I had already written you a special letter for the month of May, but then I felt the Holy Spirit prompting me to write this to you instead. So please read this letter all the way to the end, as I believe this is what the Spirit wants me to say concerning all that is happening!

But first, I thank you for being faithful even during this difficult time. The work of the Gospel goes on! In fact, we are doing more right now to reach and to help people around the world — it is absolutely vital that we do not hold back. That’s why I’m so thankful for your gifts. If people quit giving right now, it would affect our ability to keep reaching out. But this is a moment when God needs us all to do our best. That’s why I say THANK YOU for what you are doing. It is so important, and Denise and I are deeply grateful for your partnership and your faithfulness!

Please also know that our team is here to pray for you. They began working from home, like so many people, in March — but they have been and are online to receive your emails, and they’re on the phone to take your calls. Please, please, please — call or email us to tell us how we can pray for you. In fact, could you take a moment to call or email to let us know if you are doing all right?

But here is what I want to say to you right now…

UNDERSTANDING THE TIMES

In these perilous days we live in, we must understand the times and our role in these days according to Heaven’s perspective. Jesus Christ’s call to His people is going forth — and all who have put their trust in Him are to walk as He did on this earth and are to stand boldly as His representatives. This is the moment when we must demonstrate His power on an unprecedented level in these days before He returns.

The whole world is shaken by what is happening, and with good reason, as no one in our generation has ever seen anything like this before. With every new day, it seems we are being inundated with new, once-unthinkable events that have left many people bewildered and perplexed. Times have changed — very rapidly. But God knew these times were approaching, and approximately 2,000 years ago, the Holy Spirit spoke very clearly to alert us who would be living in the last days that such times would come. He wanted us — this generation — to know that “perilous times” would emerge in society at the very end of the last days.

But the Bible is our anchor! And today, I feel the need to share something Paul told believers in Thessalonica long ago. Apparently, some of those believers were also disturbed by what they had learned about events that would surround the time prior to the coming of Jesus. In fact, they were so panicked that Paul wrote them to calm them down and curb their fears.

These words are just what we need right now! And what I’m about to say to you is important, so please read it carefully to the end.

In Second Thessalonians 2:1 and 2, Paul wrote, “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.”

Paul wrote about “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” That word “coming” is from a Greek word that describes the phenomenal presence of God that will be supernaturally felt by the entire Church when it is time for Jesus to gather His people to Himself at the end of the age.

This lets us know that just before Jesus comes, there will suddenly be a supernatural quickening in the hearts of God’s people — an inward knowing — that will alert us that He is coming for His Church. Then suddenly, Jesus will collect His people at the conclusion of this age. But before that event happens, we will inwardly be quickened to know that it is right upon us!

Then Paul added, “That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand” (2 Thessalonians 2:2).

That word “shaken” is a perfect description of what people are feeling right now. It is a translation of the Greek word saleuo, and it means to shake, to waver, to totter, or to be moved. The tense points to continual shock or alarm.

The word “troubled” in this verse is the Greek word throeo, and it indicates inward fright that results from events or news that shocks. It depicts something that causes one to be filled with worry, anxiety, or fear. But because the tense points to an ongoing state of worry and inward anxiety, it means those Christians were hearing news that was disrupting their state of peace. It is as if there was no reprieve from shocking, debilitating, and nerve-racking things that they were hearing. It actually portrays a state of jumpiness or nervousness, as if they were living on the edge of their nerves.

Then Paul told them not to be troubled in “mind” — a word that comes from the Greek word nous, which describes one’s mind or intellect, will, and emotions or the ability to think, reason, and decide. Paul was urging Christians to be careful who they listened to or what they opened their minds to when it came to last-days teachings. That same warning applies to us who live in this end-time generation. It means we’re to be careful about who we’re listening to, because God is not in the business of giving a spirit of fear to anyone!

Then Paul added, “That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit.…”  That word “spirit” is a translation of the Greek word pneuma, which in this verse refers to a spiritual experience or utterance that is out of sync with the revealed Word of God. Some have even translated the word to mean ecstatic utterances. Paul was referring to strange utterances, weird revelations, or euphoric proclamations that are not based in solid Bible teaching and that spiritually upset believers.

Then Paul said, “Let no one deceive you by any means…” (2 Thessalonians 2:3). The word “deceive” means to beguile, to cheat, to trick, or to mislead one to a false impression or a false conclusion. Paul was telling Christians to use their minds and not to believe everything they heard — to keep their heads on straight when it came to what and to whom they listened to about the last days!

As your friend and partner, I want to urge you likewise to listen to people who will feed your faith and not your fear!

The following is my RIV translation of Second Thessalonians 2:1-3:

1 Brothers, listen carefully, for I am asking you in the strongest of terms to hear what I am about to say and to do exactly what I’m asking you to do. The appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ is very near. In fact, it is so close that we can near­ly feel His presence as if He were already here among us. The moment we have all longed and waited for is almost upon us! I’m talking about that moment when Jesus will finally gather us together for Himself.

2 Some things will be happening right before His com­ing that could shake you up quite a bit. I’m referring to events that will be so dramatic that they could really leave your head spinning — occurrences of such a serious nature that many people will feel alarmed, panicked, intimidated, and even unnerved! Naturally speaking, these events could nearly put you over the brink emotionally and make you feel apprehensive and insecure about life. I wish I could tell you these incidents were going to be just a one-shot deal, but when they finally get rolling, they’re going to keep coming and coming, one after another.

That’s why you have to determine not to be shaken or moved by anything you see or hear. You need to get a grip on your mind and refuse to allow your­selves to be traumatized by these events. If you let these things get to you, it won’t be too long until you’re a nerv­ous wreck! You have to decide beforehand that you are not going to give in and allow fright to pen­etrate your mind and emotions until it runs your whole life.

I also want to tell you not to be too surprised if people start making weird spiritual proclamations and off-the-wall utterances during the time just before the Lord comes. All kinds of strange things are going to happen during those days! It’s going to get so bizarre that you might even receive a letter from some person who claims that the day of the Lord has already come! Who knows — he might even attach my name to it, alleging to have my endorsement, or he might even send it as if it were written and sent from us!

3 In light of these things, I urge you to refuse to allow anyone to take advantage of you.…

AT THIS VERY MOMENT, people are feeling alarmed, panicked, intimidated, and unnerved by what is happening. The events we are experiencing are just the tip of the iceberg. Jesus said there would be many more to come before it’s all over. That’s why we must determine not to be shaken or moved by anything we see or hear. We must get a grip on our minds and refuse to allow our­selves to be traumatized by these events. We do that by holding fast to the Word of God. First John 5:4 says, “…This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” We can be of good cheer, even in the midst of trials, because of our faith in Christ who has overcome the world (see John 16:33)!

Once again…I urge you to listen to those who feed your faith and not your fear!

The Bible long ago foretold that Satan would send his strongest winds to knock the world off its feet at the end of the age. He will even try to stop the Church and knock it off its feet. But nothing can stop the Church! Jesus promised, “…The gates of hell shall not prevail against it [the Church]” (Matthew 16:18).

Although these end-time waves beating upon society try to beat against the Church, too, we will prevail! Two thousand years of Church history prove that every turbulent episode passes, and the Church remains triumphant! Jesus’ words in Matthew 16:18 are absolutely true!

Friend, as a child of God, you are a member of an unshakable Kingdom. Hebrews 12:28 says, “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.” This means it’s time for you and me to lay hold of God’s grace and to let His power flow through us to touch everyone around us. The world all around us may be shaken, but not us — we are a part of an unshakable Kingdom! 

Let’s be unshakable in our faith and in our commitment to the Lord and to one another. And let’s be unshakable in doing our part to ensure God’s Word keeps going forth to the ends of the earth with no interruption!

Again, let us know how to pray for you. We are here — waiting to hear from you when you reach out to us.

Thank you so much for letting me minister this to you today! Denise and I really do love you and thank God for you!

We are your brother and sister, friends, and partners in Jesus,

Rick and Denise Renner
along with Paul, Philip, and Joel and their families

GREETINGS IN JESUS’ NAME!

Easter is upon us — and people all over the world are getting ready to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. But today I want to share fresh insight about that day when Jesus was breathing His last breaths on the Cross! I believe it will thrill your heart!

But first, Denise and I wish to express our heartfelt gratitude to you for being a partner and friend with our ministry. What you are doing in connection with us is having a tremendous impact in lives all over the world. We are very aware that you could use your money elsewhere. But you have chosen to use it sacrificially for the Gospel and as a seed in our ministry to help us take the Word of God to people who are crying out for it. A day never passes that Denise and I don’t stop to seriously ponder what you do and to thank God for it. Today — right up front, at the beginning of my letter — I just wanted to express our thankfulness to you.

This month, I want to share from John 19:30. This verse tells us that as Jesus was dying on the Cross, He lifted up His voice and said, “It is finished!” The verse continues, “…And he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” I want to open that phrase “It is finished” to you. I believe you’ll find something fresh here that will fill your heart with deep gratitude!

Those words “it is finished” is a translation of the Greek word tetelestai, a word that means to end, to bring to completion, to bring to a conclusion, to complete, to accomplish, to fulfill, or to finish. There were many nuances to this word, but four have great significance concerning this defining moment of Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross.

First, this was Jesus’ exclamation that He
had finished the work the Father had sent Him to do.

One scholar noted that when a servant was sent on a mission and then later returned to his master, the servant would say, “Tetelestai” — meaning, “I have done exactly what you requested” or, “The mission is now accomplished.” This is the very message Jesus spoke when He said, “It is finished!”

