Bible, NT-19, The Holy Spirit
Part 2
LESSON 19
THE HOLY SPIRIT
PART 2
By Rev. G. E. Newmyer
There are times when we use the term “Spiritual warfare”, but all we did was find an acceptable method to vent our anger, rather than deal with it. Anger without cause, or out of control gives power to the enemy, Peace overcomes him. Hate toward others gives power to the enemy, Forgiveness defeats him. Truth is a hammer to the stronghold, it will win in the end. Paul tells us to be angry and sin not, we sin when our anger speaks, acts, or causes us to make decisions.
We study to make ourselves approved, not before men, but before God. Like the net we find good theologians and bad theologians. Paul was a theologian, thus simply being a theologian doesn’t mean anything, it’s whether they are run by the Spirit or not. If we are suppose to study to make ourselves approved, then all of us are to be theologians. Even naturally minded scholars can help us define a word, but they can’t help us with the mysteries. However, the supersoul also studies the Bible, but only to use it for self-gain in some degree, they make a lie, then believe it, then bring about fables to promote their selves, while at the same time causing others to fall from the Faith.
If a supersoul can get us into unbelief, we will lose the foundation for our faith, without faith we have no hope, without hope we will perish. Faith is a substance, but without knowledge we have no place to put our faith. Our belief is in the Now, as is our Faith, they are different, but connected leading us from belief to faith, so it can be of faith. When someone places the intellect of man higher than the Bible, they are centered on natural reasoning. Scholars confirm the Bible, they don’t take the place of it.
If faith requires the phrase “things hoped for”, yet we have no hope, what good is faith? How can they do this? They will teach a concept based in some imagination, but in order to introduce the imagination, they must first get us into a state of unbelief. They begin by teaching us not to believe in something, or question the validity of Scripture, or they will begin by teaching us to become something we’re not suppose to be, such as Adam like. It’s still unbelief, since it suggests a position falling short of the God granted position of being Christ Like. In truth desiring to be Adam Like is Iniquity, it’s obtaining the living soul, but rejecting the quickening Spirit. Once we take of those seeds of unbelief, then the supersoul can bring in their imagination and fable. We will plant the corrupt seed in our minds, then form our own stronghold. Of course if we submit to the New Man the lust which the supersoul seeks will be removed, meaning their temptation then becomes a test for us.
They seek the lust of being superior, the special of the special, the only ones in the entire Body who have the Truth. When we listen to the Spirit, the fables of the supersoul are seen as fables. This only shows the importance of the saving of the soul, we must submit to the New Man, as we allow Him to form us into the Image of God’s Son. How do we know if it’s the New Man bringing us into the image of God’s Son, or if its’ the old man attempting to make us the Image of Lucifer? Character, correction, conviction, truth, awareness, with knowing we have the Spirit. Is our character enjoying seeing members of the Body being defeated? Do we rejoice in their iniquities? Do we pray against people? Do we use the things of the world to bring fear? Are we manipulative? Deceptive? Do people tell us we are deceptive or manipulative? These areas are not conducive to the Character of Christ. Do we belittle people, make fun of them, talk ugly about them behind their backs, then think we heard God tell us, “they deserve it”? Not conducive to the nature of Christ. Do we plan out ways to trap people? Not conducive to the nature of Christ.
The correction of God is something we should Joy in, James tells us to Joy when we are caught in different temptations. Why? It’s conviction, God is not allowing us to play wicked mind games. Praise the Lord, He cares enough to bring the exposure allowing us to be free. It doesn’t give us the excuse to allow the lust or the temptation to complete it’s end, but it does show if conviction is there, so is the Spirit of the Lord.
Most Cults, or the Wicked teach faulty end time thinking, they think we will be overcome, or destruction is at the door, or we can force Jesus to return. They mix the Old into the New, to arrive at a Night-Day theology. It’s not just the end time teaching, but the heresy or fables regarding the end time bringing fear, thus fear is a weapon used to control people. Some are so angry at the world, they want to see Jesus come and destroy the world, yet the world is the place we toss the Net. We were warned how this type of attitude is a “Woe”, not a blessing (Amos 5:18).
These people assume Jesus isn’t able to handle the Body, so they use their self-transformed self-righteousness, or carnal reasonings to accomplish what they think Jesus should do, the exact mindset Judas held. They will either cause a takeover, or attack other ministries with the false assumption of protecting the Body, in so doing they are deceived into thinking they are the Head of the Body. Once their fable takes root, they presume they are far above the other members of the Body. They begin to dominate feeling everyone has to gain their permission in order to operate; this is the same false thinking the Pharisees had when they approached John the Baptist. Psalm 24:1 tells us, the world and they who dwell therein are God’s property. How can we judge or come against the world if it belongs to God? Psalm 24:2 says “it”, but 24:1 is pointing to the earth as one element, then to the world as another. Ah, we find two “it” subjects, the first “It” shows the kingdom of heaven (earth) was Founded On the Seas, not in them. The second “It” points to the world as the flood of people, yes the same flood coming after the Woman, but doesn’t the Book of Revelation also show the kings of the world are still completing the will of God? Yes, Revelation 17:17 clearly shows the army of the Lord in Jacob’s trouble will be the world, they are the same ones who gave their kingdom to the Beast. How can it be? God has plans, one for us, one for the Remnant, one for the world, one for the sons of perdition, and one for the Woman. Submission tells us not to hinder the plans of God, regardless of which area they are in. We operate in our realm, in the manner we are called to. Rebellion is using a lower authority to overthrow a higher authority, thus submission keeps us from rebellion.
Now we can begin to understand why it’s important to separate the Body from the Church, the Birth of the Church came on Pentecost, but the Body began the day Jesus opened His earthly ministry by accepting the two disciples from John’s ministry. By the separation we can see how the Wicked are among us, but not of us. They are in the Body, but not Born Again. They were presented the “seed”, but we also know the Parable of the Sower shows receiving the Seed is the first step, there is more to the process. If the cares of this world can choke the seed out of us, yet the Wicked are run by the spirit of the world, it makes sense they have allowed the spirit of the world to choke the Seed out of them. They have no root, since they no longer have the Seed. They were given the “Seed”, they did enter the Body (kingdom of heaven), they escaped the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but they returned to the ways of the world, thus joining to the spirit of the world, to become a he of the world (II Pet 2:18-22 & I Jn 4:1-4). The closer we get to the Night, the more of the “drunken” we will see, is it bad? For them, not for us, since it proves the time is approaching. The vessels of dishonor only prove there are vessels of honor. Our desire is to be like Jesus, their desire is for Jesus to be like them.
In Acts 16 Paul came across a certain damsel, one who had a “spirit of divination” or the mental ability to enter the mind of another to project her will through them, she also made much money for her masters by soothsaying (Acts 16:16). Her divination worked, or she wouldn’t have made “much money”. She was associated with the temple of Apollos, the “divination of the snake” was her trade, meaning she would mesmerize her victim. She began by making a factual statement, but the emphasis was on the men, more than God. She was looking for a weak spot in the ego of Paul and Silas, attempting to energize a lust by making them superior. However, in order for the evil plan to work it took something in Paul to become entrapped by her words. For Paul it became a test, thus she couldn’t tell the future, or she would never have attempted to entrap Paul. The trap would have been to open the door for this damsel to interject her form of Salvation as a fable. The premise was “show us the way to Salvation”, if the damsel was successful she would use Paul to point to her “way”. The same premise was used at the temple of Dianne, as in the temple of Apollos. The Wicked use their prayer life in the same manner, they make up their mind what they think should happen, then they begin to pray their will into the lives of others, thank God for the helmet protecting our minds. It’s a far cry from praying for God to intervene in the life of another, to interjecting ones will into the life of another.
Paul by the Spirit saw the intent and purpose of the damsel. the efforts were defeated when Paul cast the devil out of her. Did she have a type of supernatural power? She had to, she made her masters much money, but her power failed in the face of a Spirit filled child of God. Paul ran into others who used the power of darkness as well, there was a Jew, called of God to enter into the covenant, but one who made the decision to use the power and authority of darkness. Elymas the sorcerer was using his wicked supernatural power to control one Sergius Paulus, a deputy of Paphos. When Paul preached the Truth of the Gospel, Elymas resisted him. Then Paul filled with the Holy Ghost said to Elymas, “O full of subtlety and all mischief, you child of the devil, you enemy of righteousness, will you not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a season” (Acts 13:4-11). The word Subtlety is the Greek Dolos meaning To bait, defraud, or use Fraud or Deceit. The word Mischief is the Greek Pauo meaning A failing to cease from something, it’s the same word translated as “you not cease”, only in a different tense. Using it in reference to Mischief it means the act itself, using it in the phrase “you not cease” means an act of the will. Why did the Holy Ghost intervene? Sergius was a deputy, he was over the masses, Elymas was controlling the masses through Sergius, thus the Holy Ghost set Sergius free, while setting the masses free as well.
This Elymas was a Jew, a false prophet by trade (Acts 13:6), who used acts of sorcery. The Greek word for Sorcerer is Magos, the same word used for “Simon Magos”. It was used in reference to the priests of the Persians, or Babylonians who were enchanters, magicians, the Chaldeans called them Sopohos (wise – Dan 2:12, 2:18, 2:27). Magos was the same name used for the Magi who came to find Jesus, thus we find two sources of the supernatural. The Magi weren’t looking to tell the future of Herod, or Jesus, they were following the Star to find Christ. Same title, different intents. The false who engage in the mystic methods cause the demonic to counter the Charismatic, anyone who attempts to be spiritual without the Spirit is engaged in witchcraft.
What makes the difference between Elymas and the damsel? The damsel was possessed, Elymas was not, thus Paul having the Spirit was able to discern. It would seem strange to us to see Paul cast the devil out of the damsel, yet cause Elymas to be blind. Why not cast the devil out of Elymas? There wasn’t one, just as there wasn’t one in Simon Magos, thus we find various areas. Both Simon the Magician and Elymas the Sorcerer used the power of darkness, but neither were demon possessed. So, if we’re not suppose to curse, what was Paul doing making Elymas blind? Paul didn’t, the hand of the Lord was on Elymas “for a season”, what was in him became his own eyes, thus Elymas was attempting to blind the people to the truth, what he attempted to do to others, fell on him, thus it was punishment (Acts 13:10-11).
If we Mind the Spirit we can also discern, meaning clarity always begins at home; we must remain open to exposure. If we ignore exposure, we will never see how God is exposing the Wicked. If we ignore the signs of our own pride, we will ignore the pride of the Wicked. If we ignore our own strongholds, we will ignore the stronghold of the Wicked. The Spirit of Truth is leading us into Truth, the Wicked into a Lie. They will believe the great lie in the Night, they have been trying to get us to believe their lies for years. Whatsoever a man sows, so shall he reap.
A small word of warning, these supersouls are not to be confused with the Babe in Christ, or someone going through exposure, someone in the wilderness, the carnal Christian, or the ignorant of spiritual matters as were the Corinthians. Although the carnal Christian is the target of the supersoul, as the Corinthian church proves. When the soul is being exposed, most, if not all of us will react from the flesh, but these supersouls don’t appear on the outside to be operating from the flesh, yet they are. They use supernatural endeavors, not spiritual awareness. They live behind a mask of religion, they use phrases, titles, words, and the rhetoric, but they mix the natural realm into their concepts and words.
The Babe in Christ wears their soul like a jacket, the one going through exposure is obvious, these supersouls are not obvious. When truth comes what is on the inside will begin to surface, their ways will be exposed, then we can detect their hearts. Since the supersoul is a mentalist, they have mastered the ability to wear a mask, yet the Word preached in love will still expose their thoughts and intents. When they speak, the Spirit will show us the intent behind their words; therefore, like Jesus, we will answer their intent. Once these supersouls see we know them, it won’t take long for them to expose their real inner self. Will they run and hide? Some will, others will attempt to hold their John 7 meetings, but nonetheless their ways will be exposed for those who really want to see. On the same note those with the lust to be superior will fall in line with the supersoul, they will follow them like little puppies, while rejecting the call to follow Jesus.
However, the supersoul is not demon possessed, they are self-possessed. These mentalist use divination to implant ideas and thoughts to control the mind of another; however, it’s very important to know they can only use a person, if the person has a lust in the area being enticed. We read this in James, we can only be drawn into the trap when we have a lust in us, thus the trying of our faith is removing lusts. The detection of these evils is by discerning of spirits, an ability found in the Manifestation of the Spirit. Through the Spirit we can discern if it’s the spirit of error, the voice of the stranger bringing a dart, or God doing a cleaning.
Mentor worship is a device the supersoul uses, they will quote the Bible, but they also quote the men and women of God, usually out of context. They look for those who have the propensity to make idols out of the men and women of God, then use mentor worship to their advantage. In all this, we must also remember how God will deliver His own. God will send Truth to the victims, just as He will send Truth to the supersoul. How do we know if we’re using mentor worship? The second our mouth says, “they are my hero”, or if we think our hero can do no wrong, or we hold their words over the Bible, then we know we’re fallen into mentor worship, which also means we have a lust wanting to be worshipped by people. The clue is desiring to make someone a hero, means we want to be one as well, thus by association we enhance our pride.
Deception is a tool of darkness, self-deception is a destroyer of Truth. Whatever the supersoul says, is truth to them, regardless of how much Bible evidence is used to expose their fables. They simply refuse to hear, their strongholds or fables are their truth, when exposed they make their attacks personal in nature. They are not easily entreated, they reject knowledge to keep their strongholds. It also stands, they look for strongholds in others to use for their benefit. They will project their fables, then get mad because you won’t Hear, but the truth is they refuse to face the Bible evidence of their folly. They want the secret revelation so they can stand above the Body, or be honored and praised by the Babes. They suffer from the lust of being superior, but refuse to face it, rather they love the feeling they get from it.
How do we combat these vessels of dishonor? What is the one thing they lack? Mercy, be an example of walking Mercy, by speaking the Truth in Love. It sounds so simple, yet it’s a battle. Our own flesh wants to rip them to pieces, but we can’t, we don’t war against flesh and blood, we have a Power within far greater than the urge to destroy. The Wicked still have time to repent, if they do, they go with us, if not they become the Beast of the Earth in the next Season.
Paul tells us to war against the wiles, but he also tells us about those who lie in wait to deceive, then he tells us not to fight flesh and blood. Sounds like he did, but wait, did he? We war against the wiles overcoming us, not the person bringing them; they are merely the tool. The word Wiles means the Method of Operation, the manner in which the enemy works. In legal circles it’s the “M.O.” of the person, or what identifies the person to the crime. If they lie in wait to deceive, they are also forming “winds of doctrine” as they look for those who chase the winds. The winds of doctrine are fringe elements which mean little, but become the center of attention to take us away from the meaning of the doctrine.
If we could only understand how much power lays in the Mercy, Love, and the Light of God, or how much is found in Submission, then we could walk in the Power, Strength, Might and Glory Jesus has already given us. All we need to win has been granted in the New Man, we don’t need more glory, we need to submit to the glory within. We don’t need more faith, we need to walk in the faith given us. We don’t need more anointing, we need to submit to the anointing we already have. It comes down to the work of the New Man in us, as the holiness and righteousness of God will rid us of the wiles of the enemy. The New Man is our source of overcoming, we are required to cooperate with the process.
Are there other wars regarding the soul? Yes, the Saving of the Soul is primary (Heb 10:39, James 1:21 & I Pet 1:9), then the soul is preserved blameless (I Thess 5:23), then comes the Prosperity (advancement) of the soul (III Jn 2), with the Metamorphose of the soul (change of thinking – Matt 17:1-4 & Rom 12:2), giving us an Anchor to the soul (Heb 6:19), with the Weaning of the soul (Ps 131:2), this will stop the fainting of the soul (desire to quit – Heb 12:3, Gal 6:9, Ps 27:13 & Isa 40:28); the cleaning of the Blood will Remove all evils from the soul (Luke 21:19), then we have Rest for our soul (Matt 11:29), to Purify the soul (I Pet 1:22), where we find we can obey Jesus, the Shepherd and Bishop of our soul (I Pet 2:25 & Matt 26:41), then the soul will willingly desire to Magnify the Lord at All times (Luke 1:46-47). These twelve areas will bring us into the area of obeying the Lord and enjoying it. The Wicked are seen as “covenant breakers”, so we should find out what a Covenant is.
COVENANT RELATIONSHIPS
In this study we want to view Covenants as they connect to Relationships. When we speak of the signs (tokens) of the many Covenants God has made with man, we will also find similar signs in the heathen cultures. Does it mean God copied the heathen? Of course not, but we find many natural thinking intellectuals assuming the people of God have copied other cultures. Mark 16:16 tells us even if the world has “washings” the process of baptism is still associated with the Body of Christ, thus it’s only effective for the Body. If their “washing” is not a Token to the induction into the Body, then they took a bath, had a swim, or held a religious ceremony amounting to nothing. The Body of Christ is the only organization on earth who has the God given authority to water baptize.
In order for the phrase “shall be saved” to apply to anyone they must be baptized (identified) into the Body, then they must continue to believe; this concept is the first introduction to a Covenant for any new Believer. The New Covenant is based in the Blood of Jesus, but Jesus came by both Water and Blood. The Water (Mercy) has Covenant contracts relating to the Body in the New Covenant. The terms and conditions of the New Covenant do not apply to the Old, the terms and conditions of the Old, do not apply to the New. Jesus gave us the Least Commandments relating to Mercy, thus Mercy is the mainstay of the Body as the entrance to Grace. The word Least doesn’t mean inferior, it means they are the very least we should do.
The Covenant with Abraham was based on the token of circumcision of the flesh, an act done on the male child on the eighth day after their birth. Jesus was circumcised on the eighth day (Luke 2:21), giving Him full right to the Abrahamic Covenant. If God finished His work on the Sixth day, then rested on the Seventh, why have Abraham conduct circumcision on the Eighth day? Could it be God was looking to a New Beginning wherein man could be circumcised of the heart?
We know there are some similar wordings between the Old and New, we know there is a Tithe under the Old, and tithes under the New. We know there is a circumcision just for the males under the Old, and one for the entire Body of Christ under the New. The one under the Old availed them nothing before God, but it did grant them permission to enter the Abrahamic Covenant, which Covenant God made with Abraham, not Moses. The one under the New is a cutting away of the fleshly heart, making room for a heart fully able to believe Jesus is raised from the dead, marking us with the token (Seal) of the Holy Spirit. Even after we are sealed, we can grieve the same Holy Spirit, thus the beginning is not the end, it is a Process.
The eight day old child had no say so, but neither did they have any works upon which they could demand circumcision. Abraham did all the work for them, he believed, righteousness was imputed on him, he gave the sacrifice, he stood as the Covenant receiver as he accepted the token of the Covenant. In our case it’s not when we are eight days old, but what Jesus did on the Eighth day of the week of the Cross. Jesus made Covenant with the Father in His own Blood, He gave Himself as a Sacrifice for many, He administered the Covenant by presenting us the Cup, the Scepter to His Kingdom is His Righteousness, the Seal of the New Covenant is the New Man, the same Spirit of Holiness who declared Jesus as the Son of God by the Resurrection (Rom 1:3-4).
The Covenant Abraham had with God benefited generations to come, they weren’t there, they had no actual part in the works, yet they had to receive the Covenant, even after they had the token (circumcision). Circumcision is like the Sabbath day, it gave one right to enter the Covenant. In our case, Faith and the Seal of the Spirit gives us the right to enter the New Covenant. The Covenant with Noah was grand, the one with Abraham was great, the one Jesus obtained for us is far greater than all the other Covenants put together. Yet, because it’s New we find it was never before, meaning it was not attached to any prior Covenants before Jesus took on flesh as the Word made flesh for us.
Abraham’s Bosom was not in heaven, it was above hell, but still within speaking distance of hell. The souls of the saints under the Altar of God are far from hell, yet they speak to the Lord (Rev 6:9). Therefore we find there are Covenants many, some between God and man, some between man and God, and some between man and man.
The Covenants God has made with man were to separate man from the world, even the Jewish Covenants were to separate Israel from the world. The Flood was a means to separate Noah and his family from the world as well. So, what was the first Covenant? One with Adam? No, there was no Covenant between God and Adam, God served Adam, and Adam had Commandments placed on him, but there was no Covenant language between God and Adam. The first covenant was based on “bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh” (Gen 2:23). Marriage to the Jew is considered a “contract”, thus a Covenant is like unto a contract. A Covenant must have duties for all parties, or it’s not a Covenant. The Law of Moses was a Covenant in and of itself, it has built in Power and Authority, and a realm (Principality): yet, its nailed to the Cross (Col 2:14-16), so does it mean it no longer exists? Not at all, since it’s also referred to as The Books, then seen on the day of judgment. The word Principality points to a place, not a person, a prince is known by the principality they represent. The Law of Moses has a realm where it has power and authority to operate, until a doer dies. Once the person dies, the Law of Moses is no longer an effective tool, rather, it turns and judges the doer. Once we accept the Cross of Jesus and impute the flesh dead, we have completed the purpose of the Law of Moses, allowing us to move to a different realm free of judgment.
Paul’s comments to the Galatians shows doing requirements in one Covenant when you claim another can be dangerous. The Cross is the point of division like no other, Israel was separated from the other nations on earth by God, but Israel was not separated from the earth. The Cross has the ability to remove man from the earth, but it also has a “cross piece” or an intersection. The intersection meets at the Heart of Jesus, the place where the Blood and Water came from, but it also shows a joining. Mercy on the earth is how God moved us from the earth to the Cross, Grace is an upward movement which begins from above. Mercy takes us to the intersection, joined with Grace it moves us past the intersection to heaven. It doesn’t take away from Mercy, but it shows the New Covenant has a uniqueness between Mercy and Grace.
Timothy was a troubled young pastor, who moved quickly to lay hands on some he felt were mature enough to be deacons, but they were teachers of the Law, knowing little or nothing about Grace. His first recourse was to write a farewell message to Paul, then run, but Paul encouraged him to remain and correct the problem. In order to assist Timothy, Paul told him of a few attributes one should see in someone who is ordained to a position in helps. These were not qualifications to obtain the position, rather they were signs showing one was suited for the position. These were not teachers in the Office of Teacher, but they nonetheless taught in deed and word. A deacon and a bishop should be apt to teach, or better, able to disciple others.
In First Timothy Paul advised the young pastor, “lay hands suddenly on no man”, it was not, “watch out who lays on you”, it was “watch out who you lay hands on”. Then Paul added something making little sense in the natural, “drink no longer water, but use a little wine, for you stomach’s sake and your often infirmities” (I Tim 5:23). The verse appears to be so far out of line with the context, one might dismiss it. Until we break it down, as we look at the metaphors. The word “stomach” points to an opening, often referred to as the route to the “mouth”. Then we find the word “water” means Waterpot, or what holds water, not simply the water alone. Then the word Wine metaphorically means the Cup of God, but the word itself means Wine and Water mixed, thus we take the Lord’s cup to avoid the cup of God’s wrath. Rather than pick or assign people based on emotions at the moment, or simply to fill a position, Timothy was to take his time, seek the Table of the Lord and discern. Timothy moved as a waterpot, but forgot the elements were required. Rather than mix Grace with his Mercy, he ordained several he should not. Mercy overlooks sins of the person, as it forgives, but the Covenant as it relates to leadership is stricter; some men’s sins are open beforehand, others keep them hidden within, thus we must have Grace (Spirit) mixed with Mercy in order to discern.
