1999 New Years Eve Message 12/31/98

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(This was transcribed from Paul's message. There are places on the tape where the words could not be understood. It was replaced by "?????" -

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PAUL CAIN SPEAKING:

This is an unusual time every year. In the last few years I have had the privilege of preaching a New Years Eve message and it has become a sort of "State of the Church" address rather than a "State of the Union" address. It is a "State of the Church" address. I planned to say more things about the worship tonight and how much I enjoyed Tom and the worship group, they were wonderful; and the sister who sang. I want to do all of these things, but I won't have time to do all of the things that are going on in my mind tonight because I need all of the energy that I am able to accumulate today after being popped out of the race. I want to give you a health report. I've been knocked down again, but I've taken a lickin' but I keep on tickin', but the Lord has intervened and I am able to be here tonight.

I've learned a little more about warfare than I have felt in the past and thank God for the people, not only here in Kansas City, which is the main spot for intercession and prayer. I came here for that 24 hour prayer and intercession. We are lost without it. We have to have that. That's the reason why I am here. The ones that are most troubled make it to Kansas City hoping that this 24 hour prayer, intercession and this bombarding heaven will pay off and it has been paying off. Thank God for what he has done for Don Steadman. Without this we are hopeless and helpless.

A lot of people have been hit with cancer in just this past year. In just the past few months we have heard of a number of people, some of the leaders of this church, who have loved ones close to them who have been hit with cancer. Even though cancer is the little "c" and Christ is the big "c," it is an awful thing for God's people to be hit with such a demonic destroyer as cancer. We don't minimize the fact that cancer does kill, but we can't help but magnify the lord in this matter because Jesus does heal. Amen? Jesus heals. Thank you for your wonderful enthusiasm. Most of you must not be sick. If you were sick you would be enthusiastic about Jesus healing tonight. Most of the people who criticize healing are people who don't need healing, but when they get sick enough they will think again and maybe they will call upon the lord.

I have a prayer that I want to pray before I bring you the message. I have the most unusual message that I have ever tried to preach. I started to say undertaken, but I guess that would go along with it because the title of my message tonight is, "Dying to Live in Kansas City." You may say that is cute, but wait until it is over and we'll see about that. But right now, let's pray.

Heavenly Father, we pray to you because you are the Father of lights, you are the truth, you are the Way, you are the Truth and you are the Life. Lord, I pray tonight that you will overcome our enemy, the father of lies. We resist the spirit of witchcraft tonight. We refuse to listen to this fallen worshiper of God. I beheld satan fall from heaven. Lord, this prince of man who was able to worship, this angel who was able to worship you with such spirit and with such truth is now a fallen worshipper and a father of lies; we resist him tonight and we believe that you will come through for us. I say, satan, it is enough, it is enough and it is finished (John 19:30).

(John 19:30) So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

It is written, "It is finished, it is finished." Lord, we thank you for that proclamation in the Holy Spirit that it is finished, it is finished and satan has lost the battle. We are going to have victory through the Lord Jesus Christ. Heavenly Father, I pray you will move here tonight by your finger, by your hand and by your heart. Recapture the truth that has been thrown in the streets. Nothing but the blood here tonight, nothing but the cross and the resurrection power of the lord Jesus Christ. We divorce humanity and abide with divinity. We declare that this is the day of the Father. This is the day of Father God. Come through for us Holy God.

We release the fear of God in here tonight. We release the fear of God in this service, this very service. Right now in the name of Jesus, put a holy fear in Metro. Put a holy fear in us tonight. No one talking, no one moving around and no one anxious to leave. I pray lord that you will put a holy fear in all of us tonight. Let us focus not on hearing a man, but on hearing God. Judgment is in the house. Judgment is upon us and we need to hear from heaven for the healing of our land. Have mercy upon your people and give us another chance. Give us a vision to say that all of your promises are mine in 1999, in Jesus name we pray. Have mercy on us in Jesus name, amen.

Well, I don't really like to say a lot of cliche's or employ a lot of cliche's in my messages, but why don't we just say, "Everything is fine in 1999." I'm not so concerned about y2k, I'm more concerned about 1k999.

Does that make sense? 1,999, we are going to be into that year in just a few hours and I am looking foreword to this year. I am looking foreword with great anticipation for what God will be doing this year.

