The Lord told me to name our annual youth conf Unshakeable to celebrate the testimony of what God has done in my heart and life by the homegoing of my wife Amy. That work, which has transformed my walk with the Lord, has affected our whole ministry in a way that cannot be measured and is continuing to challenge us to new levels of divine faith in our Lord Jesus.
In fact, on the last night of the conf. (Thur night), I will be sharing a message with the title Unshakeable and sharing my journey since Amy’s passing and using it as a challenge for our 220i graduates and all attending the conf. You don’t want to miss it!
Today we have an example of how this message of unshakeable faith has greatly affected our ministry and particularly 220 and the North campus (where i preach most Sunday’s on faith!). One of my mighty men and senior level team members for 220 leadership Mario Spann celebrated the homegoing of his dear Mother early this Sat. morning. He has battled in faith for months with her health (she went on dialysis like me a few months back) and slipped into a coma about 10 days ago. He and all those around him have stood for her total healing in that time. It has been a great witness and encouragement to me and all who have seen this magnificent stand.
As humans we have so many questions that arise in our minds but the Word of God is the final answer for everything. Heb. 11 speaks of those who saw miraculous things while on earth and yet many others who died believing. There faith was just as important and even more rewarded eternally for believing God no matter what. That’s what faith really is! It’s not forming your opinion of God based on experience but on the Word of God. If you ask me today, “do you believe in divine healing?” I would say with more of an emphatic YES than ever! Our experience cannot dictate our belief. The Word must dictate our belief. I leave with you with 2 verses that say everything I am saying but with God’s authority.
Rom. 4:19-20: And Abraham’s faith did NOT weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead–and so was Sarah’s womb. Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew STRONGER, and in this he brought GLORY to God.
Ps. Unshakeable begins Tues night June 23rd at Bethany North 7pm. Come jump in and don’t miss a session. If you can’t be here order the dvd’s!
I will be there!! I cannot wait!!! So excited…I’m praying for a river full of joy!!
Brad
Pastor Joel, you have encouraged me since i first heard you speak in 2006 at Declaration. This year I am taking three people that have never gone to the conference and I never doubt the move of God in your ministry. Thank you for being strong and showing the rest of us that when we are weak, HE is strong for us. Will be hearing you speak in a matter of days! God bless.
Michy
Thanks Pastor Joel!
You said,
“Our experience cannot dictate our belief.”
I had a good friend of mine tell me this week that he didn’t believe it was God’s will to heal everyone. He decided to believe this because in his words, “he(Jesus) had to have walked by so many sick people in his life that he didn’t heal.” Interesting and intellectual conclusion to say the least.
I agree with you, we must allow God’s word to dictate our belief. It was the “will of the Lord to crush Him” (Is 53). Part of that “crushing” was the stripes He recieved on His back. By those stripes we have been healed.
I can’t wait for the river of fire! Looking forward to that word on thurs night.
I cannot WAIT for the conference! I know it’s going to be amazing!
Amen Pastor Joel!! Will I be able to download the sermons on iTunes? I live in Alaska,, far far away! :)
And as we allow The Holy Spirit who is on the inside of us, to form The Word of God that we take in, this life giving, power becomes real to us. We allow The Holy Spirit to make The Word of God real to us, so that His Mighty Power is working mightily in our lives. Thank God its not a dead letter Word, not dead and dormant, but alive and real, He is forming The Spirit of Truth inside of me, thank God for The New Birth, thank God for The Holy Spirit, thank God His Word is Real, to me, and its Mightily Working on the inside of me!
The conference could not get here soon enough!!! UNshakable will be the best conference yet! I’ll be there, up front and hungry!
Still and forever a 220 banchee,
Rachel
Pastor Joel,
May the Lord richly bless you and soon restore your body to perfect health.
Marie
Isaiah 58:10-12
I’m just wondering if it’s going to be streaming live online??
back home..Sleepless in seattle.. Hippofloat crazy… the conference was awesome!!
THIS CONFERENCE WAS AMAZING:D “WE WENT TO BATON ROUGE TO GET OUR PRAISE ON!” WE’RE FROM DEL RIO AND WHEN YALL MENTIONED IT, WE HEARD FROM HOME THAT GOD WAS DOING SOME ROWDY HEALINGS!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERTYHING HIPPOFLOAT :D GOD IS GOOD!!!!
Hi Pastor Joel,
I added you on Twitter this week, hoping that I could send you a message about the 220 conference, but I guess I can’t figure it out, so I hope this works!
I just wanted to say that 220 was a LIFE-CHANGING experience that I will never forget. I have been to many youth encounters, church retreats, and so on, and at the end I always say “okay Camille lets try being a better person at this or that,” but over time I would go back to worldly things. When I left 220, I could not stop singing to God. I decided to make a covenant to Jesus Christ at the conference, and live not for myself anymore, but for His purpose. I know God has great plans for me, and I don’t want to hinder His will for my life. On top of all of this, I have never heard of the Deluge band before, and their music absolutely INSPIRED me! (I hope their new music comes out soon, because I can’t find it on YouTube!)Pastor Joel, you are an AMAZING man of God, I have gone back to Florida on fire for the Lord, and I am ready to be a Lady of Purpose. I will keep you in my prayers. Thank you, thank you, thank you, for having this conference!
Camille
Hey!! umm.. im kindda posting a comment late.. but better late than never. so here it goes:
WOW!!! The “UNSHAKABLE” conference was AWESOME!! We went as a church and let me tell you, we came back on FIRE for Jesus!! IMA HOLLY GHOST MANIAC FILLED WITH POWER!!! lol :) It was a great experience.. I cant wait for next years youth conference!! Oh, Deluge’s music was awesome too!! the songs just keep getting better and better! I can also proudly say IMA LEFT HANDED-WARRIOR!!! One of the things that stayed with me was about the pampers.. How were not babbies and we need to stop wearing pampers and start feeding ourselves! Oh and also how God is looking for a generation full of the word not full of themselves! That says it all.. we need to stop worrying about ourselves and worry about the souls that are lost and heading to hell. If we don’t who will!!! It’s time we stop being rebbelious and start beng Fanatics for Jesus!! Like i said earlier.. Cant wait for next year! May God Bless You..