Session # 1
q
The Philosophy of NT Church Growth
q Eph 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:
Repentance from Dead Works
a.
All blessings of God are spiritual or (pneumatikos) in
nature.
·
The manifestations of these blessings occur in the heavenly places
or where the glory or presence of God dwells.
This is why effective worship in our churches is so vital. This is why spending time in God’s presence
is so vital.
Heb 6:1 ¶ Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
Heb
9:14 How much more shall the blood of
Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living
God?
q The law as in the OT is our trying to
please God by our own efforts. Grace
and the ministry of the Holy Spirit is God doing everything in us
q
Dead
works entail false compassion, soulish burdens, guilt and condemnation.
·
Dead
works are all works done outside of the leading of the Spirit of God.
v 2Co 3:7
But if the
ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so
that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
v A glory is energized within dead works, but
it is a glory that is being rendered useless, idle, and inoperative
v All activities being done outside of the
voice of God in our spirits will manifest the blessings and the glory of
God temporarily.
v The ministry of death must be done away. Many of these works are accomplished out
of our logic and intellect, fleshly compassion, earthly or soulish what appears
to be right, noble, and charitable, instead upon strict reliance to the
voice of God. To walk in the Spirit
entails complete adherence and reliance upon the still, small voice.
8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit
be rather glorious?
v Much more abounds the office or
ministration of the Spirit in glory.
9 For if the ministration of condemnation be
glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
10
For
even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of
the glory that excelleth.
v For all things done outside of the Spirit
of God (dead works) that have been glorified by the church indeed are not
glorified because much greater is the glory through the ministry of the Spirit.
11
For
if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is
glorious.
v
For if the
thing being done away was done (dead works) through the intermediate
agency of glory the things of the Spirit abide permanently in the
sphere of glory.
1Pe
1:25 But the rhema of the Lord endureth for ever. And
this is the rhema which by the gospel is preached unto you.
v
The Function of the Blessed Church (Or Why Has the Church
Been Blessed?)
Glorify God Through the Church
Eph
1:6 To the praise of the glory of his
grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
All of these
spiritual blessings in verse 3 have been given to bring the glory of the Lord in the local assemblies.
Eph 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:
q The church is
the only universal vehicle at the disposition of God. Sunday school, sermons, committees, outreaches are most of the
time the minor functions of the church. The major is to make the invisible God
visible through the full participation of every member.
·
Glory,
is that principle which makes the invisible Christ become visible in the church
and through out the world. Glory is the invisible
God’s visible mode of being. The Lord’s
mighty deeds, the manifestation of His presence, and the activity of the
invisible are all manifested in His glory.
A.
God’s
glory then, manifested through the local assembly becomes the object of the
world’s praise to God. To the
praise of the glory of his grace The more glory, the more praise. The more glory, the more that Jesus Christ
will be lifted up, and draw all men unto Him.
Eph1:12 That we (the church) should be to the praise of his glory,
who first trusted in Christ.
Eph 3:21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
Lu 4:14
And Jesus returned
in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region
round about.
Joh 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth,
will draw all men unto me.
The Church Must Operate in Obedience to Attain to the
Blessings
Eph
1:7 In whom we have redemption through
his blood, the forgiveness of sins,( according to the riches of his grace;
8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;)
·
Various
definitions of abounded:
· God has given us in great abundance. He has excelled towards us; He has been affluent, rich, or dealt in excellence towards us. He has made to abound to or He has conferred to us this thing superabundantly.
q
This is
God’s mode of dealing with His saints at all times.
·
The abundance of blessings comes
within the limitations of wisdom.
A.
Wisdom then,
is performing all things in accordance to the will, dispositions, arrangements,
and timing of God.
B. The superabundance that comes into our
life is limited in proportion to doing all things in conformity to God’s will,
and carrying them out step by step in His direction and His timing. This is
what it means “toward
us in all wisdom and prudence;”)
Eph
1:9 Having made known unto
us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath
purposed in himself:
8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;)
·
This was the purpose of the revelation of the mystery of the God’s
will in the first place; that Christ would be all and in all. It shows us that our Christianity is not
about things but about the revelation of the person of Jesus Christ and giving
Him preeminence in all things.
