Church of the Word Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Sermon: Apostle David is from Liberia, Africa, where he is a pastor, church planter, and apostle. Presently his ministry is rescuing children from the street and putting them in families. They have a temporary school. They are investing in the future, in children, raising them up to become missionaries. The majority religion in Liberia is Islam. If the devil stops you from praying, he will take full control of you as an individual. He is interested in your prayer life. Lots of people put demands on Jesus to meet their needs, so Jesus had to leave comforts and people to spend time praying. Prayer time needs to be intentional. Prayer is real business. Jesus said that His house was to be a house of prayer. Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, so our bodies are also to be houses of prayer. When we get together to have corporate prayer, there is a corporate anointing. Jesus spent time in the Presence of God, and so should we. God is powerful. He has chosen to do what we ask Him to do. He wants us to desire and seek Him. The earth has been given to the sons of man. We should establish areas of dominion, but we must pray. Men ought to pray always and not grow weary. Pray without ceasing. Mighty people were people of prayer. We should have altars in our homes. Your children and grandchildren will learn from your example. Jesus prayed through the night. Prayer is the lifeline of the Church. The secrets belong to God, and we can get them by praying. We can have spiritual sensitivity, because the Holy Spirit is in us. When you pray, you make yourself available to be a blessing. That is why the devil makes it impossible to pray. Pastor David shared a testimony of wanting land to build a church. They prayed, impacted the spiritual atmosphere, and claimed the land. The neighbor gave the land to them as a result of their praying. You receive when you pray. Praying is a sacrifice. Jesus' praying was serious and intentional. He wanted the heart of God, and He wanted to know what to do. 2 Chronicles 7:14. Disciples submit to God in prayer and to the Word. Want miracles in your life? Pray. It is because of the lack of prayer that the power of God is not manifesting in the church today. Keep the fire of God burning. There has been a shift in the spirit realm. It is time to pray. Apostle David shared about how his church prayed and fasted because of the ebola epidemic. Potentially millions were predicted to die in that part of Africa (Liberia?), but because of prayer and fasting the number who died in Liberia was greatly reduced, and no one from his church who anointed their homes was effected by ebola. Praise God! God has called us to a life of prayer. (Word and song given by Kevin Burrows, calling us to come back into God's fold today. He has called us out of the world and is drawing us back into His presence. He desires to pour out His love.)

Pastor Syd told of an experience he had recently when the Spirit of God warned him to not speak when a certain man got on the bus. Pastor's interpreter was not a believer, so if he would have said something to Pastor Syd in English, it could have been a problem. Praise God, the interpreter just held up two fingers, which Syd knew meant that they would get off in two stops. We need to pay attention to the Holy Spirit's leading. Pastor prayed for the USA and for us to know what the Spirit is saying and for Him to guide us, protect us (Psalm 91), and for fear to have no access. We take authority and declare that attacks against us are null and void. We pray for God's wisdom and guidance over the police, security, government, and us. We ask our Father to guide and direct us and that may we act accordingly. Sermon: 1 Corinthians 12:31; 14:1, 39. Earnestly desire spiritual gifts. A young Spirit-filled man was confused when he was told that prophecy is not for today. He asked the Lord for truth. That Sunday, he was in Chicago, but his girlfriend was in the CWI service, face-timing the service in which Pastor Syd taught on prophecy. Although Syd thought it seemed dry, the sermon ministered truth to the young man in Chicago. Sometimes we "spectacularize" the gifts. We may have a word of wisdom or knowledge and not even recognize it for what it is. God cares about the little daily things in our lives, even toilet paper in the bathroom stall. When He gives you something, then act on it. Syd told of watching the Super Bowl. God asked him what he would like to know. God told him that the Broncos were going to win. He did not tell anyone, but his family wondered why he was so calm. We shrink back because we do not want to be called false prophets. We need to give God the glory. The revelation gifts are: word of knowledge, word of wisdom, and discerning of spirits. The best speaking gift is prophecy, although tongues and interpretation of tongues is equal to prophecy. The best revelation gift is word of wisdom, because it tells you what action to take. The account of King