Where is your Sickle?

But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come. (Mk. 4:29)

Could it be that many of us aren’t enjoying the harvests of our giving and serving because we don’t know what it means to ‘put in the sickle?’  From my observation, harvests don’t jump in the truck or run into the barn.  There is labor involved in harvesting and the greater the harvest, the greater the labor.

God’s blessings take many forms.  Some are visible and some are invisible.  Many of His blessings are opportunities that must be seized.  We may not even be aware of all of the harvests of opportunity that have found their way to us because they look like work!

Other harvests might be lost due to our untamed tongue.  “A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.” (Prov. 18:20)

Did you know that your tongue is not only a source of sowing, but also of reaping?  Recently as I was driving and praying I was asking the Lord about a perceived lack of harvests in my life in some areas.  I guess I was complaining.  The Lord spoke to me and said, ‘that is not my job.’ ‘Harvesting is your job.’  All of a sudden the light turned on in my spirit!  The harvests are all around us if we would but lift up our eyes, open our ears, bless the seed we have sown and then call in the harvests!

Those harvests may take various forms but if we are willing to put in the sickle of our words, our time and patience, abundance will find us.

And let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9)

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, (Eph. 3:20)

Barry Bennett

The Choice Is Yours

You can choose your future and your destiny. You can choose to allow the Spirit to love through you and live through you. You can choose to receive the joy of the Lord, to renew your mind, to pray in the Spirit, to be a doer of the Word, to give and forgive and to live by faith.

God is not the variable in our lives. Grace is a constant, abundant provision for every need. The variable is our will. We choose to be passive or active in our fellowship with God.

Whosoever….. says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. (Mark 11:23)

You are a “whosoever!”

You can be who God wants you to be and walk in as much victory as you want to walk in! How important to you is the abundant life of God?

Whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (Jn. 3:16)

But whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; (John 4:14)

Rather than being distracted and blinded by circumstances and feelings, each of us is able to focus on the goodness of God, appropriate His promises, and escape the corruption that is in the world. God’s grace is His provision for every need. We can choose to be passive victims or active over comers.

. . . as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness . . . by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2 Peter. 1:3-4)

Barry Bennett

Is your faith coming from the right Source?

Men were created to believe and act upon words. We were specifically created to hear, believe and act upon God’s words. Hearing Him is the source of faith and life (Rom. 10:17, Mt. 4:4). Adam believed in God, but he didn’t believe God’s words. He chose to believe the words of the serpent.

God’s Word is meant to feed and stimulate the heart of man. God’s Word is a seed that can only produce fruit in the right environment. The right environment is the receptive human heart. Faith is the response of the heart to the influence of the Word.

Men will live by what they hear and choose to believe. All men have the capacity to believe words. Those who listen to the world will believe what the world believes and do what the world declares. That is their faith.

Fallen man has ignored the voice of God and the words of God. They are living by faith, but the faith that is of the world. When God’s Word finds a place in our hearts, our faith becomes alive to its true “Source” and begins to think, act and speak in agreement with God’s revelation to man. This is when true, abundant life begins.

True faith only comes from hearing the Word of God. Grace is God’s provision for every need. Faith is our response to that provision and its Source. Only the words you believe will decide if you live in His grace or in the world’s corruption. You may believe in God, but do you believe God?

By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand (Rom. 5:2)

Barry Bennett

How Do I Pray for a Lost Loved One?

The keys to praying for others can be found in the words of Jesus and Paul.

1. Pray that God would send laborers into their lives who would transmit the gospel in a way that is relevant to them. It is the Word of God that opens the hearts and transforms them.

“Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” (Mt. 9:37-38)

2. Pray that the Word would reach their heart and reveal God’s love. The revelation of God’s love is the most important revelation that one can receive. Love this person with the love of God.

“For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.” (Eph. 3:14)

3. Pray that the Spirit would convict them of their need and the gift of righteousness. This is not a condemning conviction, but a revelation of their ‘lostness’ and that Jesus is the answer.

“And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;” (John 16:8-9)

4. Pray that the seed of the Word that already exists in their heart, or that will be heard by them, will spring up and grow in their life. Believe that the Word of God will transform their heart and mind.

“And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; 27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how 28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear 29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.” (Mark 4:26-29)

5. Pray that they would have a revelation of God’s goodness. It is His goodness that leads us to repentance.

“Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?” (Rom. 2:4)

Barry Bennett

Faith in His Promises

The abundant life in Christ is based upon promises. All who are born again are born again because they have believed a promise. We have a better covenant established on better promises (Heb. 8:6). It is by these promises that we become partakers of His nature (2 Pet. 1:3-4). All of the promises of God are Yes and Amen (2 Cor. 1:20).

We are the ones who activate the promises. How? In Romans 10:9-10 we see that to activate the promise of salvation we must first believe with the heart and confess with the mouth.

For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Rom. 10:9-10)

Salvation includes meeting the needs of the whole man, spirit, soul and body. Forgiveness, healing, provision, protection, blessing and wellbeing are all activated by believing from the heart God’s promise. All of the benefits of the abundant life are released in the same way: through believing with the heart and confessing with the mouth.

