Being Prepared to Fully Embrace the Move of the Holy Spirit
I. INTRODUCTION
A. Our commitment is to fully embrace the move of the Holy Spirit while discerning and resisting mixture. The way of
the Lord is prepared by giving people understanding so that they embrace His activity instead of resisting or neglecting
it. The Lord’s path is made straight or seen to be right by showing it to be biblical. When the people see the unusual
activity of God “as straight” then they are prepared to embrace it even when it requires difficulty and endurance.
3 Prepare the way of the LORD; make His paths straight. (Mt. 3:3)
B. In Sept. 1982, the Lord visited me in Cairo, Egypt and said:
I will change the understanding and expression of Christianity in the earth in one generation.
1. Changing the understanding: speaks of the way unbelievers will perceive the Church. Today, many see the
Church as boring, irrelevant and non-threatening.
2. Changing the expression: speaks of the way the Church expresses its life together as a people of prayer walking
out Sermon on the Mount lifestyles in the power of the Spirit.
C. In Cairo, God spoke to me about four essential heart standards in which the End-Time Church is to function.
They are the four most neglected pillars of New Testament Christianity.
1. Intercession (night and day with a spirit prayer in the life of the Church)
2. Holiness of heart (Sermon on the Mount lifestyles; Mt. 5-7)
3. Offerings (extravagant giving): live simple to give more to the harvest and the poor)
4. Prophetic (prevailing faith in God’s intervention to direct, protect and provide for His people)
II. CHALLENGE #1: DISCERNING THE THINGS THAT ARE EXCELLENT
A. We are to abound in love (for God and people) by discerning the things that are excellent in the midst of things
less than excellent (Phil. 1:9-10; 1 Cor. 12:31; 14:12; Ezek. 44:23; Mal. 3:18).
9 This I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the
things that are excellent… (Phil. 1:9-10)
12 Since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel. (1 Cor. 14:12)
15 The sons of Zadok, who kept charge of My sanctuary…23 shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the
unholy, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. (Ezek. 44:15, 23)
18 Then you (God’s End-Time servants) shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between one who
serves God and one who does not serve Him. (Mal. 3:18)
B. Many view a move of the Holy Spirit as either “totally right or totally wrong” instead of seeing the great good while
discerning that which is not good. The weaknesses (character, doctrine, and ministry style) of the vessels that the Spirit
chooses are not automatically resolved when the power of God operates through them.
C. Application: We must see God’s favor and honor His activity while graciously discerning that which is not excellent.
We are NOT mandated to point out what lacks excellence in each vessel.
8 Have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins." (1 Pet. 4:8)
9 He who covers a transgression seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates friends. (Prov. 17:9)
III. CHALLENGE #2: DEFINE THE WEIGHTIER AND LESSER ISSUES
A. We must distinguish and define the weightier and lesser issues in a move of God so that we swallow or tolerate the
lesser “gnat-issues” while straining or refusing the larger “camel-issues”. Because the Pharisees did not do this they
ended up straining out gnats and swallowing camels.
23 You pay tithe of mint and anise…and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy. 24 Blind
guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! (Mt. 23:23-24)
B. Application: We are to graciously bear with the lack of excellence in the “lesser-issues” of their doctrine and
ministry style without being compelled to imitate them to “receive the anointing”. We must not be “superstitious” in our
quest to show our faith in embracing the Holy Spirit.
1. We must not be “overly cautious” in our quest to walk in wisdom.
2. We must not be “overly receptive” in our quest to walk in faith.
IV. CHALLENGE #3: SEE THE BIG PICTURE OF GOD’S PURPOSES
A. We must see the big picture of God’s purposes in our generation.
36 David had served God's purpose in his own generation… (Acts 13:36, NIV)
B. The Lord’s work operates on a continuum as one visitation prepares for the next one. The Lord teaches the people
in next move of God what “to do” and what “not to do”.
C. History testifies that the most recent move of God often persecutes the next move of God.
D. Application: we recognize that God uses many different people, places and seasons of visitation (usually 2-3
years) in preparing a generation for the fullness of His purpose. The Spirit usually establishes a few “national epicenters”
of the Spirit’s activity and many “regional epicenters”.