Right now, without further adieu, I want to talk about dying to live in Kansas City. If you came here, to Kansas City, to live you just may die a horrible death. Let me repeat that. If you came to Kansas City to live, you may die a horrible death. If you came here to die, and you have died, you may just live a wonderful life in Christ. 1 Timothy 5:6 says:

(1 Timothy 5:6) But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. and I believe that he that liveth in pleasure is already dead. Have you been in a graveyard lately? How many of you have been in a graveyard lately? I drive by one every time that I go out. I live right by a graveyard. But what you don't realize is that you are in a graveyard tonight. If you have truly come here to die, you are in a graveyard tonight. This should be one of the greatest indoor graveyards in Kansas City and welcome, dead or alive, but welcome.

Tonight's message is a radical call to discipleship. A radical call to apostolic leadership. Two of my favorite passages in all of the bible deal with discipleship and have to do with what the lord says about it; the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself.

(Luke 9:23-24) And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. {24} For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

In the days of Jesus, anyone who was carrying a cross in Jerusalem or through Jerusalem, was a walking dead person. He was a walking dead man. He was advertising to everyone that he was dead because the cross meant death. We don't advertise the cross anymore. We have lost sight of the fact that we are all on a journey and on this journey we leave something behind, which is ourselves and we take something with us on the journey, which is the cross. We don't see very many people advertising their death anymore, but that is what Kansas City represents and that is what Kansas City is all about. That is the reason, to many who have been playing games in Kansas City, I am glad to announce to you that the game playing is over and God is about to step in. That is the reason why I said that judgment is in the house, for judgment begins at the house of God.

Now this may not be a pretty message to begin with, but it ends well. All is well that ends well. That's not scripture, but Shakespeare said a thing or two were fairly good. All is well that ends well and this is going to end well, but we may not be doing so well tonight for we are not advertising enough; our death. We are not emphasizing enough; His death, His burial and His resurrection and the prophetic gospel which I plan to be consumed with and I am already consumed with for this next year. Now, this Luke 29 business:

(Luke 9:23-24) And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. is something that Jesus himself is saying. It's not Paul's version of discipleship, it is the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself; the sinless, spotless, Lamb of God saying, "If you want to follow me, if you want to be my successor, if you want to take up where I left off, then this is what you do: you get on this journey, you leave yourself behind, you take up your cross daily and you follow in my footsteps. Matthew 10:8 is a wonderful verse of scripture. I love it and I have used it more than a thousand times in my messages. Everyone seems to like verse 8 of Matthew 10 because is says:

(Matthew 10:8) Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

But wait a minute, there is no price to pay for God's miracle working power? Everybody wants to some day heal the sick, cleanse the lepers and raise the dead. They want to see demons cast out. They want to see all of this on a wholesale scale, but there is a price to be paid. I said, everyone like Matthew 10:8, but not everyone likes verse 38. Let me just preface it with verse 37.

(Matthew 10:37-38) He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

That is pretty cruel discipleship, isn't it? Did you know that you might have to follow that cross. Did you know that the cross might be that excruciatingly painful? Some found out later and you just skipped out. You may stay out or you may come in. The invitation to you is, come back.

The lord still loves you. You can still get into the journey. You can still deny yourself. You can still take up the cross daily and follow Him, but when you found out this part of the gospel it didn't seem to be good news, did it? Who in the world is willing to give up father and mother, houses and lands? Or even children? Who is willing to do that? That's too radical! That's too much! But can anything be wasted on the Son of God when He gave everything for you and me? When He died on a cruel tree, can anything be too much to give to Him?

You know, there are people in my lifetime; when I first started out as a disciple for the lord people were on fire for God. All of those who rooted for me were blessing me and encouraging me along the way. Their lives were full of vim, vigor and vitality. They had a lot of energy from God and a lot of energy for bearing the cross, but you know, many of those have passed on. Some of them died while they were cooled off and while they lost the vision and while they never got back on the journey. I don't want that to happen to me and I pray that this will never happen to you. We need to come back to the original Kansas City Fellowship where we had the original vision. Where we had the original simplified lifestyle and that was so wonderful for me to learn about. It eventually brought me here and it brought you here. Many of you that are here and have become fixtures here, that is the reason, because of that four-fold vision, that IHOP vision if you will. But verse 38 is what some people do not like.