This means in that moment when Jesus cried out, He was exclaiming to the entire universe that He had faithfully fulfilled the Father’s will and the mission was now accomplished. No wonder Jesus shouted — for this was the greatest victory in the history of the human race! He had been faithful to His assignment even in the face of unfathomable challenges. The fight was over and Jesus could cry out to the Father, “I have done exactly what You asked Me to do!” or, “The mission is accomplished!”

Second, this word “tetelestai” was the equivalent
of the Hebrew word spoken by the high priest when he
presented a sacrificial lamb without spot or blemish.

Annually, the high priest entered beyond the veil into the Holy of Holies, where he poured the blood of the sacrificial spotless lamb on the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant. The moment the blood touched the mercy seat, atonement was made for the people’s sins for one more year. This was done year after year to obtain the annual, temporary forgiveness of sin.

When Jesus hung on the Cross, however, He was both Lamb and High Priest. In that holy moment as our Great High Priest, Jesus offered His own blood for the permanent removal of sin. He offered up the perfect sacrifice of His own blood, of which every Old Testament sacrifice was a type and symbol — and in that instant, there remained no more need of offering for sin.

Jesus entered into the Holy Place and offered His own blood — a sacrifice so complete that God never again required the blood of lambs for the forgiveness of sin. As Hebrews 9:12 says, “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.”

Thus, when Jesus said, “It is finished!” He was declaring the end of sacrifice, because the ultimate Sacrifice had finally been made! Atonement was completed, perfected, and fully accomplished. It was done once and for all — finished forever!

Third, in a secular sense, “tetelestai” was used in the
business world to signify the full payment of a debt.

When a debt had been fully paid off, the parchment on which the debt was recorded was stamped with tetelestai, which meant the debt had been paid in full. This means that once a person calls Jesus the Lord of his or her life and personally accepts His sacrifice, no debt of sin exists for that person any longer. The debt is wiped out because Jesus paid the price for sin that no sinner could ever pay.

Jesus took our place. He paid the debt we owed for our sin. And when we, by faith, repent and receive Him as Lord, we are set free! This is why Paul wrote, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:14).

When Jesus uttered those words “It is finished!” it was His declaration that the debt was fully satisfied, fulfilled, and complete. His blood utterly and completely cleansed us forever. It was far-reaching and all-embracing for all of us who put our faith in Him.

Fourth, in ancient times, “tetelestai” also depicted a turning point
when one period ended and a new period began.

When Jesus exclaimed, “It is finished!” it was a turning point in the entire history of mankind. At that moment, the Old Testament came to an end — it was finished and closed — and the New Testament began. The Cross was “the Great Divide” in human history. When Jesus cried out, “It is finished!” He was shouting that the Old Covenant had ended and the New Covenant had begun!

In that divine moment when Jesus cried, “It is finished,” all the Old Testament prophecies about Jesus’ earthly ministry were fulfilled. The justice of God had been fully satisfied by the Lamb of God. At that moment, the sacrifices of the Old Testament permanently ceased, for the perfect Sacrifice had laid down His life for the salvation of mankind. Jesus’ mission was accomplished. Thus, He could cry out that His task was complete!

Never forget that because Jesus was willing to offer His own blood for the full payment of our sinful debt, we are forgiven and utterly debt-free. The words “PAID IN FULL” were stamped on your past sinful record because Jesus paid the price for your redemption with His own blood.

Jesus paid the price for salvation, liberation, physical healing, and complete restoration. When the price for your forgiveness was paid in full, Jesus bowed His head and died. God’s justice had been fulfilled. The Old Covenant had ended, and the New Covenant had begun. It was the fulfillment of one and the beginning of another.

Before I close today, I want to remind you that we are always here to pray for you. Just let us know how we can believe with you and we’ll quickly join our faith with yours. When you let us know how we can pray for you specifically, we are able to pray more effectively. So as soon as we hear from you, we’ll release our faith for God to move in your situation!

Have a wonderful Easter!

We are your brother and sister, friends, and partners in Jesus,

Rick and Denise Renner
along with Paul, Philip, and Joel and their families

This month I’m writing to you about signs and wonders. Do you want to see more of them? If that’s your heart’s cry, the major key I share in this letter will enable you to see more of God’s power and signs and wonders in your life and in your church! What I am about to share with you will add fuel to your spiritual fire!

But first, if you’re a partner with RENNER Ministries, from the bottom of my heart, I want to say THANK YOU for your faithful support of this ministry! If you’re not a partner with this ministry, I want to ask you a deeply important question. If you’re growing and developing because of what you’re learning from my teaching, would you consider partnering with us financially so that others can experience trusted teaching that will change their lives for the better too? Through the letters, books and other teaching materials, TV and the Internet, and our many outreaches of compassion, we are teaching people of all ages, cultures, and walks of life to know Christ and to yield their lives to Him so they can experience transformation and fulfill their divine destinies.

In fact, the vision of RENNER Ministries is “to take the Gospel both to our nearby world and to the ends of the earth, proclaiming Christ — warning and teaching people with all wisdom, that we may present them fully mature in Christ Jesus” (see Colossians 1:28). If you’re not already a partner, I invite you to join us as we fulfill this great assignment and vision together! Simply call us at 800-742-5593 or go to renner.org/become a partner, and we’ll be sure to take your donation, pray with you, and get a new-partner package in the mail to you that includes two of our books Life in the Combat Zone and The Gift of Forgiveness absolutely free! Your gifts of any size really help us fulfill our divine assignment across the globe.

We know partnership works two ways, and we are committed in prayer to every single person who partners with us in this thriving work around the world. You and your own divine destiny matter to us, and we are committed to feeding you spiritually and to helping you realize your dreams in God.

In this letter, I want to share with you something from Scripture — and something I’ve learned firsthand — along this very line of powerfully fulfilling your God-given dreams. I learned many years ago that one key ingredient that really fuels the heart and keeps it blazing is a sustained pursuit of soul-winning. Nothing ignites the heart like being instrumental in seeing someone rescued from darkness, delivered from the power of sin, washed in the blood of Jesus, and saved from an eternity in hell.

The Early Church was like a burning inferno that was alight with the fire of the Holy Spirit. That fire was continually rekindled as believers surrendered to the power of God and carried the Gospel to the ends of their known world. And if we are going to burn brightly with the fire of the Spirit, we must be active carriers of the truth and power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who need to hear it in our own worlds.

When we do our part to take the Gospel to those who are lost, a blazing flame of the Spirit is ignited that continually releases the power of God. With that fire burning inside us, the Gospel will detonate its divine power and spread like a spiritual flame across our neighborhoods and to the ends of the earth — and we will be doing our part to fulfill the Great Commission that Jesus gave to the Church more than 2,000 years ago (see Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-18).

A study of history reveals a pattern regarding this eruptive manifestation of God’s power. And you can be sure that this power goes hand in hand with the Spirit-led efforts of any person, any church, or any organization committed to proclaiming the Gospel to the lost. This supernatural presence is God’s witness that the message is Heaven-sent.

When a believer or a church is committed to the Great Commission and follows the Holy Spirit’s strategy to reach the lost, God’s power gloriously shows up in that believer’s life or in the life of that congregation. On the other hand, when God’s people withdraw from Christ’s command to reach the lost, the manifestation of His power begins to slowly wane.

God’s power is always present, but the manifestation of that power begins to diminish more and more as believers begin to neglect their responsibility to carry the Gospel to those who need to be saved. This verifiable pattern is proven throughout the course of Church history. Yet God’s heart remains the same for people to be reached through the sharing of the Gospel. And when the Gospel is preached by His people, His power shows up in a myriad of miraculous ways!

Matthew 28:18-20 records that before Jesus ascended into Heaven, He gathered the disciples one last time and told them:

…All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

This passage is what is called the Great Commission. In this command, we find important truths about God’s call to every believer and every local church to “go” with the Gospel to the ends of the earth. In Greek, the tense for the word “go” in Matthew 28:19 literally denotes to go and to keep on going. In other words, this was not a command given only to the believers at the beginning of the Church Age, nor was it a special command for those who would occasionally go on a special missions trip. The command “to go” is God’s call to the Church. It is His directive to every Christian and to every local church for all time.

God expects His children to be committed to taking the saving message of the Gospel to the lost as a lifestyle. And He promises that those who obey this command will experience amazing supernatural power to fulfill the appointed task. This is why miracles are more consistently manifested where the Gospel is being preached beyond the four walls of a local church — because the Gospel is the very power of God (see Romans 1:16).

A church — or an individual — that ignores this command to reach the lost will experience fewer manifestations of God’s power in their midst. They may have started out with a strong focus on reaching the lost, and they may have experienced great power as a result. But if they then begin to draw back from this divine directive to share the Gospel with the unsaved, they will inevitably notice God’s manifested power begin to recede in their midst.

The demonstration of divine power is promised to those who go and keep on going, continually taking the Gospel to the lost. This includes sharing the message with family, friends, and neighbors, as well as to strangers whom believers meet in daily life, on mission trips, and in every arena of life, to the ends of the earth.

It’s also important to understand that part of “going” is for believers to do their part in funding the missions efforts of churches and organizations, special evangelization projects, and missionaries themselves who are going to other parts of the world to take the message of Christ to the unsaved. Many churches today are focused on reaching their cities with various outreaches, and this is a correct thing to do. But too often churches curtail their financial support for those engaged in missions work in order to focus solely on reaching their local communities.

