Joel Levi - The move of the Spirit of God - Humility is the doorway - Sunday, August 23, 2026

Good morning, everybody.

There's so many promises the Lord has over our lives.

And it's when we stand in the shadows, it is those places that we can't see those promises.

That's why the psalmist says, The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not walk.

And then he says, towards the end of the psalm, he says, Yea, though I walk through the valleys of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil.

Because he knows that he's not standing in the shadows, he's walking through, but there's he's moving into a season of light.

Because in his light all things are visible.

In his light, all things are made known.

There's nothing hidden, nothing can pounce on us.

Man, reduce the booming, please.

Um I saw the texts uh on the on a uh different uh group chats that are in the in the church and the cleaning team, you know, they were thanking people.

So, and there were quite a few times when people had different people come and clean different times, so I put my likes in there as well because I really appreciate all the people who come, all the people who do things behind the scene, you know, the cleaning team.

So thank you for everybody who does um the clean.

Uh, it's right now it's a real problem to clean because it's still quite boomy, man.

Yeah, just uh so um because we uh making a passageway here and there's there's work going on, um, building work, and that's creating a lot of dust.

So uh cleaning team is managing really well.

I saw that they've cleared a path there for people to go through.

Just one thing keep that door closed uh as you use the toilets, the toilets are through there, and keep that door closed because it's really cold on the other side, and all that cold air will just fill in this place if we don't keep that door closed.

Make sure the door is closed.

If we I'm also fine if we just turn the heating on that side as well.

So we can turn the heating on that side, and that'll just equalize the temperature everywhere, and then it doesn't matter whether the doors are open.

The kitchen team, I'm really grateful for the kitchen team.

They put up quite a show every week.

And there are some people who who take real joy in doing this.

So, and it's it's it's a real pleasure, it's a real, real joy.

I look forward to the things that are made available after the service.

All the home groups that run, thanks to all the people who put in their efforts to run the groups, people attending the prayer, prayer meetings, you know, the the prayer for city, Wednesday prayer groups, other prayer meetings, intercession.

Just very grateful.

Anybody visiting the sick, anybody, you know, putting that effort to just looking after other people.

I can't tell you how blessed it was when Rwana came back from the hospital.

So many people brought in um soups and and meals and frozen meals.

We're still taking out of the fridge.

We took some out yesterday.

Frozen stuff that was there.

And do we need it?

I mean, yes, if people can't, if they're by themselves, yes, definitely need it.

But regardless of whether people need it or not, it it's such a good feeling.

There's somebody looking after yourself.

And even though with the with the with the people that we are at the moment, there's such good caring uh mentalities here, and everything else that we do, really, really grateful, really thankful.

And uh, I just felt like you know, just just moving in that thanks because of um I was just feeling that through worship, and the presence of God was so strong, and one of the things that just came to me was I was so grateful to the Lord for all the different things that He's done, grateful for my own life, and grateful for each and every one of each one of you.

One of the things that I feel really strongly for this season, right now, is a move of the Spirit of God.

You know, we prayed for Canada this morning, and uh we went to um Canada was one of the nations that um the vineyard movement had quite an impact on the nation of Canada, the churches in the vineyard uh church group um in the 90s, and uh so one of the impacts of that happened to this one particular church, which was near the airport in in Toronto, and it was called the Toronto Airport Christian Vineyard.

Toronto Airport Vineyard Fellowship or something like that.

It used to be called, but then it became Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship because John Wimber decided that this phenomena, what was happening at Cash the Fire, which is called now, Cash the Fire Church, which was the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship, was so strong that he he didn't want the vineyard to be known for that movement.

And so he says, Well, I'm not telling you to shut it down, but maybe leave the vineyard.

So they left the vineyard, and uh and that movement went out and touched the world.

And so that was one of my prayers this morning for that nation that many movements like that would flow out of that place, that the fire of God would come on that nation again, and then it may touch the world.

