Welcome to Anchors Of Truth
from the 3ABN Worship Center.
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When The Spirit
Falls with Mark Finley.
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Well we welcome you
to our service today.
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And we are looking
forward to being blessed again
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by the Holy Spirit.
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- Amen. - It's been
a tremendous series.
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I invited Pastor Mark to
come back again next year or
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soon as his schedule
will permit him to come back
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and to do another
Anchors Of Truth for us.
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So we're
looking forward to that.
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You know, Danny, last
night during our afterglow,
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you shared an experience that
you and Pastor Mark had together
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years ago, and then he gave
us a little follow up on that.
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Tell us about it.
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I don't know how many years ago.
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It might have been
12 or 14 years ago.
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And we were doing a program
on the air, a live program
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here at 3ABN, and we
were taking questions.
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And someone called in
a question about suicide.
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And so they were
talking about someone,
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and I don't remember the
details, of someone in their
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family, someone they
loved that committed suicide.
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But I said, "Pastor Finley,
why don't you just look into the
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camera and talk to
the folk about suicide."
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And I'll never forget, he
just leaned forward and he
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reached out like this and
he said, "Friend, if you're
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contemplating
suicide tonight, don't.
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Jesus loves you. He
has a plan for you."
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And then he
began to address that.
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And I remember when
that happened, that we had
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one of our studio
lights, big lights, just burst.
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And of course, those
hot pieces went all over.
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No one in the studio was
hurt by them, but very well
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could have been.
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And I remember that happened.
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Well, 7 or 8 months later I
was in, I think it was Jamaica.
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There were
thousands of people there.
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Literally thousands of people.
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And because so
many people watch 3ABN,
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I was getting to go up.
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I had the church service hour at
this big camp meeting facility.
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And they literally put
people around you as guards.
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Not for harm, but
just so because everybody
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is wanting to say,
"Hey, I like 3ABN,"
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or ask you questions.
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And so I'm standing
with this guard around.
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Then they put us
getting ready to go up.
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And just as I'm
getting ready to go up,
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there's a young man, he's tall,
and he kind of leans over the
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rest of the folk and there was
a little lattice fence around.
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And he said, "I just
want you to know that
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3ABN has saved my life."
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And I said, "Let
him in here a minute."
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And they said, "Oh you can't.
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We're getting ready
to go up on the front."
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And I said, "That's
alright. Bring him with me."
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So I said, "Let him go with me."
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So I didn't know
the man, never met him.
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Young man, he looked like
he was 18 or 19 years old.
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So he came up on stage.
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And I said, "This young man,
I was getting ready to come up."
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I said, "Now I understand
when someone says that,
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that they mean the
Lord through the ministry of
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3ABN saves lives."
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3ABN doesn't do it, and I don't
do it, and you don't do it.
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But God uses us
as vessels of honor.
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So this young man,
he came up with me.
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And I asked him,
"What's your story?"
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He said, "Eight months
ago, seven or eight months ago,
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I was sitting in my
room in the evening."
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He lived with his grandmother.
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He said, "I was
sitting in a chair.
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Life wasn't worth it. I
had tried everything in life.
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I was ready to take my life.
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I sat for two hours
getting up the nerve."
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And I believe if I'm not
mistaken, that he had enough
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drugs to overdose, and
they were in his bathroom.
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And he said, "I was sitting
there for about two hours.
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It got dark and I
couldn't even see.
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So finally when I got up
enough nerve, I stood up.
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And I started to get up, my
arm hit something on the chair.
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It knocked it off, so
instinctively I picked it up.
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And as I picked it
up, it was the TV remote,
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and on came the TV.
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And as the TV came
on, immediately," he said,
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Mark Finley looked
in the camera and said,
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'Friend, if you're contemplating
suicide tonight, don't.
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Jesus loves you.'"
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"Absolutely," he said, "I
had never watched that channel.
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Didn't know there was a 3ABN.
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And this man was
talking directly to me."
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So he said, "Of course, I
counted that as God loved me.
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He cared about me."
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He said, "I've been
attending an Adventist church."
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And he said, "I've
decided now 8 months later
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I want to be an
Adventist minister."
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Then Mark told
the rest of the story.
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That's right, the rest of the
story was that he ran into the
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young man not long ago.
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And what happened was, the
pastor said, "I want you to
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meet my associate."
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And then this young
man came forward and said,
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"I am the one who was
watching you that night when
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you made that statement and
said, 'Don't commit suicide.'
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So I gave my life to the
Lord, I've gone through school,
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gone through training."
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And now he was about to have
his own district as a pastor.
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And it's amazing.
Those stories go on and on.
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You could take to Johnny Dinzey,
you could talk to many people
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that's been in
master control for years.
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I praise God for a vehicle,
for a tool, that He has allowed
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us to be a part of.
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All of us here, we ought to
be thrilled that God allows us
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to be a part of a
ministry that literally is
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reaching around the world.
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Those of you at home, thank you
for your love and prayers and
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your financial support of 3ABN.
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Because without you, we
couldn't continue to go forward.
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Only in eternity will
people like Mark Finley,
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and the Doug Batchelors,
and the C.D. Brookes,
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and all of these
men have an opportunity
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to see the work when
they've gone forward.
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And it doesn't always
feel like going forward.
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You don't always...
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Mark may not feel like it
today, but we'll never know it.
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He's working under the
anointing of the Holy Spirit.
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He doesn't complain.
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I know what it's like,
you know what it's like.
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Traveling, getting up
when you don't feel like it.
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But you know what?
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As he said last night,
"God has somebody listening
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that needs to
hear what I'm saying."
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So we want to continue to
pray for Brother Mark Finley
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and the work that he's doing.
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And all of our evangelists and
our people that are traveling,
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taking the three angel's
messages into all the world.
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Well this series is
entitled, When The Spirit Falls.
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And this morning, he
is going to be speaking
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on The Promised Revival.
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Now Pastor Finley has
been a pastor, an evangelist,
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around the world, the
speaker for It Is Written,
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vice president of
the General Conference,
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and currently he
serves as special assistant
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to the president of
the General Conference.
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But before he comes,
we're going to enjoy some music.
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Tell us about it.
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We have Dr. Yvonne
Lewis who has been so blessed
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to the Lord with
talents and abilities.
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Raised in the Adventist
church, left for many years.
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Sang with numerous
people like Whitney Houston
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and Luther
Vandross and Roberta Flack,
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and a number of those folks.
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But years ago, she walked into
Pastor C.A. Murray's church.
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And from there it's all history.
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Now you
rededicated your life to Jesus
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and Pastor Murray was able
to nurture you and help you
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in that relationship.
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And who would have
thought all these years later
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you and he would be
working together again.
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It's an amazing blessing.
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I like what Pastor Murray says.
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Pastor Murray says, "I've
been dragging Yvonne around
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for 25 years,"
he says, "with me."
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So we're glad that he did and
thank you for blessing us today.
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Amen.
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From the
darkness came the light,
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out of
nothingness You made life,
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for before the world You were;
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bless Your name forevermore.
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Lord according to Your plan
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You created every man
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just to glorify You, and
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bless Your name forevermore.
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Then into the world You came,
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by the power of Your name,
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and You washed my sins away;
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bless Your name forevermore.
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So I come before Your throne
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with no goodness of my own,
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and I worship You alone;
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bless Your name forevermore.
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I will bless Your
name, I will bless Your name.
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I will bless
Your name forevermore.
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I will bless Your
name, I will bless Your name.
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I will bless
Your name forevermore.
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I will bless Your
name, I will bless Your name.
00:10:06.94\00:10:16.35
Oh, I will bless
Your name forevermore.
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I will bless Your
name, I will bless Your name.
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I will bless
Your name forevermore.
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I will bless Your
name, I will bless Your name.
00:10:48.72\00:10:58.65
I will bless
Your name forevermore.
00:10:59.46\00:11:09.35
I will bless Your
name, I will bless Your name.
00:11:09.45\00:11:19.41
I will bless
Your name forevermore.
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I will bless Your name
00:11:30.90\00:11:39.03
forevermore.
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Amen.
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The title of our series
is, When The Spirit Falls.
00:12:03.61\00:12:06.70
And when God's
Spirit falls upon us,
00:12:07.23\00:12:09.42
the desire of our
heart is to bless God's name.
00:12:09.80\00:12:13.79
When the Spirit falls upon
us, the desire of our heart
00:12:14.53\00:12:17.51
is to please God in
every single thing we do.
00:12:17.54\00:12:21.12
Our topic is,
The Promised Revival.
