DELIVERANCE GOSPEL
YAHUSHA HAS JUST POURED OUT HIS SPIRIT ON HIS PEOPLE ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST AND PETER HAS JUST EXPLAINED TO THE CROWD THAT IT'S THE FULFILLMENT OF “THE PROMISE” WHICH HAD FOR CENTURIES BEEN THE NICKNAME (BY YISHARALITES) FOR THE FOUNDATIONAL BLOOD-COVENANT MADE WITH ABRAHAM, ONE BASED ON BLOODSHED (CIRCUMCISION & ANIMAL SACRIFICES) AND OBEDIENCE, WHICH WERE LATER MADE INTO OFFICIAL DIVINE LAWS AND GIVEN TO MOSES ON SINAI.
AND PETER LAYS OUT SOME VERY SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE `NEW DYNAMIC’ BROUGHT ABOUT BY YAHUSHA’S DEATH AND RESURRECTION :
1) WE MUST BE CONVICTED OF HOW WE'VE LIVED IN REBELLION TO YAHUSHA'S WORDS AND GENUINELY REPENT, ACTIVELY TURNING FROM OUR SINS, BACK TO COVENANT RELATIONSHIP.
2) WE MUST BE PHYSICALLY IMMERSED IN THE NAME AND AUTHORITY OF YAHUSHA MESSIAH, KNOWING AND BELIEVING THAT WE WILL ...
3) RECEIVE THE PROMISED SET-APART SPIRIT, WHICH CUTS AWAY OUR OLD HEART OF STONE, REPLACING IT WITH ONE OF FLESH SO THAT YAHUSHA'S LIVING WORDS CAN BE SOWN WITHIN AND WRITTEN ON IT. WE LEAVE OUR OLD MAN (SPIRIT-EVIL NATURE) BURIED UNDER THE WATER AND WE ARE GIVEN A NEW SPIRIT, IN ORDER TO BE TRAINED AND PREPARED.
THESE ARE 3 STRICT CONDITIONS FOR FORGIVENESS AND DELIVERANCE. SO INDEED, BELIEVERS IN YAHUSHA HAVE OBLIGATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP TO THE NEW-COVENANT COMMUNITY OF FELLOWSHIP. REMEMBER A COVENANT IS A AGREEMENT BETWEEN TWO-PARTIES - AND BOTH SIDES HAVE TO BEHAVE THEIR PART. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THAT WAY, ONLY NOW, INSTEAD OF HUMAN AND ANIMAL BLOOD (CIRCUMCISION & SACRIFICIAL OFFERINGS) THE POWER INFUSED INTO THIS NEW COVENANT IS YAHUSHA’S OWN PERFECT DIVINE SHED BLOOD, WHICH BRINGS REAL POWER FOR DELIVERANCE AND OVERCOMING WITH IT.
ACTS.3
1One day Peter and John went up to the Temple at around 3pm (the time for daily prayer). THE HEBREWS HAD, SINCE THEIR TIME OF EXILE IN BABYLON, PRAYED 3 TIMES PER DAY. WHY? BECAUSE IN DANIEL (DAN.6) PRAYED THREE TIMES DAILY TO YAHUAH. SO FROM ONE SINGLE VERSE, THE RELIGIOUS JEWS FACED ALL THEIR SYNAGOGUES IN THE DIRECTION OF JERUSALEM AND PRAYED 3 TIMES PER DAY !!
2As they were entering, there was a man who had been crippled all his life. He was being carried by some friends who brought him to the Temple every day. They put him by the gate called `beautiful’ and there he begged for money from the people going to the Temple. 3That day he saw Peter and John going into the Temple area and asked them for money.
4Peter and John looked at the crippled man and said, “Look at us!” 5So he looked at them, thinking they would give him some money.
EYE CONTACT IS A POWERFUL THING, FOR BY STARING INTO THE EYES OF THIS BEGGAR, THEY MADE A PERSONAL CONNECTION AS THE SPIRIT DREW THEIR ATTENTION TO HIM.
6But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold, but I do have something far better to give you. By the power of Yahusha Messiah of Nazareth, get up and walk!” 7Then Peter took the man’s right hand and lifted him up. Immediately his feet and legs became strong. 8He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk. Then he went into the Temple area with them, walking and leaping (IS.35) and praising Yahuah.