And I feel like the Lord is pointing, at least in my heart, I feel very strongly, that there is a move of God upon us, there is a move of his spirit upon us.

Every so often, um, you know, if you look at um, if you stand on the beach, I I didn't grow up around the ocean, so I don't know much.

This is all stuff that has been told to me.

So if I say something wrong, just tell me.

But I've been told that when you watch the waves, every so often there will be a bigger wave that comes.

So you'll get like three or four small ones and then a big one.

So you wait for wait for the big ones to come.

So the surfing community and all, they they know this this pattern.

There's a certain pattern that happens.

And if you watch the pattern, every so often these many waves would come, and then there will be a wave big enough that they can use to surf and and things like that.

And weather patterns are the same.

Um the cycles of in weather systems globally are the same.

There are 10-year cycles, there are 30-year cycles.

Um, we know that there is a 12-month cycle that we often feel, you know, we we know if if we get four seasons in in the place where we are, depending on where we are positioned on the globe.

Uh, if you're too close to the equator, too close to the poles, it's different.

But somewhere in between, on both sides, you get four seasons, and you know it repeats every 12 months.

So there's a repeating process, and I feel like we're coming into a season of this of a fresh move of the Spirit of God upon us.

There is this quickening in my heart, and and I was spending time with the Lord.

Let's just read before before I move ahead of myself, Joel chapter 2.

Joel 2 · chapter mention

I love this book, named after my my own name.

A lot of people, you know, they you know, I don't know if you've heard this message, this this concept, and they talk about a Joel II army.

Anytime says Joel to army, I feel, you know, oh, something's happening, something's going on.

Joel to army.

I love my name, Joel.

I don't know.

I think we need to we need to get an understanding of our names.

My name, you know, Joel, in two languages, Hebrew and Greek.

In Hebrew, it means Jehovah is God.

El Shaddai, Jehovah, El.

El is God, El Shaddai, you know, El El Elohim, God the creator, Joel, Jehovah God.

And in Greek, Joel means the Lord is my might.

So uh Jehovah, El, Jehovah is my power, my strength.

I love my name.

And uh Joel.

Um, and here, Joel, the book of Joel, the prophet Joel, has a promise that I want to read.

It's a very, very uh popular passage.

Nonetheless, I'll read it.

Joel chapter 2, verse 28 onward.

Joel 2:28

It says, And it shall come to pass afterward, so some things have to happen, and afterwards this will happen.

So there's there's a process.

God is a God of process.

He rarely does things just like that.

He requires us to flow through the process, and the biggest uh demonstration or example of this process is time.

How time can heal, time can restore, time can make things happen, time uh seasons change as time passes.

We change as time passes.

So time is a very, very amazing um thing before us that shows us the process of time, and it says over here, and it shall come to pass afterward, I will pour out my spirit on all flesh.

So there is something that needs to happen, and after that, I will pour out my spirit on all flesh.

Your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions, and also on my measured men servants and on my maidservants I will pour out my spirit in those days, and I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood and fire and pillars of smoke, and he keeps on going.

Now, if you read this carefully, only verses 28 and 29 are bunched together, and there's a little gap after that.

So we just wanted to read 28, 29, and I'll get to it, and there's a break because it moves us into a different season, it moves us into a different plan of God, it's not connected.

Verse 2829 is not connected to verse 30 onwards.

Verse 28, 29, see depart, is part of the plan of God, and he wants to do it, and and then after some time, he gets to verse 30, and that's a different season, they're not all together, but I feel like we are in this verse 28, 29 season right now, and I was spending time with the Lord, and I was just sitting with the Lord, just enjoying his presence, and it was towards the end of my time with him, and suddenly I heard the Holy Spirit reading Acts 2 to me.

I actually heard these words, and there was the sound of the mighty rushing wind, and it filled the house where they were in, and I could hear this, and I was like, the Lord is trying to say something to me.