We have a responsibility to do both. We must share the Gospel with the lost in our neighborhoods while at the same time retaining a firm commitment to financially support those who are reaching the unsaved in foreign countries. Our hearts must burn with the fire of God to see the unsaved brought into the Kingdom of God both near and far. It is our glorious task to rescue the spiritually perishing as God enables us.

But in the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20, the Lord made an astonishing promise to any person or church that will go and keep on going with the Gospel to reach those nearby and those who are abroad. Jesus said, “…And, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (v. 20). Those who take this promise to heart and obey it will be ignited and will remain ignited with the blazing power of the Holy Spirit!

The word “lo” in this verse is actually an exclamatory promise that Jesus makes to anyone who will “go” with the Gospel to the lost. In Greek, the word “lo” would better be translated, “And, WOW, will I ever be with you — even to the ends of the earth!”

In essence, Jesus was saying, “If you will go and keep on going — doing all you can, in every way possible, to preach and teach the Gospel — WOW, I promise that you will experience My amazing presence in the doing of it!” In other words, the “lo” belongs to those who “go”!

Christ promises that His powerful presence will be experienced by all believers who are going to the lost with the message of salvation. That means if we want to experience the power of God, we must act on what triggers its release. Jesus’ promise is that His powerful, supernatural presence will accompany all who will do their part to take the Good News of salvation to others!

We must have the power of the Holy Spirit to reach the lost. Then as we go with the Gospel, our obedience ignites the Spirit’s power to be released mightily upon us and through us!

Sometimes Christians hear of amazing signs and wonders that occur on the foreign mission field and wonder why they don’t see more of those supernatural happenings in their own churches at home. That’s a legitimate question. Why does it seem mighty deeds that astonish believers often occur where missionaries or frontline preachers are taking the Gospel to territory where the Gospel has never or rarely been preached?

Manifestations of God’s power aren’t supposed to happen only on the foreign mission field. The Holy Spirit wants to move right in your own family and neighborhood! If you’ll obey His leading to go and share the Gospel whenever He prompts you, God’s power will show up wherever you are!

Just as Jesus promised, His powerful presence will manifest when you share the Gospel with those who need to hear it. The miraculous is guaranteed to occur anywhere the Gospel is being shared or preached. This is God’s promise — that His power will show up when you do your part by His leading and direction to reach the unreached. In Matthew 28:20 Jesus promised His powerful presence would be demonstrated in the life of any believer or any church that would “go” to the lost as a matter of priority!

When a church (or an individual) shrinks back from making souls a priority, it is a decision that will result in the power of God waning in their midst. Although God’s power is available to all believers, that divine power is consistently manifested in the lives of those who are actively “on the go” in obedience to Christ’s Great Commission.

The “lo” in Matthew 28:20 — that is, Christ’s promise of His powerful presence — is promised to those who “go” with the Gospel message to others. So if you are experiencing powerlessness, it’s time to assess whether or not you are doing what you must do to qualify for the “lo” that Christ promises to those who would “go.”

Never forget that God’s power works like metal attracted to a magnet. When you reach out to the lost in obedience to Jesus’ Great Commission, God’s power works like a magnet that is attracted to what you are doing. God’s power always shows up and all kinds of miraculous events begin to take place where the Gospel is being regularly communicated to the lost!

If you (or your church) have unintentionally drifted from reaching out to the lost, you can make an adjustment and get back on track again. When that happens, what was turned off can be turned on again! The power of God will once again erupt in your midst. The act of sharing Christ will put spiritual fuel back on your fire, and God’s power will be reignited to produce signs following the preaching of the Word.

So if you are hungry to see God’s power and signs and wonders, do what triggers the release of those things! Share the Gospel with the lost or do your part to give financially to individuals or ministries that are doing it. God’s power simply shows up where people are reaching beyond themselves to reach others!

Wow — I’m encouraged by what I just wrote to you! As I come to the end of this letter, I want to encourage you to obey the Lord in 2020 and do whatever He puts in your heart to do. If you’ll obey, His power will show up! And if you need prayer for anything in any situation, let us know how we can pray with you. As soon as we hear from you, Denise and I and our team will go right to prayer. As a partner with you in the ministry, we take praying for you very seriously. In fact, it is one of our greatest honors!

I can hardly wait to sit down and share with you again next month. But until then, remember that we love you and appreciate you very much. And please keep us in your prayers as we press ahead to push back darkness in people’s lives around the world!

Denise and I love you and thank God for you!

We are your brother and sister, friends, and partners in Jesus,

Rick and Denise Renner
along with Paul, Philip, and Joel and their families

Greetings in Jesus’ precious name. Last month, I wrote to you about spiritual fire. Today I want to keep speaking to you about spiritual fire and about one of the fuels needed to keep our fire burning brightly. That fuel is the Bible! I am praying for “a revival of the Bible.” Would you please join me in prayer for this as well?

The Bible is like fire in so many ways when it is allowed to work inside our hearts. For example, as fire purifies metal, God’s Word purifies our consciences, renews our minds, illuminates our spirits, and drives away darkness. Its light exposes areas in our lives that need to be changed.

The Bible brings warmth and comfort in times of difficulty. There is no medication that soothes the soul like God’s Word. Like the warmth and comfort I feel when I draw near to the glowing warmth of a burning fireplace, the Word of God warms my heart when I sit before it and allow its life-giving truth to permeate my being.

The fiery impact of God’s Word also awakens us to areas that need to be transformed by His Spirit. When a believer hears the Scriptures expounded by the anointing of the Holy Spirit, or when he reads the Bible to take it by faith into his heart, its supernatural power is unleashed. And when that happens, that person’s heart, will, thoughts, emotions, and memories are all touched by God’s power as if by fire.

The life in God’s words awakens the recipient to receive a greater measure of God’s presence into his life in the divine process of transformation. As that Christian drills deep, and by faith taps into the divine power and presence contained in the Holy Spirit-inspired words of the Bible, the spiritual force that is released can change anything!

Just as fire has melting power, those who are willing to let the Word of God do its deeper work will see stubbornness and unbelief melt away in their lives. The hardest heart has been known to soften when it draws near to the intense heat of the spiritual fire released by the Word of God. And just as fire is used in the natural world to burn debris, when the Bible is ingested into the soul, its divine fire identifies and consumes waste that needs to be expunged from a person’s life. This consuming fire will burn off any “chaff” left in the soul that hinders your spiritual progress!

This fire also ignites new life in areas that have grown indifferent and resistant to God’s will. And if you keep taking the Bible into your heart, the fire of God’s Word will continue to burn brilliantly, spreading throughout your entire system as you surrender to its transforming work.

We must choose, however, to yield to the fiery effect of God’s Word working in us, and that process is not always comfortable. It blazes a fire so strong, it incinerates those things that are displeasing to the Spirit and need to be removed. When everything is said and done, only the Word of God has the power to permanently transform a life!

Like fire is a purifier, when the Bible is given entrance into the heart and acted upon by faith, it takes on that characteristic of fire as it begins to do its purifying work in us. The psalmist wrote of the purifying effect of God’s Word in Psalm 119:9 when he said, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.”

In John 15:3, Jesus spoke of this cleansing quality of God’s Word when He said, “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” In Second Corinthians 7:1, Paul also wrote of the way the Holy Spirit uses the promises of God’s Word to take us into greater levels of sanctification and purity. Paul wrote, “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

Just as fire is a source of illumination, the words of the Bible, when they are allowed into the heart and soul, bring illumination to us! Those divinely inspired words illuminate our paths. This is why Psalm 119:105 says, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:130 further says, “The entrance of thy words giveth light.…”

The Word of God is like a lamp that provides light in a darkened room. When its truths are embraced, it shines light into every sphere of life, bringing understanding and enlightenment and eradicating the ignorance that governs darkened minds. The Scriptures are God’s lamp to give continuous light to a people or society that would lie in darkness if the source of that light was removed. Only the light of God’s Word drives away spiritual darkness — which is why demonic forces hate the Light and the Light-bearers!

God’s Word — when heeded, embraced, and believed — continuously shines its brilliant light into the dark, murky places of our lives. Whenever any person gives heed to it, its powerful light shines into his or her life, dispelling spiritual darkness. Those who reject the Word remain in darkness, but those who embrace it are delivered from spiritual darkness and ignorance.

The Bible provides freedom for the mind, strength and resolve for the will, healing for the body, vision for a bright future, and light for the path ahead. Within the covers of the Bible are all the answers for every problem man could ever face. It can bring new life to hearts, establish order to confused minds, and refresh souls that are being rocked by emotion. When God’s Word is decreed from your mouth, that Word has a life-changing and yoke-destroying effect. There is power in the Word of God that even the devil cannot deny!

And just as fire empowers the mightiest engines to operate, the Bible — when ignited in the heart — supernaturally empowers those who take it deeply into themselves. When scriptures are released in a believer’s life, they loose supernatural energy and power to enable him to rise above himself and to master whatever challenge he may be facing.

A hallmark verse in my own life is Ecclesiastes 8:4, which says, “Where the word of a king is, there is power….” I promise you, when God’s Word is received as the all-authoritative word of our divine King, it imparts power beyond imagination and transforms weaklings to do feats beyond their natural capability! Those who previously felt weak and insufficient are suddenly energized when the power of God’s Word is released into their lives. In fact, the truths of Scripture will impart supernatural strength to a believer to do whatever God has commanded him or her to do.

Psalm 119:28 marvelously depicts the powerful effect of God’s Word to divinely energize a person who otherwise would feel physically or emotionally weak. When the psalmist was confronted with his own humanity, he knew the Word would strengthen him to rise above it. That is why he said, “…Strengthen thou me according unto thy word.”

