The Tipping Point Season
JULIAN ADAMS • April 6, 2018
There is a shift coming to the body of Christ. In this talk, Julian shares a prophetic word for the Church, we are entering a “tipping point season”.
– Transcript
Julian: Wow. We are living in some exciting days, aren’t we?
Congregation: Yeah.
Julian: I love what God is doing. I so love being part of this team at Harvest. It’s such an incredible privilege to be part of the senior leadership team alongside George and Rich and their wives, and Patrick and Carol. And I love what God’s doing, and I do wanna encourage you, we need 2 million Rand, which is not a lot of money.
Man: No, it’s not.
Julian: I’m gonna talk to the congregation over here quickly. We need 2 million rand which is not a lot of money, because God has spoken over this house to Ian and numbers of other people to planted this… It’s so cool. I think I saw John Carrie somewhere. There he is. This is the man who’s responsible for all of this, and planted this where no one was living around Durban, Umhlanga area, okay? It wasn’t very popular to be here. And planted a church that is now, I believe, getting ready in an increased measure to serve the city.
Ian and Rosanne have always had an incredible anointing to host the move of God for a city and for a region. And I believe that’s what we now get the privilege of doing as Harvest. And we need to create a facility that’s not just brilliant because we want it to be brilliant, it’s not just creative because we want it to be creative, but it’s because it’s an opportunity for the city to come into a space where they feel loved, welcomed, served well, and they can encounter God.
And so you…we’ve got a number of conferences happening, coming up over the next few months. We’ve got Accelerate in April which is our cotton conference, as well as Renaissance, which is gonna be one of our key conferences this year, which is gonna serve people from all over South Africa. And so I wanna encourage you would you partner in faith and dig deep and give lots of money.4
I’m just gonna be very cheeky. George might kick me out here. You know the Bible says in…I think it’s 1 or 2 Timothy, that we are to command the rich. Do you know that? Elders and senior leaders are to command the rich as to what to do with their money. Now, if you do not have to think about food or the clothes that you’re wearing or the place you’re gonna sleep tonight, you are in the top 80% of high-income earners in the world, which means you are rich. It’s got so quiet in this church, suddenly.
And I want to invite you, not because we want to give to a building, but because you want to give to lives changed, to invest in this.
Man: That’s good.
Julian: Amen. That’s not my sermon, but I thought I’d throw that in. I want you turning your Bibles please to Acts chapter 10 and verse 44. And while you do, I wanna start off by saying this, I wanna caveat this message before I start to preach, that although I am known as a prophetic minister all across many, many different nations now, and I get to prophesy over some incredible people. Just this last few months, I’ve prophesied over diplomats and actors and significant, high net worth individual people, as well as some of the poorest of the poor, and it’s an incredible privilege to do that. I love when God gives me the opportunity to do that, and I love the prophetic.
I love all of the symbolism of the prophetic. I love the way God uses certain nuances to communicate to us, but I am not one of those crazy prophets. Well, maybe a little bit. I’m not always looking for a particular sign. I’m not always looking for a particular word to try and confirm something. I do not ever get woken up by God, and so I love it when people say to me, “You know, 3:00 this morning, I was awoken by an angel.” And I’m like, “That doesn’t happen to me. I have a deal with Jesus.” His word says, “He gives his beloved good rest.” So I don’t like being woken up. But on Thursday, God woke me up at 3:00 in the morning, which is very inconvenient because I love my sleep.
I know I’m killing a few religious cows right now, but I don’t mind. “Religious cows make the best burgers,” somebody once said. Obviously, God can wake you up. I’m not being offensive. Don’t worry, but God woke me up, which is not the usual thing He does with me at about 3:00 in the morning, and it was one of those weird encounters. And I wanna unpack that, and I’m trusting that God’s gonna communicate something of His heart to us, because I believe that when you understand the season you’re in, you get the maximum benefit of that season, right? If you sowing in a season of reaping, you’re wasting your seed, right?
It’s important for you to understand what season you’re in, the time that you’re in, because the Bible says in Ephesians that we are to redeem the times. It literally means we’re to redeem the opportune moment. We can’t let it go amiss. We gotta grab a hold of it because, in those moments, it seems like God does a whole lot more than He does at other times. And this is not about our performance. It’s not about what we need to do, but it is about recognizing who He is, because sometimes God will alert us to what He is doing in a heightened way so that we have our faith levels lifted and believe him for more of the impossible.
