If we believe "The Dawn Is Breaking", and if indeed, since we are now celebrating the 2 ^nd Sunday after the "Epiphany", that moment when the Magi from the East saw "the star" that led them to the King of Kings, indicating a new day was dawning because of that Star, then LIGHT is ever so appropriate in our theme for this season.

 

The entrance of God's Word GIVES light!

 

Jesus IS the Light of the World!

 

God wants to illumine you and me by His Word, by His Spirit, and by The Bread and the Wine of the Eucharist. Expect Him to do just that!

 

Also, in this time of consecration, expect God to loosen the oppressive bands of the enemy's work against you. Expect Him to loose you from any yoke that isn't easy or LIGHT (pun intended). He does this by the anointing of His Spirit. The anointing breaks yokes of judgment incurred by the powers of darkness.

 

God wants the Church to know that for the Church's sake, He will not keep silent (Isaiah 62:1-2) because He is working for her vindication, which includes YOU!

 

God delights in you. Live in that awareness. In fact, savor that again and again. God wants to prosper your life, and the work of your hands. Believe Him for that. God rejoices over you. Listen for that level of rejoicing with the ears of faith.

 

I know we often say that we make "faith confessions", however, Scripture says that the CONFESSION is an act of HOPE (Hebrews 10:23)! Look:

 

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful..."

 

We need to frequently be making confessions of genuine HOPE.

 

Declare in HOPE: THE DAWN IS BREAKING!

 

This is much bigger than you and me. This is something for the Body of Christ that has ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church and the Churches.

 

Right now, in this season, part of the experience of THE BREAKING OF THE DAWN, requires both awareness and the activation of the gifts of the Spirit that God wants to see manifest through the Church.

 

Remember these words from the Apostle Paul?

 

1 Corinthians 12:1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware. 2 You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus is accursed"; and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6 There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

 

This isn't simply for the prophetically gifted voices that are coming to us this entire month (and what a month it has been SO FAR!). These grace-gifts are present in YOU and ME! We just need to become attuned to the Spirit, and Seek the Face of God, and these things will be reawakened in the Body. I fear the Body of Christ has forgotten how to anticipate these gifts operating in their lives. We live in a day where people prefer inspiration to revelation. Sadly, real inspiration requires REVELATION first! Revelation is the key to the breaking forth of the dawn of a new day. Real Heaven-Sent moves of the Spirit don't happen because someone was inspired. They happened because something was REVEALED. Eyes were opened that were blind and they say LIGHT so great they had to close their eyes because of its brightness. I am all for inspiration saints, however IT ISN'T ENOUGH. The DAWN needs to break. That necessitates REVELATION! We need to ask for the spirit of wisdom and revelation by the Spirit to be given to us. There is a fresh RESTORATION OF TRUTH coming in this hour to the Saints. That will lead to a new kind of renaissance revival in the Spirit that unlocks creativity and innovation.

 

Saints, on so many levels, we need to declare these things in hope, and acknowledge in faith: THE DAWN IS BREAKING!!!

 

Something is happening and is yet going to happen for the COMMON GOOD of all of us. Something WANTS TO HAPPEN for the COMMON GOOD of all of us! DECREE AND DECLARE IN HOPE: THE DAWN IS BREAKING. You are making a prophetic proclamation. Make it over the Body of Christ and it will happen for you. What you do for others, God will do for you. Stay in a spirit of prayer and consecration. Don't be intimidated by the resistance you meet in the Spirit. The enemy's wall of defense is quite thin, and his power is limited. No weapon formed against YOU shall prosper. Don't let the enemy give you a tongue-lashing. Talk Back!!!!

 

If the resistance we have been meeting in prayer through spiritual warfare is ANY indication of what is coming, then Sunday promises to be a powerful day in the Spirit. Consider these words in preparation for Sunday that are tied to the "confession of hope" we just quoted:

 

Hebrews 10: 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; 24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25  not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. While the DAY DRAWING NEAR has an ultimate fulfillment in the Second Coming, it has a fulfillment in our day right now: THE DAWN IS BREAKING! There is another move of the Spirit coming....IF WE WANT IT!

 

Don't neglect our "assembling together" this coming Sunday OR Tuesday. God has a lot in store. We cannot get there without one another. This is about developing a consistent Kingdom Lifestyle. 

 

Bring someone with you. We are seeing people added to the Lamb's Book Of Life every Sunday. Many baptisms already and many more to come.

 

Come Expecting!

 

Love,

 

Bishop

 

P.S. Re-tweet the #FromTheBishop tweets on the COTLE Twitter Page. Re-post the "Insights From Listening To The Spirit" on the Church Facebook Page and share them with as many as possible.

 

P.S.S. - If you aren't on Twitter or FB sign up! It is an important aspect of missional activity for the Church in the culture. Social Media is an opportunity for outreach, use it for a sanctifying influence.