Breaking Through Together

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Glory to God!

As we continue to pray and fast for breakthrough, the Lord is showing us what spiritual breakthrough really looks like. On Sunday, Frances Morschel spoke to us about The Journey to Breakthrough which you can listen to here. This is what the Lord showed us:

Breakthrough is more than an event or a blessing. Spiritual breakthrough is when the reality of the Kingdom of God breaks through into our reality and the two become one. God wants us to live in and from the reality of His Kingdom. Breakthrough is a journey that can be broken down into the following stages:

Wake Up! 

The journey to breakthrough begins with the realisation that one's present condition that is not in line with the truth of God does not need to remain that way (Is 52:1,2). At this stage we begin to have revelation of who God is, what He has done for us and our identity in Christ. We begin to grasp the possibilities of God according to the reality of His Kingdom.

Collision

The second stage of the journey happens when the truth of the Kingdom of God and of who we really are in Christ causes us to become dissatisfied with our condition. The two realities are in conflict with one another so that we become frustrated, confused, and even angry because on the one hand we see what God says but on the other hand our experience tells us the opposite.

Choice

The third stage is the point of decision. We must choose which reality we will allow to influence our lives. We can recognise the decision we have made based on what our hearts and minds focus on. Trusting what God has said builds hope in the life of the believer. Just as Abraham faced the reality of his and Sarah's unfruitfulness in the natural but chose to believe God and hope in the promise, so we must choose to hope in God and His promises to us, despite the circumstances (Rom 4:18-22). Worldly hope wishes that things could be different but spiritual hope knows that things can be different!

Establish

Spiritual hope is based on the reality of the Kingdom of God, on who God is and on what God has done for us. At this fourth stage, we need to establish this hope so that the Kingdom of God becomes an even greater reality and even greater influence in our lives by filling our hearts and minds with "things above" (Col 3:1). It is out of this hope that faith is strengthened (Rom 4:20; Heb 11:1).

Conviction

The fifth stage on the journey to breakthrough is a place of rest, being fully convinced of the reality of the Kingdom. Striving, frustration and struggling have ceased. This is what true faith looks like (Mk 11:24). It is the place of rest in the full assurance that we have already received what God has promised us.

Perseverance

The sixth stage of this journey is about persevering in the assurance of the reality of God's truth. True faith perseveres regardless of how long it takes for the promise to be fulfilled. It is the fundamental trust in God's goodness and faithfulness that helps us to continue in the assurance of the fulfillment of the promise even beyond our lives (Heb 11:13)!

Fulfillment

The final stage of the journey to breathrough is in God's hands. He is the One who will do what He has promised in His time.

Looking at the example of Jehoshaphat and the people of God and how they trusted God and went on the journey to breakthrough and saw God move on their behalf as they faced their enemy in full assurance of God's victory, we noted how the whole nation moved together on the journey to breakthrough (2 Chr 20:2-24).

God is encouraging us to move together on this journey to breakthrough. We recognise that each of us is at a different stage of this exciting journey and that we need to encourage one another at whatever stage we may find ourselves at so that we continue together until the reality of the Kingdom breaks through completely into all of our lives. Hallelujah!

Upcoming events

 08.04; 15.04; 22.04: KLF Prayer Ministry Training
 
02.05 and 03.05: Breakthrough! Two evenings of worship, teaching and prayer to breakthrough into the supernatural realm with Julius Regala (senior pastor of Kingdom Life Butuan, Philippines) and Richard Morschel (senior pastor of KLF) at KLF, Salzschlirferstr.15, Frankfurt.

10.05:  Return to Glory - Kingdom Men Conference with Alexander Blair (leader and Life Coach at KLF) at the Seminarzentrum Rückersbach.

  

Famous Faith

Glory to God!

After a powerful time of worship, Sophie Rowe spoke to the children (and the adults!) about Ruth and Naomi. She showed us how, just as Ruth made a commitment to identify herself with Naomi and be with her wherever she went, so believers must realise that to be part of the Body of Christ is to identify oneself with her and be actively involved in and with the life of the church. Sophie encouraged everyone to serve in the church so that we function effectively as Christ's Body.

We then looked at the first letter to the Thessalonians and noted that they were a church that had become famous for their faith (1 Thess. 1:8). The Lord then showed us how the Thessalonians developed a faith that became so well known. This is what He showed us:

The Thessalonians saw and experienced the example of a people of faith. Paul and his companions lived amongst the new believers and demonstrated lives of faith as they not only shared the Gospel but their very lives with them. The Thessalonians saw faith in action as Paul and his companions devoted themselves to the people (see 1 Thess. 1:5; 2:13).