(Matthew 10:38-39) And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. {39} He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

(Luke 9:23) And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

Whether it is Luke 9:23 or Matthew 10:38, the challenge is the challenge to surrender everything to the Lord Jesus Christ. You don't have anything to lose, really, but you're own life and you're going to lose it anyway. So what is there to lose? We need to take up our cross and follow Him. The cost for being a disciple is one thing and I said it before, it is a great cost. But the cost of not being is a greater cost than you may ever dream of.

While I was preparing this message I thought about, "How about a hell on earth marriage? How about a hell on earth house full of children on drugs or in jail? How about a hell of bankruptcy and losing everything you have? How about a hell on earth of divorce? How about a hell on earth of attempted suicide? So what is left for us?

Almost all of my adult life I have spent it in search of those with similar values. My values are that we must come to the realization that we have to die and if we don't die, we will lose our life this way. So, what do we have to lose? Dying to self is one of the strangest things. We don't know the definition for the flesh. I have preached messages about the flesh and it is a very mysterious thing. People want to deny themselves and they want to kill the flesh. They work hard at it under the Golden Arches. They use junk food and they eat things that will kill them eventually and if you spend enough time under the Golden Arches you will soon be seeing the Pearly Gates. But will you be prepared to meet the lord unless you have successfully made this journey? Dying to self, here is what it means. When you are content with any food, any offering (and thank you for the offering I am very content. I don't know what it is because when the bag passed me it was empty, but thank you for the offering tonight. I am contented with it.)

Any ??????????????????? or any interruption by the will of God, that is dying to self. When you are forgotten or neglected or purposely set at naught and you don't sting and hurt with the insult and the oversight, but your heart is happy at being counted worthy to suffer for Christ, that is dying to self. When your good is evil spoken of, your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinion ridiculed and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart or you don't defend yourself, but take it all in loving stride, that is dying to self. When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularities or any annoyance. When you stand face to face with waste, cloudy, extravagant, spiritual insensibility and endure it as Jesus endured it, that is dying to self. When you never care to be referred to in conversation or to record your own good works or itch after commendations.

When you truly love to be unknown, that is dying to self. When you can see your brother prosper and have his needs met and you can honestly rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy nor question God while your needs are far greater and desperate circumstances, that is dying to self.

When you can receive correction and reproof from one of less stature than your self and can humbly submit inwardly and well as outwardly, finding no regret or resentment rising up within your heart, that is dying to self. So I ask this question, are you dead yet? Am I dead yet? Well, I am certain that we must die. We must take up our cross and follow Him, ready to die to self. There are things that others seem to get away with in the Christian walk and they don't go very deep and they don't go very far on the journey, but that's not you. That's not me.

When I was just a young boy I read a tract that I ran across the other day and the title was, "Others May, You Cannot Not." It had a whole list of things that others could very well get away with or seemed to get away with, like the song, "Farther Along, We'll Understand Why." We don't understand why we have to be hit for every little thing we do and other just go along never molested or never tried and we are all tempted and tried, but it is worth everything isn't it? I just want you to know that your excitement about this message tonight is just overwhelming me. It's just like a tidal wave. Don't keep that coming; just let me rest a little while here. Don't bombard me with such praise for this wonderful message because I know you are all just itching to die. You are just dying to get out of here, but you can't leave.

We have this radical call to death to self. God is calling us to voluntary fasting. That is the best thing, if you can do it right now. It's good because involuntary fasting can be rather painful when you are forced into it. Think about Jesus with the disciples.

(Matthew 9:15) And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bride chamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.

Listen, the lord can cut things off for you and me and make things miserable and that is when it is an involuntary fast. It is time to fast the best we can.

(Psalms 110:3) Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.

Why not volunteer while things are good. In the day of the lord's power there will be willing volunteers. Well, how about you who volunteer now? There is going to be a special place for you, just remember that. You did your Christmas shopping early, why don't you die early? Don't wait for 1999. Why don't we just die now? I mean die to self. Die to self and be resurrected into the newness of life and walk with Christ all through 1999 and be a red-hot, on fire, praying church that has intercession going, that has holiness going, that has the offering that God accepted, have that going? Have the prophetic going and have prophetic preaching going and go all through 1999.

