THE MINISTRY LETTER 2010  ISSUE 10

To all those who are truly seeking first the Kingdom - those who love God with all of their heart:


IF THE CHILD OF GOD HOLDS TO ANY FORM OR DEGREE OF SELF-SUFFICIENCY THEN THEY WILL RENDER THEMSELVES INCAPABLE OF RECEIVING THE "FULLNESS" OF THE BLESSING THAT THE FATHER DESIRES TO BESTOW UPON THEM IN THIS MOST CRITICAL HOUR

        In these days, the Father is desirous of pouring out His precious and perfect love in the midst of His children and, thus, we must be a people who are seeking to be continually renewed in our heart and in our mind - in order that we be found continually casting down any preconceived notions or mind-sets concerning who we truly are in Christ. If the child of God holds to ANY form or degree of self-sufficiency [and the self-effort which is its spontaneous by-product] then they will render themselves incapable of receiving the fullness of the blessing [empowerment] that the Father desires to bestow upon [impart to] them in this most critical hour. We must come to understand - as true seekers - that the mentality of Kingdom-living is vastly different from anything that we have experienced and practiced in the world - up until this time. There is no way to "earn" [by the hand of the flesh] in the Kingdom! Everything that the Father desires to bestow upon His people has already been prepared for them [both individually and corporately] from before the foundations of the earth [Ephesians 2:10]. And, thus, our chief task is simply to remain in the proper spiritual positioning - first, before the Father and His Word [Ephesians 2:6] and, THEN, through an abiding obedience as we maintain a perfect love towards Him [and towards all those in our sphere of existence].

AS THE OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT INTENSIFIES IN THIS HOUR ALL STUMBLING BLOCKS SHALL BE REMOVED FROM THE LIVES [AND MINISTRIES] OF ALL THOSE WHO ARE TRULY SEEKING FIRST THE KINGDOM!

        In this season, one will be able to define clearly those who are "stumbling blocks" to those entering into the fullness of Kingdom-living. A "stumbling block" is one who continually sets their mind on their own interests [self-agenda] rather than the highest purposes of the Father. Every person who falls into the category of being a stumbling block has - as their deepest desire - self-glory and, without exception, an undealt with element of rebellion in their heart that is controlling them. As the outpouring of the Holy Spirit intensifies in this hour ALL stumbling blocks shall be removed from the lives [and ministries] of all those who are truly seeking first the Kingdom - for in the glorious days ahead there will be NO enemy found in the "camp" [dwelling place] of the righteous!

    IT IS OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE FOR EVERY TRUE BELIEVER TO CONTINUALLY SEEK TO KNOW THE FATHER AS HE TRULY IS

        If one maintains ANY element of "self-desire" [that even includes their "own" handling of their consecration before the Lord] in their life and ministry then they shall lose the very thing they sought after in their deception [compromise of the Will {Word} of God]. There are many who "claim" to love the Lord with all of their heart but, in reality, they maintain - through a continued reliance upon their own understanding [their own "mental ascensions" to the Will of God and character of the Father] - final authority over their entire existence. It is of the utmost importance for EVERY true believer to continually seek to know the Father AS HE TRULY IS - and the ONLY way [and I do mean the ONLY way] that that is going to happen is for them to diligently seek His face in the "inner chamber" - DAY IN AND DAY OUT! The failure to obey the command to fellowship with the Father [and His Word] on HIS terms [John 14:21,23] - and by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit - will lead to much darkness, confusion and tragedy [unnecessary affliction - note: The antonym of tragedy is blessing] in one's life in this final hour. There is only ONE WAY and that is the narrow path of perfect love and obedience [in Christ] - a life totally controlled and ordered by the Holy Spirit [Who is the Spirit of Love]. This is a life that is found abiding in the place of being righteously motivated towards both God and man at ALL times. It is a life that seeks ONLY the Father's highest purpose - in ANY given moment.

