Intercessor Prophesies Jim Bakker Would Help Usher in Lord’s Return

Before Jim Bakker—host of The Jim Bakker Show and founder of Morningside—was widely known for his extensive work in television, he was a young college student at North Central University. Zealous for the Lord and hungry for the Spirit’s presence, 19-year-old Bakker only wanted to do two things: preach the gospel and heal the sick. During that time, a prophetic intercessor named Phil Halverson pronounced seven prophecies over Bakker at a prayer meeting. In an exclusive interview for my “In Depth With Stephen Strang” podcast, Bakker told me that all of those prophecies have come true except one—that he would help usher in the coming of the Lord.

In my interview with Bakker, he opened up to me about the early days of his ministry and how the Lord prepared him to pioneer the Christian television industry. He said he never gives these types of interviews because the secular press always skews his words, but since we’ve been friends for quite some time, he felt safe to share things with me he hasn’t shared with any other media outlet. He actually did two podcasts with me. You can listen to the first one by scrolling to the end of this article. In the second podcast, which releases next Friday on “In Depth With Stephen Strang,” Bakker shares more of his story and gives details about the fall of his former show PTL Club, his experience in going to prison, his vindication, and his eventual re-entrance into ministry with Morningside and a new television show.

In my first podcast with Bakker, he told me about an encounter with the Spirit that changed his life forever.

“I wanted the Holy Spirit, but I wanted it God’s way,” Bakker says of the night Halverson prophesied over him. “So Phil Halverson was there and called all those who wanted the Holy Spirit to come to the center of the room, and he was going to pray for us. … I received a baptism of the Spirit that was so real that I spoke in tongues all night long.”

At that meeting, Bakker received prophetic direction that eventually led him to walk in God’s call on his life for preaching and television.

“I was at the altar praying, and [Phil Halverson] laid hands on me,” Bakker says. “He gave me seven things. I won’t name them all, but they’ve all come true but one. And the one that hasn’t happened yet is that he said I would help usher in the coming of the Lord. He said, ‘You’re going to have questions. The first one is to be answered no and the second one is yes.'”

That sounded strange to Bakker, but not too long afterward, he found his first question. His brother was planning to build a restaurant in Chicago and asked Bakker to partner with him. Had Bakker not received that word from Halverson, he would’ve said yes. But the Spirit held him back.

The next question quickly followed when Aubrey Sara—whom Bakker calls one of the greatest men he’s ever met in his life—asked Bakker to preach with him.

“He asked me to hold a revival service in his church down in Burlington, North Carolina,” Bakker says. “I had never preached a revival in my life, but I’ve been preaching ever since.”

While working as an evangelist for Sara’s church, Sara helped Bakker get ordained with the Assemblies of God. Soon afterward, Pat Robertson began asking Bakker to help him work on The 700 Club for the Christian Broadcast Network (CBN). At first, Bakker felt that taking Robertson’s offer would be akin to backsliding. After all, he was preaching revivals, and Robertson wanted him to leave that to work on television.

“But Pat kept calling, and I began to pray,” Bakker says. “And I felt that God wanted me to go help him pioneer—this was the world’s first Christian TV station. … Pat loved me, I believe, very much. He was just like a dad to me, [even though] he was only 10 years older than I was.”

God used Bakker to help CBN raise money like never before. At first, CBN could never seem to raise enough money to meet their budget. Then Bakker did what others didn’t think to do.

“The night I began to tell the truth that Christian TV was broke and if they didn’t help, it was going to go under—that night, we met our budget for the first time,” Bakker says. “That’s when The 700 Club started. And that 700 Club was started in an anointing. … That night, souls began to get saved. Since that day, millions have been saved through Christian television.”

But after eight years of helping Robertson, God moved Bakker to California to help another Christian TV pioneer, Paul Crouch, with Trinity Broadcast Network (TBN).

“Paul told me, ‘There’s a TV station for sale, but I won’t even try for it unless you help me,” Bakker says. “I was the president [of TBN], and the company was started in my kitchen. … Everywhere I’ve been, I’ve left a trail of ministry. And that’s the greatest thing I have to give—that millions have been saved.”