So I went and read this, these words that the Spirit spoke, and I heard Acts chapter 2.

Acts 2 · chapter mention

Let's read Acts chapter 2, verses 1 onwards.

Acts 2:1

And when the day of Pentecost had fully come, so there were things that were happening and a process completed, and when it was fully completed, this is what happened.

And when the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place, and suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the house, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.

Then there appeared to them divided tongues as of fire.

So I want you to picture this in your mind.

You're sitting in a room, imagine this is the room, you're sitting in this room, and suddenly there is this sound of wind in this room.

There is this in this room, and you look around seeing what is going on, because there is a sound, you can physically hear the sound, and there is this rushing sound of this wind in the room, and as people are looking around to see what is making this sound, they see these flames of fire.

They're like, you know, oftentimes we refer to fire that the flames were were licking the ceiling or licking the trees, licking the leaves.

What does that mean?

Because the flames are so big, they were all the way to the treetops, they were licking the leaves.

So you often have this type of referring to the flames as if it's a tongue, and that's why the Bible is trying to use that same language, and there appeared like tongues, like these flames in the air.

How amazing it is, and suddenly there came a sound from heaven.

Let me read it again, just from verse one onwards.

When the day of Pentecost is fully come, they they were all with one accord in one place, and suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.

Then there appeared to them divided tongues.

So there it was just like a flame, just like a flame.

It could they say divided, but it's just like just flickering flames, divided tongues as of fire, and one sat upon each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

These flames that they saw as they were looking around, this the sound, where is the sound coming from?

What is the sound came?

It sounded more like thunder, as of a mighty rushing wind, and in that wind they could see these appearing, these flames of fire, almost like two or three flames together, like split tongues of fire, and one sat on each of them.

I feel like this is the promise that John the Baptist gave about Jesus.

He says, There is one who comes after me whose sandals I'm not worthy to untie, and he will baptize you.

I am baptizing you into sin, unto repentance, but he comes who will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire, and it is this fire, and I feel like this move of the Spirit this carries that fire.

The disciples were not able to do anything, they were scared, shut in that room when this happened in Acts 2.

They were afraid of the Jews, they didn't know what was going to happen, they didn't know what was about to come.

The the master, as they knew him, was dead.

They're scared.

Did they have the Holy Spirit?

Yes, they did.

Well, how do you know?

Well, I know because there was a time when Jesus sent them out two by two.

He gave them power, he gave them authority, and later on he says, Receive e the Spirit, and they received it.

So, what happened here?

They received the fire.

In Acts 2, they received the fire.

As John the Baptist said, There comes one after me whose sandals, whose shoes I'm not worthy to untie.

And he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire.

The coming of the Holy Spirit is titled, but it talks about fire coming and resting over people like tongues of fire, like split tongues.

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a mighty rushing wind, and filled the whole house where they were sitting.

Then there appeared to them divided tongues as of fire, and one sat upon each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues.

Devout men from every nation under heaven.

They were there because there was a certain festival that was happening, Shekut.

And all Jews, whether converts Jews or born Jews, they would all come to Jerusalem.

It was an ordinance at that time that at the time of Shekut, you all have to come and worship in Jerusalem.

And so all the ones with the burning hearts, all the ones with zeal in them, all the ones who had passion, they came to Jerusalem to worship.

And these are the ones, and they were dwelling in Jerusalem, Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.

And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and they were confused because everyone heard them speak in his own language.

I find this fascinating that all these people, now let's let's just read what all different types are there.

And they were all amazed and all marveled, saying to one another, Look, are not these who speak Galileans?

And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?

Parthians and Medis and Elamites, those who dwell in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Pharygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and parts of Libya, adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs.

So Cretans were a type of people, Arabs are certain people from certain parts of the world.

These were all Jewish people who lived in these different areas who had come to Jerusalem to worship.

Proselytes are people who were not born Jews but accepted the Jewish faith and became Jewish.

