Bible Study with David Hathaway (TV Audio Podcast)

The Truth and Authority of the Bible (TV Audio #532)

All my life I have believed in the Authority, Truth and Accuracy of the Bible. As a boy I learnt from my father, who was the General Superintendent of the Elim Churches, that 'All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works,' (2 Timothy 3.16-17, KJV).

Serve the Lord willingly / 1 Peter 5 Bible Study (TV Audio #531)

'And now, a word to you elders of the church. I, too, am an elder; with my own eyes I saw Christ dying on the cross; and I, too, will share his glory and his honour when he returns. Fellow elders, this is my plea to you: Feed the flock of God; care for it willingly, not grudgingly; not for what you will get out of it but because you are eager to serve the Lord. Don’t be tyrants, but lead them by your good example, and when the Head Shepherd comes, your reward will be a never-ending share in his glory and honour.
'You younger men, follow the leadership of those who are older. And all of you serve each other with humble spirits, for God gives special blessings to those who are humble, but sets himself against those who are proud. If you will humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, in his good time he will lift you up.
'Let him have all your worries and cares, for he is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you.' (1 Peter 5.1-7, TLB)

Have the same attitude as Christ / 1 Peter 3&4 Bible Study (TV Audio #530)

You must have the same attitude Christ did... The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore be earnest, thoughtful men of prayer. Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love makes up for many of your faults.
Dear friends, don’t be bewildered or surprised when you go through the fiery trials ahead, for this is no strange, unusual thing that is going to happen to you. Instead, be really glad—because these trials will make you partners with Christ in his suffering, and afterwards you will have the wonderful joy of sharing his glory in that coming day when it will be displayed. (1 Peter 4, TLB)

A chosen people / 1 Peter 2 Bible Study (TV Audio #529)

You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2.9-10)

A living hope / 1 Peter 1 Bible Study (TV Audio #528)

'Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.' (1 Peter 1.3-5, NIV)
Introduction (1.1-2)Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, addresses his letter to believers scattered across various regions. He emphasises that they are chosen by God, sanctified by the Spirit, and saved through Jesus Christ.
A Living Hope (1.3-12)Peter praises God for giving believers a "living hope" through Jesus’ resurrection. He reminds them that their inheritance in heaven is imperishable. Though they may face trials, their faith is being refined like gold. He highlights that salvation is something even prophets and angels longed to understand.
Call to Holiness (1.13-21)Peter urges believers to prepare their minds for action, be sober-minded, and set their hope fully on God's grace. Since God is holy, they must also live holy lives. He reminds them that they were redeemed not with perishable things like silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ.
Love and Obedience (1.22-25)Believers are called to sincere love for one another, as they have been born again through the living and enduring Word of God. He quotes Isaiah, emphasising that while human life is fleeting, God's Word lasts forever.

God works miracles (TV Audio #527)

When I was in prison for smuggling Bibles into Russia I was sentenced to what could have been ten years. I was not allowed a Bible, but I reminded the Lord that in Acts 16 when Paul and Silas were imprisoned, they began to praise the Lord, He sent an earthquake and freed them. By faith I asked the Lord to do the same for me – He answered – and 12 months later, God opened the prison doors by a miracle!  
Suppose God answered my first prayers and released me from the prison within one or two days, what would have happened? Imagine if God had organised things ‘extremely well’ and got me out of prison really quickly – I would not be evangelising in Russia the way I do now, I would not have the ministry I have today. The longer I stayed in the prison, the bigger the miracle became – in the end it was the British Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, who came to Czechoslovakia, just to get me out! I was not thrown out of the ‘back door’! I was released in a blaze of publicity! That’s God! But the whole miracle took one year to prepare. I didn’t let go of God even in the darkest days of despair – I knew, I believed – but it hurt and it was hard. If only you could know how bad those days I spent in prison were!
When I had cancer in my throat and asked God for healing, the devil said it was impossible. I fought unbelief and doubt so that when the answer came, it was an even greater miracle than I had asked for! When I was in prison for Bible smuggling, I fought against the demons of despair, fear, unbelief – and when the final answer came, it was many times greater than I had imagined in my wildest dream!  
It’s the same with you. Hold on. Don’t let go of God! God WILL do it! If it takes three months, three years, God WILL do it.

The Kingdom of God in Power (TV Audio #526)

'For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power... For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes,' (1 Corinthians 4.20; Romans 1.16, NIV).
I have seen the power of God in an incredible way. From childhood, I wanted every day and every part of my life to be under the direction and control of the Holy Spirit. Now when I look back over 75 years of ministry I know with absolute certainty that there has been both purpose and direction in my life. God has been in control of all my days and all my experiences. Everything that has happened in my life was foreknown in His plan.
I shall never forget the dramatic and exciting evangelism we held in Yambol, Bulgaria, before communism finally fell there. It was August. The music group Vinesong and I arrived the day before the opening. What could we do? Nothing? No!!! So without permission, we decided to hold an open-air service in the big square in front of the Communist Party Headquarters in Yambol! This city of 100,000 had never witnessed such scenes before! As darkness fell the beautiful worship music drew the crowds. But when Vinesong sang in Bulgarian, ‘I bow the knee to Jesus’ – the whole crowd, 10,000 strong, knelt in prayer with their hands raised in worship and acceptance of Christ! Even the communist police on duty took off their hats, and the Communist Party Flag, which until then had been fluttering bravely in the breeze, hung down limp as if it too was bowing before the Name of Jesus!
What a tremendous start it was to the conference and evangelism! The morning and afternoon teaching sessions in the sports stadium were filled with people hungry for the Word of God – and packed for the evening evangelism with 7,000 crowded in, people standing, 2,000 repenting… For four days, we witnessed the mighty Power of God, not only in conversions, but also in mighty miracles of healing. Night after night crutches were thrown onto the platform as people were delivered and walked out free. The blind, the deaf, the sick – all were healed. Revival swept from there – we travelled by road in broken down communist cars from church to church to church – the Power of God was falling – no time seemingly to eat, sleep or even drink a cup of tea! For two years the Holy Spirit moved across the whole of Bulgaria! Eighty new churches were opened as a direct result of that evangelism!” 

