,” she explained. “Guard what comes into your mind and guard what confession comes out of your mouth.” Next, Pastor Gerri addressed the congregation concerning the Holy Spirit’s abiding presence. “Jesus entrusted the Holy Spirit to us,” he explained. “Since the Holy Spirit is the life of Jesus Himself, His abiding presence enables us to live the same abundant life that Jesus did.” The delegates were given four truths upon which to base their walk with God: faith is a relationship with God; truth is the Person of Jesus Christ; order is the manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s presence; grace is God’s ability living in you. “These truths will keep you on track,” concluded Pastor Gerri.
Friday Morning Sessions The Friday morning session began with Pastor Michelle. Quoting Lester Sumrall, she exhorted the attendees that prayer is the strongest power available to humanity. “We must tap into this power source and learn how to pray,” she declared. Five requirements were given for effective corporate prayer: confess sin; challenge motives; pray in agreement; ask in faith; ask according to God’s Word. A time of corporate prayer followed this teaching. Pastor Gerri then continued his teaching on the Holy Spirit, emphasising the importance of His role in the lives of Christians: “You can’t do the walk of faith without the Holy Spirit’s ability inside of you.” Pastor Gerri explained that the Holy Spirit equips believers to live the overcoming Christian life and empowers them to help others do the same. The morning finished with Pastor Mark’s teaching on the power of Jesus’ blood. “The blood of Jesus never loses its power,” he declared. “Faith in the blood is made up of knowledge and application.” Pastor Mark encouraged the congregation to discover what the blood has done for them and then apply it to their lives. Examples of the what Jesus’ blood has accomplished were given: “Faith in Jesus’ blood makes you right with God, provides
divine protection, silences the accuser and gives you access to the Most Holy Place.” Holy Spirit Power The Conference did not end without the demonstration of God’s power. During the Saturday morning session, Pastor Michelle flowed in the gift of prophecy and the Holy Spirit ministered words of encouragement and confirmation to several people present. Sunday evening concluded the Conference with a special laying on of hands service. Pastors Mark and Trina Hankins laid their hands on every adult and child present to impart God’s anointing. Many people responded with spontaneous joy and laughter. Lives Changed Every year, the annual Conference at Carmel is truly a God-ordained gathering, and this year was no exception as God touched people at their point of need. You can read some of these testimonies on page 18 of this magazine. The full teaching from aGODthing! Conference 2013 is available on CD, DVD or MP3 at the Carmel Bookshop. 7
PRESERVING THE PRESENCE OF GOD article BY PASTOR GERRI DI SOMMA
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We each have a function within revival: to preserve the presence of God. When God’s presence is preserved in revival, more people are exposed to His presence, giving them an opportunity to know Him too.
Revival is the manifestation of God’s presence in the lives of individual believers and the corporate Body of Christ, affecting change within communities, cities and nations. However, revival is dependent on the active participation of Christians. Revival Depends On Us History records that revivals lacking the appropriate Christian participation became movements that eventually became monuments in memory of the time when God’s presence was manifest. That’s why our participation in revival is vital to its longevity. We each have a function within revival: to preserve the presence of God. When God’s presence is preserved in revival, more people are exposed to His presence, giving them an opportunity to know Him too. A Revival Birthed Traditionally, the account of Jesus’ birth is considered to be only relevant for the Christmas season. However, the story also contains biblical truths concerning revival since the birth of Jesus was a manifestation of God’s presence. The story highlights the types of people that are typically found in revival, and their responses. Studying these will help us identify whether or not we are fulfilling our function to preserve the presence of God. TYPES OF PEOPLE IN REVIVAL 1. Those entrusted with God’s presence Both Mary and Joseph were entrusted with God’s presence. The angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, who was a virgin, and declared that she would conceive the Messiah. Mary did not reject God’s presence, but said, “Let it be to me according to your word.” Luke 1:38. By making herself available to this miraculous conception, Mary later birthed her own salvation and preserved God’s presence. Joseph, too, preserved God’s presence by accepting the angel’s words as truth: “that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 1:20. It would have been easy for Joseph
