Scripture: Jeremiah 33 v 3: "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not."
Our Almighty God created us in His image. As the scriptures say in John 4, God is a Spirit and those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth.
Therefore, we are spirit beings! Now we have been clothed in a fleshly body and have a soul. But if we are like God we are also creative in nature. And our Father wants us to explore our spiritual side.
Our spirit died in mysterious circumstances because the Bible says we are born in sin. The cutest brand new baby is already born needing to be saved from sin. Every child needs discipline and training to become good, efficient and respectful persons.
Teenage gangs of hooligan status are made up of those persons who were neglected, not loved and not brought up to be respectful. They find their discipline in gangs and the harsh do or die rules that they learn very fast.
The late, beloved, David Wilkerson, a pastor after God's own heart, left his pleasant rural home after seeing some gangsters in court for murder in New York. He obeyed the Lord and went to help these hooligans. His book, The Cross and the Switchblade, is a classic which describes his involvement with Nicky Cruz and his gang.
Nicky Cruz, after some huge arguments, got saved and all these years later, runs Teen Challenge in New York with its centre at Times Square. He is one who was turned from sin, drugs, violence, into a mighty man in the works of God.
Nicky's dead spirit was born again in Spirit, and the waters of baptism. He was baptized in the Holy Spirit and turned the tables on Satan. Between him and David Wilkerson, they have ministered to all types of addicts and seen them set free in the name of Jesus.
No other drug rehabilitation place has had the kind of success they have had. When Jesus sets you free you are free indeed.
We need to retrace our spiritual steps to begin again to do things the way the first apostles did it. As a brother said to me yesterday, Jesus told us to go out into the all the world and preach the gospel, instead we build churches and invite them to attend. So many would never make it because they never knew about Jesus.
We need to find creative ways to use all the tools we have been given to reach out to the lost. They are dead in sin, in other words they cannot automatically respond until the name of Jesus causes whatever demons have them in a grip, to be shocked into silence and immobilized for just long enough to grab the attention of their victims.
Once that door is opened, and ears are listening, fill that space with truth. Start with the testimony of how lost you were until your destiny changed when the truth and love of Jesus started your spirit breathing again. Tell them how your sins were forgiven, how the Blood of Jesus cleansed you, and His love rescued you from shame and sorrow.
Revelation 12 v 10 - 11: "And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."
Then ask them where they would go if they suddenly died. By their answer you can lead them to the Light of God's Word, and to eternal life with Him. There is no other name, no other way to the Father except through Jesus. This is the beginning of their spiritual journey which should inspire them to share the good news with others.
As we grow in grace and the knowledge of the Bible, our path is laid out before us sometimes gently, or you get thrown in the deep end. I seemed cut out for the deep end, and some who found the Lord through my ministry experienced some deep end events too.
One of the verses that was highlighted by the Holy Spirit to me was Exodus 18 v 26: "And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves."
The Lord said to me that I would deal with the hard cases or causes and let others in other ministries deal with the less challenging problems. Somehow, these serious ones made their way to my door. Our gracious King Jesus always equipped me, and the Holy Spirit led me in some really creative ways, to be a help.
It was not always completely successful but the learning curve was a true experience. Only God knows the true outcome. I truly hope to meet them in Heaven one day and hear their incredible journeys.
Several times I complained that I never had any easy cases, but I am truly grateful to the Lord for the extraordinary spiritual journey I have had thus far. Some things have stretched credibility to new levels so I keep them to myself.
Some I have written of in this blog and they belong in a place called the greater works of the Holy Spirit. My only involvement seems to be a true witness and accurate record of miracles that are almost indescribable.
I wish every reader to have an understanding of the mighty power of God in all things to do with this planet and this universe. Yesterday NASA revealed brilliant photos taken by the James Webb Telescopic camera of the depths of the universe back nearly 14 billion years to almost its beginning. They cannot fathom an eternal God or His creation.
The Devil has no answer against this power, no ability to usurp it and only his lies still trap many souls in his evil kingdom. It's our job to find ways to rescue them and start them on their own spiritual journey to eternal life.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, there is an urgency on my heart to wake the church out of lethargy, laziness and slumber. I wish it did not take hard times to get people's attention but that seems to be the only way. I know that when it fully lands on us the time is short till the coming of Jesus. Help us to work while it is yet day. In Jesus' name. Amen.