Casting Fire Upon the Earth

“I have come to cast fire upon the earth, and how I wish that it were already kindled!” Luke 12:49

The revival fire is here! Glory to God! The past three months since the 22nd National Prayer Gathering (NPG) of the Intercessors for the Philippines (IFP) have been extremely strategic months as events are unfolding very fast, completely taking us by surprise and blowing by us before we can even understand and comprehend the explosive phenomenon happening all over the nation! The groundbreaking First End Time Harvesters’ Bootcamp held last June 3-4, 2011 at the Cuneta Astrodome was attended by more than 12,000 youths with more than 3,200 young people who followed the Lord in water baptism and a total of 7,000 people being baptized in the Holy Spirit and Fire!

The Lord Jesus Himself said that He came to send fire on the earth (Luke 12:49)! Fire speaks both of purification and consuming passion! Both of these things are related! It is only when God’s people are purified by the fire of God’s holiness that they will have a clear understanding of life’s highest purpose: that of establishing the Kingdom of God and fulfilling the will of God on the earth! Only by having clean hands and pure heart can we see God (Psalm 24:4; Matt 5:8)! When we receive a glorious unveiling and experience of God, we will then burn with unquenchable fire of passion to do and fulfill His will completely in our brief earthly sojourn (Exo. 3: 1-15; Isaiah 6: 1-8; Jer 1:5-10)! The Lord would not use people who did not pass through the fire of His cleansing and purification. Like gold and silver purified seven times (Psalm 12:6; 66:10; Job 23:10), the Lord would require such holiness and sanctification if we are to be vessels of honor to be entrusted the treasures of His Kingdom.

Life on earth is filled with so much dross (sins, lusts, covetousness, materialism, humanism, false religiosity, hypocrisy, love of money, idolatry, etc.) that does not exempt and often times creep into the lives of the very elect, the redeemed saints of God. Biblical and human histories tell us that even the mighty have fallen and their weapons of war have been destroyed (II Sam 1: 19, 25, 27). Jonathan’s death is a prophetic message to generations of God’s people in history that we need to be clothed with such purity of heart and be armed with the breastplate of righteousness, which only the baptism in the Holy Spirit and Fire will produce for us!

This is the reason why we believe that in these Last Days, before the coming of the great outpouring of God’s Spirit and the unveiling of the Glory of God in His church, the Lord would prepare His people through the fire of His holiness! As we venture to enter the inner chamber of God’s Tabernacle, we are to allow Him to purify our hearts so that we will be like pure gold and precious silver! The time has come! This is our season in our nation; a “Kairos” time that we need to seize! Before the Lord can cleanse the nation, He has to cleanse His church and purify His people (II Chron 29: 1-11).

The Lord Jesus strongly desires to cast fire on the earth and wishes that it is already kindled!

Kuya Dan

Also published in Eagle Christian, Issue No. 298 on June 26, 2011

A Trail of Revival Fire in Mindanao

A Report on the Mindanao Ministry Tour of Kuya Dan, Ate Tanette and Ate Nona

The “First End Time Harvesters Bootcamp” conducted by the Intercessors for the Philippines (IFP) last June 3-4, 2011 created huge ripples of revival all over the country with churches and ministerial fellowships of many cities desiring to see the fire of revival also hit their churches, communities and cities! For the whole of last week, Bishop “Kuya” Dan Balais, the CLSF Senior Pastor, accompanied by Ate Tanette and later joined by Ate Nona Londonio and Pastor Ed de Guzman of IFP flew to Cagayan de Oro to speak in the annual Iligan City Day of Prayer. Iligan is about two hours drive, south of Cagayan de Oro City. Kuya Dan was invited by the city government of Iligan to be the key note speaker and guest of honor in their Iligan Day of Prayer last June 17, 2011. The mayor of Iligan City, Mayor Lawrence Cruz, the vice mayor, Mayor Henry Dy, all the city councilors, department heads, the PNP officers and police personnel and the City Hall Employees were all there. Pastor Bayani Areola, a former IFP Coordinator was elected as City councilor and was the one who filed the ordinance for setting June 17 of every year as Iligan Day of Prayer. It was an ecumenical inter- faith gathering attended by the different religious groups like the Catholic church, The Seventh day Adventists, the Mormons, Muslims and different evangelical denominations.

