100th blog!!!

It’s definitely been a journey. So what spurred me onto doing a blog? Glad you inquired so inquisitively (yes I spelled that correctly the first time).

Basically I was blowing up my Facebook friend’s timelines, news feeds, or walls depending on whatever it was called at that time. My aunt from Minnesota, where I was born but moved away when I was 3 then moved back when I was 19, where God got ahold of me, and then left again at 21, (ok breath now) said, “Why don’t you start a blog?” I believe someone else recommended that to me also but I don’t quite remember. So I himmed and hawwed (or is it “hemmed and hawed”) about starting one for a while. The thing is previously I wasn’t really serious about growing and seeking His face that much. I went to a great church with great speakers (big name Charismatic speakers) and great prophetic worship that sometimes last hours without needing scripted music lyrics. I was comfortable being fed by someone else’s hand, so to speak. Now this is not to say you can’t be fed by someone else’s hand but with maturity comes self-sufficiency but not self-sufficiency where you isolate and become above rebuke or think more highly than yourself. The self-sufficiency that I’m talking about is where you no longer look to someone else for your growth but you press onto maturity in Him. (See Isaiah 28:9 and Isaiah 28:9)

My problem was I didn’t think I had anything to share. In the real-life world of shapes, sounds, and time I am a man of few words. Very introverted. Introverted to the point when I hear “Stand up and greet someone” in church I either stay seated or go on my phone…but not all the time. Part of that had to do with being raised to not ask questions, not to inquire with “Why?” but just reply, “Yes, dad.” Now over a period of 4+ years I have been regaining my voice back and realizing I do have things to share, maybe wrong or maybe right I don’t know. Even now very few of the people I know is this real world share, comment, or inquire much about my blogs, which I’m ok with. My wife does support me in it 100% and supports my desire to want to write a non-fiction and fiction book sometime in the future. I am however really encouraged to those on WordPress, Facebook, and even Twitter by people sharing, liking, and commenting. It encourages me to continue on with a 101st blog and not quit. If you knew me before I was 20 and before I started this blog in January 2014 you would be surprised I am where I am.

Before I started walking with the Holy Spirit I hated reading, so much that I did maybe 1 or 2 summer reading assignments in High School or 8th grade (I was homeschooled from 1st-7th and skipped 5th (because I didn’t like it…just kidding. I skipped it…I was smart…back then)). I hated reading. I loved being outside or playing video games however. But after I started following the Lord I started to pick up every Christian book I could. Read the Bible all the way through, I was a sponge at that point. But I still hated writing. Then someone mentioned starting a blog so I launched out and signed up. It’s been an amazing thing in my life.

I did leave that one church and started going to another local church which has few speakers but still good worship and good teaching. This kind of incentivized me on to going after the Lord for myself by seeking what has been implanted instead of waiting in a prayer line for an impartation all the time. I realized that I have something to offer to others and being as I’m not a pastor nor an itinerant minister or singer/songwriter I had to vehicle until I started this blog. It was like the floodgates opened to me and a rush of new thoughts, ideas, personal applications, revelation, etc came to me. And they only left when I wrote them down but then more came. It continues to this days. That’s why it is 100 and counting.

So I have a question to those who have read to the end. What has been your take away from this blog? Has it helped or not? Is it applicable in your life? Do you have questions, concerns, or would want my thoughts concerning things either general or specific? Above all I do my best not to take sides or be involved in the schisms of isms. I like balance and riding the fences on some things. However I am firm on the essentials. My aim to know Him and to offer different views with different applications. Our life and issues do not come pre-packaged so neither will our growth or healing. I always want an open toolbox with the filter of 100% Scripture and 100% Spirit.

Thanks to all those who have liked, following, reblogged, comments, and shared. I am excited for the next 100 posts.

 

Get back up!

Yes you fell…we all have and most will again. But it’s not your end. A righteous person may fall 7 times but will rise again. Yes even in the midst of your fall you are still righteous. As the Apostle Paul said, “Such were some of you…but you were washed.” You may have fallen today or an hour ago but with each rising comes a washing. Yes you messed up. Admit it. Come to grips with your actions. Then move forward. If you ever think that God gets tired of you just remember Psalm 121:4, “He who keeps you will neither slumber nor sleep.” He isn’t tired of you and He will never get tired of you coming to Him. I release the truth upon you that you have the ability to go boldly before the Throne of Grace to receive the mercy that you need. Go! Boldly! Never cease going! He is available! He is watching and waiting with His eyes on the horizon! Don’t you see Him! Run! Run faster! Because He will overtake you with His grace. I see Him removing the stained clothes you wear. I see Him washing your feet. I see Him, in you, beckoning for bear hug. I see new clothes! Clean clothes! I see Him calling you to His table of abundance. “Kill the fatted calf! Bring the best wine! My child is here and My love is forever upon them!” You know what? I see Him offering His seat at the table for you. Take it! Is is Him that calls you precious. It is Him that says, “You are worthy of my love.” I understand this is contrary to all religions and religious activity. But it’s true. You are no longer defined by your past or even your present. You are defined by the Great Definer. It is His Word that stands across the ages and sands of time. What He says counts! Not the enemy, not your soul, and not the accusers. Go and so no more! This is declaration and not a warning. Know who you are, know who He is, and know you and Him combined. Get back up! Stop trying to get a grip on Him…rest in His grip on you. You may feel lost but He is never lost and has found you. He is leading you back to still and restful waters. Soak it up! Rest! Let His love take you to where you never thought was possible! Let His perfect love cast away all fear. Let. Let the love do it….and not yourself. Let. Allow His Love to do it apart from you ability to grasp it’s all consumingness. Yes you fell and have fallen. It’s time to get back up. Will you allow His grace, mercy, and love overtake you today? It’s available right now…and will be available for all eternity.

 

Blessing Your Spirit

1 Thessalonians 5:23 says

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (NKJV)

The word “completely” in Greek is holotelēs which means – perfect, complete in all respects.  The word “whole” is holoklēros which means – complete in all its parts, in no part wanting or unsound, complete, entire, whole.

