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Relinquishing Your National Identity

Posted in Christian Walk, tagged , , , , on June 13, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[Printable version]

Scripture reading: Genesis 12:1-5

I am going to read something for you that God said to Abraham, but it is something that is being said to you. It applies in a way differently to you than it did to Abraham, but it is the same word and it has the same meaning. We are going to look for what God meant when He said these things to Abraham. This is what we call “exegesis.” Always look for the exegesis: God said so and so, but what did He mean?

Let us go to Genesis 12:1, “Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show thee.”

The Lord said this to Abraham and we want to know what the meaning of this is. Why did He put this in the Bible?  Why should I be interested in what God said to Abraham?  Do you follow what I mean?

This is your Bible. God put it in the Bible. Men fought to take it out. Men wanted to destroy the Bible. Men killed and did their best to destroy it and it could not be destroyed. They took some of the scrolls and burned them! Yet, the people who burned them are past and gone and the scrolls remain. Hallelujah! They never did get it.

So, I am asking you, does this word about Abraham mean something to you, or to us? Why did God put it in the Word? Why did God fight so hard that this word could come to us? God is saying to you here in this verse that you must relinquish your national identity.

That is hard. That is very, very hard. If you are born a black man, you like being a black man. Some people do not know that. Some of you, brethren, do not know that the people who are black like to be black. If you could give them the choice to be white, they would not want it, because there is a certain feeling that you have inside, that you are something special.

When my brothers and I grew up, we felt that we were made out of iron. We were strong. We were fighters. We were on top of the world. I know the people in Africa feel that way too. But then I found out afterwards that everybody feels that way! You on one side, you are feeling your feeling, and you do not know what the other person is feeling on his side. I know that the Germans feel that way, and the Russians feel that way. Everybody feels that way and nobody is finding out what the other person feels.

So, there will be wars until Jesus comes, because war is in the heart of man and it is the spirit of the antichrist. I want you to take this—do not take it with a grain of salt. Take it and believe it: it is the spirit of the antichrist that makes men want to reign and rule over one another. Anywhere you find men who want to rule and reign and be the boss and be tops, it is the spirit of the antichrist. That is, unless it is where you want to be tops in Christ—then you are bottom.

Those who want to be tops in Christ—they are the least. They go around washing everybody’s feet and letting people walk on them. Oh, you do not like that, but that is the way you are tops in Christ. “Recompense to no man evil for evil…but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:17,21). That is being tops in Christ. God worked it out that the spirit of the antichrist is the one that likes to rule and reign over others and the Spirit of Christ is the one that wants to rule and reign with Christ.

Genesis says, “Get thee out of thy country (thy national identity)…!” Do not be an American anymore! Do not be a Kenyan anymore. Do not be a Jamaican anymore. Do not be a Polish anymore. Do not be a German anymore. Just belong to the new nation, the royal priesthood, the peculiar people. My God! Isn’t this what God is asking us to do? He approached Abraham with this, and He said, “Get out Abraham! Get out of here and stay out of here!” Abraham knew it was God who spoke to him.

Now, I am not saying that it is easy. It is difficult not to be black, when you are black. God sent me to His people. He did not send me to a color. I have to recognize God’s people regardless of their color. There is something else that we need to recognize and that is that you really do not have any color! Your color is a deception! It is an outward facade that you are wearing to deceive everybody that you are black or white when really you are supposed to be a spirit. A spirit does not have any color! Do you understand? You are not what you seem to be.

(Excerpt from The Omega Message, July 1998, pg. 2-3, 6-7)

Thought for today: Have you relinquished your national identity yet or are you still holding on to the roots of your inheritance? Bring this matter before the Lord and have Him speak to you so that at the end of the day you are counted among those who have overcome.

