Category Archives: Revelatory Teaching

Elders of the City #2

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I am continuing with the topic of elders of the city. Many have responded to me about how the first article has helped place key people who do not have an official ministry yet carry great influence in cities. For a long time, we have not been able to place people into a structure who seem to have strong influences. They just don’t fit in the Eph 4 grace gifts, nor do they seem to have a voice in a local assembly. This understanding has helped many as they have contacted me personally and said they now see where they fit. As I met with one man locally, he asked me what the key is, as I see it, to connect our state. I told him to find the elders of the cities and the fathers of the state.

 

Titus 1:5 (KJV 1900) — 5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:

Notice again, they ordained elders in every city, not in every gathering of believers and certainly not in every church as the Church was seen as one. Paul, in the following verses gives a list of qualifiers for eldership. We take this list and look at it through a church model. We need to look at it through a Kingdom model and see the influence of culture that it carries.

Titus 1:6–9 (KJV 1900) — 6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. 7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; 8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; 9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

 

As we look for Biblical pattern, this mindset paradigm shift of eldership really comes alive once we begin to unfold it. For years I have heard of people trying to put a tag on key influential people in the book of Acts. I have heard Priscilla and Aquila placed as apostolic leaders and Ananias as a prophet. It seems we feel they must be in a ministry gift/grace to function and have impact. This is far from the truth. Many have been called apostles or prophets trying to fit our current understanding. Now I clearly see they are really elders of cities functioning as such.

Ananias was an elder of the city and recognized by many. When he went to Paul and welcomed him, he was welcoming him into the family of God but also into the brethren of the city. When Aquila and Priscilla ministered to Paul (Acts 18) they did it from the position of eldership. Thus Paul had an open door to minster in that city because of their positioning. Further reading shows Tabitha who appears to carry eldership qualities, was raised from the dead in Acts 9. It appears she was “A Certain Disciple”. Perhaps this focus may point to eldership in the book of Acts.

In Acts 10, we see Cornelius is a devout man who feared God and was a man of prayer. He also was a centurion. A centurion was an officer in the Roman army. So he is a man of responsibility. This sounds like qualities of an elder. He has a vision and has authority to send for Peter to receive Peter’s input. Because of his concern for the Church, the Gospel is eventually opened to the Gentiles.

In Acts 17:34, Paul had an encounter with “certain” men again. One of them is Dionysius, a name we really know nothing about. This man was converted in this encounter and stayed steadfast in the Lord. Historical records show this man later became the first bishop of Athens and carried tremendous influence over the city.

We also see that every time a major transition occurred in Acts, three groups met to discuss: the apostles, the elders and the Ecclesia. The apostles would bring up the subject and input was received from the eldership. The Ecclesia remained silent. When it was finally decided, the Ecclesia affirmed the decision and it was in motion. Imagine today if we gathered these three groups to make transitions and establish correct doctrine in this pattern. Doctrine and strategy that did not affect a single church but the entire Body of Christ in a city or region! We have limited the scope of eldership to a small group when in Kingdom dynamics, it was to help govern and oversee entire cities and regions.  We need to find the elders of cities and the fathers in states to establish the future.

 

 

Kingdom in Fullness?

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We have a lot of Kingdom language, verbiage and even definitions. The question is why then are we not seeing more of the Kingdom displayed? There seems to be a vacuum between what we proclaim and what we actually are experiencing.

Perhaps the problem is we are not in alignment within this Kingdom. We are citizens of the Kingdom, children and heirs of the King, but not really functioning in fullness. As with all things of God, there is always an order and a set structure to that order. Nothing is done randomly and nothing is done without connection to another thing in some way. This is a pattern from heaven itself.

I believe the reason we do not see Kingdom displayed is we are not aligned apostolically. The apostolic is the structure in which God has chosen that the Kingdom would be displayed. Apostolic government demands a response just like the Kingdom, but also makes a way for that response to take place. Apostolic is more than a titling, but is actually a grace given for Kingdom activity to be released. In recent years, both the apostolic and Kingdom are seemingly appearing simultaneously. This is because the two are directly connected and you cannot have one without having the other. Thus if we deny one, we deny the other.

As I see lots of events, conferences, prayer gatherings, etc, the things I am looking for are Kingdom and its expressions. The Kingdom of God is eternal and thus all things connected with it are eternal as well. This means we are looking for things that carry eternal weight, not things that are temporal. So prayers look different, they are not begging God but decreeing the intentions of the Kingdom. When we beg God, we don’t know our rights or citizenship. We actually are praying from a temporal perspective instead of an eternal one.  Kingdom knows authority and operates in it. This is why apostolic is so critical. Apostles know who they are and what they are carrying. For the most part, apostolic led prayer is being limited and not allowed to fully function.

