Greg Crawford

Category: Leadership Principles

  • The Lost Art of Tarrying

    As I began to do an in-depth study into the early Church, I wanted to discover the ancient paths that we have lost and they obviously had found. Amazingly, I discovered a very old but seldom taken path, the art of tarrying. For some it might be contemplative prayer, for others it is silent prayer and for others, it is meditation. Some would say it is the harp and bowl model and others would call it soaking prayer. But tarrying is more than any of these types of descriptions. Most of these are primarily focused around the presence of the Lord. But tarrying has both presence and divine purpose associated with it.

    Luke 24:49 (KJV 1900) — 49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

    Jesus commanded them to tarry until a certain aspect would occur, to be endued with power from on high. The word ‘endued’ means to be wrapped in light or to be totally enveloped. It also can mean to be mantled. The word ‘power’ is the word dunamis and means grace, but also means the nature of God himself. He told them to tarry until this wrapping of God’s character and mantle was upon them.

    The definition of tarrying is to wait with anticipation and expectation, not to sit idle. Tarrying is worship, prayer, decree, studying, but all these are outward actions. Anticipation and expectation are issues of the heart. Jesus was essentially saying to them ‘go position your heart and keep it positioned until My character is mantled upon your life’!  The actions of worship, prayer, decrees, etc. help keep our heart positioned correctly but are not actually ways of tarrying. Tarrying is sitting with expectation at the feet of Christ.

    In the account of the upper room, they were given this commandment to go tarry. However, earlier, Jesus had asked them to come with Him as He tarried before the Father. Mark 14:34  My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.   He asked them after finding them sleeping, could they not watch one hour, verse 37. He modeled tarrying as He had deep conversation with the Father concerning the destiny of His life and the redemption of the world. He was in agony as He poured Himself out before heaven’s throne and received final instructions. Yet when He returned, He found them all sleeping. This is much like the Church today. In our prayer meetings, 24-hour worship and prayer, etc., we tend to go through the motions but our hearts are far from Him. We need to be awakened and that is what true tarrying will do. It awakens you to God’s purposes.

    In the garden, Jesus invited them to tarry but at the upper room, He commanded it. This command was a necessary one as their hearts had proven in the garden to be far from the things of God. I believe God is again, not inviting us to this ancient path, but commanding us to come and tarry. The first invitation was for one hour. Imagine His disappointment then, but also even today, as many cannot pray for an hour even when giving God their wish list, all He wants is for us to come and sit and hear His heart.

    In Acts in the upper room, they went, not knowing how long they would be in the process. We know it to be about 10 days. A quick work was being accomplished. When it was finished, the purpose of God was formed inside of them and the nature of Christ was upon them enabling them to fulfill the assignment. You see, true tarrying has nothing to do with you and your needs and everything to do with God’s plan and purposes. It is a deep cleansing process and deep gut- wrenching moments as He reveals both our inadequacies and His divine nature. It is as if we are at odds with them and all our so called “prayer requests” hold no real value of being answered compared to the glory He is revealing to us.

    As we look at this time of tarrying, we see Peter arising and preaching the first message after being endued with power. It is roughly ten to fifteen minutes in length by what we see written and 3,000 converts were made. How many of us would be willing to tarry for 10 days, speak 10 minutes with such power from His nature, and see 3,000 added? Within 24 hours of the answer, there were 3,000 converts. We have lost the ancient path of tarrying before the Lord!

    Most of our messages are powerless and hold no real revelation. They do not prick men’s hearts and shift culture. We spend time in study and prayer but we must spend time in tarrying. Tarrying forms His nature within us, which empowers us. Tarrying enables our plans and message to be discarded and His picked up. Tarrying allows us to not just preach with enticing words, but to preach with power and signs and wonders.

    When Jesus slipped away to pray to the Father, He modeled tarrying more than any other things. He was having a dialogue with the Father and conveying His heart as He received the Father’s heart. He then came forth out of these times and moved in great power.  

    Acts 1:7–8 (KJV 1900) — 7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

    These verses in Acts say again, what will happen in the tarrying.

    Times in the Greek is chronos meaning ‘measurable time, like minutes, hours, days’

    Seasons in the Greek is kairos meaning ‘divine moments in God He has ordained’

    (Own) Power in the Greek is exousia, which means ‘authority or the legal right’

    (Receive) Power in the Greek is dunamis, which is ‘the origin of the very nature residing’

    As we look at this, we can see that tarrying is going to produce something that is more important than even knowing times and seasons or even the legal rights because it will produce the living nature of Christ within us. Tarrying conforms our nature to His nature thus enabling us to move in the full power of the Holy Spirit.

    We have often pondered on what they did as they gathered for all those days. Did they reflect on scriptures? I believe they did, trying to find answers and explanations to what this power would be. We see Peter speaking from the book of Joel as a fresh revelation, which was possibly a recent place he had just read. Did they sing and worship? Probably, as they were excited to be counted worthy of this new dimension creating questions none of them could answer. Did they pray? I’m sure of it. They needed answers and I’m sure they were full of questions. Did they discuss Jesus’ words? Absolutely! His words were why they gathered. They probably had in-depth conversations about them and the possible meaning. The one thing we know happened is that they created an atmosphere to draw the Holy Spirit and created one accord. The act of tarrying has all these elements in it, not in the mechanical processes we tend to do, but in a living, life- giving and flowing purpose. The tarrying was for a reason, not just because it was something needing to be done. It was a container built by human spirits hungry for God.

    You see, their approach was not seeking results; this is called ‘search theology’, which is constantly looking for results to validate God. They knew there would be results. He had promised and commanded and spoke with authority that this would come to pass. They had a ‘harvest theology’, which means they understood the promise’s ultimate result would occur. Their seeking and the difference in tarrying over simply praying is; praying is searching while tarrying is knowing. Instead of them searching God, they were allowing God to search them. They were in a quickened process of obstacles being removed from their lives so they would not block the intentions of God. Now that’s real tarrying! They were at a critical moment of time, the second time the word ‘tarrying’ was asked of them. Let us go back to the garden and look at that time again to help us see the importance of tarrying.

    Matthew 26:38 (KJV 1900) — 38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

    Tarry means “to continue”, “tarry”, “endure”, and translated miscellaneously five times. 1 to remain, abide. 1a in reference to place. 1a1 to sojourn, tarry. 1a2 not to depart. 1a2a to continue to be present. 1a2b to be held, kept, continually. 1b in reference to time. 1b1[1] to continue to be, not to perish, to last, endure. 1b1a of persons, to survive, live. 1c in reference to state or condition. 1c1 to remain as one, not to become another or different. 2 to wait for, await one.

    They had not become one yet. They definitely were not of one heart and soul and they still were not one with Christ. Jesus saw the lack in the human nature to understand spiritual things and the process needed to create that oneness. Imagine His disappointment as He came and saw them sleeping.