9-10And all the people recognised him, knowing he was the crippled man who always sat by the Beautiful Gate to beg for money. And now they saw this same man walking and praising YAHUAH with all his might!
And they were amazed, not understanding how this could happen. 11The man was holding onto Peter and John, following them around. All the people were amazed! They ran to Peter and John at Solomon’s Porch.
THE SIN & SICKNESS CONNECTION ?
IN SCRIPTURE, SIN & SICKNESS BOTH REPRESENT A LACK OF WHOLENESS. ONE IS PHYSICAL AND THE OTHER IS SPIRITUAL - BUT THEY BOTH WORK HAND-IN-HAND. AND THIS CONDITION IS AN INSULT & DISGUST TO YAHUAH, SO HE SET UP A BARRIER, AND HEAVEN IS A PLACE SEPARATED AWAY (PROTECTED) FROM THE ENTIRE PHYSICAL UNIVERSE, AND FOR HUMANS THE BOUNDARY BETWEEN THE TWO COULD NEVER BE CROSSED-OVER.
WHEN SIN (A SPIRITUAL ELEMENT) ENTERED THE PHYSICAL WORLD, SO DID ITS COUNTERPART, SICKNESS AND DEATH (PHYSICAL). BUT YAHUSHA’S DEATH NOT ONLY FORGIVES AND WASHES AWAY OUR SINFUL BEHAVIOURS, BUT ALSO OUR SINFUL NATURE (THAT WE’RE BORN WITH). HE KILLS IT AND GIVES US A NEW HEART AND SPIRIT (A NEW NATURE) ONE THAT DOES NOT WANT TO SIN.
PETER AND JOHN WOULD HAVE BEEN IMMEDIATELY LABELED AS 'JEWISH HEALERS' BY THE JEWS WHO WITNESSED THE FORMERLY LAME MAN BECOME FULLY HEALED. THE 2 MEN TRIED TO DEFLECT THAT BY QUICKLY ANNOUNCING THAT THE HEALING WAS AN ISSUE OF BELIEF IN YAHUAH, THROUGH YAHUSHA, AND THEREFORE A DIVINE MIRACLE, AND THEY WEREN’T PHYSICIANS OR PRACTITIONERS OF MAGIC IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM.
12When Peter saw this, he said to the people, (A GOSPEL DELIVERANCE MESSAGE) “Men of Yisharal, why are you surprised at this? You are looking at us as if it was our power that made this man walk. Do you think this was done because we’re so amazing and good?
13No way, YAHUAH did it! He's the Living Alahim of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob. He’s the Alahim of all our fathers. He gave esteem to YAHUSHA, His special servant. But you handed Him over to be killed. Then Pilate decided to let Him go free, but you told Pilate you didn’t want that, or Him! 14YAHUSHA was set-apart and good, but you rejected and denied Him, insisting that Pilate give you a murderer instead of YAHUSHA. 15And so you killed the one Who gives life! But YAHUAH raised Him from the dead. And we are witnesses of this, for we saw it with our own eyes!
16This crippled man was healed because of belief in YAHUSHA. It was YAHUSHA’S power that made him well. You can see this man, and you know him. He was made completely well because of trust in YAHUSHA. You all saw it happen!
17My brothers, I know you were ignorant in what you did to YAHUSHA and you did not understand, and the same with your Leaders. 18But YAHUAH said these things would happen.
Through the prophets He said that His Messiah would suffer and die. I've told you how YAHUAH made this happen. 19So you must genuinely REPENT and TURN (NOT CONVERT) back to His Blood-Covenant, for the forgiveness of your sins, 20in order for the TIMES OF REFRESHING (REVIVAL, RELIEF, RESPITE, REST) to come from the Master. He will send you YAHUSHA, the one He chose to be the Messiah.
