April / May 2017 - Vol. 91
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Holy Spirit hovering over the whole world
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I Will Pour Out My Spirit Generously
‘I have poured out my Spirit abundantly, and I will continue to pour it out. I will pour out my Spirit generously, lavishly, continuously, until even the hardened hearts are softened and the wasteland becomes fertile. This I promise, that I shall pour out my Spirit continuously until I bring about, through my Spirit, that renewal that I intend.’

In this issue
Christians throughout the world will gather together over the next few weeks to celebrate the victory of the Lord Jesus over sin, Satan, and death. Jesus willingly laid down his life for us so that we might be reconciled with the Father in heaven and be united in peace with one another as God's people and members of Christ's body on earth. Christ shed his blood on the cross to atone for our sins and he rose victorious over the grave to give us new abundant life so that we might grow together in faith, hope, and love through the gift and working of the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

The Lord Jesus has won victory for us through his cross and resurrection. And the fruition of Christ's victory is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon all who believe in the Lord Jesus and who take up their cross daily to follow in obedience to his will for their lives. We follow Jesus the Lamb of God wherever he goes and we fight for his name and glory so that many others may find life, truth, and freedom in the Lord Jesus. 

Let us strive to follow and serve him faithfully through the gift and power of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us and who works through us for the glory of the Father.

50th anniversary of charismatic renewal
This year we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Charismatic Renewal - a movement that has swept through the Catholic Church and many Christian churches and communities around the world. Countless millions of people have been baptized in the Holy Spirit and have experienced the gifts and graces of the Spirit at work in their lives. God intends to pour out his Spirit more and more to unite, strengthen, and empower his people for mission today.

The Lord intends to fulfill the great work he began through the pentecostal and charismatic renewal movements of the past century. He intends to pour out his Spirit in abundance on every man, woman, and child on the face of the earth who will accept his gracious offer of abundant life in and through his Son Jesus Christ.

In preparation for the Jubilee, 160 leaders of charismatic renewal groups and communities from 47 countries gathered for a prophetic consultation in the Holy Land in 2013. Their aim was to listen together to the Lord for his word in preparation for the Jubilee of the 50th anniversary of the charismatic renewal. On the last day of their pilgrimage, they gathered in the Upper Room (the Cenacle) in Jerusalem where the apostles and disciples of Jesus had gathered together in prayer on the day of Pentecost (Acts of the Apostles, chapter 2). At the conclusion of the meeting in the Upper Room, Bruce Yocum delivered the following prophecy:

‘I have poured out my Spirit abundantly, and I will continue to pour it out. I will pour out my Spirit generously, lavishly, continuously, until even the hardened hearts are softened and the wasteland becomes fertile. This I promise, that I shall pour out my Spirit continuously until I bring about, through my Spirit, that renewal that I intend.’

Life in the Spirit seminars
For those of us who have experienced the great blessing of being baptized in the Holy Spirit, let us not keep this gift "hidden under a bushel basket" or behind closed doors in our homes and churches. Let us allow the Lord to use us to bring this great gift and blessing to the whole Christian people and to our neighbors who do not know Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. Let us redouble our zeal and effort to witness the Gospel and to invite as many people as we can to the
Life in the Spirit Seminars so they can personally encounter the Risen Lord Jesus in their lives and be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, and be renewed in their faith and dedication to follow him. The Lord Jesus Christ has more, so much more for each of us and for his church, the body of Christ, and for all who will come to him with expectant faith and openness to the gifts and working of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

May this Issue inspire you to be a bold witness and ambassador for Jesus Christ. Let us pray for a new fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit to equip us with "power from on high" so we can more effectively live the Gospel and witness the power of the Spirit in our own lives, families, and communities. Let us step out in faith and invite people to the Life in the Spirit seminars so they can grow in expectant faith and be baptized in the Holy Spirit. The Lord wants to strengthen and equip us to use all the means he gives us - through Life in the Spirit seminars, bible study groups, charismatic prayer groups and covenant communities - to help people grow more deeply in discipleship, holiness, and effective mission through the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Sincerely in Christ,
Don Schwager
editor

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