A Word given by Duane Kershner during the Festival Victoria 2003
I
understand that it is important when God speaks certain things and He is fulfilling His purpose, so
everyone knows what God spoke.
T
he first word that the Lord spoke to me
was in the year 1972 (surely I don't feel that old, but this was 31 years ago). God spoke
to me in Mexico City, in a park, at 1:00am. He spoke to
me through Matthew 4:15-16. This word came to me as if directly from the Father
and I said, "What is this?" Before we look at Matthew 4:15-16, I
want us to look over there (toward the ocean). There is the sea and the beach.
Now let's look at the text. This word the Lord spoke to me 31 years
ago from Matthew 4:15-16. I'm going to begin in the second part of verse
15. "By the way of the sea . . ." Can we say it together, "by
the way of the sea." Let's jump to verse 16, "The people
living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of
the shadow of death a light has dawned." Yesterday once again, this word
began to work in my heart when we were here and the Glory of the Lord coming
down here next to the sea. How is it possible that 31 years ago the Lord spoke
this word and here we are seated in this place?
I
was living in a little park
in Mexico City, without one Peso. The Lord put me there and He gave me two other Words in Matthew
10 and Matthew 6. I won two souls for Christ. One was named Julio and the other was named Lucas.
When I won them to the Lord, the next day this Word from Matthew 4 came to my heart. I said
to these two disciples, "Look at this verse . . . by the sea . . . a
people in horrible darkness." I asked them, "Where is the ocean?"
and they told me, "Acapulco is next to the ocean." So we began to
walk from the great city of Babylon (Mexico City) until we came to the road
to Cuernavaca. All day we walked. We came to the road to Cuernavaca and by
hitch-hiking finally we arrived in Acapulco at the exit for Highway 200 to
Puerto Escondido. All day we were there at this exit asking ourselves, "What
shall we do? Shall we go into Acapulco or begin to walk towards
the South?" All day we were there. I'll never forget it. Finally
I felt, "Begin to walk towards the South" and I told my two disciples
Julio and San Lucas, "Let's go" and we began to walk. For
two months we were walking until finally we arrived in Puerto Escondido.
D
uring those two months that we were walking, we tried
to live Matthew chapter 6 and Matthew chapter 10. In Matthew 10, Jesus says
to His first disciples that they should go along their way preaching the Kingdom
of God, healing the sick, casting out demons, raising the dead and when they
found a place worthy that they should stay there. Finally, we landed in Pueblo
Nuevo, in the house of Brother Polo. Here with us is his son Gabriel and his
wife Kata. Gabriel was just a kid and we stayed there several days. God made
a special connection between us and Brother Polo who had just been saved a
year before by a missionary that passed through.
F
inally the time came to leave and return to Mexico City, without knowing
why. Going through the State of Guerrero, at 3:00 in the afternoon between
Satlitla and Iguala, in a third class bus with turkeys in the back and iguanas
above you (speeding along at the high speed of 30 mph), I heard the audible
voice of the Lord. Yes, it was the audible voice of the Lord and He spoke
to me somewhat strong. I said, "What is this?" The Lord said, "I'm
going to raise up a work in Kansas in the United States that will support
you in this region." I said, "What is this? Where did that come
from?" In that very moment I had an open vision of the principalities
over Guerrero. To this day I can't forget that Guerrero has a part in
this vision. Between Chilpancingo and Iguala there are many indigenous Aztec
tribes that don't have any missionary working there. It is empty.
T
he Lord took me to Honduras. He knew that my wife Susan
was there. After a few months there I said to her, "I'm leaving
to Kansas because the Lord told me that He was going to raise up a work there."
So I went. I had to stay there 15 years, the first three years alone and then
afterward with Sue, because we had married. Fifteen years we were there. I
didn't know that when the Lord said that He was going to raise up a
work that I had to do it with Him. I thought that He was going to do it and
send me a letter saying, "There's the work and now they are ready
to send you support. Have a good trip." It was not like that. I had to
go through the fire and many other things to raise up two works.
I
n this process, in the year 1982, because that's
how the vision unfolded. If God doesn't speak to you for ten years,
continue doing the last Word He gave you 10 years ago. Do you understand?
