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It is the time of EKBALLO - Take heaven by force!

Christy

It is the time of EKBALLO - Take heaven by force!

It is the time of EKBALLO - Take heaven by force!
(Word by Christy Johnston)

A number of weeks ago I woke up from an all-night dream where I heard the voice of the Holy Spirit whispering into my ear just one word, over and over. 

He simply said, 

“Ekballo.”

Upon waking, I knew the word was familiar, I’d heard it mentioned a lot over the past year, however, I wanted a personal understanding and revelation on it, so I began to study deep into its meaning. 

It is a Greek word used throughout the New Testament, described as a violent term, denoting an aggressive driving out or sending out of something or someone. Strongs Concordance tells us that it means, ‘to thrust forth violently, to drive out, cast out, tear out, extract and banish.’  It also means to ‘bring forth and produce, and to make gain.’ As I spent some time studying this word and the verses it is mentioned in, the Holy Spirit led me to three strategies. I believe these strategies are specific for this new Hebraic year of 5782. As it is a verb, it requires action on our behalf. So, I encourage you, don’t just read this word and move on, actively look around you and ask the Holy Spirit where and how you can apply these three strategies in your own life and the regions that God has called you to take possession of (Genesis 1:28). Here are the strategies according to scripture:

#1. DRIVE OUT THE DEMONS

EKBALLO is mentioned multiple times in regards to the forceful and aggressive driving out of demons. In fact, it is mentioned more in relation to the driving out of demons than anything else. This tells me that the casting out of demons is an important role of the Church in this hour, a responsibility I believe, we have largely neglected. 

There is no denying we are in a time of intense spiritual warfare right now. Every which way we look, there appears to be demonic possession of governments, of cultural ideologies, of thought, of policy, of regions, and of individuals. However, where one sees impossibility, God sees divine possibility. We have been given the responsibility of stewardship and authority over the earth, and in this hour of intense pressing, we have an invitation before us, to drive out the demons from every realm of their possession. 

So how do we do this? Take a look around you in your city, State and Nation. Where do you see demonic oppression? Begin speaking the Name of Jesus over these realms of possession and take back the land. Engage where you can, show up to council meetings and school boards, and PRAY. Notice in the verse below, Jesus drove out the demons WITH A WORD. Your words carry WEIGHT in the Spirit. It’s time to get in the boxing ring again, and aggressively wrestle and cast out - EKBALLO- the demonic oppression OUT OF YOUR REGIONS. When Jesus was presented with demon-possession, he did not tolerate them, he DROVE THEM OUT VIOLENTLY. Likewise, we are being called in this hour to take back the land that God has given us. When we see demonic oppression, whether it’s in a person or regional, we cannot tolerate it for one moment longer. We must move into ACTION and DRIVE THEM OUT WITH A WORD… the Name that is above every other Name, Jesus.

Matthew 8:16 When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out (EKBALLO) the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick.

Matthew 8:31 

The demons begged Jesus, “If you drive us out, (EKBALLO) send us into the herd of pigs.” 

(Even the demons used this term and knew what was coming.) 

Matthew 9:33

And when the devil was cast out (EKBALLO), the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.

(Notice how demonic oppression SILENCES, but when they were driven out, the silencing was BROKEN.)

Matthew 10:8

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out (EKBALLO) demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

(Ekballo is a part of Jesus’ commissioning to the Church.)

#2. CAST OUT THE BONDWOMAN

EKBALLO is mentioned in Galatians 4:30 where it says; 

“But what does Scripture say? “Expel (EKBALLO) the bondwoman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”

How does this tie in with this strategy for EKBALLO? The bondwoman mentioned here is referencing Hagar and her son, Ishmael. They represent a mindset of slavery and compromise. Abraham compromised on the promise God had given him and tried to bring the promise to pass by his own doing. Today, we have a similar bondwoman seducing the hearts and minds of God’s sons and daughters… it is an alternate form of Christianity. One that depends on self and earthly wisdom. Some might call it ‘progressive Christianity.’ 

It is idols of thought that have infiltrated the hearts of the Church through secularism, and it is creating MIXTURE in the Body of Christ. Compromise.  

God is calling us to remember who we are in this hour and to cast out the bondwoman of slavery and compromise. Do not tolerate lines of thinking that question the foundation of the scriptures or compromise with the Word of God. EXPEL the bondwoman, do not engage with her idolatrous thinking, separate yourself from those who are falling into this trap and call out these demonic ideologies. This is a call to holiness. 