The role of the Bible cannot be exaggerated in the life of a believer. The amount of spiritual fire you have burning at your core is directly related to how much of God’s Word is planted in your heart. There is absolutely nothing to compare with the powerful effect of God’s Word when it is taken by faith into your heart and put into action.

When I was a young man, we often sang the famous hymn at our church, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” That hymn says it well:

…And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us.
The prince of darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure, for lo! his doom is sure;
one little word shall fell him….

How powerful to think that ONE WORD FROM THE BIBLE is enough to quash the very forces of hell itself! This is why I feel led to encourage you to dive deep into your Bible in 2020. The answers you seek, the power you need, and the authority of God Himself is found within the pages of the Bible — and it’s waiting for you to unlock it so its power can be released in your life!

Proverbs 10:21 says, “The lips of the righteous feed many.…” I am fully convinced that my God-given assignment is to bring the teaching of God’s Word to people who are hungry for it. As a partner with RENNER Ministries, you are enabling us to do this with the gifts you give to our ministry. In the truest sense of the word, you are a partner together with us in this work. I cannot overemphasize the important role you and your giving plays in helping us get the teaching of the Word to people who are crying out for someone to bring it to them! Thank you a million times for what you do!

Denise and I, our sons, and our entire team pray for you and are so grateful to God for divinely connecting you to our hearts. If there is any way we can be praying for you, please be sure to let us know and we’ll go right to prayer with you. Call, email, or write us, and we will deal with your need seriously and quickly in prayer.

Thank you for letting me minister to you what is on my heart today. Oh, how God wants us to be ablaze with spiritual fire for years to come. Let’s be sure to add the fuel of God’s Word to our spiritual flames so that we continue burning brightly for Him. Amen!

Denise and I love you and thank God for you!

We are your brother and sister, friends, and partners in Jesus Christ,

Rick and Denise Renner
along with Paul, Philip, and Joel and their families

First and foremost, I want to say thank you for being an amazing partner in our ministry! As we start this new year, I want you to know we are truly believing for the absolute best for you in 2020. Denise and I are so grateful that you are partnering with us in this God-given work. As we march forward in 2020 to achieve what the Lord has laid on our hearts, we are doing it together with you — and together, we are impacting lives in nations all over the earth! What a privilege to serve God with you!

Today I want to talk to you about spiritual fire and to encourage you to stay “on fire” for the Lord during 2020!

For you to be effective spiritually and truly fulfilled in life, it is absolutely essential that you remain ablaze with spiritual fire! But perhaps you can remember a time when your heart was ablaze with passion for the things of God — but you’d admit that since that time, the fire has diminished. If that describes you currently, please take the time to consider the following:

When any kind of natural fuel serving as a catalyst for fire is depleted, it’s just a fact that the fire will eventually go out. Similarly, if fuel isn’t regularly added to your spiritual fire, and if you don’t stoke those embers and fan the flames, the fire will begin to go out. Those embers have to be tended to regularly in order to keep the fire going. And it takes lots of attention and work to keep a fire burning bright!

This makes me think of Paul’s words to Timothy in Second Timothy 1:6, where Paul wrote, “Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.”

The words “stir up” in this verse is a translation of the Greek word anadzopureo, a triple compound of the Greek words, ana, zoos, and pur.

But when these three Greek words are compounded, they form the Greek word anadzopureo — the very word Paul used in Second Timothy 1:6 when he told the younger minister to “stir up” the gift of God that was in him. It implies that the fire in Timothy’s heart had ebbed to just embers or that it was on a low burn. That is the reason Paul told Timothy to begin to passionately and rigorously stoke and stir up the gift of God in his life. Paul was telling Timothy that, just as one would stoke the embers of a fire in a hearth or fireplace, it was time for the younger minister to take action. Paul was commanding Timothy to reach within himself and to begin to rekindle, or kindle anew, the fire in his heart.

At the time Paul wrote to Timothy, this young man was surrounded by a great deal of chaos and confusion because of the intense persecution that was taking place at that time. It is probable the younger minister was physically and emotionally exhausted from dealing with an onslaught of problems and his own spiritual fire was beginning to wane. That is why Paul told him to take action before the fire inside him that burned for the things of God went out completely.

In other words, Timothy needed to open the door to his heart, look inside to determine the condition of his inward fire, and then take action to stir up the gift of God inside him. Like a person would stoke the coals in a fireplace, Timothy was being called to stir the embers and then “put more wood on the fire.”

This would not occur accidentally. Timothy would have to be intentional and proactive to keep that flame burning. But if he would heed Paul’s command, that inward fire — which was beginning to wane — would blaze once again in the core of Timothy’s spiritual being.

Let me share with you a natural example of kindling or rekindling the fire of God deep inside your heart. In the early days of living in the former Soviet Union, our family lived in an apartment that only had wood-burning fireplaces for heat in the winter. We learned the lesson if we wanted to have heat, we would have to become proactive in making it happen. We had to find fuel, carry it upstairs, open the fireplace door, put the fuel on the fire, and stoke the fire regularly throughout the day to keep it burning. We knew we’d reap a lot of unnecessary discomfort, extreme cold, and even serious trouble if we chose to neglect what was happening deep in those fireplaces.

If we discovered the fire had ebbed too low and the coals of wood were turning cold and hard — that we had “hit a low burn” — we would have to begin the process all over. So the choice to be proactive was wiser than reaping the consequences produced by negligence. The truth is, we made the choice to do whatever was required to stay warm — because otherwise, we knew we’d freeze!

And the same is true for you. If your spiritual fire is at a low burn or close to going out, it’s time for you to “stir up” the gift of God that is inside you. You cannot depend on someone else to do the stoking and stirring for you. It is so vital that you take responsibility to look inside yourself, to determine your fuel supply, and to do whatever you must to stir your spiritual embers and keep your fire burning.

If you’ll ask the Holy Spirit, He’ll show you how to open the door of your heart and take an honest look on the inside to assess your condition and need. Then you must let Him show you the steps to take to throw fuel on your spiritual fire so you can stir yourself up and stay ablaze with the things of God. You are called to consistently stir up those embers and fuel that fire so that you’ll remain a blazing inferno for Jesus!

Fire. We must have it for survival, for development, and for progress. Likewise, we must have spiritual fire if we are to move forward in the advancement of God’s purposes and in the fulfillment of His great plan! Oh, it’s so very vital that we determine to stay ablaze with the Spirit and power of God!

If you’ve ever seen a campfire, you know its flames can burn very bright and hot. But what happens if no one keeps adding fuel to the fire? If no one adds more fuel to the flames, eventually that fire will go out altogether.

Let me encourage you to keep adding fuel to the flames of your heart. Do everything you can to throw more fuel into the fire of your heart! When you adopt the attitude that you’re going to start fueling your fire, consistently utilizing to the fullest all the spiritual fuels God provides, I guarantee you that your inner man will burst into spiritual flames! But you are the only one who can choose to “add the fuel” and “stoke the coals” to keep the Holy Spirit’s fire burning brightly in your life.

I encourage you to make a serious commitment before the Lord that you will stay ablaze with God’s fire for the year 2020 — and for that matter, for the rest of your life. I encourage you to set aside time with the Lord to ask Him for His help and His strategies as you purpose to add more fuel to your spiritual fire. Then determine to do whatever the Spirit of God tells you to do to keep your inner man burning like a spiritual inferno!

While you are praying for your own heart to burn bright with the fire of the Spirit, please add your faith to ours for Denise and me and our entire team. God has entrusted us with a mighty assignment. We need the fire of God to burn brightly within our own hearts so we can impart that fire to others who are reaching out to us for help — for prayer and for teaching of the Word of God. This is an amazing assignment God has given to us!

Before I close today, I want to say if there is any specific way we can be praying for you, please be sure to let us know. I think you know we really mean it when we tell you that we pray for you — and we keep praying until you get the victory you are believing for! Either call, email, or write us, and Denise and I and our team will go to God in prayer for you.

Oh, how thankful I am that God has opened the door for me to communicate with you today. If you don’t know it, I have a new book called A LIFE ABLAZE. This letter is a result of that book. The message is burning in my heart and pouring out of my spirit because I know God wants each of us to be ablaze spiritually for our entire lives. If we add the right fuels and maintain the fire in our hearts, we can do it!

Denise and I love you and thank God for you!

We are your brother and sister, friends, and partners in Jesus Christ,

Rick and Denise Renner
along with Paul, Philip, and Joel and their families

Here we are in the month of December! Do you feel like the weeks and months on the calendar have flown by this year? I know that in our ministry, it has been the fullest year we’ve ever had in terms of work and fruit. We are speechless at what we’ve seen God do in so many lives during 2019. With all our hearts, Denise and I, our family, and our team want to say thank you for all you’ve done this year to help us fulfill God’s assignment on our lives. You really are partners with us — and we are simply THANKFUL for you!

In this month’s letter, I want to start by giving you a little insight into what it’s like for Denise and me and our family to live in two worlds — that is, in the Western world and the Eastern world. You see, in the United States, it is customary for you to celebrate Christmas on December 25 — but in Russia, where we live, Christmas is celebrated on January 7, a full two weeks after Christmas is finished in America and the Western world. But when January 7 finally arrives, our family and our church do finally celebrate Christmas!

But does it really matter what date we celebrate Christmas on? The point is not which date — the important point is that Jesus was born! Regardless of when it is celebrated, Jesus’ birth is the most important event in the history of the world!