So these are all different types of people, and they hear these people in their own tongue.

What do they say?

They're saying something really amazing.

Cretans and Arabs, we hear them speaking.

Now, this is verse 11, this is very important.

We hear them speaking in our own tongue the wonderful works of God.

So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, whatever could this mean?

Others mocking said they are full of new wine.

Few things here.

One of the most fascinating things is, I don't have time to really take you in there, but we know the story, what happened at the tower in Babylon.

When when when when the global population was building this tower in Babylon, they said, let's build a tower that will reach into the heavens.

And they were building it when God split them with different language.

And here, when the Holy Spirit came, people are hearing in their own language.

There was a certain unity that started to happen because an outpouring of the Spirit.

The divisions had started to break down, divisions on different types of people, divisions based on language, division based on where they were from, division from who they were, their ethnicity, their culture, all of that started to blend into one.

Why?

Because of the Spirit of God falling.

This is why the Spirit of God is so powerful.

When a move of Spirit comes, it is very easy for a move of God to go global because it has this nature of bringing people together, of bringing people into one.

Wiping away all our differences, wiping away even the differences that we have with God, it washes us.

His kingdom washes us clean.

And the Spirit prepares us to carry his kingdom.

And the other response is nothing.

And that's what happened here.

This incredible thing's happened.

These people are hearing things in their own language.

Later on it says, in the language that they were born in.

So they're speaking in their mother tongue.

While others had this response that what could this mean?

That is a very humble step to take.

If you think about it, because suddenly they are in that position, they have no idea what's going on.

That's a place of humility.

And to accept that and to say that I have no idea what's going on, but I'm curious, I want to know.

But I have no idea what's going on, I don't understand this, but I want to know that's a humble step.

I believe same thing happened to John the Baptist when he started baptizing people.

That was an unusual thing for that time.

We don't read it in the Bible ever, anything ever done before him.

But the Bible says that people came from all over the area, every town surrounding the Jordan, they were attracted to John the Baptist.

Why?

Because they didn't, there something was going on that they didn't understand, but they wanted to go and see.

And thousands and hundreds of thousands and millions, whatever, however many were there, got baptized.

And to them, John says, There is one that comes after me, whose sandals I'm not worthy to untie.

And he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

And I think it's this question, it's this place of humility that positions us to receiving this spirit, this fire.

This path of humility is costly.

This path of of making yourself vulnerable is a choice that is different to what the human choice would be.

And we're gonna go into it just back just in a moment.

This positioning of humility is something that our flesh will will hold us back from, and we will feel that pull.

Because we're hearing all the the human response is this can't be true.

This is old, this can't be true.

Like it was in that day when the spirit fell.

Let's continue reading a little bit.

We're gonna read from verse 37 onwards, Acts, still in Acts chapter 2, verse 37 onwards.

Acts 2:37

Now, when they heard this, uh let's let's back up a little bit.

I want to read a little bit what Peter said.

Let's read from the second part of verse 25 onwards, chapter 2, verse 25 onwards.

And I foresaw the Lord be whole always before my face, for he's at my right hand.

Now he's quoting the Old Testament, Peter's quoting the words of David, for he's at my right hand, that I may not be shaken.

Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad.

Moreover, my flesh also will rest in hope.

For you will not leave my soul in in hell, nor will you allow your holy one to see corruption.

You have made known to me the ways of life, and you will make me full of joy in your presence.

Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.

Therefore, being a prophet and knowing that God has sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, he would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne.

He forsaying, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that his soul was not left in Hades, nor his, nor did his flesh see corruption.

So this is before the cross, and David somehow knew in his heart that one day I will be redeemed.

One day my soul will see the eternal life.

One day I'm not gonna be here forever.

It's a huge, bigger concept.

It's sort of pulling us into the concept.

Those who those who know will probably see.

This is pulling us in that concept of heaven and hell.

And I don't want to go there because if I go there, it's I won't I won't be able to come back.