If you want to know the truth about it, I think 1999 is what we need to focus in on and forget about Y2K, that will take care of itself. If you want to know more about Y2K, then get the tape that we did on that subject. It is entitled, "A Prophetic Tale of Two Cities." Get that. I am not going to waste anymore time talking about Y2K. I am just sick of it. Y1K999; 1999 was going to be my greatest year and I can't hardly wait for it. It's just right around the clock here, it won't be long. Now this is not the time to get excited here. You should have gotten excited a while ago about dying. That is what we ought to get excited about.

There is a three-fold drama that is about to be played out. Number one, there will be Y2K. There is a loss of electricity and some things are going to go haywire for a while, but that is not the big problem; it's not Y2K, it is Y-O-U. At our last Amber Rose conference, I think it was Jack Taylor who said, "It's not Y2K, it's Y-O-U." Then I added to it and said, "It's Y-O-U and M-E! It's you and me, or you and I, that's easier to spell out. Well let me just tell you that it is you and me and it is not what we think it is.

Number two, there will be economic pressure globally. I am talking about wholesale pressures with a domino affect; Indonesia, Japan, Russian, Brazil, Western Europe and then finally, the USA, are all headed for some serious problems. But be that as it may, it will be the churches finest hour. I have a friend that is looking in tonight by internet and I think this is the first or second time that have preached on the internet. While we were in Europe recently during the Shiloh Conference, there were people all over that nation that we were in who were watching you on the internet. In fact someone in the household where we were staying, we were very seriously involved in some of the Far East business, but in that household there was someone watching the Shiloh Conference on the internet. It just makes it a little closer for the lord to come back.

When this gospel is preached in all the world, then shall the end come and here there and everywhere the gospel is being preached. But I believe that this gospel represents the prophetic gospel; what the prophets said about the cross, the death, the burial and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and that is what God has ordained me for and called me for from my mother's womb is to preach the prophetic gospel. All I am going to be doing in 1999 is preaching the prophetic gospel for it is the power of God unto salvation.

Thank the lord for that and the miracles are going to come from that and the thousands of souls that are going to be saved. I think more souls are going to be coming to Christ in 1999 than any year in our history and we are going to see them come under the influence and through the power of the preaching of the prophetic gospel.

I wish I had a lot of time to say something about that, but just wait till 1999. If I go over the message, at 12 midnight, I'll start preaching the prophetic gospel because I'm committed to do that all through 1999. Preaching the prophetic gospel. What did the prophets say? What did they prophesy? What came to pass? Where was it fulfilled and so on and you can talk to anyone. You can talk to an Islamic person, you can tell a Moslem person about your doctrine and they will just treat you like you are beating the air. But if you preach the prophetic gospel, it cannot be resisted because that is where the power is. That is where the power is for the Moslem. That is where the power is for the Hindu. That is where the power is for the Buddhist. That is where the power is and it is going to be different when they hear the gospel preached as the prophetic gospel, where you cannot resist the death, the burial and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ as it has been prophesied by all of the holy prophets since the world began. Amen. That is where the power is, in the prophetic gospel.

Now we have talked about economic pressures globally and then, number three, there will be unprecedented terrorist activity. I know that you expected a little prophetic thing here tonight and you are getting it because staged acts of terrorism by demonically inspired minds from different parts of the world will be employed against America, especially, but also against Great Britain. I tell you that there are certain people who are not finding any peace about what has happened in Afghanistan and Sudan and in Iraq. I know I am bold in making those statements, but there are certain things that are going on. Do I feel sorry for Iraq, but there is something biblical I want to say about Iraq.

It is where the Garden of Eden existed. We know that this piece of geography is so important and Iraq is where the first great lie was told. That is where the first lie was told. That is where the father of lies began his war on the Holy Father, God began and he had to be driven out of heaven. So they have had trouble ever since. But I have good news for Iraq, when the prophetic gospel is ever preached there in power and demonstration of the Holy Spirit, Iraq's problems will be over and all of the Ishmael states will have no problems with war anymore and peace will come to the Middle East when the prophetic gospel is allowed to be preached.

My heart rejoiced in talking with a friend tonight from way up north, as far north as you can go from the USA. He is watching by internet tonight and he is my friend and my intercessor, a dear minister friend we met recently when Aaron and I went over to the Middle East and he is looking in and I just want to say hello to Bud tonight. I call him Bud Wiser, he is a joy and filled with the wisdom of God. I didn't realize the meaning of that, but I do put a little slash after Bud and then Wiser, but he's enjoying such wisdom from God. He was giving me some of these thoughts that just thrilled me through and through tonight, so I want to say, "Hello, Bud," and you just keep getting wiser. If he gets any more anointed, he's going to be taken up like Enoch, and I've told him to please cool it just a little so he can stay here and help us. But you keep praying for me, Bud.

