How I Go From Being Gloomy To Encouraged

My spiritual dad, Johannes, once taught his team of leaders from 1 Samuel 30. When I read this chapter again last week I was reminded of what a great scripture it is! 

"...But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God."

1 Sam 30:6b

The background to this scripture is that David had been away with his men fighting their enemies. During that time another people; the Amalekties, came and burned their city, plundered and kidnapped all the wives and children, including David's!

Alright, that is a ROUGH situation! In the previous verses we read: "So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep." Have you ever been there? I have. When there just isn't another way out and the grief is so great that you are just exhausted.

It gets worse though. The soldiers turned their frustration and hatred towards David! They wanted to have someone to blame and they threatened to kill him.

How does a leader handle such a situation?

What do you do when no one is encouraging you or is on your side? What do you do when nobody has anything nice to say about you or affirm you? No prophecy or hand on your shoulder. What do you do when it seems like everything is falling apart around you?

I do what David (and Johannes) taught me: I strengthen myself in the Lord!

The Hebrew says that "David chazak himself in the Lord".

Chazak: become strong, bind, conquer, encourage, establish, affirm, to become mighty, to strengthen, to grow stronger, to clothe themselves in strength.

So when all the odds spoke against David, when no one stood by his side, he had to CHAZAK himself! Just like a boxer stands in front of the mirror before a match! Just like a soldier before battle! Like a Christian early in the morning!

Stop waiting on someone to start speaking nicely about you and encourage you; do it yourself! Stop asking God for more faith, it is already in your heart, start using it instead and speak it over your life!

Faith comes when you hear the Word of God! If your pastor or friend does not speak the Word over you, do it yourself! Open your mouth and chazak yourself!

We have the same word, chazak, in this scripture:

"Be strong, and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in his sight.”

1 Chron 19:13

Not just for your sake, but for everyone that surrounds you, yes, even your city!

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous."

Jos 1:9a

It's not a recommendation, it's a command!

Stop speaking negatively and depressing, even if that's what you feel inside, even if you have wept so that you are at the point of exhaustion. Stop speaking down your life, and forbid yourself to use the word hopeless; instead, start to chazak yourself!

David did just that. He strengthened himself in THE LORD!

I do not need to have strong talents, be strong in my body or what I can do. I connect with my Covenant-God and His strength! Then I am strong! But it does not happen automatically, I have to step into that which already belongs to me.

I am an overcomer! I am head and not tail! I am over, not under! I am blessed! YEAH!

Evolution vs God

What does hard core evolutionists say when they are asked to defend their beliefs? Exciting video!

Who can become a leader?

Read Paul's second letter to Timothy the other day and saw the last words of wisdom from a man of God to his spiritual son, just before he knows that he is about to die. This is also words from the Holy Spirit to us as Christians and to the church. It touched me deeply.

One question that is spoken about a lot in this letter, but also in the first letter, is about leadership. Who can become a leader? What are the qualifications?

Many would look for smart people, others for the charismatic. We would look for things like; spiritual gifts, how good they are at preaching, how social they are. We might look for potential, talents and grades from school.

So, what does Paul look for?

"And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will also be qualified to teach others." 

2 Tim 2:2

Reliable people. Faithful. Pistos in Greek: true, trustworthy, reliable, faithful.

Spiritual gifts are important. Potential and talents are exciting. But what God is looking for are faithful people!

A person who does not come to work late. That does not leave early. A faithful person does not forget about a meeting, does not hand in an essay after deadline and is not sloppy with the job he has been given. A faithful person sticks to what he's promised, is there when needed and does not gossip. A no is a no and a yes is a yes to a faithful person. A faithful person asks for forgiveness, and does not try to explain or justify the behavior. A faithful person does not oversleep more than once :). A faithful person is full of faith!

Are you faithful?

GOOD! Then you qualify for leadership!

Tanga Video report #3!

Tanga Signs & Wonders Festival update 3 1280x720 from Mission SOS on Vimeo.

Tanga Video report #2!

Tanga Signs & Wonders Festival update 2 1280x720 from Mission SOS on Vimeo.

Tanga Video report #1!

Tanga Signs & Wonders Festival Intro from Mission SOS on Vimeo.

Tanzania, Mwanza update 5!

Mwanza Signs & Wonders Festival Day 5 from Mission SOS on Vimeo.

Tanzania, Mwanza, Update 3 and 4!

God is good!
And I'm speechless!

Mwanza, Tanzania Update 2!

Can't wait to be there a month from now!
Enjoy!

Update from Tanzania!

In just a couple of weeks I'm leading a team to Tanga, Tanzania to preach the good news of Jesus to unreached people groups. Amazing!

But already TODAY, we have a team in the city Mwanza, Tanzania, preaching and praying for the people in that city.

Here's the first video update from them I just received!

Filled with PURPOSE!

God created the sea and filled it with fish and living creatures. He created the skies and filled it with birds. He created the universe and filled it with stars and galaxies. He created the world and filled it with trees, mountains, lakes, animals and life. 

