John D Manwell's Blog

What is the Spirit saying to the Church? Last week I was in the USA and met with quite a number of people in 3 states. It seemed that everyone is asking each other about what is  happening in the world and what is the Holy Spirit saying to us. As I was travelling and listening I had a very clear impression in my spirit that God was likening the current situation to a pan of milk heating on a stove. Anyone who has ever boiled milk in this way knows that there is a moment when the milk suddenly boils, and that immediately prior to the ‘boiling over’ the surface of the milk has a particular shimmering look. If you know that shimmer you can catch the milk before it boils over and creates a mess. I sensed in my spirit that the shaking of the USA and the world system is at that point where a sudden ‘boiling over’ is imminent. This is a moment to pray for the Kingdom of God to prevail in the crisis that is approaching. In a moment of crisis, the person who takes the initiative has greatest impact on the outcome. This is a good time to pray “let your Kingdom come, let Your will be done…”

Eighteen years ago I had a powerful vivid dream about a massive earthquake in Japan followed by a nuclear cloud. Almost every day since that dream I have turned on the news with the strong belief that what I saw will happen at some point. I believe that all I saw in my dream in 1993 has not yet fully happened. Two years after my dream, friends asked me if the Kobe earthquake was what I had seen. I said it was not, because what I saw, had huge and immediate global implications. I saw the communications systems of the world shut down for a period of hours and the stock markets of all nations crumble as national debts and despair collided. Again, people have been asking me if the quake, tsunami and nuclear crisis of this past week are the fulfilment of the dream. I have asked myself the same question as it has indeed been shocking, and the domino effect on the world economy may well have further to run.

In my dream of 1993 I saw a gigantic earthquake which rocked Japan and knocked out communication systems temporarily and caused a sense of shock across the world at the scale of the catastrophe. In the dream I experienced an eerie silence as the world was stunned for some hours. Immediately afterwards I saw a nuclear mushroom cloud which was connected in some way to the city of Brussels. Following these two events I saw the world economy collapse and whole nations having to re-structure their financial systems. I knew in my heart that the dream spoke of a turning point for the world, after which the shaking in the earth would intensify to a level never seen before.

The events in Japan the past week are a strong signal of a change. I believe a new season of shaking has now begun. The Bible says that the earth groans as all creation awaits the end of the age. God is allowing all that we put our confidence in to be shaken. Nations and organizations that oppose God’s purposes will be shaken in order that they will reconsider. As 9-11 was a turning point in world politics, I believe the Japanese earthquake is a turning point after which the shaking of all nations will significantly intensify. The Bible clearly points us towards God as the only One who can help when we experience shaking of our very environment and man-made systems.

Heal Our Land moved yesterday from Liverpool to Ashford!

In Liverpool on 10th May, over 1000 people came together to call on God to heal this land. On Saturday 15th, an estimated 1000 people came to Newsham Park for a wonderful proclamation of the Truth of Jesus – the only solution for the nation.

God has a wonderful strategy: With the initial event in Liverpool – a major gateway to the world for Britain for over two centuries, the Heal Our Land initiative moves to Ashford – the port town of the Channel tunnel – the link with mainland Europe.

God continues to stir this nation to prayer and action to tell people about Jesus. This call to come together, pray, repent and receive God’s anointing to speak to the world, is a growing call to the Church of Great Britain to BE the servant of God for the healing of the land.

Please join the Heal Our Land Ashford group – link below. That way you can be kept informed of how things are developing and receive prompts for prayer. This whole thing is going to continue to develop over coming months – God is at work!

75 years ago the Jeffreys brothers came to Liverpool to conduct a healing crusade in Bootle – where Heal Our Land Liverpool was effectively started on 2nd May in a meeting that Bishop James Jones spoke at – commemorating 100 years of St John and St James church. After several weeks of revival, healings and widespread salvation, the Jeffreys brothers moved their tent to Newsham Park and led another crusade – which resulted in a further move of God and the establishment of further churches with many people saved and healed. On Saturday 15th May, Heal Our Land Merseyside concluded with a city-wide outreach event in Newsham Park. Dozens of people committed their lives to the Lord and dozens more were prayed for to receive help in their lives. Many people came to a wonderful day of music, dancing and Christian witness. Many nations were represented – Iranians, Nigerians, Ghanaians, Pakistanis, Sri Lankans, Americans, Brazilians, Bolivians, Algerians, Yemeni, South African, Italian, and of course Liverpool people – probably others as well!

