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Fullness of Christ

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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

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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.

Light of Genesis

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The following is from my book “Return to Eden” available on amazon and Kindle.

…….Both of these lights are called great. But He said one was greater light. The word great means large in magnitude and extent. But what is interesting is these lights were set to rule. Light has a rulership. The word rule means to have dominion. Now at first glance, we would assume the greater light of day would be the sun, and the lesser light would be darkness. But he also speaks of making the stars. He does not say the lesser light is void of light but is lesser. The lesser means younger, smaller, or less important. What is important is that both lights are ruling, one rules the day and one the night. Both have dominion. This began the rule or reign of light. It was set in motion that light would always rule, and the lesser light would always submit to the greater light. This is further explained in the following verse.

Psalm 136:7–9 (KJV 1900) — 7 To him that made great lights: For his mercy endureth for ever: 8 The sun to rule by day: For his mercy endureth for ever: 9 The moon and stars to rule by night: For his mercy endureth for ever.

The earth is ruled by something in Heaven and is always under its rule which is light, be it greater or lesser. This light rules all creation in the heavens. Now we all know that what is lesser is always submitted to what is greater. So, what is void of light submits to the smallest light. The smallest light is swallowed up in ever-increasing brighter light. It is progressive submission to what has the ultimate rule.

Matthew 13:43 (KJV 1900) — 43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

The Garden was a place for the righteous. It was also a place to rule from. The original design was for us to “shine forth” as the sun or the greater light. That all other lights would be submitted to this light, the light of righteousness. The word shine in the original definition is made up of two words. Ek Lamp0. Ek means the origin point at which actions proceed and Lampo to give light, to radiant brilliance or to give light, something attractive and richly colorful. Again, this light is from the origins of the same light of creation shining upon Eden, the place of the righteous. This ruling light is directly connected to our righteousness and also to creation and the Garden of Eden being set aside for the righteous or for the shining lights. That light is Christ and the Father.

We are an extension of that original light. The Bible says that light is dwelling in us and that “light” is Christ and he is the light of all men. He is the supreme light, the greater and greatest light which means all other lights have to come under His lordship. Even a sinner has a degree of light. It’s just that darkness is crowding or overshadowing the light within. When we come with greater light, the darkness has to submit to our light and the light of Christ begins to penetrate the heart of the sinner. Our light encourages and engages the light within the person and empowers them to step into greater light. Eventually, that light grows and pushes the darkness out and the person makes a conversion to allow the rule of greater light to take place.

This transformational process is present in natural light. It’s amazing that even natural light has such power of transformation. Natural sunlight hits our bodies and takes what is dormant in us and transforms it into Vitamin D. Sunlight doesn’t carry vitamin D as we think but has the power to produce or make it. This same sunlight also can touch a plant and allow photosynthesis to occur. Taking different elements and bringing life from them. If God can transform our natural bodies and all plant life with the light he created we call the sun. He can also transform our spiritual bodies and all life around us with the SON. 

Ways of God

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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.

Pursue

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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.

Vision of Declaration of Independence

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John 6:63 (KJV 1900) — 63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

Before I get into the vision let use this as a teaching moment. There is an activity of the spirit that causes life to come to us. It is God himself speaking directly to us. Our role is to eliminate the areas of flesh that blocks the flow or clouds what we hear. It starts with us walking in the spirit. Gal 5:16-17. He says walk in the spirit. The word walk means to regulate your life and to conduct yourself in opportunities. The word spirit means the nature of God. It is realizing that I am in union with Christ. It is not my spirit and His spirit but actually I am one in spirit. Because We are joined unison and I have yielded to this, I automatically am walking in the spirit with His nature present in me. As I have said many times it is being spiritually aware in the moments of life. Having your spiritual senses heightened to hear, speak, know and feel Gods heart in every circumstance.

This begins to form a unique spiritual experience. We are to pray in the spirit. This is prayer that is done in union with Christ praying out of us. Praying with the spirit and praying in the spirit is different. It is knowing what to pray and maybe more important “why” we pray. When we know the why we have moved from the tree of knowledge (what) to the tree of life (why).

What does it mean to be in the spirit? In the Spirit is being in 2 realms simultaneously or at the same time! The earth realm (which is not the flesh, which is will, emotions etc.) and the heavenly realms (both second and third heaven) which are spiritual dimensions. This is the only time we will ever live in 2 realms of God at one time. While we are upon the earth!  Being in the spirit is a state of being more than an action. It is taking our places as sons and daughters of God being seated in heavenly places.  It is the union of your spirit with Gods nature and His nature is controlling your spirit, and your spirit controlling your flesh.