So there is a sanctification that needs to happen in our pneuma, psychē, and sōma. From my experience in the Church most preachers/teachers refer to believers as body, soul, and then spirit. I believe this is incorrect and that Paul referred to us as spirit, soul, and body for a reason. I believe, and am persuaded by Scripture that Man was created spirit, soul, and body, spirit being the predominant part, then soul, and lastly body. Many neglect the body, many neglect the soul, but most neglect the spirit. Most inner healing and deliverance deals with the soulish realm. I must add that the soul or soulish realm is not evil…I repeat it is not evil. God wants our souls to prosper (see 3 John 1:2). But a lot of inner healing and deliverance doesn’t build the spirit but a growing number are being to focus on building the spirit. Jesus may have said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit,” but that doesn’t mean He wants our spirit poor.

I’ve been working through the book Blessing Your Spirit and is really helping me in building my spirit. It is my belief that a person’s spirit can be bigger than their body. I also believe when our spirits are fully mature we will transfigure according to 2 Corinthians 3:18.  When the curse is reversed in full manifestation then we will once gain walk as Adam walked prior to the fall and will walk in full glory and unhindered relation with our Father. That which was, will be according to Ecclesiastes 1:9.

What many do is clean house. Get rid of all the moldy carpet and drywall. Strip out the tiles and rotten wood until there is untouched, clean, and undamaged material. That is where many of us stop. We’ve renounced and repents of sins. Asked God to cleanse the bloodline and break generational curses. We have cut soul ties (but should also call back what was stolen from us and be restored back to us and whatever we took from the person would be restored back to the person we had ties to) and released people by forgiveness. We’ve rid the garbage and trash lying around. All of these are a great starting point and the first steps. But a person doesn’t strip their house of all the junk and then blow up their air mattresses and hunker down on a construction site. We want to re-furnish the house! Build back up! Rebuild! We need restoration! Apokatastasis is the Greek word here and it means – restoration of the perfect state before the fall and of a true theocracy. Another interesting passage is in Acts 3:20-21 and it says

For the time being he must remain out of sight in heaven until everything is restored to order again just the way God, through the preaching of his holy prophets of old, said it would be.

Depending on the translation it says He must remain in heaven until all things are restored or He must remain in heaven until it is time for all things to be restored. I lean towards the former but this is my opinion. All in all, all things will be restored no matter what and you and I are involved in that process. How about we begin now? I’ll also note something that may step on the toes of eschatologists but I will say it cautiously. What if we have our eschatology wrong just like the Pharisees had the first coming wrong? What is we are looking at things from a wrong or irresponsible (as in escapism, let the earth go to hell) way? John the Baptist came and prepared the way for what Jesus would finish. Likewise, what if the Bride were given the ability to respond to the Holy Spirit and start restoring all things now and taking her rightful place as the ekklēsia? For this to happen we must build our spirit man or inner man. We must do it. We must focus our attention to the strength and ability our spirits have. We must speak to our spirits and call them to attention and that our souls and body get behind our spirits. Even though we are born again and our spirits have been roused they still must be nourished and built up.

I am going to post some prayers to pray out loud that will help to encourage and build our spirits in order to walk after the spirit because our spirits are where we most experience God. They may not be in succession because I tend to blog what I’m thinking about at the moment…lol I would encourage you to by the book I linked to above. I’m obviously not going to post the ones in the book but will ask the Holy Spirit to come up with some O(o)urselves. So here is a good prayer for a starting point. Pray it out loud and where you see a _____ just put in your name or the person you would pray it over with them listening. This is like a multivitamin for your spirit.

 

______ listen with your spirit to the word of God for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 declares, “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” You are meant to be sanctified and preserved complete and without blame. You are the point of contact where God speaks to you and dwells with you. You are meant to be built up and nourished and for too long you have been in the background and the soul and body have taken precedence. But now it is your turn.

I call my spirit to attention and call you blessed and holy. I call you clean and powerful. I call forth the authority you have in the spirit realm to manifest in the physical. I call forth your rightful place in the relationship between my soul and body. I call you to headship along with the Headship of the Holy Spirit. I removed, in Jesus’ name, all defilement, slime, grim, dust, rust, moths, and weeds from you and I replace them with all fruits of the Spirit including love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control against such there is no love according to Galatians 5:22-23. I call you out of all slumber and captivity and proclaim freedom to you. Spirit of _____ I call blessed and highly favored of the Lord. Shine forth in your design that was given to you before I was born and before creation.

Holy Spirit I ask You to seal my spirit, ____’s spirit with Your seal in the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

Amen and Amen!!

 

 

I Love The Prophetic – Part 2

I love the Prophetic!

I was at a Sunday evening meeting at a Church in a town just north of mine. There was a speaker by the name of Darby Slaton who shared. I went with an expectancy of God confirming things in my life. What I have found out is when I go and am asking God for confirmation regarding certain things He shows up and confirms other things. Come to think of it, if He isn’t speaking to those things maybe that is a confirmation in and of itself…I probably need a better grasp of what He is saying now…anyways. The Lord did speak through the person and was straight on, along with many others who had words that were straight on too. He spoke Isaiah 61:1-3 over me which says

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
Because the Lord has anointed me
To bring good news to the afflicted;
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to captives
And freedom to prisoners;
To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
To grant those who mourn in Zion,
Giving them a garland instead of ashes,
The oil of gladness instead of mourning,
The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting.
So they will be called oaks of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.

At first glance this is a very general word but to me it spoke with volume. This confirmed by desire and calling as an inner healing & deliverance minister along with traveling and speaking and confirms another vision in which I saw myself on a stage preaching and people coming to the front to get saved and healed(after I saw that vision I wept and asked God, “Is this me?” and “Can I do this?” I wept because it is my heart’s desire and want to be walking in my full birthright and destiny). This goes along with what the speaker said about how I lost my voice as a child and have been regaining it. Regaining because it was stolen. The speaker also spoke about my desire for evangelism as a healing evangelist. I know there are probably several images that come with that title but I’m not talking about selling spring water or gems on TV. Healing is 100% gospel. If we are cleansed by His blood then we are healed by His stripes.

I think the image above is prophetic in itself because the Eagle’s head is turned and looking at you. God most definitely takes notice of His children. I love it because I’m not following a prophetic or a word but what God has already placed inside me. I do love the confirmations though. They are like sign posts letting me know I’m going in the right directions. The Eagle is one of the faces of God. I’ve had dreams of eagles and hawks too and they were very interesting.