As we move into functioning in the Kingdom, it is not about having Kingdom principles, but activating those principles into reality. Apostolic equals activation. It is more about the breath of God that brings life and creates than anointing that sustains life. The breath is advancing and the Kingdom is always advancing and expanding. Apostolic is also about advancing over sustaining. When we have the right leadership and allow them to lead into true Kingdom, then we will see the advance we are looking for. This grace gift of the apostle will release the Kingdom in fullness. Right now we are seeing in part.  Until then, we will continue to sustain with the anointing and gifts of the Spirit.

The apostle is a sent messenger carrying a mandate to bring forth the Kingdom of God and put it on display. If the Kingdom is truly functioning, then apostles would probably not be sent into that region. But if we do know that an apostle has been sent, then we should know the Kingdom is in need of being brought to the forefront as well. Apostles do this with apostolic proclamation that comes by decrees or revelatory preaching that reveals Kingdom dynamics and life giving flow. This style of preaching is not making statements about God which is what most preaching is, but making the Word of God, His Word, revealed in the present moment. This unlocks the Kingdom in fullness. Those that are sent have the Spirit without measure or limitation. The depth of the Kingdom can be displayed through their lives if they are received and given freedom to minister without limitation as well.

Apostolic structures help release what is eternal and is not concerned with what is temporal. Since apostles are visionary, they see the Kingdom in the fullness of what it can be and anything else then that needs to be adjusted. Apostles know how to place people into the Kingdom to function the best and also how to develop them for that Kingdom. Hence again, leaders who have not had apostolic oversight in development will probably lack in Kingdom understanding.

Perhaps because we have not embraced apostles and released them, we are not truly seeing Kingdom.  I believe we are seeing the Kingdom in some promising ways but far from what we desire and see in the early Church. At the same time, we are seeing the apostolic in some promising ways but far from what we desire and saw in the early Church. Both are interconnected and can only function in fullness when both are allowed to have full expression.

 

Elders of the City

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This blog has come to fruition after a phone conversation I had recently where we talked about Kingdom age eldership and I explained who the real elders are. I believe this will help many see their place and help align us into some Kingdom perspectives. We need to shift a lot of things with right leadership and some old mindsets will have to be replaced.

As Apostle Paul traveled, he went into cities and appointed elders. He found certain qualified people and then gave them the title of elder. We must look at things contextually and see that he was not appointing elders over churches but over The Church (Ecclesia) and was not even appointing elders over a group of believers even though that is part of their focus since they belong to a city. The Ecclesia was Kingdom minded and governmental. To maintain that culture, elders were appointed. Eldership of the church was eldership of the ruling reigning ones and not the full congregation as we now know it.  Since there was no division and also not many believers, his task of locating them was more simplified than we would do today.

But what Paul was actually doing was appointing elders over a city and not over a congregation. This is more in alignment with Kingdom and the large viewpoint needed. These were watchmen who were watching over the souls of men and what was coming into their culture and region. They helped maintain a Kingdom culture and not a denominational belief system. These elders are seldom mentioned in the Bible, but since Paul appointed them “in every city” the emphasis being “city”, there was a structure he was putting into place within a city. Paul was looking for a larger oversight of a city. He knew that as the Church grew, he could not keep in contact with hundreds of elders in hundreds of congregations. These city elders worked closely with the apostles in making decisions and also in implementing those decisions.  Acts 15:22-23, Acts 16:4 That is why Paul told Timothy to “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine”  1 Tim 5:17.

Today there are elders of the city. They are men and women who have a great desire to see God within their city and are in tune to what God is doing. They may or may not be leading a congregation. Some pastors are more elders of a city than a pastor of a congregation. Some may be businessmen. Some may be in the political arena.  I know several who have no real ‘ministry’ but have the pulse of a city. They are not apostles or prophets or pastors but move and function as elders. They meet the qualifiers Paul talked of and see things in the larger picture. They have vision for a city, hear God speak about their city and may have prophetic warnings as well.

Those people that we call elders in a local church are really deacons in function and qualification. The need of local eldership in a congregation seemed to be the natural flow as the Church grew. But the reality is apostolic teams and companies have been replaced by elders. Most elders in a local congregation are stagnated in function and their only real role is to decide the best for that congregation. We need elders of cities who help decide the needs of the city and what is needed to see the Kingdom come. This is the difference between church age eldership and Kingdom age eldership. Our paradigm shift needs to occur in this area so we can further empower those true elders of the city. I imagine many of you reading this can easily identify the elders of your city.

