Sid: If you have been following Messianic Vision for anytime that I favorite book of the Bible is the book of Esther. And as that famous line as Mordecai told Esther “Who knows that you’ve not been called to the Kingdom for such a time as this.” If there has ever been a time in the history of planet Earth where it is life critical for each individual to get in touch with the King, it’s now. And I am so excited because the gentleman that I have interviewed previously has an aspect of Esther which right now is the most important aspect for you to understand because it’s something that he has been living for so many years. His name is Tommy Tenney he’s the author of the multimillion dollar series “The God Chasers.” And Tommy, I remember I interviewed you a number of years ago. You were minding your own business preaching at a church and the pulpit was struck with lightning and broke in half. But I have to ask you this question, I know that you’ve been a believer many years; come from a Godly family; you love the Lord many years but was there a moment when there was a release of the presence of God that other people perceived at a much… it was almost like going from outside where it’s hot to inside in air conditioning; was there such a moment?
Tommy: In the aftermath of the visitation that precipitated the manifestation that you spoke about the pulpit that was not what was primary in that service. It did happen; there were 800 plus people in the service that day. I very rarely speak about it in the past 10 years or so since it happened; I may have publicly mentioned it 5 times. But that service was so strongly visited by the presence of God that the pulpit and the splitting did not leave an imprint on my life but the presence of God that was there was is what left the imprint. And I would have to say that would have been my… you know David was anointed to be King many years before he was crowned by the people. I had been called; I had been in ministry for I don’t know nearly 20 years or close to 20 years at that point. And had been successful by normal standards but that’s like suddenly I went from a prop engine plane to a jet engine plane. And I was saying the same things that I had said before but having greater impact; and that’s just the favor of the Lord.
Sid: I know that when it comes to spiritual things many times it’s difficult to answer but have you got any idea as to why it happened so dramatically on that particular day and then ever since.
Tommy: You know I probably do but I’m different then probably some people in that I have a mental file that says I don’t know and I don’t need to know. People ask me “What did that mean?” I don’t know, I don’t need to know all I know is I had an encounter with God and I personally have not been the same. I don’t try to read too much into it; I don’t try to interpret it I just say “You know what God became real that day.”
Sid: Well Tommy, I believe that this week that’s what many of our listeners are going to say “God became real.” Now you have written a number of books having to do with Esther but the thing that excites me the most is that you are coming out with a motion picture. By faith you believe that it will be out in October called “One night with the King.” What’s the purpose of the picture?
Tommy: Well, the purpose of the picture is pretty simple. God just spoke to me to reach people in different ways. Typically I write non-fiction books; God Chasers was a non-fiction book. And every other book even including the book that birthed this Esther series “Finding favor with the King.” But God spoke to me and said “You’re basically reaching Christians and challenged me to write a fiction book which I did Hadassah one night with the King. And from that it turned into the movie “One Night with the King.” It’s very simple Sid because there are people who will never come here me speak; who will not go into the Christian corner of the bookstore and pick up a Christian. But they’ll to the fiction section and pick up a fiction book. And it’s a fictionalized account of Esther and there’s even more that will walk into a movie theater. They will not go to church but they’ll basically let me preach the same message about Esther through a different way. And here’s a real amazing fact; when Satan wants to change or impact our society he does not preach behind a pulpit he most often preaches from the TV screen or the movie screen and he impacts most of the culture. He doesn’t do it with an altar call; I’ve never yet seen anyone at the end of a movie say when the movie ends say “Okay now bow your head and lift your hands; whose going to commit adultery this week; whose going to do this or that?” He tells the story and it impacts the culture. And the Lord spoke to me to say “You do the same thing.” The Message Bible in Matthew 13 Jesus said when the disciples said “Why do you tell stories?” He said “I tell stories to nudge people receptive insight.”
Sid: Hmm, I like that.
Tommy: And the Lord just spoke to me that was his method and if I wanted to reach another group of people I didn’t necessarily preach at them but I would just tell the story and the same. And so in the fiction book and in the movie and the teaching book that you and I are going to talk about the same message is there but it’s just presented in a different way.
Sid: Tommy out of curiosity the Lord impressed upon you to write the book Hadassah. How did it get from a book to a movie? What’s the shorthand version?
Tommy: Well, first of all when the Lord spoke to me to write the fiction book I said “I really don’t know how to do that.” And He said “Well, you didn’t know how to do a lot of things just start.” And the same way when I was obedient and was very diligent and did the best job I knew how it was like God breathed on it and said “Because of your obedience.” And within 1 year when the book came out; no I’m sorry, when the book was still in manuscript form they had already picked up the option for it to become a movie. And I need to clarify something Sid. This is not a Velveeta movie this is no cheesy Christian movie. This has Omar Sharif; Peter O’Toole; two of the major actors from “Lord of the Rings” on and on.” This is the same people who cast “The Passion” movie. Academy Award Winning Editors. It is incredibly shot; filmed on location in India and what would look like an ancient Persian palace. This is a movie you will not be embarrassed to bring your friends to. This is a movie that will be embraced by Jewish culture as well as Christian culture.
Sid: Well, I’d like to be with you at the premier in Jerusalem; is there such a thing.
Tommy: Well in fact, last week we negotiated some of those pieces and ironically “The Passion” movie has never been shown in Israel and may never be shown because of the controversy. But we are already being besieged and we’re not sure who will distribute it 20th Century Fox is negotiating and Warner and various people. But I am positive that it will be shown in Israel.
Sid: Tommy I feel a tremendous presence of God on this interview right now. I felt that same presence of God in your book “Finding Favor with the King.” Why should a Christian read the book; “Finding Favor with the King.” What is your objective for everyone that reads this book?
Tommy: Let me tell you how the whole concept was birthed. I was preaching and as is my primary purpose in preaching I preach about the presence of God how to get into it; how to stay in it; the road map. So that people become familiar; God wants you to be in His presence. One night while in Pasadena, California I made this statement while searching for a way to explain to people that just as Esther had spent 12 months preparing for her encounter with the King; that our preparation would lead us to an encounter with the King. And to not be concerned that sometime it would take some time, or sometime it seems like circumstances prepared us for that encounter. And I made this statement “It’s okay because one night with the King can change everything.” And you talked about the anointing level changed; at that moment Sid; at that very moment it’s like God just turned the volume up on my message. I’m not talking about the PA system got louder; but the word of God impacted the audience that night and it has continued to reverberate. That one night with the King can change everything. Esther started off a peasant; there wasn’t a day that she walked into the palace a peasant; actually her name was Hadassah at that point. And when she entered the Kings palace it was changed to Esther. Sid do you know that that it’s possible for people have such an encounter with the King that they may as well change their name because their destiny will be so different.
Sid: Well, Tommy that’s you; you’re telling me that the average person listening to us right now can read this book and have their night with the King?
Tommy: That’s why I use Esther. Esther 2 in the Bible tells us that Esther was an orphan; that she was not only an orphan she was foster child adopted by what we call her uncle. And that she was also what many people overlook. She was a minority. She was a Jew living in Persia. The deck was stacked against her Sid. If Esther can find favor she is the role model that no matter who you are don’t let your past hold your future hostage.
Sid: And don’t you forget what he just said; don’t let that past hold your future hostage.
Tags: its supernatural, Sid Roth
Tags: its supernatural, Sid Roth