Ezette van der Merwe – www.MercyGate.com

At this stage of my life I am just WAITING on God for further instructions. Yes, we went to Kenya and we saw God working THROUGH us, but what now? I saw all the NEEDS and how ‘sold out’ those brothers and sisters are for Christ, but at this stage I have NO IDEA what God wants us to do next!

I’ve just received another e-mail; another brother (pastor) from Kenya asking me to help him with teaching materials, finances, prayers, etc. All so that they can send out more missionaries and do the work that God assigned them to do.

Friend there are so many brothers and sisters (ALL OF THEM TRUE SPIRITUAL ELDERS) from all over the world writing to me; asking me to help them so that they can help others. So that they can SPREAD the Good News. There are so many needs in Kenya and all over the world and I have no idea what to do about them — it makes me feel FRANTIC. We (Herman and myself) just do not have the finances and spiritual materials to assist them at this stage! We are just trying/struggling to keep our ministry on the air; and that takes all our finances and energy! At present we are not even getting our weekly messages out!

All that I can do at present is PRAY, and to be honest I even struggle to do that! I try to pray for all of YOU on this list every day, because you are now my spiritual brothers and sisters and my heart is longing to help and be with you! BUT God’s timing and God’s way differs from ours therefore I have to WAIT until He releases me; until He gives me further instructions. So, I am WAITING ‘patiently’ (Ha-ha that’s not true! Believe you me I am truly struggling with the WAITING bit! I am like a race horse ready to jump out of the starting blocks; foam streaming out of my mouth as I ‘fight’ the bit!!!).

BUT…over the last few weeks of ‘solitary confinement’ I came to one conclusion: We need MORE OF JESUS’ POWER!!! We do not need more spiritual courses and teaching materials, only MORE OF JESUS! When we have MORE OF HIM we will have everything we need in order to become EFFECTIVE witnesses! Oh, how we need more of Jesus!!!!

When I read through the book of Acts I see GOD’S POWER being manifested EVERYWHERE His children/followers went! Do you know something? It was God’s POWER being manifested into all those WONDERS and HEALINGS, who made it so easy for the disciples/followers to TELL people about ‘the Giver of that ‘POWER’; JESUS CHRIST and THE CROSS! Everyone wanted to know ‘who gave them that power’? That my Friend, was the question that started their ‘preaching’!

Just listen to the religious leader’s words to Peter and John , after they’ve healed the lame man ,and was thrown into jail because of it. Acts 4:7-12 “By what power, or in whose name, have you done this [miracle]”? That my Friend, was the sentence that opened the DOOR for Peter to preach the Good News! “Then Peter FILLED with the Holy Spirit, said to them. ‘Do you want to know how he was healed? …Let me clearly state to you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed in the name and power of Jesus Christ from Nazareth, the man you crucified, but whom God raised from the dead…For there is salvation in no one else! There is no other name in all of heaven for people to call on to save them.”

Do you know what I’ve learned? Just listen to Jesus’ instructions to His Followers/Disciples when He sent them out ‘into the world’.

— Matthew 10:7 “Go and ANNOUNCE to them (God’s lost sheep) that the Kingdom of God is near. HEAL THE SICK, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received! Don’t take any money with you [Don’t worry about money; just GO!] .Don’t carry a traveler’s bag with extra coat and sandals or even a walking stick. Don’t hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve to be FED…..etc”

Friend what were the things Jesus specifically told His disciples to go and DO????

— ANNOUNCE TO PEOPLE THAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NEAR

— HEAL THE SICK

— RAISE THE DEAD

— CURE THOSE WITH LEPROSY

— CAST OUT DEMONS!!!

Dear Friend, please listen to me: You can TELL people everything you know about Jesus and the Bible; you can even have all the theological degrees money can buy; but…if you do not have the POWER of God/ HIS POWER MANIFESTING THROUGH YOU; you’ll have huge problems! .Without HIS POWER manifesting through you, you will not be very effective….sorry! Let me be very blunt: You will most probably be able to get people to follow YOU or your denomination, but you will definitely not be able to get people born-again; equipped to follow Christ instead of men.

What made the first followers such effective witnesses?