The ordaining of these deacons (teachers) seemed like the right thing to do, Timothy needed help, they were willing to help, but he failed to consider: What would his actions do for, or against the congregation? Grace is centered on the people of God who accepted the Cross and Resurrection of Jesus, thus we can’t fill slots just to fill slots. Timothy doesn’t say he heard, “Separate unto me….”, from the Holy Ghost, since the Holy Ghost is the one who places people in Offices (Acts 13:1-2), in this case it was the assignments in the area of Helps, which entails appointments by leaders (Acts 6:3). The Offices are appointed by the Holy Ghost, the Helps positions and Elders are appointed by leadership, thus Timothy didn’t need to hear from the Holy Ghost, he did need to hear from the Spirit in him before he laid hands on anyone.
Every Covenant has requirements and duties, or it’s not a Covenant. Within the Covenant one finds some duties relate to certain people in the Covenant, not to others. The Babes in Christ are not under the same duties as the Youngmen, because of the growth involved. It doesn’t make one better than the other, it does show our duties increase with growth.
Over the years God made Covenant with man, and man has made Covenant with God, and man has made covenant with man. The Bible shows many, there were the Covenants God made with Noah, Abraham and Moses, the covenant Jacob made with God, and one Joshua made with other men which turned on him. Seeing then how there are various covenants, we must understand them, to whom they are directed, or to whom they are not directed. An important issue, so important the Galatians were about to fall from Grace by moving to an Old Covenant, yes even a Covenant God made with Abraham (Gal 4:10, 5:2 et al). Some Covenants incorporate others, some divide, and some make all other Covenant requirements unlawful, which was the case with the Galatians, and us.
Covenants are made between parties, the Covenant at the Cross was cut between the Son and Father, with the Holy Ghost carrying out God’s Covenant duties. Does it mean we do nothing? Not at all, even the circumcised of the flesh required the Jew to accept the Abrahamic Covenant. Understanding what we are to do, and what God is doing keeps us from frustration. We know the elements of “Covenant talk” are based in “you do”, “I do”. For instance Jesus said, “seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness”, then added, “all these things shall be added unto you”. Our part is the seeking, God’s part the adding. If we reverse it, we are Covenant breakers, not Covenant doers.
All Covenants have rules, whoever brings the covenant has the power to change it, or dissolve it, but the one who accepts it must complete their part of the covenant, they have no power to change, or dissolve it. An example is the everyday contract, which we know is a covenant; we want a new car, the dealer has it, but he wants money which we don’t have. A bank has the money, they said they would supply us the money so we can obtain the car. Once the dealer is paid, we take the car, the covenant is complete. Was it a covenant? Yes, the dealer had a price on his product, we said we would pay a certain price, either the price posted on the car (not hardly), or the one we negotiated (more than likely). The dealer accepted our offer, his part of the bargain was then to deliver the vehicle to us upon receipt of his money. But we didn’t have the money, the bank did. The bank could care less about the dealers credit, but they did care about ours. The bank set forth rules, they would give the dealer the money on our behalf if we paid back a certain amount to the bank. The covenant of repayment was between us and the bank, it did not involve the dealer. The dealer set the rules on the covenant we had with him, he set the price, or accepted our offer. The dealer had all sorts of options, he could refuse the offer, increase the price of the vehicle, sell it to another, or even give it away. We had none of those options, thus the power of the covenant was in the hand of the dealer. The power of the covenant between us and the bank is in the hands of the bank. They set the payments, how and when they are to be paid, the interest, and other rules. We agreed to the rules, we didn’t make them. Once all these matters were in hand, the vehicle was delivered into our hands, but did we own it? No, the bank did, until it was paid off. The covenant with the dealer was short lived, but the one with the bank is much longer. In each case whomever made the covenant rules had the power of the covenant. Moses didn’t make the rules, God did, then God gave the Covenant to Moses, then Moses gave it to the people, thus it’s the Law of Moses, not the Law of God. Noah didn’t make the rules, God did; Noah obeyed his side, then he was delivered from the destruction. We don’t make the rules in the New Covenant, we accept them.
With any covenant we find the requirements of the parties, the ability or duty to carry out the requirement. It does little good to ask a bank for a loan if they have no money, thus we find the ability to carry out the duty is just as important as the awareness of the requirements. What good would it do to seek the Kingdom, if there was none? What good would it do for God to tell us to seek the Kingdom, if we lacked the ability to obtain it? God didn’t ask Noah to stop the rain, but he did tell Noah to build the Ark; therefore Noah had to do something. God didn’t tell Abraham to form Isaac of the dust of the earth, but he did expect him to carry out his part of the covenant. God will never ask us to do something we can’t do; He will always empower us to complete whatever He asks us to do.
The Cross of Jesus produced many facets of ability, when Jesus said, “Father forgive them….”, the Mercy of God was then empowered on earth from heaven. When we accept the Cross of Jesus we are granted the imputed ability to make the firm decision to forgive as we are forgiven. Once we receive the Cross the ability to forgive as God forgives is granted by the breath of Jesus, the breath is in fact saying, “As the Father has forgiven, so can you”. The breath being a product of the Cross begins our Covenant walk, becoming our first real act of Mercy. The breath empowers us with the ability to not only forgive, but to remit sins done unto us. When we refuse to forgive we have rejected the Mercy from heaven, thus we have bound ourselves to the earth. Jesus gave us the keys, we must use them. Binding and loosing are earth to heaven, heaven to earth obligations, they have nothing to do with hell. By the decision to apply Mercy we loose God’s Mercy from heaven, but if we refuse to forgive, we bind God’s Mercy to heaven.
Grace (New Birth) depended on the Resurrection of Jesus (Jn 7:38-39), so did the Father pace the floor wondering if Jesus was going to be successful? No, Jesus was talking Covenant before the Cross (Mark 9:31). It was the devil who felt he could stop what God had ordained (I Cor 2:8). Those who use the wiles of the devil think the same way, they presume faith is a means to stop what God has ordained.
Let’s change the situation some, the bank calls us, saying, “you know what, we think you’re a good person, so we’re sending you the owner’s certificate on the car, and we’re just going to write off the debt”. Can they do that? Yes, they were in control of the covenant. What if they call and say, “you know what we really don’t like you, so we’re adding a couple of thousand dollars to the contract”. Can they do that? No, because there are laws governing the enforcement of contracts, just as God has placed laws governing the conduct His Covenants. God placed limitations and requirements in force so our confidence in Him can be firm. We know God isn’t going to say, “Oops, guess what, back in 1923 I changed the Covenant, you can’t be Born Again, sorry”. We also know God isn’t going to say, “guess what, we had a board meeting and decided there isn’t going to be a catching away, you are going to die in your sins”. God firmed the Covenant in the Blood of His Son, the rewards and responsibilities are unchangeable. There are two immutable things becoming an anchor to our soul, two things in which it’s Impossible for God to lie, “in blessing I will bless you”, and “in multiplying I will multiply you” (Heb 6:14 & 6:18-19). God is not going to decrease the Covenant, the Body is purposed to gain, the reasoning for the Church is to be a Blessing. We have a great opportunity, if we receive it.
From all this we find there is a party who presents the covenant and the regulations of the covenant, whoever has the power to change or dissolve the covenant is the Covenant maker, but whoever accepts the covenant must accept all the conditions, knowing they have no power to change, or dissolve the contract. It’s important since we find man making covenant with God all the time, nations begin by such covenants, but since it was man who made the covenant, we find man can change it. Of course if man changes the covenant, man also is taking the chance of removing God from the covenant. In those cases God can’t make change, but God is only obligated to His side when the party on the other side keeps their part. If man makes changes in the type of covenant, God then has the right to accept or deny the Covenant. The same is true with us, if God changed the Covenant we would have the right to accept the change or cancel the Covenant. However, God changes not, a conviction we hold by faith, the New Covenant will not change. However, in reference to man’s covenants made with God, we find they go along fine, blessing and protection, then man makes changes opposed to God’s nature, God then is excused from keeping covenant. When the protection is voided by the acts of man, something happens, but then man says, “Why would God do this?”. Man voided the covenant, then blames God, the natural state of man is incapable of understanding spiritual matters.
A covenant depends on each subject needing something the other has, then they make agreement to supply the need of the other. Covenants are mutual, like a contract there must be mutual benefit, or there is no contract. A contract telling us to pay the bank money, when no service or goods have been rendered is illegal. The elements of a Contract demand for one to supply before the other has to pay. The same is true with the New Covenant, what if Jesus had not submitted to the Cross, or shed His Blood, there would be no basis for the New Covenant, since the premise was established saying there is no remission without the shedding of blood (Lev 17:11 & Heb 9:22). Covenants like contracts have areas of requirements to make them legal. God makes covenants based on position, condition and circumstances; the Law of Moses was until death, the Law of the Spirit grants us imputed death to bypass the Law of Moses by having Life in Christ.
The covenant lays out the rules and conditions agreed upon; in the case of Abraham it was his family lines, in the case of Noah it was to preserve the human race; in the case of Moses it was an introduction of a Law to stand between man and God.
Now if Grace is not by works, why then do we see how we are suppose to do works? Grace cannot be obtained by works, but Grace has her works, or better the works of Grace are done by Grace, just as the works of Mercy are done by Mercy. Grace being spiritual in nature cannot be obtained by natural or carnal means. A work of the flesh is anything we do through the flesh to gain God’s favor, yet works of the flesh are temporal. We do something to obtain self-righteousness, but the moment we receive, the work is complete, and we’re right back where we started. This was evident in the Law of Moses, they had to keep every sabbath day, once the day came, they were right back at zero again. The tithe under the Law is the same, each substance obtained required a payment by Commandment. Neither Belief or Faith are works of the flesh, they are mental in nature. Belief and faith are based on the soul, the created element, rather than the flesh, the formed element. However, we do have duties as kings and priests because we have obtained the positions, but they are not acts of self-righteousness, they are duties to regarding the positions.
Mark 16:16 is based on Covenant talk, Jesus said, “shall be saved” as His part, but our part is to continually believe once we’re in the Body. Even the command to “Tarry until you receive Power from on High” is Covenant talk. We Tarry, the Power comes from on High. We can’t do a thing without Authority and Power, but God cannot show His love through us, without us.
We are told to deny ourselves, and pick up our cross, so are those works of the flesh? No, they are based on rejecting the flesh, not using it. The Cross refers to death, the wages of sin are death, thus the Cross gives us the ability to call (impute) the old nature dead, while we remain in this body. The “substitution” death of Jesus was a free will sacrifice, not suicide. The Covenant between the Father and Son did not call for Suicide, yet Jesus was granted the Power to lay down His life for others. Jesus gave mankind something no other person could give, suicide is an escape into death from life, Jesus gave us eternal life by His death, completely different. In essence Jesus gave us His Body, thus we impute the Old dead, as we enter the New Body of Christ unto Life.
The Cross is always a place of death, but it’s also the place wherein we receive the “living soul” condition. It’s still a “covenant” based on Mercy, which is reflected in the manner of forgiveness. We forgive, to be forgiven, thus our part is to remit the sins done unto us, then God will loose His Mercy in us.
The Abrahamic Covenant came long before the Law of Moses, yet the Token to the Abrahamic Covenant was incorporated into the Law. The Covenant of Mercy is incorporated into Grace, the token for Grace is the Holy Spirit, the token for Mercy is forgiveness. Mercy was the manner in which the disciples operated before the Cross, but it did not grant them a “quickening spirit”, nor did it make them “spiritual”. The disciples before the Cross were still natural; they had no idea what the Cross and Resurrection entailed. Once the Cross was fact, it also became a foundation for belief; once the Resurrection was evident, it became foundation for belief. In order to reach the spiritual position we must move to the Resurrection, thus Paul said we must believe Jesus was raised from the dead. We would think it was as important, or more so, to believe in the Cross, but the Cross without the Resurrection proves nothing. The ability to enter the New Covenant is secured by the Holy Spirit, the Gift of Grace given by the Holy Ghost. We are declared and sealed by the Holy Spirit showing we have the Token of the Resurrection.
Jesus said the New Covenant was based in His Blood, the Body is between place called the kingdom of heaven. It’s a wilderness in itself, the evidence would be the children in the wilderness. The Body is not Egypt, but neither is it the Promised Land. No where do we find the “Body” in heaven, but we do find the Bride. The Covenant is recorded in the Record, the Witness is carrying out the Covenant on earth (I Jn 5:7-8).
However, we must know what Covenant we seek, or if there are contracts available within the Covenant. Since we come boldly to the Throne of Grace to Obtain Mercy, and Find Grace; and since the Blood of Jesus is the New Covenant of Grace, it stands there is also a Mercy Contract based in the New Covenant as an incorporated element. The Mercy contract has duties, thus Jesus said, “this is My Body, take eat”, then He gave us the Cup. What came first? The Bread? Or the Cup? We come boldly to obtain the Bread so we might find the Cup. We are the Bread, the Rock, or Body, the place from which Jesus builds His Church. No one is going to be formed into the Church unless they are first of the Body; however, the Body will be broken. The part which ascends will be the Bride, then those who sleep in Jesus, sleep through the Night, but those who remain as the drunken in the Night become the Beast of the Earth. The Blood is a different story, it will always remain holy and unbroken, thus we are sprinkled with it, we can even be covered by it, but we are not the Blood. The Body is Mercy based, it rests in the “least commandments” given by Jesus on the Mount of Olives.
Jacob presented a type of covenant to God, but it was based in the Covenant God made with Abraham; however, there was no provision in the Abrahamic Covenant for “you will then be my God”. When Jacob had a rock for a pillow, he said if God took care of him, then he would give God tithe, if God proved Himself, then he would make God his God. We already know it was deceptive; where was Jacob going to give the tithe? The First Church of Bethel? No, there wasn’t one synagogue around, no storehouse, only Jacob. Jacob would take the ten percent from his right pocket, then put it in his left. God did honor the request, but Jacob thought he was talking about “money”, wherein God asked for the sons of Jacob. Did God know? Yes, He also knew Jacob had no right to alter the Covenant, but the Covenant did allow for God to receive the “tithe”.
The Covenant between God and Noah was simple, “build the ark, fill it, and I’ll save you”. Noah did, thus he and his family were raised above the destruction. Noah was also told he could eat meat, but there were restrictions as well, the meat had to be cooked, and it could not be human. On the same note Noah found meat could also eat meat, thus before and during the flood the lion would lay with the lamb, after the flood the lion would eat the lamb.
Noah’s Covenant was specific to his family, but effected the entire world, making it associated with the world being destroyed by “water”. In Noah’s time before the flood there was only one type of nationality, there were no Jews. The Covenant with Abraham was specifically for his promised son, through his son’s offspring; the one with Moses was specifically for the nation Israel. The New Covenant is different, it’s opened to Jew and Gentile alike. Each Covenant has a token, purpose and specifics. If a Covenant allowed inclusion of another, then it was included, but if it called for exclusion, then any attempt to force an inclusion would be illegal. The Abrahamic Covenant was inclusive with the Moses Covenant, but neither included the Noahic Covenant. The New Covenant is inclusive, any Covenant before the Cross ends at the Cross (Col 2:14-16).
Covenants are based on mutual needs, but not necessarily on relationships, or having fellowship. We can borrow money from a bank based on a contract (covenant), but it doesn’t mean we fellowship with them, nor does it mean they are like “family”. To them we are a piece of paper owing them money, to us they are a business we owe money to. The process is based on Promises, we promise to pay, they promise to deliver. If we pay, and they don’t deliver, we take them before the Judge; however, if they deliver and we don’t pay, they take us before the Judge. When man makes covenant with man, neither of the persons involved in the covenant really know what the future holds, but God’s Covenant’s are based on God’s Knowledge. The Covenant with Noah was based on the future, the one with Abraham on the future, the one with Moses is based on the limited future (until death), the New Covenant is based on the hope set before us (future of eternity).
One can keep the Abrahamic, Noahic and Mosaic Covenants in one grouping, but they can’t introduce the New into them, or them into the New. Why? Different locations (principalities) are involved. The Old is for carnal, fleshly, natural man of the earth, the New is for the spiritual people of heaven. All the Covenants are by God, but it’s not from whom they came, but to whom they were directed. The Old allowed man a means to place some restraints on the old man, the New gives us a means to be free of the old nature. We bind the old man (strongman), the Law of Moses merely restrained some of the violent behavior of the old man. Anything related to the earth, whether man’s covenant or God’s, is still split between blessing and cursing. The New Covenant is centered on Blessing alone, void of any cursing. Covenants are limited by means and need, the Law of Moses never promised the Spirit, nor did it promise Life Eternal, thus it was unable to deliver them.
The Body is the place where we are separated from the world, into a place where sanctification becomes a condition through Mercy, leading us to Justification by Grace. It’s also the place where we face the old man and his wiles in order to defeat them. We have the advantage, when we enter the Body the old man becomes ineffective. The old man has a place of power, yet his power is only effective in his principality of darkness. Mercy grants us Light, thus the Light vacates darkness, or makes the darkness ineffective.
The Power in the Name of Jesus is effective to those in the Body, if one is outside the Body of Christ the Authority (Name) will not work, as the seven sons of Sceva found out (Acts 19:13-16). The Name is the Authority, but we need the Power to couple with the Authority for us to be effective. The Cross is a barrier, the only way the devil can have place in our lives, is if we give it (Eph 4:27). There was no Pharaoh in the wilderness, but Korah was there, Balaam was there, the children made the golden calf there. The Wilderness is the place wherein we are set free of the golden calf, the serpents, the Balaam attitude, as well as the other wiles of the enemy.
The New Testament is full of Covenant conditions, for example one of the most used verses in the Bible is John 3:16, wherein we find God so loved the world He sent His only begotten Son, but the Covenant condition is found in John 3:18 wherein we are told to Believe. Since God sent His Son based on Love, it stands the First Covenant condition is to Love the Lord our God, the Second is to believe in the Lord. We conclude the Body is based on Love and Mercy for each other; however, if we jump into the premise of entering Covenant with our local church, or covenant with others in the Body, we will find ourselves in bondage to a man made covenant. Why? The New Covenant does not grant us the premise of having covenant with one another, rather we meet in the Unity of the Faith by the Spirit. Therefore, we are to owe no man anything but to love him, since loving one another is our covenant responsibility.
Covenants require some token or sign to show one is in covenant, or has a right to it. The Abrahamic Covenant required the circumcision of the flesh at the age of eight days old, the Law of Moses required one to keep the sabbath day, God provided the rainbow in the Noah Covenant. The New Covenant requires water baptism to be inducted into the Body, then the baptism with the Holy Ghost as God’s token of the New Covenant as we are sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise. Along with the baptism with the Holy Ghost we find the “circumcision not made with hands”, as a removal of the old heart, to enter, “create in me a new heart, Oh God”. Water baptism is a token, not a performance, the water didn’t save us, God did. The water didn’t impute us dead on the Cross, we did. The Water is a token of Mercy, thus the Body is the place of Mercy, the Blood the place of Grace.
It is wonderful to be involved in the Unity of the brethren, but the only methods open are the Unity by the Spirit in the Faith of Jesus ( Ps 133:1, Eph 4:3 & 4:13). If we try to love one another through the old man we will always seek the self-benefit, our Unity will be with religious ideas. If we allow the Love of God to flow through us by the Spirit, then we can love as Jesus loves us. We in the Body have relationship with each other based on love, mercy, and a mutual concern. Our relationship with God is based on sharing the same Love God has for His own, our relationship with the Body is based on our Second Love, which is holding like concerns and goals in the process of Mercy. To ignore our First Love, yet hold to our Second will draw a rebuke from the Lord. To take our First Love and make it the Second will also draw a rebuke from the Lord (Rev 2:4). We must keep things in Order for us to enjoy the Order of God. Fellowship with God is another matter, it begins when we treat the people of God, in the same manner as God does.
Within the Covenant we find areas where God says, “you do this, and I’ll do that”, or “I’ll do this, and you will do that”. We saw the example of seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His Righteousness, thus it contains a “you do”, then comes “and the things will be added”, which is a “God do”. Another area would be forgiveness, which is first a “you do”, before God says He will. We are given the Keys to the Kingdom, but once we enter the house do you need the keys? No, the keys gain entry. When the Son was on the Cross He made the request, “Father forgive them”; the Son didn’t say, “I forgive you”. After the Resurrection Jesus breathed on the disciples (not in them), saying “receive ye the Holy Ghost”. We know it was permissive in nature, thus Jesus did His “do” first, the permission was granted, thus the ability was granted to remit the sins done onto us. Next would come the “you do”, which would be the application of the ability to remit the sins done unto us. It shows us Covenant relationship talk, I did, now You do. Jesus will not forgive others for us, He will not validate our hate, He will however breath on us so we can forgive. If we are having a hard time forgiving, we must receive the Breath of Christ.
Covenants do not have automatic acceptance, one must receive, or present the Token in order to have a right to enter and remain in the Covenant. The Token or Sign of the Covenant gives the person right standing regarding the Covenant. Each Covenant had a sign, even Noah’s had a sign, the rainbow, but still a sign. When one enters a Covenant their concerns are no longer at issue, rather the other person has taken those concerns. The Law of Moses would bless the person who followed the outlined requirements, the ability to bless or cruse was built into the Law. On the same note the New Covenant can only bless, there is no provision for a Curse.
Mark’s account has many Covenant conditions presented, as do the other three, but there was one most of us are familiar with. Mark 11:22-26 relates to Covenant talk, it begins with “have faith in God”, which is a “You do”. Then we say to the Mountain “Go”, we didn’t say “come here”, or “move over”, or even “Go where you will”, it was specific in nature, it was “cast into the Sea (world)”, again it’s a “You do”. Adding our belief in what we said, then the concept of refusing to doubt are still “You do”. So far it’s a bunch of you do’s but wait, who is going to move the Mountain? We said, we believe, but who moves it? Covenant, we doubt not, which points to the process, showing our confidence in the Covenant knowing once we do what we are required to do, God will then do the things He said He would, thus He will move the mountain. We may believe what we said, but then faith becomes the issue; do we doubt God is able? If so we will attempt to move the mountain ourselves. If not, we will hold our faith in God for Him to move the mountain.
Next is the premise of why we believe what we say, and how we say “go” to the oppressing mountain; when we stand praying we forgive, so our Father in heaven can forgive us, for if we fail to forgive, we have bound the Father’s forgiveness in heaven, making it impossible for the mountain to move (Mark 11:24-26). Jesus said, “Therefore”, linking it together, the Mountain is vengeance, unforgiveness, validation, vindictiveness, or justice, all elements of the world. This is the same as “remit the sins of others”, but it shows we must make the decision for the mountain to go. The Faith in God is a now confidence regarding God being able to move the mountain, finding He is a Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. This entire element is not to receive the mountain, but believe we told it to Go, by making the decision to forgive. The evidence of our decision is found in our prayers of forgiveness, therein lays the purpose of the teaching. The Covenant says you forgive, then God will for give you, or You do, He will. The main entry into the Kingdom is based in this one Faith premise, forgive as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you.
Our main thrusts in the Covenant are Belief and Faith, yet Faith has two pillars, believing God Is, and God Is a Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Belief is the foundation for Faith, thus without Belief our Faith will fail in the face of the trial. The “God Is” part is Now, thus it connects to our Belief in the Promise of God for us. Belief is a type of Covenant, since we need something from God in order to believe. God delivered the evidence for our belief, we accepted it, making our foundation secure. Since we’re talking Covenant it seems we find a “you do”, “God do” element in faith as well. We diligently seek God, He rewards. What about the “God Is” part? It’s our part of the Covenant seen in the Now of the event, it’s up to us to believe God Is, the devil isn’t, we’re not, man isn’t, and surely the world isn’t. God asks us to look to Him regardless of the event, seek Him regardless of what it looks like, then He will make Himself known. The Rewarder part isn’t going to happen if we are not diligently seeking God. Diligently demands for us to place our focus squarely on God.