THE MAINTENANCE OF SELF-DESIRE

        The "maintenance" of self-desire [self-agenda] leads directly to two things:

1. Hard-heartedness - causing one to become "insensitive" to the spiritual realities of the Kingdom continually surrounding them.

2. Darkness and confusion - causing one to lose sight of the "actual" Will of God for their life and ministry.

These are very, very dangerous positions for the child of God to be found in as the conflict of the ages [kingdoms] begins to intensify in this last of the last hour! Those who "maintain" self-desire continually place themselves in a position wherein Satan has an "open door" into their lives and, thus, [in their pride and fear] they are controlled [unknowingly] by him [2 Timothy 2:26]!

Always remember:

        The maintenance of self-desire allows Satan and his forces control in one's life.

The maintenance of godly desire allows the Holy Spirit to control [possess] one's life.


   TRUE KINGDOM-LIVING IS NEVER STAGNANT!

"stagnant" - not flowing or running, as water, air etc; stale or foul from remaining stationary too long; characterized by lack of development, advancement or progressive movement; inactive, sluggish, or dull;

One of the most important aspects of "coming up higher" is to continually release any ground or element of mistrust. Mistrust in the Father and His Word leads only to self-effort in a spirit of self-sufficiency. In the exercising of a simple, yet absolute, trust we put ourselves in the proper position to receive ALL that the Father has for us in any given moment. This is NEVER just simply a matter of our receiving unto ourselves! ALL that we receive will be both magnified and multiplied for the distinct purpose of shedding abroad that blessing - in order to both impact and bless [empower] all those who cross our path. True Kingdom-living is NEVER stagnant! It is an ongoing cycle of the outpouring of God's life, love and wisdom - first affecting us and, THEN empowering us to manifest His reality [true Character] wherever we are positioned by the Holy Spirit. As the fullness of the Father's plan unfolds in this final hour the impact of His presence on every facet of human existence will be truly remarkable [extraordinary]!

THE PERFECT EMPOWERMENT THAT THE FATHER HAS FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF HIS CHILDREN HAS BEEN HINDERED GREATLY IN THE CHURCH THROUGH THE FEAR OF MAN

        The perfect empowerment that the Father has for each and every one of His children has been hindered greatly in the church [up until this time] through the fear of man. But, in this last hour [as the fear {reverence} of God and His Will take precedence over ALL things in the life of the true believer] the Father is raising up a mighty force in the earth - a people who have NO fear of man or devil [Psalm 27:1-6]. Satan and His forces cannot stop the heart that is "wholly given" to God - the heart that has the love of God shed abroad within, a heart in which every ground of fear has been [and is in the process of being] cast out, through a deep and abiding revelation of the Father's love [1 John 4:18]. One can "begin" to see from these things the great devastation that Satan and his forces are going to experience at the hands of the Glorious Church in this final hour! It is a foolish thing for one to "think" [consciously or unconsciously through unbelief] that Satan - IN ANY WAY - could end up ahead of Jesus Christ! In this final hour, as the Glorious Church comes into full manifestation through the unhindered [unlimited] power of the Holy Spirit, that which was used to "glorify" Satan in "unrighteousness" [darkness, greed and lust] will be given into the hands of those who will use it to continually glorify the Father and His Word to the greatest degree [Isaiah 23:18].

WITHOUT A DISTINCT ACCLIMATIZATION TO THE PRESENCE AND HEART OF THE FATHER IN THIS HOUR ONE SHALL NOT OVERCOME, BUT RATHER SHALL BE OVERCOME BY THE DEEP DARKNESS THAT IS EVEN NOW ENSHROUDING THE WORLD

