God Conversations with Tania Harris Tania Harris

All over the Western world, people are revisiting their history and in particular, their participation in colonialism. Many nations in the West were established in lands that were long inhabited by indigenous or First Nations peoples, with European settlement coming at a deadly and devastating cost. Debates rage as to how we should respond to a history that is often brutal and violent. For the Christian church, this means asking what the Spirit is saying about the topic. How do we respond to the cries of the native Indians of North America, the Inuit of Canada, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait peoples of Australia, the Maori of New Zealand and so many others who still suffer from the effects of colonial domination? What does the Gospel of Jesus look like when it comes to reconciling our past with our future?



On this episode of the podcast, we explore the question of what the Spirit is saying about First Nations people with Ps Lydia Read, leader of the New Wine Movement in New Zealand. Lydia is well-positioned to answer this question, having lived it alongside the Maori peoples of New Zealand.



You’ll hear Lydia talk with Tania about:



The history of the New Wine movement as well as Lydia’s personal story into her family’s adventures with the Holy Spirit. Lydia talks about the emphasis of New Wine on healing, reconciliation, justice and its role standing alongside the local church asking, “how can we help?”





Lydia’s experience of reconciliation with the first peoples of her land - the Maori. Lydia explains that we start by making deep friendships with First Peoples in a way that reflect the ideals of covenant. That is, we form relationships as brothers and sisters together as the family of God.





The need to watch our hearts and pursue the face of God in the journey of reconciliation. This calls us to deep humility. It involves learning together and talking about our cross-cultural differences.



You start with watching your heart - the wellspring of life. Reconciliation calls us to deep humility and seeking after the identity God has for us as a nation and the people of God.



How one of the earliest God conversations in the early church between people of two different cultures provides us with an example for us to follow. The Ethiopian Eunuch’s interaction with Phillip marked the first conversion in the church outside the Jewish race (Acts 8:26-40) and crossed enormous social barriers including race, sexuality and class. Lydia explain how conversations with the Maori about Scripture broadened her understanding of the Gospel.





What it means to do “church” with people of different cultures - while cross-cultural integration is challenging, we are so much richer for it! Lydia shared how she learnt to play differently as a result of her relationship with Maori!





The enormous significance of Jesus’ prayer that we may be one (John 17:20-23). 





How the process of reconciliation leads us into the heart of God as the Holy Spirit challenges how we think, even while our upbringings have shaped our thinking and often led us to avoid those who are different.



When the Spirit falls and you pursue the things on God’s heart, everything falls into the right order. You start to see God’s justice and love for those on the margins.







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About Lydia Read





The Spirit-stirring feeling that there must be more, and that a life of faith should mean a life of adventure is what first led Lydia (and husband Shane) to the New Wine movement (www.newwine.org.nz). A wild roller coaster ride of fun and adventure is one way to describe what’s happened since!



Lydia leads the charge at New Wine with joyful devotio...

How do we hear God’s voice? Perhaps the best way to describe the forms of Holy Spirit communication is by starting with the human forms we're familiar with. This includes all of our senses! So we can hear God’s voice, but we can also see it, taste it, smell it and feel it!



On this episode of the show, we focus on hearing God through our “spiritual senses” with prophet and pastor Maria Mason. You’ll learn about:



Maria’s back story, from being raised in a Catholic family to walking away from God and later, coming to terms with her experiences of seeing in the Spirit realm from the age of five.





The variety of sensory ways we can hear from God. Just as we have sight, hearing, touch, taste and feeling as our five natural senses, we have five senses in the spiritual ream - spiritual eyes, spiritual ears, spiritual taste, spiritual smell and spiritual touch.



“God is a god of variety. It is the Father’s intention that each person has their sensory realm opened up.”





How God uses “Spirit feelings” to communicate. For example intercessors can receive "intel" from God through their emotional selves by tuning into God’s heart for a situation. There are plenty of examples of this in Scripture, such as with Jeremiah - the weeping prophet, and Isaiah who felt the groans of God. Prophetic people who are tuned into their senses can feel for other people and receive information about them.





The importance of emotional healing to sharpen our spiritual senses.