The Lord powerfully moved as Kuya Dan gave the message that touched the hearts of all the people who attended the “Iligan Day of Prayer”, believers and non-believers alike! Mayor Lawrence himself and the Vice Mayor Henry Dy confessed that they were deeply touched by the message given by Kuya Dan. In the evening, another prayer gathering was held for the whole Body of Christ where pure worship, praise and intense prayers were offered to God. Kuya Dan also gave the message for the evening gathering of pastors and intercessors. Everybody was blessed and touched by the anointing of God.

After spending the night in Iligan City, Kuya Dan and Ate Tanette have to leave for Cagayan de Oro around 6am of June 18 for the two-day “First End Time Harvesters Bootcamp” for Mindanao. Delegates from the city as well as from different parts of the country gathered together for the two-day Bootcamp at the cavernous 3,000-capacity Limketkai Atrium. Limketkai Mall is one of the major malls in the city. Some 2,000 young people attended the Bootcamp. Pastor Ed and Ate Nona joined Kuya Dan and Ate Tanette for the Bootcamp. Amazingly, the Lord mightily moved as the Holy Spirit in the same way that He did in the original Cuneta Astrodome Bootcamp! Many young people were powerfully baptized with the Spirit and Fire. Cries of repentance and waves of Baptism of the Holy Spirit took place at the Atrium situated in the middle of the Limketkai Mall. The final session was so powerful as Kuya Dan challenged all the pastors and the young people to ride the waves of revival that is being poured out in our beloved nation. A prayer tunnel was formed for the mass anointing of the young people. Thousands of young people passed through the prayer tunnel with the pastors and church elders laid hands on them.

The following day, June 20 was the Water Baptism of some 350 youths by the beach of Macajalar Bay. Some 100 pastors and ministry leaders baptized the young people with water, the Holy Spirit and Fire! The pastors were so overwhelmed by the tremendous response of the youth! Indeed, God’s people will volunteer in the days of God’s power and the young people will come in holy splendor like the dew of the morning (Psalm 110: 1-3)! Kuya Dan, Ate Tanette and Pastor Ed has to take the 8 hour trip to Bislig, Surigao del Sur for another huge conference: the “Redeeming the Land Seminar (RTL)”, the very first that Bislig City had in years! Again, the fire of God’s revival came down upon the gathering especially among the young people! More than 300 people attended the RTL with many pastors, youths, business people and professionals joining us in the prayer assignments. It was an awesome experience of God’s glory being poured out upon God’s people. The Bislig leg of the Mindanao tour was especially significant for Kuya Dan, having worked there as an engineer for two years in PICOP (Paper Industries Corporation of the Philippines) during his early years after graduating from college. Kuya Dan enjoyed showing to Ate Tanette and Pastor Ed the familiar places where he spent two years of his young life. The pastors and intercessors in Bislig brought Kuya Dan, Ate Tanette and Pastor Ed to some of the most beautiful natural wonders in the place like the breath-taking “Crystal River” and the majestic “Tinuy-an Waterfalls”. The team was hosted and stayed in the beautiful, sprawling house of a wonderful couple, Paul and Sarah Vicencio, a prominent family in Bislig being businessmen and Paul, the top ranking city councilor of Bislig City.

The week-long Mindanao ministry trip was culminated in the beautiful city of Butuan where Kuya Dan and the team were able to pray for the mayor of Butuan, Dr. Ferdinand Amante Jr., a born again believer! Kuya Dan prophesied to him a very accurate prophecy that greatly amazed him! The team flew to Manila that day from Butuan Airport, just in time before flight was cancelled in many places because of the storm. It was an amazing trail of revival fire all over Mindanao!

Also published in Eagle Christian, Issue No. 298 on June 26, 2011

The Battle is the Lord’s

“And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s” 2Chronicles 20:15

It is exciting to know and realize that the revival is spreading throughout many parts of the country! Ate Tanette and I flew to Cagayan de Oro (CdO) last June 16, 2011 en route to Iligan City, some two hours’ drive from the CdO airport. I was invited to speak at the 3rd Annual Iligan Day of Prayer by the City Government of Iligan to be held June 17 of the following day. Kuya Noli Garvida, our missionary pastor of CLSF CdO and Bro. Robert Lee, a friend and the leader of a church that CLSF is covering, and Pastor Bayani Areola, a city councilor of Iligan, met us at the airport and later in the day drove us up to Iligan City. It was a fine sunny day and our hearts were filled with great expectations of what the lord will do!

