February has been an interesting month with a focus on the giants in the land. We began meeting on Tuesday evenings as the Ekklesia at Anoka in January where after an initial introductory gathering, we had eight nights of prayer followed by some clarification on what we were to do in February.
The first two weeks of February carried on the message from January which was to inspect ourselves. We were to purify ourselves to prepare for what the Lord would have us do. We were, in a manner, preparing the way of the Lord. Our purification is important in that we do not want any basis for the enemy to latch onto us with any stronghold. The month’s plan materialized.
February 1-13: Purification and Preparation
February 14-21: Decrees Made
February 22-26: Bursting Forth
February 27-28: Rejoicing!
This document will lay out the next two weeks of Sunday Sessions being February 21 and February 28 which will have the topics of Bursting Forth and Rejoicing. See AnokaAwakening.com for more information on Sunday Sessions. If you have never joined us for Sunday Sessions, perhaps now is the time. We enjoy the company of one another during some social time and a meal, then the Holy Spirit always guides us through an interesting conversation on a topic of the week.
Bursting Forth – 2/21
- An action: voluntary or involuntary? Or both?
- Standing firm in the face of the enemy
- Not silent concerning our relationship with our Lord and our God
- We are to burst forth with rejoicing
- With the gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven
Rejoicing! – 2/28
- An action: by choice and determination
- A command to be obeyed
- Often going against our feelings
- Attitudes of contentment and hope
- Our joy in the Lord
- Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit
- Salvation is the first step
- Walking in submission to Holy Spirit and God
- Die to self – Daily
- Maturing in Christ
- Deal with conflicts
- Serve the Lord with gladness
- Develop intimacy with God
A Short Study
While contemplating, Bursting Forth: Not silent concerning our relationship with our Lord and our God, I was led into the verses below and made these notes.
John 4:40-42 KJV
Verse 40: So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.
- Samaritans: not friends of the Jews
- Tarry, or stay, with them: they desired to be with Him and to hear His message
- They besought, or asked, Him: they hungered for Truth
- He abode, or stayed, there two days: Jesus went against the cultural norms – for them, for their sake
Verse 41: And many more believed because of his own word;
- Because of His own word: the word of the Gospel of the Kingdom produced fruit
Verse 42: And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
- Said unto the woman: the people acknowledged and spoke to the woman
- Not because of thy saying: so, they had believed, at least to some extent, based on her word
- We have heard Him ourselves: eventually people need their own revelation to cement their belief
- And know that: intellectual knowledge became heartfelt belief
- Saviour of the world: The only proclamation like this? The world: they were outside of the Jewish system
Concerning #8, their own revelation: Discipleship? Leads to this?
This was a revelation from God – as it was for Peter.
Matthew 16:17b KJV
for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
John 6:44 KJV
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Concerning #1, not friends of the Jews: What drew them? The Father and the Gospel. There is a dynamic here of the Father drawing people, the gospel being shared, triggering belief.
Matthew 10:7 KJV
And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Romans 10:17 KJV
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.