00:12:21.15\00:12:23.10
Let's bow our heads to pray.
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Father in heaven, as we
open our hearts and minds
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to the Spirit, we pray
that You would take us far away.
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May this church
become a sanctuary where the
00:12:33.38\00:12:37.95
Spirit of God dwells.
00:12:37.98\00:12:39.91
May our hearts be a
temple for Your Holy Spirit.
00:12:40.37\00:12:44.51
Teach us through Your
Word, change us by Your Word,
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and fill us with Your Word.
00:12:51.11\00:12:53.92
We pray Thee in
Christ's name, amen.
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1995, my wife and I
moved to St Albans, England
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not far from London.
00:13:04.39\00:13:05.91
About 45 to 50
miles from London.
00:13:05.94\00:13:08.15
We often went down on
Sunday afternoons to London.
00:13:08.42\00:13:14.05
London is just a
magnificent city.
00:13:14.32\00:13:17.10
You enjoy Big Ben clock
tower, Westminster Abbey,
00:13:17.35\00:13:22.80
London's parks, the
underground war rooms.
00:13:23.34\00:13:26.90
Of course, one of the great
scenes of being in London is
00:13:26.93\00:13:31.61
those magnificent
architectural masterpieces
00:13:31.64\00:13:36.25
of the London bridges.
00:13:36.28\00:13:38.45
On one occasion, the
story is told of a man that sat
00:13:39.13\00:13:43.59
at the entrance to
the London Bridge across,
00:13:43.89\00:13:47.70
we would call it
the Thames River.
00:13:47.73\00:13:49.42
My British friends would
call it the "temz" river.
00:13:49.45\00:13:53.43
And a man was sitting at
the entrance to the bridge
00:13:54.26\00:13:56.44
and he was
playing his old violin.
00:13:56.47\00:13:59.42
Now I said playing, but he was
probably scratching away at it
00:13:59.88\00:14:03.77
with a very high pitch.
00:14:04.14\00:14:05.68
And the music was
absolutely terrible.
00:14:05.71\00:14:08.43
But this poor man
had his violin case open,
00:14:08.72\00:14:12.17
and as a few people walked by
they would throw in a few pence
00:14:12.56\00:14:17.80
into the violin case.
00:14:18.02\00:14:19.71
And the guy was
hoping to get enough money
00:14:19.74\00:14:21.72
to be able to buy some lunch.
00:14:21.98\00:14:25.12
And an elderly
stately gentleman walked by.
00:14:25.92\00:14:29.42
Didn't pay much attention to the
scratching and horrible music
00:14:29.45\00:14:33.34
on the violin.
00:14:33.37\00:14:34.74
And finally as the guy walked
by, he stopped in his tracks,
00:14:34.77\00:14:39.15
turned around and went
back to the old man and said,
00:14:39.18\00:14:42.84
"You know, sir, could
I just see that violin?"
00:14:42.87\00:14:45.83
And the old man
handed it to him.
00:14:46.84\00:14:48.54
And the stately
gentleman began to play.
00:14:49.25\00:14:52.09
And as the music floated
across the London Bridge,
00:14:52.98\00:14:57.36
people stopped.
00:14:57.39\00:14:58.92
They were absolutely astounded,
they were absolutely amazed.
00:14:58.95\00:15:05.35
And somebody
said, "That's Paganini,
00:15:05.75\00:15:09.56
the great master violinist."
00:15:09.59\00:15:13.01
Hundreds of people gathered.
00:15:13.84\00:15:15.93
And soon they began to
take out their wallets and
00:15:15.96\00:15:18.82
throw in a British pound, which
is about a dollar and a half,
00:15:18.85\00:15:21.38
dollar sixty,
depending on the exchange rate.
00:15:21.41\00:15:23.54
Throwing in coins and change.
00:15:24.28\00:15:27.91
Pretty soon the old man's
violin case was absolutely
00:15:27.94\00:15:31.39
packed with money.
00:15:31.42\00:15:33.65
What made the difference?
What made the difference?
00:15:33.68\00:15:36.32
Was it the violin
that made the difference?
00:15:36.52\00:15:38.54
The musician.
00:15:39.41\00:15:40.78
Somebody said the violin
is in the hand of the master.
00:15:41.32\00:15:47.01
When my life and your life
is in the hand of the Master,
00:15:47.46\00:15:51.42
Jesus can play music
through His Holy Spirit
00:15:51.74\00:15:55.20
that you can't imagine.
00:15:55.23\00:15:56.64
Left to myself, the
notes that I play might be
00:15:57.04\00:16:01.48
discordant sour notes.
00:16:01.51\00:16:03.93
But when the violin of my
life is placed in the hands of
00:16:04.35\00:16:08.65
the Master, when the Holy
Spirit fills my life and yours,
00:16:08.68\00:16:14.14
that makes all the
incredible difference.
00:16:14.51\00:16:17.31
As an instrument in
the Master's hands...
00:16:17.34\00:16:19.36
The Bible predicts that
just before the coming of Jesus,
00:16:25.63\00:16:29.09
spirit filled lives in
the hands of the Master
00:16:29.12\00:16:32.42
will be used in
a last day revival.
00:16:32.74\00:16:36.20
And it's that last day revival,
that last day move of the Spirit
00:16:36.23\00:16:40.21
that we want to
study about this day.
00:16:40.24\00:16:43.46
Unlimited power.
00:16:47.78\00:16:50.13
Revelation 18 verse 1, read it
with me from the screen, please.
00:16:50.16\00:16:53.78
The phrase, "great authority,"
in the King James version...
00:17:05.09\00:17:07.44
This is New King James.
00:17:07.47\00:17:09.07
The phrase, "great
authority," is, "great power."
00:17:09.10\00:17:11.67
"I saw another angel coming down
from heaven with great power.
00:17:11.70\00:17:15.35
The earth was
illuminated with his glory."
00:17:15.38\00:17:18.14
Revelation's prophecies predict
that there will be a mighty
00:17:18.68\00:17:21.90
last day revival.
00:17:21.93\00:17:23.30
In fact, this revival
is predicted both in the
00:17:23.33\00:17:25.32
Old and the New Testaments.
00:17:25.35\00:17:26.72
Habakkuk chapter 2
verses 14 and onward says,
00:17:26.81\00:17:29.83
as knowledge covers the
earth, so the glory of God
00:17:29.86\00:17:32.60
will cover the...
00:17:32.63\00:17:35.15
As the sea covers the
earth, the knowledge of God
00:17:35.24\00:17:38.20
will cover the
earth as the glory of God.
00:17:38.23\00:17:40.89
So God's knowledge
will fill this earth.
00:17:40.92\00:17:43.30
It will go from one end
of the earth to the other.
00:17:43.33\00:17:46.62
The Holy Spirit
will be poured out.
00:17:46.65\00:17:48.52
The gospel will spread
quickly around the world.
00:17:48.55\00:17:52.30
God is going to move in powerful
ways that we cannot imagine.
00:18:03.31\00:18:08.62
God is on the verge of
doing something incredibly great
00:18:09.25\00:18:13.24
through His people.
00:18:13.27\00:18:15.63
Now the Bible uses
terms to describe the
00:18:16.14\00:18:18.82
Holy Spirit in different ways.
00:18:18.85\00:18:20.26
We've studied about oil;
the symbol of consecration
00:18:20.29\00:18:24.05
and cleansing.
00:18:24.08\00:18:25.45
We've studied about fire;
the symbol of God purifying
00:18:25.48\00:18:30.27
us within and God
enlightening the world.
00:18:30.30\00:18:33.44
But today, we look particularly
at the symbol of water or rain.
00:18:33.67\00:18:38.79
The Bible talks about the
early and the latter rain.
00:18:45.68\00:18:50.13
The early rain watered
the seed that had been planted
00:18:50.55\00:18:55.21
and helped it to germinate.
00:18:55.24\00:18:56.73
Now there are
some who have mistaken
00:18:57.09\00:18:59.95
the
agricultural cycle of Israel.
00:18:59.98\00:19:01.89
They've given the idea that the
early rain falls in the spring
00:19:01.92\00:19:04.84
and the latter
rain falls in the fall.
00:19:04.87\00:19:07.34
That's not necessarily true.
00:19:07.37\00:19:08.81
In Israel, it was a
very agricultural society.
00:19:09.37\00:19:12.86
And everybody, of
course, would have a garden.
00:19:12.89\00:19:14.75
Your wheat and barley was
a staple of Israeli culture,
00:19:15.12\00:19:20.26
as far as grains are concerned.
