Joel Stockstill

“Faith that Endures” Natl Release May 2

admin — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 11:30:54 +0000

Well, folks, it is finally here! After many incomplete manuscripts and some hard lessons in publishing a book, the story of my life (up till now) has finally found its way to book form. I couldn’t be more pleased with how this all turned out and it is my prayer that people all over the world would read this little book (17k words) and be strengthened in their faith and/or receive their salvation by the inspiration of my story.
Coming on Thursday May 2, 2013 my book will be officially launched in both hard copy and ebook format. This initial launch will only be in English but Spanish is soon to come (and we will have another launch for that version). Pray with me that the Holy Spirit would greatly anoint this book and the lives of countless thousands (maybe millions) would be touched.
What can you do? First of all buy the book on May 2 and help me to have the book noticed nationally. Secondly, tell others that you know who have bee touched by my ministry that the book will be available that day. Finally, pray about those you know who are in a hopeless situation of health, finance, or relationship that need to be encouraged and give them a copy of this book.
Who is this book for? Both the saved and the unsaved! I have even put a Gospel hook at the end of the book. Many souls will be saved in Jesus name!
Where can I get the book? It will be available on Amazon Kindle, iBook, and Barnes&Nobles Nook as well as many other similar carriers. It will be available in hard copy on Amazon.com.
I’m always thankful for all the love and support that so many of you have given over the years and have a great excitement for you to get a better grasp of all the Lord has done for me!

Heart Exam Update

admin — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 12:20:47 +0000

Dear Friends, thank you again for all your prayers for me and over Amie and I. As of last evening, Fri night, I was released from the hospital and given a green light to return home Sunday. All glory to God! Every victory is important to our faith!
The situation with my heart was greatly intensified by a critical lack of red blood cells in my body. With this extreme imbalance my heart was acting up in a serious way and needed to be brought back into alignment. The Lord gave my doctors great wisdom and after several days of treatment and rest things begin to turn around.
Please continue to pray that the Lord would open the door for Kidney transplant and that His healing power would be upon this vessel of mine. There are many battles that lay ahead in this season but His grace is sufficient for me! There is nothing short of full life and health to do the work of the Lord that will satisfy me and your prayers are keeping that call alive. Thank you for being obedient in prayer and for loving Amie and I! We appreciate it!

Heart Exam

admin — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 15:34:22 +0000

Dear Friends, Unfortunately my writing to you of late seems to be all about health concerns. Today at 11am eastern I was somewhat unexpectedly admitted to the hospital due to some reoccurring heart symptoms that have plagued me for the last 2 years (and become more critical in nature the last 2 weeks). In Dec, If you remember, I had a pretty major procedure to eradicate the problem completely, and obviously that did not work to the level we had hoped. Throughout today I will be undergoing testing to determine the best course of action moving forward. There are several options on the table and, as always, the Master’s Healing touch is the primary object of our faith. Depending on the outcome of today’s testing we will determine a course of action to address this current situation. As we know more I will be communicating to you through this blog and by way of twitter. Please pray for my faith to remain strong and the spirits of Amie and I to be high. Pray also for great wisdom for Doc Crandall in knowing exactly what to do (and what NOT to do). Finally, know that your prayers mean so much and your vigilance to stand with me is nothing sort of God’s divine love. Many Blessings! Joel

