At the start of 2023, the Living Hope lead elders were praying and discussing different strategies that would enable the Gospel to penetrate the often hard ground of the European field. Like many parts of Europe, we find ourselves in a post-Christian culture that is often unreceptive to the Good News of Jesus, and at times even hostile. Our conclusion was that the only way we would see significant advancement of the Gospel would be through a supernatural move of the Holy Spirit.
Living Hope has been praying weekly for the Lord to release His power in greater measure for some years now. We have been constantly inspired by stories from past revivals, such as the Ulster revival of 1859, the 1904 Welsh revival and the Hebridean revival of 1949 in which nations were literally changed by the hand of Jesus.
Living Hope has been praying weekly for the Lord to release His power in greater measure for some years now.
Over the past five months, there has been a shift on the island. In every congregation, we have been preaching week in and week out on various aspects of the supernatural, and we are seeing some interesting outcomes, most notably what can only be described as an “outbreak” of deliverance across our congregations.
Deliverance is not a new concept for Living Hope. By deliverance I mean the expulsion of demons from a person who has been afflicted, influenced or oppressed by demonic spirits. In fact, in November 2021 we ran a three-week deliverance equip, during which we saw many people set free. However, this current outpouring is not the same as that.
It began in January, when I was called to a friend’s house where one of our church family members was wrestling with powerful demonic manifestations. I remember being very blasé about attending the situation, but I will never forget walking into the house that night and experiencing an atmospheric shift, realising that I was not ready for the war the enemy had launched against my friend. After a week of intensive ministry, my friend was set free from considerable demonic oppression and was radically healed from a chronic sickness that had rendered her unable to work and study (on/off) for five years.
…we were seeing daily deliverances, seven days a week, for nearly two months.
From that point forward, it felt as though the river had risen to such a level that we were seeing daily deliverances, seven days a week, for nearly two months. Many people have now been released from demonic oppression and that work continues throughout Living Hope.
Through the experience there have been significant shifts amongst the saints. There has been a general acceptance that people can be influenced by demonic strategies and that demons are indeed very real, but perhaps as the number of testimonies has grown, so has faith amongst the saints. Indeed, there is a deeper certainty that as followers of Jesus we have the “authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:19-20).
There is a new fire burning, ignited in the crucible of warfare…producing a different type of believer
As the saints have grown in their understanding of the authority they carry, a greater boldness is arising in the church and, slowly but surely, we are becoming more free, one person at a time.
There is a new fire burning, ignited in the crucible of warfare, and this warfare is producing a different type of believer: one who is more confident in the power of Jesus and more aware of the Kingdom authority they carry onto the battlefield.
Whilst it has been an exciting few months, we are learning that the enemy is a strategist with multiple ways to distract us away from our mandate. Paul reminds us to clothe ourselves in the full armour of God so that we can stand against the schemes of the devil, and certainly, as we have navigated this new season, it has been clear that the enemy employs the trap identified by Corrie Ten Boom, who said, “If the devil can’t make you sin, he’ll make you busy”. There is truth in this statement, both sin and busyness will result in a cutting off of our connection to the Father, to other people and even to our own emotions. Salvation is what we are called to work out, not how the enemy strategises and organises his dark army. That said, the Lord has been showing us the keys that are beginning to tear down strongholds seated on the Isle of Man for many centuries, particularly those birthed out of occult, witchcraft and pagan practices, as well as other age-old forms of bondage initiated at altars of false worship.
…long-term, immovable obstructions in people’s lives are falling to the ground.
Recently during a visit to the Island, we were pleased to receive friends of Four12, Janet and Bill Brann Hollis, and their visit was certainly a blessing. Janet prophesied that, over time, the deliverances would more commonly result in healings, which would give way to signs and wonders and great miracles, so we pray with expectancy that this will be so. We have seen many more healings in 2023 than previous years, some relating to sicknesses and infirmities that we have prayerfully addressed for some time. This new season, however, is different and long-term, immovable obstructions in people’s lives are falling to the ground. The Lord is pouring out a new wine which requires a new wineskin.
Several weeks ago, during a powerful deliverance session, a very proud demonic spirit manifested and began to make some angry declarations, one of which regarded the condition of the kingdom of darkness on the island. The demon declared Satan’s strongholds to be “ruptured and badly damaged”. Led by the Holy Spirit, I asked when this damage had begun, to which the spirit insisted, “You know when it started.” Clearly I am not as intelligent as it assumed, so I asked it to tell me, to which it responded, “When the church began to pray and fast”. That takes us back to the start of the year, and certainly we believe that fasting has been a critical element in this move of the Spirit.
…fasting is currently widely observed once a week by all eight congregations
From time to time I have committed to regular fasting, but generally over time I have found myself arriving at a point where fasting felt more like a religious practice than a habit led by the Spirit of God. But this too has changed recently, and fasting is currently widely observed once a week by all eight congregations on the island, and in some congregations there is now seven days a week of prayer and fasting in order to demonstrate a commitment to stewarding what the Lord is birthing.
There is a general awareness of God’s power moving differently in this season, which was certainly evidenced last week when the School of the Supernatural was launched for the first time in Four12 history. It felt like a watershed moment. The focus was to equip the saints for supernatural works of service, and what we experienced I will never forget. We were blessed to have some wonderful teaching and equipping, some moments of heaven touching earth during worship, but what seemed to be of greatest value was seeing the saints activated in ministering to one another, in some cases delivering each other, in other moments administering healing, and then at other moments spiritual gifts being released by the Holy Spirit, like words of knowledge, tongues, prophecy. It was beautiful. It was significant.
The Kingdom of heaven rolled across us in new measure
The Kingdom of heaven rolled across us in new measure, and now we pray and wait expectantly – that what began as a small stream of deliverance will become a river of healing and a waterfall of salvation, not only here on the Isle of Man, but throughout the Four12 fields of Europe, Africa, America, Australia, Indonesia, and even beyond.
What a time to be a follower of Jesus. Something new is happening – the river has changed course, the swell is increasing. It’s time to jump in and stop paddling in the shallows.
Read more:
Our Authority in Christ – Be inspired by some personal testimonies from saints and leaders who attended the School of the Supernatural.
Church Without Miracles – Luke Hulley voices his concerns about a current church trend in which there is a move away from spiritual gifts and the supernatural.
This is That – Watch Andrew Selley’s key message from February in which he encouraged us all to be expectant for more of the supernatural in 2023.