He also spoke about God giving me ideas on how to make money in order to provide for my wife and I and future children. This is more of a “Hey, maybe start thinking about this and seeking the Lord to see if this is legit.” I’ve been wondering how a person like me with no credentials, except for Elijah House certificates, or super super-natural experiences can get involved in ministry. I don’t really know anyone involved in itinerant ministry in my circles and how to even do that….which is awesome because it will have to be God’s doing. Plus I am deathly afraid of public speaking…which is part of regaining my voice. I literally tremble when I have spoken from a microphone. I had a dream where they was a line of people going up to a microphone and I was the next person up and then woke up from the dream. Also, during a Sozo, I was in this open field where most of my walls have been destroyed and there was one section with a small section still up. I asked God to remove it and a microphone was on the other side. Some of this is on my previous post but I’m sharing again 🙂 I also had a word from a women at my church about God giving me understanding but soon He will loose my tongue and start speaking (which I will share at my local Celebrate Recovery meeting the second Monday of Feb.) Firstfruits maybe?

Currently I do I.T. Help desk work, which isn’t my passion, and I know in order to provide for my wife and I and future family it takes money. Lets be honest here. It takes money and I don’t want to live ‘In Gov We Trust’ but ‘In God We Trust.’

So these are just my thoughts and processes I go through when balancing my heart’s desire and reality. Receiving confirmations like I did are like a defibrillator for hope by keeping it alive. In the meantime I must focus on my Father and choose Presence over promise at all times.  I place where my soul rests in Him. A place where fruit is my foundation as opposed to gifting or service.

I’ve been walking with God for going on 11 years and I’ve gotten words before I was a Christian that haven’t come to pass yet. I need to do what Graham Cooke says and

Bring my future into today. See the character I need in the future that will sustain the gifting and bring that character into today.

Receiving confirmation via prophecy is a beautiful experience where God openly honors you among His children and world. Prophetic words are promises where we must co-labor with God for their fulfillment ,generally speaking.

The speaker looked at my shirt and it said New York City on it and mentioned about how God is moving in NYC and there was a meeting of business men where the Holy Spirit fell on the meeting. I personally love going to NYC and can’t wait to visit again.

I love looking back on the words I have received directly from my Father and through my brothers and sisters. It tells me that we are in this together. There are many of my readers who I would to meet but may never until Jesus returns or in heavenly glory. I look forward to that day. A time where, along with our older Brother Jesus, we as sons and daughters are fully known and loved by God and ourselves.

 

My Short Testimony

I wanted post my testimony since this is my 50th post. It’ll be short because I could fill many pages. This will be the cliff notes version.

I was born in Duluth, MN during a snow storm in which the nurses and doctors had to use their snowmobiles to get to the hospital. I was born premature(unsure how many weeks) and was 5lb 5oz. I was born jaundice. Before my third birthday I had pneumonia and was a bubble baby…not an actual bubble but more like a square.

At some point before I was three I was attacked by, what I describe at my age, as animalistic demons. I would be in my crib and be trying to get away from something my parents could not see. I then began sleeping in between my parents but was still harassed and was trying to get away from the demons. My parents were involved with deliverance ministry and were or had taken in an individual who had several spirit horses which empowered her. One one point this women walked up to my mother with a knife in her hand and my mother asked her what she was doing. As she approached my mother, my mother said, “in the name of Jesus” and immediately this woman hit what was like a brick wall and couldn’t move closer. This was the first time this woman saw and felt that God’s power was stronger than her spirit horses and since then got delivered…back to me. Through discernment and prayer this demon was there due to an issue between my parents (sometimes the enemy harasses the weaker/defenseless vessels). Out of repentance I was no longer harassed after that.

I have been spared at least 4 times from certain tragedy. Once I was almost attacked by a huge snapping turtles when I was under 3 years old and my faithful German Shepard kept knocking me on my feet and barking at that turtle. That turtle could have easily snapped off a limb at that age. Another time my whole family could have been involved with a huge pile up on an interstate but my mother was prompted, of all place, to go get donuts before we drove home. We did and the 15 minutes it took for that led to us being behind that pile up 15 minutes late. Another time I fell from a second story construction site on our property on a concrete floor and was knocked unconscious and awoke to that same German Shepard licking my face. I could have died or been severely injured or paralyzed. The fourth time was when I was crossing a street and only looked one way and came an inch away from being hit by a car which was going over 40 mph. The last two instances, during ministry time, I saw angels protect me.

After moving from Duluth to MD my parents moved into a “haunted” house. The usual strange things happened in that house. Things falling off shelves. We have thick shag carpet where you would have to use muscle to close and open doors and they would slam shut a lot. My oldest brother saw an animalistic demon there and rebuke it in Jesus’ name and it vanished in thin air. My parents took authority over it all and demonic activity ceased. We then moved to another house. The tenants of the property after us were told about the activity and wanted to speak with the demonic spirit…two weeks later they left too.

I was went to a Christian school for Kindergarten and was homeschooled by my mother from 1st to 7th grade and skipped 5th grade. I started public school in 8th grade to 12th. By the time I was in between 10th and 11th grade is when I got caught up in drugs and the whole teenage rebellion thing. Life at home wasn’t fun due to parents hating each other and divorcing when I was 18 and had graduated high school.

I then moved with my mother back to my MN and I got caught up with more drug activity. Through all my childhood and adulthood I believe in God and Jesus Christ but just never walked with Him. At one point I was watching CBN (700 Club) and got convicted and destroyed my drugs/paraphernalia. Then got deceived again by someone telling my God doesn’t care if I smoke a little weed.

Then at one point, while at work, a ministry put pamphlets on everyone’s cars. I took it home and read it and was curious for more and went to their website and read more and more articles about God’s judgment and wrath on sinners. I got the fear of God in me…not the proper fear but it worked. I felt nothing but shame and condemnation from these articles. But God used them to wake me up to seek after Him. Long story short this ministry is a cult whose leader is now in prison for 175 years for sex crimes. His name is Tony Alamo if you care to know.

So I was riddled with shame and joy at the same time. I was confused but God was working. I went to a local evangelical church during this time. I would weep and weep during worship and it would abruptly end with greeting one another…which was awkward because I had tears and snot and needed tissues and not a hand shake lol. So I found a different church that had power and believe in God’s spiritual gifts because I need them. I learned a lot in that charismatic church and very thankful for them. About a year later I moved back to MD. I started going to another Charismatic church which was “cutting edge” and really pressed into the things of the Spirit. I learned a lot from them too but they are human and I got wounded and gossiped about and such so I left and went to another beautiful church that I am at now.