Prayer Needed

admin — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 00:24:10 +0000

To all my church family, many friends, partners in ministry, and concerned believers, I wanted to take a minute and give detail to my request for prayer. As many of you know, several months ago i underwent a procedure on my heart to fix a problem called A flutter. This issue caused my pulse to run 120 beats a min for over 5 months. Night and day my heart pounded as if I had been running several miles. Unfortunately, even though that procedure was totally successful, there is now the need to deal with the root of that problem known as A fib. This is not a uncommon issue but due to the nature of my kidney battle has turned into something very serious.
The point? Tom morning (Tues Dec. 4) I will be undergoing a similar surgery to eradicate this whole issue entirely. AFter several months of “ridin’ it out” it has reached a critical nature. This is nothing to be alarmed by but is def something that needs immediate attention. As always, I value your prayer and thoughts going into this type of procedure. From what I know, this operation will take around 4-5 hours and require general anesthesia. Barring any complications (in Jesus name) I will be released Wed morning from the hospital.
We know that this is all a plot conceived by hell itself and all sickness is of the one and only devil! None of this was\is God’s plan and His Cross still stands as the anchor of all my hope. Thank you for caring enough to read this little update and pray as the Lord leads you tom. I will be going in at 7eastern and the operation will begin around 9-10am roughly. Please cover Amie and I as we press forward with the vision and ministry we have been entrusted no matter what the devil throws our way! A report will be given as soon as possible and until then thanks again for all your love and support. Joel

The Great Stumbling Block

admin — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 04:52:12 +0000

There it stands, so rugged and sure
The object of many lived through the ages
The ancient, mysterious cure
Against the battle of sin that rages

Could it be this lonely tree
Has plenty of power to set men free
Could it be this stark, rising pole
Could be that which makes sinner’s whole

Oh, the Cross, the Cross, the glorious Cross
For ages mankind has marveled at your meaning
For the plight of man is always lost
And needing someone to pay the cost

Why would not all run to your bloodstained base
Why would anyone turn away their face
The answer is hard yet true
That the stumbling block is really You

The tree where you sacrificed your Son
Must be preached as the only one
The day you gave it all for me
On a hill crowned with an old rugged tree

Turn not your gaze O sinner from thee
The place of all redemption is Calvary
But many will turn away and disdain
The stumbling block that could end their pain

Powder Puff Christianity

admin — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 06:59:56 +0000

Have you ever thought that the walk we were called to by Jesus Christ was more than 3 Sundays a month for an hour? Have you ever longed for something that truly transfigures your life into a place of radical devotion and unconditional sacrifice? Could there possibly be more than the world of the mega church where the Gospel is watered down with so much creativity (media, props, hype) that the raw power meant to save the soul has been turned into fodder to entertain? As one recent author astutely asked, “Is this more about Holy Spirit or Hype?”
There is a growing urgency in my spirit to warn the Body of Christ of a trend that the enemy would delight in seeing more of that would cause the church to pursue being so relevant that it ceases to have any true relevance at all. When our dress attire and coffee bars have become so sheik but we no longer have demons coming out with a shriek we should be forewarned. Nothing wrong with updating a look or appealing to certain groups but can we please get back to the Jesus style of ministry where things are not so candy coated? One thing about Jesus ministry that you could say that is missing in most churches today is the confrontational nature of Christ against sin and darkness and the heralding of repentance and righteousness before God.
One such church that I heard of recently was actually allowing congregants to bring in alcoholic drinks to the sanctuary during “service.” You may think this to be some small, irrelevant church led by some weird nobody but in reality it is the largest “church” in the entire region of a massive American city! We also see a trend of young pastors and leaders being so worldly that you cannot see any difference between them and the sinners they have deluded themselves into thinking they are reaching. God forbid! When did we cease to be called into a lifestyle of being “salt and light” and start exemplifying a life more sugar coated and shadows?
The time is now for leaders to seek God more than plan their next amazing series. It is time for prayer that greatly overshadows preaching with the supernatural moving of God’s Spirit. The time is now for true conviction in the house of God and abroad by the message of repentance and a lifestyle of complete holiness. Unfortunately, with the fall of so many ministers, we have made anyone that doesn’t get caught in gross sin a hero when the standard of the Bible goes way beyond simple integrity to launching out from that sound platform into great exploits of faith (Heb. 11).
Now is a time for leaders\believers to start examining their walk with the Lord and see if they are bringing forth “fruit that remains.” This goes far beyond a monthly volunteer duty into the place of real compassion for the lost and a trail of lives that have been saved and delivered through your overflowing devotion for Jesus. When are we going to find a message that doesn’t center on us but actually prunes our life for greater service in His Kingdom (Jn. 15:1)? The apathy and superficiality of our present reality has lulled us into a complete slumber in regards to ever seeing the supernatural hand of God at work. When is the last time your church had a divine healing or a word of prophecy? When is the last time you wept in the presence of Almighty God in brokenness before Him? When is the last time you remember tarrying in prayer for just one hour before the Lord? Sadly, these types of questions are not being asked and even more tragic would be the honest answers.
Today my challenge is to all who are hungry and thirsty to press in for righteousness. Press in for the radical love and devotion that has been the hallmark of our faith for 2k years. Press in for the miracles and outpourings of the New Testament to once again light our services with revival fire. Refuse to be caught up in a consumer, user-friendly gospel that is void of all power and focused on church growth alone. It is time for the leaders of today to quit bowing their knee to the idolatry and notoriety of bigness and start looking for a cloud the size of a man’s hand because if you haven’t noticed lately we are in a major spiritual drought in this land. Instead of being caught up in every nuance of the political scene we need to get on our knees and find the heartbeat of our Master.
Rom. 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
1Kings 18:43-44a Then he said to his servant, “Go and look out toward the sea.” The servant went and looked, then returned to Elijah and said, “I didn’t see anything.” Seven times Elijah told him to go and look. Finally the seventh time, his servant told him, “I saw a little cloud about the size of a man’s hand rising from the sea.”