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My Vision of the Lord Jesus Christ – Part 1

Posted in Time of the End, tagged , , , , , , , on April 22, 2024| Leave a Comment »

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Scripture reading: Matthew 25:6

By Tommy Hicks

On the morning of July 25, 1961, at 2:30 a.m., I received a vision from the Lord that has entirely revolutionized my whole life and ministry. It seemed as though I had hardly gone to sleep when this vision came before me—not once, but three times. Oh, wonder of wonders, when on July 27 this vision appeared again. In each instance, the details were identical.

Suddenly in the vision, I was standing with the full view of the whole world before me. From out of the heavens came great thundering and lightning. Accompanied with this phenomenon came a voice, a great voice—for it was the voice of God.

My face was turned to the north. With a great flash of lightning covering the entire earth, I looked down and beheld a massive form that appeared like a huge giant. Its feet reached to the North Pole, and its head to the South Pole. The arms spread from sea to sea. Again with another great flash, I saw that this giant was alive, but struggling for life. I said, “Oh, Lord, what does this mean?”

The giant was covered with debris and fettered. The giant started to quiver and struggle convulsively. At each convulsion, thousands of strange little creatures would withdraw from him, and when he was quiet they would return. I was definitely made to know what these creatures were. They were instruments that bound the Body of Christ through the ages.

Suddenly, the hand of the giant came up, and with that came a loud voice like a roar of thunder from heaven. Then his left hand was raised, and both his hands extended into the very heavens, and then he began to rise slowly and cleanse the debris from his body. While one foot was in the sea, the other was on the earth.

Presently, the sky was filled with dark clouds, which turned to silver, from which came liquid drops of light and power on the form of the giant. The giant dissolved, and in his place I saw millions of people. A voice so clear and vibrant said plainly, “I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.”

From the clouds came great drops like liquid light. The majestic heavenly substance made everyone it touched lose his identity, and their identification was Jesus. I SAW NO BARRIERS, NO DENOMINATIONS, NO SECTS; BUT THE TRANSCENDANT GLORY OF HEAVEN THAT RESTED UPON THESE PEOPLE COMPELLED THEM TO LIFT THEIR HANDS IN PRAISE AND ADORATION.

I watched to see who this company was worshipping. At that point, I saw a great white figure come out of the clouds, pointing His finger to one and then another. It seemed that He was giving directions, for as He would point, they would go—some to the east and some to the west. I could see them go in all directions.  They marched through deserts, forests, and jungles. I saw these people pass through the fire unburned, cross rivers as though there was no water there, cross oceans with ease, escape persecution as though a hand transported them from their surroundings.

In spite of wild beasts roaring, being attacked by men with swords and weapons of war, nothing seemed to hinder them. They moved over mountains, and down through valleys. They moved like the hart skipping upon the hills. Their faces shone with the countenance of victors—they were conquerors.

I hesitate to tell this part of the vision because it was with great trembling that I received this portion of the revelation. Again, there was the pouring out from His hand what I call “liquid power.” As soon as it would touch the person, that person would have his hand bathed and dripping with the same heavenly substance. Upon receiving this anointing, they would walk into hospitals, through the streets, into the institutions, and on and on—marching throughout the length and breadth of the land. I could hear them saying, “According to my word, be thou made whole.” As the liquid power flowed from their hands, each one they touched was instantly healed and made whole.

I saw people transported in the Spirit from nation to nation. I saw them going to Siberia, to Africa, to Canada, and to the ends of the earth. I saw them literally lifted up and placed by the Spirit in the respective countries.

Then I heard a voice that was low and beautiful, “My little children, I have given unto you My treasures. You are Mine. I have loved you with an everlasting love. Now My power shall be in you. The gifts that I have given unto you shall be made manifest to a lost and dying world. I am going to restore to you all.”

These people arose in the power of this great commission. I saw them cross oceans, go through fire, face persecutions, and be lifted by the Spirit and transported to many places. They were being placed where God wanted them. They were being put in places where God was going to visit His people. They were prepared and already equipped.