Psalm 119:3

They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths.

Proverbs 25:26

Like a muddied spring or a polluted well are the righteous who give way to the wicked.

#3. SEND OUT THE HARVESTERS

EKBALLO is mentioned again by Jesus in Matthew 9:38 where He says;

Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out (EKBALLO) workers into His harvest.”

We once learned from a farmer, that when Jesus mentioned in John 4:35 that the ‘fields are white to harvest’ it actually means that once the grain turns white, the field is almost past ripeness and the harvesters have limited time to bring in the harvest before it spoils. 

The fact that Jesus used the term EKBALLO here, tells us that we need a mass casting forth of harvesters into the world, for the hour is short. 

The harvest is what it all comes back to. The driving out of demons, the casting out of the bondwoman are all simply a chapter in the story of bringing in the harvest of souls. This is an hour where, unlike any other, people are receptive to the gospel because of their desperation and despair. We must be praying to the Lord of the harvest in this hour, to use us in unique ways. Pray, “God send me! Use me today. Show me how I can bring in your harvest TODAY!” Keep your eyes open for unique opportunities, don’t discount what He can do in your day to day life, you never know how God might want to use you today to snatch a soul out the grasp of darkness while your shopping for groceries, or paying for gas at the gas station. When you pray this simple prayer, stay alert and stay open for how God will use you as He sends you out into the harvest. 

I want to also encourage you to continue to pray that the Lord would sent out MORE and MORE harvesters as He awaken His sons and daughters to bring in the ripe grain.

PROMISE: 

I want to conclude with this promise found in Matthew 12:20 where Ekballo is also mentioned.

'A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not quench, until He leads (EKBALLO) justice to victory.'

This is a beautiful picture, in this hour of shaking, that while He is close to the broken, a reminder of His gentleness to those in need, He is also violent in HIs to leading justice to VICTORY. This is our promise we stand upon. He is leading us into justice and victory while bringing the lost home.

This is your commissioning for the hour: 

EKBALLO! GO FORTH!

Sow a seed

RELATED prophetic WORDS:

RELATED prophetic WORDS:

FOR THOSE EXPERIENCING “PEOPLE FATIGUE”

By Nate Johnston • 28 Apr, 2024
Many are right now experiencing “People fatigue” which is the bewildering burnout after long seasons of being used, manipulated, and pulled in every direction by people for extended periods of time. People fatigue is the result of being constantly coerced and controlled, told what you should and shouldn’t do, being pulled into drama and situations there was no grace on, and/or worn down by people who keep overriding boundaries, and then gaslighting you when you confront it. People fatigue comes to the surface when you realize that you are either bitter and resentful at any level of relationship or involvement with others, overly wary, cynical of all people, or are noticing yourself hiding and retreating. Other signs are anxiety at gatherings or events, scrolling through social media, and anger/frustration seeing others in healthy relationships. If this is you, it’s because the enemy wants you to never find family and genuine covenant relationships. In fact, I believe it’s one of the enemies tactics to isolate you further after you have already come out of a long wilderness, sending you back into obscurity and a Lone Ranger lifestyle. If he can cause you to fear people or have you attempt to do kingdom without people, then he knows he has won in keeping your calling at bay. But let’s go one step further. People fatigue at the surface is people burnout but underneath it’s a triggered area of soul trauma that is rooted in feeling abandoned or used by God. What? How does that work? Let me explain; Think of a pastor who knows his job is to look after his flock. He gives his life to that congregation often at the expense of his family and own wellbeing. Then one day he crashes hard with a moral failure or just mentally/emotionally. Who does he feel let down by? People? Not necessarily. He feels let down by God. “Why did you call me to something I couldn’t keep up with?” He says. But the issue isn’t that God overloaded us, but that religion did. We did. Hang on, how were we part of the problem? It’s easy for us to accidentally slip into the role of fixer when we are in ministry or doing kingdom because we see the great need and think that if we don’t do it, who will right? Before too long we have been spread thin, see the warning signs, but often don’t stop until we have become completely shipwrecked. Is this where you are? Are you in people fatigue? The first step, is dealing with your heart towards the Lord. Ask Him to show you what He called you to without all of the extra baggage and hats that he didn’t tell you to wear. Make the clear distinction between that which He called you to and the over bearing religious burden you have taken on. Also, ask Him to heal and restore your heart from the weariness of the last season. Secondly, deal with any areas of people pleasing in your heart that keeps you in bondage to people or feeling like you owe everyone your time and energy. Is there a reason you keep getting to a place of burnout? Ask the Lord to show you. Thirdly, forgive people who have worn you down and whether knowingly or unknowingly, used you over and over. Maybe you also need to forgive people who have promised things or said things but haven’t delivered. And lastly create some boundaries. Write out a list of rules for yourself of how to effectively do relationships. How can you be in connection to others and a community of people where you feel valued, can pour into them but not feel like you get drained of everything? How do you interact without getting pulled on in an unhealthy way? Decide to up your communication game and value yourself more. You are not being unloving or mean by stating your boundary lines. LAST THOUGHTS Learning to trust people again is a big deal and can be easier said than done but it’s worth fighting to achieve. There are aspects of God we don’t get to experience without community and a close knit group of people to run with. This doesn’t mean we have to open up the floodgates of our hearts to everyone either. In fact, we need more discernment in the days to come and need to know who we are meant to do covenant relationship with and it’s not everyone. One other source of people fatigue are those in “wrong companies” or yoked to people or leaders who are using them to do their bidding. You keep wondering why you are depleted in every way when you are “serving the man of God” but it’s because you are being used. It’s time to break those yokes and as you do you’ll start to be healed and get refreshed again. Some people attract drama and by being in the pig pen with them you keep getting their mud on you. Leave it! Shut the door! “Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way” — Isaiah 35:3

