CHAPTER 7

TAKE HEED WHAT YOU HEAR

...."And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God"....

1 Corinthians 2:1-5

WE MUST BE IN A "POSITION" TO HEAR THE VOICE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

We are going to take a look at a very critical point right now in terms of where we are both in terms of Church history and in our individual walks. As we move on "in time" we see that everything that happens is bringing us one step closer to that glorious time when we shall be reunited with our Lord in the fulness of His Kingdom. As we study the Word of God we begin to see that everything God has said is pointing to this last hour. All the prophesies and all of these things which Jesus came to show us in His earthly ministry and all the different aspects of the Father's will for us are pointing to this last hour. So, as one might expect, we can see in our own individual walks that we are going to find it absolutely necessary to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit and do what He would have us do - putting aside ALL the things which Satan has been allowed to "institute" in the church (the traditions and doctrines of men) - up until this time. In this above portion of scripture Paul explains that the Word which he is putting forth is the product of a "revelation" given him by God and he makes it clear that he himself (apart from God) did not deliver the message in his own strength or wisdom. Every child of God must have a deep revelation of the fact that they must operate in "revealed knowledge" alone. We need to operate completely apart from the "flesh" and have "all things" revealed and taught to us by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was given to the Church at Pentecost and came to live in the hearts of men, yet, over the centuries it has been one of Satan's tactics to separate men and women from the Word and thus remove them from a personal and living relationship with Jesus Christ. Because of this the Holy Spirit has been shoved into a corner in many cases and He has not been "allowed" to manifest Himself to any great degree in the lives of vast multitudes of "believers". If He is not "enabled" - through a continued faithfulness and obedience to the Word on our part - to manifest Himself in our lives then the wisdom and love and power of God will not be found working to any great degree in our lives and in this most dangerous hour this will surely result in a degree of "tragedy" (situations and circumstances (under the law of sin and death) that should not have happened in light of our Covenant with God - but will through any "sustained" rebellion, fear and unbelief in this hour.

WE MUST BE EMPOWERED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT IN "ALL" THINGS!

Satan's prime purpose, in his warfare against the children of God is to cause the child of God to deny the ministry of the Holy Spirit and thus remain in bondage to their own understanding. How important it is for every child of God to realize that they must be empowered by the Holy Spirit in ALL that they do, otherwise they shall be found to be walking outside the will of God in this most critical and glorious hour in Church history. The apostle Paul had received a deep revelation of this fact and had humbled himself before the Lord. Throughout his ministry we see that he maintains the proper heart-attitude of service to God by continually laying his own life down in order that he might be totally dependent upon the Holy Spirit. Anyone who truly loves the Lord and who truly knows the Lord shall have this same heart-attitude and they shall approach "every" situation in the same way, that is, to step aside themselves in order to allow God to have His way in their lives. If one continues to lean upon their own understanding, to ANY degree, in a "spirit of mental ascension" THEN as they go forth to fulfil the will of God they shall "ENTIRELY MISS that will and they will miss the opportunity to be a blessing to God's people - and in reality they shall become a "stumblingblock" in their midst.

THE WISDOM WE ARE CALLED TO WALK IN AND LIVE BY IS "NOT OF THIS AGE"

...."Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God predestined before the ages to our glory"....

1 Corinthians 2:6-7

In this portion of scripture we see two things:

(1) The wisdom spoken of here is "not of this age" - in other words it is in no way associated with the "world" and its ways.

(2) We see in verse 7 that this wisdom has been predestined before the foundation of the earth to our glory.

...."the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; but just as it is written, "Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him. For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God"....

vs. 8-11

Many times one will read a portion of scripture such as the above portion, but they will not realize the "absoluteness" of the statement unless they meditate on it thoroughly. The very end of verse 11 states: "Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God." From this we can clearly see that there is no way to know God; to know Jesus; there is no way to know His will; there is no way that we are able to discern the thoughts and intentions of His heart - apart from the ministry of the Holy Spirit. This is an absolute standard and one that if the line is not crossed wherein we give ourselves wholly, or make ourselves wholly dependent upon the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth and to teach us all things (John 14:26, John 16:13), then in those things which we set out to do, we shall surely be found to be serving Satan in some way and not God - regardless of how spiritual or holy it may "seem" to us and those "around us"! As we go on in this teaching you will come to understand entirely what I am saying. This is one of the most important revelations that every believer needs to have in this last hour because there is still a great deal of dependence upon worldly wisdom and worldly understanding in the church and because of this many of God's precious children remain in bondage and many who have been given charge over them are on the verge of being "disqualified" from the true race through a holding to a "false agenda" rooted in the ground of "self-desire".

WE HAVE A "WONDROUS" COVENANT WITH THE FATHER - IN CHRIST

...."Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God"....

vs.12

This scripture speaks of the wondrous covenant that we have with God, a covenant in which is included "every provision" for success and victory in every facet of our lives. We, as believers, have no excuse for any reliance upon worldly wisdom or counsel because "everything" we need has already been provided for us in Christ and has been ratified by the shedding of Jesus' precious Blood at Calvary. In light of these things it is indeed a shocking thing to see some children of God seek for their "salvation" (deliverance) in the "world". When a child of God approaches the "world" for the meeting of their needs - whatever those needs might be - having failed to FIRST "acknowledge" the Father and His Word then they are playing into right into Satan's hands (schemes set up against them to keep them in his "control"), for even though they may find a "temporary" solution their situation will inevitably become much worse - if a deep and thorough repentance and an applied diligence towards seeking a revelation of God's Word is not forthcoming. It is a "continuous" scheme and snare of Satan to "attempt" to lure God's people into the "world". But whenever the child of God first goes to the Word and the Holy Spirit for a revelation of their deliverance (salvation in Christ already accomplished at the Cross) and as they continue to hold the wisdom of God in the "highest esteem, then their deliverance and their answers shall be of an "eternal value" and they shall be set free to accomplish the fulness of the Father's purpose in their lives and ministries.

