Founder's Day Celebration
by Sis. Jane Kimmes | June 15, 2015
Hello Everybody!
Today was the culmination of our Founder's Day celebration in honor of Overseer/Apostle/Pastor/Prophet Betty Joyce Crowder, the founder and Sr. Pastor of GWOD. She has been in the ministry for 51 years now and was once again in top form under the anointing, being empowered by the Holy Ghost and used by God in speaking a Word to bring deliverance to many during this service. We love you Pastor Crowder and may God give you many, many, many more years of active service in the building of God's Kingdom and the tearing down of the work of the devil. Pastor James Davis of Free Pentecostal House of Prayer Church in Madisonville, Texas was the speaker for Friday night's celebration and Apostle J. R. Bowens of New Life Apostolic Family Worship Center in Austin, Texas was today's speaker.
I missed Friday night's celebration service due to illness, so I can only write about today's service which was filled with songs of praise, instrumentals, words of appreciation, giving, powerful preaching and deliverance. The service started with prayer, Scripture and worship to our God. The praise team sang a wonderful song of deliverance concerning putting on your "war clothes" and taking back everything that God gave to you (which the devil had stolen); all by the blood of Jesus! Praise God, the words to that song were wonderful and many were filled with the Spirit as they praised God, empowering them for the whole service, but many were not touched and were motionless. More songs of praise went forth and then Pastor Crowder stood up to say that God has given us a "second" time of praise because He wanted to break some yokes. She encouraged us to praise Him some more to receive a blessing. "Let everything that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD" Psalm 150:6.
Overseer Crowder explained that Holiness is free and open. If you are "faking" Holiness, then you won't move or praise God. If you are "real" you will have a clap, walk across the floor, run, shout and/or give the Lord a praise. Rebellion takes place when you don't like what God is saying, so you sit and don't move. You will have to have "real" salvation to endure what is coming upon this earth. Give God all of the praise that you can give Him! This will cause the fallow ground of your heart to be broken up and bring deliverance. On the day of Pentecost, they were all with one accord in one place (they were all involved, no spectators) and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Then a multitude of devout men (spectators) arrived and were confounded, but Peter preached the Word to them and those that gladly received his Word were baptized, about three thousand souls (read Acts 2). That is exactly what Pastor Crowder did today, she explained to the spectators what it is they must do to be filled with the Holy Ghost. Remember that saints are not supposed to be the spectators! Don't be a goat that is butting with its head, instead be a sheep that follows Jesus. Pastor Crowder declared that if you were not moved by the praise that went forth, then hopefully the preached Word would make you free. "Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" John 8:31-32. "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed" John 8:36.
This set the atmosphere for Apostle J. R. Bowens to preach the Word. He continued in the same Spirit saying, "A shut up mouth is a shut up soul and you are blocked by your own opinion." He preached a powerful message on deliverance and encouraged all who know the Apostolic way to pray for an Apostolic covering so as not to become numbered among the worldly Pentecostal "pimps." He stated that "flesh" is King right now and we have to tear this kingdom down. Sexual sins have to be exposed. If you have sinned in this area you must tell somebody because you are not strong enough to handle it yourself. God wants to deliver the church from these and other sins but you have to repent. Never get so bold so as to stare down your leader (rebellion) when they are telling you what you must do. Apostle Bowens admonished the modern day church saying that the world is more "successful" than the church because the world has more saints looking like them than does the church have saints looking like Jesus. He encouraged us to come out from among them. "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness: and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the LORD, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty" 2 Cor 6:14-18.
He reproofed us by saying that two hours of preaching does not reach some of us but yet the devil can speak for just a few seconds and we grab unto it immediately. For example the devil whispers in your ear, "They (leaders) don't like me" and you believe this. No, we (leaders) love you and labor in prayer for you. The devil is not as he appears to be. He will answer your prayers with what you want, all to keep you down. When he is finished with you he will take back everything he gave you and leave you stranded on the street; he is a scoundrel and a dog. God's blessings and miracles will lead you to repentance and this is how you know they are from God. When you get "cleaned" you then need to be filled. God is tired of "fake" deliverances. The devil tries to make you think you are well, when you are really sick in sin. He comes in with what you want and manipulates you by your wants. Only the Holy Ghost can give you power to resist the enemy. Just stay (tarry) at the altar.
Deliverance broke forth and God "made free" many today who heard and received the preached Word of Truth. We must continue in the Word to stay free. This is exactly what GWOD and our sister churches are all about! We are the Body of Christ being trained up in God's Word of Truth with no compromising. Thank you Overseer/Pastor Crowder for being our leader who follows the leading of the Holy Ghost. We all must be filled with the Holy Ghost and let God have His way. We must preserve ourselves as preachers of Holiness. This is done by prayer and fasting (breaking the will of the flesh), studying the Word, following Jesus, being obedient to God and to our leaders, worshiping and praising our God. He does the rest. Praise Him!
Love,
Sis. Jane