TYPES OF OPPOSITION YOU MAY BE DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW & WHY

By Nate Johnston • 24 Apr, 2024
Opposition to the deeper REST/RESET This is where the enemy wars against you entering the secret place, bombarding you with busyness, striving, pressure to get things done, and sudden overwhelming distractions. The healing and heart clearing is so important right now and for some God is doing a complete makeover, cutting hidden ties, and removing wounds and trauma you didn’t even know you were carrying. Opposition of CLARITY to receive revelation/blueprints This is where the enemy sends chatter and words against you, where the atmosphere feels foggy and confusion tries to set in, and while God is always speaking it feels like the pieces don’t connect or seems unclear. For many this is manifested in the battle of the mind coming against them right now and the temptation to fall back into old mindsets, fears, and panic, but has been mainly been coming through peoples words of mockery and judgement. The war against you to RECEIVE is because the delivery is vital right now. Opposition on your VOICE In a time that the pure and clear prophetic has never been needed more there has been an obvious assignment to shut down voices rising up. Often disguised as wisdom, safe-guarding, and protecting purity (which are all necessary) this imposter spirit wants to shut down the prophetic by causing division, fault-finding/critical spirit, and instead of broadcasting hope - broadcasting opinions and agendas. This causes true voices of hope to shut down and hide. Opposition on what God is BUILDING in you This is where the enemy very directly hits you in the very area God is really adding favor, anointing, conviction, and vision in. He wants to sabotage it by making you second guess yourself, bring in controlling people and measures to taint it, or cause delays and setbacks/closed doors in the places God has promised. Opposition to your MANTLE and new mission/appointment Very much the same as what God is building in you but specifically the opposition that comes as a direct result of the noticeable increase you have stepped into and the office/appointment you have before you. The enemy sees the new mantle, your sudden fire and rising authority and has been warring against that appointment with weariness and disappointment. This is where you need wisdom and discernment to know that you aren’t taking on yokes, wrong armour, or peoples stuff, but only what God anoints and mantles you with. WHY AM I DEALING WITH OPPOSITION RIGHT NOW? - God is taking you from GLORY TO GLORY. - Your story is changing. Your track history is changing. - God is LIFTING you out of a whole way of living you got way too used to, administering his healing balm, restoration, and justice from many years ago. It’s the line in the sand so you can move into this season FULLY. - New blueprints and VISION are coming to you! You are in a new unknown era and God is giving you clear GPS directions, coordinates, and mission details for you to steward and walk out. - Your once hidden, squashed, silenced, and timid voice is suddenly ROARING from within you and making its way to the surface. You have no agenda, no territory to selfishly protect, and no motives or self-promotion and the earth needs the pure sound of your voice to cut through the noise. - God is BUILDING you, ESTABLISHING you, ANOINTING you afresh, and moving through you in a way you have not seen Him do! - You have been commissioned by God in the wilderness and now you are coming out of that season with a weighty governmental mantle and call to the nations to see them come to Jesus! SO HOW DO I RESPOND? - Take higher ground. PURSUE the secret place. FIGHT for it. It says in Hebrews 4:11 “Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest” It can be difficult in pressure but it's the only place you can get free/clear. - Be armored up. Take communion regularly. - Rebuke the wind and waves. This is your offensive stance. Get out the word and bind up what is coming at you. Clear the atmosphere. Tell the opposition to STOP in Jesus name. - SHAKE IT OFF & MOVE ON! In Acts 18:6 it says “But when they opposed and insulted him, he shook out his garments and told them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” Don’t let it stop you, hold you back, or slow you down. - Keep your vision before you regardless of what you see. Write down the vision, prophesy it, steward your promises, and guard them with your life. Look at what GOD is doing! We must keep our eyes on Jesus more than the storm that surrounds us, more than any pandemic. What is God doing and saying over you right now ?