What happened at Pentecost? (TV Audio #525)

The revolution when you are baptised in the Holy Spirit, has to be LIFE-TRANSFORMING! In the Acts of the Apostles the disciples received the baptism of the Holy Spirit – instantly they were no longer frightened and ineffective, but filled with boldness and fire! That’s what we need today in the church – a new boldness, a new authority, a new power – which is the result of a baptism in the Holy Spirit! 
When the Holy Spirit filled that early church, a boldness came on them, they lost their fear, they preached the Word – like Philip in Acts 8.5-8,14. Every time they were filled with the Holy Spirit, miracles happened! When the apostles prayed for the new converts, power came on them! If you are not seeing miracles, get a fresh baptism! Read the Acts of the Apostles! It is the story of a transformed church, a church motivated, with a purpose, on fire with the power of the Holy Spirit! The Word of God says, Jesus will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire! Church, where is the fire, the boldness, the miracles today? 
This question of a ‘baptism of fire’ is not a matter just for the church collectively, but rather it is an individual experience that each one of us needs to experience. Jesus, speaking to His closest disciples in the aftermath of the drama of the crucifixion and the miracle of His resurrection realises the situation facing them. They realise that despite these miraculous events He is leaving them again, until His final return as Messiah! They now face a leadership crisis – they need inspiration, direction, but most of all someone who will perform the miracles and empower them!
His answer was for them to wait in Jerusalem for the gift promised by the Father – “John baptised with water but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.” Later, as they questioned the meaning, His answer was simple, “When the Holy Spirit comes, you will receive power and become witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth!” Wow! Then He was gone! (Acts 1.4-9.)

How much Holy Spirit do you want? (TV Audio #524)

At the Last Supper Jesus taught: ‘It is better for you that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. And He, when He has come, will convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin and judgement, because they believe not on Me; of righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you see Me no more.” – John 16:8. 
This was a serious lesson which changed my whole life – and it remains with me: “Without the Holy Spirit I can do nothing!” I realised I needed the Fire and Power of the Holy Spirit in order to see lives transformed. If lives are not changed, what is the point of preaching? 
How much Holy Spirit do you want? 100 percent? How much self?!! Aged 13, God told me to empty myself of everything, of all my ideas and hopes. I was crying out, “I need this Holy Spirit, I need fire, I need power, I need God, I need Jesus, I need the Holy Spirit! God, fill me, fill me, fill me!” A few days before my 14th birthday, I received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, it was a powerful experience, a revolution in my life. It did not come lightly. When it came, it came ‘direct from source’. From that moment on, I began to see people repent and lives changed under the Power of the Holy Spirit. And every day, to this very day, I ask for a new infilling of the Holy Spirit, a new gift of faith.

Jesus needs you! (TV Audio #523)

'I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service,' (Romans 12.1, NKJV). God is talking about ‘normal’ service, nothing exceptional – for every believer – the ‘norm’! Today the churches talk about being ‘normal’, take care of yourself, don’t work too hard... But the challenge given by Paul is that ‘reasonable’ service – means giving your WHOLE life as a ‘living sacrifice’! EVERYTHING! Give God EVERYTHING! God did not call me to be an ‘evangelist’ or ‘preacher’ – He said He wanted ALL of me!”
When I was just 15 years old, with a group of young Christians walking along the beach in Brighton, when the Lord spoke to me, drew me aside and challenged me. A spiritual battle started in my life. I knew that the Lord was calling me, challenging me, ‘David – I want YOU!’ But the devil was saying, ‘Don’t you realise you’re saved, you got baptised in water, filled with the Holy Spirit – that’s enough!’ But God was saying, ‘David, I want YOU, all of you, EVERYTHING! – Your life, your family, your time, your house, every single thing – I want the lot!’ I had no peace until that night I gave Him everything.
Give Jesus everything! The more I give Him, the more I receive in return! Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over. That is why God says, the only ‘reasonable’ thing is to present your body as a living sacrifice, wholly acceptable to God! – And this is only the beginning, the ‘norm’, the ‘reasonable’ bit! I want the un-reasonable, extra-normal! I don’t just want to receive the Holy Spirit like everybody else, I want a double portion, a treble portion, ten times, a hundred times more! I’m hungry for God! I need that anointing, that power! Jesus told of the servant who did what was ‘reasonable’ – everything that was expected of him, but the master did not thank him – it was expected of him! But I want to receive! I’m hungry. I’m thirsty. The more you give, the more God gives back! I remember that tremendous challenge, when God said to me, ‘David, I want YOU!’ That night, I had to say, ‘Lord, I give You everything!’