The Kingdom of God!
Chapter 143
A palpable
presence of God covered Mario Murillo's, Bakersfield tent revival as gang
members poured in from the streets riddled with fentanyl overdoses. As soon as
their feet hit the tent grounds, they knew they were walking through in
desperate need of one thing, Jesus.
In a Charisma News
interview,
Murillo describes an unprecedented unity among the local churches as the
national yearning for God continues to grow in the country.
Bakersfield is
located right off the Kern River, just north of Los Angeles, California.
"There is no doubt the laws of science are being overruled," Murillo
says. Life-long physical body injuries are being healed along with emotional
trauma.
Murillo and his
ministry chose to leave the Christian corridor of the city and pitch the tent
right next to the infamous local strip club. "Gang bangers have been
converted," he says. In fact, 40 gang members showed up to the revival and
20 of them repented of their sins and gave their lives to Jesus.
It's truly a
remarkable moment. The crowds aren't filled with Christians, they are mostly
filled with unbelievers. Murillo preaches the Word of God, piercing the hearts
of the crowd and bringing an awareness of sin and the decision of everlasting
life.
The city, ravaged
by the devil, is experiencing a visitation from the Lord. An opportunity to
turn from their wicked ways, into the loving arms of Christ!
We are experiencing
a great out pouring of the Spirit of the Lord as Jesus
works with us with signs and wonders. Mark 16:20 says,
"And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord
working with them, and confirming
the word with signs following." Amen
Signs and wonders
will follow anyone that is anointed by the Holy Spirit. When that anointing is
upon you signs and wonders will follow you. Remember, what Jesus quoted in Luke
4:18-19,
"The
Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the
gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach
deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at
liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable
year of the Lord."
One of the
problems we have when the anointed comes for a time and then lifts, is that we
have been taught that the Holy Spirits gives us the gift. But Paul said in 1
Cor. 12:4-11,
"Now
there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And
there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And
there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all
in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to
every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the
Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same
Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the
gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working
of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to
another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of
tongues: But
all these works that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man
severally as he will."
I want to point
out to you that in Mark 16:20 the Lord was working with them and in 1 Cor.
12:11, that the Holy Spirit will work with us as He wills. It's not by might
nor by power, but it's by My Spirit, saith the Lord! Paul also said in 1 Cor.
12:29-31,
"Are all
apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of
miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with
tongues? do all interpret? But covet earnestly the best
gifts: and yet show I unto you a more excellent way."
The Holy Spirit
determines how and when He wants to use you and He is looking for a vessel that
is willing and ready to follow His instructions. Paul also talks about other
anointings in Rom. 12:4-9,
"For as we
have many members in one body, and all members have not the same
office: So, we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that
is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of
faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering:
or he that teaches, on teaching; Or he that exhorts, on exhortation: he
that gives, let him do it with simplicity; he that rules, with diligence;
he that shows mercy, with cheerfulness."
Each one of us
has a specific place in the Body of Christ. You may say to me, "I don't know
what the Lord wants me to do?"
Let me say that he wants you to be a servant to the Body of Christ and as you do that
you will learn what it is that He wants you to do. What do you feel comfortable
doing? Get involved with your local Church and be willing to do whatever they
ask you to do.
If the Lord
wants you to take on responsibility within the church, be willing to do it and
the Spirit will open doors for you to walk through that you never thought
possible.
When I was
growing up I knew in my spirit that the Lord wanted me
to be involved in the church. When I went to Kansas City to attend college, one
of the first things we did was to find a church where the Lord wanted us, and
we became involved in that church doing what was asked of us. I realized that
the Lord wanted me to teach the truth even if it disagreed with the doctrine
that I had been taught.
As confirmation
of that, the elders ask me if I would teach the
teenage class and I said yes. It opened doors for me, and I could go on and on
and tell you how the Lord led me in paths that I would never have gone on my
own.
Let me testify
to you that the half has never been told and if you will seek The Kingdom of God
first, you will know what I am telling you. Seeking the Kingdom first doesn't
mean you can't seek other things also, but the Kingdom must be the center of
your life.
You are precious
in the Lord's sight, and He loves you and will lead you in paths of
righteousness! There is no one like you in His Kingdom and you have been gifted
to fulfill His purpose for you. Fill your mind with His word.
I have been
blessed beyond measure having been called to teach because I have had to search
the scriptures for the will of the Lord, and I have learned to listen to what
the prophets are saying so that I can break in down to a level that all will be
able to understand. Whatever the Lord has called you to do, do it
in humbleness and humility and the Lord will use you to touch the people you come in contact with.
Paul said in
Rom. 8:18-19,
"For I reckon
that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be
compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of
the creation waits for the manifestation of the sons of God."
I have a
question for you. Is the creation longing for Jesus to return or is it longing
for the sons of God to be revealed? We know from 1 Cor. 12:27 that
we are members of the Body of Christ and the whole creation is waiting for us
to be revealed so it can be set free from the bondage it is under.
The future of
the Church is to come into maturity and possess all the kingdoms of the earth.
Psalm 37:9-13 (NIV)says,
"For those who are evil will be destroyed, but
those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land. A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though
you look for them, they will not be found. But the meek will inherit
the land and enjoy peace and prosperity.
The wicked plot against the righteous and
gnash their teeth at them;
but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming."
Instead of sitting around waiting for the, so
called, rapture, we should be eagerly anticipating the manifestation of the
sons of God. When that happens, all of creation will be set free of the bondage
it is under and even when we look for evil, it cannot be found. What a glorious
day that will be!