“City of God” Event
On October 6th, 2007, The Truth In The Spirit hosted a community event at King-Lincoln Park in Newport News, VA called “City of God” to share God’s redemptive plan for Newport News, VA, as revealed through His Biblical plan for the Holy City of Jerusalem.
This is our Scrap Book
Blessings Were Released through Prayer
At “City of God”, we prayed for Newport News, VA, and Jerusalem, Isra’el to be the cities that God created them to be, holy unto Him. As prayers were released, strongholds were broken in people’s hearts, over the city of Newport News and on the ground itself. All that had been held captive to sin was set free through the power of the Word of God and the Blood of His Son, Yeshua (Jesus).
Anointed Praise
The choir from Temple of Peace Church on Wickham Ave. in Newport News, VA, blessed us all with worship songs that were not only in line with God’s Word for the day but also uplifting for our souls. They sang “Total Praise” and “More Abundantly”.
The Word of God
Prophetess Markita Smith delivered the word of God from Isaiah chapters 42 and 43. She began by stating that there is a transformation process for a city to become a City of God. First, God reveals the mission. It is stated in Isaiah 42:5-7. Then, He begins to transform the individual citizens of the city, so that He can use them to transform the city itself. On each level of the transformation, God gives blessings and reveals Himself in a new way.
First, God blesses us with Holiness to serve Him
Prophetess Smith ministered about the condition of God’s servants: the Isra’elites and the citizens of Newport News. In order for Him to use us to set captives free, He must first free us from our bondage. Hence, God shows us our own condition (Isaiah 42:19-22). When faced with the reality of our bondage, we must cry out to Him in confession and repentance. When we do so, He responds to our cries and reveals His holiness. Then we get to know Him as Kadosh Yisrael (Holy One of Isra’el). The contrast between His holiness and our sinfulness should cause us to surrender to Him. As we do, He becomesADONAI (LORD) over our souls and lives. As ADONAI, He then declares war on everything in our lives that draws us away from Him to sin, including our own hearts. We cannot become holy; He makes us holy by revealing His holiness and destroying our sin. (See Isaiah chapter 59 for more detail about this process.)
Second, God blesses us with Wisdom to fear Him
To bless us with wisdom to fear Him, God disciplines us. Isaiah 42:24-25 describes God’s discipline of His servants. As He makes war on sin in our lives, we experience discipline to train us to avoid sin. Hebrews 12:4-11 teaches us that God disciplines those He loves. We then get to know Him as Abba (Father), as He spares us from the serious consequences of our sins, which is death, by lovingly disciplining us. This brings godly sorrow upon us (2 Cor. 7:10), which leads to our deliverance. Through discipline, we get to know His requirements and see Him as Elohim (God as judge). We also develop fear of Him, which is the beginning of wisdom (Pro. 1:7), and are prepared for the blessings to come.
Third, God blesses us with Health to enjoy Him
Continuing to sin against God causes us to need His redemption, in various areas of our lives. So to bless us with health to enjoy Him, God redeems us, as described in Isaiah 43:1-3a. We then get to know Him as Go’el (Redeemer) and draw closer to Him in an intimate relationship. In this new intimacy, we get to know Him as Ishi (my Husband). The process of redemption and intimacy are clearly depicted in both Hosea chapter 2 and Isaiah chapter 54.
Next, God blesses us with Wealth to honor Him
In Isaiah 43:18-21, we see that God blesses His people with wealth by providing for us. He provides “streams in the wasteland.” Hence, there is actually an overflow from God into all dry areas of our lives. This overflow begins in our souls. As our souls receive an overflow of His Spirit (see John 7:37-38), we prosper in other ways as well (3 John 2). As He pours into our souls, we get to know Him as El ‘Elyon (God Most High). Solomon (see 1 Kings chapters 3-5) and Daniel (see Daniel chapters 1-4) are both wonderful examples of an overflow from the Spirit of God producing a prosperous soul and THEN other forms of prosperity. God’s people are blessed to be a blessing (Gen. 12:2), so when we experience overflow, we bless others and bring honor to God. As we give, we receive more in return and get to know Him as (I AM) because He is whatever we need and more.
Lastly, God blesses us with Success to praise Him
In this last portion of the Word, Prophetess Smith returned to the Scripture in Isaiah 42:5-7. In it, we read that God’s servants are blessed with success in the mission He has given them. Our mission is to take back our city. After He has revealed our condition, disciplined us, redeemed us and provided for us, we can then be the covenant between God and His people (see also 2 Cor. 5:17-21). The overflow of His Spirit becomes a wellspring of living water in us (see John 7:37-38) to free other captives and heal their souls. When we have an understanding of this, we begin to live out Isaiah 61:1-4 and watch it come to life in our city. As springs of living water flow from us, we water others until they become oaks of righteousness for the Lord (Is. 61:3) and renew the ruined cities (Is. 61:4). When we see God use us (with all of our sins and flaws) to minister to others who change a city, we get to know Him as El Shaddai (God Almighty). Then, in order to insure our success, He sends armies of angels to aid and protect us, revealing Himself as ADONAI Tzva’ot (LORD of Hosts/Armies). All of these messages combined taught us how God moves in the lives of individual believers to transform a city into a City of God. Jerusalem, Isra’el and Newport News, VA belong to the Kingdom of God!!!/p>