to believe that Mary, his betrothed, had been disloyal to him. But Joseph trusted the angel’s words, married Mary and raised Jesus as his own son. As born again and Spirit-filled Christians, we have been entrusted with the presence of God who dwells within us through the Holy Spirit. 2. Those afraid of God’s presence King Herod and the citizens of Jerusalem were afraid when they heard the news about Jesus’ birth (Matthew 2:3). Herod feared that his royal position would be threatened by the arrival of the Jewish King, particularly because he had been appointed as king by Caesar and not by God. In churches today, there are still those who are afraid of God’s presence. For example, some people express fear about being filled with the Holy Spirit. They wrongly believe that the Holy Spirit will force them to do embarrassing things; they don’t realise that the Holy Spirit is a helper and will never override a person’s will (1 Corinthians 14:32). 3.Those searching for God’s presence The wise men travelled from afar to search for God’s presence. Likewise, most of us began our journey of faith by searching for God’s presence. We may not have recognised that it was God we were seeking, but we were searching nevertheless. During revival, there will be people who come seeking for the truth and reality of God. That’s why it’s essential that Christians and churches declare the Gospel message without compromise. RESPONSES TO GOD’S PRESENCE 1. The Carriers of God’s Presence Mary had a specific mandate to carry God’s presence. As Christians, we all experience God’s presence, but God anoints certain individuals to carry His presence for a specific task and responsibility that will initiate and sustain revival. Not every Christian has
been given this specific mandate and mission. For example, one Christian may have an apostolic mandate, while another may be called to serve in the cleaning team at his local church. Both experience God’s presence, but they have different areas of responsibility. Those that are carriers of God’s presence are separated for His mission, just like Mary. This happened in my own life when God first instructed my wife and I to move to England from South Africa. At that stage, we didn’t know what God had purposed and planed for us, but I received a prophecy that said we were not going as missionaries, but as people on a mission. That mission was to carry God’s presence for revival. Just as Mary had a specific purpose to carry God’s presence during a time of revival, so there are people today that God anoints with a particular mandate for revival. 2. The Facilitators of God’s Presence Joseph was not a carrier of God’s presence like Mary was, but he facilitated God’s presence by taking care of Jesus and protecting Him from harm. When the life of the young Jesus was in danger because Herod sought to kill Him, Joseph obeyed the angel’s instructions to take Jesus and Mary to a place of safety (Matthew 2:13-15, 19-21). In this way, he facilitated the revival and Jesus was preserved for the plans and purposes of God. By assisting and helping Mary on her mission to carry God’s presence, Joseph was instrumental in making the presence of God available to all who came seeking for Him. Likewise, facilitators of God’s presence in revivals today assist those who are carriers of His presence, helping them to fulfil God’s mission so that God’s presence is made available for others. However, facilitators must be careful to not become overprotective of the mission and God’s presence, otherwise they will hinder those who are searching for God. Rather, like Joseph, they must release God’s presence and anointing to touch and change the lives of people who are searching for truth. 9
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The wise men were the first investors into the Gospel. They came to encounter God’s presence, but did not come empty handed; they brought valuable gifts to Jesus as an act of worship and honour.