Hezekiah is an example of a word of knowledge and a word of wisdom working together. In Acts 9:1-19 there was discerning of spirits (1), word of wisdom (6), word of knowledge and wisdom (11-19). In Acts 10 Cornelius saw a vision and angel of God (3- discerning of spirits), word of knowledge (4), and word of wisdom (5). Because of the way God set it up, Cornelius' whole household was saved. Another example of word of knowledge and wisdom working together was when the Lord told Pastor Syd to move here from Colorado, and then He told him three things he was to do. Ask the Lord what you are to do when you get a word of knowledge. When He gives you just part of it, do not cut it off because you did not get the whole thing. Be led by the Spirit of God. The Spirit's gift comes through you for someone else. Sometimes He shows you something to encourage you or someone else. He told of a time in Titusville when he knew a person's name as the man was coming into the lobby. The Lord later gave him a word for that person. Apostle Dale paused when he started to speak and gave almost the exact message to the man. Pastor Syd was watching a championship baseball game with the Cardinals. It was the last of the Cardinal games that season. The Lord gave him a word that it was the last for that batter, Oscar Taveras, and last for him at bat. Syd pointed at the TV to break every plan of the enemy over that man's life. On October 26 Oscar Taveras and his girlfriend died in a car accident because of drunkenness. Syd found out that a friend tried to talk Oscar out of going, but he would not listen. Pray for the person to escape the strategies of the enemy. Even though you pray, everyone has a choice.

Sermon notes: First Corinthians 12:31 and 1 Corinthians 14:1, 39 tell us to earnestly desire the gifts of the Spirit. We want to see God's presence, so we can minister to others. God loves people. Do not put Him in a box, thinking that the only place the gifts can work is in the church service. Pastor Syd read 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 in the Amplified Bible. There are three groupings of spiritual gifts. There are the gifts of utterance, namely the speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues, and prophecy. Tongues and interpretation are prophecy. The revelation gifts are words of knowledge, words of wisdom, and the discerning of spirits, whether they are evil or from God. The power gifts are the working of miracles, the gift or grace of healings, and special faith. The best gift is the gift that is needed at the time. First Corinthians 14:5 says that the greatest gift is prophecy. The revelation gifts are to reveal and uncover something that is hidden. This is a supernatural happening, not by education or worldly knowledge, but by the Spirit. A word of knowledge tells of something that has happened, and a word of wisdom is about future events and the will of God to come. You should ask God to show you specifically for what you need. Jesus operated in the word of knowledge when He spoke to the woman at the well (John 4:7-19). Be careful that you never take credit for what the Lord shows you. Jesus only said and did what He saw the Father do and said what He heard the Father say. The Holy Spirit revealed the heart of Ananias and Sapphira and brought judgment on them.   (There was a word given: I haven't changed. You've been healed: Isaiah 53:4, 5; Matthew 8:17; 1 Peter 2:24. Jesus has never changed. His blood and His healing power are still working. Trust in His Word. His power is unlimited except by our faith. Jesus' name is above every sickness and disease. Can we believe that He is still real today? It is time for an awakening. He is our Provider.) There were two testimonies of healing, one of which took place in the service time. (There was a word given: I haven't changed. You've been healed: Isaiah 53:4, 5; Matthew 8:17; 1 Peter 2:24. Jesus has never changed. His blood and His healing power are still working. Trust in His Word. His power is unlimited except by our faith. Jesus' name is above every sickness and disease. Can we believe that He is still real today? It is time for an awakening. He is our Provider.)

Pastor Syd: Studies done by Harvard and Yale showed that without a divine move of the Lord this nation will sink. Isaiah 60:1-5. The light is shining even in the darkness. Raise your eyes. Look at what is eternal. Be full of faith. Second Chronicles 7:14 is a promise, regardless of who is elected to be president. Stand in faith and take authority. If My people … then the last part will come. The lies are: if so and so gets elected, we're through; only so and so can save us now. We aren't done, regardless of who is elected. We walk by faith. Our country began with a covenant in 1607 at Jamestown, between Reverend Hunt and the people of the ship. They prayed and dedicated the land to reach the people of the new land with the gospel. They prayed for the people to be used to evangelize the world, so that the Scriptures would be fulfilled.