10 Ways to NEVER see Revival

admin — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 16:05:49 +0000

As I wrote earlier in my post “Spirit of Revival” the Lord has been stirring my heart for Awakening and revival beginning in my life and moving to the heart of our nation. Why don’t we see revival? Is it something on God’s to do list for a set time or something we press into by the leading of the Holy Spirit? I can assure you my friend that we are not waiting on God to do anything! Here are some thoughts on why we are not seeing the fires of revival heating up and some clear reasons that most are headed in the opposite direction.

1. Never Hold consistent Corporate Prayer- Acts 3:1; 4:24-31 Daily prayer with great participation and fervency must be the catalyst for what God wants to do. He never does anything without prayer going first.
2. Never Allow the move of the Holy Spirit- Acts 19:1-7 In a day where we have relegated the Holy Spirit to rare retreats and back rooms no one can seem to find, we must allow the Spirit of Jesus to be loosed from His proverbial birdcage and release Him to be in charge once again. And yes, this may actually mean people speaking in tongues and the gifts of the Spirit in operation!
3. Never preach against sin- Acts 2:38; 3:19 We have created a mentality that to be “life-giving” means to stay away from anything negative like conviction or sin. The term repentance has been lost in its true meaning and people can now check a box on a bulletin to be saved instead of weeping and wailing for their sins at the altar.
4. Don’t press in for more- Acts 13:2-3 The early apostles and elders were never satisfied with the status quo. They were constantly pressing in for more of God in every arena. We must pick up the fervency to be led into deeper waters. We must hunger and thirst for more of the presence of our heavenly Bridegroom. Song of Sol. 1:2-3
5. Keep your ministry focused on one group- Acts 11:15-17; Luke 4:18 It is a trap of the enemy to relegate our efforts to a certain group of economic status or racial profile. Every major move of God since the day of Pentecost was marked by people of all walks coming together around what God is doing. Jesus declared that He came to “preach the Gospel to the poor” and yet many have now been called to the rich???
6. Make sure everyone is comfortable- Lk. 4:28-29; Acts 8:22-23 Never saying anything that might offend or cause someone to leave is the trend of today. Yet Jesus and the apostles never shied away from confronting sin publicly and ruthlessly.
7. Focus more on administration than anointing- Acts 6:2 The anointing is preeminent over all pursuits of excellence. Excellence without the anointing is like having a bath with no soap, it is a completely worthless exercise! Get the power of the anointing back into the church and see devils cast out and sick people set free!
8. Keep worship to a minimum… and service for that matter- Acts 20:7-11; 16:25 It is ridiculous to think that by shortening the services more and more that we are going to somehow get more of God. Something in this equation has to give. We’ve gotten rid of all other weekly services and then greatly shortened the one weekly service we have. Sure doesn’t send a signal to the people of God that being in His presence is valuable. Selah
9. Never mention hell or holiness- Heb. 12:28-29 Jesus mentioned hell 4x more than heaven and yet we rarely mention either. A lifestyle of holiness birthed in the fear of God will ensure that we “see the Lord.” Oh, how I pray that the Lord would once again breathe life into men and women of God like Jonathan Edwards to preach messages like “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” and start a fresh Awakening in our nation. Without preaching judgment and repentance there will be no Awakening!
10. Never preach Jesus and Him Crucified- 1 Cor. 2:1-5 Let us come back to the central theme and pillar of all the Gospel found only at the Cross of Calvary. We must honestly be able to say that this subject and revelation is the central message of our ministry. Wow! We have a ways to go!
My heart today is to stir up the hungry for more of our precious Jesus and to prick the heart of those who have become callous to His wooing call. Revival is the only thing that will save our nation from the accelerated slide of wickedness that has befallen us so rapidly. Pray with me today for revival to come and “turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the minds of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just!” (Lk. 1:17)

