The U.S.A. Weekend Seminar Series
“Apostles and Prophets”
1.
All
seminars are held by invitation from your church or ministry.
2. Because of the amount of materials that must be covered, six weekend
sessions are required. We travel by auto as a family, with our four children, when
asked to minister in the Southwest.
This includes New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona and the western Texas areas.
3. Outside of this geographical area, I, Jose,
will come alone by airplane.
4. In most seminars, the Lord leads us to have times of
ministry, which include words of knowledge, prophetical words, and
healings. If your church desires for
this type of ministry within the teaching times we can accommodate this. If however you would only desire to have a
straight teaching seminar, we will honor this as well. Our vision and calling is to assist your
ministry in receiving the greatest benefits during this time.
5. We do not request honorariums or love
offerings, but trust the Lord to speak to the hosting church as to what His
will is.
6. Our ministerial requirements from you the hosting church are
room and board either in a motel or at one of the brethren’s home during our
stay, and a roundtrip airplane ticket for Jose if he comes alone by airplane.
The Calling of the
Apostle
Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered
and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
q
Greek: It is the priority
in this case, or it is always necessary that we obey God rather than men.
Acts 6:2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them,
and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve
tables.
q
Greek: It is not pleasant or
agreeable that we would leave, abandon, or forsake the word of God.
Philippians 1:20 According to my earnest expectation and my
hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness,(
As Christ is magnified and made great in his life, the power of God
within Paul brings much freedom to him.
Paul can live out the gospel in confidence, candor, fearlessness
and honesty, unhindered in every way.) as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body), whether it be by life, or by death
·
The
apostle Paul’s desire was to take his life and use it as a magnifying glass
that would make Jesus Christ great. His
expectation is one of stretching out his head to be able to anxiously observe
this process becoming a reality in his life.
Philippians 3:12 Not
as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after (I persecute after), if that I may apprehend (seize and make it my own) that for which
also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his
resurrection,
and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of
the dead.
o
That I may progressively know Him
and His dunamis power in their completion as the goals of my life.
o
Sharing in common with Him, his
sufferings
o
Being metamorphosized with Him
into all aspects that represent His death
o
If by any means I can attain to
the out resurrection of the dead in my earthly life
1 Corinthians
4:9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to
death: for
we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels,
and to men.
o
Hath set forth To expose to
view; or to exhibit
o Last in receiving honor,
last in being recognized by men and by the body of Christ, last in being raised
up by Christ, and smallest in importance and in the estimation of men.
o Appointed to death:
“Doomed to die”
o A spectacle unto the world. A theater to
the world.
2Cor 4:12 So then death worketh (ENERGIZED) in us, but life in you.
·
Death is
actively energized and efficient in us.
·
It is always mighty in the apostolic
workings. This death is for the benefit
of others
2 Cor1:9 But we had the sentence of
death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God
which raiseth the dead:
·
(Literally Paul asks, “Am I
going to save myself by earthly efforts?
·
My
answer is NO!! I MUST DIE!! ONLY IN
CHRIST AND THROUGH CHRIST)
·
· It is a judicial sentence of death. “An official resolution
that stamps a matter as done.’
·
Whether on
asking myself, should I die or whether I should come out of this earthjly
peril, I answered, “I must die”.
Acts 6:4 But we will
give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
q
Greek: But we will steadfastly without pause adhere
ourselves to prayer, and to the office of the Word of God.
Acts 6:10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom
and the spirit by which he spake.
·
The opponents of God
had absolutely no inward strength of spirit to take a stand against
Steven. This is the resurrection power
abiding in the apostle
Acts 9:22 But Saul
increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at
Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.
·
He therefore threw into disorder and the
perplexing of mind the enemies of God through the display of God’s power.