Examples include: John Alexander Dowie healing revival (1890’s); Wales revival (1904); Azusa Street revival (Los
Angeles in 1906); Aimee Simple McPherson healing revival (1920’s); Voice of Healing revival with Oral Roberts,
William Braham, Kenneth Hagin, etc. (1940-50’s); Charismatic Renewal with the Catholics then main line denominations
(1967); Jesus Movement Chuck Smith/Lonnie Frisbee in Southern California (1970’s); Vineyard healing revival with John
Wimber (1980’s); International renewal center in Lakeland Florida with Rodney Howard-Browne reaching Pentecostals
(1993); International renewal center in Toronto with John Arnott reaching main line denominations (1994); Pensacola
revival with evangelism with Steve Hill (1995); Regional renewal in Smithton with Steve Gray (1995); Regional healing
evival in Redding with Bill Johnson (2000), Todd Bentley national healing revival in Lakeland (2008).
V. CHALLENGE #4: GOD BRINGS DELIVERANCE WHILE HUMBLING HIS PEOPLE
A. We must understand that God’s purpose is to bring deliverance to many while humbling all those involved including
the anointed vessels, their friends, those who just ignore the revival as well as this those who actively oppose it.
B. People will get healed and people will get hurt as God gives all opportunity to be more humble.
C. God uses weak and broken vessels of clay so that no one glories or boasts in man.
27 God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the
world…29 that no flesh should glory in His presence…31 that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the LORD."
(1 Cor. 1:27-31)
D. Joseph’s dungeon vision (March 1984): God will work to restore humility in the Church
E. Application: God moves in the midst of clay vessels so that no one glories or boasts in man. People typically only
boast in men in their first experience in revival.
VI. CHALLENGE #5: BEING CHILDLIKE IN FAITH NOT CHILDISH IN DISCERNMENT
3 Unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever
humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom (Mt. 18:3-4)
A. Humility of childlikeness: trusting God is a risk taking (children do not fear losing their status)
B. Humility of childlikeness: learning with a teachable spirit
18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become
wise. (1 Cor. 3:18)
C. Humility of childlikeness: Satisfied with being with Father
D. We are not to be childish in conducting ourselves without the restraints of love. The same lamp that lights a house
also attracts the bugs.
12 Since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel….18 I speak
with tongues more than you all; 19 yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may
teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue. 20 Do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be
babes, but in understanding be mature...39 Therefore, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with
tongues. 40 Let all things be done decently and in order. (1 Cor. 14:12-20, 39-40)
E. We cannot naïvely embrace all nor critically reject all because those leading in revival sometimes say and do
unwise things and those resisting the revival sometimes say wise things. God will use our adversaries to humble us,
teach us and keep us honest.
19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies. 21 Test all things; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every
form of evil. (1 Thes. 5:19-21)
F. Application: Some will say we are biblically irresponsible for allowing some things yet at the same time others will
say we are controlling for not allowing more “liberty”. We can quench the Spirit by allowing fleshly elements to dominate
as well as by stopping things the Spirit wants.
VII. CHALLENGE #6: RECEIVE THE NEW WHILE HONORING THE OLD
A. We receive new things while honoring the Scripture.
52 He said to them, "Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who
brings out of his treasure things new and old. (Matthew 13:52)
B. We receive new things while honoring the ancient boundaries of the Scripture and humility.
28 Do not remove the ancient landmark which your fathers have set. (Prov. 22:28)
VIII. CHALLENGE #7: UNDERSTAND THAT DIFFICULTY COMES WITH A MOVE OF GOD
A. There is a God orchestrated stigma on the anointing of Holy Spirit. Many of God’s servants in history were
rejected by God’s people and later killed (Jesus, John the Baptist, Paul, Peter, etc.).
9 God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world,
both to angels and to men. 10 We are fools for Christ's sake…we are dishonored!... 12 being reviled, we bless; being
persecuted, we endure… (1 Cor. 4:9-12)
7 Not that we should appear approved…though we may seem disqualified. (2 Cor. 13:7)
B. Many of God’s “chosen vessels” end up bitter and the “host ministries” end up in division.
C. It is good to experience a move of God that exalts Jesus’ name but it is not mostly easy or fun.