Prevailing Church : Unleashed the Power of the kingdom

Ryan? Recording? Okay. Guys, we've been talking about the prevailing church, as in a prevailing

church is a church that engages, that contends, and that overcomes. A prevailing church is

a church that engages, that contends, and overcomes. Engaging who? Engaging the world

around you. Not engaging angels or engaging the Holy Spirit, because that happens anyways

if you're a people called apart by God, but engaging the world around you. And then prevailing

means contending, meaning there are battles to be fought, because contending is involved,

because you can't prevail unless you contend. This is why when Jacob wrestled with the angel

of God, his name was changed. Why? Because the angel of God says, you have contended

with God and man and you have prevailed, therefore your name shall not be Jacob, it shall be

Israel. So if you want to become a prevailing church, and it's the only kind of church that

should exist, because in Matthew 16, Jesus said, I will build my church and the gates

of hell shall not prevail against the church. Or in other words, I will build my church

and this is the kind of church that will prevail against, thanks man, this is the kind of church

that will prevail against the gates of the enemy. So prevailing church is the only church,

only kind of church that Jesus really wanted to build. It's not like we have a choice in

this matter. It's not like we are selecting something that will suit us. It is the only

option we have. Therefore it involves being engaged with the world around you and then

the second thing is to contend, which means there will be some battling that needs to

happen and you don't pick your battles, God picks the battles for us, because he knows

how fit or capable we are. The thing though with this teaching is that I can keep coming

up with teachings for the next six or eight months and so all we end up having is information.

So one of the things we want to do over the next couple of weeks is, so what does it look

like if Acts 29 actually engaged Vancouver and what if we contended for something difficult

here in Vancouver? Till we have a practical example in Jerusalem, we can't go to Judea,

Samaria and the ends of the earth. So there's no problem, there's no point doing this in

Abu Dhabi or Dubai or India. It has to be done in Vancouver first and if it's done in

Vancouver it can't be done by one or two people or the leaders. It has to be the entire church

because he ain't looking for a prevailing pastor. He's looking for a prevailing church

and therefore my hope is within the next two weeks and I've been talking to a couple of

guys about this, what is it oh God that you can give us that will engage the world in

Vancouver and then what is it oh God that you will allow us to contend for, wrestle for, fight

for and our battle is not against? Flesh and blood. So how do we battle this? What are you going to

give us that we can contend for and then oh God how long do we have to persevere so that we overcome

and then oh God once we overcome what are the spoils of war and what do the overcomers get?

Because there's that too. Remember we started on what overcomers get and we never finished that.

Every time in the book of Revelation that Jesus says and to those that overcome and then he gives

a list of rewards. So there are two rewards that come when you prevail and persevere and prevail.

One you get the spoils of war. You always collect spoils of war and spoils of war can be souls of

men, it can be wealth, it can be anything that God wants you to plunder and two there are rewards

for overcoming. Look forward to this guys because this teaching can go on forever. I got enough

material to teach for six months but what's the point of just keeping on talking about prevailing

church if we don't actually have a practical example and when we have a practical example then

there'll be no one who is left out. Everybody contends then. Each one will have a role depending

on your grace or gift. Look forward to it. Pray that we get something solid to do eh from God

because we can't pick up battles because we're not battling for our own fiefdoms.

This is a kingdom thing. God has to allocate to us the people that we have to

draw out because at the end of the day we're in the rescuing business.

That's where we hope to go in the future. So today I just want to start off on if you're a

prevailing church you must unleash the power of the kingdom. If you're a prevailing church,

if you're a church that knows how to engage the world, contend with it and then overcome it then

you must unleash the power of the kingdom because I think it's in 1st Corinthians 14 that God says

hey by the way the kingdom of God is not about talk but it's about power. It's not about eating

or drinking but it's about right standing. It's about joy. It's about power, righteousness, peace

and joy in the Holy Ghost and power. So righteousness as in right standing with God,

peace as in the ability to rest in the midst of a storm, joy as in the ability to be

happy really. We divide happiness and joy so clinically that it loses both lose its meaning.