THE PROMISED PRESENCE OF YAHUAH WILL REVIVE AND REFRESH OUR BEINGS BACK FROM DEATH TO LIFE, EMPOWERING AND CHARGING US TO GO FORWARD WITH GREAT PASSION AND STRENGTH. HE WILL ALSO PROVIDE RELIEF AND REST, WHICH FLOWS WELL WITH YAHUSHA’S CALL IN:
MATT 11 "COME TO ME, ALL OF YOU WHO ARE STRUGGLING AND BURDENED, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST”. YAHUSHA IS ESSENTIALLY REPEATING HERE WHAT YAHUAH SAID IN EX 33 "SET YOUR MIND AT REST, FOR MY PRESENCE WILL GO WITH YOU AFTER ALL.”
21“But YAHUSHA must stay in the Heavens until the times of RESTORATION (REVIVAL), when all things will be made new again. YAHUAH spoke about this time when he spoke long ago through His set-apart prophets.
YAHUSHA MUST REMAIN IN HEAVEN UNTIL THE TIME COMES FOR RESTORING EVERYTHING. THAT IS, A PLANET-WIDE REVIVAL/RESTORATION (FOR ALL WHO HAVE BEEN ELECTED FOR ETERNITY) WILL HAPPEN PRIOR TO YAHUSHA’S RETURN TO EARTH.
22Moses said, ‘YAHUAH your Alahim will give you a prophet, and that prophet will come from among your own people. He will be just like me. So you must obey everything He tells you. 23And anyone who refuses to obey that prophet will be destroyed’.
24Samuel, and all the other prophets who spoke for YAHUAH, said that this time would come. 25And what those prophets talked about is for you, their descendants. You have received the Blood-Covenant that YAHUAH made with your fathers. YAHUAH said to your father Abraham, ‘Every nation on earth will be blessed through your descendants.’ 26So YAHUAH has sent His special servant YAHUSHA. He sent Him to you first (TO THE JEWS). He sent Him to bless you by causing each of you to turn away from your evil ways.”
SADLY THE JEWS REJECTED THEIR OWN MESSIAH, THEIR ONLY SOURCE OF DELIVERANCE, AND THE GOSPEL WAS THEN PREACHED TO ALL THE NATIONS, WHO MAY GRAFT INTO THE GOOD OLIVE TREE, THE NEW REVIVED BRIDE, YISHARAL, THROUGH COVENANT WITH YAHUSHA. THE JEWS BLINDLY READ AND HEARD THE SCRIPTURES EVERY SHABATH DAY, AND STILL MANAGED TO FULFIL THEM ALL BY CONDEMNING YAHUSHA.
PETER IS TELLING YISHARAL THAT YAHUSHA IS THE FULFILMENT OF ALL THE PROMISES AND RELATIONSHIP SHADOWED BACK IN ABRAHAM, ISAAC AND JACOB, THE SAME SHADOWS LEGALISED ON SINAI AND PROMOTED BY ALL THE RIGHTEOUS KINGS AND PROPHETS. THE ENDGAME IS OF COURSE DELIVERANCE, HEALING AND ETERNAL LIFE...
AND ONLY YAHUSHA’S BLOOD HAS THAT SORT OF POWER, AND THIS IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT THE NEW BLOOD-COVENANT PROVIDES AND THE LIMITATIONS OF THE OLD.
SOLID-ROCK FOUNDATION FOR REVIVAL :
THE RESULT OF THIS IS NOW FELLOWSHIP WITH YAHUSHA AND ONE ANOTHER AS PRIESTS, WALKING (IN SERVICE AND BEHAVIOUR) IN THE LIGHT AS HE IS IN THE LIGHT (LAMPSTAND), BREADING BREAD FROM HOME TO HOME (SHOWBREAD) IN FELLOWSHIP AND PRAYERS (INCENSE), COMING BOLDLY BEFORE THE THRONE OF FAVOUR THROUGH DIRECT PORTAL ACCESS IN OUR HEARTS (THE ARK).
And by walking in such close relationship and proximity to the Creator of the Universe, there will be a TIME OF REFRESHING from the Spirit of Yahusha (referred to as `early and latter rains’ by the prophets). An outpouring which brings REVIVAL and REFRESHING from the effects of heat and drought. (Is 28:12, DEUT 11:10-21). These things will happen prior to the coming of Yahusha, when the Heavens will literally retain (or hold-back) Messiah until a certain period of time, spoken of as restoration/revival.