        The days are gone wherein ANY Christian can settle for the place of "just getting by", and exercising only a "defensive" warfare against Satan and his schemes - that is, looking out for oneself without regard to the totality of the Father's Will for the Church [corporately speaking]. The Father's ultimate purpose in raising up an army of "living stones" is to carry out a "search and destroy" warfare - a constant and intense and holy warfare that continually puts Satan and his forces to flight! In these days, [the days wherein those who are faithful and obedient are entering into the "fullness" of everything that the Father has called them to] we need to take the Word [Will] of God as the Holy Spirit shows it to us [day by day] - and, by doing so, receive [through the continual accessing of His Grace - by faith and trust in Him] His total empowerment in the carrying out of our portion of Jesus' ministry. In this hour, the fullness of the Father's plan is going to unfold in many "radical" ways [extreme and surprising to those who are unfamiliar with the true spiritual reality of the Kingdom]! Without a distinct "acclimatization" to the presence and heart of the Father in this hour one will not overcome, but rather will be overcome by the deep darkness that is even now enshrouding the "world" [Isaiah 60:2]. Because of these things, the first and foremost priority of every child of God must be to carry out their perfect part in the unfolding of the Father's Will. It will be ONLY a continued faithfulness and obedience to the divine purpose that will keep one in the proper spiritual [and physical] positioning to overcome in ALL things - in this final hour!

WHEN ONE HAS THE DEEP ASSURANCE IN THEIR HEART THAT WHAT THEY ARE SAYING AND DOING IS IN THE CENTER OF GOD'S WILL THEN THEY CAN KNOW THAT WHAT THEY HAVE SAID AND DONE WILL NOT RETURN VOID, AND THAT IT WILL ACCOMPLISH EXACTLY WHAT THE FATHER DESIRES TO ACCOMPLISH

        Every last one of us, as Christians, should be seeking to speak a right[eous] word and carry out a right[eous] action in any given moment - KNOWING that not only is our labour NOT in vain, but that it will ALWAYS produce the greatest eternal benefit in that situation [whether we "see" the results immediately or not]. When one has the deep assurance in their heart that what they are saying and doing is in the center of God's Will THEN they can know that what they have said and done will not "return void", and that it will accomplish EXACTLY what the Father desires to accomplish [Isaiah 55:10-11]. This is the type of attitude that every Christian must possess in this final hour. People who do not "maintain" that holy and faithful attitude will not realize their need for God's Grace [empowerment] - nor will they seek it, for their eyes continue to remain upon themselves and their "own" goals [unrighteous attitudes]. The first and foremost priority of EVERY true believer should be to enter into the FULLNESS of the Father's Will for their life and ministry [both individually and corporately]. When the church comes into that righteous state of mind THEN the power of God will SURELY flow forth through her in "torrents". It is the Father's deepest heart-desire to show Himself strong on the behalf of all those who walk uprightly before Him, and He has many great purposes in this final hour - not the least of which is to set free "vast multitudes" of those who are in captivity [Acts 10:38].

WHEN THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND REVELATION [WHO IS ALSO THE SPIRIT OF LOVE] IS THE PREDOMINANT FORCE IN ONE'S LIFE THEN THE SPONTANEOUS OUTFLOW IN WORD AND DEED WILL ALWAYS BE IN PERFECT ACCORDANCE WITH THE FATHER'S HEART

         All that the Father is doing in these days in the hearts of His children [the refining and polishing process] is making a way for His love to flow forth unhindered through them. Each and every one of God's children have a great purpose in the Kingdom, but it must be clearly understood by each one truly seeking the fullness of the Father's purpose that there is a distinct call and command to ACKNOWLEDGE Him in ALL of their ways. He will [and is already] directing perfectly the path of all those whose heart has been wholly given to Him. When the Spirit of wisdom and revelation [Who is also the Spirit of Love] is the predominant force in one's life THEN the spontaneous outflow in word and deed will always be in perfect accordance with the Father's heart [again, as long as that one is truly seeking God - and, thus, seeking to be righteously motivated in ALL things]. If there is something that rises up from the flesh from time to time - then it is easily recognizable and can be quickly repented of by one whose heart is wholly given because, in their continued faithfulness, their heart will remain both sensitive and "flexible" [willing to yield] to the direction of the Holy Spirit.