10
that in the dispensation of the
fullness 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:
·
Those blessings are given to us to manifest the Christ and then to
bring everything in our lives and in our local assemblies back to Christ, and
give Him the preeminence in everything.
It is not about programs, committees, miracles, or blessings. It is about Christ being first in all
things.
·
The more that Christ is revealed the more that the blessings of
God will abound. The blessings are
given so that Christ can be revealed and become preeminent in all things.
·
The mystery is the revelation of the Christ as all in all, in
preeminence and as the fullness of all things.
Col 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:
Romans
16:25 ¶ 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,
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 All in All; The Church Must Reveal the Person of Christ
·
Christianity is not
about things, but about the revelation of the person of Jesus Christ. The more the revelation of the person of
Jesus Christ the more will be our victories.
The great responsibility of the church as we shall see is to bring the
fullness of the revelation of the person of Jesus Christ. Total revelation of the Christ takes the
active participation of every member.
Eph
1:15 ¶ Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and
love unto all the saints,
17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the
knowledge of him:
18
The
eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope
of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the
saints,
v
The riches
of God are the unreachable and unsearchable dispositions and arrangements of
God.
·
God’s
inheritance in His saints is the possessions, arrangements, and the attributes
of God’s glory in the saints.
·
His riches
then are known instrumentally by the church, and are located within the church
itself.
·
All of these
riches are brought forth by the hope of each saint’s or local assembly’s hope
of their calling.
·
The hope of our calling becomes a reality
through each saint’s obedient response to the call of God. The hope of our calling is based then upon
an effectual call; or to those to whom God’s call has come with effect. It is the call of God to a believer or
church that has been answered by a totally obedient response.
·
Session # 2
q
The Church in
Action
Fit Together and Knit Together
Eph 4:16
From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that
which every joint supplieth,
according to the effectual
working in the measure
of every part,
maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
·
Every member
then, of a local body, must work to his or her peak performance through the use
of spiritual gifts, callings, and ministries. There can be no “one-man show,”
and no pews sitters.
·
Every member
must find his or her place in the body in terms of his or her ministry,
giftings and callings and raised up in them.
This is the job of the five fold ministry whom the local pastor heads.
Eph
2:21 In whom all the building fitly
framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
·
To frame together the members
of Christ’s body, as parts of a building are brought together. Joining, cementing, and fitting and raising
together a building with all of its parts must take place.
·
The church
becomes this building and a Holy of Holies unto the Lord as all of its members
perform to their peak efficiency by their callings, whether it would be active
or inactive, ministries, giftings, in a sphere of uncompromising obedience.
Every one must participate through obedience.
·
This holy temple is in
actuality, a Holy of Holies for the Lord.
·
The great lie of the enemy
has been to place the function of the church into the hands of the few, and
encourage most others to be pew sitters, thus severely hampering the glory of
God and the salvation of men.
Eph 2:22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
·
Every believer individually
and corporately also are being built up together with the object of
constructing and abode or dwelling place for the Lord in the Spirit.
·
A dwelling place is an abode
where God will feel totally at home, and will have full rights to do as He
pleases. This describes a totally
yielded life on the part of every believer and each local assembly.
Col
2:2 That their hearts might be
comforted, being knit together
in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the
acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
·
The knitting together comes after every member of the local church
has been fit together into a proper building for the Lord through the ministries
and callings of every individual. The
believers’ hearts are then knit together in affection.
·
This oneness, in combination with the effectiveness of every
member’s ministries and spiritual gifts, will bring this local body into a full
understanding of the accurate knowledge of the mystery of the Godhead and
Trinity. This then is the fullness of
the glory of God, which should be displayed to the world.
·
Thus the church can be seen
as an entity that is in a continual process of being fitted together by every
one’s ministry and gifts, being joined together in love and intimacy, and
growing in to God’s Holy of Holies to manifest His glory.
· This fitting, joining, and growing to achieve spiritual growth continues as every member seize the head, which is Christ.
