Nordic Revival Podcast w/ Tomi Lehto
Join us Sundays at 10am @ River Church Finland (riverchurch.fi) for the Main Event. Fulfill your calling - prepare for your assignment: come to Bible school (rbi.fi).
“And behold, I will send forth upon you what My Father has promised; but remain in the city [Jerusalem] until you are clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49 AMPC)
Nordic Revival Podcast w/ Tomi Lehto
The Good News & Your Voice
The urgent call to make our voices heard echoes throughout this powerful message on the weight of the gospel mission and the responsibility we carry as believers to declare the good news with boldness and power.
• Jesus commissioned not just the twelve disciples, but seventy others and ultimately all believers to share the gospel
• When people receive the message, they are actually receiving Jesus and the Father who sent Him
• The church has often become invisible in post-Christian societies when it should be making a clear sound
• Jesus and His disciples weren't hiding - His fame went throughout all Syria, and the early church "turned the world upside down"
• Many believers are held back by fear, shame, or feelings of inadequacy
• Your voice is the only voice Jesus has in your city - whether through personal evangelism or broader platforms
• The power of God is essential - pray, fast, and be filled with the Holy Spirit
• All ministry must ultimately connect to saving souls - it's like responding to an SOS call
• Don't let personality limitations stop you - the gospel will burn in your heart beyond your natural tendencies
Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned, and these signs shall follow those who believe.
I want you to go with me to the book of Mark, chapter 16. Mark's Gospel and the 16th chapter, mark 16. If you find it, say I found it. Praise the Lord Now.
Speaker 1:When Sabbath was passed, mary Magdalene, mary, the mother of James Solomon, brought spices that they might come and anoint him. Somebody tell your neighbor it was too late, said it was too late, too late for the anointing. Very early in the morning on the first day of the week they came to the tomb when the sun had risen and they said among themselves who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us? But when they looked up they saw that the stone had been rolled away, for it was very large. And entering the tomb they saw a young man clothed in long white robes sitting on the right side and they were alarmed. But he said to them Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified. He is risen. Say with me he is risen. He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go tell his disciples and Peter that he's going before you in the Galilee. There you will see him, as he said to you. So they went out quickly. Who would have been amongst the quick ones. If you would have been countered these things too, you would have been quick. You would have been the fastest runner in all of Israel. So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb and they trembled and were amazed and they said nothing to anyone for they were afraid. So they were shaken by what they saw.
Speaker 1:Now, when he rose up on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him as they mourned and wept, and when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe. After that he appeared in the other form to the two of them as they walked and went into the country, and they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either. Later he appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table, and he rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart because they did not believe those who had seen him after he had risen, and he said to them Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned, and these signs shall follow those who believe. Say with me, those who believe. So these signs will follow those who believe In my name. They will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues, they will take up serpents and if they drink anything deadly, it will not, it will by no means hurt them. They will lay hands on the sick and they will recover. So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, he, he was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God, and they went out and preached everywhere. Say with me everywhere, no, say everywhere, and the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.
Speaker 1:And then jump with me to the letters 1 Corinthians, chapter 15. 1 Corinthians, chapter 15. We're going into the time and me to the letters. 1 Corinthians, chapter 15. 1 Corinthians, chapter 15. We're going into the time and era of the church, time of the Holy Ghost, which is the time we're living in now, and Apostle Paul writing about the same thing 1 Corinthians 15. If you found it, say I found it.
Speaker 1:You guys are professionals, but this is a pastor's and minister's conference. Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand by, which also you are saved if you hold fast to that word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain, for I delivered to you first of all that which I also received that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and he was buried and then he rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures, and that he was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that he was seen by over 500 brethren at once, of whom the greater part remained to be present, but some have fallen asleep. That simply means that some have died because time has lapsed. So some of the people had already died of the 500, but many were with them at the time when Paul's writing this to Corinthians.
Speaker 1:After that he was seen by James, then by all the apostles, then, last of all, he was seen by me also as by one born out of due time, for I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God, I am what I am, and his grace towards me was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly. Say with me more abundantly. You can see that in the life of Apostle Paul he was not playing games, he was not afraid to work, he jumped in it by the and this is what he says yet I labored more abundantly than they all. Yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed, I want to just briefly talk to you about good news. Say with me good news Now, lord, stir something in my heart about these campaigns.
