As they came out of the 26-day fast, the members at Calvary Deliverance Church were reminded to give God thanks for their lives and all that he delivered them from since the beginning of the new year.
One of three speakers during the church's recent three-day Breakthrough Healing and Deliverance Crusade, Pastor Mark Barrett, told the people that God is doing a new thing and that they hadn't seen anything yet.
"God always does things, good things for us, every day, and we don't see it. We don't realize it... in essence we don't notice it," said Barrett.
The crusade was held under the theme "God Is Doing A New Thing".
It was held at the church at East Street South and Malcolm Allotment. And Barrett gave the members something to think about when he asked them whether they realized that every morning they open their eyes it is a new beginning and a fresh start. He further asked them if they realized that there was the possibility of them not opening their eyes - something that happens to many people - and that it is only by the grace of God that they can have a new day.
"He is our oasis in the desert, our stream in the wasteland," said Barrett. "Jesus is the new thing that God did for us. He is our lily of the valley, our bright and morning star."
After going through the cleanse to start the year off right, Barrett told them that thanking God for the great things he has done could be easy, but thanking him when things do not seem to be going the way they want can be difficult. Being able to do so, he said, separates the grateful from the ungrateful.
Recounting a personal story, the pastor spoke about his family member who lost his job, his credit rating, went through a divorce, lost his home and to add insult to injury he lost six family members at once.
Despite of all that, he said that at the end of last year he began to praise God more than anyone else. And when he was questioned as to why he was so happy and what he was praising God for, considering all of his misfortunes, Barrett said he praised God in spite of everything his enemies tried because he was still alive and that God was about to do something new in his life.
He told the attendees at the convention that they are still alive and stronger, wiser and better and that they needed to give God praise and thanks for their lives and what he has delivered them from.
"The Lord has promised to do a new thing. The new thing God is about to do in your life shall not be delayed and not be denied. He will make rivers in your desert - new titles, office, privileges, blessings, language and joy," he said.
He also reminded them that a new thing can be positive or negative and of God parting the Red Sea and taking his people into the Promised Land.
"When God says to his children he will do a new thing, it means you will move to a level of freedom you have never known before. It also means that God is about to surprise your enemies beyond recovery," Barrett said.
The pastor told the members that they need to be prepared.
"I strongly believe that God is doing a new thing and that new thing is convicting the modern disciples of Jesus to connect with his people in more personal, relational and creative ways," said Barrett.
The pastor described God as the "lily of the valley", the bright and morning star, the alpha and omega and the beginning and the end. He said God looked into the darkness, saw nothing, thought to himself and the end result was the coming of the world.
For many people, Barrett added, it's often hard for them to accept and see the things that God is doing because they are not readily accepting of change.
"Sometimes when we hit rock bottom we don't see the good things that might be beginning, especially when it is a new thing which may not be seen as a good thing," said the pastor.
Barrett told the members that he knows change is scary. He said even when it does not look like people's lives could get worse, they often distrust and resist change that has the potential to be their salvation.
Through the cleanse that church members started off the year with, the Holy Spirit was able to transform their lives through fasting. The fasting period provided a time of renewal during which they could meditate and get back in tune with God in order to hear what he has to say to them.
The church members engaged in a series of prayer meetings during the fasting period as well, at times they used to pray and read together.
The fasting period was not only about food, as Calvary members who suffer with diseases like diabetes, or who are on medication, weren't encouraged to give up food. They were encouraged to eat, but to fast from something they enjoy like watching television. They were encouraged to read and meditate on the word with the purpose of hearing from God.
"After going through a grueling year, you want to start the year off right, and the only way you can end right is if you start right, and so this is what we intended to do," said Barrett.
Coming out of the fast and going directly into the crusade, according to the pastor, was a good way to start off the year spiritually, as he believes when people start out the year in a good way they end on a good note.
Also speaking during the crusade was Calvary Deliverance Church's Senior Pastor James Newry and Elder Jason McPhee.

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