And ultimately, that’s what Bakker says he truly cares about—saving souls and healing the sick. He remembers the day he felt the Lord call him to lay hands on the sick. He later became friends with healing evangelist Oral Roberts, whose healing miracles inspired Bakker’s desire for the supernatural.

“I loved Oral so much,” Bakker told me with tears in his eyes. “When I got to know him, he treated me with such respect. … Oral taught me things, and I used to watch his TV show when I was in Bible school and before I went to Bible school. And I would cry over people being healed. And I would say, ‘God, I want to do that. I want to heal people. I want people to get healed.'”

Soon, Bakker got to see those healing miracles in person. When later, he got involved in Christian television, he saw people healed during his meetings, even people outside the auditorium.

“I remember one lady was so crippled that she was just a twisted mess,” Bakker says. “And I remember laying hands on her, and she fell to the floor, just like a mess, all tangled up. And I said, ‘In the name of Jesus,’ and she stood up, and she was healed! She was amazingly healed!”

Bakker has learned plenty of lessons over the years, not just about Christian TV or God’s healing power, but also about His grace and forgiveness. There was so much Bakker had to share with me that we couldn’t fit it all into one podcast. So be sure to tune in next week to “In Depth With Stephen Strang” to hear about how God led Bakker through some of the toughest moments of his life, including going to prison and losing the ministry he worked hard to build. In that episode, Bakker shares several things he’s never shared publicly before, including how he was able to get back the name and brand for PTL, which had been lost. It’s an amazing story of God’s grace that the entire body of Christ needs to hear.

If Bakker’s story encouraged you in your faith today, share this article with a friend and let it do the same for them. May God bless you!



John Hagee Issues Urgent Prayer Request for Israel After Meeting With the White House

Pastor John Hagee, founder of Christians United for Israel, issued an urgent prayer request after meeting with White House officials about their plan for Israel and the Middle East.

“Our topic of discussion was discussing the forthcoming peace plan concerning Israel. Israel and the Jewish people need our prayers and our advocacy like never before,” Hagee says in a video posted to the CUFI Twitter page. “The Bible gives the command, ‘For Zion’s sake, I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake, I will not keep my peace.’ I urge you tonight to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.”

Hagee was one of several major charismatic leaders in attendance, including Jentezen Franklin, Paula White and Lance Wallnau.

The Trump administration has a Middle East peace plan in the works, but will not reveal details until after the Israeli elections in April.

Jason Greenblatt, assistant to the president and special representative for international negotiations, has been heavily involved with the plan.

“We will be presenting a plan that is fair, realistic and implementable, and something that could improve lives for Israelis, Palestinians and the region dramatically,” Greenblatt said. “There will have to be compromises, of course — the two sides cannot reach a comprehensive peace agreement without compromises. Whether we can achieve this remains to be seen.”

Greenblatt told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that he hopes that people on the outside “will focus on the good, and see the possibilities of a brighter future. And if the two sides are willing to engage, they will be the ones to work through the tough issues.”

He continued: “We’ve developed an economic plan in addition to the political plan, which is essential to not only make the political plan successful, but to make sure they can have the kinds of lives both Israelis and Palestinians deserve. The economic plan is essential to any success of the political plan.”

Greenblatt also thanked charismatic leaders for their support.



Don’t Turn a Blind Eye to This Atrocity on International Women’s Day

I don’t bake much, but when I do, it’s usually at Christmas.

I follow one of my grandmother’s most cherished recipes: her incredible, red-velvet chocolate cake. It’s hard work to get it right, but it’s worth it because of all the memories that come flooding back with that first bite.

While baking makes many of us think of the past, girls trapped in Thailand’s sex industry are eager to learn to bake so they can look to a brighter future.

That’s one of the reasons World Help is working to build a baking school in Pattaya, Thailand. This school will give young women the opportunity to gain job skills they can use to find work outside of the red-light district.

They will be able to find employment in places like restaurants, cafes and hotel bakeries. But their future can’t start until this baking school is complete. That’s why we are asking people to join us in this initiative, especially today on International Women’s Day.