Wherever they went they HAD THE POWER of Jesus Christ manifesting THROUGH them!!! THAT is what the people saw, and that was what made people ASK and SEEK. That is why Jesus specifically told His followers to WAIT for His POWER BEFORE going out into the world.

FRIEND let’s get honest for a change. (Ha-ha) When I look at my life, I do not SEE those miraculous manifestations happening wherever I go! Do you see them in your ministry/life? If not WE NEED MORE OF JESUS!!!! Most of you on this list have ministries. Most of you are doing or trying to do what God tells you to do/ what God wants to do THROUGH you; but be HONEST, something is missing!

Take note: The first apostles/followers waited until they received ‘The Power’ BEFORE they started to become effective witnesses (See Acts 2:1-4). Remember scared Peter, the one who renounced Jesus three times? Just after the POWER fell on him, he stood up and in BOLDNESS started to preach the Good News about Jesus (Acts 2:14). He, together with ALL the other believers, were instantly changed/transformed after they received/were filled with the Power of the Holy Spirit! But just listen to another interesting fact. Even a one-time infilling of the Holy Spirit was not enough to keep them ministering effectively throughout their lives! No, they received it again and again in order to stay effective as witnesses. (Please read Acts 3:27-31) Just take note: They received more POWER/boldness because they asked for more power! Friend, you have to come to a point in your life when you realize you need MORE POWER/more of Jesus!

I came to that point in my life. Friend, I came to realize that I need much MORE OF JESUS! That TODAY’S CHURCH needs MORE OF JESUS! We are luke-warm and mostly half DEAD! Friend we are MORE dead than alive! I do not care if there are 20, 000 people in ‘your church/gathering’. If the POWER is not there then you are SPIRITUALLY DEAD. If people do not get instantly TRANSFORMED through your preaching, there is something MISSING! We need to get on our knees and ask/start BEGGING God for MORE OF JESUS! For more of HIS SPIRIT; FOR MORE POWER! Yes, for LESS OF US and more of HIM!!!

That and only that will make us MORE EFFECTIVE WITNESSES FOR JESUS!!! I told Jesus that I am willing to go wherever He sends me, but that I need MORE POWER. More of HIM and less of me; otherwise I’ll just ‘waste my time and HIS MONEY’! (That was the words my music teacher used when she urges my mother to stop my piano lessons because I was not practicing.) Friend, if people are not CHANGED/transformed through my preaching/ witnessing; it is all for NOTHING! It is just a waste of time!

Friend, when I read through the Apostles I see how the more mature followers were able to PLACE their hands on other believers in order for them to receive THE POWER of God IMMEDIATELY. That POWER was more than enough to make the new converts INSTANT MISSIONARIES/WITNESSES! That power gave them the ability to DO the things Jesus told them to go and do (heal the sick; raise the dead; chase out demons etc.); and that in turn gave them the opening line for telling the people more about ‘The Man Jesus’. The ONE who SAVED them out of their sinful state by dying for them on the cross; and who furthermore equipped them to live HOLY/ SINLESS lives by giving them His POWER/Spirit.

Listen to what happened when Philip (an ordinary believer) told the people about the Messiah (Acts 8:4-8) “Crowds listened intently to what he had to say [Why] BECAUSE OF THE MIRACLES HE DID. Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was a great joy in that city.”Now listen to verses 12-18 “The people believed Philip’s message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. As a RESULT, many were baptized [water baptism].[So] when the apostles back in Jerusalem heard that the people in Samaria had accepted God’s message, they sent Peter and John there. As soon as they arrived, they prayed for these new Christians to receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon them, for they had not yet been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John laid their hands upon these believers, and they received the Holy Spirit.” [Those brand new Christians received THE POWER and was instantly equipped for the Great Commission!]

What does someone have to do in order to get SAVED???

So, what do people have to do in order to receive the Holy Spirit/become born-again/spirit- filled? How can someone get saved? That my Friend is the most important question in the WORLD and most of today’s church do not know how to answer it; or get it totally WRONG!!!

Let’s go and see what took place in the New Testament Church: Remember we should ALWAYS look at the Scriptures; that is the only TRUTH!

First of all, spirit- filled/anointed/born-again/ sold- out followers of Jesus Christ performed mighty miracles. That together with their POWERFUL preaching/ witnessing about JESUS and the CROSS led to the CONVICTION of their listeners. Those listeners became truly CONVICTED of their sinful state and were WILLING to turn away from their sin in order to follow Christ instead. That is what we call true REPENTANCE!