Though all of God’s blessings already exist for us, (Eph. 1:3) they do not simply appear when a need arises. They must be received by faith. God’s promises are the channel through which our faith can be released and the blessings can be received. As it is with salvation, so it is with all aspects of the Christian life.

As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him: (Col 2:6)

When we learn how faith is activated for salvation, we have learned how faith can be activated for every promise of God.

For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. (2 Cor. 1:20)

Give Faith a Focus

What are you believing for? What are you seeing with your spiritual eyes? What is motivating you?

So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. (Luke 17:6)

A seed has a purpose, but a seed not planted will never achieve its purpose. Faith begins as a seed. The believer sees a need and speaks forth a seed. Those circumstances that need changing will respond to the seed of faith (words spoken with authority). They will obey a superior authority.

When you see a need and you know you have the authority to meet the need, you instantly have a vision of how and you move into action. Jesus spoke to sicknesses, to storms, to demons and to the devil himself. His superior authority gave birth to vision. Vision gave birth to faith. Faith gave birth to words, and the circumstances obeyed the words.

Jesus saw suffering and brought forth healing. He saw lack and brought forth abundance. He saw danger and brought forth peace. He had a vision. His spiritual eyes motivated Him. His words released His authority. Things that were out of order had to submit to Divine order.

Jesus said to His disciples, “If you have faith…you can say….and it would obey YOU! Jesus expects us to walk as He walked. He expects you to give faith a focus.

It is important that our faith have a focus. We should always be looking beyond ourselves and realize that that we are ambassadors of a message that all men need to hear. The more we focus our faith on the needs around us, the more we will see God’s provision in our own lives.

Where is your faith? What is it doing today?

Barry Bennett

In 2006, a few farmers from Heidelberg, South Africa came together for regular Bible studies when a Pastor decided he wanted a Bible College in Heidelberg. The Pastor gave the congregation freedom to decide which ministry to contact in order to make this happen. One of the farmers had already discovered Andrew Wommack’s teachings. They contacted the AWM UK office and soon began a weekly correspondence group. Charis Heidelberg was originally established in 2010.
After spending three decades as a physiotherapist in South Africa, Carlynne Kotze sensed the Lord prompting her to move to the U.K. At the age of 52, Carlynne obeyed and moved away from the country that was always home to her. She was scared and felt completely out of her comfort zone, but everything fell into place. She found a place to stay, transportation was taken care of, and she loved her new job at the hospital where she worked.

Wondering why God sent her to the UK, she one day came across a woman who spoke her native Afrikaans language. The woman gave her Andrew Wommack’s You’ve Already Got It! cassette tapes. Carlynne knew that this was why she had come to the UK!

From there, Carlynne began to attend some conferences in Walsall and she eventually enrolled in Charis Bible College Walsall. During her second year in Walsall, she was invited to go to Heidelberg, South Africa for her Missions trip where they met up with these same farmers. For her third year, she was able to lead the Missions trip to Heidelberg and she knew she would return some day.

Carlynne was eventually made Director of the Heidelberg location, and she was able to move back to the native country she loves. Currently, there are 3 staff members at the Heidelberg location – Carlynne, Charis Director; Bets Janse van Rensburg, Charis Administrator; and Alfred Rademan, Dean of Students. Although Carlynne’s journey has not always been easy, the Lord has made her path straight. She says that after 10 years, she is still enjoying the love, goodness, and blessings of the Lord. Today, she enjoys watching her students grow in boldness and in love and seeing the fruit of their labor in Christ.

Are You Walking By Sight?

For those with well trained dogs, a simple command brings forth instant obedience. Dogs can understand verbal commands, hand signals and even body language and inflections in the voice. The owner of a well-trained dog has faith that his commands will be obeyed. In many cases he doesn’t even have to see the obedience. He knows the dog will carry out the command.

However, the same owner who confronts a strange dog may give the same commands and signals but will only be able to judge the outcome by what he sees. With a strange dog the human must walk by sight. The dog may not obey at all. There is no assurance because there is no relationship. Without relationship there is no authority established.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Heb. 11:1)

Faith is the evidence of things not seen. Only in the realm of relationship and authority can we be certain of that which we don’t see. An instruction to a teenaged son to mow the yard while the parent is away should result in a mowed yard by the time the parent returns. If the relationship is strong and the authority of the parent has been established, there is no need to be concerned for the outcome. In the mind of the parent, the yard is mowed the moment the instruction is given.

In the same way, our faith walk with God is based upon our relationship with Him and our understanding of our delegated authority. God has given us authority over sickness, our emotions, our words, our thoughts and actions and within our sphere of influence. We were created to have dominion in the earth. We should be able to walk by faith, not sight, calling things that are not as though they are.

We should know that in the world of the Spirit, our words have authority. Demons tremble, sicknesses wither, favor surrounds us and blessings overtake us! But if we are unsure of who we are in Christ, we will continue to walk by sight. We will be ruled by circumstances and our own feelings and doubts. We may try to exert influence over the things that come to steal, kill and destroy, but we will only know if we are successful by what we see. Life can be like a big dog that we don’t know.

