July 18, 2006
Francis
Frangipane: "FIRE WALK"
The
Walk of Suffering
Jesus' walk was neither painless nor
effortless, and yours will not be either. Perhaps our minds cannot envision the
Son of God facing any "real problems," such as we face. We know He calmed the
sea, but we are also told He "...learned obedience
through the things which He suffered" (Hebrews 5:8).
Yes, power surged from Him causing those
who came to arrest Him to fall back (John 18:6),
but He also had times He was wearied (John 4:6).
He indeed promised us peace, but He, too, had times when He was distressed
(Luke 12:49-50), angered
(Mark 3:5), and troubled
(John 12:27). The same beautiful feet that
proclaimed the glad tidings, that walked on water, walked the Via Dolorosa--the
way of suffering.
When we consider the Son of God, we should not isolate Him from the extreme
spiritual warfare He faced on many occasions, even to the point of sweating
blood. We are assured that Christ never failed, but neither was He aloof from
temptations. Rather, the Bible tells us that Jesus was
"...tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15).
Remember also, Jesus faced and conquered His battles as a man; He had to pray
for strength, and trust His Father for justice on the cross, even when He felt
forsaken by all.
Conforming to the Image of Christ
I am utterly positive, the highest
percentage of Jesus' life was filled with joy and peace; why else would
multitudes be drawn to Him? But it is interesting that some of these very
people, when questioned, thought He might be a return of "Elijah or Jeremiah,"
both of whom were more known as intensely passionate than compassionate
(Matthew 16:13-14). And don't forget, the
same hands that touched and healed the untouchables, twice fashioned a scourge,
and drove money changers out of the temple.
I am trying to balance our image of Christ. For if we imagine that Jesus was
without temptation, or that He never had inner conflicts, such thinking blinds
us from seeing the reality of what we all must go through at times. We think God
is failing us when, in fact, He is actually conforming us to the real Jesus.
Yes, in the crucible of conflict, Jesus chose to do God's will.
"...deeply grieved, to the point of death..." (Matthew
26:38), He prayed the prayer of surrender,
"...not My will, but Thine be done" (Luke 22:42).
There will be times when, to obey God's will, we must fight our very
instincts for survival. Plan on it. There will be seasons when you will hurt
terribly or be deeply troubled inside. Perhaps even facing severe depression,
yet to fulfill God's will, you cannot excuse yourself because of heart sickness.
In utter defiance of your own feelings, you will have to say, "Yes" to God. It
is at this juncture, beloved, that true spiritual progress is being made.
Through Fire and Water
"But now, thus says the LORD, your Creator, O Jacob,
and He who formed you, O Israel, do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have
called you by name; you are Mine! When you pass through the waters, I will be
with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk
through the fire, you will not be scorched, not will the flame burn you" (Isaiah
43:1-2).
Fire? Rivers? What about Heaven? Yes, you are going to Heaven. In fact, if you
are a true Christian, you are in Heaven right now, only you don't know it. But,
there are times when life, like a river, is over your head, and you feel like
you are drowning. Yet, the water from these very rivers wash away your filth.
What the water does not remove, the fire purifies.
It is one thing to repent of sin; another, to be placed in life's furnace and
be forced beyond yourself to trust God. In the first case, God works through
our willingness to engage and submit; He deals with what we have done. In the
second situation, He goes much deeper and deals with what we actually are. When
He deals only with our sin, He requires we humble ourselves; when we are in
the fire, He kills what we were, and then humbles our enemies.
Yes, you will pass through rivers, but the Lord promises that the waters will
not overflow us! He leads us into fire, but then appears in the blaze with us,
as He did with the three Hebrews (Daniel 3).
When our ordeal is over, only the bonds that once enslaved us are consumed;
we are unscathed.
The Holy Spirit and Fire
As Christians, we are fascinated by the Holy Spirit. He teaches, guides, gives
gifts, brings forth fruit, and comforts us on our journey. However, one aspect
that is rarely discussed is the baptism of fire. John said that Christ would
"baptize...with the Holy Spirit and fire," (Matthew
3:11).
Peter tells us we should not be "...surprised at the
fiery ordeal...which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange
thing were happening to you" (1 Peter 4:12). Jesus said,
"Everyone will be salted with fire" (Mark 9:49).
The church in America, for too long, has followed Casper the friendly ghost,
instead of seeking the fire of the Holy Ghost. We have turned limp at the
thought of our own cross; we faint when we think of suffering or sacrifice.
Beloved, it is time to embrace the fire of God's presence. It is the fire
that purifies our sacrifice.
Ahead of us are days both great and terrible. Understandably, many Christians
are looking to the rapture of the church. Yet, to escape God's judgment is not
to escape His fire. Consider Paul who wrote that the "day" of the Lord "is to be
revealed with fire." He said that "...the fire itself
will test the quality of each man's work" (1 Corinthians 3:13).
Yet, let us stay encouraged, for our God is a consuming fire. He is coming to
baptize His church again in fire, but in the fire is the place of intimacy, of
power, and of deliverance.
Even as the
prophet Isaiah wrote, "When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters
of Zion, and purged the bloodshed of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of
judgment and the spirit of burning, then the Lord will create over the whole
area of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, even smoke, and the
brightness of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory will be a canopy.