The Thessalonians received God's word to them with joy as from God and not from men. They submitted their lives to the authority of the word of God. They received the Gospel with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction because of their attitude toward God's word to them (see 1 Thess. 1:6; 2:13).

The Thessalonians allowed God's word to convince them. They did not just hear the word of God but allowed it to replace their own thinking. They allowed the word of God to convince them so that they lived their lives accordingly (see 1 Thess. 1:4,5).

The Thessalonians demonstrated their faith. Because of their faith in God, they lived lives in response to God's presence. Consequently they demonstrated their faith by working hard (1:3), persevering despite suffering (1:3; 2:14); loving one another (1:3; 3:6); repententing from paganism (1:9), etc.

The Lord is speaking to us about faith working through love and the example of the Thessalonians reveals that God wants the Church to demonstrate her faith through loving His presence, His people and His purposes. All three loves must be part of the disciple's life as s/he lives the Kingdom life.

Love for God's presence is demonstrated by a devotion to seek God's face privately and corporately. True faith believes God exisits and that He rewards those who seek Him (Heb. 11:1,6). Consequently to love God's presence is to be God-conscious at all times and to live a life in response to His presence. Paul calls it, "Living to please God" (1 Thess. 4:1).

Love for God's people is demonstrated by a devotion to Christ's Body, the Church. This love is revealed as believers care for one another, serve one another, share their resources with one another, worship together, pray for one another, encourage one another, etc. Love for God's people is demonstrated by an unconditional commitment to the Church. God wants our love for one another to increase so that the world will recognise that we belong to God (see 1 Thess. 4:9,10).

Love for God's salvation purposes is demonstrated by a devotion to the lost. This love is revealed as God's people develop a burden for those who are seaparated from Christ, both Jew and Gentile. Loving God's purposes means loving what is on God's heart and seeking His will. It means reaching out to the lost in every area of life, personally and being part of what the Church organises.

Faith works through love as believers 

love God's presence, God's people 

and God's purposes.

Our prayer is that KLF will become famous for her faith and love as we devote ourselves to God's presence, people and purposes! Hallelujah!

Quote of the week

"...your faith has become known everywhere." 1 Thess. 1:8

Revealing the heart of God

Glory to God!

The Lord is speaking to us about "the Church" and yesterday He showed us what the evidence is of a church that is full of faith, hope and love. This is what God revealed to us:

Faith is Conviction

• Faith without works is dead. James 2:26
• Obedience is the evidence of faith. Rom. 1:5
• Conviction without action is opinion.
• True convictions bear fruit.
• God loved so He gave. John 3:16

The fruit of love

• The baptism of the Holy Spirit is a baptism in love.
  
• God is love and those who are immersed in Him and filled with Him are filled with, and immersed in love. 1 John 4:15,16
• Those who are baptised in love will demonstrate God's love and share their lives with others. Acts 2:45
• The Thessalonian church demonstrated their faith, hope and love. 1 Thess. 1:1-10; 3:6: 4:9,10; 5:8
• Paul encourages the Corinthian church to give as the Thessalonians did to prove the sincerity of their love. 2 Cor. 8:24; 9:23

The grace of giving: Blessed to bless

• God gives His people resources and gifts to be a blessing to others. 2 Cor. 9:6,11
• Our giving reveals what we believe about God - what we do in the natural reveals what we believe in the spiritual. 1 John 4:20

Tithes and Offerings

• The Church is called to tithe and give the first-fruits of her wealth to the local Body so that the church organisation can function and also support other church organisations.
• Believers tithe because they fear God and seek to honour Him with what He gives them. Proverbs 3:1-10
• The Church is encouraged to meet the needs of fellow believers in the church family (organism) and to support other believers in other churches by supplying an offering. 2 Cor. 8,9; James 2:15-17
  
• An offering reveals the heart of God and demonstrates the believer's love for God and His people.

Giving is the fruit of faith and love!

Quote of the week:

"Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else." 2 Cor. 9:13

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Walking in Fullness of Life!

Glory to God!