ALL THOSE WHO TRULY LOVE GOD CAN HAVE THE DEEP ASSURANCE THAT THEY ARE RIGHT ON SCHEDULE AS FAR AS THE FATHER'S PERFECT PURPOSE FOR THEM GOES - BOTH INDIVIDUALLY AND CORPORATELY

        These are glorious days - days in which the Father is pouring out His love upon [and within] His faithful ones. What those who are wholly given to the highest purposes of God are experiencing in this hour [sometimes in a very intense way] is simply a deeper acclimatization to the Father's love in "perfect" preparation for the glorious days ahead. His Presence is a holy fire that consumes any "dross" within us - dross being defined as any remaining ground of fear [a ground of fear rooted in our past experience and relationships apart from Christ]. All those who truly love God in this hour [those who have drawn near to Him in faithfulness and obedience] can [and will] have the deep assurance [regardless of circumstances] that they are "right on schedule" as far as the Father's perfect purpose for them goes - both individually and corporately.

Always remember:

        Love NEVER fails to effect [produce] the Father's perfect purpose!

"produce" - to bring into existence; give rise to; cause; to bring forth; give birth to;

MEDITATIONS ON THE TRUE CHRISTIAN LIFE:

        Meditations On The True Christian Life contains anointed writings and quotes of those saints, both past and present, who were [and are] given wholly to God. Because of their consecrated lives God was able, through them, to paint a clear picture of the "true" Christian life we are called to live. The "true" Christian life is the life that is fully and totally controlled, empowered and maintained by the Holy Spirit   a life that is always seeking to be in agreement with the Word [Will] of God at all times. The pre-requisite for "maintaining" this life for every believer - regardless of their spiritual maturity - is for them to walk in all of the light [revelation] that has been revealed to them by the Holy Spirit in any given moment  that they might be found walking continually from faith to faith and glory to glory.

* All the infinities of God and the eternal world are contained in the Word like a seed. As the full grown oak is so mysteriously greater than the small acorn from which it sprang, so God's words are the seeds from which God's mighty wonders of Grace and Power grow.

* ...."But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves".... 2 Corinthians 4:7 NASB

        Here we have possibly the clearest statement there is of the nature of practical Christianity. True Christianity is not the earthen vessel, nor is it the treasure. It is the treasure IN the earthen vessel. It must ever be a cause for great gratitude to God that no merely human weakness need limit divine power.

* Too readily we think of power as the absence of the earthen vessel yet our blessed Lord, Himself, was for our sakes "crucified through weakness". There is nothing wrong in "feeling" weak. We are not meant to suppress all human emotions until we end up frigid as ice. Indeed, those who achieve this state are a constant drain on others around them, who must somehow make good their deficiency in natural affection if relationships are to remain even reasonably comfortable. No, we must rather allow God's Spirit to make His own use of our emotions. Of course, He must be in command and, of course, we must have the divine treasure - yes, but not in cold storage!

* ...."My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your sight; Keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those who find them and health to all their body".... Proverbs 4:20-22 NASB

        In this comprehensive passage, God tells us exactly how to "attend" to His words. He says, "let them not depart from your sight, keep them in the midst of your heart". Instead of having your eyes on your "symptoms" [outward circumstances] and being occupied with them, "let not God's words depart from your sight"; that is, look at them continually, and like Abraham, wax strong in faith by looking at the promises of God and at nothing else. As the only way seed can do its work is by being kept in the ground, so the only way that God's "imperishable seed" can "effectually work in us" is by its being kept in the midst of our hearts. This does not mean occasionally, but continuously. The reason why many have failed to obtain the promise is because they have not done this [Joshua 1:8].

* When we attend unto God's words by not letting them depart from before our eyes and by keeping them in the midst of our hearts, the seed is in "good ground", the kind of ground in which, Jesus says, "it bringeth forth fruit", and where Paul says, "it effectually worketh". When the farmer gets his seed into the ground he does not dig it up every day to see how it is doing but says, "I am glad that is settled" and believes the seed has begun its work in the ground. Why not have the same faith in the "imperishable seed" - Christ's words which He says are, "spirit and life", and believe that they are ALREADY doing their work, without waiting to "see". If the farmer, without any definite promise, can have faith in nature why can't the Christian have faith in the God of nature?

