Thanks you for all your prayers! They were felt, and darkness FLED at University of Texas tonight.
I have never been more encouraged in my faith and spirit by what has happened at UT these past 3 days. Tonight, we were rained out, we went into an auditorium, but something in my spirit said "NO" we are meant to preach the GOSPEL in the PUBLIC in the middle of campus, Acts 2 style, when we prayed before the rally I saw us outside praying, signs and wonders breaking out and I knew it was the will of the Holy Spirit to do the evening rally outside even if it meant I preached with only my voice and no microphone.
When we got inside, I asked the crowd, are you willing to go outside tonight? They all cheered back! I knew it was God, we marched more than 300-400 into the middle of campus, you could feel the excitement, freedom and faith. It was a PROPHETIC ACT that CHURCH HAS OFFICIALLY LEFT THE BUILDING!
I preached on Mark 3:13 on how Jesus appointed, anointed and assigned the 12 disciples to a radical lifestyle of passionate love for Jesus, to know how to pray and to walk in divine power. That prayer must move us to action.The night before, the Holy Spirit told me that the final night, the glory of the Lord would be released to a new level and that He would perform signs, wonders and miracles at the preaching of His Word. I saw students praying for students to be healed, and then it happened.
During the response time, more students committed to adopt un-reached pockets of students on campus by planting a simple church among them. The entire crowd once again began to cry out to be filled with the power of the Spirit, then the Holy Spirit began to give words of knowledge of people and their sicknesses, one by one, people rose their hand confirming they needed a prayer of healing. We had students lay hands on those around them who were sick or oppressed, immediately all over the place students were instantly healed, some were not healed, but many were, what was most encouraging was that the students stepped out in faith, in obedience to Jesus (Luke 10:9, Mark 16:15-18) to heal the sick, trusting God at His Word.
This was a powerful shift, a breakthrough of God's divine power on a secular university campus (2nd largest in nation), this event encounter was a PROPHETIC SIGN POST that we are in a NEW DAY in North America, no more will we depend on the wisdom of men, intellectual arguments, but rather like apostle Paul (1 Cor 2), we will depend on the demonstration of the Holy Spirit and Power! We owe this generation an encounter with God and the resurrection power of the Cross. I'm praying and believing this is just the beginning of a movement of New Testament Christianity in our day once again, that the Book of Acts will not just be Bible stories anymore, but that God would once again show Himself strong by performing signs and wonders at the name of His holy Servant Jesus (Acts 4). That we may declare the mighty acts of God once again in our generation, why not? I am tired of religion, I want reality, I want the reality of heaven on earth.
Something is stirring, another student volunteer missionary movement is being birthed on the shores of North America once again, hundreds of students are committing to be campus missionaries by invading lost pockets of people on campus, we are moving from a "COME" model of ministry to a "GO" model of ministry on this campus and others. Campus ministries and local churches are joining hands as one Church at UT, we are realizing that we are "one Church" called out on mission to reach the lost. A revolution is taking place, the Holy Spirit is being poured out once again, the Lord is preparing an end time army of young people to be apostolic missionaries here in order to be missionaries in the last remaining 6,000 un-reached people groups and nations of the earth and then the end will come! Come Lord Jesus come! Release a NEW AWAKENING on college campuses in America once again for the final great harvest!
Pray for University of Texas tonight and tomorrow, nearly every student tonight committed to share Christ with at least one person in the next 24 hours, may adventures with the Holy Spirit be brought forth, may divine appointments be opened, may the Good News be preached and souls soundly be saved! Release a Jesus revolution Holy Spirit, come in Your power in this day, let God be God. Let the nations be glad, let missions be the sound of our heart once again! Amen.
Pray for me, tomorrow morning I am training the over 200 students who committed to starting simple churches (Authentic Faith Communities) all morning tomorrow, let the Acts of the Holy Spirit be made known once again! Rain down Holy Spirit in power in Austin Texas, rain down on every college and university campus in this nation. Move us from prayer to action. As my friend Pete Greig says, "May we pray like it all depends on God, live like it all depends on us."
change the campus, change the world ~ come Holy Spirit, bring it! word.
