Inheriting the Promises of God - Wendy Mann

I was at the Kings Arms a couple of Sundays ago and Wendy Mann spoke on Inheriting the Promises of God. She started by reminding us that we all have promises from God whether prophetic words or scripture and that inheriting them isn't about waiting for them to fall into our lap. Very helpfully we all had a handout and I've copied out her main points, if you get a chance do have a listen http://www.kingsarms.org/

Exodus 3:16-17

1. Remember what God has done:

What has God done for you, write it down, be specific

Forgetting God's provision leads to grumbling (Deut 6:12)

Q: How are you doing at remembering what God has done for you?

2. Practise thanksgiving - Remembering and thanksgiving are linked

We are instructed to cultivate thankful hearts (1 Thes 5:16-18, Eph 5:18-21)

Learn to live life focused on what God is doing rather than what He hasn't yet done

Q: What do you have to be thankful for?

3. Be obedient

Q: How are you doing at being obedient? Is there anything God is asking you to do that you haven't done yet?

4. Be intentional

Wrong thinking - God has given me this promise all I have to do is sit back and wait.

Right thinking - I need to be intentional with the promises God has given me to prepare my heart for when God breaks in.

Q: How are you being intentional about the promises of God over your life?

5. Keep your eyes fixed on God (Joshua and Caleb)

Focusing on God, His character, His faithfulness, produces a response of faith.

After listening to Wendy I went home and read through prophetic words and scriptures that God has spoken over my life. Because I hadn't read them in ages, I'd missed recognising God's hand at work at different times in my life, plus I found a few prophetic words that are totally for my time at BSSM. So to help me to remember, be thankful, obedient and intentional to inherit the promises of God; I've taken to marking my journal with those coloured sticky markers.  Green is for provision, orange for prophetic, yellow for healing/supernatural and blue for specific prayer.  Already at a glance I can easily see God's hand at work in my life!

p.s Wendy writes a blog which is packed full of amazing faith adventures, click on the link in the left hand column.

'You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord for ever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal.'  Iasiah 26: 3-4

'For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.'   Isaiah 41: 13

'For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who recieve God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.'   Romans 5: 17

'For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.'   Romans 2: 10

How dependent on the Holy Spirit are we willing to live?

I've just got back from a weeks holiday with my parents in Croma, Norfolk. I slept on a very comfortable inflatable mattress inside my niece's Cath Kidston tent - inside the awning of my parents caravan.  Each morning we'd have a cup of tea together whilst spending time with God and spying on the neighbours! Whilst there I wanted to get my teeth into the 1 and only book I'm supposed to read before I go to Bethel: 'When Heaven Invades Earth - A practical guide to a life of miracles' by Bill Johnson.

Chapter 2 - Commission Restored, opens with this:

'Jesus could not heal the sick.  Neither could he deliver the tormented from demons or raise the dead.  To believe otherwise is to ignore what He said about Himself, and more importantly, to miss the purpose of His self-imposed restriction to live as a man.

Jesus Christ said of Himself,"The Son can do nothing."......it means NOTHING!...He had NO supernatural capabilities. While He is 100% God, He chose to live with the same limitations that man would face once redeemed......He performed miracles, wonders and signs, as a man in right relationship to God...not as God.  If He performed miracles because He was God, then they would be unattainable for us.  But if He did them as a man, I am responsible to pursue His lifestyle.

What were the distinctions of His humanity?

1. He had no sin to separate Him from the Father.

2. He was completely dependent on the power of the Holy Spirit working through Him.

What are the distinctions of our humanity?

1. We are sinners cleansed by the blood of Jesus...nothing separates us from the Father.

There remains only one unsettled issue -

2. How dependent on the Holy Spirit are we willing to live?'  

HOW CHALLENGING IS THAT! I realised 3 things:

1. I love hearing testimonies of healing, the prophetic and miraculous provision.

2. I've become very comfortable and enjoy being in control (root based in fear)

3. I'm worried Father God will ask me to do something I don't want to

Fast forward to Sunday the 15th and I'm at Kings Arms catching up with friends. After worship they often interview someone who has a testimony. A lady, we'll call her Jen, is interviewed and she talks about how she was in the bus station waiting for her bus when a lady hobbled past.  God said to Jen "I want you to pray for her", Jen said to God "No way, I've not even had Treasure Hunt training", God said "I'm going to give you on the job training". Jen prayed a simple prayer with the lady and asked her to test her leg and see if there was any pain.  The pain had completely gone, a week later Jen sees the lady again and the lady testifies that her leg has remained pain free! Praise God.

What an encouraging testimony I was totally impacted by Jen's obedience and dependence on the Holy Spirit; and realised that I have no excuse. Next time I hear Gods prompting I'm gonna go for it - feel free to hold me accountable.