* Man's thought, word, eloquence and argument can only stir up the human soul, since these reach to the soulical part of man. They merely excite man's emotion, mind and will. Life, however, may reach man's spirit [inner man]; and all the works of the Holy Spirit are done in our spirit - that is, in our inward man [see Romans 8:16; Ephesians 3:16]. As we in our spiritual experience let flow our life in the spirit, the Holy Spirit will send forth His life to the spirits of others and cause them to receive either regenerated life [the New Birth] or the life more abundant [John 10:10].

* If the Holy Spirit is not working with His authority and power behind the words we speak, the hearers will undergo no change in their lives. Though they may sometimes make up their mind or strongly determine in their will, all these are merely excitement in the soul. Because there is no life behind our words, there is no power to cause others to receive what we, ourselves, do not possess. Having divine life is having power. Unless we allow the Holy Spirit to flow out of our life to reach the spirit in man, people cannot receive the life of the Holy Spirit and can have no power to practice what we have preached. What we seek for, therefore, is not the persuasiveness of words but the Life and Power of the Holy Spirit abiding within us.

* The psalmist said, "Thy word hath quickened me". Paul tells us that it is the Word which effectually worketh within them that believe. Every word of God is "spirit and life" and will work in us when we receive and "attend" to it. When we receive and obey the Word of God, we can say with Paul, "The power of God worketh in me mightily". Thus, the Word of God becomes the Power of God. It is "spirit and life". If a field [ground] in which the seed has been sown could talk to us, it would say, "The seed worketh in me mightily".

* Faith in God's Word should teach us two lessons: the one is how little we know; the other is how much we should expect. We are to come to the Word as little children. Jesus said, "Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes". The wise spoken of are not necessarily hypocrites or enemies. They can be God's own dear children as well. By neglecting to cultivate a child-like spirit, they have spiritual truth hidden from them and never become spiritual men or women. Such persons would rather depend on the "scripturalness" of their creed, or the diligence of their bible study for their growth. But, in reality, our study of the bible should be characterized by a deep sense of how ignorant we are, and how much we should distrust our "own" power to understand the things of God.

* ...."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. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass".... 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 NASB

        What is meant by becoming spiritual man [or woman] is that one is under the control of their spirit which has become the highest organ of their whole person. Let us not be mistaken on this point. A spiritual man retains their soul and body; being spiritual does not annihilate these organs nor their respective functions, because these make man what he is, and, so, although the spiritual man does not live by them [the soul and body] alone, he certainly has not annihilated them either. They instead have been renewed through death [the work of the Cross] and resurrection so that they are perfectly united to the spirit and have become instruments for its expression. Hence, the emotion, mind and will remain in a spiritual man but are subject entirely to the guidance of the spirit [inner man].

* The emotion of a spiritual man is completely under their spirit's regulation no longer asserting an independent course as it once did. It does not block the spirit nor resist its move because it does not insist upon its own affection and feeling. The emotion now rejoices solely in what the spirit likes, loves only what the spirit directs, feels merely what the spirit [conscience] permits. It has become its life: when the spirit stirs emotion responds.

* The mind of the spiritual man likewise cooperates with the spirit, wandering no more as in the past. It does not object to the spirit's revelation by raising its reason and argument, neither does it disturb the peace of the spirit with many confused thoughts, nor does it rebell against the spirit by boasting its own wisdom. Quite the reverse, the mind cooperates fully with the spirit in advancing on the spiritual journey. If the spirit unfolds any revelation the mind discerns its meaning. It will assist the spirit to fight should the latter plunge into warfare. If the Holy Spirit desires to teach any truth, the mind will help the spirit to understand. The latter, though, has the authority to stop the mind's thinking as well as to initiate it.