The second part is a prophetic word given in Oregon for the congregation there and for our congregation here and now. Pastor Syd and Jen heard the word as though it was spoken to us here. Keep praying. Keep hope alive. Don't give up. It is a new season. What you prayed for is being released. I will not relent. The greatest push of My kingdom is coming quickly. What's coming we've never seen before. It is the third great awakening. It is the season of My surge. It will be like the book of Acts on steroids! There is a new breed of remnant warriors for this hour. They have the countenance of Daniel and Esther and the heart of David and the wisdom of Solomon. They won't be bought and won't compromise. They are humble. They determine culture and turn the world upside down. The regulators of the culture are coming to their posts. You will know angels are helping you. There will be revelation from messenger angels. Signs and wonders will be breaking out because of angelic activity and the Holy Spirit. He is going to move into the world where life happens. Students will stand up in the classroom, and they will have angelic support and evident support. Focus on Jesus and partner with His angels. The remnant will pray and resist and stand for truth. I will battle for My people. I will not be indifferent. I will thunder against unrighteous roots. I will not be mocked. You are warriors of purpose. I will reveal revival fire engines, places emanating with Holy Spirit fire. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the tangible presence of God will turn this nation. Vortexes of "tornadic" fire will spin through regions. Lay hold by faith. The Holy Spirit winds are fanned. Consume with Holy Spirit fire. It must be supernatural. Remnant warriors burn with My presence. People will come to watch us burn. Messengers of faith will be Holy Spirit-possessed reformers. They will release My power. There will be creative miracles. When the miracles start, everything will change. I am bringing forth a new Pentecost. You will war differently. Breathe deeper. Dominate hell's kingdom. Push the gates of hell. You shall be more than conquerors, so shift. Change. Think differently. Pray differently. He is coming for a glorious church, His bride. We are on the winning side. Shift into the new season that He has ordained. It is the season of My awakening, the harvest. Rise with Me and move into destiny. Rise and receive your Pentecost. The prophetic speaker then prayed for passion, humility, desperation, prayer, worship, and for that church (and ours) to be one of the fire engine places, the firstfruits of this awakening. God will speak in new ways and on new levels with His thoughts. There will be a marriage between the generations. An army of young warriors will be sent around the world. Get out of every box and take off the lid. Inwardly, let My wild nature come. Let your worship be radical and your faith strong and radical. I will cause the gift of faith to come on you. Come into your apostolic calling. Holy Spirit fire be released. Let the leaders drink of this fullness. Let the angelic host be released and My mercy be released so schools, homes, and churches burn. May people be dissatisfied with religion and seek the anointing.

Sermon: 1 Corinthians 14:1-29; 1 Corinthians 12. We are to pursue love, which is the power of God, and earnestly desire the gifts of the Spirit to minister to others. God watches over His Word to perform it. We want to see the work of Christ on the cross to come to pass. When people were baptized in the Holy Spirit, they received tongues. There are tongues and interpretation of tongues and there is a "sign tongue," to show a miracle of the Holy Spirit, such as when the hearer hears the tongue in their own language. All gifts will glorify God. Prophecy is a supernatural gift all believers can receive by yielding to the Holy Spirit. We are to desire to prophesy. Prophecy builds up the church. It should edify, exhort, and comfort men. We should walk in a way that helps build up others. This gift does not foresee into the future. The office of a prophet may do that. Prophecy is for believers; tongues are a sign to unbelievers. All gifts are for edification. We are to judge or evaluate what the prophet speaks. It is your choice to yield to the Holy Spirit. We are not to quench the Spirit or despise prophecies (1 Thessalonians 5:19-21). Test all things; hold fast to what is good. There are two tests to receiving a prophetic word: 1) Does it line up with the Word of God? 2) Does it bear witness with my spirit? Some prophetic words that are given, you will need to shelve or discard. We are called to judge and evaluate prophecies, if they are from God. Revelation 19:10 says the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. Examples of prophetic words: Luke 1:39-55 (Mary and Elizabeth) and 1:67-79 (Zacharias). Prophecy is speaking edification, exhortation, and comfort. It is divinely inspired. Speaking Scriptures can be prophecy. Offering message: Psalm 60:1-5. Sow for the wealth of the nations to come to us as the Body of Christ. Do not think of just your personal needs. God cares about all of our needs. Pastor Syd told of how the Holy Spirit divinely gave him the sim card numbers that were needed for him to access his phone in Ephesus, Turkey, so he could take pictures. Keep a big picture of what God is doing. Increase your vision, expand your heart for the world. Do according to His Word. May everyone in CWI be blessed with abundance to share.

