Blog Post

Fire kills viruses

Andrew Baker - Makeway Ministries • April 10, 2020

[Note from Colin: This is an article written by Andrew Baker, a dear friend and wonderful servant of God. We believe it is an important word that the Body of Messiah needs to hear at this time.]

 We are living in a key time right now, with unprecedented things happening around us. Many people are complaining about being ‘locked down’, ‘locked in’, but this is an extremely important season for believers, if we can catch it. This is the time to be ‘closed in’ with God prior to Pentecost. The season from Passover to Pentecost is a very important period. After celebrating the death and resurrection of our Lord, remembering also how the Israelites were saved by the blood on the door lintels and we are saved by Jesus shed blood, we then continue through the rest of the days of unleavened bread and through the season that then leads up to Pentecost.

 This is the time of removing all the leaven; removing anything that is hindering our walk with God. This is the time for reflection when the Holy Spirit will work within our characters, correct matters and help us to be prepared for the new season ahead. He will give us revelation and fill us with all that is necessary in readiness for what is facing us and the world in the days ahead. He will then bring us to Pentecost and fill us with the fire of God, if we are prepared and ready. After that we move into the unknown! We don't know if we have one plague: coronavirus, or many. We do know that the financial system will be in difficulty, that is even before us now. We also know that over the last 10 years or more God has been ‘preparing the way’ as we, as prophets and intercessors, have made inroads in the spirit into the financial realm. So, in that area, we shall see the things of the world declining and the things of the people of God advancing; that is the subject for another day. So, this is one of the things I wanted to mentioned to you today: this period from Passover to Pentecost and how important it is not just to feel ‘locked down’ but to be ‘locked in’ with God getting ready for the times ahead.

 There is another matter I want to I want to talk about.

 One day last week I was asking God: “what is the key to being rid of this coronavirus” and the Lord answered me with the word ‘fire’. It was as though God was saying ‘call down the fire’ and also, ‘use the fire that is within you’.

 So I began to look at some scriptures concerning this fire. The first scripture I saw was in Zechariah 2:5 where the bible tells us of the Lord, “I will be a wall of fire around her (Jerusalem, God’s people) and I will be the glory in her midst” brackets mine. God was the fire of protection around His people! It reminded me of a story from Reinhard Bonnke where his tent, the place where he was having a huge meeting in Africa, was surrounded by fire in the spirit after prayer. The result was that various witch doctors could not even get into the tent to perform what they came to do; that is, to destroy Reinhard and the work. All they saw was a wall of fire around the tent, apparently, according to one of them who got saved later. Instead the power of the destroyer was nullified by the fire of God protecting Reinhard and the entire congregation in the mission tent. I also remember a meeting in Washington DC where, during the glory conference we were attending, the fire brigade were called three times, fire having been reported coming out of the roof of the building. So we see the fire of God’s protection; the fire of God’s presence; the fire showing us that God is ‘on the job’, present in the situation.

 We are told in Hebrews 12:29 that “our God is a consuming fire”. That was the same fire of the Lord that fell and consumed everything when Elijah called down this fire upon the sacrifice he was offering. The result was that the people who had been in two minds about whether to serve God or Baal said, “The Lord, He is God”.

 Where the fire is, the presence is. Where the presence is, so is the fire; even a consuming fire. Do you remember the burning bush in Exodus chapter 3? Although verse 2 says that “an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire”, yet verse 4 tells us that “God called to him from the midst of the fire”(NKJV). Be it an Angel or God Himself, fire was that which surrounded the heavenly appearance. It was the same in Ezekiel, Daniel and Revelation. Then there was David who built an altar and made offerings to the Lord, as seen in 1 Chronicles 21:26. David called on the name of the Lord and “He answered him from heaven by fire”. The fire of His presence; the fire of His protection; the fire that burns-up our offerings. This fire also cleanses and this fire kills the enemy and consumes all of his germs. Again in Leviticus 9:23-24 we see that “the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people, and the fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering”.

 Hebrews 12:18 talks of the mountain that burned with fire; and in Genesis 19:24 it rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah and destroyed the filth. Fire consumes not just the good offerings but it consumes the enemies work. It consumed, in that case, Sodom and Gomorrah!

 Fire also refines: Malachi 3:2, referring prophetically to John the Baptist, talks of the ‘refiners fire’ coming to prepare people for Jesus.
Jesus said Luke 12:49 “I came to send fire on the earth”. The fire purifies, destroys, it separates, consumes, kills everything that's bad. Revelation 20:14 tells us of the Lake of fire that destroyed even the foul spirits too.