“Wounded emotions struggle to feel in a clean way. You get mixed intel…”





The profound connection between hearing God’s voice and healing. Maria says we need to become "students of our own hearts." She reminds us of the proverb to “watch over your heart with all diligence because from it, springs life” (from Proverbs 4:23). Watching over our hearts includes noticing trigger points that come up and present an opportunity for the Holy Spirit to bring healing. As Jesus said, the Spirit is present to heal the broken-hearted (Luke 4:18). Prophecy is not just for revival - it is one of the tools that God uses to bring emotional healing.



“The more our hearts get healed by the Father, the more we can be confident that we are experiencing clear communication in our human relationships and our relationship with God.”





The value of “Highly Sensitive People” (HSP). Neuroscientists have discovered that there are some brains (approximately 25% of the population) that are particularly sensitive to stimuli. That is, highly sensitive people are quicker to discern things when they walk into a room. They can be hyper aware of what is going on in relationships and can even sense the presence of demonic forces. HSP people are almost pre-wired to be prophetic!







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About Maria







Maria describes herself as a “cultural architect,” who lives to see the Church become powerful in God's presence. Together with her husband Phil, Maria pioneered a community in northern NSW, Australia in 1998 called Tribe Church. She is a recognised prophet and speaks on the subjects of church culture, relationships, leadership, prophetic ministry, worship, community and revival. Maria loves to coach leaders and is an ordained pastor in the Crosslink Network and a member of the Australian Prophetic Council. Her books, “The Glory Community; Building Heaven's Culture on Earth” (Part 1 and 2) and “Heart Prophet: a manual for feelers, seers and heart restorers” are designed to inspire the church to live in the realm of God's glory here on earth. 

One of the most challenging times to hear God’s voice is in seasons of suffering and ill-health. Clarity is difficult to find in the midst of pain, fear and doubt. On this episode, we talk to someone who understands this more than most. British author, communicator and friend, Kate Nicholas joins us on the GC podcast to talk about her rollercoaster ride of cancer diagnoses and how she heard God speak in the midst of them. This episode will encourage anyone who is seeking to hear God’s voice in the midst of suffering.



On the show, we talk about:



Kate’s fascinating faith journey, beginning with her bohemian upbringing and faithful attendance at a Baptist church in childhood. This was followed by a season of rejecting her faith when she was unable to reconcile God's goodness with her father’s mental illness. Finally, a time of spiritual exploration led her to travel, studying Buddhism in India and experiencing God’s presence in the Australian outback.





Kate's first diagnosis with advanced breast cancer in 2014 and the extraordinary journey of healing that followed. The prognosis was devastating - Stage 4 cancer had spread to some of the main organs of her body - but through it all, Kate clung to a promise that God had given her - she would “not die, but live and declare the works of God” (Psalm 118:17). It was during this time that Kate wrote her first book, Sea Changed in order to show her children that God was with her and so that they wouldn’t reject God as she had.





Kate’s insights on healing - though Kate still doesn’t understand why some experience physical healing and others do not, she explains how God’s healing is bigger than a cure. She tells of one of her early meetings with the oncologist and how she experienced such a deep peace, that the oncologist questioned her understanding: 



“You do understand the implications of what I’m saying to you, don’t you?” “Yes, you’re telling me that I’m dying. But I’m going to leave the door open to God.”



Kate’s second cancer diagnosis in 2021 - this time in the other breast and far more aggressive than the first. Though initially bewildering for Kate, the cancer became a profound gateway to a greater connection with God.





Kate’s discovery of the contemplative tradition. During her cancer treatment and the isolation caused by COVID, Kate learned about the contemplative practises used by the Apostle Paul, the early desert fathers, the Celtic Christians and the medieval mystics. These all focus on being close to God in solitude and hearing God in silence. As a self-proclaimed “raving extrovert”, Kate explains how this was a challenge at first!



"I discovered a whole tradition I knew very little about which goes back all the way to the dawn of Christianity. These contemplative practices focus on being close to God and hearing his voice in solitude and silence. This was a challenge for me because I am a raving extrovert!"



Kate reminds us that Christianity is an Eastern faith at its roots - and that sadly, the Western tradition has lost much of this emphasis. Kate tells of the riches to be found in Christian mindfulness, centering prayer and opening up to our intuition. She encourages us all to “be still and know that he is God.” (Psalm 46:10)



About Kate Nicholas







Kate Nicholas is a Christian author, TV presenter and speaker with over thirty years working experience as a journalist and editor and more recently global communications chief for Christian aid agency World Vision. She also preaches at the Amazing Grace Church of St Peter and St Paul in the British market town of Olney in Buckinghamshire. 