    Matthew 26:40 (KJV 1900) — 40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

    Here He is at the most critical part of His assignment upon the earth and He desires to share this moment with those closest to Him. Yet they are sound asleep. As I said earlier, this is the state of the Church and few in this hour are awakened. Even among those already awakened, few are tarrying and we wonder why things are not exploding. We are again at the most crucial moment in the life of Christ in the Church upon the earth. We are at a real point of death to self unlike anything we have ever seen before. Dying to self has become so cliché and has no meaning unless combined with tarrying before the Lord to receive His instructions. However, for those who do tarry like Christ did with His Father, there will be loosed a resurrection power that will far exceed anything we have seen and done. Our later years will be greater than our former and we will do greater works!

    Luke 24:29–30 (KJV 1900) — 29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. 30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

    Another time the word ‘tarry’ is used is after the Resurrection and Jesus is on the road to Emmaus and meets two followers. They asked Him to abide but Luke wrote that He tarried with them. He did not spend much time yet suddenly their eyes were opened. You see the actions of Jesus tarrying created awakening. His tarrying had corresponding actions.

    We see another time that Jesus left the normal actions of life and tarried at a well. (John 4) The other disciples went to get food but as Jesus told them later in John 4:34 My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work”.  His tarrying at the well was intentional and had a specific result; it confronted a woman’s heart and brought healing with the overall results being the conversion of multitudes of Samaritans.

    As we begin to look further, we see times that Apostle Paul tarried as well. He specifically states that his tarrying would produce a certain result.

    1 Timothy 3:14–15 (KJV 1900) — 14 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: 15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

    Paul tarried so the reverence he had would come upon others. He believed his tarrying would be a living example for others to follow. We might interpret this as his length of stay, but I see it as his length of time spent before God. After all, he could stay for a long length of time but if they did not see His actions before God, they would not have reverence. It was a specific type of tarrying that Paul did and he invited others into it to experience it.

    We know Jacob wrestled all night for God’s blessing. In my opinion, he was tarrying before the Lord. He did not know how the blessing would come or what it would look like but he did know not to give up. The scripture says he wrestled but the wrestling was probably more with himself and his responses before God. His act of both wrestling and tarrying allowed him to walk away marked by God for the rest of his life, a reminder of a turning point in his life.

    Daniel also tarried and fasted for 21 days to get an answer. Interestingly, his words were heard from the first day, but his tarrying was enabling the spiritual realm to be cleared so his answer could come. It appears tarrying faith can both put into motion and hold in motion the angelic host until the answer is brought forth upon the earth. Perhaps much of our spiritual warfare is not effective because we don’t really tarry in faith. Maybe it also has to do with our lack of fasting, another ancient path that has been lost or at least greatly diminished.

    Like all things, ancient paths require the right heart attitudes and motives to be effective. If our heart condemns us not, then we have confidence before God. If we are feeling condemned or are walking in sin, rebellion, or lack a desire to live a fully committed lifestyle of true faith, our confidence will reflect this. Confidence does not just come for us to feel good about ourselves but it comes to empower the desire to abide in God … to pursue His presence, to tarry until He comes.

    However, what else keeps us from tarrying before God? A prayer less life. Prayerlessness keeps us from tarrying because we might be confronted about areas of our life in need of change. God wants to deal with your heart BEFORE you tarry with Him. Notice I said with Him. Tarrying is about a discussion of partnership of God’s intentions into the earth. Prayer tends to be a more one-sided discussion as we make requests of God. Tarrying is God making requests of us! God wants to shift things in our personal lives and before tarrying can truly be effective, things must be confronted with prayer and worked through in our own walk with Him. Tarrying is for the corporate Body as prayer is for the individual. God does not want our times of tarrying to deal with our personal sin issues but the sin issues of a region, people group or nation.

    When we tarry before God, we are also tarrying before His holiness. We are seeing the beauty of holiness of which David so beautifully described. We are at a place of awe and reverence. If our heart is right, then tarrying shifts our position from entering into His holiness to tarrying in His holiness. We stay sustained in this place as a supernatural exchange occurs. We receive more of His nature and our nature fades. We understand His ways and paths because they are holy. We see the ravages of sin upon humanity and God’s overall love and plan. We are truly coming under His Lordship to be a tool empowered to make change. The actual degree of Lordship we see exercised today is directly related, I believe, to the amount of time spent before the Lord simply tarrying. When Lordship is lacking, a deep relationship is not in place. As you study the scriptures, the overall plan of salvation has little to do with the actual act of forgiveness and more about Lordship and the walking out of forgiveness under Lordship. I am not demeaning the work of the cross but simply stating it is the invitation and not the final destination of our walk with God!

    Tarrying is not about spending time to find or receive a blessing. God may or may not reveal that portion to us. Tarrying is about a transformation process. It is about a journey with Him. If you are struggling in tarrying and it is hard for you to simple sit for a length of time of say, two hours, then possibly you are still coming to the Lord with a blessing mentality. You will know you have made the true transition into fully tarrying when it becomes a joy instead of an obligation. When it becomes an expectation. The reality is, the ones who can tarry a long time have found a real secret ancient path. That is the tarrying is the blessing! This is the joy of being with Him, not asking anything of Him but His dialogue! Now that is joy unspeakable and full of Glory and the half has not been told!

    Micah 7:7 (KJV 1900) — 7 Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: My God will hear me.

    What we are tarrying for can be summed up in this “that a portion of His holiness would rest upon us.”

    1. Tarrying before God will enable us to be kept by the power of God.
    2. Tarrying transforms our nature.
    3. Tarrying before God will release hidden mysteries.
    4. Tarrying before God will cause clarity to come concerning spiritual truth.
    5. Tarrying can become a lifestyle and not an event.

     

  • Thought Life & And Paul’s Resurrection

    2 Corinthians 10:3–6 — 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

    Philippians 4:8 – Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

    Isaiah 26:3 – Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

    In the past few weeks many people have been in their thoughts and head space. When you’re in headspace you’re not in faith. The kingdom and its principles only work by faith not by emotional health or intellectual thought process. When our thoughts or emotions dominate then the kingdom becomes dormant. If the kingdom is dormant or asleep then spiritual awakening is not present.

    Our thoughts create the world we decide to live in. Our thoughts are so powerful they can make us believe things that are not true, and even distract us from the truth. Our thoughts can even create things that hold greater value to us than what God is creating. This wrong thinking causes our faith to activate to form what is temporal and even leads us to not be committed to Gods truth.

    I want to turn to the account of Paul’s life in Acts 14. Paul and Barnabas come to Iconium and have opposition. This opposition is coming from unbelieving Jews who are stirring up gentiles. Look at what the verse says:

    Acts 14:2 — 2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren.

    They made their minds evil. What caused this was because they were unbelieving. The word unbelieving means to be unwilling to be persuaded or to withhold belief and to withhold obedience. All of these are intentional decisions to do the opposite of what they knew to do. They were in rebellion that was coming directly from their thought life. The outcome was the Gentiles minds were made evil. The word evil means to do evil, to ill-treat, to embitter, to exasperate. It was so bad they turned on the brethren. The outcome of the offense was a divided city V.4

    Acts 14:3 — 3 Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

    But Paul continued in the midst of division birthing, to continue in his assignment. Eventually the division formed pitting some with religious people —- some with the Apostolic kingdom group. It was so bad they wanted to stone Paul, which means execute him. So, Paul goes to Derbe and Lystra only a day’s journey on foot. Lystra is where Paul will choose Timothy for the mission (Acts 16) and it is here he first meets him.