A Covenant is never based on similarities, or the same strength for a like strength, it’s based on the strength of one filling the weakness of another. What possible weakness could God have? He left at the Ascension, but we also find Jesus never did one miracle or healing after the Resurrection, the duties changed to His servants on earth. The Power from on High is the granted ability from God coupled to the Authority from God in order for us to do our part.
Our prayer of “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”, is a Covenant request on our part before we receive the Kingdom. We are not only asking, we are saying we will accept the Kingdom and accomplish the Kingdom matters by the Spirit according to the Covenant. If we weren’t needed by God on this earth, then the Cross would be the place where our physical bodies die, then we immediately enter heaven. However, God needs a voice in the land, a people to cast the net to a people who cannot hear God except by the voices of the saints.
Everything God did was Lawful, not one detail, not even the very smallest was out of line with the Law God had placed into effect. Even the law of “everything producing after its own kind” was a blessing on one side, and a cursing on the other. Natural produces natural, it can never produce spiritual, but on the same note that Born of the Spirit is Spirit. No where are we going to find those two principles reversed. God produced the natural from the spiritual, but the natural could not produce the spiritual. Man uses a tree to make a chair, but the chair cannot make a tree. The principle was set, the ability to have the Spirit and be Spiritual was not available until Jesus was glorified by the Resurrection. Therein lays the real foundation, Jesus as the Son of man presented God’s Mercy, died on the Cross for the sins of mankind, was buried, then was raised on the Third day allowing mankind to follow the path by faith to become Born Again. Until the event took place several things were not available to mankind, we could not impute the flesh dead, we could not be Born Again, we could not enter that Born of the Spirit is Spirit. If the Holy Ghost brings the Seed, how can the phrase “Born of the Spirit” fit? The premise is our souls are Born or generated to be Spirit by having the Spirit.
God needed a “voice” in the land with natural connected abilities, but was spiritually motivated. We agreed to give Him the voice, in return He promised to save our souls. Since we are also individuals, we know each of us has some personal conditions in the Covenant. We don’t make up our own, or attempt to insert our agendas rather we find the personal conditions through prayer. Peter heard his, John heard his, the rest of the disciples knew theirs. The Present (Doma) is given to the Body, thus Jesus gave some, not all, to fill the offices, yet there is a duty and place for every person in the Body.
When Jesus said, “what is it to you?”, He separated what He was going to do with one disciple, from what He was doing with another. How He worked with John, was not going to work with Peter, thus Peter was not to make any attempt to form a formula from what Jesus was doing with John. It shows us there are provisos, or attachments in the Covenant for each individual who enters therein. Attempting to copy another person is a trait of the flesh, it’s frustration in the making. Paul didn’t tell Jesus he wanted to be an apostle, he was told he was going to be one. Jeremiah didn’t tell God, “I am no longer a child, but a prophet”, it was God who told Jeremiah. Peter didn’t want to preach like Paul, and neither did Paul follow Peter around to learn how to preach like him. Both men wanted us to seek Jesus, but neither wanted us to be clones of other disciples. When we hear, or even say, “I want to be exactly like that preacher”, we are not allowing God to form us into the unique gift He has for us.
Covenants have regulatory enforcements, in Noah’s it was the flood, in Abraham’s it was God would curse him who cursed Abraham, under the Law of Moses it was the curse. However, Jesus has made us kings, the regulatory enforcement regarding the conditions of the Covenant as they relate to us as individuals is enforced by us as individual kings. If we don’t want to do this or that in our kingdom, we have the power to refuse it, we’re kings. Of course we will face the King of kings, our regulatory rules and conditions better match the Covenant Plan He holds. It explains much for us, since there are two sides to the coin. On the one hand we have no one to blame, we know what the Covenant calls for. We are told to Believe in the Name, then the Name will activate in our lives. We seem to forget the Authority of the Law of Moses is still there, but the Authority of Jesus is greater, it’s still here as well. On the same note as kings, we make rules, if we say there is no water baptism in our realm, then we made a rule, yet it’s a violation of the Covenant, but nonetheless a rule. We may feel comfortable, but we will have to explain why we made a rule opposed to the Commandment, “teach, baptize and teach”.
Understanding is a training issue, belief is the stabilizer to faith, as is faith the stabilizing agent in the process of understanding. Usually in the training process we find the process, no one is called in the morning and ordained in the afternoon. There is a training to take place, there are times when we accept the calling then attempt to form conditions, finding ourselves with all sorts of self-induced problems. Learning the Covenant conditions is part of the training process: what are the duties and limits regarding the Body? The Office? The Blood? The Blood has limits? Yes, the Blood will not condone sin, it will not engage in self-righteousness. To say we are tempted to do evil by the Blood would sound stupid, yet we say things close to it when the event doesn’t go our way.
Paul said the vessels of dishonor are so formed because they fail at Mercy, thus they received Mercy from God, but refuse to give it. What would they be called? Covenant breakers, those who lust to have, but refuse to give. This shows how Mercy has a Covenant condition, but it also shows when we move to Grace we retain the Mercy condition. We come boldly to the Throne of Grace to Obtain Mercy and Find Grace, they are connected. We are never told to come to the throne to ignore mercy, and use grace. Nor are we told to reject mercy to find grace. We must be balanced, Mercy and Grace, Ways and Acts, Water and Blood.
The Blood of Jesus opened the Promise for the Father to send us the Holy Ghost with the Gift to produce the New Man in us. Without the New Man there is no way for us to know the things of God, or for us to know the things God has for us. Once the New Man became our heart, we became circumcised of heart, then we have a guide and instructor in the things of God. So then is it automatic? No, of course not, we know our side of the contract is to Believe and have Faith, but will faith alone save us? No, we must add something to faith to complete it. What is it you ask? The Wisdom of God. God’s Wisdom allows us to deal with people and events in a Godly manner, it’s vital when representing God. Our faith is yet future, but it has a Now evidence of the source of our faith. If we are using the wisdom of man, we show our source is the spirit lusting to envy, but if we display the Wisdom of God, we show the source is the Word in us, thus the Word is fully capable of saving our souls (James 1:21).
Man’s wisdom has three elements, first it’s earthly because man is earthly, then we add sensual (natural, or soulish), since man is natural, but then we must also add “devilish”, because man’s wisdom lacks Godly awareness (James 3:15). On the other hand God’s Wisdom is much different, where man’s wisdom uses masks, or deception, God’s Wisdom is pure, open and to the point. Is God’s Wisdom based on Covenant? Yes, we must ask in faith before we receive, then we find God “upbraideth not”, this is the same Greek word used in Mark 16:14, when Jesus upbraided the disciples, only in a opposite concept. God will give us His Wisdom, the result is dependent on us, thus God gives more than needed, but what we do with it determines our desire; we are expected by faith to use it in accordance with the will of God. However, James warns us, it will not work effectively if we attempt to consume it on our own lust. Of course we have not the Wisdom of God, because we failed to ask (James 1:5 & 4:1-4). Three areas, all based in Covenant, we ask, God gives, we don’t ask, God doesn’t give, if we ask to consume the product on a lust, we asked amiss. Nonetheless in order to have, we must ask.
When we look at the Bible we see the “Old Testament”, and the “New Testament”. The word “testament”, really means “covenant”, thus the Old Testament speaks of the Old Covenant, the New Testament of the New Covenant. The word New means New, it’s not an extension of the Old. Simply because the Old is a shadow, it doesn’t mean we jump back to partake of old covenants. The New gave us Separation, not inclusion; the Token of the Separation was John the Baptist. Jesus said the Law and Prophets were until John, but Jesus also said the New Covenant was in His Blood. John’s baptism ended when he was put in jail, the baptism in the Name of Jesus didn’t begin until the disciples were endued with Power from on High. Like the Red Sea, there was a border, or a division between the Old and New, called John the Baptist. Although the Law and Prophets were until John, we find the least in the Kingdom is greater than John.
How then can some of those who say they are of the Body, do such evil things and get away with them? The Unction on the Body, this is still the Day of Salvation. Simply getting away with it during the Day, doesn’t mean one won’t pay for it in the Night. When Jesus gave us His Body He never said it was the New Covenant, so why even give it? Isn’t the Body a type of relationship? It must be, we are the Bread, we are suppose to be One in the Body, it is the One Body of Christ, the Rock upon which the Church is built. “Wait, I think we have something here, Jesus will build His Church from those in the Rock, but we build the Rock from the Sea”. By George, I think you got it! Someone can bring millions into the Body, yet go about slandering the rest of the Body, they will lose any reward they think they’ve gained. The Covenant and the regulatory enforcement are different, yet connected. The Covenant stands, the rules and regulations stand. We can’t change, “deny yourself” to “enhance the self”. Although we can make a rule in our kingdom to enhance the self, and feel comfortable, it doesn’t mean the rule is Godly.
Mercy being the glue to Grace, has a Contract based in the Preparation. Mercy didn’t stop at Grace, it’s still in full force and effect. It becomes the Token or Contract to get us through the Door to the Kingdom. Therefore, there is a Contract in a Covenant, each of us as individuals take of the Cup, but as a unit we are the Body. The Bread is the empowered Mercy of the Father based in the Name of Jesus, it is the Unction over the Rock for all the members of the Body. The Bread is lateral, it connects the members of the Body, but the Blood connects us as individuals to God.
The Old Testament gives us a shadow, yet within the shadow there are specifics. We find the children spent forty years in the wilderness, because they caused a “breach” of the promise (contract – Numb 14:34). The word “breach” means a change in purpose, it doesn’t mean one has rejected the Contract (Covenant), it means one has attempted to change a provision relating to them. Nonetheless we find one generation had a contract within the Covenant, showing each of us have certain clauses and provisions pertaining to us. A ministry, position, the means of deliverance, all are focused on each of us being a nation within a nation. No two people have the same hurts, pains, or needs, yet in general we all have pains, hurts and needs. Each of us as individuals have a position and calling, it takes personal promises and conditions for us to accomplish the goals. One person may need one thing, another something different, or they could need the same thing, but in different amounts or manners. God has taken care of all the details, we accept what is right and just for us.
We know God loves us, but we also know God will chasten us based on His love. God’s love is Unconditional, but knowing what it entails depends on how one views the word Unconditional. The word Unconditional doesn’t appear in the Bible, but neither does the word Responsibility, thus we must view it as a Concept. God so loved the world He gave, so what did the world do to gain His love? Nothing, the people in the world, good, bad or indifferent were “creations”, thus a Creator loves His creations. Some of us have kids who tend to go a little sideways, but we still love them. Perhaps the clue could be found in the word Conditional, which means among other things, based on rank or position; meaning partial, yet the faith of Jesus proved God was not partial (James 2:1-3). Therefore the “giving” of Jesus was predicated on His love, it’s the Gift calling for the accountability. If God’s Love is unconditional why did Jesus connect “he who believes on Him is not condemned: but he who believes not is condemned” (Jn 3:18)? If God’s Love is fully unconditional why did He hate Esau, yet love Jacob? We cannot be separated from God’s Love in Christ, but it’s by Grace through Faith we are saved. God gives His Grace to whoever asks for it, the Cross is open to all, Jew or Gentile, it would be Unconditional. However, we can’t say there are no Conditions, since we also find the “workers of iniquity”. If we confuse God’s Love as Grace, we error. We can’t use the excuse of Unconditional Love as a false sense of security to avoid the call, we receive God’s Love, we don’t earn it, thus it is unconditional. God isn’t going to say, “well let’s see, you’re a little poor, I don’t think I will love you”, or “looks to Me like you’re a sinner, I refuse to love you”, He grants His Love to us, but we must receive it. On the same note we can’t discount how He hates Esau, who gave up his birthright.
The New Covenant grants us the New Man (as we know), within the New Man we have the attributes of Jesus. We can be “sons of God”, because we have the same Spirit as the Son of God. We are not “the Son”, but “sons” by Adoption. We are “sons of men” by the Mercy of the Father, but we are not “the Son of man”. The Father gave us the identity of His family order, the Spirit in us proves He has accepted us in His family. The term “son” is not limited to gender, it refers to “order”. If we sit with Jesus, and if Jesus sits on the Right Hand Side of Majesty on High, what does it mean? “Man, I’m like God, don’t mess with me”; hardly the attitude of the Christ nature. Jesus never said, “I’m the Son of God, don’t mess with Me”, nor did He say, “I come against you in the Name of Jehovah”, nor did He say, “How dare you touch God’s anointed”. The second we use the position out of Order, we set ourselves out of position. If we respond from within the position, we will use both the position and language of a “son of God”.
Do we think we impress God for doing what is expected? Not at all. Jesus pleased the Father, He didn’t impress Him. The Father never said, “This is My Son, in whom I am extremely proud”. Pride always has some self-element, when we say we’re proud of our children, we’re also saying we did a great job in raising them, thus we are deserving of credit. Pride always seeks glory or honor, perhaps through the backdoor, but nonetheless it seeks to take the credit. It the person is good, it’s God who did it, not us. Being pleased, and being proud are miles apart. Our Covenant demands for us to put away deeds of the flesh with the old nature, as the unfruitful works of darkness, then walk as children of the Light.
Did Jesus do away with the Old? The Book of Hebrews says so, but did Jesus destroy the Old? No, Jesus didn’t destroy the Old, rather it was Blotted out as it relates to us in the Kingdom. It was nailed to the Cross, thus Jesus also Spoiled principalities and powers (Law of Moses and The Ten Commandments), having made a show of them openly, triumphing over them In It (the Cross – Col 2:14-15). The word Spoiled could also read, “Having Stripped”, it’s the Greek word Apekduomai meaning To put off, To strip, figuratively it means to “put off the old man”. The Cross gave us a point of division, from the Old Covenants to the New, from the world to the kingdom; thus the condemnation and accusation of the Law and Commandments stopped at the Cross.
The New Man is not “recreated”, or “reincarnated”, but New, thus he is called “New”. The New Man, Seed, or the Word, God gave us is just for us, the Seed knows how to save our emotions, knows all the deep things within us, knows how to assist us on this road to Salvation, knows how to manifest at the right time, knows what God has for us, yet the New Man is not a bunch of different spirits, it’s the Same Spirit of Holiness, meaning it will not do something outside of what the Spirit of God would do. We can listen, or refuse to listen, the choice is still on our side of the Covenant.
A Covenant between two entities is dependent on the other, one has the strength and ability of what the other lacks, an exchange of vows takes place, thereby each party knows what they are getting, as well as what is expected of them. A Token is presented showing both sides accept the Covenant as presented. In the world it’s a signature, or security, in the Kingdom it’s a Token relating to the Covenant. God has already told us all the particulars of the New Covenant, what is expected of us, and what we should expect of Him. The Covenant is not Unconditional, as man views unconditional. Just as there were conditions on contracts in the Old, there are conditions in the New. What proof do we have of this? Much, “For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but the world through Him might be saved. He who believes on Him is not condemned; but he who believes not is condemned already” (Jn 3:17-18). The premise is there, God sent, but the “he who believes” becomes the one who receives, thus it was conditional upon the one word “Believe”. The same premise is true in water baptism, other than water, the candidate must believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus.
We can now look deeper into the elements of a Covenant, before there can be a Covenant there must be three factors, first there has to be a Need for the Covenant, there has to be a joining of at least two to make the Covenant, and there must be terms relative to the Covenant. The New Covenant is really between the Son and Father, with the Holy Ghost as the overseer, but we enter the Covenant by a process called “Adoption”. We are viewed like the Son in order to become sons by the Spirit adopting us into the family.
The Covenant allows for tests from God, but it doesn’t allow us to test God, or tempt Him. Will there be a test of Mercy? Tell me about it. “Well, I tell you what, I was attacked, and I went to the Throne, and I gave them so much mercy it was pathetic, and they turned right around, smirked, and slandered me to the bone, so much for shaken together and running over”. Wait, the Scripture says “men” will return it, not “them”. What we expected was for the person to fall on their knees, reporting God was among us of a truth, what we got was more attacks. Let’s be honest, did we give them mercy based on God giving it to us? Or did we give it wanting to see them humbled beyond reason at our feet? Ahh, we used it as a weapon to gain our own recognition and validation, thus our intent was in error, then exposed. The premise was correct, give mercy, but the intent was to gain validation, making the reasoning in error. We do use Mercy as a weapon, it must be a weapon of Peace and Righteousness. When Jesus granted Mercy on the Cross, how many fell on their faces? How many ran to take Him down? How many mocked Him the more? Does it mean the Mercy of Christ from the Cross didn’t work? Hardly, from His Mercy millions came to the Lord. Simply because it didn’t appear to work at the moment, doesn’t mean it didn’t work.
Our Covenant demands Obedience, even to the point of bringing our thoughts into the obedience of Christ. Obedience is something the old man is incapable of, if we Love God we will do as He says; He told us to deny our self, pick up our Cross, thus there are duties in the Covenant. The mere act of picking up our Cross shows two things, we accept the death of Christ in our place, and we accept the Mercy provided by the Cross.
When we want the car to move, we have to make sure it has certain things: a motor, gas, and so on. The car without the equipment to make it operate is useless, so it is with us; without the Cross we cannot impute the old nature with the flesh dead. Without the Resurrection we have not promise of Life.
There are some things God will not do, He will not seek the Kingdom for us, it’s our side of the Covenant. God will not put off the old man, nor will He put on the New Man, it’s what we’re suppose to do. The New Covenant has Duties, not works of the flesh, but duties to rid us of the flesh.
Jesus made the offering, the Father accepted it, the Holy Ghost confirmed it, we are asked to join in, but we can’t join unless we do something or have something giving us a Right to the Covenant. In legal terms a Contract is not a valid contract unless both parties benefit in the exchange. The Covenant is recorded in the Record in heaven by the Father, Word and Holy Ghost, we have the Witness in the Water (Mercy), Blood (Grace) and Spirit (New Man). It’s how the New Covenant is to be worked out, any attempt to use the flesh, soul, or spirit of the world is illegal.
The Covenant allows us to walk in the Name of Jesus by the Spirit, something not granted to any human before Jesus made it possible. All earthly religions, regardless of the religion can do no better than give a person a feeling of accomplishment based on self-righteousness. It doesn’t get them to heaven, or off the earth. The end is still death and the grave, in most cases, death, grave and hell. God has provided us an ironclad, rock solid, cannot be annulled Covenant secured by the most precious element in all the Universe, the Blood of Jesus; as the precious Lamb of God. Does it make sense for God to send His Son, watch Him die on the Cross, then say, “why not give them forty or fifty ways”? No, if God sent His Son, it’s the means He presented for man to reach Him, it is conditional. Our Covenant has a goal, reaching the end of our faith even the salvation of our souls. A Covenant requires both Power and Authority, so shall we study on.
POWER AND AUTHORITY
This area of study may seem somewhat convoluted at times as we jump about in certain areas to show the background of a particular premise, or how the premise was either used correctly, or misused much later. However, we need to study these areas so we can fit the pieces together so we can walk the straight path to glory. All of us want to run the race, but we must also desire to run it Lawfully. In most studies we begin with a Premise, but in this case we must join two premises. The first point is based on Jesus telling us, “Go in My Name”, which is granted Authority to do something. They had authority in the Name of Jesus regarding Mercy prior to and after the Cross, but the addition of the Authority in Name of Father, Son and Holy Ghost in the Name of Jesus relating to Grace, which came after the Resurrection (Matt 28:19-20). Therefore, the Body of Christ became the official established place where one finds the Authority of God. No one is going to get a separate Authority from the Father, nor from the Holy Ghost, they are combined in the One Authority. Does it mean we can’t pray to the Father? Or pray by the Holy Ghost? Not at all, it means the Authority of Father, Son and Holy Ghost is presented in the Name of Jesus for His Body and Church. It’s still one Name, thus the only Authority God has granted during this Season is in His Son (Heb 1:2). Communication and Authority are different, and not to be confused. Authority is the granted permission to do something from an Authority with the legal right to grant Authority. The Father will talk to us, the Holy Ghost will talk to us, but for our Season the premise is Grace, the Blood of Jesus, the Saving ability of God for mankind. Although someone may have Authority, it doesn’t mean they can act, rather they need the Power in order to carry out the Authority. This is clear in Acts, the disciples had Authority, but they were told to wait until they received the Power from on high. They had Power on earth before the Cross, or else they would not be able to cast out devils, heal the sick or preach the kingdom at hand (Matt 10:5-8). It didn’t mean they could understand or carry out spiritual matters, rather their granted Authority and Power related to the Mercy of the Father forgiving sins on earth.
Authority and Power must join in a lawful manner, or rebellion will be the result. It’s clear the disciples before the Cross cast out devils, healed the sick, and preached, so why wait for a power from on high? Why even wait for the Holy Ghost? The conclusion shows there must be a difference between God’s granted Authority and Power on earth, and God’s granted Authority and Power from heaven to earth. There are no devils in heaven, there is no sickness in heaven, those are earthly elements, yet casting out devils, and laying hands on the sick are vital elements to the Ministry Jesus granted every person who accepts the Cross. This study in no way is belittling the importance of casting out devils, but we must also consider, Judas cast out devils, yet Judas was unable to deal with Judas. Granted Authority and Power from heaven granted us the Spirit, it’s the Spirit (Word) in us saving our souls, granting us heavenly insight, God’s Wisdom, God’s Knowledge, and many other attributes all Spiritual in nature. One can be in the Body yet mind the flesh, or remain carnal, as the letters to the Romans and Corinthians prove. They had the Authority and Power under the Unction upon the Body to operate as members of the Body, they can lay hands on the sick, water baptize others, even cast out devils, yet without the Spirit and being Spiritual they really don’t know why they are able to do those things.
Each area of Power and Authority has importance, each has guide lines detailed for us in the Bible, each retained in the proper manner spell Victory. This study is to seek those guide lines, as we remain within the confines of the Authority granted to us.
Looking at Matthew 10 we find Jesus gave power (Greek Exousia, meaning Authority) to His disciples to do many things, but the authority was restricted to the things and places. At the time they were not Born Again, they didn’t have the Holy Ghost, but they had Authority to preach, “the kingdom of heaven is at hand”, but they were not told to Teach, nor did they preach on the Cross and Resurrection. They were told to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils, freely they received, freely they were to give (Matt 10:6-8). What did they receive Freely? Money? Surely if Jesus had power on earth to forgive sins, He forgave the sins of His own disciples on earth (Luke 5:24). They received Pardon, or Mercy on earth, then they were able to freely give to others. The ability for them to remit sins done unto them, or to understand spiritual matters was yet to come after the Cross and Resurrection, prior their authority was based on displaying the Father’s Mercy. Their activity shows even the Novice, or Babe in Christ who has received the forgiveness of sins by the Mercy of the Father has Authority to operate in Mercy.
Jesus also told them they would be delivered before the councils, but they weren’t (Matt 10:17). He also told them they would be scourged, but they weren’t (Matt 10:17). He then told them not to worry for the Spirit of their Father would speak for them, yet they couldn’t be Born Again until Jesus was glorified (Matt 10:20 & Jn 7:38-39). They went out, they came back, yet none of them were cast into jail, sent before the council, or scourged. Neither were they brought before governors or kings for the sake of Jesus. Was Jesus wrong? No, Jesus prophesied about the time after they would receive Power from on high. After Pentecost they were cast into jail, placed before governors, Paul had to face Nero. Therefore, although it didn’t come to pass then, it did come to pass.