Friend, those people truly believed the Good News about Jesus: That He came to rescue them OUT of their sin/sickness and spiritual death! That REVELATION is what made them willing to leave their old sinful lives behind in order to follow Christ instead. AND…in order to make their decision final, they then got themselves baptized in water. That act, together with the ‘laying on of hands’, or even just anointed preaching, led to their being ‘baptized with the Holy Spirit’. And that is what THE WORD call TRUE CONVERSION!!! That is the BASICS of true Christianity; the FOUNDATION of true Christianity! Friend, I am convinced that more than 80% of today’s ‘Christians’ are not really SAVED!!! Are you???

Now take note: True Salvation is…

(1) A deep conviction of your sin that leads to true Repentance and a turning AWAY from your old life of sin! That usually happens under anointed preaching.(2) That then leads to water baptism,(3) and after those things happened you WILL receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit. (See Acts 2:38) The Holy Spirit is HOLY and He will NOT enter into an unclean vessel and the only way you can be CLEAN is through DEEP REPENTANCE!

Friend WE; mature followers of Christ, must be the ones who do what Peter and John did ‘laid their hands upon these believers, and they received the Holy Spirit’. That is the only way to equip new believers to become born-again effective followers and witnesses of Christ! Those new converts do not need teaching materials and money; they need CHRIST’S POWER fist! But…in order for us to place our hands on people, we need to be equipped ourselves!

WE NEED THE POWER! FRIEND are you WITH ME ON THIS??? Will you pray WITH me? Will you STAND with me?

We need to fast and pray UNTIL we receive MORE POWER! Please, in your prayer time, in your fellowships/gatherings; please start BEGGING and PLEADING for MORE POWER and LESS of everything else. Let’s start FOCUSING more on JESUS and less on everything else. Let’s drop the formalities and get back on our faces before Jesus–let’s start by REPENTING of all the RELIGIOUS STUFF that came between us and Jesus! Let’s get rid of all the stuff/things! Even God said in the Old Testament that He is sick of all our religious meetings! That is the only way that we will ever RECEIVE THE POWER of the New Testament Church and without that POWER we will NEVER be effective witnesses; NEVER!

That POWER is what each of us needs, so that when we do go out and witness, we will be fully equipped to manifest the power of God, and to GIVE the new converts THAT SAME MIGHTY POWER–either by the laying on of hands or by our powerful anointed preaching! That will then immediately transform and equip the new converts to GO OUT AND be effective witnesses themselves!!! To go out and live HOLY VICTORIOUS LIVES. That will give them the power to FOLLOW after Christ! That will bring about revival and that is what God is asking of HIS CHURCH in this hour. “REPENT and turn BACK TO ME’ otherwise I WILL spew you OUT of my mouth!”

Oh God please have mercy on us!!!

(Part 2)

Let’s take a closer look at the state of TODAY’S CHURCH.

In Revelation 3:14-20 God is speaking to TODAY’S Church; to US! To everyone who CLAIMS/confesses to be a Christian. Take note: Not everyone who CLAIMS to be a Christian is indeed born-again/ a follower of Jesus Christ!

— Verse 15: “I know all the things you do [I see all your meetings and religious stuff’], [but I also see] that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, I WILL spew you out of my mouth. You SAY, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’And you DON”T [even] realize [and this is the scary part] that you are wretched and miserable and poor and [spiritually] blind and naked.[Therefore] I advise you to buy gold from me [let me refine/purify/cleanse you] — gold that has been purified by fire[God’s refiners fire].

[Only] Then you will be rich…
And also buy white garments [REPENT] so you will not be shamed by your nakedness.
And buy ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see [spiritually].
I am the one who corrects and disciplines everyone I love.
Be DILIGENT and TURN from your indifference.

(Verse 20) Look! Here I stand at the door [of YOUR heart] and knock.

[Take note: GOD IS SPEAKING TO THE CHURCH!!!]

IF you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends.
I will invite everyone who is VICTORIOUS and sat with my Father on his throne.
Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”

Are YOU willing to listen to the Spirit my Friend, or are you to busy with your religious life? Are you willing to HEAR what God’s Spirit is saying at this time and age? Are you willing to turn from your indifference? Are you willing to HEAR the call of God?

