Twilight Season

Exodus 14:24-25
24 Now it came to pass, in the morning watch, that the Lord looked down upon the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud, and He troubled the army of the Egyptians.
25 And He took off their chariot wheels, so that they drove them with difficulty; and the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from the face of Israel, for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians.”

The breaking of a new day is called twilight.
The sun going down at the end of a day is also called twilight.

Change is upon us.  Twilight is breaking in the life of the church in this season.

We are moving from our NORMAL mentality of church on Sunday to unlocking God’s plan in the earth.  The Kingdom of God is within us but must be unlocked.

We, as the church, are called to accomplish something; we are called out for a purpose.

The church is moving FROM just a group who fellowship TO becoming a victorious war instrument in the earth realm.  We are building.  We are learning to BIND and LOOSE.

We are seeing what God has stored in heavenly places for this season and calling it from heaven to earth.  Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done.

We are starting to look up to heaven and seeing the IT that the Lord wants us to agree with and declaring IT will manifest in the earth.

We are moving from “CONFUSED NOISE” to becoming a “SURE SOUND” in the earth.  Worship is changing.  Sound produces change.

Judah is leading us into NEW PLACES.  Sound creates movement.

The wind in the mulberry trees is blowing. 
Hear the wind and go with the flow.

As the twilight breaks, the wineskin of the church is changing.

Let’s look at Gen. 32:24
Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day.

This confrontation would be Jacob’s salvation.  The best way to describe the breaking of a new day or twilight is “WE WRESTLE”.

The breaking of a new day (twilight) always entails a changing of one nature into another.

To wrestle is to CONTEND in a struggle.  It produces a breakthrough into NEW TRUTH and strength within us.

The breaking of a new day (twilight) is really “the eyelids of the morning to open over our life.”

Moving toward the light through a visitation of the Lord that breaks us through to our future.

Jacob finally has his last crossing over.   A NEW DAY BREAKS (TWILIGHT).

If you are willing to wrestle through the night, you must also learn to watch for the day.

Twilight means to be in a place of transition, that’s where Jacob was.

There is also a transition taking place in many of you, it’s really a changing of the wineskin.

The new wine is God pouring into you the power, understanding and wisdom for breakthrough.

Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong

The Blessing Of Atonement

Have you ever noticed leading up to the fall of the year trouble starts to come?  Because it’s atonement time, the devil fights.

Let me give you some examples because God’s people have historically been attacked this time of year, leaving them challenged, confused and suffering financial woes.

It was this time of year that the spies came back from the Promised Land with a bad report causing the people to question God and wanting to backslide.

Herod, during this season, murdered more than 60,000 boys 2 and younger.

More wars start in this season than any other.
WW2 started September 1939.
Pearl Harbor was bombed in September.

On Day of Atonement 1973 Egypt/Syria attacked Israel.

Then there was 9.11.

More earthquakes occur in August, September, and October than any other time.
It’s Hurricane season.

Many of the worst volcano eruptions happen in this season.

September 2010, Hurricane Igor hit Newfoundland.
September 29, 2003, Hurricane Juan hit Canada.
September 2, 1998, Swiss Air disaster.

I could go on and on.

So why would there be such monumental, supernatural battles rage throughout history during this recurring short season?  There is something unusual about this season.

Could it be that satan knows that the most important season of the year is the latter or time of Tabernacles, specifically the Day of Atonement?

Because satan knows that God declares blessings on His people for the next year on those who honor Atonement.  THESE ARE GOD’S FEASTS.  His appointment with us.

If the greatest struggle is at this time, it’s because God has the greatest blessings.

This is a new season – what was will not be anymore.
And God gives us the “extra measure” to do it.

According to the Jewish calendar the latter rain corresponds to the autumn Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles.

So based on this, Joel speaks of the blessings of this time.

Joel 2:19, 21
19 The LORD will answer and say to His people,
      “ Behold, I will send you grain and new wine and oil,
      And you will be satisfied by them;
      I will no longer make you a reproach among the nations.

21 Fear not, O land;
      Be glad and rejoice,
      For the LORD has done marvelous things!

1st Atonement blessing is – A double Portion.
“He will give you the former rain FAITHFULLY.  He will cause the rain to come down for you.  The former and the latter rain”.

2nd Atonement blessing – Financial Abundance
Floors full of wheat, vats overflow with new wine and oil

3rd Atonement blessing – Restoration
Years locust has eaten

4th Atonement blessing – Miracles
-      Eat plenty
-       Deal wondrously with you
-       Never put to shame.