A joyful people are a happy people men.

And so and then the last one is power. So today we'll just touch on power because Jesus's ministry

was made up of two simple things guys. It was his words and his works.

His words and his works. So when he spoke an event happened. His ministry can be divided into words

and works. Jesus's ministry was made up of the words of Jesus and the works of Jesus. His

proclamation was almost synonymous with the healing and the deliverance. I mean you look at

scriptures in Matthew and you'll see the leper was healed because Jesus said I am willing.

The lame man walked because Jesus said arise. The centurion knew that Jesus had only to speak a word.

When Jesus said go the demons went words and works and what acts 29 has to learn is when we say this

can this happen? That's what we have to learn. Otherwise we can say words and nothing will

happen. This is why when Rennie came up last week and declared that she will be healed.

It was important because if God is God and if she's actually trusting in God then the words

must be evidenced in works and this is not the realm of some pastor or some super apostle or

prophet. This must be the realm of the church. Everybody here must do this because he's really

not after anything else but a people in whose midst he dwells who he can work through any time

of the day not in a building like this but in the streets we live in the spheres we occupy the status

we have in society and the segments of society we occupy everybody from Tate onwards to Dagmar.

This is how it works guys. Any questions?

Works and words. Questions thoughts?

No? Hong Kong. Okay.

So what is the announcement then if you go to Mark 1, 14 and 15. Mark 1, 14 and 15. One of the things

you see Jesus often doing is he often will speak the words first and then the works will follow

and so what was his main announcement and which is sometimes something we miss out on.

We talked about this ages ago but just look at it again. Mark chapter 1, 14 and 15. Here's what it

Mark 1 · chapter mention

says. We'll just touch on the basics today guys and then let you go because you guys had a work

day too. Mark 1, 14 and 15. Here's what it says. After John was put in prison Jesus went into

Galilee and here are his words. Proclaiming the good news of the some version say God other versions

say proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and here's what he said. The time has come he said

the kingdom of God is near repent and believe the good news. So here's the thing in if you want the

works of God or the power of God to be released it is essential to proclaim the kingdom.

It is essential to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom and we'll explain that. It's not very

complicated. We've gone over it a few times. It's just that the words sound heavy. Gospel of the

kingdom or the gospel of the rule of the king or the good news

of the rule of the king. That's all it is.

Every time a people engage in the proclamation of the good news of the rule of a king called Jesus

Christ anytime you proclaim it it is almost inevitable that it will be evidenced by the

power of the kingdom. It's almost guaranteed. You go scripture after scripture after scripture,

gospel after gospel after gospel. One thing is very clear Jacob every time you tell someone

about the good news of the rule of the king I will back you up with science miracles and wonders

guaranteed. But what do we do? We leave the proclamation to either paid professionals or clergy

or to some super guy which is why we don't see what we need to see but we only see it being

done by someone else. And the more the person excels at doing it the more we call him and the

more he's in demand while the entire church languishes because we don't expect to work this

thing out ourselves. And God's creating a shift eh because he's desperately after a people. He's

really not after superstars. He's desperately after a people. Give me a people who can evidence the

words of the king because of their desire to declare or proclaim the good news of the

rule of the king. Now what is the good news of the rule of the king? Not very complicated guys.

It's the story of the life of Jesus, the story of the death of Jesus, the story of the resurrection

of Jesus, the story of the ascension of Jesus, the story of the fact that he now lives amongst

the people. That is the good news. The good news is there is a king. His name is Jesus. He came,

lived, he died, he rose again, he now has ascended, he is ultimate ruler over the entire

earth. Oh and by the way he lives in my house too. This is the good news and guys it is the I know I

said this couple of weeks ago it is the only means by which people are rescued. It is the only means

by which people are rescued. There is no other means by which people are rescued. You tell them

the story of the good news of this king who came down to the earth, lived, died, rose again,

actually is seated above everything, controls everything and by the way oh shucks he lives in

me too and you evidence it by oh you know I had a thyroid problem and my thyroid problems disappeared,

oh I had my shaving blade fall off and I stepped over it and found it. This is how the rule of the

king is evidenced in your life. When you do this it is guaranteed that science, miracles and

wonders will follow. If you don't believe me look at Mark 16. Mark 16.