So leave that just now for the time being.

But but David, because it's before the cross, he's in a state and he and he's waiting for the redemption of his soul into eternity.

And he knows that one day is coming when this branch that that that is Isaiah prophesied is gonna come out of come out of my family, and it's gonna create redemption, it's gonna open the door of redemption for my soul.

And that's what Peter is quoting here.

He's referring to that concept with the Israelites knew very well.

And he would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne.

Verse 31, he foresae foreseeing this spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that his soul was not left in Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.

This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses, therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he poured out this which you now see and hear.

So these people could could hear the sound as well.

That's what attracted them to this building where these disciples were, and they're seeing something, things are obviously happening.

For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself, the Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand.

So he's talking about God the Father talking to Jesus, till I make your enemies your footstool.

Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.

Now, when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

This is the place of humility.

This is the place of humility.

What shall we do?

They felt it in their hearts, they felt the hit of the spirit.

I tell you what, a lot of the times we try things, but we have to have people who are hungry, people who are thirsty.

These were people who came to Jerusalem for the festival of Shakut.

These were not just average people just walking around.

These are people who are hungry, these are people who are desperate, they want to they want to touch from the Lord, they believe in things, they come to Jerusalem to worship.

These are the ones who got touched, and their response was what should we do?

How can we be changed?

And Peter leads them, and we know that what happened.

3,000 people were added to the church that day.

What shall we do?

That question is a you cannot ask that question if you don't have that humility before the Lord.

If you don't make that choice, choosing the different way, choosing the other answer rather than just writing it off and going, nah, this is all, nah, that's nothing.

Ah, well, we've seen a lot of that.

But holding, holding on to this thing that I want this, I want to be touched by the spirit.

Did the spirit fall on them?

No.

The spirit fell on the disciples, and the disciples went and just spoke to the people who were attracted to what was going on.

What is this going on?

And they spoke to them, and those were the people, many of them, who said, What shall we do?

I want to read just quickly, I want to read this uh a portion from Colossians chapter 2.

Colossians 2 · chapter mention

Colossians talks about the supremacy of Christ or the majesty of Christ, the beauty of Christ.

And we have to come to terms with the majesty and the beauty of Jesus, because that is what touches us, that is what compels us, that's what Peter outlined to the people that this Jesus, that whom you crucified, God raised him up, and he is the Lord.

And when they heard that, their hearts were cut.

Colossians chapter 2.

Colossians 2 · chapter mention

Let's read, let's read.

Verses 14 onwards, in particular, having wiped out the handwritings of requirements that was against us, so there was documents, there were things written against us, which was contrary to us, they were against us, and he has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross, having disarmed principalities and powers, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

There's so much in there.

What were these documents?

These documents of debt, these documents of founding wanting, these documents that deserve, that that proved that we deserve to be destroyed.

These documents held this contrary word against us that we should be put to death, the wages of sin is death.

And what does the Bible say is Jesus nailed these documents to the cross.

I don't know if it still happens now, but in accounting, it was a very common process to, when somebody paid an account, you take that receipt and they would push it onto this what's called a receipt spike.

Would be a heavy base with a with a pointed bit of steel coming up, and they would take this receipt that you've paid and they would pierce it through onto it.

It's paid.

That's what it meant.

It's paid.

So they would just hold it.

Every time people would come and pay for the thing, and some may still do it today in small shops here and there.

You go and you pay, even if you pay with a card, the machine, it'll print out this little receipt and they tore it out, give the receipt to you, your copy to you, but the other copy they will just the merchant's copy, they will tear it and push it onto this pin.

And I believe Jesus did the same thing.

He took all this paperwork that proved debt towards us, he pushed it onto the cross and he nails it in.

Not valid anymore.

In Jewish times, in those times, there was tradition that they would take a nail and they would pierce it through the paperwork and tear it, and that was a sign that this is not valid anymore.