FOR THOSE EXPERIENCING “PEOPLE FATIGUE”

By Nate Johnston • 28 Apr, 2024
Many are right now experiencing “People fatigue” which is the bewildering burnout after long seasons of being used, manipulated, and pulled in every direction by people for extended periods of time. People fatigue is the result of being constantly coerced and controlled, told what you should and shouldn’t do, being pulled into drama and situations there was no grace on, and/or worn down by people who keep overriding boundaries, and then gaslighting you when you confront it. People fatigue comes to the surface when you realize that you are either bitter and resentful at any level of relationship or involvement with others, overly wary, cynical of all people, or are noticing yourself hiding and retreating. Other signs are anxiety at gatherings or events, scrolling through social media, and anger/frustration seeing others in healthy relationships. If this is you, it’s because the enemy wants you to never find family and genuine covenant relationships. In fact, I believe it’s one of the enemies tactics to isolate you further after you have already come out of a long wilderness, sending you back into obscurity and a Lone Ranger lifestyle. If he can cause you to fear people or have you attempt to do kingdom without people, then he knows he has won in keeping your calling at bay. But let’s go one step further. People fatigue at the surface is people burnout but underneath it’s a triggered area of soul trauma that is rooted in feeling abandoned or used by God. What? How does that work? Let me explain; Think of a pastor who knows his job is to look after his flock. He gives his life to that congregation often at the expense of his family and own wellbeing. Then one day he crashes hard with a moral failure or just mentally/emotionally. Who does he feel let down by? People? Not necessarily. He feels let down by God. “Why did you call me to something I couldn’t keep up with?” He says. But the issue isn’t that God overloaded us, but that religion did. We did. Hang on, how were we part of the problem? It’s easy for us to accidentally slip into the role of fixer when we are in ministry or doing kingdom because we see the great need and think that if we don’t do it, who will right? Before too long we have been spread thin, see the warning signs, but often don’t stop until we have become completely shipwrecked. Is this where you are? Are you in people fatigue? The first step, is dealing with your heart towards the Lord. Ask Him to show you what He called you to without all of the extra baggage and hats that he didn’t tell you to wear. Make the clear distinction between that which He called you to and the over bearing religious burden you have taken on. Also, ask Him to heal and restore your heart from the weariness of the last season. Secondly, deal with any areas of people pleasing in your heart that keeps you in bondage to people or feeling like you owe everyone your time and energy. Is there a reason you keep getting to a place of burnout? Ask the Lord to show you. Thirdly, forgive people who have worn you down and whether knowingly or unknowingly, used you over and over. Maybe you also need to forgive people who have promised things or said things but haven’t delivered. And lastly create some boundaries. Write out a list of rules for yourself of how to effectively do relationships. How can you be in connection to others and a community of people where you feel valued, can pour into them but not feel like you get drained of everything? How do you interact without getting pulled on in an unhealthy way? Decide to up your communication game and value yourself more. You are not being unloving or mean by stating your boundary lines. LAST THOUGHTS Learning to trust people again is a big deal and can be easier said than done but it’s worth fighting to achieve. There are aspects of God we don’t get to experience without community and a close knit group of people to run with. This doesn’t mean we have to open up the floodgates of our hearts to everyone either. In fact, we need more discernment in the days to come and need to know who we are meant to do covenant relationship with and it’s not everyone. One other source of people fatigue are those in “wrong companies” or yoked to people or leaders who are using them to do their bidding. You keep wondering why you are depleted in every way when you are “serving the man of God” but it’s because you are being used. It’s time to break those yokes and as you do you’ll start to be healed and get refreshed again. Some people attract drama and by being in the pig pen with them you keep getting their mud on you. Leave it! Shut the door! “Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way” — Isaiah 35:3

