by Oleksandr (Sasha) Porovskyy
 
A famous French army commander was once asked about his favorite number. His prompt answer was “One!!!” At the end of his earthly life the same commander said; “If one of the prominent generalissimos would enter this room now we all would reverently stand up. But if Jesus Christ would enter now we all would fall on our faces.”
 
I’m not giving the name of the commander because the analogy between this example and what I want to share about is not complete but I do still find some similarities in my impressions of this commander and of Mike Bickle’s style and message. As I listened and watched Mike share during the recent “Unveiling” conference in Toronto, in my spirit I was inspired to see a whole personality concentrated on the one and main goal – to be one with God who is Love. I see that the purpose of his life is to grow in unity with the One who is Mercy and Love Himself, Jesus Christ Son of God.
 
It has been my fifth visit to a conference held at TACF (newly named Catch the Fire Toronto) and so for the fifth time I’ve experienced a special Holy Spirit invasion into my heart through the ministry of John Arnott, Mike Bickle, Heidi Baker, Steve Long and others. With every one of these special encounters with the Holy Spirit I receive more of the fire of love for the Lord and more desire to keep sharing His love with churches in Russia. I live in Ukraine but often travel and minister in Russia and here are some of my observations.
 
Russia is one of the last strongholds of orphan spirit on earth. But the lasting experience of the Father’s love which is being poured out all over the world through the move of God in Toronto is spreading in Russia though many little brooks.
 
In Russia when a person grows up without a father he or she is called “fatherless”. But this word might as well describe a condition of the generations of Russians and Ukrainians who were surrounded with a false image of leadership for seventy years. The regime left such a deep impact on the hearts of people that even after the Lord gave us freedom in faith, the false image of leadership made its way into the new churches which were planted in the last 20 years.
 
Most of the churches in Russia went though the painful experience of leadership without love. Now it makes them even more appreciative of the Father’s love expressed by the pastors touched by God through the ministry of the Father’s Blessing movement in Toronto.
 
In the last five years our ministry has been able to start the Fire of God’s love in 12 churches in Russia and 5 churches in Kazakhstan. We’ve visited each church 3 or 4 times and have plans to continue to visit and encourage them.
 
But I agree very much with what Mick Bickle shared at the conference. God is leading us to the next step in our love relationship with Him. This next step is in worship with prayer and intersession. It’s so true that the commandment to love God is the greatest and the most important. The meaning of our lives is in loving God. “Do you love Me?” Jesus asked Peter this question three times. If you love Me, do what I command you to do. Lovers are ready to do anything for the one they love.
 
During the “Unveiling” conference I found myself pondering some questions about worship and God’s presence.
 
What sort of revelation did David experience in his youth when he was worshiping the Lord playing his harp on the green hills of the land of Israel?
 
What depth of God’s presence did he experience while singing his spontaneous songs, thanking God and admiring His greatness?
 
What measure of power was filling him up and giving him fearlessness to fight lions and bears? It’s obvious that the same power gave him courage to go against Goliath. The same presence of the Spirit of God would comfort him when he worshiped God in the desert while being chased by Saul. The same presence gave him boldness to cut off the piece of his foe’s garment but still did not touch the person himself because it was not God’s will to do so.
 
What did David experience in his worship to God that was so special that prompted him to make building a place of worship to God his priority after becoming the king? He was responsible for the security of the nation and was surrounded by hostile pagan neighbors but instead of first investing into equipping the army he poured out huge means into training and accommodating choirs and musicians praising the greatness of God.
 
Why does God like the worship coming from the human spirit so much that He actually seeks those who would worship Him in spirit and truth? And why does music have such a big part in it?
 
Well, I thought that the answer to these questions is probably in the fact that the Heavens are full of worship to God. When the human heart created in His image worships Him, then instantly the Spirit of God connects it to the throne of God.
 
… I will return, and I will rebuild the tabernacle of David which has fallen, and I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name, says the Lord, who makes these things known from long ago.(Acts 15:16-18. NASB)
 
We are witnessing these words being fulfilled and spreading into the hearts of men. But we also understand that it’s not something that can be achieved by pure technical arrangement of music ministry in the gathering of believers. It is not about the harp of David only! The secret of the worship was in David’s heart of love for God! Spontaneous worship with prophetic words and intercession inspired by the Holy Spirit can flow only out of the loving and grateful heart of a worshiper.
 
And so Mike’s word about the first commandment of loving God with everything you can and have was filled with great motivation by the Holy Spirit and exploded in the hearts of the conference participants.
 
Those words were like the call of the great commander who sees the main goal, to be One with God who is Love. Through Mike’s ministry I was hearing the words of the Lord Jesus:
 
“For the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me…” (John 16:27, NASB)