Then God created man, and breathed life into her, He filled her with Himself!

He commanded them to reign, rule and fill the earth. Man was created with, and filled with a PURPOSE!

You can see this pattern all throughout the Bible. He filled the tabernacle and the temple with His glory. God never leaves an empty space behind, He fills it with life!

But we sinned, and the Bible says that we died = our relationship with God was broken. We lost the glory of God. An empty space was created.

Ever since we have tried to fill that empty space. We try to fill it with different relationships. We are fulfilled a little while, but it will never be a lasting substitute. Some people try to fill it with alcohol, drugs, sexual freedom, carreer, materials or politics.

Whatever we try to fill the empty space with, it will always leak and become empty yet again. It is never quite enough.

Why?

Because He who created you is GREAT. You have GREATNESS inside of you. You are created for something greater. Something more pure. Something more important. You are created with a purpose... There is a meaning for your life.

God became man and paid the price for our sins. He died in my place. I became pure again.

Heaven was ready 50 days after He died and resurrected: Now man was pure again. The price had been paid. We belonged to God again. And the day of Pentecost came.

The disciples were FILLED with the Holy Spirit and regained their original purpose again: Fill the earth! Reign and rule! Live with your purpose! There is a meaning with your life!

Some Christians limit the baptism of the Holy Spirit to speaking in tongues. Don't misunderstand me now, just like Paul I want to say: I speak more in tongues than you, and I wish that you all spoke in tongues! But the baptism in the Holy Spirit is more; is about something greater!

You are filled with a PURPOSE again! You become part of something GREATER again; God's plan to win the world! You are filled with His power, you become a a great and pure WITNESS. You become an AMBASSADOR for His Kingdom, filled with authority and boldness!

Don't be ashamed, lift you eyes! You are not a mistake, you are unique and an important part of God's plan to FILL the earth. You are filled with a PURPOSE!  

My Wife Loves Another Man More Than Me...

The thing is that I already knew this before I Proposed to her. It was actually one of the reasons I proposed; I was looking for a wife that was in love with Jesus!

There were many cute girls to lay eyes on, many that were good in many ways, but I knew that that was not enough... A woman who loved Jesus with all her heart was the icing on the cake!

The fact that Stephanie still, eight years later, loves Jesus, spends time with Him, speaks about Him, speaks to Him, and gives Him her entire heart makes me happy, secure and more in love with her..

Maybe you haven't met your partner yet, let me give you some tips on what to look for.

Maybe you think that other things are more important, and that "I can influence or help his/her relationship with Jesus in a postive way." No! Let him/her become secure in their faith in God before you try to help.

Look for this:

1. They love Jesus will all their heart!

That is the most important thing to look for! It means that he/she has a spiritual life; pray read the Bible, fast, witness to people and love to talk about and to Jesus.

2. They are involved in a local church.

Does he/she take responsibility? Is he/she a servant?

3. Do you have fun together?

You must be able to laugh together, do fun stuff and love to be with one another and the "grey every day" will not even exist!

4. Do they respect your purity?

Where will your common boundaries be before you are married? Is he/she flirting with other people? Is he a gentleman?

5. Are you headed in the same direction in life?

If you feel called to work in New Delhi, and she could never even consider leaving the US, then one of you will have to compromise... I don't mean that you have to think exactly alike in all situations, but the foundataional things should be alike.

Check off this list. If you can answer positively on all questions and statements? GO FOR IT!

I am just as in love with my wife today as I was when I first held her hand in winter wonderland Uppsala many years ago... :)

To Love a City

What do you see when you look at your city? What di you feel? 

Four months ago I moved from one of the worlds most beautiful cities to... well; Modesto. No outer beauty, no "trade mark", nothing hip or cool at all actually. 

But, today I am in love with this place! I love Modesto!

As Christians we are not called to save our cities. Jesus did just that 2000 years ago. But, we are called to love our cities!

How so?

You can stop right away trying in your own strength, and instead connect to the love of God, that is already poured  into your heart through the Holy Spirit. (Rom 5:5) 

See the city through the eyes of God. See every person like He sees them. Then you will love, pray for and do everything you can to win your city with His love.

How long does it take to love a city? When can you love it? 

The answer is: right away! Because God has loved your city since the day it was born. It took me a week to start loving Modesto.

Jesus cried over cities when He saw them. Are you and I crying? Or are we speaking down our cities, are we speaking hatred and irritation over them?

Maybe you are thinking: But, what is there in my city to love, Daniel?

I know! And I will give you the answer:

People!

We are not looking at buildings or outer beauty; we are looking at the city like God sees it. A place with so many people!

So, it's time for you to open your heart for your city. Be proud of it! Own it! Be a part of it. 

Love it!

Cities I've lived in and that I love:

Huskvarna

Jönköping

Uppsala

Stockholm

Modesto

Cities I am dreaming about, have a relation to, love at a distance, and are longing to see changed:

Pittsburgh

New York

San Francisco

Beirut

New Delhi

Calcutta

Tokyo

Rome

Paris

Cairo

Istanbul

Washington DC

Boston

Karachi

.........?

