From the desk of Steve Shultz:
In this short article, Kathie Walters makes the case for unusual manifestations of the Spirit.
Many people throughout the Body of Christ are afraid of most manifestations because they come at odd times and in strange ways.
But God is bigger than the objections of the people of God. As one pastor has wisely observed, "God often offends the mind to reveal the heart." Our minds are often offended at the unusual manifestation. Fight it if you must, but if you truly want to give to God complete control and access to your life, you may very well be experiencing one or more of these manifestations at times in your life. I have and I wouldn't have it any other way.
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Kathie Walters:
Why Manifestations? What Do They Mean?
Demonstrations of His Power
The Holy Spirit always wants to demonstrate what God says. God confirmed the word with signs following (Mark 16:20).
In Hebrews 2:3-4 it says, "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?"
Well, we know for sure that God wants to do signs and wonders and confirm His own word because it just said so.
I don't know why some Christians think is it so spiritual to say, "I don't need signs and wonders." Well, Jesus actually relied on signs and wonders and manifestations. He went out of the way to make sure the Holy Spirit had an opportunity to demonstrate the words He spoke.
Jesus said, "I am the bread of life" (John 6:35) and fed the 5,000. He said, "I am the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25) and He raised the dead. He said, "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12) and He opened the eyes of the blind. God always wants to do what He says. The Apostle Paul said, "And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power" (1 Corinthians 2:4).
God is Talking - Take Note and Listen
>So God talks to us in various ways. He talks through the Bible which contains the Word of God, and He talks to us through the Holy Spirit who brings us life. The Bible was hard to read for me until the Holy Spirit showed up and made it come alive. Then the Holy Spirit started to speak through preachers and prophets.
Remember when Jesus was answering satan? He said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" (Matthew 4:4). You don't just take any Scripture and use it – you have to discern what God is saying to you NOW – TODAY. The proceeding Word, the Word or Scripture, that is coming to you now, today.
That is why signs and wonders are important. They are a part of what God does and says, and we should pay attention to the manifestations of the Holy Spirit because GOD IS TALKING TO YOU.
Years ago, well-meaning churches would preach the Gospel message of salvation every Sunday night, even though the congregation of 50 had been saved for 20 years at least. While it was in the Bible, it wasn't the proceeding Word to those people. They didn't stop to listen to what God was saying today. That would have moved them to the next place God had for them. Instead, they stayed where they were and "froze" in time.
When God is moving by His Spirit, it is in order to demonstrate something or tell you something. The signs and wonders are not meant to entertain us, although I must say it can be very entertaining, but we should take note and listen.
Many people are smelling the different aromas in the meetings (and out of the meetings). Each aroma is God speaking to you. (I have a great book called "The Spiritual meaning of Aromas, flowers, trees and colors".) Many people have dreams and visions of different flowers, trees, colors etc., but in all those things GOD IS TALKING. For example, aroma of strawberries means friendship with God. Apples, the Beloved's breath, smells like sweet apples – Jesus is breathing on you. Peppermint – refreshing and so on. They are in my book.
Signs
Signs – if you preach healing, the Holy Spirit will heal people because He will demonstrate the Word. Sometimes the anointing comes on someone and God uses them for a sign to say something.
One time when my husband, David, was ministering in Florida, the Holy Spirit was moving on people at the end of the meeting. One man was on the floor unable to move for a long time. He kept trying to get up – you have probably seen the same thing. I saw an angel sitting on the man's chest. I said to him, "God won't let you up until you listen to what He says." After a while he did listen and then the angel got up and then the man got up too, a bit shaken. He told me later that he thought the power of his mind was as strong as the power of God! Well, I don't think he thought that again.
In the same meeting, a lady started running backwards. She ran backwards around the church. Then she ran backwards out of the door and across the parking lot. The elders very wisely decided to wait on God the next morning to find out what He was saying.
God spoke to them and said, "You are not going forward in this move until you go back for the children." The church had David come and bring all the children and youth into the revival and into the anointing. Then the whole church moved on in the move of the Spirit.
Sometimes when I am preaching, my arm or hand gets stuck – I have to wait until we "get it" before we can move on in the meeting. Recently while I as speaking in the Gold Coast in Australia, my left hand got "stuck." My arm was slightly raised and my hand was turned downwards. It stayed like that for a couple of minutes while we waited to see what it was all about.
Then my hand felt like it was resting on the head of a small boy. I could feel his hair under my hand. I remember how Jesus blessed the children. In the original translation it means He laid hands on them to anoint them. The children are anointed too – they have the same Holy Spirit as any adult. My husband David has little kids praying for the sick and sees miracles happen all the time.
So sometimes YOU get to be the sign and wonder, but God is talking. Listen and watch – don't let things pass you by. God doesn't always "speak" to speak. He speaks through signs and wonders and various gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Blessings,
Kathie and David Walters
Good News Ministries
Email: kathiewalters@mindspring.com
Website: kathiewaltersministry.com
Kathie Walters is an international speaker who brings freedom to those who feel they have to "qualify." She also ministers in the supernatural and believes that the supernatural realm is for everyone.