The Jews in Jerusalem were ignorant of God’s presence. Although they read the Scriptures that pointed to the coming Messiah, they did not recognise or accept Him when He came. Jesus said to them: “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.” John 5:39-40. Today, there are still people who choose to remain ignorant of God’s presence, even when His presence is manifest and others have accepted it. For example, these people may know someone who has become a Christian and witness the changes that take place in that person’s life, but respond, “That’s ok for them, but it’s not for me.” These people are content to live without God and are indifferent towards God and His kingdom. Their indifference results in their ignorance of the truth since they have no desire to seek and find God’s presence for themselves. 4. The Traditionalists Although the scribes and Pharisees were experts in God’s Law, they were also very traditional. They were more interested in religion than relationship, 10
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3. The Ignorant
paying more attention to enforcing the Law rather than embracing the Messiah who came to fulfil the Law. Jesus Himself often confronted the scribes and Pharisees regarding the danger of elevating tradition over relationship, but they saw Him as a spoiler of their carefully maintained traditions (Matthew 12:1-14; 23:1-39). Today, there are traditionalists in churches who can quote Bible verses but are resistant to change to allow God’s Spirit to move amongst His people. They are comfortable with the way things are and don’t want anything to disturb their comfort or routine. For instance, they might argue, “But we’ve always done it this way.” Traditionalists resist revival because it changes the way they believe church should operate. However, they must realise that church is not about their comfort, but about introducing people to Jesus and allowing them to experience His presence. 5. The Terminators Herod did not want to give up his position as king, so he sought to destroy the one whom he feared would replace him as the true king: Jesus (Matthew 2:16-18). Herod’s extreme response reveals his insecurity and pride: he was insecure about losing control of his throne to a king who had
been appointed by God and not by man; in his pride, he thought he could kill the presence of God. Herod believed he could terminate God’s presence and stop it from accomplishing that for which it was sent. Likewise, in revival, Christians who have been positioned by man instead of God will attempt to hinder the flow of God’s presence because of insecurity and pride. These people are identified by their critical nature; they continuously find fault with those who carry and facilitate God’s presence. Herein lies a valuable lesson for church leaders who desire revival: be led by God’s Spirit when appointing people to positions of authority and influence. 6. The Investors The wise men were the first investors into the Gospel. They came to encounter God’s presence, but did not come empty handed; they brought valuable gifts to Jesus as an act of worship and honour. (Matthew 2:11). Undoubtedly, these gifts would have helped to sustain Mary and Joseph as they carried and facilitated revival. As a result of their giving, God’s presence was made available to the people of the day and, subsequently, to future generations, including us. Everyone who has received salvation can thank the wise men for their investment into God’s kingdom.
in church and enjoy God’s presence without bringing our resources to invest in the eternity of others.
Their actions also set an example for us to follow. If we have sought God’s presence and found salvation, we too must also bring our resources to God and invest into His kingdom. Doing so will enable God’s ministers to travel the world and preach the Gospel to every nation, tribe and tongue. Thus, others will receive salvation and experience His presence.
What’s Your Response? If you’re a born again, Spirit-filled Christian, then you have already been entrusted with God’s presence, but how have you responded to it? Examine each response and honestly evaluate which one most represents your response to God’s presence.
We must recognise and understand we are not giving money to a man, but to God. It is an eternal investment into the lives of those who will encounter God because of our giving. One of the most selfish things we can do is sit
If you have accepted the mandate to carry God’s presence, remain faithful to His calling; if you’re a facilitator, release
God’s presence and don’t become overprotective of it; if you’ve been ignorant, a traditionalist or a terminator, repent and ask God to forgive you. If you have not yet become an investor into God’s Kingdom, start today. You might not be called to be a carrier or facilitator of God’s presence, but you can be an investor, someone who enables others to take God’s presence to the nations. Your investment will echo throughout eternity in the testimonies of people whose lives were touched and changed by the Gospel.
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Jesus in us, through the Holy Spirit, is our ability to arise from anything that seeks to captivate us and keep us out of God’s will.
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Arise TEACHING BY PASTOR MICHELLE DI SOMMA Difficult and challenging situations are a fact of life. But how we deal with them determines whether or not we fulfil God’s purposes for our lives. That’s why the Bible exhorts us to rise above our circumstances: Arise [from the depression and prostration in which circumstances have kept you – rise to a new life]! Isaiah 60:1, AMP.
This scripture refers to arising from depression, which means sadness, gloominess and dejection caused by difficult situations. However, the principle of arising applies to any feeling, emotion or circumstance 12
that threatens to hinder us from becoming everything that God has purposed for us to be. God is calling us to arise from situations that are holding us captive; He wants us to arise to His abundant life.