Let me Present; Jordan Kolarik!

Late Tuesday night Jordan Kolarik flew in to San Francisco to stay with us for eight weeks.

Jordan is at the end of his Bachelor at Central Bible College in Missouri. He just needs to do his last internship and asked me last year in Dar es Salaam if he could do his internship with me.

I met Jordan when he was a wild teenager in Pittsburgh PA, many years ago. he was a part of the youth ministry at Allison Park Church. Over the years I have preached there some 30+ times and I've seen how he's grown every time! Today he is mature, with passion for Jesus, smart and talented (he won a national contest as the front man in the best Youth Band three years ago!) young man of God!

He will stay with us eight weeks, do what I do, live with us and hopefully learn A LOT about being in ministry! My challenge is that he will be more passionated, be a wild warrior for Jesus and have a heart for the unreached when he flies home again in July.

Welcome to CA, SOS, The House and the Elvelyx family Jordan! Let's do this!

The Importance of New Experiences

Last Monday I lead prayer with more than 1,500 people. Unbelievable! 
Every Monday this crowd gather at The House in Modesto to pray. It's the highlight of the week, big time! Our Lead Pastors, who usually lead prayer have been on the road for a couple of weeks asked me to lead this week. A huge confidence and honor and a new experience.
It was good, strong presence of God, we prayed for unreached people groups, Tanga and Tanzania.

Life should be full of new experiences, new challenges and times when we stretch ourselves further than we have before. If we don't, we will not grow or develop. I want my life to be the best, most fun and strongest just before I die. That means that I have learned new things, stretched myself further and been hungry for life. You die happy and satisfied!

I have some things that I am stretching myself towards right now. New steps of faith and challenges that frighten me, but at the same time excites me!

Do you?

Time Out!

Take two minutes, a time out, today, and try to answer the following questions:

- Am I growing closer to God every day?

- Am I using my time for God? 

- Would Jesus be doing what I am doing today if He was in my shoes?

- Am I a blessing to others, or am I just thinking about myself?

- Am I giving God the opportunity to speak to me?

- Am I obeying God when He speaks?

All relevant questions. How honest will your answers be?

Pray with me!

For three days our team will pray and fast for the Unreached in Tanga, Tanzania; and for the Gospel to have a breakthrough there in July.
Feel free to join us in prayer! This is what we pray for:

1. The most important thing we can pray for is to see this people group and region reached by the Gospel! Pray for thousands of salvation miracles to take place, everyone to take the follow-up classes and be added to the local Church.

2. Also pray for God to pour out His Power, Glory and Anointing: We want to see powerful Healing Miracles take place! 

3. Let's pray for Key Miracles: Well known people to be healed. Nothing opens up a region more than the rumors of what God is doing!

4. Pray for the Protection of God over our team and the local workers and churches! We are in warfare and need to be covered by the Blood of Jesus and have angels watching our steps.

5. Pray for the Key Persons of the Festival: Johannes Amritzer (Evangelist),  Michael Williams (Pastors Seminar), Peter Almqvist (Festival Co-Ordinator), Glorious Shoo (Local Co-Ordinator) and Daniel Elvelyck (Team Leader). 

6. Cover the Practical Preparations and Set Up of the Festival in Prayer too. 

7. Ask God to send his angles to Tanga to prepare the way. And let's pray that the people have visions and dreams about Jesus, so that their hearts will be ready!

8. Pray for unity in this big International Team. We are people from CA, TX, PA, FL, AZ, Norway and Sweden. Let us be on one accord and preach with one voice!

9. Help us to release all the Finances necessary for the Festival!

10. Pray for the Pastors Seminar and a release of the Anointing and Glory over all the Pastors in this region. Also pray that there will be 100s of Church Plants as a result of the Pastors Seminar and Festival.

Stockholm, May and Mission!

Oh how I wish I could be in Sweden and Stockholm in May! That is when our new annual missions conference will take place, focusing on increasing the interest, understanding and passion for missions in Europe again and also how to strategically reach the unreach peoples with the Gospel.

If you are within five hours of flying from Stockholm; yoiu hav to go there May 10-12!
Stockholm will show its most beautiful face this time, and you get the missions conference with great speakers, prophetic messages and the presence of God as a bonus!

For more information; click here!

#Mission13 from Mission SOS on Vimeo.

What's your opinion?

One of the biggest problem on earth today is nuclear bombs or war threats, but the belief that everyone has the right to have an opinion in all questions. 

"Yeah, I hear what you're saying. You really have a lot of experience and wisdom in this matter! You are giving me excellent advise! But. I still think that I'm gonna do this my way..." 

An opinion is defined; a person's right to see something. And we all have that right eh?
Of course, you are welcome to believe and think, but sometimes it turnes out terribly wrong. I'm not talking about small every day life things now, not even about demorcracy or politics, areas where your voice is very important; but about where we want to express our "opinions" above the Word of God.

I heard such a great message about this last weekend. It really got me thinking...