TYPES OF OPPOSITION YOU MAY BE DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW & WHY

By Nate Johnston • 24 Apr, 2024
Opposition to the deeper REST/RESET This is where the enemy wars against you entering the secret place, bombarding you with busyness, striving, pressure to get things done, and sudden overwhelming distractions. The healing and heart clearing is so important right now and for some God is doing a complete makeover, cutting hidden ties, and removing wounds and trauma you didn’t even know you were carrying. Opposition of CLARITY to receive revelation/blueprints This is where the enemy sends chatter and words against you, where the atmosphere feels foggy and confusion tries to set in, and while God is always speaking it feels like the pieces don’t connect or seems unclear. For many this is manifested in the battle of the mind coming against them right now and the temptation to fall back into old mindsets, fears, and panic, but has been mainly been coming through peoples words of mockery and judgement. The war against you to RECEIVE is because the delivery is vital right now. Opposition on your VOICE In a time that the pure and clear prophetic has never been needed more there has been an obvious assignment to shut down voices rising up. Often disguised as wisdom, safe-guarding, and protecting purity (which are all necessary) this imposter spirit wants to shut down the prophetic by causing division, fault-finding/critical spirit, and instead of broadcasting hope - broadcasting opinions and agendas. This causes true voices of hope to shut down and hide. Opposition on what God is BUILDING in you This is where the enemy very directly hits you in the very area God is really adding favor, anointing, conviction, and vision in. He wants to sabotage it by making you second guess yourself, bring in controlling people and measures to taint it, or cause delays and setbacks/closed doors in the places God has promised. Opposition to your MANTLE and new mission/appointment Very much the same as what God is building in you but specifically the opposition that comes as a direct result of the noticeable increase you have stepped into and the office/appointment you have before you. The enemy sees the new mantle, your sudden fire and rising authority and has been warring against that appointment with weariness and disappointment. This is where you need wisdom and discernment to know that you aren’t taking on yokes, wrong armour, or peoples stuff, but only what God anoints and mantles you with. WHY AM I DEALING WITH OPPOSITION RIGHT NOW? - God is taking you from GLORY TO GLORY. - Your story is changing. Your track history is changing. - God is LIFTING you out of a whole way of living you got way too used to, administering his healing balm, restoration, and justice from many years ago. It’s the line in the sand so you can move into this season FULLY. - New blueprints and VISION are coming to you! You are in a new unknown era and God is giving you clear GPS directions, coordinates, and mission details for you to steward and walk out. - Your once hidden, squashed, silenced, and timid voice is suddenly ROARING from within you and making its way to the surface. You have no agenda, no territory to selfishly protect, and no motives or self-promotion and the earth needs the pure sound of your voice to cut through the noise. - God is BUILDING you, ESTABLISHING you, ANOINTING you afresh, and moving through you in a way you have not seen Him do! - You have been commissioned by God in the wilderness and now you are coming out of that season with a weighty governmental mantle and call to the nations to see them come to Jesus! SO HOW DO I RESPOND? - Take higher ground. PURSUE the secret place. FIGHT for it. It says in Hebrews 4:11 “Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest” It can be difficult in pressure but it's the only place you can get free/clear. - Be armored up. Take communion regularly. - Rebuke the wind and waves. This is your offensive stance. Get out the word and bind up what is coming at you. Clear the atmosphere. Tell the opposition to STOP in Jesus name. - SHAKE IT OFF & MOVE ON! In Acts 18:6 it says “But when they opposed and insulted him, he shook out his garments and told them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” Don’t let it stop you, hold you back, or slow you down. - Keep your vision before you regardless of what you see. Write down the vision, prophesy it, steward your promises, and guard them with your life. Look at what GOD is doing! We must keep our eyes on Jesus more than the storm that surrounds us, more than any pandemic. What is God doing and saying over you right now ?