IT WILL TAKE STRICT DISCIPLINE AND A CONTINUED RESISTANCE TO SATAN AND THE FLESH" TO REMAIN ON THE "NARROW PATH"

Each one of us must be aware of having any dependence upon the "flesh" (our own understanding). In many cases this dependence or reliance upon "self" (the old nature), is a very subtle thing and UNLESS one remains very close to the Word of God then it shall go "undetected" until one puts themselves in the position wherein they are able to hear clearly the voice of the Holy Spirit in the light of the Word. Many "actions" may outwardly seem acceptable, but in the eyes of God they are not! God is looking for a people who will operate moment by moment in faith and obedience to His Word and put themselves in a position to hear clearly - AT ALL TIMES - the voice of His Spirit. Sometimes this sounds like a hard thing in view of the "busy-ness" of the world, but as we are transformed by the renewing of our minds - in and by the power of the Holy Spirit - we are THEN enabled to tune in to God's frequency and remain in constant communication and fellowship with Him. But let it be clearly understood: this will take strict discipline on our part and a continued resistance to Satan and his ways, the world and the "flesh".

CONSECRATE YOURSELVES WHOLLY UNTO THE FATHER AND HIS WORD

When the child of God begins their walk with the Father and His Word they can in no way imagine at that time that is possible for them to hear the voice of God more clearly than the voice of the "world" around them. But as one consecrates themselves unto God - separating ourselves from the world and their former habits, they begin to come into the position in which Holy Spirit is able to teach them and share with them the deepest thoughts and intentions of the Father's heart - thus causing them to see ALL things through His eyes and understand ALL things through His understanding. As one "maintains" this position they shall THEN be able to begin to accomplish the fulness of the Father's will for their lives and ministries.

ABIDING FELLOWSHIP WITH THE FATHER AND HIS WORD "PRECLUDES" MENTAL ASCENSION

In God's Word there are many wondrous promises and He desires to reveal them to our hearts and make them become so real and so alive to us that His Word will produce spontaneous action and life continuously in us. Many children of God know or have an idea what they should not be doing, but they remain unaware of what the Father requires that they should do. It is one thing to know God's will, but we must also hear the voice (unction) of the Holy Spirit moment to moment in order to fulfil that will "perfectly". As one seeks to walk in perfect obedience there shall be many opportunities for "presumption" on their part and it is certain that it is only a close and abiding fellowship with God in His presence which will enable them to walk with Him step by step. This will also preclude us "mentally ascending" to God's commands - for as we seek nothing for ourselves, seeking only to obey Him, then the Heavenly Father shall reveal the deepest thoughts and intentions of His heart to us continually and thus we shall come into a complete and perfect agreement with Him in all things. These are the things which we must set our sights on, for anything less than His perfect will can be in no way pleasing to our Heavenly Father and we shall surely be found "hindering" in some way the establishment of God's Kingdom rather than furthering it. An improper motivation of heart will cause one to violate - in some way - the law of love, perhaps without them even realizing it, and unless they remain in a position close to the Word of God and thus allow His light to both expose and consume any darkness or any ground for selfishness within them, then somewhere along the line they shall be found to be "misrepresenting" (misusing) the Name of Jesus. It matters not who we are or what we have done in the past, the only thing that matters is to what degree we are relying on the Holy Spirit at any given moment. We must never fall into the trap of basing our present experience on our past blessing. It may well work that way in the "world" but it does not work that way in the Kingdom of Heaven. The whole key to the successful Christian walk is to allow ourselves to be brought to the place wherein we allow the life of God to manifest itself (Himself) spontaneously in all that we are called to do.

"STUMBLING BLOCKS"

...."Which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all thing, yet he himself is appraised by no man. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ"....

1 Corinthians 2:13-16

The apostle Paul is saying here that a natural man, that is, a man who relies completely on the old nature (worldly wisdom) does not - and even cannot - accept or understand the things of God. From this statement we are able to understand one of the great problems in the church - UP UNTIL THIS TIME. When believers rely to ANY extent on their own understanding they will soon find themselves in a position where they will not accept those things which the Spirit of God is bringing forth and they become "offended" at those who are the vessels of God's revelation and truth - thus hindering their own spiritual growth as well as the growth of others around them ("stumbling blocks"). Any failure by us to continually renounce "all" that proceeds from the "flesh" shall surely cause our heart to become hardened towards God and on the heels of this hardness of heart comes the "self-deception" which will lead one into believing that the so-called truth that they hold to is correct and thus they become "justified in their own mind" to condemn that which is really the truth.