What really happened in the Garden of Eden at the beginning of man? 

God gave man a free will, we need this to be able to love. A free will gives us an opportunity to choose, or it's a false free will, not a real one.
So, creation was never perfect until God told man that she could not eat of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. There was the choice = that is where the free will has set into motion = that is where man received the ability to love God!

What what happened one day? Eve is looking at the tree, deceived by the devil. "Should God really have said?" "You must understand that He didn't really mean that you would die! Haha, you have misunderstood everything!" You will become like God with knowledge on good and evil! Come on, eat!"

Lies, lies, lies! Everything! God as no knowledge on evil...
only on that which is good!

Well, there is where Eve is introduced to the idea that she has the right to an opinion.
Remember; Eve was no big sinner. She didn't sniff cocain behind the tree in the Garden of Eden. No, she was tempted by pride, to know better. 

She started believing in herself, her opinion started to be important to her. "I have the right to an opinion in this matter. After all, I live here!" "It doesn't feel wrong to do this..." It is when you and I start believing in our own opinions more than the Word of God that we are in danger. 

People really believe in their own opinions! They don't do this primarily to mock Christians, but because they believe that they have the right to believe in such a way.
And they (we) sin just like Eve actually did. Every day.

Do you have areas in your life where you, just like Eve, know what God has said, but are argumenting with yourself saying; "He doesn't literally mean that." Or "I must have the right to do this my way anyways" or if you often hear yourself say; "I interpret this Bible verse this way..." so that it will suit your ways better? 

Then maybe it's time to learn the old truth abut submission and obedience again and let go of "your opinion." Do you dare submit to the thought that God knows better than you, even if you think that it "feels" wrong?
There and then freedom and blessings can be birthed in your life!
The way there? His name is Jesus!

What will you do?

...as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. 
2 Peter 3:12a 

There are many signs that we are living in the End Times and that the return of Jesus is near, but have you REALLY realized and grasped that you can actually speed His coming? Do you understand how mighty that is? Wow!

No one knows the time or day, that is very clear, but we can sense that it's close...
Just as you can sense the when spring is coming after winter (even if it looks dark in Sweden now) we can know that summer is around the corner.
How do we know? Well, through little signs. The air is warmer, days longer, buds are showing on the trees and flowers start to bloom. We don't know the exact day or time, but we KNOW, we can SENSE that it is NEAR! 

We cannot speed the coming of either winter or summer, but we CAN actually speed up the return of Jesus!

How? By letting the SIGNS OF THE TIME happen quicker.
What or signs or sign can we then affect?

I don't want anyone to declare war against Canada now just because you have read that "people will raise up against people" or burn anyone's harvest just because it says "there will be famine in one place after the other". 

I cannot go through ALL the signs of the End Times here, but will cut to the chase and speak about the ONR sign that we can actually do affect:
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. 
Matt 24:14 

So, how do we speed up the return of Jesus? BY PREACHING FOR YET ANOTHER PEOPLE GROUP! The good news about Jesus has to be ESTABLISHED in every people group, tribe and language; then the heavens will open up and Jesus come back to this earth! 

Jesus is ready, He's been waiting for 2000 years! We, His people, His disciples and His body just have to finish the Great Commission that He gave us; to reach ALL people groups with the gospel! 

I'm in! What will you do?

Ps. Click HERE for information on unreached people groups. HERE to apply to our school in Stockholm, Sweden, HERE in Pittsburgh PA and HERE in Modesto, CA!

My Best Friend!

I have the best life ever! Just imagine that I get to live with and be married to my very best friend!
Sometimes I try to imagine what my life would be like if I had not met my Stephanie, but every time I try that my mind just ends up seeing things very blend and ends in a catastrophe...

We have been married for seven and a half years. Amazing! What we dreamt of when we became a couple 10 years ago is today our life. What we didn't know then was that the US was a part of that dream...
My wife never stops to impress me, she teaches me new things every day! She has grown so much since we decided to say yes to the calling and move to the US. 
She is my missionary hero! 

My super-wife, who, without a doiubt paid a huge prize when she left all her friends and family to move to a new culture across the world. She sold everything she had, burned all bridges to walk on water together with me. It worked... Stuff, status, titles and money means nothing to us. There is nothing we cannot do or leave to reach the unreached... And we are ready to do it again the day Jesus calls.

Stephanie supports and help our daughter Novali who faces a new culture, school, language and LOTS of homework every day! She is a super-mom to our three kids and make them feel secure, seen and loved.

She has created a peaceful and beautiful home with an almost non-existing budget. Garage and yard sales and flee markets are searched through every week to find beautiful items for our home! She builds, fixes and creates! We are standing in faith for our finances every month and she just comes up with so many smart ideas and solutions to make our budget work, and also how we can make more money... Early mornings with the kids, and late nights with business ideas... That's my girl! (I am hoing and believing that something will be released soon, keep your eyes open!)

I am transparent and sensitive together with Stephanie. We laught a lot together here in the States. Cry together sometimes. Dream a lot. Live by faith and love life! We are praying that God will give our kids lots of friends, and that we will be a part of releasing a new mission wave from the US... 