And so God woke me up at about 3:00 on Thursday morning, which is quite unusual because it was so jolly hot in the room, and I needed to put on the air con. Katia and I have thermostat issues. She is always cold. I’m always hot. And so I was like, “I can’t handle this. You gotta put the air con on,” went back to sleep, and I felt the Lord say to me, “I’m wanting to get your attention, son,” which I replied, “But Lord, I’m sleeping.”
And as I did that, the phone began to ring next to our bed, our landline, three times. Now, our number’s unlisted. We don’t give that number to anyone. And we hardly ever use that line because we use our mobile phone, and it began to ring three times at different times. And Katia was like, “Oh, man, this phone.” And I was like, “That is so weird,” and immediately, into my mind popped a Sunday school verse that I used to remember and memorize when I was a young boy from Jeremiah 33 verse 3, that popped into my mind, which is the telephone number of God. That’s what they used to tell us. “Call to me and I will answer you and I will show you great and marvelous mysteries.” That’s what Jeremiah 33 verse 3 says, and God said to me, “Son, I want to get your attention.” And I knew I needed to listen at that point. You don’t wanna mess with God at 3:00 in the morning.
So I said, “Okay, God. You’ve got my attention.” And as I began to focus in on His presence, how many of you know that heaven is a co-existing reality? You don’t need to work hard to enjoy the presence of heaven. You don’t have to work hard to access the realm of heaven. It’s a co-existing reality. All you need to do is become more aware of that reality. When you do, you enter into heavenly atmosphere and you get to live from that place. It’s very simple. It’s not difficult. And as I began to become aware of the presence of God around me, I sensed His presence in a heightened way, I was aware that I was in the throne room. I was aware that I was in this moment of the intensity of God’s presence. And in that moment, I was reminded of a friend of mine, Matt Hogarty.
Katia and I were just bringing into senior leadership team a couple at their church last weekend, which is why we weren’t here. Went and lay hands on them, brought them into senior leadership, and Matt made a throwaway comment seemingly. He said, “We are in a tipping point season.” And I remember thinking, “Oh, that’s lovely.” You know, I hear some of that often. You know, people read Malcolm Gladwell’s book, and its like, “Oh, tipping point, tipping point.” And I was like, “Cool. But as I became aware of the presence of God at around about 3:00 on Thursday morning, I felt the Lord say to me, “Son, you and the church are coming into a tipping point season.”
And I immediately began to see these bowls in heaven and they were being filled with the very prayers of the saints, they were filled with worship, referring to Revelation. It’s a biblical picture in Revelation Chapter 5, there are these bowls in heaven. And I was so aware of worship that was happening around the throne. I can sense the presence of God even right now as I’m speaking. So aware of the tangible dynamic of God’s glory. I was also aware that there was an anticipation in heaven. There was the sense of heaven standing on tiptoe because something was about to happen, and I felt God say to me, “We are in a tipping point season. The church is in a tipping point season, where it’s almost like the tension of the wobble that begins to happen before something begins to clip. It’s happening in the spur.
And I felt God sending me the thing about a tipping point is that when something reaches a tipping point, there’s nothing you can do to stop the tipping point from happening. Now, as I’m speaking, you’ll notice that there is rain happening and thunder and lightning, and I don’t want to be super spiritual because everything is spiritual, right? But when I first started coming to Durban, the Lord spoke to me very clearly. He said, “Every time you need to bring a prophetic word to Durban, it will rain.”
And I know there are numbers of people in this room who have seen me in different contexts begin to prophesy over Durban. As I have done that, rains begin to come. It’s a sign that follows me, not only in Durban, but in other places, so this is not inconsequential that’s it’s raining right now, and God is wanting to highlight your attention. He’s wanting to build faith, the sign points to Him, okay? The sign is not the thing we get fascinated with. The sign points Him that we are in a tipping point season, and there is nothing that you can do to stop him from pouring out outrageous favor on you.
Woman: Come on.
Julian: That’s a good word, Julian. And I felt God begin to remind me of a tipping point season in the book of Acts, and we’re gonna get there in a moment, but I want to encourage you if you are part of the Harvest family, you need to download this morning’s message by Richard. Richard preached an outstanding message of moving from a church-mindset to an apostolic mindset. What God is doing in this tipping point season is establishing this house and many other houses in the city, many other churches in the city as a genuine apostolic expression that begins to pull on heaven, so that what’s in heaven becomes a reality on earth. And I’m not just saying that because it’s a catchphrase to say. I’m saying that because God is about a transformative work. He’s about an apostolic work, and it’s not gonna be centered around one apostle, it’s going to be centered around an apostolic people.
