Living from the INSIDE OUT- 4 | Karen W

Karen W from Heart of the Matter Ministries International is a friend of Word of Grace Church and has been a blessing to us over the years. This is the second part of the message that was preached by Karen W at Word of Grace Church on July 16th, 2017. To listen/download the audio please click here. 

There has been a supernatural shift in the atmosphere. The days of doom and gloom are over. The way we do church won’t be the same. We are going deeper in the depths of his love. This month, we have been talking about the theme- INSIDE OUT, who are you- identity, where are we going, healthy relationships, etc- which we need for growth and development.

I love to encourage people just how powerful they are. God is getting ready to do something very specific. Colin is going to share something about what is to come to this church-“Through the worship, God laid this word on my heart. The season has changed, just as it has in the natural. 2 things need to happen. We need to be prepared to accept this new season. Secondly, in the summer there was no water, but now there is an abundance of water. I feel God is pouring out on us spiritually. ”

The same night, my testimony was to get some finances together for something I want to invest in. And all of a sudden, I went out with someone and they blessed me with Rs. 30,000. God is up to something big! When you give praise to him, it builds up anticipation for- what are you going to do next?

1.      We need to have an expectancy. Change is now! Everything that Donna and I came to impart is a part of the change. We can get stuck in the drought- we stay stuck in the past.

I have been amazed with Evan Raphael! When I gave candies to him, whenever he sees me, he expects candies. He doesn’t say, I’m a worm. We need to come expecting from God. the reason why we read the word, pray, study, etc. is because we are people who are in love. We do crazy things when we are in love, no matter what country you come from. It is not because we are an extrovert or introvert. It’s because he has grown up in love.

We serve a mighty God, a good God who loves you no matter what. We are no longer going to have any part with any religious dark deeds. We have freedom, so we need to be free. We judge saying that’s just how they are. I am a woman who is forgiven. So I am not ashamed to bless him name

2.      Preparation- you have to be prepared for it. God sent Donna and I to come, and we didn’t realise we were carrying gold from heaven. We were going to simply serve. When this word was released, the words and the training and everything we did came to prepare you for the season. So we came with words for the season. You need to recognise that we need to live from the inside out. We talked about toxic relationships and how in the kingdom people know how to deal with conflict and develop deep-heart relationships. It is just like developing a deep-heart relationship with God. You don’t need to do puja to get to God.

a.      Identity- do you know who you are what God has called you to do? You need to recognise the change when it comes and you need to know who you are when change comes. If not, change will walk right past and you will say, I didn’t see anything happen differently. Understanding who God has called each of us to be, we have to have identity

b.     Empowerment- to be empowered is not to be dependent but to be inter-dependent with one another. I need to be equipped for the things God has put inside of me. Being empowered is very important. I am empowered by the Holy Spirit to do what I am called to do. We don’t work for God- we work from God. we work from connection, in relationship. Jesus saw what the Father was doing out of relationship and did as he saw. Truth is the directional part of God. But we also need his presence. I can hear about Evan all day long, study him for years and now know him. We can do the same thing with God. I was that way in the early years of my Christianity. You can preach and quote scripture, get revelatory words and still not know that God loves you. Revelation brings width, connection brings depth to the relationship. It brings you closer to the one who has called you close to him. How many of you want to experience his presence and know that you that you are in his presence? You can literally feel the presence of God. Religion is a fear-based theology. We have covenant with the one who called us out of darkness into his marvellous light. Whether you speak English or not, we are all equal in the sight of God.

c.      Depth of relationship- if you don’t know him, you won’t realise the change. You have to have a relationship so you can experience the king of glory.  We are empowering you. In Mumbai, I have a dream about a foot operation. So I gave the word of knowledge. There were a lot of people who stood up. I am still talking about relationship- knowing the Father. So, instead of me praying for all of them, since we are all powerful and all God’s children, I had people in the congregation turn around and pray for their brothers and sisters. We will begin to develop life-long relationship with one another. It’s a new day.