These are exciting times! God is reviving the Church to bring an awakening in our city, this country and the nations. The Lord is moving His people out to bring change and to establish His Kingdom rule and reign in every area of their lives. We are seeing God rebuild, restore and renew His people so that they are transformed to be ambassadors for the Kingdom in this world. Yesterday the Lord showed us how the believer must enter the New Life Cycle in order to be transformed and to walk in newness of life. These are the seven stages of the New Life Cycle that God revealed to us from Acts 2:

NEW LIFE CYCLE

1. Position.

• The God-fearing Jews from all nations positioned themselves by meeting in Jerusalem to encounter God. Acts 2:5-14
• Likewise the believer must position himself to meet with God. James 4:8

2. Revelation.

• Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, brought revelation to the people of the fact that the One they crucified is "both Lord and Christ." Acts 2:22-36
• Likewise the believer must position himself to meet with God and expect to receive revelation from God of Himself and of the truth.

3. Conviction.

• The people who received the revelation as truth were "cut to the heart" and convicted.
• The Spirit and the Word enlighten our hearts and our minds with the truth to expose what is not in line with the truth. John 16:13; Heb. 4:12
• When the believer receives revelation as truth, it will expose sin and deception in his life.

4. Confession.

• Those who received revelation as truth and were "cut to the heart" agreed with the Holy Spirit and consequently asked Peter, "what shall we do?" Acts 2:37
• Confession is agreement with the Holy Spirit that what we have believed, or thought or done is not in line with God's will or the truth.

5. Repentance.

• Peter told the people to repent. Acts 2:38
• To repent is to change one's mind according to the truth and consequently change one's actions.
• When the believer agrees with the Holy Spirit (confession) he must surrender his old attitude, thoughts and ways to make room for God to replace the old with the new.
• The old and cannot accompany the new. Mt 9:17
• Repentance is surrendering the old to embrace the new.

6. Baptism/ Exchange.

• Peter told the people to repent and to be baptised. Acts 2:38
• Baptism symbolises the believer's crucifying the old to be raised into the new. Rom. 6
• When the believer surrenders the old (repentance), God replaces it with the new. Is. 61:1-3; 2 Cor. 5:17

7. New Life.

• The promise of God is that once the believer exchanges the old for the new, he will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
• When the believer repents (surrender) and is baptised (exchange), he can walk in newness of life and in the truth that has replaced the sin and deception of the old.
• The believer is transformed by the renewing of his mind so that he can walk in the truth and in fullness of life. Rom. 12:2

In order for the believer to walk in the "new way of the Spirit" (Rom. 7:6) and the new life (2 Cor. 5:17), he must follow through every one of the seven steps or he will not grow in Christ. Those who follow through the seven steps of the New Life Cycle learn to walk in fullness of life. Hallelujah!

We praise God for His amazing revelation to us to help us to walk the abundant life.

Quote of the week:

"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10

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Living in the Fear of the Lord

Glory to God!

The Lord is continuing to rebuild, restore and renew us. He is dealing with KLF on a foundational level to help us identify what our true convictions are.

Yesterday the Lord spoke to us about how He created man to know Him and to be continuously aware of His presence and how, as a consequence of the Fall, man became self-conscious rather than God-conscious (Gen. 3:6-11). Jesus came to restore man's awareness of God so that he would live in reverent consciousness of God (Eph. 2:13). This reverent consciousness of God is the fear of the Lord that marks the people of God who no longer live for themselves but for God (2 Cor. 5:15).

The essential conviction of every true believer must be that God exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him (Heb. 11:6). To acknowledge that God exists and to honour His presence continuously is to live in the fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11:1-3; Prov. 3:5-10). The early Church lived in the fear of the Lord and therefore witnessed the revelation of God's presence - His glory (Acts 2:43; 9:31).

After God's Word to us we spent time in the Lord's presence and we gave Him room to manifest His presence in us and with us. We praise God for the work He is doing in us and for the transformation we are experiencing as a result of His presence in our meetings and in our lives. Hallelujah!

Quote of the week:

"The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him - the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord - and he will delight in the fear of the Lord." Isaiah 11:2,3

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Saturated with the Truth

Glory to God!

The Lord is continuing to rebuild, restore and renew us as He is exposing wrong mindsets, attitudes and behaviour in order to rebuild solid and strong foundations into our lives. Through this process, the Lord is moving us out of a place of being ruled, or roaming and moving us into the place of fullness in Him where we are reigning in life (see previous posts).
Yesterday we had a powerful time with God as He showed us the important difference between a "believer" and a disciple. Looking at John 8:28-59, this is what the Lord showed us:

• A believer believes in Jesus and knows what He says.
• A disciple believes Jesus and does what He says.
• Jesus modelled true discipleship as He only spoke and did what the Father told Him. John 8:28,29
• Jesus challenged those who believed in Him by showing them that everyone is mastered by that which s/he is obedient to, whether it be:

1. Sin. John 8:34,35
2. Abraham. John 8:39
3. Satan. John 8:44
4. God. John 8:47,55
5. Jesus. John 8:31, 51

• A true disciple believes Jesus and does what He says.
• Those who hear and don't do, deceive themselves. James 1:22
• The disciple looks intently into the Word to see his spiritual reflection and to be saturated with the Truth so that s/he will naturally overflow with what s/he is filled with! James 1:23-25
• Those who are saturated and overflowing with the Truth are those who receive the Word "with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction" so that their faith becomes visible and known. 1 Thess. 1:4-8
• To be convinced is to be saturated (Greek:plero) with the truth and to bear it continuously (Greek:phoreo).