— Revelation 18:4 “…”Come OUT/AWAY from her [today’s luke-warm Western church] my people. Do not take part in her sins [indifference /unbelief/doubt/religious works] or you will be punished with her. She has lived in luxury and pleasure [example the prosperity teaching], so match it now with torment and sorrows….She will be utterly consumed by fire, for the Lord God l who judges her is mighty”

Friend, when you look at ‘todays church’ what do you see? Spiritual and physical sickness and death, sorrows, sin, unholiness, powerlessness; we are spiritually defeated! “She has become the hideout of demons and evil spirits, a nest of filthy buzzards, and a den of dreadful beasts. (Verse 2)”

Friend, do you realize that more than 50% of Western pastors/priests/leaders are into pornography! Do you know how many women and children are being abused by ‘spiritual leaders’? The divorce rate is higher INSIDE the church than outside the church! I am not even speaking about physical SICKNESS! Where is the Holiness God demands; where is the POWER to overcome sin, sickness and death! Jesus specifically said He came to set the captives free; let the blind see, free the downtrodden, heal the sick and brokenhearted, raise the dead, etc. That is not happening in today’s church! Something is terribly wrong! We need the POWER of GOD inside today’s Church to deal effectively with all the sin and abuse!

Just another interesting fact: Paul did not go into the world to ‘plant churches’!! Listen carefully: He went into the world to PLANT CHRIST and NOTHING but Christ!!! .Yes, you heard correctly. He went into the world to PREACH CHRIST/The GOOD NEWS about Christ!!! His only goal was to ‘plant’ Christ Jesus into people’s hearts. To get the people into the Body of Christ! To get people spiritually born-again!

You see Friend, as soon as Christ’s Spirit entered INTO those new converts; He took OVER THEIR LIVES, and they started to follow Him! Paul and the first disciples made sure that the new converts were fully equipped with Christ’s Spirit inside of them so that they were able to follow Christ. How? By making sure that they received THE POWER! He (The Spirit INSIDE of them) then did the rest.

They instantly became part of a spiritual family, who all of a sudden were DRAWN together by CHRIST INSIDE of THEM. They all of a sudden were totally changed/renewed people who WANTED to get together. WHY? To talk about Christ, to share Christ with each other! To hear what Christ ‘THE HEAD’ has to say to them ‘His Body’. They were drawn together by CHRIST IN THEM! They were drawn to one another in order to pray, to help one another, and to seek more of Christ—all in order to become more effective witnesses! They formed a living ORGANISM not an organization. They became a family who went out into the world daily in order to go and find more people to join their new spiritual family. They realized how much they needed one another in order to be better equipped for EVERYDAY LIFE!

Please go and read about their meetings in 1 Corinthians 14:26-27. Are your meetings/church/fellowship following their example? If not there is something WRONG! Is Christ truly THE HEAD of your fellowship? Is Christ really among you?

Friend, CHRIST CHANGED/transformed THEM and that is what they wanted to share with EVERYONE they came in contact with every single day! CHRIST AND ONLY CHRIST! Their whole focus was CHRIST and what He did for THEM PERSONALLY. That is the GOOD NEWS they wanted to ‘take into the world’. And everything they did when they got together was to make sure they would be more effective witnesses ‘in the world’. Their focus was equipping people to fulfill the great commission in Luke 16:15-18.

Friend, we need to stop looking for other people to DO THE THINGS Jesus specifically told YOU and ME to go and do! We need to stop making excuses! We need to stop ‘playing church’! If YOU are one of His followers then go and read Matthew 10:5-42. Jesus is speaking to YOU! Are you willing ‘to go’? Are you willing to surrender ALL and follow Christ instead? If you are willing, remember He is able to equip you by giving you HIS POWER; but you will have to ask Him.

Please start by praying with me. Let us together; as the Body of Christ start to honestly SEEK God’s FACE! Let us humble ourselves before God, asking for Him to CLEANSE and PURIFY us; to prepare us so that He can pour out His Spirit upon us in a MIGHTY way!

