Jesus explicitly described what happens when His disciples fail to bear fruit. But in calling us to abide in Him—like branches to a vine—He also revealed the keys to yielding the fruit of the Holy Spirit.It might surprise you to learn that receiving the...
The second fruit of the Spirit is joy. There are varieties of joy we share with non-Christians. The celebrative moments in our life—weddings, births, engagements—are great sources of joy. Achievements—breaking the sales record in the office or...
During the days of Nazi Germany there arose a Confessing Church movement that rose against the German Church movement, which became the religious arm of the Fascist Nazi Socialist movement.Of the 18,000 pastors in Germany during that time (from 1933 to 1945), less...
I was sitting on the edge of a worn-out bed in a foreign city with my head in my hands trying to shake off a flood of disturbing emotions. I knew I couldn't effectively minister until I got to the root of the issue."What is wrong with me, Lord? I have absolutely no...
It is important that you understand the difference between the "gift" of the Spirit and the "gifts" of the Spirit. Much confusion abounds in many churches because of this failure in understanding. Also you need to understand the gift of tongues in context with the...
As a little boy raised in the church, I was often confused by the words of certain songs. For instance, whenever the song "Bringing in the Sheaves" was sung, I thought we were singing about bringing in the "sheeps." I always wondered where we would get these "sheeps"...
"Give me the reins." I'll always remember when the Holy Spirit spoke those four words to my heart. It was clear He wasn't asking for one "rein" he wanted all my "reins."Of course, I immediately thought of a horse's reins. The rider uses the reins as a restraining...
I usually begin my day early, and this one particular day I rose even earlier to pray. During my prayer time, I heard God tell me, "Study all the facts and figures regarding the neighborhood you live in." I don't mean that I heard an audible voice, but a still, quiet...
If perception is reality, then a godly perspective of your trials and tribulations can deliver you from your worst enemy: your own unrenewed mind.I can't tell you—and, in fact, I'd probably be embarrassed to admit—just how many times I've allowed the...
In the midst of writing a book on revival, I experienced a new kind of spiritual attack. As I put pen to paper about a Great Awakening, reformation and transformation in our nation, the enemy subtly worked to bring what I can only describe as "dryness" to my soul.To...
God has a lot of ways to heal us based on the redemptive work of Christ. It is something Jesus paid for—something He suffered for. His desire for you to be healed and walk in divine health is the reason He went through so much pain and suffering. He was taking...
I had been on the mission field in one-hundred-degree weather in a nation known for its false gospel for more than a week—and battling principalities and powers every step of the way.Laboring to take the Good News to a nation where the spirit of Jezebel wields...
Ever since the fourth century when the Roman Emperor Constantine made Christianity legal, the church progressively went from a decentralized "saints movement" to a temple-centered, "clergy-dependent" movement.We went from focusing on marketplace presence to building...
If believers are promised tribulation, affliction and persecution, why are so many of us unprepared when these hit? Bible teacher John Bevere explains how you can arm yourself in advance to win every battle.Imagine a nation sending its military into war without...