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In This Edition
1. Discerning The Signs and Wonders
2. New Testament Works of the SPIRIT
3. New - Current Revival Reports and Discussion Forum
4. From Around God's Network
5. TOP NEWS Headlines

1. Discerning The Signs and Wonders

Keeping Our Focus On The Goal And Understanding The Season

God is sending a fresh wind of His Spirit across the world in this season of change. A vast vacuum exists in many of the people of the world, including most Christians. There has been a lack of the presence of God that has created a spiritual vacuum pulling upon God�s Holy Spirit to fill the void with the love and power of the presence of God to make new, heal, deliver, and transport God�s people into the next place of restoration of all things unto our God - the practical reality of the kingdom of God on earth.

God is Spirit who relates first to the spirit of man by His Spirit in the supernatural realm of the Spirit and then, flowing through the soul and body of man, manifests into the natural world to do His will from heaven on earth. Throughout much of the church and the world, there has been an extreme void of supernatural relationship to God in the Holy Spirit which has led to a lack of the manifested presence and life of God in the world.

In this season the hunger for the supernatural life of God has become acute. In recent Holy Spirit outpourings, tastes of the presence of God have been experienced and have stirred passion for the reality of the supernatural life of Jesus. The passion of the people for more of God has led to dramatic increase in supernatural occurrences and miraculous healings. Angels are appearing. Heavenly visions are occurring. Physical manifestations of trembling, shaking, and falling in the presence of God are occurring. Alcoholics and drug addicts are being set free and coming to Jesus. People are being born again and filled with fresh life of the Spirit of God. Visions of Jesus are seen by people in the Spirit. Signs and wonders are now being experienced much like in the time of Jesus and the first century apostles. Traveling revivalists, evangelists, churches, house churches, and schools are reporting dramatic increase in supernatural manifestations and miraculous healings.

What does all this mean? Why is it happening now? Where is this going?

Father, in the name of Jesus, we come to your throne of mercy and grace. We receive your mercy and grace. Father, we ask of You wisdom and understanding to discern the signs of this time, that we may not miss the glory you have prepared for those who love You. We open our hearts and minds to receive Your Holy Spirit and fire to enlighten and empower us to live in the fullness of Your presence and carry out Your will on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.

Many Christians have been trained to discern natural things but may have had little or no experience in discerning real supernatural spiritual things of God. Like many of the religious leaders in Jesus� day, we may have skilled natural-mind understanding and discernment but may not be well prepared to discern spiritual things by the Spirit. Probably most of us have yet to even begin to grasp the vast reality of the Spirit of God and the great significance of the work of the Holy Spirit. And certainly, we may be clueless regarding the vast army of spirit beings called Holy Angels. These powerful ministering spirits sent from God to minister to the heirs of salvation may be a fearful mystery to many who lack mature discernment of spiritual things by the Spirit.

Mat 16:3: ....Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.

Heb 1:14: Are they (angels) not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?

The Greek word translated "signs" in the above verse is �semeion� and is also often translated miracles in the KJV. The Lord is speaking here about discerning supernatural miraculous happenings. We need to spiritually discern the �signs� of this time.

A lack of spiritual perception and full appreciation of the work of the Holy Spirit may cause us to improperly discern. The past focus and experience of the church of highly esteeming natural understanding of the Bible with a lack of full respect and grasp of the awesome place of the Holy Spirit has led to a weakness of spiritual perception and understanding. For this reason many cannot discern real signs and wonders from false. Sadly this often causes a rejection of the true by ascribing the work of the Holy Spirit to the devil.

Mark 16:17-18: And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Discerning the True, the False, and the MIXTURE

Lack of mature holiness in a gifted person causes a mixture.

Mature holiness looks a lot like humility filled with love and spiritual power in a person with a pure heart and clean hands.

Unholy looks like pride with needful desire and natural strength in a person with an unclean heart and dirty hands.

A believer in process of becoming holy often will be a mixture of holy and unholy practices. This mixture is not uncommon in the leadership of churches and ministries of the church age systems.

Most believers in the church age have sought after leaders to follow that we could esteem highly. Unknowingly, we have often looked to a respected leader instead of looking to the Christ in the leader and have become followers of a man instead of Christ Jesus. We may have not prospered in our spirits and have been disappointed and mistreated because of the lack of mature holiness in the leader. Often, we then choose to blame the leader without understanding that we were part of the problem by our not following Christ. We can be led by the Christ in any person sent to minister to a current need and situation. However, we must not follow or receive from the bad part of a mixture. Follow Christ within by the Holy Spirit and follow Christ in man but do not follow another (John 10:4-5).