Power To Arise God has given us the ability to arise from our circumstances. The scripture verse in Isaiah continues: Shine (be radiant with the glory of the Lord),
for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you! Isaiah 60:1, AMP. Our light has come: Jesus is the light. He came to heal the brokenhearted, and to bring liberty and deliverance to the captives (John 8:12; Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18). Jesus in us, through the Holy Spirit, is our ability to arise from anything that seeks to captivate us and keep us out of God’s will.
giving her the ability to influence the king and save the lives of her fellow Jews (Esther 4:8, 7:2-4; 8-8).
There are four key areas in our lives that we must arise from in order to fulfil our purpose in God. Each one was evident in the lives of familiar biblical characters. Let’s examine their lives to gain insight about overcoming and arising from our circumstances.
Likewise, our lives are significant because Christ has not left us as orphans, but has given us His authority (John 14:18; Matthew 28:18). Often, we believe that our lives are only significant if we are accomplishing ‘big things’ for God, such as preaching to millions of people. However, since we possess Christ’s authority, our lives are significant in everything we do, no matter how ‘small’ it may seem. For example, our lives have a significant effect on our family, friends and neighbours when we share God’s love with them in word and deed.
1. Arise From Inferiority
3. Arise From Insecurity
Moses was a man who arose from feelings of inferiority. When God appeared to him in the burning bush and gave him the task of leading the Israelites out of slavery, Moses objected because he felt inferior: “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” Exodus 3:11. But God equipped Moses with supernatural powers that enabled him to arise from inferiority and accomplish his purpose (Exodus 4:1-9).
Gideon was an insecure man; he was not secure in his identity and did not see himself as the person God made him to be. This is evidenced by the fact that he was hiding from the Midianites, Israel’s oppressors, when the Angel of the Lord appeared to him. But God addressed Gideon as He saw him, not how Gideon saw himself. “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valour!” Judges 6:12. Nevertheless, Gideon still did not consider himself to be a mighty man of valour and he questioned God about the circumstances he and the Israelites faced. Instead of answering Gideon’s questions, God reaffirmed his identity and potential, saying, “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites.” Judges 6:14.
Just as God gave Moses the power to overcome inferiority, He has given us the power of the Holy Spirit to enable us to arise from inferiority: you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. Acts 1:8. We have the power and ability of the Holy Spirit to overcome inferiority and accomplish our God-ordained purpose. However, we must yield to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to work in our lives so that we are empowered to overcome. 2. Arise From Insignificance To a casual onlooker, Esther’s life seemed insignificant: she was a Jewish orphan living in Persia during the time of Israel’s captivity (Esther 2:7). But God did not consider her life to be insignificant. He strategically promoted her to a position of authority, and the orphan girl became a queen (Esther 2:17). Esther became the second most powerful person in the land,
Likewise, God sees our full potential and addresses us accordingly. Like Gideon, we must stop feeling sorry for ourselves and stop complaining about our circumstances. Instead, we must see ourselves the way God sees us. For example, His Word says that we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus and that we can do all things through Him who strengthens us (Romans 8:37; 1 Corinthians 4:13). 4. Arise From Failure King David is well known for his moral failure. As king, he should have been leading his troops into war, but he chose to stay at home. This started a
chain reaction of events: he committed adultery with Bathsheba, a married woman, and she became pregnant; he attempted to cover his sin by arranging for Bathsheba’s husband to be killed in battle; then David took Bathsheba as his wife (2 Samuel 11). God sent the prophet Nathan to David to expose his sin and failure. Unlike Adam who blamed Eve for his sin, David took responsibility for his actions and repented: “I have sinned against the Lord.” 2 Samuel 12:13. Psalm 51 records his heartfelt repentance. Every person has failed, so David is an appropriate example for us. Although he could not escape the consequences of his sin, he received God’s forgiveness and did not allow his failure to hold him back from fulfilling his God-given purpose and destiny: “your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you.” 2 Samuel 7:16. We are assured that God kept his promise to David since David is part of the lineage of Jesus, the Messiah. Like David, we must not allow past failures to determine our future. Rather, we must take responsibility, repent and receive God’s forgiveness. We must move on into the plans and purposes of God for our lives, realising that God can resurrect us from failure and make us vessels for His glory. Arise To Your Potential The devil’s goal is to kill your potential through any means possible. He even attempted to kill Jesus’ potential, but God had other plans. He turned what the devil meant for evil into good. And He will do the same for you too! If the devil has tried to kill your purpose and potential through circumstances that have left your feeling inferior, insignificant, insecure or a failure, realise that greater is God who is in you than the devil who is in the world (1 John 4:4). God has equipped you with His Holy Spirit and His Word to arise from inferiority, insignificance, insecurity and failure. So draw upon His Spirit and study His Word to discover who He says you are. Arise and shine, for your light has come! 13