Oh yeah, Praise God the UCLA Bruins are in the Final Four baby! Yes, God has been answering my prayers (haha) seriously though, pray for the Bruins, God has been moving upon certain players in the team, I can't get into details, but there are some God fearing, Jesus loving, Spirit filled bros on the team that I have been blessed to know and pray with. Pray that they depend on God as a team, pray that as they play God will protect them, fill them with His Spirit and take them to the top for His glory!
Ok, honestly..if the Bruins win the NCAA Championship, that is a SIGN FROM GOD THAT REVIVAL IS DROPPING AT UCLA! (haha j/k) But, I'm still Praying they win and that God will use it for His purposes. Word. UCLA FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!
Dude, also thank you for all your prayers at University of Texas, tonight the Holy Spirit fell in power again, over 200 students committed to starting new simple churches (Authentic Faith Communities) among the 700 lost pockets of people on campus. They were crying out for the infilling of the Holy Spirit and revival with a hunger and desperation that I have not seen on many college campuses, it's interesting, this whole year I have been speaking at more "Unity Campus Events" than any other year. This year in particular, the Holy Spirit has fell continually and consistently and students are crying out to God and being envisioned for mission on campus like have never seen. A spirit of true repentance being released, signs and wonders, students seeing angels, divine healing breaking out, students running to the creeks and pools to get baptized, etc. Like tonight, they were so receptive, desperate, hungry, across all denominational lines, and the responses were dramatic in number. Probably 80% of those there committed to praying and going to the lost (actually signing up to adopt an un-reached student group) on campus. You could feel the "open heaven" it was like this also at UCLA, UCI, USC, Cal Poly Pomona, CSULB, and I know this openness to the Person and Works of the Holy Spirit has to do with all the 24-7 campus houses of prayer popping up on different universities across the nation. Prayer has prepared the way, has broken up the soil on the universities, NOW it is time to reap the harvest. Holy Spirit Come, come like the rain, burn like a fire, let revival flow from the campuses to the nations!
I was there at Hillsong Conference in July, the atmosphere was electric. I love this song it's one of my favorites, it's sooo ANOINTED, I can feel it just watching and praising God to this, I love to worship God! I love His manifest presence! Come Holy Spirit come! You are mighty to Save Jesus!
Thanks for the prayers for UT tonight, the Holy Spirit fell in the middle of campus, students were repenting of sin, crying out for the infilling of the Holy Spirit, students obeyed God and immediately were baptized in water tonight, reports came in of students being divinely healed of sicknesses, it was like being in the middle of the temple square in the book of Acts. This is just night one, keep interceding, we ask for more Holy Spirit!
One day, in the middle of every college campus we will be worshipping like this in the outdoors, in every stadium in every city across the nations, WORSHIP GOD!
I am currently praying and preparing at the University of Texas, Austin. Please pray for me, Neil Cole and our co-workers at UT (Campus Renewal Ministries).
God has been doing an amazing work of unity, prayer and mission on this campus among the Body of Christ. Campus ministries and local churches have been praying and working together in unity to see the campus utterly transformed with God's glory for a few years now.
Currently, our network has established a permanent 24-7 prayer room @ UT and we have nearly 120 simple church plants (Authentic Faith Communities)at UT and are believing after the trainings in the next few days to see over 200 student led simple churches established this year to reach the lost at UT.
I will be speaking and training campus staff workers, student leaders daily till Sat morning. Between 300-600 each evening for their united campus rallies.
Please pray..
1. Holy Spirit falls upon UT in revival fire and power
2. God uses my words to bring lasting change and fruit for His kingdom
3. No winds, rains or storms as it is currently bad weather and events are outside
4. Unity among all the different campus ministries, local churches, that my messages will challenge, empower and bring greater unity.