 Looking more at the New Testament we see Matthew 3:11, John the Baptist speaking of Jesus: “He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire”. In Acts chapter 2 the outworking of that promise of the fire is recorded: “then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them they were filled with the Holy Spirit”. They then went out and demonstrated the power of the Kingdom the power of God, the very same fire of God we have been reading about, was now within them! Normally the fire of God would burn us up as impure sinful humans before a pure and Holy God, but the blood of Jesus protects us so, thank you Lord. We can have the Holy Spirit, God on earth, often seen as fire, living within us; that is quite awesome actually.

Let us recap quickly: the burning Bush, Pentecost, the fire at the glory meetings in Washington, Reinhardt Bonnke’s tent fire, consuming sacrifices, fire and glory of his presence, God the consuming fire, the fire that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, then the refiners fire, the fire sent by Jesus on the earth, the fire filled baptism of the Holy Spirit, fire being the killer and ultimate destroyer of every plague, and everything evil including the devil himself.

 Back in Acts 2 and this time verse 4 we see that this fire released the gift of tongues and, of course, whilst being a way to privately communicate with God and a way to worship in spirit and truth, yet tongues are also a weapon against the things that are contrary to the Kingdom of God. Sometimes, in prayer, it is as though we are firing off a machine gun in the spirit against the demonic work of the enemy; I feel sure this will have happened to many of you who are filled with the Holy Spirit.

 In the New Testament we saw the fire of God at Pentecost and it is the same when believers lay hands on someone to receive the baptism of the Spirit it. It brings that fire; it brings power; it brings refining and it destroys evil. I'm saying it over and over again on purpose.

 So, as I was praying, I saw something of what we should do in this current crisis .This fire is the very presence of God that can burn up the enemies. We need to pray down the presence; we need to pray down the fire on this plague; we also need to see that the fire of God is within us and as we speak, as we declare, as we pray, as we command the situation, this fire will kill the plague.

 Father will also cover us by the blood of Jesus so that we will not be affected by fire, of course, as we release our prayers , especially in tongues.
Psalm 97:3-5 “a fire goes before Him and burns up His enemies… the mountains melt like wax at the presence of the Lord” The fire, the presence, burning up the enemies; we are getting the picture now. Psalm 18:8, a “devouring fire from his mouth”. Psalm 68:1-2 “Let God arise and his enemies be scattered… as wax melts before the fire”. God is this very presence; the Holy Spirit within us is the fire. The blood protects us, cleanses us makes us righteous and acceptable in His sight and therefore the fire does not burn us; in fact the fire can live within us! I remember the words of Jeremiah, “His word was in my heart like a burning fire”. So, I say again, we need to call down the fire of the presence of God, the anointing. It is the presence of God that will destroy this plague; the fire of the Holy Spirit within you can kill the plague. The fire of God around you will protect you, by the blood of Jesus, and the fire released when the Holy Spirit Himself speaks through your mouth in tongues, when praying in spiritual warfare, can destroy this plague and virus. We need to believe that the fire of God is within us and around us and will burn up God's enemies!

 The Holy Spirit is the missing piece I once saw when I was doing a jigsaw puzzle with Carole. Yes, it would seem to have been a very mundane thing; it was a jig-saw of the Christopher Columbus going to the new world, the new territory. It was a prophetic jigsaw puzzle, in effect, and one piece was missing. I could not understand why the Lord would give me a prophetic jig-saw picture, so important for this present ‘new day’ and ‘new season’ in God, with a piece missing. We actually prayed to find the missing piece! That day we were visiting a local charity shop and there in the window was the same jigsaw puzzle. We bought that jigsaw, found the piece and put it into the jigsaw we were doing. God had provided the missing piece, but I still asked the Lord: “if this is a prophetic jig-saw, then what does this missing piece represent in today’s new day? Why is it missing and exactly what is missing from where? Then the Lord showed me: the power of the Holy Spirit has been locked out of many churches and out of the lives of many believers. The Holy Spirit is, and brings, the fire! He, the Holy Spirit, is the jigsaw piece that's missing.

Today we must see this revelation and pray for the restoration of this fire right across the body of Christ; the restoration of the Holy Spirit so that Christians can demonstrate the Kingdom of God instead of just speaking words.

 Paul said he did not just come “with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power”.