What I’ve learned through it all is that God truly is Love and sought me even when I did not seek Him. He found me when I thought I couldn’t be found. He healed when I thought I couldn’t be healed. He taught me when I thought I wasn’t teachable. I always had a sense of righteousness even in my sin and darkness. Someone He put in me before I was born. There are many other things I could write but I won’t at this time. All I can say is he who has forgiven much, loves much. I love God, my wife, family, friend, brothers and sisters in the Lord, and those yet to know how much our Father loves them.

If you read till the end, thanks. I hope it ministered to you and if you don’t know Jesus would you want to know Him? He is the closest brother, friend, Father, or even Mother that you could ever know. He wants to know you and He wants to be known by you. Would you except Him into your life? It’s not a religion or a set of rules like dos and don’ts. It is a personal, other-centered, loving relationship between you and Him. He wants to Father you and heal you and deliver you and set you free from all that holds you bound. Seek Him and you will find Him. Ask Him into your life and to give you eyes and hears to see and hear Him. It’ll be the best decision you have ever made in your life. Trust me. I’m living proof to His goodness and faithfulness.

 

Past anointings and mantles?

So it appears that there was some issue with the idea of having or walking in someone else’s anointing or mantle. This is what tend to believe about that…

I was watching a YouTube and the person shared Hebrews 11:39-40 which says

³⁹ And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, ⁴⁰ because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect. (NASB)

The above picture show Elijah passing his mantle to Elisha. 1 Kings 19:19 says.

So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, while he was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth. And Elijah passed over to him and threw his mantle on him.

Mantle in hebrew is ‘addereth which means glory or cloak. 2 Kings 2:9-14 says

⁹ When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.” ¹⁰ He said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” ¹¹ As they were going along and talking, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven. ¹² Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw Elijah no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. ¹³ He also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan. ¹⁴ He took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and struck the waters and said, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over.

So Elisha picked up Elijah’s glory. He picked up where Elijah left off. It’s a beautiful picture of the Scripture in Hebrews above. I also love the picture of Elisha taking that mantle and trying it out. He struck the waters and beseeched the Throne of God and asked where God was…and God showed up and the waters parted!

Even in Jesus’ time John the Baptist came with that same mantle. Luke 1:17 says

It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

There is yet and I believe now is, a generation with the anointing, mantle, spirit, and power of Elijah to prepare the way for Christ’s second coming. I know Elijah was a man just like us (James 5:17). Jesus was a Man too. He is also the Son of God as Adam was also (Luke 3:38). The anointing is the same but different. We have an anointing from the Holy One. We receive it from Him because He decides what type of anointing. Remember what Elijah said to Elisha when Elisha asked for the double portion? Elijah said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” The ball was in God’s court in regards to that double portion. Now is there a difference between the mantle or the double portion. The mantle was passed on but the double portion was subject to Elisha prophetic experience.

John the Baptist came is spirit in power of Elijah and Elijah has come to restore all things (Mark 9:12) and, in one of my previous blogs, heaven has received Jesus until the restoration of all things. There is still work to do. I think we get wrapped up in vocabulary(I do) and forget the spirit behind things. We have an anointing whether we call it healing, prophetic, this person or that person, etc. Christ is the Anointed One and He is the one that smears us with it! So when I said I felt like God say I have a Lincoln anointing it means there is a spirit and unction that Lincoln walked in and was not yet perfected and needs someone else to walk in it to fulfill it so he can become perfected for apart from us that wouldn’t come to completion. Don’t get me wrong I’m not running for President LOL. I have this picture of a relay race where there are many racers in one race. As one person runs there heart and finishes their race they pass on the baton to the next person to complete it. I also sense Malachi 4:5-6 is speaking about Hebrews 11:39-40 and it says

⁵ “Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. ⁶ He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.”

Hearts of the fathers to the sons could also speak of past and current/new generations coming to together and, if I may borrow the term Dutch Sheets used, the synergy of the ages. Standing in agreement with previous prayers and adding on so that bowl of incense may be poured upon earth for perfection.

I went on a little bit of a rabbit trail but I think I clarified. I know some will still disagree but it’s all good! I love you guys who read and comment and like my blogs! We are in this together, Amen!? We need unity amongst diversity for there are many gifts but One Spirit!

I’ll end again with Hebrews 11:39-40

³⁹ And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, ⁴⁰ because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect. (NASB)

 

 

Thanksgiving

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, which was only 5 days ago BTW, I must say I am thankful for our Father’s Voice. For without it, I would still be in my Stockholm Syndrome.

A Place to Lay His Head

Ephesians 4:12-13 (AMP)

¹² His intention was the perfecting and the full equipping of the saints (His consecrated people), [that they should do] the work of ministering toward building up Christ’s body (the church),

¹³ [That it might develop] until we all attain oneness in the faith and in the comprehension of the [full and accurate] knowledge of the Son of God, that [we might arrive] at really mature manhood (the completeness of personality which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ’s own perfection), the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ and the completeness found in Him.

 

Matthew 8:20 (NASB)

²⁰ Jesus *said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

Fullness (plērōma) – the state of being filled to capacity or that which is (has been) filled or the body of believers, as that which is filled with the presence, power, agency, riches of God and of Christ

Knowledge (epignōsis) – to become thoroughly acquainted with, to know thoroughly and precise and correct knowledge

Mature (teleios) – wanting nothing necessary to completeness or brought to its end, finished

What I believe is happening and needs to happen is that the Church (https://1john417.wordpress.com/2014/11/28/what-does-the-term-church-mean/) needs to create a place for Christ’s Head to rest. Far too long…centuries upon centuries the Church has been disjointed and far removed from His Head. We hear message upon message of the same things. Milk (1 Cor.3:2). We need meat. We need to consume His Flesh and drink His Blood. We must focus and behold Him in order to go from glory to glory (https://1john417.wordpress.com/2014/10/13/mirror-mirror/). If we keep focusing on our current glory we will never grow and never transfigure into something greater and fuller is measure. There is hidden wisdom reserved for us to walk in…there are book waiting to be opened for us to read (1 Cor. 2:7, Dan. 12:4) We must focus where we are seated in order to influence where we stand. To say it literally, the world depends on it and us to walk as He is in this world (Rom. 8:19, 1 Jon. 4:17)

Hebrews 6:1-3 (AMP)

6 Therefore let us go on and get past the elementary stage in the teachings and doctrine of Christ (the Messiah), advancing steadily toward the completeness and perfection that belong to spiritual maturity. Let us not again be laying the foundation of repentance and abandonment of dead works (dead formalism) and of the faith [by which you turned] to God,

² With teachings about purifying, the laying on of hands, the resurrection from the dead, and eternal judgment and punishment. [These are all matters of which you should have been fully aware long, long ago.]