00:19:20.29\00:19:21.95
And the wheat and
barley was typically planted
00:19:22.15\00:19:24.85
in the September and
October of that year.
00:19:24.88\00:19:31.27
And the early rain fell
gently to germinate the barley
00:19:31.30\00:19:36.71
and the wheat crop.
00:19:36.74\00:19:39.57
In March of the
year, the latter rain fell
00:19:40.16\00:19:44.32
at the end of the
agricultural cycle.
00:19:44.35\00:19:46.41
The agricultural cycle of
Israel is different than the
00:19:46.44\00:19:48.49
agricultural cycle in our day.
00:19:48.52\00:19:49.91
So the latter rain would fall
to begin the harvest process.
00:19:50.11\00:19:54.11
It would ripen the grain.
00:19:54.14\00:19:55.51
The important thing to
remember is the early rain
00:19:55.54\00:19:57.47
germinates the grain, the
latter rain ripens the grain;
00:19:57.50\00:20:01.21
brings it to harvest.
00:20:01.61\00:20:02.98
So in our lives, God works upon
us with His early rain power now
00:20:03.01\00:20:09.69
to lead us to conviction
of sin, to develop the
00:20:09.72\00:20:12.62
grace of the Spirit in us.
00:20:12.65\00:20:14.06
But before the coming of
Jesus, there will be a mighty
00:20:14.09\00:20:16.43
outpouring of the latter
rain that will enable us to
00:20:16.46\00:20:19.42
complete God's work, go
through the final crisis,
00:20:19.45\00:20:22.12
and be ready for
the coming of Jesus.
00:20:22.15\00:20:23.84
The other aspect of the early
rain that is used in the Bible
00:20:24.37\00:20:29.63
is historically.
00:20:29.66\00:20:31.28
The early rain
fell at Pentecost.
00:20:31.31\00:20:34.06
The latter rain will fall at
the close of this earth to bring
00:20:34.09\00:20:38.82
about the power for
the coming of Jesus.
00:20:38.85\00:20:41.44
James chapter 5 verse
7 and 8 talks about this
00:20:41.64\00:20:44.70
early and latter rain.
00:20:44.73\00:20:46.10
God is going to do
something miraculous.
00:21:03.11\00:21:06.62
The latter rain of His
Spirit will be poured out
00:21:07.08\00:21:10.58
upon His church.
00:21:10.61\00:21:12.38
And the work of God
will be finished rapidly.
00:21:12.64\00:21:16.77
I've had people say to
me, "There are more people
00:21:16.80\00:21:18.76
being born than
are being warned."
00:21:18.79\00:21:20.79
All over the world
with over 7 billion people
00:21:20.82\00:21:23.90
clawing at one another for
living space on planet earth,
00:21:23.93\00:21:26.73
how can the work of
God on earth be finished?
00:21:26.76\00:21:29.29
I'll tell you how
it can be finished.
00:21:29.32\00:21:30.69
Not by any human
thinking or human reasoning.
00:21:31.07\00:21:33.81
God Himself will finish
His work through His people
00:21:33.84\00:21:38.39
as He pours out His
Spirit in the latter rain.
00:21:38.42\00:21:41.22
God's power is sufficient
enough to take the gospel
00:21:41.25\00:21:46.09
to the ends of the
earth rapidly and quickly.
00:21:46.12\00:21:49.15
And more rapidly than
we can possible imagine.
00:21:49.18\00:21:51.83
Because it is written in
Romans chapter 9 verse 28,
00:21:51.86\00:21:55.26
"For He will finish His work.
00:21:55.29\00:21:57.49
He will cut it
short in righteousness."
00:21:57.52\00:22:00.31
He will do it
through His people.
00:22:00.34\00:22:01.84
But God's going to
do some amazing things.
00:22:02.34\00:22:05.26
Look, Joel chapter 2
verse 23 puts it this way.
00:22:05.29\00:22:10.37
The former rain is moderately.
00:22:29.55\00:22:32.28
Now historically, when
did the former rain fall?
00:22:32.31\00:22:36.03
It fell at when? Pentecost.
00:22:36.13\00:22:38.30
What happened on
the day of Pentecost?
00:22:38.33\00:22:40.47
What happened then?
00:22:40.50\00:22:41.87
3000 were baptized in one day.
00:22:42.30\00:22:45.58
The former rain was what?
00:22:46.28\00:22:48.45
Moderate.
00:22:48.48\00:22:49.85
If 3000 were baptized
in a single day here in
00:22:49.88\00:22:55.54
Thompsonville, would you think
that was a moderate outpouring
00:22:55.57\00:22:59.64
of the Holy Spirit?
00:22:59.67\00:23:01.04
If 3000 were baptized
in one day in your church,
00:23:01.57\00:23:05.32
would you think it was moderate?
00:23:06.75\00:23:08.55
Not at all.
00:23:08.58\00:23:09.95
The early rain is moderate
in comparison to what is coming.
00:23:10.95\00:23:16.62
The early rain is moderate
in comparison to what is coming.
00:23:18.24\00:23:23.43
The earth will be
lightened with the glory of God.
00:23:23.46\00:23:27.64
The prayers that God's people
have offered for centuries,
00:23:28.48\00:23:32.32
the Bible studies
they've given for centuries,
00:23:32.72\00:23:35.70
the evangelistic
meetings that they've held,
00:23:36.30\00:23:39.80
the seeds sown by all of
the TV and radio networks,
00:23:39.83\00:23:45.81
all of that is
going to come to harvest.
00:23:46.11\00:23:49.72
All of that is
going to come to harvest.
00:23:50.16\00:23:53.93
Pentecost will be
repeated on a grander,
00:23:53.96\00:23:57.93
Pentecost will be
repeated on a larger scale.
00:23:57.96\00:24:02.81
God is going to
pour out His Spirit.
00:24:02.84\00:24:06.35
What does the song say?
00:24:06.38\00:24:07.87
Bless His name.
00:24:07.90\00:24:10.18
Look at this reference
that confirms this point.
00:24:10.41\00:24:13.04
Great Controversy, page 611.
00:24:13.07\00:24:14.79
Will we see Pentecost again?
00:24:34.91\00:24:36.99
Will it be on a grander scale?
00:24:37.34\00:24:39.26
Will it be on a larger scale?
00:24:39.29\00:24:41.09
Are you looking
forward to that day?
00:24:41.12\00:24:43.21
Look as we continue to read,
Great Controversy, page 612.
00:24:44.07\00:24:47.52
"Servants of God..." Who's that?
00:24:47.55\00:24:49.24
"Servants of
God..." Who is that?
00:24:49.27\00:24:50.78
It's you and me.
00:24:51.08\00:24:52.45
Why are their faces lighted up?
00:24:54.89\00:24:56.26
They're filled
with the Holy Spirit.
00:24:56.29\00:24:57.66
Yes, there will be
a counterfeit revival,
00:25:12.65\00:25:14.89
but I thank God that
Jesus' power is greater
00:25:14.92\00:25:18.29
than the devil's.
00:25:18.32\00:25:19.69
I thank God that what Jesus is
going to do is more magnificent
00:25:19.72\00:25:23.70
than the devil.
00:25:23.73\00:25:25.10
It is more splendid than
what the devil is going to do.
00:25:25.13\00:25:27.51
That we are living on the
verge of very incredible things
00:25:27.54\00:25:32.20
all over the earth.
00:25:32.23\00:25:33.76
God's light of truth will shine.
00:25:34.19\00:25:37.06
You know, it's one thing
to recognize the counterfeit.
00:25:37.09\00:25:41.22
I long for that
genuine outpouring.
00:25:45.81\00:25:47.92
I long for God to do
something special in my life
00:25:48.25\00:25:51.45
and for God to do
something special in His church.
00:25:51.48\00:25:55.92
Do you long for the genuine
outpouring of the Holy Spirit
00:25:55.95\00:25:59.27
in your life and in
the life of the church?
00:26:00.19\00:26:03.42
What is holding
back this coming revival?
00:26:04.21\00:26:08.27
Why didn't the Holy Spirit come
in the fullness of His power
00:26:08.81\00:26:14.07
and latter rain power before?
00:26:14.10\00:26:16.61
Now don't misunderstand.
00:26:16.64\00:26:18.01
Since Jesus ascended to heaven,
00:26:18.04\00:26:19.48
the Holy Spirit as a
promised gift has been
00:26:20.54\00:26:23.51
present with His people.