 So, here we are during this pandemic, we are staying in our houses. We are all being asked to stay in, to stay at home. Many people, including believers, are looking and saying ‘Oh! how many weeks, how many days am I going to be stuck inside? Shall I mark it of the calendar day by day like a person in prison may do? However, as believers, perhaps we are missing the point and the opportunity. When we were discussing this in the last ministry team meeting spent in one place, Anna commented and said “but this is the very purpose to stay in the house”. Here we have Passover coming now, then after that the feast of unleavened bread (the cleansing out of the leaven Brenda Taylor and I were talking about that same week). Then we have a period 40 plus days (50 in total, of course) leading up to Pentecost during which the apostles and other believers stayed in the upper room waiting for the fire to fall. They didn't know what was going to happen or how it was going to happen, but the fire came when they were in unity, staying and waiting inside a building until the fire fell! Now we are in the same position; creation is groaning for this breakthrough; we are all locked into our buildings, as it were. This is the time to be crying out to God for the presence, for the fire, for the holiness of God to come to burn, to purify, to destroy the enemy and to bring God’s power and enabling to those who will receive the Holy Spirit and His fire back into their churches and into their lives. This will then give power to believers, breathing fire, as it were, in conversation, in prayer, in declaration, in prophecy, in evangelism and in worship. The fire will go forth it will enable the believer to do his or her job; it will burn up the power of the enemy and it will purify and cleanse what has been spoiled. Yes, our God is a consuming fire and He will build a wall around believers and around the church and around Israel too. He will appear as fire from within you and around you. His fire will go forth before Him and will destroy his enemies and we can be sure of one thing from all of this destruction and burning and cleansing and refining and destroying of the enemy: there will come a powerful revival! There will come upon the earth the Kingdom of God in power. There will come upon the earth a release of resources that have, for many years, had to serve the devil’s work. There will come Jesus Christ King of Kings and Lord of Lords to take His place, amen.

 Let us call on the fire of God in these days and see the end of this plague, a solution for believers and new converts too to come through the days ahead in victory and the return of the Lord Jesus to carry out all that is promised in the word. So be it. Passover to Pentecost; will you be ready for the fire?

Longing for Justice and Hope

By Colin Mitchell • March 14, 2023
“But let justice run down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream” - Amos 5:24 I have been in deep reflection for some considerable time about the current realities on the ground here in Israel, and how they relate to the nations, too. We are living in seriously challenging times, and all of us who believe in Yeshua are having to navigate our paths and responses both sensitively and with great discernment. My recent three-minute video alluded to these thoughts. In the video, I reference God’s word in Isaiah 59:14: “Justice is turned back, And righteousness stands afar off; For truth is fallen in the street, And equity cannot enter.” This verse has been gripping me for weeks. As David Davis, our founding pastor on Mt Carmel used to say, “I have been camping out” in Isaiah chapters 58, 59, and 60 for several weeks now. Isaiah 59:14 seems to sum up the current realities here in Israel. After five elections in a period of four years, the elected government, under the leadership of Benjamin Netanyahu, has within its ranks ultra-right-wing extremists who believe that Arabs should not even live in Israel. Itamar Ben Gvir, and Bezalel Smotrich have been given ministry posts in order to secure Netanyahu’s majority in the parliament. Itamar Ben Gvir is an extremist who openly supports Jewish terrorists such as Yaakov Teitel , the man sent to prison for 90 years for committing murder and for sending a bomb wrapped up in a Purim gift to a Messianic family in Ariel, Israel. The bomb exploded and seriously injured the family’s 15-year-old son, who miraculously survived but required more than 20 surgeries. Ben Gvir served as a lawyer in this case and declared, “we are all Yaakov Teitel” as he sought to justify his client’s murderous intent. Now Ben Gvir has been given authority over Israel’s police force by Prime Minister Netanyahu. A price Netanyahu paid to keep his coalition together, and to keep himself in power. If this isn’t bad enough, Bezalel Smotrich has been given authority over Judea and Samaria, the so called “West Bank.” In recent weeks, sixteen Israelis have been murdered by extreme Islamists. Two were slaughtered by a terrorist who lived in the Arab village of Huwara. The deaths of innocent Israelis continues to enflame the situation and wound the heart of every Jew in Israel, including mine. But this is no justification for the evil attack that Jewish extremists then carried out on Huwara. Jewish settlers nearby burned Arab homes and cars and murdered one resident. This inexcusable violence grieves the Jewish soul. Any self-respecting Jew knows that such barbaric acts committed by fellow Jews is disgraceful and completely alien to Jewish thinking. In a subsequent rant , Smotrich said that the Israeli army should “wipe out Huwara!” When he realized that his words had been recorded, Smotrich apologized! His apology was clearly a public relations exercise and didn’t reflect any genuine change of heart. Now you might react by asking, “Why doesn’t Netanyahu, (who historically is Israel’s longest serving Prime Minister with a legacy of service and an emphasis on security that has been worthy of respect) just sack Smotrich?” The answer is simple. Netanyahu needs these extremists and their parties for his majority in parliament. If he sacks Gvir or Smotrich, he loses his majority and he loses his power. I love Israel. I will continue to be an advocate for Israel and stand for God’s purposes for Israel and the Jewish people. That said, I also know that I represent the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and His truth is sovereign. We who love Israel must be willing to speak out when injustice and hatred infiltrate our nation and government, and not just ignore issues because they make us feel uncomfortable. We cannot excuse such realities or just write them off as a politically inspired left-wing attempt to undermine a right-wing government, as some do. The protests in Israel have brought together hundreds of thousands of citizens across the political spectrum. They are an expression of how deeply unhappy the majority of the Israeli people are with the government’s attempt to neuter the State’s historically independent judiciary. We are called to pray for those in authority, and we do pray for all of our government ministers. But we must also speak out against evil and ungodly behaviour. In recent times I have listened intently to a very brave and courageous Arab woman who loves Yeshua and recognizes Israel’s covenant relationship with God, including the land covenant. At the same time, my Arab friend longs to see the Arab people grow in understanding and hope and is supporting educational initiatives among Arab youth and children. Education will always be critical in bringing about any positive change among people anywhere. As I listened, I was deeply convicted of the need for hope for Jews and Arabs alike and I will seek to practically and spiritually inspire and pray for such hope whenever I can. Even as tensions and violence increase in Israel, and indeed around the world, it is wonderful to identify powerful hope springing up in the midst of growing hatred and darkness. Isaiah declared this powerful hope in great contrast to the realities that existed as he spoke God’s words and revealed God’s heart. "Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the LORD will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you." - Isaiah 60:1-2 People, arise! Get up! Shine! God’s glory and His resurrection power are risen upon us! Yes, the world is gloomy and spiritually bereft. But God’s promise to us is ringing out through His words. The Lord will arise over us and His glory will be seen upon us. This is God’s promise as we continue to long for justice and hope to prevail.