It means we’re gonna find our space, our gift, and our grace and operate from that place. And so, if you can, turning your bibles Acts chapter 10 and verse 44, and I’m gonna ask Jesus to help me. Is there somebody in this section over here…? I wonder if we could just get some of this bank of light just down a wee bit. Somebody in this section over here, you… No, no, I don’t want the lights on. I want these lights in my face. This is why we need money.
I’m not even on paid staff and I’m asking you for that. Can we pull these lights down just a little bit, please? Just so that I can see… There’s someone in this section over here, you are a significant crossroads to do with your business right now. I think you’re working in the tech space possibly. You’re in a significant context where God is bringing you into incredible increase, but there’s like this gap that you need to take… In fact, I feel like over the last three or four weeks, you’ve had a number of meetings and conversations with some people, not in Durban, but outside of Durban. There’s like…I feel like Skype calls, and you’re asking God for confirmation. Can you put up your hand if that’s you? It’s got… You’re in tech space. Is that you? Would you stand? Thank you. Yay, God.
This is about a tipping point for you, all right? God is about to join the dots and bring you into space where you’re gonna have some connections. I don’t know why I’m seeing Germany over you, for some reason. I don’t know if you’re involved, or if you have any partners, or if there’s anything in Europe, but I feel like there’s going to be a significant door opening for you in Europe that is going to begin to release some favor for you here, because God is building you to be a resource base in the city for the nations. And there is any… You have an incredibly sharp mind. I see an ability to process numbers. I see an ability to put things in the right place very quickly. I see an ability to even probably numbers. I didn’t even know if you can do that, but I can feel like numbers being programmed.
And I feel like God is gonna begin to anoint your insight and wisdom in the tech space and your negotiating skills so there’ll be some closed even within the next two to three months. So get ready, God’s favor is on you. Amen.
If you’re not in Acts chapter 10 by now, give up. Acts chapter 10 and verse 44. “While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word and the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles, for they were hearing and speaking tongues extolling God. Then Peter declared, ‘Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. And then asked him to remain for some days.” That’s wisdom right there.
I love this particular juncture in the book of Acts. This is a moment of a tipping point for the church, and I want to pill some points out of, some moments out of that because I believe God wants to speak to our future family, and I believe God wants to speak to you as individuals wherever you’re from. This is a tipping point moment for the church. Peter has this incredible encounter with God where he falls into a trance. The word literally means to be caught up in ecstasy. It means he got real happy in God. He was so happy that he started seeing some visions. We need some of that tonight.
He has this incredible encounter with God and the result is that, Cornelius, who’s this man, a Roman centurion soldier who is a devout man, who prays to God and he gives a whole lot of money to the poor. God sees him and his prayers and his actions in giving money to the poor come up to God as a memorial. In other words, God could not get rid of this guy because his prayers and his giving to the poor meant that his face was before God all the time. That’s pretty awesome. I want to be like that in my prayer life, like, “Oh, my gosh, it’s Julian again.”
Literally, he came up before God as a memorial. In other words, he was literally standing there like a memorial stone saying, “Hey, remember me. Remember me.” And he has this incredible encounter. The Bible says, “He was in a visionary encounter when an angel appeared to him.” Some of us don’t really like talking about angels because we all think we’ve gone a little bit spooky, and we’re gonna try to worship angels. Can I just say those angels are real, and they are some of the most bored spiritual beings at the moment because many of us do not know how to access the realm of the spirit. We don’t know how to access the angelic realm and partner with heaven, so the angels begin to do bidding on behalf of God for us.
Like, if you’re not inviting the Holy Spirit along with all of his angels to help you in your business, you’re probably not doing that great in your business.
Man: Amen.
Julian: But there’s all this supernatural activity and it’s at this juncture that God’s about to open up a door so that the rest of the world, those who are not…people who come out of Israel, people who are not Jews, will suddenly have access into salvation. It is a pivotal moment for church history. This is possibly the most important tipping point in church history since the resurrection. And something’s about to happen because the Holy Spirit’s about to be poured out upon some Gentiles.
I always say this, moving from a church mindset to apostolic mindset, means we’ve got to leave something behind in order to embrace something new. It means that sometimes, you’ve got to leave the structures and the way you’ve done things up until now, in order to get into the new space. When a tipping point season happens, you have to understand that what you’ve been holding on to will not withstand what God’s about to pour out on you.
Man: Yeah, it’s good. It’s good.