Apostolic Teams and Companies

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Since I have been teaching on this subject over the last few weeks in our School of Ministry and web stream, I decide to write a condensed version as a blog so more people can have these insights.

We see in the Bible, that there were apostolic teams sent into regions to bring impact and that Paul traveled with a company of people as well.  Let me first say that all apostolic teams/companies always travel with an apostolic leader. Apostles lead these teams with strategy and vision and a deep knowing of the overall destiny and assignment of the group. Apostolic teams focus on pioneering movements. They cultivate a set of core values that empower such a movement. Apostles gather other fivefold ministries to come alongside and travel into a region with the intention of aligning that region with Kingdom dynamics and to leave a deposit behind that would have an ongoing effect. That team is decided based on what grace gift is needed to create the impact.

At times, along with these teams, there might be an apostolic company. The company is made up of those of same passions and understanding to help model the overall value being imparted. They are already moving in the overall movement and come to demonstrate that for others to see. They speak the same things and articulate the core values. Apostolic teams and companies are not easily formed or brought into existence. They require great investment and long term investment to be able to carry the same vision, heart and voice. The greater the time of developing, the greater the effectiveness that will be seen.

Sometimes both an apostolic team and company are needed to bring the shift that is required. The team is made up of those carrying the message by the breath of God and the company is there to reinforce that message. Generally the team has seasoned fivefold people that are also seasoned in the message. The company will be those who have been impacted by the message and are possibly future leaders. All apostolic teams are part of the company but not all the company is part of an apostolic team due to overall calling and grace function.

Apostolic teams are focused. Apostolic teams are not apostolic because the team members are prophets or apostles but because they are apostolically led. We easily see this pattern in the scriptures and we don’t see teams or companies being sent without apostolic oversight. Apostolic teams must understand God’s strategy for the present moment of time. That strategy is then released into the company formed under them. The team is built to establish the Kingdom and the company is supporting their endeavors.

If an apostolic team is sent into a region by God that means God is endeavoring to release new Kingdom dynamics into that region. He brings a group of men and women either by team or company to show the depth of how important the message is that they are carrying. If God has sent such a group, then He must have a tremendous desire for that region to embrace that message. He has prepared hearts in advance of the team or company coming to embrace that message. The apostolic team knows the right timing and season that is occurring so they know when to go with the right message.

What makes the team and company dynamic effective is how they move in faith when they go into a new region. This faith walk they have has already been cultivated and has been challenged by the apostolic leader. The apostle may not fully know the way the vision will occur but does see the vision in fullness. The apostle is going by faith and expects the company/team to do so as well. This allows the Holy Spirit to be depended on and for faith to be activated. The team/company trusts the apostolic leader even though they may not fully see or understand. This empowers the apostle to move to greater dynamics of faith thus releasing the team to move deeper as well. This is the empowering to shift a region or city by released authority and faith creating Kingdom in places not seen before.

These apostolic teams and companies can only truly function in fullness in areas they have been invited or sent by God directly to break something open. Generally the apostle has a deep knowing in their spirit of the intentions of God. They mobilize those under them to fulfill this intention. The apostle trains them knowing what is required to do the assignment. This training is by instruction, activating, and by having vision for the individual knowing how they fit the overall plan of God locally. The local training is the proving point for being part of a team or company to be sent out later.

Some of the main things an apostolic company will do are confront principalities over regions. They discern the things opposing the move of God and confront with intercession in advance, and public decrees while in the region. These teams empower upcoming gifts in the region they go to. They confirm callings and empower leaders into greater authority. They come to support what is occurring but also to challenge into greater positioning.

Apostolic teams also carry one thing that really sets them apart and that is revelation. The team and company are both a living example of the revelation they are carrying. The team can release current revelation directly from God and also knows how to flow in the Spirit to make a harmonious meeting without breeches. They sense the Spirit’s desire for meetings and know how to steward those moments. The apostolic company traveling with them also has revelation but may not be able to fully present it. They may not know how to fully steward a meeting, so they once again rely on the team and the apostle they are under as the final authority.

Apostolic teams and companies show the functioning single corporate man. They show how to function together as the Spirit leads. They also show how unity multiples grace and authority, and causes impact. Conferences today are taking the place of apostolic teams but are not truly apostolic teams by Biblical pattern. The group called to speak at a conference has not been connected before the conference and have not necessarily been sent as a team or are under apostolic authority. They may act more as individuals trying to work together than a group appearing as a single flowing Body.  Apostolic teams and companies need to be released and embraced again so regions and cities can be impacted.