00:26:23.54\00:26:25.06
And God's Spirit has
been manifest down through
00:26:25.27\00:26:28.23
the centuries for
the last 2000 years.
00:26:28.26\00:26:30.54
But although that is
true, it does not negate the
00:26:31.65\00:26:35.02
reality of the fact that
just before the coming of Jesus
00:26:35.05\00:26:40.08
there will be an
outpouring of the Holy Spirit
00:26:40.11\00:26:43.33
to finish God's work on
earth that is unprecedented
00:26:43.53\00:26:48.09
in human history.
00:26:48.12\00:26:49.60
What is heaven waiting for?
00:26:49.98\00:26:52.09
Why is it that the Holy
Spirit in latter rain power
00:26:52.12\00:26:56.54
was not poured out previously?
00:26:56.57\00:26:59.67
Ellen White, in First Selected
Messages, page 121, says...
00:27:00.14\00:27:03.77
Now notice, the revival is
the greatest of all our needs,
00:27:14.77\00:27:18.61
and it is the most
urgent of all our needs.
00:27:18.95\00:27:22.33
To seek this
should be, what work?
00:27:22.53\00:27:24.74
Our first work,
our top priority.
00:27:25.16\00:27:27.90
I am told that in Scotland,
in the banks of Scotland,
00:27:28.52\00:27:33.44
there are 40 million pounds,
that's about 60 million dollars,
00:27:33.47\00:27:41.69
of unclaimed deposits.
00:27:41.72\00:27:43.97
In other words somebody dies,
leaves money in their will,
00:27:44.51\00:27:48.75
nobody has claimed it.
00:27:49.02\00:27:50.90
I wonder if they're
donated to our TV ministries.
00:27:51.48\00:27:54.61
I wish I knew how to
access that 60 million.
00:27:55.87\00:27:58.41
I think I know how I could use
it a little bit in God's work.
00:27:58.44\00:28:01.94
But think of it.
00:28:03.08\00:28:04.45
Scottish banks, 60
million dollars or there about
00:28:04.89\00:28:09.84
depending on your exchange
rate, of unclaimed deposits.
00:28:09.87\00:28:14.62
I wonder if the Holy
Spirit is an unclaimed deposit
00:28:15.63\00:28:20.26
in the bank of heaven.
00:28:20.29\00:28:21.66
Does God have something for
you that's incredibly amazing?
00:28:32.25\00:28:38.42
What are the prerequisites
for receiving the latter rain?
00:28:38.89\00:28:43.60
Let's look at a few
of them this morning.
00:28:43.63\00:28:45.69
How can you and I be
filled with the Holy Spirit?
00:28:46.24\00:28:49.68
Because the
dispensation that we now live
00:28:50.17\00:28:53.38
according to the One who
had divine insights from God,
00:28:53.78\00:28:57.72
and I'm quoting, "The
dispensation that we now live
00:28:57.75\00:29:01.37
is the dispensation
of the Holy Spirit."
00:29:01.40\00:29:05.01
This is the time
for the latter rain.
00:29:05.04\00:29:07.71
We need not wait for
some time in the future.
00:29:07.91\00:29:11.81
What are the prerequisites?
00:29:11.91\00:29:13.28
That's pretty simple, isn't it?
00:29:17.17\00:29:18.54
Here it is,
Zechariah 10 verse 1.
00:29:18.57\00:29:20.16
Let's read it together.
00:29:20.19\00:29:21.56
Zechariah the prophet
says, "Ask the Lord for rain
00:29:26.66\00:29:30.47
in the time of the latter rain."
00:29:30.50\00:29:32.24
Review And
Herald, August 25, 1896.
00:29:32.27\00:29:34.89
Read it together
with me from the screen.
00:29:34.92\00:29:36.68
Are you praying for the Holy
Spirit in your personal life?
00:29:46.53\00:29:50.28
Are you praying that
the Holy Spirit will indeed
00:29:50.64\00:29:54.24
touch your life?
00:29:54.27\00:29:55.64
Are you seeking, not simply
for a few drops of showers,
00:29:55.67\00:30:00.11
but are you seeking daily for
the baptism of the Holy Spirit?
00:30:00.14\00:30:03.29
Jesus respects us so much that
He will not pour out His Spirit
00:30:03.57\00:30:09.46
upon our hearts when our hearts
are in Laodicean complacency
00:30:09.49\00:30:13.51
and we do not long for
that extra power of the Spirit.
00:30:13.54\00:30:18.27
Are you praying
for the Holy Spirit
00:30:18.30\00:30:20.10
and the outpouring in a
mighty way in your own life?
00:30:20.13\00:30:23.72
Are you seeking the Holy Spirit?
00:30:23.75\00:30:25.32
Do you long for greater
power in witness for Jesus?
00:30:25.35\00:30:29.12
Do you have a prayer
group that you're meeting with
00:30:29.15\00:30:31.57
to seek God for the
outpouring of the latter rain
00:30:31.93\00:30:35.32
in the Holy Spirit?
00:30:35.35\00:30:36.88
Do you have two or three
people, prayer partners...
00:30:37.53\00:30:40.02
There are churches in North
America, Adventist churches,
00:30:45.52\00:30:48.74
where if you would go
there at 8:30 in the morning,
00:30:48.77\00:30:51.44
you'd see little groups.
00:30:51.64\00:30:53.01
Three over here,
five over there, six here.
00:30:53.04\00:30:56.06
They're praying for the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
00:30:56.09\00:30:58.34
They're praying that God
will come down on the preacher
00:30:58.37\00:31:00.86
when he preaches that day.
00:31:00.89\00:31:02.37
That the Spirit of God
will be transformational
00:31:02.40\00:31:05.57
in that service.
00:31:05.60\00:31:07.56
My wife and I visited the
largest Seventh-day Adventist
00:31:07.59\00:31:10.96
Church in the
world in Shenyang, China.
00:31:10.99\00:31:14.74
3500 to 4000
people meet every Sabbath.
00:31:14.77\00:31:18.45
6000 members of that church.
00:31:18.48\00:31:20.55
The 2000 that are not
in that mother church are
00:31:20.58\00:31:23.23
meeting in smaller churches that
are under that mother church.
00:31:23.26\00:31:26.69
My wife and I sat with
the pastor of that church.
00:31:27.00\00:31:29.72
And my wife asked, "What is
the key to your power here?"
00:31:30.37\00:31:36.24
And she said, "Oh sister Finley,
we meet at 4:30 in the morning
00:31:36.44\00:31:44.00
every day of the week to
seek the baptism and power
00:31:44.45\00:31:47.96
of the Holy Spirit.
00:31:47.99\00:31:49.36
Then she said,
"Oh sister Finley,
00:31:49.51\00:31:51.80
It's not that we meet every
day. I should correct that.
00:31:52.10\00:31:57.67
On Sabbath's, we
don't come at 4:30.
00:31:57.87\00:32:00.97
We come at 6:00 in the morning
because we're going to be at
00:32:01.00\00:32:04.30
church all day."
00:32:04.33\00:32:05.88
My wife said, "Well,
why 4:30 in the morning?
00:32:06.20\00:32:08.52
Why don't you
meet at 8 or 9 or 10?"
00:32:08.55\00:32:10.49
The pastor said, "We have busy
professionals in our church.
00:32:11.12\00:32:15.31
We have young people
that are university students
00:32:15.84\00:32:18.29
in our church.
00:32:18.32\00:32:19.69
And on any morning
that you would come,
00:32:19.96\00:32:22.39
there would be scores of
prayer groups in this church
00:32:22.88\00:32:27.04
praying that God will give us
the Holy Spirit in abundance."
00:32:27.30\00:32:31.37
On the Sabbath, we
sat in that church.
00:32:31.77\00:32:34.57
On Sabbath afternoon I
was preaching in another
00:32:34.60\00:32:37.98
Chinese church in the
morning that had 2000 members
00:32:38.01\00:32:41.57
in the same city that
this one has 6000 members.
00:32:41.60\00:32:44.71
And so I came in the afternoon.
00:32:46.52\00:32:48.18
3500 people were
there in the afternoon.
00:32:48.63\00:32:51.13
When the pastor made
an appeal for baptism
00:32:51.79\00:32:54.54
and the people had to
be in her baptismal class
00:32:54.57\00:32:57.07
for a year, they had to
study 28 Adventist doctrines.
00:32:57.10\00:33:00.81
I mean, she made
an appeal for baptism.
00:33:00.84\00:33:02.76
300 people came forward
in the church that morning.