* The spiritual man also retains their will, yet it too is no longer independent of God but now decides according to the dictate of the spirit, having abandoned "self'" as its center. The will does not insist upon its desire as before. It consequently is fit to obey God. No more is it hard and stiff but is completely broken; hence it cannot resist God or strive against Him. It has been tamed of its wild nature. Today when the spirit receives revelation and apprehends God's desire, the will decides to follow. It stands at the door like a courier, awaiting its every command.

* The body of a spiritual man is subjected to the spirit as well. Because it has been cleansed by the precious Blood and has had its passions and lusts dealt with by the Cross, it can serve today as an obedient servant to the spirit's order as that order is communicated to the body from the spirit through the soul. By no means does it entice the soul into many sins by its passions and lusts as it formally did. Instead the body now answers swiftly all of the spirit's directions. The latter, through the renewed will, has complete authority over the body. Gone are the days when the body continually pressed a weak inner man. The spirit of a spiritual man has grown strong and the body is now under its power.

* The apostle Paul has described the authentic condition of a spiritual man in 1 Thessalonians 5:23: "May the God of peace Himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ". Hence the portrait of the spiritual man which can be drawn from everything which has been said is as follows:

1.    They have God dwelling in their spirit, sanctifying them totally. Its life inundates their entire person so that their very component lives by the spirit life and functions in the spirit's strength [always influenced perfectly by the Holy Spirit].

2.    They do not live by soul-life. Their every thought, imagination, feeling, idea, affection, desire, and opinion is renewed and purified by the Holy Spirit and has brought into subjection to their spirit. These no longer operate independently.

3.    They still possess a body, but they are not a "disembodied" spirit; yet physical weariness, pain, and demand do not impel the spirit to topple from its ascended position over the soul and body. Every member of the body has become an instrument of righteousness. To conclude, then, a spiritual man is one who belongs to the spirit; the whole man is governed by the inner man and all the organs of their being are subject to it. Their spirit is what stamps their life as unique - everything proceeds from their spirit, while they themselves render absolute allegiance to it. No word do they speak or act do they perform according to themselves; rather do they deny their "natural" power each time in order to draw power from their spirit [their inner man]. In a word, a spiritual man lives by the spirit in the power of the Holy Spirit.

* When the child of God comes to the place wherein they are diligently keeping [maintaining] their spirit man in dominance over their soul and body they will begin to experience [to a continually deeper degree] the perfection and purity of the Father's heart towards them. They will come to know Him as He truly is - and that is the deepest desire of the Father's heart for them. When one comes to this place of an abiding intimacy they will have absolutely no trouble whatsoever trusting Him for [and in] ALL things. One of the greatest dangers to the true spiritual life is a "maintaining" of the fear of what others think! If that fear is maintained in the life of the believer then it is certain that they will never "fully" obey God. There will always be some scheme that the Devil can work [through the ground in them] to prevent them from entering into their proper spiritual positioning - and, thus, a mistrust of God and an element of "sin-consciousness" will be unconsciously [spontaneously] maintained in their thinking.

"sin-consciousness" - a greater consciousness or awareness [through fear and pride] of what one has been redeemed from, rather than what they have been redeemed into [Christ - the Anointed One and His Anointing].

"righteousness-consciousness" - an "abiding" consciousness or awareness [through faith and continual trust in the Word of God] in what one has been redeemed into [Christ - the Anointed One and His Anointing] - manifesting in the continual flow of love and righteousness [obedience] in one's life.

When the child of God comes to the place wherein they have made the quality decision that they are going to do and say whatever the Father would have them do or say in any given situation [regardless of what people might think] not only will the anointing abiding within that faithful heart flow forth to empower whatever needs to be said or done, but in that proper spiritual positioning they will clearly see the futility of Satan's scheme(s) against them, and perfect fruit will be birthed through the obedience of that one - maximum fruit for the Kingdom and maximum benefit to all those who cross their path.


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