- Richard Anniss announces a series of meetings designed to equip the church

“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” (John 7:37,38 NIV)

“The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17 NIV)

“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (2 Corinthians 3:17 NIV)

Living in the Holy Spirit is the only way to live the Christian life. Jesus does not call us to go anywhere or do anything outside of his anointing. Many of us have experienced significant moments in church meetings or even in our own times of prayer….but God wants us to experience everyday life in the flow of His Spirit.

Too often we divide our world into the sacred and the secular. Even within the church we find ourselves talking about ’social’ gatherings and ’spiritual’ gatherings as if they were somehow separate. If our fellowship, fun and relaxation are not entirely spiritual then to be honest, we’re in trouble!

We sense an increasing desire amongst us as a people to move beyond the superficial levels of church membership towards real-life, authentic Christianity. More and more of us want to discover what it is to truly live as a Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-empowered community. We’re not looking for clever structures or techniques – just life in the Spirit as God intended it to be.

If you’re thirsty for this kind of life, and you’re willing to give whatever it takes, why not make a start by coming along to our three ‘Life in the Spirit’ meetings starting Monday 21st April. Check out the details below for more information.

LIFE IN THE SPIRIT
Three meetings to equip you for everyday life in the Spirit!
Monday 21st April, Monday 19th May, Monday 9th June
7.30pm – 9.30pm, King’s House

Worship, teaching and dynamic Holy Spirit ministry to help you live
every day in the flow of the Holy Spirit.

THESE MEETINGS ARE ONLY FOR THE THIRSTY!

“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” – Romans 1:16-17 (NIV)

As a Church, we had a great time out on the streets of Manchester last week. Our mission to bring God’s word to the city was further advanced. We had a great time Making Jesus Famous to the inhabitants of Greater Manchester. We had many wonderful opportunities to talk and pray with hundreds, if not thousands of people in Manchester City Centre about the love & life of Jesus Christ.

As a result, we saw people saved and people healed as were out on the streets of central Manchester. Praise God! – he is on the move in our city.

We also had an excellent time at an “Outdoor Praise” event in Piccadilly Gardens on Saturday. Over 150 members of the church gathered to bring praise and glory to King Jesus right in the heart of the centre of Manchester. It was really exciting to be so visible and vocal in the centre of the city with the life changing message of Jesus Christ!

As part of the week of mission, we also ran an ‘evangelistic’ meal at King’s House last thursday. Over 200 people attended this event. Richard preached an excellent gospel message and people responded to the appeal at the end.

Members of the church who got involved throughout last week spoke about how easy it was to talk with people about Jesus. We found that many people were willing to hear what we have to say about the gospel of Christ. We believe that Manchester belongs to Jesus and he has given it to us as His Church as our inheritance. Every place where we put our feet is ours. The city belongs to God. The people of Manchester are destined for the Kingdom of God!

We believe that mission and evangelism are not one off events or for a few ‘keen’ people. Our corporate declaration is that ‘We are not ashamed of the Gospel’. Let’s continue to share Jesus with those who don’t yet know him at every opportunity. Let’s be inspired and passionate about our mandate to ‘Go and Make Disciples of all Nations’ (Matt 28:18-20). Let’s continue to remember that we are a ’sent’ people, called to do ‘greater works’ than even Jesus did when we move in the anointing of the Holy Spirit. We have a glorious inheritance – let’s continue to claim Manchester & the Nations for Jesus this week!

Sunday 2nd March was an exciting day for King’s Church in Greater Manchester. As we gathered together in our Sunday meetings we prayed for 27 pioneering men and women as we planted them into Salford to become a brand new church community.

New Life Church in Salford has wasted no time and is already meeting in homes across the city. They hold their first Sunday meeting at 10.00am on 9th March at the Vue Cinema (Screen 7) at the Lowry Designer Outlet in Salford Quays. They’re due to launch their own website at http://www.newlifesalford.org/ by Saturday 8th March so why not click on the link to find out more about them.

As Richard Anniss addressed us on Sunday 2nd March, he reminded us in King’s Church that God has called us to have an impact right across the region of Greater Manchester, as well as around the world. He urged us, along with Christian brothers and sisters throughout God’s church, to take possession of the land that God has given us.