The Shift From Church Age to Kingdom Age — Part 2

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The dynamics of this shift are many and the catalyst is injustices and the ability to have freedom taken away is bringing the separation required. In this hour we have many things that are coming against us. Potential loss of religious freedom, gay marriage, and other cultural issues are emerging. These are not coming against the church per say, as some of the church is embracing and entering into this, but these issues are affecting the true ecclesia that has hid itself in the Kingdom, yet we were warned. This is the leaven spoke of in Matt 13.33. Leaven is not a positive but a negative. The word means mental and moral corruption. The worlds system knows it cannot stop the kingdom, so it is trying to corrupt it. It is trying to make it like itself with the same approaches and answers to social problem. This corruption is in the church in the form of compromise and even allowing the worlds systems and culture to come inside the walls. We have come to engage in issues and resolve social issues with the same type of  programs our governmental systems and manmade ideas have established. Yet the kingdom age is still coming!

In a desire to be sustained the church age has decided to engage culture by being relevant to. Yet all relevance requires a degree of compromise and acceptance of current culture to be heard.   To be relevant means you have become part of instead of standing opposed. The word relevant means closely connected or appropriate to the matter at hand. It means to be or find significance. That to me describes the ending of the church age, the effectiveness has run its course as it has tried to find significance. Yet our significance is only found through kingdom eyes and seeing the role our life plays in it. All seemingly hard questions are found through kingdom perspectives and not through finding connecting points to culture. Looking at past history every change was like this. Starting with Christ we see he was not relevant to Judaism but was contrary to it. No one is paying much attention to what the church currently does but everyone is paying attention to those kingdom minded who bring things contrary to current culture.

As one age closes and another age opens it will cause a revolution in thinking and function. Awakening is such a shift in lifestyle it will form a new culture. From that culture we will not have reform but radical reform. The kingdom age that is now upon us, like all things kingdom is demanding a response. This now is also another dilemma, will the many answer this call, or will they reject it? If we are not careful as kingdom people we too will try to be relevant to those we are trying to convince and could possible delay the kingdom age manifesting. People change how they function when their believe system changes. What we need to do is give the benefits and values of the kingdom life by both words and display. This is what was attractive in the early life of the believers in Acts. The values presented was greater than the price required to be paid for it. This enabled them to stand and endure while Christianity was birthed for the opening centuries.

As kingdom people we must live with kingdom principles and lifestyle. We must see things and present things not through chrucdom, but through kingdom. We must understand these principles to see them in everyday life and point them out. After all, the kingdom has always been here and is still here. People are not recognizing it because they are only seeing a worldly culture and not an eternal culture emerging.

this book would help you on the journey….

The Shift from the Church Age to the Kingdom Age

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As the church age is closing and the Kingdom age is emerging I am wondering exactly how much must shift to be able to transition. Terminology, function and mindsets are just the beginning. New ways of ancient ways returning, new paths of ancient paths must be walked. So much of our current approach, as much as we don’t want to admit it is really coming out of churchdom and not kingdom.

We all know and can list all the changes and shifts occurring over the last 10 years. Our expressions of worship, intercession, prayer and even teaching are starting to take on Kingdom perspectives. These outward functions are all related to one thing, revelation. Revelation comes to confront doctrine and what men believe to be true. Revelation may not replace past truth but will bring fresh understanding of what God is emphasizing for this moment. It also may bring things that have been lost and in need of being restored. But as I told one pastor “I’m not here to convince you of what I believe but I have come to bring revelation and only ask you put it in what you believe. If it is from God it will change your belief system.”

The awakening so many are talking about and the reformation to follow are both directed connected to the kingdom age and not the current/passing church age. This is the dilemma we are in. The church age has brought us to a place that our relationship with God is focused upon us and our need, while the Kingdom age is about living with eternal perspectives based on seeing Him and His kingdom in everything. By that I mean we may not see the conversion of, but the influence of. While the church age seeks for conversion, the kingdom age is not concerned with this as much as they see all things are in the kingdom and its influence is being felt by everything and every person.

I believe one of the things we are still needing to help facilitate the kingdom age is to have leaders who have emerged from the secret places of the Mysteries of Christ. Like reformers of past major transition upon the earth, there has to be remnant within the remnant of those who have paid a price to walk in holiness, who have encountered the real throne room, and are carrying the breath of God. Ones not seeking fame, meetings or followers. Ones who care nothing for how men react but how God is displayed in His glory. These are being formed in this hour in secret places. If they will be the ones to emerge to launch the kingdom age, or if it might be the ones they will mentor in secret will be the ones, is still to be determined. The one thing for certain is the institutionalized church ( that is any church with doctrines of men attached to it, that are not biblical and kingdom) is not really seeking a kingdom that has no end. But the good news is there is a harvest that has eternity placed in their hearts and it is our role to find the key to unlock them. That key is kingdom age dynamics. Kingdom language, function and approaches. God has prepared a people for the remnant Kingdom Age forerunners.