5. Protection from illness and traveling mercies for both myself and Neil Cole who is is equipping together with me.
6. That students will see themselves as "missionaries" on campus, and adopt to reach every pocket of students on this campus who do not have the Gospel, by sharing the Gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit and planting a simple church in every lost community.
Thank you for your intercessions, please also keep my family and co-workers in prayers, God is gracious, pressing on!
Many of you know of my life transforming experience at Singing Waters Ministry in Canada this past summer. You can read my testimony by clicking on "Aug 2006" archives "Transformation of My Heart." Well, I prayed to God that He would open doors for this ministry to be a blessing to others and he has answered my prayer. The Singing Waters ministry team will be coming to my home church "Harvest Rock Church" to hold a 3 day intensive conference "Transformed by the Power of Love" this coming Thurs-Saturday. Sunday, they will be holding a special session at Passion Church UCLA from 1-4pm.
Without question, if there was one ministry I would recommend to anyone to receive personal breakthrough and healing it would be Singing Waters. I know that online registration is over, but you can still register at the door. This ministry has absolutely been used by God to transform my life. I pray you will not miss this opportunity to receive a incredible blessing this coming weekend at my home church in Pasadena Ca to encounter the Holy Spirit and the truth of who you really are. Info below...
Please note: Online registration has ended. Please come and register at the door. Registration at the door first night only at $50 each.
Many of us have heard the classic phrase, “ God loves you,” but how many have actually encountered the tangible, transforming power of this awesome truth? Why is it that what we know about God in our heads often does not penetrate the depths of our hearts? The encountering of love truly transforms the heart. This course seeks not only to teach, but also to practically minister and bring transformation into the areas of our lives that keep us from receiving the Father's perfect love.
www.harvestrockchurch.org
THURSDAY, MARCH 29 7:00pm – 10:00pm SESSION 1 – Created to For Love (Steve)
FRIDAY, MARCH 30 9:30am – 12:30pm SESSION 2 – Transformed by the Father’s Love (Steve) 2:30pm – 5:00pm SESSION 3 – Abba’s Child – Sonship Revealed (Russ) 7:30pm – 10:00pm SESSION 4 – Fathering the Fatherless (Russ)
SATURDAY, MARCH 31 9:30am – 12:30pm SESSION 5 - Three Questions, Two Trees (Steve) 2:30pm – 5:00pm SESSION 6 – Identity Transformation (Russ) 7:00pm – 9:00pm SESSION 7 – Transformation to Destiny (Steve)
If we are not sold out: Pre-registrants with wristbands enter first for our free evening sessions. After this, we will let others enter until all seats are taken on a first come, first serve basis. The pre-registered line begins at the North lobby doors. The unregistered line begins at the West lobby doors.
If we are sold out: There will be no free evening sessions and no registration available at the door
Parking and Directions
Contact Info
Harvest Rock Church offices: 1539 E. Howard Street Pasadena, CA 91104
Harvest Rock Church's Ambassador Auditorium: 131 South Saint John Avenue Pasadena, CA 91123
Phone: 626.794.1190 Fax: 626.389.2489
Parking for Friday and Saturday will be at the Elks lodge ONLY
"Fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit" (Mike Bickle, links below to teaching)
Dear Friends,
This teaching by Mike Bickle has been through the years one of the most helpful and practical understandings of how to fellowship (talk) with the Holy Spirit. It is not about an "encounter" it is about a "daily discipline" of engaging with the Holy Spirit in conversation and pressing into His presence. If we are faithful with little, He will make us faithful with more.
Do not be discouraged as you earnestly seek to linger in the presence of the Holy Spirit. An Olympic runner does not become one over night, he or she, daily disciplines himself through exercise, practice and diligence in order to be in a state of champion like health and strength. In the same way, we must discipline our bodies, soul and spirit each day to press into knowing the Holy Spirit. Some days, we will encounter much, other days we may sense little, but be encouraged, the more we press into the Spirit of God, the more we will become aware of His presence in our lives. I sense His presence more with me today (after 9 years of fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit) than I did the first year, sensitizing our spirit to His Spirit, is a lifestyle and habit that is developed over time, not over night.