Acts4:33 And with great power gave (discharged their responsibility,
debt or duty) the apostles witness (martyrdom) of the resurrection of the Lord
Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
The Calling of the
Apostle (CONTINUED)
Rom 11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I
am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
if by any means I may provoke to jealousy them that are my flesh,
and may save some of them.
q
Greek: Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the
nations, I do my ministry honor, or I lay much stress in magnifying my office,
or I continuously glorify my ministry.
q
If I may provoke to jealousy
1 Corinthians
4:9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels,
and to men.
q Hath set forth “To expose
to view; or to exhibit”
q
Last: In receiving honor, last in
being recognized by men and by the body of Christ, last in being raised up by
Christ, and smallest in importance and in the estimation of men.
q
Appointed to death: Greek: “Doomed to die”
q
A spectacle unto the world: A theatre unto the
world.
q
The Lord allows the apostle to
go through the humiliating and frustrating circumstances of being last so that
he is whittled away from all that does not represent the voice of the Lord, His
ways, and His timing
1 Cor 4:10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are
wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are
despised.
q
Greek: We are morons on the
account of Christ
q
We are frail and weak, you are
confident and strong
q
We are those who get no respect
from people
1 Cor 4:11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger,
and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;
q
We are hungry and thirsty
q
We are dressed scantily or with poor quality of clothing
q
We are treated poorly
q
We have no home of our own
12 And labour,
working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we
suffer it:
q
We labor for the gospel’s sake
to the point of exhaustion
q
When we are abused by men, we
bless back
When we are
persecuted, we patiently endure it.
1 Corinthians 4:13 Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the
filth(As soap being rinsed off from
dirty plates) of the world, and are the offscouring(scrapings of food thrown away) of all things unto this day.
1 Cor 9:12 If others be partakers of this power over
you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer
all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.
q
Greek: We did not make use of the different
rights afforded to us by the gospel as apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ. Some of these rights include having a
Christian wife and getting our income from the gospel. We do not make use
of our rights, but instead put up with all things so as not to impede the
pioneering progress of the gospel.
1 Cor 15: 30 And why stand we
in jeopardy every hour? (We are in continuous danger every hour)
31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in
Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily (according to the day I die off)
2 Cor 1:8 For we would not, brethren, have you
ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of
measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
v
Excessively we were burdened
beyond our power.
v
It is throwing beyond
magnitude. We
were utterly at loss, destitute of earthly and fleshly measures and resources.
2 Cor 4:1 ¶
Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not
Because
by the mercy of God, we were called into this ministry, we do not become
discouraged.
(We
know that if God divinely summoned us, He will take care of us, and see us
through; therefore we do not lose heart.)
Because by
the mercy of God, we were called into this ministry, we do not become
discouraged. (We know that if God divinely summoned us, He will take care of
us, and see us through; therefore we do not lose heart.)
2 But have renounced (we gave up once, and now forbid) the hidden things of dishonesty (anything that brings
shame or disgrace to the gospel, or to us), not walking in craftiness (not conducting ourselves
in the doctrines of men), nor handling the word of God
deceitfully (by
trickery, adulterating or corrupting God’s word for base gain); but by manifestation of the truth (but by manifesting the
gospel in its accuracy and genuineness through the Word of God and by our
lives) commending ourselves
to every man’s conscience (we
present ourselves to every type of men’s conscience) in the sight of God. (Before the constant
gaze of God)
(We
must remember that the conscience of man is a component of the voice of the
Holy Spirit. Paul here says, that the soundness of the apostle’s doctrine and
the genuinenesss of his or her life in accordance to the gospel must be so
great, that it must hold up to the scrutiny of the voice of God bearing witness
or passing judgment to what the apostle ministers in their hearer’s
consciences. Secondly, the apostle
must also deal with the scrutiny of God Himself, whose penetrating look is ever
upon the apostle.
2 Cor 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish,
yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
· To rot thoroughly being disabled
or being brought to decay, consumed, or ruin.
2Cor 5:13 For whether
we be beside ourselves (out of our minds, or wits, or exhibit
insanity) it is to God: or whether we be sober,(sound mind) it is for your cause.