Speaker 1:And when I mention about what I'm doing, I'm not telling you that you need to do what I'm doing, but I believe this can stir something in you about the gratitude, about the gravity and about the value and about the weight of the mission that is before us and what we will also give an account for at the judgment seat of Christ, according to 2 Corinthians 5 and 10. Dr Samuel said in his time he said that one of the greatest, one of the biggest lacks or things missing in the church is the understanding of the judgment seat of Christ, for we will all be there and give an account. So we should live realizing that one day we will give an account, you as a child of God, and us as ministers, those that have this great, precious calling and honorable position and a very weighty responsibility. We will give an account for our life and then also for the mission that God has trusted to us In Luke 10 and 2, that God has trusted to us In Luke 10 and 2, jesus said the harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. So we see different groups that Jesus called. We know that he had the 12 disciples. Then in Luke chapter 10, we find about 70 or 72, depending on which translation. Just mention that so you don't get confused about the number but about 70 in Luke chapter 10. And then he commissioned everybody in Mark 16,.
Speaker 1:What we just read and the foundation of what we believe, of course and that's what Paul continues to talk about in 1 Corinthians 15, is the fact that Jesus is alive. And because he's alive, whenever we talk about these glorious things, the power of God is going to show up and Jesus is ready to back up the word. In other words, when people call on his name, the power of God is going to show up and Jesus is ready to back up the word. In other words, when people call on his name, the power of God is going to show up and people are going to be born again and saved. I remember when I was growing up in church hardly anybody ever got saved, and if somebody got saved, we talked about it for three years. We kept recycling the testimony and thank god for that one testimony. But it shouldn't be so that it's just one testimony and five years we keep hearing the same guy testify again, brother, testify again, sister.
Speaker 1:What did the lord do? Well, it was 1984. By the way, for whatever reason, I thought 1984 was a great year. I don't remember much of it, I was six years old, but I I thought 1984 was a great year. I don't remember much of it, I was six years old, but I thought somehow it was a great year. So I just use it as an example. Was that the year? No, whatever, don't distract me. I want to be on track here so we don't end up until midnight. Now you messed me up. So there was the 12. There was about 70. Then there was everybody who was commissioned, and then this is the commissioning of the 70.
Speaker 1:When Jesus said harvest truly is great. The laborers of you pray for the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. And then, in verse 16 of the same chapter To save time, I was going to read the whole chapter 10 as well, but since I already read almost two chapters, I'm just going to read a few verses. But it wouldn't be bad for the minister's conference to read the whole New Testament. It would be okay. It may lengthen our services a little bit, but it wouldn't be bad.
Speaker 1:But Luke 10 and 16, it says he who hears you hears me, he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him. Who sent me? Are you getting the understanding how significant this was? This was a time for Israel. Jesus said don't go anywhere else. Go to the lost sheep of Israel. I want you to preach this message and as they receive you, they are actually receiving me and they're receiving the one who sent me. They're receiving the Almighty God. When they receive you, the calling that you have is not insignificant. You have the greatest calling and you have the most important mission. Maybe people around you don't value it or understand it, but I pray by the grace and the power of God, this thing is burned into your heart, that you will have a fresh urgency to fulfill the mission that God has for you to share this eternal good news to people. The thing about good news is it actually makes you full of joy, makes you happy because it's good news. If I whisper something into your ear and you look miserable, then it wasn't good news. But if you get excited, then there was good news. If I whisper to you something like, like, like, after the service, there's something blessing is waiting for you.
Speaker 1:Some of you've been believing for certain things and then you get a message on your phone and that's what you've been believing for just arrived. You would get a Depending on your nationality, it could be and then some of you even make a noise. Some of you would do a little dance, or, if you're Finnish, you would do the Sorry, I'm a Finn, so I'm allowed to do that. Happiest country in the world, I'll tell you it's good. So, and then in the next verse Actually, I could go through so many other verses, but I'm you know when Jesus talked about.