I realized that this whole panorama was the demonstration of the Kingdom of God through those who follow Him. I continued to see a stream of people marching—blind eyes opened, deaf ears unstopped—literally millions receiving of the power of this great manifestation. It seemed so “fluid” in its operation. There was no exaltation of a man. These simple words were constantly repeated, “ACCORDING TO MY WORD, BE THOU MADE WHOLE.”

As I watched, it seemed as though days formed into weeks, until months and years seemed to slip away—and in the midst of those who received the fullness of God’s visitation, there were also those who withdrew. I could see the anguish of their faces. The price was too steep—retaining of identification meant too much to them. They refused to march and eventually slumped away. The price was more than they could bear. THEY EVENTUALLY SLIPPED OUT INTO THE DARKNESS OF THE NIGHT.

To speak of the following instances leaves me weak with the glory and the power of the tremendous finale.

The days, months, and years seemed to slip by as I beheld this celestial scene. Nevertheless, it all happened in a short time—possibly just a few seconds—who can tell? No tongue could adequately tell the glory and splendor of the formation of this angelic host. In a moment, just a twinkling of an eye, the graves of the saints had become as a plowed field and gave up their dead, and saints from all ages (from the mountains, the deserts, and from every imaginable place) rose in power and majesty to be absorbed into the great giant.

No debris covered this great being now—it was clothed in heaven’s majesty, with glorious shining garments so brilliant that it would make a million diamonds look dull.

I heard again, as it were, a great thunder. From the heavens above poured forth the vial of wrath. It seemed that the wrath and justice of God was wrung out: drops of unspeakable anguish and suffering. The Christ-rejecting peoples of the earth had their cup filled.

Once again, my attention was drawn to this glorious body as I heard again the voice, even as thunder crying, “BEHOLD THE BRIDEGROOM COMETH. GO YE OUT TO MEET HIM, for He is the Lord of Glory. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the king of Glory shall come in.” Then as though The Great Maestro of heaven had given the sign, a mighty volume of harmonies; heaven’s harmonies pealed forth like music borne on the wings of a heavenly dove. The music was clear, vibrant, rich, and resonant. It was heaven’s music—the song of souls set free. They were singing a new song, and what I thought to be added accompaniment, now became clearer, stronger. It was the voice of the Bride: many voices, but one voice singing the Song of Moses and the Lamb.

As I listened, I suddenly became weak, and yet, even the weakness was my strength, for I had been in the presence of the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. I was filled with an unspeakable urge of the Spirit to go tell all nations and press the battle to the front line trenches of a lost and dying world.

Folks, the Kingdom is here. The very power and Spirit of the Kingdom of God so possessed me. I knew it was the revelation of the King in all His kingly authority. I could see that the Lord was showing me that the Kingdom of God was coming into view. This was the revelation of the Kingdom of God coming to man.

The very spirit and power of that Kingdom so gripped me, I felt like one caught away to the third heaven. Daniel saw the everlasting Kingdom. No power in the world will be able to destroy this Kingdom. Once again, I saw the body now being lifted into the heavens. At this point, I awoke. The vision repeated in the same manner three times again. Each time, it was perfect in detail. From that moment to this, these words have rung through my soul: “HE’S COMING SOON! HE’S COMING!”

(Excerpt from The Omega Message, August 1989)

Thought for today: HE IS COMING SOON!

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Lay Hold of the Power and the Victory

Posted in The Power of God, tagged , , , , on November 10, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[Printable version]

Scripture reading: Daniel 7:27-28

The Christian church has been given a rule book called the Bible. A victorious book, which has stood fast from the time of Genesis to the present, and has conquered the devils right along the whole passage of time. We have seen some mighty deeds of men. In the example of Job, the book showed us man (stripped of God) conquering the devil. When Job conquered Satan, it was all on his own, since God had withdrawn from him; and the natural man kept his integrity before God and was able to beat the devil. In Job 2:4, Satan said, “skin for skin,” in disdain of man, but the man whom he scorned defeated him; to the glory of God!