JOEL 2: 23And you children of Zion, be glad and rejoice in Yahuah your Alahim, for He shall give you the Teacher of Righteousness (YAHUSHA) and cause the rain to come down for you, THE EARLY AND LATTER RAINS, as before. 24And the threshing-floors will be filled with grain, and the vats overflowing with new wine and oil. 25Then I'll give you back the years that the swarming, crawling, gnawling and consuming locusts have eaten; a great army which I sent among you. 26Then you will eat – EAT AND BE SATISFIED – and will praise the Name of Yahuah your Alahim, Who has done with you so wondrously. And My people shall never be put to shame. 27And you will know that I am in the midst of Yisharal (YAHUSHA IS RIGHT HERE AMONG US) and that I am Yahuah your Alahim and there's no one else. And My people will never be put to shame. 28And after this I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh. And your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men dream dreams, your young men see visions. 29And also on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. 30And I will give signs in the sky and upon the earth: blood and fire and columns of smoke, 31the sun is turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome Day of Yahuah. 32And everyone who calls on the Name of Yahuah shall be delivered (THE NAME OF YAHUAH FOR DELIVERANCE IS: YAHUSHA). For (as Yahuah has said), on Mount Zion and in Yerushalim there will be an escape and survivors who Yahuah calls".
REPENTANCE AND IMMERSION ALWAYS BRING REFRESHING AND REVIVAL OF SPIRIT AS AN IMMEDIATE RESULT. HOWEVER, THERE ARE SPECIAL TIMES AND SEASONS WHEN YAHUSHA'S SPIRIT OF FAVOUR IS POURED OUT MORE ABUNDANTLY, AND SCRIPTURE CALLS THESE "THE EARLY & LATTER RAINS."
SO PETER, IN HIS SPEECH, HAS JUST EXPERIENCED THE GREAT REFRESHING OF "THE EARLY RAIN", AND (IN THE SPIRIT) HIS MIND SEES THE GREATER REVIVAL OF "THE LATTER RAIN" AND THE 2ND COMING OF YAHUSHA. SO HE ENCOURAGES HIS HEARERS TO REPENT FOR THE BLOTTING OUT OF THEIR SINS, THAT
1.TIMES OF REFRESHING MAY COME, AND
2. THAT YAHUSHA MAY RETURN.
THE TIMES OF REFRESHING BEGIN AT REPENTANCE AND CULMINATE IN THE COMING OF YAHUSHA. BUT JUST AS YAHUSHA'S SPRIT IS GIVEN TO US AT ALL TIMES (WHEN OUR HEARTS ARE OPEN TO RECEIVE IT) YET CAME IN A HUGE POWERFUL MEASURE AT PENTECOST, SO THE REFRESHING AND REVIVAL THAT COMES AT ALL TIMES ON REPENTANCE, IS TO COME IN AN INTENSIFIED SPECIAL SENSE AT THE CULMINATION OF YAHUSHA'S WORK OF MINISTRY IN HEAVEN.
WHO COULD THINK OF A GREATER REASON FOR REVIVAL / REFRESHING AND SPIRITUAL ELATION, THAN THE BLOTTING OUT OF SINS FOREVER, UNLESS IT BE THE COMING OF YAHUSHA MESSIAH HIMSELF?
JAMES 5: 7"So, brothers, be patient until the coming of the Master. See, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rains. 8You too, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Master Yahusha has drawn near.
Yahuah visited His people as fire, as rain, as a dove, as dew, as a still small voice, as fresh air, as breath of life, as anointing (and so it is for us!)
REVIVAL INVOLVES BURNING with fire (resulting in repentance) followed by rivers of living water from Yahusha's Throne, sent to raise-up, invigorate and refresh.
FIRST FIRE THEN RAIN!
JUDGMENT THEN FAVOUR!
And just like being flogged, REVIVAL IS NOT PLEASANT BUT AGONISING - but afterwards it produced the fruit of righteous, loving behaviour - in those who are willing to walk through the furnace and come out the other side transformed, quenched and refreshed!
ISN'T THIS WHAT WE ARE ALL EXPERIENCING??