Faith begins with relationship with God. Relationship will reveal our authority in Christ. Like the Centurion we will be able to say, “I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” (Mt. 8:9)

Barry Bennett

What if I told you……

that if you are born again you have changed kingdoms?
that you are just as righteous as Jesus?
that your spirit is a new creation?
that you are seated with Him in heavenly places?
that you are filled with His Spirit?
that you are adopted into His family?
that His love was poured into your heart?
that you are called to reign in life?
that God wants to give you abundant life?
that He has given you every promise in order to escape the corruption of the world?
that you have the God kind of faith inside of you?
that you can hear God?
that you can see the unseen?
that you can pray believing and receive in His Name?
that you can submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee?
that as He is, so are you in this world?
that you have the keys to His Kingdom?
that He will freely give you all things?
that the gifts of His Spirit are for you to help others?
that healing is your covenant right?
that Job isn’t your example, Jesus is?

If you are born again and I told you all of this, it would simply be basic Christianity. It is the message of freedom from guilt and condemnation. It is the message of victory, joy, peace with God and love. It is a message that knows God is not schizophrenic, moody, mysterious or cruel. It is a message of the Father’s love for mankind and His provision for every need. It is the simple gospel.

Barry Bennett

What Motivates You?

Every morning we all get out of bed and draw upon strength and energy to make it through the day.  We must choose from where we will draw our strength and energy.  For some, their energy comes from obligation rooted in boredom.  For others, their energy may come from the excitement of new challenges.  How many of us actually face each day drawing from the life of God within us?

He gives power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increases strength. (Isa. 40:29)

If you are a born again believer, you have an infinite supply of God’s grace within.  His grace includes His provision, His strength, His equipping, His wisdom and His vision.  We can choose to face each day by drawing on our own limited strength and resources, or we can stir up the grace of God that is within us, give thanks, speak words of life, and step into all of the possibilities that exist in that day.

Realizing how much more potential I had in Christ, versus my very limited future without Him has only made me hungry to be fully given to His purpose in my life.  His resources are continually available to me if I will only choose them.

I’ve had days of low energy just like everyone, but now I understand why.  I was facing those days in my own strength, with my own limited vision, and meditating on my own limited resources.  No wonder I dreaded those days.

If that sounds like you, it is time to realize that you have a hidden energy source.  The Greater One lives in you!  You don’t have to dread the day.  Choose to trust in the grace of God within you and approach the day as a conqueror, not a victim!

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.  (Isa. 40:31)

Barry Bennett

The Most Beautiful Words

Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.  But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.  All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. (Isa. 53:4-6)

Certainly these are some of the most beautiful words ever written.  The Spirit of God inspired Isaiah and revealed the depth of God’s love for man, a love so profound that it was willing to give His Son (and the Son was willing to give Himself) in order to restore us to our original place in Him.

Jesus understood our grief, sickness, pain and trauma.  He understood the devastating power of sin that has created darkness and suffering for humanity.  Not only did He understand, He came to walk among us and demonstrate His love and compassion for the hurting.  But He didn’t come only to see and touch man’s need,  He came to take upon Himself the curse of our separation from God and all its manifestations.  He took the iniquity of every person on earth, every person who would ever be conceived.  He took our physical pain and sicknesses.  He took our depression, sadness and fears.  He took the full weight of every curse of sin.  In fact, He became a curse and He became sin as He hung on the cross.

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  (Mt. 11:28)

The invitation is for all.  Rest and peace are for all.  Healing is for all.  Deliverance from every trauma and grief is for all.  Jesus did this for you.

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 proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.  (Luke 4:18-19)

Take time to let your spirit feed on these verses.  Hear Him speaking.  See Him healing you.  Let Him restore you and give you life, peace and joy.  That is the gospel.

Barry Bennett

God is kinder than you think

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? (Rom. 8:32)

What if our lives are mostly a reflection of how we see God?  If you see God as easily angered, condemning, stingy, unwilling to let go of His blessings, or always wanting to test you, you will live like the slave of a temperamental master.  You will never know if you are good enough.

What if God is kinder than you think?  What if His reputation has been ruined by men who didn’t really know Him?  Let’s look at some verses that paint a different picture.

Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water. (John 4:10)

– The gift of living water.

Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38)

– The gift of the Holy Spirit.

they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.  (Rom. 5:17)

– The gift of grace and righteousness.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,  (Eph. 2:8)

– The gift of salvation by faith.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. (James 1:17)

–  Every good gift.

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.  (Luke 12:32)

– The gift of the Kingdom.

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you  (John 14:27)

– The gift of His peace.

“And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.” (John 16:23)

– Whatever we ask in His Name.

as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,

4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature (2 Pet. 1:3-4)

– The gift of His promises and all things that pertain to life.

Do you have enough faith to believe in his goodness?  Faith begins when God’s extravagant goodness is embraced.  All you need has already been given.  He is that good!