    At Lystra Paul continues preaching and heals a crippled man. This time instead of praying and seeing healing he activates the man’s faith to stand. He has figured how to go beyond the minds and thoughts he just experienced, and to see faith supersede it.

    Image the thoughts going through Paul’s mind concerning all he is experiencing and seeing. Most people would draw back but Paul pressed forward. Not only is Paul fighting his own thinking he is also fighting people’s unbelief and a group of people wanting to kill him. But he is also fighting sickness in his own body as he touches on this in Galatians 4:13 as he speaks of first preaching to them having much infirmity!

    The crowd calls them gods specifically Jupiter and Mercurius which they worshipped because of what they saw. The miracle was so great they wanted to offer the sacrifice of an oxen instead of just small animals. But here came the group from Antioch seeking to kill Paul and kill people’s faith. This group followed Paul for a season.

    Acts 14:19–27 — 19 And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.

    Stoning was for blasphemy, among other things. It was not seen as a punishment by hitting someone with a few stones but was a form of execution. The person stoned would be checked for 3-5 minutes to be sure they were not breathing. Then the person was drugged outside the city to rot. Paul states in 2 Cor. 11:25 he was stoned and in verse 23 he was “in deaths often.” Paul could be stating he died and was resurrected many times.

    20 Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.

    The disciples at this time were Eunice, Barnabus and a young emerging son called Timothy who was 15 years old. From this moment of resurrection Paul then writes later:

    Philippians 3:10 — 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.

    The word conformable means to take on the same form or likeness, to come to be like him in his death. Paul after such an experience returns to the city and continues to preach and tells the disciples “Through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”

    We in the west do not want to enter tribulation to see the kingdom come. Tribulation means trouble, affliction, anguish. It means to be pressed up hard like grapes to get wine. But the outcome was that Paul established the church in that region. He ordained city elders. Paul also now had a working model of the church to be formed all over the globe coming out of the Acts 15 Apostolic counsel meeting.

    The deepest places of the power of resurrection is where the deepest tribulations occur. Looking back at how the thoughts of others could have stopped Paul. Paul’s own thoughts and infirmity could have stopped him. Anywhere along the way it would have been easy to quit and be justified in doing it. Yet without this confrontation of others thoughts and influences, the model of ecclesia God desired would not have the right foundations.

    Today let us not draw back when other people’s thinking opposes our kingdom assignments. Let us not allow opinions to dictate. Nor let our own thoughts of inadequacies or sufferings talk us out of our assignment. If you suffer because of your own poor choices is one thing, but to suffer for righteousness’ sake releases the power of resurrection.

  • The Power of Words

    1 Corinthians 14:9 “So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? For ye shall speak into the air.”

    In today’s culture, we have so many slang terms. If you are like me, you might find yourself looking them up online in the slang dictionary! Words carry power, yes, but each word also has a specific meaning that we are trying to convey.

    In the body of Christ, we often interchange words loosely, thinking we are saying the same thing, but we’re not. Many have joked that we need a dictionary for our “Christianese.” When you call out the exact meaning of a word someone used out of context, they might brush it off saying, “Well, you know what I mean.” Yes, I think I know, but actually, I don’t.

    When Jesus and the apostles spoke, they did so with precision, having carefully thought out what they wanted to say. They were slow to speak and quick to hear. They chose their words carefully, understanding that what was said or written would be scrutinized to grasp its exact meaning.

    Today, we often rely on a second-hand gospel that does not compel us to study to show ourselves approved. We simply accept whatever doctrine is passed down and do not verify its truth. Consequently, many interpretations of scripture are inaccurate, and some are even untrue. This leads to a loss of meaning, causing us to come to our own conclusions, often misled. We have lost the art of deductive reasoning and replaced it with Google, creating an open belief system.

    The problem we face is a loss of vocabulary. During William Shakespeare’s time, the average person had a vocabulary of about 57,000 words. Many were very descriptive to convey the thought presented. Today, that number has dwindled to about 3,500. Even I did not like to read. I barely passed English, vocabulary, and speech classes in school. Yet, here I am today, authoring books, blogs, creating content, and speaking at conferences. What changed when I got born again was that I started a new life—a life of excellence, defining who God is and how I fit into His plan.

    This new life required me to pursue excellence in everything. It required study, discovery, meditation on God’s word, and many other disciplines. But overall, it birthed in me a desire to delve deep into the origin of words, understanding their development, and unlocking the mysteries they held about the creator. Ezekiel described his heavenly vision as “like unto” and having “the appearance of,” indicating his struggle to find words. Paul said he saw things he could not speak of. Both men lacked the words to convey the grandeur of God. Today we too lack the vocabulary to properly convey spiritual truths. This happens to me sometimes as I come to not having the right vocabulary.

    2 Timothy 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

    Today, we have so many “experts” on what the Bible says. Most are not learned in hermeneutics, exegesis, or other theological disciplines. Many do not even know what these words mean, yet they want to correct those who are well-studied. I have discovered that many words mean something completely different than the sentences we form around them. Before I introduce a new, misunderstood area, I engage in extensive study. Topics like Eschatology, Kingdom, Apostolic, and the Realms of God have required over 150 hours of study each before I felt ready to teach on them. I find if I study the words used in scripture, I find hidden meanings never mentioned that sheds new light onto the overall truth. We have a responsibility in what we reproduce.

    The reality of reproduction hit me hard when we had our international school network with sixty schools and 3,000 students graduating yearly. Most graduates started churches, often before even graduating. If each church averaged one hundred people, that is 300,000 people influenced yearly by the words spoken. Over ten years, that is 3 million people. Talk about feeling the weight of responsibility!

    Matthew 12:36-37 “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”

    Words do carry meaning, but often, the definition is mixed with human reasoning, religious doctrines, and personal preferences. Terms like repent, kingdom, apostolic, revival, awakening, reformation, born again, salvation, water baptism, spirit baptism, and adoption are frequently used out of context. This lack of precision hinders spiritual growth and maturity. Accurate definition of these terms and others is crucial for proper understanding and spiritual development.

    Proverbs 23:7 “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; But his heart is not with thee.”

    Like all hard questions, understanding the meaning of words requires a kingdom perspective. We use Greek and Hebrew to define words, but the language of Jesus’ time was Aramaic. The kingdom had come, and words were used to describe it. The Kingdom perspective brings a whole new meaning to the words used and the thought expressed. Like the word Ecclesia. Jesus used the term from the surrounding culture. It meant governmental rule to the Romans and to conquer and bring new territories into their culture. To others it was the senate who set laws. And still others it was city elders who settled disputes. Look how far away we are from this definition today.

