In a key strategic word for i61, Deb and Tim Ferris, and Megan Edward tag team in exploring the fact that we have authority in the earth realm to legislate through acts of justice, and in the heavenly realm through our authority to bind and loose. In our region, the python spirit has been a key atmospheric stronghold. The team looked at the symptoms of this spirit’s operation, and lead in ministry to break off any attachment in us that would give it ability to affect us. As we step out from under the “powers of the air” we establish an open heaven in our region where it’s easy for people to encounter Jesus and get free.
The Ekklesia - Justice and Revelation
Steve Frost continues our series on the Ekklesia. Jesus’ design and intention for his church, revealed in the word He chose to describe it, was a group of people called out of their homes into the public square to act and make decisions for the welfare of their city. He didn’t have in mind a group of people doing religious activity. His heart is a family that loves well, and practically enacts that love through bringing justice where it’s needed. The way the church loves others and does justice reveals a world gathered under the universal Fatherhood of God and filled with heaven’s presence.
The Ekklesia and Justice
Steve Frost continues our exploration of what it means to be the kind of church Jesus intended, looking at the importance of justice, mercy and faith. As the church, we’re not called out from the world; we’re called out in the world + for the world - to engage in the secret economy of the giving + receiving of love.
Taking Ground - The Ekklesia, The Seven Mountains, and Discipling Nations.
Tim continues the series on the Ekklesia. What Jesus had in mind when He said He would build His ekklesia was different to the church we see today. His ekklesia turned the world upside down in a relatively short period of time. The early church’s statisticss were far superior to what we see in the Western world. His blueprint for the ekklesia sees us discipling nations into being “sheep nations” who are ultimately presented to Jesus as a gift.
Taking Ground - The Ekklesia and The Gates of Hell
When Jesus introduced us to the church for the first time, He used a term that was not from any of the religious language of the day, and told us what He would build would advance against the enemy in an unstoppable way. Many of us have had painful experiences with Christ’s Body, the church, and yet, Jesus has not changed His plan. Tim finishes with a prophetic call to be reconciled with the Bride, and an invitation to fall in love with what Jesus loves.
The Power of Transforming Prayer
Deb talks about why our authority and our partnership with the Father is so important in prayer. The principles of agreement, faith and the authority we have over the earth realm were God’s idea set up from Genesis 1 and when we partner with Him, with a Heaven to earth perspective, our corporate prayers can bring regional transformation.
Taking Ground - A Heaven To Earth Strategy Move
1 Tim 2 gives a strategy from seeing heaven released around us that is so simple and practical that we often miss it. We have a responsibility to pray for our civic leaders in such a way that it changes the atmosphere in which they make critical decisions. On the day after the NSW Election, we pray for our new government and elected members.
Pursuing The Prosperity of our State - Paul Green from CDP NSW
Tim spends some time interviewing Paul Green MLC - member of the NSW Legislative Council for the Christian Democratic Party - ahead of the NSW State Election on 23rd March. In a wide-ranging conversation, Paul lets us in on the significance of having Christian values and principles represented in government, and shows us just how different the landscape would be in our state if the CDP wasn’t there. Paul then shares with us his crowning achievement of his time in Parliament so far - the establishment of the Modern Slavery Bill. This is critical listening ahead of the NSW State Election.
Taking Ground - An Intro to Spiritual Warfare
We have all been uniquely designed by The Father and wired to take specific territory on earth. But, there’s giants in the territory, so we must understand that, in the process of taking ground, we will encounter resistance. Tim unpacks the nature of the battle in the heavenly realms, and some keys to being victorious in the battle.
Heaven To Earth - Taking Ground and Co-labouring
Tim takes some time to cover a key foundation - the heaven to earth paradigm. Taking ground means making the situations in front of us look like heaven’s reality. Prayer is less about a spiritual discipline or routine, and more about seeing what God is already doing, and seeing our situation from heaven’s perspective then declaring what we see.
Fathering, The Lost Foundation
Vaughan shares his journey of how God has been highlighting the foundational piece of Father and Son. Lack of spiritual parenting has led to men losing their way as leaders in the family and particularly in the spiritual community.
He gives an encouragement to find some brothers and rediscover the ways of fathering that God has intended.
Freedom, Powerlessness, and Choices
It is for freedom that Christ set us free. Maturing in freedom means I am increasingly aware of the choices I have in every situation. The language of powerlessness is so insidious. I can’t always choose what happens to me, but I can choose my response. I can choose my stance in my circumstance. Tim finishes by praying for God to prompt us every time we use powerless language, and to make us aware of the options that are in front of us.
i61, Isaiah 61, and 2019
Tim opens up our foundation scripture - Isaiah 61 - reminding us of the core thumbprint of God on our community, and calling us into our destiny and inheritance as restorers, healers, and breakers of generational bondage.
Taking Ground - Bringing Down Strongholds.
It’s 2019, and Tim takes the first Sunday in Feb to set the prophetic direction for the year. Too often we go seeking a new word when we haven’t fulfilled the existing words, and while we took good ground in 2018, we haven’t finished with that word. In 2019, we’re still about taking ground. Tim unpacks 2 Cor 10:3-6 ... there are strongholds in our territory, but we have been given “God dynamite” to strategically tear them down and destroy them from the root.
The Will, Vows, Judgements, and a Healthy Father.
Too many of us, under the guise of surrender and obedience, live with a checked-out will. Tim shows the importance of our own will in terms of our authority on the earth, and then unpacks how, in response to pain and trauma, we make judgements and inner vows to protect ourselves from further pain. Because God is a good and healthy Father, He doesn’t violate our will, and as a result, these judgements and vows continue to bear negative fruit in our life until we break agreement with them. Tim finishes by challenging us out of learned powerlessness into an intimate engagement with the heart of God around our dreams and desires.
Love - And What Wars Against
God defines Himself as love, so it’s imperative that we mature in love so that we represent Him accurately. Most heart issues come down to experiences of absent or distorted love especially in our formative years, and to how we interpret our strongest emotional events. In response, we tend to form inner vows and judgements to protect from further pain, but in the long term, these vows and judgements wage war within us against the manifestation of mature love and undermine our mission to the world.
Covenant - The Highest Expression of Love
Our mission is to show the world what love is, and the highest expression of love in a relationship is covenant. In this message, Tim looks at the example of David and Jonathan to unpack the core aspects of a covenant relationship, and invites us to be a covenant family.
Building Family
Aimee Talbot talks about Maturing Love - a love that chooses depth of connection and Oneness within church family every day even when it costs. Using her personal testimony and convictions learned in the dark, Aimee challenges The Bride to reconsider the gift she is to people and to reconsider our value for corporateness.
Your Behaviour And Your Worth
Tim reminds us that the foundation of all freedom and security lies in knowing your true worth, which comes from hearing the Father’s voice over you.
You Are Who He Says You Are!
We explored Galatians 5 & 2 Corinthians 5: 14-18 in The Passion Translation. We discovered that we are completely & wonderfully free because our past with all it’s bondage to the law was crucified with Jesus. Our old self is dead & our new self is alive in Christ.
We watched a short clip from the movie Moana. This showed us a great example of how powerful it is when we speak to the gold in each other & we call out who we truly are in Christ. You are not defined by your past or your behaviour, you are defined by the voice of God over your life. You can view the video at https://youtu.be/A4QuKwfv6Wk
Moana Restores the Heart
I have crossed the horizon to find you
I know your name...
They have stolen the heart from inside you...
But this does not define you
This is not who you are
You know who you are...who you truly are...