Julian: And so in every context where there’s an apostolic motion, where there’s an apostolic advance, and by apostolic I simply mean, releasing the kingdom of God’s government on the earth. It means that it moves beyond church buildings, it moves beyond meetings to establishing a foundation and a government that significantly transforms culture. What happened in Acts chapter 10, we are still reaping the benefit of because God chose one man, the centurion soldier, to change the culture of Rome, so that it paved the way for the evangelization of the nations.
A man who oversaw 80 people who happened to be in government. Somebody help me here. What God’s about to do is not going to be contained in the four walls of a building. And in order for anyone to be an apostle, you have to be someone who is connected and plugged in to supernatural activity. You can’t… Some people talk about being an apostle and they lead apostolic movements. What they mean is we have a big church and we happen to plant many churches. That is not apostolic. That is wonderful management.
Don’t call yourself an apostle unless you start showing up and showing up with some Kingdom signs and wonders. It’s in the bible. Paul says in Corinthians, “These are the marks or the signs of an apostle.” They’ve had an encounter with Jesus face-to-face. They move in signs and wonders and miracles, and they produce many sons and daughters who do the same. I’m gonna move on quickly because we’re all loving apostolic movements right now, but the reality is that the only apostolic movement on the face of the earth is not some network started by a man. Paul did not set out to start an apostolic movement. He joined the kingdom movement that Jesus had already begun.
And we’re gonna have to shift something in our thinking that God wants to release us as the people of God to join the movement of the kingdom. That signs and wonders breakout wherever we go. That the only way we do strategy as the people of God, is not by sitting down with pen and paper and planning what we do next, it’s by responding to heavenly vision.
Paul, when he stands before King Agrippa in Acts… He doesn’t say, “King Agrippa, I was obedient to the strategy that I wrote out in the desert.” He says, “I was obedient to the heavenly vision I received.” You see, we’re a people of the Spirit because we are responding to prophetic revelation and we strategize along what Holy Spirit is doing. It’s why nothing’s ever gonna be predictable in our meetings. Nothing’s ever going to be predictable in the way we plan our year. Nothing’s ever gonna be predictable in the way we do things. Oh, Lord Jesus.
And I believe God’s bringing us to a tipping point, but before we get to the tipping point there has to be a convergence. There has to be a gathering of momentum. There has to be a point where things begin to meet so that it begins to tip on over and the bowls that are in heaven begin to spill out all over the earth and we’ll begin to see things change around us. And there’s three things I wanna touch on in terms of converging points out of this encounter. The first thing I want to say is God chooses to answer a man who happens to be a man who prays, and it happens to be a man who has concern for the poor.
The bible says, “He was a devout man.” In other words, he was devoted, and being devoted is not about a habitual packing of doing the same thing every day. Being devoted is about a posture of extravagant worship. And how many of you know that Cornelius did not have a revelation of God as Father because he had no encounter of the Jewish God other than what he could observe from the outside? But he knows enough about this God that the Jews serve that if he just begins to focus on Him… Now, you need to understand, in Rome at that time, he could have served hundreds of other gods. But he’s choosing to go after this God, and he somehow gets this into his heart that, “If I give to the poor, there’s going to be some blessing for me in that.”
“He who gives to the poor lends to God,” that’s what the Proverb says. And there’s something about our worship that cannot simply be horizontal. It’s going to be released in justice and mercy wherever we go. You cannot come to church and talk to a good God and live in that space of encountering Him without impacting your wallet concerning the poor, the broken, and those who are vulnerable. It means you cannot just simply go, “Let’s put five bucks in to the Honestly fund. Oh, it’s so quiet, suddenly.
We can’t just drop 5,000 rand into the village fund. No, no, no, no, no. Jesus said, “The poor will always be among you.” We think of that as an excuse to tolerate the poor, but I want to tell you that’s not what the bible is saying, and that’s not what Jesus is saying. He is saying, “The poor you should have among you, in your family.” Help me… It means that if your heart is not moved to love on the poor and the broken, if it’s not moved to impact your wallet, if it’s not moved to engage, to catch, to hug, to love, something is wrong in your encountering of a good God.
I know you all came for the happy prophetic word, but here’s the deal. What I love about this is that this man’s devotion had to spill out to those around him. I’m so excited. I know there are numbers of prayer initiatives that’s happening. We’ve got City Story that’s happening, you know, once a month on a Thursday night where we’re praying and believing God for a citywide impact. This is the city of which William Branham who is one of the greatest prophets that ever lived said he’s never encountered the power of God in any other place like this. This is the city that my friend Terry Virgo who in Ian and Rosanne Gourlay’s church… Oh, this is the town.