Speaker 1:Let me read it, because I don't have it in my notes in this notebook, but I want to read this In Mark 10, this in Luke 10. Jesus is naming these cities and I read to you verse 16. But it says in verse 13 Woe to you, chorazin. Woe to you, bethsaida forin. Woe to you, bethsaida, for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre or Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it would be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you and for you, capernaum, who are ex to heavens and will be brought down to Hades. So you realize that Jesus is commissioning his disciples.
Speaker 1:There are about 70 of them and they're going two by two. They're going two by two, they're going to a regions and they carry the power of God, they carry the authority of God, they carry the great message they're here to share about the kingdom of God and they're calling people to return. They're calling people on to repentance and if people reject there would be great repercussions. We cannot fail our generation right now. Our brother from the Middle East was sharing earlier in the week that what the cost is right now if you go into the Middle East in those many areas. Some of you are from different regions, I believe. Who is the person who's from Ukraine. Somebody was here from Ukraine. So you know there's some areas, even in our continent here that are. You know, if you go into certain areas, you know you're going in the earthly terms, you're going into a very risky situation. You understand what I mean.
Speaker 1:And one of the leaders of a missions organization. He said that he's going to write a book and the title of the book is going to be safety third. How many of you heard the words safety first. But safety is important, but it's not first. You have to. You can't just jump into situations like an idiot but you can't run your life out of security, that you're unwilling to put your life in a place where it could be at risk, because then you're going to actually value your own life more than you value the gospel. Now your life is valuable. We don't want to lose any of you. We want you here to do what God's called you to do. But you can't just run your life, you can't just live your life out of, just out of security. Do what's comfortable, do what's secure.
Speaker 1:So Jesus and I was reading these verses and the importance and the weight of the mission that God has given to us to share the good news. I began to realize it that we must go out. And then what we did is just a few weeks ago, whenever it was, we rented the library there in the city of Helsinki for two days and then we continued here for the third day and we did a first good news campaign and we just like, okay, we gotta get this ball rolling, we're gonna breach the good news, we're gonna give testimonies, we're gonna make some joyful music that's going to sound through the library. That library is like a symbol of all the intelligence of Finland. I don't know how many hundreds of millions of euros they poured into that. It's a beautiful building and the staff was very nice. They were very nice.
Speaker 1:The security guard came afterwards and said, because I wasn't sure what he was thinking because he was, you know, being professional. But afterwards he said because I wasn't sure what he was thinking because he was, you know, being professional. But afterwards he said this was a great event, he enjoyed it. We had great testimonies, people sharing what Christ had done for them, how their life had turned around. We had a powerful music. There was a sound that was a joyful sound, not like sad songs. We just like, okay, we want to just make some sound, you know a joyful sound, make some praise come out and then we're going to share the word and people would come every day to the altar that we were there. Some people were invited by someone there in the city square, some people just heard the music and then they ended up on the altar Because I realized there must be a sound. People should know that we are here.
Speaker 1:I feel like, you know, especially in our friends in Estonia and, you know, in the Eastern European countries, it's like after the communism came down, it's like the mission of the church has been invisible, to be invisible. The church actually had more passion when it was underground. Now they gave overground, but now they are not seen when they're on the ground. So they prayed when they were underground, now they're, and then in finland, because of shame, because of you know, like you know, whatever things I don't want to start listing all the negative things, but whatever the reason has been, it's like nobody even knows that the church is there and the pastors think that we're doing well if we just don't rock the boat, don't do anything that would change the status quo.
Speaker 1:And I begin to realize that the message that Jesus gave his closest disciples. That's a great clip for somebody to ruin my good mood. Jesus's closest disciples, those 12, then the 70, and then to everybody he didn't say, go hide somewhere, but he said this good news must be declared. People must know, they must have an opportunity to hear these good news and there must be power that's present to convince them of the glorious resurrection, power of our lord, for he's alive. That's why I started reading for mark, chapter 16, because the grave is empty. Jesus is alive and when you believe it you have transformed and changed. A new life comes into your spirit and praise the Lord. Finn turns into somebody like this.