00:33:03.11\00:33:06.92
We saw the Holy Spirit falling.
00:33:07.36\00:33:12.14
Another pastor in
China, an Adventist pastor,
00:33:12.56\00:33:14.72
is the pastor of
20,000 members scattered
00:33:14.75\00:33:17.82
in a variety of churches.
00:33:17.85\00:33:19.35
They had a baptism.
00:33:19.72\00:33:21.26
And they baptized for 3
days straight, and they baptized
00:33:21.46\00:33:24.72
between 2000 and 3000 people.
00:33:24.75\00:33:27.05
The latter rain of the
Spirit of God can empower us
00:33:28.61\00:33:34.46
to do more than we can imagine.
00:33:34.49\00:33:36.45
But the
outpouring of the Spirit...
00:33:36.95\00:33:38.32
And for you, it may
not be 4:30 in the morning.
00:33:38.35\00:33:41.08
It may be 6:00, it may
be 7:00, it may be 8:00.
00:33:41.11\00:33:44.54
But some time in that day,
you are on your knees praying,
00:33:44.57\00:33:49.36
"God, send Your Holy
Spirit in a powerful measure."
00:33:49.39\00:33:53.53
1903 to 1906 was
the great Welsh revival.
00:33:54.15\00:33:57.91
Every revival in
the history of the world
00:33:57.94\00:34:01.05
has been
characterized by two things;
00:34:01.36\00:34:03.03
prayer and the
study of the Bible.
00:34:03.06\00:34:04.71
1903, Evan
Roberts was 16 years old.
00:34:05.42\00:34:09.64
He was in Wales. The
churches were largely dead.
00:34:09.96\00:34:12.60
The churches had
very few people coming.
00:34:12.63\00:34:15.42
You'd have these large Welsh
cathedrals; 5 people, 10 people.
00:34:15.45\00:34:18.88
Evan Roberts was 16.
He was the son of a miner.
00:34:19.55\00:34:22.30
And he began to pray,
"God, send a revival in my life.
00:34:22.55\00:34:25.31
God, send a revival in my life.
00:34:25.34\00:34:27.23
God, baptize me
with the Holy Spirit."
00:34:27.58\00:34:30.04
He prayed for 6 years.
00:34:30.07\00:34:32.40
And in 1903, he came to his
home church, the Moriah Chapel.
00:34:32.99\00:34:38.60
And there was a youth meeting.
00:34:38.63\00:34:40.00
And he began to share
with those young people
00:34:40.03\00:34:41.83
what God did in his life
over that last 6 year period.
00:34:41.86\00:34:45.78
How God had reawakened in
his life a new spirituality.
00:34:45.81\00:34:49.75
How God had filled
him with the Holy Spirit.
00:34:49.78\00:34:51.74
Other young people knelt and
committed their life to Christ.
00:34:52.13\00:34:55.60
Other young people made
a decision to follow Jesus.
00:34:55.63\00:34:58.49
A youth revival
broke out in that church.
00:34:58.52\00:35:01.22
These young people went
to other churches in Wales
00:35:01.25\00:35:03.88
and shared what God
had done in their life.
00:35:03.91\00:35:06.13
Prayer groups were organized,
00:35:06.51\00:35:07.88
Bible study
groups were organized.
00:35:07.91\00:35:09.49
In a 6 month period in
Wales in that tiny country,
00:35:09.52\00:35:13.37
there were a 100,000 converts.
00:35:13.40\00:35:16.07
The Welsh revival had such
power that the saloons and bars
00:35:16.10\00:35:21.32
were shutdown on
Saturday nights because they had
00:35:21.35\00:35:24.52
too little liquor that
they were selling and it was
00:35:24.55\00:35:27.44
costing them more to stay open.
00:35:27.47\00:35:29.28
So they opened
for prayer meetings.
00:35:29.31\00:35:31.04
In the London Times, there
was an article that talked about
00:35:31.07\00:35:34.73
one particular bar, they
call them pubs in England,
00:35:34.76\00:35:37.88
that only sold $1.86
worth of alcohol all night,
00:35:37.91\00:35:42.41
but yet the lights and
the salaries were more.
00:35:42.44\00:35:45.22
So they thought they could
do better if they opened it up
00:35:45.25\00:35:48.26
for a prayer meeting
and took an offering.
00:35:48.29\00:35:50.51
I think that's a good
purpose for those bars,
00:35:50.88\00:35:52.68
isn't it; prayer
meetings and offerings?
00:35:52.88\00:35:54.73
The judges would open
their Bible in the courtroom
00:35:55.15\00:35:58.67
during the revival and
give a Bible study and an appeal
00:35:58.70\00:36:02.07
to the criminals to give
their hearts to the Lord.
00:36:02.10\00:36:04.68
Three times a day, the schools
would have prayer meetings.
00:36:04.71\00:36:07.46
Now there was one major
problem in this revival,
00:36:07.49\00:36:09.96
and this is what it was.
00:36:09.99\00:36:11.36
The miners no longer
cursed at the pit ponies,
00:36:11.39\00:36:14.35
so the pit ponies in
the mines would not work.
00:36:14.38\00:36:17.73
And so the pit ponies
needed to learn a new language
00:36:17.76\00:36:21.28
because the miners
weren't cursing at them anymore.
00:36:21.31\00:36:24.36
Revival affects what you
eat, it affects what you drink,
00:36:24.39\00:36:27.62
it affects how you speak.
00:36:27.65\00:36:29.02
How did that revival start?
00:36:29.51\00:36:31.12
By a young man, Evan
Roberts, seeking God.
00:36:32.04\00:36:36.39
If you want revival,
that begins on your knees.
00:36:36.89\00:36:39.77
There are some people who
say, "Oh, I wish the church
00:36:39.80\00:36:41.87
would be revived.
00:36:41.90\00:36:43.27
The church is in apostasy."
00:36:43.30\00:36:44.83
Oh bless your soul.
00:36:44.86\00:36:46.23
Get on your knees and
pray that you'll be revived.
00:36:46.26\00:36:48.30
Because revival
always begins with one man.
00:36:49.57\00:36:51.73
It begins with one woman.
00:36:51.76\00:36:53.13
It begins with one boy,
it begins with one girl.
00:36:53.16\00:36:55.49
A heart that is
totally committed to Jesus.
00:37:00.51\00:37:02.63
This is not some ultra
perfectionism where you
00:37:02.66\00:37:05.04
never make a mistake.
00:37:05.07\00:37:06.44
But it is where your heart
is totally committed to Jesus.
00:37:06.48\00:37:10.57
When all they
want is to please Him.
00:37:16.27\00:37:18.22
When they do not
venture on Satan's ground.
00:37:18.25\00:37:21.37
When they say, "God, in my
heart I long to please You."
00:37:21.40\00:37:25.28
I love John 8 verse 29.
00:37:25.31\00:37:27.05
It's one of my
favorite passages in the Bible.
00:37:27.08\00:37:28.83
Let's read it together.
00:37:28.86\00:37:30.23
I repeat this
text hundreds of times
00:37:40.10\00:37:43.15
throughout the
week and the month.
00:37:43.80\00:37:45.46
"I do always those
things that please Him."
00:37:45.49\00:37:48.08
God give me an undivided heart.
00:37:48.11\00:37:51.64
God, give me a heart that it
totally, completely, absolutely
00:37:51.67\00:37:56.52
consecrated to You.
00:37:56.55\00:37:58.41
Jesus prayed in Gethsemane...
00:37:59.08\00:38:00.61
You know, I say to
Jesus, "Lord, help me not
00:38:04.09\00:38:06.13
venture on Satan's ground.
00:38:06.16\00:38:07.68
Help me not go on
Satan's territory."
00:38:08.08\00:38:10.03
I went on
Satan's ground one time.
00:38:10.06\00:38:11.59
I was taping for It
Is Written television.
00:38:12.85\00:38:15.27
And I ventured
on Satan's ground.
00:38:15.79\00:38:17.59
Have mercy.
00:38:18.66\00:38:20.03
God did have mercy on me.
00:38:20.06\00:38:21.43
Here's the story.
00:38:21.46\00:38:22.83
We were taping at Pergamos.
00:38:23.29\00:38:25.41
And there in the book
of Revelation on Pergamos,
00:38:25.93\00:38:28.10
it talks about
the altar of Satan.
00:38:28.13\00:38:30.31
And we were in
front of an iron fence.
00:38:31.31\00:38:36.16
And we were taping it.
00:38:36.58\00:38:37.95
You know, television
producers have interesting
00:38:37.98\00:38:40.07
ways about them.