Isaiah 43- 18-20 ““Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen,”

Q. How many of you struggle with being stuck in the past?

When we stay stuck in the past, we give more power to the past that keeps us from moving forward. This change requires understanding the Father with an expectation. Being aware of how you show up and how people experience you.

God is calling us to wake up. Wakey wakey! Wake up and be aware. Be self-aware. Be aware of who we are, how we affect people around us?

We did an exercise where the team got to evaluate the leaders. One of the things that is powerful about that is that we literally had the leaders leave and we evaluated them for 20 mins. They opened themselves up in a place of vulnerability and said, tell me, how are you experiencing us? We got to experience some amazing truths in love. This is real Christianity- to have a safe, authentic relationship where we are able to show people our blind-spots.

Q. Have you ever felt when someone left, thank God they are gone! Or felt like they were around for longer?

So, awareness of what this new thing is- this new thing is freedom in God, freedom in your worship and praise, in your thinking that when you have a problem, you don’t have to be a victim. We understand that relationships are messy, but in this change, you will learn that the more you have identity, you can overcome. So you can make a choice of being a victim or an overcomer. Your income level doesn’t determine your position in God.      

My father worked 3 jobs in the 60s and raised 5 kids by himself when there was racial discrimination. And the greatest gift my father gave me was the gift of identity, that I could do anything. It is you getting to know the father- that is the change.

Imagine with me- the Father- this is not the fathers who might have hurt you or abused you, but the Father who created you. Ask him, who you are and why you were born.

Q. What is your purpose in life? Why did God create you?

Repeat after me- Holy Spirit, who am I? Why was I born? We are going to let him speak to you.

Some of you are going to get that answer today, or tomorrow, but you are going to get an answer. This is what the Father said to me. In 1984 He said, you haven’t chosen me, I have chosen you. And whatever you ask for, I will give it to you. My purpose is to equip the body of Christ. This is the greatest season of my life. When I get ready to leave India, I say, this is why I was created. The flow of the Holy Spirit comes easy to me because I am doing what he created me to do.

In the days to come, Colin and others will hear from God as he begins to download what this change is all about. How many people want to live in Destiny? How many are tired of just existing?

Word of Blessing- I prophesy greatness in this house. I see greatness in everyone. I release destiny and favour over each and every young person in this house- that they will not have low-self esteem. I release identity- the favour of God in this house. These are not people who happen to be from India, but they are sons and daughters of the king. I release that everyone in this house matter, no matter where they come from. I break the spirit of personal preference done in an unhealthy way. I break the spirit of superiority in Jesus Name. I break the spirit of inferiority in Jesus Name. I break the spirit of poverty and lack in this house. For jobs and better jobs and better economy and dreams creativity will come in this place. We welcome reconciliation. I break the spirit of gossip, of victimization, and I release that you truly have identity, truly have fire in this house. I release dreams and vision in this house. I break the spirit of criticism. I pray God, that people will understand their gifts and know what to do. In Jesus’ name.

Word of Grace is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God's inspired Word for life. We are a church community that have people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service. To know more about us please log onto www.wordofgracechurch.org.  

Living from the INSIDE OUT-3| Karen W

Karen W from Heart of the Matter Ministries International is a friend of Word of Grace Church and has been a blessing to us over the years. This is the second part of the message that was preached by Karen W at Word of Grace Church on July 2nd, 2017. To listen/download the audio please click here. 

First of all I want to thank Colin and Navaz for their pioneering work at Word of Grace church. What a perfect balance! What’s the word of Grace? When we can walk in the word of God that is filled with grace, our real selves can come out.

What does grace look like?

It looks like acceptance even of our weaknesses. Let’s say someone struggles with an addiction. And they have a lot of shame around that. Grace will come and give honour to them. It is a sin, but we give honour and love on them to let them know that they still have identity even though they have an addiction. Truth comes in by giving instruction. Grace allows people to grow and process this thing out in faith.

