Todd Bentley
I was on the airplane flying to Coo's Bay Oregon for a recent series of meetings. The Holy Spirit gave me this word for the region and state of Oregon. I believe that the principals and prophetic strategies of this word on Changing your spiritual climate has prophetic keys to Opening the Heavens for miracles and Healing in all Regions.Please take time to prayerfully consider what the Holy Spirit may want to say to you in your city or nation about Capernaum!!
The Holy Spirit said I am changing the spiritual Climate over the state of Oregon. I am rending the heavens for an outpouring of Healing's and miracles. I will cause there to be a strong contrast between what has been the atmosphere of Oregon like unto Nazareth and bring a transformation in the heavens like unto Capernaum.
Capernaum vs Nazareth
Capernaum by the Sea of Galiee was a city in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali which became the hub for the healing miracle ministering of Jesus in to the surrounding Regions, cities and towns. It was in Capernaum that Jesus healed the paralytic in Mark ch. 2 and continued in mighty signs and wonders in Mark ch. 3 with creative healing of the man with the withered hand,In Matt. 8 we see the healing of the leper, the centurion servant and in verse 16, "When evening had come, they brought to him many who were demon-possessed. And he cast out spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick." All these miracles and healings took place in Capernaum, As well as the raising of the dead with Jairus's daughter and the healing of the woman with the issue of blood in Mark ch.5. As we move from the Mighty manifestations of miracle healing in Mark 5 in Capernaum we immediately arrive in Nazareth in Mark 6:5 it declares" Now he could do no mighty works there, except that he laid hands on a few sick people and healed them." The atmosphere and spiritual climate in Capernaum was ripe for healing but Nazareth had brass heavens and hindered the healing anointing because of familiarity and unbelief. The Word of God declares "He could do no mighty miracles" It is not that he didn't want to do mighty healing but the corporate unbelief and familiarity of the people caused the heavens to be closed and limited the ministry of Jesus. The Holy Spirit said that Oregon State has been like it was in Nazareth in that he could only do but a few miracles because of the spiritual climate. Familiarity and unbelief have caused there to be a hardness in the heavens. But the Lord says that the heavens shall open and it shall be even as it was in Capernaum in that Oregon will be a hub into the World and Northwest for Healings, Signs and Wonders changing your spiritual Climate
I believe that the Holy Spirit showed me in the natural there was nothing different about Jesus, his faith and anointing in Nazareth vs.Capernaum, but that in Capernaum the heavens were open and in Nazareth they were closed. Jesus anointing and faith were the same but the impact of his ministry was different from one city to the next In the last couple of years as I have traveled and seen hundreds if not more healings and miracles, I have noticed that I can do everything the way I did it in a great healing explosion in one city and do the same elsewhere and see different results. What is happeninbg in heavens in the region where I am can limit the effectiveness of the anointing and what God does.
Two things about Nazareth that hindered a greater release of Power of God and Healing were familiarity and unbelief. In Mark 6:3 the bible declares that "is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, so they were offended at him" The operation of familiarity hinders the anointing because we no longer know a man after the spirit but the flesh, and the word of God declares that when you recieve a Prophet in the name of a Prophet you receive the Prophets reward. Appreciation and honoring always are connected to the anointing. In Acts 5:12 the bible declares " And through the hands of the Apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people " verse 13 " the people esteemed them lightly. That word for esteem is to show respect and make large. The more we go out of our way to know a man for who his is in God and not the flesh, and begin to treat all the servants of God as if we were receiving Jesus himself we would set them free to deposit in our lives all that God has. In the body of Christ we have so many attitudes of well who are you? And let's see if your good as I heard, Show me the goods. We have competition and jealousy in our hearts. We want to judge and fault pick, tear down ministry. We prefer ministry based on a name and give more respect to the man who we think is more popular. A large percentage of people in the body of Christ have rebellion in there hearts toward leadership. We struggle with submission and servant hood. I know that in many instances there have veen abuse and control issues in the church and that has made some gun shy. At the same time we have attitiudes of well what do they have that I don't. I believe that as close as I get to someone in ministry I must never cross that line of "Common" I must separate man and gifting. I never want to lose respect for Christ in you regardless of the faults I see and how close we get I still fear and regard who God has made you and the anointing you have for the body of Christ.
I was in South Africa this year and amazed at the level of respect and servant hood in the body. They called everyone on the team Pastor, High regard for ministry. They were offended if they couldn't carry your bag and considered it an honor to get you a glass of water and serve. In South Africa the young people dared not speak against the leaders, and it all seemed to be done in love and honor. They were so concerned for all the details of your life and comfort. They gave the same treatment to us as they would Reinhardt Bonnke or Benny Hinn. They know ministries by name but all are treated equal. "No big shots" I have been in places in USA where what they would do for a bigger name ministry they wouldn't do for you. We favor one another on the basis of whom we think you are and how large your name is. I believe that when we begin to treat the one that seems to be least in the body of Christ as the one with a international name the same, we will see that familiarity spirit come down and the power of God released in a greater way. Let's go out of our way to prefer and esteem one another highly.
I believe that we can see a change come to the spiritual climate of our region and city when we recognize that over North America there is a spirit of unbelief set up in the nation because of the unbelief in the hearts of Chrch Leaders and the body of Christ. You may have faith for healing and a miracle ministry and see a few sick healed but if we are going to see the release of the coming healing revival then we meed to see a change in the heavens nationally through corporate prayer. Intercessors and churches that will stand in the Gap like Daniel for the sins of familiarity and unbelief in the nation. Identification and repentance. Join me in prayer by repenting on behalf of those leaders and saints in the Body of Christ who don't believe in healing and miracles anymore. Let us ask God to forgive them and us for every time we have embraced doubt and religion rather that Faith and Power. We can see a greater release of healing come when we have a high regard for one another in the grace that God gave us and choose to walk in Faith. I want to see us cleanse the spiritual atmosphere of the nation through corporate prayer and repentance.
June 30, 2001
Todd Bentley
Via FreshFire