    I want to encourage those in ministry to deepen their understanding and study to find the meaning of the words they convey. Define what needs to be said with clarity. Invest in tools that help create depth in you. As leaders, we reproduce what we do—the good, the bad, and the ugly. Mis-defined truths lead to future battles and pride, while correctly defined truths create freedom for others. It is about the living legacy we are all responsible for passing on accurately.

  • Pressing Forward

    Galatians 6:9  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

    Many times, as leaders the desire to quit comes upon us. Recently several national leaders have been exposed for immorality and have stepped down from ministry. Some are resigning from ministry as they are sighting things that occurred decades ago in their lives. But if true repentance occurred, does it take such a drastic move as to resign now? Or as leaders are they just tired of the battles? Are they ready to step away and don’t know how? I makes me wonder, even though it maybe self-exposing, there is a “I just don’t care anymore attitude” and this is a way out ?

    Every leader faces the moments of quitting. Looking at the cost and weighing the fruitfulness. Even if things are fruitful is there appreciation for the sacrifices that have been given? If appreciation is there, are the results too small to justify all that is required. I’ve been there many times. Early in the ministry my wife was the admin for our school and ministry. We went through seasons of going to each other’s offices and resigning. It became a joke between us but had some truth to it. There are several moments in ministry they have actually documented when a decision of going forward or walking away occurs. At 5 years the first zeal and excitement of ministry is fading and reality sets in. At 15 years the mundane is setting in. 25-30 years the toil of ministry is now wearing ministry leaders down. The percentages are extremely high (90% or so) of ministry leaders walking away at these time factors. What happens is we lose strength of youth and the wisdom and experience of the aged. The problem is separating ministry from personal walk, even though they overlap. The ministry is the assignment of God and not the actual life of the leader. Your private life is separate from ministry life and over time the boundaries become blurred.

    What I feel is the primary reason leaders get discouraged is they become the only one working the original vision gave. A leader can get discouraged as the product they are trying to finish (people) is constantly eluding them and unwilling to change or to work the vision. A certain complacency sets in during the absence of true excitement, and a natural routine emerges. It is inevitable that when there is no breakthrough the mundane becomes the norm and the heart loses hope. Many see Jeremiah this way as the weeping prophet. If anyone fought quitting it was him. He prophesied and did not see his words heeded or come to pass. He even was instructed by God to buy land knowing he to would come under the judgment of God by doing so. Yet to me he is the greatest example of hope. His hope was God would turn all things, even if he didn’t see the final result. He knew his effort would have an impact. If we all could just see our efforts this way. It’s having eternal vision.

    If you need the satisfaction at the end of the day like a typical builder of a home, or a painter etc. of a finished product to feel accomplished then ministry is maybe not a good fit for you. The product is in process, it just never reaches the point of finished. The results may be unfolding but at a slow pace.

    Every leader comes to a point of decision in the journey of the vision. Is the original vision from the Lord still a viable vision for the moment of time I’m living in? The answer is yes! The vison does not change but the players and workers might. The vision doesn’t change but the mission and steps of fulfillment may need adjusted.

    Habakkuk 2:3  For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

    Waiting is what gets hard. Its hard to stay focused and stay in faith. But true faith is from the point of receiving vision to the point of its completion. During this time, all manner of things will come to derail faith. But the promise is it will not just come to pass but “surely come to pass”.

    But in the waiting many things are being perfected. Faith is the main thing getting perfected because all the others are flowing from this maintained action. Revelation comes and is released. Hearts are dealt with. Motives are exposed and tested. Commitments and willingness to sacrifice also comes into play. A long list of things that matures the body carrying vision and the leader presenting vision. Sometimes there is disobedience that slows the vision’s actions. But sometimes there is great obedience that accelerates it.

    A vision does not have to come to pass to be important. What is important is the journey the vision takes you on. The journey I have been on has been rewarding at times and others times challenging, even to the point of wanting to walk away. But the vision is still there beckoning. And along with the vision is a grace to fulfill it. If you quit and walk away, you come out from under the grace that is resting on your life in that area. That goes for a leader, and for those sent and placed by God to fulfill vision.

    If you feel like quitting today stop and evaluate your personal journey not the fulfillment of what you set out to do. What was formed in you that could not be formed any other way? What revelations did you gain and who did you meet in this pathway? A fulfilled vision is a moment of success. A person changed is a lifetime of re-living a victorious pursuit. Once you separate the assignment from your personal walk you then can appreciate your personal relationship with God even more. This is what has been happening to me over the last 2 years. I’m amazed at what has occurred in the ministry but still feel disappointed as well. But in my personal life I’m just simply amazed. I am thankful to see my grandchildren raised in a Godly atmosphere and seeing them have encounters. I am thankful for my health. I’m thankful for the journey and amazed at who I have met, places I have been and things I have seen. I have seen every miracle in the bible. Storms standing still and being subject to our command. Witches crying out for salvation. Limbs growing, eyes opening, deaf hearing and the dead raised. I have seen portals of hell closed and curses over land and people not just broken but reversed. I have experienced God in many ways people would love to have opportunity, but I not only got opportunity, it went way beyond that. My final thoughts lately are I may not have fulfilled the vision, I may not show the success by which some judge, but God has been successful in my life having His way!

  • Fullness of Christ

    I’m wanting to take a moment and write on the theme from our last conference “Pursuing the Fullness”. I never really taught, due to the flow of the conference, so I decided to briefly touch on some things from my notes I had prepared. I want to start with some background of the book of Colossians. Paul writes to the church because the environment they are in is full of Gnostics. They believed in different lengths of time called eons and divided power into these time segments. They were saying Christ had his time of power and that power no longer existed as he has passed. They were trying to lessen his spiritual position making him equal to deities they worshiped in times past. As Gnostics they worship a huge number of deities. It was a type of demonic worship of Christ. Paul opens the book talking about the supremacy of Christ and how he is above all principalities and powers and is the supreme creator whose power and fullness has always been. He was separating hm away form Gnostic theology.  Paul states in Colossians 1:16 -17

    1. By him all things were created
    2. All things are created for him.
    3. He was before all things.
    4. By Him they consist or are held together
    5. V.18 he has preeminence — or holds first place amongst all suprem or the supreme being.

    Paul states that Christ power from the Godhead is the total of all lengths of time. Fullness is directly connected to eternity which has no time as we know it. He brings the point out that fullness of Christ is not dependent upon time but upon decisions. It is all available in fullness at any moment.

    Fullness has a focus of eternity, and all eternity holds. Eternity is impacting all things because all things are held by and are part of eternity. Within eternity is fullness or completeness. God sent His Son so that we could partake of heaven’s fullness and all that it offers. When we step into eternal things, we are stepping into a grand fullness of God. All that He has and things we don’t even know exist, are now available. The impossible becomes normal and what we need is already done and finished. We are finding an ancient path that many others have found. That path is that when we step into fullness in Christ we hit overflow of heaven or eternity upon the earth.

    Colossians 1:9 (KJV 1900) — 9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.

    Paul uses the word “Filled” for how he is praying for them. Filled here is the Greek word pleroo which is a verb means to cause something to be filled. His desire is for them to be filled with knowledge of His will concerning the sovereignty and power of Christ.