Churches that are so culturalised, everything is truth truth truth, instead of connection- talking, listening, walking things out. A couple of years ago I gave a testimony of how I terminated two pregnancies. But when I had people of Grace and Truth in my life, grace brought in healing. Truth by itself brings shame. Jesus told me that as I confess my sin, he is faithful and just to forgive me of all my iniquity. Then something wonderful happened. I am not ashamed of my past because there is no shame to it now. I love it because of how God delivered me of it. I love all parts of Karen. Even the Bad parts because God loves my bad parts. When I love all of me, I can bring my bad parts out to God quicker. Whatever is going on in your life will be covered by honour and respect when there is Grace.

I talked about the kingdom of culture. I want you to give me some examples of culture that is not life-giving but is full of shame.

Q. What in your culture brings shame?

1.      People don’t eat with everyone.

2.      Widows are not treated properly- they are excluded because they are perceived to bring shame.

3.      People who live in small hamlets bring social boycott.

4.      Racial discrimination

5.      Dowry

6.      Being judgemental and jealousy

7.      Measuring religion by prosperity

8.      Hypocrisy- people pleasing instead of God-pleasing.

9.      Disagreement with elders is like dishonouring them

10.   Inter-caste relationships are looked down upon

11.   Valuing people based on their work and favouritism.

12.   Child marriage

13.   Killings in the name of eating beef

14.   People judge everyone based on their past

15.   The Bible speaks about leaving and cleaving whereas that is

16.   When someone gets divorced, their whole life is marked by that their whole life.

17.   If a wife gives birth to a girl child, it is considered as a shame on the entire family.

18.   If the children don’t do engineering or doctor, you are looked down upon.

19.   If someone makes a mistake, they are not encouraged to speak in public again.

20.   Language you speak, how you worship, etc. you are judged on the basis of that.

One of the women said this kind of conversation never happens in the church. We are not talking about an American gospel. We are talking about the culture of the Kingdom. It is important for us to have breakthrough conversation.

We need to know how to deal with conflict. I’m sure a lot of us have experienced unhealthy relationships in their life. We help people experience the love of God. our priorities are often mixed up. Its often pastoral work, ministry and family last. When things are so messed up, you wonder how the anointing could trickle down.

This is what I believe- God is going to shift some things around. In fact he is doing it right now. If you don’t understand what healthy church looks like, the tendency is to go back to the things that the culture dictates. That is not what it is about. It is because who I’m connected to that allows me to do what I do. In him there is no Jew nor slaves... but we are all in all one in Christ. Not just positionally, but gender-wise, we are one in Christ.

We talked about the 5 components of a healthy church- Truth, Grace, Gifts, Fruit, Teleois. When we can bring wholeness to the church, and you release this anointing, as it is in heaven, it will come to the earth. I am releasing a declaration of a new way of thinking that your mind will be renewed. That everyone can happen in the church. Everyone can have a part in the community of God. We are sons and daughter of the King. We are children of God. As wholeness comes into the church, people can show you their wounds. It is because of this that I could get free.

I want to break shame. I know the smell of shame, it’s a demon from the pit of hell. It tells you that you are not good enough. I found myself pregnant twice before I turned 20 and I got 2 abortions. I went through many years of shame. But now I have no shame. I am proud to tell my story because he is a good delivering God. When I went to a healing counselling session- the Lord spoke to me and I saw Jesus sitting with me at the clinic where I terminated by babies. While there were protestors shaming me outside the clinic, the Lord himself was in the room with me. As the child was getting destroyed, the same way Jesus put back the ear that was sawed off by Peter, Jesus put my child back together. That’s the kind of God I serve. So I am not ashamed of the gospel. The reason I worship the way I do is because he delivered me and set me free. So when I feel shame, I am repelled by it. He has opened the door for me here in India of abortions, of different experiences. They said they can come to me because they felt safe. It wasn’t about the abortions, it was about how God loved and accepted me. I love Jesus.