Poverty Robs Women of Choices

In Thailand, there is incredible cultural pressure for women to financially support their families, and that often includes extended family. One woman may be taking care of her mother, brother and grandmother as well as her own children. I’ve met girls who were trying to bear the financial responsibility for up to 11 people in their household.

This burden makes young women desperate for work, especially those who grew up in poor, rural villages and could not afford to go to school.

They are often lured to cities like Pattaya by the prospect of job opportunities. Once they arrive, however, they often find their lack of education leaves them with one choice — working in the city’s booming red-light district.

As our partner in Thailand often says, “Poverty is the pimp.”

Every night thousands of girls in Pattaya sell their bodies so their families can survive. They’ve always felt like the sex industry was their only option. Until now.

The opportunity to learn a valuable trade at the new baking school will open up a world of possibilities for them to pursue.

Baking Can Make All the Difference

Baking is cutting edge in Thailand. Most people don’t have ovens in their homes. But cafes are becoming trendy, and baked goods are in high demand, which means trained bakers are in high demand, too.

Sopa know this, and she is hoping that baking will soon become her ticket out of poverty.

Sopa, whose name I’ve changed to protect her privacy, never received an education. Her family struggled in a Thai slum, and she was expected to find a job in order to provide.

“In the poor areas,” our partner explained, “there are extremely poor schools. So even if someone has academic potential, they don’t understand or know it. [Sopa] is one of those.”

At age 17, Sopa—like so many girls who work in the bars—was out of options.

Then, she was introduced to a Freedom Home … and to baking. Sopa was able to live in a safe family environment away from the pressures of the slum and the red-light district. She is attending a good school and has even discovered an exciting new hobby.

One of the staff taught Sopa and the other girls at the home how to make banana muffins. Sopa fell in love with the process and with the way she could make people happy with her culinary creations. Every day, she comes home from school and asks if she can bake something.

Today Is the Perfect Day to Empower Women

I’ll never forget my first trip to Thailand to visit with girls trapped in sexual slavery. I was shocked to see women standing up in from of dozens of men with numbers pinned to their clothing. They were literally being sold like animals.

Sex shouldn’t be for sale, and neither should a girl’s self-worth.

The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day is #BalanceforBetter, fighting for gender balance in the workplace and beyond. I hope you will join us today in helping create a little more balance in our world. Even learning how to bake a red velvet chocolate cake can help a woman find freedom from the sex industry.

{eoa}

Charisma News will launch the podcast series, “The Truth About Human Trafficking,” March 11. Visit CPNShows.com for the episodes, which will feature survivors, prosecutors and abolitionists, and subscribe on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts to catch these powerful interviews.

Noel Yeatts is the president of World Help, a Christian humanitarian organization. She’s an author, speaker and an advocate for social justice and humanitarian needs around the world. Find her at noelyeatts.com and on Twitter.



Why the Church Cannot Survive Without the Older Generations

In 1 Kings 12:1-15, King Rehoboam sabotaged the nation of Israel when he rejected the advice of his elders and instead only listened to his young friends and advisors. Kevin Jessip recently said on The Jim Bakker Show that the American church needs to be careful not to fall into the same trap as Rehoboam.

In the video, Jessip praises the faith and wisdom of the older generation, saying, “I believe, Jim, that the older generation today especially in the church—they’re the ones that built the church. They’re the ones that paid for the pews and the hymnals. And today it seems if you’re over 30 years of age, you’re not acceptable on the platform. But these people are the people that actually built the church. They’re the prayer warriors. They’re the intercessors. … These are the people that have gone before us. They’ve lined the way. They’ve walked with God. And His testimony of faithfulness in their lives is necessary to be imparted to the next generation.”

Watch Jessip’s full explanation of the importance of wisdom and older generations in this video.



John Hagee, Jentezen Franklin, Paula White Cain, Lance Wallnau Stand for Israel at the White House

CLICK HERE TO READ JOHN HAGEE’S RESPONSE TO THE MEETING.

Several charismatic leaders, including John Hagee, Jentezen Franklin, Paula White Cain and Lance Wallnau, stood with Israel at a White House meeting Thursday.