³ If indeed God permits, we will [now] proceed [to advanced teaching].

Jesus is our Savior, not death. If we are waiting for death to be free from sin and imperfection than death is your savior and not Christ. We must stop living body, to soul, to spirit and start living, as we were originally created, spirit, to soul, to body. I am of the believe that our spirits are not subject to the limitations and parameters of our body (see Acts 5:15, Acts 19:12, Col. 2:5). Our soul, on the other hand, must be more and more subject to Him and sanctified and prosperous (3 John 1:2). We truly are seated in Heavenly dimensions or places.

Christ needs shoulders and a body not defined by denominations or labels but by His placement. Knit together in unity of the Spirit. His rule comes through man’s agreement with His purposes. A true co-labor and co-work and co-creating with Him (https://1john417.wordpress.com/2014/02/17/what-on-earth-do-we-do-2/).  Seek His face and thus become His face on earth. Creation groans together by our unveiling which brings His headship back to original intent. (https://1john417.wordpress.com/2014/10/13/mirror-mirror/)

We need to hold fast to the Head as Colossians 2:18-22 says

¹⁸ Let no one defraud you by acting as an umpire and declaring you unworthy and disqualifying you for the prize, insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels, taking his stand on visions [he claims] he has seen, vainly puffed up by his sensuous notions and inflated by his unspiritual thoughts and fleshly conceit,

¹⁹ And not holding fast to the Head, from Whom the entire body, supplied and knit together by means of its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.

²⁰ If then you have died with Christ to material ways of looking at things and have escaped from the world’s crude and elemental notions and teachings of externalism, why do you live as if you still belong to the world? [Why do you submit to rules and regulations?—such as]

²¹ Do not handle [this], Do not taste [that], Do not even touch [them],

²² Referring to things all of which perish with being used. To do this is to follow human precepts and doctrines.

Father, we need You! Father us in this new thing and time and season. Father us to completion. Reveal Yourself to us so we may be revealed to ourselves. Creation is waiting Father. May we succumb to your relentless love and transfiguration process in which metamorphosis (metamorphoō) happens and we change into fullness and a mature man able to support and bring down your authority in order to make your enemy your footstool and things are restored for Your coming.

In Jesus’ name, Amen!

 

What does the term “Church” mean?

According to Strong’s ekklésia (church) means an assembly, congregation, church; the Church, the whole body of Christian believers. Now from what I recently learned this is the most basic definition. In other words the church or ekklésia means a group of people together. But what else does it mean? I will attempt to explain what I recently heard from two different minsters on two different occasion unrelated to each other.

According to ancient Greece the ekklésia was the senate of the government. It legislated what was allowed or forbidden or may I say bound or loosed (Matt. 16:19).

The ekklesia‘s powers were almost unlimited. It elected and dismissed magistrates and directed the policy of the city. It declared war, and it made peace. It negotiated and approved treaties and arranged alliances. It chose generals, assigned troops to different campaigns, raised the necessary money, and dispatched those troops from city to city. It was an assembly in which all members had equal right and duty. As the Roman Empire rose and supplanted the Greeks, the Romans adopted the term into Latin.

The concept that distinguishes biblical usage from classical Greek usage is the emphasis that it is God’s assembly. Ekklesia, therefore, means God’s people, called together by God to listen to or act for God. The emphasis is on the action of God, which has the force of a summons (as from a judge). The biblical ekklesia, the church, is a body of people, not so much assembling because they chose to come together, but assembling because God called them to Himself—not assembling to share their own thoughts and opinions, but to listen to the voice of God.  –  John W. Ritenbaugh

This should totally change your view of what Church means. Ritenbaugh also says about where the term “church” comes from:

Perhaps the best place to begin answering these questions is by tracing the etymology of the word “church” itself, and then looking at the way it is used in context. Many have assumed that it derives from the Greek ekklesia, but this is not true. The English word “church” descends from an Old English word cirice, akin to an Old High German word, kirihha. Both words derive from a Late Greek word, kuriakon, which comes from the Greek kuriakos, the possessive form of the word kurios, the term for “lord.” Kuriakos thus simply means “lord’s,” showing possession, or “belonging to the lord” (Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, 1985, p. 240). It can denote anything that belongs to the Lord.  –  John W. Ritenbaugh

When I think of ekklesia I also am directed to 2 Cor. 5:20 when it speaks of being ambassadors of Christ. We bring the current rule and reign of Jesus to this earth as His representatives. We legislate Heaven’s directives upon earth. Far too long the enemy has ruled and run this world but with Christ’s FINISHED work we bring what He brought. Didn’t He pray, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven? Let us create the footstool for our Lord and bring the restoration of all things so we can hasten His coming (Heb. 10:13, Acts 3:21, 2 Pet. 3:12)

We need His directives and wisdom to establish His kingdom. He is coming back for a BEAUTIFUL Bride and not a disjointed church. He is still looking for a place to lay His head…

I do not believe in the escapism that is preached by pre-trib eschatologists. I do believe there is a light that is and will shine brighter and brighter upon His Bride as she continues to make Herself ready. Isaiah 60:1 needs to happen and I believe it will be a literal shining according to Matt. 17:2 and 2 Cor. 3:18. If Moses received a lesser covenant with a glory so strong he had to cover his face then how much more will the greater shine forth on and through us! I’ll end with this scripture:

Romans 8:30Amplified Bible (AMP)

³⁰ And those whom He thus foreordained, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified (acquitted, made righteous, putting them into right standing with Himself). And those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity and condition or state of being].

We are the Throne of God on earth!

Graham Cooke Notes

Graham Cooke’s Maintaining Your Inner Compass Part 1 notes from:

Unfortunately the whole sermon is not on YouTube. These notes are directly from Graham Cooke’s Part 1 teaching. I took these notes for a meeting I was a part of. It was very enriching to intentionally listen and take notes. I could have written out 6 or more pages but this totaled 2 1/2 pages. Be blessed! As He Is So Are We!