Nonetheless we travel to Matthew 28 where Jesus told these same disciples (excluding Judas of course) how All Authority (power) had been given to Him, by the Name (Authority) of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost they were to go out under the granted Authority which then became the Name of Jesus. One has to notice the Son was included in both areas, thus the Son received a Name (Authority) above all Names. First John 5:7-8 tells us the Record in heaven is comprised of the Father, Word and Holy Ghost. We know the Word is the Son, so why not say Son? The Word of God became the Son, when the Word was made (formed, not created) flesh (Jn 1:14). The Witness on earth is the Water, Blood and Spirit, do these relate one to the other (I Jn 5:7-)? Yes, the Mercy of the Father is seen as the Water, the Word as the Blood, the Holy Ghost brings us the Spirit. The Record has taken all events into account, yet to fit the Record we must have the Witness. The Authority coupled with the Power from on high is the ability of Grace in us.
The disciples were given Authority boundaries, they were to teach all nations, not just Israel, then to baptize those who believed in “the Name” of the Father (Mercy), Son (Grace), and Holy Ghost (power from on high) in water, welcoming the converts into the Body, then teach them to observe all the things Jesus commanded. However, Jesus didn’t tell them to heal anyone, raise anyone from the dead, or cast the devil out of anyone. Yet in Acts we read where Peter’s shadow healed, how he and John went to temple, at the Gate Beautiful healed a man. Peter raised a girl from the dead, Paul cast out devils, not counting Philip the Evangelist who cast out devils, healed the sick, and baptized many in water, including a Gentile Eunuch. Had they all gone crazy? No, not at all, the Authority granted in Matthew was to make disciples, the Authority over the Body is to do the works of the ministry. They were just as capable of casting out devils before the Cross as they were after. The only hindrance was their own unbelief, but the Power from on High made the greatest change of all, thus casting out devils is nothing compared to making disciples while being led by the Spirit. It was the Power from High producing the New Birth, the Power to carry out the Authority in a lawful manner.
The Authority also granted them permission to baptize, yet in John’s account they were already baptizing people well before the Cross (Jn 3:22-24). They were not baptizing people in the Name of Jesus before the Authority was granted in Matthew 28. John’s Baptism was vital, but it was timed. If someone conducted John’s Baptism after the Cross in ignorance it would still be illegal, but if they knew of the requirement of Belief by the candidate, yet used John’s Baptism, they engaged in a heretical baptism. Paul re-baptized the disciples in Acts 19 in the Name of Jesus, since they were baptized under John’s baptism. We can do something of God, but in the wrong time, or wrong area. Meaning we are committing an illegal act. Doing the Law of Moses is not illegal, for those under the Law, but it would be an illegal act for us who are not under the Law of Moses. Doing the Law of the Spirit for those who have the Spirit is lawful, for those who don’t have the Spirit it’s unlawful. Authority grants us Standing, or a Right to conduct a lawful act, the Power is the ability to carry out the Authority.
It doesn’t take long in studying the Book of Revelation to find evil has a power and authority as well, it also becomes clear one can use power from one source, and authority from another. The son of perdition comes with the working of Satan, yet we also read in the Book of Revelation how this “Beast of the Earth” uses the Authority (power in KJV) of the Beast of the Sea. Therefore, it’s not merely the Authority, but who gave it, thus the Authority of darkness is limited to one thing, destruction.
Our Authority is from Jesus, we operate in the Name of Jesus, because we are members of the Body of Christ. Our Power is from on high, but when the disciples were granted the Greater Authority where was Jesus (Matt 28:18-20)? On the earth, thus Matthew 28 is the granted Authority, not the Power. When the Power was given, where was Jesus? He had ascended, thus the Authority came from Jesus, the Power from the Holy Ghost. In Acts chapter one the disciples wondered if Jesus was going to restore Again the kingdom to Israel, but He answered with a warning. It was not for them to know (experience) the Times or the Seasons which the Father has put in His own Power (authority). But they shall receive Power, after that the Holy Ghost has come upon them. This doesn’t mean the Power first then the Holy Ghost, rather it shows the Power comes After the Holy Ghost is come upon them, the purpose was to be Witnesses unto Jesus. The restoration of Israel is something the Father has put in His own power, not in our power. We are to know about it, but not do it, or be caught in it.
The Holy Ghost brings the Seed of God, which is always the Power unto Salvation; the same Seed makes us a Witness for Jesus unto Salvation, not unto Judgment or Destruction. Our Authority and Power are confined to the area of Salvation alone, we are not granted Authority to destroy. What other Authority is specific in nature? The Offices, after Jesus took captivity captive, He gave gifts (Doma) unto men, which we know as the five fold offices (Eph 4:8-11). The purpose was for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ: till we all come in the Unity of the Faith, and of the Knowledge of the Son of God, unto a Perfect (complete) man, unto the measure of the stature of the Fullness of Christ (Eph 4:12-13). The Office does not have the authority to appoint to the Offices, nor does it have the authority to remove anyone from the Office.
Leadership has the authority to grant Helps positions (Bishop and Deacon), and to appoint Elders, but leadership does not have the authority to appoint anyone to any of the Offices, only the Holy Ghost can (Acts 13:1-3). Leaders confirm as they hear from the Holy Ghost, but to take it upon their selves to appoint to the five fold ministry would be usurping the authority of the Holy Ghost.
There are many areas of granted authority and power, but they are predicated on position. Husbands are to love their wives, thus Jesus has granted an authority and power for them to do so; just as wives are to submit to the husbands, which also takes an authority and power. The same power an authority is granted unto all Believers in the Body, since they are to love one another, and submit to one another.
If the husband doesn’t know what love consists of, or if the wife has no idea what submit means, how can they do either? Authority or not? Peter tells the husbands to honor (treasure) their wives as unto the weaker vessel (I Pet 3:7). Does it mean the wife is weak? No, the concept means a treasured possession, one put in a place of protection. However, controlling the wife and protecting her are different. The word submit means not to cause hindrances, or to engage in debates, it doesn’t mean to be a doormat. Jesus loves the Body, but He doesn’t control it, dominate it, or force it to do as He desires. This is clear in the seven letters to the seven churches, Jesus never said, “obey or else”, but He did say, “repent”, “he who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit (of God) says to the churches”, thus Jesus gave requests, not demands. Jesus allowed Peter to be Peter, John to be John, the forming process is based in a change of nature, not a forced change. We must desire the change, then submit to it. To force a mate to be what we want, is neither love, nor submission, surely not granted under the authority given us as Believers.
When we remain in our given area all things work together for good, when we presume we can make up our own rules, or move outside of the given realm, things may still seem to work, but not to the potential God intended, we must give account in the end. Power used outside of Authority is rebellion, misuse of authority is witchcraft. The term “usurp authority” is not misusing our authority, it’s attempting to use someone else’s. If we are a teacher, do we attempt to be the prophet? If we are helps, do we attempt to be the pastor?
Balaam wanted to make gain, he felt his position gave him the right to “earn a living”. He pushed the calling beyond the limit, yet God told him to, “Go”, only because God knew Balaam was going anyway. We said it may be convoluted at times, here is an example. The jump from Numbers to the Book of Revelation shows us why Peter said, “Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness” (II Pet 2:15). Peter gives us the intent of Balaam, as Balaam was going to use his power to sneak out from under the granted authority, by using his position to venture into an area where he had no authority. We find some other interesting clues in Peter’s words, Peter isn’t talking about someone who didn’t have authority and power, rather he says they were once in the “right way”, then they have gone astray like Balaam, or followed after something luring them in the same manner as Balaam was lured. Balaam being a prophet was also connected to the third family of Abraham. Balaam knew what God has blessed, no one can curse. However, he knew there had to be a way around the position so he could make his personal gain. The word “wages” could stand for money, but it could also stand for other things as well. It comes from the Greek Mistos meaning a wage, or reward given. Balaam was going to make personal gain, no matter what, yet he was so deceived he felt God approved of his actions. God didn’t ordain Balaam’s actions, Balaam twisted the Word to fit his purpose, then supposed God would honor him. At first it worked, but then the path started to narrow. The voice of a donkey spoke to the prophet, one donkey talking to another, who has heard of such a thing? Balaam has his clues before him, it took a donkey to see what the man couldn’t.
In the Book of Revelation we find it was the Doctrine of Balaam, not the man’s office or even his prophecies becoming his error (Rev 2:14). Prophecy is not Doctrine, rather Doctrine is what we teach, so what did he teach? He taught Balak how to get what he wanted, even if he had to get the people to curse themselves. What was the office of Balaam? Not a teacher, thus he went around his calling to get what he wanted.
Faith works, it was designed to do so, thus Power works, it was designed to do so. Faith in anything but God becomes mind power and witchcraft. Power and Authority have guidelines, they keep us from running after a Balaam heart, or a Jezebel mind. We are told faith comes by hearing, but what would happen if we reversed the process? Could we say something, thinking God will hear and obey us? Yes, but it’s witchcraft since it twists the precept by reversing the authority of faith. It’s by faith we please God, but it’s not the other way around, where by our faith we get God to please us.
John the Baptist had authority and power but it was restricted in nature, he didn’t cast out devils, or lay hands on the sick. Yet the disciples of Jesus, and even the 70 Jesus sent out did. John was filled with the Holy Ghost, but the Holy Ghost will not go beyond the limits of the authority granted the person. The disciples had granted authority and power do cast out devils, but they were not filled with the Holy Ghost. Whereas John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Ghost, but didn’t cast out devils. In John’s case he made statements regarding Jesus, thus no one calls Jesus Lord but by the Holy Ghost. In John’s Account Nathanael said “thou are the Son of God”, but Jesus responded with “Son of man” (Jn 1:49 & 1:51). Nathanael at the time lacked the authority or revelation to make the statement, later Peter will make the statement, but by revelation from the Father for a specific reason. All this shows Authority to operate has guidelines, we cannot assume since Jesus gave us Authority we can as we please. We cannot use the Name of Jesus as if it’s some weapon to be used against flesh and blood.
Although we tend to think of Power and Authority are the same thing, we find they are different. We can have Authority, but no Power. An example would be a Law granting someone the ability to do something, but they lack the power to carry it out. Another example would be a policeman; the Policeman is granted Authority to make arrests, give citations, and direct traffic, but without the signs of his power he lacks the ability to enforce the authority. When we see the uniform, the vehicle, the badge or all of them together we immediately know Authority and Power was granted to the person holding them. Anyone can say, “stop in the Name of the Law”, but only those with Power and Authority granted by the Law can do anything about the command. If a talking bird said “stop in the name of the law”, we would laugh, but if a policeman in full uniform said, “Stop in the Name of the Law”, we would stop, or at least know we were breaking the law by ignoring the command.
There are those who pose as law enforcement officers, they have a badge and uniform, but they lack the Authority, they would be operating unlawfully, although they might have the outside appearance. Paul talked about false apostles who come with the self-transformed outward appearance of righteousness, but inside Satan still reigns, they would be Wicked or Unlawful (II Cor 11:13-15).
Also we know a policeman has the “power of arrest”, really they can arrest anyone for anything, whether the person arrested did the deed or not. The Authority over the policeman is the court system, thus the courts determine if the arrest was lawful. For the arresting powers to be “lawful”, they must operate within the guidelines of the Authority granted. No policeman in their right mind would arrest a thief, then charge them with murder. The authority is limited to the violation and procedures regarding the violation, just as they have procedures within the guidelines of the authority in other areas. No policeman would direct traffic in such a way as to cause an accident, they know the Powers over them would hold them responsible. The granted Authority is designed to keep the Power within the guidelines, thus making it Lawful. Wow, it was easy, short lesson. Not so, there are elements of both Power and Authority which are important to our Christian walk.
The Centurion knew if Jesus spoke, the Authority of Christ would manifest. For some reason we forget how Precious and Important the Name is. Some of us tend to pull it out like a six-gun for the shoot-out, but we must consider every Name God used in the Old Testament stood for some area of Authority, yet Jesus said All Authority was found in His Authority. Then He told us to Go in His Name! Jehovah, El, Elohiym, or any number of titles were all placed in The Name of Jesus. If we say, “In the Name of Jehovah”, we would be violating the Authority granted Jesus. The Father gave Jesus a Name above all names, all usually means All. We do not have authority to use the name of Jehovah, or the title El, or Elohiym, it is not the Body of El, it’s the Body of Christ. It doesn’t take away from the Father, rather it speaks of Authority only, we know the Power comes from the Holy Ghost, but the context shows the Authority is a Body granted ability. If we take this concept beyond the Authority issue, we would be in error as well. If God walked into a room He would not have to produce His passport for identification. The issue is Authority, not some form of identification. The premise, “well don’t you think God would like to be called by His name?”, lacks knowledge regarding the Authority of God. What Name would you use? Abraham didn’t know God as Jehovah, but Moses did. Would you use El? Elohiym? The Hebrew, Greek, what? If you call on the name of Jesus in our language and it worked, we stick with it.
If Jesus included the Gentile and Jew in the Body, He also included all the languages. It’s not whether one says “Jesus” in one particular language or not, it’s whether they have the position to use the Name. If we said, “come out in the Name of Jesus” and the devil came out, it worked, we need not find some “special” name to use to make us feel superior over the rest of the Body. The lust of being superior over people needs to be dwelt with in the Name of Jesus.
First John says the antichrist nature denies both the Father and Son, thus we can’t presume Jesus is the Father, or the Father is Jesus. However, we must know we operate under the Authority granted the Son unto Salvation.
During the Day the Father is not off working separately, the Holy Ghost isn’t running around making converts in some other religious body; the granted Authority is in the Name of Jesus centered in the Body, from the Body comes the Church, from the Church comes the Bride of Christ. If the Bride is Christ like, then it stands she must come from the Body of Christ. Not all those in the Body are of the Church, but all those in the Church are of the Body. There are religious orders many in the world, but only one heard, “All power (authority) is given unto Me”. When we say, “In the Name of Jesus”, we are invoking all the Godly Authority on earth and in heaven. No wonder we can come boldly to the throne.
Mark 11:22 and following, have become important verses of late, they are a result of what happened to a Fig Tree. The metaphor Fig Tree, as we know, stands for the religious order of Israel. Jesus said something to a real fig tree, the next day Peter made an observation, then made a comment. Jesus said “say unto this mountain”, not just any mountain but “this mountain” (Mark 11:23). Peter, like us, probably stood there thinking, “I said fig tree, where did He come up with a mountain?”. Peter said something based on his observation, Jesus taught him about authority, and how operating in the proper authority can change the way you observe things.
Peter saw something, made a conclusion and voiced it, but did he make a correct evaluation? Or did he just accuse Jesus of going beyond the granted Authority? In order to find out we must venture into the study. The Fig Tree wasn’t told to “go”, yet Jesus said the authority granted was to see something “Go”. This is one of those areas where we see we can have what we say, but what did we say? Come here mountain? No, it was Go. The lesson continues to the area of forgiveness, thus the authority referred to Mercy. When we pray, we forgive, in order to be forgiven (Mark 11:25-26). The Mountain sits on us, it blocks our vision, it can’t determine what we are seeing, is really what we are seeing. Jesus made a statement of fact, Peter saw it as cursing. Peter told Jesus, “the tree you cursed”, but did Jesus curse the tree? If Jesus had the Authority to Bless and Curse not, how could He curse the Tree? If we have been told to “Bless and Curse not” how can we curse? Is faith cursing? Cursing by a Christian is an act of Power outside the granted Authority, becoming rebellion, or a misuse of Power. Jude tells us even Michael knew better, rather Michael said, “the Lord rebuke you” (Jude 9). Jesus made a statement of fact regarding the Fig Tree based on His observations made in the temple. If we saw two cars headed for each other and said, “they’re going to hit”, did we cause them to hit? Or did we make a statement of fact?
Peter said many things before the Cross, if we think he was correct all the time we error. On at least one occasion Jesus rebuked Peter by saying, “get you behind Me Satan, you are an offense unto Me; for you savor not the things of God, but those of men” (Matt 16:23). Also when Peter saw the Transfigured Jesus he wanted to build three tabernacles, but the Father say, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear you Him” (Matt 17:5). Peter “said”, but the Father said “hear”. When Peter made his observation of the Fig Tree he allowed a mountain to interpret what he saw, rather than see “faith, hope and love”, he saw “curse”. Peter’s conclusion prompted Jesus to say “Have faith in God”. What? What has faith to do with the Fig Tree? Everything, the Fig Tree didn’t call for, or depend on faith. A change was taking place, there was a place for the mountain, but not in the Rock. The tense shows the mountain is something over us, as an object placed between us and heaven, thus it restricts heaven’s flow to us, or stops us from reaching heaven. Jesus will show Peter what motivated Peter’s thoughts, even if Peter didn’t know. James and John wanted to call fire down from heaven, because a prophet of old did, but they heard Jesus came to bring life, not take it (Luke 9:54). Right premise, wrong time and timing. We can have what appears to be a sound Godly premise, but be applying it under the wrong authority at the wrong time.
Was Elijah wrong in calling fire down? After all the False Prophet causes fire to come from heaven, maybe Elijah was a false prophet? Not hardly, Elijah was in a time and season, he had a message regarding what was to come, but he was not what was to come. Jesus said the message came by John the Baptist, John was not Elijah, only the Elijah message came through John. Yet, the least in the Kingdom is greater than John. Wanting to be “Elijah like” is the wrong desire for the authority granted us. Simply finding something in the Bible doesn’t mean our authority will allow us to do it. Calling fire down is one example, cursing is another. We are given an Authority purposed unto Salvation, not Judgment or Damnation.
Peter understood the Fig Tree, deep within he wanted to see the tree cursed, but Jesus told him “have faith in God”, or better, turn from the concept of cursing, to having faith. This is clearer when we find the teaching is really centered on forgiveness (Mark 11:25-26). What does “when you stand praying forgive” have to do with “say unto this mountain”? What does it have to do with Peter’s observations? Everything, Peter made an observation based on an emotion, Jesus didn’t have to read his mind, He discerned Peter’s motive, thus Jesus is answering the intent of Peter’s statement, while informing Peter what the intent was. When all we see is vile, corruption, evil doings, error, or desire to see the vile, our thoughts are cursed based. We must say to the Mountain, Go, then put our faith in God to remove it. The mountain will go, it may take a couple of exposures, but nonetheless it will go.
When John and James wanted to call fire down, Jesus told them, “you know not what manner of spirit you are of” (Luke 9:55). What? Cast the devil out of them quickly. No, it’s not the context, it’s reasoning and conclusions based on a nature. They had a premise, “like Elijah did” (Luke 9:54), they even had authority, but they were about to go outside of the authority by using the wrong power. They wanted Jesus to “command” them to call fire down, which would have caused Jesus to operate outside the authority of “bring life”. It would have destroyed the entire premise of the Cross, for Jesus came to save man, not destroy mankind (Luke 9:56). James and John were upset, how dare these people reject Jesus (Luke 9:53)? A little fire will correct their behavior, not much, just enough to let them know they did wrong. For Peter it was watching the religious leaders mock his Lord, they deserved to be cursed. When he saw the fig tree, he felt it was cursed, but it was not. It failed to produce the good first fruit, thus it could not produce proper second fruit. A fig tree is incapable of producing fruit will dry up from the roots, until it’s transplanted, even so, it may bring forth leaves, but it will never again produce fruit. Therefore, we find Faith in God must entail understanding within the operation of Authority and Power.
Jesus sent out the seventy, when they returned they were amazed at the Authority they held, even the devils were subject to them through the Name of Jesus (Luke 10:17). We know by now the term “Name” refers to Authority, but Jesus told the seventy, “rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you, but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20). Having authority over devils is not wrong, limiting ourselves to the premise is. The seventy also heard how the Name of Jesus gives us “power” to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the “power” of the enemy (Luke 10:19). It could be real handy if you’re called to the wilderness to preach. No, we know the metaphors relate to malicious people (serpents), or those who are deceptive in nature (scorpions). We also find the words “power” are different Greek words; the first use of power in the phrase “power to tread” is the Greek Exousia meaning Authority, but the second word Power in the phrase, “power of the enemy” is the Greek Dunamis meaning Power. Both Authority and Power are granted, but limited. We are not allowed to tread on a brother or sister in the Lord, we are not allowed to make serpents tread on the scorpions, we are not allowed to use the “power of the enemy”.
God’s reciprocal procedure was evident in the Temple cleaning, the Power and Authority granted under the Old Covenant was still in the Temple, but the religious rulers were not operating in accordance with the granted Authority. God presents, man receives. God presented the proper means under the Authority, but the religious rulers went outside the Authority, thus Jesus cleaned the temple twice. The first time it was “My Father’s House”, next it was “My House”, yet the religious rulers were in charge. If God was solely in charge, the Temple would have remained clean, but we can see the Authority for the Temple came from God, meaning the ownership was still God’s, yet it was placed in the hands of the “Fig Tree”. The example for us is obvious, the Body is given to us, just as the Temple was given to Israel. The Church is not given to us, we are given to the Church. Much different.
So, which was greater? The Law of Moses? Or Rome? On the surface it would appear Rome was, but the Jews were able to bring about the Cross by using the granted permission of Rome, represented by the soldiers of Rome putting Jesus on the Cross. The religious rulers used a method of the world to put pressure on Pontius Pilate to get their way, yet the Jews were conquered by Rome. They Usurped the authority of Rome, which means they used another authority not granted to them to gain what they wanted. Just as Jesus warned them, they would do the lusts of their father the devil, by using the authority of the devil to carry out their plans. However, it was all in the plan, what appeared evil on the surface we find God used to bring about the greatest Good mankind could hope for.
There are times when God “allows”, but it doesn’t mean God either condones, or causes. God used Balaam, Korah, and the children in the wilderness as examples for us. If God is so powerful, why not make the children in the wilderness mix the word with faith? Why not make Korah obey Moses? The children had the faith to cross the Red Sea, why not make them continue in faith? They had choice; having choice is one thing, the result of choice another.
Just prior to saying, “have faith in God” Jesus entered the temple and cleaned it, but if this temple was the House of God, why would there be a need to clean it? After all God is the Power of all Power, and the Authority of Authorities. Shouldn’t the Power and Authority of God be greater than the ability of man to turn the House of God into “a den of thieves”? (Mark 11:17). Surely God is able to “rule His own house”. Once we understand this we can understand why Paul called the Corinthians the “temple”, they had the Spirit, but were still carnal, they were in need of a “temple cleaning” .
What caused Jesus to say the Temple had become a “den of thieves”? What did the religious rulers steal? They used their granted position as a means to bring about their prosperity at the expense of God’s people. They had a Commandment to take tithe, but they didn’t have a Commandment to rob widows. We are told to Receive tithe, not take it (Heb 7:6-9). One would think if they had Commandment, surely they could extract funds. Not so, they had Commandment to take tithes, so those under the Law who paid tithes could provided for the Temple. It did not included selling doves, exchanging money to gain the advantage, or selling. The Temple was in the hands of the religious leaders, thus God “corrected” them, He didn’t destroy them. Later God removed His hand from the Temple, and the Romans destroyed it in 70AD.