THE PASSOVER HAS BEEN A CROSSOVER...

By Nate Johnston • 23 Apr, 2024
Today, as we were traveling I had a vision of a bloodline painted on the ground that looked like the border of states or nations. Then I saw people approach the line and put things in a trash can before they then JUMPED over the line. Instantly I thought of the Australian border security and how it is illegal to bring seeds from other nations that can harm our habitat. Then I said out loud “Old seeds have had to die in order to crossover” Then the Lord said, “Gethsemane is still a garden” and it hit me. We have been in a season where the Lord has been bringing us through the greatest purging season we have yet seen. It feels like death. But it’s not to us, but to the old place we have been in. But something has shifted. You have crossed over and haven’t even realized it. You spent so long praying and contending for a shift and it’s right now upon you. It always begins spiritually before it begins to show up in the natural, but it’s happened. This Passover was a crossover into an internal shift of epic proportions. Your appetite and affections have changed. Your vision is updating rapidly in real time. You can’t explain how you feel because you are still trying to get your bearings but you know your feet are about to move and you are feeling the winds of change and the quaking of a good kind of transition beneath you. You have felt so lost especially in the last few months but you can begin to taste the rain in the air after the drought and sense that it’s all about to connect. The emptying and the heartache are all part of the process that inevitably lead to a brand new day and a fresh wind... The enemy has raged and sought to rob, steal, and destroy you from every angle but NOTHING can stop what the Lord is about to do in your life. NOTHING! Does he know that pressing and crushing only increases you after some time? Do you know that? Now let me prophesy: You are coming back into your fullness. You are coming back from the brink of death and out of the dark chasm you have been living in and there will not only be a comeback but there will be INTEREST paid for everything that was robbed and stolen from you! The blood of Jesus has spoken over you and it has declared “Passover!” but now the Lord is declaring over you “Your crossover is here!” So get up off your sickbed and shake off the defeat and misery and prophesy again son/daughter because it’s here in Jesus name!