Here's what it says. After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them last verse 19 onwards, after the

Lord Jesus had, or let's go to verse 15. He said to them go into all the world and do what?

Proclaim the good news of the kingdom. In this case he says the gospel. The gospel at the end of the day is the good news of the rule of the king.

Guys it is necessary to hammer this again and again and again and again because even when we begin to actually practice

what it is to be a prevailing church in Vancouver this will be an essential part of it. This is our

greatest weapon eh. Why is this our greatest weapon? Because every time you lift up the king,

his weight, his splendor, his magnificence, his goodness descends. What at the end of the day is

the glory of God? The glory of God is very simple. It's not people falling over. It's not gold dust.

The glory of God is very simple. It is the power of God, the goodness of God, the presence of God and

the laughter of God contained in one word glory. And when that comes it is the greatest tool of

evangelism because nobody can stand the power, the presence, the goodness and the laughter of God

or the joy of God. And every time Christ is lifted up, every time the good news of the rule of the

king, his life is dead, his resurrection is ascension and oh by the way the fact that he lives in me.

Every time you do that it is impossible for the works of God to be avoided. Impossible.

Try this guys. Try this because then when you leave here what's really happening? The church

suddenly goes into 20 different places tomorrow morning. We go into 20 different places tomorrow

morning. And what are we taking with us? The very things we are talking about.

Try this and then after you try it look for opportunities for God to step in because it says

where's my Bible? Did you take it Sheldon?

Verse 15, he said to them, going to all the world and preach the good news to all creation.

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved. Whoever does not believe will be condemned.

And then it says these signs will accompany those who believe. In my name they will drive out demons.

They will speak in new tongues. They will pick up snakes and with their hands and when they drink

deadly poison it will not hurt them at all. They will place their hands on sick people and they

will get well. And I love the next line. After the Lord had spoken to them he was taken up into heaven

and he sat at the right hand of God. And then listen to what happens next. Then the disciples

went out and look at what they did. Proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom. I'm deliberately putting

in the words gospel of the kingdom and proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom. And the Lord worked

with them and confirmed his word by signs that accompanied it. This is the unleashing of the

power of the kingdom. Try it. Try it. Even if you are not being healed immediately try it for someone

else and you'll find them getting healed. Do not measure God by whether your sickness is healed.

Measure God. Actually don't measure God because it's immeasurable. But try this out. It always works.

Always works. Look for opportunities where God can show off.

Look for opportunities. And at the end of the day I know we've talked about proclamation,

penetration and progression of the gospel. We won't go there today. We'll just stop with one or two

more lines and then we'll break bread and go home.

Guys, power is about your ability to obey. Authority is about your responsibility before God.

Power is about your ability to obey what God is asking you to do. The moment I have the ability

to obey what God is asking me to do, his power is present. So it doesn't matter. Like today we talked

about how the king commanded us to do things. What has the king commanded you? If you step into what

the king has commanded you, you will find that the moment you obey you now have the power required

for it because power is the ability to obey what God has. Power is always provided when you have

the ability to obey what God wants you to obey. Power is always provided. And power comes with

resources too. Power is not just the display of signs, miracles and wonders. Power is resources too.

Every time I obey I find that the power of God is present because I had the ability to obey.

Authority on the other hand is your responsibility before God. Authority is about responsibility.

