(This article goes out to Christian Leaders in Africa, Asia and the Pacific – maybe it will bless you.)
It is a new year and so I am starting a brand new Faith Builders A-Z series. I hope they will build your faith. Please feel free to use them as launching pads for further Bible study.
I know that some of you are using them in your churches. I am really happy to hear that. If you have any friends in ministry that would like to receive Faith Builders A-Z please get them to send me their email addresses.
May this year be one in which you go from faith to faith and accomplish great things in the kingdom of God.
God bless you,
Richard
Faith Builders A-Z 2010 – A-Authority
Christians need to understand God’s view of authority.A misuse of authority is when leaders “lord it over those they are leading” (1 Peter 5:2-3). Rather than being servants-leaders they take on the spirit of this world and use people for their own purposes. This self-centred approach to leadership, not only hurts people, but gives place for the devil to enter. He smells pride and gravitates towards it to see what harm he can cause.
The key to godly authority is humility. When we humble ourselves before God He lifts us up and with His authority we can resist the devil and he will flee from us (1 Peter 5:5-9).To the degree we submit to God’s authority, we are able to use authority.
Jesus submitted to His Father, even to death, and God has given all authority in heaven and earth to Him (Matthew 28:18; Philippians 2:5-11). Jesus then goes on to give us authority in His name. In His name we can cast out demons, heal the sick, raise the dead, bind the powers of darkness and loose people from bondage (Mark 16:18-20). Because it is done in His name, He receives the glory.We must understand that authority is based on submission.
To the degree we submit to, honour and respect someone, to that degree he will give us authority to act in his name.
“God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5)
(This testimony comes from a very reliable source through someone I know well.)
On Christmas Day 2009 leaders from City Harvest Church gathered at the Soleo Beach Resort, San Enrique, Negros Occidental. This is about 90 minutes from the city of Bacolod.
The plan was for a time of fellowship, sharing and celebrating the year and the company of one another. Alpha Grace Samillano, 5 years old, the daughter of leaders, Jun Jun and Maracon, was playing in the small kiddies pool of the resort and being supervised by her mother Maracon. After a little while, Maracon needed to go to the cottage some ten minutes away to get a towel. She was quite confident in leaving Alpha Grace to play, as there was a lifeguard in attendance. Maracon became distracted in the cottage and returned nearly an hour later.
When she returned, she found Alpha Grace had been recovered from the Adult pool. Apparently she had fallen into the pool and was found lifeless on the floor of the pool, some 4 to 5 feet (1.2 – 1.5 metres) underwater. She had water coming out of her ears, nose and mouth. Her stomach was full of water, her tongue swollen and she was blue. There was no heartbeat or pulse, she was not breathing. She had drowned.
Someone began CPR on Alpha Grace and worked on her for about 30 minutes but to no avail.
Joe and Primrose Chavez, BMi Philippines leaders, took Alpha Grace to the hospital at Valladolid, about 10-15 minutes away. In the car on the way to the hospital, Primrose prayed and prophesied life to her. Primrose felt she heard a cry from Alpha Grace and some movement.
Meanwhile back at the Beach Resort the others are praying, speaking life, and calling on the resurrection power of God for Alpha Grace.
At the hospital, the doctor checked Alpha Grace but there is no heart beat, no pulse and no breathing. The doctor tells them it is hopeless there is no hope for Alpha Grace. The situation does seem utterly hopeless but Primrose feels life is coming to Alpha Grace.
Primrose felt the Father asked her to anoint Alpha Grace with oil, anointing her feet and her chest near her heart. Everyone is still praying in tongues and declaring life at the hospital and back at the resort. The children are crying out to the Father asking for life for Alpha Grace.
She is taken to Bacolod in an ambulance and on the way; she cries out in a loud voice and wakes up.
She COMES back to Life.
The doctors in the Emergency Department of the hospital are of course astounded. She is admitted to hospital to undergo tests for two days. The brain, heart and lungs are checked and the doctors can find NO damage at all.
Remember Alpha Grace had been dead for more than one hour before she came back to life.
When Alpha Grace woke up the next day in the hospital she said, “Somebody pushed her into the pool and she went to sleep. After that, Jesus came and put two balls of light into her left and right hands, which she called power. And then she saw her mother waking her up.” Remember she is five years old.
On Sunday, the 3rd January, 2010 she was dancing and worshipping together with other children in City Harvest Church, Bacolod. God is good! The impact on the church has been huge to say the least.
This is an incredible demonstration of the power of God and the willingness of the people to put into practice the teaching from the Schools of Supernatural. The people decided to believe God for the restoration of life of Alpha Grace. They refused to allow death to prevail. This is our family in the Philippines and the testimony of our brothers and sisters; our tribe! This ought to impact the rest of BMi and you can decide to receive of it.
Please share this testimony and the news of the RESURRECTION of Alpha Grace Samillano.
Coming soon is a video interview with those involved, watch for it!