TEACHING BY PASTOR GERRI DI SOMMA
Conquered By Love
God is love. He does not merely feel and express love; He is love. All other qualities that define His character and nature flow from His intrinsic attribute of love. Everything God does is motivated by love and He wants us, His children, to experience and demonstrate His love to others. The Standard Of Love God’s love is our standard. His love does not set conditions like natural human love does; His love is unconditional. The Bible tells us that God expects us to love with His same unconditional love, setting no limits on our love for others: be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us. Ephesians 5:1-2. At first glance, loving according to God’s standard may seem impossible, but if we’ve been born again, God’s unconditional love has been shed abroad in our hearts. Romans 5:5, KJV. Therefore, we have the capacity to love as He does. Our responsibility is to give His love expression in our lives. Receive Love And Give It If we have difficulty expressing God’s love, it’s symptomatic that we have not actually received His love. This may shock some Christians who believe they have received God’s love. However, their unloving behaviour reveals that they have not. For example, instead of allowing God’s love to result in forgiveness, kindness and mercy, such Christians are unforgiving, angry and bitter.
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God is committed to us. Furthermore, His commitment never changes since He is faithful
It is only when we have received and experienced God’s love for ourselves that we are able to express and demonstrate it to others; we cannot give what we have not received. Faith Works Through Love It’s important to receive God’s love and give it expression, because the development of our faith is dependent
upon it. The Apostle Paul explained this, stating that faith works through love (Galatians 5:6). This means that when we don’t walk in love, we hinder and weaken our faith. Similarly, Paul emphasised that love is greater than faith: though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing… And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.1 Corinthians 13:2, 13. If we want our faith to grow and accomplish the works of God, we must walk in God’s love. Jesus is our example: love is His nature and He demonstrates love to everyone, including sinners, and His faith always works to accomplish God’s will. God’s Conquering Love The only way God’s love can work through us in every circumstance is to be conquered by His love, that is, to be overwhelmed by His love. The conquering nature of God’s love was first revealed in the Garden of Eden towards Adam and Eve. God had commanded them to not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but Eve was deceived and Adam disobeyed (Genesis 2:16-17, 3:1-6). God’s response to their sin reveals His nature of love towards them, the same love that sent Jesus to die for us and the same love that He has poured into our hearts. Let’s examine how God’s love conquers us: 1. God’s Is Committed To Us Even though God knew what had happened, He still came to commune with Adam and Eve, calling to Adam, “Where are you?” Genesis 3:9. God didn’t ask this question because He didn’t know where Adam was; God was committed to Adam’s success and was giving him the opportunity to take responsibility for his sin through confession and repentance.
2. God Never Comes Judging Adam’s answer to God’s question revealed his sin: “I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” Genesis 3:10. However, instead of judging and condemning Adam, God questioned him, giving him another opportunity to confess and repent: “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?” Genesis 3:11. In the New Testament, God’s non-judgemental love nature is evidenced in the way Jesus dealt with the woman caught in adultery. The scribes and Pharisees accused her, but Jesus did not. Jesus was the only sinless person in their midst, making Him the only one who could righteously condemn her sin. But He did not. He neither judged nor condemned her (John 8:1-11). And He doesn’t judge or condemn us either. 3. God Seeks Opportunities To Cover Us Adam and Eve’s solution to cover their sin was to sew fig leaves together to make a covering for their naked bodies. However, their natural solution was not God’s solution. God’s solution was to kill an innocent animal and make tunics of skin to clothe them (Genesis 3:7, 21). This act was symbolic of God’s ultimate redemption plan: the sacrifice of Jesus, the sinless, innocent Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world (John 1:29). Just as Adam and Eve’s man-made solution could not cover their sin, neither can our man-made solutions
cover our sin. Often, we respond to our sin the same way as Adam did: hiding from God and blaming others. Instead, we must accept God’s solution to confess our sin and receive His forgiveness: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9.