00:38:40.10\00:38:41.47
And they said, "Mark,
you're taping about compromise.
00:38:41.50\00:38:45.69
You're taping about
the need to stand true.
00:38:45.72\00:38:48.42
Climb over that iron fence,
climb up on Satan's altar.
00:38:48.45\00:38:51.78
It'll be a great
shot for the cameras."
00:38:51.81\00:38:54.14
There was a little sign
that said, "No trespassing."
00:38:54.65\00:38:57.93
I neglected the sign,
climbed over the iron fence,
00:38:59.14\00:39:02.83
climbed up on
the altar of Satan.
00:39:02.86\00:39:05.24
That is in Turkey.
00:39:05.27\00:39:06.74
You know,
Pergamos, the seven churches;
00:39:06.77\00:39:08.22
Ephesus, Smyrna,
Pergamos, Thyatira.
00:39:08.25\00:39:10.55
So I was there at Pergamos.
00:39:10.58\00:39:11.95
We were doing a
series on the seven churches.
00:39:11.98\00:39:13.39
I went out on the
rocks on this altar.
00:39:13.42\00:39:16.15
I was going from
one rock to the other.
00:39:16.18\00:39:17.55
Kind of the ruins.
00:39:17.58\00:39:18.95
I put my foot down and right
there by where that pulpit is,
00:39:18.98\00:39:21.66
there was a nest of vipers.
00:39:21.69\00:39:24.73
This is no
preachers exaggeration.
00:39:25.32\00:39:27.61
I mean, vipers about this long.
00:39:27.64\00:39:29.54
And one of them curled
his head, diamond shaped head,
00:39:30.04\00:39:34.69
green viper,
and he went, "ssst."
00:39:34.72\00:39:36.92
I will tell you, I
don't think I have ever
00:39:36.95\00:39:39.29
been as scared in my life
as I was on the altar of Satan.
00:39:39.32\00:39:42.70
I jumped, ran,
came over the fence.
00:39:42.73\00:39:46.19
My producer said, "Pastor Mark,
we didn't get the picture."
00:39:46.22\00:39:49.27
I said, "You go and I'll
get behind the camera, please."
00:39:49.30\00:39:51.91
Wouldn't that have
been some headline in the
00:39:54.73\00:39:56.28
Review And Herald?
00:39:56.31\00:39:57.68
"Pastor Mark Finley Killed
by Snake on the Altar of Satan"
00:39:57.71\00:40:01.68
If I go down, I'm not going
down on the altar of Satan,
00:40:01.71\00:40:03.97
I'll tell you
that much right now.
00:40:04.00\00:40:05.41
I said that to say this.
00:40:08.02\00:40:10.66
Never venture out
on Satan's territory.
00:40:11.56\00:40:13.87
Never venture out
on Satan's territory.
00:40:15.23\00:40:17.65
God will have a group of
people with an undivided heart.
00:40:18.88\00:40:25.99
You see, each test
God brings to you...
00:40:26.52\00:40:29.23
The issue is not diet.
00:40:35.06\00:40:38.72
It's what's in your heart.
00:40:39.26\00:40:40.63
The issue is not dress.
00:40:40.96\00:40:42.84
It's what's in your heart.
00:40:42.87\00:40:44.24
In other words, if you are
tested on the area of dress,
00:40:44.27\00:40:49.52
if you're tested
on the area of diet,
00:40:49.90\00:40:52.07
if you're tested on
the area of amusement,
00:40:52.10\00:40:54.29
if you're tested in the
area of criticism or gossip,
00:40:54.32\00:40:57.05
the external manifestation of
the thing that you're tested on
00:40:58.77\00:41:03.61
is a revelation of whether
you're willing to surrender
00:41:04.26\00:41:07.79
everything to Jesus.
00:41:07.82\00:41:09.40
God gives us tests
so that we will know
00:41:11.70\00:41:16.58
what's in our hearts.
00:41:16.61\00:41:18.22
And if we cling to the
thing that His Spirit points out
00:41:18.72\00:41:22.45
in our life is
wrong, He reveals to us
00:41:22.48\00:41:27.27
that we love the
thing more than we love Him.
00:41:27.30\00:41:29.96
But when we say, "Jesus,
I'm giving that thing to You,
00:41:30.36\00:41:33.21
because I have
an undivided heart.
00:41:33.24\00:41:35.06
And Lord, all You need to
do is show me what pleases You,
00:41:35.84\00:41:39.85
and I want to do it.
00:41:39.88\00:41:41.25
And show me what doesn't pleases
You, and I don't want to do it."
00:41:41.28\00:41:44.46
Spiritual power comes when
you have an undivided heart
00:41:44.95\00:41:48.65
and you're linked to the
Source of unlimited power.
00:41:48.68\00:41:52.69
Testimonies, volume 8, page
19 says, read it with me please.
00:41:53.02\00:42:00.14
There is no limit of what
God wants to do through you.
00:42:16.06\00:42:19.27
No limit to the usefulness
of the one who puts self aside.
00:42:19.30\00:42:24.70
When God brings
us up to those tests,
00:42:24.73\00:42:26.49
we say, "Jesus, I thank You."
00:42:26.52\00:42:28.66
The third prerequisite for the
reception of the Holy Spirit.
00:42:28.69\00:42:31.18
Every great revival
comes when people pray,
00:42:33.83\00:42:37.03
when they have
an undivided heart,
00:42:37.06\00:42:38.65
when they saturate their
minds with the Word of God.
00:42:38.68\00:42:41.34
Go back to the New
Testament, revival in Pentecost.
00:42:41.71\00:42:44.99
Jesus saturated the
minds of the disciples
00:42:45.85\00:42:48.15
with the Old
Testament; He quoted it.
00:42:48.18\00:42:49.75
They constantly, if
you read the gospels,
00:42:49.89\00:42:52.27
quote after quote
from the Old Testament.
00:42:52.30\00:42:54.08
A revival in Acts
based on the Word of God.
00:42:54.11\00:42:57.41
Go to the reformation;
the Word of God was central.
00:42:57.61\00:43:00.26
Go to the great
Wesley Methodist revivals;
00:43:00.29\00:43:02.48
the Word of God was central.
00:43:02.51\00:43:03.88
The Welsh revival; the
Word of God was central.
00:43:03.91\00:43:05.75
You go to the early Advent
history and the great revival
00:43:05.78\00:43:09.58
in the 1800's, the
great second advent awakening;
00:43:09.61\00:43:12.49
the Word of God was central.
00:43:12.52\00:43:13.89
There are some
so-called, quote unquote,
00:43:13.92\00:43:16.42
"so-called" revivals
today that are hyped up.
00:43:16.45\00:43:19.51
A lot of music, a
lot of emotionalism,
00:43:19.54\00:43:21.67
but there's not much
deep Bible study at all.
00:43:21.70\00:43:24.99
Not much deep
Bible study at all.
00:43:25.84\00:43:27.37
I say to you today that
the genuine revival that
00:43:27.40\00:43:30.93
comes from heaven's sanctuary,
the genuine outpouring of the
00:43:30.96\00:43:34.79
latter rain, will come
when people are praying,
00:43:34.82\00:43:37.03
will come when
people are seeking God.
00:43:37.06\00:43:38.99
It is a revival that
is rooted in God's Word.
00:43:39.02\00:43:42.19
There is no instant revival.
00:43:49.36\00:43:51.95
There are no
shortcuts to revival.
00:43:51.98\00:43:54.30
Some people want a
shortcut to revival.
00:43:54.33\00:43:56.22
We live in an age where
there's an instant everything.
00:43:56.25\00:43:58.36
You take a baked potato.
00:43:58.39\00:43:59.93
You put the baked
potato in a microwave oven.
00:43:59.96\00:44:02.86
You stand back and you push it.
00:44:02.89\00:44:04.64
And normally the baked
potato would take you...
00:44:04.67\00:44:07.39
I don't know how long.
00:44:07.42\00:44:08.79
Ladies, how long does a
baked potato take to bake?
00:44:08.82\00:44:10.19
I don't bake, my
wife does. How long?
00:44:10.22\00:44:11.59
An hour, okay.
00:44:12.00\00:44:13.37
You put that
thing in the microwave.
00:44:13.40\00:44:14.91
You pierce it a couple
of times with the fork.
00:44:14.94\00:44:17.90
And you stand back and you
put the microwave on 3 minutes.
00:44:17.93\00:44:20.55
You say, "Hurry
up, hurry up, hurry up.
