This is a write up of the message from the November 2020 fasting and prayer weekend led by Pastor Praveen and held at our church. We had four sessions, Friday morning and evening and Saturday morning (posted here) and evening. During our fasting and prayer sessions, it is usual for the Holy Spirit to speak to us through Pastor Praveen. Sometimes, he shares insights into the scripture that the Holy Spirit provides to him through revelation.  

Pastor Praveen’s Message – The Word is Spirit and Life

Jesus is the Word – the Life Giving Spirit 

Jesus said to His disciples, “The Spirit gives life. The flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are full of Spirit and life.” (John 6:63). So, whatever we are hearing from the Lord is Spirit and life. What is Spirit? What is life? 1 Corinthians 15:45 says, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit.” His name is Jesus. He is the Word. The Word was speaking directly to His disciples. 

John 1:1-5 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not understood it.” 

Jesus is the Word, the life-giving Spirit. Now, the Word that came from heaven is speaking, “The word I have spoken to you is full of Spirit and life.” This means that whenever we read the bible or hear the word of God, we are receiving the Holy Spirit and the renewal of our spiritual life. No one can stop it because the word is the life-giving Spirit. 

Maybe you are seeing lifelessness in some part of your life. God is saying, “I am going to speak to you the word which is Spirit and life.” Then you will experience My glory in your life. If you listen to His word this morning, you will go from hopelessness to hope. The word will help you and strengthen you. You will have great victory in your life. 

At the Pool Called Bethesda

Pastor Praveen spoke on John 5:1-14 – Jesus’ healing of an invalid at the pool called Bethesda in Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit revealed to Pastor Praveen many insights about the story.

The bible tells us that the healing took place on a Jewish festival day. Pastor Praveen noted that many pastors will not make themselves available on holidays. But Jesus was spending His time in Bethesda healing an invalid. Pastor Praveen said that in his own life, God has called him to be available for His purpose. For example, God has called him to get up and pray every night. God has given Pastor Praveen to understand, “The festival is not important for you. The important thing is to do my ministry. Whatever I tell you to do, you need to do it.” He is often out of town during major holidays, away from his family. Yet, God, in his grace, comforts Pastor Praveen and his family. Now, when he cannot travel because of COVID, he has even less time to spend with his family, since God is calling him to spend extra time in fasting and prayer. 

At the pool called Bethesda, many people were in distress. There were many who were lame and crippled. Jesus spoke to one man. All were watching to see what would happen. Pastor Praveen said the area was a kind of a cursed place. Only invalids were there. No one came to visit them, not even their relatives. This was the first time they had a visitor.

There was an invalid there who had been suffering for 38 years. He would try to get into the pool when the water was stirred, but someone always went before him. No one helped him. He kept waiting for his chance. Pastor Praveen emphasized that he was not waiting for “chances” in the plural – just for a chance. This is our mistake these days. We wait for “chances.” If you get a chance, you need to go. Don’t wait. If you go with a “chance,” God will give you more “chances.” 

No one cared about the man at the pool, not even his relatives, because he was an invalid man. If you are an invalid person, who will care about you? No one. That is the way of this world. People don’t come see you in the nursing home. They are too busy. But Jesus, He is not a busy man. He is always available for His children. He is at the right hand of the Lord 24/7 interceding for us, our children, community, and church. If you use the internet for your purposes, you may get a poor connection. But if you kneel down before the Lord, the heavens will open over you. 

The man at the pool had no hope. After 38 years of suffering, how could he think positively? His thoughts were always negative, hopeless. Maybe you have been praying for many years without seeing any progress. Remember, God is on time. He will come and touch you and change your life. Or he will speak a word to heal you. Don’t count the months or years you have been praying. It takes time. It is not a simple thing. Remember when Elijah was praying for rain. Seven times his servant went to look toward the sea and come back to tell Elijah what he saw. This took a long time, yet Elijah remained bowed down to the ground with his head between his knees, praying. 

But God is a God of compassion and mercy. So Jesus asked the invalid, “Do you want to get well?” You cannot measure Jesus’ compassion. We need to learn from God, “What is the meaning of compassion?” God has told Pastor Praveen that when he prays for someone, he needs to see their problem as if it is his own problem. Then it will burn in his heart. It was for this God anointed him. That is the reason so many are healed through Pastor Praveen’s prayer. Because he sees their sickness as his sickness and cries for their healing. 

When Jesus asked, “Do you want to get well?” the invalid started explaining. “I tried to get into the pool. But no one helped me, Jesus. I have no one to help me.” Pastor Praveen reminded us that when Jesus first appeared to him, he was like the invalid man. He was 24 or 25 years old. He was below zero. He had nothing and no one cared about him. His brothers were businessmen – too busy for him. His parents had passed away. He was in great distress. He was even thinking about suicide. He didn’t know what to do. No one would help him. But the same One who went to the invalid man in Bethesda appeared to Pastor Praveen in his room and said, “Believe me. I am Jesus.” 

Pastor Praveen’s whole life changed with this one word. With one word, he can change you. He can change the world. He created everything by his word and he made us by His hand. His word to Pastor Praveen that day was Spirit and life. If you believe His word spoken to you, everything in your life will come alive. You will experience special fruit in your life – spiritually, physically, mentally, and financially. All kinds of crises and distress will flee from you if you listen to the word of God. Read the bible always. It is the wisdom of God. If you read the bible faithfully every day, no one will be able to stand before you. Whatever you do, you will have victory.