The Five Fold Ministry
Eph
4:9 (Now that he ascended, what is it
but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
10 He that descended is the same also that
ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
10
And
he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some,
pastors and teachers;
11
For
the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of
the body of Christ:
v
He gave the
five-fold ministry as gifts. To bring all of the members of the church to the
measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ so that we may come into the
unity of the faith.
v
Through them
all of the members should be made capable of performing their several parts in
order that the whole church may be built up in its completeness.
v
For the
purpose of furnishing every believer for their particular service and their
particular contribution in building up Christ’s body.
v
It is the
view to the full equipping of the saints.
Only then can the fullness of the glory of God be brought.
v
Katartizo: to mend as mending the holes in a
fisherman’s net. To outfit, equip,
repair.
v
Restoring in
a spiritual or disciplinary way. The
equipping is to put every believer into the particular work of his or her office
or ministry. This is the compacting or
fitting together by the five-fold ministry.
The building up or edifying can then be the knitting together.
v
This is the
senior pastor’s role.
12
Till
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:
v
Until we
arrive at, or attain to. All members
must come to their proper unity and maturity.
v
Oneness of
faith in Christ, and into a full and accurate knowledge of the Son of God.
1.
Participation
and peak efficiency in ministry brings us into a mutual vision, and
understanding of our faith in Christ or the particulars of our walk with
Christ. Our comprehension and oneness
in the particulars of our walk with Christ brings us into an oneness of
revelation of the Christ.
v
The glory of
God is displayed through the efficiency and activity of each members, obedience
and ministry before God.
v
The person
of Christ is revealed in the local body and this brings us into a and accurate
knowledge of the son of God
v
The fullness
of the knowledge of the Son fills that body with all of His fullness.
v
As we are
filled with the fullness, we are filled with the love of God.
v
As the
fullness of Christ is revealed and we come to know and understand, we all grow
up into the maturity of God. A perfect
man is a full-grown man. The church as a full-grown man can fully bring forth
the glory of God and subsequent revival.
v
The stature
of Christ is an ideal that has magnitude.
1.
It is the measure of the height of the
perfection or maturity of the Christ.
v
We become
one in believing Him and knowing Him.
13
That
we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with
every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby
they lie in wait to deceive;
v
That we may
be no longer children. A transformation
must take place.
v
Nepios literally infants, and other minors that
are immature and untaught.
v
Tossed
to and fro dashing or
surging waves. In changefulness and
agitation the nepio is carried about by every wind of or degree or doctrine.
v
The sleight
of men is the element of an evil atmosphere,
o Dice playing and deception. Instead of growing up into the revelatory
knowledge of Christ, we make philosophies, or things (debt, miracles, being
blessed) the main focus.
v
Doctrines
become divine truth. Things, blessings,
miracles, financial prosperity becomes the major instead of the minors.
v
Christian
philosophies lead into a false way of Christian life that strays the nepio fatally
from the truth. If we concentrate on things, we shall always be immature. These philosophies pertaining to Christian
“things” will not bring the revelation of Christ. The church will not grow up into all things by Christ who is our
all and in all. If our Christianity is about getting our miracles, being
blessed, debt cancellation, we will always be infants.
14
But
speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the
head, even Christ:
v
By thruthing
into we grow into Christ in all things.
v
Part is revelation knowledge.
v
Confessing
the truth may in love grow up into.
v
Confession
is an outward expression of what is really part of us.
v
Only in relation to the Christ, and seizing
the head; and through an efficient revelation of Him can the church grow up
into Him in all things.
o The more revelation of the Christ, the
more that we can grow up into Him.
v
Of the
revelation of The Christ must be the end and the object of all of our
growth.
v
Christ is
the object and goal to which our growth in its every stage must look to or be
directed.
v
Because of
this, in all points of our growth, in all the circumstances of our growth, it
is Christ that fills all and in all.
15
From
whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint
supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part,
maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
v From the whole body (from the
knowledge and understanding of the revealed Christ), being fitly
framed together and joined together in every joint.
v By
every joint yielding nourishment and working to its peak performance, and by
means of every contact, which serves for the supplying of the body of the
knowledge of the revealed Christ.
§
The 1 Corinthians 12 Church
1Cor 12:12 ¶ For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
v
Paul’s
confirms what we have already stated.