Revelation 1:10 (KJV 1900) — 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

John heard something from the spiritual realm. Then john saw the voice he heard Rev 1.12. John was in a spiritual realm, a spiritual state, a union with the Holy Spirit and the Son. From simply being in the spirit the entire book of revelation unfolds for John. This is a threshold we need to step through. It needs to be more than I’m praying in tongues or if “feel” Gods presence. It is a spiritual realm to enter. Once we cross the invisible doorway, He will show us things that must be. We are in great need in this hour to know the times and seasons and to know what we need to do to pull the future into the now.

1 Thessalonians 2:12 (KJV 1900) — 12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

Walking in the spirit is walking in kingdom realms as well. Kingdom and glory are always together. Kingdom can be translated as realm and glory as honor. So, this verse could read to walk worthy of God in the realms and honor we have access into. Recently I had a vision while being in the spirit. This is what I saw:

I saw in a vision, a great scroll spread upon the alters of heaven. And at the top of this scroll was written Declaration of Independence. The Lord spoke and said to me, “Has my church declared its independence from the world?” I saw the scroll and all that was written on it.  The heading “Declaration of Independence” and when I looked under the page was blank.  I sensed a reason that nothing was there, and it wasn’t hidden from me. And I saw the golden flames of Gods fire leaping and the fire was speaking, “who has separated themselves to the KING?” Then I saw the silver fires of God that carry the redemption of man. They were the container for the golden fire. It was as if the silver fire at the base was a solid basin to hold the oil for the flames, yet as you went up the basin it became liquid and then fire. The silver fire was a large basin. And in the center of the basin was the golden flame. In the midst of the redemption fire of silver was the golden fire of the king’s flame. And I saw the golden flame illuminating the alter of the lord while the silver flame illuminated the pathways and what would be the floor area around it.  The redemptive ways of God enabled me to draw close to the alter to see the scroll and its words. The Lord said, “you mourn for a nation but who mourns for the harvest?”  The questions where penetrating not just my heart but the atmospheres of the earth. Then I saw the scroll again laying open with the blank page except for the heading Declaration of Independence. The Lord said, “Who will sign their name to break free into the fullness of my freedom?” I now knew the page was blank for many to sign. There was room for the multitudes. Then I saw the “waiting of the Lord.” A time went by and then it came to full. The Lord rolled the scroll up and sealed it with a great sealed. The words on the outside appeared, “The sealed of the signed”. The Lord put the scroll upon the shelves within a great hall in heaven. It was if it would never be opened for all in heaven and earth knew who had signed the great scroll. He then turned and said to me, “Now it is finished.”

As I finished writing this, I felt undone in conclusion. I was going to stop at the end of vision. But I had a very dark dream in the night. I won’t go into details but give a general overview. I saw the darkness people were locked in. I was taken down a dark corridor to a large courtyard pit with all the different types of demonic shops offering all kinds of demonic bondages. I saw not just shops, but deep tunnels leading into nothing but darkness. These had gatekeepers who would not allow anyone into these portals unless they had certain approval. In the courtyard there were ones who were calling to those who came to see what darkness they should enter. They were selling their wares. I had to fight a succubus demon off to leave the area.

The Lord spoke to me and said, “These are also part of the great harvest, but who is free to go to these places?” He told me this was the conclusion to this blog I was seeking. He then said, “unless your truly free and have declared it by walking in it you can not lead others to freedom.” Have you signed your Declaration of Independence? Will you be one to go into darkness and break the chains of bondage?

Pioneers of the Realms Prophesy

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Word — Pioneers of the Realms through Apostle Greg Crawford

12/9/2023

Today’s blog is a word that the Lord released through me. We had been in a strong prophetic singing around the themes of “Heaven is coming” and we “won’t stop believing”. Then we moved into a spontaneous singing around this. In that setting is when this word came.

I hear the Spirit of the Lord say in this hour,

“There is a rising up of a new pioneering prophet in the land and new pioneering spirit is ones that have a hunger to know the mysteries that are hidden. The ones that Enoch stepped in and saw and experienced. They are the ones that enter into realms and begin to understand how the spiritual dimensions work and how they’re interconnected into the earth. They are beginning to find themselves, like the latter rain prophets of old, they know each other after the same spirit and the same understanding. They’re able to know and hear the same things in the Spirit, and I’m beginning to bring them into a new dimension of the spirit, a new reality of what I want to do in the earth. A greater dimension of knowing who I am and what is in my heart. For while the majority search out what is sitting inside of my heart and the hidden thing.