In Ian and Rosanne’s church in Amanzimtoti, writing his book, he has never ever felt the power of God as clearly as he did in those meetings. I am telling you, God wants to do something for the city. And it’s something about when God begins to shake people up to begin to pray and things like City story begins to pop up or then we have our 24th in house of prayer that’s happening here at Harvest once a month where we’re praying for 12 hours believing God for something to shift.
Listen, one man who oversaw 80 people in his regiment shifted something for the whole entire earth simply because he prayed to a God that he didn’t even know, but he could see He was good. Imagine what your prayers can do because you got a revelation of the goodness of God. I wonder if we have maybe become a little bit dismissive of prayer movements because of what we think is excess, and we kind of have this little saying, you know, “You can’t just pray. You need to do something.” Prayer is doing something. I’m gonna say that again. Prayer is doing something. Listen. I no longer say that when I pray for people, nothing happens because there’s a bowl in heaven that is getting filled with what I’m asking God for in faith. And sooner or later, somebody’s prayer is gonna land in that bowl and tip that whole thing on me.
When I pray for the sick, and people come to me and say, “Oh, you know I’ve had Benny Hinn pray for me, Reinhard Bonnke pray for me, had Bill Johnson pray for me. I’ve had all the greats pray for me and nothing has happen.” I wanna readjust their lens because no prayer is ever wasted in the kingdom. Like if what the bible says is true, and I believe it to be entirely true and trustworthy, then there’s a bowl in heaven that is getting filled up with prayers from all over the world that’s about getting ready to be poured out somewhere.
When you pray something always happens. We’re coming into a convergence where God begins to meet many things together and boom, there’s a tipping point. And prayer and our pursuit of justice and mercy. I don’t know about you. I’ve got some friends who…I mean, I can’t mention their names, who are planting schools in the worst war-torn countries in the world, in Syria, in Iraq. They’re planting schools and bringing justice and mercy. And this is not, you know, rough and tough people. This is a young lady looks like she could be Miss America, blond hair, you know, eyelash extensions, manicured nails, you know what it’s all like. And there she is having to be protected by angels in the worst of the worst of the worst because she’s convinced that what she does has an impact. When mercy collides with prayer, something begins to shift over a region. I’m gonna say that again. When mercy collided with prayer, something shifts over a region.
If your prosperity does not lead you to be on who extends…oh, help me Jesus, mercy to the poor… Oh, I’m gonna just… Can I be cheeky? Help me Jesus. Can I ask you, as a man of color, who’s had our family land taken from us forcibly not to reduce the arguments about land t one single thing, because it’s a whole lot more layered. Oh, it’s gone so quiet suddenly. It’s a whole lot more layered than you think. And can I ask you to find the heart of God, not about how the government should respond, but how we as those who have more should respond.
Because the issue is not about who’s got what, the issue is about being generous with all that you have. That’s what the Bible commands. I’ll move on quickly. That wasn’t supposed to come out, but it did come out there. God bless you. The second converging point, which is so important for us to understand, and I must press on because I don’t wanna keep you forever, is that God redefined Jewish culture with heavenly culture. Now, I’m gonna kill some holy cows right now, but please forgive me. This is the most definitive moment in the book of Acts. And God’s aim is not to bring us back under the law.
He doesn’t tell us to become more Jewish in order to become more Christ-like. Help me Jesus. I’m gonna kill some holy cows. You can wave your Jewish flags all you want. That’s not what’s happening here. What’s happening here is a breaking out of law and legalism, and God begins to break in to a space that was never supposed to happen. Listen, Peter, a few months earlier decides to cut off the ear of a soldier because he was trying to defend Jesus. This is the same Peter who’s going, “I want to make Jesus King forcibly because we hate the Romans. We hate the imperialism of the Romans and how they force us to be who they want us to be.”
So when a sheep falls out of heaven and God says, “Eat whatever you like,” and then says, “There’s some Roman soldiers who are coming up to you right now, you need to go with them.” Do you just go, “What? Are you for real?” Because everything inside of him will just say, “This goes against my cultural preference.” If we’re to move into a tipping point, we’re gonna have to let go of old structures, old wiring schemes, old leadership styles, old revelations to skip into the new. Everything Peter knew was like if you were a Jew, you should never hang out with a Gentile.