Spirit of Revival

admin — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 15:32:20 +0000

Recently the Lord has been moving on my heart with a deep cry for a sovereign move of His Spirit. This type of move would be labeled a revival by many in terms of what we have seen in the past. This move of God would go far beyond the Sunday morning experience and launch into a deep place of seeking and finding Christ. There must be more! This cry of my heart is resonating day and night for the last month or so. Last night I had a visitation of God’s Spirit in which the cry for revival became overwhelmingly tangible. The Spirit of God began to speak to me about the “undercurrent” of revival that separates a sovereign outpouring from business as usual in the church (don’t get me wrong we need business as usual). To better articulate what the Lord showed me and how my heart is longing for this new move, I’ve written a poem to better express things. Allow these words to resonate in your heart as they did mine and hopefully draw you into the waters of hunger for MORE of GOD!!!

The intangible is obvious
The fruit instantaneous
The world is oblivious
While sinner repents of sin and lascivious

Many would come to repent
Others to scorn and lament
The coming of the One who was sent
To inhabit every soul as an earthly tent

Long nights and short days
Hours and hours the band plays
No one can really know the ways
But prostate at altar the sinner lays

The undercurrent is indescribable
The atmosphere undeniable
The feeling each day is so reliable
For the hearts of men are sovereignly pliable

Why would many come from afar?
They gather once again like the blowing shofar
Winds of change have began to blow
Whispers of a move that only Spirit could show

What need we have for revival’s reach
Something that cannot from pulpit teach
Only tasting in person will set men free
As righteousness fill the hungry and thirsty

Cry out afresh to the God of Elijah
Come visit us with might and power again
Make an altar of tears to the great Jehovah
Lord, come deliver us from all of our sin

Thirst, A Poem

admin — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 07:30:31 +0000

Lately, my heart has been longing for more of Jesus. He said if we will hunger and THIRST for righteousness that we SHALL be filled! Here is an expression of my thirst for Him:

Thirst Thirst from where did you burst?
How do you seem to always come first?