00:44:20.58\00:44:22.09
I've got something to do."
00:44:22.12\00:44:23.49
I mean, it's an
instant everything today.
00:44:23.52\00:44:25.03
People think that they can have
instant Christian experience.
00:44:25.06\00:44:28.48
There is no way for an
instant Christian experience.
00:44:29.08\00:44:31.37
The Holy Spirit is
poured out in revival power
00:44:31.88\00:44:34.39
as we kneel before Jesus.
00:44:34.42\00:44:36.89
If we open the
Word, Psalm 119 verse 25.
00:44:37.26\00:44:39.79
Psalm 119:28
00:44:45.93\00:44:47.56
Psalm 119 verse 81.
00:44:52.89\00:44:55.04
The Word of God is
central in revival.
00:44:59.31\00:45:02.35
The foundation of
revival is God's Word.
00:45:02.38\00:45:04.40
And I will say to you
very plainly with no apology.
00:45:04.43\00:45:06.81
If you are not spending
time in the Word of God,
00:45:08.27\00:45:11.64
you will have a superficial
complacent religious experience.
00:45:12.13\00:45:16.59
Revival comes as I
open my heart in prayer.
00:45:17.10\00:45:20.73
Revival comes as
my heart is undivided.
00:45:21.03\00:45:23.57
Revival comes as I
saturate my mind with God's Word
00:45:23.60\00:45:27.68
What do you say?
00:45:35.72\00:45:37.09
The fourth prerequisite is to...
00:45:38.01\00:45:40.06
If you're praying
and studying the Word,
00:45:42.43\00:45:44.27
if your heart is
undivided, you will long to have
00:45:44.30\00:45:46.84
positive
relationships with anybody else.
00:45:46.87\00:45:48.75
If there is bitterness in your
heart or jealousy in your heart,
00:45:48.78\00:45:51.28
if there is anger in your heart.
00:45:51.47\00:45:53.15
When a church is filled
with discord, it will not have
00:45:53.18\00:45:58.36
the Holy Spirit's
power for revival.
00:45:58.39\00:46:00.36
When there's
argument on the church board,
00:46:00.39\00:46:01.85
when there's conflict
between pastors and members,
00:46:01.88\00:46:04.13
when there's
conflict between the elders,
00:46:04.16\00:46:05.85
conflict among deacons.
00:46:05.88\00:46:07.50
You know, we see that revival
take place in Acts chapter 2.
00:46:07.53\00:46:11.27
The Bible says...
00:46:11.30\00:46:12.67
What does that
"one accord" mean?
00:46:16.58\00:46:18.31
They were all together.
00:46:18.34\00:46:19.71
Now unity does
not mean uniformity.
00:46:19.74\00:46:22.06
Unity does not mean we're
all going to think the same.
00:46:22.35\00:46:24.64
Unity does not mean
that we are all going to
00:46:24.98\00:46:28.52
view things the same.
00:46:28.55\00:46:29.95
Unity does not
mean that we won't have
00:46:29.98\00:46:32.04
our different opinions.
00:46:32.07\00:46:33.44
Unity doesn't even mean
that we're all going to see
00:46:33.47\00:46:35.74
every truth in
the Bible the same.
00:46:35.77\00:46:38.48
When you look at
the disciples, they had
00:46:39.49\00:46:40.96
different personalities.
00:46:40.99\00:46:42.47
James and John, there was Peter,
there was Andrew and Phillip,
00:46:42.50\00:46:46.32
And you know, James and
John, the son's of thunder.
00:46:46.35\00:46:48.33
Thomas had a tendency to doubt,
and Phillip was reflective,
00:46:48.53\00:46:51.35
and Matthew was very exact.
00:46:51.38\00:46:53.27
And Peter spoke
sometimes before he thought.
00:46:53.30\00:46:56.08
You know, how would you like to
have a church board like that?
00:46:56.28\00:46:58.49
I mean, with Peter who speaks
before he thinks at times,
00:46:58.89\00:47:00.99
and Matthew who
writes everything down,
00:47:01.02\00:47:02.48
and Phillip who's
reflective and you never know
00:47:02.51\00:47:04.76
what he's
thinking, and James and John;
00:47:04.79\00:47:06.50
if things don't go their
way, they kind of burst off
00:47:06.53\00:47:08.41
in the son's of thunder.
00:47:08.44\00:47:09.81
And you say, "How do you know
that that's my church board?"
00:47:09.84\00:47:12.33
Well, um...
00:47:12.36\00:47:13.73
You know, Jesus
did not lead them
00:47:13.76\00:47:16.78
to deny their personalities.
00:47:16.81\00:47:18.75
He didn't.
00:47:18.78\00:47:20.15
Unity is not uniformity.
00:47:20.29\00:47:21.85
We're not always
going to see the same.
00:47:21.88\00:47:23.44
But here's what unity is.
00:47:23.47\00:47:24.96
We're unified in Christ.
00:47:24.99\00:47:26.93
Christ has broken our hearts.
00:47:27.73\00:47:29.81
Secondly, we're unified in
the biblical message of truth
00:47:30.23\00:47:34.10
and its fundamentals.
00:47:34.13\00:47:35.52
There may be some
things we see differently.
00:47:35.55\00:47:38.41
But the fundamentals of
truth, we're unified in.
00:47:38.61\00:47:41.37
And thirdly, we are unified
in a divine remnant church
00:47:41.47\00:47:46.19
that we believe is the messenger
of God for this earth today
00:47:46.22\00:47:50.89
that will take the
gospel to the world.
00:47:50.92\00:47:52.46
What really unifies
us is Jesus, His Word,
00:47:52.70\00:47:56.61
His church, and His mission.
00:47:56.64\00:47:58.66
And we are
unified on the mission.
00:47:59.44\00:48:01.18
They may have had
their differences,
00:48:05.99\00:48:07.79
but this
overwhelming passion drew them.
00:48:07.82\00:48:10.82
Notice
Testimonies, volume 8, page 21.
00:48:10.85\00:48:13.54
Oh Jesus, help us
put away bitterness.
00:48:32.26\00:48:35.50
Help us put away
conflict between us.
00:48:35.53\00:48:37.79
May the barriers be broken down.
00:48:37.82\00:48:39.77
Help us put away dissension
so You can pour out Your Spirit.
00:48:39.80\00:48:43.65
May there be
unity in God's church,
00:48:43.68\00:48:46.09
unity among the ministries,
00:48:46.12\00:48:47.66
unity among the churches,
00:48:47.69\00:48:49.66
unity among the conferences,
00:48:49.69\00:48:51.31
unity among the people,
so we focus on the one thing.
00:48:51.34\00:48:54.52
I don't want to
spend any energy arguing.
00:48:54.55\00:48:56.58
I don't want to
spend any energy debating.
00:48:56.61\00:48:58.43
Do you?
00:48:58.46\00:48:59.83
I want my energy to be
given to spread the gospel
00:48:59.86\00:49:03.19
of Jesus in the last days.
00:49:03.22\00:49:04.61
What do you say?
00:49:04.64\00:49:06.01
Praise God, praise God.
00:49:06.04\00:49:07.74
Do you know somebody
that you need to forgive?
00:49:07.77\00:49:10.45
Somebody that has hurt
you or brought you pain.
00:49:10.99\00:49:12.94
Think of Corrie ten Boom.
00:49:13.99\00:49:15.46
You know, Corrie ten Boom
was in a German prison camp.
00:49:16.12\00:49:19.18
And there her sister died.
00:49:19.41\00:49:24.32
When Corrie ten Boom
came out of the prison camp,
00:49:24.72\00:49:27.25
she preached all
through Germany about the need
00:49:28.60\00:49:31.90
to forgive people who don't
even deserve their forgiveness.
00:49:31.93\00:49:35.02
And she said this.
00:49:35.92\00:49:37.29
She established a
home for people who had
00:49:37.32\00:49:40.43
been in prison camps.
00:49:40.46\00:49:41.83
And she said, "As I've talked
to thousands of those that
00:49:41.86\00:49:44.68
could not get over
their bitterness, anger,
00:49:44.71\00:49:46.26
and resentment,
those people never healed."
00:49:46.29\00:49:50.27
If there's somebody in your
life that has hurt you once,
00:49:50.78\00:49:54.00
don't let them hurt you
again by harboring bitterness
00:49:54.32\00:49:57.00
in your heart toward them.
00:49:57.03\00:49:58.40
Coming to Jesus.
00:50:00.61\00:50:02.65
Four prerequisites.