John 10:27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

The false does exist and can be discerned by their fruits (Mat 7:16-18). However, what many have called false teachers, false prophets, false apostles, and false signs are not really false but mixtures. The false relates to the unholy (the harlot). The mixture relates to immature are partly holy (the adulteress). The true relates to mature holiness (the pure Bride).

The spiritual adulteress has a husband (Jesus) but is unfaithful to Him by seeking other loves. The fruit of the adulterated mixture is good fruit from God on one side of the tree, and bad fruit from the god of self and other gods on the other side of the tree. If we are NOT following the man, we can discern and partake of the good fruit of Christ and not partake of the bad fruit. However, if we reject the good fruit of Christ, we are rejecting God and His provision for us. Think about this, if it is a mixture there is some God in it. Instead of killing the wounded or immature adulterated believer and destroying the good fruit of God along with the bad, receive the good fruit and minister the work of Christ by the Holy Spirit from your pure heart to heal and edify (grow to maturity) the believer.

God is pouring out signs and wonders in this season for a reason.

The primary destination or objective of all God does on earth is the fullness of the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. All things must be redeemed and fully restored unto our God. Fallen man and the fallen kingdoms of this world must become the kingdoms of our God.

Over two thousand years ago, an angel appeared to a virgin, and soon after the Holy Spirit overshadowed her and implanted the seed of God in her womb. A heavenly host of holy angels announced the birth of the Son of God and the process of the redemption and restoration of all things begun.

About thirty years later the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus and the supernatural work of redemption and restoration of the kingdom of God on earth began. Jesus demonstrated the kingdom through numerous supernatural miracles including healings, deliverance, and raising the dead. He demonstrated kingdom authority over nature as he calmed a storm or walked upon the sea. Miracles, signs, and wonders made known the presence of God come to reclaim the kingdoms of earth.

The cruel work of enduring death on the cross provided for redemption of all who believe. His resurrection, ascension, and return in the Holy Spirit at Pentecost to indwell believers began the work of restoration. Jesus returned to earth in the Holy Spirit to indwell mankind and do the supernatural work through His people of restoring all things to our God. And again at Pentecost supernatural signs and wonders were poured out only this time through 120 waiting disciples. The mark and the tools of the work of re-establishment of the kingdom of God on earth are manifestations of supernatural miracles of healing, deliverance, raising the dead, angelic appearances, and many other signs and wonders.

I think you have figured it out by now. The reason for signs and wonders pouring out in this season is the return of the work of Jesus by the Holy Spirit to take us to the greater fullness of the kingdom. The movement toward the kingdom has been derailed for centuries by the age of man-centered religion and the lack of the real gospel of the kingdom. The return to the recognition of the massive work of the Holy Spirit began just over a hundred years ago and is now exploding into the earth. In this season we are only beginning to awaken to the reality of the Spirit of God empowering the pure, holy people of God.

Soon there will be little or no more of the adulterated mixture as holy men and women of God clothed in humility and burning with God�s glory will set the world on fire with the vast love and power of the God of heaven present on earth.

Rev 11:15: Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!"

Psa 72:19: And blessed be His glorious name forever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen

Keep on pursuing love.
It never fails.

Ron McGatlin

www.openheaven.com
basileia@earthlink.net

2. New Testament Works of the SPIRIT

By Gary McGatlin

(Note by Ron) Wow, 151 different works of the Holy Spirit given in the New Testament. I was taught that we should not pay much attention to the Holy Spirit. The implication was that Holy Spirit was sort of a go-between lesser member of the God Head. Honestly, I had no idea of the magnitude of the work of the Holy Spirit until I read this work by Gary. I probably could have named 6 to 10 works of the Spirit. I have a new awesome respect for the work of the Holy Spirit after reading these Scriptures and I think you may also. Thanks Gary - Ron (Dad)

Conception of Christ
Matthew 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 1:20 But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
Luke 1:35 The angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.

Jesus will Baptize us w/ Holy Spirit
Matthew 3:11 "As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Mark 1:8 "I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
Luke 3:16 John answered and said to them all, "As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Jesus Baptized w/ Holy Spirit
Matthew 3:16 After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him,
Mark 1:10 Immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him;
Luke 3:22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, "You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased."
John 1:32 John testified saying, "I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him.
John 1:33 "I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, "He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.'