This book would help you in this journey….

Awakening Nature

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Recently I was in a service and an invitation was given. As people started ministering to the individual the entire room was focused on them and no longer on the Lord. The Lord spoke to me and said this is not awakening. It seemed odd to me because the attempt was being made to meet the need. Then I noticed what he was speaking of. The focus was on the one and not on HIM. The lord said I have ways to meet the need as you remain focused on me. We were trying to meet the need by anointing and even by knowledge of God and not from the nature of God. You see the anointing still ahs a mixture because it is the enablement of our flesh to engage into supernatural. The nature of God is pure and has no mixture, thus the results are very different. You see revival is the activation of the gifts, awakening sir the activation of the nature.  This is a great paradigm shift of how we do ministry.

I was in a prayer meeting and people love how I pray. But I don’t pray very often. I don’t just pray to be praying or to show how eloquent I can pray. I only want to pray what the father desires to be prayed. I only want to come into alignment with Jesus intercession. The anointing enables me to know that, but when I pray I pray from the nature within. That’s why the prayer is so powerful. That’s why people are drawn to the prayer, because it is not me praying but the nature praying. When we pray from the nature we see almost instant results. This is the new prayer paradigm that is coming as well.

We are looking for a certain thing to confirm that awakening is here or not. Many are trying to look at awakening with certain elements or things we are looking for that confirms awakening. We want to see the signs of holy laughter bring a return of joy, healings bringing a return of health, miracles, etc. We want to see outpourings like past revivals. We want to see mass salvations. Yet these are the signs of revival which is restoring things to a former state. Revival deals and focuses on individuals. Awakening focuses on a corporate body.

A Christian that has actually experienced an awakening to those things, their authority, or maybe the unlimited possibilities of God will begin to produce these signs of healings, miracles, prophecy etc. These signs are actually signs of being a Christian that is living to the full or one who has been awakened to the fullness of God. These things are actually the fruit of an awakened heart and not the actual awakening. The actual awakening is not actually seen.

The awakening is a hidden work that occurs in the heart. It is unseen. It is a holy place. A holy work. A work of wrestling for the nature of Christ to be formed that the breath of God would flow outwardly creating and releasing those around. It is an unpacking and unfolding of the nature of God to be allowed to be more dominant than our nature. That’s when the awakening we are all really looking for becomes most prevalent in touching society.

But before society and culture are impacted by this unseen force there has to be the voices of awakening to come forth first. Those who have decided to not live a normal Christian life of ease. Those who desire the very depths of God and are willing to let God deal with them, even severely if needed, to be able to remove the obstacles in their hearts. God is now taking the remnant we have been seeing formed over the last few years, who refuse the seeker friendly, institutionalized structures and is now given them the assignment of confronting the hearts of men. But this confrontation is not with words of men’s wisdom. Nor is it convincing words or begging words, or a memorized 4 spiritual laws or other techniques of the past. This confrontation is coming from the very nature of God within. The nature confronts. The nature carrying Gods breathe and when the words spoken from that point, it changes the heart.

You see the disciples’ were still unsure of who Jesus was even after resurrection. People are the same today looking at the church even after we have been resurrected into new life. The disciples were not following Jesus the man around for 3 years. They were following Jesus the nature of God around. It was the nature and how it was projected that caught there interest and imagination. God does not anoint a person he anoints the message inside the person and thus the person is anointed. The same today is true. People do not need to follow us or be draw to us, that’s the problem with the church and especially our celebrity leaders. No we need them to be drawn to the nature of God within us. It is what will cause hearts to be changed in a moment of time and the answering of the call like the early disciples who left all and followed him (the nature of God).

We have been given the honor (Doxa glory) from God to carry His nature so that other hearts would be awakened. Much like Peters shadow where we walk they feel HIM. Where we talk they understand HIM. You see quantum physics has discovered that just like our brains put out a wave, so does our heart. They call it your heart brain. The wave from our brain is about 6”, the wave from our heart is about 8 feet. So as Peter walked by and His shadow healed it was the nature of God healing. This “Zone” as I’ve been calling for the past two years is when our spirit bears witness to others, when we actually have fellowship with someone requires us to be this close for exchange of conversations, ( we don’t fellowship yelling across a room) and it’s when others gets in our zone they will feel him.