Speaker 1:Evangelist used to know me back in the day. He can testify. You're looking at a miracle, a sign and a wonder. Even after my Bible school time I didn't talk at all. I got the thing in my heart but I didn't speak much. One pastor I went to preach for him and that day he came to me after the service and told me that he had heard me that day speak more than he'd heard me talk in the last 10 years. Anytime he saw me, he saw me just quiet. But that's what the gospel will do, that's what the power of God will do hallelujah. So I'm talking about the significance of the mission that we have. I'm talking about the weight of the gospel that Jesus said said no, you don't realize it that when that message goes forth, people will be held accountable for that. And I'm not saying that in a negative way, that we just want to get the message out there so that we're released from our responsibility. But we want to have that sound. That sound must come from your heart, pastor Suzanne. Your voice must be heard in your city. Everybody should hear your voice. Everybody should hear your voice in Syria. Hallelujah.
Speaker 1:Tl Osborne, evangelist TL Osborne, who was a greatly used of God, he said this that if it's worth preaching, it's worth putting into a book. If it's worth preaching, it's worth broadcasting. If it's worth preaching, it's worth putting into a tape. He came up with crazy ideas. He started giving out tapes Like a hundred years ago well, a little less than a hundred years ago, but in the last century he gave tapes. But then he realized that people he was giving the tapes to did not have a tape player. So he started giving the tapes with the tape players, people with headphones listening to his tapes with the tape player because he had such confidence. As people hear his voice, they're gonna be born again. Power of God is gonna touch them. They'll be healed and they'll be born again.
Speaker 1:Your voice must be heard, your voice, the gospel in your voice, the power of God in your voice.
Speaker 1:It must be heard in your city.
Speaker 1:Get rid of the guilt and shame. Whatever is holding you back. Some people are like I don't like my voice, nobody likes their voice, nobody likes their voice. How many of you, when you were a kid, you recorded a young person, you recorded a little bit of your voice and then put it down. Put it down, I don't want to hear it. You say I don't like my voice. Well, it's the only voice you got. Let that voice sound in Tampere. Your voice, sarastus, should be heard by everybody. All 200,000 people should hear your voice. And that's not arrogance, that's commitment to the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, because our voice is the only voice that Jesus has in our countries, in our cities.
Speaker 1:And is that good news? Say with me good news, and I'm not talking about standing in a street corner saying you're all going to hell. That may be the reality unless the people repent. But the good news. It's the goodness of god that leads people to repentance, declare it's good. Jesus didn't going around condemning people. There's a call. You need to preach the truth, you need to speak what's right, you need to speak what's true. But there's a, there's a. There's a, there's a call that needs to be heard in your voice. That draws people Because you actually care for them, because you know what's coming.
Speaker 1:Bible says all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. We can't make it to God by our works, by our own efforts, by our giving or giving a contribution. It's only by the blood of Jesus. We must share Of the crucifixion, of the death and the burial, and the resurrection and the ascension of our Lord, so that people can believe it. What did Paul write there? Whether it was I or them, the gospel was preached and then you believed. But how can they believe if they don't hear there's a weight in the gospel that it must be released. And I don't know what is holding you back.
Speaker 1:I remember when I was a teenager, I was young, this was before I was baptized in the Holy Ghost. I was so shy, I was afraid, and I look back to that time. Man, I wish. I don't know what I could have done. I don't know how I could have broken free from it. But I can't change my past. But I can decide now. I'm going to make my voice heard. I'm not going to hold back Because of what the Lord has done for me. I'm going to make my voice heard. Let me ask you this If not you, then who? If not now, then when?
Speaker 1:You are the ones, many of you becoming this week. Every day, every, every day, morning and night, morning and night, you've been coming into the presence of the Lord and you have been coming this week, every day, every day, morning and night, morning and night, you've been coming into the presence of the Lord and you have that passion and you have love for your nation. Your voice is the one that has to carry it. There's a lot of talking heads, but there's no power in those talking heads. Mark 6 and 11,. Mark 6 and 11 says and whosoever will not receive you nor hear you. When you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them.