The theme of this year’s event was “The Battle Is Not Ours But God’s” taken from II Chronicles 20:15. It was held at the City Amphitheater beside the City Hall. Attended by all of the City officials of Iligan led by Mayor Lawrence Cruz and vice Mayor Henry Dy, City Councilors and City hall staff and employees, the gathering was an ecumenical one with other religious faiths joining. It was a sight to behold as the whole city came to the Lord to worship together, pray and ask the Lord’s mercy and blessings for the city! It was an official event by virtue of a City ordinance that declares June 17 of every year as “Iligan Day of Prayer”! Pastor Bayani Areola, an elected city councilor and a former City coordinator of the Intercessors for the Philippines (IFP) for Iligan City, proposed the ordinance. It is amazing to see what happens when a servant of God is elected in public office! As far as I know, Iligan City is the only city in the Philippines that officially holds an annual Day of Prayer!

Iligan City in an industrial zone with many large heavy industries such as the National Steel, one of the largest steel mills in Asia, cement factories and other manufacturing plants. It has a nice, deep harbor and huge port and shipping facilities ideal for such heavy industries. The city was however plagued with frequent closures of many of its industrial plants because of gross mismanagement, the most damaging of which was the closure of the National Steel. Thousands of people lost their jobs in the past recent years and the economy of the city suffered greatly. Not counting the terrorist threat of some militant Muslims, the city indeed faces some great challenges.

Addressing their theme: “The Battle is Not Ours But God’s”, I spoke under great anointing of the Holy Spirit in that great open air amphitheater! Like King Jehoshaphat being threatened by a conspiracy of three powerful enemy nations (II Chronicles 20), they turned to God for salvation and deliverance! God heard their prayers and caused a great ambush against Israel’s enemies saving the whole nation of Israel! The Lord including all the city officials, the pastors, priests and religious leaders present, powerfully touched everybody. Indeed, the battle is the Lord’s!

Kuya Dan

Also published in Eagle Christian, Issue No. 297 on June 19, 2011

When the Heavens Overflowed

A Ministry Report from CLSF Mississauga

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, The depths of your love Lord. No mind can fathom the love you deserve, How great you are. [Hillsong Aftermath].”

It was deafening to hear 2500 united young people crying out these lyrics to God during the OVERFLOW conference held in Waterloo, Ontario last May 12 to 14, 2011. It was more than just a weekend event or a gathering of young people. It was a weekend with God.

The OVERFLOW conference is an annual gathering of young people in Ontario who are all out for Jesus and this year’s conference was entitled REVEALED. It was a blessing that God allowed twenty-one youth and four adults from Christ the Living Stone Mississauga to experience His Presence and Anointing during the three-day conference led by a young, energetic, zealous, and spirit-filled preacher in Pastor Richard Wilkerson Jr.

Prior to the Overflow, I was able to watch some sessions from the National Prayer Gathering held in Manila through the Internet. In particular, I was able to watch the session wherein thousands of young people were on their feet, crying and weeping before God in total humility and sincerity. I was with them, on my knees, broken, filled with guilt for the sins that I have done, shameful of the unfaithfulness I have displayed before my King, and hungry for the anointing of His Spirit. At that time, I remembered I asked God to impart a double anointing of His Spirit to me and to the youth of CLSFM, just as He was doing in Manila. In tears, I told Him, “Father, I don’t want to be left behind”.

Three weeks after, the first of the many waves of His answer came through the Overflow. His messages were direct and challenging.

“Grace is not a license to sin but a license to Live Free. Straighten things up between you and God!”

During the first night, about 500 young people, surrendered and re-committed their lives back to Jesus.

“If you are not being fishers of man, you are not following Jesus!”

It was a slap in the face and a wake-up call for me. God wants to use us but we are not allowing Him to because all we see in the mirror is ourselves. Following Jesus is about dying to our self, about picking up our cross, and most importantly, being fishers of men. If someone’s persecuting you, then it means you are doing your job. And finally, the message that really struck me most was about taking risks for Jesus. I’ve heard this message many times, but in reality, I never took a step outside the comforts of my life and totally depend on God for the outcome. I believe this is the message that God wants to tell all of us today.