“I’m leaving the White House after a tremendous meeting on Middle East policy, things that we as evangelicals are very concerned about, peace in the Middle East, just some of the things that are going on, negotiations that are happening,” Franklin says in a video posted to social media.

“It’s a pretty exciting time, and a time that we need to be praying for the peace of Jerusalem, praying for our government, praying for our president and leaders as they are negotiating for peace.

“Just keep that in mind and do all that you can do on your knees in prayer and being vocal,” Franklin says.

Other leaders also shared their statements online.

The Trump administration is in the midst of rolling out an Israeli-Palestinian peace plan.

According to CNN:

The top US officials will share details of the economic portion of their peace plan with several wealthy Arab countries as they look to secure financial support for the economic plan, which is designed to boost the Palestinian economy if Israelis and Palestinians reach a political settlement. Even though the officials will not address the administration’s vision for a political settlement, the presentations will be the most significant to date of the administration’s closely held peace plan. …

Senior adviser Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt, the special representative for international negotiations, will offer up the details to their counterparts during a weeklong trip at the end of the month to Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, the senior White House officials said.

Kushner and Greenblatt will be looking for the countries to back the concepts of the economic plan, but will not be asking for immediate financial pledges, mindful that these governments will first want to see details of the political settlement the Trump administration plans to offer, two senior White House officials said.

Greenblatt told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency the Trump administration would not reveal the plan until after Israel’s April elections, but no formal deadline was set.

“We’ve developed an economic plan in addition to the political plan which is essential to not only make the political plan successful, but to make sure they can have the kinds of lives both Israelis and Palestinians deserve,” he said. “The economic plan is essential to any success of the political plan.”

Charisma News will update this story. {eoa}

Charisma News will launch the podcast series, “The Truth About Human Trafficking,” March 11. Visit CPNShows.com for the episodes, which will feature survivors, prosecutors and abolitionists, and subscribe on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts to catch these powerful interviews.



The Daily Guide That Helps Hundreds of Thousands of Men Become Kingdom Champions

Prompted by prolific author Zig Ziglar, Neil Kennedy made it a habit to read the book of Proverbs on a regular basis for more than three years before he became a believer in Jesus Christ.

It’s a daily discipline that Kennedy, who grew up in a home riddled with drug addiction, alcoholism and adultery, says revolutionized his life. The author of several books to help men become what God designed them for, Kennedy says that discipline can do the same for you, too.

“Reading Proverbs on a daily basis was what actually led me to come to faith in Christ,” says Kennedy, whose daily devotional, “The Daily Champion,” is read by more than 200,000 men each month. “It began to put a pattern in my life to give me wisdom and insight and lead me to a prudent life. After reading Proverbs regularly, all of a sudden everything began to change for me, and God began to direct my steps.”

Kennedy, who has spent more than 25 years doing kingdom work, says his website, fivestarman.com, was birthed in 2008 out of a word of knowledge he received from God to “build a movement to resurrect authentic manhood.”

“He didn’t tell me to build a ministry; he told me to build a movement,” Kennedy told Dr. Steve Greene on a recent episode of “Greenelines” on the Charisma Podcast Network. “He said to focus on men’s purposes, and men will cast off what constrains them. I learned years ago that anytime I think I hear something from the Lord, I need to write it down. That’s what I did.”

To learn more about Kennedy and FivestarMan, listen to the podcast below.



Prophetic Warning: Judas Spirit Rising Rapidly in This Season

We know the enemy always comes at an opportune time (Luke 4:13). He has deemed now an opportune time to enter people’s hearts with offense, ambition and other betrayal motivators.

Watch the video to learn more.



Why Praying in Tongues Can Bring You the Breakthrough You Need

What do you do when all hell breaks loose around you? You pray in the Spirit.

What do you do when circumstances, events and relationships become a consuming fire of disappointment? You pray in the Spirit.

What do you do when you have lost your way in the wilderness of life? You pray in the Spirit.

What do you do when there are no words that describe your pain human? You pray in the Spirit.

What do you do when you don’t know what the will of God is? You pray in the Spirit.

” Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses, for we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God” (Rom. 8:26-27).