In Philippians 2:6 and 7, Paul wrote, “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.”

Let me talk to you about these miraculous verses. Paul began by describing the preexistence of Jesus before He came to the earth as a man. Paul said, “Who, being in the form of God….” The word “being” is a translation of the Greek word huparcho, a compound of the words hupo and arche. In this case, the word hupo means from, and the word arche means first, original, or ancient. When they become the word huparcho, the new word depicts something that has always existed.

By using this key word that means to eternally exist, Paul was declaring that Jesus had no beginning, but rather had always existed. This also explains Jesus’ statement when He declared, “…Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58). Thus, Philippians 2:6 could be translated, “Who, eternally existing in the form of God….” In other words, Jesus’ human birth in Bethlehem was not His beginning, but merely His manifestation to mankind, a brief appearance in His eternal existence.

Paul wrote that Jesus always existed in the “form” of God. The word “form” is the Greek word morphe. This word describes an outward form, which means that in Jesus’ preexistence, He looked just like God. He was not just a component of God, nor a symbol of God. In reality, He was God. And as the eternal God Himself, Jesus possessed the very shape and outward appearance of God — a form that includes great splendor, glory, power, and a presence so strong that no flesh can endure it.

God existed in glory more wonderful than the human mind can comprehend and more powerful than human flesh can endure. Yet He desired to come to earth to purchase redemption for man. Therefore, God had no choice but to “re-clothe” Himself in a manner that could be tolerated by man. This is why He “…made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.”

This is the true story of Christmas!

The phrase “made himself of no reputation” comes from a form of the Greek word kenos, which means to make empty, to evacuate, to vacate, to deprive, to divest, or to relinquish. Because it was impossible for God to appear to man as God, He had to change His outward form. The only way He could make this limited appearance as a man was to willfully, deliberately, and temporarily let go of all the attributes we usually think of when we consider the characteristics of God. For 33 years on this earth, God divested Himself of all His heavenly glory and “…took upon him the form of a servant…” (Philippians 2:7).

The phrase “took upon him” perfectly describes that marvelous moment when God reached out to lay hold of human flesh and take it upon Himself so that He might appear as a man on the earth. The words “took upon him” are from the Greek word lambano, which means to take, to seize, to catch, to latch on to, to clutch, or to grasp. This word lets us know that God literally reached out from His eternal existence into the material world He had created — and took human flesh upon Himself in “the form of a servant.”

Not only did God become man, but a “servant.” This word “servant” is from the Greek word doulos, which refers to a slave. Paul used this word to picture the vast difference between Jesus’ preexistent state and His earthly life.

Paul went on to say that Jesus “…was made in the likeness of men.” The phrase “was made” is the Greek word ginomai, which means to become, indicating that this was not Jesus’ original form, but it became His new form. This clearly describes the miracle that occurred when God became a man. Jesus had always existed in the form of God, not the form of man. But taking upon Himself human flesh, He was formed in the womb of the virgin Mary and became a man.

God literally took upon Himself the “likeness” of a man. The word “likeness” is the Greek word homoioma, which refers to a form or resemblance. This refers not only to Jesus’ being made in the visible likeness of men, but also in the human likeness of men. In other words, when Jesus appeared on this earth, He came in the actual form of a man and was just like man in every way.

Jesus was so completely made in the “likeness” of men that Hebrews 4:15 declares He was even tempted in every way that men are tempted. It says, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

So we see that when God the Father sent His Son into the world, Jesus left His heavenly home and took upon Himself human flesh. And because of this great exchange, He has stood in our place; He has felt what we feel. Even today, He is touched with the feelings of our infirmities, and He intercedes for us with great compassion as our High Priest (see Hebrews 7:25).

At this time of the year — whether we celebrate on December 25 or January 7 or some other day — we are prone to think of Jesus as a Baby in a manger in a Bethlehem stable. Certainly that was true, but we should never forget that His birth in Bethlehem was not Jesus’ beginning. It was merely the moment of His brief appearance in His eternal existence.

Jesus was willing to shed all His visible attributes and dress Himself in the clothing of a human being, manifested in the flesh as a little Baby in Bethlehem. But that Baby was the eternal, ever-existent God Almighty, who came to us in human flesh so that He could dwell among men and purchase our salvation. That is the true story of Christmas!

I felt the need this month to encourage you to really think of people you know who are not committed to Christ. Why not invite them to church to hear the Gospel during this special season? Take this month as an opportunity to bring up the subject of Christ and His birth to them. This is a golden opportunity to share eternity-shaping news with them! What better gift could you give? Isn’t this the real reason for the season, anyway?

God has been faithful to you during 2019. He has been with you every step of the way. As you prepare for 2020, I want to tell you that He is going to continue directing you and empowering you. Please let us know how we can be praying for you to wrap up the year and get ready for a new one! And let us know how we can pray for people you know who need to come to Christ. It would be an honor for Denise and me and our team to put our faith together with yours!

As we come to the close of this year and press forward into an exciting new year, would you please pray with us about these steps of faith we are taking?

Thank you for partnering with us as we bring God’s Word to people who are so hungry to receive it. It is a huge assignment, but with God’s grace, and with all of us working together as partners, we can do it! I want you to know that we use every dollar that comes into this ministry prayerfully as we put our hands to this work that is bigger than any one of us. But I felt to ask you to pray with us for these items that are urgent. God is mighty, and with His strength, we can do whatever He asks us to do!

If you have any prayer needs, be sure to let us know. We are always waiting to hear from you, and we are ready to start praying as soon as we know what needs you are facing. We know you pray for us, and it is our honor to pray for you too.

Have a great month and a wonderful Christmas! We love you and thank God for you.

We are your brother and sister, friends, and partners in Jesus Christ,

Rick and Denise Renner
along with Paul, Philip, and Joel and their families

Greetings in Jesus’ precious name! As we celebrate a special time of thanksgiving this month, it is also a good time to ask God if we’re doing everything He has asked us to do with our lives. He has given us so much! And He is prepared to do even more in our lives as we yield ourselves to Him in obedience and service.

So I want to ask you: Are you on track to do what God has asked you to do with your life — your time, talent, and finances?

It takes real determination to accomplish anything God has asked you to do. You have to make a quality decision that you will never yield to discouragement or allow yourself to give up and quit. That’s vital if you are going to victoriously finish your race and accomplish what God has called you to do during your time on earth. That’s what I want to speak to you about today.

But first, I want to ask for your prayers. This month and next month, I will be traveling all over Russia to speak in conferences and churches. The distances are huge (Russia is almost twice the size of the United States) — and the strength required to do this is great. I am strong and capable, but I sense the need to ask for your supporting prayers of agreement for safe travel, strong physical reserves sustained throughout, and a precious anointing to be imparted to the people in every place I will be ministering. Will you please pray for me?

Today I want to encourage you to never give up! Let me begin with a true story from this journey that Denise and I have been on with our family and team for so many years as we’ve pursued God’s call.

After years of searching for a permanent home for the Moscow Good News Church, we finally found a building that would suit our needs — after complete reconstruction. I put the vision before our church and our partners, and we started to believe for the money needed to purchase and totally renovate the building.

I sensed that our situation was similar to the Israelites’ assignment to possess the Promised Land. Just as Joshua’s spies outlined the obstacles they encountered when they came back from scouting out the land, I didn’t hesitate to outline the challenges that lay before our congregation. I related the facts with clarity, but like Joshua and Caleb, I made it clear that God would give us victory over every obstacle or giant along the way. The issue was not how big the giants were. The true matter revolved around God’s faithfulness to perform His promises and our obedience to enter into and receive the promise He had given us.

We were stepping out by faith to do what was required to receive God’s supernatural blessing. Completing this mammoth vision far surpassed our natural abilities, yet we were certain this was God’s plan. So we fixed our eyes on Jesus, convinced He would supernaturally enable us to accomplish this mighty deed. With our eyes fixed solely on the prize, we all committed to doing whatever God asked us to do. We also set ourselves to keep moving forward and never to stop until we had reached the finish line.

This grand undertaking required every ounce of our faith, strength, and might. It demanded the highest level of faith for finances that Denise and I had ever released in our lives. I knew that just as God entrusted Denise and me with the task of heading up this project, He had entrusted many faithful partners to contribute financially. God explicitly told me that people would generously help us — and that He would abundantly bless those who participated in the project. We knew that the same grace that was on us would also be on our partners and that God would supernaturally grace them to supernaturally give.

The Lord assured me that unusually large offerings would be given to help Denise and me establish this Gospel center in the heart of Russia so that this huge assignment would not be a burden. And as is always true regarding the heartfelt giving of God’s people, Heaven would keep records of every gift given, crediting those gifts to people’s heavenly accounts that await them there.

I have often reflected on God’s faithfulness as we ran that stage of our race of faith. He perfectly and completely fulfilled every single one of His promises to us. Although the challenges were enormous, we accomplished the vision! When we are all in Heaven one day, the fabulous building that we now occupy in Moscow will still be filled with people worshiping Jesus. From the grandstands of Heaven, Denise and I — along with all those who financially gave — will rejoice that we didn’t shrink back from His command. With God’s grace, we ran that part of our spiritual race and reached the finish line!

What race is God asking you to run in your own life? Has He given you an assignment that seems huge, gigantic, massive, and colossal to you? When you ponder what He is asking you to do and the ramifications of your obedience, do those thoughts rattle your emotions and make you inwardly shake? Or do your meditations before the Lord about the vision He’s planted in your heart ignite you and stir you up? Does it thrill you to know that God trusts you to believe Him for the impossible?