When first diagnosed with advanced breast cancer in 2014, Kate was given a promise that she would ‘ not die, but live and declare the works of God’ (Psalm 118:17).

Lyn Packer thought that one day she’d end up in a mental institution. As a young prophet, she experienced revelatory encounters on a regular basis, but didn’t understand the nature of her gifting. Her church wasn’t much help either since they didn’t believe in modern-day prophecy. So Lyn just thought she was weird.



Mixed in with the confusion, Lyn was suffering the effects of sexual abuse from the hands of both her father and grandfather up until the age of 16. Again her church wasn’t much help - they frowned on both medication and professional counselling. That left Lyn to work out much of the healing journey on her own. 



Thankfully the Holy Spirit stepped in, leading her step by step into a place of healing and wholeness. Today, Lyn draws on the wisdom of her experience to talk about an area that is often fraught with unhelpful and misguided ideas. You’ll love hearing her story and the insights that she brings.



In the episode, you’ll hear about:



Lyn’s back story - how she became a Christian at 16 in a youth meeting and how her decision to follow Jesus led to a confrontation with her father and grandfather about their abuse. At that point the abuse stopped, but Lyn still slept with a knife under her pillow in case they tried to attack her again.



“The Christian meeting was bound to be a little better than watching my grandparents at home getting drunk.”





Lyn’s call to be a prophet as she read from the book of Isaiah (even when she didn’t know what a prophet was!)



“I used to think I was weird because even as a child I could see stuff in the Spirit.”





Lyn’s long healing journey beginning in her early 30s. During this time, she would be triggered by something, a traumatic memory would surface and she’d find herself shaking in the bathroom. She was later diagnosed with dissociative amnesia, complex post traumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder and generalised anxiety. She lived with this condition daily - even as a pastor. At first Lyn suffered in silence, trying to deal with it on her own, but then the Holy Spirit led her to embrace medication and counselling as well as prayer.





Some of the spiritual encounters that were instrumental to Lyn's healing, including a vision she had while lying on the bed where the abuse took place.





How to discern the difference between the voices of the demonic, the effects of trauma and the voice of the Holy Spirit.





The relationship between healing and forgiveness. Lyn explains that forgiveness requires healing first - not the other way around. 



“To say, ‘just forgive and get healed’ is like putting a bandaid on an infected wound. It just covers it so you can’t see what’s underneath. True forgiveness comes only as you heal.”





Some advice for pastors and leaders, including the role of anti-depressants, the fear and shame associated with exposure and the importance of being trauma-informed.







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About Lyn Packer

Lyn’s call and gifts are expressed multi-dimensionally as a speaker, teacher, prophet, author, and artist. Her ministry carries a revelatory anointing that is catalytic, bringing breakthroughs and shifts to both individual lives and Churches as she ministers. As a prophet, Lyn carries the heart of God and calls the church to walk in the fullness of its identity in Christ. She is a member of the New Zealand Council of Prophets, facilitates the New Zealand Prophetic Network, and is part of a group of prophets who run the annual School of Prophets Aotearoa. She and her husband Rob live in Christchurch, New Zealand and attend Living Waters Christian Centre. Find out more: www.robandlyn.org and www.nzpropheticnetwork.com 

Lucky Te Koha was a prominent leader of an infamous crime gang in New Zealand. His was a life of extreme violence, crime, drugs and prostitution. Lucky was known across New Zealand prisons. His nickname was ‘Famous’ - and you didn’t mess with him.



But five years ago, everything changed when a local church pastor invited him to church. At first Lucky hated it. But then God met him when the local cop - and a member of the church - prayed for him. Today Lucky is a pastor, leading gang members and others in a pathway of healing and reconciliation through trauma workshops, speaking at police conferences and training churches. We have virtually nothing in common except perhaps the most important thing - believing in the importance of listening and following the Holy Spirit!



On this episode Lucky shares his breathtaking story, including:



His dissatisfaction with life: As he approached 50, Lucky was outwardly “successful” making big money in crime syndicates, owning a large house and luxury cars. There was a lot of drugs and women - life was a “full time party.”