THE RETURN OF THE HOSPITAL CHURCH

By Nate Johnston • 21 Apr, 2024
Since we crossed over into 2024 I have noticed a massive shift in my dreams from the Lord. One of the common themes I keep dreaming about is healing and deliverance, but in every dream, it’s not just happening individually but in masse. It’s become quite common for me to dream where I am seeing people encountering freedom and deliverance on such a scale and level of power and glory that I will wake up feeling it still lingering. It’s captured my heart. The longing and desire of Jesus to see His people truly free. I feel it in my bones: we are crossing over. We have bound the church for too long. The pews have been places where sickness has thrived and we have normalized issues that Jesus healed people from in the Bible. We have celebrated dysfunctions, mental illness, and given the enemy our high places instead of casting out the snake, defying Jezebel, and calling out strongmen for what they are. They have sat at our tables for too long, poisoning pulpits, compromising the bride, killing marriages, and raising prodigals. We have band-aided what has plagued us instead of driven it out with the power of the spirit. We have been sick with nowhere to go and no doctors, nurses, or healers to lead us to wholeness. But yes, those days are over. We are crossing over. TURN OFF THE ENTERTAINMENT Recently in a dream, I heard the Lord say “My church shall be a hospital for the sick again, and no longer the concert” This shook me deeply and broke me realising the current state of the church where we have become more about entertainment, performance worship, big screens and smoke machines, celebrity speakers, cleverly crafted motivational messages, and emotionally charged atmospheres. They give you goosebumps and those moments of temporary emotionalism but are often void of the presence of God and His power to save, heal, and transform the broken. People come because they are deeply broken and they leave…still broken. Instead, they got a show and a self-help bandaid that lasted days if not hours. That’s not hope. That’s not the gospel. That’s not Jesus. That’s another Jesus. That's not evangelism if no one is being changed. That’s not prophecy if it’s enabling dysfunction. We need the power of the spirit again in our churches not gimmicks. We need true connection and community, not a false sense of belonging in exchange for our 10 percent. We have been going to concerts all along and have been paying the price of admission. But no longer, because the concert days are coming to an end and the days of the hospital church are coming back again. THE TOUCH OF HIS HEM And I hear the cry of the world and the church in bondage; “If I could just experience peace!” “If I could just be freed of this pain!” “If I could just get rid of this addiction!” “If I could just silence the tormenting voices!” “If I could just be WHOLE!” And right now there is a longing rising like a deep groan. It’s a birth pang resounding in the earth of a people craving true freedom - the kind that only Jesus can bring. It’s the cry of humanity like the woman with the issue of blood, desperate to be free. That’s why people flocked to Jesus. They were bound and he made them free. He didn’t give them a spiritualised theatre performance and then let them stay oppressed. He set the oppressed free. Jesus was so focused on delivering the oppressed that He would go out of his way to do it. The woman at the well in Samaria was not on Jesus’ intended path but He changed His route just to MAKE HER WHOLE. And right now He is doing the same thing to the church: changing our route to set as many free as possible. We are detouring away from the powerless self-help, inspirational quote Christianity and merging back onto the road of raw power and deliverance. And to those who think I am saying that creativity and the arts are wrong. Please listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying. The arts are worship and are powerful and necessary if they are coupled with the power of the spirit, but on their own, they are a feast in a prison cell. WE CAN’T PLAY SAFE It’s time to break the ceilings of man we have placed over our churches. They have desensitised us to the miracles, signs, and wonders that are meant to be commonplace. It has weakened our confidence in the blood of Jesus. It has reduced the power of the gospel down to goosebumps during worship and that’s a mockery to the spotless lamb that was slain. Pastors and leaders, you can’t play it safe anymore! Bring in the bound! Bring in those facing impossibilities that only Jesus can fix! Repent for your lack of faith and being double-minded. Ask God to remind you again of His mighty power and exploits. Then by faith, open your doors and call for the sick and oppressed and watch what God does I dare you. IT’S COMING BACK! 4 months before Jeff Jansen passed away he called me out of the blue with a word. “Nate you are going to see the anointing of A.A Allen break out again around you. Get ready because what has been lost is being restored!” I believe this. In fact, it’s been happening more frequently and unexpectedly. It’s been stirring me deeply and breaking any desire to be safe and enjoy a tidy meeting anymore. We need the messy meetings again, where the holy spirit is moving in such a way that there isn’t a still person in the room. It’s where you have one section experiencing the joy of the lord, laughing uncontrollably as the Holy Spirit breaks off years of deep-seated depression and oppression. It’s where you have another section going into visions, encountering the glory of God and being irreparably changed. It’s where people begin manifesting without hands even being laid on because strongmen who have been there for decades suddenly get evicted in the weight of the glory in the room. It’s where God touches the minds of those who have been mentally bound and in moments coming into peace and their right minds again. It’s where the worst failures in human standards get baptised in fire and step into a new beginning. It’s where addicts hand over their drugs and pipes. It’s where we begin to see the dead raised normalized again. The blind seeing. The deaf hearing. And the mantle of Jesus, Isaiah 61 falls upon the church again, and we experience the GREATER WORKS Jesus said we would do. That’s the hospital church, and it’s coming back. “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning. and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated, they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations. Strangers will shepherd your flocks; foreigners will work your fields and vineyards. And you will be called priests of the Lord, you will be named ministers of our God. You will feed on the wealth of nations and in their riches you will boast. Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours” - Isaiah 61:1-7  RECEIVE THE POWER Now for those reading this who are experiencing impossibilities and this word felt like both an uncomfortable confrontation and a soothing balm, please read this last part. Jesus wants you healed and whole. Hope deferred has sunken into the church like a slow-releasing poison. It’s the result of years of the enemy delaying breakthroughs and seeing sickness thrive instead of decrease, financial issues abounding, dreams being smashed on the rocks of disappointment, mental wars flourishing, and demonic strongholds getting stronger. The narrative the enemy has wanted you to believe is that you are powerless and God has no interest in setting you free. Right now break that lie! Lay your frustration, and hope deferred down. Shake off the lies of the enemy! Let me pray over you. Jesus, according to your word SET THEM FREE! Every demonic spirit oppressing them GO in Jesus' name! Every strongman of sickness and infirmity GO in Jesus' name! Every assignment of lack leaves now in Jesus' name! Jesus make them WHOLE in the mighty name of Jesus! Now mantle them with power from in high again, and raise your end-time church as the surgeons and healers you called us to be. “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost comes upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” - Acts 1:8
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