You have come too far to shrink back from God’s command now. It’s too late to turn around and run the other direction!

As we near the very last of the last days, there’s no place for fear or timidity. The time is short, and God is looking to each of us to fulfill His plan for these last generations. He is depending on you and me, and we must give our lives to do exactly what He is asking. There is nothing more important in life than to heed His voice and do what He is requiring of us.

God could choose anyone for the task or assignment He’s given you — but He has chosen you. So whatever He has given you to do, see it as the great honor it is that God would trust you to accomplish such a feat! You must push aside fear, reach deep inside to the anointing and power of God that resides within you, stand on His promises of provision and strength, and step forward by faith to see it done.

You will never know what God can do unless you do something that gives Him the opportunity to show you.

As the children of Israel prepared to cross the Jordan River into their Promised Land, the river was at flood stage — its highest stage of the year. Yet God commanded Joshua to instruct the priests to step right into the river! God assured Joshua that as he and the priests were obedient, the water would supernaturally part so that they and the rest of the Israelites could pass through on dry ground.

Imagine what Joshua must have felt. The people were watching him and the priests, looking to see if the water would part as their leader had promised. Every eye in Israel was fixed on Joshua. But this wasn’t Joshua’s moment to shrink back in fear — it was his moment to obey!

Standing on the brink of the Jordan River with its dangerous waters rising higher and higher, Joshua obeyed God’s command, and the priests lifted their feet to take that first brave step into the raging, overflowing waters. As they obeyed, the waters parted just as God had promised. The Bible tells us, “And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan” (Joshua 3:17).

It required one man’s courage and obedience to cause those waters to part — and because of Joshua’s willingness to do what God had commanded, all the Israelites passed into their land of promise. That shows the power of one person’s obedience.

Your obedience affects many lives! When you obey, it impacts many people and paves the way for others to inherit God’s promises as well.

I’m sure Joshua had to battle his thoughts and emotions, constantly refusing to give in to the feelings of trepidation that tried to overwhelm him as he followed those priests into the raging river. Had Joshua listened to the thoughts of fear and doubt that certainly assaulted his mind, he never would have obeyed. Just as you and I must do, he pushed all of it out of the way and boldly stepped out to do what God had instructed him to do. And in the moment Joshua committed to taking that step of obedience, he experienced the intervening, supernatural, history-making power of God!

Many believers simply stand on the banks of the river they need to cross and watch the raging waters flow by. But if they keep doing only that, they will never experience the power of God as Joshua did that day. If they want to “see the waters part,” they must be willing to rise up, step out, and do exactly what God is asking them to do.

And the same goes for you! When you finally act on that dream God has given you and step forward to do what He has asked of you, that is the moment you will see Him move into action and part the waters before you!

I’m so thankful that Denise and I — along with our staff, our church, and our partners — stepped out into the waters in front of us, trusting God to do His part. We had prayed about it, thought about it, and talked about it for years. Then God asked us to take action and obey. With man it was impossible, but with God, all things are possible (see Mark 10:27)!

Today this is true for you as well!

When you know it’s time to step out in faith, it’s up to you to take your eyes off the turbulent waters that rage before you and fix your eyes on Jesus Himself — the Author and Finisher of your faith (see Hebrews 12:2)! You can be sure that what He starts, He will always finish. When you obey God, your obedience activates His power on a scale far greater than you could have ever dreamed or imagined. But that kind of powerful demonstration belongs only to those who obey!

Denise and I know what it means to accept a faith assignment. We understand what you may be feeling as you step out in faith to obey something God has told you to do that seems impossible. We assure you that He will protect you and supernaturally provide everything you need to accomplish the task He is asking you to do.

In our case that I related earlier, God was depending on us to trust Him and to follow His instructions step by step on the way to purchasing and fully renovating the building that today so beautifully houses the Moscow Good News Church. Likewise, He wants you to do what He is telling you to do right now to take steps toward the fulfillment of your own assignment from Heaven.

What race is God calling you to run? What river is He calling you to pass over? I deeply believe that God will empower you to do the most radical, supernatural thing you have ever done in your life as you commit yourself to His plan. It may seem as impossible as crossing the Jordan at flood stage. But His grace and power will infuse you, strengthen you, and guide you toward the goal as you keep your eyes fixed on Him and obey His voice every step of the way. And as you trust the Lord, He will bring you all the way to the finish line!

Just determine that from this day forward, you will do exactly as God instructs you to do. It’s that simple. That determined commitment to be obedient to the Holy Spirit’s leading will cause His supernatural power to manifest in your life on many levels. I’m convinced that your obedience will trigger miracles in every area of your life — your family, relationships, health, finances, business — including the fulfillment of things you’ve sought for, prayed for, and desired to come to pass for many years.

Please let us pray with you for the wisdom and strength needed for you to cross over into the victory that God has waiting for you. Of course you can pray alone, but it often helps when others pray with us. We are here to pray for you, and we’d love to join our faith with yours for specific needs and dreams that are strong on your heart.

Thank you so much for letting me minister this word to you today. And thank you again for being such a friend and partner with this ministry! You are so vital to this work of God!

We love you and thank God for you!

We are your brother and sister, friends, and partners in Jesus Christ,

Rick and Denise Renner
along with Paul, Philip, and Joel and their families

Oh, how thankful I am for the precious call of God upon my life. Aren’t you thankful that He called and chose you too?

God has a special plan for each of us. The main goal of believers should be to find God’s plan for their lives and then to go after it with all their might and strength. That is what I want to talk to you about in my letter today! But first, I want to say THANK YOU for your faithful support of all that we are doing right now. We are pursuing the goal of providing teaching people can trust and to get that teaching to hungry hearts all over the world. But we can only do this effectively because of partners that support us to accomplish it. There is simply no way I can exaggerate or emphasize enough the important role each of our partners plays in this work — for all eternity. You are making a huge difference, and Denise and I want to personally thank you!

I also want to tell you that we are inching closer to the finish line for what we need for the expansion of our TV offices in Moscow. We are almost there! Thank you for your continued prayers for this venture — that we’ll soon have all the funds we need to finish this assignment. I want to express my deep thankfulness to every person who has participated in this faith project. When we reach the finish line, we’ll let you know it’s done, and we’ll all be shouting together about this amazing victory!

Today I want to take you to First Corinthians 9:24, where Paul wrote, “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.”

The Holy Spirit through Paul is teaching here that each of us is in some kind of race. That word “race” is the Greek word stadion, which later became our word “stadium.” However, it first described a racecourse that was 600 feet in length or one-eighth of a Roman mile — the exact length that was used in the athletic competitions of the ancient world, including the Isthmian Games that were held near the city of Corinth. Because Paul was highly educated, he knew precisely what he was doing when he used a word that described the racecourses of his day.

As I just noted, eventually the word stadion became the word for a stadium, the place where athletic competitions were held. Since this is the picture Paul had in his mind as he used the word “race,” let’s stop to consider the competitions of that time.

The winners of these competitions were rewarded both materially and with great honor. However, if you study these champions of the ancient world, you will see that the primary emphasis of the reward was not material wealth, but rather the distinguished honor bestowed on the winners of those games.

You see, these champions were only able to achieve victory in those games by being disciplined, balanced, and committed to excellence. For possessing these qualities that they had to develop and display so consistently and perseveringly, they were held in high regard. These champions became revered as heroes, gods, or icons in their society. Respect, honor, notoriety, and fame became their lifelong reward.

In addition to these ideas, it’s important to notice something else about the word “race,” from the Greek word stadion that depicted the huge arena where the competitions were held. Paul used this word to tell us that when we enter our race of faith, it puts us in the center of the arena. People see us as we walk by faith. They know of our struggles, and they watch as spectators to see if we will win our battles.

We must always keep in mind, therefore, that we’re not running a private race of faith, but rather a race that has influence on many people’s lives. Hence, Paul urges us to run our race in a way that encourages bystanders who are watching from the sidelines to jump into the race themselves and pursue their destiny in God!

By using these ideas, Paul was communicating to us that we need to see ourselves as spiritual competitors! But this life we lead is no game; it is the most serious competition we will ever face in this world. And the rewards of a life well lived are enormous. Not only will God materially reward us as we are faithful to His call, but He also reserves eternal rewards of honor and glory for those who run their race well in this life (see Romans 2:10).

It is interesting that Paul said, “…They which run in a race run all….” Notice particularly the words “run all.” It means every believer is in some kind of race. That person may not have awakened to the race he is in yet, or perhaps the race hasn’t yet been revealed to him. Nevertheless, the fact remains that God has a specific plan for every individual.

Our task is to find the divine plan for our lives; to “get in shape” so we can run our race; and then to run like mad so we can finish in first place! That’s why Paul exhorted us, “…Run, that ye may obtain” (1 Corinthians 9:24).

You see, runners have one thought foremost in their minds — the finish line! With this analogy in mind, Paul is telling you to run your spiritual race with all your might, keeping your focus on the goal — the divine call on your life as God has revealed it to you. You may ask, “How long am I supposed to keep running and trying to reach my God-given goals?” The answer is, until you “obtain” what God has called you to do!

The word “obtain” is the Greek word katalambano, which is a compound of two words, kata and lambano. The word kata describes something that is coming downward, and the word lambano means to take or to seize something. When compounded into one word, katalambano means to grab hold of, to seize, to wrestle, to pull down, and to finally make a desired object your very own. This is the picture of someone who finally sees what he wants — and instead of letting that goal he desires slip away, he pounces on it, seizing it and latching hold of it with all his might!