    Colossians 1:19 (KJV 1900) — 19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

    Then in Verse 19 he uses a different word coming from filled, fullness. Fullness is slightly different in the Greek – pleroa which is a noun meaning to fill up completely. He said this completeness is dwelling or established and settled in Christ. This word is the end result of pleroo or the action of filling. In other words, Christ has attained this fullness already.

    Paul states: He was Head of all principality and power in the sense that He was the Son of God’s love, and that He was one eternally with God in the Godhead. The fullness of the Godhead was in Him in bodily form. This means not only is Christ present in us but also the Holy Spirit and the Father.

    Colossians 2:6–10 (KJV 1900) — 6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. 8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

    Paul then uses both words for fullness again. Pleroma of the Godhead. Meaning complete fullness. It means that there is no longer a need for filling because it has reached full capacity, so the action is no longer needed. Then he says we are complete in him. Complete is pleroo is a verb meaning an action is happening. It means accomplishment, bring to realization, to perform, to render perfect. We are lacking nothing because of this fullness is in us. If Christ is in us then the fullness he is, is also within us. If Christ is in us the deity of God is living in us!

    Paul talks of the fullness as he talks of the Godhead in Colossians as he explains the sovereignty and fullness of Christ.

    Colossians 2:9 says, “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.”

    Godhead in these verses is the word Theotes denoting the deity of Christ. It describes the sum total of deity and the fullness that is no longer needing added to but already has attained. It describes to the highest degree of what is available as we see Paul writing about Jesus being above all things. It really is a state of being. So as the Godhead was resident in Christ so was the state of being of the deity. Then as Christ is in us the power to sustain the state of being is also present. 

    The Greek word for Godhead is theotes, which is very similar to the Greek word theiotes used in Romans 1:20 for divine characteristics with only a one-letter difference. Now this becomes important as we read the following verse.

    Romans 1:20 (KJV 1900) — 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

    Here the word Godhead is Theiotes which denotes the divine characteristics manifested through the created things. His divine character, not His deity, created all things. That same creative nature is resident within us, the nature of Christ. This aspect of divine nature is the activity of fullness or the act of measure upon measure happening until fullness is attained. We see this in creation and is ongoing today. Some aspects of creation have reached fullness and others are still moving towards it. This is the power of then nature or Dunamis, Paul talks of working in us.

    But also in Christ is the deity of God, the fullness and completeness of a finished work. As Christ was upon the earth the finished work of God or fullness of the deity had come to the earth. That portion is also within us. When we received Christ, we received his fullness. As we live our life in Him, we are unlocking measures leading us to fullness. This is indeed the greatest mystery we have that is unfolding in our lives.

    Ephesians 4:13Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

    The role of five-fold graces is to bring the body of Christ to fullness. But fullness comes in measures. But many never reach this fullness because they have settled for measure. When wereceived or accepted Christ, we didn’t just accept provision for sin. Nor did we accept an eternal destination, or even sonship, inheritance, or holy spirit activity. Though these things are true there is still more. We accepted HIS FULLNESS!

    Fullness is Gods ending concerning anything! But we seldom pursue the ending, we settled for the relief. We can stop at false finish lines or false fullness. It’s really stopping at a measure and not fullness.

    • Many stop at conversion.
    • Some stop at knowledge.
    • Some become content with how their life has changed.
    • Many stop at traditions.
    • Many stop at truth or portions of truth.
    • Many stop at an experience in God.

    Many of these stopping points are moments or moves in God and become a false finish line that is constantly being resurrected. The fullness of God is a result of discipleship by God’s Holy Spirit that produces a transformational anointing. That transformation is taking a measure (metron=limited portion of Christ’s nature) into the fullness (pleroma=the totality of divine powers at work in the transformation of a believer). We are progressively trained, equipped, and maturing in the nature and character of Christ while on this earth through discipleship and impartation of grace coming from the 5 gifts of Ephesians 4. Paul alludes to this operation at the end of Ephesians 1.

    Fullness is not our future, but it shapes our future. The outworking of the degree of our fullness is the fruitfulness of ministry we will accomplish. Fullness can be described as our present level of living in the presence of the Lord, as we live in obedience to His voice and his written word. We need to allow the function of the five-fold graces to operate under a different paradigm that we currently have. This is a current weakness in the Apostolic and Prophetic graces. We still have dysfunction of operations because we are trying to fit apostles and prophets into current ecclesiastical structures. Still building in traditional approaches and not through true apostolic and fathering grace. Apostolic is the release of the creative forces of the fullness to make the shifts required in culture. Our current context and focuses upon apostolic structures does not bring or mature the body into the fullness we need.

    But God manifest when we decide to pursue the next measure of fullness he wants to bring. We keep in motion from measure to fullness and from glory to glory. So, the key to living in fullness is to never settle for the current measure or level of fullness that we are experiencing, but we must move with God each time he moves in our lives. We need to contend for the fullness that rest in Christ.  

    John 1:16 (KJV 1900) — 16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

  • The Burden of the Lord

    This blog could be the most important blog I have ever written. I am always looking for keys and challenges to present before the body of Christ. Many want the dynamics of the church in Acts but don’t know the mindsets they had, nor the seriousness of purpose. They did not live compartmentalized lives but lived their faith and then inserted life into it.

    What I see is today’s body is so fixated on themselves and their needs getting fulfilled week after week in meetings. We have made a self-perpetuating focus on ourselves with not much focus on the kingdom work at hand of creating image barriers. We have causes and programs associated with them. We pray and maybe even act upon so many moral and social convictions and yet seem to see such hard-faced battles with some results and maybe low to no results. What is missing? The answer is a God-sent burden.

    The early church had a very intense burden they carried for the work of God to advance. They had a burden for souls. This burden was so much part of their faith walk, that they only acted upon what they were burdened for. Today’s church has causes without burden, prayer with no burden, and programs with no burden. In all honesty, I see we don’t have much of a burden for anything. If we did much of what we do would have a huge impact.

    What you’re burdened with is what you will invest yourself into. It is what you will give time, resources, and even your heart. Without this burden, we are not aware of the spiritual climates and conditions around us. We also miss opportunities each day because we are not tuned in to the spirit realm, which is another thing a true burden from God will do, get us focused.

    I’m not talking about your pet projects or your passions. I’m talking about an apostolic burden, or a burden sent by God to send you out from it. I’m talking about something that you cannot accomplish unless there is a dependency upon God. A true burden will be an activator of true faith. It will reveal God’s righteousness and create His justice.

    Paul was burdened for the church:

    2 Corinthians 11:28 (KJV 1900) — 28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

    The word “comes upon” means something clearly identified, anxiety, pressure and concern, responsibility, oversight. He was not pushing off the burden God had assigned him.

    Paul was burdened for his kinsmen:

    Romans 9:1–5 (KJV 1900) — 1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, 2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. 3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: 4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

    Paul was a Roman and wished other Romans would come to salvation.

    Paul was burdened for Israel:”

    Romans 10:1–4 (KJV 1900) — 1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.

    Paul was burdened for fullness to come:

    Colossians 4:12–13 (KJV 1900) — 12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. 13 For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.