2 Cor 5:14 For the love of Christ constraineth us;
because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
· Not urging or driving us, but shutting us up to one line, or one
side of the road and one purpose, as in a narrowed wall road.
2Cor 6:3 Giving no
offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:
q
Not even one occasion of sin or
offense. No occasion for stumbling.
2 Cor 12:14 Behold, the third time I am ready to come to
you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for
the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the
children.
q
I am not seeking your possessions, I am seeking you (the person)
2 Corinthians
12:15 And I will very gladly spend
and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I
be loved.
q Spend: Incur personal expense
q
Spent: To exhaust by spending; To spend oneself totally up for the
individual and for the sake of the gospel
q
Incur personal expense for your
Christian well-being. I will pour my
very soul out for your progress in the faith.
I will exhaust myself by spending and using myself up for your spiritual
maturing in Christ.
The Apostle and the Lord’s Will
John 6:57 As the living
Father hath sent me ( Greek: apostolic sending), and I live by (THROUGH) the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
·
Greek: The apostle or the one sent on an apostolic
mission lives moment to moment through (INSTRUMENTALITY) the Father, who does
the works.
John 7:17 If any man will do his will( If any one out of His own will
desires to do God’s will) he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of
God, or whether I speak of myself.( the idea of departure from
my exclusively and independent self as a source and from none other.)
·
This
was the key to the Lord’s supernatural faith and miracle working power. The
fact that while on the earth, the Lord lived dependent, inclusive, and
originated everything with the Father, shows us the depth of Jesus life in the
world of the Holy Spirit.
o This is what Jesus means when
he tells us that He does nothing from Himself.
o To the degree that we do not
seek ourselves as the ones from whom anything originates, and then carry it out
independently and exclusively from God, will automatically live in the teaching
of the Father.
John 8;28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man,
then shall ye know that I am he ( I am) , and that I do
nothing of myself (and that I do nothing independently and exclusively from the
Father); but as my Father hath taught me ( but as the Father has
instrumentally penetrated, affected, and influenced me) I speak these things (these
things I utter, express, and speak prophetically, by that divine influence
which has permeated me.)
John 8:42
Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth
(Came out and forth
completely) and came(Arrive) from God ; neither came I of myself (exclusive and independent self), but he sent me.
·
Greek: The apostle, or the one on an apostolic mission,
is birthed from God and lives continuously out of God just as a tree must live
out of its roots. Neither was Jesus apostolic mission from and independent and
selfish self.
·
The apostle lives out of the
image of God as a tree lives out of its root.
·
Jesus
never did or spoke anything, which originated from Himself. Everything He did, originated from the Father, and was
revealed to Jesus through the Holy Spirit.
·
Secondly,
Jesus never did anything that was exclusively His ideas, agenda or
timetable. Everything, which he planned
and carried out, was inclusive of what the Father desired.
·
Finally every action, which He took, and
every word, which He spoke, was in dependency to the workings of the Holy
Spirit within Him. The Lord Jesus never
acted independently from the Father.
·
The apostle has no ministry. He
is the ministry. His life must be a product of God’s will, ways, and timetable. Since his ministry is to
proclaim the patterns, God’s dispensations, and reveal the Person of Christ to
others his life must be a total display of this.
Gal 5:25 If we live in( Instrumental (By)) in the Spirit, let us also walk (Greek word which is defined as “marching
in the footsteps of a soldier”) in( Instrumental (By))
Greek paraphrase: It is a given
that we should be living our lives not in the present day world system, but in
the domain, influence, and sovereignty of the world of the Holy Spirit.
·
Because
we are being continually affected and influenced by the Spirit, in that
influence and effect we must march in step as soldiers so that the Spirit’s
influence can go on, deepen, intensify, and continue interrupted.
The Apostle’s Ministry
Mark 1:2 As it is written in the prophets,
Behold, I send (apostello) my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare
thy way before thee.
