Following are snippets of the top stories posted on charismamag.com over the past week. We invite you to visit the links to read the stories in full.
Before the Ukraine-Russia war, a church in Chernivtsi, Ukraine, felt a prophetic call to purchase an old cow farm, what seemed an absurd proposition. In the following months, the congregation diligently cleaned and renovated the property, installed a shower and a kitchen, and constructed multiple rooms.
When Russia invaded, the Holy Spirit’s leadership revealed itself. Today over 400 Ukrainian refugees are sheltered and served breakfast, lunch and dinner by congregation members.
Another church in Kovel, Ukraine, similarly purchased refrigerators and several tons of bread to freeze before any prognosis of war. Today they welcome approximately 200 refugees in their church every day and are ministering to their nation, housing, clothing, feeding and transporting citizens to the safety of European borders.
Just before the Jesus People Movement of the 1970s, things looked terribly dark for America. A sexual revolution was fueled by the free-love culture of West Coast hippies, and drug culture was normalized on college campuses.
Evangelist Mario Murillo, who helped to spark the Jesus People Movement, readily points out the parallels between that moment in U.S. history and today. But based on what he’s seen at his tent meetings, he says this moment is bigger. “We never have enough counselors, never have enough Bibles,” Murillo says, describing the meetings. “Not even in the Jesus Movement did I see it this way.”
He continues, “In the Jesus Movement, it was widespread, and it felt gentle. This is a voracious appetite for God that I’ve not seen before.”
Last weekend after I spoke at a church in Jacksonville, Florida, a young woman came to the altar to ask for prayer. She had heard me share how Jesus wants us to be filled with the Holy Spirit so that we can have the boldness to share the gospel—and so that we can experience all the Spirit’s miraculous power when we minister to others.
This woman was a bit shy, but after I prayed for her she began to speak in tongues for the first time. It was a new experience for her, but she wants all God has for her. Her fears didn’t keep her from claiming something new from God. Her life was changed in that moment.
I’ve seen this miracle happen countless times—ever since it happened to me when I was 18. I was raised in a church that didn’t teach about the spiritual gifts mentioned in the New Testament. In fact, the first person I ever heard speaking in tongues was me, at the moment Jesus baptized me in the Holy Spirit!
As we step into May, the Lord showed me we’re stepping into a time of overflow and abundance. This also correlates with Pentecost coming up at the beginning of June and the word I released for April that things were breaking open. As things are beginning to break open and the resistance is shifting, it’s making way for a new flow of the Spirit of God to be released in you and on the earth.
Jesus declares in John 7:37-40 (AMPC), leading up to Pentecost, “Now on the final and most important day of the Feast, Jesus stood, and He cried in a loud voice, If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink! He who believes in Me [who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] as the Scripture has said, from his innermost being shall flow [continuously] springs and rivers of living water. But He was speaking here of the Spirit, Whom those who believed (trusted, had faith) in Him were afterward to receive. For the [Holy] Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified (raised to honor). Listening to those words, some of the multitude said, This is certainly and beyond doubt the Prophet!”
In this prophetic season, as we’ve celebrated Purim and Passover, God has been positioning His people for divine kairos moments. God has been exposing the “Hamans” and releasing deliverance from the “Pharaohs” to position us to walk into the new and a place of overflow.
Within the body of Christ, if you want a fiery debate, bring up the subject of women in ministry beyond the acceptable children’s and prayer ministries. And, if you are going to add fuel to that fire, begin talking about women in the role of pastor or apostle. The debate surrounding women has not only divided the Christian community at large but has also divided local churches and even families.
There have been many female pastors, including myself, approached by “well-meaning” men telling us that we are in sin because we are moving at a level in ministry that is not allowed by Scripture. However, is that correct interpretation of Scripture, religious tradition or something else?
With any biblical topic, we must explore the whole of Scripture and ask the Lord to help us to understand. When we look at the whole of Scripture, we discover that 40 authors wrote the Bible over 1,450 years. This timeframe spans both sides of the cross, which encompasses both the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. The Bible was not all penned in the same country; however, it was composed under the direction and inspiration of Jehovah. {eoa}
Read articles like this one and other Spirit-led content in our new platform, CHARISMA PLUS.
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.