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when we don’t walk in love, we hinder and weaken our Faith.
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Likewise, God is committed to us. Furthermore, His commitment never changes since He is faithful (2 Timothy 2:13; Hebrews 10:23). Regardless of the sin we commit, God is committed to work on our behalf to make sure we spend eternity with Him. Jesus told the parable of the prodigal son, which illustrates God’s commitment to us: despite the prodigal’s sin, his father waited expectantly for his son’s return. And when the prodigal did return, he was welcomed back into his position within the household (Luke 15:11-32).
4. God Works For Our Best Interest After clothing them, God banished Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:22-24). This may seem like a harsh response, but if God had not removed them from the Garden, they may have eaten from the tree of life, causing them, and all future generations, to live eternally as sinful and corrupt creatures. However, God’s plan was to send a Saviour to deliver mankind from sin and corruption permanently. The fulfilment of this plan was dependent on Adam and Eve not eating from the tree of life, hence God banished them from the Garden. Thank God that He worked for their best interest! Let God’s Love Conquer You God wants His unconditional love to conquer us and to work through us towards others. To the same degree that God has loved us, He expects us to love others. It’s a tall order. That’s why we need His love to conquer us. We must understand, receive and embrace the full dimension of God’s love. If God’s love has not yet conquered you, meditate on this message and study the scriptures to allow the truths of God’s Word to penetrate your heart: God loves you; He is committed to you and will never judge you; He will forgive your sin and work for your best interest.
‘Conquered by Love’ is the first message in Pastor Gerri’s series ‘The Love Walk’. You can purchase the DVDs or CDs of the full series from the Carmel Bookshop and discover what it means to be comforted, conformed, certified, characterised, commended and controlled by love. 15
TEACHING BY
PASTOR GERRI DI SOMMA
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Turning Prophecy Into Reality 90•
At one time or another, most Christians have received a prophetic word. The significance is not in simply hearing and receiving the prophecy, but in how we respond to it. There is a biblical process that must be followed in order for prophecies to become a reality. Unless we respond to prophecies according to this process, they will lay dormant and unfulfilled. Those who respond appropriately according to God’s Word will experience the fulfilment of prophecy and reach their God-given potential. 16
It is therefore essential that we understand the purpose of prophecy and apply the biblical process of turning prophecy into reality. THE PURPOSE OF PROPHECY Prophecy Reveals God’s Heart For His Children God has a heart for us, His Children, and prophecy is one way He reveals His heart to us. Prophecy comes through God’s prophets who speak on
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Prophecy is never a command; it’s an invitation for us to step into our potential and release God’s gifting.
behalf of God to His people. A prophet operates under the divine influence of God’s Spirit and speaks God’s heart on a matter (2 Peter 1:21). The prophetic word can include instruction, exhortation, correction, warning or the foretelling of future events, all of which come from God’s heart of love. Prophecy Reveals The Potential God Placed In His Children Every person was created with significance and potential. Sometimes
we don’t recognise that potential within ourselves, even though others may see it. Therefore, God uses prophecy to call potential into existence. For example, when we first became Christians, my wife recognised that God had gifted me to teach His Word. At the time, I didn’t recognise that potential within myself, but God brought that potential to my attention through a prophetic word. Today, I am fulfilling that potential in my life.
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Prophecy Relates To Gifting For Equipping The potential that is revealed through prophecy also relates to the gifting that God gives us. This is confirmed by the Apostle Paul’s exhortation to Timothy: Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. 1 Timothy 4:14.