Two 16-year-olds die while Qatar hosts the world!

By Colin Mitchell • November 24, 2022
Early yesterday morning, the news came through of yet another dreadful terrorist atrocity that involved two bombs laden with nails and placed at two bus stop areas at the entrance to Jerusalem. I have driven on those very roads countless times. Later, it emerged that the first pronounced death from this attack was Aryeh Schupak, a dual Israeli/Canadian citizen who was on his way to religious studies. Aryeh was only 16 years old and was buried this afternoon in Jerusalem. Earlier in the night, a 16 year old Arab teenager, Ahmed Shehadeh was killed in Nablus. Ahmed was involved with other men in terrorist activities that were attempting to stop Jewish worshippers going to the tomb of Joseph. Two 16 year olds are dead. One Arab teenager who should be studying and looking forward to life, but was instead involved in extreme violence, paying the ultimate price, and a Jewish teenager who was on his way to Yeshiva to study, and had his life cruelly taken from him. Such losses are simply devastating. I was deeply affected by the news of the terrorist attack and, although I don’t want to be emotive or condemning in this article, I feel compelled to write as I see a clear unmistakable connection between the acts of terror that killed a perpetrator and a student within hours of each other, and the football World Cup in Qatar. Qatar is currently hosting the World Cup event with much fanfare, and many of my friends are caught up in the frenzy of the games. Everyone who knows me knows how much I love football, but when I heard that Qatar was being allowed to host the tournament, I and many others were outraged. The secular media has emphasized the anti LBGT stance of Qatar, and the shameful loss of life among migrant workers being paid a pittance to build the stadiums. They have primarily ignored Qatar’s funding of Hamas and Al Qaeda, and their clear anti-Semitism. Qatar’s history and current activities read like an unspeakable crime record. I decided some weeks ago that I would quietly boycott watching the tournament. The players have no choice but to participate, but as I wrote a few days ago on social media, I don’t have to watch it! I certainly didn’t want to be a killjoy by telling all my friends to join me in boycotting watching the games. Qatar funds Hamas, a terrorist organization based in Gaza that hates Israel and recruits young Arabs to commit acts of terror. Hamas and other similar groups were an inspiration for the 16-year-old Arab boy, Ahmed Shehadeh, whose terrorist activities ultimately led to the end of his young life. When the 16-year-old Jewish boy, Aryeh Schupak, was killed in the terrorist attack yesterday, Hamas were quick to rejoice. As I was reflecting on these disturbing realities, I felt that I must speak out my horror that so many people seem to be oblivious to the connections that are staring me in the face. I have watched every World Cup that has been played during my lifetime, but I cannot watch this legitimisation of a nation that it responsible for so much bloodshed. I cannot accept the notion that it is OK to turn a blind eye to these realities either. Please take a stand in prayer and intercede for the nation and people of Qatar. Pray for an increased awareness of these grim connections. Pray especially for those who are grieving the loss of two 16-year-old boys who should have their whole lives ahead of them, but today are gone! As Jews and Arabs are weeping, I cannot shout, “goal!”  Please pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6).

