Practicing the Necessary Things
To prepare ourselves to obtain spiritual stature and especially fulfill our calling takes practice. Just like building up our natural body we must gain strength and endurance spiritually. Making time in this “rat race” existence is mandatory. We may feel foolish or appear strange to others but must not let that become an excuse. Everyone has access to the Lord in the time that they have each day. When we put Yahweh first, then we will find that our lives flow in a new harmony. As we consciously commit our ways unto Him, He will lead us. We can begin by learning to exercise our spiritual senses which are found in our center, our inner man, where we learn to tune in to His presence.
Meditation on the Word, prayer, worship are good ways to find and stay in that Secret Place of the Most High. We can behold Him through a conscious focus of our will. Thinking upon His greatness and goodness helps to transform our minds and give us confidence in our daily walk. Be sure to include quiet listening. I also do what I call yielding which is an effort to open up my heart and mind to receive His direction. At some point you should begin to feel “lifted up” above all types of circumstances with peace and confidence. Other times you may feel His presence with a “knowing” feeling that answers your questions or worries. Move ahead as an act of faith. You may sometimes not feel or receive any thoughts or feelings of confirmation of His presence but trust Him and draw near. I now of examples where a person sought the Lord for several weeks and there was no apparent "breakthrough". All of a sudden a when they weren't even thinking about the Lord or their spiritual situtation there was a word from God that came to their heart.
He promised that if we draw near He will make Himself known to us. We need to be more diligent and whole hearted in our pursuit of Him and His Kingdom. He wants to have on-going fellowship/communion with us. Each day no matter what you are doing or where you are, remember that you are the Temple of the Holy Spirit and you can remain thinking upon Him and His promises. You can continually live with the assurance that He is within you and leading you. This is called practicing the presence of the Lord. The final goal is to completely walk in the Spirit. You will see and hear heavenly (spiritual) things while communicating with the Father. Eventually, when you hear and obey the Lord’s revealed will you will do supernatural exploits. Material things become much less important to spend your time and energy on. Expect to see the promises - He’ll supply what you need.
There are many books out about fasting which is a good way to put down the flesh. The way it works is based upon the principle of life in general. Whatever we "feed" and focus on will grow and remain large in our lives. It has been explained that our life force is like a generator with many systems hooked into it and running on it’s power. Our digestive system takes up a lot of this energy. If we shut it down for a while, then we increase our ability to hear God inside of us more than our self centered desires screaming at us; “feed me, feed me”! Actually we can live a fasted life that is not so extreme as going without food for days, although sometimes this is required for a season of discipline. Our operative question is, “ are we putting God’s Kingdom or our agenda first?” Being able to have the fruit of self-control is paramount in these stressful days.
The fruits of the Spirit namely temperance and self control will keep us in balance. Our needs are to be met as we seek first His Kingdom. But without the conditioning we receive in the Lord, when we are tempted, we don’t have the strength to resist and end up out of control. If we feed our soul man or our fleshly appetites they continue as a master (or monster) to us. If our focus and obedience is to Christ then the Holy Spirit is in control of our thoughts, actions and motivations. I have found that it is not just a physical fast that we need. If we continually look upon all the enticements of the world such as entertainments and materialistic pursuits our sensitivity to the still small voice is really hindered. Our thoughts and actions; all should be conformed to the obedience of Christ who only did what the Father showed him. Can we say that every day we consider all that we do as done to the glory of God? Hour by hour and minute by minute it is possible and necessary to walk in power and grace.
No longer will our heavenly Father let His people remain babies and expect others to spoon feed them. When Jesus spoke “woe unto those who give suck in those days”, he was likely referring to the spiritual condition of believers who won’t allow others grow up or won't mature themselves. What comes through another person’s ministry is milk, Heb.5:12-14. Meat is the direct revelation of the Lord but it must be chewed and swallowed. The anointed, powerful Word divides between soul and spirit to kill the flesh not feed it. We must become and make disciples to complete the work that begins at salvation. We are all affected by the weakest link as we stand together as one Body, “maintaining the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace”, so we need to help others to grow up and overcome. When I say maintain it is important to understand that in the Spirit realm many things we can't see or experience in the flesh are already in existence.
The five fold ministry is being restored to the Body as people recognize that Apostles and Prophets did not "pass away". These ministry offices are in place to confirm and help develope what your gifting and callings are as they exhort, edify and enable the whole Body of Christ to be completed in his stature. All the gifts work together until we become perfected in holiness/grace (1 Cor. 13). Many think the Pentecostal experience is the final level of attainment but we must continue being filled as we go on to perfection. It is your personal responsibility to practice learning to “flow” in the area of Spiritual anointing that you’re called to. Find fellowship with those who teach about "Body ministry" and give the Holy Spirit free reign. This will probably happen more in an informal home-church situation especially as the persecution increases in the future.