Speaker 1:Assuredly, I say unto you it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than that city. Do you realize the magnitude of the mission that we've been trusted with as ambassadors of the gospel. We're not complacent, we're not indifferent about the condition of our cities. Your great speech will not get the job done. It's only by the anointing of God. If the Lord does not draw, we're wasting our time. The Holy Ghost must be there that you pray, you fast. You get victory over whatever you need to get the victory over. You be filled with the Holy Ghost.
Speaker 1:You get the word so burning in your heart you can't be quiet. My personality is very much like in the back room. If I want to relax, I get away from people. My wife is the opposite. If she wants to relax, she goes into where there's like as many people as possible and she's like, oh, finally at rest. I'm like you know, I'm staring at a wall. I'm like this is great. But that word must burn in your heart so much you can't sit still. It doesn't matter what kind of personality you got, what kind of a natural tendon disease you got. That word is burning in your heart. There's an intense love for God, passion, kindness to people, compassion for people, and there's a power in your life and this labrosa keliatarabakas, that thing is going to be voiced.
Speaker 1:Some of you need to go on radio. I know it's a bit of an old thing, but some people still listen to it. Some people have radio on all the time. Some people. You need to get your voice out there. Some of you you're younger. There's something burning. You want to get on TikTok and not doing makeup tutorials. If you do that for a living, as long as you keep your clothes on, I'll give you a pass.
Speaker 1:But I'm just saying that your voice must be heard. Your voice must be heard. There must be power. So, pastor, what do I do if I don't have the power? You get the power. That power is available. That power is available. That power is available.
Speaker 1:25 years ago, I went on a mission. I decided I'm not living like everybody's living. I want the power of God. I don't care what it costs. And then, after we had gotten married, we went to Bible school when everybody else was buying houses with saunas. We left the country to go and prepare for what God had for us. There's a price to pay. Price, for the anointing is everything, but that's what you're going to need in order to accomplish what God has for you. Your voice must be heard. You should be on television. If you're a minister, you should be on television. If you're a minister, you should be on television. You should broadcast everything you can, let your voice be heard. Well, pastor, it's not going to be perfect because I don't have all the right gear. It doesn't matter, just take your phone and hit live broadcast. Start from somewhere. Hallelujah. I told you in the beginning of the week that it's warming up.
Speaker 1:Matthew 4 24. Matthew 4 24 said then his fame went throughout all Syria. That's a good verse for an evangelist. And they brought to him all the sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments and those who were demon, possessed epileptics and paralytics, and he healed them. But notice what it says his fame went throughout all of Syria.
Speaker 1:Jesus was not having a secret meeting in the basement of the synagogue With his 12 disciples. Everybody knew what was up. How many of you know the story of the two men who Jesus met on the way to Emmaus? In the midst of that story, in Luke 24, 18, the Bible says Then the one of those, whose name was Cleopas, answered and said to him Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem and have you not known the things which happened there in these days. What's he implying? He's implying that everybody knew what happened, that Jesus was crucified and now people have seen him alive. He's making a comment to someone he doesn't recognize. It's actually Jesus. But he's making a comment to say have you not heard? In other words, everybody knew. Say with me, everybody knew.
Speaker 1:And then in Acts 17 and 6, acts 17 and 6,. But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city crying out these, who have turned the whole world upside down, have come here too. What did the believers do in the book of Acts? They turned the whole world upside down. That's the view of the people. They weren't hiding in the basement. I was going to make a comment about coming out of the closet, but I feel like that would be opening another can of worms that I can't close. I think that issue is already dealt with tonight.
Speaker 1:But it's time to make some noise. It's time to make some noise, and you don't need to become a full-time minister even to do this. Everybody can make some noise. People should know. You don't need to have a microphone. You get a loud voice. Some of you say amen, amen, in Acts 4.33,. And with great power, the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. Say with me witness, hallelujah, hallelujah, thank you Jesus. Say with me good news. So when Jesus assigned those 70, about 70 to go, he said that if they don't receive you, shake off the dust from your clothes. Our mission is not insignificant. The Lord's coming back very soon and the purpose of my message is not to cause you to freak out. What am I going to do? One person can't do everything, but together we can get it done. One person can't do everything, but together we can get it done.