And there will be a shelter to give shade from the heat by day, and refuge and
protection from the storm and the rain" (Isaiah 4:4-6).
Yes, our God is a consuming fire and our walk with Him is a Fire Walk.
Lord, I repent for wanting Your blessings without desiring Your fire. I ask
for the fire that purifies, that burns away my old nature. I ask You to fill me
with the fire of Your holiness. Make me one with You in the fire of Your
passions. Amen.
Francis Frangipane
Francis Frangipane Ministries
www.frangipane.org
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Francis Frangipane's Upcoming Itinerary:
July 27 - 29, 2006
City Impact Roundtable
Austin, TX
Contact: www.citytransformers.com
August 10-11, 2006
International Prayer Conference
Louisville, KY
Contact: www.prayerconference.com
or 800-569-4825
August 16-18, 2006
Catch the Fire Conference
Harvest Rock Church
Pasadena, CA
Contact: www.HarvestRockChurch.org
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"Fundamentals of Spiritual Warfare"
by Francis Frangipane
$25.00
CD Teaching Series
Fundamentals of Spiritual Warfare
This new series by Francis Frangipane lays a solid foundation, and shares valuable insights to help us become the warriors we are called to be both individually and in the church corporately.
"Becoming a Warrior"
Francis Frangipane explains the reality of the spiritual warfare that is constantly all around us. He encourages us in our battle against passivity and indifference,
and to rise up and take our place in the battles that rage in our lives.
"Our Authority in Christ"
In this message, Francis discusses the source of the spiritual authority all believers have in Christ. He shares insight for attaining true victory as the Lord uses various battles to work Christ-likeness in our hearts.
"The Gift of Discernment - Parts 1 and 2"
In this two part message, Francis Frangipane lays out a
Biblical understanding of true discernment, and shares helpful keys for cultivating and growing in this crucial gift. He also sheds light on the characteristics of common strongholds that we often face in our walk with the Lord.
"When David Captured Jerusalem"
In this message, Francis Frangipane raises the bar of our expectation for victory, and living our lives at a supernatural level. He addresses many of the common hindrances to living an overcoming life, and challenges us to never settle for less than a walking in the fullness of our purpose.
"Awakening the Pleasures of God"
Francis teaches that "victory begins with the name of Jesus on our lips, but it is consummated by the nature of Jesus in our hearts." In this message, he examines the nature of a life that is truly Christ-like, and explains that all God does in our lives is intended to make us more like Him.
Scripture plainly tells us that we are in a literal war -– though with unseen foes, just as horrific -- or even more so than natural battles. Francis Frangipane's four CD teaching, The Fundamentals of Spiritual Warfare, will take you on a powerful journey of understanding the battle, understanding the enemy, and most importantly, understanding who you are in Christ and how to wage a battle that takes you into victory. Not only will you come away seeing yourself differently, you'll gain keys to a new place of authority and power. It's time to WIN!
--Steve Shultz, The Elijah List.
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To order, call: 1-866-354-5245 -- Outside of the US? Call: 1-541-926-3250 |
"Fire by Night"
by Keith & Sanna Luker, with JoAnn McFatter
$16.00
Music CD
"The Wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its SOUND, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going...So it is with EVERYONE who is born of the Spirit!" --John the Beloved Disciple
This highly anticipated follow-up to the wildly popular
Cloud by Day CD, delivers a powerful and intimate, live prophetic worship experience that will thrill your spirit, and invigorate your senses with the colors, rhythms, and textures of spontaneous spiritual worship. From the opening passionate prayer of "Breath of
Heaven," to the stirring intercessory groove of "Dancing Under the Shadow," the heart riveting intimacy of "Never Let You Go," and the joining of the supernatural "angel choir" on Beauty, this powerful worship CD will take you on a transformational spiritual journey you will never forget! The acoustic version of Third Day's "King of Glory" is fresh and inviting.
If you love spontaneous songs and prophetic worship, this CD will more than bless you! Get ready for a deep journey into the heart of intimacy with the Lord. This is an impassioned expression of a love affair between God and man... most intimate, explosive, and more alluring than you can imagine. Anointed--anointed--anointed!
--Steve Shultz, The Elijah List
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To order, call: 1-866-354-5245 -- Outside of the US? Call: 1-541-926-3250 |
"Embraced by the Holy Spirit"
by Eileen Fisher
$13.99
Book Never mistake "church" for the genuine calling of the Holy Spirit. In this book, Eileen Fisher will show
you: many ways the Holy Spirit works in your life, how the power of the Holy Spirit can release God's gift in you,
and that the presence of the Lord can empower you to respond to the call on your life.
With 30 years experience in successful ministry under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, Eileen Fisher has taught many how to work, wait, and move in the anointing. This book will open new doors of fulfillment and experience with the Lord Jesus as she teaches you how to cooperate with Him throughout your life. Get ready to have the power of the Holy Spirit released in your heart as you read this book!
If you want new doors into greater fulfillment and deeper supernatural experiences to open for you, then this powerful (eye-opening) book is a timely answer. Eileen Fisher's Embraced By The Holy Spirit will show you how to have the power of the Holy Spirit released into your heart and throughout your entire life! Get ready for a genuine "God encounter!"
--Steve Shultz,
The Elijah List
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To order, call: 1-866-354-5245 -- Outside of the US? Call: 1-541-926-3250
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