·
Which shall prepare Literally
who will lay down all of the needed gear, utensils and equipment at another’s
disposal.” In this case, we furnish the Lord with a crucified life that will
allow Him to operate in His wisdom and prudence through us.
John 5:9Then answered Jesus and
said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of
himself, but what he seeth (To habitually glance at what the Father does in the
Spirit. This is not discernment with
understanding) the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth
the Son likewise. (Greek word “homos” )
·
Glancing
in the Spirit to what the Father does, gives us that momentary instinctive
knowledge, which on many occasions, is enough for us to step out in faith and
do with identicalness what we have acquired instinctively in our spirits.
·
Our right to do so is based on the fact that
we have an equal inner spiritual nature to that of the Father, giving us
identity with Him in our outward actions.
We are responsible to work with identicalness to what we see on the
Spirit. This is what the term “homos”
means.
John 5:17 But Jesus answered them,
My Father worketh hitherto.( My Father never ceases working in the Spirit) and I work.(and I work externally, using
exactly the same procedures and in exactly the same manner in which I see
instinctively the Father working within me.)
Acts4:33 And with great power gave (discharged as their normal duty) the apostles witness of the
resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
Titus 1:5 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:
·
To set in order from the word
“ortho” which means straight as with the orthodontist’ “one who straightens
teeth.”
·
To set straight besides or
after. To arrange what was left behind
after Paul’s departure.
·
Epidiorthoo .To what
still remains to be set in order.
·
Wanting the things that are
failing, lagging or, inferior.
·
Ordain: To appoint or set down in every office.
The Apostle’s Oneness
With the Lord
Mat 10:40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he
that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
q Greek:To welcome with open arms i.e. receive with hospitality.
q The reception that the apostle
receives is in fact the reception given to the Lord Himself. This is because
the apostle always lives and acts in accordance to the voice of the Spirit
through the rhema word of God. A hospitable welcome given to the apostle is a
hospitable welcome given to the Lord whose rhema word the apostle is executing.
q The called apostles must realize that the Lord must
whittle down everything in their lives to the point that nothing else is left
but their living their lives out of God’s rhema word.
q This is what gives the apostle his or her experiential
oneness with the Lord and makes them fit to be ambassadors of the Lord with the
backing of His full credentials.
q The rhema word of God gives to the apostle
the Lord’s credentials in that the rhema word of God represents the desires,
the faith, the power, and the timing OF GOD HIMSELF.
Luke 10:16 He that
heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that
despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.
v Greek ; He that is making light of, or is despising you,
despises me. He that is paying
attention to what you are saying pays attention to me.
John 6:57 As the
living Father hath sent me ( Greek: apostolic sending), and I live by the
Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
q
Greek: The
apostle or the one sent on an apostolic mission lives moment to moment through
the Father who does the works.
John 8:42 Jesus said
unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and
came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
q Greek: The apostle, or the one on an apostolic mission, is
birthed from God and lives continuously out of God just as a tree must live out
of its roots. Not only is their ministry birthed from God, but also their
constant presence in this world must be accomplished out of this same
dependency, out of oneness with the Lord.
q
The apostle has
no agenda. His or her agenda is the
Lord.
John 14:20 At that day ye shall
know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
Greek: I in my Father, and you in me and I in
you.
John 17:21 That they all may be
one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in
us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
The Apostle and the Foundation
of the Body
1 Corinthians 12:28
And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that
miracles, then gifts of healings,
helps,(“ taking up the cause”; to aid) governments( from
the word for “helmsman”; hence first to steer the church, and then to rule.), diversities of
tongues.
·
God’s emphasis on the apostolic and prophetic
then serves these purposes. The foundation,
which they lay, is the revelation of these riches. The building up which must be done by the church upon this
foundation is its understanding and participation into the gifts and
ministries, which will allow it to fulfill the “hope of the calling”. Hence the New Testament church is an
institution, which attains to a great amount of spiritual involvement and
participation through the revelatory ministries of the apostles and prophets.