Charles Finney carried this degree of the nature of God. He could get on a train, or enter a building and everyone around could feel the presence of God. Many would sob uncontrollably. Others would enter into repentance without any words spoke. There are other stories of men on ships in New York city coming back from sea with the presence of God so heavy that when they ported much of the city of New York could feel a deep sense of conviction.

So the simple truth to be the voices or carriers of His presence that cause this kind of awakening of hearts is for us to enlarge our capacity for him. To allow more and more of our heart to be changed and convicted. To open up the secret doorways in our hearts, to Gods Holy Spirit to search us and if needed, to sweep us clean. These are the voices of awakening that are rising now. It is more than words. It is those purged so there is indeed more of him and less of us.

Why Leaven?

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Matt 13:33 Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

Many are living their Christianity in a non fullness lifestyle has come to be the new normal for many. Without knowing what can be, most are never realizing they are missing out, or don’t know there is truly more. Still others there is denial of the more, it does not mean it does not exist, but this only means they  have decided to ignore it. Believe it or not a sign of Kingdom evidence is the rejection of the message of the Kingdom. Since the kingdom is like leaven we must realize it will require much confronting. The word leaven actually means mental and moral corruption. The kingdom is a mixture and has mental and moral corruption and if not confronted, which is what has happened, this corruption could leaven all the way through. These iniquities, which defined as twisted thinking, has caused many to live far below the intentions of God. Let me explain probably the biggest wrong thinking which is the devil has a kingdom to. There is only one kingdom, Gods, and all things are in that kingdom. There is no kingdom of darkness only darkness hiding in Gods Kingdom.

The bible says there is the Kingdom of God, and the Kingdom of Heaven. The kingdom of God includes both believers and unbelievers. Both can feel the influence of the kingdom. The Kingdom of Heaven is only for those who believe, as we define heaven as the placement of Gods throne and access to it. The church or ecclesia is the voice within the kingdom of God. The Ecclessia has authority in that kingdom through its voice. Authority only works if we work it so our voice must be worked. The church is not the kingdom nor are we in the religious mountain, unless we are in a structure that is not bring a life giving flow, then that structure is in the religious mountain. We are the mountain of the Lord, called to be above all other mountains, or belief systems.  Now with the understanding of the kingdom established, let’s look back to the leaven within the kingdom.

The Lord has revealed to me how this leaven is working in Gods kingdom. There is a familiar spirit operating within Gods kingdom. It is demonic in source, and is not typical as in times past of demonic lies as demons whispering to Christians, but it is functioning through Christians who have not been taught Gods word properly. These Christians are whispering in the ears of other Christians, things that sound like God, but are not coming from God. A mixture of truth. With so much lack of discernment in the body almost all things are considered to be true, and more detrimental optional. Thus the confusion results of what to put the hand to, commitment to, how to interpretation truth, isolation from the truth, and also what to belief to be true. It has caused a mental and moral dilemma and made many things as either/ or  and formed many open belief systems. It has thus corrupted many of the people of God and affected how leaders conduct spiritual business. We end up as leaders scratching our heads over how people can think certain ways and react in certain spiritual situations. How can you say this is the best thing going and yet not participate. A familiar spirit whispering. How can you say apostolic is needed and understand the value, yet walk away from apostolic. How can you be taught the kingdom and the spirits flow and go back to a lifeless structure? A whisper coming from a person who has moral or mental corruption.

Let’s face it we all have these type of things that have happened. I don’t mind someone if they move on and their life is more fruitful, but most of the time it is not. Most of these types of situations end with a type of denial of what is being offered. I understand the unwillingness of change but isn’t  that not saying the mental corruption carries a higher weight than the truth.

This principality over our nation and even our states needs to be broken. There is a  remnant in this kingdom. There are hungry ones, pressing in. There are prodigals about to come in. There are pockets that have disconnected to the un-fullness lifestyle and want the fullness. Finding these is part of the challenge. Paul was able to find them when he entered a city by allowing the Spirits activity to flow through him. To me this is the key to unlocking all things. The nature of God coming to cities, the breath of God released in cities.  We must be consistent in carrying his nature and releasing his breath. We must not be discouraged by those who only attend a meeting once but somehow encourage them to attend until they get it. Paul taught and taught and taught. But he and Jesus both confronted. They confronted 2 things. Moral corruption and mental corruption. They did it by uncompromising truth. We must realize we will always have this mixture in the kingdom, but we need to live far above it, seeing is there but not allowing it to affect us. We need to take final authority over these demonic forces for the sake of our people. We have been positioned to confront these forces, steward demonic forces holding them at bay so the spirit of truth can come and change people and the word not being stolen by the whispering.  This will be require work to come to this point, but a great work of the spirit will follow.