God is re-digging old wells! By being part of this group and praying alongside us, we are joining together to see Great Britain healed.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=403995319427&ref=ts

The Following is the text of a speech I gave in a consultation meeting in the House of Lords on 25th March 2010:

When I spoke here sixteen months ago I said that I believed that God was saying that we should gather Christians in business for two years and then see Christians raised up in public life over the subsequent two years. If this was true, we have an urgent task over the coming eight months! I hope we are agreed that we have a most urgent situation in front of us.

Talking with people across the country it seems that people are either passive or provoked.

Those who seem passive have perhaps not been informed adequately. Perhaps they are in churches or businesses that are consumed with current activity, or led by leaders who simply don’t believe that God is doing anything. I believe that many, the majority, in our nation are gripped by the attitude described in Zephaniah 1v12 : “..those who are complacent,…who think ‘The LORD will do nothing, either good or bad.’”

In business this means the economy will recover, and we will soon get back to pursuing our goals. In politics it means that the Living God is not a factor, only public opinion matters. In society it means that there are no absolutes and we are masters of our own souls.

There are however a growing number who have been provoked and motivated to speak and take action.

Six months ago we launched a Christian Business Forum and within weeks had over 150 members signed up and it continues to grow. Speaking out and being ‘a voice’ is a major theme. Our prayer meetings have been enthusiastically attended and filled with passionate urgent prayer. There have also been Spirit led connections opening new business ideas. The concept of ‘Business as Mission’ seems to have caught fire worldwide amongst many independent groups. In the pressure there is certainly hope.

What should we be doing?

I believe that:

• We must recognise that a real national emergency is almost upon us.
• The trauma approaching will affect businesses and the economy. This will affect household incomes and the capacity of the state to provide services.
• With economic stress there will be racial and social tension. We MUST realise that the far right racist parties FULLY intend to exploit the situation, as apparent vindication of their social agenda. Be aware – the main national racist party already distributes material quoting 2 Chronicles 7:14 and clearly stating “It has been left to this party to call the nation to prayer.”
• We must motivate people to live a more contented lifestyle and reduce their debts, give to others who are in need, and save for the future so they don’t need to borrow.
• The Church of Jesus Christ must speak out in every sphere of our national life. We need business leaders who pray publicly and dare to disciple people; We need political activists who are not looking for a career but to speak truth, however unpopular;
• We must speak out, otherwise we leave the green movement creating a new moral agenda, and the extreme right stealing and distorting our Christian heritage.
• If a million active voting Christians will make public their intention to vote for Christians and Christian values, the political landscape will be changed.

More than ever we need Christian believers to be vocal and active leaders where they are. It is Judeo-Christian truth that brings liberty, tolerance and fairness, more so than any other religion or philosophy. It is the Church that must demonstrate racial harmony – more so than any other institution.

I believe the word that God has given me to share for this hour is from the book of Esther. Through manipulative leaders a law was issued: that the people of God could be rounded up and attacked. This law drove the people to call on God and then a second decree was issued which changed everything: The people of God were given permission to defend themselves. The effect was immediate: The people of God were filled with joy and the enemies of God were overcome with fear.

God is reminding the Church in Britain: You have permission to defend yourselves.

Some signs of this:

Christian Business networks are springing forth with boldness everywhere!

In Liverpool a Christian singer friend of mine, Liam Moore has taught over 6000 school children a song called ‘You’re the Voice’ – challenging them to be the generation that speaks out against bullying and violence.

On Facebook right now 41,000 people are planning to buy the Christian song ‘History Maker’ in Easter week to get it to the top of the charts – to make a visible statement for the Kingdom.

Across the country a fresh wave of Christians are standing in the parliamentary and local elections to speak out for Christian democracy.

Great Britain is at a crossroads. We still have a choice about which way to go.