This story highlights four stages to the manifestation of prophecy: 1. Through The Prophetic, God Gives An Invitation
Prophecy is never a command; it’s an invitation for us to step into our potential and release God’s gifting. God’s invitation was extended to Elisha when Elijah threw his mantle on him (1 Kings 19:19). Once Elijah had given the invitation, he walked away, leaving Elisha with the responsibility of responding to it. This shows us that a prophet’s responsibility is to declare God’s invitation accurately and our responsibility is to respond to it. Our response must be to pray and ask God to increase our capacity for the potential He has revealed in order that we can take ahold of it. Writing out prophecies is beneficial, helping us to remember, review, meditate upon and pray over God’s prophetic invitation (Habakkuk 2:2-3).
It’s important to understand that there is a difference between our natural passions and God’s gifting: our passions are driven by our own desires • and often gratifies our own sense of 90 2. The Invitation Must value, whereas gifting is driven by God’s Stimulate Investigation desires and gratifies, benefits, edifies After Elisha received God’s invitation, and equips others (Ephesians 4:12). he ran after Elijah (1 Kings 19:20). In his second letter to Timothy, Paul I believe Elisha went to investigate instructed him to stir up the gift of what was required of him. Similarly, God. 2 Timothy 1:6. Paul’s words in the New Testament, Timothy was reveal that it is our responsibility to stir instructed to wage good warfare with up God’s gift in us. Our passions, such his prophecies (1 Timothy 1:18). This as musical abilities, can be developed, means to train, strategise, investigate but God’s gifts must be stirred up. and serve as in natural warfare.
Now that we’ve understood the purpose of prophecy, let’s examine the biblical process we must follow to see the fulfilment of God’s prophetic utterances.
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THE PROCESS TO FULFILLED PROPHECY The Old Testament account of Elijah and Elisha is an example of the process
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A lot of people confuse their purpose with their potential. The difference is evidenced in the life of Adam, the first human being. Adam’s purpose was to tend the Garden of Eden, but that wasn’t his potential. Adam’s potential was to name all the animals – a task that exceeded his natural abilities and purpose (Genesis 2:15, 19). Likewise, the potential that God has placed inside of us will always surpass our natural capabilities and purpose.
involved for prophecy to become a reality. Elijah was Israel’s prophet. God revealed to90• Elijah the prophetic potential that was in Elisha and God told him to anoint Elisha as prophet in his place. At this stage, Elisha was not aware of his potential since Elijah didn’t find him studying at the school of prophets, but ploughing oxen in a field. Elisha was fulfilling his purpose when God’s prophet revealed his potential (1 Kings 19:15-21).
Some Christians mistakenly believe that God will automatically fulfil every prophecy. However, we have an important part to play: we must prepare ourselves by studying and finding out what is required of us concerning the role, gift or ministry that the prophecy revealed. For example, a person who receives a prophecy about entering the mission
field must find out what it means to be a missionary.