In 1982, 22 years ago, the Word came to Sue and I saying, "Go to the
coast, now." I'm not going to explain the details, but we had to
go at that time. When we arrived here we went to Pueblo Nuevo for two days
and then to the house of Adolfo Mejia. We had this Word in our heart and I'm
going to say it again, because we're still not putting it into practice
completely. This is the Word that the Lord put in my heart and sent me with
in 1982 saying, "Preach this Word."
T
he Word was this - first to the ones who are in the covenant, those that
are already believers, those that have Jesus in their heart, they have to
know His presence. They must know how to worship Jesus. That's what
He said and I came 22 years ago with teaching on the Tabernacle of David.
I still have the notes here in my house. I taught in the old temple in Jamiltepec.
T
he second message was this - to teach about the five fold
ministry. The work here was not going to grow and mature to be the bride of
Christ Jesus one day if there were not apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors
and teachers. At that time there were not full-time pastors called out for
that work. Adolfo was one of the first fruits, but was not officially in position.
This was in 1982. We brought with us a pastor and apostle from England.
I don't know how God arranged this, but He did. In 1982 in front of
some of you, we laid hands on Adolfo to be in front of the apostolic team
(even though we had no idea what that meant). With him was brother Leonides
Calvo and Cristino Alavez. We laid hands on you Adolfo and I remember very
clearly your drawing on the chalkboard in that old church building.
T
he third message was this 22 years ago. The first one
was the presence of God the Father with His people - Praise & Worship.
We are not religious, but we are in a relationship with the living God. Today
He is here and was here this morning. We were praising and worshiping Him.
He is in the house and we love Him and are preparing ourselves for the great
wedding. Worship Him! It's not a religion, it's a relationship!
The second message was about the five fold ministry gifts and this Word continues
to be fulfilled among us. The third message - listen to me good, because it
is very important - the third message at that time was on tithes and offerings.
If the people of God don't get faith to give their tithes and offerings
they will be under the curse, stealing from God. You can say, "But Brother
Duane, this is the Law." But, it is not the Law. Abram, our father in
the faith was the first to give tithes. It didn't begin with Moses.
Abram began to give tithes to the high priest Melchizedek. Today we give our
tithes to the high priest Jesus Christ who is according to the order of Melchizedek.
You can applaud, but I'm going to exhort you. Many are not doing it!
For that reason you suffer and the church suffers also. This has to change
- there isn't condemnation, but there is exhortation. If this can change
there is going to be prosperity among the people of God like you can't
imagine, but there must be repentance.
Y
ou know what? It's interesting that last night when
Juan Carlos was taking up the offering and making a strong call, a voice was
saying to me, "These people are going to think that you only have this
Festival to shake them and get their money." A voice was talking to me.
Did it talk to you, too? Who was it? Was that you Holy Spirit? Give and it
will be given unto you, shut-up devil! If you give it will be given back to
you. So it can't be the truth that a voice would tell me, "Just
shaking my money out of me. This rich gringo brings me here each year to shake
my silver and gold out of me and who knows what he does with it." Lies!
If we don't give tithes and offerings we stay under something called,
"The Curse" instead of "The Blessing." Abram was blessed
in everything and tithed from everything. Repent everyone! Tithes and offerings.
People, if we want to be prosperous, we have to begin to give in the local
churches tithes and offerings so that the work can grow and so that each one
of you can be prosperous. Let's say together the word "Blessing" (Blessing).
Once again "Blessing" (Blessing). Once again "Blessing" (Blessing). What does
the word blessing mean? Does anyone know? Blessing means
this - don't forget it - it is the ability to prosper in everything.
Do you what to be blessed in everything? Read Deuteronomy 28 again. Blessing!
So in 1982, 22 years ago, this word that the Lord gave me to teach on His
presence and the importance of praise and worship began a revival and many
things happened. The Lord also spoke about the five fold ministry gifts and
the importance to give tithes and offerings because the prosperity of the
people is important if we are to continue evangelizing the world. In 1972
the Lord said, "By the way of the sea." This was 32 years ago. In
1982, ten years later He sent this Word about the five fold ministry, the
presence of God and giving tithes and offerings so that the people would be
prosperous.