"I had everything, but I had nothing.”







Finding camaraderie in boys' homes and gangs: “they were the only people who wanted me.” After being raised in a home where violence alcoholism and sexual abuse was the norm, here was a brotherhood where everyone was just like him. 





Being invited to the local church by the “stalker” pastor who kept showing up unexpectedly when he was in town. Lucky’s innate inability to lie meant that he was cornered into accepting the pastor's invitation every time. Lucky tells of his first two visits - how much he hated everything about church - the music, the sermon and all those church people who "kept looking at him and wanting to give him a hug."





The day everything changed. After being inadvertently found in church the day after he was arrested, Lucky spotted the very cop who had arrested him! Dave offered to pray for him and Lucky literally felt his old heart being squeezed out and replaced by something new.



God said, “I’m giving you a new heart. Your heart was too cold and too hard. Now you will feel empathy for people like you never have before.”





Lucky’s vision and calling with a new ministry called Kingdom Brotherhood. This is largely a men’s ministry that involves helping others deal with their emotional wounds and trauma. In this, Lucky leads the way by sharing from his own story. He tells of how confession, vulnerability and honesty can open up the way for healing. Lucky’s vision came directly from God, to “raise up an army” of righteous and fearless leaders.



"I thought I’d just be cooking the sausages. Now I run a trauma program with the gangs, because I’m an 'expert on trauma' - I’ve had every trauma you can think of!”





The story of how a whole chapter of the Black Power gang surrendered their life to Jesus and were baptised. 

The continued journey of healing and freedom in his own life. Lucky shares how God spoke to him when he prayed for healing for his eyes: “Why would I heal your eyes when you watch so much rubbish?” When Lucky responded to the Holy Spirit and stopped watching violent videos on YouTube, his eyes were healed instantly.







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Does our personality have anything to do with hearing God’s voice? How does our human imagination, thinking and intuition interact with the Spirit? Our guest on this show Mark Chironna, calls our human interaction with God a “dance,” where God never violates our humanness and the journey to wholeness is the place where theology and psychology meet.



Mark calls himself a dysfunctional Italian from New York City. He grew up in a Presbyterian church, but was disillusioned by the lack of evidence of the power of God. So he dabbled in metaphysics, esoteric Christianity and even the occult before finding himself radically converted to Jesus at 19 years of age at the height of the Jesus people movement (Think the movie, Jesus Revolution). Mark says he knew the devil and that scared him enough to realise Jesus must be real!



Today Mark is a theo-semiotician, prophetic minister and media personality who holds a Doctorate of Ministry in Future Studies and a Master of Arts in Psychology. While at times in the church, psychology was seen to be a kind of enemy to spirituality, Mark firmly believes theology and psychology need to be in conversation with each other. He brings a unique and necessary psychological perspective to the experience of hearing God’s voice. This is a rich and deeply insightful conversation!



Tania and Mark talk about:



Mark’s story and how he experienced prophetic inclinations at an early age. He “just knew things about people.”

The interaction of our humanness and God’s divinity: 



“At that place where the divine and human interact, God never violates the way he made us, so there’s this dance - this participation with the Spirit - that graces us to yield to insights and intuitions that come."



The importance of quietness and contemplation in hearing God.

The interaction of personality and hearing God. Mark suggests that that people who lean towards the prophetic tend to be more introverted and spend more time in self-reflection and self-awareness.

The connection between creativity and prophetic expression.

How our pain and suffering teaches us to listen and hear. This is very different to “magical thinking,” where we’ve been inundated with the idea to “make this decree and it will come to pass.”

The importance of the cross in recognising and understanding the Spirit’s voice.



“There is no prophetic without cruciformity. The cross has to touch all of us: introvert, extrovert, thinker, feeler, judger and senser."







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About Dr. Mark Chironna

Helping people learn how to flourish and become life-long learners has been Mark’s life's journey. As an avid student, Dr. Chironna is a theo-semiotician, holding a Doctorate of Ministry in Future Studies and a Master of Arts in Psychology (www.markchironna.com). He is also an author, BCC certified coach, and is currently seeking a Ph.D. at the University Of Birmingham, UK. Most importantly, Dr. Chironna has been in the people-helping arena for over forty-seven years, guiding others towards growth in Christ and all areas of life.