What can save us? First, there is going to be a national shaking and though this comes, God is in this. There will be a national shaking.

(Hebrews 12:25-29) See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: {26} Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. {27} And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. {28} Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: {29} For our God is a consuming fire.

I want to get into a place with God that we can stand. Having done all to stand, we can stand therefore and we cannot be shaken, but we will remain. We need that stability tonight.

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: {29} For our God is a consuming fire.

That is the reason I prayed that since the judgment of God is in the house that there would be a holy fear in this place tonight. That we would leave here with God leading us in an awesome way and we would have a reverential awe again and a holy fear throughout all of 1999 for our God is a consuming fire.

A global shaking at the end will come and then a spiritual shaking. A global warring and as I said, there is a war in Iraq tonight and there is a war in the Middle East, but that is not the war that I am talking about. I am talking about you and I entering into a spiritual warfare that hasn't been described yet. It is an indescribable that I am trying to hit at tonight. I can't even start to describe it because we are going to be warring against things that haven't been invented yet. Against temptations and tribulations that haven't even come up yet. The devil is working day and night in his laboratory trying to figure out something so sophisticated that even the most ardent Christian will fall for. I used to tell the devil when he would send some good-looking female my way, I said, "Oh, can't you do better than that?" Because that was my area of strength, but you know something? Well, you know, he did better and he did better. He will wind up doing so much better that he will cause you to fall if you are not stable and if you can be shaken you will fall.

So let's get this stability that we need, lets dig our heels in and let us stand tall and strong and say, "Come on devil, I'm coming to you right where you are standing and you can't get me because I have already heard from heaven. I know what you are up to and the deal is dead. You are a dead dude." Well, I shouldn't say that, but the deal is dead. I only call the devil what the Word of God calls him and don't you ever make the mistake of calling him anything that the Word of God doesn't call him. But, I feel very safe calling him anything that Jesus calls him and I have a whole list of things that I am saving up for 1999. When I get a little more vim, vigor and vitality I am going to let him have it.

(Revelation 12:7-12) And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, {8} And prevailed not;

"And prevailed not!" There is bad new and there is good news. The bad news is that we are going to war, but the good news is that it is going to be won. It says:

neither was their place found any more in heaven. {9} And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world:

And may I say that he would even deceive the elect if it were possible

(Revelation 12) he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. {10} And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down,

Isn't that wonderful? Isn't that something to praise God for? One day the accuser of the brethren will be cast down. This implies that he is already making trips to heaven or that he is already up there bringing accusations and saying accusatory things about every one of us, but thank God he will be cast down.

(Revelation 12) Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down which accused them before our God day and night. {11} And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb,

Remember, that which will prevail in the last days is the preaching of the cross, the blood, the death, the burial and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. None can dispute it, none can gainsay it, none can resist it. It is the irresistible gospel and after we are long gone, even the angel will preach the everlasting gospel and more people will be saved then, than the world has ever known. But let me tell you, I am anxious about what is going to happen in 1999 when you and I are preaching not only the everlasting gospel, but the prophetic gospel! Amen.

I feel the power in that just saying it, but I don't expect you to get excited again because you are still thinking about carrying the cross and about giving up mother, father, houses, lands and everything else and you just can't bring yourself to that, but you are going to have to. You are going to have to! You don't have to, the cross may be too great for you, but let me tell you one thing, it's going to be greater if you don't. You shouldn't have gotten yourself into this mess in the first place. You made a choice. It is a matter of choice that we choose Jesus Christ. It is a matter of choice that we accept salvation. It is a matter of choice that we accept what comes with it. Now, we have all of these people that just, well, "grace is one thing" and "grace, you know, does cover it all," but let me tell you there is something left for us to do when it comes to taking up our cross daily and follow Him. Don't you ever forget it.

Now here is what is left for us to do.

(Revelation 12) {11} And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

If you get a group of people in Kansas City that feel this way, that work this way together, that join in faith this way together in day and night prayer and sacrificial lifestyles; that is what I came here to be a part of and I want you to know that something is going to happen. If you don't love your life this is what is going to happen:

{12} Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

But during that short time there is going to be a mobilization of God's troops and God's army and God's people; and some of those people are right here in Kansas City. They are not all here, but there is a good segment of God's people here who have come here for all of the right reasons. You may have gotten side-tracked on some of this, but you can come on back and take up your cross any time. Before it is too late let's do it and let's get on with it.

