22 Oct Here’s What God Said …
I know that the following statement will challenge some people's theology but I'll share it anyways. While Vickie and I lived in South Florida, I remember a time when God clearly spoke to me while we were sitting in a movie theater (some people will stop reading after that statement) watching the seemingly endless coming attraction previews. I will never forget Him telling me that I was to start announcing at the opening of our services the coming attractions for that service. When I heard this directive, I had been in the ministry at least 25 years and had never, ever heard anything like this before. In my early days of ministry preparation, there was no class at my Bible college called Ideas Gleaned from a Movie Theater nor was it taught at any children's ministry conference. Heaven was directing me to walk into the service with a confidence that I had heard from heaven and, at the beginning of the service, boldly announce what was going to happen during the service. Here is what you can expect to happen when you make coming attraction preview announcements. First, this will build faith in your spirit as you confidently proclaim what God has shown you in your quiet time with Him throughout the week. Your spirit will feel like a Texas cowboy sitting in a rodeo chute on top of a bucking bronco waiting for the chute's gate to open. You can be confident that something memorable is about to happen! Second, it will build anticipation in those in your service because Jesus is both the author and finisher of our faith. God always delivers what He promises! So, if you are preaching about healing, confidently announce at the beginning of the service that the Healer is in the room and will heal all the sick and infirmed. Then, preach/teach and flow in the anointing. The results will be Jesus being what you have previewed and then preached Him to be. One more note ...