When Pastor Praveen’s daughter was younger, he was worried about her. She was not making good progress academically. One day she came to Pastor Praveen in his prayer room. In the Spirit, he took hold of her and screamed and cried out to the Lord. After that she always got straight “A’s.” Then he strictly commanded her to read several chapters of the bible every day and report to him about what she read. 

God’s word is full of Spirit and life. When the world was empty and formless and there was darkness on the face of the earth, the Spirit of the Lord was hovering over the water. He spoke, “Let there be light.” (Genesis 1:1-3). Remember this whenever you are going through a discouraging or hopeless situation. The Spirit of the Lord is hovering over you ready to work for you, for your family. We have the authority to speak the word. 

Prophecy to the emptiness. “My God is King of kings, Lord of lords. He is going to open the heavens over me and my family.” God wants to hear that from us. He doesn’t want to hear our story about how many years you are suffering or going through a hopeless situation. He came to restore our lives. Whatever He speaks, we need to receive it. When the servant of God speaks the word, listen. Don’t focus on the pastor, focus on the word he speaks. The word is full of Spirit and life. 

If you believe this word you will see a new beginning in which people will honor you. Many of you have prayed for something for months. But this morning, God is speaking to you, “Do you want to get well?” Do you want to see a miracle in your life? Victory in your life? Great things in your life? I am ready to work for you. I don’t want to hear your past stories. I came to heal you and deliver you. Get up and walk. Take up your mat and walk. Do you think your mat will help you? No. Take up your mat, which is your heritage, and walk.” 

We are the Inheritance of Jesus Christ

Remember what the blind beggar, Bartimaeus, did when Jesus called him. He threw off his cloak. He was in Jericho, which had been cursed by Joshua. Only the lame and crippled stayed there. But Jesus came to save the sinners, so he went through Jericho. When Bartimaeus threw off his cloak, he was throwing off the cloak of his heritage, the cloak of the curse, of his sadness and hopelessness. He threw it off and then he received a new cloak from the Lord. He began to see everything. This morning, God is asking you to throw off your cloak of hopelessness and sadness. Throw it and then receive a new cloak from the Lord. That cloak will give you more peace, joy, and victory. 

We need to copy from Jesus – the original. Pastor Praveen said that when Peter and John were watching Jesus perform signs and wonders, they stood there. “What is he doing?” “How is it happening?” “No idea.” That is because the Holy Spirit had not yet come. Jesus said, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you in all truth.” (John 16:13). The people did not ask, “What shall we do?” or “How can we be saved?” They didn’t ask anything like that because the Holy Spirit had not come. 

Later, when the disciples received the Holy Spirit, they understood everything. Before the Holy Spirit came, Peter and John had no unity. Afterwards, they were walking hand-in-hand. They told the crippled beggar, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus, get up and walk.” (Acts 3:6). They spoke the word. 

This morning, God is speaking. “If you are experiencing a hopeless situation, speak the word. There is victory, hope, peace, and joy in my name. Why don’t you ask my Father in my name? Whatever you ask of Him in my name, He will do for you. Whenever you have a problem in your life, why don’t you speak my word? Don’t you remember the mighty words I have spoken to you? They are full of Spirit and life.” God is speaking, “Do you believe my word? I have given you authority.”

We are the inheritance of Jesus Christ. Act like a prince or princess, not like worldly children. Hold on to what Jesus has given you. It will lift you up. If you ask for healing, Jesus will heal you first spiritually. Then he will heal you mentally, physically, and financially. 

Remember, when Jesus told the crippled man at the pool at Bethesda to get up and walk, there were many other sick people there. Did they call to Jesus to heal them too? No, they were only watching. Likewise, if you are coming to church to worship God, don’t sit passively. Many people worship and receive blessing, healing, and deliverance from God. If you are passive, you will not receive anything. Worship and listen to the word of God in Spirit, not in the flesh. If you worship God in Spirit and truth, you will rise up. The Spirit will heal you. No one will need to lay hands on you and pray. Because the word is Spirit and life. 

Concluding Remarks

Power Was Coming Out and Healing Them All

Luke 6:18 talks about those “who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured, and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.” Pastor Praveen told us, “You can touch Jesus. He is in the midst of us.” Remember, when you come into God’s presence, His Spirit will come upon you. “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” (Colossians 1:15). In His presence, the Spirit comes out to heal the people. That is why Pastor Praveen comes back from his ministry trips with so many miraculous reports. 

Not only that. John 15:3 says, “You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.” This means that His word will cleanse us. When we read the bible, listen to the word of God, it will cleanse us and fix many things in our lives. 

God Will Fulfill His Word

Pastor Praveen spoke about a unique experience that happened when he was ministering in Seattle Washington in February 2020. Many children, some of whom were less than 10 years old, were filled with the Spirit. For example, Pastor Praveen prayed for the pastor’s son who was in fifth grade. When he touched the boy, Pastor Praveen and the boy together were hit by the wind of the Spirit. Even Pastor Praveen was surprised. In the past, he has seen older children and teens anointed by the Spirit. But this was the first time he had seen it in children younger than 10 years old.

God appeared to Pastor Praveen in his room twice during that trip. He flew to Seattle on a Thursday, and Jesus appeared to him on Monday and again on Wednesday. On the second occasion, Pastor Praveen was sitting and praying when he went into a trance. He could see Jesus in a white robe. The Lord asked, “What you are seeing, son of man?” The Spirit helped Pastor Praveen to answer, “I am seeing an almond tree.” Then he said, “You are right. I will fulfill my word.”