Sometimes, when we get into accidents and have devastating experiences, we wonder how God would allow these things to happen to us. These, however, are a part of the challenges that we must face as workers together with God against the powers of darkness. It is not necessarily so, that we made some mistake or committed any sin. We should come out praising God more than ever before, because though the outward man perishes, the glory of God rises inside, and is a light to others and a defeat to the powers of darkness. The enemy never learns. The more he gets beaten, the more he keeps coming. This action makes us stronger and more determined to see the battle to the end.

All these stories in the Bible that God has been showing us, of David’s mighty men, Samson, Esther (a frail woman who was used of God to save the Jewish nation), Deborah the prophetess, Gideon with his 300 men defeating the Midianites, Shamgar with his ox goad defeating the enemy (Judges 3:31), and so many others, have been preserved in the Word for a purpose. There is a people who will never be conquered, but will conquer through the power of their testimony and the Blood of the Lamb. The evil weapons of the enemy’s warfare have now come under the judgment of God, and God has given us power over the power of the enemy. As we rise more and more in the strength of faith and understanding, the great weapons of terror, which the enemy used in the past against the people of God, are losing their effectiveness. We must bear in mind that, “…Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled” (II Corinthians 10:3-6).

We need to realize that God has given the church the power over the power of the world and the devil. Let us walk in the Spirit and in the faith of the living God. By faith, we will tread upon serpents; by faith, we will bring deliverance to this generation of people by the power of God and the Blood of Jesus Christ. 

(Excerpt from The Omega Message, April 1997, pg. 26-28)

Thought for today: Remember that there is a people who will never be conquered, but will conquer through the power of their testimony and the Blood of the Lamb. Determine in your heart that you will be amongst this people.

Read Full Post »

Relinquishing Your National Identity

Posted in Christian Walk, tagged , , , , on September 12, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[Printable version]

Scripture reading: Genesis 12:1-5

I am going to read something for you that God said to Abraham, but it is something that is being said to you. It applies in a way differently to you than it did to Abraham, but it is the same word and it has the same meaning. We are going to look for what God meant when He said these things to Abraham. This is what we call “exegesis.” Always look for the exegesis: God said so and so, but what did He mean?

Let us go to Genesis 12:1, “Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show thee.”

The Lord said this to Abraham and we want to know what the meaning of this is. Why did He put this in the Bible?  Why should I be interested in what God said to Abraham?  Do you follow what I mean?

This is your Bible. God put it in the Bible. Men fought to take it out. Men wanted to destroy the Bible. Men killed and did their best to destroy it and it could not be destroyed. They took some of the scrolls and burned them! Yet, the people who burned them are past and gone and the scrolls remain. Hallelujah! They never did get it.

So, I am asking you, does this word about Abraham mean something to you, or to us? Why did God put it in the Word? Why did God fight so hard that this word could come to us? God is saying to you here in this verse that you must relinquish your national identity.

That is hard. That is very, very hard. If you are born a black man, you like being a black man. Some people do not know that. Some of you, brethren, do not know that the people who are black like to be black. If you could give them the choice to be white, they would not want it, because there is a certain feeling that you have inside, that you are something special.

When my brothers and I grew up, we felt that we were made out of iron. We were strong. We were fighters. We were on top of the world. I know the people in Africa feel that way too. But then I found out afterwards that everybody feels that way! You on one side, you are feeling your feeling, and you do not know what the other person is feeling on his side. I know that the Germans feel that way, and the Russians feel that way. Everybody feels that way and nobody is finding out what the other person feels.

So, there will be wars until Jesus comes, because war is in the heart of man and it is the spirit of the antichrist. I want you to take this—do not take it with a grain of salt. Take it and believe it: it is the spirit of the antichrist that makes men want to reign and rule over one another. Anywhere you find men who want to rule and reign and be the boss and be tops, it is the spirit of the antichrist. That is, unless it is where you want to be tops in Christ—then you are bottom.