“I don’t know where I am going, what I’ll end up to be, and when my life will end, but there’s two things I know and am certain of – I AM NOT STAYING HERE and I HAVE A FATHER and a FRIEND that will be with me in my Journey.”

If our faith is true, we won’t mind running to the things that scare us.

For the twenty-five participants from CLSFM, it was more than the bands that played, or the fun activities during the three-day conference. It was about re-connecting, re-aligning, and re-committing our lives with God. It was really amazing to behold how God manifested His Presence and His Spirit to us. Some of the youth from our group saw visions of themselves being face to face with God. Some spoke in tongues and some received breakthrough in their lives. Everybody went home a changed man and a spirit-filled warrior. What God did to me and to the youth of CLSFM would be too long to write in this testimonial, but it could be summarized in this one statement, “The Overflow conference was over but the Overflow of His Spirit and His Mighty Anointing has just begun.” In the Last days, there will be an overflow of God’s revelation straight from Heaven’s throne room.

When God moves, He moves and nothing or no one can stop Him. It was an amazing experience for all of us and we are very excited on what God is about to do to the young people in Canada, as we are excited in how He is moving in a mighty way among the young people in the Philippines. In the last days, no one can comprehend what God can and will do. All we have to do is wait, seek, ask, pray, and obey. We are not far apart after all. All Glory to God!

By David Jonathan Palero

Also published in Eagle Christian, Issue No. 297 on June 19, 2011

The Gospel Of Christ

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” Romans 1:16

The gospel of Christ is the single most powerful message that will bring salvation and spiritual transformation to any people and nation. The great apostle Paul declared that it is the very purpose of his life and calling; that he is a bond-servant, separated or set apart for the gospel of (and from) God. in a world full of darkness, turmoil and uncertainty, there is nothing more important that we, the church could proclaim: the gospel of Christ!

The word “gospel” in Greek is “evangelion” meaning good message or good news. It encompasses the plan of God of redeeming all mankind through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. It was conceived in the heart of God from eternity past even before the world was created. It is the expression of God’s very nature: the perfection or fullness of grace, emanating from God being love (I John 4:8) and truth, from God being Holy (I Pet 1:16). The apostle John summarizes this image and glory of God in Christ:

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14).

The eternal plan of redemption manifested on the earth when the Lord Jesus, in the fullness of time came in the flesh (the incarnation- John 1:14; Gal 4:4; John 3:16); lived a holy, perfectly sinless life, fully obedient to the will of the Heavenly Father (II Cor 5:21; Phil 2: 6-8; Heb 4:15); gave His life on the cross and was resurrected by the power of God for the remission of the sins of mankind and bring many sons to Glory (Luke 24:46-47; Rom 3:25; Heb 2:9-10; 9:22-26; Col 2:14; I Cor 15: 14-22); ascended and is now sat down at the right hand of the Father (Acts 1: 10-11; Mark 14:62; 16:19; Luke 22:69; Acts 7:55; Rom 8:34; Eph 1:20; Heb 1:3; 10:12; 12:2). The Lord Jesus will come back again no longer to save man from their sins but to be the judge of the whole earth and rule the earth in righteousness and justice (Isaiah 9:6; Rev 11:15; 17:14).

The gospel is the power of God unto salvation to the Jews first and then to the Greeks or gentile, non-Jewish world (Rom 1:16). Throughout man’s history, the gospel of Christ powerfully transformed nations, shaped cultures and brought the light of the knowledge and experience of God to many generations. The gospel presents the solution to all of man’s misery and woes. It provides the answer to sin and its destructive consequences! It transforms individuals, families, tribes, communities, cities and entire nations. The gospel, when received, embraced and obeyed ushers in the blessings to any nation as the bible declares:

“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (Prov 14: 34).

When sin is dealt at any level and righteousness (right standing with God; acts of righteousness and justice) is established, then transformation begins to take place in a society and blessings follow as a result of that transformation.

In the light of the revival that is now taking place among us, let us be zealous and vigilant in preaching the gospel of Christ! The Paul declared that he was not ashamed of it, but rather willingly bound himself to it being a bond-servant (“doulos”) for the sake of Christ and His gospel.