Is Your Spiritual Community Wrong?

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I wanted to put something together after several pieces came to me this week from different places. I want to talk about spiritual community. The BASE is apostolic driven and hence a LARGE part of apostolic is relationships. As a kingdom center we are really a relationship center for those doing kingdom work. Hence if you are not doing kingdom work and just going through life you might not fully fit into the BASE. Second if you are not into relationships or do not like fellowship you won’t fit at all. These two things may limit who wants to participate fully.

But the relationships at an apostolic center are different than a Sunday church.  In the typical church the relationships are about doing community life, while anything that is apostolic will be about spiritual life. Community life is about surviving life and having family. There is nothing wrong with the focuses of a local church as they are foundational. But a kingdom center focus is much deeper, to create victorious warriors and bring the kingdom to the earth.

Spiritual life community develops strategy out of relationships with each other and those relationships do a vast amount of perfecting as “Iron sharpens iron”.  Spiritual life communities also have spiritual fathering by investing and life partnering instead of life instruction coming by teaching only. The community is made to mobilize individuals to fulfill calling and bring the dreams and visions in their hearts to come to pass through opportunities and responsibilities. While a typical church life is made to serve the vision of the local gathering, a kingdom center is made to serve the vision and dream in the hearts of those gathering.

Now with our worship team coming back from a conference were spiritual community was talked about, it was discussed that because people do not fit your community or come and leave it, does not make the community you built wrong, it just means they don’t fit. I have had several national leaders I have discussed this with tell me what you are teaching or doing is not wrong, the people attending are not willing to act on what is being given. That helped but did not explain the why. Now I think I see the why.

As I look back at 20 years of ministry and those who have come and gone, the pattern seems to hold true. People left because they wanted community life relationships over spiritual life relationships. People left because they did not want deep fellowship. And people left because of being unable to relate because they were not doing kingdom work and were unwilling to fulfill calling or the dream assignment God had given to them for their life.  For those building true apostolic spiritual community keep building what you have started. It’s not wrong, it is from God. People just have to mature yet to fully participate.

Exposure of False Prophets and Apostles

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            Today there is much talk of Apostles, prophets and the Apostolic move that is now unfolding upon the earth and within the church. With every move of God, there is a constant vying for positioning coming from a spirit of jealousy and competition. This spirit always comes with new moves of God as people who are insecure of their calling and anointing are threatened by the next move. Sometimes it is a feeling of being exposed, sometimes it is a power struggle of having control over their life and others lives as well. I would like to talk about some of the things I see happening as the apostolic movement is emerging.

            I believe what we see now is only a forerunner of the true apostolic movement that is to come. Many are trying to be Apostles with only partial understanding as people have declared these things falsely over people, or they have received some teaching on the subject and think they are an expert concerning this area. I have come to the conclusion that we are indeed living in a progressive revelation that continues to unfold. Because of this, those who are truly doing apostolic work “ have not been this way before” like Joshua, and the answers to define things are not yet fully comprehended. All true apostles eventually come to a statement that they are not exactly sure what this will look like at the end, since God is the one unfolding things and we are only stewards or managers of the “mysteries of Christ”.

            The prophetic movement has come to point to the next movement which is apostolic. The pattern in the Bible is Moses a prophet pointed to Joshua an apostle, Samuel to David, John the Baptist to Jesus and Jesus to the 12 apostles. Each could not define the next movement, but only give some expression of what it would entail. Each of these also had false prophets trying to point to false apostles as well. Today, we are no different with false prophets and apostles trying to operate. False is never birthed outside of the church but within it. True Apostles will point out these false prophets and apostles, and give time for repentance before God brings judgment against them.