    A burden will take you from secondhand knowledge to firsthand experience. A vision that has no burden attached is a religious structure. Just like a call with no burden has no destination. When you answer the call, you are accepting and answering the burden of God. But when burden is acted on it will also release Grace … the ability of God to create change. Many times, a burdened prayer will receive a quick result. It is because the burden activates grace for change.

    Galatians 6:1–5 (KJV 1900) — 1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. 4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5 For every man shall bear his own burden.

    These verses seem to be double-minded. But if we look at the word meanings we see a different thought is being given. Bearing each other’s burdens is to help carry the load a person is under. The definition of burden in verse 2 means there is too heavy, crushing, loads (barē)—more than a man could carry without help.

    But Paul then says something in verse 5 that seems contradictory. We are to bear our own burdens. This second burden is “phortion”: It is used to designate the pack usually carried by a marching soldier. It is the “burden” Jesus assigns to His followers (Matt. 11:30). It comes from the word meaning of carrying the ship’s cargo, which is tied to an apostolic work. (An apostle was also the commander of a fleet of ships.) A further definition likens it to a soldier carrying what the commander or apostle saw as necessary or valuable for the mission. When we help each other carry the first burden it enables each person to carry the second burden. It is not taking care of the first for our relief. It is helping with the first so we can be effective in service with the second burden.

    The burden will release God’s glory as well. As we look back on every great outpouring it was started by prayer. But it wasn’t just prayer it was burdened prayer. There is something about giving ourselves to the burden that releases the Glory of God connected to it. The greater the burden the greater the glory. Deep travail is the revealing of someone beginning to be caught in the burden.

    Burdens are not man-made nor even man inspired but are given by God to bring glory to His name. They are heaven-sent and are part of a corporate plan for the Body of Christ. In this hour God is looking to and foe to see who will carry His burden that will release grace, create change, remove injustice, and let His name be glorified.

  • Ways of God

    This is an excerpt from my book “Return to Eden”

    Isaiah 55:8-11 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater : 11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

    This has two things to pull out that helps to unfold the understanding of the mind of Christ. The two words are thoughts and ways. The word ‘thoughts’ is defined as a device or plan that is being calculated and it is intentional and inventive. It comes from a root word which means to esteem value and to imagine. It actually holds three meanings. The first is a general thought such as most of us understand the Word of God. It is deductive reasoning and understanding the words that we are reading. The second meaning is how we process and come to conclusion of what a person’s heart is. It is focused upon the heart of God towards us. The third meaning is the ability to be a skilled craftsman that is seeking a result. It is the overall understanding of the intention of God concerning what we are focused upon in front of us.

    The word ‘ways’ means a road, journey, correction, and a manner of life. The root word which means to lead or guide, to tread upon, to tread down or to march forward. It is focused upon a meaning to set foot on territories and regions and the journey, as if you are on a main highway that is taking you to a destination. It means the actions of men whether they are righteous or unrighteous.

    To know God’s thoughts, we must be able to hear His voice transferring His intentions. To know His ways, we must know the beginning, middle and end of a thing. Words we are hearing should complete a picture and not be an extension of our personal preferences or lack of understanding. We are clearly hearing and clearly seeing the hand of God at work even though it may not appear the way we want it to appear. There is a destination, but the journey may not be the way we wanted it to be. But God’s thoughts and ways always complete cycles of life. Because God thinks in circular, there is always a finish line and a bringing of something to completeness. The highway we are on always brings us to the beginning point or the origins that God has for us. God thinks multidimensional. Look at it like this, that God’s Word is His thoughts but sending forth His Word to accomplish, are His ways.

    Psalm 23:3-43 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

    The circular motion of how God does things is found throughout the Bible. In this verse, that we have quoted many times, the word ‘paths’ means a track or course a circle or something that is round. The circle or the course of righteousness is always connecting to itself. We see Moses returning to Egypt to return to the Promised Land, a circular motion. We see Israel wandering around in circles for years before entering the Promised Land. When they entered the Promised Land, they went in circles around Jericho. Everything that God does is a circular motion. And He is more concerned about us completing the journey, than the hardships we might have along the way. This is the mind of God.

    We can see this pattern very clearly as we look at the Old Testament holistically and the New Testament holistically. In the Garden of Eden, there was a tree of life. And man has been given a position of authority over the earth and all creation. At the end of the Book of Revelation, it speaks of the tree of life once again and man having that position restored. We are actually beginning to run the Old Testament in a backward sense or circular sense back to the beginning of the original intention in the Garden of Eden. We also see this in the New Testament in the Book of Acts. The Early Church experienced an outpouring and then the apostles came into the scene to manage the outpouring and the Church was birthed into the earth. Today the Church that is born into the earth, is coming more into an apostolic governing of the Kingdom so we can have one final large outpouring upon the face of the earth. These circular patterns are seen throughout the scriptures and throughout people’s lives. These are the ways and thoughts of God.

    We get caught up looking at the valley, or low points in our life, and not the circle that God is doing in our life. We walk the linear path and try to interpret in a single dimension. We believe the valley could possibly be part of our destination when in reality, it is something we are going through that takes us to the destination. The cycle of God’s paths is actually a cycle of seasons in our life. God is thinking in times and seasons and not events. Each season has thoughts of God that we need to find and embrace for the next season that is coming upon us. Most of the time we think in the present, while God is thinking in the future. We think revival, He thinks harvest. We think Upper Room outpouring, He thinks marketplace ministry. We think reformation, He thinks awakening. God’s thoughts are not so much on right now but on the next step!


    Isaiah 55:8-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD . 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

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    God says His thoughts are higher. The word ‘higher’ means to be high and exalted, to be made higher, dignity, majesty, an elevated position. It is that is beyond general thinking. In order for us to engage into this, we must be in the spirit and have a revelation from the Holy Spirit of how God is thinking concerning a matter. There are many questions that we have like why was that person’s life taken at a young age? Or why was that person going through all that suffering? We try to explain it away based on promises because we don’t understand the ways and thoughts of God are higher than our ways and thoughts. Perhaps the person that dies a premature death is the closest they will ever be to God, and God knows that because He has foreknowledge. Perhaps in their death, they will reach more people than how they would have lived their whole life. Perhaps the person with sickness or suffering that seems to be upon their life has created opportunities for them to minister the love of God or even the hope of God to others in the same predicament. We must be looking beyond what we see to understand the mind of God concerning the matters at hand. What is He creating that I cannot see? How is He dealing in a person’s heart that is creating the nature of Christ within him?


    Isaiah 2:2-3 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

    Looking at this verse that is at the beginning of Isaiah, we see that it is God’s desire to teach us His ways and also to walk in His paths. The word ‘walk’ means to proceed, to live and die, to lead and carry, and cause to walk in the manner of life. God always starts in our life with His intentions and ends with His intentions as well. It is simply a decision on our part if we will go up to the mountain and be taught His ways and walk in His paths. As we do, we end up having the mind of God or the mind of Christ concerning life. To know the mind of God requires intimacy with God.