If we think we will just walk in the Holy Spirit and become aware of His loving presence in our lives by having a "conference encounter" or someone laying hands on us, we are greatly fooled. That can help the process, but that does not make us one who fellowship(s) with the Holy Spirit. It is a daily "relationship" of being and talking with the Holy Spirit continually. You don't take 15 vitamins one day and all of a sudden get healthy. No, you must daily make it a discipline of taking vitamins, and then over time, the vitamins begin to take root into your body's immune system and it begins to change the dynamic of your health. Walking with the Holy Spirit is a developed habit, not a sudden magical experience. Any relationship you value, takes time and effort, in the same way, I encourage all of you reading this to daily stop every half hour, and just talk to the Holy Spirit out loud for a few minutes and acknowledge His presence in your life. We will only walk in the Spirit, as much as we talk to the Spirit. If we sow to the spirit, we will reap of the spirit and not fall into the carnalities of our flesh. What we sow to, is what we will become. Sow daily into your relationship and fellowship with the Holy Spirit.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion (fellowship) of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. 2 Corinth 13:14
Take it one step further, after meditating upon the Word of God, saying your prayers, daily spend at least a half hour to one hour, soaking in the presence of the Holy Spirit, asking Him to come. Then, practice by being still in order to know (intimately experience) Him (Ps 46:10). Linger in His presence, talk to Him, listen to Him, simply "be with the Holy Spirit." Remember, we are not waiting for God, He is waiting for us to come present to His presence. If we draw near to the Holy Spirit, He will draw near to us to fellowship and commune.
You can order, "Fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit" teaching series (one of the best ever) at www.ihop.org
The CD series I think is now called "Walking in the Spirit" you can buy at the IHOP book store.
(Me and Pastor Philip's kids in Taiwan, they are sooo CUTE, and his baby boy loves to beat me up!)
Today, I decided to take the day off :) It was one of the best decisions I've made in a long time. After coming back from Asia, I've still have been going non-stop like the energizer bunny ministering from one thing to the next. Well, I think last night after Passion Church 1 my battery ran out. Haha, Joyce led the Bible study on Matthew 18, how in order to enter into the kingdom of God we must become like little children, if not, we won't enter in. Interesting. To enter into the kingdom, Jesus calls us not to grow up, but to grow down. Not to be more responsible, but to have no responsibilities. Children have no worries, always seem to trust, never seem to doubt, but have an ability to believe...almost anything! They trust more, depend more, are more humble and have a simple faith. I need to be like a child again, I feel like Holy Spirit is asking me to play more, instead of minister more. Sometimes, I think the Holy Spirit wants me to stop looking at ministry as work, but more as play :) Whut tha?
So Jesus you want me to play? Run around, go stupid, and just waste time like I used to when I was in 3rd grade, like when I was in junior high and I used to play outside of my house with my best friend Chris Rodriguez from 3:30pm right after school, till as late as our parents would let us stay outside? You have got to be kidding me Jesus?
Those were good times :) Those were the good ol' days as I recall. Playing outside with my next door neighbor Chris. haha. man, that just brings a smile to my face. We used to play like literally, probably at least 1000 made up games that made absolutely no sense at all. Life was good back then, it still is, but it was a different good. It was free. It was without pressure, responsibilities, no sense of time, just a sense of play. I guess it can still be like that yea? In order to enter into the kingdom we must be converted and become like a child.
