A Second Wind

Most of you hearing this word are probably familiar with Acts Chapter 2:1-4, In this passage of scripture, the Holy Spirit comes and fills 120 hungry hearts, and tongues like fire, come and set down on top of every head. The Bible says: And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. And cloven tongues like as fire sat upon (each of them) and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. See Acts 2:1-4 This is when the Church of The Lord Jesus Christ was empowered with supernatural power from on high. The power of the Holy Spirit came on them, and in them. Well this power and this anointing that came upon them sent them directly into the line of fire. And extreme spiritual warfare began to break out against them. This infant Church was thrust into the heat of the battle, they experienced great persecution. So by the time they get to Acts Chapter 4. They have been beaten up pretty good. Let me stop here long enough to tell someone like this infant Church: You’ve been beaten up pretty good. You’ve taken some hard knocks; you’ve had the breath knocked out of you. But I am prophesying to you “A New Chapter” Don’t quit, don’t give up. Don’t throw in the towel, there’s a fresh wind blowing. Now let’s look at this early Church and let’s see how they responded to their battles, and their warfare. The Bible says, they assembled together and they prayed: And this is what they said. Act 4:29-30, And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. Then the Bible says: And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost spake the word of God with boldness. Do you see what happened right here? They got a second wind. That same wind that blew through that upperoom in Acts Ch 2. Was blowing again In Acts Ch 4. There is a phrase that we have become familiar with especially as relates to a runner in a race. It is the phrase: A Second Wind. It is often experienced by a runner who has run until they have reached the point of exhaustion. Typically just before they catch that second wind most runners feel like their lungs are about to explode, and every muscle in their bodies are on fire, telling them to quit. Then all of a sudden out of nowhere and without any explanation for it, comes a sudden revitalization and energy and strength to keep running. It actually seems to be almost supernatural. And in many cases this has actually pushed the runner into the winner's circle. Some scientists believe this phenomenon they call “the second wind” to be the result of the body finding the proper balance of oxygen to counteract the buildup of lactic acid in the muscles. Others claim it is due to endorphin production. While others believe it to be purely psychological. Regardless of the cause of it, there is no disputing the fact that it actually happens. This phenomenon has come to be used as a metaphor for new energy, and new strength, at the point of exhaustion. And I heard the Lord say to me to prophesy that he is sending a second wind, A New Chapter Anointing to his people. The Lord said that many of his people have reached the point of exhaustion. He said that the spirit of Python has attacked many believers and that Spirit is sent by the devil to steal the breath of God's people. From Genesis to Revelation the devil is identified as a snake as a serpent. Jesus said that we would tread upon serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the devil. The devil is a serpent a snake we see this snake in the spirit of Python. The python is known to grow up to 30 feet in length and weigh up to 300 pounds. The Python does not kill with venom, the Python kills its prey by coiling around its victim and constricting and squeezing them. Each time the victim takes a breath and exhales the Python constricts and keeps doing this until the victim cannot breath. The Python literally suffocates the victim. It squeezes the life out of them. I heard the Lord say that many of his children have been under attack by the spirit of Python. The Bible says that in the last days the devil will speak great words against the most high and he will wear out the saints of the Most High. (Daniel 7: 25) Wear out means: to afflict, to harass, to exhaust, to push to fainting or weariness, to put under continuous pressure or strain. Friend I know that many of you have been under attack. It's been continuous, non-stop, unrelenting, no relief, and one thing after another. You've been under pressure, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Every time you get the victory in one area, the devil hits you from another side. What is happening? It's the spirit of Python he's trying to drive you to the point of exhaustion, He’s trying to wear you out. He's trying to squeeze the very life, the breath out of you. Breath is life; breath is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. If you have no life in you you're no threat to the devil. The valley of dry bones was no threat to the devil. But when the wind, the breath of God, the Holy Ghost began to blow. There stood up a mighty army to plunder hell. One hundred and twenty discouraged followers of Jesus in an upper room in Jerusalem were no threat to the devil. But all of a sudden a rushing mighty wind of God begin to blow and fill them all with the Holy Ghost and commission them with tongues of fire and they turned the known world upside down. 300 foxes were no threat to the Philistines until Samson put them in pairs and tied them tail-to-tail and set a Fire Brand between their