My husband I recently have been going through a very difficult situation with a family member whom we love dearly. It has been heartbreaking for both of us to walk through this valley that was so unexpected. As I was sharing the emotional devastation of my pain with a friend, she reminded me of the power of praying in the Spirit.

“Carol,” this wise friend said, “I don’t know how to pray for this person whom you love so dearly, but the Holy Spirit knows how to pray, so let’s just spend some time together praying in tongues.”

And that’s what we did.

“Pray in the Spirit always with all kinds of prayer and supplication. To that end be alert with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints” (Eph. 6:18).

Since praying in the Spirit, my particular situation hasn’t changed yet, even though I believe that it will. However, I have changed. I have a greater measure of peace and of hope concerning this difficult road we are traveling. I have experienced a power surge in my spirit that has healed my weakened state. Rather than praying with my human understanding, I have determined that I will pray in the Spirit and allow the winds of God to blow across me and across this challenging life circumstance.

Let me explain it to you this way: If I were invited to have a meeting in the throne room with the king of a foreign country, I would certainly either learn the language of that country or I would bring with me the very best interpreter I could find. The same principle follows when we enter the throne room of our Father God. There is a language that is particular to His eternal kingdom. The native tongue of the kingdom of heaven is the language of the Holy Spirit. I can speak this language because I am filled with the Holy Spirit; I can also allow the Holy Spirit to interpret for me.

It’s true that the Father understands us and responds when we come to Him praying with our own understanding, but we should never ignore the power that enters a situation when we choose to pray in the Spirit.

“For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding” (1 Cor. 14:14-15).

How wonderful to know that we serve a God who is listening to our desperate prayers. How comforting to realize that God hears us when we reach out to Him in prayers of any kind. How powerful to understand that when we pray in the Spirit, we are choosing to align our hearts and our minds with the kingdom of heaven! {eoa}

Carol McLeod is an author and popular speaker at women’s conferences and retreats, where she teaches the Word of God with great joy and enthusiasm. Carol encourages and empowers women with passionate and practical biblical messages mixed with her own special brand of hope and humor. She has written 10 books, including The Rooms of a Woman’s Heart; Defiant Joy!; Holy Estrogen!; No More Ordinary; Refined; Joy For All Seasons; Let There Be Joy!; Pass the Joy, Please!; Guide Your Mind, Guard Your Heart, Grace Your Tongue; and Stormproof, which releases on March 1, 2019. Her teaching DVD, The Rooms of a Woman’s Heart, won the Telly Award, a prestigious industry award for excellence in religious programming. You can also listen to Carol’s “Jolt of Joy” program daily on the Charisma Podcast Network. Connect with Carol or inquire about her speaking to your group at carolmcleodministries.com.



There’s Not Enough Hate for America’s Ministers, Churches

In recent times in high-profile media interviews, too many celebrity ministers have been guilty of blurring the lines between truth and error, right and wrong, and sin and righteousness. Lately it seems that when put on the spot in a public platform and asked a direct and pointed question concerning the great moral issues of 21st century America, such as homosexuality and abortion, ministers have turned coward and given some yellow-bellied, political response. This constant compromising to avoid controversy is creating much damage, not only to the world, which is looking for a clear sound from preachers, but also to believers who have little discernment or are growing tired of ambiguity.

For example, one very influential and popular minister who has millions of followers was asked if homosexuality was wrong, and his general response was that his views were evolving. Evolving? That’s like saying the Bible is evolving.

Another well-known so-called pastor was asked if abortion was sinful, and he offered this half-baked response: “That’s the kind of conversation we would have finding out your story, where you’re from, what you believe. I mean, God is the judge,” at which point the secular audience broke into raucous applause.

When the world claps for you concerning your definition of abortion, I can tell you it was a bad job. You just gave them a license to continue justifying murder of the most innocent and to practice and promote what’s convenient. You had an opportunity to allow God to use you to bring conviction, and instead, you offered them false comfort. You had a glorious chance to smite their conscience, and instead, you soothed it. You were given a large platform to smash the godless altar of abortion, and instead, you kept it erect.