Kuya Dan

Also published on Eagle Christian, Issue No. 296 on June 12, 2011

Revival Spilling Over CLSF Miri and Brunei

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit” Joel 2:28-29

The sudden burst of revival and outpouring of God’s Spirit many experienced during the last 22nd National Prayer Gathering (NPG) last April and the powerful anointing released to the young people in the just recent First End Time Harvesters’ Bootcamp seemed to spill over our two CLSF Foreign Missions churches in Miri, Sarawak and Brunei Darrussalam. Kuya Dan, together with Ate Tanette and their son, Lemuel visited these two Southeast Asian mission churches of CLSF last March 30 to June 7, 2011 for their respective church anniversaries (June 1 for CLSF Miri and June 6 for CLSF Brunei). Kuya Dan, Ate Tanette and Lemuel had to bisect the mission trip after the CLSF Miri Anniversary and come back to the Philippines briefly for the all important and historic “First End Time Harvesters’ Bootcamp” held last June 3-4 at the Cuneta Astrodome then fly back to Brunei last June 5 for the CLSF Brunei leg of the whirlwind mission visit. With all the strength-sapping travel schedules, the Lord rewarded their effort and diligence by pouring out His Spirit abundantly in those twin anniversary events!

CLSF Miri, celebrating their 13th year anniversary is being nurtured and tended by Ate Nancy Wong and the CLSF Miri Elders. Amazingly, they are experiencing breakthroughs in their evangelism and discipleship work as more Kuriakos are being opened up. Remarkable is the new ministry work opened up in Kualabaram area, some 45-minute drive from Miri city proper where around 70 Filipino brethren, all workers in a shipyard are being followed up. CLSF Miri was enabled by the lord to purchase a brand new 15-seater van to shuttle the brethren to and from the church to attend the weekly church worship services and prayer meetings. The church is growing and has overcome the growing pains of their early years. They are now officially registered in Malaysia as a church and are renting the whole third floor of a building in downtown Miri. The Miri brethren celebrated their anniversary in a beach resort with Kuya Dan and Ate Tanette ministering the word of God. The theme of their anniversary was “ Be Steadfast and Immovable” based on I Cor 15: 58. After the anniversary, Kuya Dan and Ate Tanette had a fruitful meeting with the CLSF Miri leadership.

CLSF Brunei on the other hand, celebrated their 20th year anniversary last June 6 in the Riverside Hotel in the capital city of Bandar Seri Begawan. The theme of their anniversary was “Put On the Armour of Light” based on Rom 13:12. More than 150 believers came to the celebration as the Lord once again poured out His Spirit upon the gathering. CLSF Brunei was started by Kuya Mar and Ate Perla Estacio some 20 years ago. Kuya Mar and Ate Perla now oversees the CLSF Brunei church with Kuya Ed and Ate Ruby Burca as the resident pastors. A set of CLSF Brunei elders completes the spiritual leadership of the church in this Sultanate. CLSF Brunei likewise is experiencing a revival as many new believers are added to the church. Being a Muslim state, our church is conducting their fellowship in a discreet manner transferring from house to house every meeting.

Indeed, the revival that is beginning to spring up in the nation is spilling over our churches in Malaysia and Brunei. Kuya Dan urges all CLSF members to continue to pursue and ride the waves of revival and reap the greatest end time harvest in this Kairos season in the nation.

Also published on Eagle Christian, Issue No. 296 on June 12, 2011

When God Takes Over

“The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.” Psalm 110:1-3

The Lord at certain times of man’s history intervenes to hasten the fulfillment of His purposes. When this happens, what would seem far and long to complete and make manifest would suddenly take place in amazing manner and dispatch. The Book of Job said that God’s purposes couldn’t be thwarted. When the fullness of time comes (Gal 4:4), the Lord could intervene in the affairs of men to bring about His redemptive purposes and plans for generations! This is the reason why man’s history is marked by seasons of revival, refreshing and restoration (Psalm 102:13).

In the Philippines, we are experiencing a similar spiritual season when the Lord seems to work and takeover situations that are absolutely beyond our control. The tide of revival is rising among the youth of the land. Intercessors who have long been with the Intercessors for the Philippines (IFP) are sensing that indeed, we have entered this “set time” for our nation to experience His loving kindness and tender mercies. Beginning with the glorious revelation of our Jubilee of Jubilees, the 490th year of our existence as nation and as the first Christian nation in the Far East (1521-2010), we are steadily moving on seeing the break of dawn and a new day for our land and people. For one, the Lord has been sparing us from terrible natural calamities like earthquakes and tsunamis that hit our neighboring countries. Even much the feared super typhoons are veering away from our land, as if driven away by invisible giant guardian angels that protect our shores! Sectors of our people, especially the religious are fighting against morally bankrupt bills before lawmakers who are ignorant of the Laws of God could pass them. There seems to be a hunger and thirst for righteousness that is beginning to well up in the hearts of our people. God is rising and extending His hand of mercy upon our people!

