Category Archives: Extraordinary Living

Extraordinary Living, Video Teaching

The Normal Christian Life ¦ Video

Video

Perhaps you, like me have read your Bible and noticed the tremendous gap between the lives of the New Testament believers and our lives?

Join me as we explore this gap and discover 10 key characteristics of those believers. Be encouraged as I seek to spur us all on (especially myself!) to aim to be more like them.

  1. Utterly focused on the Great Commisssion
  2. Wholly dependent on the Holy Spirit
  3. Demonstrated the power of the Holy Spirit
  4. Persecuted
  5. Challenged each other to live to a high standard
  6. Encouraged one another
  7. Looked after orphans and widows
  8. Kept themselves from being polluted by the world
  9. Ridiculously Generous
  10. Recognised by their love for each other

Lord, help us to be more like those believers!

Extraordinary Living, Healing, Power & Authority, Video Teaching

Power ¦ Video

Video

This sermon is all about seeing the power (dunamis) of God displayed through us as we seek to do the things Jesus did and greater things – healing the sick, casting out demons, raising the dead etc.

In this message I cover:

– That the Kingdom of God is not only about words but about power
– The meaning of the greek word for ‘power’ (Dunamis) and some key places it occurs
– The fact that Jesus was FULL of, LED by and operating in the POWER of the Holy Spirit
– Examples of how the display of God’s power was a very normal part of the lives of the early apostles and should be part of ours
– How we can be in error if we do not know the power of God
– How God stretches and challenges us to overcome our fears and step over the ‘invisible line’ so that we can see His power working through us

Enjoy!

Audio Sermons, Extraordinary Living, Freedom from Fear

Overcoming Fear ¦ Audio Sermon

Audio

 

To download this sermon click here.

This is a sermon I gave at Hope Church (Colchester, UK) about how the enemy has tried to use fear to stop me:

1. Fulfilling the call of God on my life
2. Getting in the right place at the right time
3. Operating in the Power of God

…and how God enabled me and can enable YOU to overcome such fears and enter into the magnificent plan He has for you!

Devotionals, Extraordinary Living

Living Beyond Your Natural Ability ¦ Devotional

Scripture: ‘We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself’. – 2 Corinthians 1:8

Have you ever sensed that God’s calling you to do something that you know full well you don’t have the ability to do? Perhaps as a Christian you’ve found yourself in situations that have been impossible to endure without God’s help?

When I read about the life of the apostle Paul, I sometimes think to myself “HOW ON EARTH did he do that?! How did he go around preaching so boldly to people he knew were very likely to reject his message, and how did he endure such persecution in city after city?” In today’s scripture we even see Paul himself admitting that the trials he faced were too much to bear! So how did he do it?

Fortunately, he gives us the answer in Colossians 1:29. He says ‘To this end I labour, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me’. The two key words here are ‘his energy’. Paul makes it absolutely clear that he didn’t do any of these things in his own ability, but that God was supplying the physical, emotional and spiritual energy he needed. The result was a man who lived far beyond his natural ability.

There have been times in my life where I’ve not wanted to ask God what He wants me to do in the next season of my life, because I’ve been afraid that I wouldn’t be able to fulfil it. Now I realise that that’s the whole point! In fact, how will God be glorified if I live within my own natural ability?

I’ve come to realise that the Christian life is supposed to be lived in such a way that the people around us have no doubt whatsoever that we’re living with a power that’s not our own. So,if you’re facing situations today that seem beyond your natural ability to endure, perhaps they are! Perhaps that’s the whole point. Perhaps God wants to be glorified as you step forward in His strength and live beyond your natural ability.

Prayer: Father, I thank You that You haven’t called me to live the Christian life in my own strength. Sorry for the times when I haven’t asked You to provide the strength and the energy I need to endure the situations I face. I want to humble myself before You now and accept that I can’t do what You’re calling me to do on my own. I need You. I need Your grace, Your strength and Your power to endure. I believe that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, so I ask You right now to clothe me with power from on high, to enable me to carry out all that You ask of me in this life. In the powerful name of Your Son, Jesus, Amen.

If God has used this teaching to impact you by His Spirit, don’t keep it to yourself. Share it!

Source:  Seeds of the Kingdom

Devotionals, Extraordinary Living, Miracles

The Pattern of a Miraculous Life ¦ Devotional

Scripture: But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favour with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” – Luke 1:30-34

Perhaps you feel very normal as you read this devotional today, not considering that your life is very ‘miraculous`. Mary probably felt exactly the same way until the angel Gabriel appeared and told her that she was going to be used in miraculous ways to fulfil God’s purposes.

When Gabriel had given her the first part of his message, Mary was clearly wondering how on earth such a thing could possibly happen to her, a virgin. “How will this be?” she began to ask, before reminding Gabriel that the suggestion was (humanly speaking) totally impossible, “since I am a virgin”.

I wonder how many Christians stop believing that God will use them in miraculous ways because it seems totally impossible. I read a quote recently that said ‘you don’t always get what you want in life but you always get what you expect’.

I love the fact that Mary didn’t simply state that it was impossible and stop there, but she asked Gabriel “How will this be?” Her ‘mustard seed’ of childlike faith was evident as she allowed herself to wonder how God might do such a thing. She got her answer in the next verse.

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you” (verse 35). Wow, what a response! Gabriel basically told her not to worry because she wasn’t going to be required to do the impossible bit and that the Holy Spirit would take care of that.

Mary then demonstrated great faith and complete submission to God’s will by saying “I am the Lord’s servant, may it be to me as you have said” (verse 38). Of course we know now that it did happen exactly as God had said and millions of lives have been changed as a result.

In this story I see a pattern for miraculous living. Firstly, God is always the one who initiates – the vision has to come from Him. Secondly He requires us to respond with faith and submission to His will, even if our minds are screaming ‘this is impossible!’. Finally, we are not expected to ‘produce’ the miracles. He is the one who brings about the miracles by the power of His Holy Spirit.

Prayer: Father, I thank You that You have a special and important part for me to play in Your Kingdom purposes on this earth. I want to say sorry for the times I have backed away because I’ve felt that the ideas or visions You were giving me were impossible to achieve. I choose to believe that nothing is impossible for You. Today I want to submit myself to Your will afresh and recognise that Your Holy Spirit can overshadow me and my weaknesses at the time You want to do the miraculous with my life. Help me to hear Your voice and follow Your leading. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Source:  Seeds of the Kingdom

If God has used this teaching to impact you by His Spirit, don’t keep it to yourself. Share it!