The human body, and the body of Christ as His church, should function
alike.
1cor
12:14 For the body is not
one member, but many.
The Greek makes
use of the “absolute negative” for the word “not”.
a) Literally defined, we are told that under no circumstance,
should a congregation be made up of a few active members. This argument hits at the very core of “a
great church deception.”
b) One pastor
that literally controls the governing life of a church makes for all intents
and purposes, the body of Christ into a “non body”.
Like wise, parishioners who fail to discern, and fulfill their
ministries, forcing pastors and ministers into positions of control, make the
church into a non body.
c) Whether in
ministry or in waiting every one must be operating in total obedience to the
will of God.
1Cor 12:15 If the
foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it
therefore not of the body?
1Cor12:16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not
the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
v What an
incredible dependency we must have for each other. An independent spirit towards the Lord Jesus, or towards one
other, will stunt our process of growth.
Every member is called to sharpen each other, through their callings and
ministries.
1Cor 12:17 If the whole body were an eye, where were
the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
v
The
fewer the number of members being actively discipled, serving and or
ministering within a local body, the fewer will be the giftings, callings and
ministries available to it and the revelation of the person of Christ.
v
This particular congregation will be greatly
hindered in its discernment of demonic infiltration; for example if the gift of
discernment is not active.
1Cor14:3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto
men to edification,
and exhortation,
and comfort
v
There will be a deficiency in the prophetic
that administers guidance, exhortation, and encouragement, and the confirmation
and direction of God’s will.
1Cor3:10 According to the grace of God which is given
unto me, as a wise masterbuilder( ARCHITECT), I
have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every
man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
v
There
will be an absence of the apostolic for the church to be building aright on the
revelatory foundation of the person of Jesus Christ.
v
If
the apostolic ministries are deficient, how will the right foundation be
laid? A church without the revelation
of Jesus through the apostolic witness of the risen Christ will build lopsided.
v
Many
churches have been unable to discern the presence of wolves, gross sin, and
major doctrinal error, blatantly obvious in its midst. In due time God has always exposed these
forces. Considerable damage had been done to the flock however, or God has
finally closed the congregations down.
Much of this has to do with the lack of commitment and participation of
the church’s members to carry out their ministries, or the prohibition of
spiritual gifts by the elders. Since
the gifts are not in operation true discernment and direction are not available
to the church.
1Cor12: 18 But now hath God set the members every one
of them in the body, as it hath pleased him..
21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
v Literally the
Greek admonishes us, that not even of the weakest member can we say “I
have no need of you” and not be lying!
The superior members are in desperate need of the inferior
22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary.
v The weakest members are indispensable.
23 And those members of the body, which we
think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely
parts have more abundant comeliness.
v Literally “we place a wreath of exceeding honor upon the weaker more unseemly
members members.”, says the Greek.
v Our deformed,
indecent, unseemly, and private parts always require special care. That same type of care should be given to
all weaker members within our congregations.
24 For our comely
parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body
together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: “To
temper” means That God has caused each part of His body to be melted and hammered together into an
organic whole.
v If this melted and hammered together body
has parts not in operation what is going to happen to this particular local
body?
Session # 3
q
The Importance of the Rhema Word
·
John
1:1 In the beginning was the LOGOS (word), and the LOGOS(word) was
with God, and the LOGOS(word)
was God.
·
The “logos” describes “the word of God” as an idea
or a concept, usually in a written form.
The “Rhema Word of God” however is a personally spoken, through
the mouth of God to us, in regards to a particular circumstance. We have all said at one time or another,
“this scripture really leaped out at me”!
This is a “rhema word” given you by the Lord to minister to you in a
particular situation. Gross misunderstanding
and ignorance of the distinction between these two types of “words”,
lends greatly to the weak state of our church today, and spells the difference
between spiritual life and spiritual death.
·
Matthew
4:4 But he answered and said, It is
written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every RHEMA that proceedeth( from moment to moment)
out of the mouth of God.
·
The church
does not learn to live in total dependency to the personal word of revelation
from God to it, moment by moment.
Beloved, our learning to do this is the difference between spiritual
life and death!
