WHEN I HEARD THE AUDIBLE VOICE OF GOD
I remember the day I met God. I was 15 years old and in desperate need of a miracle — my mother was sick with Psoriasis. I had no answers or hope to offer her; I felt powerless and helpless as I watched her battle the pain that plagued her body. I cried out to “whatever or whoever” might hear me: “If there is a God out there if you heal my mother I will find out who you are and serve you for the rest of my life.” In response, I heard the audible voice of God say , “My name is Jesus Christ and you have what you have requested.” The Lord introduced Himself to me in a way that could not be reduced to my mere understanding; it was nothing less than a supernatural experience.
Can you remember the day you met the Lord? Did you pray the prayer of salvation or have a radical encounter with the presence of God? The truth is, the transforming power of salvation is the same whether you prayed a prayer or had an angel visit you in the night. The transforming power of salvation was displayed on the cross through Christ. As He overcame darkness and the stronghold of evil, the course of our destiny changed. He dismantled a believer’s finite experience and fashioned our inherent responsibility. No longer would the power of evil determine the course of history, rather the royal sons and daughters of God were handed the sword of salvation that would cut through the destructive plan of the enemy and wreak havoc on the schemes of the realm of darkness.
So, what happens when we don’t live out what Jesus paid for on the cross? What is the result of living unaware and unmotivated by the Spirit that lives inside of us; the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the realm of the dead? We in return have a paralyzed Church filled with passive and powerless believers; trapped in its doors and uncertain if they have the key to be free and to be a freedom bringer to the world permeated with pain.
Let me be clear, YOU hold the key — you have been called to be a light to the world’s darkest needs! You have been chosen to “heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with leprosy, cast out demons. Freely you receive, freely give.” (Mark 10:8) The challenge is we are often left uncertain of how to actually live out the power of the gospel and transform the world around us.
Have you ever felt the desire deep in your bones for the world to experience the transforming love of God but are left with the big question….how? I’d propose It should spark concern that if as a son and daughter of Christ we are not seeing the supernatural unfold before our eyes. The challenge is, we’ve trapped the power of the gospel in a box of comfortability and personal comprehension.
In this week’s video blog I share about the importance of the supernatural in Christianity.
FROM WEAVERVILLE TO BSSM
The truth is, the moment I was introduced to God, the supernatural was all I knew to be true. Let me be clear, I understand this is not the common experience for many believers. We live in a world with believers uncertain in their ability and underutilized in their gifting. Kathy and I were introduced to the Lord in a community of believers who experienced and believed in the supernatural; we did not know any different years.
Eventually, my wife Kathy and I knew the encounters and supernatural experiences in our life could not be kept up in our home or solely jotted down in our diaries. The call of God was big on our lives and the cost was high. I had a burning in my heart to see lives transformed and the world changed through the radical love of God and the power of the Gospel. Over twenty years ago, Kathy and I moved to Redding to support the vision and the desire of our friend Bill Johnson’s heart to see the body of Christ activated and equipped.
In the founding years of Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry, we immediately saw the effect of being surrounded by people pursuing the supernatural power of the gospel — there was a supernatural greenhouse effect that happened as believers stood hand in hand believing for the impossible; it was catalytic and expansive. We saw fruit in people’s lives that would have normally taken years to produce happen in months. An accelerated work of the Lord has occurred in the hearts of our students for over twenty years now and the people of God have found the keys to the life Jesus paid for on the cross. I have not only seen it in the lives of the students of BSSM but as my grandchildren have grown up and attended the school, I have seen the transformation occur in the hearts of my own home and family.
Christians were born to leave a mark on the earth; to leave a legacy and see a world transformed. But, too often we struggle to see the power of the Gospel and the life that Jesus modeled activated and actualized in their own life. Yet, the world is desperately waiting for the sons and daughters of Christ to take on their royal responsibility and live out the call on their life. You have a unique call and purpose; you were made to be a world-changer and partner with God to bring Heaven to earth.
Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry is not the only place to be equipped in the gifts of the Spirit and discover your true divine destiny and calling. However, the testimonies we’ve heard from our students both from in-person and online BSSM over the years of their lives transformed and the world changed around them from their time in school is remarkable — it is inevitable the Lord is moving here.
I am a firm believer that you do not have to figure out how to impact the world or specific sphere of influence on your own; you can do it with other believers with a heartbeat to see the world changed through the power of the Gospel. If you feel the deep desire to see the world changed through the transformative power of Jesus that lives inside you, I highly encourage you to learn more about BSSM here — become equipped and activated to live out all Jesus paid for.
The Lord has a unique journey and path laid out for you. Let me be clear, attending ministry school is not the only option and opportunity to develop spiritual gifts, grow in your faith, or experience the supernatural. The Lord is far bigger and works in unique and miraculous ways. If you are eager to experience the supernatural in your own life but are not surrounded by an environment that believes or cultivates the supernatural, I would encourage you to begin reading books from others on the topic or listening to sermons and messages that discuss the topic. Begin to ask the Lord for the desires of your heart and don’t be afraid to boldly pursue the presence of God in your life; this is when you will see the Lord move powerfully.
How have you experienced the supernatural in your everyday life? I would love to hear in the comments below.