5th Atonement blessing – God’s divine presence
Know He is in our midst.
Never put to shame

6th Atonement blessing – Blessings on your family
Sons/daughters – prophesy
Pour out Spirit

7th Atonement Blessing – Deliverance
Whoever calls on His name shall be saved

Are your ready for this?

Then tell the devil enough is enough.  Step out of the boat.
Make sure you are ready, do not sabotage yourself.


Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong

Place of Fishing

Mark 6:45.
Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida,

Very clear instruction: Jesus had told them to go over to BETHSAIDA; they had just finished feeding 5,000.

Where did Jesus tell them to go?  BETHSAIDA.  Now watch!
Bethsaida means “place of fishing.”

But a problem arose.  They are in the middle of the lake, Jesus is on land praying, and a STORM arose.  Now they are straining for the wind was against them.

So, Jesus had sent them to Bethsaida, He’s on a mountain praying.
He sees them straining as the storm comes up.  So Jesus goes to help them, right?  No, He just starts walking right past them.

So, imagine you’re in a bad storm, thinking, “I might die”.
Then you think you see a Ghost.
You find out it’s Jesus walking by and He says “Cheer up”.  OK, what is going on here?  Let me show you.

Listen to John’s account of this story.

Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are known as the Synoptic Gospels because they basically all say the same thing.

John 6:16-17
16 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea,
17 got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them.

Here it says they were heading toward Capernaum.
Now they are in the same area, but not the same place.

Bethsaida means – place of fishing
Capernaum means – village of comfort!

Jesus said “Follow Me, you’re now fishers of men”.  “Now go to the place of fishing and I’ll meet you there.”

But no, they want to go to the place of comfort where it is easy.

Jesus was walking by because He was headed in another direction.

“You want to get back on track, to get Me in your boat.”  “But I’m not getting in with you until you change course and go back in the direction I told you to go to in the first place”.

Jesus only obeyed His Father who said, “Send the disciples to the place of fishing.”  He told His disciples to go to the place His Father told Him to go.

Jesus won’t get into your boat of disobedience.  Because you perceive a certain course might be easier, you often take the wrong direction.

Could there be storms in your life because you are off course and going to the wrong place?  You started off heading in the right direction.  Then you veered off until you found yourself in the midst of a storm, straining – because you're not where you're supposed to be.

Are you fed up of constantly straining against the will of God?
Then change your course.

The distance between Capernaum and Bethsaida was 6.15 K or 3.82 miles.  Not very far but still off course.

Heading in the general direction is not good enough.

Fishing is our calling; it’s hard work yet our flesh wants comfort.

I don’t know about you but I don’t want to be constantly straining against the will of God and wonder why He is not in my boat.

“Why does it seem everything I do is such a strain and such a labour?”
Because you got off course!  You didn't go where He told you to go.

But everything changes when you cry out to Him.

If you're heading in the wrong direction, TURN AROUND!

Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong

What I'm Reading -  When Nations Die  by Jim Nelson Black
What I'm Listening to - Vertical Church Band

It's Dew Time

Numbers 11:9

And when the dew fell on the camp in the night, the manna fell on it.

God will allow a desert to grow up around you just to get you to Him.

He will allow famine to hit you just so you will hunger for Him.

God will do whatever it takes to get you to Him.

We are in a TWILIGHT season, between two lights.

In Hebrew it means “MOVING TOWARD THE LIGHT.”

It’s a time when you stand between the challenge and the breakthrough.

Let’s deal with the DEW. 

It’s a type of the anointing or the presence of the Lord.

Unity is depicted as precious oil running all over from the head down.
Unity is like the dew upon the mountain of ZION.
And at that place the Lord commands blessing.

When the 120 were in the Upper Room, in one accord, THE DEW FELL.

When 2 or 3 are gathered together in His Name, the DEW falls.
When 2 or 3 touch and agree, things happen because the dew falls.

When Gideon put a fleece out to God (a piece of wool) the DEW fell on the fleece.
The 2nd night, the dew fell on the ground.

O Church, when the dew falls it covers you and the ground you walk on, you then walk in the blessings.  It’s COMMANDED!

Remember our text “When the dew fell on the CAMP (the people) heaven’s supply fell on it.

Remember manna was from heaven NOT earth.
They were seeing what no one else was.  They were tasting what no one else was tasting.

Now watch:

Zechariah 8:11-12
11 But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,’ says the Lord of hosts.
12 ‘For the seed shall be prosperous,
the vine shall give its fruit,
the ground shall give her increase,
and the heavens shall give their dew—
I will cause the remnant of this people
to possess all these.