"ERROR" AND REBELLION ARE SYNONYMOUS

Any unwillingness to do "all" of God's will shall darken the eyes of our understanding and if this is "maintained" for any longer than the time it takes to repent, then to that degree we shall be led into error. It is those who are already in "error" themselves who most vehemently oppose those who minister God's uncompromised Word (truth), and as even the innermost thoughts of those who are in error (rebellion) are confronted by the revelation of God's Word, they are quick to defend themselves and slow to receive the life-giving Word of God. We must constantly keep in mind that we are commanded to love the Lord our God with ALL our heart, soul and might, for if we seek to walk in anything less than perfect obedience to this "Divine Requirement" we shall surely find ourselves far apart from the will of God in this last hour. If a child of God chooses to lean upon their own darkened understanding - and thus mentally ascend to the Word of God - in any way then "self-deception" shall creep in to a continually greater degree until they at least "seek" to do all the will of God in that area.

THERE SHOULD BE NO STRIFE (DISCORD) IN THE CHURCH!

There should not be strife (discord) in the church and if we are truly of one mind and Spirit and in one accord then there shall be none found. But because many have chosen to rely upon their own understanding, and thus settle for the "calculated" theories and traditions and doctrines of "men" rather than to be led into "all truth" and be taught in all things by the Holy Spirit, we see that many are not in agreement with the will and purpose of God, but rather are found to be in agreement with "flesh and blood" and the darkened wisdom of this world. Because of these things they are found fighting against those who truly serve God, but we must remember that it takes at least two to come into strife in any given situation and therefore those who truly serve God must be obedient to the command to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them - for failure to obey this command (whether they "feel" justified in "defending themselves" or not) will surely lead to "improper" division and strife in the midst of the congregation.

STRIFE, DIVISION AND REBELLION SHALL BE OVERCOME BY PERFECT LOVE

On the other hand should the one who truly desires to serve God walk in love towards those who come against them - regardless of what abuse has been heaped upon them - THEN any "opportunity" to get into strife which confronts them will be eventually overcome as they continue to exercise faith in God's Word and as they continue to walk in love at all cost to themselves. So from these things we can see that in the Church of Jesus Christ there are no "rights" and "wrongs" only those in agreement with the Father and His Word and those in disagreement with Them. As God judges His household in this last hour, He will surely "gather together" ("glorious connections") those who are of like mind with Him so that His will might be accomplished in the earth. To all those who have hardened their hearts toward Him their only hope remains the steadfast intercession of the "holy ones" of God. Our continuous and faithful prayer must be that through our "intercessions" the Holy Spirit might lead these "rebellious ones" to the place of deep and thorough repentance, thus bringing them into a "knowledge" of the truth - that they may come to their senses and escape from the "snare" of the devil!

IT IS A MOST DANGEROUS THING TO REMAIN IN REBELLION!

It is a most dangerous thing for a child of God to remain in rebellion in this last hour! May we all have the assurance in our hearts that we are in God's perfect will for our lives at all times. If we are truly found to be walking in love, that is, obeying the command to "love one another", THEN we shall never take offense at "anything" which is said or done to us. Every child of God must make the quality decision to be taught in ALL things by the Holy Spirit, for if the child of God is not fully open to the ministry of the Holy Spirit then they have placed themselves in a position wherein they shall be "taught" and "instructed" (influenced) by Satan - to a degree. Very few children of God - UP UNTIL THIS TIME - have a revelation of what has just been spoken and no doubt shudder to think, in their prideful arrogance, that they could be held captive by Satan to do his will. But the Word of God does not lie (2 Timothy 2:26) and this is the hour wherein the "absoluteness" of God is being revealed to His people and to the whole earth and once again the words of Jesus shall ring true ..."He who is not for Me is against Me"... (Luke 11:23).

"TRUE MINISTRY"

Every child of God must have a deep respect and a deep revelation of the "ministry"; for although God's vessels are flesh and blood the ministry which goes forth, that is, "true" anointed ministry, is an extension of the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are talking now of that "ministry" which refuses to do anything apart from the Head - for it is only as we do nothing apart from the Head that we shall spontaneously harmonize with each other in the fulfilling of God's will in the earth.

THE NEED FOR A DEEP AND "WORKING" REVELATION OF THE DIVINE REQUIREMENT

In Psalm 105:15 the Spirit of God writes:

...."Do not touch My anointed ones and do My prophets no harm"....

As every child of God begins to give their whole heart to God and stands continually in the position of being "willing to do all of His will at all times" THEN the affairs of the Church shall be simplified greatly. By the Father's great love and power, we shall be brought together supernaturally - each one taking their "rightful" place in His most holy purposes. Therefore, the greatest need in this last hour for every child of God is to have a deep and working revelation of the "Divine" requirement" - that is, to understand fully what the Father requires of us and THEN - once having an absolute revelation of God's requirement - we shall surely understand what the Father desires to do in both our individual lives and in our corporate lives (the Church). Until every child of God lays down their "self-esteem" and the "carnal desire" to lean upon their own understanding they can in no way "mesh" with those whose only desire is to glorify God and fulfil His will in the earth.

RECEIVING "DEATH" IN THE NAME OF LIFE IS A MOST DANGEROUS PRACTICE!

It is such a "different" walk to walk in the Spirit, as opposed to walking in the flesh. As one separates themselves from the world and unto the Word of God, they shall begin to experience the life (Zoe) which Jesus came to bless us with. It is sometimes an amazing thing to watch people hold onto things and be extremely slow in letting go of all those things which prevent the life of God from flowing in - and yet that is precisely what fear will do. Fear - and the selfishness that is its spontaneous by-product - will cause one to hold onto something which will in the end cause them to "perish" (reap a continually greater form of darkness and corruption), rather than replace that thing with the life-giving Word of God. To "allow" oneself to be deceived into receiving death in the name of "life" is a most dangerous thing and it shall lead them into destruction in a place far outside the covenants of God if a deep and thorough repentance is not forthcoming. Even the so-called "spiritual" believer must constantly guard their heart with "all diligence" lest they be caught unaware of the "wiles" of Satan and thus have their faith shipwrecked in the darkness of the world. With these very serious "observations" in view we shall now look at some of the strategies of the Evil One concerning God's people.