The five-fold ministry is to equip the saints to do the work of ministry (Ephesians 4:11-12). We as the body of Christ    need to do what we are called to do. As Shane obeyed God's direction to go to missions in Russia, the Lord revealed more of what that entailed. Be in the place where you are to be, and He will reveal more to you. Church life is to be the place of true life and joy. What expectation do you bring when you come to a church service? If a part of the body is hurting, it affects the other parts. It is the same in the body of Christ. Psalm 133:1 tells how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. Paul talked about trying to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:1-3). There is one body, one Spirit, and we were called in one hope of our calling. John 17:11 and 18-21 again stresses the importance of the unity of the believers. Jesus prayed for His disciples, including us, to be one. Ephesians 5 is about unity in marriage. The body of Christ is fitly joined together (Ephesians 4:16). Ed Cole, who ministered mainly to men, said that everything God does is according to a pattern and based on a principle of God's kingdom. Look for patterns of identification, involvement, investment, and increase. Each one has a specific role to play in the body of Christ. When someone is persecuting us, do we see that person as God sees them? Do we see their need for salvation? Increase is for God's glory. When one member suffers, the others suffer, too. Prayer is based on covenant. Religion is based on works. Believers should come together, each one doing his or her work. What are we expecting God to do when we come together? Weeds need to be taken out by the root. Get rid of bad things at the root. Satan comes to kill, steal, and destroy. He attacks the roots of your identification in Christ. Christ places people in the body as He wills (1 Corinthians 12:18). We need to pray for the ministry of reconciliation and reconciling the world to Christ. The world will know that we are Christ's disciples if we have love for one another (John 13:34-35). Division comes at kingdom, city, and house level. Reconciliation comes by repentance. Right now the USA seems divided in many ways, including division in the church. There are bigger things at stake. Some people identify greatly with sports. Satan will use what you identify with to get access. We have to judge ourselves. There is so much at stake. Do not be so preoccupied with your own affairs that you do not see the bigger picture. God wants unity, but not at the expense of compromise. There are hand-off areas, such as priorities. Look at experiences in light of truth. When the church was in one accord, there was increase and miracles. Remain faithful. You will not miss out when you are in His will. LOVE is the key to unity. People are messy, but without people there can be no increase. Keep the big picture for a big family.

When God gives an assignment, it is not contingent on finances or natural conditions. Just be obedient. (Gene had a PowerPoint presentation of his trip to Siberia's and Russia's Teen Challenge Centers.) The authority of God must take a high priority in our lives. We need a submissive heart, approaching God with purity and a heart of humility and teachability. What is the most important thing in my life? Gene answered, "To know God." Paul said that for him to live is Christ and to die is gain (Philippians 1:20, 21). Where is your passion level for your relationship with God? Gene commented that his wife, Kathleen, gave her life to reflect God to reach him. The psalmist said in Psalm 73:25 that there is none he desired beside God. Desire to know Him more. Do you want to know Him or just to know about Him? We have a choice to serve God or Satan. Lucifer was once a beautiful praiser and worshiper, but he decided he did not need God, and in fact, wanted to be above Him. He got into pride. There are times in our lives when we walk in pride and other times we want to please God. Revival starts in our hearts as we desire God and to know Him. It takes our stepping toward Him. Luke 10:27 tells us to love Him with all our heart, strength, mind, and love our neighbor as ourselves. Deuteronomy 6:5, 6 is the Scripture that Luke's word was taken from. The Jews wore on their foreheads and arms a reminder of their love for God. Do you yearn for God? See the world through the desire to know God more. We are to seek His face and turn from our wicked ways (2 Chronicles 7:14). Can we filter everything out of our lives, and just love Him?