Power is about ability to obey. Power is about ability to obey. Authority is about your

responsibility before God. If you are responsible before God you will have authority. At the end of

the day it's very simple. Story after story, parable after parable in the book of Matthew and Luke

indicate just one thing. Jacob if you are faithful in this and you steward this well I guarantee you

I will increase your domain. I will cause it to expand. All expansion of domain comes to one

simple thing, stewarding what you presently have. That's it. You never have to look for the limelight.

You never have to suck up to anybody. You never have to angle for a position. You never have to

jockey for anything because it is impossible for a man who is a good steward of what God has placed

in his hand at present to be stopped. It is impossible. It's like gravity. It cannot go away.

It always happens. Always. If I do what I'm doing at Acts 29 well the world is my playfield and it is.

As simple as that. Any questions?

Sharon God wants to say to you that and when I say this name don't copy her because she

made tons of mistakes and she really messed her life up. I'm only giving you an idea. I'm calling

out this name just so you have an indication of what God wants to do with you. You've heard of

Catherine Kuhlman. Okay God wants to do with you what he did with Catherine Kuhlman only he does

not want you to end up doing the stuff she did because she really messed up. She's held up as a

virtuous woman who did stuff but she went grave sucking in the end for all you know.

At the end of the day God wants you to understand who Catherine Kuhlman was and what God wanted to

do with her. That is it's along those lines that God wants to operate through you.

So begin to read the book of Mark. Begin to find out the mechanisms of healing that Jesus asked us

to practice. Begin to read upon Catherine Kuhlman but read a book that tell you how messed up she

was so that you don't make the same mistakes. Do not imitate her because she didn't imitate

Christ in many areas. Do not become a Benny Hinn or anything like that because that isn't where God

is taking you. You will not be popular. You will not be famous. No one will know your name but what

he wanted to do through Catherine Kuhlman he will do through you. That name is just a picture so that

you remember it. Joshua God wants to say to you that he will not give you anything easy to do.

Everything that comes your way will be difficult just because he knows that that is what you

require. So do not expect an easy way through and every time it is difficult know that oh

shucks God thank you for putting this difficult thing in my pathway because I was meant to run

with horses. I was meant to contend for things. Do not ask for anything simple. Become like Gideon's

300 who lap up the water. Do not drink out of a glass. You weren't meant for that.

So when you are told to walk somewhere it'll be carve out a path in the wilderness.

When you're told to open a door there is no door there. There's a blooming wall

but every time that happens don't look at it as God has abandoned me. How come he isn't answering

my prayer? Remember what God said, son this is who I created you to be. To make pathways where

there are no pathways to make doors where there are no doors. So don't expect things to be easy

but your rewards will be far greater than anyone else. Why is he doing this? So that a day will

come where you'll be tough enough to take on much larger goliaths than the rest of us.

Keep that in mind. Navina, God wants to say to you that there's a frustration or a restlessness

that is growing in you because you're not satisfied with what you have and rightly so it's a godly

frustration. It's not that you're not doing Christian things but you know there is more than this

and God is saying I'm going to open the doors for you and it won't happen to anybody else in your

family first. It'll happen to you first. Where there's restlessness, there's frustration of

I'm doing so many godly things, so many people are getting saved but there is more than this and

God is saying absolutely and keep going down this path because this restlessness will not be quenched

till you take a step where you begin to, you know one of the things God wants to do with you

is to raise people up in firm discipline. Firm discipline. You have the ability to smile and

stab people at the same time. I meant that in a nice way and God wants you to be that kind of a

person who raises people up with firm discipline and God is going to create opportunities for that.

Instruction where horses are trained to run in firm discipline and so don't worry if what Manny

is doing and you are doing don't now gel together always. Manny will do his thing and you will do

gel together always. Manny will do his thing and you will do your thing. It isn't as if there's

something wrong with that. You guys have been running together for a while and God is saying

I'm going to create a separate track for you and Manny will run a separate track and then later on

it'll meet again because I've got to take that restlessness away says God. Okay guys let's

break bread. We'll do the rest later.