  • Protocols

    I want to briefly touch on protocols. The spirit realm operates based on rank and protocol. Rank is attained by promotion based on stewardship of the call. Protocol is based on understanding spiritual law and principles at work and how to engage them. Even demonic forces understand these protocols and principles, perhaps more than most believers. The same spiritual laws of approach and engagement, they must also follow. Many times, the enemy does not seem to give way and it is because they test us to see if we truly know the principle or protocol. Sometimes we might be violating a principle by implementing it wrong or for the wrong motive. When we violate spiritual protocol, we may not get the desired results and may have results we were not intending.

    Here is the definition of a protocol:

    Protocol = the official procedure or system of rules governing affairs of state or diplomatic occasions. The original draft of a diplomatic document, especially of the terms of a treaty agreed to in conference and signed by the parties.

    It is really an official agreement of how things are to be done governmentally. Men were given protocols that we read right past and do not recognize. God told Moses: Take off your shoes for this is Holy Ground… a protocol. Jesus said, ‘when you pray believe and you will receive ‘…. a protocol. David said ‘who can ascend but he who has clean hands and a pure heart’… a protocol. What Jesus did was reset the true protocols in place again, erasing the laws men had created to control and bring grace to understand how the spiritual realms work. Jesus’ whole life was a model of engagement of protocols for every need of mankind. 

    There are protocols in the Body of Christ, especially how we gather in our own individual church houses. We have protocols of how things are to be done in a service. We also have protocols of how we assign leaders and how we receive prophetic words, and how they are to be delivered. We have protocols concerning involvement in the worship team and protocols how we do altar ministry. We expect those to be followed to be able to have the desired results. The protocols of the spiritual realm in heaven are no different. They are a guiding outline that God himself has determined would not be violated. These protocols have been given to maintain order, set boundaries, and to allow freedom to be walked out in the midst of the atmosphere these protocols have created.

    1 Corinthians 14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order.

    ‘Order’ here means an arrangement, a fixed succession, observing a fixed time, observing a fixed orderly condition, the rank you hold in civic affairs. It comes from a root word meaning a certain order, a certain arrangement, something assigned, placed, and appointed. Something that has mutual agreement. Paul was saying it was not just a casual thing of having an order but actually had substance to why it exists and the outcome it could produce. Paul was telling the Corinthians that there was a way of doing things. It also refers to the unseen that there is an incorrect way of doing things. We can see this brought out as he addressed the Corinthian Church in how they did certain things.

    There are protocols that cover almost all areas of life and godliness. There are protocols for how we have relationships with each other and should be conducting ourselves in honor, one towards another. The Bible in Matthew 18, very clearly spells out a protocol for correction and addressing issues in the Body of Christ. This one is seldom seen and even understood. There are protocols of how we are to teach and instruct and to build and develop people. There are protocols of how to deal with demonic forces and powers. There are protocols on how to administrate healing and deliverance to people’s lives. And yes, there are protocols of how to access eternal realms and the heavenly realms themselves. Some of these are interactions upon Earth. Some are interactions in corporate gatherings. Some are interactions in spiritual plains or dimensions.

    Demonic forces recognize authority and observe protocols as well. They are “subject” to protocols. The protocol that they are subject to is the Name of Jesus. The second one is our faith and our understanding of the principles and protocols of God found in His Word. The third one is our position that we have been given and the assignment that we have on the Earth. They are all things that Adam had in the Garden of Eden. Then when the Last Adam came, He restored our authority to not just engage in some spiritual promises, but to understand the spiritual protocols and principles by which all things must submit. The deeper you go in your understanding that the spiritual realm is more real than the realm of the earth, you come to a conclusion about what your authority really is and how far reaching it can go. You also will discover for yourself how the spiritual realms operate and the protocols that exist.

  • Authority

    This is an excerpt from my new book coming out “Return to Eden”. I felt it could help some people understand spiritual authority and to recognize it when they need to move in it. There are 3 levels of authority that we move in. I’ll briefly cover these in this writing.

    Delegated Authority –Exousia

    The first level of authority is delegated authority. It is the legal right or power behind the legal right to exercise authority. It is the word exousia which is one of the definitions of the word ‘power’. It means the power of authority or influence. The right given to exercise authority. Delegated authority comes from being responsible, committed and submitted. It comes with accountability and responsibility. In the New Testament, we see this statement in Hebrews 13.17 talking of those who have rule (authority) over you.

    Hebrews 13:17 Obey them that have the rule over you and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

    Delegated authority is over structures that have been formed to govern. It means you have been given the necessary authority to accomplish the task of your assignment. It has been transferred to you. We see in the New Testament that the Early Church operated in delegated authority. Jesus passed authority to the early apostles, and they passed the authority to the elders. But we also see this in the position of Adam in the Garden of Eden. He was given delegated authority to oversee the structure of Earth and creation. He had been given that because he was committed and submitted to El or God. He had the legal right or delegated authority given by God to subdue the earth and bring it into dominion. He was God’s appointed authority for the earth and creation. When Jesus came, he restored this delegated authority back to us to the same degree that Adam had before he fell away.

    Spiritual Authority – Dunamis

    The second authority that we all carry is spiritual authority. Spiritual authority is the nature of God residing within us. It is the dunamis power we talk about in the New Testament. It is authority residing within us because the creative abilities and empowerments of God are greater than any other created being or resistance. It is spiritual authority over demonic forces, over sickness and disease. It is an authority based on truth and the understanding of the highest spiritual dimensions are the ruling dimensions from God. That they rule over all created things. It is ruling from the spirit realm and the spirit man together. It is the spiritual life force. Probably of all the authorities that we talk about, we talk about spiritual authority the most. This is where giftings and spiritual life comes from. It is the expression of our faith and what we believe. It is how our actions are determined and how we sustain daily life.

    Again, this same spiritual authority was sitting inside of Adam. He had the very nature of God and the creative authority of God residing within him. He had the ability to exercise authority and even create what was needed for that authority to be fulfilled. He was actually living in that authority as his body was not aging nor was there any sickness or disease in his life before the fall. Jesus restored this same spiritual authority back to us, but we do not connect it back to the origins of the Garden of Eden.

     Positional Authority –Kratos

    The third level of authority is positional authority. This is authority that is being given because of the position you have attained in God and in His government. It is from the word kratos, which is a word we seldom see in the New Testament, yet it is there. We do not define the word ‘power’ and we missed that there is a power that is for dominion rule. The word kratos means the governmental rule, the supreme power, perfect strength, final authority, power to overcome all resistance. This is a governing authority that is connected to the establishment of God’s rule and reign over all things. It is an authority that positions us in our assignment and in our mission. It is an authority that can displace principalities and powers over regions. Since it is governmental, it encompasses the other two levels of authority. It is the final say in spiritual matters and creative order.

    Matthew 16:19 What you bind on Earth, is bound in Heaven. What you loose on Earth, is loosed in Heaven. 

    The actual Greek translation says, “What you bind on earth, is what is already bound in Heaven. What you loose on earth, is what is already loosed in Heaven.” This greatly changes the order of things. It is not that you bind something demonic here on Earth and then it becomes bound in Heaven. No, you are acting as a divine administrator binding on Earth what has already been bound in Heaven.