Each true revival seems to bring forth only a partial and temporary restoration. ONe day we will see the restoration of all things as the Kingdom of Heaven becomes manifest in the earth. Many Apostles and Prophets already have the authority or are being ordained now to fulfill the calling of setting the Body into order upon their foundational ministry (with confirmation through the vocal gifts). The final saturation of rain (anointing) upon the dry earth will increase the flow until the Kingdom rule is enforced in earth as it is in heaven; (Heb. 6: 1-2). Read Ephesians 4:11; He gave some apostles and prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers 12 to equip the saints for the work of the ministry for the building up of the body of Christ 13 until all of us come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity,to the measure of the full stature of Christ. There is no logical reason that any of these ministries has passed away. Even though there has not been much evidence of any operational Divine Order since the first century we can count upon the promise that the “latter rain” shall come and reinstate corporate government authority.
The Sons of God (completed remnant of elect/chosen ones) will not overcome by climbing over one another and grasping at opportunities of fame and fortune. They are those who are humble, peacemakers, even taking personal loss (laying down their lives for the least of their brethren) for the good of all. The message of the true Gospel of the Kingdom will soon be preached throughout the whole earth. The message is not just “come to Jesus”, but become like Jesus. The greatest in the Kingdom are the servants of all. Realize right now that true authority is only found in the deepest humility. The foundation of Apostles and Prophets we are built upon calls to mind a picture of servanthood as the stones, underneath the building, holding up the other members. Love is the mortar that holds the bricks (living stones) together.
There are many levels of maturity that we experience as we grow in Christ. In our conversion we partake of the baptism of John the Baptist, (repentance) first, as we identify with the crucifixion of Christ. This death to our flesh (self-life) is to be experienced daily to continue the work. We were also promised the baptism of fire but you seldom see people coming to the altars for that blessing. It is necessary to burn out the old nature to receive Kingdom life. We are all called to overcome the flesh, devil and world. All that we need has already been given in the Spirit and abiding in us in our inner man. As we identify with who we are in Christ (or Christ in us) we appropriate this accomplishment into the natural realm. This is called manifestation. We should labor diligently to enter into God’s rest (promise of spiritual life) by putting on the “new man”. As long as we obey the commands of the Lord (the Law of Love), we are victorious for faith works by Love.
This commitment of discipleship and laying down our soul lives has been played down or deleted from the message of prosperity/worldliness of many preaching over the air waves. In my teaching called “Elect or Electronics” I share why the evangelistic crusade of the modern day “ministry” has left the body disconnected and weak. A child needs parents and teachers serving through the local Church to train and encourage. Many across the world have become “saved” only to fall away through lack of nurturing and discipleship. People flock to popular “ministers’ to be blessed/fed yet never grow up to complete their own calling or learn to walk in the Spirit. This lack of commitment to the local ministries being raised up is out of order and hinders the spiritual growth of the Church.
I’m not coming against any particular group or minister because they are still God’s anointed servants. We all have to come out of her (Babylon and the false pagan traditions that we have held onto even more completely than we could even imagine. There will be "candlesticks" removed from those people or congregations who will not repent of their materialism and manipulation. If the Lord tells me to specifically speak to someone about their wrong doing it will be done in private and then with witnesses consisting of those who have received similar confirmation. He has shown me things about ministries that are out of order but I use this knowledge to pray for them to overcome until he releases any other directive (wisdom that goes with the knowledge). For now we all see in part but soon will see and receive clearly as the Church moves forward to do the works and will of the Lord as One unified entity.
Today’s "best seller" doctrines and formulas are like “junk food” is to the Body. Just like our nutritional standards in the flesh they have become empty and sugar coated-with out the life force needed to rejuvenate. Many are gimmicks to promote another easy fix. Like many fad diets they never get to the root cause of the problem. We must admit when things are easy we become fat and lazy. Jesus promised us abundant life but not self indulgence. Our brethren who are going without everyday needs being met are a witness against us who have so much that we waste. The needs of the body are physically given through the international and local body. Jesus didn't pray for a colt to manifest itself or the loaves and fishes to be zapped out of nothing. Someone had to be obedient to the voice of the Father. He saw the giving heart of those who had provision when he multiplied it further.