But I’m so glad that Jesus took that on his head and he established a new covenant, and he said that, “Now wherever you go, that place becomes clean because you showed up.” Something has to shift in our hearts from what we expect of our cultural preference. Our cultural musical style. Nice, little skinny jeans, white boy rock. And I’m pulling off some skinnies tonight. That moves us into space where we expect the unexpected. That moves us into a place where we’re not holding onto the way it is always been. I’ve been a pillar English church. That’s the problem. You’ve not moved for a long while.
Oh, I can see the hate mail coming now. Peter has to replace spirit-filled revelation over traditional expectation. Listen. We like to think that we’re, like, new church, you know? We’re charismatics, we’re new church, we don’t meet in steeples. We, you know, we have nice church now. We have drums. We’re no longer fuddy-daddies dressed up, you know, in a dress and call him “Father.” It’s all fine now. We’re the new church. Pioneering. We’ve been around long enough to have some traditions that will block us off from this coming move of God if we do not position ourselves under the tipping point of his favor. Shika bazooka. Help me Jesus.
The third thing that happens… Actually, let me just touch on this. Sorry. We have to get over old structure and come into a living structure. Friends, there is no space for nostalgic reference points in the Kingdom because the Kingdom is about a future reality breaking in right now. You cannot keep going, “But you know when I was 25 this is how we used to do it. This is how we used to do it God two days ago,” because we’re living a future Kingdom breaking… We’ve not seen what it yet looks like because it’s future.
Thirdly, convergence point number three. Speedy obedience. I’m teaching my little son, Ezekiel, and Lord Jesus help me, this might not be working so well after tonight. I said to him, “Son, slow obedience is no obedience.” And he still does what he wants. But here’s the deal. Peter is mixed of having a heavenly encounter and God says to him, “There’s a Roman soldier and two servants are coming to you. I want you to go with him.” He interrupts his encounter and obeys God and immediately goes with him. And this convergence of God, where the tipping point begins to happen, we must be a people who obey quickly.
Though we go twiddle our thumbs hoping for the sweet by and by, but we begin to step into what God is doing now. Now. You see, for many of us, we only express our faith in a passive agreement with what God says rather, than in active participation with what God says. You see, I can believe in the principle of sowing and reaping, but that doesn’t mean, I am participating in faith with the principle of sowing and reaping. Can I please get an “Amen?”
Congregation: Amen.
Julian: Faith requires obedience. It does not require understanding. Faith does not require understanding, it requires obedience. The bible talks about the obedience of faith. You see, many of us, we wanna understand before we step out in faith. The problem is faith only operates in the realm with the unseen and the unknown. It’s why Hebrews says, “It’s by faith that we understand.” It’s not by understanding that we have faith.
And I wanna call you to live a reckless life of holy expectation that when God speaks to you, you’re ready to move. You’re obedient. And it’s out of these three converging points that the tipping point happens and the Holy Spirit falls upon this household. And the door, for us as Gentiles, begins to open up. And here’s what I wanna say about the Holy Spirit’s outpouring. Now, when the Holy Spirit is poured out, one of two things are gonna happen to you. You’ll either celebrate it or you will be offended by it.
When the Holy Spirit is poured out there is no room for indifference. Listen. These guys, the Jewish people who were with Peter, were all circumcised as a sign of their covenant to God. And what God intended as a provocation to the nations so they would know that this covenant-keeping God was on the people of Israel, Israel began to use as a distinctive that produced spiritual elitism and a separation mentality that rather than inviting the nations in, they began to say, “We’re it.” Help me here Jesus. The minute you think that your group, your church, your home group, your revelation is it, you’re in danger of operating under a religious work. Shika bazooka.
What was supposed to signify the covenant-keeping nature of God became this thing of, “I’ve got it, you don’t. And you don’t get to join.” I wonder of our churches and many of our contexts have become a spiritually elite club that rather than inviting the nations in, has become a context that separates us from them rather than engaging with them. I remember when the Holy Spirit began to be poured out in Toronto in 1994. How many of you were around for those days? There were some wild and heady days, where Holy Spirit was being poured out, people were falling out, laughing, getting drunk in the Holy Spirit, shaking. There was some outrageous phenomena that I still can’t make sense of today.
And I remember people saying things like, “Oh, that’s that Toronto church in Canada, you know? Those holy rollers, these people who like falling out.” “Oh, you know, they’re so into like phenomena and manifestations, not really God.” Or, “You know, they don’t really preach the bible that well there. Can’t be God.” Or, “You know, those people just go there for the prophetic word. They go there for the personal ministry.” We’re not into that, we’re into the real stuff.