Jesus led by Holy Spirit
Matthew 4:1 (The Temptation of Jesus) Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
Mark 1:12 Immediately the Spirit impelled Him to go out into the wilderness.
Luke 4:1 (The Temptation of Jesus) Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness

Spirit can speak through us
Matthew 10:20 "For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.
Mark 13:11 "When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit.
Luke 12:12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say."

Jesus cast out demons by the Spirit
Matthew 12:28 "But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

John the Baptist Filled w/ Spirit
Luke 1:15 "For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother's womb.

Elizabeth Filled w/ Spirit
Luke 1:41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Zacharias Filled w/ Spirit
Luke 1:67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:

Jesus� Power from the Spirit
Luke 4:14 And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district.

Jesus Rejoiced in the Spirit
Luke 10:21 At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, �I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.

Father�s Gift
Luke 11:13 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?"

Born Again by the Spirit
John 3:5 Jesus answered, �Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
John 3:6 �That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
John 3:8 �The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.�

Spirit gives life / Flesh profits nothing
John 6:63 "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.

Spirit of Truth, In Us, Not in World
John 14:17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.
Worship in Spirit & Truth
John 4:23 "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.
24 "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and truth."

Helper / Teaches us all things
John 14:26 �But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.
Testifies of Jesus
John 15:26 �When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me,

Wait for the Filling
Acts 1:2 until the day when He was taken up to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen.
3 To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.
4 Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, "Which," He said, "you heard of from Me;
5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."
Acts 1:8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."

Promise Fulfilled!
Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.
Acts 2:33 "Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear.

All Filled / Building Shook
Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.

Consequence of Lying to the Spirit
Acts 5:3 But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land?
Acts 5:9 Then Peter said to her, "Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well."

Spirit given to those who obey Him
Acts 5:32 �And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.�
Stephen a man Filled w/ Spirit
Acts 6:3 "Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task.
Acts 6:5 The statement found approval with the whole congregation; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch.

Stephen speaking with the power of the Spirit
Acts 6:10 But they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.

Stephen speaks of Resisting the Spirit
Acts 7:51 �You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did.

Stephen sees Jesus by the power of the Spirit
Acts 7:55 But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God;

Holy Spirit Received (after water baptism) by the laying on of Hands
Acts 8:12 But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike. �
14 Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John,
15 who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. �
17 Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.

Spirit speaks to Philip
Acts 8:29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, �Go up and join this chariot.�

Spirit transports Philip
Acts 8:39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing.

Paul receives Spirit by laying on of Hands
Acts 9:17 So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, �Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.�

Spirit spoke to Peter
Acts 10:19 While Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men are looking for you.

Jesus anointed with the Spirit
Acts 10:38 "You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

Gentiles receive the Spirit (before water)
Acts 10:44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message.
45 All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. �
47 "Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?"

Spirit Poured out on the Gentiles
Acts 11:15 "And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning.
16 "And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, "John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'

Paul speaks by Filling of the Spirit
Acts 13:9 But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze on him,

Disciples Filled w/ Spirit
Acts 13:52 And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Spirit gives Instructions
Acts 15:28 "For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials:

Spirit Directs Ministry
Acts 16:6 They passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia;
7 and after they came to Mysia, they were trying to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them;

Spirit Given after Salvation
Acts 19:2 He said to them, �Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?� And they said to him, �No, we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.�

Spirit given by laying on of Hands
Acts 19:6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying.

Spirit Reveals Personal Future Events
Acts 20:23 except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me.

Spirit Appoints Overseers
Acts 20:28 "Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.

Spirit, the Power of the Resurrection
Romans 1:4 who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord,

Spirit puts God�s love in our Hearts
Romans 5:5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Walking in the Spirit = Fulfillment of the Law
Romans 8:4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Spirit Gives Life
Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
Romans 8:13 for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Led by Spirit
Romans 8:14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

Kingdom is in the Spirit
Romans 14:17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Spirit Sanctifies Ministry
Romans 15:16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, so that my offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Preach in the power of the Spirit
Romans 15:19 in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
Spirit gives us power to Love One Another
Romans 15:30 Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me,

Bodies the Temple of the Spirit
1 Corinthians 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?

Spirit gives Gifts
1 Corinthians 12:4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. �
7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
8 For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit;
9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,
11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.