IN THEIR "SELF-DECEPTION AND THEIR STRIVING (IN THE FLESH) THEY SHALL SURELY BE EXPOSED BY GOD - WHO IS A CONSUMING FIRE!

Satan, in continually attempting to lure God's children into the sphere of the "natural" causes those who mentally ascend to the Word of God - through their own "arrogance" and "self-will" - to form different "factions" and thus they congregate together with others of "like mind" into denominations or "movements" - each one "thinking" that they are the one true way (consciously or unconsciously) and that everyone who opposes them through any form of disagreement (confrontation) is both wrong and apart from God. These ones who have "allowed" themselves to be deceived through the power of darkness (the religious spirits) "believe" in their heart (which has been hardened through the exercise of that one's continual leaning upon their own understanding) that they are truly serving God and that somehow they shall be "vindicated" through the wisdom and the deeds which have manifested in their so-called service to God. But, in reality, ALL that which is done by the arm of the flesh has nothing whatsoever to do with Christ and thus, in their "self-deception" and their striving (in the flesh), they shall surely be exposed by God - Who is a consuming fire! Let us not be found to be amongst those who "think" that what they do is true ministry and service to Almighty God, let us be found with those who are so intimately linked with the "pulse" of the Father and so filled with His Spirit that His EVERY movement is their movement and that His EVERY Word is their word.

THE FIRE OF OUR "SINCERE" OBEDIENCE AND DEDICATION MUST NEVER GO OUT

...."Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Command Aaron and his sons, saying, "This is the law for the burnt offering: the burnt offering itself shall remain on the hearth on the altar all night until the morning, and the fire on the altar is to be kept burning on it. And the priest is to put on his linen robe, and he shall put on undergarments next to his flesh; and he shall take up the ashes to which the fire reduces the burnt offering on the altar, and place them beside the altar. Then he shall take off his garments and put on other garments, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a clean place. And the fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it. It shall not go out, but the priest shall burn wood on it every morning; and he shall lay out the burnt offering on it, and offer up in smoke the fat portions of the peace offerings on it. Fire shall be kept burning continually on the altar; it is not to go out"....

Leviticus 6:8-13

The "burnt offering" implies the entire principle of yielding the "whole" being to serve God. When the worshipper came into the presence of God they were to have in mind that their "human" nature was to be yielded to God to be both consumed and destroyed. The fire of our "sincere" obedience and dedication must never go out. Our manner of life is to be uniformly yielded to God in everything - with no "tolerated" pockets of disobedience.

MEASURING THE WORD OF GOD "FULLY"

Today, as we go forth, seeking to walk in true service and ministry we want to be those who are found to be measuring the Word of God "fully". Each time we come across a portion of God's Word we must seek diligently to allow the Holy Spirit to reveal to us how that portion of the Word pertains to our life and our ministry - in order that we might "continually" be a vessel of God's "absolute" revelation to His people. For in this last hour the heart that is "slow" to open (Luke 24:25) shall be enshrouded in darkness and thus shall those who hold fast to that darkness - through their rebelliousness towards God - lead the sheep astray to a "certain"' degree. Today there is a "spirit of darkness" encompassing the land and the only way for one to walk "above" this darkness is for them to walk in the light as He is in the light, to move in "resurrection" power and walk in the fulness of the ascension life seated with Christ at the right hand of the Father in the heavenly places. We MUST come to abide in this position to avoid being overcome by the darkness of this present "world"! ANY fellowship with or any "touching down" in the world system - thus forsaking the Kingdom of Heaven to do so - shall allow darkness to enter in. As one allows the light of God to enter into their heart, and His love to be shed abroad there, and as the eyes of their understanding are continually enlightened, one gains a strong abhorrence for darkness and gains a reverential love and respect for the wisdom (light) of God.

TWO CHIEF CHARACTERISTICS OF "DARKNESS": COMPLICATION AND CONFUSION

The more fully one steps into the light the more clear and simple the principles of the Kingdom become. Surely two of the chief characteristics of "darkness" is its propensity for "complication" and "confusion", but once one has a revelation of the victory over sin (Romans 6) and their "co-death" with Christ, no longer is their mind affixed to the world and its ways nor to the "thought patterns" of the old nature but rather, one is renewed to a clear and precise and enlightened view of God's plan and purpose for the ages in Christ - and of course their "portion" of that plan.

"SIMPLICITY"

It is indeed the "simplicity" of the Good News which confounds those who are wise in their "own" eyes and yet which blesses - to the deepest core of their being - those who have humbled themselves before God and who have thus allowed His light to penetrate their heart. This in turn has allowed His love to be shed abroad in the deepest recesses of their being heart - allowing them not only to see Him as He is, but also to love Him and serve Him in a manner worthy of His holiness and absoluteness.

WE CAN DO NOTHING APART FROM CHRIST!