'I'm leaving, on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again.......'

The 5th of September is D day - Departure day - United 0931 will be leaving Heathrow at 2.10pm and arriving in San Francisco at 5.14pm. From there I'll be catching a mini plane for the 90min flight to Redding Municipal Airport, finally arriving at 10.30pm (6.30am our time) where I'm being picked up by my new house mate, who will have a hire car.

All in all its about a 15 hour trip, including changes. When booking you can choose your in flight meal: standard, low fat, low cal, low GI, vegan, cosha....to name a few, rather than falling into 'standard' I went for vegetarian!

Please pray that I know Gods comfort and peace whilst traveling and that the journey from beginning to end runs smoothly.

A car would be very helpful....

I have been reliably informed (by a Californian and my 'wealth of information' good friends) that I'm going to need a car or at least have regular access to one. The area that I'll be living in is close to the college and walkable.  However shops and pretty much everything else is further away.  Public transport is at a minimum and taxi's are hard to come by. It seems that Americans heavily rely on having a car and that even if I could walk places, the chances of a pavement/sidewalk are slim.

There are a few options to choose from: renting a car for the 9 months, buying one from Craig's list or a 2nd hand Car Dealership, or sharing a car with the other girls I'll be living with. I'm also not very car savvy and ideally would like a car which is in good health.

Please pray that:
1. It quickly becomes clear whether to share or buy my own car
2. God provides a car that is in good condition and the money to buy it
3. God points me to someone who can help me find the right car

BSSM teach about living in expectancy for the miraculous, I'm pretty certain that doesn't stop at cars, I'll let you know what happens!

Revival Group and Small Group

I'd really appreciate your prayer.
In my school year there will be around 800 students - that's 800! I've never been a fan of large crowds so being 1 amongst 800 is a little daunting. My friend filled me in on the timetable (check out my previous post) and there are 2 groups which I'm looking forward to as they will help with the whole 'being freaked out by 800 people' thing- Revival Group and Small Group.Both groups I'm assigned to and will be a part of for the whole year.

Revival Group: This will be 80 students a mixture of girls and guys, different ages, nationalities and stages of life. We'll have a pastor/leader who will look after the group, it's a place be known, kind of like our church small groups. I'm hoping that it'll also be an opportunity to step out in the spiritual gifts that we are learning about so I'm praying for a few specific things.

1. That God meets with us powerfully each week and we see the miraculous
2. That the group is a place of friendship and fun
3. That we strengthen, encourage and sharpen each other
4. That we are a group that is hungry for God's presence and bold in stepping out in obedience

Small Group: This is an accountability group for 5 women. For the last couple of years I have met with 2 girl friends for accountability and prayer. I've so appreciated the safety of that prayer trio being able to share openly without judgement knowing that I'm loved and accepted. I'll really miss that while I'm at BSSM and I'm praying that this group will be the same.

1. That the 5 of us quickly click and build strong friendships
2. That God is glorified as we meet together
3. That we speak faith, are ruthless with sin and rejoice together
4. That we strengthen, encourage and sharpen each other

I'm really looking forward to these groups particularly and I'll definitely write up some of the testimonies from them.

My timetable - potentially

Last saturday I caught up with a friend who, along with her husband, has just completed the 1st year of BSSM and will be returning for a 2nd! She was sooo helpful with loads of advice and gave me an idea of what my timetable could look like, read on.....

'School time' is from 12 (or 12.45, I can't remember) to 5pm, Tuesday to Friday. So I have Monday and Saturday off and will be going to 2 services on Sundays.

Tues: Notices - worship - Bill Johnson teaching - AMT (I'll explain)
Wed: Bible teaching - Kris Vallotton teaching- Revival Group or Small Group
Thurs: Notices - staff or visiting speaker - worship - Outreach
Fri: Bible teaching - worship - staff speaker - Revival Group or Small Group

AMT: I can't remember what the 'A' is for, Ministry Team - there are 10+ different subjects to choose from and I get to do 4 throughout the year. They range from Prayer to Photography with plenty in between.

Revival Group: In my year there will be around 800 students, Revival Groups are 80 students with a pastor/leader who looks after them. Its an opportunity for you to be known and get to know others

Small Group: These are same sex accountability groups of about 5 people.

Outreach: There are a few different options to apply for and all involve going into the local community and serving in loads of different capacities. They run outreach to rough sleepers, drug addicts, after school clubs, kids clubs etc. I'll be in the same outreach group throughout the year and together we learn how to minister in the local community.

Wow! what a week, I'm so excited about the different opportunities and am really pleased about the Revival Group and Small Group. I'm praying that both groups are places where I find close friendships with people that are like minded and who sharpen each other.