00:50:03.91\00:50:05.71
The Holy Spirit is
poured out on those
00:50:05.96\00:50:08.62
who have an undivided heart.
00:50:08.65\00:50:11.56
The Holy Spirit is
poured out on those who pray.
00:50:11.92\00:50:14.38
The Holy Spirit is poured out
on those who are able to say,
00:50:14.64\00:50:18.71
"I forgive you," even before
the person asks for forgiveness.
00:50:19.78\00:50:25.26
The Bible says in
Romans chapter 5 and verse 8,
00:50:25.69\00:50:28.75
when we were
enemies Christ died for us.
00:50:29.66\00:50:33.73
Oh Jesus, fill my heart
with the desire to pray.
00:50:34.71\00:50:38.92
Fill my heart with a
desire to study Your Word.
00:50:39.47\00:50:42.23
Oh Jesus, give me
an undivided heart.
00:50:42.67\00:50:45.36
And may the spirit of
forgiveness just flow through
00:50:45.76\00:50:49.74
my life.
00:50:50.26\00:50:51.63
May I be able to reach
out my hand to every brother
00:50:51.66\00:50:54.71
and every sister and
say, "Yes, I forgive you."
00:50:54.74\00:50:57.01
May you be able to reach
out your hand to those that have
00:50:57.92\00:51:00.43
hurt you, those that
may not even desire it.
00:51:00.46\00:51:03.10
If you're watching by
television, maybe somebody
00:51:03.13\00:51:04.78
hurt you deeply and
you feel badly about it,
00:51:04.81\00:51:07.96
there's a bitterness
or anger in your heart,
00:51:08.34\00:51:10.16
tell Jesus, "Lord, I
don't want anything in my heart.
00:51:10.69\00:51:12.98
I want to extend the
forgiveness of Christ."
00:51:13.21\00:51:15.88
Here's the fifth prerequisite.
00:51:15.98\00:51:17.41
The latter rain will
fall on a praying church,
00:51:17.86\00:51:20.88
a Bible studying church.
00:51:20.91\00:51:22.52
It will fall upon a
church with members who have
00:51:22.73\00:51:25.62
undivided hearts.
00:51:25.65\00:51:27.02
And it will fall on a
forgiving united church.
00:51:27.05\00:51:30.43
But there's a fifth prerequisite
00:51:31.09\00:51:32.59
that the latter rain will
fall upon a church that is
00:51:32.62\00:51:35.79
actively in labor for others.
00:51:35.82\00:51:38.56
Now is the time to share Jesus'
love and grace with others.
00:51:38.59\00:51:42.93
Look, would God pour
out His Holy Spirit on us
00:51:42.96\00:51:46.07
to witness to others if we
have no interest in witnessing?
00:51:46.10\00:51:49.83
If I am not witnessing
today, why is God going to
00:51:50.37\00:51:53.97
give me the latter rain
power to finish His work
00:51:54.00\00:51:56.36
to witness if I have
no interest in witness?
00:51:56.39\00:52:00.04
It is now time...
00:52:00.89\00:52:02.70
It's now time to
say, "Jesus, I want to
00:52:05.22\00:52:06.90
get my priorities straight.
00:52:06.93\00:52:08.30
Jesus, You put me
on earth for a reason.
00:52:08.33\00:52:10.39
Jesus, I want to witness of
Your love and power to others."
00:52:10.42\00:52:13.92
I love that old
hymn, I Surrender All.
00:52:14.23\00:52:17.55
You know, the first
line goes like this.
00:52:17.58\00:52:19.83
All to Jesus I surrender,
all to Him I freely give.
00:52:19.86\00:52:23.23
I will ever love and trust
Him, in His presence daily live.
00:52:23.26\00:52:27.59
You know, that hymn was
written by J.W. Van DeVenter.
00:52:30.44\00:52:36.58
It was written in 1896.
00:52:37.23\00:52:39.48
And Van DeVenter was
a very prominent artist.
00:52:40.45\00:52:44.10
And he had a future in art.
00:52:44.89\00:52:46.48
He was going to
make a lot of money.
00:52:46.51\00:52:47.96
But there was something in His
heart that was tugging at him.
00:52:48.62\00:52:53.07
This nagging desire
to go into ministry.
00:52:53.28\00:52:56.70
He got on his
knees and began to pray.
00:52:57.03\00:52:58.89
He opened the Bible
and he began to study.
00:52:59.54\00:53:01.85
He said, "Lord Jesus,
fill me with Your Spirit.
00:53:02.47\00:53:04.54
Give me direction,
meaning, and purpose
00:53:04.57\00:53:06.67
in my life."
00:53:06.70\00:53:08.40
And as he was praying, words
came into his heart and mind,
00:53:09.60\00:53:13.53
"Make a full surrender."
00:53:13.89\00:53:15.66
He opened his eyes and
began to write these words;
00:53:15.69\00:53:18.29
All to Jesus I surrender,
00:53:18.93\00:53:20.68
all to Him I freely give.
00:53:20.71\00:53:23.59
I will ever love and trust Him.
00:53:23.62\00:53:27.27
As he wrote those
words, he made a decision.
00:53:28.26\00:53:31.07
"I will not follow the lucrative
profession as an artist.
00:53:31.55\00:53:37.43
I will go into ministry."
00:53:37.82\00:53:40.64
Is God calling you
to make some decision
00:53:40.67\00:53:42.70
with some habit in your life?
00:53:42.73\00:53:44.20
Is God calling you
to make some decision
00:53:44.40\00:53:46.40
to enter into His
service in some way?
00:53:46.78\00:53:49.26
Is God calling you
to a deeper prayer life?
00:53:49.47\00:53:51.35
A deeper Bible study life?
00:53:51.38\00:53:52.95
What is God's
call in your heart?
00:53:53.60\00:53:55.51
Let's stand
together, wherever you are,
00:53:55.54\00:53:58.21
here in this
audience, let's stand together.
00:53:58.24\00:53:59.83
Sing with Pastor John,
all to Jesus I surrender,
00:53:59.86\00:54:02.90
as a prayer.
00:54:02.93\00:54:04.30
This is our prayer,
your prayer, my prayer,
00:54:04.33\00:54:07.03
of commitment to Jesus.
00:54:07.06\00:54:08.85
All to Jesus, wherever
you are sing it with us.
00:54:08.88\00:54:11.00
Let's sing that next
verse together as a prayer.
00:55:04.90\00:55:07.16
We're going to pray.
00:56:03.18\00:56:04.55
Do you long for that day
that the Holy Spirit will be
00:56:06.57\00:56:09.76
poured out in
abundance and the work of
00:56:09.79\00:56:11.29
God on earth will be finished?
00:56:11.32\00:56:12.69
Do you long for that day?
00:56:12.72\00:56:14.09
Do you long for Jesus to do
something special in your life?
00:56:14.12\00:56:17.01
Oh Father, we are so
thankful that You invite us
00:56:17.96\00:56:22.96
to a deeper commitment
and surrender than we have
00:56:23.55\00:56:27.30
yet thought
possible or imagined.
00:56:27.33\00:56:30.01
We open our
hearts to You right now.
00:56:30.73\00:56:32.78
Grant to us undivided hearts.
00:56:33.17\00:56:35.88
May nothing be in our
hearts that would hinder the
00:56:36.43\00:56:38.90
outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
00:56:38.93\00:56:40.40
Grant us the spirit of
Your grace, Your mercy,
00:56:41.15\00:56:44.57
Your forgiveness.
00:56:44.60\00:56:45.97
Help us place our
priorities on the one thing
00:56:46.26\00:56:48.97
that really matters;
souls won for Your kingdom.
00:56:49.00\00:56:52.40
And Jesus, just
now, we thank You so much
00:56:52.77\00:56:56.43
that there is no
limit to the usefulness
00:56:57.22\00:57:01.44
of one who, putting self aside,
makes room for the working
00:57:01.47\00:57:05.47
of the Holy
Spirit in their life.
00:57:05.50\00:57:06.89
Oh Jesus, our prayer is
do it for us and do it now.
00:57:06.92\00:57:11.69
In Jesus' name, amen.
00:57:11.92\00:57:14.49
May the Lord
bless you and keep you.
00:57:15.18\00:57:16.97
May His grace shine upon you.
00:57:17.00\00:57:18.95
And as you go, may
God give you peace,
00:57:18.98\00:57:22.15
now and forever, and
fill you with His Spirit.
00:57:22.18\00:57:25.62
Amen.
00:57:25.65\00:57:27.02