Graham starts with Psalm 121: I WILL LIFT up my eyes to the mountain from whence shall my help come. My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip. He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper the lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun will smite you by day not the moon by night. The Lord will protect you from all evil. He will keep your soul. The Lord will guard your going and coming in. From this time forth and forever.

David had a brilliant devotional life because he connected with God no matter where he was not matter what he was going through. He knew how to connect with God devotionally.  :23-24 the steps of mans are established by the Lord. And He delights in his way. When he falls he will not be held headlong because the Lord is the one who holds his hand.

The great thing about journeying with the lord is that He knows how to keep us. Day after day in every kind of situation. He can turn every circumstance and situation around for our good and prosper us. In all the ups and downs in life God is the one remaining constant. Holy Spirit is teaching us to be constant and faithful because according to 1 John 4:17, as He is, so are we in this world. Because God keeps us we can learn to be as constant and consistent as God is.

What God wants from you He first gives to you. Because God delights in us we can delight in Him. Whatever we are facing it’s important to face with a real enjoyment of who God is for us. Our journey may take us to the vineyards of fruitfulness or the desert where there is no growth. But God will be the same to you in both places. Sometime God is a blazing sun but other times a candle in your hand. You get to walk with God and know him in both extremes. In warfare you get to know the God who laughs at His enemies. God can surround who you are and who you are not. We discover who God wants to be for us in every circumstance. Sometime we need stand long enough in His presence to see the Glory that is there because we are being changed from one degree of glory into another.

Graham Cooke talked about wanting a relationship with God more than just ministry. Devotions should be designed for relationship and not ministry. In personal devotions and relational times we stand before God as a much-loved son. Sometimes we come to God and say Father and other times Daddy and other times Help!

We accept the fact that we will have human and demonic opposition and stress involved with walking with God. But we can find out who God is for me when these things happen. Who is God to me right now? That is the joy set before us. We need not be worried about anything. We are not frustrated because that is a construct that is not birthed in the kingdom. Truth is we get to walk in grace and mercy and peace and love and goodness and rest and gentleness and delight and abundance and power and majesty. We get to walk in those things.

We are being changed from one degree of glory to another. We need to consider the possibility of something glorious happening at least this week if not today. We need to take all our responses from heaven and not from earth. The bible says we can be blessed under persecution. You have to rejoice and be exceedingly glad. The basis of this is moving in the opposite spirit as a preservation thing and as warfare. We get to spank the enemy. Out journey is into an experience in the Spirit so profound that we become as Jesus is because as He is so are we in this life and world. We live from the inside to the outside. All of life in the Spirit is internal. We learn to step back into our spirit and live out of that place. We learn to live in the spirit as opposed to the soul.

We are learning to maintain our inner compass. Our direction comes from inside, our inner man. Guidance is relation and not functional. Guidance is a byproduct of relationship. Too many decisions are made by external evidence rather than internal proof. In order to grow into this we have to develop and maintain our inner compass so when we stop spinning we know where God is because He is our True North. There are three questions we should ask ourselves in all new situation or circumstance. Who am I? What am I? and Where am I?

When life explodes and interferes we must ask Who am I in this? I believe all our journeys begin in the heartbeat of God and that’s where you rest right now. I can have an understanding and experience with the nature of God. I can know what he is really, really, really like. I don’t want to be intimidated by the enemy but be fascinated by Jesus. We try to get faith outside of the heartbeat of God. God lives in you and he has no problems believing. Faith comes from your focus. When focusing on God faith is there. God is faithful that means we can be full of faith.

All revelation of God must be specific to His nature and explicit to your identity. When He shows you something about himself his reason for this is because he wants you to become that next. Your identity gets an upgrade. God is not messing around and nothing casual. Everything about Him is utmost intention so we need to pay attention.

We get to wage war with peace and inflict our rest upon the enemy. Rest is a weapon. We are partners in His nature. David was a man after God’s own heart because he was always discovering his own identity in the face of God who was totally for him all the time. We are learning in the context of that on how to practice opening our heart to revelation and saying yes to God’s love.

Who is God for you right now? What specific part of His nature are you meant to fully experience at this time? When you know you learn to direct yourself toward God in that. We don’t define by our circumstance but by the nature of God being released and revealed to us. God loves us to ask questions but don’t allow your lack of answer to disrupt your internal communion with Him. Sometimes he doesn’t give us answer right away. He wants to teach you to live in the question with Him. What’s more important God or the answer? We don’t need an answer what we need you God. God likes the dialogue. Sometimes there are better questions for us to ask Him. Living in the question makes our life happy in the process. There are times where God allows our life to come into a place of uncertainty. Why? God wants to be your certainty. God is jealous and he is not apologizing. He wants to be your all in all. He wants to have that number one place in your life.

Don’t stop believing until you get an experience. When you get it you longer have to believe. Faith is a temporary thing, not permanent. Faith becomes knowledge. Faith is present to give you an experience. You no longer have faith that Jesus is Lord, you know Jesus is Lord.

Knowing opens you up to the reality of the truth. That you may know what is the hope of His calling. That we may know the things freely given to us by God. You begin to declare things from Heaven instead of praying for them. It’s your inheritance. Faith is the introduction to Hope. It leads you to confident assurance.

What do you need to be confidant in regarding who God is for you right now? The particular circumstances in your life should be leading you to an experience into a particular aspect of God’s nature? What was your last real experience of God? Did you become established in that as a behavior, did you learn how to abide in that? What is your current uncertainty? What do you have permission to ask God for?

In your current situation ask the Holy Spirit this: What is it that God wants to be for me now and who am I in a response to that?

Excuse Me, But Do I Know You?

2 Corinthians 5:16

Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer.

Interesting scripture I must say. From now on we recognize no one according to the flesh. I’m sure we all of read that and maybe thought about it but quickly finished our bible reading for the day. Forgive my sarcasm :). I’ve read it plenty times but I love when God highlights the scripture. Holy Spirit Sharpie Highlighter! Anywhoo… So what does Paul mean by this? I immediately think of 1 Cor. 6:11 which states: “Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.“ Paul was recognizing them for who they are and not what they were doing. How many of us are trying to crucify the flesh or die to self? And no matter how much we do, we aren’t reflecting that truth. Ever hear of Phantom Pain or Phantom Limb Syndrome? Get this: people are operating out of something that isn’t there. Something that has been cut off. Something that is no longer a part of them. I researched(if you could call it that) phantom pain/limb syndrome and there are reports of people still feeling the limb and even gesticulating with the phantom limb while talking. I mean in no way to offend amputees btw so please don’t think I’m making light of actual people experiencing this. I say this because the thought occurred to me that if humans can walk and operate like they still have a limb that isn’t there that Christians still operate in something that isn’t there. This is what I like to call Phantom Flesh Syndrome. Now I’m getting off track…which happens when I blog. More on Phantom Flesh Syndrome on a later post.