The 3-fold blessing to the last-day Church:
1.   The vine’s fruit (reward)
2.   The ground’s increase (wealth)
3.   The heaven’s dew (covering)

Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong

Revival

From July 1-20 we had services every night with several day services.  We did not do this just to have a conference but to spark a revival and did it ever spark!

For 20 days and nights we saw people healed and delivered, people were repenting and souls were saved every night.  People travelled from many places, including the United States because they were hungry.

It seemed like you could feel a river flowing nightly.  And now, as I write this on July 26, the revival has not stopped as people continue to be healed and delivered.

We are in a new normal at Third Day Worship Centre and more addicted to His presence than ever before.  He has opened up things in the Spirit that no man could open.  This revival is perpetual, irrevocable and unique.

Revival has awakened us to our purpose.

Thank you Tracy Stewart, Jan Painter, John & Caroline Wilkinson, and Dustin Smith for helping us stoke the fire!

Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong

What I'm Reading:

The Journey of a World Changer - Banning Liebscher

What I'm Listening To:

You Are the Fire - Dustin Smith

Culture of Revival

From the book, “Culture of Revival”
Amy Sollars’ Vision
July 7, 2010


“As I waited on the Lord, I was given an encounter and message from the Lord where I saw a heavenly messenger dressed in clothes like those worn during the colonial period in America.

In my spirit, I knew he looked like Paul Revere.  He had a messenger bag and he said that he represented a people that would bring a message.  “They will ‘ride’ through the night to declare and prepare the way for a revolution that will lead to reformation.”

He said that in the bag were documents related to this and were about the release of glory.  He said that there were people who were to go and sound an alarm – an awakening alarm.

Next he said that the Lord was releasing “circuit riders” again.  I saw these different circuits and this wild-eyed revivalist declaring the gospel.  I saw these lines of fire igniting wherever they rode.”

I believe God is saying revival is upon us.  Now rise up and declare the Gospel.

Join us, July 1st - 21st, for our Raise the Standard Conference. This will be 3 weeks of the Supernatural power of God lead by a host of powerful and anointed speakers including Jan Painter, Tracy Stewart, John Wilkinson and Dustin Smith as well as myself.

It is a move of God you simply do not want miss.  Mark it on your calendar and make sure to be a part of this powerful Nation changing event.

Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong

What I'm Listening to:
On the Shores - Melissa Helser & Jonathan David Helser

What I'm Reading:
Culture of Revival - by Andy Byrd & Sean Feucht

Make Way For Repentance

Acts 3:19
Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.

In revival, large numbers of people who have been indifferent to spiritual things, suddenly become aware of them.

Charles Finney said “We can expect revival when the sinfulness of sinners grieves and distresses Christians.

Frank Bartleman, the journalist of Azusa Street said, “The depth of your repentance will determine the height of your revival.”

Church, the world won’t cry out until the church does first.
God wants us to prove His promises.

Remember Jonah, even the sailors knew he was running from the presence of the Lord and asked him, “Why did he do it?”

Jonah confessed God, but his CONDUCT was inconsistent.

Repentance gets bad press, but repentance is about FREEDOM, VICTORY and walking in the presence of the Lord.

Repentance cancels the dark, oppressive strategy of darkness over your life.

Listen, you’re wired for Signs and Wonders.  Your destiny includes the invasion of the impossible, the emptying of wheelchairs, the banishing of cancer and the opening of deaf ears.

But before all this can happen and make a comeback, personal holiness needs one also.

In 1953 a revival broke out in CONGO, Africa.  One of the leader’s wives had an encounter with God and God told her “I want to do a great work here but there is much hardness.

If you want to light a good fire, do you get one by laying wood among ASHES?  I want a clean place for my fire.”

So she knew the ashes had to be removed.  Ashes suffocate fires and put them out.

The Levites were commanded to keep the fire burning, which meant taking the ashes out DAILY!

Lev. 6:11-13
11 Then he shall take off his garments, put on other garments, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a clean place.
12 And the fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it; it shall not be put out. And the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order on it; and he shall burn on it the fat of the peace offerings.
13 A fire shall always be burning on the altar; it shall never go out.

Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong

Books I'm Reading

"The King Jesus Gospel"
Scot McKnight

"Invisible Chains"
Benjamin Perrin

What I'm Listening To

"Above All Else"
Paradise Band

"Kingdom"
Bluetree

"The Great Awakening"
Leeland