The most powerful force on mankind
Can make people stand for hours in line

Have you ever longed for a drop of cool?
Late at night when you’d drink a pool

To deny is a short lived venture
For thirst to your knees will bring for sure

Oh that this natural urge
Would teach us how to spiritual splurge

Chasing with might and desperation
Will surely bring end to all temptation

The force that could drive a man wild
Turned loose like a winter not mild

Twisted and turned will it churn
To indulge will forever learn
Let thirst ever have its turn
And passion for Thee always burn

The Great Divide

admin — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 15:11:51 +0000

One of the many functions of the prophetic in the body of Christ is to be in tune with what is happening in the “now moment” spiritually. This would be what I would call “insight.” Many times this insight gives great clarity to the amazing things God is doing in the moment and other times it points out certain things that may be perceived as negative or even greatly judgmental. Paul said in 1 Cor. 5:12 “It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church…” There are some things that the Spirit of God has shown me that must be pointed out and left up to you as to what you discern as right and wrong or just simply a difference of opinion.
What we are talking about today is what I call “the Great Divide.” Every generation has fresh leadership in the Kingdom and it is up to that generation how they will serve and the legacy they leave. Many generations did not take a radical stand for Christ and drifted into oblivion of average and obscure. Other generations were either so godless or so righteous in their leadership that they are still remembered for their radical position. My heart is for this end time generation to break out of the enemies mold of compromise and pursuit of celebrity status and become the “salt” and “light” that Jesus called us to as His followers. Here are 3 areas that are becoming more and more clear of the growing divide in the leadership of a new generation (40 and under).
1. Interpretation of Scripture- everything begins with a generation’s interpretation of the Word of God. This theology will be the basis for every decision that is made. In our day there is a growing divide in what the Word of God really says and who the God of the Bible really is. Is he really a God of infinite grace and all who would preach a message of holiness and separation from the world simply just blind legalists? Or is He still the God of wrath and judgment that caused Jesus to say: “Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, he’s the one to fear.” Is the Word of God simply a manual for living a better life and having “favor” or is it a call to separation and sacrifice for the sake of our Lord Jesus who was crucified (Heb. 13:13)? Is the Word a nice companion to a self centered life or does it point us continually to a Kingdom to come and a judgment that is immanent? Here we see a great divide that is forming.
2. Standard of values- Based on this Biblical divide, we see a second area that is forming in establishment of core values. There are many who would now excuse and allow secret sin to be in the pulpit. Even when it is not secret, ministers can simply ignore their shortcomings of sin and move on with no Biblical repentance or restoration of any kind. People in the church have become loyal to man over the Word of God and claim this false sense of loyalty when they “cover” the sins of their fallen leader. Integrity in ministry is far from the only place of value divide. The very family itself is being assaulted when divorce is no big deal and the children of ministers are excused from gross sin and rebellion. Though the Scriptures are clear that if an elder “cannot manage his own home then how can he take care of God’s house (1 Tim. 3:5)?” One last arena of great danger in the divide growing on how to handle the explosive issue of homosexuality and its place in and around the church. Many now frown upon any mention of this horrible abomination in God’s sight and will even defend and aggressively protect anyone who claims that lifestyle. (Don’t get me started on that!)
3. Political stance and persuasion- The final place where the divide becomes evident is surrounding the political arena. The “left wing” has called people of integrity and Biblical values “fundamentalist” and even ignorant for long enough that it has become frowned upon to be a staunch Bible believer and hold to the “old school” values of pro-life and pro-family. The all-important issues of righteousness and justice (which are the foundation of God’s throne Psa. 89:14) have been belittled and scoffed into a place of such disdain that now we see a trend where both unwittingly or very boldly some Christian leaders are even endorsing candidates and platforms of pro-gay marriage and partial birth abortion into the 3rd trimester. God forgive us when we have made it “cool” or trendy to stand on the side of unrighteous and even contradicting Biblical values!
Yes, there are many more issues we could point out, and no, this is not an exhaustive thesis on every topic discussed, but this word burns in my heart to be declared from the housetops. This is a blog and I’m not a liberty to belabor these issues any further but I leave you today with a final Scripture that sums up much of what we’ve discussed in a clear and concise way.
James 4:4b-5 Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.