Most exciting is the recent revival that is happening among our young people! True to what the prophets that recently visited our land declared, our young people are catching the fire of revival! The just concluded “First End Time Harvester’s Bootcamp” at the Cuneta Astrodome last June 3-4, 2011 is a powerful testimony of the sovereign intervention of God! Totally exceeding all our expectations, the cavernous Astrodome was filled to the rafters by some 12,000 enthusiastic and eager youths who came in droves to be equipped and enlisted in the end time army of harvesters to reap the sheaves of souls that, for many years have been the object of many tears and cries of intercession in the land. We have finally come to this strategic time in our land when the Lord is sending the rains of revival upon our people. God is taking control and we will march and occupy with Him!

Let us therefore take our weapons of warfare and release the captives of the past many generations! The Lord is taking control; we will watch, pray, hear and obey His commands!

Kuya Dan

Also published on Eagle Christian, Issue No. 295 on June 5, 2011

12,000 Strong End Time Harvesters

“Your people will volunteer when you call up your army. Your young people
will come to you in holy splendor like dew in the early morning” Psalm 110:3

Finally it happened! An overflow crowd of more than 12,000 young people filled the Cuneta Astrodome up to the rafters in the 1st End-Time Harvesters Boot camp of the Intercessors for the Philippines (IFP) held last June 3-4, 2011! The tremendous response of the young people exceeded everyone’s expectations. Indeed, this is the season of revival and harvest among the young people! They all came in “holy splendor like dew in the early morning” (Psalm 110:3). It was an awesome sight! Most of all, the Holy Spirit came and poured out the precious anointing upon all the participants!

This indeed is a new season in our nation confirming what the prophets declared in the past many years and in the last 22nd National Prayer Gathering (NPG) held at the same venue last April 12-14, 2011. Prophets Sadhu Sundar Selvaraj, Vincent Selvakumar and Pastor Neville Johnson all prophesied that there would be a rising wave of revival among the young people of the land. The Lord is calling forth the army of young people to be anointed with such powerful anointing that shall reap the final end time harvest in this generation. This is a “Kairos” time that IFP and the whole Body of Christ seized and would not let go! It was a moment that our young people have been waiting for quite a while!

Streams of people began to fill the cavernous Cuneta Astrodome in the early hours of June 3. Before the official start of the conference, the astrodome was full, jam-packed at the rafters with thousands still lining up outside the sports complex.

Many were not able to enter because the building has reached its maximum critical capacity. Promptly at 9:00am, the program ensued with the singing of the National Anthem. This was followed with a welcome remark and a special pageantry and parade of colors by the tribal youths coming from Mindanao. The atmosphere in the place was immediately charged with great faith and expectation as the worship team led the people in tremendous praise and worship. The presence of God immediately blanketed the whole place touching the hearts of everyone even before the assigned speakers were able to speak. Thousands of participants, including the speakers were clad in military-inspired get up, blending with the stage design that creatively mimicked a military camp spiking the gathering with a militant touch. It was a spiritual boot camp and everybody seemed to know that a great spiritual war was at hand! The people came prepared and eager to be equipped and be sent their mission order!

Bishop “Kuya” Dan Balais opened up the session addressing the theme of the gathering taken from the messianic Psalm 110:1-3 “A psalm by David. The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit in the highest position in heaven until I make your enemies your footstool.” The LORD will extend your powerful scepter from Zion. Rule your enemies who surround you. Your people will volunteer when you call up your army. Your young people will come to you in holy splendor like dew in the early morning”. Kuya Dan challenged the participants that this is the time and season for the people of God to arise to fulfill the Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20) and for the young people in particular, to lead the great army of harvesters. Kuya Dan said that we are living in the days of prophetic fulfillment when Bible prophecies are coming to pass as unprecedented calamities and shakings of nation are happening around us. Kuya Dan said that this could be the great and final harvest of the ages before the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and the young people will be the main harvest force in this final call. Kuya Dan also introduced the whole set of teaching series that the participants will receive from the different speakers entitled “First Principles” which was directly taken from the anointed teachings of Pastor Neville Johnson on Hebrews 6: 1-3. Bro. Wyden King spoke on “Faith”; Pastor Jerome Ocampo addressed the topic on “Repentance from Dead Works”; Pastor Joel Bataclan spoke on “Water Baptism”; Bishop “Bro.” Eddie Villanueva spoke on “Baptism in the Holy Spirit” and Pastor Ed de Guzman spoke on “Baptism of Fire”. Each teaching was followed by a response by the people. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit and Baptism of Fire received tremendous response from the participants as thousands were filled and baptized in the Holy Spirit and cleansed by the fire of God. Kuya Dan saw seraphims moving among the crowd as he led the people in repentance and cleansing of their hearts. Wailing cries filled the astrodome as the flaming angels did their work! After the cleansing was burst of joy and gladness from the people as the Lord touched them powerfully!