Any "fellowship" with the world and its ways shall produce within the child of God a desire to exalt "themselves" (their own thinking) above the Word of God and because of that one's "fellowship with darkness" they have "no way of knowing" that in their fellowship with the world, that is, the "allowing" of their "affections" to be set on the things below rather than the things above, that darkness has now entered in and they stand deceived to some degree. It is precisely in this area that the ministry of God's Word suffers the greatest, for the Word of God was never meant to be ministered in - or tainted by - "darkness", that is to say, touched by the "fallen nature" in any way and this is a very serious matter before God! Let us forsake "all" fellowship with the world in order to fellowship at all times with the living Word of God and thus shall our "thought-life" be garrisoned about and protected against all darkness and all deception and every scheme of Satan designed to cause us to "misrepresent" Jesus Christ. If there is one thing needful in the Church of Jesus Christ it is for its members to know and have a revelation of the fact that they can do nothing apart from Him (Christ) and that there is "no" good in the flesh which profits the furthering of God's Kingdom (John 15:5; Romans 7:18; John 6:65).

INCORRECT "HEARING"

All distortion and perversion of the ministry of God's Word is a result of an incorrect "hearing". One who is truly willing to do ALL of God's will shall continually place themselves in the position (with an "open heart") to hear that which the Father has to say and think upon that which He has set His heart upon - their sole motivation being to see the fulfilment of all God's purposes and plans in the earth. On the other hand, those who retain any selfishness (self- desire) shall place themselves in a position wherein they will always "hear" the things which serve only to fuel "their interests" (agendas) and by their own striving they shall cause them to come to pass at the expense of the true ministry of God's Word. Because of these things they shall be devoid of the power (anointing) to truly set the captives free. It is certain that the child of God cannot, in any way, walk in true ministry while at the same time retaining any "self-interest" for the Divine requirement calls for a heart wholly given to the Father and for service which is wholly empowered by His omnipotence. If we, as the children of God, are not in a position to "allow" the entrance of God's Word, that is the entrance of light, into our hearts, then we shall continue to be swayed and moved only by that which we "see and feel" rather than the reality of God's Word! Those who are called to the five-fold ministry MUST surely come to the place wherein they seek to discern all things through the revealed knowledge of God's Word for it is only in this "seeking" that we shall come into a full reliance and dependence upon the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

THE "NEGLECT" OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND HIS MINISTRY

The reason why sin and defeat and fear have continued to plague many of God's children is directly linked to their neglect of the Holy Spirit and His ministry and His ability - as the Anointing who abides within them - to teach them all things, to lead them into all truth and to bring to their remembrance those things which they need to fulfil their ministry, in any given moment. If we ignore God's Provision then it is certain that we shall have to operate in Satan's "provision". Therefore, let us measure absolutely God's Word concerning the Holy Spirit and His ministry, that we might walk in the perfect will of the Father at ALL times and that we might be found constantly in a place far above the sin and the darkness of this world and its ruler.

"DEEP ASSURANCE"

All "true" ministry is a result, first of all, of a revelation of God's Word and secondly as a result of having heard the "voice" of God's Spirit, which in that moment of ministry is relaying the wisdom of God from the Throne thorough our spirits. Again we see the absolute necessity of having a "guarded" spirit - cleansed from ALL defilement - which is in a continual dominance over our soul (renewed). Any attempt to minister based upon what is "perceived" with the five physical senses not only breeds fear and its operation in that minister of God, but it also plants seeds of fear (self-dependence) in those they minister to. We state again that all true ministry is a result of a "perfect" obedience, an obedience which is rooted and grounded always in a perfect love toward God and man. Should the minister of God remain faithful in waiting upon God as they go forth to minister then none of the fruit which they bear shall be "counterfeit" and they shall have the deep assurance in their heart that God's will was done - regardless of how few or how many they have ministered to or how many "agree or disagree" with what they have spoken. On the other hand, any "self-assuredness" or self-reliance, or any seeking of self-glory, which of course are all rooted in the same darkness, shall be judged as an "iniquitous act" (unrighteous act) (Matthew 7:21-23) by the Lord and shall eventually be exposed as that which has no part in Him. All deeds which have been a result of the release of "soul power" (psuche) shall become evident in this last hour, and that which has for so long looked good and seemed good in the eyes of man shall be exposed as a deep-rooted work of Satan to both discredit and misrepresent the Lord Jesus Christ. Whether one likes to hear it or not, all exercising of "self", whether "in the name of Jesus" or not, shall "categorize" one as an "enemy of the cross " (Philippians 3:18)! Indeed, there are many who shall be caught in the snares of the Evil One in this last hour, but God's holy and absolute requirement has never changed (Luke 10:27) and it never shall. So therefore let us be those who are willing to do "ALL" of God's will and who seek first the establishment of His Kingdom and His righteousness, alone. There need be no fear of being deceived and "unknowingly" operating in the flesh as one goes forth to serve God in ministry, only a holy fear and reverence for the One we serve and the commitment and discipline to deny "self" at every turn, for it is only God Himself who can empower us in all things and make us "willing to be willing" to do His will alone.