Eph 2:19 Now
therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints,
and of the household of God.Ephesians
2:20 And are built upon
the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the
chief corner stone;
v
Foundation consisting in the
apostles and prophets. Case of location, or the building up of the church must
occur IN what the apostles and prophets lay.
v
Being built up in the Lord
while resting on the revelatory foundation of the prophets and apostles. This foundation being the very person of
Christ. His direction, His will, wisdom,
gifts, power.
v
The article not before prophets
shows that apostles and prophets are of the same kind of people.
v
The apostle Paul always
categorizes apostles and prophets together. They are in the same class because
their revelatory functions in many ways are similar. Ephesians chapter three, verses four and five tells us that
apostles and prophets have been specifically called to a ministry of revealing
the mystery of God, which is the person of Christ into a local body. Though every believer has been called to
reveal the Person of Christ through their ministries, the revelatory anointing
in apostolic and prophetic people is especially emphasized. When the prophetic flow is curtailed or
prohibited in our assemblies, we in fact cut our own necks off. The revelation of the Person of Jesus Christ
is crippled at best.
2Peter 3:2 That ye
may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and
of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:
v The apostles and prophets are both exclusive
bearers of revelation. The prophet’s
revelation is progressive while the apostles can operate in complete revelation
based on the written word of God.
Mysteries and Revelation Knowledge
Eph 3:4 Whereby, when ye
read, ye may understand my knowledge(UNDERSTANDING) in the mystery of Christ)
Ephesians
6:19 And for me, that utterance may be
given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known( PROGRESSIVELY
KNOW) the mystery of the gospel,
Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God
and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Colossians 2:3 In whom are hid all
the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Colossians
1:27 To whom God would make known what
is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is
Christ in you, the hope of glory: {in: or, among}
Ephesians 3:8Unto me, who am less
than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among
the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
v
Mysteries are the doctrines of God’s patterns
and administrations of His kingdom, will and counsels. They are brought to life through revelation knowledge, and display
the scriptural patterns or the economy of God’s kingdom.
v
Christ also dwells in
a mystery form within us. Within Him
dwell of God’s riches, treasures and blessings. As He is revealed out from a mystery
form all of these things are revealed along with Him. As we have discussed before,
the Person of Christ contains within Himself all of the treasures and riches of
who God is, and of what He possesses.
These treasures, the Greek scriptures tell us, are undetectable, un-
searchable, and unreachable through all of our fleshly efforts. Only through a spirit of revelation into the
mystery of the Person of Christ can these treasures be manifested out to the
body through the preaching of the gospel. The purpose of this revelation is to
make every one else within the local body aware as to what is their part,
participation, share, and calling into the riches of Christ is.
v
These treasures, the Greek scriptures tell us, are
undetectable, un- searchable, and unreachable through all of our fleshly
efforts. Only through a spirit of
revelation into the mystery of the Person of Christ can these treasures be
manifested out to the body through the preaching of the gospel.
v
The apostle and the prophet both reveal FROM A
MYSTERY FORM, the wisdom of God, and the Person of Christ in whom all of God’s
treasures and riches dwell.
Romans 15:25 ¶ Now to him that is of power to stablish you
according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the
revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
Romans 16:26 But now is made manifest, and by the
scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting
God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
·
Christ is
revealed through the prophetic scriptures (prophets and prophecy reveal Christ)
by the commandment of the everlasting God.
This revelation of Christ is made known unto all the nations so that
Christ may be obeyed by faith.
1 cor 2:7 But we speak the
wisdom ( PROPHETICALLY UTTERING) of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto
our glory:
·
Mysteries are the doctrines of God’s patterns
and administrations of His kingdom, will, and counsels. They are also the Christ and the riches, blessings, and
treasures, of God deposited inside of Him.
·
They are manifested through revelation knowledge, and
glorify or make God visible.