Speaker 1:In Finland, once again, when I'm talking about Finland, when I'm talking about some things that I'm doing, I'm not saying you should do it. Actually, you probably shouldn't do it. Don't take any homiletics notes of my message tonight. Probably made all the things that you shouldn't do, but what I'm saying? That in Finland there's 308 municipalities and out of those, 107 are cities, and there's hardly anything in Lapland, but you can see the city. So what cities and the areas and regions.
Speaker 1:What we want to do Is we need to. We need to, we need to deliver the good news to people. People should know they should experience. Now, mika, how many people have we prayed with? Do you have that number in mind? So we prayed with 180,000 people On the streets In the last 12 years. For 12 years we've gone out about twice a week and many times when we have special things, we've gone more and confronted people with the reality what will happen to them if they would move in this life to the next and shared with them that there's only one way to heaven. His name is Jesus and whoever to heaven, his name is jesus and whoever calls on his name shall be saved. So that's not bad.
Speaker 1:And, like I've said in many cities, the, the evangelism arena was not very busy. The pastors were not fighting about the street corners. This is my street corner. Get away from my street. This is where we preach the gospel. Our teams are coming right now. On the most part, it was just empty and when we came for the first time really 14 years ago, it was really 14 years ago. It was like my wife shares the testimony that in a year, I think it took her nine months of weekly soul winning to find first person who knew they were going to heaven because of what Jesus has done so, talking to hundreds and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people on the street, and that's what stirred us to urgency. That man, our country is not in a good shape and we care about what happens. Some people don't care. Sometimes I feel like even pastors don't care. It's like ministers don't even care, like what's happening in their city. Do you realize that you will give an account for what? I'm not indifferent about these things. I want to do my part. I want my voice to be heard and I love this quote.
Speaker 1:Don't receive constructive criticism from someone who's never constructed anything. Finland is the only country I think maybe a few others in Europe, but only country where people write books about starting churches who've never started a functional church. Hey, read my book about church. What did you start? Oh, yeah, I had a church plant. Where is it now? Oh, it doesn't exist anymore. Had a church plant. Where is it now? Oh, it doesn't exist anymore. So I'm not saying that critically. I'm just saying that in a way that you know we should be looking for results. Jesus is looking for results. Jesus is looking for fruit. He wants to see fruit and the Word of God works. The Gospel works when you go out and you share the Gospel with people, you find out it works. People's hearts are actually open, open in the Middle East, open in the middle of Finland, and I'm from Jyväskylä, so I know what I'm talking about.
Speaker 1:It's like people most stuck up in their heads in the whole world come from where I was born, but once they get the fire, they become very productive. What a beautiful country this is. You know, I was riding, riding around last last summer with the motorcycle, like especially when you go to the east and you travel somewhere, like driving the cuopio and you're so, it's like ridiculous. This country is so beautiful, but still the greatest national treasure of this nation is the people and we have to deliver the good news to them and many times it takes a while.
Speaker 1:If you talk to the muslims who've come to christ, many times you hear a long story about different incidents that happened to them. Lord spoke, they met somebody, they experienced something and then, through those steps, then they gave their life to christ, because it's like a journey for many that it meant and it's. Many times people are like that, but if they've never, even in Finland, but never, never experienced the touch of God or the power of God. They've never seen a smiling Christian. All they've heard is just like somebody's uncle who was crazy, who went to a Pentecostal church. And I'm not picking on Pentecostals, I'm just saying that there's like that one story always in everybody's family that you bring up Christianity. Let me tell you about my aunt, some gathering that looks more like a mentally disabled people coming together. No offense to mentally disabled, because they actually have hope. And then people have a twisted view.
Speaker 1:But if people would just meet who Jesus really is, their life would change, come into the presence of the Lord. Bible says in Luke 5, that presence of the Lord was there, present to heal people when Jesus was ministering. The same presence. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. He's still resurrection and he's still life. God never changes. He's the same.