When John the Baptist came face to face with Jesus, he said, “I have need to be baptized of You” (Matt 3:14). John knew what type of baptism Jesus would do, thus John was not talking about water baptism, rather he wanted to be baptized by Jesus with the Holy Ghost and Fire. Did John go outside his authority? No, he didn’t say Jesus must, he said he had need. John had the authority and power to baptize Jesus in water, thus Jesus submitted to the baptism of John, but it was not time for Jesus to baptize anyone. Jesus said, “Suffer (or allow) it to be so Now: for thus it becomes us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matt 3:15). John did one type of baptism, but preached how Jesus would baptize with the Holy Ghost and Fire, thus he had the Promise, Jesus being there provided the ability, but the timing was not yet (Jn 7:39). Therefore, one can have the Authority, but the Power to perform is based in the Timing. To make “sons of God” before the Resurrection was within the ability, but within the timing, thus it would have been illegal.
At the Ascension of Jesus the disciples were told to “Tarry” until they were endued with Power from on high; however, Peter was still natural Peter, and made the decision to have a Board Meeting to fill the vacated slot of Judas. Jesus never told them to have a meeting, never told them to fill the slot of Judas, but in Peter’s mind it seemed filling the vacated slot was the right thing to do at the time, it seemed to be something they had to do in order to continue as “12” (Acts 1:17-21). How many of us think there are things we must do, before the Promise can manifest? We think we have to make the prophecy come to pass, yet prophecy proves itself by coming to pass. We are impatient, assuming God is not able to bring the prophecy to pass, so we venture beyond our authority. We are told to give prophecy, not make it come to pass.
We find several good lessons from Acts chapter 1, first Peter was still Peter, even after being told “feed My sheep”. He was still attempting to control things, or use his own reasoning. This is not “Peter bashing”, merely showing how any of us without the Spirit of Christ remain natural and unable to understand spiritual matters. The error was attempting to replace the man, the Holy Ghost will fill the position (Acts 13:1-2).
Peter had been granted power and authority before, but it was limited and restricted, none of the disciples ever had the authority to fill an Apostle position (Matt 10:5-15). Then he and the others were granted higher Authority, yet the Authority did not allow them to appoint anyone to the Offices of the Lord (Matt 28:18-20). In Acts chapter 1 Peter was still operating under authority, but without Power from on high to give him understanding. Therefore, Peter had the authority to “Go ye into all the world”, but he didn’t have the Power to accomplish the goal. His attempt to replace the person was absent Authority, really it’s the only time we find any leader appointing anyone to any of the five-fold offices. The leaders appoint Bishops, Deacons and Elders, not Apostles. Rather than hear, “separate unto me”; in Acts chapter 1 they cast lots, or voted. They prayed, had Scripture, but never heard from the Lord. The last thing the Lord told them to do was Tarry, not vote. God was not going to answer a prayer outside of the Authority granted, they had the breath of Jesus to remit sins done unto them, Peter merely took it further to show they had remitted by replacing Judas, thus he went beyond the confines of the authority.
What was this “power” they were to Tarry for? The Spirit, the gift of the Holy Ghost. When the Holy Ghost came it all changed, as evidenced in Acts 13:1-3, when the Holy Ghost “said” Separate unto Me; no one there said, “Peter cast lots, so don’t listen to the Holy Ghost, let’s cast lots”. No, the Holy Ghost picks whom He desires, but when Peter was casting lots the Holy Ghost had not been given. Peter had Scripture to back him up, not just one verse, but several. They prayed, they were of one mind, but they were operating outside of the granted Authority.
We also find the “meeting” rather than following the command “tarry” didn’t stop the Pentecost experience, nor the promised Power from on high. Why? The leaders were surely out of order, but the congregation was not. The One Accord in prayer was completing the purpose of the Ingress Aires (Jn 20:21-23). The Holy Ghost came based on the completion of the command “receive ye the Holy Ghost”, but the command of Tarry was still there as well. The natural mind will hear “Tarry” then presume, “well, we’re not going to other houses, we’re right here, so this meeting is still tarrying”. No it wasn’t, to Tarry means to Wait.
The meeting to fill the slot makes natural sense, but lacks spiritual sense. In Acts 1:19 Peter said, “It is known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem…”, thus the reasoning was, “how can we operate without filling the slot, all the people will think we have not forgiven Judas”. Peter felt there had to be a sign of “forgiveness”, some element for the disciples to point to, showing the people they have forgiven all who have trespassed against them. However, filling the slot of Judas didn’t prove a thing, after the Holy Ghost came the name of Judas was not even mentioned, the people could care less, the signs and wonders got their attention.
Peter’s other point of reasoning was based on something the Holy Ghost said through David (Acts 1:16); however, he forgot the Proceeding Word, which was “Tarry”. Any of us can do something “God said” to another, yet find we are in rebellion. God can tell us “pray with your mate”, yet we run off to read our Bible for hours. After all, what could be wrong with reading your Bible? If it’s to avoid what God has told us to do, it’s still rebellion. We’re not belittling Peter, or saying Jesus was better off leaving Peter a fisher of fish, rather we’re showing we can have Authority, yet without the Power we will end trusting our own talent or ability, giving birth to an Ishmael. The Power grants many things, for one clarity regarding the Authority.
To examine this event further, as it applies to some of us, we all know there are times when we allow our minds to run off into an imagination, where we make decisions based on our reasoning, which decision is nonetheless outside of the granted Authority and Power. Does it mean we will be cast aside? Perhaps Jesus will remove us from office? Break our legs? No. Repentance, “motive” tell the story. Peter wanted things to be right, but he made the mistake of using his natural reasoning to determine the definition of “right”. The Right thing in the eyes of Jesus was to Tarry until the Power from on High could connect to the granted Authority.
In Mark 16:14 Jesus upbraided the disciples with their unbelief because of their hardness of heart. In the very next verse He says, “go ye into all the world”, which is the same thing we found in Acts 1:8, but didn’t He just upbraid them for their unbelief? Yes, but then He says “Go”? Send these unbelieving people out to preach? Who has heard of such a thing? How many apostles were of the Rock at the time? The eleven unbelieving ones being upbraided. Did Jesus know they would fall into unbelief? yes, but the lesson is for us, as we find the rebuke cured the unbelief of the disciples. How did He upbraid them? By telling them the signs following those who believe, even if these eleven didn’t believe, someone would.
The Process of the Name had to begin with these disciples, the water baptism in the Name of Jesus means someone who has the Authority in the Body is the only one who can baptize others into the Body. Therefore, the only leadership in the Body at the time were these eleven, the Covenant was being tested. Jesus needed them to build the Rock, so He could build the Church. If they remained in the house and died of old age, all would be lost. Could Jesus do it all over again? No, the Cross was once, no one, not even Jesus can crucify the Son of God twice. Wait, it was the Son of man on the Cross. True, but the Cross is connected to the Resurrection, thus to Crucify Jesus twice, is also to make Him be Resurrected twice to prove He is the Son of God.
Then Jesus opened the entire matter, if someone is baptized into the Body, and they continue to believe, the phrase, “shall be saved” will apply to them; however, if they are baptized into the Body, yet fail to continue to believe, they shall be damned. Clear Motivation, Mark ends showing how the signs followed the disciples, which in turn also shows they repented and believed. If nothing else, it shows unbelief and belief are a matter of choice. The disciples allowed unbelief to enter in, yet Jesus didn’t tell them, “Well boys, now you’ve gone and done it, since unbelief has entered I must go and find some new apostles”, no He gave them the command. Why? Covenant. They made the commitment, Jesus was keeping His side, even if they were slipping from theirs. This also shows Jesus didn’t have other disciples tucked away somewhere, it was centered on the eleven. Also, Jesus didn’t make them believe, it was their side of the Covenant to believe. If we are in a state of unbelief, we need to make the choice to believe.
How about Paul going to Jerusalem? Do we find Authority in his mistake? Yes, when Paul got to Jerusalem where was the Holy Ghost? Not with Paul, the Holy Ghost told him not to go, if he went, how could the Holy Ghost honor his decision? One thing for sure, Grace was not Paul’s to cast away, or give up based on his selfless act. Paul was not wicked, he was not attempting to twist grace into lasciviousness, rather he believed the Rapture was near, he was willing to give up his place in the First Resurrection for his Jewish brothers. However, although he preached, no one came to the Lord. If any were to come to the Lord, they were not going to come through the preaching of Paul.
When the Holy Ghost tells us something, yet we cast it off, we can’t expect the Holy Ghost to honor our rejection of Authority. If we are a people of Authority, we are also under Authority, we must obey, if we want to remain as a people of Authority. The night following Paul repented, then the Lord came to him, telling him about Rome. Some of Paul’s best teachings came after the event, thus what appeared to be evil, God was able to turn to Good for our benefit.
The Power from on high carried more than the ability to speak in other tongues, in truth speaking was merely a “sign” of the experience. Not to say it’s any the less, only it wasn’t the entire purpose. Tongues and prophesy are signs showing the Token from God was planted, it’s an assurance of the Seed being in place. The 120 could have stayed in the upper room enjoying the moment, but they didn’t, they seized the moment, then the Body grew by 3,000 in one day.
How often have we said, “In the Name of Jesus”? What are we saying? In the Power of Jesus? No, the metaphor Name means Authority, we are speaking as members of the Body of Christ. The Unction is upon us, the call to be Witnesses of Jesus is our purpose, so are we? The disciples before the Cross went out and preached, cast out devils, healed the sick, but it would take the Power from on High before they could be Witnesses (Acts 1:6-8). They had to have the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead in order to have a position to speak of the Cross and Resurrection.
The Church is built by Jesus on the Rock, we cast the net to build the Rock. Jude tells us “of some have compassion making a difference, and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh” (Jude 22-23). When we cast the Net we get some good fish, some bad. Does it give us the right to cast the bad back into the Sea? No, once they enter the Body they have the same opportunity as anyone else, but it doesn’t mean we either refuse to cast the net, or cast out what we think are the bad fish, our authority is to cast the net, not examine it.
If Jesus said the gates of hell shall not prevail, why does it appear a majority of the seven churches not only have the gates prevailing, but some were even promoting them? Because Jesus said He would build His Church on the Rock, thus we have two things, the Church and the Rock. The Rock as we found is Christ, or the Body as Paul defines it, within the Body we find churches many, but upon the Rock there is only One Church. Jesus never said the gates will not come against the Body, or the Church, only they would not prevail, then He limited the “shall not” to an “it”, not a “them”.
The gates of hell refer to death and division; gates are not offensive, unless you take them off the hinge and beat someone with them. The gates Jesus talks about are big, very big, they were used to separate the people outside the city from those within, showing a form of division. Have the gates prevailed in the Body? Yes. Have they in the Church? Not at all. We can focus on the Body and forget it will be Broken, but the Church will not.
What about the Authority over the Body? Are there examples or teachings for us? Yes, Paul gives us many, one is basically metaphoric, but being metaphoric it can be misinterpreted. Paul used metaphors and allegories in many of his letters, the metaphor “head” refers to Authority, the metaphor “horn” refers to Power, we will be able to add to our metaphor list from First Corinthians 11. First Corinthians 11:1 says, “be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ”. Paul isn’t telling us to follow him, it would be a violation of the command of Jesus, “Follow Me”. Paul is telling us to look at him, see how he follows Jesus, then use the example as we follow Jesus. This is for the individual, some of us follow leaders, but the command is to Follow Jesus. In essence we walk with Paul as Paul walks, rather than place him between us and God.
Then Paul gets into an area that could be misconstrued to mean a “husband and wife” alone, but if it’s the case then the entire teaching removes widows, single women, and single men. Paul just told us to Follow Jesus, thus the concept is a mystery regarding Christ and the Church, but in First Corinthians 11 metaphorically leadership as the husband, and the congregation as the wife.
Going further it would appear as if Paul is building some sort of monster, taking the head from a woman, and putting it on a man? Not so, these are metaphors regarding Authority in the gathering and the responsibilities thereof. If we keep the context in line with Authority, these verses make sense, bringing clarity to the phrase, “Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also says the Law” (I Cor 14:34). If the Law of Moses was nailed to the Cross, how can Paul bring it back? This same Paul told the Galatians circumcision and keeping days as outlined in the Law, were not only wrong, but would cause the Galatians to fall from Grace, yet he tells the Corinthians to do just that? It just doesn’t fit. Adding how he said, “there is neither male nor female in Christ”, but then he turns right around and says there is. These verses in Corinthians go much further than gender, connecting to the proper use of Authority. The most obvious is how the women are to remain silent, but if their “head” is the man, with the face on the head, with the mouth on the face, then it’s the “head” must remain silent. Must be more to it, Amen?
Paul begins by telling us Christ is the “head” of every man, which is our first clue (I Cor 11:3). The metaphor Head pointing to Authority helps us, since Jesus is the “Head” of the Body. The man isn’t Christ, his head (Authority) is. Then Paul tells us the “head” of the woman is the man, thus the woman isn’t the man, her head is. Then the “head” of Christ is God. Each of these speaks of Authority, not Power, certainly not power to dominate, or control. Back in Matthew Jesus said the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost was now the Name of Jesus, Paul is saying the same. The Anointing or Unction over the Body is the Authority granted the Body, but the Authority is under the Authority of God.
Next Paul talks about the “covering”, as it relates to the “head”. The first aspect of “covering” is not a good covering, rather it’s some form of separation, something artificial, or not conducive to the granted Authority of Christ over the Body. If leadership places a carnal Yoke between Christ (authority of the Body) and God they have hindered not only the Authority but the Anointing. In the case of the Corinthians it was remaining carnal, which caused division and strife. The proper “covering” is seen in the metaphor “hair”, which relates to the anointing, or something not artificial.
This is an important issue since some of us think the Anointing comes with Power, but we find it comes with the Authority. The yoke was destroyed because of the Anointing, thus the yoke was destroyed so the Anointing could be applied, granting us Authority, yet in Corinth they placed a Yoke back in place, hindering the anointing. Isaiah 10:27 gives us a progression, first the burden shall be taken away from off the shoulder (government), then the yoke from the neck, which relates to our study here in Corinthians, so the anointing can flow from the Head to the Body. The government is on the shoulder of Jesus, it’s between the Head and Body, it is not the Head, it’s not the Neck, it’s not both shoulders, it’s one. If the government (leadership or husband) puts a Yoke on the Neck, it has placed something restrictive between the Head and Body, separating themselves, as they hinder the flow from the Head to the Body.
The Yoke is at the Neck, which connects the Head to the Body, if the Yoke is broken the connection between the Head and Body flow without restriction. The rest of Isaiah 10:27 tells us, “and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing”. It doesn’t say “by the anointing”, rather the Yoke must be destroyed to allow the anointing to flow from the Head through the Neck past the Shoulder to the Body.
When each of us as individuals came to Jesus the Yoke was destroyed to grant us the anointing, placing us in a position to have the Spirit. However, here in Corinthians we’re talking about the shoulder, thus this has nothing to do with our personal relationship with Jesus, it has to do with the congregational setting. We’re not to forsake the gathering, but the purpose is to exhort one another, here we find there can be a hindrance to the purpose. The premise of the women learning at home has to be a clue, they are getting nothing in the gathering. If the leadership (husband) have hindered the flow of authority, the women (congregation) must remain silent, not for their sake, rather we find they shame the leadership. The connection between prayer and prophesy from chapter 11 to chapter 14 has to be made, or we lose the importance of the teaching.
Authority is then linked to the anointing, but what else? Great Faith, when Jesus heard the Centurion say, “I am a man of authority, and am subject to authority”, the knowledge of how Authority operates was considered Great Faith. In Corinth they were carnal, meaning they lacked Great Faith. Connecting to why Paul told them to follow Christ, as he does. Paul respected the Authority, the Corinthians were not.
This teaching in First Corinthians teaches us the importance of Authority, or the danger in the misuse of Authority. We will have the rhetoric, sermons, but if the people are gaining nothing it means the Authority is hampered. At first the leadership blames the people, “dumb people aren’t getting it”, but Paul is showing if the leadership has allowed the traditions of men, carnal viewpoints, unbelief, doubt, or anything outside of the granted Authority to Yoke the flow, the people are kept in an ignorant state. Authority is granted permission to speak, the Power behind the words brings the effectiveness, thus without Authority the words fall to the ground.
Authority and Power combined is the basis of Order, without Order we can’t function in the Power with effectiveness. The context begins to open up when we see the metaphor Head as Authority, and how a False Covering produces a separation between Authority granted, and Authority received. When we add the metaphor “Hair” we find the Authority and the Anointing are linked. Placing the metaphor together we find the man as the husband is the leader of the congregation, with the wife seen as the congregation. The leaders have Christ as their head, the congregation have the leaders, but this is only the gathering, rather than the individual lives of the members. The leaders have a two fold responsibility, as “husbands” they must make sure they have no covering on their Head (Christ), but as individuals they must be covered by the Unction.
We must keep this in context, this isn’t talking about our relationship with Jesus, it refers to the gatherings in the Body, or how the Body operates in the assembling of one another. This same context was seen in First Corinthians 10:17 as the Body, it continues into chapter 11. The leader praying or prophesying with a false covering between his head (Christ) and God dishonors his Head (Christ). This doesn’t say they can’t pray or prophesy, it means if they have allowed a false covering to separate or interfere when they do pray or prophesy they dishonor Christ, the Rock (I Cor 10:4). The separating covering can be many things, such as Old Covenant deeds, self-righteousness, pride, self-enhancing motives, a love for power, lacking a true concern for people, fables, deeds of the flesh, carnal ordinances, filthy lucre, teaching the traditions of men as doctrine, taking the oversight of the congregation by constraint, or some other out of order hindrance. On the same note, if they make sure there is no false covering separating them from Christ then they can Pray and Prophesy in abundance, bringing Honor to Christ (I Cor 11:4).
The leader should not cover his Head (Authority, Christ), for “he is the image and glory of God” (I Cor 11:7). Wait, go back, the head of Christ is God, but here it’s the “image” of the Glory, not the image of God’s son. Christ as the Rock is the image and glory of God, but the congregation becomes the glory of the leader. This indicates as the congregation goes, it’s a direct reflection of the leadership. If the Leader has the glory, it will reflect on the congregation. The leader may think the fault lays with the congregation, but Paul shows the congregation as a reflection of the glory presented to them. This same context is seen between a “husband and wife”, yet it too is a mystery concerning Christ and the Church (Eph 5:32).
The authority granted in marriage, is seen as the husband loving his wife, as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for it, and the wife must submit as unto the Lord (Eph 5:21-22). For some reason we can preach “love one another”, and they all yell “amen!!”, or “submit one to another”, and hear “preach it”, but when it comes to “husbands love your wives, wives submit to your husbands” we hear, “hang the idiot, vote them out, out we say, out!!!!”. It still relates to Authority, why does the husband have an example, but not the wife? The husband has Christ’s love for the Church, but the wife doesn’t, why? Wait, maybe she does, if we keep it in context we find, as the husband loves, so will the wife submit, as the wife submits, so will the husband love. It’s the same concept we find here, the glory is reflective. If the husband fails to submit to the Lord, what example does the wife have? If the husband is so carnal he can’t understand the type and manner of love Jesus has for the Church, how can he love his wife? This leadership and congregation concept of husband and wife must be kept in order, or else how can the two be one?
When the husband loves his wife as Christ loves the Church, the wife has no problem in submitting; if the husband truly lives by his words. The same case in Corinth, the Leaders are the example, if they hold fables, anger, full of pride, ego and arrogance, the congregation will reflect those very traits. If the leadership teaches traditions of men as doctrine, the congregation will receive it as doctrine. What if we know it’s wrong? What if we see something is completely out of order? What do we as the congregation do? Vote them out, cast stones of theological abuse at them? No, we are to “remain silent”, why? The leaders don’t work for us, they are responsible to the Authority over them. As a congregation we are bound, but not as individuals. Now it makes sense, the congregation in Corinth wanted to do something, Paul is teaching them, they must remain silent, as if they are under the Law of Moses, since their leadership is carnal, requiring carnal ordinances. The context is still the gathering, thus Paul tells us to go home to learn and pray. In our prayer closet we can pray for the leaders to be enlightened, or for God to send a prophet to bring clarity or exposure, for the Holy Ghost to intervene by bringing correction unto perfection, whatever, we find if we are bound in the gathering, we can’t pray of prophesy. This is interesting since the two signs of having the Spirit are seen in Corinthians as praying and prophesying. If the leadership (husband, or head of the wife) has used a false covering, we as the wife (congregation) must remain as if shaven, or void of the anointing (hair). It remains very clear, the congregation must remain silent, yet they are the ones losing in this. For this reason Paul rebukes the carnal Corinthian leadership, telling them the congregation must remain silent as under the Law. Why? The Corinthian leadership had separated themselves from Christ, they are yet carnal, acting as mere men. If the carnal mind cannot understand spiritual matters, how then can they follow the Law of the Spirit? They can’t, the point for them to be under the Law of Moses. They misused the authority granted, limiting the congregation, but is it right? No, should not the Woman have long flowing hair? Yes, but if her head is the husband, who then should have the hair? If the man by nature should have short hair, yet his head is Christ, who then is suppose to have the short hair? If we see Christ is the Rock, or Body, we can also see the Head as Jesus, the Head of the Body. Jesus has all the Anointing, complete Authority, but the shoulder has placed a Yoke on the Neck. Paul ends his teaching by saying, “I praise you not, for you come together not for better, but for the worse” (I Cor 11:17). This is still connected to the prior verses, thus we’re not talking about the husband and wife as genders, but about Authority. Back in First Corinthians 10 Paul talked about the Cup and Bread, then when we get to 11:20 he goes right back to the Cup and Bread. Order is found in Communion, the place of remembrance, repentance and restoration. The cure for out of order Authority is found at the Table of the Lord, a lesson in and of itself.
This concept of the Body in Unity without hindrances is something Paul taught more than once, can the hand say, “because I’m not the foot” it is not of the Body? No, can the eye say, “I don’t like the hand, thus it’s not of the Body”? No, Jesus put us in the Body as He sees fit, it’s His Body, but there are responsibilities for those of us in the Body. The Leadership gift is known by us by the Greek word “Doma“, the Doma gift is not Grace, rather the Offices are presents to the Body, sent to assist those who are in the Body. The five fold ministry cannot save, it was not designed to, rather the Authority is specific (Eph 4:11-12). However, if one of the leaders places some self-importance, the Law of Moses, fables, carnal endeavors, personal agendas lacking Godly authority, or some other hindrance between their head (Christ), and God, they have put the yoke right back on the Neck, placing undue burdens on the shoulders. The Yoke restricts flow, it’s anything not conducive to the nature of Christ.
An understanding of the differences between Authority and Power helps us in our quest to be all Jesus said we can be. We may hear, “go”, then run out the door, failing to hear, “Tarry”. The Power give the Authority effectiveness, but the Authority gives the Power full operational ability.
THEOCRACY – GOD’S ORDER OF GOVERNMENT
God established a leadership quorum as a method of Theocracy; in God’s form of government God is always the Head. From the Head we find two branches, governments and helps, on the base of this Godly trinity triangle we find the Elders, three orders within the government. The offices of Government consist of the Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers. In Helps we find Bishops and Deacons, then Elders appointed from both groups. Each of the three areas supporting the other with the central theme of building the Body of Christ. No man appoints to the Offices, it’s strictly up to the Holy Ghost (Acts 13:1-3); however, leaders do appoint to Helps and Elders.
Since the best form of government is God’s, it stands the first place we will find the functioning order is in heaven. The heavenly order is shadowed on the earth in the Body of Christ, it is not shadowed in the Law of Moses. The heavenly order is strictly Blessing, the Law of Moses is split between cursing and blessing, the heavenly order is spiritual in nature, the Law of Moses is carnal in nature, the heavenly is centered on Salvation, the Law of Moses on Judgment. We can’t view the Law of Moses to determine God’s form of government, but Paul tells us there is a Godly form of government established by God for the Body of Christ (I Cor 12:28).