We believe New Life Church in Salford will be the first of many church plants in our region. Richard also reaffirmed our commitment to our vision of a large and influential church with thousands of members right here in the centre of Manchester. As we plant people out to form new churches, we expect to see many more added as we continue to proclaim the gospel of the Kingdom of God. There’s certainly no sense of sitting back or slowing down in King’s Church.

- Caroline George challenges King’s Church members to go all the way with

When I look back over the past year I feel excited about what God is doing with us as a church. He’s bringing us into something new and different to anything he’s done before, He’s increasing our revelation of how we need to be living our lives.

In March 2007 when Keri was speaking he finished by saying:

“You’re going to see a huge increase in people coming to Christ and a huge increase in the healing of people you never thought would be healed, gifts of the Holy Spirit will be common place with regular testimonies of how he has used you. This church has never been in a better place than now in all its history for there is a sound of abundance of rain”

I’ve been in the church for 23 years and have known the goodness of God and experienced some powerful encounters during that time, but I felt in my spirit at that moment a great sense of agreement and excitement. The Holy Spirit inside me spoke -”that’s the truth”! It was a ‘now’ word to me. I just know without a doubt that we will experience the reality of the word Keri brought.

In Numbers 13 we read the story of the Israelites camped at the brink of the Promised Land. We as a church are camped at the brink of the Promised Land. The Promised Land is our rightful inheritance; it is those things God has promised us: salvation, miracles, healing, cities and nations bowing before the throne of Jesus. All these things are a part of what normal Christian living should be.

Through the words that have come to us as a church recently God has clearly shown us what He wants to do at this point in time. We need to ensure we hear and do what God is telling us. God wants to encourage us to move into everything he has got for us, bringing the realities of heaven down onto earth.

Are we those who respond with faith to what God is telling us to do? Or do we look at the problems and difficulties? Don’t waste years wandering in the wilderness. God doesn’t want any one of us to miss his purposes for our lives.

In Joshua we read the story of the Israelites ready to enter the Promised Land; however they were required to do 2 things before going in. Firstly Joshua commanded them to consecrate themselves, Joshua 2 v24. “Consecrate” means to set ourselves apart for God’s use. The Israelites had to show their willingness to lead consecrated lives before they entered the Promised Land.

The other thing the Israelites had to do before they could enter the Promised Land was take a step of faith. Joshua 3v 15 tells us that it was only when the priests had stepped in the River Jordan that the water piled up. They had to make that initial step of faith. Even once they had crossed the river into the Promised Land that was only the start. In order to take hold of all the land that God had given them they had to continue to move into it step by step, listening to God and fully obeying his instructions.

Likewise we have to be willing to take those initial steps of faith and then continue to walk in all God calls us to do. Obedience is a signal to God that says I am ready to go the next step.

God’s intention and plan for the Israelites was always to lead them fully into the Promised Land but Numbers 32 tells us that some of the tribes chose to stay on the wilderness side of the River Jordan. God hasn’t brought us out of slavery to sin not to experience the fullness of what He has purposed for us, our Promised Land.

God is looking for his people to become all that he intended them to be, people who rule and reign in life with Him. We need to be consumed by passion for Him, willing and obedient, a consecrated people, prepared to step out in faith.

In Genesis 32v24-30 Jacob wrestled with God. He held on and refused to let go until he received a blessing. We need to have the same attitude that we will passionately pursue God and the things he wants to do through us. It’s not enough to just make it across the river. We need to fight against principalities and powers for the territory God has promised us, our city. The great thing is we know we already have the victory! This is God’s call to us as a church.

Do we want to be like those who settled on the wilderness side of the Jordan knowing a measure of Gods blessing but never experiencing the fullness of his promises?
OR
Are we going to enter fully into our Promised Land and claim our rightful inheritance? Don’t we want to be those who enter into everything God has got for us where salvation, healing and miracles are part of our everyday living. That is what normal Christian living is, it’s what Jesus did, it’s what the disciples did and it is what we are here to do.

Which side of the river do you want to be on?