Mike Connell Ministries

Jesus authority to do miracles came from the Father, who SENT him. We are also 'apostolic' because we are SENT, as as ambassadors of heaven, to fulfil our task with kingly authority. It is important we discover for ourselves what God has called us to do, and passionately pursue the mission that God has wired into our heart. It requires we take ownership of it; see people as God sees them, and execute on earth the judgements of heaven.

The gospel story revealed in the context of a Jewish wedding.

The focus of Revelations is a revelation of Jesus Christ - His person, His Characteristics, His purpose and plan for us. Overview - Jesus as Bridegroom; King of Kings; and Judge

Mike talks about his own background, and then introduces the topic of Deliverance (Exorcism)

By this shall all men know you're My disciples: your love for one another. If you won't let me wash your feet, you won't have a part with Me. I am a foot washer. Those who follow Me are foot washers. Sometimes Jesus doesn't do the foot washing directly, He does it through a member of the body, so we need relationships, connections.

Most of us would have had an experience where you really need God to give something to direct you but nothing happened. You sought the Lord, you prayed, read your Bible and nothing seemed to happen. It can be very troubling. You ask God to help you, He doesn't seem to help you; ask God to guide you, He doesn't seem to be guiding you, you don't seem to hear anything and it seems quite disturbing. It seems like at times heaven seems to be silent about the things that are really important.

Adam heard God speaking to him when he was in the Garden, even though he'd sinned and walked away from God. People can hear the voice of God. We need to learn what it's like and how to recognise it. Once you become a believer Jesus expects not only would you hear His voice clearly, but you would actually respond and follow Him. So for a believer the number one thing that I would say if you have to learn anything in your life, this is the thing you'd want to learn; how can I build a relationship with Jesus and hear His voice consistently?

People are the measuring stick of how you're doing with God. It's very easy to be drawn into all range of spiritual experiences and these are wonderful, but if it doesn't convert to being connected to people and working with people and helping people, there is something majorly lacking. If you engage with Jesus, with Him and His work, you will discover the true identity and call of God on your life. If you focus on using God just to get your needs and whatever met, He said you'll end up inward-looking and non productive. You'll actually lose your life. Learn how to hear His voice, and then choose to consistently say yes, and respond by doing something

Church isn't perfect, it has many problems, probably so many problems we could spend a day or two just describing them all, but nevertheless His church is His church. It's His bride, it's the one He came for and He will make His church perfect. We can't follow Jesus and not be engaged with His people, and the cause He has in changing a community. Life is not all about you, and the sooner you realise it, the happier you will become.

How many people can remember the last time Jesus spoke clearly to do something? Here's the real question. Have you done it? When nothing comes, go back to what the last thing Jesus said was. Following Christ introduces you to a whole new set of challenges in your life. Following Christ is a courageous thing to do because you will face things you'd never have had to face. You'll face some opposition, difficulties, challenges, setbacks. You've got more questions than answers, but they're different questions.

Offences will come. They are part of life. There's no way of escaping it. It's impossible that you're going to miss out on your opportunity to face some very offensive behavior; or some things happening that upset you. The first thing is to focus on yourself, and your personal response. Jesus said: take heed to yourself. Carefully guard your condition of heart. It's a choice.

Jesus shows His dominion over nature, total authority over the law of gravity when He's walking on water. When He got into the boat immediately the wind just stopped. The third thing that happened was immediately the boat was on the other side, transported! Sometimes when we read the gospels we just read them almost with eyes blinded to the reality of the supernatural. Go preach the gospel, and signs will follow those who believe

You don't always see the connection between your actions and the current storm. Sometimes there's a bit of time takes place before finally you start to reap the consequences of your actions and your inner storm, whether it be in your marriage, in your family, in your finances, in your personal life, in your work life and actually it's the result of neglect or the result of poor choices. You're going to have to not just pray about it and blame the devil on it. You've actually got to own and take full responsibility, you only have power over the storm if you own responsibility. The second kind of storm then is a God-directed storm, that kind of storm is to bring you to surrender. There's just some natural storms that come in life. There can be some storms which are just straight out demonic.

The Bible describes a withered condition where joy has withered away. Man, we need plenty of joy in our life, need to laugh more, have more fun and connect with people. Enjoy the life of God. It's not a hard life, it's a great life walking with God - but what has withered it up? Has fear withered it up? Fear will shrink the gifts of God in our life. Jesus said My joy I give to you, let no man take it from you. You never see the power of God in your comfort zone. You never see the power of God in the life you've been used to living, you only see it when you go out and start to take some risks and start to move beyond your comfort area. That's when you start to see it.

There's something about generosity that creates a very sweet fragrance. When people give and there's nothing in it for themselves, they've just given unexpectedly to you, then there's something sweet about it. Generosity usually exposes greed. God is love and you can't love without giving. You can give without loving, but you can't love without giving, so the greatest way we express the love of God to people is when we can be generous and kind to them with no agenda. That's when people see God, because that's what God is like.

People are a gift from God, so right now in this room there could be someone who's a gift from God for you and you wouldn't even know it, but there is a way you can unlock it. Whatever you disrespect will move away from you, whatever you respect will attract towards you. We can become offended when people don't meet our expectations, and start to dishonour and disrespect them. Prejudice can stop you receiving people, pride is a terrible thing, causes us to judge, find fault, see the worst, and build a wall that stops you receiving. Discerning? No, you just didn't have enough love to celebrate them and receive them.

To be valiant is to be bold, to be courageous, to hold fast to the commitments in the face of adversity, to face your fear and wrestle with it and still deal with it anyway. God always sees what you could be. He sees what he's designed you to be. Paul said that at the end of his life. I've finished my course. I've run my race and a crown is laid up for me.