It has been paid, and that's what Peter, uh Paul, sorry, is trying to say in Colossians, verse 12, Colossians chapter 3, Colossians chapter 2, sorry, verse 14, and having wiped out the handwritings of requirements, these were debts against us, and he nailed it to the cross.

Colossians 3 · chapter mention Colossians 2 · chapter mention

It's like being pushed down onto that receipt spike, it's been paid, it's not old anymore.

You're free, you can take and go.

Having disarmed principalities and powers, he made a public spectacle of them.

The word spectacle is to make a show.

Why would you make a show?

I don't think it's in the heart of God to mock anyone, even the devil.

He doesn't mock anyone because it's not in his character, it's not in his heart.

So, how would you reconcile with the word spectacle?

Well, it could be an example, and the Greek word is is translated an example.

So, what is he doing?

He's God is trying to give us a show us a process as an example how to be free.

Having disarmed principalities and powers, he made a public example of them, triumphing over them in it, triumphing over them through it.

Through this process, freedom is possible.

Through this process, we become free.

Our debts are pushed down onto that receipt spike whole day.

Someone is going on pushing that receipt spike onto this little metal spike, and at the end of the day, they get it all out and they add it all up, and all of those receipts are paid.

How did Jesus do it?

He did it by sacrifice.

Moving into this place of the fire of God resting upon us requires a sacrifice.

But that is the example, and that is the only example that Jesus gives us.

Where freedom is possible, everything that's written against us gets pushed down onto that metal spike, his nail as paid.

We don't owe anything anymore.

But it has to be sacrifice, and it will be sacrificial because I tell you what, choosing that way to make that question that what is it?

I want to know this, I want this spirit that requires a certain humility, that requires a sacrifice which we have to make, and fire only falls on sacrifice, nothing else.

It's not going to fall on human responses, it's not going to fall on any other attitude apart from that attitude of humility, saying, I want to know this, Lord.

And it is a sacrifice.

It is going to cost us, it is going to be difficult, it is going to be something that we have to push through.

It is going to be something that our flesh is going to hold us back from.

But this is the only way it's possible.

This is the only example that God has set that will set us free from everything that is held against us.

It's the place of humility, place of becoming a sacrifice.

Allowing Jesus to nail our debts on the cross so we can receive what is rightfully ours now.

Before it wasn't rightfully ours.

It becomes rightfully ours when we take that place of humility and become the sacrifice.

Try it out.

And it's it's it's everywhere, everything that Jesus required of every person that he encountered.

The concept was always leave everything and follow me.

Sacrificial lifestyle.

And I'm not saying this, just give up your job, give up your family, business, whatever.

That's not what I'm saying.

That would be foolishness.

But I am saying that there has to be a turn in our mindset where our hearts become wholehearted for him.

And above all things that we want is Jesus.

Above all things that we care about is his lordship in our lives.

Above all things that we want is his presence over our lives.

His hope, as Romano's sharing, shining out of our lives.

And that process of him nailing our debts to the cross is the only example that he could shed, set before us, through which freedom was possible.

The word triumphing also means overcoming.

And overcoming is only possible in that fashion, nothing else.

Acts chapter 2, verse 38.

Acts 2:38

Then Peter said to them, Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the Holy Spirit.

For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, and many as the Lord our God will call.

If anyone has complained against another, even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.

But above all things, put on love, which is the bond of perfection, and let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body.

And be thankful.

And let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.

And we can continue reading.

He sets out these things, how wives should behave towards husbands, how husbands should behave towards the wives, how children should behave towards their parents, and all of that.

You know why?

He's not setting up some kind of rule that this is how husband and wife need to live now.

That would be a really foolish, legalistic, sort of religious spirit way of living.

That's not what he's saying.

What he's trying to say, he's trying to set foundations.

See, the Paul was taught in the Roman way.

He had Greek thinking, his education was precept upon precept, line upon line, principles upon principles.

