September 04, 2005
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Kings and Katrina A Story – My first experience in a great, charismatic church started over 30 years ago. We used the King James Bible and I remember we used to quote Is 59:19 in a way that extolled the power of the devil. I was still recovering from a bad rapture theology that portrayed the church as escaping the clutches of the enemy at the last moment before the earth was abandoned to war and destruction.
Then one Sunday we had a guest speaker that explained the Hebrew words were somewhat difficult to translate and that it was really the Lord that was coming in like a flood as evidenced in other translations.
I gradually realized that I was giving the enemy too much credit for being powerful. Since that era I've focused on what God's doing instead of what the devil is doing. If I catch some interference I just brush it off and put my eyes back on Jesus. Katrina as a judgment? – The early reports of the flooding portrayed looting, arson, rape, murder, gang activity and people warding off helicopter rescue attempts with gun fire. At the same time I was getting emails about God’s judgment of Mardi Gras, the occult, drugs, and the sexual lewdness New Orleans is famous for. I'm not personally sure to what degree Katrina represents an enemy attack or God’s judgment of sin. It turns out the French Quarter was on higher ground and didn’t flood. I also have to wonder about living 20 feet below sea level where hurricanes happen several times a year. We don’t do that in Montana. What God is doing - However, I am sure about what God is doing now. He’s flooding that whole area with His Spirit. The news is full of expressions of outreach. Surrounding cities are embracing refugees, and stories of the Goodness of God expressed through people, corporations, and nations abound. Even Fidel Castro is sending doctors and medical supplies from Cuba. I would expect New Orleans to have a different look when all this is over and my prayer is that it will reflect the Glory of God working through His people to make it happen.
From Katrina to Kings Kings under Water – Katrina represents the sense I’ve gotten from Kings being tested right now. Many have a sense of impending breakthrough but are currently experiencing a flood of trials. Last week we gathered a living room full of Kings from business, real estate, construction, mortgage broker, investors, etc. They all had the same things going on – They have all positioned themselves for huge breakthroughs and we’re on the eve of seeing them happen while viewing the whole process from a sense of being flooded by trials and obstruction. As we prayed and prophesied over each one the Lord ministered great encouragement and confirmed the scope of his blessing was bigger than they had planned.
Warfare and R & R – I really think Kings that have drawn the assignment to expand the Kingdom of God and to take back land from the enemy can expect some level of warfare. We do have power over the enemy and we will win in the end, but there is a need for pastoral ministry to encourage Kings through that process. Sitting in a flood can be discouraging and lonely. Experiencing the Love of God through the prophetic ministry and prayer of other brothers and sisters is very empowering. How to - I want to recommend that you share that ministry with other Kings. Our format was a couple of hours on a weeknight. We only invited people that had already read Releasing Kings and subscribed to the newsletter. We didn’t want to spend time reiterating the message. Each person shared his business, vision, and any particular trials in about 5 minutes. Then we simply prayed for one another and gave whatever we had prophetically. The results were astounding. We caught nearly every person at exactly the right time to inject the support of the Holy Spirit. We were all blessed.
Whole lot of shaking going on - The heavens and the earth are being shaken from now on. That’s to be expected. But we’re receiving an inheritance that cannot be shaken. Those in Christ can expect to land on their feet. Like Josephs, our destiny is secure and bigger than we think.
Yet God makes a way for you – You may be facing your own personal Katrina. Even in the midst of that trauma, you can rest in that fact of God’s provision. He’s adjusting many of us to go in new directions so we can receive new blessing. The process can be uncomfortable, scary, and trying. Yet we can turn from the old and embrace the new with a sense of anticipation and expectancy. God has never forsaken us and he never will.
Our Ministry as Kings - This is a season to flow with the blessing of God for New Orleans and to sow in the same direction. God really is flooding that area with His Spirit... and the "goodness" of people saved and pre-saved far out weighs the bad.
Samaritan’s Purse (Franklin Graham) http://www.samaritanspurse.org/ 1-800-567-8183 International Disaster Emergency Service (IDES) http://www.ides.org 765-947-5100 The Salvation Army http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/USNSAHome.htm 1-800-Sal-Army American Red Cross http://www.redcross.org 1-800-Help Now Operation Blessing International http://www.operationblessing.org 1-800-730-2537 America's Second Harvest http://www.secondharvest.org 1-800-771-2303
Blessings, John & Harold
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PS: Send us your feedback! We get lots of interesting emails at "You Wrote Back" http://www.releasing-kings.com/you-wrote-back.html
_____________________________________________________________________ Interested in your own WEB? We've posted information on the software we use to create this web site. If you survive the learning curve without losing your sanctification (mine is barely intact), it really is easy to use and the cost is $299 a year - much less expensive than hiring someone. The primary benefit is the ease of making your own changes. Additional info is at: http://www.releasing-kings.com/releasing-websites.html
Progress - Kingly Bio's are Up We've completed the first round of interviews with Kings. These are real people that have been blessed by God in the Market Place and have hearts for ministry. Check it out at http://www.releasing-kings.com/Interviewing-Kings.html. If you have a success story, we'd like to post it by giving you a web page on our site.
Progress - A Teacher's Guide We've completed the first version of a study guide that targets those teaching the material in Releasing Kings. It includes a page of notes on each chapter, all the graphics suitable to make overheads, and a PDF file of the book with the key points highlighted that includes marginal notes, comments, and questions. This material is available for purchase on the teacher's guide page of the web. 509-308-6873
God has given us a great tool to communicate a message that sets people free in an amazing, contagious, life-changing way. If you haven't read it - get it. If you have read it - give it. http://www.releasing-kings.com/Ordernow.html
We've gotten a ton of positive feedback on the newsletter too... get it, give it. Reloading Seniors was powerful. Pass the link on. http://www.releasing-kings.com/Newsletter.html
PS: don't forget to look at the free reports - show your pastor the article on marketplace ministry from the pastor's perspective. You can simply email him this link or print a copy to give him. http://releasing-kings.com/pastors-perspective.html
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