Ah, religion tells us to grow up, Jesus tells us to grow young. Religion tells us we need to know more, to attain more knowledge. While Jesus says, know less, be more dependent, become like a child, have faith in Me, learn to truly LIVE (Jn 10:10). Don't learn to grow up, learn to grow down. Grow down in humility, in dependency, in faith, in trust, with the heart and mind of a child, to simply believe that all things are possible with God. I think Peter Pan is a Biblical idea, haha. God don't ever let me grow old! Let me stay young and live in Neverland, a place where the supernatural is natural, anything is possible, life is fun and full of adventure with the Holy Spirit!
Haha, I used to watch Peter Pan at least once a week with the babies from my mom's daycare. Dude, just last night I had this random dream of "Christopher and Wesley Swanson" I have no idea where these two boys are, well they are probably teenagers now, but they were the cutest little two baby brothers in the world that my mom used to babysit. Really, they were like my best friends in junior high. We used to watch Sing A Long videos, Disney cartoons, play in my mom's daycare for hours after I got home from school. I still remember in high school, when I became to cool, or more like too busy to hang out with Christopher and Wesley at home cause I started playing with older kids. I remember still to this day, when lil Wesley, standing at the front door, with puppy dog eyes began to cry, asking me not to leave the house, but to stay and play with him. Looking back, I wish I did. I miss them so much, I miss KIDS! I wish I didn't have to grow up sometimes :( and u know what? I don't have to, at least in my heart.
Neways, all this to say. I did nothing today. Almost nothing, at least. I was sick for the first part of the day. That comes from 2 weeks non-stop of revival activity at UCLA, lol, serious, these last two weeks at UCLA have been nutz, REVIVAL IS HARD WORK! But it's also fun, but not when you do more than what the Holy Spirit asks you to do, then you end up sick like me :P But yeah, we saw like 9 new believers baptized in one week! Holy Spirit has been pouring Himself out on campus and in our simple church gatherings, it's been sweet. Haha, I'll write about "GOD 101" last week when I preached randomly (or Holy Spirit led) at Bruin Walk again, that was fun, there must have been like 150-200 students listening to me teach about God 101 and debate with 2 hard core Atheist's (this will be another blog entry)about a dozen or more gave their life to Christ, including 4 Muslim's we are following up on!
So with all that going on, Holy Spirit encounter to encounter, meeting to meeting, every person on earth (it feels like) wanting to talk, receive ministry, etc your body can only take so much before it collapses. So it collapsed Sunday night :P in a good way. After the PC 1 meeting, we all decided to put the Word into practice "to be more like children" so we went to Baskin Robbins :D yay! I had my favorite "mint chocolate chip 'extra ice creamy' milk shake" oh yes, I frikkn luv ICE CREAM!!!!
And then today, I did nothing, ate some bomb Chinese food with Auntie Sharon and Jinder and Jonder in San Gabriel, came home, met some old friends for Starbucks, and then sensed the Holy Spirit nudge me to spend time with Him.
So I did, and it's been a while since I just "soaked in His presence" without a care in the world, but to just be with Him. Not praying for ministry, not asking for solutions, not crying out for revival, but to just "bask in His presence" and just receive His love. Refreshing. Filled. Blessed. Happy. Great. Yes. Full. mmmhmm :) are just a few words to describe how it feels to be filled again, afresh with the love of the Holy Spirit! I just laid on the couch and waited on His presence for pretty much the whole night till now, and man, I feel MORE AWAKE then ever. I am filled wiht the Holy Ghost hahahahahhaha, I'M on FIRE! woohOOooooHooooHOoooOOOoooo! I LOVE THE HOLY SPIRIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOHOOOO!
So yeah, I feel good. dun nuh nun nuh nun nuh, I kno dat I would now! Good! So good! dun nun na nuh! I feel Good! etc... (this used to be theme song for the SF Giants back in the 80's) Ok, so I think I'm going delirious now, but it's a good feeling. Jesus loves me. The Holy Spirit is in me, I can feel Him, I am with Him, He is with me, I am in LOVE with God, I am in love with myself :) because God likes me! woohooo!