·
Luke
1:37 For with God nothing shall be
impossible. The literal interpretation of this verse is
as follows: Every “rhema” of God has absolute power to come to pass!
·
The
power of the living word of God will never ever cease. The more of the rhema we have revealed
within us, the more we will operate in the power of God. If everything were done in accordance to
the rhema we would be experiencing an eternal power that allowed for our
progress to never cease. We would go
from faith to faith and glory to glory.
·
Luke
5:5 And Simon answering said unto him,
Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at
thy RHEMA I will let down the net. The disciples of
Jesus had been painfully laboring throughout the night to catch fish, and had
accomplished little. This account
describes perfectly the activity of our churches. Much of our goings-on have been spent upon programs, agendas, and
committees, and little upon the guidance, strategy, and power of the Holy
Spirit through the rhema. Notice
that the “one rhema” of Jesus brought a huge catch.
John
3:34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh
the RHEMAS of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. .
·
Each time we
hear, speak, and act upon the rhema word, the power and the Spirit of
God are released. This is the key to a
healing and deliverance ministry.
·
John
6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth;
the flesh profiteth nothing: the RHEMAS that I speak unto you, they are
spirit, and they are life.
·
What ever we
do beyond the voice of God, no matter how noble, noteworthy, merciful, or
charitable it is, will always produce a measure of spiritual death. Every activity in our Christian walk, and in
our congregations must be based wholly upon the voice of the living God.
·
John
6:68 Then Simon Peter answered him,
Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the RHEMAS of eternal life.
·
Only the
voice of God produces eternal life and brings permanent results. Even the best voices of our intellects,
promoting church activities and functions, which have not been commanded by the
Lord will generate some spiritual death.
·
John
12:47 And if any man hear my RHEMAS and believe not, I judge him not: for I
came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
·
John
12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth
not my RHEMAS>, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same
shall judge him in the last day.
·
What a
sobering admonition Jesus gives us here!
Can you imagine that our willful disobedience to the voice of God
during our earthly life will be our judge in the next one?
·
The rhema
word has eternal qualities and eternal ramifications.
·
John
15:7 If ye abide in me, and my RHEMAS abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will,
and it shall be done unto you.
·
The Father
will only answer our prayers when they are in accordance with a rema word
spoken by Him to us. So important to
our churches.
v The rema word of God is the only
qualification for us to enter into the works of God and not the works of the
flesh. Or subsequently God works only
in relationship to the rhema word.
·
Many times we take the name of Jesus as a
“magic wand” and have believed that asking in that name will get us anything we
want. My brothers and sisters, our
asking and receiving must always be in accordance to the rhema of
God. God will always honor his rhema
word since it comes from Him.
According to His rhema, our prayers will always be answered, and
we will get anything that we ask for!
John
17:8 For I have given unto them the RHEMAS 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.
I Cor 1:5 That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and
in all knowledge;
6 Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:
7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting
for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: {coming: Gr. revelat
·
Romans
10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing,
and hearing by the RHEMA of God.
·
We must shed
some extra light on this ever-important and much quoted scripture. God wants us
all to move in faith, and will take us from faith to more faith, until it
becomes totally naturally to live in it.
However, as we have been learning, everything must start with the voice
of God revealed within our hearts. Obedience
acts upon the rhema, and faith is developed through our obedience. I heard a true story of some kids that
attempted to walk on the ocean or maybe a lake like Jesus and Peter. They
drowned, because they had attempted this miracle without the rhema. Remember brethren, stepping out into
ministry without having heard the voice of God is presumption, and you and I
will really get burned.
·
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.
·
These scriptures “hit home” at one of the very major problems
within our churches today. The church
will only be purified and made holy by the revelatory word of God. The rhema is what washes the bride of Christ
and heals and restores it. Let me ask
you a question. If the flow of
spiritual gifts is curtailed in our congregations, and the rhema is quenched,
how will the church ever be washed and made holy? Pretty serious stuff!