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3. Leave The Mundane And Get Inspiration Upon receiving God’s invitation to step into his potential, Elisha left everything to follow and serve Elijah (1 Kings 19:21). Elisha made himself available to be taught, trained and mentored by someone who was already functioning in the role of a prophet. Likewise, we must make ourselves available to those who have the capacity to help, equip and inspire us. To continue with the previous example, someone called to be a missionary will be inspired and equipped for their potential by making themselves available to learn from those who have already served God on the mission field. 4. Surrender Is The Door To Initiation Elisha did not reject or neglect God’s invitation; He surrendered to it. His willingness to surrender determined the outcome: he reached his potential by becoming Israel’s next prophet. In the same way, our potential is brought to fruition by surrendering to God’s invitation. There are other biblical examples of people who surrendered to God’s invitation and, as a result, attained their God-given potential: Noah’s potential was to be a boat builder; Abraham’s potential was to be a nation builder; Moses’ potential was to be a great statesman; Gideon’s potential was to be the deliverer of a nation; David’s potential was to be a king. Each of these people had to surrender to God’s invitation. They believed God and responded to His calling by faith. Respond to God’s Invitation Now, it’s your turn. Don’t allow your potential to be robbed from you through unbelief. Thank God for His invitation and apply the process of investigation, inspiration and initiation. If you have received a prophetic word and have done nothing with it, take that word and apply it to this biblical process in order to turn your prophecy into reality. 17
After several weeks, th e effects of this year’s aGODthing! Conferenc e were still being felt. Yo ung and old like testified of their encounters with God. HEALING TESTIMONIES Among the adults, healin g was a reoccurring the me. On the Thursday evenin g of the Conference, Go d spoke through a prophetic wo rd, instructing people wit h pains and sicknesses in their bodies to place their ha nd s on the affected area and to declare the healing powe r of Jesus. The following peop le received healing that night:
Jacqui Birch For some time, I experienced earach e in my left ear during the colder mon ths. I had not had any earache this year, but when I ente red the church building on the Thursd ay evening of the Conference, I felt intense pain in my ear. It was so painful that it was all I could think about. When the prophetic word came, I closed me eyes, placed my hand on my ear and told my ear to be healed. After a short while, I realised that my ear didn’t hurt anymore. The pain had completely gone!
and went sporadically. Mark Barrett in my left leg. The pain came ca ati sci h wit ed fer suf I painkillers. My leg For ten years, y could do, except prescribe the ng thi no s wa re the d the Thursday night, I The doctors sai gan, but when I arrived on be ce ren nfe Co the e for phetic word, I placed was not hurting be leg. When I heard the pro my in in pa al nti sta sub no pain since! suddenly experienced ared and there has been pe ap dis in pa the tly, tan my hand on my leg. Ins
Jenny Stoltz A few days before the Conference beg an, I started to experience pain in my spine. My spine had never hurt like that before and I was worried about it. The nigh t that the prophetic word came, I placed my han d on my spine and the pain started to ease. The following evening, during worship, the pain disappeared altogether. Now I am pain free! DISCOVERY COVE During the evening services of the Conference, Travis and Donna Speedie, leaders of Carmel’s Children Church hosted, ‘Discovery Cove’, a Conference specifically for children aged 3-11. Discovery Cove used a Treasure Island theme to impart spiritual truths, and children of all ages enjoyed dressing up as pirates and princesses. Here are some of the comments made by parents and children about Discovery Cove: “I loved it because we got to learn about God and dress up like pirates! The puppet show was awesome. I brought two friends with me who don’t go to church and they loved it too and really want to come again.” Libby, aged 9. “Discovery Cove was beautifully set up and organised for the children, ensuring that the Conference was as special a time for them as it was for the adults!” Libby’s Mum. “That Conference was the best ever.” Freya, aged 6. “Freya said she experienced the Holy Spirit and felt ‘all floaty’. She looked forward to every night, made new friends, discovered that God’s treasure is His Word and loved dressing up like a princess and a pirate.” Freya’s Mum. “My children absolutely loved Discovery Cove! They are still talking about it and reciting the memory verse. My eldest daughter was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues.” Angela, mother of three, aged 3, 5 and 6. “God healed my sore throat.” Child in 6-7yrs group. “Jesus held my hand.” Child in 10-11yrs group. “My son is singing heartfelt made up songs about Jesus.” Parent. “We have never discussed missions or mentioned China to my daughter, but one night she said that God had told her to go to China and tell the people about Jesus.” Parent. 18
16TH – 17TH MAY 2014
hosted by
gerri di somma
guest speakers
david mcdonald bernie mclaughlin
REGISTER ONLINE AT WWW.VALIANTMEN.CO.UK 19
7TH – 8TH MARCH 2014 EXCEPTIONAL WOMEN’S CONFERENCE 2014
t u h S hosted by Michelle Di Somma
guest speakers Karen Brady Wendy Preston
REGISTER ONLINE AT WWW.EXCEPTIONALWOMEN.CO.UK