AS "MINISTERS" OF GOD WE ARE FACED WITH THE CALL TO AN ABSOLUTE AND PERFECT OBEDIENCE

All manifestations of the law of sin and death in the church have their root in fear. If God's love has been shed abroad in the hearts of His children and if they are walking in the light as He is in the light THEN the power of the Holy Spirit shall be manifested to such a great degree that sin and fear and death shall not be able to have any "dominion" in the Church. And so, as ministers of God's Word, we are faced with the call to an absolute and perfect obedience, that we might be cleansed from all defilement of flesh and spirit and thus allow "torrents" of living water (John 7:38) to flow through us to not only meet the needs of the people, but also that we might exercise an "absolute authority" over Satan and all of his forces. God has already made the Provision for us to keep the "spirit of the world" and its sinful ways out of the midst of our congregations, so therefore it can only be a desire in us - to some degree - to remain in fellowship with the world and its ungodly ways. It is this "wrong desire" (self-desire) which is "allowing" Satan to have a certain degree of "influence" in the church. THEREFORE, let us lay our "entire" hearts before our God, that we might truly consecrate ourselves unto Him and thus - being cleansed from "all" defilement of flesh and spirit (2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1) and making "no provision for the flesh" (Romans 13:14) - we shall exercise the fulness of our authority, in Christ, over Satan and the "captives" shall be set free. Regardless of what position we may find ourselves in and regardless of any circumstances which surround us at any given time, the only thing that is needful for the "minister" of God is to "hear" the voice of the Holy Spirit and to be able to discern even His most gentle movements. As we separate ourselves from the world and unto God and His Word, and are thus cleansed from all "defilement" of flesh and spirit, this "ability" to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT, shall become ever stronger as we abide daily in Christ and as we guard our hearts with "all" diligence through the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit (Proverbs 4:23).

"TRUE MINISTRY"

All "true ministry" is the spontaneous and accurate outworking of God's power as He resides (abides) within us.

There MUST NEVER be any "preconceived" notions or thoughts held to as one walks in their most holy calling - but rather only a life given completely to the Father for His purposes and a heart which cries out for - and thirsts after - righteousness and perfect obedience. As the people of God gain a deeper revelation of the power of His Word and the power of the Blood of Jesus, all that which has been up - until this time - a product of a "sin-consciousness" shall be removed from the church. Add to this a deep and abiding revelation of the ministry of the Holy Spirit and we shall see clearly God's perfect provision for His children to walk above "error" in EVERY area of ministry and service. Let us not be deceived into thinking that God - in and by the power of His Spirit - is not able to get across to us that which is needful for us to fulfil our ministry, and thus, in our foolishness use that as a "ready-made" excuse to mentally ascend to - and thus presumptuously go about doing - things the way that we think they ought to be done rather than the way that God has called for them to be done.

EVERY ELEMENT OF "SIN-CONSCIOUSNESS" WILL BE "ERADICATED" FROM THE MIDST OF ALL THOSE WHO TRULY LOVE GOD IN THIS FINAL HOUR

There will be those who will steadfastly maintain that we "must" make mistakes and those same ones will praise God for His tremendous grace and mercy that continually "picks them up and dusts them off" in their sinfulness. This "seemingly" humble word is a direct product of their desire to maintain a grip upon their own life and thus shut God out, in order that their "desires" - which, in reality, are apart from God - might be gratified. If this "unbelief" is "maintained" in any way then it will never "allow" them to rise above that latent deception and come to that place of abiding in the fulness of the victory of Calvary and walking in the heights of the authority of the ascension life and the power of resurrection life. Let us understand clearly once and for all that every "mistake" (ignorance) or "error" (rebellion) in ministry is a direct result of an "improper or partial consecration" unto the Father and His Word - thus leaving the blame not on God or Satan, or anybody else, but on our own selfishness and rebellion. To declare that we "MUST" make mistakes and "MUST" sin from time to time is a blatant and outright denial, in unbelief, of God's Word and the power of the Blood of Jesus to "cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9) and keep us in the place of an abiding holiness.

THE "INCORRUPTIBLE SEED" OF GOD'S WORD

Satan's main aim in his attack against the children of God is to keep them in sin (guilt) and fear - and thus under its power. It is not needful for him to develop all sorts of "elaborate schemes" unless he runs across a child of God who has obtained some "revelation" of the deeper things of the Kingdom of Heaven. It is then that he must desperately fight with all that he has at his disposal to try and remove the "incorruptible seed" of the Word which has been implanted in that child of God. It is through the strategy of "wearing-down tactics" that he - if "allowed" to by the believer - is enabled to accomplish his task. This is precisely why God has commanded us to guard our heart with all diligence, certainly not because he is a "mean" God, but rather because He knows that the way to victory is through a constant diligence in "maintaining" (cultivating) that which He has blessed us with. It is also the implanted seed of God's Word in our hearts that causes our faith to rise up and become "developed" to such a degree that we shall readily take the Word of God and control Satan and his activities with it. So then to summarize, it is to the degree that one guards their heart with all diligence that they shall experience the "victory" of God in their lives and it is to the degree that one fails to maintain their heart before God, through a diligent "hearing", that will allow Satan to keep them in sin and defeat and eventually - if he is allowed to control them long enough - he shall be enabled to destroy them, through their OWN foolishness.

"LEAN NOT UPON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING"!

There are yet many children of God who refuse to believe anything until they "see" with their "own" understanding but we, as children of God, are called to believe even before we "see". All those who have aligned themselves with Thomas in spirit have shut themselves off from the revelation of the Kingdom of Heaven and its principles and through this have placed themselves in a position wherein Satan needs only to throw up a few "circumstances" around them to lead them out of the Father's will for their lives. And, in continually believing only that which they see and understand through their five physical senses they shall continue to base their every action on the "circumstances" rather than on the "revealed" knowledge of God's Word and this is contrary to the whole Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Hebrews 11:6 states:

...."It is only faith which pleases God"....

and Romans 14:23b states:

...."Whatever is not from faith is sin"....