    Acts 19: Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.

    The greatest place to see the power of kratos and governing authority is found in the above scripture. At first, as we read it, we believe the Word of God prevailed because it grew in the hearts of people and understanding. But when we begin to look at the word structure, we see a different meaning begin to unfold. A meaning that is very key.

    The words ‘curious arts’ refer to being under a spell by enchantments. It was a way in that day, to get information from people to use against them. It was a very demonic way of control. The word of God grew and prevailed. The word grew’ means to increase in the extent of or in the instances of an activity or state— ‘to increase, to grow, to spread, to extend. It is associated with a process that once started keeps growing on its own. And it also prevailed. Prevail means to wield power, to show power by deeds, strength to overcome, strong in body and mind, the ability to have force. These are both extreme outcomes. But do we see these same outcomes today when we preach and teach the Word of God. We may see some results because it is the Word. But it appears from this text that something extreme happened when they burned witchcraft paraphernalia that was of great, value. The spiritual realms had been confronted.

    I did this in the early stage of the ministry, when about sixty people got saved one summer that were all practicing occultisms. They were not just playing around but had real results and experiences. They were yogis, holy men, teachers of occultism, practicing witches and all kinds of things at very high levels. One woman had studied under one the world’s leading warlocks in England and had ancient magic books of spells. As we burned these things in a fire, demonic faces came forth out of the fire and we captured them on film. The book of spells would not burn as it was covered with human skin. I had to turn it page by page to burn it. I have experienced this very verse in Acts 20 firsthand.

    But what causes these kinds of shifts? Let us look at one more word in this verse, the word ‘mighty’. Might is actually the word kratos! Kratos authority or sovereign authority. A power to overcome resistance. What grew the word and caused it to prevail? Kratos! When this authority is released, then nothing can resist it. It causes the Word to prevail and multiply.

    Adam had this authority as he was God’s representative or “ambassador” upon the earth. He had sovereign authority and divine rule. He had been given the position to have the final say. He named the animals and God gave him this privilege because of his position. After all, he would govern all things upon the earth. Jesus also carried this same sovereign rule, defeating sickness, disease, religious structure, and even death. Now we have this restored to us like Adam had in the Garden.

    The degree of your authority is based on your Lordship, assignments, and mission you are on. The one who occupies a higher spiritual rank will command a greater degree of authority. As we are called into not just redemption of humanity, but also creation, we are called to a higher dimension. This will require deepening commitments and also understanding of spiritual principles.

    So how you begin to move in authority is simply begin. You already are probably moving in delegated authority begin a son or daughter of God and spiritual authority because the greater one is inside of you. Authority is knowing promises and principles and then using faith to decree and speak to them into existence in your life. Start by finding promises and scripture that are answers to situations in your life that are contrary to your well-being. Speak to those things by the promise with the knowing you have been given authority to shift whatever it is. You will be surprised how far you can go in influencing things around you because you know whose you are and the authority, He has given to you.

  • Pursue

    I wanted to take a moment and address all the words that come out as one-year ends and another begins. Being in this for 45 years and seeing and hearing this pattern repeated regularly at this time of year, I feel it pertinent to say something. This is the time of the year every one is suddenly a prophet and hopes “their word” will give them notoriety.

    I have seen such a cycle repeated over the years. Depending on what the year rhymes with you can almost guess the theme for the next year. To me these words don’t carry much fruit over the years, and many are actually contrary to sound biblical faith and belief. 2005 and you will thrive. 2007 is an open heaven. 2008 its open gate. 2009 it’s the right time. I think you see what I’m talking about. A good example is the open door in 2004.  I don’t know how many open doors we are supposed to experience but I thought the door, Christ was always open to us. All these things are actually truth that we experience now, not in the future.  To me these words are strictly encouragements. They don’t set any real direction nor really confirm. They would come under the gift of exhortation and not prophecy.

    Prophecy is forthtelling and foretelling. Words the whole body is to engage into. They hold mystery, revelation, challenge, grace and a sense of destiny and purpose. They activate great faith and require study, prayer and fasting to understand. They carry more weight than a cliché.

    Many times, words are a reflection of people’s personal preferences. Sometimes the word is a reflection of a ministry’s overall direction, and they want more people aligned with them. What makes things very hard is it takes discernment, which is lacking in much of the body of Christ today. The mixture makes things seem believable. When you couple that with a desperation to hear something fresh without doing the work of seeking, you embrace a lot of things and begin to shift your belief system to make it fit into your spiritual life. Words that are judgmental or have wrong doctrine should be set aside as well.

    Words sometimes come with a lot of mixture. A measure of truth but not the fullness of truth. Part from a person and part from Gods spirit. I would say we have had several of these brought out as “national words”. Of all the words called prophecy these are probably the most detrimental. The reason is these words can still be put in motion because of our faith activating them. It distracts the body of Christ and diverts a lot of spiritual energy, finances, time and focus. We rally meetings, conferences and travel to try and see these words fulfilled. We look for fulfillment and can even accept things that are false finish lines. This makes it even more confusing to understand why some of the most unbiblical words seem to have some measure of success. This is one of the great end time deceptions. It’s not the word was going to produce anything, but the faith people put into it did!

    A true word from God should fit the entire body of Christ and not a certain camp. We should not just judge the word given to see if its biblical but also the person giving it if they have integrity and maintained it. We should be hearing God for ourselves and listening to the Holy Spirits voice. Jesus is the spirit of prophecy and the closer we get to him the surer word of prophecy we have. How I look at a lot of things is can I see Jesus saying to the disciples the things we say to people. Can you see Jesus saying now this year we will be just in time, this year there is an open door, this year there is an open heaven. Peter, make sure you get your social media presence up because then you will be affirmed that you carry something. The future direction he gave was “wait until you are endued with power from on high.” Pretty straight forward word. As they did, we see the immediate outcome.

    You may think I am not a believer in prophecy. Actually, the opposite. I started ministry for the first 10 years as a strong voice and seer prophet. I could discern other prophets, demonic forces, people’s thoughts and knew when the phone would ring and who was calling before it happened. I know what it takes to hone the gift and release the grace. Time without distraction. I just want to have the authentic. I do follow some seasoned prophets. Some are more regional and unknown and carry a stronger word that national voices. Others are in other nations than the United States, and don’t have all the fan mentality we have.

    Some have asked me if I have a word for the year. I know many are listening to some national voices but still ask me. Something they are hearing is not bearing witness, so they are seeking to hear what their spirit knows to be true. I have heard words for the next season and have already posted them. They came in the spiritual Kairos of God and not the chronos time of man.

    I did hear 2 single words at 2 different times recently for the next year. The first word came when someone was saying I need a word for the next year. I heard “Jesus”. The second time I asked God and heard one word for the year. “Pursue”. Pursue your walk, your faith, everything in your spiritual life. Come out of complacency by your pursuit. Put the 2 together…. PURSUE JESUS! Now that’s a solid word.