Our real provision is much greater than material things. We all should experience in reality the power to obtain/maintain health, deliverance and joy but it will take total commitment; the exchange of our soul life for His Spiritual one. If we remember that we are in the world but not of it we won’t be caught unfaithful or unprepared. There are many warnings in the scriptures to not be caught in the snares of licenteousness and lawlessness. The world’s systems are temporal and fickle and actually oppose or ignore our inner needs. They cannot and will not sustain us. We have been told to come out of Babylon in out life and heart. but it is difficult if you don't know what it entails.
The earth, however, was created by YHWH to provide for us if it is kept in balance through proper stewardship of it’s resources and caretakers. We all can relate to being frustrated even appalled over all the pollutants in the earth that we must eat, breath or drink daily. There are so many abhorrent situations we must deal with on many other levels where people are subjected to tortures or the blatant disrespect for life itself. These things defile the land, too. We can look forward to the restoration of all things but can’t forget that we are to be the instruments of deliverance. It will begin on a personal level. This Temple will need to be built up through grace and faithfulness first. For the Lord is good and His mercy endures forever is to be the affirmation for all people. There will be a flood of mercy where the tide will rise and sweep away all the feeble deeds of fallen men if they will allow it and not harden their hearts. This is why we can’t judge as yet because we all offend in so many ways; all fall short of God's glory.
Yahweh longs to restore the earth and it’s inhabitants. This must be completed to establish the Kingdom. I believe that although floods, volcanoes and other natural disasters appear to have a negative effect they are actually renewing the earth and cleansing it of much of the defilement that man has heaped upon it’s territory. That is how Yah works in overcoming power. Even the consequence of all of man’s wrong choices can be washed away through either natural or spiritual laws. For a time all things in the earth and heaven will be shaken. We hear predictions daily that are ominous. We can expect a pole change and other massive natural disasters to come upon the earth so that men’s hearts will fail them because of fear. We will see the end of life as we know it but we are to FEAR NOT! We know the end from the beginning...His promises to all who will believe. This is also something we must practice - to have joy and expectation in all circumstances by keeping our eyes upon Him.
The tribulations that we go through cause us to grow strong enough to rise above our problems if we are truly motivated to become like Christ in all things. A time is coming when the cleansing fires will increase including persecutions and devastations throughout the whole earth. All of our lives we have been taught to be independent and in control which are two things that will no longer exist in the days ahead. Yahweh is calling us to dwell together as a community as the first century Church did. Committed believers will pull together with vision, comfort and hope in troubled times. As we join together as one we will see a covering created like Psalm 91 for protection and direction in the perilous times. I believe this is part of the Son of God ministry. As this anointing increases we will see many raised up to be strong men and women of God “in a day”. When the glory of God fills the earth once again, all flesh shall see it together and the prophesy that we read in Isaiah 60 will be fulfilled. This is also a day of great darkness at the crossroads of two distinct ages of time.
Things need to be set in place soon to keep balance and accountability as found in the whole community of believers. We cannot walk in the spiritual things unless we are able to learn to love one another, unconditionally. Divisions caused by our opinions and wrong attitudes will hopefully disappear as the Lord’s attributes appear in us. The Father knows and will show us how we can be fitly joined together with strengths (and weaknesses) understood so we can be brought into functional balance. Inter-submission with mercy must be practiced as believers learn to overcome conflicts bringing restoration and mutual respect. This establishes corporate authority. There will be mistakes and offences as people practice their gifts and callings so we need to be patient and long suffering with one another for that is also our witness to the world. Even learning to dwell in close proximity will bring a few times of friction but also many blessings as burdens are shared. There are many times that I long for this connection of interactive fellowship but most people aren’t ready/willing.
Usually the place for practice is in small groups (cell groups or house churches). Normally a time of Bible study and some prayer and praise are included but there should also be a time of waiting upon the Father to hear and confirm His directives. Then start stepping out to share in the elementary things. Ask the Lord what it really means to seek first the Kingdom and His righteousness. Begin to trust the Lord in the things of faith such as laying on hands and praying for the sick. Finding ways to bless others helps get things started. Persevere until you see the need met. Relinquish your will and opinions to practice being led by the Holy Spirit. All that you need is being provided by Him as you learn to perceive and act through the giving/serving ministry of whole Body. These include speaking a Word of Knowledge, a testimony, or taking up an offering.