Come Holy Spirit come, bless every person that reads this to be filled with Your loving presence, that they may be refreshed and renewed in Your presence, because in Your presence is FULLNESS OF JOY!!!!!! YIPPEE!!!! (Ps 16:11) Be filled with the love and power of the Holy Spirit daily (Eph 5:17-19) yes, be like a child again, remain vulnerable, stay humble and have faith like a child and we shall see miracles :)
and always remember to take a day off to "rest" Jaeson, yes you A.D.D. boy! REST!!!!
These are pix from an solemn assembly gathering we had in Hong Kong rallying over 1000 young people in the middle of downtown to pray, commit to a life of purity before marriage and to repent of the sin of abortion. I had no idea, HK was the abortion capital city of the world. Every 1 in 3 babies is aborted at the womb, this statistic terrified my heart. I shared my story there, how my mother almost aborted me, but thanks be to God, I am here today, alive, loving life because of God's grace. Pray for two things among Hong Kong's youth.
1)Passion for purity - against sexual immorality 2)Ending of abortion
May we give up the lesser pleasures of this world, for the extravagant pleasures of knowing God. May God raise up a standard when the enemy comes in like a flood. Our God reigns, let us stand for righteousness in this hour!
Recently, after coming back from my trip in Asia I experienced a reality that I had not thought seriously of before. How short one's life can be. I woke up one night around 3am a week ago, with excruciating pain in my stomach. It lasted for hours and it was pain I had never felt before. I asked God for grace and immediately asked for His mercy to help me. The pain subsided enough for me to wake the next morning for the training. I felt incredibly weak, wanted to go to the hospital, but I was scheduled to speak that following day in Nor Cal for a Campus Crusade Epic conference. I went up by faith, and ended up at Kaiser in the ER and had to have blood tests taken and a physical. My sister, who studies medicine warned me it could be an ulcer because of my irregular eating habits, lack of juices and HIGH STRESS. Alot of thoughts were running through my mind during this period. I repented before God for not taking better care of the temple of the Holy Spirit. I guess 5 years of non-stop plane travel, time zone changes, irregular eating and intense pressure can even wear down a 26 year old body "for even youth grow tired and weary" Isaiah 40:30 At the same time, I could feel the spirtual warfare around me, having been attacked in my weakness right before 3 major training conferences where we saw great breakthrough and revival. Whatever the case, I couldn't help but not shake the thought of how fragile our life is.
So what if I only had 10 more years to live? One more year to live? Or only one day? How would I live this life? How would I spend my time? how would I focus my time and talents? Alot of thoughts have been racing through my heart these days, it feels heavy, but not in a burdensome way, more like a urgency. I've just been praying lately, "Lord use my life to win as many souls as possible before I die! Lord get maximum glory through my life! Lord don't let me waste this life, let me live everyday as if I was dying, God give me grace to not waste one minute, one moment, may every breath and action of my life bring You glory. Please Lord, don't let me waste my time, but let me live completely for You, to know You intimately and make You known whatever that takes, I don't even know how, but God please, please let me finish that which You have purposed for me to do. Let me do all of Your will in my lifetime, even if I die young like the Apostles of old, even Jesus only lived to 33 years old, if it was up to me Lord I would ask You to give me long life that I might preach the Gospel till my dying day, being selfish I would ask for marriage and a family, but if that is not Your lot for me then I accept whatever amount of breaths You give me, just don't let me waste them. Use my life, get maximum glory through this life that is vapor, from the dust I came and to the dust I will go. Not my will but Your will be done. All men die, few men really live, let the little life that You have given me be lived out to the full, let it not be a waste, but let it be full of love given and love given away.
I found out yesterday that my blood test came back "negative" my body is normal, yet maybe this was a wake up call to recognize the preciousness of life, my need to be a better steward of what God has given to me, to learn to rest and recognize revival is God's work - not mine and to remember to live like your dying, everday till that day. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Phil 1:21
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Gal 2:20