She is my heart and very best friend! Together we will give our lives for the unreached! 

So, you who are thinking that the kids, Stephanie and I are living a life of luxury in CA; come visit! My wife's title is "a warm, loving, caring woman of God, super-mom and missionary-hero..." Not luxury wife...

Love you Stephanie!

The Elvelyck's in American Culture

After almost 2 months in CA things are starting to land in the Elvelyck family. Our home is decorated, we are still waiting for my books to arrive in a couple of weeks.
I am of course amazed of all the large cultural differences that there are between Europe and the US, but also between CA and other states that I've visited.

I've started to see things in another light, things that were black and white for me before, and we are becoming more and more American...:) 

For example; Denzel had his first baseball training this past Saturday! So much fun, that had not happened in Sweden...
And another; We were looking to buy a grill at a sale the other week. Looking for a good enough "Swedish size" grill, Swede like I am. The problem is that it DOESN'T EXIST! 
American think; why make the grill half the size when we can make it so much bigger for just another $20? Then we can grill more burgers at the same time! So the grill is twice as large for half the amount of money we would have paid in Sweden :). Just gotta love it! 

Over all you could say that comfort is important here. If you are travelling, wear COMFORTABLE clothes! A Swede thinks; you are about to travel, clothe in STYLE :). So the American is comfortable in his sweatpants on the plane while the Swede (me!) is sweating in their skinny jeans. We'll see when I will land in the best of two worlds ;).
Why buy one liter milk when I can buy one gallon (3.8 liters)? Then you don't have to go to the store as often...
Etc...

The glas is more often half full here than at home in Sweden... 

We just have to try to avoid what's destructive in the comfortable life style; two liters of coke costs just $1... It's cheaper to buy fast food than make a healthy meal at home etc...

Even the bigger questions like politics, history, patriotism and a few strange laws become less strange after speaking to an American in his every day life. A greater understanding and respect is born in me and I become less black and white. Very interesting! 
Still, I would like to see the politicians focus more on public transportation and national modern railroads and trains. Everyone would win a lot on that... As for now, public transportation has low status in the country and everyone is forced to have two cars... That would rarely happen in Sweden, where you can get almost anywhere all the time in GOOD public transportations.

The weather is getting warmer and warmer, we've had over 70 degrees for a few days now. Lovely! We'll see if I think it's as lovely when it's over 100 degrees in the summer ;). (I promise that I won't complain though Sweden!) 

Well, I just wanted to give a short update from this beautiful land. Say what you want about the American people, but they whine very little, work very hard, see very few problems, and many opportunities. I love them!

Tanga; Here we come!

This week I met with the team that will be going to Tanga, Tanzania from The House Modesto for the first time! We will be going this summer and the countdown has begun for another miracle-party among the unreached on the East Coast of Africa... 

Peter Almqvist have had team gatherings with people from Pennsylvania and Arizona and soon he'll meet with a team from Floria as well. Walter Zuniga is preparing the team that will be flying in from Sweden and Norway and I will meet with the team from Austin, Texas in April. We will be a monster team! 

I remember the first time when I traveled all they way down to Malmö, southern Sweden (about a 3 hour drive from my home) to attend my first team gathering. We were going to Ranchi in India 2000. How exciting it was! We prayed for the unreached, talked about Hinduism and how to lead someone to the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Even going through the vaccination info was exciting :).

Tuesday night I met with 25 people that signed up to go to Tanga, Tanzania in July. That is 100% more than last year from Modesto! My goal is to double that number every year... Next year we'll be 50, then 100... 200... 400... 800+... I want every member of The House, Modesto to experience missions work among the unreached... 

We are dreaming and praying for thousands of people to be saved in Tanga in July... We are crying out to God for blind eyes to be opened, tumors to disappear and crippled to walk!
If you are not able to go yourself this summer, pray and fast together with us!

We will be fasting: April 9-11 and May 21-23. 
We will pray around the clock: April 13 and May 25. 

Let's do it!

A Miserable City?

The American magazine Forbes lists 10 of the most miserable cities to live in every year in the US. I stumbled over this info via the Swedish Newspapers website svd.se two weeks ago and to my surprise I discovered that Modesto, the city I live in, is ranked no 5, not a real honorable number.

Economists and scientists are looking at things like unemployment, foreclosures, housing market, taxes and criminal activity. The worst is Michigan after this years crisis in the car industry. But up there amongst large cities like Detroit and Chicago IL is "little" Modesto as well.

150 years ago, Modesto was a 'modest' place where gold miners would stop to rest, have a drink in the little saloon and maybe get lucky with a prostitute. If you look at a map, Modesto is located right between the bigger cities Fresno and Sacramento. A perfect place to rest tired gold-miner-legs. The city has grown steadily and is the home of over 200,000 people today. 