We will talk about 20 signs of people who are toxic for you:

1.      Unsafe people think they have it all together instead of admitting weakness.

2.      Unsafe people are religious instead of spiritual. Being religious is being judgemental all the time.

3.      Unsafe people defend themselves when confronted instead of being open to feedback and understanding their own faults & mistakes. When you are healthy and free from shame, I have relationships, where people can come and speak into our lives about different things.

4.      Unsafe people are self-righteous or falsely humble instead of being genuinely humble.

5.      Unsafe people rarely apologize and own their actions, but when they do, the apology is not followed by a change in behaviour. When people apologize, it’s just saying sorry I got caught. But when you seek forgiveness, you intend to change your behaviour. 

6.      Unsafe people go to great lengths to avoid looking at (much less working on) their problems.

7.      Unsafe people demand trust instead of understanding trust is earned.

8.      Unsafe people do not admit fault and will make statements such as “I am sorry you feel that way” or any other form of an apology that does not contain confession of their fault.

9.      Unsafe people blame others and work hard to assign blame to their situations instead of owning their responsibilities in the matter.

10.   Unsafe people lie and manipulate. They aren’t honest about a myriad of things.

11.   Unsafe people are stagnant and show little to no signs of growth.

12.   Unsafe people avoid closeness instead of connecting.

13.   Unsafe people are only concerned about the “I” rather than the “we.” Even when expressing empathy they will say things like “I feel so bad about your loss.” As opposed to “You must be in so much pain after your loss.”

14.   Unsafe people resist the freedom associated with healthy boundaries instead of encouraging it. They have an unhealthy relationship with your “no” responses and often violate boundaries.

15.   Unsafe people only flatter and never confront, or only confront and never flatter. The balance between the two is non-existent in unsafe people.

16.   Unsafe people condemn us instead of covering our faults with grace or forgiveness. They will say things aloud like, “Oh, you forgot to pick up your son?” or “You didn’t know that?” Often repeated more than once to exploit weakness.

17.   Unsafe people stay in parent/child roles instead of relating as equals. They often want to parent you or revert to childlike states in unhealthy extremes. Everyone has this trait to a certain degree, but unsafe people polarize in this department. When people act like babies or you make everyone your parent telling you what to do, that is unhealthy. When older people get around young people they do this.

18.   Unsafe people are unstable over time. A season of instability is normal, but when a person seems to have chronic instability, that is a red flag.

19.   Unsafe people influence us negatively. We often leave interactions with them feeling bad, but unsure why. They bring out the worst in us instead of promoting and inspiring our good qualities.

20.   Unsafe people talk about others negatively when they are not around. We can be sure that we aren’t so special that we are excluded from their gossip. When a person assassinates another person’s character, name-calls or shares private information about others, this is a sign of relational manipulation common in unsafe people. there is one thing if you have an issue with someone and need to process it with someone. But if you infect others with your opinion by slandering them, that is unsafe. When you feel influenced by what another person has said about them, that’s an unsafe person. That is not celebrated or tolerated in the kingdom of God or in this church.

Safe people:

1.      Safe people are honest and comfortable in who they are.

2.      Safe people gladly submit to accountability. It means that they feel comfortable asking others to speak into their life or hold them accountable if they say they are going to do something.

3.      Safe people accept you for who you are at all times.

4.      Safe people will share their deep- heart just like you. They will be mutual.

5.      Safe people walk in honour and respect. Respect means unconditional worth. That they treat you as an adult, not trying to do things for you.

6.      In healthy safe relationships, it promotes growth. It brings you closer to God.

Interdependent and independent churches- So when people leave you community in an independent churches, you don’t even know. You are so focused on yourself. When we are a healthy church that develops healthy relationships, equality and preach scriptures where God says about being citizen of heaven, we care about who is missing, without shame- something beautiful happens. Church should be the safest place on the planet. People like me who come into the church with a crazy past, God can do something wonderful. I am delivered, set free and a world changer.

Word of Grace is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God's inspired Word for life. We are a church community that have people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service. To know more about us please log onto www.wordofgracechurch.org.