The marching order to reach out to their schools and communities and reap the greatest harvest in this nation was given by Kuya Dan to all the participants and an unprecedented but challenging water baptism of thousands of young people in the nearby public pool concluded the power-packed First End Time Harvesters Bootcamp!

Also published on Eagle Christian, Issue No. 295 on June 5, 2011

Guidelines: Candidates for the ‘three in one’ baptisms

[Announcement by IFP for those who will participate in the water baptism tomorrow, June 4, 2011, at the Harvesters Boot Camp Batch 1 in Cuneta Astrodome]

* Come prepared to be baptized both spiritually and physically.

Physical Preparation:

1. Take a shower and clean up thoroughly.
2. Attire:
   – short pants below the knee
   – dark shirts
   – no jewelries and other valuables
   – wear flipflops or slippers
3. Bring extra dry clothes for changing.
4. Put everything in a small bag or backpack.

Precautions: The following delegates cannot temporarily join the mass baptism. [Disclaimer: This is not to discriminate or anything… but this is the first time that IFP organizes a water baptism for more than five thousand people so for statistical and practicality purposes, please submit to the following guidelines for tomorrow’s water baptism. Remember, this is only batch 1. 🙂 ]

1. Those who are sick (i.e. fever, colds, infections and other contagious diseases) and with disability.
2. Those with open wounds.
3. Ladies with their monthly period.
4. Delegates below four feet high, including children and adults.

Bringing Many Sons to Glory

“For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” Hebrews 2:10

From the beginning, the Lord has intended to clothe man with His glory! This truth was clearly evident when He created Adam and Eve. The first man and woman, the father and mother of all mankind were clothed with the very glory of God inside out. Through their sinless innocence, the very glory that was in God was also in them and clothed them. The psalmist declares this truth when he wrote: “What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet” (Psalm 8: 4-6). The Lord has intended from the beginning for man to be clothed with glory and honor and have dominion and rulership over His creation as His very image on the earth!

This state of perfection and beauty was destroyed when man satan entered the picture, tempted man and caused man to sin and disobey God’s command (Gen 3: 1-24). Immediately, the glory that was in them and literally clothing Adam and Eve disappeared and they found themselves naked and fearful of the very presence of God! The very nature that they were sharing with God that enabled them to fellowship with Him was taken away and spiritual death immediately set in according to the word of the Lord saying: “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Gen 2:16-17). Spiritual death took away the glory of God form man; physical death eventually caught up with them several hundred years after. From that time on, man was living as apart from the nature of glory of God. the consequences of this catastrophic situation became immediately evident as the first murder and bloodshed took place when Abel was killed by his brother Cain. Their disobedience caused the whole mankind to be alienated from the glory of God and has fallen from such lofty condition of fellowship and union with Him. All of man’s misery and deterioration emanated from such woeful state of being.

In God’s love, mercy and grace, He made a way that His will for man will not forever be thwarted! The apostle John wrote the immortal words in his gospel: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16). The Lord Jesus was sent by the God the Father to restore man from his original state of glory and union with God. Through the power of Christ’s redemption man will be brought back to glory! (Heb 2:10). When the Lord Jesus finally triumphed on the cross, the door was opened wide for man to be brought back to the state and being of becoming children of God (John 1:12).

This is the essence of why the gospel of the Kingdom needs to be preached; the very reason why the church exist: to bring many sons (and daughters) to glory!

Kuya Dan

Published also in Eagle Christian, Issue No. 294 on May 29, 2011