Speaker 1:And what I'm downloading into your spirit is the weightiness, the heaviness, and not in a bad way to bring you a burden, but realization how important this message is. And if somebody mocks it, that's. You know it's a free country. You can do whatever you want to, so nobody's going to arrest you for doing that, but that shouldn't affect you, because you understand the significance of having your voice heard. So let me talk to every minister right now and I'm almost done, don't clap yet. Talk to every minister, every pastor, every evangelist, whatever it is. What have you done to make your voice heard? What have you done to make your voice heard? What have you done to clearly, with the power, declare the gospel? Some of you have done a lot and I'm not telling you to do something. I'm telling you to follow the leading of the Holy Ghost and only do what he tells you to do something. I'm telling you to follow the leading of the Holy Ghost and only do what he tells you to do. But there should be an urgency in you, because you have already been commissioned by Jesus Christ, the head of the church, to make disciples, to preach the gospel. People should hear your voice. People should hear your voice Out of this group.
Speaker 1:Here we can see europe shaken, and I'm talking to very. This is like a special forces gathering here tonight. This is like the elite forces, you know. You know there's. There's those that are just sent out to to to do the basic things, like you know, the wars of the hundreds of years ago, where they just marched in the fields and then people just dying. It's like insanity. But then there's those forces that go with the special mission. I feel like that's the group that we have tonight and that would begin to burn on the inside, inside of you, that that there's a mission that must be brought out and and there's a lot of things we get to do in the church and there's things that the church, it, needs to be involved in, in raising people up and helping people. But the number one purpose of the church is to rescue those that are lost, and no other other point in the church's mission comes even close, because people are lost and dying and 100 years from now, a whole generation will have moved to eternity and we have the saving message and we have a responsibility to make our voices heard.
Speaker 1:So don't let anything hinder, even if you need to take some time to pray and write down in your notebook what's holding me back from doing this. Is it because of fear of man? Is it because I don't have time? We could do another week on the blockages, but I want to just challenge you, because everything is about souls. In the end, there's no such thing as a ministry disconnected from saving the souls of men, because when there's an emergency, when a ship receives an SOS call, they have to respond. They may be on an important. How many of you know that you get an SOS call on the sea? You have to respond. You may be doing something else, but you gotta help those people because now they're in the water and they only have a little bit of time left and that gospel carries power with it and whether people receive it or not, we can't convert anyone Now.
Speaker 1:Years ago, when I was in Tampa, there was an ex-biker. He was high watching TV. He tuned into my pastor's broadcast and the Lord set him free and he came to the church and he became the head of security Ex-biker. He left the biker gang, he was the leader of the biker gang and he had this idea that, pastor, I see people falling away from faith. Can we just you know, I'll take care of this that when they pray the prayer, we just shoot them. We'll send them straight to heaven right after they pray and there's no problem. And then we had to. No, this is not how we do things in the kingdom. We can't just send them off, you know, because he's thinking long term. You know what's up with these people? They give their life to christ. Then they fall away. You know, temptations come. Can we just take care of it? You know, because when you're being criminal all your life, then you just suddenly got this new life. You have a different way of thinking. You know church people won't think this way. But you understand, we have this short time span. You know we have different people here, different ages. We got some people like like barrett who's, who's been in the mission field for a long time. She's been preaching and and ministering and serving the lord. For some of you have just, you know, maybe you gave your life to the lord this year, so we have different. How much time do we have left? Let's make this time count because ultimately it's always linked to the gospel. It's time to go. I I would have time.
Speaker 1:I would read about my, both my, my, my grandfather and my great-grandfather my great-grandfather on my father's side how he answered the call of God in 1918. And Lord healed him, set him free, filled with the Holy Ghost, and he answered the call. And then in the 30s, my grandfather on my mother's side, living in central Finland in the countryside. Preachers came to the city, he to the meeting and he was. He was the Lord, was working though he writes in the article. In 1930s he writes the Lord was working in my. It was 1940s. He's writing in an article Lord was working in my heart. And then he came to another evangelist, came to the city and it was working. That word was working. He realized he needed to be saved and then he surrendered his life to Christ and this, this overwhelming joy, filled him. But then he realized that I've led other people astray. My lifestyle that was full of sin actually led my friends to the wrong path. So he realized I gotta go tell them. So he goes to tell them and then, as he's doing it, he realizes that this is not just for my friends, but the Lord's called me. He gave his life for that mission. He went out preaching those times in Finnish wintry countryside.