8
Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
q Wisdom has to do with God’s
will, ways, and timing. Prudence is carrying
out this wisdom “in the Spirit.” God’s labor in us produces His will, His ways,
and timing. Prudence causes us to walk
step by step in Christ’s labor. This is
termed to walk in the Spirit.
q
The
normal mode of God’s labor in us as we walk in prudence is to produce abundance
and superabundance. In proportion to
how we follow Christ’s labor in us in wisdom and prudence is the same
proportion we will live in the realm of
“SPIRITUAL AND NOT USUALLY MATERIAL” abundance and superabundance. This is the normal mode of God’s operation
Eph 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed
in himself:
q God has funneled all of the
riches of his grace into us, and then makes known and manifests this mystery
through the church so that the fullness of the God’s glory may be manifested
through the church.
q The revelations of riches are
limited by operation in wisdom and prudence.
10 That in the dispensation of
the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both
which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
The Fellowship of the Mystery and
the Seal of the Apostleship
2Tim:1:1 ¶ Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by(INSTRUMENTAL) the will of God, according to the promise of
life which is in Christ Jesus,
q
With
the promise of resurrection life goes the provision for its proclamation.
q
Hence
the apostle in proclaiming Christ’s power and life must be an ambassador of the
life of Jesus. In other word he or she
must live in the resurrection life of God, which comes forth from the death of
Christ’s cross, which has touched everything in their lives.
q
With
the apostolic proclamation of the resurrection life which is in Christ Jesus
there it the promise and ability for us to live in this quality of life right
now? This is fellowship of the mystery.
q The apostle can only proclaim
the life of the resurrected Christ to us to the degree that he lives in it.
Titus 1:1¶ Paul, a servant of God,
and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the
acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;
(Greek:
... and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith
of God’s elect, and the full knowledge of the truth..
v
The apostle and the prophet’s anointing is to
reveal the mysteries of God in the following fashion.
v
In
accordance with the faith of God’s chosen out ones as a precise and full
knowledge of the truth, which is in accordance with piety towards God.
v
The
apostle leads them into the accurate discernment, recognition and participation
of the truth, which belongs to and harmonizes with and produces godliness. The apostle must live in that accurate
recognition and participation of the truth.
v
Through
this, the apostle stimulates and promotes the faith of God towards His chosen
ones. The stimulation of this faith is
to make others thirsty for the Son of God and not just simply for the
blessings, prosperity and other things that come from God.
Romans1:5 By whom we have received grace and
apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:
·
The apostolic
ministry promotes obedience to the gospel, and through it makes disciples
amongst all the nations.
·
True
apostleship can only begin with the revelation of the mysteries of God’s
government as well as the Son of God.
This is because for every individual, the revelation of the Lord
automatically carries with it the treasures, and riches of God residing in
Christ as well as our callings, ministries, and giftings for each individual
person. All resides in the Son of God.
Eph 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all
saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the
unsearchable riches of Christ;
9
And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the
mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who
created all things by Jesus Christ:
1 Corinthians 9:2 If I be not an apostle
unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye
in the Lord.
q
As the disciple begins to grasp whom he or she is IN CHRIST, the
apostle introduces the fellowship of the mystery; assisting the disciple to
discover his or her office, callings, and spiritual gifts so that the disciples
in turn can do the work of the ministry, in accordance to the revelation of
God’s mysteries.
q
True promotion of faith by the
apostle is to reveal the Son of God, and give the saints the knowledge of what
is their participation, ministries, and callings into the riches found in the
Son of God whom the apostle has just revealed to them.
q
The revelation of the mystery of the gospel, as
well as that of the Son of God by the apostle, must have enough richness so
that believers within a local assembly can understand what is their
participation and levels of involvement into the unsearchable riches of the Son
of God, which are Jesus callings, giftings, and ministries to them; Hence
the fellowship of the mystery
q As His
representatives, apostles are called to be a portrait or a painting of God’s
ways, will, and timing upon the earth.