“O God; please help us! We are dying! Help us! Please FORGIVE us for ignoring you and focusing all our energies on our own agendas. We need to get back to YOU and only YOU! Help us! Open our eyes and set us free from all the lies and deceit and deceptions of the enemy! Please DELIVER US out of religion; the Babylonian prostitute; please pour out your LIGHT upon us so that we can RECOGNIZE the TRUTH! Please God send your angel out of heaven, the one you are speaking of in Revelation 18:1 so that the earth can grow bright with splendor! Please God, enlighten the minds of those who call to you for help! Please enlighten our minds/my mind so that I can walk in the Truth and nothing but the Truth! Please God, I ask you in the Mighty Powerful Name of Jesus, your precious Son! Come Lord Jesus Come! Amen”

Oh friend, may God have MERCY on you in these terrible end times! And may I end with Paul’s words in Acts 20:24-28

— “But my life is worth NOTHING unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about God’s terrible kindness and love.[I’ve preached the Kingdom of God to you] and let me say plainly that I have been faithful. No one’s damnation can be blamed on me, for I didn’t shrink from declaring all that God wants for you.

And now beware! Be sure that you feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church purchased by his blood—among or in whom the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders.

I know full well that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. Even some of YOU will distort the truth in order to draw a following. Watch out!”

Remember dear Friend, this letter plus all the other Apostolic books was written just after the death of Jesus Christ. We are living 2000 years later; therefore I assume it is safe to say that the false teachers and vicious wolves have ALREADY ‘entered into’ God’s church – have ALREADY distorted the Truth; and in the process instead of sparing the flock, destroying them/us instead That is what landed us INSIDE Revelation 18! Oh how we need to get OUT OF HER [the false church/the Babylonian prostitute] BACK TO GOD; how we need HIS POWER!! How we need THE LIGHT to open our spiritual eyes and mind in order to SEE the TRUTH! To see how we have MOVED away from Christianity and how much we needed to get BACK TO GOD!

Listen to Peter’s words in Acts 4:9-21 [Remember this was about 50 years after the death of Jesus] “Now turn from your sins and turn to God[repent], so you can be cleansed of your sins. Then wonderful times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will send Jesus your Messiah to you again. For he must remain in heaven until the time for the FINAL RESTORATION of all things, as God promised long ago through his prophets.”

“until the time for the FINAL RESTORATION of all things”– This is the time we are presently living in Friend!!! The time JUST before God will send Jesus BACK to earth. We are living inside Revelation 18! The great falling away has already taken place; the wolves have already come into His Church and God is CALLING HIS TRUE REMNANT OUT!!! FRIEND CAN YOU HEAR HIS CALL!!!!

Acts 4:22-23 “Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up a Prophet like me from among your own people[Jesus Christ] listen carefully to everything he tells you.’ Then Moses said, ‘Anyone who will not listen to that Prophet will be CUT OFF from God’s people and utterly destroyed.’” [Oh God this is scary stuff! Friend, there is no such thing as once saved always saved! And there is no such thing as ‘ask Jesus into your heart!’ If you stay put into luke-warm Christianity you will be utterly destroyed when God destroys the false religious system we call Churchianity.]

Oh, my heart cry this day 13 /11/06 is that God would release the powerful angel of Revelation 18 in order for us to be ENLIGHTENED; in order for our MINDS to be cleared so that we can SEE and HEAR what the Spirit of Christ is saying to His people at this time and age! So that we can ‘come out/away from her’! May God have mercy on all of us!!!

Amen

Just an mail I’ve received from a friend in America after I’ve send her this teaching.

“Ezette, you sound just like my husband. He longs for the same power the church had in the book of Acts. No one seems to notice that the power is missing and this drives him crazy! He’s not even interested in any meetings/church unless the sick are being healed, demons are being cast out, and the dead are being raised! He is not impressed with these American mega churches. Ok, so there are 20,000 people in a building. So what? If there’s no power of God, it’s just a huge crowd of people sitting there. He doesn’t want a dead ministry like what’s already out there. He would rather have nothing! “Christians” today don’t realize it but there’s so much unbelief in the body of Christ. The pastors are after $$$ more than anything (and wanting to be celebrities). Actually, Barry has been grieved about the powerlessness for 35 years! Now he knows there’s at least one other person in this world that feels the same way! The Word tells us we will receive power after the Holy Ghost comes upon us. And yet… we definitely are not experiencing the same power as the early church.