They longed to look into the mysteries that I’ve hit for the end of the age, and they are now beginning to tap into the areas that I’ve reserved for this hour and reserved for them. They shall be few in number, but they shall gather. Though they shall be few, and what seems to be what they carry, but they shall be much with what they know.

They shall be ones that will begin to shift the earth and begin to shift the atmospheres of the Earth into the atmospheres of heaven. They will understand how to begin to bring that which is upon the earth into alignment, in order with that which is in heaven. For they understand how the heavenly realm works, and they will bring that understanding into the earth. In this hour they are despised and rejected, they are somewhat pushed aside, but yet the truth remains within them. The desire to see my body become who I say it is, is setting deep inside of them. And they are pushing forward into the very depths of my heart to understand my ways and understand my paths.

They will bring these things into the earth, and you will see a generation that will rise after them that will complete the things that they have started. It is a foundation for the restoration of the earth. You will see a generation rise that will have deeper and richer understanding in the embrace of what I have put inside of their hearts. And you will know that I was working all along to bring a conclusion into the earth to bring a finality to the things that you now know. To create something that you did not even understand could be. I say it is a new season and these are coming forth into the earth.

Their voices will become stronger in the days ahead. Their reach will begin to go into nations, they will begin to impact in hidden places and hidden places of men’s hearts. They will confront leaders with the things that they have opposed themselves against. They will begin to set the order and the alignment back, of what is upon the earth. Back into the alignment in order of what is in heaven.

They will see the kingdom come but they will not see it in the fullness with their eyes, but they will see it in the spirit of what they’ve endeavored to place upon the earth. They will see much of what will be, not seeing with their physical eyes. For a generation must emerge that will lay all aside and lay aside that which they’ve received in their eyes, out their heart of the ideas of what they think it must be.

I say a generation is rising even in young ones in this hour that are untainted by religion and untainted by the culture of the world. They are few but they will number greatly when it is finished. For I am doing complete work and a finishing work in the earth. The things that I put my hand to do in this hour through the lives and hearts of many of these pioneering ones that enter into these realms, will be things that you will talk about in the future. They will be things that will set the course for the finality of all things.

I am doing something in this hour, do not despise it. Do not reject it. Do not cast it aside, but say hey God, how can I embrace. Hey God, what must I do? Hey God, what are you doing in the meeting? Ask me the questions and I will give you the answers. I will show you how to be positioned where you need to be. I will show you what you must put your hand to do. I will show you what must occur in your life. I will show you the pathway you must go. You will know that you are working with me and partnering with me.

I say do not worry that you do not understand but worry that your moving in faith. Worry I am doing that which has been placed into my hand. Can you ask for more than what I can do with in this hour? I say there is nothing I cannot do through you and cannot use you for all kinds of things. But I say you must yield to me, and you must yield your mind and your understanding of me. For I will do things that will confound the wisdom that sits inside of you. I will do things that require you to move in greater faith. I will require things for you to step in and trust me in ways that you have not trusted me and I will move you into places where you must confront that which you have never confronted. You must confront the things that oppose you, even your own self that opposes you at times and seasons.

So, I say it is a new day where the realms begin to open in this hour. The things that I have reserved for this hour are beginning to drop into the heavens out of the heavens into the earth to begin to cover it. It will begin to water it back to the original way that I had intended things to be. It is a great time of setting things in order and setting things into alignment for it is my heart that is coming into the earth.

These are the ones that are seeking after that which creation holds to understand the mysteries of creation like my son Enoch, he understood these things. How I worked in spiritual protocol, and that is what I shall bring into the earth in the next season. Be ready and prepared. Be Watching and waiting, learning what I am doing and know the season and the time is setting upon you. And you shall not be disappointed, you shall not be dismayed, and you shall not be left out. You shall be in step in season, and you will be in the very Kairos of my moment because you have understood the Chronos that is setting around you.”

I trust this has been a blessing to you. If so feel free to share this with others. Also feel free to share the resources found at gregcrawford.org.

Apostolic Burden of the Lord Part 2

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Last time we covered what is the Burden of the Lord. If you didn’t read it go back so you have a foundation to launch into part 2. In this writing we will see how burdens from the Lord come. For the most part they are not our ideas or extensions of ideas of ministry we have. Many times, they are contrary to our plans and maybe even our desires. They will take us off our typical course into a course of Gods ultimate plan unfolding. We will look at Nehimiah, an apostolic builder and restorer. A mobilizer of workers and one who sets things in order.

Nehemiah 1:3 (KJV 1900) — 3 And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.