Keep a record of prayers with answers and testimonies to show the growth of the participants. It’s especially important to write down prophesies or other exhortations. This helps us to be diligent; expecting to see His Word come to pass in future trials as we learn to believe for one another. Jesus said that all of the law is included in two statements; love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind soul and strength and love your brother as yourself. He never said that the law was no longer needed but that it was now possible through the strength of the Holy Spirit in us, to keep it through a transformation of our hearts and lives. This is not license to continue in fleshly pursuits but the grace to overcome. We can know the love of Christ that passes understanding and be filled with the fullness of God according to Ephesians 3. What we believe we must do and become. We are still to know no one after the flesh and should already be using discernment. This includes the opening up of doors for women to establish and express their spiritual ministries. Some of the most precious gifts in the Body have come in the most unlikely and even rejected packages.
We will see the end of the popular messages and smooth words when the troubles come upon the world. There are some who have done many things in His name but have not really “sold out” for we perceive envy, competition and the hireling mentality in their camp. When the Lord says depart from me you workers of iniquity/lawlessness he is not denying that they had power. Fruit is the earmark of spiritual maturity. Jesus told his disciples to rejoice that their names were written in the Lamb’s Book of Life more than whether demons were subject to them. Yet we wonder why these can’t be included in the number. Psalm 138 shares part of the answer to the puzzle; He magnifies His Word even above all His name. He said, “ if you continue in my Word, then you are my disciples, then you shall know the truth that will set you free”. Messiah fulfilled all the law but he didn’t cancel it. He showed how to be yielded body, soul and spirit to the will of the Father. The testimony given is that Yahshua only did what he saw and heard the Spirit show to him believing that it would be done through him as well. He wants this power and love to be manifest in us as we do even greater works.
Christ gave us another piece of the puzzle in his warning about false prophets. They are known by their fruits more than by what they say or even through great signs and wonders. King Saul was rejected because of disobedience yet because the calling and gifts of God are not cancelled he used them in a corrupt way. We can connect these two pieces to see the picture more clearly in this passage of scripture Colossians 1:6 shares a message as confirmation of this. Because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of truth of the gospel, which has come to you as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth; we pray 10 that you walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing unto him being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.
The story of Giddeon’s army expresses how we are to demonstrate discipline in the battle against our enemies. Giddeon who was considered the least of the men of Israel was shown by the Lord that no man could take the credit for any victory because of their own numbers or strength. Attitudes of heart were shown in each man’s personal preparation. They were tested so that only certain warriors were fit to enter this holy fight. A remnant of only 300 soldiers proved themselves worthy to be made victors. The final outcome didn’t show the army’s abilities but gave glory to the Lord alone. When they blew the trumpets and struck their lamps to break them the light that was hidden in the earthen jars shined forth and confounded the enemy. This is a type of our experience of God’s victory as His glory shines forth from us. Glory isn’t a place that we get to after we die but a state of being where we are completed in the fullness of Christ as a “holy habitation”. Through worship and discipline we can be changed from glory to glory now.
Go over in your mind how you would to live if you were faced with the prospect of all you have disappearing from your grasp. Everything should already be committed to the Lord. What will you mourn over when the time of great trouble comes? Would you invest your time and money in a completely different way, now, knowing that we will need to survive on very little in the near future? This includes going to a place of refuge or getting away from the controlling factions that will persecute true believers. If it seems impossible, especially because of commitments to other people; continue to pray and start getting understanding. One [God] can only steer a moving boat so do something to begin the process of denying the world and flesh. Make some plans for the important people in you life including the family of God. If people respond negatively to your warnings or activities you still can plant some seed for the days ahead; you may be surprised at the harvest. It is not your job to make the seeds grow.
Trust the Lord to lead you to like minded people who will help one another by sharing the blessings of fruitful lives. You may not agree upon everything but all can still learn to serve. No one knows everything as they ought. Even if they think that they do what are the corresponding actions/works that follow? We can start individually to gain confidence but we must learn to join others in corporate strength. We can practice using our spiritual senses just as we would train our minds and muscles. Then the whole Body will be strong and able to stand together against the evil one. I believe that a "covering" of God's glory and protection will be our shield in the days of trouble for those who dwell in love and unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
I will repeat that this takes place as a result of spending time in worship and intercession before the Lord with a listening and yielded heart. As the presence of the Lord is perceived the peoplegathered should wait in silence until direction is given or a release is felt. We can quench the Holy Spirit by having a wrong motive or attitude so be sensitive. In many meetings they don't allow the Lord to make known His presence or will. They have their own agenda and leave little room for the One they say they serve and worship to lead them into all truth. The gifts and callings are to be stirred up within us as we move into the realm of the Spirit to start fulfilling the calling and anointing on our lives. Inter-submission allows each one to give and take as the Lord directs. The participants then find that diverse callings are brought forth individually but in unity. Being in one accord means being in harmony, different parts working together. We shall sing a new song before the throne of Yahweh and the Lamb as the New Day begins.