Simply, “Theocracy is God’s form of government”, this is not a definition, it’s a description. We could stand with the description, yet not know exactly what the term means, thus we must know the definition. We have examples of Theocracy, first of course is Heaven: if Theocracy is working anywhere it’s in heaven. Next the earthly ministry of Jesus, then the operation of order in the Book of Acts.
The Tabernacle was a type showing the three fold order, there was the courtyard, the holy place and the holy of holies. If there is a holy of holies, surely there is more than one type of holy. In the Book of Revelation, and other places we find the phrase, “holy, holy, holy” usually with the phrase, “is the Lord God Almighty”. Not only do we find a shadow of the Trinity in the phrase “holy, holy, holy”, but also in the title, “Lord – God – Almighty”.
The Tabernacle was a type of Theocracy, the watchers at the gate had their positions of helps. Those who carried the Tabernacle would also be positioned in helps, where would Moses be if no one could move the Tabernacle? The Holy Place had it’s form of Theocracy as well, the priests had duties assigned to them, each was equally important. Not all were in charge of the Menorah, not all were in charge of the Shewbread, not all were in charge of the Golden Altar of Incense, but all had something to do.
Bible Theocracy is defined as: Where God chooses, calls and equips certain people to be leaders, or rulers over His people; He delegates and invests in the Office certain power and authority to do His will, those in the Offices are commonly known as Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers in the role of Governments, and Bishops and Deacons in the role of Helps, with Elders assisting in the operations; in every group God places a mantel of leadership upon one leader, this does not exalt him or her above the others, but makes him or her a chief among equals, for the betterment of the Body. There are leaders within the orders, for instance the Bishop is the leader in helps, but the Elders come from Helps and Governments. The checks and balances are throughout the system, the prophets judge the other prophets, the Elders suggest to leadership. The position is respected by all, maintained by Godly authority and supported by the anointing. The mantel is the Office, it’s always the Office making the person, not the other way around.
However, there are divisions, First Corinthians 12 begins with a division, being ignorant of the division brings confusion, being wise removes confusion. No one who speaks by the Spirit of Christ can call Jesus accursed, yet no one can call Jesus Lord but by the Holy Ghost. This doesn’t mean mouthing the words, “Jesus is my Lord”, it means living them. Without the New Birth ones religion becomes their lord, or they become the lord over their religion. When Jesus is Lord the ways of the servant prove it. For those who are servants, there lays other areas regarding the reward for their servitude.
There are gifts in the Gift of Grace by the Spirit (I Cor 12:4). To view these we must travel to Romans 12:6-20. These “gifts” are the attributes of the nature obtained by the Gift of Grace (Charis); meaning the gifts are the Charisma of Charis. They are prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhorting, giving, ruling, and mercy. These are not issues of Government, they are the attributes in each Born Again Believer as kings in the Kingdom. As kings we can say, “well, no prophecy here”, just as we can say, “mercy reigns as a prince with me”, thus we allow or disallow as we rule; however, we will have to face the King of kings.
The next area in Corinthians is administrations, or offices given by the Lord. The Offices are found in Ephesians 4:11-12 as Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers. In the Operations (I Cor 12:28) of the Church we find Apostles, Prophets and Teachers, so did God forget the Evangelist and Pastor? Not at all, it’s understanding the positions. The Apostle brings commandment and opens up virgin areas, just as the apostles did. “Now wait, they started in Israel, it’s hardly virgin territory”. It is when you are talking about what they were preaching. Prophets give the Body direction, they also deliver doctrine as did Judas Barsabas and Silas in Acts 15:32. The Evangelist seeks converts for established bodies, as did Philip in Acts 8. Philip didn’t begin the First Church Of The Eunuch, rather he baptized the Eunuch at the request of the Eunuch. The Pastor is the shepherd over the flock, we tend to label the Pastor as the “preacher”, but there is no office for Preacher, we are all preachers of the Gospel. The Pastor guides the local flock, as they watch over them, mainly in prayer and making sure they are equipped, as Peter points out, or as James demonstrated. The Teacher gives us insight to the Scriptures and Doctrine, they don’t take the place of the Scriptures, they don’t attempt to replace them, they expound on them. These offices are not for all, not all are apostles, yet all have a position in the Body. We all begin as Sheep, thus Jesus made disciples who later became leaders. Jesus as our Shepherd makes Sheep, then the Sheep become Shepherds (leaders).
Within the Operations of the Father after the Apostle, Prophet and Teacher are established, we will find, miracles, gifts of healings, being done by the two fold operations of helps and governments, with the final area of different tongues and interpretation (I Cor 12:28). This is the operations, or the manner in which God desires the gathering to operate, thus in the gathering we must have interpretation so all can benefit, but this doesn’t include our private prayer life.
Leaders, even Apostles are not to appoint to the Offices, only Jesus can give these gifts. The reason we cannot appoint to the Offices is simple, Authority, we have the Spirit, we are not the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost brought us the Spirit, thus the Spirit in us cannot take the place of the Holy Ghost, it would be usurping authority, something the Holy Spirit will not do.
It seems like we covered the Spirit (gifts), the Son (offices), and the Father (operations), but wait here is something in First Corinthians 12:7, the “manifestation of the Spirit”. The manifestation is the Witness of Jesus exhibited by the New Man in one on one situations, as an Order of Theocracy. The Operations and the Manifestation have some like areas, but we do see differences. In the Manifestation it’s gifts of healing, but in the Operations it’s gifts of healings (I Cor 12:9 & 12:28). Both have “gifts” but the Manifestation is one healing, showing a one on one situation, whereas the Operations are “healings” showing the masses.
The Government order is provided for the group, the kingly principle is for the individual. The problem arises when someone has formed rules as a “king” then attempts to enforce them over the group. A person may respect one day over another, for them it’s is a “kingly rule”, they have to keep it between them and the Lord. They are not to think by keeping the day they are any more or less than the rest of the Body, neither are they to make it doctrine. The same is true when a person doesn’t keep one day over another, they too are not to suppose to think they are holier than those who do. The Holy Ghost instates Doctrine, then uses the Prophets to deliver it. Kingly functions are not to be mixed into governmental functions.
Helps was first established by the Apostles in Acts 6:3, but Jesus had His helps as well (Matt 27:55). The Helps are the Deacons, the overseer of Helps is known as the Bishop, both are appointed by leadership. The Offices are different, Paul never sent anyone to appoint Pastors, Evangelists, Prophets, Teachers (in the office) or Apostles, those areas are the Doma (gift) appointed by the Holy Ghost on behalf of Jesus. Leaders only confirm the position, they don’t grant it (Acts 13:1-3).
The so-called qualifications are not elements one must meet to gain the position, but areas seen from the person’s nature to show they belong in the position. It’s obvious when reading Timothy or Titus how certain elements are not see. If the Commandment is, “Ye must be Born Again”, why don’t we see it? In Acts 6:3 the requirements to obtain the office was to be “full of the Holy Ghost, and wisdom”. It wasn’t Born Again, although it’s obvious they had to be since they were also full of the Holy Ghost. The order was established to be over “this business” (Acts 6:3). What business? “there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because the widows were neglected in the daily ministration” (Acts 5:1). The appointment was to deal with people in the Body regarding matters of the daily ministration, thus they had to be Born Again, they also had to have Wisdom as the sign of the Holy Ghost using them to deal with the masses. For what reason? They would represent the Body to those who wandered in from the outside, thus they were usually the first seen by the public. If someone entered the service and found some legalist pounding them half to death with rules, regulations, or making fun of them, it would be the impression they acquired of the entire Body.
Elders come from both Helps and Governments, they are also required to have the evidence of God’s Wisdom in their life. They make helpful suggestions, they don’t dominate the Offices. Peter as an elder made a suggestion to James, who was the Pastor (Acts 15:7). James saw the wisdom and accepted it (Acts 15:14), then the people saw the wisdom of the leaders, and accepted the decision (Acts 15:31). Elders are picked by the Governments, as are the Bishops and Deacons. It would be upside down and out of order for a Bishop, Deacon or Elder who was appointed by leadership, to be over leadership.
The first order of our individual Theocracy in Salvation is, “the Spirit bears witness to our Spirit”, then our Spirit guides our souls in the order of authority, and leadership. The New Man doesn’t make up his own agenda, he hears and guides us on the path. Our souls are either going to follow the order by submission, or interject carnal opinions; the latter is a reverse of the established Order God has set forth. The soul may presume it’s the leader, but really our soul is helps, the New Man is governments.
The order for the Body was defined by Paul as Christ (Anointing) as the Head, then the leaders, then the congregation, yet the leader is no more important than the congregation. The leader came from the congregation, not the other way around. Where would the leaders be without the congregation? The Book of Acts taught us the importance of helps, as well as displaying how order removes disruption and strife (Acts 6:1).
Are there Twenty-Four elders in heaven who represent the leadership roles over the masses? Yes. Do they tell God what to do? Hardly, do they hold meetings? No, elders are not suppose to dictate, they suggest, as examples. The twenty-four Elders in heaven agreed with the Lord, cast their crowns before the throne and worship. They did not tell the Lamb what to do, they did not tell the Throne what to do.; therefore, their “ruling” is by example not manipulation or governmental.
In the order of things in heaven do we find angels above other angels? Yes. Do all the heavenly elements center around God, or operate for God? Yes. Was the entire effort in the wilderness centered around the holy of holies? Yes. Were all subject to God? Yes. Is the purpose of the Body to promote Jesus? Yes, then each has an order of government coupled with responsibilities, with the granted authority and power to carry out those responsibilities.
The family of Kohath was assigned to carry the things of the Tabernacle, among them was Korah the grandson of Kohath. What would happen if the order of Kohath decided they weren’t going to carry the things of the Tabernacle? What would happen if the high priest decided not to enter the holy of holies anymore? We know what happened when Korah the grandson of Kohath made the decision to have the position of another, thus whether we say “no I’m not going to”, or “I want what you have” we lack spiritual guidance and awareness of our own position. If we just accept the premise of being called, then allowing the anointing of the office to form us we will save ourselves from some hard times, and difficult moments. A square peg attempting to fit the round hole is frustration in the making.
The Holy Ghost will operate in the areas where Theocracy is in order, whether in the gatherings, or with the masses. If our worship service is in order, but nothing else is, the Holy Ghost will operate during worship, and nothing else. If our worship and pulpit are the only areas in order, then the Holy Ghost will operate in those areas. The pastor calls out, “the anointing is here today”, the guy in the first row says, “I don’t feel a thing”. The Pulpit is in order, the pew is not. If the teacher says, “the Holy Ghost is here today”, where was the Holy Ghost before? Why is it such a surprise?
The order can be momentary, the week prior there was no order, today there is, thus the Unction works where there is order. We have to seize the moment, but it begins by having and maintaining Order in government.
Revival is not the same as Evangelism, Revival by the word’s nature means to Re Live again, or to restore. Most Revivals begin by bringing order back to the local Body. In the Book of Revelation we find Jesus making suggestive corrections to several of the seven churches, thus Restoration to gain Order was the call. Revival is the result of the Holy Ghost operating from proper Order; if we are carnal, murmuring, bickering, inducing strife, what kind of Revival would we produce? At times people are more concerned with their name being spelled right in the bulletin, then being in Godly order. We pray, beg, yell and teach expecting Revival, it doesn’t happen, we then use emotionalism to make it happen, the result lasts about as far as the parking lot. Establish Order in government and helps will produce Holy Ghost Revival.
Evangelistic efforts depend on eagerness; do the people want God? The more they want the Truth, the more the Holy Ghost will move. Faith comes by hearing, thus one can read verses aloud, if the people are eager for God, they will hear, faith will come to them. Signs follow the Believer, even if the speaker doesn’t believe (Mark 16:16-18).
Congregations remaining Out of order are invaded by natural thinkers, or “take over” artists who wear the mask of righteousness, but are looking for a place to gain self-importance. When we allow Balaam, Jezebel, or the doctrines of men into our group, we have opened ourselves up to the gates of hell. Reject the God sent teacher, and we leave the door open for the take over of the wicked. Theocracy in the hands of man is no longer Theocracy but carnal religion. Giving the devil opportunity is not wise, of course there are some bodies so out of order even the devils don’t like to be around them.
Order in the things of God is a willingness to experience God in a Godly manner. We can be eager, yet use carnal methods, and be none the better. We will have emotional experiences, but they will fade. Emotional revivals seem to be very exciting for the moment, but within hours, or days the impact is gone. Man doesn’t begin revival, rather people are used of God to bring revival.
Authority and Power are different, and being out of order doesn’t mean we won’t have Power. We can use Power outside of the confines of the Authority, as Korah did, or as Judas did, but it doesn’t mean the actions are holy. Judas had authority to do certain things in certain places, he did not have the authority to betray the Lord. Judas was a member of the Ministry, he had responsibilities and duties. He went beyond his authority into an area causing him to lose what little he thought he had.
Stephen ended in a dispute with certain of the synagogue, he preached his one and only recorded sermon, they was stoned to death. His last words were, “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge” (Acts 7:60). His very last act was one of Mercy, he displayed a Christ nature to those without Christ, becoming an example of a Christian to the public. Did it violate his Helps status? He wasn’t operating in helps, he was a person with the Holy Ghost in a place as a Christian. He “preached” and discipled the masses who were outside of the Family, but they refused to hear, rather they attacked, destroying their hope. They were even in One Accord, so were they in proper Order? No, they had no authority to kill someone for preaching (Acts 7:57).
Philip is a different case, Philip proves one can be assigned to helps, yet be assigned an Office. Paul held many offices, Peter was an apostle and elder, as was John. Philip is an another example of a person in helps, but also holding an office, thus he is the only man in the Bible called an Evangelist. If one wants to know what an Evangelist does, they need to read Acts chapter 8. If we are assigned to helps, yet feel the Lord calling us to an Office, one doesn’t negate one position for the other, we can operate in both, we can also operate in more than one Office.
The counterfeit of theocracy is a dictatorship, as strange as it may seem. However, we know God sits on the Throne, the angles don’t, neither do the twenty-four elders. No one voted the Father into position, and no one voted Jesus into position, but the Father placed the Son at His own right hand. A dictatorship is a one person ruling order, without the voice of the people, but it’s carnal, self-based, and motivated by pride, ego and arrogance, therein lays the counterfeit. Theocracy is void of any self-importance as it hears the voices of the people. Moses was told God heard the cries of the children, thus the Bible shows God does hear, the question is “just because God is talking, does it mean we hear?”. God heard the cries, then sent Moses as His representative, Theocracy in action.
A dictatorship would be one person who claims to be an apostle, prophet, teacher, or spiritual guide, who refuses to listen to elders, or rejects discipleship. Some call them a Whacko, others call them Cults, but a Cult is simply a group who uses God as a means to enhance their self-righteousness, or exercise the lust to be superior. The seeds of a cult are found in the heart of pride, the desire to be special among the special, the “only” ones of the Body doing the will of God. The ones with the special, or secret order, the ones who have all the holiness, the only ones who see all the “evils”, thinking they are so above us all, they are the Head of the Body. A very dangerous thought process, very dangerous indeed.
Theocracy is based on the spiritual wisdom of God, motivated by His love, mercy and grace by the Holy Ghost. Two governmental orders can be found in the Body, one of God, the other a counterfeit in the hands of man. When the congregation or the leadership vote on any matter, it is not Theocracy, but a republic. The only place in Acts where a vote was taken was in Chapter One, before the Holy Ghost came. People who are not Born Again hear nothing but their own opinions, they make appointments based on opinion, which is always dangerous.
Timothy was excited, he appointed some who should not have been. Paul gave him qualifications one should see in those appointed, if they lacked those areas, then should step down. Timothy was told to mix the water with the wine, although Mercy is an attribute and required, we can still find ourselves making appointments because we want to fill positions; ending in big trouble. Apply Mercy, but also Apply Grace for the understanding, really the biggest disservice one can do is appoint someone to a position they are not ready for, or designed for. Their joy turns to bitterness as they end struggling in a place they should not be.
When the disciples voted, several things stood out, the disciples were told to tarry, not vote. Second the Holy Ghost had not yet fallen, thus the Gift was not yet granted. Third they were voting on filling a position only Jesus can fill, lastly they were attempting to replace the man, not fill a position. They prayed, had Scripture, but they were out of order. Later in the Book of Acts we do find Theocracy when the Holy Ghost says, “Separate unto Me” (Acts 13:1-2). Two completely different forms of government, the first was a republic lacking spiritual authority, the last was spiritually motivated within the bounds of heavenly authority, yet both involved “Appointments”. The difference? The Holy Ghost as the essence of God, the deliverer of the Gift, the appointer of offices for the Lord, the teacher and guide over the Body. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit which is of God, the New Man, the Glory in us, delivered by the Holy Ghost, thus we only see the title “Holy Spirit” seven times in the entire Bible, it’s a very special title assigned to build us into the Church.
Republics seek confirmation from people, rather than affirmation from God. After Pentecost we find the disciples operating in proper Theocracy, we also see how the congregation agreed with the decisions of the Apostles, rather than hinder, or rule over them, or vote. The Apostles didn’t say, “What do you people think?, they told the people the decision. The decision was Wisdom based, the people knew it. The people weren’t asked to vote on the decision, but they did accept it. However, the Book of Acts also shows the leadership listening to the congregation, thus it’s a two way street, proper Theocracy has the leaders as servants of all, yet given an authority in the Doma (office gift) to lead, since the Office is respected, the Congregation listens, and submits. Grace is a gift, but the Office is also a gift (Greek Doma), not a gift so much for the person in the office, but a gift makes the leader a leader for the benefit of the saints. The word Doma means Gift or Present, but in the context in Ephesians we find Jesus “gave” based on the meaning of Doma, thus we refer to the Offices as the Doma gift, rather than the Charis gift. The Office is not designed to make the person in the office famous, or rich, but the Office does have specific authority to accomplish the goals of perfecting the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ (Eph 4:12). Are the leaders outside the Body? No, they are members of the Body. One reason we read about Stephen is to assure us the “work of the ministry” isn’t restricted to the Offices, there are Helps as well.
Leadership is not a license to control, dominate or dictate. The old man and his friends love to control, or have the final say in the matter, the unsaved soul will gather with those of like reasoning. There is a vast difference between Control and Discipleship; control is when the self is involved, we want people to do what we want so we feel better. Discipleship is bettering the disciple for the work ahead of them, much different
Jesus “gave” the offices, He doesn’t dominate them. A person in the office is anointed by the anointing on the Office, but what they do with the Office is like unto the “talents”, they must answer in the end. Judas is a prime example, what Judas did, Judas did, he had the power to remain at the table and say No to the devil, or say No to God. The power was in his hands, the authority granted him the right to use the power within the confines of the granted authority, yet he could also use the power outside of the granted authority. Could Jesus have broke his leg? Yes, He could have, but He didn’t. Could Jesus have said, “Judas if you do this thing, you will die”. Yes, He could have, but He didn’t. Why? The power of the office was in the hand of Judas, the authority was already known to Judas, the man was responsible for his actions, thus it took his position to betray the Lord, or obey the Lord. It was the Office position granting him audience before the religious leaders, thus the religious leaders wanted someone close to Jesus, one of the disciples or an apostle, Judas was the one. He had training, experience, the teachings of Jesus. What would have happened if Judas ran to the Cross and asked Jesus to forgive him? Jesus would have, since the blanket statement was “Father forgive them, they know not what they do”, He didn’t say, “Father forgive all but Judas, he knew what he is doing”. However, Judas didn’t run to the Cross, he ran from it. The wording “draw back” in the phrase “draw back to perdition” means they sneak back undercover, attempting to fool or trick everyone into thinking they are Christ like, when inside Satan rules.
Judas is also a mark of the difference between “nice” and “good”. No where do we find anyone rebuking Judas, he was liked, the evidence was when he said “Why was this waste of the ointment made?” (in reference to the oil being applied to Jesus), the rest of the disciples murmured against Mary (Mark 14:5 & John 12:4-6). Judas said it because he wanted his hands on the money, but the disciples response shows how they liked Judas and joined with him. Many who run the risk of hell do so, because they confuse nice with good. Because people like them, because they haven’t really done anything illegal in the eyes of the world’s justice system they think they are “good”. They are not Good, only God is Good, in order to be Good, one needs to have God. Jesus went about doing Good, thus He is Good. However, Barnabas was also called a “good man”, because he was full of the Holy Ghost and faith. What made Barnabas good was the Holy Ghost, not the personality of Barnabas. Judas may have been likable, but his heart was evil. Judas had power over devils, he simply didn’t want to take authority over himself.
In the Book of Acts the leadership was seeking ways to “do” things, not to stop them. The second we grant the power to stop anything on a one vote basis, we have given power to the enemy. If all it takes is one vote to stop, then we have allowed a hindering agent to enter in. It’s worse than majority voting, at lease with the majority the masses would be heard. Whether we call it, “no rule”, or “ruling by the masses”, or simply seeking unity in the masses, if we allow one carnal minded person a vote to halt any activity the Lord desires, we will have to answer for our own folly. The “power to stop” is the power to hinder, if we allow a “one vote” can stop all activity we are out of order.
If we are in Unity, how can one vote stop everything? Did anyone ever consider the “one vote” may be out of order, the rest In order? When the power to hinder is given into one hand, is a very dangerous mode of government, just as the power to do in one hand is very dangerous. In Acts 15 James didn’t say, “sit down Peter, I say what to do and not do”, neither did Peter say, “I’m an apostle, no pastor tells me what to do”, they looked at the problem then sought a Holy Ghost solution to help the people.
In First Corinthians 12:28 the placement of the Apostle, Prophet and Teacher is not by mistake, there is no one vote rules all, just as there is no one vote can stop all. The Apostle was the first position appointed, for good reason. How can we have local bodies, if no one is sent to establish them? Next comes direction and doctrine delivered, which is up to the Prophet. Then the true check and balance, the Teacher, to determine if the Doctrine is sound, if so, they teach it accordingly. What good is an unteachable teacher? What good is a prophet who refuses to deliver doctrine? The positions each check and balance the others. The Apostle gave the commandment, the Prophet bears witness, then delivers it as Doctrine, the Teacher tests it to the Doctrine of Christ, then teaches it. When it’s in order the congregation can pray, prophesy, and do many wonderful things, all in Order and Decently.
The term “bears witness” becomes very important in the decision roles, yet it’s not the only means. When Peter had his vision on the roof, he didn’t run to James and say, “does it bear witness?”, yet the witness came when the men from the house of Cornelius came to Peter’s door; therefore, God did confirm the vision to Peter. We can run around seeking to find someone, anyone who can “bear witness” and miss the witness standing before us. Ears that hear, are coupled with eyes to see. Let’s face it there are times when “bear witness” is nothing more than running around attempting to get someone to go along with our carnal plan. “Does it bear witness? No?, you’re not of God, hey does it bear witness? No, you’re not of God, hey does it bear witness? It does, finally a prophet of God”. Sound funny? We do the same with our fleeces, we keep changing them until we find something coming close, and we run off saying God has ordained our mission. Order has limits and rules, if we make a fleece, stick to it, whatever the outcome accept it.
When we allow the unsaved soul to run things, or become a leader, we’re in trouble, usually completely out of order. One thing worse than carnal leadership is natural leadership. First John gives us a ruling order, in heaven we have the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost, they are One and bear Record (I Jn 5:7). Since they are One, we find the Word doesn’t dictate to the Father, or the Father to the Word, or the Holy Ghost to the Father, they are in Unity as One complete God, all in all. God the purpose, God the mind and God the source, one God all in all.
