Next level

God has been challenging me. Here is a message I emailed our worship team today and I would like to share it with you.


PLEASE READ:

Also I have been praying about how to go to the next level. God has been challenging me that we have have done a lot musically to advance our excellence but that now it is time to increase the anointing (His presence) and to truly go to the next level as a team spiritually . The Word says in the book of James, "Draw near to Me and I will draw near to you." And He has been laying it on my heart that His church, and definitely those in leadership positions (US) need to be putting an emphasis on working under the anointing because ultimately that is what brings the power to change people's lives. The rest is just music and the mere ideas of man. I say all that to say that I've been stirred to revive fasting in my life on regular basis. Not as a duty but as a joy. Not as a rule but as a sign of passionate pursuit. Fasting and prayer was meant to be a part of the lives of those in the church. Paul said, "When you fast." Jesus told His disciples for now you do not fast because I am with You, but when I go away you will fast. It keeps us focused on what pleases the heart of God (which brings Him close to us) and keeps us from focusing on us and selfishness. It cleanses and purifies us so that we can be filled wholly (fully) with the power to affect change in the spiritual realm and see it manifest in the natural. I am reminded of the disciples who had not implemented this concept in their lives yet, they were merely doing "church" if you will and when confronted with a demon possessed boy (let's just say a time when they needed the power of God in their lives) they could not deal with the situation. The father brought the boy to Jesus and told Him that His disciples could not do anything for the boy. Then Jesus rebuked His disciples and said, "How long must I be with you." Basically he was frustrated that they had not been self disciplined enough to dig in, and separate themselves further from the world and its influence and gain the power that they needed to actually minister and not just look and act like Jesus's disciples. Because that day, that was all they could do, is look pretty. Then Jesus told them that the only way they would have been able to heal the demon possessed boy was through prayer and fasting. Guys, I don't know about you, but I want to be effective and not just a person that looks the part. Please pray and ask the Holy Spirit what it is in your life that will take you to the next level. If you are wondering what fasting is, basically the word fast means literally: to abstain from food. And this is for the purpose of drawing closer to God and His will for our lives. You can do a day a week. You can do a meal a day. The amount of time you do it is between you and God. But at least be reminded of this powerful tool to prepare us for unleashing the power of God. It IS powerful. And the book of Isaiah describes it as the thing that sets us free from bondage. I love you guys very much. Let's "raise the standard" and see God explode on the scene!!!!!!!!!!

jb