The first thing is he heard. He heard a report. But it was not just idle talk but factual and not with speculation or assumption. Something in this report pricked his heart having a profound effect upon him. Many times, we hear things, and the hardness of our heart keeps us from really hearing. Sometimes something catches our spirit, and we react. This was what occurred to him.

Nehemiah 1:4 (KJV 1900) — 4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,

The words were heard by others but no one else responded. The words were actually reserved to have an effect upon one person and that was Nehemiah. The others had become accustomed to hearing reports. But probably because of hardness of heart and loss of faith and hope accepted the state of things. But the words caused Nehemiah to take time to process as he sat. the more he processed the more he wept. A burden doesn’t accept the current situation but has come to change the situation. His weeping went to mourning and mourning turned into fasting and prayer to find the solution.

Nehimiah 2: 11-16   The burden will cause you to evaluate the true conditions firsthand. Burdens take us from secondhand knowledge to first-hand experience. He went by night to examine the assignment. What he saw was different from what others saw. He saw through promise not circumstances. He did not deny what he saw but looked beyond and saw the ramifications. He sees how it affected Gods glory and Gods people. He was seeing with his spirit.

He then is burdened with reality. The reality the burden has within it is holy. It bears the weight of Gods glory and the work that must be accomplished. He sees beyond the natural. Part of this reality is the personal responsibility that comes with burden. Those with a burden see not only the problem, but the role they play in the solution. The only solution or answers that work is from God and you must hear clearly. Because very burden for God will have those who are critical coming from your own camp. Nehemiah 4:10–11. He is able to share the reason for the burden.

Nehemiah 4:14.  (KJV 1900) — 14 And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.

Every burden form God is also connected to Legacy.Moses was burdened for the people of Israel. Others had burdens as well like David, Paul, Samuel, all the ones we talk about doing exploits, but seldom do we talk of their burden. Without Gods burden our faith is in vain. Our prayers are lacking, and our impact is greatly diminished. A true burden form God cannot be stopped. It is fulfilling a plan that is required. To me the burden is the key to active faith that produces results. We really only see spiritual changes when we tap into the burden of God, or we get burdened for people where we finally fully engage ourselves. Burden is about transferring. Transferring people from the power of darkness into the kingdom of His son Jesus.

Every burden will create your apostolic vision. Without a true burden then vision is hard to define, and mission is even harder to operate. We see Ezra in chapter 10:1-4 having a burden before he had vision. We see Nehimiah as well in Chapter 1:3-4. Daniel prayed and fasted for 3 full weeks. What God is looking for is not anointing, which is borrowed from him, or giftedness, which is birthed by him, but the greatest need is who will carry His burden. What is your burden today?

Those who carry a God given burden are the ones who will do exploits. There may be suffering but the suffering will bring greater glory. Paul was driven by apostolic burden. Building is also coming from burden. Burden touches almost all things we do and reforms values. The burden just has to be from God to be effective. Jeremiah 20.8 says it was like fire in his bones and he had no choice but to respond. Burden brings you into service. Burden makes you go.

In Galatians 6:1 it says we carry each other’s burdens which the word means heavy crushing loads. But in verse 4 it says each man is to carry his own burden. This burden is “phorton” and is used to designate the pack a marching soldier carries. It also means carrying the ships cargo, which has connotations of being connected apostolically. Paul says you must prove your work, or it must be authenticated to see if it is genuine. He was speaking if your burden is from god or just a good idea.

Then as we look at spiritual fathering, we also see Sons and Daughters are to carry the burden of the Lord spiritual fathers carry. Many times, we seek spiritual fathering, and we only pick and choose what that fathering is carrying and offering. But we neglect that there is more than the positive fun side of spiritual fathering. In Phil. 3:10 Paul speaks of the “manner of Life”. Paul was saying what Timothy received encompassed how Paul carried and exercised his burden as well. The activation of Paul’s burden in Timothy’s life brought him into his own apostolic journey. Timothy as a son was not disjointed from Paul’s burden but embraced it with the assignments given to him.
Paul said he was like-minded in Phil. 2:20. That like-minded was also concerning how  the burden would be completed.

Burden will create a message in you. It will take you on a mission as well. It will give others a vision, so they qualify to have their own. Burden will take you from a second hand knowledge to a first-hand experience. Burden summons us into the destiny we are longing for. Burden has a sense of urgency. It has a sense of responsibility. The size of your burden will also determine your impact on the earth. But because you have a burden doesn’t mean everything is automatic. It requires your response and others as well.

In the book I wrote “Awakened Heart” has a prophetic word coming from Habakkuk. It encompasses an entire chapter. As I was researching for this blog, I found the word burden spoken 45 times in this prophetic word. It seems it must be important to God.

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Blessings