Speaker 1:That's intense stuff. That's on another level. But here we have we have a new generation. We have the what do you call it? Z? What's the generation after Z? Alpha, a. Yeah, I'm just having some interaction here, so nobody's going to fall asleep.
Speaker 1:So you know, like when you listen to, how many of you realize, like even when you listen to, like kids now, it's like you don't understand half the words. What language is that I have a heavy language. I speak a little bit of English, some not so clean Finnish, because I, you know, you speak more Finnish and then you forget the English words and you speak more English and you forget the Finnish words. So you can't maintain both of them. But it's like a new generation that must be reached and this one that's alive right now. Whoever is alive? 5.6 million people in Finland, how many people in your nations? What other people, regions, cities they must hear your voice and it's not burdensome.
Speaker 1:This is not something that we just feel the weight of this. We're just miserable and sad because good news has to be delivered with joy. But I just want you to realize this that we are responsible for the message that we need to deliver, that the good news should be heard that everyone in your city, not just that you print out black and white flyers, you put it on there and then try to stick it to everybody's mailbox. That could be part of it. But I believe everyone in finland deserves to personally hear from somebody who's full of the love and the power of god that god loves them, that god has a plan for them and christ died for them, and if they surrender their life to him, there's a new life. There's an eternal life that's available.
Speaker 1:And many of the other ways can be ones that soften the heart and make things aware so that people can come in. And I believe we should have buildings that are much bigger than this, that people can come in and just experience that different realm and atmosphere, so that people can experience the love and the peace and everything that comes with it. But I believe we should have that urgency in our heart that there's, the priorities are set right, that you no longer live for your pleasure but you live for the kingdom of god, and god will bless you along the way. He will give you pleasant experiences. He will even send you to the islands with your family. The blessings will arrive to your mailbox and you'll be cruising off and you'll be just very joyful, having fun with your family, so you can get some rest. But what are the priorities? Because, unfortunately, many ministries now the focus of the ministry is off. Many charismatic ministries.
Speaker 1:I don't understand what they're talking about. They have 17 different flags. They all mean something. I feel like I need a helmet and many times the people who wave the flags look angry. I don't. There's like something disconnected. I don't understand what's happening. There's no greater spiritual warfare than seeing people saved, because when, when the devil loses people in the city, he loses authority in the city. That's the real spiritual warfare. And a lot of the other stuff has to do with your crazy head and your heart getting right and you getting on your face to before god, so you can get filled with power and you can come up and actually do what god's called you to do.
Speaker 1:What's your assignment, what's your mission? Say with me good news. What's gonna come out? It's a time of harvest, this is the time of harvest, but Lord's looking for those voices that will be unashamed to proclaim the good news One-on-one, in a room, in a home, in a situation, and then sometimes on platforms, on stadiums, on wide open spaces, in the street corner, wherever God leads you. Let's make some noise. Come on, say hallelujah.
Speaker 1:Paul told Timothy do the work of an evangelist. Timothy was a pastor, but he was commanded to do the work of an evangelist. Work of an evangelist belongs to everybody, whether you're an evangelist or not. It's just a normal, just an ordinary person. You can tell others what Christ has done for you and share the simple gospel Amen. And we have tools for that so you can do it simply. Even if you're very introverted, like I am, I just get like this when I get a mic. Other than that, I'm just quiet. But Lord will use you and your voice, whether you like your voice or not at the moment, but your voice will be heard and people will hear that voice and there'll be a sweet fragrance coming up and then people will be drawn to Jesus and their life will be changed. I'm telling you and you'll be so excited because there's nothing like being used of God and when God is, the power of the Holy Spirit is flowing through you.
Speaker 1:Some of you need to go out and just just just. You know some of you, you'll sign up for some summer outreaches with us and then we'll throw you figuratively under the bus Not actually under a real bus, I'm not saying we don't have any tendencies to cause you any bodily harm, but I'm just saying that we will figuratively throw you under the bus. Some of you are going to step out in front of even groups of people and then you're going to see that voice, your sound, your voice. Some of you have done this years gone by, but you've drawn back your voice. Some of you have done this Years gone by, but you've drawn back. Say hallelujah, say good news, good news.