            A Biblical example that best exemplifies the things we need to be on guard for is found is 1 Kings 1-2. I encourage you to read the story as you read the following understanding.  David had reached an old age and it was time to pass the mantle of leadership to a new generation, much like today. False is always birthed right before a transition is to occur. Absalom, his son, was killed by Joab, David’s commander of the army, because of rebellion in his life. (2 Sam 18:15). This story has several people involved representing different areas. Here is a list and how they play out so we can see the spiritual pattern. Bathsheba represents the church going before the king and being the king’s bride. Zadok, the high priest is a true prophet from God. Abiathar the priest is a false prophet from God. Adonijah, David’s son, is a false apostle, Solomon is a true apostle, Joab is an intercessor, (The commander of the army who acted out what he thought was right by killing Absalom. Most intercessors who are not submitted act out what they should only be praying about) and of course, David, a true Apostle, who will pass the mantle to the next apostle. It is assumed we all have a good understanding of the dynamics of apostolic ministry of conquerors, builders, and kingdom mindsets. In 1 Kings 1:5 the false apostle, Abiathar, makes a false proclamation concerning his office and destiny. All false people do three things, they proclaim their ministry without affirmation, they gather others to support them in their proclamation, and they promote themselves over the kingdom of God. In verse 7, we see an unholy alliance being formed with a self appointed false apostle, Adonijah, a false prophet, Abiathar, and Joab, an intercessor, who is to be watching out for David as the one in charge of security and the army. The false always tries to bring leadership from the true into to add affirmation. In verse 8, we see the true do not associate with the false but maintains a distance. The false only seek confirmation from the false. They do not expose themselves by coming into a relationship with those who are true. The true will not associate themselves with the false also, as it would mean they approve of their actions. In this story, the false are not submitted, not appointed, and not approved or recognized by Godly authorities already in place. In verse 9, we see that these false leaders produce false sacrifices to affirm themselves. Adonijah did not offer spiritual sacrifices like David gave for example, but offered a fleshly offering. This occurs at the stone of Zoheleth (means serpent) by Enrogel (mount of the fuller), which is one of the two main streams that fed Jerusalem. This is symbolic of the true and false, both spiritual, vying for our cities and regions. In verse 10, we see that those who are true were not invited. We see the deception of those who are false doing things in secret and not openly before others. We also see them try to gain control of the springs of the cities, regions and even nations by going to the sources, in a spirit of competition.

            In verse 11-27, Nathan, the true prophet, spoke to Bathsheba (the church) and revealed what is going on in secret. Today prophets will begin to speak concerning hidden motives and affections. The church needs to listen with new ears and understanding. Bathsheba received direction from the prophet and went before the king to speak concerning the passing of the mantle to the true apostle, Solomon. Nathan, the prophet, backed up Bathsheba as everything must be established with two witnesses. In Mosaic law, accusations had to be done in such a matter for it to be addressed. Today, the true prophets are speaking and telling the church “hidden things” so we can go before our King Jesus and speak these concerns. The King will always give us confirmation that His promises are true (Vs. 28-31). Once we put these things into motion, God will orchestrate that which is true. David called for Nathan and the true priest and made public declaration of the true apostle and rightful heir of the throne.  They had an authorized procession. This brought great joy into the land. The true causes rejoicing, the false does not release joy in the land.  They took the horn of oil from the Tabernacle, set Solomon in place, and sounded a public trumpet to declare the new King (Vs.39). This true anointing and decree was something the false could not do. We may announce that we are anointed, but only if we truly have been appointed by the Lord and not ourselves.

            What happens to the false? He cried out to God not because what he did was wrong, but because he was caught in the act. He feared Solomon but not God. His focus was notKingdom of God focus but kingdom of earth focused. In verses 50-53, Solomon puts the judgment upon themselves. If they be wicked, let them die, if worthy, then not. He allowed the false to be exposed over time, even though he knew them to be false. Solomon, like David, was able to separate family from ministry and place judgment into God’s hand and not his own. Today, these same things are occurring through imprecatory prayers. These are prayers that David prayed concerning his enemies in a way that left judgment up to God concerning them. We see them scattered throughout the book of Psalms. False ministry is always given the time to repent. In this case, there was no true repentance and Adonijah said in 1 Kings 2:13-18 and still proclaimed what he coveed  in his heart concerning the kingdom. He desired to have what the king once had, even if he could not have the kingdom then at least the king’s handmaiden who was still a virgin. (Vs.22) Solomon named all those who supported him and his endeavors. In vs. 23 he declared Adnijah is condemned by his own words and in verse 24 declared that he be put to death. He also address Abiathar the priest, and spoke to him that he will not die but be removed from office. Because as a priest he could not killed but could be disciplined. The final one was Joab, who ran into the tabernacle thinking this would protect him from certain death. But Solomon ordered him to be killed, as well.

            What we see from this pattern, is that the false will be exposed and will be brought down. Their ministries will die, they will be removed out of office. They will be given time to repent but God will decide the final outcome of all things. It is a time to recognize true callings from the false. We should  not associate with those who are false. We also need to realize that God will use men, not in a vengeful way, but in a spirit of humility, to expose and deal with false ministries. When these things begin to come to pass, we will know the mantle is about to be passed to the next generation. Lately, I have had to confront some of these very things. It is not pleasant. For David and Solomon, it was not pleasant but it was all part of Kingdom necessaries.