This Saturday a group of us will be "hitting the streets" of Frankfurt to demonstrate the love of God and to overflow with His Truth.

We are excited about what God is doing with us as He is rebuilding, restoring and renewing us so that we can help others be rebuilt, restored and renewed.

Quote of the week:

"If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples." John 8:31

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Receiving the Truth!

Praise be to God!

Since the Church has received Christ Jesus as Lord, God wants the Church to continue to live In Christ and be rooted, built up and established in Him (Col. 2:6). For the Church to realise the truth of her identity in Christ, she must have a conviction of the truth and realise the truth in order to demonstrate the truth. Only if the Church carries the conviction of being in Christ, will she rise up and be seated in the place of authority and power that she has received in Christ (Eph. 1:18-23; Col. 2:6 - 3:4)! Kingdom conviction is the faith that realises, reveals and releases the Truth. The Lord then showed us how the believer can receive Kingdom convictions. This is what He showed us:

Hear!

• The believer needs to be exposed to the truth for it to influence him/her. Rom. 10:17

Receive!

• The believer needs to receive the truth by first trusting it, even if s/he does not understand it.
• To trust the truth is to submit to it.
• To receive the truth is to be vulnerable and allow God's truth to do whatever He desires in one's life.
• The believer must learn to receive the truth in His spirit before it is filtered by the natural mind.
• Spiritual revelation of the truth is received in the spirit and then in the heart and mind. 1 Cor. 2:14

Search!

• Once the truth is received, the believer needs to "search the scriptures" to ensure that there are two to three witnesses of the truth. Acts 17:11

Speak!

• God created by speaking. Gen. 1:3; John 1:1-3
• For Kingdom convictions to be formed or birthed in the believer, s/he must speak the truth over her life.
• The believer's utterance has the power to create. Pr. 18:21

Dwell!

• The believer must dwell on the truth and allow the truth to dwell in him/her. John 15:7; Ps. 119:11

Understand!

• The believer must receive spiritual understanding of the truth for it to become a conviction that bears fruit. Mt. 13:11,23
• The believer must depend on the Holy Spirit for spiritual understanding of the truth. John 16:12,13; 1 John 2:27

Apply!

• If the believer has received the truth and understands the truth it will become a conviction that will determine his/her way of life (culture).
• Convictions are only convictions when they affect the believer's lifestyle. Conviction without action is only an opinion!

We praise God for revealing His Truth to us so that Kingdom convictions are formed in our lives that determine our way of life to form Kingdom culture.

Quote of the week:

"The one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown." Matthew 13:23

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Living from the truth

Glory to God!

The Lord is continuing to speak to us about the convictions He wants us to have that will affect our way of life. God is showing us that faith is having convictions based on the truth that change the believer's way of life. Just as faith without works is dead (James 2:26) so are "convictions" without action. True convictions will always be visible. The fruit of the believer's convictions will be evident in his/her daily life. When the Word of God is received and becomes a conviction in the life of the believer, s/he becomes a demonstration of the truth and the Kingdom of God (1 Thess. 1:2-10). The Lord is exposing every "form of godliness" (2 Tim. 3:5) and leading the Church to live from the truth and not from church culture. God is stripping the Church of all superficiality and raising her up to sincerely live from the truth and be the witness of the Kingdom He has called and set her apart to be (1 Peter 1:15,16).

Yesterday we had another opportunity to minister grace and love to the poor and needy at our monthly soup kitchen. The place was packed and yet the peace of God reigned and lives were being touched with God's presence, power and love. Everyone left satisfied, having eaten well and having been in God's presence. We praise God for opportunities such as these to bear the fruit of our convictions! Hallelujah!

Quote of the week:

"But as for you, continue in what you have learned and become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Tim. 3:14-16 (emphasis mine)

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True Worship

Praise be to God!