F
our years later, in 1986, the word of the Lord came to
my heart saying, "You're not going to be able to sustain the revival
if there isn't a training center that will raise up workers and disciples
that can extend the work." Adolfo, Leonides, Cristino Alavez, Gabriel
and I began to walk. We went to Mechuacan, to Jamiltepec in the old airport
and many other places looking for land and asking ourselves, "Where is
this place?" All of the doors were closed. One year went by and then
two years went by and finally the Lord told me something crazy. He said, "You
need to swim out to the rock." Look at Roca Blanca, at that island out
there in the ocean. There are times that the Lord speaks things that are mysterious
and you have to obey and put yourself in position so that you can see. I'm
going to say that again because many didn't understand me. There are
times that we have to obey without understanding why so that when we arrive
at the place the Lord has for us, then we can see the reason. The Lord told
me, "You have to swim out to that rock." I said, "Oh, father."
Sue and Gabriel are my witnesses. In 1987 I went swimming out to the rock,
through high waves without knowing why. What am I doing in this ocean? I'm
from Kansas. There aren't lakes or even rivers in Kansas. Sue was praying
for me - it's important that you have your wife with you on these types
of trips. She was praying for me that I wouldn't die in the ocean and
leave her widowed on the beach. The Lord sent me two divers to take me there
- they didn't know that they were sent by the Lord, but I knew. One
was Levorio and the other was Maximino (el Maximo) from Cacalote. Now I'm
going to testify before God our Father and all of you that when I arrived
at the rock, trembling a little as I climbed up on the rock, and look at the
scene of the beach before me. My eyes fell on this palm grove and I saw the
house. In the moment that my eyes saw the house, there was a lightening bolt
from heaven and the Lord spoke to me saying, "There is the property!" It's
the truth. When the Lord sent his lightening bolt and I saw the
property I said to the two divers, "O.K. friends. Have a good day. Get
an octopus for me if you can. Adios." I began to swim to the beach. Sue
was praying for me when I arrived with water coming out of my ears and trying
to breath. I told her, "Woman, get up. The property that we have been
trying to find for two years is only 500 yards down the beach. Let's
go!" We arrived here and walked through the house (because there were
no doors) and walked over the land saying, "Thank you Lord for this property.
We claim the blood of Jesus over this property. Thank you Lord!" We returned
to Kansas and prayed to the Lord, giving thanks to God for one year without
saying anything to anyone and here we are today.
T
he Lord spoke to us about a training center. For what?
So that all of us would be educated and have titles? No, so that we would
be prepared. In 1987, after He spoke to us about a training center in the
Word, He spoke through two visions. The Lord speaks by audible voice, he speaks
by His written Word, He speaks through visions and dreams. We were in Jamiltepec.
LaMar Boschman was there because we were trying to fulfill the word that the
people of God would understand what it means to worship the Lord and receive
His presence. There were two visions. LaMar had one vision and I had the other.
LaMar saw in a vision many instruments falling from heaven into the hands
of many young people that were waiting with their hands lifted up. He had
this vision when he was on the platform and I was on the side of the platform
and had the other vision. Listen good because this is the will of God. I didn't
see the instruments falling from heaven into hands of youth, but I saw an
orchestra. I don't know how many were playing, but it was big and there
were many types of instruments, Don Charles. All this great orchestra with
many instruments was praising and worshiping the Lord and with the clouds
or vapors of praise that were raising up, the powers of darkness that were
covering the heavens had to fall from their thrones went running and the heavens
were opened! For this reason we invested thousands to build the building of
the Music School. For this reason God sent Charles Norton to this place. For
this reason day after day after day we are trying to take steps, not so that
we can learn to play, "Tinky, tinky, tinky" and sing and play with
rhythm. No! It is because we are in a war and He is worthy of praise and so
that those powers of Juquila are distroyed. Don't get discouraged Charles!
Don't get discouraged you son of the house! Don't get discouraged
Sergio! Later God sent other Chilangos here. If you work here without a peso
of salary for five years, rejoice in the Lord because we have a divine purpose.
God did something very curious in 1987. God sent Sue and I to a Bible School
after many years of being in the ministry serving Him. There we were seated,
receiving the Word. I thought,"This is good." Later, in middle
of one of the teachings, the God spoke to me, "This is the Bible School
that I want you to take to Roca Blanca!" I said, "Oh Lord that's
why we're here." Then He said, "Go to the director's
office and tell him to give you all the outlines and take them to Mexico."
And this is the school that we have here now.
A
t the same time, God spoke to us about medicine and medical
teams. In route to Mexico, Sue and I were crying out to the Lord for medical
teams. En 1989 God put us in the same missions school, sitting right next
to Laura Pratt the head nurse in our medical clinic. Medicine is the point
of the spear for opening unreached villages. In 1990, we arrive here to
begin cleaning and making preparations. But listen
to me Chatinos. Raise your hands all you who are Chatinos - look at them.