·
Ephesians
6:17 And take the helmet of salvation,
and the sword of the Spirit, which is the RHEMA of God:
·
Brethren, it
is time for us to know that the only offensive weapon that we have against
Satan and his schemes such as sickness, bondage, and sin is the rhema
word of God. If we don’t know how to
operate in the revelatory word of God, we will never attain a complete victory
against the devil, the world, and the flesh
·
Peter
1:25 But the RHEMA of the Lord endureth for ever. And this
is the RHEMA which
by the gospel is preached unto you.
·
Finally my beloved brothers and sisters; our
witnessing and evangelism must be always done in the power of God through the
rhema, if it is it to be truly effective.
Evangelism programs are good yes, but without the living word spoken
into the lives of every lost soul that we encounter, the results might only be
temporal.
v
The eternal
quality of the rhema word.
v Every time that we fail to discern the voice or the rhema
word of God the blessings become temporal as with the transient glory in the
face of Moses.
Session # 4
The Gideon Principle or That of
the Over Comers
v
Watchman
Nee stated that since the church at large has failed to obey God, God has
attained and completed His work always through out all generations with a few
people. It is supremely important that
these few will hear and obey the rhema word without hesitation. They must always move forward, never
doubting or hesitating. God will do
great things and accomplish His plans through these few in each and every local
body. Basically the work leaving Egypt and entering into the Promised Land was
in the hands of Moses, Joshua, and Caleb; the three over comers.
Col 1:9
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;
¶
Gen 12:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and
from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew
thee:
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and
I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
Exodus
3:4 And when the LORD saw that he
turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and
said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.
7 ¶ And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;
8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
Jude 7:5And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.
God’s Four Types of Spiritual Knowledge
A) KNOWLEDGE OF
CHRIST
A.
Ephesians
1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and
revelation in the knowledge
of him
B.
There
are four types of knowledge that we shall study today, all come from the Greek
word “epiginosko”. (Strong # 1921 and 1922) This particular word defines knowledge as
one that is “mature, probing and deep, complete, accurate, thorough, and
precise.”
Eph3:7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the
effectual working of his power.
·
Christ
reveals Himself differently in each of us in accordance with the callings that
He has placed within. The more that we
know Him personally with accuracy and intimacy, the more that every ministry
will be revealed, strengthened, and guided within the local body, fulfilling
Ephesians 4:6.
Rev
19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship
him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of
thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is
the spirit of prophecy;
We can see that very manifestation of the
living Christ is the source of all spiritual gifts. Out of the very presence of Jesus flows the power of God. His very gifts glorify Him.
1Cor
1:5 That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;
6
Even as the testimony of Christ was
confirmed in you.
7
So
that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ:
Brethren, the
more of Jesus that is revealed in each of, the more the gifts will operate, and
the more will be the edification, which the church will receive.
B) KNOWLEDGE
OF GOD’S WILL
·
Col1:9¶
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;
16
That
ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every
good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
·
Beloved, did
you know that most of our churches operate today without an accurate and
complete knowledge of what God’s will is for their specific vision? It is no wonder that most of them spin their
wheels for years to come, caught in a web of powerless programs and
agendas. To know God’s will in “all
spiritual wisdom” is incredibly important.
The “wisdom of God” is the will of God according to His strategy,
His ways, and His timing. It will
always happen in the Spirit, and always through a death and resurrection of the
vision for that ministry.
·
We need to spend the hours, days, weeks, and
months, which it takes in prayer to discern that will. Much more will be accomplished by our
waiting and seeking, than by our getting busy in a flurry of activities.
·
To do His will “with all spiritual understanding”
is to discern what are God’s specific and strategic steps in fulfilling the
will, which we have just discerned.
·
A believer
or church fulfilling the will of God “with all spiritual understanding”
will take the painstaking time to move step by step in line with the Holy
Spirit, never behind, and never before Him.
C) KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH
1Tim2:4
Who will have all men to be saved, and
to come unto the knowledge
of the truth.
·
To know the
truth, is to know God’s word deeply, with accuracy, and in accordance to fact
and certainty.
John
8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and
the truth shall make you free. Many of us sadly “claim
and frame” this scripture.