The Lord allows the apostle to go through the humiliating and
frustrating circumstances of being last so that he is whittled away from all
that does not represent the voice of the Lord, His ways, and His timing.
q
The
apostle not only reveals the mystery of Christ, its dispositions and
arrangements but also teaches others how to participate according to their
calling into this mystery.
q
It
comes to say that the apostle is used within church to bring the church into
the comprehensive participation of what that it has been called into.
q The seal of apostleship is
defined in these two ways. The believer
as mentored by the apostle, is first brought to a place of adequate spiritual
freedom as he or she grasps the liberty brought to him or her by the revelation
of the mystery of the gospel, as the apostle teaches it.
The Restriction of the Prophet’s Life to the Rhema Word
Numbers 3:16 And Moses numbered them according (at) to the word (Heb: mouth)
of the LORD, as he was commanded. (Pual
(passive of Piel) perfect.)
Numbers 3:39 All that were numbered of the Levites, which
Moses and Aaron numbered at the
commandment (Heb: mouth) of the LORD, throughout their families, all the males from a
month old and upward, were twenty and two thousand.
Numbers 22:35 And the angel of the
LORD said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak ( Piel
verb form). unto thee, that thou shalt speak( Piel
verb form). So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
q
The
Piel verb form is used in what the Lord gives to the prophet, and likewise in
what the prophet speaks out. The Piel verb form illustrates intensity and
emphasis. One Hebrew grammarian defines
it as busying ourselves with a certain action. The prophet consumes him or
herself with the spoken word of the Lord and is responsible to speak out that
word with the same intensity of emphasis in which it was given to
them. We shall see more of this in our
study.
q
There
must always be three dimensions to every prophecy. First every prophecy must be given without in the accuracy of
the rhema word that is discerned within one’s spirit. Our responsibility is
to speak out as faithfully as we see it.
The Lord will then give us clarity in the situation.
q Secondly, is the dimension of
discerning the intent of the Lord’s heart in the word given to us.
q
Thirdly,
the prophet must give the word with the same intensity or emphasis,
which the Lord gave it to him or her.
Sometimes, the prophet is to give the word with great compassion and
gentleness, other times there is the tone of admonishment or warning behind the
voice of the Lord
Hos 12:10 And I have
spoken( Hebrew: ( Piel verb
form)) by the prophets,
and I have multiplied visions, and I have used similitudes by the ministry of
the prophets.
·
Here
we find the same Hebrew “piel” verb
form describing intense and emphatic action.
As we said before, it means to busy or consume ourselves with a certain
activity.” Thus, this verse tells us
that the spoken voice of God is best heard and understood through the prophetic
ministry.
1 Kings
6:19 And the oracle he prepared in the house within,
to set there the ark of the covenant of the LORD.
1 Kings
6:16 And he built twenty cubits on the
sides of the house, both the floor and the walls with boards of cedar: he even
built them for it within, even for the oracle, even for the most holy place.
Acts 7:38
This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel
which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the
lively oracles to give unto us:
1 Peter 4:11 If any man speak,
let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let
him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be
glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and
ever. Amen.
q
The oracle of the
Lord in the Old Testament was sometimes used to describe the Holy of
Holies, or the most inner room of God’s temple where the Ark of the Covenant
resided. The Ark of the Covenant is
symbolic of the very presence of the Lord, revealing His very essence, and thus
testifying to or giving witness of the Lord upon the earth. This is why it is also called the Ark of
Testimony.
q
The word oracle in
the Hebrew comes from the Hebrew root for “word;”. The phrase “the word of the Lord” uses
this very same grammatical formation.
q
In the New Testament an
oracle is a concise and brief prophetic utterance.
q
Hence when the prophet
speaks the “word of the Lord,” he or she are declaring forth the oracle, or the
testimony of the Lord, and manifesting the presence of the Lord through the spoken
word with as much accuracy as is found in God’s presence in the Holy of Holies.
Num 22:18 And Balaam
answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house
full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond ( pass over or cross over to the
other side of; like crossing over a river ) the word ( Hebrew: the mouth) of the
LORD my God, to do less or more.(to do the insignificant or what is great.)