I'm going to go quickly because the point is to talk about the promises
and testify what God has said. At times He speaks once and ten years later
He speaks again and ten years later He speaks again, but everything follows
the same line. Read the life of Abraham because that is how it is. We were
here and the region went through what it went through. In 1993, in the church
that sent Sue and I, the pastor left the church. I returned and Sue stayed
here. I was there in Kansas with the believers and they were crying without
a pastor. We were fasting and praying and crying out to God, "Father,
should I send for Sue and should we stay here? What should we do because they
are without a pastor?" We were all fasting and praying and then I began
to see a vision. The Lord spoke. The vision was this - I could see fire falling
over all the Mixteco and Chatino villages, beginning with San Martin and going
up to the villages farthest away in the mountains. Fire, fire, fire falling.
The vision lasted for 20 minutes. I was crying, knowing that God was going
to pour out the fire of His presence on Mixteco and Chatino villages and I
couldn't stay in Kansas. I got up from praying and said to the believers
there, "You all know very much. You can do it. I'm leaving." And here I am.
When I returned, no more than two or three months had gone
by when we were preaching in Santa Cruz and a Chatino man arrived named Raymunco
Garcia from Panixtlauaca. A few weeks later he received the baptism of the
Holy Spirit when Laura and another young man went with us to give out medicine.
The Holy Spirit fell on Raymundo's house like it fell on the house of Cornelius
in the book of Acts and the church in Panixtlauaca exploded. From there San
Juan and Cieneguilla were opened. I want to tell you Chatino people - Don't
get comfortable! I'm serious. Don't get comfortable. There are 37 Chatino
towns that don't have any believers.
A
nd while all this was going on something else was happening.
The Word of God came to Adolfo in a dream and he saw an airplane flying above
Ixtayutla and a voice saying, "Come up to Ixtayutla with your family
and explain to the people that my coming is near." Adolfo began to go
into Ixtayutla in the midst of many dangers. We knew about it and connected
with him and we are in the battle for Ixtayutla.
D
uring the years that we were in Kansas, we went vacationing
in the Colorado Mountains and the last night there Sue had a dream. She saw
the two of us on a hill top in a place very humble - the ends of the earth.
Another person was there with us preaching and saying, "These are the
last people to receive the Gospel of the Lord." We all know what that
means. We all lifted our eyes up and there coming in the clouds with all his
glory and splendor was Jesus Christ. The heavens were open and we went up
with Him. Sue woke up knowing that it was part of our calling to be part of
the army that is being prepared to reach the ends of the earth with the Gospel
of Jesus. I don't know if we personally will go into this village, but I do
know that those that are coming out of our ministry are part of the army that
will reach the last tribe and village and then the Lord Jesus will come. This
dream is confirmed by Matthew 24:14, "And this gospel of the kingdom
will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then
the end will come." He can't come until all peoples have heard the gospel
because that would not be just for the judge to judge the earth without giving
opportunity for all nations to hear.
N
ow I want to tell you where we're going. I'm going to
tell you this with much reverence before the Lord and I want you to listen
good. It is true that 22 years ago the word came to us that we had to be by
the ocean and here we are. I couldn't do that. That is God. Many criticized
me and said, "Why in this place?" I only replied, "I don't
know why, I only know that this is the place." But let me tell you what
is ahead of us. The purpose of God is that He is trying to make a base of
churches - thousands of people. There are currently about 5,000 people in
the network of churches. But let me tell you that it's nothing in comparison
to what the Lord wants to do. The Lord wants to form a base of churches here
in Oaxaca and Guerrero that are prosperous, full of His Glory, connected with
one another and will send missionaries from this territory to Muslim nations
and other places that will open up. This is not something that I have invented.
It is coming, it is coming, it is coming. Believe me pastors, lift up your
eyes and look at the fields because there is much harvest to be taken in.
Don't be discouraged because God has a big purpose. He is going to send missionaries
from this part of the earth to other places. Let me tell you indigenous people
that others will receive you there in these un-reached places and Muslim nations
and other places in Africa. They are going to receive you, but those of us
white faced gringos they will not receive us because they think that we come
with atomic bombs. You will be received as ambassadors of the Gospel.
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