Sermon: The teaching on the gifts of the Spirit is found in 1 Corinthians 12. The gift of tongues is not the same as praying in tongues or praying in the Spirit. The gifts of the Spirit benefit others. Praying in tongues or in the Spirit is your spirit praying to God. It spiritually builds up the person who is praying (1 Corinthians 14:2-4, 14; Jude 20). When you pray in the Spirit, you speak mysteries, because it is praying in the spirit realm, which affects the natural realm. Praying in tongues opens the gate to the gifts of the Spirit, and it helps you become more sensitive and built up in the Spirit of God. The gift of tongues is speaking to people and must be interpreted (1 Corinthians 14:6). We are to earnestly desire the spiritual gifts. Ask the Lord to use you in the spiritual gifts. All things are to be done for edification. Do not be afraid to step out in moving in the gifts of the Spirit. The Bible tells us to be eager to prophesy and not forbid speaking with tongues. The gifts have not passed away and neither have the five-fold ministry gifts (1 Corinthians 14:29-33, 39; 1 Corinthians 12:27-31). Prophecies, tongues, and knowledge will come to an end, when the "perfect" comes, meaning when we are face to face with Jesus (1 Corinthians 13:8-13). We are to all speak in tongues and prophesy (1 Corinthians 14:5). Offering message: Matthew 6:25-34 tells us to seek God first, and then the other things hinge on that. Ask Him for your needs. Pastor Syd testified about how the Lord provided great increase immediately after he and Jen prayed specifically this week. Rely on God.

Mark 11:12-24. Jesus spoke to the fig tree and cursed it loudly enough His disciples heard it. They remembered what He had said the next day, when Peter noticed it was dead from its roots. Many translations say that we are to have faith in God, but the correct translation is that we are to have the faith of God, or more exactly, faith the way God has faith. God created by speaking words. It was not faith in God that had to do with the fig tree miracle. It does not say, "Believe in God." It was faith in what He said. Jesus immediately increased the level of what to believe for from a fig tree to a mountain. What are we to believe in? We are to believe that those things that we say shall come to pass. Jesus responded to the fig tree. We are to answer circumstances that "talk" to us by speaking and believing what we speak. Romans 4:16 and 17 are about calling the things that be not as though they were. It is NOT calling things that are as though they are not. That is denial, not faith. Jesus taught by: 1) the examples in His life, 2) examples from circumstances in parable form, and 3) by His teaching. Jesus' examples are: 1) SPEAK TO THE PROBLEM, even small things. 2) HE SPOKE THE END RESULT, the desired outcome. 3) THE ANSWER BEGINS IN THE UNSEEN REALM, the spiritual realm. Go to the roots. The words that you speak and that you believe in, make things happen, good or bad. 4) NEGATIVE WORDS ARE A CURSE. We do not want to curse ourselves. You have to believe what you say, mean what you say, and say what you mean. Jesus took a circumstance to teach a parable. He went from a fig tree to a mountain. He wanted Peter to see how faith in your words can move mountains. We can apply this principle of faith to our desires. There are no limits to your faith. Use your faith for everything you desire. You can only receive from faith for those things you desire that are scriptural. What you say shall come to pass, the result being either life or death, because both are in the power of your tongue. You will eat the benefit of it. James three calls the tongue a rudder. 5) EXPAND YOUR FAITH TO THE MOUNTAINS. Seven lessons from Jesus' teachings: 1) WHOSOEVER WILL SAY CAN USE FAITH. 2) SPEAK TO THE PROBLEM. Use your words. Speak to your wallet, or whatever is lacking. 3) SPEAK THE END RESULT. Do not speak denial, but affirm the Word of God so faith can come. Confession unto faith comes before confession of faith. 