The move of God will always cause you to either celebrate it or be offended by it.
Man: That’s right.
Julian: You know what happened 24 years later? I just wanna give you three examples of what’s happened. I love that move of God. Heidi Baker encountered God in Toronto in 1994. She has since planted over 5,000 churches. She now has 10,000 churches all over the world in 20 different nations. And seen countless thousands of people get saved, has shifted the demographic of Mozambique to be a majority Christian nation, when just under 10 years ago, it was a majority Muslim and animistic nation.
Those people who fall out and do that Holy Spirit stuff, gold dust… I mean, no. Can’t be God. Or let’s talk about Randy Clark who will soon be published in the medical journal in America. Helping people understand that faith-filled prayer should be a viable option for people who are terminal, because you’ve got so many documented encounters of people who have got healed. Somebody help me here. Oh, this one is good. It’s just gonna tickle you funny, this one. Nicky Gumbel, the vicar in an Anglican church. Oh, Lord. That traditional old wineskin.
The other greatest church body movement in England at the moment is in the Church of England. But listen to this. During the move of the Holy Spirit, they filmed the Alpha course. If you look at the original Alpha course, you’ll see Nicky Gumbel getting quite tipsy in the Holy Spirit. Here’s the result. Around 1.2 million people in the UK alone have done the Alpha course. Twenty-three million people worldwide have done the Alpha course in 169 nations or countries. And just to throw this one in, the archbishop, the current archbishop of Canterbury got saved on an Alpha course.
But you know that move of God, there’s a little bit of excess. You gotta, you know… When tipping point happens, it’s messy, it’s outrageous, it’s excessive. So I wanna ask you, do you wanna step into tipping point because I can tell you that you’ll either be offended by what God’s about to do in this next season in South Africa, in this next season in the church, or you will celebrate it. I find it outrageous that God takes one man of peace and he opens the whole Gentile world to receive the gospel of peace.
I wonder if we have some people in government in this room tonight that God’s setting up for a tipping point. I wonder if we’ve got some people in business here tonight that God’s just getting ready for a tipping point that could actually impact nations. I wonder if we’ve got doctors in this room here that God’s just getting ready for you to come up with some incredible ideas that would solve some of the most complicated medical procedures. I wonder if God is getting business people and medical faculty together to find mission into the worst parts.
I wonder if we’re in a tipping point that’s gonna move us out of having a, “ring-a-ring O’ Roses, we all fall down,” in church meeting, which I love. To being a people who take what we have in here and begin to network, begin to connect, begin to find each other in the city for the sake of the city, because I believe we’re coming into a tipping point mode. And you can do nothing to stop what God’s about to do. But you can miss it by not standing under the full weight. I don’t want a little splash over. I want to be right in the middle of that fountain when the overflow happens, when the ball gets tipped over, when suddenly, favor that I just cannot handle and so I have to call some other boats to come and help me.
But you need to know it’s gonna look different, it’s gonna be full of Holy Spirit activity, and it’s gonna start from a place of devotion. Outrageous worship. I wanna tell you last week we had an incredible time at church. I wasn’t here, but I heard some incredible stories that worship just took on a whole another level. This church, we’re getting ready for extended times of worship. And it’s gonna connect with prayer and an overspill of mercy.
You know, I heard this incredible story. I’ll end with this, of Angus Buchan and Mitchells Plain. I come from the Cape flats so I know what it’s like out there. Just don’t mess with me. I’m a gangster at heart. But I love what happened with Angus Buchan. Some gangsters walk up at the prayer gathering, and what does he done? He takes off his clothes and he gives them a bible. And, you know…yeah. Here’s the deal. Our worship isn’t moved to extend mercy. Man, I know. I’m wondering if we worshiping right. We’re at the tipping point, and you can either stand in the way of God’s favor and get as much as you can, or you can stand on the sidelines watching and waiting and thinking, “Let me just test and see if this might just be a real move of God.” And miss what God wants to do in this season for this generation, for the sake of this nation.