·
In reality,
what Jesus is telling us, is the truth shall free us in the exact proportion to
our accurate understanding of it, and our execution of it, in the sphere of
this accuracy. Execution of God’s
commands in error, misunderstanding, or ignorance will not free us, no matter
how noble our attempts are.
D) THE KNOWLEDGE
OF EVERY GOOD THING WE HAVE IN CHRIST
·
Philemon
1:6 That the communication of thy faith
may become effectual by the acknowledging
of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
·
This rarely
used, but vitally important scripture, tells us that our faith, our walks, our
callings, and our ministries will only become effective, as we discover and
implement all that God has called us to do.
The more that we learn, realize and carry out all that God has placed
within us, the more effective that we shall be for the kingdom of God.
2
Timothy 4:5 But watch thou in all
things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
Colossians
4:17 And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast
received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.
things:
enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
the Holy Spirit will be released, drawing all men unto Jesus.
This is why the apostle Paul said, “Be a mimic of me,
even as I am also a mimic of Christ ”as found in 1
Corinthians 11:1 Be ye followers <3402> of me, even as I also am of Christ.
Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any
man will come after me, let him deny <533>
himself, and
take up his cross, and follow
me.
We observe that Jesus commands His disciples to “Follow
Him” in the above scripture. He
chose this word very carefully. This
particular injunction appears 77 times in the New Testament. In actuality the word “follow” is defined as
a union in traveling the same road. It is a oneness with the pattern of Jesus’ life, His ministry,
and even of His death, if necessary.
This is why the apostle Paul said, “Be a mimic of me, even as
I am also a mimic of Christ ”as found in 1 Corinthians
11:1 Be ye followers <3402> of me, even as I also am of Christ.
:
Ø 2Co 13:4
For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power
of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by
the power of God toward you.
q
Live out of
the dunamis of God
Ø
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:
·
Excessively
we were burdened beyond our power.
o
It is
throwing beyond magnitude.
o
We were
utterly at loss, destitute of measures and resources
9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
·
Whether on
asking myself, should I die or whether I should come out of mortal peril, I
answered, “I must die”.
·
It is a judicial sentence of death.
o
To trust in God who is raising the corpses.
Ø 1Cor 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
·
Labor that
causes one to feel fatigued by working hard.
To bestow labor and be weary.
2Cor 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. I will very
gladly Romans
6:6
Ø 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 a blessing in
some one else’s life.
Apostolic Character
Ø
Acts4:33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the
resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
·
One of the
objectives of an apostle is to give witness of the resurrection of the risen
Christ
B.
The apostle
gives back the witness of the resurrection as something that is his obligation
or duty
The
resurrection power is demonstrated in the apostle for the benefit of others.
Ø 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 a Steven. This is
the resurrection power abiding in the apostle.
Ø Acts 9:22 But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.
· Saul, later Paul, was more and more filled with God’s power and was continuously strengthened. (Imperfect tense)
·
He
threw into disorder and the perplexing of mind the enemies of God through the
display of God’s power.
Ø Acts 6:4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
It is not
pleasant or agreeable that we would leave, abandon or forsake the word of
God.
Ø
Acts
5:28 Saying, Did not we straitly
command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled
Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.
29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered
and said, We ought to obey
God rather than men.
·
To
be persuaded to obey by God as ruler than to submit to an earthly
authority. It is the necessity in this
case or necessary that we obey God rather than men.
Ø I Cor 4:9 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.
·
God has exhibited, showed off, and exposed to view. The apostle
becomes a man exhibited, or to be gazed at.
·
Ø
1 Cor 15: 30
And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?
31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in
Christ Jesus our Lord, I
die daily
10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and
doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
Ø 2Cor 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
·
In the
breaking of the earthen vessel is the light revealed.
o
The divine light is the inspiration and
guidance of the apostolic ministry. The
power is the property of God.
17
For
we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life
also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
·
We are
always surrendered and yielded to the thanatos.
12 So then death worketh 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
Ø 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.
Ø
2Cor
5:13 For whether we be beside
ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.
·
Or be at our
right mind. Moderated as to opinion or
passion.
o
If Paul
exceeds the bounds of moderation it is in his moods of highest devotion, when
he is pouring out his soul to God; and prudence towards his converts.
