New Wine and New Wineskins

We live in a needy world - poverty, immorality, terrorism, wars, injustices, economic uncertainties - and on the list could go. Where is the Church of Jesus Christ in all of this? We should be speaking to these ungodly ways of this world - and bringing change. But all too often the Church has been too short-sighted, introspective, and powerless to speak to world conditions, let alone be a major agent of change.

So what will it take to see today's Church become the powerful Church of the Living God as seen in The Acts (Acts 17:6, 19:10, 1 Thess. 1:8)? A growing number of voices are saying that we need new wine - and new wine skins. In His day, Jesus had this to say, "And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. And no one, after drinking old {wine} wishes for new; for he says, 'The old is good (enough.)'" (Luke 5:37-39).

How we can be encouraged! In this hour God is beginning to pour out new wine. And He is raising up a new wine skin.

  • NEW WINE

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    In recent decades we saw fresh outpourings of God's Spirit manifested in the charismatic renewal, the Jesus movement, the world-wide prayer movement; new, fresh church movements such as Calvary Chapel and Vineyard; and in fresh, new mission movements like Operation Mobilization and Youth With A Mission.

    In this hour God is moving again - more powerfully - and more radically. We see new wine flowing in the revival of joy coming from the ministry of Rodney Howard-Browne and the Toronto (Canada) Vineyard. We see new wine flowing in the growing, world-wide prayer movement. We see new wine flowing as God has recently, sovereignly visited a number of Christian college campuses. We see new wine flowing at the Brownsville Assembly of God in Pensacola, FL - and in many other locations. And we see new wine flowing in a quiet way in the lives of many believers. Many believe that even greater outpourings of the Holy Spirit are yet to come.

  • NEW WINE SKIN

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    God is also in this hour raising up a new wine skin. Everywhere there is a growing emphasis on this.

    A. This new wine skin must be very simple - and able to:

    1. Contain the new wine;
    2. Facilitate the coming, great, end-time revival;
    3. Catch and preserve the coming, great harvest; and
    4. Withstand the coming, end-time persecution.

    B. This new wine skin is characterized by:

    1. We are the Church. It has nothing to do with buildings.

    There is a growing, deep revelation-recognition that "we are the church." The English word "church" is from the Greek word "ekklesia" and means "the called out ones." It is not something one goes to - or joins - or has - or does. We are the church! Many of God's people are receiving this revelation are learning to just walk with God - and enjoy Him!

    2. Jesus is Lord! The Church has but one leader, Jesus.

    No person should interfere with His sovereign leadership of every believer, every family, and every gathering of believers. Controlling leaders will be brought down.

    3. The Church of the city.

    This church exists by locality, i.e., "the church which is at Cenchrea" (Romans 16:1). In your locality there is only one church - we need to begin to think, talk, and walk this important truth.

    4. The Church scattered.

    The church (us) is not just when we come together - it functions in two settings - "the church gathered," when we get together; and "the church scattered," when we are out in the world, i.e., the neighborhood, the market place, etc., loving and serving, evangelizing, and being a prophetic voice.

    5. The Church gathered.

    The "church gathered" can happen any where and at any time - any where and any time two or three come together in His Name (Matthew 18:20). The most common Biblical place of gathering is the homes of the believers (Acts 2:1-2, 2:46, 5:42, 8:3, 10:24-27, 12:12, 16:40, 20:20, 28:30-31; Romans 16:3-5, 16:23; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Colossians 4:15; and Philemon 2).

    6. A functioning Body.

    When the church gathers, it is not to be an audience, but rather it is to be a many-membered, functioning Body, where all (men and women) are free to fully participate under the Holy Spirit's leading and annointing (1 Corinthians, chapters 12-14; Ephesians 4:16).

    7. A Biblical approach to leadership.

    Human leadership (male and female), submitted to Jesus, is to be:

  • A New People
  • May God help us to be open to His new wine, in all its many forms, and to His new wine skin, as radical as it may seem! And may we return to Him!
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