Back to what I was saying before. The Kingdom is an inner man, spiritually discerned, God breathed life and outlook. We cannot recognize others based on what is dead. We need to call to life or call to a realization of what is already alive. Kingdom looks beyond the veil of flesh into the inner man created in God’s image(read previous Mirror Mirror post). I do not mean we do not acknowledge falling short of our brothers and sisters but we do not recognize as that action because it is no longer the core of who they are. There may be some root issues to deal with but at the core it is not who they are. Paul was pointing out these issues but countered it by saying, “such were(past/dead) some of you but you were washed/sanctified/justified.” You are no longer what you were.

I like how Paul thinks. Grace upon grace. He didn’t recognize them according to the flesh but spoke on their identity. That is why New Testament prophecy is about one who prophesies for edification and exhortation and consolation. That is directed at the same church! How many of us prophesy our words of knowledge? Did you know there is a difference? That is also for another post. Where is the light in an individual? The Divine spark present? Are you mirroring back the negative dead stuff or the alive Kingdom stuff? Are you calling people higher or just exposing what the blood has covered/washed away? No matter the person Christian or Pre-Christian they are created in God’s Image. Are we muddying up the mirror or washing it for people to properly see the image of Him who create them? How do you recognize people? By their sin or by their Redeemer? These are all question we need to ask ourselves when relating to people. Most importantly how did Jesus see those the religious deemed Image-less?

 

 

When Needs Overcome Wants

I don’t know about you but I tend to get frustrated with life at times. How many of us can relate to our needs overcoming our wants? Needs come and come and must be met and met. Wants seldom show up and when they do we rarely get to fulfill them. Now I know what scripture says about needs and wants. Psalm 23 etc. But how many of our wants or desires come to pass…or come to…pass and not stay. I was thinking about how many things I want to do in life and how I don’t see much possibility of them happening. I know with God all thing are possible but how? I want the Promise so bad. So bad I can taste it…the taste of milk and honey.

I have so many wants: traveling, speaking, counseling, inner healing and deliverance sessions along with Sozo sessions. I desire to set people set free and walking in who they are. Not head knowledge but heart knowing.

Then I listened to a Graham Cooke teaching…

He spoke on living with God in the question. Walking with God in the midst of waiting. I think of the difference between Promise and Presence. God promised Israel a land flowing with milk and honey but His Presence was there in the journey. An arduous journey to boot. Moses had the proper perspective. Even with the Promise near he wouldn’t go with Presence.

My needs need to transfigure into glorious stepping stones. My wants need to be there without the gravitational pull of disappointment. For I do have an appointment but until Presence cuts the veil I remain living with God in the present with His Presence with an expectancy of future Promise.

I think that is where I am getting it wrong. Why I’m frustrated. Why I feel like Promise is the carrot on the end of the stick. Interesting scripture in Psalm 103:7 is says God made know His acts to Israel but His ways to Moses. Moses had a backstage pass to what was going on. Sure Moses clearly didn’t get it all right but God trusted Him. I want and need my own Tent of Meetings. A place where perspective is birthed and clarified. A place where I can see God mouth to mouth. A place where Presence sustains while the Promise waits for my arrival. God has given me a name. That name is Possessor. I plan to possess first Presence and then Promise.

Mirror Mirror

Mirror Mirror on the wall, who is the fairest one of them all?

How many of us do this every day? We continually seek our identity and validation on other people and things. We look at the Photoshopped world of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest and judge our lives and worth based on other people. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen someone’s post or picture get several comments or likes, while I post the same exact thing and get nothing. How many times have I judged my worth on someone’s recognition or lack of recognition. I started my blog several months ago and someone else I know just started theirs…and theirs has blown up(in a good way). They get all these likes and comments and promotion but I hear or see crickets on mine. I had to check my heart…and my reflection. What part of me am I seeing when I react out of my soul instead of responding out of my spirit. I see myself blocking the post so I don’t have to see it or unfollowing them so my hurt and unresolved rejection isn’t confronted. To be honest I did unfollow. I was envious and jealous. The room of rejection yelled, “SEE NO ONE LIKES YOU!” And I accepted it… Until I dropped back into my spirit and responded with thankfulness that someone is being recognized for their gifts and attributes. There two cents are being heeded and honored and I love it!

I’m going to share something that Jesus showed me a couple weeks ago in a vision(mind’s eye). I was at a Waterboyz for Jesus Boot Camp (based of John Eldredge’s Wild at Heart Boot Camp) and there was a mandatory code of silence to reflect on life and to ask Father God to father me. So I had this picture, vision whatever you want to call it, I was standing in the entrance to my High School’s Cafeteria on my lunch period and surveying the cafe…but first the backdrop. I was never a popular person in High School. I didn’t have a good solid friend or group of friends but I had several acquaintances. I feared every new lunch period because I was never invited to sit with anyone. Never. It was a room screaming rejection and “you don’t fit in.” Frozen with rejection and aimless. So I either sat at the “nerd” table, where one of my acquaintances sat, or some other obscure area. It was awkward. So back to the vision. I saw myself at the entrance to this same cafeteria with rejection screaming “you’re not invited.” Then I saw Jesus…waving me over to his table. He said, “You will always have a seat at my table.” It broke me in the best possible healing way. I have turned to a greater mirror! A mirror that displays goodness and acceptance and redemption and kindness. I love Jesus and how He speaks to our wounded and applies his healing balm. It soothes and replenishes. He is my mirror! He is my reflection! A river that never runs dry and a fragrance that never dissipates. In fact I’m his odor to a rejected and lost world. 2 Corinthians 2:15 says, For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.

I’m going to share several scriptures that speak to mirrors or mirroring and the effect. I’m not going to quote them all but for your reference.