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 and purpose, as in a narrowed
wall road
Ø
2Cor
6:3 Giving no offence in any thing,
that the ministry be not blamed:
Not even
one occasion of sin or offense. No
occasion for stumbling.
Session #6
Apostolic Ministry
Romans1:5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:
·
He or
she promotes obedience to the faith and make disciples amongst all the nations. It is a traveling ministry
Rom
11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles,
inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
·
To hold in
honor, magnify the apostolic office and lays great stress and care
on the ministries. The apostle
does his ministry honor.
I Cor1:1
¶ Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
·
An apostle
is divinely summoned and divinely appointed ambassador belonging to Christ
Jesus, through God’s determining will and the full credentials of God’s
power. He or she is divinely
called, invited, appointed.
C.
The
apostle himself does not matter but the one giving him the commission, the
Lord.
D.
No one can be sent except the one who
is under orders. The
apostle must be in constant submission to the Lord.
Gal
1:1 ¶ Paul, an apostle, (not
of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who
raised him from the dead;)
v
Paul, an
apostle not from men as a source.
v
Not raised up by men but by Jesus
Christ
v
Thusly the apostle is never intended to
please man outside of God’s will, but to please God who
chose and raised him up. Not pleasing
man, but a bond slave of God.
1Cor 9:1 ¶ Am I not an apostle? am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?
Ø
Must see the
resurrected Lord with a discerning eye because of the power of God and the
revelatory gifts within him.
Eph 1:1 ¶ Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
Col 1:1 ¶ Paul, an
apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother,
v
He
proclaims the will of God because He lives in the will of God.
1Tim 1:1 ¶ Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;
v
He proclaims the
commandments, because the apostle lives in the commandments of God.
2Tim:1 ¶ Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,
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;
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 This
is in correspondence the standard of faith for God’s elect. The apostle stimulates and promotes
the faith of God’s chosen ones.
v Leads them into the accurate discernment,
recognition and participation of the truth, which belongs to and harmonizes
with what tends to godliness. He must
live in that accurate recognition and participation of the truth.
v
With the promise of life goes the provision
for its proclamation. Hence the
apostle in proclaiming you shall live through Christ, is an apostle according
through the very proclamation of this life.
v
In other word he must live in the
resurrection life of God.
2Ti 4:5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
Col
1:25 Whereof I am made a minister,
according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
Ro
15:19 Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the
Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I
have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
2 Cor 12:12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.
v
The apostle carries out fully his ministry and proclaims the gospel
fully in word, deed, and the power of God.
Tit
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:
Ac
14:23 And when they had ordained them elders in every
church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on
whom they believed.
v
To set
straight besides or after. To arrange what was left
behind after Paul’s departure.
v
Epidiorthoo .To what still remains to be set in
order.
v
Wanting the
things that are failing, lagging or, inferior.
v
Ordain: To appoint or set down in every office.
Mat
10:40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that
receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
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.
Ø
Oneness with the
Lord, through the principle of death and resurrection.
John 6:57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
John 7:29 But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me.
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.
v
Total
dependency upon the Lord. The apostle
is broken and lives out of the strength and the power of God.
v His whole existence is
sustained and originates through his relationship with the Father.
John 5:36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.
v
The apostle’s work
originates in God. It is consequently
done with the full authority of God and in signs and wonders, especially if the
apostle is a clean vessel.
v
Eph 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but
fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
1Co 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
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 Or the foundation laid by them. Notice how the building is fitly framed
together. The revelatory foundation of the person of Christ is what causes the
believers’ ministries and callings to come together.
1Cor3:10 According to the grace of God which is given
unto me, as a wise masterbuilder( ARCHITECT), I
have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every
man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
11 ¶ For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
q The apostle is a spiritual architect.
q
Lays
the revelatory foundation of the person of Jesus Christ at all times.
Eph
3:3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery;
(as I wrote afore in few words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery
of Christ)
5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is
now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
Col
1:26 Even the mystery which hath been
hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
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:
Eph
3:7 Whereof I was made a minister,
according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual
working of his power.
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:
10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly
places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
v 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.
v 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.
v Bring forth the dispositions of God
according to His grace.
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.