Modesto is today known for its agriculture and produce. The largest almond-plantation in the US (maybe in the world?) is located here. It's stunningly beautiful now, you drive mile after mile passing plantations with perfectly planted almond trees in bloom.
Stephanie, my wife, said the other day that if we would to get married again we would do it in an ally of old, crooked blooming almond trees. 

There are even lots of cows and milk farms. That makes me happy! It reminds me of the little place I come from, Järsnäs, where I grew up, but this is a lot bigger. It smells like cow sometimes, and I enjoy it ;). The milk is fresh and tastes great; a difference from other places in the US where the milk sometimes has a weird taste...
At the same time as the country side is right in the outskirts of the city, you have att the necessities inside the city; including a large Barnes and Noble :).

So, back to Forbes and the 5th most miserable city in the US... 

How would you react? A terrible place to live at and have my kids grow up? A constant fear of criminal activity and misery? A high price to pay? Well, maybe...
Let me tell you how I think: 

THANK YOU GOD that you did not call me and my family to a place where everything works so well that there is nothing to improve or anyone to help! THANK YOU Forbes for confirming that we moved to the right place and that the calling will just root itself even more in our hearts! Imagine to be at a place where we in present time will see GOD change a city! There is no other belief in my heart than just that... 

So, Forbes, I am looking forward to see that list again in a few years; BBC, CNN, and NY Times: Get ready to visit Modesto CA, USA to do that documentary about how a city turned around; all because of God's grace and because people dared give themselves to it... 

Modesto will be known for one thing in the future; the city that sends out the most missionaries percentage wise than any other city in the world! 
Just wait and see...

What are you doing?

I feel that it's buring on the inside as I am writing this. The the flame that God lit 16 years ago when I was saved has gotten oxygen and is burning stronger and clearer than ever before! 

Do you know that there are around 2,800,000,000 people that belong to people groups that have NEVER heard of Jesus yet?
You and I have heard so many times; maybe you lift your hands in worship in your church every Sunday while enjoying the presence of God. Maybe you are genuinly grateful to have close friends at church, cook for them, play games, see your favorite TV-show together, discuss the celebrity culture and share receipts. Maybe you even meet sometimes to pray or have Bible study where you talk about eschatology, pre-adamitic creation or the book of Job.

While you are doing this, living in a nice town house or a modernly decorated apartment, while the espresso is almost ready and your toast is getting warm and tasty; while you are thinking of how blessed you are with good friends, that you just found THAT shirt on sale and how glad you are for your gym-membership.
At that same time a Nepali man is tormented by evil spirits, a Somali 12-year old girl is bleeeding, her body shaking in pain from the blade that just her during female mutilation, a bedouin is lokking up at the stars wondering if there's a God who listens and a teenager in the slums of Colcatta is cutting herself, chewing on the drugs while thinking that life is hopeless.

Who will get out of that comfort zone and take the Nepali man, the Somali girl and Indian by the hand? Who will look into their eyes and love them? Who will fight for them? Who will share the love of God and the powerful, life changing gospel of Jesus with them? 

My heart isn't hard or judging towards anyone, please don't misunderstand me! I believe that God let's us enjoy our blessings and our rich lives. But, my heart is bleeding and crying over these people! And the fact that so few Christians are willing to do something...
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations..."

I have cried this weekend, closed my eyes and seen the unreached, heard their SOS signals in the darkness again. The calling is clearer than ever before.
I am praying humbly, but boldly, that God would give me, or someone else, anyone, a powerful Apostolic and prophetic voice that will shake Christianity and a slumbering generation. I am prying to God to be part of releasing a new, young generation, adveturers that don't care about the latest trend or most hipp stuff, but want to go on adventures. A new mission-wave that will fill the earth with God's adventurers, backpackers for Jesus!

You have a passport, you have a backpack; arise young, strong people and become part of something bigger than yourself. Bigger than anything else on earth; God's dream to reach the unreached! 

If you live in the US; contact me. Come to Modesto CA, be trained and challenged to be sent out! If you live in Europe; go to SOS Church Stockholm, Sweden, there you can catch the fire!

You are more than what you have become! You are a history maker and a world shaker!

Lovely weekend!

Like I told you earlier we have got the joy of having Johannes Amritzer visiting here in CA the entire weekend, it has been amazing! 

Johannes has preached at The House Modesto, he spoke about The Prayer of Faith, and great faith was released over the church! Many were instantly healed and at least one deaf ear was opened!

On Monday he met all my students at our Internship. He simply shared his testimony of when he was saved and how he was called to preach for the unreached. The Spirit of God was very present and a longing to reach the unreached with the gospel was birthed in many hearts... 

From there we went straight to Monday Night Prayer, our prayer meeting at the church. Around 1,500 people come to pray wildly and passionately. Usually we pray for 1.5 hour, but this week the meeting lasted for 3.5 hours! 
I took about 100 people with me to a separate room and prayed with them to the baptism of the Holy Spirit - lovely! Young and old were clothed in the power of God and started to speak in tongues! I never grow tired of that! 