Paul uses this word katalambano to depict the attitude of a runner who is running with all his energy, straining forward as he keeps his focus fixed on the finish line. At last, the runner reaches the goal, and the prize is now his! He gave that race all he had to give, and it paid off! Had he approached the race with a casual, lazy attitude, the prize would have gone to another. But because he ran to obtain that prize, in the end, that’s exactly what he did!

There is no doubt that you have a divine purpose for your life — something God has called you to do. God has marvelous ideas and plans for you! The question is this: Do you WANT to fulfill His plans for you? If your answer is truly yes, then set your heart on your goal. Don’t be halfhearted, mealy-mouthed, touchy, or easily discouraged. It’s time for you to develop some resolve!

Do you see yourself as someone who is running the spiritual race of his or her life? Or are you simply “jogging for Jesus”? If you’re serious about fulfilling God’s plan for your life, it’s time to shift into high gear and to start putting all your spiritual, mental, and physical energies into getting the job done. You have to remove all distractions and commit yourself to a life of discipline, balance, and devotion.

To maintain the many victories the apostle Paul had won, he knew he had to remain vigilant. That is why he wrote, “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway” (1 Corinthians 9:27).

The word “castaway” in Greek is adokimos, which means disapproved, discredited, or disqualified. This is the picture of a person who won some type of victory, but lost it due to negligence. Now that person has become a “castaway.” It is the portrait of a winner who has lost his victory.

People often make the mistake of thinking that just because they’ve had a victory in the past, they will automatically have a victory in the future. Many people — having won a great victory — later make the mistake of letting down their guard and giving in to their flesh. As a result, they lose their victory!

Paul didn’t consider himself so high and mighty that he couldn’t imagine this happening to him. Rather than letting his flesh get the best of him and making the same mistake others had made, Paul chose to keep his flesh under control. That is why he said, “…I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection.…”

The word “subjection” is a compound of the word doulos and ago. The word doulos is the word for a slave, and the word ago is the Greek word that means to lead. Placed together, these words for “subjection” mean to lead about like a slave. This means that Paul mastered his body rather than allowing his body and flesh master him. He was determined to keep his body in “subjection” and to lead his flesh about as his slave rather than become its slave, pandering to its carnal desires that would inevitably lead him into defeat.

By mastering his body and keeping it under his control, Paul turned his flesh into a mighty instrument:

After winning many victories, Paul knew he still needed to keep his body and flesh under control so he could keep winning and not lose the victories he’d already won. So Paul kept his flesh under his command and made it his slave for the purpose of accomplishing God’s will.

Is your body an instrument God can use, or is it a tool the devil uses to lure you into seasons in which you lose the victories God gave you in the past? Don’t join the ranks of those who once had great victories, but now live in defeat because they refused to master themselves. Instead, turn your body into a mighty weapon that the Holy Spirit can use!

To win your God-ordained race, you MUST have the attitude, “I’m going to RUN this race, and I’m going to WIN it! I’m not going to live my whole life missing out on what God has for me! No matter what inconvenience I must endure, what price I have to pay, or what adjustments I need to make, I am going to faithfully run my race so that one day, I can obtain the prize — the fulfillment of God’s call on my life! Furthermore, I’m going to master my body so that it becomes a mighty instrument God can use to touch those around me!”

My friend, God wants you to jump in the race and run it to complete victory — and then to do all that is needed to maintain that victory! You can do it! If you need someone to pray with you about this, please contact us and let us know. We count it a privilege to put our faith together with yours for the victory that you need to reinforce in your life right now.

Thank you so much for allowing me to minister this word to you today. Oh, how I pray it has been a blessing to you. We love you and thank God for you!

We are your brother and sister, friends, and partners in Jesus Christ,

Rick and Denise Renner
along with Paul, Philip, and Joel and their families

First, I want you to know that my new book HOW TO KEEP YOUR HEAD ON STRAIGHT IN A WORLD GONE CRAZY has just been received in our office! We are releasing it to our partners and friends now, through the ministry, before it is released to the public on September 17. In fact, I just signed 1,200 copies, and you can get one of those while they last by going to renner.org or by calling our office at 918-496-3213 to purchase your copy. Please let me know what you think of my book when you get it!

This book is different than any book I’ve ever written. It deals specifically with issues that a last-days generation will be forced to face — issues that make this period of time different from any previous generation. I can’t urge you strongly enough to get your copy! But please pray before you read it. In it, I write candidly about delusional thinking in society and in the Church in the very end of the last days. This topic is what I want to address in my letter to you today.

But before I get any further into my letter, I want to THANK YOU for responding so generously as I’ve let you know about a recent opportunity for us to purchase property in Moscow to expand our Russia ministry offices. Real estate in this part of the world is at a premium — for this property to become available adjacent to our existing facility is amazing in itself! But we know God opened this door for us to do some much-needed expansion so we can more effectively minister to the thousands of souls who reach out to us from all over the former Soviet Union. Because of our partners’ generosity, we have received approximately 80 percent of the funds we need to move on this new part of our assignment. Again, I want to say THANK YOU!

It’s not just your generosity toward this expansion project that we’re so grateful for. Every prayer and gift you send to this ministry is helping Denise and me, our family, and our team do what God has asked us to do in Russia and around the world. In reality, we are on the frontlines of battle doing our God-called part, and we are thrilled to be here doing it! But you are supplying what is necessary for us to accomplish this work that is changing so many lives. I simply have no words to adequately express how thankful I am for you.

Today I want to speak about something very important that the Holy Spirit prophesied would occur at the very end of the age — an infiltration of seducing spirits and doctrines of demons. This is what the Holy Spirit foretold in First Timothy 4:1. He sounded this alarm to prevent deception from finding entrance into our lives, into our families — our children and grandchildren — and into our churches. And this message especially applies to those of us living at the conclusion of the age.

First Timothy 4:1 says, “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons.” The words “speaketh expressly” are a translation of the Greek word rhetos, which describes something spoken clearly, unmistakably, and vividly or something that is unquestion­able, certain, and sure. By using this word rhetos, the Holy Spirit makes His point unequivocally clear. The events that He was about to describe in this verse are definite; they will certainly come to pass. Therefore the Spirit speaks of them in undeniable terms.

In light of this, one could actually translate the verse:

The use of the Greek word rhetos makes it categorically plain that what the Holy Spirit is saying is not optional or something that can be altered. He was depicting something very clearly that will take place at the end of the age. Paul delivered the Spirit’s unmistakable message: “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times, some shall depart from the faith….”

The Holy Spirit forewarned that a dangerous plot will be concocted against the Church at the end of the age. This last-days assault would be so insidious that the Holy Spirit spoke expressly about it — in absolute, clear, vivid, unmistakable, undeniable, definite, and certain terms.

This verse states that this threatening attack will occur in the “latter times.” The word translated “latter” in the King James Version is translated from the Greek word husteros. This word emphasizes the ultimate end or the very last of something. The word “times” is from the Greek word kairos, which in this case depicts a season. When taken together as one complete phrase, these words describe the very last season or the very last period of time.

There is no doubt that the combination of these Greek words describes the very end of the age when nearly no time is left remaining in the last prophetic season. So when this invasion of seducing spirits and doctrines of demons occurs, it is a signal that the very end is upon us, for the Bible clearly prophesies that the very end of the period is the time when this emergence of error is going to transpire in the world and in the Church.

Since these seducing spirits will be working at the end of the age, it means deception and delusion in society and even in certain sectors of the Church will be a key sign that we are near the very end of the age. Jesus made this very clear in His discourse that is recorded in Matthew 24:4 when He said, “…Take heed that no man deceive you.”

The word “deceive” in that verse is translated from a Greek word that means to wander off course. It could depict an individual or even a nation that has wandered off course. It could even describe vast numbers of nations that have veered off course from a moral position they once held to be true. It suggests a moral wandering on a worldwide scale at the close of this period.

This word “deceive” tells us that there will be a mass divergence from time-tested biblical standards at the end of the age. Jesus foretold that a moment was coming when society would move away from the long-affirmed laws of Scripture. Although He enumerated many signs that would indicate the conclusion of the age, Christ declared that this mass divergence from truth — and worldwide moral wandering — would be the first, foremost, or primary sign to alert us that the end was near. That is precisely why He named it first in His list of signs that would authenticate we’ve entered the wrap-up of the age (see Matthew 24:4).

Is this our age?

You know that we are watching moral confusion rage among the nations of the world as never before in our lifetimes. This confusion is perhaps no clearer anywhere than in the debate over gender identity — a manifestation of confusion so severe that it stuns most thinking minds. The culture most of us knew as we were growing up was established on Judeo-Christian values. But now, as the winds of change are blowing, we are watching as the world is rapidly departing from time-tested beliefs and traditions based on these biblical values. As a result of this near abandonment of truth and throwing away of moral foundations, confusion abounds and society is teetering on a treacherous path. The spirit of this world is working furiously to eliminate all remnants of a godly foundation from society and to replace it with a last-days deception that will ultimately usher in a time when the antichrist rules a lost world for a temporary period of time.

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the apostle Paul prophesied that a mass deception would occur at the end of the period as a precursor to Christ’s return. According to Scripture, this period of worldwide deception will occur at the “outer rim” of the era — marking a time when delusion will attempt to pervade every realm of society.