4) DO NOT WAVER. Stay the course, without doubting. Apostle Dale told of how he used his words when he was poisoned by a chef in Armenia. After being violently sick and getting a terrible rash, he spoke to his body. Shortly afterward he ministered to a Muslim man in Turkey who was burned with boiling water on his chest. Apostle Dale slapped the man so hard he fell to the floor. When he got up, he was totally healed, twelve Muslims were born again, and later Apostle Dale realized that the rash all over his body was gone! 5) BELIEVE IT IN YOUR HEART. Faith is not a product of intellect. Reasoning is not faith because reasoning is not in a person's heart. It must be heart faith. 6) BELIEVE WHAT YOU SAY WILL COME TO PASS, AND YOU WILL HAVE THEM. 7) DESIRE. When Apostle Dale wrote down his answered prayers, he saw that the common denominator was desire. 8) Recognize that when you pray, BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE IT NOW, AND YOU WILL HAVE IT. Apostle Dale told of being in bed with severe asthma. He realized that healed people do what healed people do, so he shuffled out of bed and decided to go for a run, since football season was coming. He quoted the Word, gained strength and breath, and ran for eight miles! [He had a word for Kyle.]

Offering message: 2 Corinthians 9:6-11. Our souls should be prospering (3 John 2). Be cheerful when you give. Grace is God's ability and empowerment on your behalf. God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work. God want to bless you so you can excel in every good work. He will supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruit of your righteousness. Generosity causes thanksgiving through us to God. Sermon: 1 Corinthians 12, 13, 14. Praying in the Spirit is not the same as the gift of tongues. The Corinthians were using the spiritual gifts. You cannot say and mean, "Jesus is Lord!" except by the Spirit of God. We need to desire the gifts of the Spirit coming through us. God works it, we do not. It is as He wills, supernaturally, to minister to someone. People, who are ministered to by the gifts of the Spirit, will magnify and glorify God. We allow our comfort zone and fear to stop us from operating in the gifts of the Spirit. Do not discount that God can use you. Earnestly desire the best gifts, which are the ones that are needed at the time. You do not get the gift if you do not earnestly desire it. The better way of walking in the gifts is love. Faith works through love. Perfect love casts out all fear. It takes courage to stand out and use the gift, when you might possibly miss it. Paul exhorts us to desire spiritual gifts and above all that we may prophesy. We speak to God in an unknown (to us) language. He speaks mysteries in the Spirit. When we pray in the Spirit, it is in a tongue to the Lord, not for or to people. When a person prophesies, it is to edify, exhort, and comfort. Praying in tongues is prayer to God alone and edifies and builds up the praying individual. In a public setting, speaking out in tongues, which is for men to hear, must be interpreted and equals prophecy. The tongue may be interpreted by the same person or someone else. If you pray in tongues, not to be heard in a public setting, your spirit prays, but your understanding is unfruitful, so you can pray for the Spirit to give the understanding (in English). Praying in the Spirit means praying in tongues. When you do not know what to pray for, praying in the Spirit goes past your wisdom and understanding (1 Corinthians 2:6-12). The gift of tongues must be interpreted [not translated]. God may give several the interpretation for a given tongue. Jude 20 tells us to build our spirits up. How do you strengthen your spirit? You do not listen to the flesh. You get the Word into you, and you pray in tongues. Your soul follows after your spirit-man or your flesh. Which one are you going to feed? If you feed the Spirit, the soul follows. If you feed the flesh, the body follows. Attach a new habit, like praying in the Spirit, with an already established one. Pray in the Spirit often.