Johannes and I have had many cups of coffee in the sun between all the different gatherings, we've eaten lots of wings and talked about everything you can think of; motorcycles, the future, history, the importance of dying to oneself, the price that has to be paid if you want to achieve something, sprit-soul-body, unreached people groups, Sweden, prayer, USA, a new missions wave, and about a thousand other things... 

I love to spend time with you Johannes! I become refreshed and rejuvenated!

Are You Dominating?

In the Old Testament, God's manifested presence and absolute splendour lived in and on the Arc of the Covenant. The Arc of the Covenant was a large gold-covered wooden box that God had instructed Moses to build. (Known from Indiana Jones I, if not from the Bible;). The Arc follwed the people of Israel when they wandered in the desert, on their way to the promised land, it follwed them into battles against mighty enemies, it was placed in the inner room in the tabernacle, and then later in the same place in the temple.

The intersting thing about the Arc was that because it was the carrier of the glory and presence of God; it dominated every place it came to. When the Arc was in a room it dominated that room! Everyone was submitted to the presence of God. When it was carried out into a battle; it dominated the battle throigh the power of God. When it was not cared for in a proper way, people fell down dead by its foot, it was holy and required holiness.

The Good News are... 

We are not living according to the rules and regulations of the Old Testament anymore, but something BETTER has come through Jesus (Hebr 8:6). We have been set free and partake of everything that God has! 


The Arc does not exist anymore; despite what Indiana Jones says in his first movie! I am aware that there are Christians and Jewish archeologists that spend their entire lives searching for the Arc; but I am personally convinced that they will never find it. And even if they would, it would only bring a historical and archeological worth; not a dimension of God's presence...

Why? 

Well, now the Bible says that "your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you" (1 Cor 6:19).
The word temple is the Greek word naos; and means the inner room at the temple in Jerusalem; the room where the Arc is!

YOU and I are carriers of the manifested Presence and Absolute Splendour of God today! You ARE the Arc in the Old Testament! 
The Arc was built of wood, covered by gold and full of God's presence and splendour!
You are a human, but covered by the righteousness of Jesus and full of His Holy Spirit! 

That means that you are holy and that you should DOMINATE where you go forth! Not in a proud or rude way, but with peace and security, knowing that where you go, the righteousness and glory of God will go forth and that the authority of Jesus is in you! You have NOTHING to be ashamed of! There is NO REASON to be quiet! You need to be more convinced of what you carry than the President of the United States is of his task in this world! You will go forth with a different kind of authority and power, deeply rooted in love. 

Lift your eyes and Own your school, your workplace, your city and the room where you are! Make room for God's love, power, presence and authority and let it freely flow through you! Then... people will meet God and become changed by Him... 
Start dominating!

Video blog: Come to Church!

Learn to Fight!

Imagine the following; 
Your three year old is kidnapped! Someone has stolen the most dear to you. And that's not all; you find out that the kidnappers live just a few houses from you down the street! It doesn't seem like it's a secret, the kidnappers wrote this on your door; "Stay away! Don't try to get this kid back, it now belongs to me!"

What do you do now? 

Will you simply stand looking our your window through binoculars and wait for "something" to happen? Will you get down on your knees and pray for God to do something? Will you "wait and see" if the solution will appear out of thin air? Will you accept what has happened and crying carry your sorrow and grief?

NO, NO, and again NO!
Of course not! Everything I just said would be absurd! Everyone that has come in contact with your instinctive and severely protective parenting-emotions know exactly what would have happend. Both you and I would run over, that same second, ripped the door open, trampled on all opposition and taken back what belongs to you! The authority and strength would have come from your belly within and not from some sort of reasoning, wisdom or logic.

The Bible clearly says that "ALL God's promises have (In Jesus) received their YES" (2 Cor 1) and that you, as a born again Christian, are together with Jesus "far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come." (Eph 1 and 2)

It is very clear that ALL authority has been given to Jesus, and that He has given it to us! 

But it also says that the devil "has come to steal, destroy and kill." (John 10:10)

The devil, just like the kidnapper, wants to take what's most precious to you; God's promises! He is very clear about this, the Bible clearly states that this is his way and character. Like a bird that eat the seeds just sown, like a thief that steal, like a lion that roars and wants to devour, like a destroyer that wants to kill.

So, what do you do now? 

Unfortunately so many Christians just "humbly accept" their "destiny". Many believe that the cancer, poverty or accident comes from God to teach them "something". Others know that it is the devil that has stolen, but they still wait for God to act...
God has already acted, on the cross 2000 years ago! He has given you the authority to say STOP!

Come on! Someone steals something right before your eyes; stand up and fight! You have all the rights to! Roar in authority! Don't accept the devil's foolishness! Fight for your RIGHTS! They are written on a contract in Jesus' blood! The authority and the faith comes from a strong inner life, with your nose in the Bible and your heart filled with prayer. When you know and practice the truth it will set you free! 

Have a simple theology; EVERYTHING good come from above, from our good dad! EVERYTHING evil comes from the devil that wants nothing more than to destroy your life.
Accept the good, resist the evil!
Don't just say that you're a Christian; live like one!