First Timothy 4:1 is the Holy Spirit’s way of pointing His prophetic finger into the future to apprise you and me of this forecasted period of error that would emerge in the world and also in the Church in the last season of the Church age. The Spirit was so sober about what He saw happening in that last season that He communicated it in absolute, clear, vivid, unmistakable, undeniable, definite, and certain terms.

This verse continues, “…The Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith….”

The word “depart” is a translation of the Greek word aphistemi, which is a compound of two Greek words apo and istimi. The word apo means away, and the word istimi means to stand. But when these two words are compounded, it means to stand apart from; to distance oneself from; to step away from; to withdraw from; to shrink away from. It is the very Greek word from which we derive the word “apostate” or “apostasy.”

This “departing” depicts a departure of a notable sum of people that takes place very slowly, over a period of time, and it pictures a person who changes his position, withdrawing or stepping away from what he or she once believed. This departure occurs so gradually that those who are in the process of departing may not even realize that they are in transition. But little by little, bit by bit, they are transitioning away from what they once believed and adhered to, and are moving in the direction of something very different.

This means the “departing” the Holy Spirit prophesies about in this verse does not refer to a blatant, outright rejection of the faith, though it may eventually lead there. It describes something much more subtle than that. It portrays a slow, almost unnoticeable, step-by-step departure over a period of time. It is a very slow with­drawal and change of position. The verse doesn’t say people will reject the faith; it says they will depart from the faith. There is a great difference between rejecting the faith and departing from the faith. Rejecting is deliberate; departing is usually unintentional.

Why “some” are departing from the faith is not stated in this verse. However, the reason is implied. It says they shall depart from the faith, “…giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1).

Because the words “giving heed” are used in connection with the activity of seducing spirits and doctrines of demons, it provides the answer to what external influence is leading these people in a new direction. The Holy Spirit tells us that some believers at the end of the age will be seduced by a demonic influence that will lead them to open their minds to doctrines and systems of thought that are a departure from what they previously attested to be truth. Rather than stick with the scriptural truth that was so foundational to their lives, some will slacken their grip on what they believe in order to “become more relevant and reach more people.” But this erroneous move toward relevancy will require a disregarding of significant portions of the Bible that address the very issues they’re changing their positions on.

This step-by-step departure from once-held beliefs and convictions is happening in the disguise of open-mindedness, fairness, equality, and even in the name of God’s love. This shift in sexual morals has been seductively evolving over a number of decades. In fact, the transition has occurred so slowly and was so well disguised that those in transition were not even cognizant that a transition was taking place. But the reality is that we are entering a season of moral confusion and destruction due to this slow, methodical, seductive process that has led society off track.

Those of us who are committed to God’s Word must determine that we will not budge from the Bible on key issues and that we will keep our heads on straight on these issues even if the world seems to be going another direction. The Bible has never changed on these subjects. Its teaching has never been altered. But the authority and voice of Scripture are now being called into question by those who downgrade the Bible’s authority, relegate it to the past, and allege that it is no longer entirely applicable in the current environment.

This is what the Holy Spirit prophesied would occur both in society and even among some in the Church at the end of the age. Does this sound familiar and up-to-date to you? Do you see this being fulfilled even among those you know or love?

I want to encourage you to dig in your heels and refuse to budge when it comes to the voice of the Bible in your life. The world is off track and is going further off track all the time. But you and I are to stick with God’s Word regardless of opposing voices. If we’ll stay on track with truth, the Holy Spirit’s power will be released like a river through us as we come closer to the conclusion of this age!

This letter is a little different this month, but I pray it has caused you to perk up and think. We are living at the end of the age. The Holy Spirit did not write this to scare us, but to prepare and give us information that will protect us. That is why I wrote you this letter this month, and it is also why I’ve written my new book HOW TO KEEP YOUR HEAD ON STRAIGHT IN A WORLD GONE CRAZY.

How I pray that you get your hands on this book! I want you to really read it and let its truths sink down deep in your heart so that your thoughts remain clear and pure amidst this darkened end-times period. But I plead with you again to lay your hands on your head and heart to pray before you read a single page of it! Also, I am seriously asking you to join with me in prayer for God’s Spirit to open the eyes of others who read it  — that He will speak to people’s hearts and wake them up, bringing them into the state of spiritual sobriety that is required for them to navigate these last-days waters.

Please let us know how we can be praying for you too. We are already praying for you, but when you let us know exactly how to pray, it simply enables us to pray more effectively! Denise and I and our team are waiting to hear from you.

We love you and thank God for you!

We are your brother and sister, friends, and partners in Jesus Christ,

Rick and Denise Renner
along with Paul, Philip, and Joel and their families

JESUS IS LORD OVER ALL! I want to start this month’s teaching by encouraging you not to ever let the devil, or your imagination, tell you anything different! It doesn’t matter what kind of storm you are facing — Jesus is Lord over the wind and the waves! And that is what I am going to talk to you about in my letter to you today.

But first, very briefly, I want to say THANK YOU for what you’re doing to help us with the office-building and land purchase in Moscow. We are still believing for the full amount needed, and we are in faith that it will come on time. If God moves on your heart to help us financially with this project, we thank you in advance for doing whatever He leads you to do. I simply cannot overstate the importance of your prayers and your gifts of support as we expand our capacity to serve the people who call into our ministry daily. Denise and I are so thankful that you have joined hands to help us fulfill this part of our assignment. You are making a difference in so many lives in the former Soviet Union and beyond!

I want to talk to you about spiritual storms and raging waves that try to derail us when we’re obeying God and stepping out to do something significant for the Kingdom of God. When you step out to do something in faith, that is usually the moment when the enemy attacks and tries to thwart what you are doing.

In our own ministry over the years, the enemy has struck to destroy from time to time. These attacks have usually come at points when we were about to do something especially important in the Kingdom of God. Each time, those attacks were attempts to thwart the plan of God. But the devil’s attacks always failed, and the power of the Holy Spirit always prevailed. And that is what is going to happen with you too!

Let me direct you today to Mark 4:35-41, where the Bible tells us that even Jesus came under such an attack when He was preparing to cast a legion of demons out of the demoniac of Gadara. Jesus was headed to “the other side” — where a great miracle was going to take place — when, suddenly, winds seemed to come out of nowhere to try to capsize Jesus’ boat and drown Him and His disciples in the middle of the lake!

Mark 4:37 says, “And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.” The words “there arose” were taken from the Greek word ginomai, which describes something that happens unexpectedly or something that catches one off guard. This word is used in Mark 4:37 to tell us these winds overtook them unexpectedly. Suddenly and unexpectedly, there arose “a great storm of wind.”

The word “great” is from the word mega, which denotes something of magnificent proportions. It is where we get the idea of “mega-bills,” “mega-work,” “mega-tired,” etc. — and the word “megaphone.” By using this word, the Holy Spirit was telling us that this was a mega-storm! And notice what particular kind of storm it was. Mark didn’t say it was a thunderstorm or a rainstorm; he said it was “a great storm of wind.” The word “wind” is the Greek word lalaips, which describes turbulence or a terribly violent wind.

This “great storm of wind” was an attempt of the enemy to stop Jesus and His crew from reaching the other side of the sea where a great breakthrough would occur. So when Jesus was on the edge of a breakthrough, violent and destructive turbulence showed up. This was a preemptive strike of the devil to stop the plan of God. But it didn’t work, and it won’t work on you and your breakthrough either!

But since an attack like this came against Jesus, you need to know that the enemy will attempt to do this to you as well. That’s why you must “put on the whole armor of God” (see Ephesians 6:11) and learn how to take authority over the wind and the waves that come against your life — against your family, your finances, or your body — just as Jesus took authority over the wind and the waves that came against Him.

So what do you do if you come under a demonic attack? BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE…first check to make sure you have left no doors open for an attack. Then just like Jesus did in the middle of that storm, you must take authority over the wind and the waves in your life and command them to stop in Jesus’ name!

When Jesus was done taking authority over the wind and waves that night on the sea, the winds ceased, and there was a great peace. And “a great peace” is exactly what Jesus wants to bring into your life right now.

•  If the enemy has created a great financial problem in your life, Jesus Christ wants to match it with a great financial blessing.

•  If the adversary has created a great sickness in your body, Jesus wants to match it with a great healing.

•  If the devil has created a horrible marital mess in your life, the Lord Jesus Christ wants to match that marital crisis with a great marital blessing.

•  Whatever the devil does, Jesus Christ wants to match that attack with an even greater blessing in your life!

I want to tell you that your best days are ahead of you. If you are experiencing a raging spiritual storm, it may be a signal that you are on the verge of something magnificent, and that may be the very reason why a storm has suddenly shown up to try to stop you. But that storm is your opportunity to see a demonstration of God’s power in your life! Rise up in faith and rebuke those spiritual winds, and they will cease, and a great calm will come, and you will make it to the other side!

If you need help to do this, let us help you. We are very serious when it comes to praying for our partners. But to know how to specifically pray for you and the storm you’re facing, we need to hear from you. So call or write and let us know how to pray. We’ll rise up in faith with you to take authority over the wind and waves in any area of your life!

It has been so good to share this word with you today. Please continue to pray for us as we do what God has called us to do in Russia and around the world. God’s Word has the power to change lives, but people have to really hear it, embrace it, and believe it in order to experience that transformation. So together with our partners, we’re doing our part to get the life-changing Word to them through every vehicle and avenue God opens up to us. Thank you for helping so profoundly like you do! We are deeply grateful — and we love you and thank God for you!

We are your brother and sister, friends, and partners in Jesus Christ,

Rick and Denise Renner
along with Paul, Philip, and Joel and their families