19
And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the
men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I
shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.
38
And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any
power(dunamis)
at all(dunamis) to say (intensive) any thing? the
word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak ( intensive verb).
v Hebrew: The only power
that I have, is the power to speak the word of God. The word that God puts in my mouth I must speak as accurately and
as emphatically as when God gave it to me.
Mat 21:9 And the multitudes that
went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David:
Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
v
Spiritual principle-
As long as we come out of our own obedience (present middle participle) in the
Name (or in strict accordance to the voice, and will, and the restrictions of
the Lord) we remain in a state of being continuously blessed. (Perfect)
The Ministry of the Prophet
Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ
also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Ephesians
5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse
it with the washing of water by the RHEMA WORD.
1Sam 10:6 And the Spirit of the
LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy (Hebrew: reflexive verb;
You will be able to prophesy by your own capabilities and actions once that
the Spirit of God has come upon you) with them, and shalt be turned
into another man.
q
Prophecy, which is received,
can turn an individual or church into a different person or body if those
individual or church welcomes it, believes it, and acts upon it. Belief and obedience to a godly prophecy
will bring God’s will and circumstances to bear upon that individual or
church. Their course of life will be
radically altered and blessed by the Lord in accordance to the prophecy, making
the church into a different church or the person into a different person.
Romans 16:25 ¶ Now to him that is of power to stablish you (
MAKE YOU FIRM ANS SET YOU IN PLACE) according to my gospel, and the preaching
of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept
secret since the world began,
Romans 16:26 But now is made manifest, and by the
scriptures of the prophets ( THE PROPHETIC SCRIPTURES) according to the
commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience
of faith:
·
God has the
ability to strengthen you, and to make you firm and fast in your faith, (by my
gospel and the preaching of the Person of Jesus Christ) only in proportion to
the revelation of the mystery (which is the revealed Person of Christ.)
John
17:8 For I have given unto them the
RHEMAS WORDS which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known
surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send
me.
·
This scripture supports the vital importance of spiritual
gifts. The revelatory words of God make
manifest the Christ to the world. Christ today dwells in glory. Glory is what makes the invisible Christ
visible! How we need the full
manifestation of spiritual gifts in our churches for the full manifestation of
Christ. What a ploy of the enemy it is
to shut them out, or to tell us that they are not needed today
Ezr 5:1 Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and
Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of
the God of Israel, even unto them.
Ezr 5:2 Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of
Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God
which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them (supporting,
sustaining, encouraging, and exhorting).
q
The building of the house of
God must be always done in part through the ministry of the prophets.
Ezra 6:14 And the elders of the Jews builded(they
were building),
and they prospered (and succeeding) through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah
the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the
commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus,
and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
q
Building and successfully completing the house of God can only
be done in part through the ministry of the prophets.
Prophecy
John 3:11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know (We utter prophetically what we
know instinctively in the Spirit in one moments time, and not as needing the
acquisition of knowledge in the continuum of time), and testify (but however bear
acquired knowledge as with a prophetic vision) that we have seen (only when we see with discernment and understanding); and ye receive not our witness.
John
8:38 ¶ I
speak ( to utter and express prophetically (not the content of the
speech)) that which I have seen (To see with a spiritual discernment which causes me to
understand) with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.
Romans 12:6
Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether
prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion (Greek “corresponding to the
word) of faith;(belonging to faith)
1 John 1:1
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have
seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of
the Word of life;
o Heard,
o Seen with
discernment,
o Behold as a
movie in a theater,
o
Felt, touched, and
handled of the “Word of The Life” or the word which when ministered
contains God’s “kind of
life” and the operations of that life within it, to make the ministry
operational.
Jose and Mary Alvarez
PO Box 1467
Pena Blanca, New Mexico 87041-1467
Tel- 505.465.2634
Cell- 505.238.0414
Fax- 505.465.0318