A Record is a listing of events, or words recorded, thus the plan of God is complete, as the Father, Word and Holy Ghost all agree as One to the result, no vote needed. On earth we find the Spirit (New Man), birthed by the Holy Ghost as the Word in us, the Water, which is the Mercy of the Father, and the Blood of Jesus, as the Grace of God, these three, the New Man, the Father’s Mercy, and the Blood Of Jesus agree “in One”, rather than As One (I Jn 5:8). What “one” do they agree in? The person who is Born Again, this agreement is a Witness of God, which Witness we have in us (I Jn 5:7-10). There was no vote taken, not even on our part, we asked, God gave, we received. The soul has no vote in the matter, it either submits or rebels, it is not a Witness, but it can join to the Witness and be saved.
We have some positions in the Body today, which aren’t mentioned in the Bible. We have also moved some positions out of their intended order, into another, and wonder why we lack power. We can’t elevate positions outside of God’s intended theocracy, it only makes the position an idol. We can’t seek a position based on the importance of the position: pride seeks a position for the glory of the position, not for the service involved. None of the apostles came to Jesus and said, “You know what, I think I’m a prophet”, even Paul remarked how he was made an apostle, he didn’t seek it. If we are seeking a position, we have to ask why? Is it for our glory? Or the Lord’s?
There are times when we’re in the gathering, or a meeting and see occasional power displays, but then things go right back to the same old flatness. Then there are the emotional displays often becoming confused for the anointing. Emotionalism is not the anointing, it’s the old man exercising himself, Emotionalism and Enthusiasm are different. When our government is out of order, we will not function as we should. When helps are either made slaves, or become some ruling order dictating rules to the Offices, we are out of order. When the authority is out of order, we have put the Yoke back on the Neck of Government.
As far as misuse of titles, we took the title of Elder, then elevated it to “ruling elder”, yet no where in the Bible do we find a “Ruling Elder Board”. Elders can come from either governments or helps; John called himself an Elder, yet we know he was an Apostle. Today we see “ruling elders” in many local bodies, and “bishops” teaching and preaching, which is not the position of a bishop. Bishops are overseers regarding helps, thus they are appointed by leadership. At times we get locked into some “position of the month club”, whatever is fashionable at the time, apostle this month, prophet the next, bishop, and then around the tree one more time. What about First Timothy 5:17 where it says the elders rule? Ahh, the word rule is the Greek Proistemi meaning To aid, thus we must separate helps, elders, and governments, or we end with an upside down ministry. We must also keep these orders in the proper realm of authority. This issue of Authority is so important, Paul saw the failure of proper authority as the very reason the Corinthians had the Spirit, but were not spiritual. Their leadership was so far out of line, they had separated themselves from their head (authority). The result was the congregation (wives) had to remain silent. If being carnal minded is death, yet the Corinthians had the Spirit, but were yet carnal, were they not attempting to mix death into the Spirit? Yes, it became the basis of the rebuke, either become spiritual, or face the consequences.
Out of order bodies leave their doors wide open for the False to enter, then the false in their sneaky fashion take control. The Greek word Psithuristeas is akin to the Greek word Psuche, it means a secret slanderer, or an accuser who is a backbiter (Rom 1:30). How is this done? By deception, they use jokes, or other means to slander, yet it doesn’t appear on the surface: they come into the local body, establish themselves, then begin to backbite the pastor. They gather like minded people to them, as the wolves they are, they set out to divide and steal the sheep.
They also joke about other groups of the body to a group who will accept them, but it’s still slander, if we agree with them, we are more the slanderer. A backbiter never confronts anyone to their face, they go about slandering people behind their backs. The term, “laying in wait to deceive” means one makes plans to deceive, so they can control the conversation, or their attack, or to trap others by their deceptive ways. A backbiter sits in board meetings slandering people, but then tell the person, “hi brother, we sure love you”. They pat us on the back, but they are merely looking for a soft place to insert their dagger of slander.
Perhaps the best example of being out of order is the church of Corinth. The Lesson on Corinth takes a deeper study on this area, but here we want to view some of the out of order conditions, as they effected their position. By now we know the metaphors Husband and Wife stand for the leaders and congregation; we know how the head refers to Authority (I Cor 11:1-16). When the leadership inserts a false covering between their head (Christ) and God (Head of the Body), they shame their head (Christ), they don’t shame themselves, they shame their Head (Christ). The congregation is then in a position where they cannot pray or prophesy, rather they have to learn at home, while remaining silent in the gathering (I Cor 11:2-16). Although the ability to pray and prophesy is based in having the Spirit. The out of order leadership hinders the Holy Spirit by which we are sealed, this alone should bring the incentive to correct those out of order areas.
Does it mean we can openly rebuke out of order leadership? No, First Corinthians just told us to remain silent, but we do have places of hope, the Communion Table, and our prayer closet at home. Of course the Table and Prayer Closet are not to be used in a manipulative manner, we seek clarity, wisdom, and mercy on our leadership, believing God is able to bring correction and order. Of course the teaching is restrictive to the gathering, thus the out of order assembly calls for the congregation is to remain silent.
Our example of not tossing the leaders out on their ears is found in the ministry of Jesus. Could Jesus have stopped Judas? Yes, but it would have been out of order. Could Jesus have stopped Peter from denying Him? Yes, but it would have been manipulation, and completely out of order. Leadership is not to dominate, or lord over the congregation, or be motivated by filthy lucre, but be of a ready mind, easy to be entreated, as an example to the flock; regardless of the size of the flock (I Pet 5:1-4).
Prophets are a part of the Order in the Body, and thank God for prophets in the land, but Prophets prophecy In Part. The role of the Prophet is directional, in their role they bring expansion of doctrine as did Judas and Silas in Acts 15. The test is whether the change violates the Doctrine of Christ or not. If it does, they are false, if they lead us in the wrong direction, they are false. Giving a word of knowledge, or wisdom means the Spirit in us manifested, it doesn’t mean we are a Prophet.
The chore for the brethren in Acts 15 was to present a set of guides which didn’t lead one back to the Law of Moses, yet didn’t lead them back to the world either. The guidelines had to be within the authority of Christ, in no way could they cause a separation or false covering between the head of the leaders and God. Their list complete, prayed over, and agreed to, in reference to the Doctrine of Christ, had to be delivered. The Apostles didn’t deliver it, the Teachers didn’t, the Prophets did. Prophecy based in edification, exhortation and comfort can come from any member of the Body being used of the Spirit, but the Office of Prophet is much different, it’s guided by the Holy Ghost.
Godly government is not under man’s control, rather it must be under God’s control. If one can’t hear the Holy Ghost, how can they lead? On the same note, does God allow the workers to govern the administration? Why even have leaders, if they are controlled by others? Paul’s warning to Corinth points out this very issue; the husbands (leaders) were out of order, yet it effected the wives (congregation), thus it’s better for the congregation to remain silent. The leaders have their position of service, the congregation have their position of service, neither are granted the power to control the lives of others. Neither do have the authority to do as they will, then claim “it’s of God”. We are the Body of Christ, and subject to the Head of the Body, we must submit one to the other, or find ourselves out of order, lacking authority and power.
What about ungodly authority? Do we run from it? Do we submit to it? Listen to the New Man, he hears from the Holy Ghost. We may be under ungodly authority to learn what not to do when we become leaders, we may be there to pick up the pieces when it all falls apart, or we may be in a place we shouldn’t be. Knowledge is awareness, we may see something out of order, yet not know what to do about it. We lack wisdom to deal with it, thus we observe, we do not act.
The Apostle Paul also made it clear, a novice must not teach, going further than Sunday School, it means they shouldn’t disciple others. The warning is not how the people will be in danger, rather, he shows the novice being lifted up with pride, will fall into the condemnation of the devil. The Novice might have the authority for a position, but they are not trained, nor do they have the experience of power. A prideful novice will jump out of the boat prematurely and begin to make displays of self-importance. They see the anointing work, presuming it’s based on their intellect, or study, allowing pride to take its hold.
Titus was sent to make elders, but he was not sent out to make Teachers, Pastors, or Evangelists. The qualifications in Titus are specific for Elders and Bishops, and included the area of the aged women, but no where do we find Titus being given authority to appoint any governmental office. He was really sent to finish the work, not begin it. How important is it? So great we find many who are called of Jesus for an office walking away because someone who didn’t understand these areas told them they failed to meet the so-called “qualifications”. Woe to the one who hindered a child of God from becoming what God called them to be. The qualifications for the Offices are known to Jesus, surely Judas didn’t fit the “qualifications”, but Jesus ordained him.
On the other hand we have Timothy, who had appointed some carnal nightmares, thus in his case the “qualifications” we find they are what the Office forms the person into, rather than seek them in a person before the enter the position, we look for them after then have the position to determine if they fit the position. Once Timothy had the “qualifications” in hand he felt he could weed out those he appointed, but his intent was based in his disappointment. The second letter to Timothy shows how Timothy was attempting to clean up the mess, but he slipped into using the “spirit of fear”, rather than the Spirit of Christ. It would have been far better to lay hands slowly, after viewing the person through the eyes of Mercy and Grace, thus the warning and experience of Timothy shows what happens when we act based on personalities, or ordain too quickly, or place people in positions in a local body without exercising spiritual awareness.
Timothy is a great leadership lesson, first it was “I’m out of here”, but then when Paul gave him the qualifications he began using them as a whip of fear to control, but in so doing he would soon be subject to the same spirit. Paul instructed Timothy by the Holy Ghost, he expected Timothy to do the same, but Timothy was fearful to begin with, he wanted to run, but when he was given the upper hand, he was about to use fear as a power to control. Timothy would never have appointed the carnal minded if he wasn’t fearful of what people might think. Paul’s answer is simple, Bread and Wine, get it right in the Authority, then the Power will work accordingly.
Theocracy like theology, or knowledge can be found in two separate veins, first is God’s, next is man’s. When theology became a science it lost it’s ability to gain the clarity of God’s desire for the moment. They had God’s desire for yesterday, but they didn’t know God’s desire was for Now, causing them to reject the Proceeding Word. The very early schools of theology, such as Origen, Lucian and Nestorian placed their efforts on God himself (thus the term theology), much later the stress fell to the mind of man without clarity from God. Theocracy in the hands of God is perfect in all its ways, in the hands of carnal man its imperfect in all its ways. However, the truth remains, this is the Day, repentance can always bring us back to a place to hear, do and understand.
The basic description of Theocracy is “God’s form of government”, however, there is much more to the definition than the description. Theocracy without the Holy Ghost cannot be in accordance with God’s rule. Paul give us three areas as foundation to Theocracy, first the gifts of the Spirit, next the Administrations of the Lord, then the Operations of God, all being watched over by the Holy Ghost giving us Order (I Cor 12:28).
The government rests on the shoulder of the Body, but if the foundation isn’t the Rock, we end with a type of soulish democracy formed after the world. Each Theocratic order has gifts to fit the order, each position within the order has authorities fitting the position. In the offices the person is not anointed, the office is, but for those who are Born Again the anointing is within, thus Paul divided the Theocratic order from the Manifestation of the Spirit.
The Body also has an anointing over it, which anointing covers anyone in the Body until the Rapture. Then the Anointing unto Salvation ends on the earth, as the anointing unto Judgment begins.
There are those who are in this for power, social prestige, the feeling of importance, they love the feeling they get from thinking they are morally, or intellectually above us all. They love the Lord, but they love the pleasures of the self more. They are self-run, self-willed, and rebel the moment responsibility is applied. They are still using the old man, like Balaam, or Korah they are a people of authority, but refuse to submit to authority. They are masters at using emotions to get the response they desire, they cry on cue, they shout at the darkness to get the emotional response, they are actors, they are not preachers.
Korah had authority in his called position, but he assumed his authority gave him the right to attack, control, and dominate other positions within the grouping. He used the power of his position outside the granted authority, in the New Testament he is used as a type and shadow of one who seeks the position of another without the authority for the position. It’s the same as the self-driven person who seeks an office, but lacks the ability or calling for the office.
Some in positions think since they have a position, they can attack others in position, not so, it’s still a failure remain within the confines of their authority. It doesn’t mean we can’t rebuke when the Lord leads, it means we don’t have a license to attack, or usurp authority. A disciple never has the authority to rebuke the master, but the master never has the authority to abuse the disciple.
Korah is a perfect example of “God knows”, God knew what Korah would do, before Korah knew he would do it, but God allowed Korah to make his own decision in the matter. Simply because God Knows doesn’t give man a right to attack, slander, or fall into iniquity. Some use the excuse “oh well God knows”, but God knew what Judas would do, and yet allowed Judas to do it. God knew what Balaam would do, and what the devil would do, and what Adam would do, so what? They all paid for their iniquity. Ignoring the deeds of the old man when they surface is a failure to walk in the authority granted us to reach Salvation. The Cross is a mass barrier, the devil, the works of the devil, the darkness, the old man, the wiles of the old man, sin, even the old nature lost their power and ability the second we accepted the Cross of Jesus. The problem is some of us don’t believe it, what a person believes, so are they. Using the authority of the old man in any degree is still using the authority of darkness. Not wise at all.
Authority is Theocracy’s badge, misused authority is an attempt to overthrow the government God has established. The Authority in the Name of Jesus produces Acts, being in the Name produces the Ways. However, the Name (authority) of Jesus works for those in the Body, regardless of where they stand with Jesus. This conclusion is based on the disciples before the Cross who used the Name of Jesus with effectiveness, yet among them was Judas (Luke 10:17-20).
Was Paul an Apostle? Yes, but he was also a teacher and prophet, yet he submitted himself to James, the Pastor in Jerusalem. Was Peter an Apostle? Yes, but he still had to answer for eating with the Gentiles after the conversion of Cornelius (Acts 11:1-4). Did Peter say “wait I’m am Apostle, I don’t answer to you”? No, he gave a detailed account of the event (Acts 11:4-18).
A Pastor attempting to enforce his authority will push it into the soulish realm, ending fighting everyone, including himself and God. A Prophet attempting to be a Teacher is out of order, thus when a Prophet teaches on a prophecy they gave, they usually miss the point of the prophecy. A prophet is merely the voice used by God, the prophet didn’t come up with the prophecy, thus it takes the Holy Ghost to bring the intent and meaning of the prophecy. Personal prophecy or speaking in unknown tongues is by the Spirit in us, thus it takes the Spirit to interpret. However, in the Offices we find the Holy Ghost appoints, thus the Holy Ghost brings the interpretation regarding the prophesies of the Prophet in the Office.
When anyone in a calling allows the Authority to operate, then the power of the Gift will manifest. In the world one must use the power and authority, but in the Kingdom one is used by the power and authority. Therefore, submission is a key element, we are the tools used by the Authority of the office, it’s not the other way around. Submission within the gift stops debates, power struggles, or the carnal fighting from going on behind the scenes. Submission is a powerful weapon, it will halt abuses and defuse aggression.
Power struggles are always soul based seeking to bring division. The authority granted us is for Unity, not division, but when it’s twisted into the self-nature it will divide. Splits within a local body are based on power struggles, people with their own personal religious agendas, or an overwhelming lust to control. It doesn’t mean all involved in the split are self-run, it means in order for there to be a spilt there has to be someone who is self-run, or using authority in an ungodly manner. Someone assumes they should be the Pastor, they hear from a lust, then form plans of a takeover. They used authority, but in the wrong manner. Leaders are appointed by God, they serve us, but they don’t work for us.
Discipleship is always the foundation for good leadership; the disciples were taught to trust God by watching Jesus trust the Father. They were taught submission by watching Jesus submit, after Pentecost they were taught to understand by the Spirit. They were led by the Holy Ghost, thus the training continued, it didn’t end on Pentecost. How many of the disciples were cast into jail before Pentecost? Not one, but after? How many of the disciples were killed before Pentecost for standing on the Word? True Judas died, but it was self-inflicted, he was hardly standing on the Word. Not one disciple was injured, much less killed before Pentecost, but after? The difference is the Hoy Ghost plus the Spirit, it always is. After Pentecost their discipleship became a way of life; Jesus didn’t make leaders, He trained disciples, who became leaders by the power of the Holy Ghost.
Both Paul and Barnabas were apostles (Acts 14:14), after preaching in many cities they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch confirming the souls of the disciples (Acts 14:22). Before making any of the disciples elders they warned them how a disciple must enter the Kingdom of God by much tribulation. Then the Elders were appointed, thus the Elders were first disciples, it’s not the other way around (Acts 14:22-23). The making of an Elder is not an Office of Governments or Helps, rather it stands as the suggestive arm for leadership.
Grace is the gift, but there are different Greek words for the English word Gift. For instance the Greek Charis is translated as Gift and Grace. In respect to the gift for the offices it’s the Greek Doma. The Greek word Dosis refers to the act of giving; Dorean is an adverb meaning giving without charge. Dorea means giving freely or free gratis, it places the emphasizes on the gift itself. Doreomai means to make a gift of something or someone. Dorema is the thing given by the Doreomai. Doron means a gift to express honor. There are two verbs translated To Give; Didomi has a variety of meanings depending on the context, and Doreomai means to grant, showing the generosity of the giver. James 1:17 reads; “Every good gift (dosis), and every perfect gift (dorema) is from above”. Dosis is the act showing the intent of giving, which intent is always benevolent, purposed to do good for others, although it depends on how it’s used to determine if it remains good. When Dosis reaches its intended goal it becomes Dorema. Dorea involves the very Character of God’s intention, it doesn’t involve all of God’s Character. God intends for all His gifts to do good, it’s man’s handling of the gift determines if God’s Will in the gift is complete. God is not sorry for giving the Gift or Calling, what we do with it, determines our end.
Charis is perhaps the most well known Greek word for Gift, but the meaning may not be. Charis demands Rejoicing, Joy, Peace and Blessing, it’s termed Grace and the famed “unmerited favor” definition, but the nature of Grace is a granted Gift from God Spirit in nature, based on God’s love for us alone, to bring both He and us Joy and Fellowship in a Spiritual Unity. Grace is the Gift, thus Grace and the New Birth are the same, making result of Grace the Spirit of Christ in us, something none of us deserve. Grace is not only a Gift, it’s a nature by having the New Man.
The Holy Ghost initiates, motivates, connects, produces, encourages, and teaches through the Gift, as the gift activates unto it’s purposed goal, it’s our faith bringing us into union with the Gift to reach the goal. Charisma is Charis with the suffix Ma, showing the action or result based on the action. The Gift is Charis, the activity of Grace is Charisma, thus there are gifts in Charis to perfect the Gift of Charis. The Doma is a gift given to some to enhance the ability of many, it was used in more places than the offices, but best describes the office as a gift, rather than the person in the office as the gift.
Those within the Office are neither better, or any the less than anyone else in the Body, rather they have been called to serve so the Saints can be edified, allowing the saints to build the Body. Assuming the Office is given so one can dominate, or control the congregation is foolishness. For whatever reason God has, He picks some for the Office, it’s not our position or right to question, debate over, or become jealous about, it’s our duty to know the Gift (Doma) is a call to train those with Charis. The mistake Judas made was thinking the calling of the office was his holiness, it’s a mistake every leader must beware of. The Office is not Grace, it’s not Salvation, it’s a tool to assist the saints. The Office has an anointing and power on the Office, just as Aaron’s robe had a protective power. When Aaron and Miriam challenged Moses, Miriam broke out with leprosy but Aaron did not. It wasn’t until the robe was removed from Aaron when the price of his folly was paid. Leadership has a protection, but it is not a sign of the person’s relationship with Jesus, nor a sign of their holiness or righteousness.
When Ezekiel saw the whirlwind, he also saw Theocracy at work (Ezek 1:4). Ezekiel saw four living creatures, all separate, yet all moving straight forward in unity (Ezek 1:9). Each creature was a type and shadow of the Gospel. They had burning coals of fire, the appearance of lamps. The coals represent the prayers of the saints, and the lamps the seven churches (Ezek 1:13). Ezekiel saw one wheel upon the earth, and the appearance of wheels, with the appearance of the works as one wheel in the middle of another (Ezek 2:15-16). The two wheels worked one with the other, yet they were separated, giving us “helps and governments”. The wheels of Theocracy spin around the throne of God, God is always the center, always the goal and always the force behind perfect Theocracy.
When Theocracy is in order there is a protection, or hedge around the protected of God. When the servant of the prophet saw the enemy round about, he didn’t run to his own cave for protection, he ran to the one with the anointing (II Kings 6:15-18). The enemy circled the mountains, but God’s chariots of fire were round about the prophet (II Kings 6:17). There is a difference, the chariots of fire circled the prophet not the enemy, when the enemy was subdued, the prophet of God extended Mercy (II Kings 6:21-22). The anointing on the prophet provided protection, but both the prophet and his servant had to remain in the anointing to be protected.
Elisha was a man of God, but only because of the calling and anointing, not because of the man; therefore, the calling and anointing made the man, the man didn’t make the calling or the anointing. There was something in the heart of Elisha causing God to pick him, but the something was only known to God. We tend to say, “I wouldn’t pick that one”; but we’re not the one doing the picking, we’re not God, thus we only confirm whom God has already picked. Samuel found it out, when God picked David, not one person there, including the prophet of God thought David could ever be a king. God looks on the inside, man looks to the outside, the prophet obeyed the voice of the Lord by confirming God’s choice.
Does God’s system always work? Yes, but we must enter it before it works for us. Does God’s plan always entail blessing? Yes, but we must enter it to obtain the blessing. Mark was sent to minister unto Paul, did he complete the course? No, (Acts 13:5, 13:9 & 13:13). Mark was later restored, after he grew up in the Lord, as he knew it was better to serve than complain. However, Joshua was the minister to Moses, did he do his job? Yes; he not only saw the promise land, but he became the leader of the people (Joshua 1:1 & 1:6-16). Mark was in the upper room, he received the Spirit. However, as far as serving we find Joshua, who was not Born Again, who completed his course. The Spirit didn’t force Mark to serve, yet Mark grew in the guidance and instruction to become beneficial. The Holy Spirit will not make us obey, the Holy Ghost will not force us into an Office. Paul was open, he said, “Lord what would You have me do?”, the Lord responded, Paul accepted.
Moses was the leader in the wilderness, but he acquired the position by being known as the Servant to God (Ex 14:31); as Joshua was known as the servant of Moses (Ex 33:11). Before Joshua became the leader, he was first a loyal and dedicated servant to the man of God. Joshua knew the mantel was on Moses, the way to obtain his own mantel was to serve the one who held one. Joshua didn’t use the mantel of Moses, rather God gave Joshua his own.
There were two dramatic changes in the Body, neither of which took a vote from the masses. Peter going to Cornelius was a drastic change in the process of the Body, the door to the Gentile was being opened, yet Peter didn’t feel he had to gain approval from the others regarding what the Lord told him. Prior no Gentile had received the Spirit, no member of the Body would be caught eating with a Gentile, they were sent to the Jews. However, we must also conclude from the Scriptures Peter had no idea the Lord was going to give Cornelius the Spirit. As far was Peter was concerned he was not to treat what God has cleaned as common (worldly). Peter was just as surprised as anyone else when the Holy Ghost brought the Spirit to Cornelius and his house.