A small pointer to a vital restoration

By Colin Mitchell • October 27, 2022
It is often said that the greatest gifts come in small packages. In March 2020, after I finished speaking at the Sunday service in De Rivier Church in Gouda, Holland, an older woman came up to me and placed a small package in my hand, carefully wrapped in tissue paper. The woman was very emotional, and it was clear that she was giving me something precious. As I removed the tissue, I saw that I was holding a yad. The yad (or pointer) is used in synagogue services when the Torah scrolls are read. Readers use it to follow the text on the scroll and avoid putting their fingers on the parchment. The yad signifies the holiness of the Torah. It preserves the scrolls by preventing the damage that could be caused by human hands. This reverence for the Torah resonates deeply with all of us who hold the Bible as God’s Word and understand its holiness and the powerful truths contained within its pages. I have many childhood memories of attending my synagogue in East London and seeing the yad that was used there, including at my own bar mitzvah. 
Putin-Kremlin

The real threat to all our freedoms

By Colin Mitchell • February 13, 2022
Yesterday, here on Mount Carmel, I stood up to pray for the dangerous developments on the Ukraine/Russia border, and the serious and wide-ranging implications for the rest of the world. Our world stands on the precipice of events that could lead to a third world war.

Shalom, Be Still!

By Colin Mitchell • December 22, 2021
“Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace, be still!’ And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.” Mark 4:39 Just two days ago, here in Israel, we received warnings of an approaching storm that duly arrived yesterday 20th December 2021, pouring much needed rain upon our dry land, but also threatening damage through very high gale force winds and severe floods. The Israeli media gave it the name, ‘The Carmel Storm’, so we prepared for its arrival in practical ways, prayed for God’s protection, and waited. The day before the storm, there was a quiet lull in the weather across the land, but we all knew the storm was coming! Back in November 2019, I was privileged to speak in Malaysia on the God-given theme of “The Coming Storm.” Here is a picture of the promotion for that event.

Agony in Afghanistan: Open Our Eyes Lord

By Colin Mitchell • August 28, 2021
The reports and images we have been seeing from Afghanistan have given us just a glimpse of the evil and barbaric rule of the Taliban. The slaughter at Kabul airport has added to the sense of utter chaos and devastation. To see babies being handed over barbed wire fences by desperate parents to US and UK soldiers in Kabul airport to ensure their children’s escape is to witness an agony few of us will ever have to experience. It is unspeakable torment. It reminds me of the Jewish parents who sent their children from Nazi Germany on the Kindertransport to England to escape death in the concentration camps.

You Can Do More!

By Colin Mitchell • July 15, 2021
During the recent 11-day war with Gaza, during which Hamas fired over 5,000 rockets at my nation, Israel , and after the dreadful riots in several Israeli cities between minority groups of right-wing Jews and Arab Muslims, I was crying out to God from our home on the slopes of Mount Carmel.

A Collision of Faith and Politics

By Colin Mitchell • June 9, 2021
Helen and I have now been living and serving in Israel for over twelve years, during which time, we have witnessed changes within Israel, and indeed further afield which can be likened to a massive shift in our world, of such seismic power it feels as if we are experiencing the effects of a massive earthquake.

Israel’s Latest War: Irony and Intercession

By Colin Mitchell • May 19, 2021
For the upright will dwell in the land, And the blameless will remain in it; But the wicked will be cut off from the earth, And the unfaithful will be uprooted from it. - Proverbs 2: 21-22

From Corinth Until Today: A Call for Unity

By Colin Mitchell • March 8, 2021
The debate about the vaccines is alive and well here in Israel, as it is around the globe, and seems to be a heightened example of the very long-standing tensions that have always been evident among believers with regards to spiritual healing and medical treatment.
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