(Revelation 12:13-17) And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. {14} And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. {15} And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. {16} And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. {17} And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Let me tell you that the solution is, for the church, globally, warring in red-hot, fervent prayer, fasting, intercession, prayer and supplication. That is the need. It is a RADICAL call to prayer. Acts 12:5-25, you say, "You sure are sharing a lot of scripture with us tonight." Well, I know there is a lot of scripture. I happen to know where the power is for the Word of God is powerful and there is no Word of God without power. So the more that I use tonight, the more that I employ it, the more obligated God is and the Holy Spirit is to come along side here and confirm the Word with signs and wonders and diverse miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit. He has always done that, always will do that and why should tonight be an exception? He could do it again tonight.

(Acts 12:5-25) Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

That is what I came to Kansas City for. I know that many of you came to Kansas City for that. You heard this was a place for day and night prayer, 24 hour prayer. You the IHOP message. You heard about the intercession. You heard about all of this; about the giving to the poor, the offering and the radical ministry to the poor. You heard about it and you came here for those reasons and for more. But here the church was gathered together for a very special reason. Peter had been cast into prison right after James had been killed by the sword of Herod and it says in here, in verse 6:

{6} And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. {7} And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.

We are talking about New Testament caliber signs stuff. May it come to Kansas City. May it visit Kansas City. May it be welcome in Kansas City. May it have a good life here. May 1999 see the fulfillment of all of this, not only the chains falling off, but the gate opening of it's own accord and the deliverance of all of God's people. Like Peter was delivered, we will be delivered.

{8} And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did.

I tell you, there is going to be a lot of that type of thing. God is going to speak and say, "Get out of bed," and so I did. Then he will say,

"Put on your shoes," and so I did. "Go down to the street," and so I did.

That is where the gospel and the Word has been taken and dumped. Pick it up! Reclaim it and preach it! Preach the prophetic gospel! "And these dry bones will live," and they did. I am going to look foreword to that.

And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. {9} And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.

God is going to be moving so fast in these last days that we can't tell if it was a vision or if it was the lord Himself, or what is going on. This is going to start happening. Look for it in 1999! This is not a pep-talk. I'm glad I have pep. I'm glad I have vim. I'm glad, well I'm glad I've got it! That's all there is to it. I don't know... well, I do know how I got it, but I don't have time to tell you about it.

{9} And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. {10} When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him. {11} And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews. {12} And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying. {13} And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda. {14} And when she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate.

Of course, it was the apostles praying for him. Herod 's already killed James with a sword, and now they're going to do the same - probably crucify Peter upside down tomorrow - and don't bother us. But you know, even though they were praying and not knowing, really, what they were praying for, red-hot intercessory prayer pays off whether we know what to pray for or not. Even if you can't do anything but groan in the spirit the Holy Spirit will make intercession for you and make sense out of your groanings. Just make it a red-hot powerful groan and groan in the spirit if you can't do anything else, but they prayed not knowing really what to pray for and God answered their prayers anyway because the spirit was praying. You're missing all of this good doctrine.

{15} And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel. {16} But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished.

Some of you will be astonished at the kind of prayer God is going to answer, but it's our only hope. If you don't do it, what on earth are we going to do about people like Don Steadman and people like Pat Bickle. We need red-hot intercession going night and day, and day and night and not even bother to check out the health reports of the people we are praying for, but just keep praying and praying and praying and then you may be astonished at what has happened because you haven't had time to hear the latest news or read the latest email. You were just so busy seeking the face of God for these things that you were astonished when it happened.

{17} But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go show these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place. {18} Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter. {19} And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there abode. {20} And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king's country.

{21} And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. {22} And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.

If we ever praise anyone or anything or any place above our magnification of God and what He will be doing through intercession and prayer and our pursuit of holiness and our pursuit of feeding the poor and extravagant giving and all of the prophetic preaching; it has to be that we give God the glory and give God the praise for everything that is a result of that. Can you say amen?

{22} And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. {23} And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost. {24} But the word of God grew and multiplied. {25} And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.

SEE PART II