SATAN'S PRINCIPAL SCHEME IS TO SEPARATE US FROM FELLOWSHIP WITH THE FATHER AND HIS WORD

Through the past nearly two thousand years Satan - through his principle scheme to separate God's people from God's Word and a "living" relationship with that Word - gradually began to fuel the lie and the deception that there was a "need" for a dependence upon things apart from the Word of God and thus, through the centuries, many children of God came into a strong dependence upon their "own" understanding and through this darkened understanding were formulated the false doctrines and dead traditions which are an affront to the power and wisdom of God - false doctrines and traditions of man which serve only to keep the children of God apart from the place of entering into and abiding in the fulness of their precious inheritance in Christ. Let us not be deceived in any way, for all of our needs ARE - and MUST continue to be - met in Christ (the Word). May all those who seek to walk in "true" ministry come to the place wherein they are conformed perfectly to mind of Christ. Anyone who "allows" themselves to depend upon the five physical senses to discern anything in this last hour will not "see" the Father in the way that He needs to be seen in order to carry out His will. And thus in any area where one leans upon their own understanding there shall be no "revealed" knowledge and if this "leaven" is maintained it will not be long before they have allowed themselves to be moved completely outside the will of God for their lives and ministries. Therefore, from this we can see clearly the danger of mental assent in ANY form, for it is only the pure in heart who shall truly see God and it is only those who have "seen" God who shall be able to minister above error in this most critical hour. Our leaning and dependence upon the Word of God and the Holy Spirit should be so absolute that every time even the thought of "mentally ascending" or of taking any "preconceived notions" comes up, we tremble in holy fear.

ABOVE ALL ELSE WE MUST GUARD OUR HEARTS WITH A HOLY DILIGENCE

As we have discussed before, it is only through the "self-life" and a faith exercised in our own strength, that Satan is enabled to distort and pervert the message of the Gospel and misrepresent the Lord Jesus Christ in the earth. Even the most seemingly "irrelevant" sin can have a profound and immense effect (negative) upon the establishment of God's Kingdom in the earth and the tearing down of the "strongholds" in the hearts and minds of men. Therefore we MUST - ABOVE ALL ELSE - guard our hearts with a holy diligence and it is certain that the Holy Spirit shall gloriously reveal the Lord Jesus to us in His "absoluteness" and this shall allow (empower) us to fulfil our portion of His ministry in perfect accuracy - free from error.

PRESUMPTUOUS SIN (REBELLION) IS AN ABOMINATION TO THE FATHER!

Hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit, moment to moment is the only way to avoid "presumptuous" sin.

As one stays close to the Lord, through an abiding fellowship with His Word and through prayer, that is, unceasing communication with God, THEN presumptuous sin will not be a "problem" area in one's ministry. If one shall in any way "maintain" an attitude of presumption in their service before God, then it shall become the very downfall of that ministry. Presumptuous sin by one who has been made a delegated authority by God is an abomination to God! The Father has made the Provision for us to walk above ALL presumption, but it is certain that one must "seek and keep on seeking" to be made willing to do ALL of His will and one must have - by faith - given their whole heart to Him and they MUST KNOW "by faith" that God will never fail them nor forsake them and that He shall lead them into all truth and keep them in every way by the power of His indwelling Spirit. As long as one is "open" to God's direction in their lives, they shall have the needed guidance and they shall indeed find His Provision sufficient to both establish them and keep them in true ministry.

THE DANGER OF A HEART NOT "WHOLLY GIVEN" TO GOD

The more time one spends in intimate fellowship, ministering unto the Lord, the more a holy fear of being "presumptuous" is developed within the deepest fibre of that believer's being. On the other hand, to the degree that one avoids "intimate" fellowship with God because of the sin in their lives and the desire to retain, to some degree, that which is apart from God, the desire to be presumptuous shall become more pronounced in their walks - and therein lies the danger of a heart not wholly given to God. The Father's deepest heart-desire is for each of His children to come into the place where they are walking moment to moment, waiting upon Him, in, perfect obedience. It is in this state of abiding that God is enabled to manifest Himself powerfully through His children, but in many cases the "presumptuous" sin of God's ministers (a presumption fuelled by the "outward" intent to "do something for God", but which in truth is an outlet to apprehend the "praises of men" and to obtain an exalted position before them, with little or no regard for the overall plans and purposes of God) "allows" Satan to work his divisive schemes in the midst of the congregations.

ALL PRESUMPTUOUS ACTION IN THE CHURCH BEARS "COUNTERFEIT" FRUIT - WITHOUT EXCEPTION!