So when he writes this, he moves on from here to how you live at home.

If we don't live like this at home, we won't get here.

And he's he's trying to set up this principle that change yourselves.

Live differently.

Because if you can do this at home, you'll do it in the house of God, your life will be transformed.

And if we don't do it at home, nothing will change.

We can be all righteous and holy in the house of God, and at home, a storm, we're not gonna get here.

We have to change the way we live, and there needs to be a choice, there needs to be a process, allowing God to work through our hearts, our lives, changing the way we behave, changing, changing the words we may choose, changing our actions when nobody's watching.

Because that is real change, and then we are positioned.

That's real sacrifice, by the way.

And it's not easy, it is not easy because the flesh will pull us back, but it's a process that we have to choose: choosing tender mercies, choosing kindness, choosing humility, choosing meekness, choosing long suffering, bearing with one another, forgiving one another.

This is these are all lifestyle choices, but that is what prepares us for this fire to rest upon us.

It's hard, and there is a price to it, it's going to be costly, and I tell you, it's gonna cost dearly.

Because it will feel like it's tearing us apart.

But this is what is needed, Matthew chapter 3, verse 11.

Matthew 3:11

And this is John the Baptist.

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry, and he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire, and his renewing fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly clean out his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, and he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

You know what the renewing fan is?

It's a little fan, it can be a sizable fan, which farmers would have in their hand, and they would fan on one side and drop the wheat along the husk on this side, and the wind would blow off the husk further up, but the heavier grain, the wheat would fall closer to where the person is standing.

Many people could be dropping wheat mixed with husk down, and the we knowing fan is going, and it will blow the husk further away.

There is a cleansing, it's a sacrifice.

That wind that came in in Acts, it was a fanning process.

That's what attracted people, but that's also what brought the division.

Some said, nah nah, nah, this is all rubbish, this is nothing.

Peter says, No, these men are not drunk as you suppose.

This is what was promised, and this is the promise: the coming of the Holy Spirit.

That I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh.

Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams.

There is a unity, there is a change that this move of the Spirit is bringing.

There is this capacity because of the same promise, also talks about wonders in the sky and wonders on the earth.

The same fire.

Through this same fire, we will see wonders and miracles and incredible things, changing lives, changing people, changing bodies, healings, miracles, signs and wonders.

It's all part of this this flow, this move, this wave of the Spirit of God.

But we have to get ourselves ready.

I would say so much that this wave is upon us.

This move of God, this move of his kingdom is upon us.

And if we take that step of humility, if we take that position of humility, if we take that place, that costly choice, we will have the fire.

Father, I pray that you change us, that you bring us to that place, that you minister to us through your Holy Spirit, that we may be cut to the heart, and we may get to that place.

Like, what shall I do?

There were so many of people who came to Jesus and they says, What shall I do to be saved?

And there was one response: get rid of everything and come after me.

Nothing else.

Get rid of everything and come after me.

And Father, I pray that you do this work in our lives, in our hearts.

Holy Spirit, would you come and help us to hear that sound, that mighty sound of the rushing wind?

That we may be attracted to that sound.

That we may be moved by that sound.

That our hearts may be softened, Lord, that we may be willing to subject ourselves to that lifestyle, to that costly sacrifice of making ourselves available to you.

And Lord, do as you f as you wish with us.

Do as you want.

Change us and mold us and shape us.

That old chorus, you know, mold me, make me, fill me.

Thank you, Jesus.

Father, we give you thanks for that which is upon us.

A move, a fresh move of your spirit, a fresh move of your kingdom flowing over our lives, flowing over us.

May we be able to host your kingdom, Lord, when it comes.

We don't want to be like those foolish virgins who could not be part of the celebration.

We want to have our hearts, Lord, ready for your spirit to rest on, for your fire to descend on.

And Lord, for your kingdom to flow through us.

We give you honor.

Jesus, we give you honor, we give you praise.

We give you praise.

Amen.