Slideshow image

A powerful vision of a giant honeycomb dripping honey onto people below caught John Wimber, the founder of the association of Vineyard churches by surprise.  To him, the honey symbolized God’s Holy Spirit and the abundant mercy and grace of the kingdom of God.

Recently, Heartland Vineyard Church Pastor Kerry Davis had a dream where a huge blob of honey dropped on a baby almost drowning it, but the baby loved it.  He thought it represented the same abundant mercy and grace of the kingdom of God available to our new “baby” church.

The kingdom of God is his rule, reign and authority with perfect love.  The kingdom of God, or kingdom of heaven, is a new reality now available to the human race.  The door to the kingdom of God can be opened by anyone at any time.

In Matthew 3:3 John the Baptist says, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”   To repent means to turn.  All we have to say is, “God I blew it.  I’ve been living life apart from you, and I’m really sorry.”

We don’t need to fear God rejecting us.  He is not the “I’m in trouble; I can’t let my dad find out” type of father.  He is the “I’m in trouble; I gotta call my dad” type of father.  We are safe to come to God with anything.    We may face earthly consequences for our choices, but God will cleanse and free our heart.

This is true for someone just starting their relationship with God to people who have been walking with God for a while.  We continue to walk with God with repentance.  We still live in a world largely separated from God, and we still mess up.  When we mess up, we need to bring it to God.

In Matthew 3: 11 John the Baptist says, “I baptize you with water for repentance.  But after me comes one who is more powerful that I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry.  He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”  

John is saying when we repent and turn to Jesus, he offers us the gift of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit has power to change us to become like Jesus.

The Holy Spirit is literally the Spirit of God living inside us.  The Holy Spirit enables us to do the same things Jesus did when he walked the earth.  When we are filled with the “fire” of the Holy Spirit, nothing will hold us back.  We will be dripping “honey.”