"All" presumptuous action in the church bears "counterfeit" fruit without exception! Only that which is sown in the love of God through the power of the Holy Spirit shall reap fruit for the Kingdom of God, a fruit which is both holy and eternal. One of Satan's greatest schemes to cause strife and division amongst the brethren involves the "judging of "fruit". To all those who have borne counterfeit fruit through their presumption, the true fruit of the Kingdom (a result of perfect obedience and a deep and abiding, waiting upon the Lord) grates against them in their hardened hearts. Often, the actions of those who walk in perfect obedience are "foolishness" to those who perceive and judge those actions by their own understanding, rather then having a "revelation" of God's plan direct from the Throne and thus they are used as "vessels of accusation and condemnation" by Satan to malign that which is truly of God. But as the faithful one maintains a steadfast course in the centre of God's will, they shall surely be vindicated by God Himself, in His perfect timing (see the story of Korah, Numbers 16). All of God's children should first be "listeners" and not "talkers"! For it is in listening to the Father and being conformed to His ways and His thoughts - as one humbles themselves continually before Him - that they shall be entrusted with the words to minister in the perfect and divinely ordered timing - and on those words shall be the very power of Heaven itself to bring about "God's best" in every given circumstance. And thus from this we can see that it is a holy thing to speak the Word of God and to speak the Word of God not only in accuracy but with the purest and highest motivation - which is love. The main reason why there has been a lack of power on the words of many ministers of God up until this time in the last hour, is because they have not placed themselves in a position of ministering unto the Lord which would enable them to both hear and experience in their own walks the purity and power of God's Word and thus they are not able (fit) to become a pure vessel of that power and revelation to the people of God and a perishing world.

WE NEED NOT HAVE ANY FEAR

We need not have any fear as we go forth to walk in the "fulness" of the ministry we are called to in this final hour, for the Father in His tender mercies and His loving care, handles us ALWAYS with a "divine gentleness". It is certain that all fear, selfishness and every other form of mistrust of the Father is a result of believing a lie of Satan. It is only the failure to fellowship with the Father and His Word that keeps the child of God from obtaining a "true" revelation of God's nature and in this position of "improper relationship" to Him they immediately become more susceptible to "believing" a lie than to believe the truth. But as one gives the Word of God His proper place in their life, that perfect love which has been shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Spirit shall cast out ALL fear, and in the Father's glorious presence they shall come to know intimately the One who gave His "all" that we might live.

...."For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all therefore all died; and He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.

Therefore from now on we recognize no man according to the flesh, even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things passed away, behold, new things have come"....

2 Corinthians 5:14-17

"HE DIED FOR ALL, THAT THEY WHO LIVE SHOULD NO LONGER LIVE FOR THEMSELVES, BUT FOR HIM WHO DIED AND ROSE AGAIN ON THEIR BEHALF"

There is no "reason" why we cannot put ourselves in the position to receive God's light continually in order that we might be enlightened to "understand" as God understands and to "think" the way that God thinks, but one problem that arises is that many times the people of God will put their priorities in the wrong place. In this portion of God's Word is found the "Divine Requirement". Every child of God must come to the place wherein they clearly understand that they have been bought with the precious Blood of Jesus and that they are no longer their own and that they are no longer to live for themselves, but for the One who died for them in order that they might live. Every minister of God must view with their spiritual eyes all of God's children as the Father Himself sees them, and He sees them as they are, in Christ. Ministering to the people on a "natural level", discerning all things by one's own understanding through the five physical senses and the traditions of both the church and the world, will keep the one being ministered to in bondage to sin and fear. It is only through the "absolute" denial of self that the power of God can be manifested to the perfect (maximum) degree in any given situation, to perfectly meet the needs of the people and to set the captives free.

This is precisely why if Satan is allowed to "taint", even to a very small degree, the Word of God, he will be able to use that element of presumption on the part of God's minister to "prove" to the unbelieving that God's power has somehow passed away or is for another generation, and if the captive believes that lie, the first thing they shall do is run to the "world" and away from the loving hand of God. Let us seek above all else, to be true servants of God. Let us come into such a deep and abiding dependence upon the "Anointing which abides within" that we shall be found to be open and pure vessels of that anointing which shall break the yoke and release the prisoners from the bonds of Satan and the power of darkness.

Amen

Let us hear the words of the Father:

...."Those whom I have called and anointed to walk in the offices of the apostle and prophet hold the keys to the life and success of all My children. For it is by My beloved apostles and prophets that I will reveal those things which My children need to know in order to deal successfully with the coming onslaught of the evil one. For he has been enabled to lead many of My precious ones astray and into an area where he will destroy them. There are many of My children who are beginning to sense in their hearts that all is not right in their lives. Indeed, it may even appear that they are prospering outwardly, but day by day the "restlessness" in their heart increases. It will be but a short while before they repent and seek My face from a pure and whole heart, and I will send them to My holy apostles and prophets for instruction. It has been because they have not subjected themselves to My authority entirely that has caused them to reject those that I have sent to them for their own edification and blessing. Many will realize the folly of their ways and repent and they themselves will lead those who are under their charge to those whom they once called false teachers and false prophets. Hold fast My beloved children for Satan's grip on the hearts of My people is slipping rapidly. He has fought to bind up My sent ones, but truly, truly I say to you this day he has failed and I will set you on a course of ministry to My Church from which you will never look back. I say to you that once the power of My anointing which I have placed upon My handmaidens and bondservants in this last hour is unleashed in its fulness they will turn the world upside down and the hearts of men shall melt in the presence of Almighty God for I am about to do in the earth My greatest work of the Church age. It shall be the "grand finale" which I have been waiting to bless mankind with. I have My holy apostles and prophets in position and this earth will be ministered to in ways never before seen by the eyes of men. Do not be staggered My children by these things which will surely come to pass before your eyes, only keep your eyes upon Me. For you will need to be continually in a position of dependence on the voice of My Spirit in order that you be pure vessels of My wisdom and power - the wisdom and power which shall truly set the captives free and lead them into My Kingdom and its fulness".

Amen