We are so excited about the life-changing revelation God is giving us not only on a Sunday but also throughout the week at our various meetings. Hallelujah! The men have their own men's prayer breakfast blog to keep the guys updated on what the Lord is doing with the men every Friday at MPB. Check it out here...

Yesterday was a very special meeting. We had to meet at a different location and are blessed to be able to meet at the Baptist church in Eschersheim when we occasionally have to find an alternative place to meet. Before we entered into a time of worship, the Lord spoke to us about what worship is really all about. You can listen to the teaching here...

This is what He showed us:

1. True worship is a heart that responds to God. This is the essence of all worship.
2. God is more concerned about the believer's heart than the way he responds.
3. The manner or form of worship is less important than the fact that the believer is responding with a sincere heart. Heb. 10:22
4. God looks at the heart! 1 Sam. 16:7
5. Worship songs are a form that are an expression of a worshiper's heart.
6. Worship songs should help the worshiper to encounter God in the same way that caused the song-writer to write the song. If the believer just sings the songs without sincerely seeking and responding to the revelation of God, s/he is maintaining form without truly worshiping - form without essence.
7. Any written response to the revelation of God, whether it be the Word of God or worship songs must always lead us into an encounter with God! John 5:39,40
8. True corporate worship is when everyone is responding to the same revelation of God together in one spirit rather than individuals each responding to their own revelation of God at the same time in the same place.

Following this revelation we then entered into worship. We began without written songs and simply worshiped God from our hearts (essence) in whatever way (form) we chose. The presence of God was awesome and as we then worshiped with written songs we jointly encountered God as one body in one spirit - it was amazing!

After meeting with God in worship, the Lord then spoke to us about another Kingdom conviction He wants us to have. You can listen to the sermon here...

This is what He spoke to us about:

1. There are many convictions God wants us to have but He is highlighting particular Kingdom convictions that He wants us to have.
2. The first conviction is: I am God's home - God has prepared my life in Christ Jesus to be His habitation (see previous blog posting).
3. The second conviction is: There is more!
4. God's Kingdom is one of increase and abundance. Matt. 13:11,12,23
5. Jesus endured all suffering even to the point of death on the cross because He was convinced that there is more - the joy that was set before Him! Heb. 12:2
6. The apostle Paul, even though he saw the most amazing things and had incredible encounters with God, still pressed on because he knew there is more - he lived to gain Christ. 2 Cor. 12:1-4; Phil. 3:1-15
7. All the great men and women of God in history and today have the conviction that there is more. Heb. 11:24-27
8. Revival (God's people being saturated with God and overflowing with Him) comes about when believers carry the conviction that there is more and do not give up until the "more" comes!
9. Believers who have the conviction that there is more are moved from the ordinary to the extraordinary; from the natural to the supernatural; from the familiar to the secrets of God.
10. The conviction that there is more will change prayerlessness to prayerfullness and will move the believer to search the Scriptures daily to receive fresh revelation of God to know Him and experience Him more!

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen" Eph. 3:20,21

We praise God for His hand upon us and for helping us to build Kingdom culture that reflects heaven on earth!

This Saturday, Voice in the city will be having another exciting and dynamic afternoon and evening at their Arise Shine meetings. Check out the following link for more info...

Quote of the week:

"'No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him' - but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit." 1 Cor. 2:9,10

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More than conquerors!

Glory to God!

The Lord is speaking to us about Kingdom Culture and this is what He showed us yesterday:

Culture is a way of life that is determined by what influences us and the convictions we have.

• Our way of life is everything we are and do that is determined by what influences us.
• Influence means "flow in" (Latin) and applies to that which flows into one's life that is affecting one's way of life - the way we think, behave, speak, dress, etc.
• Our way of life is also determined by the convictions we have.
• Convictions are the unshakable, compelling and conquering truths that determine one's way of life.
• Conviction = belief (Acts 28:24)
• Convictions are only convictions when they are affecting one's way of life. "Convictions" that are not determining one's way of life, are just opinions and not convictions.
• Convictions are unshakable. James 1:5-8
• Convictions are compelling. 2 Cor. 5:14
• Convictions conquer. Rom. 8:37,38

Kingdom Culture is developed as the believer is consistently influenced by the Kingdom and convictions are established that are based on Kingdom Truth.

To help determine what is influencing you and what convictions you have, check out the "Defining Kingdom Culture" worksheet here...

This Sunday we will be ministering to the poor and needy at our monthly Homeless Mission where we seek to build God's Kingdom by revealing His nature and releasing His power. Hallelujah!

Quote of the week:

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: 'For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things we are more thanconquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:35-39 (emphasis mine)

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