Johannes Visiting!

On Thursday Johannes Amritzer will visit us here in Modesto. He is preaching at the weekend services at The House and will pray with people to salvation, baptism in the Holy Spirit and breakthrough!

Johannes is the one that lead me to Jesus almost 16 years ago. He prayed with me to the baptism in the Holy Spirit. He taught me how to cast out evil spirits. Johannes took me by the hand and taught me how to share my faith with others. He showed me the importance of reaching the unreached; to pray, to fast, to live in integrity and how to do everything with excellence. He taught me to rest and enjoy life, to focus and break through and to take care of my family.

Johannes is my greatest role model and my spiritual dad. He taught me everything I know :) 

I am so looking forward to spend lots of time together. To pray together. Laugh, eat and play cards. Talk about the future, festivals, missionary life and church plants. 

Welcome to Modesto, to The House and the SOS West Coast Office Johannes!

Missionary Heros!

David had his heroes. Warriors that achieved great things; they did more than what was expected, or demanded of them. They did not look over their shoulders all worried, but had their eyes fixed on the goal and ran right into the enemy-army without fear.

I am dreaming of forming a new generation of missionaries to the unreached people groups just like this! The youth of today are dreaming of living with a higher purpose than just themselves! They want to live lives that have an impact and will be written about. They want to drink adrenaline for breakfast, travel where no one has ever been, do what no one has ever done and see what no one has ever seen.

We still have more than 6,500 unreached people groups on this earth. They live in Kathmandu  New York, Stockholm, Mumbai, Dar es Salaam and Beirut. It is time for training, mobilization and to send out!

I am so charged here at my office in Modesto! Just one month from now, we are starting a new missionary-training education that will form heroes. Not by persuasive words or human wisdom, but full of the power that comes from the gospel! We don't look down upon academic knowledge and will fill each and every one with just that. But we will focus EVEN MORE on the relationship with the Holy Spirit, the power of the name of Jesus, the adventure of prayer, to build an inner life by fasting and praying, to never give up, and to fulfill our calling with focus on the goal!

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The academic education will be that of four years. There, the students will learn everything from "Heremeneutics", "Introduction to Pscychology", and "Bible Doctrine I, II, III and IV" to "Spiritual Warfare", "The Major Religions of the World" and "Foundations for Ministry I, II and III". They will graduate with the hat on their head and a Bachelor of Theological Studies in their hands.

The first two years they will do an Intership as well. That is what I am building, planning and will soon lead. I will there pray with the students three mornings a week, we'll do outreaches every week, there we will read about Bonnke, Annacondia, Amritzer and Bevere. There we will study unreached people groups, Eschatology and Intergrity. There we will visit Hindu temples, Mosques, Synagouges and museums. And there we will go on festivals with Mission SOS to an unreached people group!

There the students will learn how to cast out evil spirits, to pray for the sick, to lead people to salvation and baptism in the Holy Spirit. There the students will see the importance of an inner life, learn how to serve, learn to honor, to pray and there the passion for the lost will be found again!

In four years the first heroes will be ready! After that the countdown starts; 6,499 unreached people groups left; 6,341; 5,765; 1,321; 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5...

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...

- Jesus

Our Mission here in Modesto!

The name of the church that we just moved to is 'The House, Modesto', it is an old Assemblies of God church. 19 years ago the present pastor, Glen Berteau, moved here. He has an incredible testimony that I have to tell you some other time!

The church then had a few hundred members. The church has worked focused and evangelistically for 19 years and now over 10,000 attend regularly and people are saved every week!

SOS has worked closely with The House for many years on the mission field. They helped us build our mission base in Bulgaria and have partnered with us in several Signs & Wonders Festivals. The House is also the host for the LA-based university, Kings University; a fully accredited university! 
For a long time they have dreamed of starting up a practical, full-of-faith missionary education, and this is where Stephanie and I enter the picture...

Ps Glen Berteau

The House, Glen Berteau, Michael Williams and the other leaders here in Modesto love and respect what we do in SOS. They therefore asked us, back in March, if we would consider building up and run the missionary-training at the University, so that it would be full of faith, miracle-power and passion for the unreached. 
When Stephanie and I were asked we immidiately felt "green light" on the inside and a "Go!" in our hearts. After tons of paperwork, handing over everything in Stockholm and a move across the Atlantic in faith, the Elvelyck family are now living in Modesto...

Ps Michael and Kelli Williams

We have been so welcomed by everyone here!
My official title is 'Missions Director and Assistant Dean.' I am recognized as one of the 11 pastors at the church and have received a huge challenge! 

My responsibilities contain five major tasks:

1) Build up a West-Coast Office for Mission SOS

2) Oversee the missions work at The House 

3) Oversee all the Interns at the University 

4) Assist the Dean at the University 

5) In time, study and take a Bachelor in Theology 

As you can see, there is lots to do and HUGE challenges for me and Stephanie! Pray for us, call us sometime and come visit! (When you do, please bring Swedish pickled herring and Swedish hot chocolate ;)