tails. Then they were weapons of mass destruction. They burned up the corn the vineyards and olives. That's what the devil is afraid of, the fire of God. The devil is not afraid of our programs, our singing, our preaching our church attendance, our talent; even our knowledge of the Bible doesn't scare him. But what gives the devil nightmares and sends shockwaves through hell is a church on fire. A church that is alive. When the preachers are on fire, the singers are on fire, the ushers are on fire, the greeters are on fire, the bus drivers are on fire, when the soundman is on fire, the janitors are on fire. when everything we do is driven by the wind of God. When the wind blows, everything changes. When the wind blew in the book of Genesis, an earth that was dark and void, suddenly came to life, trees and grass and birds and fish and animals suddenly came into being where there was nothing. It was a wind from God that divided the Red Sea for the children of Israel to cross over, and it was a wind from God that closed that same Red Sea on Pharaoh and all his army. It was a wind from God that dried up the waters from the earth after the flood. It was a wind from God that brought the plague of locusts upon Egypt, and it was a wind from God that took them away. It was a wind from God that brought in the quail to feed the complaining Israelites. It was a wind from God that brought the rain that ended a three and a half year drought. It was the wind of God that turned the valley of dry bones into a mighty army. And it was the wind of God that blew through that upper room on the day of Pentecost and turned a bunch of broken hearted discouraged disciples into the greatest force for God the earth had ever seen, and gave birth to the New Testament Church. Then in our reading it tells us; many of the same disciples were gathered together in prayer. Because of their faith and because of their boldness and their testimony of Jesus Christ they had been persecuted, in fact they had been threatened and commanded not to preach or teach anymore in the name of Jesus. But they left rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer for his namesake. Then instead of gathering together and complaining and comparing their wounds, they prayed. Essentially what they said was: God we need more power, we need a double dose. That’s where Acts 4:39 –40, come into the picture. And now Lord behold their threatenings, and grant unto thy servants, that would all boldness they may speak thy word. By stretching forth thy hand to heal and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy Holy Child Jesus. And when they prayed the place was shaken where they were and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and they spake the word of God with boldness. They got a second wind, a refilling, a fresh anointing, a fresh fire, a fresh baptism. Then in chapter 5:12, we read: And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people. I know by the Spirit I'm talking to some people today who are tired, worn out, many of you have been even at the point of exhaustion. You feel like you've had the breath knocked out of you, some of you feel like you're running on empty, you love God but that python spirit has been squeezing the breath out of you. You couldn't understand what was happening. You see that python, Counts on you struggling and fighting because when you struggle and kick and fight, you exert energy and you exhale breath and he just tightens his grip. But that devil has been exposed today and that spirit is being broken right now. And right now God is sending a second wind. That’s why you’re reading this book right now; God is sending a second wind, a fresh wind into your life. You're going to breathe again and it won't be like spiritual asthma or where you have to fight for every breath. Never has the American church needed more a fresh Pentecost. A second wind from heaven. A fresh baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire. The great need of the church is a fresh anointing, a fresh fire from heaven. I prophesy God is sending a second wind right now. You’re not going under your going over. You're not going to be defeated you're going to be victorious. Today we're putting that serpent under our feet where he belongs. Praise God: right there where you are, Just lift your hands and begin to breathe just inhale and exhale, inhale and exhale inhale and exhale. Something's breaking right now. The anointing is destroying the yoke right now. There is a fresh anointing coming your way, the second wind the breath of God. My Friend: It’s not a sin to run out of gas. We have all been there, and it’s not a sin to run out of breath, we’ve all been there. But my friend: The sin is in believing that you can keep on in your own strength in your own self effort, and you neglect the presence and the power of God and just keep on trudging along in the strength of the flesh. I don’t care who you are, how spiritual you are, or how anointed you are. You will at some point in time run out of gas, you will hit the wall; you will need a second wind. And the good news is: The same Holy Spirit that filled that upperoom in Acts Ch 2, was the same Holy Spirit that filled the room in Acts Ch 4, And He is the same Holy Spirit that wants to fill that room where you are right now, and give you a second wind, and a fresh start, and a new chapter. Just tell Him: Lord I’m ready for a New Chapter, I need a Second Wind. I want a Fresh Start. I want a New Beginning.