The truth is, your ratings and popularity were more important to you than speaking the plain truth with wisdom and grace. You were granted an open door to speak the word of God and please the Lord, but instead, you cowered and bowed to the fear of man and pleased the devil. I’m sorry, but this is a shameful, gutless excuse for a minister of the gospel.

In a time of darkness and moral confusion in our nation, you could’ve brought light and clarity, but you actually contributed to the darkness. In fact, the light you think is in you is not light at all, but it is the greatest of darkness.

“If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matt. 6:23b).

You received your temporal reward—the smile, applause and approval of men. But you lost your eternal reward and favor with whom it counts the most, the Lord and Judge of heaven and earth. You are disqualified from being a steward of the mysteries of God.

Jesus taught us that if we live godly, we will suffer persecution.

“Yes, and all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12).

Jesus told us we would be hated by the world. Since the world loves you and claps for you, what does that say about you?

“If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. But because you are not of the world, since I chose you out of the world, the world therefore hates you” (John 15:19).

Jesus, our Lord and Master, was hated (John 15:18). I don’t think many ministers understand that. Read this penetrating and poignant quote by R.C. Sproul:

Holiness provokes hatred. The greater the holiness, the greater the human hostility toward it. It seems insane. No man was ever more loving than Jesus Christ. Yet even His love made people angry. His love was a perfect love, a transcendent and holy love, but His very love brought trauma to people. This kind of love is so majestic we can’t stand it.

It grieves me to no end, and God hates it, and His angels bristle at such namby-pamby minister masqueraders who will not walk in the Lord’s truth and authority. They make the lukewarm and religious crowd happy but less holy. These types of ministers need to be held accountable by someone in their network or eldership circle for misrepresenting the Word of God and making abominable behavior sound so respectful. Either that, or they need to get out of the ministry and be a politician or find another occupation that fits their slick and flimflam demeanor.

When “ministers” compromise to prevailing world culture on a major media platform, I repeat, they need to be called out by someone in their network. Biblical church discipline needs to be applied. At least two admonitions should be given for repentance, and if they remain unrepentant and without remorse, they should be rejected or excommunicated according to Scripture, and the entire church world should be made aware of it, until true repentance comes forth followed by a period of restoration. This way, the leaven of their heresy will not spread.

“If a man is a heretic, after the first and second admonition reject him” (Titus 3:10, KJ21).

The majority of the body of Christ has no understanding of this sort of biblical church discipline because it is hardly practiced and sorely lacking in most of today’s professing church.

This lack of accountability and do-nothingness is at the root of many of our problems in the body of Christ because of our failure to understand judgment. As one friend of mine said recently, you do not get to talk like a compromising politician about homosexuality and abortion in front of pagans and then act like Paul the apostle on CBN or TBN. Some of these “Christian” talking heads need to grow a backbone, eat some spinach or something. Forgive me, but we have far too many cowards and frauds who are grossly misrepresenting the Lord.

It is impossible to find any preacher, prophet or reformer in the Bible or throughout history who has had any real power with God who was not hated or who did not have enemies. When there is little hate, that usually means there is little impact and little power.

My point is there is not enough hate for American preachers and prophets right now because of gross compromise. It is one of the greatest indictments against the church in this hour. That has got to change for the moral landscape of our nation to shift and make a serious turn toward righteousness. Lack of persecution usually means lack of power.

The gospel by nature is controversial and offensive. We must stop removing the offense from the cross. {eoa}

Bert’s books are forerunners to personal holiness, the move of God and the return of the Lord. They also combat the departure from the faith and the turning away from the truth we are seeing in our day.

Read articles like this one and other Spirit-led content in our new platform, CHARISMA PLUS.



Israel Ranked 8th Most Powerful Nation in the World

Israel was ranked the eighth most powerful country in the world, according to U.S. News and World Report‘s 2019 power ranking.

The power status is based on leadership, economic influence, political influence, international alliance and military strength. Israel received a high ranking because of its strong military, along with its strong political influence and international alliances.

The United States occupies the No. 1 spot because it has the largest economy and biggest military budget in the world. Other highly ranked countries include Russia, China, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Japan and Saudi Arabia, according to Arutz-7. {eoa}

This article originally appeared at visionforisrael.com.