Those who want to be tops in Christ—they are the least. They go around washing everybody’s feet and letting people walk on them. Oh, you do not like that, but that is the way you are tops in Christ. “Recompense to no man evil for evil…but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:17,21). That is being tops in Christ. God worked it out that the spirit of the antichrist is the one that likes to rule and reign over others and the Spirit of Christ is the one that wants to rule and reign with Christ.

Genesis says, “Get thee out of thy country (thy national identity)…!” Do not be an American anymore! Do not be a Kenyan anymore. Do not be a Jamaican anymore. Do not be a Polish anymore. Do not be a German anymore. Just belong to the new nation, the royal priesthood, the peculiar people. My God! Isn’t this what God is asking us to do? He approached Abraham with this, and He said, “Get out Abraham! Get out of here and stay out of here!” Abraham knew it was God who spoke to him.

Now, I am not saying that it is easy. It is difficult not to be black, when you are black. God sent me to His people. He did not send me to a color. I have to recognize God’s people regardless of their color. There is something else that we need to recognize and that is that you really do not have any color! Your color is a deception! It is an outward facade that you are wearing to deceive everybody that you are black or white when really you are supposed to be a spirit. A spirit does not have any color! Do you understand? You are not what you seem to be.

(Excerpt from The Omega Message, July 1998, pg. 2-3, 6-7)

Thought for today: Have you relinquished your national identity yet or are you still holding on to the roots of your inheritance? Bring this matter before the Lord and have Him speak to you so that at the end of the day you are counted among those who have overcome.

Read Full Post »

Lay Hold of the Power and the Victory

Posted in The Power of God, tagged , , , , on February 8, 2021| Leave a Comment »

[Printable version]

Scripture reading: Daniel 7:27-28

The Christian church has been given a rule book called the Bible. A victorious book, which has stood fast from the time of Genesis to the present, and has conquered the devils right along the whole passage of time. We have seen some mighty deeds of men. In the example of Job, the book showed us man (stripped of God) conquering the devil. When Job conquered Satan, it was all on his own, since God had withdrawn from him; and the natural man kept his integrity before God and was able to beat the devil. In Job 2:4, Satan said, “skin for skin,” in disdain of man, but the man whom he scorned defeated him; to the glory of God!

Sometimes, when we get into accidents and have devastating experiences, we wonder how God would allow these things to happen to us. These, however, are a part of the challenges that we must face as workers together with God against the powers of darkness. It is not necessarily so, that we made some mistake or committed any sin. We should come out praising God more than ever before, because though the outward man perishes, the glory of God rises inside, and is a light to others and a defeat to the powers of darkness. The enemy never learns. The more he gets beaten, the more he keeps coming. This action makes us stronger and more determined to see the battle to the end.

All these stories in the Bible that God has been showing us, of David’s mighty men, Samson, Esther (a frail woman who was used of God to save the Jewish nation), Deborah the prophetess, Gideon with his 300 men defeating the Midianites, Shamgar with his ox goad defeating the enemy (Judges 3:31), and so many others, have been preserved in the Word for a purpose. There is a people who will never be conquered, but will conquer through the power of their testimony and the Blood of the Lamb. The evil weapons of the enemy’s warfare have now come under the judgment of God, and God has given us power over the power of the enemy. As we rise more and more in the strength of faith and understanding, the great weapons of terror, which the enemy used in the past against the people of God, are losing their effectiveness. We must bear in mind that, “…Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled” (II Corinthians 10:3-6).

We need to realize that God has given the church the power over the power of the world and the devil. Let us walk in the Spirit and in the faith of the living God. By faith, we will tread upon serpents; by faith, we will bring deliverance to this generation of people by the power of God and the Blood of Jesus Christ. 

(Excerpt from The Omega Message, April 1997, pg. 26-28)

Thought for today: Remember that there is a people who will never be conquered, but will conquer through the power of their testimony and the Blood of the Lamb. Determine in your heart that you will be amongst this people.

Read Full Post »

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