Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Christian Experience

I wanted to begin the New Year with some concise quotes from Dr Lloyd-Jones on Christian experience. They are so challenging and tell us that our hope for more of God is not in vain. The most stupid thing that a Christian can do is to be so put off by excess and fanaticism that they adapt their theology to become one of pure intellect and fear of any experience "in case" it is false.

Here is the Doctor from his monumental sermons on the book of Ephesians;

"Christians are so much afraid of excesses and of enthusiasm that they are only satisfied they are Christians when they are really miserable. What a tragedy. What blindness, what misunderstanding of Christian doctrine!".

And from his book; "Enjoying the Presence of God";

"Actually another belief that is very common today is the tendancy to dismiss these high experiences as just ecstasy. People try to explain them psychologically as the enthusiasm of youth, or people being carried away by emotionalism. But that is to limit 'the Holy One of Israel', that is to quench the Spirit. That is to put a barrier between that which God has made possible for us and ourselves".

I think one of the lessons perhaps that the Lakeland Outpouring brought the church - was that while Christian experience is true and valid, we do not have to invent experiences or signs or wonders when there are none. What an awesome comfort the doctrine of the sovereignity of God brings! We simply have to believe that He is good and He is eager to touch and to bless and to move. If He hasn't touched or done something - then we do not have to invent or exaggerate. Dr Lloyd-Jones very much taught this too as balance;

"If my experience does not tally with the New Testament, it is not the Christian experience. It may be wonderful, it may be thrilling, I may have seen visions. But I say, it matters not at all if my experience does not tally with this, it is not Christian experience".

That being said - it must be noted that the New Testament has very few limits on Christian experience! I wrote a post inspired by one of my favourite films called "Only God should have that kind of power" - and considered the place of "teleporting" for the Christian. The fact is that teleporting of sorts seems to occur in the Word of God! So let's be very careful before swiftly claiming that is "non-Biblical". But alternatively let's not desperately seize on any experience - because the real, the genuine manifest Presence of God is more than worth the wait!

Manifestations of His Glory and Power!!

Wow I simply must state for the record that if I had heard about some of these events maybe 10 years ago while I was safely entrenched in my proud legalism, I would have turned my nose up and declared; "These men are drunk". But in the last few years God has truly humbled me and I am starting to see things afresh and believe things that I wouldn't have thought were possible or probable. How utterly arrogant! To say "God wouldn't do that". Who says He wouldn't?! I want to start off by highlighting a comment left by an anonymous friend on my post; "Only GOD should have that kind of power?!" - the blog that was inspired by the "Jumper" film. This friend comes from Fini and Isi de Gersigny's church - Jubilee in Sydney - and will be shortly participating in the "Glory and Grace Conference"!

But this person wrote this in response to my comments about "teleporting";

"Wow...I guess I'm going to be another anonymous...not to be confused with the others. Funny what a google search will turn up with! So actually I'm in a church whose leaders are best friends with Rob and Glenda Rufus, and Fini and Isi have had the priviledge of having being discipled under Rob and Glenda. He is also coming to our church next week for the 2nd Glory and Grace here in Sydney! But...what drew me to this Blog was the Jumper theme, loved the film. What I wanted to mention, just one little thing, is that I actually had the priviledge of meeting a missionary couple from Iris Ministries a few weeks ago.

They told our church of an incident where the wife was in Pemba, Mozambique dying from Malaria and the husband was in Northern Ireland. He was praying with the elders in the church and suddenly He was teleported to outside a hut in Mozambique. He went in and God told him to go into a room on the right (she had just been moved so no way he could have done that) She says as she took her last breath she saw him, He laid hands on her and cast out the sickness and she was healed. He was then teleported back to Northern Ireland. Now here is the thing. He was not only seen by her but also be others. Seems that God is still enabling people to teleport for His purpose! Just thought I'd share that".

Well Anonymous - thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for sharing this!! What an awesome testimony and so thrilling! I don't know if you have discovered our "Rob Rufus" blog but you have stumbled on some big fans of Rob and Fini and Isi here!! I first experienced your guys ministry at the "Grace and Glory Conference" in Hong Kong last year and was blown away - particularly by the prophetic edge to their ministry. Just so full of grace and the Father's love! Please do come back more and share with us when you can about what is going on in Sydney and particularly we would all love to hear what happens at the "Grace and Glory Sydney Conference"!

I remember there were a few negative responses to when Rob shared some testimonies about "teleporting" at Brighton last July. Indeed one person called it an "urban legend". However in the post, I noted two Scriptures where what could be called teleporting happens in the Word of God. Acts 8:39 and Ezekiel 3:14. We may be bold and ask well why did God allow that to happen then? I don't really know! But I was pondering this while I was at work last night - for most of the night actually! - and something struck me. God doesn't allow natural laws to prevent or withstand the advance of His Kingdom at times. He wanted Philip to be moved rapidly and quickly for His purposes (as did He want Ezekiel) and nature's law dictated that the only way they could have moved was by horse or cart. God overruled that.

I know that technology has advanced since then and we have airplanes now - but God seemed to impress on me last night that even they are too slow for His quickening and advancing purposes. For example I know it is the will of God that my friends Julie and Aaron Morris are in Hong Kong next month for the "Glory Encounters Conference". At present we are progressing down the "natural law" side of things and ensuring they have the money for air fares. But how absolutely COOL would it be for them to be suddenly "teleported" and arrive in Hong Kong so they could donate the air fare money to City Church International!??! Am I getting carried away here? Am I crazy? Or is this in the realms of possibility?!

I don't know about anyone else but I am going to be watching and listening carefully and with great excitement because I expect to see this happen more and more. Why should British Airways profit from us travelling for the purposes of the Kingdom of God?!

Now secondly - I got an email from a charismatic network I subscribe to and what caught my attention was the mention of "Joshua Mills" - the speaker at the "Glory Encounters Conference" that Julie and Aaron will be at. The email was advertising another conference; "Manifestations of Glory" and there is an incredible video on the link showing some of the manifestations I am interested in. Here's what they wrote;

"Joshua Mills ministers from the cloud of God's Glory. He is an intimate worshipper often seeing visible manifestations and unusual signs such as gold dust, gemstones and other incredible phenomena that point us to the heart of Jesus.

John Crowder is the founder of Sons of Thunder and has a heart to equip the church to move in supernatural Christianity. Unusual signs follow John's ministry such as instant weight loss, healings and creative miracles. He is author of The New Mystics.

The first miracle Jesus ever performed was to turn water into wine: This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory (John 2:11). Come be refreshed with the new wine of Heaven! This is marital wine, and Jesus is giving signs in this hour to point us to the heart of the Bridegroom. This is the hour to birth a manifestation of Heaven on earth. Jesus said: He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him (John 14:21)".

These are exciting days indeed to be alive! I need hardly mention that although it is exciting to hear about such signs, our longing is for the Presence of the Bridegroom Himself. He will choose to manifest Himself in whatever way He chooses and we do not dictate or become legalistic (as is possible) even in hungering after signs of His Presence! We want Him! We want His fire! We want Him!