Although Peter didn’t obtain permission from the elders to go to Cornelius, he was questioned regarding the event when he returned. Peter left nothing out, he rehearsed the matter from the very beginning to the very end, this doesn’t mean he ran the events over in his mind, it means he left nothing out when he spoke to the elders upon his return (Acts 11:1-4). If Peter was an Apostle, why would he have to answer to anyone? Why did he feel he should rehearse the matter? The Body is not one person over another, as the world terms leadership, but parts working together to obtain the goal. How can these Elders question the Apostle? How dare they. Don’t answer them, you’re above all that Peter, you’re the anointed apostle. However, Peter knew he was a man with authority, but also under authority. He answered the elders, when the elders heard it was God, they were satisfied.
When Paul declared the closing of the door for the Jew, and the opening of the door to the Gentile, it changed the course of gaining entry into the Kingdom by removing the Gospel of the circumcision, yet no one wrote letters to Paul, or fought it (Acts 28:26-31). Was it a major change? One of the biggest of all time, but did Paul ask Jerusalem for permission? Did he take a vote? No, he was moved by the Holy Ghost, thus casting lots or guessing at what God desires is not theocracy, it’s man’s way of appeasing the soul of man. The letters after the fact show Paul’s prophecy was accepted, the Gospel to the Gentile became The Gospel of Peace. It in no way means when some Whacko makes a decision, we follow like dumb sheep, rather it shows the other leaders at the time were also hearing the Holy Ghost.
On the same note one cannot use “so saith the Lord” to get their own way, or to make their own self-based changes. When Paul spoke it was based on the Holy Ghost with the circumstances supporting the prophecy. If any other prophet of the Lord would have judged Paul’s words in error, we would have read about it. The prophets still judge the prophets.
Theocracy is a combination of Submission, Responsibility and Accountably. How does it begin? The position is first imputed on a person in the “calling”, but it is not imparted until the training process is complete. Paul preached in small gatherings before he was appointed an Apostle, but the same man said he would not have a Novice to teach. Wow. Wait, Paul was not a novice, he spent nearly his entire life learning the Scriptures, after his conversion the Spirit brought Life to the verses, producing a man who was not a novice.
The leaders are accountable to the Chief Shepherd (I Pet 5:4). Any leader has two possible methods of operation; they can feed the flock of God taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind, neither being lords of God’s heritage, but examples to the flock (I Pet 5:2-3). They can also use carnal methods to enforce their authority, taking the oversight by constraint, using their own will, looking for the self-benefit in filthy lucre, not with a ready mind to be accountable, ending as lords over the flock using manipulation to dominate, instead of being an example, they can project a “do as I say, not as I do” mentality. Whichever, the truth remains, they will face the Chief Shepherd to receive the reward of their doings, some the crown of glory, some the sword.
It’s just important to care for our Godly leaders, when we do God cares for us (Ph’l 4:6, 4:14 & 4:19). Does the term Filthy Lucre mean the leader should not be paid? Hardly, the term doesn’t mean money alone, thus it’s not Lucre, but Filthy Lucre. If taking money was a sin, Paul was up to his neck in sin, thus it can’t be money, rather Filthy means one doesn’t care where the money comes from, or what strings are attached, or what they have to do to get it. If they have to preach a certain way to get paid, they will, if they have to say certain things to get paid, they will, if they have to refrain from saying to get paid, they will, thus they make the lucre filthy.
Paul refused money from Corinth, because of the strings attached, but he received from Philippians and other churches. The elder who labors in Word and the Doctrine of Christ is worth double the honor, don’t ever muzzle the ox (I Tim 5:17-18). Only carnal churches refuse to honor their leaders (II Cor 7:1-10 & I Cor 4:8-14). When we preach to get money, we are in this for filthy lucre, when we preach to please the “big givers”, we’re preaching for filthy lucre, when we preach to see people come to the Lord to receive His saving Grace, regardless of the money or personal reward we are a saint of God.
What about the congregation? Are they responsible? Acts 5:1-5 is an example of theocracy at work, who did Ananias lie to? The Board, the Apostles, the deacons, or God? (Acts 5:3-4). If Theocracy wasn’t involved how could he lie to God? He made his vow to the men of God, many of us assume we are making vows to men, when in fact it’s to the position, calling, or gift, not the person we’re speaking to. Always pray before making a vow, we could be binding ourselves to a wreck. This is a simple premise, one overlooked by carnal minds, but considered serious by the spiritual. When the Philippians needed help in areas not financial, they still knew to give of their material things to the man of God, then God would provide their rescue (Ph’l 4:2 & 4:16).
When Paul was in Thessalonica, who took care of him? (Ph’l 4:16 & I Thess 2:9). What type of labor did Paul do in Thessalonica? He preached the Gospel night and day (I Thess 2:9). How could he do it without the help of the Philippians? When Paul was in Corinth he worked as a tent maker, but why? Did he use the money for himself, if so he lied to the Corinthians, when he said “I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service” (II Cor 11:8). Paul worked to make sure his people were cared for, in so doing God cared for him, but as far as the carnal church? Paul refused their lucre, they would use their money in some attempt to control Paul. Paul knew better, he would rather suffer before taking their lucre.
Theocracy has many titles, topics and subjects, but the one word causing us either hardship or joy; peace or disruption is the word “Order”. If we are out of order in our family life, prayer life, church life, or calling, we will be out of order with God. If we allow God to bring Order, we will have order in our family life, prayer life, and all areas concerning God. The Apostles knew something was wrong when the Greeks came to them with complaints, but instead of rejecting the Greeks, or the complaints, they made a Godly decision keeping the Body in proper Order, then miracles began to happen (Acts 6:2-7). It was still in the very early days, thus we can get out of order, but it doesn’t mean it’s all over, rather it means we can be restored to proper order.
There is a reason for us to enter Theocracy and have things in Order. The Dictionary tells us the word Order means a Row, Series, Rank, Class, or Arrangement; Something set in place to bring harmony, An established function of authority, A body or society of persons living in function under Order, or to Arrange method to regulate and conduct a function. The Greek language has six words relating to Order, all of which are important to Theocracy. There is Diatasso meaning an order of appointment, such as ordination (Acts 7:44, I Cor 7:17 & Titus 1:5). This places a person in the order, it doesn’t make the order subject to the person. Then Epidiorthoo meaning To proceed in correcting order; this Greek word is only used once in Titus 1:5, which reads “for this cause left I you in Crete, for you to set in order the things wanting (left undone)”. This completes the order, thus if there are parts of the order we have left undone, God will send someone to finish the work, or assist us in bringing proper order. Then the Greek Kathexei meaning A succession of the order, or those who follow after in the order established (Acts 3:24, 11:4 & 18:23). Then Stoicheo meaning a line or rank of people, with a leader(s), with the remaining members forming the Order, as a file of soldiers, consisting of those in higher ranks, on down to those in the lower ranks (Rom 4:12, Gal 5:25, 6:16 & Acts 21:24). Then Tagma meaning to arrange in a orderly manner (I Cor 15:23). There are times when we have all the pieces, but in the wrong order, or as some put it, not having our priorities straight, then God brings Tagma to put things In Order. Lastly is Taxis or the setting in order, it refers to adding pieces to complete the Order (I Cor 14:40). All these help us understand why God shakes all that can be shaken. There are times when nothing is shaken off, rather it is shaken into order. We can have G where B belongs, or J where A should be, God will shake them into the proper order to produce the Godly result.
God’s Theocracy is not only for the local church, but for the many facets of our walk as well. It’s not only a subject for the leader, but for all those in the Body. Each letter written to a church centers around Order in Theocracy. The spiritual reproofs, correction, edification and encouragement all focus on Theocracy and proper Order. Paul told the Corinthians “Let all things be done decently and in order” (I Cor 14:40). What order? Theocracy, God’s Order.
God has established an order, even in the wilderness. Moses had Aaron and Hur to support him, with Joshua as his minister. Jesus picked three men out of the twelve for special training. The trio of James (not James the Less), John and Peter were the three Jesus took with Him on special assignments. Jesus had the Three, the Twelve, the Seventy, the four thousand and the five thousand. The Three were taught the Ways of God, the Seventy did the Acts of God. It was the Seventy who came back rejoicing about the ability of the Name of Jesus. The 4,000 received from Jesus, they didn’t make the same mistake as the 5,000. The 5,000 followed Jesus to gain the bread and fish, thus they didn’t know the Ways or Acts, they just wanted the “goodies”. Taking this to the Body, the 4,000 and 5,000 show up Sunday morning looking to be ministered to, or searching out the goodies; the 70 show up Sunday night, the twelve show up Wednesday night, the Three show up whenever there is a need. Which group requires the most knowledge on the Ways? The twelve, they love God, they show up to learn the Ways, the Three are already operating in the Ways and Acts. The 4,000 show up to partake of the Word and benefit, but the 5,000 show up at all the prosperity meetings, the healing meetings, all the praise and worship meetings, but they never show up when the Ways of God are taught. The 5,000 are yet Babes, unable to understand the importance of the Body or the Blood. Therefore, the 70 and 4,000 will minister to the 5,000, while the 3 and 12 minister to the 70 and 4,000.
In light of this Jesus said, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they exercise authority over them are called benefactors, but you shall not be so” (Luke 22:25-26). Clearly this is an Authority issue, not a power issue. When we use our position to gain lordship over the flock, or use fear tactics and manipulation to control the flock, we’re using the authority of darkness. The methods of the Gentiles are not the methods of God, a mixed seed is still corruptible (Deut 22:9).
Leadership in the Body can only be held and maintained by those with servant’s hearts. He who is Chief among us, let him know how to serve (Luke 22:26). We know how to serve by serving, discipleship consists of learning how to serve. There must be a Godly way to have a Godly man or woman formed into a leader without us doing the forming, but nonetheless helping. There must be a method wherein man is not the center of the process, but God is. There must be a teaching method for discipleship wherein the teacher is merely a guide, not the source. A method where the person being discipled is face to face with Jesus, without the hand of man in the way. There is, it’s in the Bible. Did Jesus allow His disciples to make mistakes? Yes, the best example is Peter. Jesus prayed for Peter, but did Jesus stop Satan from sifting Peter? No, the lesson was far greater for the sake of God. Although Satan did sift Peter, it was Jesus who healed him. There was a purpose, as Jesus said, “When you are converted, strengthen your brethren”. There are times when we tend to be overly protective of those being formed into leaders, we need to pray, know when to speak, and when to allow things to take their course.
Jesus was Servant among them all; He said “Even as the Son of man” thus He didn’t serve as the Gentiles do, He served based on God’s mercy. He never trained by cruelty, force, or manipulation, He was an example, yet it was obvious He had authority, power and position. Could Jesus use power anyway He wanted? Yes, He told Peter He had the power to call many angels down, but did He? No, there are things within our power, but not beneficial to God or us. Jesus didn’t think on His own things, but on the things of others (Ph’l 2:4). This Mind of Christ must be in us by submitting to the Lord through the Spirit.
Jesus humbled Himself and became Obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross (Ph’l 2:8). The Father exalted the Son After the Son humbled Himself (Ph’l 2:8-9). Does this mean the Logos wasn’t in the beginning? Hardly, the Logos was In the Form of God, the Logos thought it not robbery to be equal to God, but the Logos took on the flesh of man and became “A Servant” (Ph’l 2:6-7). Was Jesus still God in the flesh? Yes, but He took on the form of a servant, and maintained it until the purpose was complete. From the highest of all Jesus submitted to become the lowest of all to serve, in order to please the Father; in turn the Father exalted the Son back to the Right Hand side of Majesty.
Jesus emptied Himself of deity to be found in the form of man; He suffered, and was tempted as you and I, yet never fell to temptation. One might say, “Well it was Jesus”; however, we also know “Greater is He in me”. When the people attempted to make Jesus king, He walked from them. He won’t allow man to exalt Him, He was only interested in pleasing the Father. If we desire leadership so we can be exalted, we error. In our case we are the lowest form, but with Jesus in us we are elevated to the right hand side of Majesty.
Whatever pain Jesus suffered, He knew the Father is a Rewarder of them who diligently seek Him. Jesus was looking to the needs of others, whether He worked all day, ministered to thousands, there was always enough left to serve the disciples and minister the more. Jesus did empty Himself of deity, but was Resurrected as Deity (Rom 1:3-4). He is our example, we offer ourselves a Living Sacrifice, which is the only reasonable (logical) thing we can do. If anyone has a desire to be a leader, they must, without exception be a emptied servant rather to be filled with the Holy Ghost and power.
The disciple learns their life is not their own, they are bought with a price. During the earthly ministry Jesus called those who followed Him, Disciples (under training) and Apostles (sent ones), He didn’t call them prophets, pastors, teachers or evangelists. Can one be an apostle. yet sent to a specific area? Yes, just after Pentecost the apostles were sent to the Jews alone, but then the Holy Ghost removed the borders, then they were sent into all the world. However, some were sent to specific locals, others like Paul were sent to the Gentiles alone, as Peter was sent to the circumcised. However, all the apostles were sent to virgin areas, even before the Cross. Can an Apostle be sent to an area with bodies already established? Yes, to bring Commandment, but the Prophet and Teacher will confirm the Commandment is of God.
Did any of them think their position gave them the right to dominate others? No, did Thomas write back and say, “You know Luke is spending too much time writing about Paul, there are others out here you know?”. No he didn’t, yet the man went to India and preached with the same results as Paul. Thomas, like the others was not concerned with how many people knew what he was doing, he was concerned with how many people came to know Jesus by what he was doing.
Can a leader still be in training? Yes, before the Cross the apostles were still apostles, but they were also disciples. Luke 14:25-35 lays out some of the requirements for leadership, one cannot be a leader, unless they are discipled correctly. Any leader must count the cost, although Grace is a gift, keeping it does cost, just as leadership is a gift, but nonetheless costs us. We count the cost, can we finish the building? No, God can, but it takes a decision to hate (love less) our father (past life style), mother (religious thinking), wife (world), children (Ishmaels), brethren (thinking more about what God is doing with a brother, than with us); sisters (looking to other servants or handmaidens of the Lord to do our work for us), and even our own life (souls). These requirements determine if we desire to serve, or desire to be served.
Home fellowship leaders are no different from other leaders, they need to be trained in the position they have accepted. They must make the same decision to enter God’s will and be crucified with Christ. We must enter the death of Christ; no longer inserting our opinions, self-wills, or self-determinations. Then Jesus will raise us up, and bring us into leadership. God is interested in disciples, not self-based controllers, He wants servants not masters, He desires to Birth us into a New nature, not enhance the old.
A leader and a ministry must be closely connected, the attitude of the leader will reflect on the ministry. A leader must have a blessing attitude, as they walk in the fullness of Mercy. This is a positive motivation, not a negative demotivater. There is much said about positive thinkers and negative thinkers, the thinking alone is not the only factor. The word Negative means Expressing denial, refusal to do something, refusing consent, one who lacks positive attributes, denoting subtraction, or removing from the total, which connect to unbelief and doubt. The word Positive means Confident, fully assured, real, based on experience, not based on opinion, one who proceeds in a set direction, it denotes adding to, rather than taking away from. Positive is not a “yes man” to men, but a “Yes Lord” to Jesus.
Any ministry must die, then be resurrected, but this doesn’t mean we kill the ministry, nor does it mean we invite some son of perdition in to murder it, it means we allow the Holy Ghost to crucify it. This doesn’t mean the ministry will cease to exist, it means the carnal activity will cease to exist. When the death pains come, let them, but don’t enter sorrow, be glad, for the Resurrection into the newness is at hand. The ministry begins like unto the Son of man, then comes the Spirit and the Resurrection to bring it into a spiritual nature.
When a ministry is Born Again by the Spirit, then the Power of the Resurrection with the Revelation of Eternal Life become an immovable force to survive the boat rocking storms. The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree; he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those Planted in the House of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God (Ps 92:12-13). Self-righteousness never endures, rather we must be Planted (Engrafted) in the House of the Lord by the Spirit . A brutish (senseless) man knows not, neither does a fool understand this (Ps 92:6). When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; they shall be destroyed forever (Ps 92:7). But, the Lord is the Most High for evermore, join Him and endure (Ps 92:8).
This brings us to Psalm 51, with the question “Why?”. Each has to ask, “Why do I want a ministry?”, we also need to ask ourselves, “Why am I in this?”. Why did we enter the Body? Why do we want to serve in an Office? If our reasoning is God based we can enter Psalm 51. We want God’s Mercy and Lovingkindness to blot out our transgressions, before we can help others with theirs. We need the washing of the Water by the Word to scrub us clean, as the Blood of Jesus removes unrighteousness, as the Spirit guides us into truth. The Water, Blood and Spirit still bear Witness on earth (Ps 51:1-2 & I Jn 5:7-8). Being open before God is always a key to an honest ministry (Ps 51:3). We fight to remain free of becoming a supersoul, or falling into their traps. We must keep in mind the ministry is God’s, we’re merely workers and caretakers. The moment we assume “it’s my ministry”, we will demand for God to serve us (Ps 51:4-6). The renewing of the mind is the same as a renewed spirit (attitude), every day is a new day in Jesus (Ps 51:10). The purpose is to fill the net, for the day will come when He who now lets will take the Bride home, thus we pray for God not to take His Holy Spirit from us, but to take us with the Spirit at the Rapture (Ps 51:11). This shows it’s not God who takes the Spirit from us, rather it’s the self-willed ones who separate themselves from the Spirit. The Joy of the Lord will carry us through the various tests, holding to the Ways of Christ will open the ministry. Attempting to get the Holy Ghost to follow our agenda is foolish, allowing the Holy Ghost to guide us in the agenda of God is wise.
Psalm 51:13 shows the purpose of all this, to teach transgressors the Ways of God, the Acts will come, it’s the Ways people need to know. Spiritual conflict is a battle to remain spiritual, we trust in God to deliver us from the Wicked (Ps 51:14). Condemning the Transgressor, and showing the Praise of God are different. God isn’t looking for some great self-effort on our part, He is looking for the broken attitude (spirit), a contrite and humble soul, a servant who operates out of love, not hate (Ps 51:17). We pray for God to do Good unto all, rather than justice unto any. After the broken and contrite heart, comes the sacrifice, attempting to give the sacrifice while pride and ego reign produces a carnal leader (Ps 51:19).
The Old Testament tells us God did establish priests, pastors and prophets, but they left their callings (Jere 2:8). The priests didn’t look for the Lord, they twisted the Law to fit their self-gains, the pastors transgressed, the prophets prophesied by Baal for profit (Jere 2:8). God said He would give pastors (plural) according to His heart, who will feed the people with knowledge and understanding (Jere 3:15 & Ps 51:13).
The verses in Ezekiel 34 are prime examples of how a leader goes astray; the shepherds of Israel did feed themselves, they failed to heal the diseased and sick, failed to heal the broken, neither did they seek those whom the devil had driven away. However, God came in the flesh to become the Great Shepherd (Ezek 34:12-16).
The Greek word Poimaino often translated as Shepherd means To tend or take general care of the flock, it doesn’t mean to Teach, it means to watch over. It’s from this word we get Poimen or Pastor. Peter was called to Pastor in the last chapter of John, which added to his position, it didn’t take away from it. Peter was not a Pastor, but he was called to be a Shepherd, thus a Shepherd makes sure the lambs and sheep have a place where they can receive the Good Word of Life. Peter told us about how a Shepherd leads by example, yet his Pastor was James.
Jesus is both the Bishop and Shepherd of our souls, why both? The Bishop relates to Helps, He is helping us in the process of the saving of our souls; as our Shepherd He is watching over us making sure we have all it takes to win. The Archipoimen (Great Shepherd) is Jesus (I Pet 5:4), yet He has given Some to be Pastors (Shepherd helpers). Jesus is always the Great Shepherd of the sheep (Heb 13:20), but He appointed Pastors to watch over the flock under His leadership.
In conclusion we will look at Ordination, and how it effects each of us. First off no human has the right to place people into the Doma Offices, they merely confirm the obvious calling Jesus has given the person. There are several Greek words used for the English word Ordain, all of which are important; the Greek Cheirotoneo means Stretching out the hands, connecting to John 21:18, and the doctrine of the laying on of hands (Heb 6:1-2). In John 21 we find the ordination of Peter, as the confirmation, “but when you shall be old, you shall stretch forth your hands, and another shall grid you” (Jn 21:18). The word Another refers to Another Comforter, thus one requirement of ordination in this case is not only to be guided by the Spirit, but to Allow the Spirit (New Man) to guide and instruct us. Of course they must also have the signs of the Holy Ghost as the ability to deal with the masses in a Godly manner. Without first being Born Again the rest would be out of order.
The Greek Ginomai means To come into existence, or pass from one state to another. Ordination calls for us to leave the past behind, as we surrender ourselves to Jesus for whatever work He so desires. The Greek Diatasso means to Appoint or Set in order (Titus 1:5). This area is the one where we do set people as Elders, Bishops, or Deacons. The purpose of Ordination is to set things in order. The Greek Kathistemi means To be set in an office, relating to the Doma Offices. When Jesus Sets someone in Office, no man can remove them, only Jesus can remove them from office. David couldn’t remove Saul, although David was the appointed and anointed king. God placed Saul in position, thus God would have to remove him. David understood Authority, the understanding kept him in his position during the tests, even during those most dangerous and hazardous situations. Whomever puts the person in the office is the only one with authority to remove them, thus if man removes us, it was man who put us there. If it’s the case, it’s better to be removed.
The Greek Kataskeuazo means To prepare a vessel or build, thus ordination is not the finish of the work, but the beginning. The Greek Krino means to Sit in judgment, or to separate, or to judge in one’s own mind. When faced with the qualifications we must judge in our own mind, “do we have sufficient to finish?”, if we look inside and see the Greater He, then we do. If we think we can do this by mind power, or intellect, we will either fail, or become so carnal the only one who can stand us is Satan.
We must also be open for Jesus to judge us at any time. The Greek Horizo means a Limit or Boundary, calling for us to know the Limit of the calling, and not venture past it. The Greek Poieo means The completed action of God, this is the goal of ordination. The Greek Prographo means To write openly or make public the notice, we must make known to the members of the Body any ordination effecting them. The Greek Proetoimazo means To make ready beforehand, or foreordain, meaning God has already ordained, man merely confirms. The Greek Tasso means to Place or set in a Certain order, rather than a general order.
What about Helps? They also fall within the order of ordination, calling for the laying on of hands, as Timothy found out. The placement of Helps is very important, in this regard we find one warning concerning ordination, yet it’s the greatest caution of all as it applies to Helps and Government appointments. We know about the problems of Timothy, but his warning was lay hands suddenly on no man, it was not “watch out who lays hand on you” (I Tim 5:22). The word Suddenly is the Greek Tacheos meaning hastily, or without due consideration. Simply because it appears someone may be beneficial to the Body, doesn’t mean they will be.
The Doctrine of the laying on of hands will be covered in the study on the Book of Hebrews, but for here we ask, what if the one doing the ordination, and the one being ordained are miles apart. The purpose of laying on of hands is presentation, in the cast of ordination, if the one doing the ordination presents the person to the Lord by prayer, as well as to the people by certificate, the obligation is complete. In any case, the one doing the ordaining must have ears to hear, one sign Paul notes is prophesy (I Tim 4:14). Paul recalls his own experience when he and others heard the Holy Ghost say through the prophets, “Separate Me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them” (Acts 13:2). It still comes down to spiritual awareness of matters concerning the people of God. We are not to become paranoid, nor refuse to lay hands on anyone because we don’t want to make a mistake, neither are we to sell ordination papers as it they were a magazine. Listen to what the Spirit of God says, and obey.
By Rev. G. E. Newmyer © 2003