By Julian Adams
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January 3, 2025
We are living in a world of dramatic change. The relentless pace of development often leaves us breathless and exhausted. The demand for innovative ways of communicating, inventing, and staying ahead of cultural trends can feel daunting and demoralizing. It can push us into a space where we find ourselves trying to copy rather than be authentic, to imitate rather than create. This pressure can lead us to believe that we need to be more creative, and that our individual stories do not matter. But nothing could be further from the truth. Your story, no matter how small, matters and is powerful. One of the remarkable aspects of ancient manuscripts, like the Bible, is that they tell the stories of individuals whose lives may seem small and insignificant. Yet, God chose to make their lives a memorial of what He could do with a life that the world deems insignificant. The incredible power of the gospel is that it changes lives one at a time. God is as interested in the individual story as He is in redeeming the cosmos. The aim of the gospel is not just dealing with personal sin; it is about restoring individuals to a relationship with a kind Father. In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis beautifully said, "The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God." Justification addresses our standing before God, but our adoption invites us into a relationship with the Father. It allows us to partake of who He is and to live in a place of deep joy from who He is. Romans 3:23 reminds us that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Many of us forget that the work of salvation has turned this verse around. Through Jesus, we have been restored to the glory of God. One description of the word "glory" refers to the divine quality, the unspoken manifestation of God, and splendor. It is the revelation of God's intrinsic worth and beauty. Do you see that? We have been restored to His divine quality, splendor, and beauty. In a world where it can be easy to feel like just another face in the crowd, remember that your story is significant. Your experiences, your journey, and your voice matter. Embrace the unique narrative God has given you and let it shine. You are not just a spectator; you are a vital participant in God's grand story. Your authenticity, creativity, and individuality are valuable. As you navigate the rapid changes of our world, hold on to the truth that your story has power and purpose. God sees you, knows you, and has a plan for your life that is uniquely yours. Let us celebrate the beauty and significance of each individual story, knowing that together, we contribute to a tapestry of divine splendor and glory.
By Julian Adams
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July 17, 2024
Rejection is a powerful force that can shape the trajectory of our lives, often in ways we don't fully realize until much later. For me, this journey began in childhood. I was born with a cleft palate, which affected my ability to speak, and coupled with my passionate devotion to Jesus, I faced daily ridicule and rejection throughout my school years. My speech and my fervent faith made me a target, and I found myself isolated and misunderstood. Despite the rejection, something beautiful began to grow within me: a deep and abiding friendship with Jesus. Through profound encounters with the Lord, I began to walk in the prophetic. This newfound gift led me to public ministry, where I started releasing prophetic words. However, beneath the surface, I was carrying an immense amount of pain that I hadn't dealt with. This pain manifested as a lifestyle of performance, driven by the need for acceptance and validation. Though I was a new creation in Christ, I was living as if I were still bound by my old wounds. In Matthew 23:27-28 (MSG), Jesus describes the Pharisees as "manicured grave plots, grass clipped and the flowers bright, but six feet down it's all rotting bones and worm-eaten flesh. People look at you and think you're saints, but beneath the skin, you're total frauds." These words struck a chord with me because I realized I was living like a professional Pharisee. Outwardly, I appeared to have it all together, but inside, I was disconnected from the healing process that God wanted to take me through. This disconnect had a significant impact on my prophetic ministry. My words, especially those concerning sin, were often harsh and unkind, reflecting my damaged perspective of myself and the world. It wasn't until I began to address my heart issues that my approach to the prophetic truly changed. God started speaking to me about the connection between my gift, my performance, and my worth. Through this process, He took me back to moments of pain and difficulty from my childhood and even into my adult life. In one profound moment, God said to me, "Son, I want you to grow up and be a child." This statement might seem paradoxical, but it revealed a crucial truth: the posture of the kingdom is one of childlike fascination and trust. My journey into sonship transformed how I viewed the prophetic and how I ministered to others. No longer driven by judgment and legalism, I began to approach people with love, kindness, and the heart of the Father. Understanding my identity as a beloved child of God allowed me to see others through His eyes. This shift not only brought healing to my heart but also enabled me to minister more effectively and compassionately. Rejection and pain had shaped my early years, but God's love and healing power brought me to a place of wholeness. This journey has taught me that dealing with our heart issues is essential for authentic and impactful ministry. As we pursue wholeness, we open ourselves to deeper intimacy with God and greater effectiveness in serving His people. If you find yourself struggling with similar issues of rejection, pain, or performance, I encourage you to invite God into those wounded places. Allow Him to heal and transform you, just as He did for me. Embrace the posture of childlike wonder and trust, knowing that you are deeply loved and valued by your Heavenly Father. In this place of wholeness, you will find the freedom to live and minister authentically, reflecting the heart of God to a world in need.
By Julian Adams
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July 21, 2023
In my years of teaching people the prophetic and how to hear God's voice, I've learned several practices that help people hear Him. Here are a few of my most helpful!
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