• 2 Corinthians 3:13-15,18
• James 1:23-24
• 1 Corinthians 13:12
• 1 John 3:2
• 1 John 2:6
• Roman 8:18
• 1 John 4:17
• 1 Corinthians 6:17
• John 17:22
• Acts 3:21
• 2 Peter 3:12
• Philippians 2:5-8
  
• Ephesians 1:22-23

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. – 2 Corinthians 3:18

Unveiled faces. We are not like Moses who HAD to cover his face with a veil. Noticed when I talked in the Ten of Meeting he took the veil off. Now with Christ and Him renting the veil in two from top to bottom He, not only gave man access to God, but He gave God access to man! We are image bearers. We carry the image of God on this earth. We are the image of God.

Beholding as in a mirror. What do mirrors do but reflect what is put before them. They don’t make up their own image. We don’t make up our own image. Where do we receive our reflection from? Who do we receive our reflection from? 1 John 4:17 says as He is(currently. not past but now) so are we in this world. The glory given to Jesus by God is transferred to us.

We are being transformed into the same image… What? The same image? “Same” in Greek is autos meaning: the same, himself, in itself it signifies nothing more than again, applied to what has either been previously mentioned or, when the whole discourse is looked at, must necessarily be supplied. “Image” in Greek is eikōn which means: the image of one. Also this verse says we are transformed into the same image. Transformed in Greek is, get this: metamorphoō to change into another form, to transform, to transfigure. To transfigure! The same exact word used to describe Jesus when he metamorphoō on the mount with Elijah and Moses.

1 John 3:2 says, “Beloved, now we are the children of God, and it has not been revealed until now what we are going to be, but we know that when he has been revealed, we shall be in his likeness, and we shall see him just as what he is.” Seeing God, like Moses, has a uncovering of glory that is already within us, locked up in our blood since before Adam fell. Originally we were covered with glory and the radiance of God. Man sinned and that glory was shut up in the body and dwindled to embers…until Jesus breathed upon the disciples thus provided the Oxygen of God upon the ember to ignite and begin the transfiguration process. The more He is revealed the more we will be revealed. Creation is groaning for us Church! We will be like Him because we will see Him. FYI this is pre Second Coming in my opinion according to Acts 3:21. The Beauty of the Bride is in the union with her Husband and Head! We can, by our communion with the Father and submitting to the glorification of us by our seeing Him. We are one spirit with Him – 1 Corinthians 6:17. Co-Heirs. Brothers of Christ. Kings and lords under the King of kings and Lord of lords! Seated together with Christ!

For too long the image I saw was the image I walked out. When I interpret the image incorrectly it will only result of living incorrectly. By the water of word and the Holy Spirit, He can clean our mirror so we can see, unveiled, the Glory of the Lord so we can begin to walk in original design and our original selves.

Prayer:

Father, in Jesus’ name, I ask You to clean our mirrors and remove our veils so we may fully see you and then fully see ourselves. We repent for dismissing our glory, the glory you gave us. We cast our crowns only to have them returned to us purified to then cast them again on your feet. Let us remain in worship at your feet while also communing at your chest in which the revelation of Jesus Christ comes through us so we may truly walk, as Your body, the fullness of You who fills all things in every way. Let us walk as the fullness of You on earth and re-present you to this world. All with the spirit of agape love and true humility, a partner, associate, comrade, and companion of the Divine Nature. Let our mind be the same that was in You, Jesus, according to Philippians 2:5-8. And Lord we know you are the Author and Finisher of our faith and You are the Substance and Hope by which we seek you with all that we are. Thank you for reversing the body, soul, and spirit to spirit, soul, and body. In Jesus name we give you the glory and receive the glory you have given us. We worship and honor You, Almighty God, our Friend. Amen!

What On Earth Do We “Do?”

My last post I talked about our new identity in Christ as a New Creation, which, by the way, was definitely not all of what I could say about it. It would take many, many blogs to fully describe and understand our New Creation selves.

I will now talk a little bit about what we now “do” with this new creation truth about ourselves. I say “do” because it’s not about something we do or a performance we now must act out. In reality is a “being” that we now walk out in our day to day lives. Human beings, not human doings!

One of several scriptures that come to mind is 2 Corinthians 5:20, “so we are Christ’s ambassadors, God making His appeal as it were through us. We, as Christ’s personal representatives, beg you for His sake to lay hold of the divine favor [now offered you] and be reconciled to God.” (emphasis mine)

Represent Christ

We are ambassadors and are meant to re-present Christ to the world. “Greater works than these you will do,” says Jesus in John 14:12. As He is (currently) so are we in this world!  (1 John 4:17)

As New Creations we are now totally and utterly one with Christ, just as Christ is One with our Father. (John 17:21) If this doesn’t blow you away then Romans 8:17 must!

…and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. (NASB) (emphasis mine)

Heirs of God and co or fellow heirs with Christ! This is God’s love and heart for His children and the people of the world. The word heir in Greek is klēronomos, which means one who receives his allotted possession by right of sonship. The word fellow heir is sygklēronomos, which means one who obtains something assigned to himself with others, a joint participant. And these line up with 1 Corinthians 3:9, which says, we are co-laborers, co-workers, fellow workers with God. The word for co-workers in Greek is, synergos, which is where we get our English word synergy from. And what is synergy? Synergy is the interaction of elements that when combined produce a total effect that is greater than the sum of the individual elements, contributions, etc. This speaks directly to John 16:7 where Jesus said, “It is better that I go away so that Another may come and be inside you and we operate in synergy as co-laborers.” (my own paraphrase) I am obviously combining scriptures here but it’s exactly what happens. Now, one can do many things without God, for God and God can do many thing without man but ultimately God want to empower believers to create a synergy between the two to accomplish much more. What else do we “do” on earth?

We are meant to bring the multi-faceted, multi-dimensional, and multi-colorful wisdom of God and display it to the principalities, powers, and wicked rulers in the second heaven.

Ephesians 3:10

¹⁰ [The purpose is] that through the church the ^[a]complicated, many-sided wisdom of God in all its infinite variety and innumerable aspects might now be made known to the angelic rulers and authorities (principalities and powers) in the heavenly sphere. (AMP)

Let our lights so shine before men that they may see the sons of God’s good works and glorify our Father in Heaven. (Paraphrased Matt. 5:16)

Live loved

Ultimately what we “do” on earth is live as much-loved sons of God. Live as we are accepted in the Beloved. The word accepted, in the Greek, means to pursue with grace and compass with favor! We are to “be” much loved sons of God who are pursued by grace and encompassed with favor!