New Grace

Posted: June 21, 2011 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, Prophetic, teaching, wilderness
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A new level or dimension of grace will be experienced in the sons of God in the near future. This grace is not new to God or even to the sons of God of the first century era. However, it is NEW to most if not all of the people of God in this age. It is grace of the nature of that which flowed through Christ Jesus in His few years of ministry on earth. It is similar to the level of grace of supernatural empowerment and endurance imparted to His disciples in the first century.

The new grace is really old grace that has been potentially available to all of His people since Christ Jesus completed His work of redemption. Grace is a spiritual substance of God that flows by the Holy Spirit to greatly influence the heart and is reflected out into the life. The Spirit of God can grace the heart and life of man with the attributes and qualities of God. The word translated grace in the New Testament is charis. Strong’s Concordance defines charis as the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life.

The manifold grace of God is given according to the will and purposes of God. Man does not earn grace but must be in position of accordance with the will and plans of God to receive greater grace (1 Pet 4:10). God gives grace to the humble but resists the proud (James 4:6). Yet even the power to be in position is by the strength of God given by grace in accordance with the will of man being in alignment with the will of God. Pride has its own will and way. Humility receives the will and way of God.

The absolute grace resting in Christ Jesus was power to do anything in the world. He could have easily used the grace empowerment, wisdom, and supernatural knowledge flowing through Him to be the richest man to ever live on earth. He could have taken complete control over nations and forced every king on earth to submit their throne to Him. With the grace flowing through Him he could have built the biggest religious system ever on earth with massive glorious temples in every city of the world. He could have garnered the largest offerings in all history. He could have defeated all the armies of all the kings of the world. He could have had the largest and most beautiful harem ever brought together.

Jesus did none of these things, and He does not do them now. Although He was the one who had power over all – the one who could have had the most prestigious position of power and riches ever on earth – the one who could have ruled over all people as the most highly respected man on earth, He made Himself of no reputation taking the form of a bondservant. He humbled Himself and learned obedience by suffering even to the brutal shameful death on the cross (Phil 2:5-8). Jesus had no other agenda than to be and do only the will and desire of Father God (John 5:19).

Think about it. This all-powerful One had never before experienced subjection and obedience. Prior to coming to earth and becoming a man, He created and sustained all creation and had never experienced subjecting himself to anything (Col 1:14-19). He was equal to Father. He was and is God. He and the Father operated or functioned as one Spirit. However, when He became a man, He experienced obedience to another for the first time (Heb 5:8). As a man He became subjected and completely obedient to the Father.

The grace of Christ Jesus is also the empowerment to live holy. It is the grace empowerment of God that anointed Jesus. The anointing of Spirit God empowered the Son of man, Christ Jesus, to live a perfect, holy life. Though tempted in all points as a man, He lived a pure sinless life wholly dedicated to Father God in heaven (Heb 2:17-18) (Heb 4:15).

Therefore, because Christ Jesus was completely loyal and trustworthy Father could release to Him all the fullness of God and give Him preeminence as the Head of all things. Father has complete trust and full confidence in His Son that He would never abuse or misuse the absolute grace anointing resting in Him (Col 1:19) (Col 2:9).

Phil 2:5-11: Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The new level of grace is empowerment for the true Body of Christ to become the measure of the fullness of Christ – to live a holy life and do the works Christ Jesus did in His natural body and even greater works.

New grace is bringing new faith – the ability to really believe what God says.

Friends, I want to ask a personal question for consideration. Are the scriptures below REAL and TRUE, or are they NOT REAL and NOT TRUE? Selah.

John 14:12: Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.

Eph 4:13: till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

Mark 11:22-26: So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”

“And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”

The first-century disciples believed and did the works of Christ Jesus. Jesus went back to be seated at the right hand of God. Yet afterward He was with the disciples working with them.

Mark 16:17-20: “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.

Immediately before ascending Jesus told the disciples not to depart from Jerusalem until they had been endued with power by receiving the promise of the Father. The anointing of Christ Jesus was poured out in the Holy Spirit and the disciples went about doing the works of Christ because Jesus was with them as the life giving Spirit of Christ (Acts 1:4-8) (1 Cor 15:45).

The fresh level of grace impartation is empowerment to remain pure and walk in true humility while really doing the works of Christ Jesus. It is grace to endure all things, hope all things, believe all things, and to be in the world as Christ is in the world. It is a greater fullness of Christ in you the hope of glory.

The greater grace outpouring is empowerment to really love unconditionally as the love of Christ Jesus flows in and through our natural bodies.

1 Cor 13:4-8: Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.

The new grace of the apostolic era is beyond the Pentecostal and Charismatic grace outpourings of the past century. The grace anointing of the past century largely restored the gifts. The grace anointing to live completely holy lives was not broadly received though potentially available. There was for the most part only a religious attempt at externally or legally imposing holiness through human effort and restraint.

The fresh grace anointing will accomplish the inner life of purity and true holiness by the empowerment of God in all who will believe and receive it. It will not always be that many of Gods people will be continuously seeking but never reaching perfected love (full maturity) in Christ.

1 John 4:17: Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.

Keep on pursuing love. It never fails
and His kingdom never ends.

Ron McGatlin

http://www.openheaven.com
basileia@earthlink.net

Love Wins

Posted: June 20, 2011 in Uncategorized
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In the onslaught of exposed lack of godly character in Christian ministers, significant questions may have arisen in our minds. Questions like: Where is discernment? Why do so many people follow impure leaders? Where are the safeguards and controls to prevent such episodes of moral failures? What can be done to fix the systems so this does not happen and the people are not misled? Where is God in all this, and why doesn’t He correct these issues?

There are some basic major answers to these and other questions that most people may not be ready to deal with. It is futile to try to alleviate the surface problems without dealing with the root causes. The need is more that dealing with the issues of the ministry by better minister training or setting up checks and balances. It is not just the fruit on the limbs of the religious systems that is sick. The entire tree from the root up has been infected and is decaying. The decaying religious systems have born good fruit in the past centuries and will continue to produce some good fruit as long as the trees are standing. Many of us were born again through the church systems or some outreach of them.

Though the systems have born fruit, they have not been able to bring forth the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. The disease has made it impossible for them to bear the desired fruit of the real kingdom of God. Since its inception around the third century, the religious church systems have had a genetic predisposition for the whole tree, from the roots up, to dry up and decay to eventually become enriched soil for the new grass of the kingdom to spring forth and blossom with the beauty of the glory of God covering the earth. Back in the early 80s when God began to pour revelation of the kingdom into me and other seed planters, He told me that eventually it would come up like grass in a field. Grass grows close to the ground and seems to come from nowhere. It is not just a few tall trees, but it is many plants all at the same ground level.

A Season of Great Historical Significance

In this historical season of God’s transformation of His people from religious systems to the kingdom of God the old is coming down to allow the new seeds of the gospel of the kingdom to grow into the world. The religious systems have spawned the secular systems that both compete and cooperate for the rule of the world. The whole adulterated world of religious and secular darkness mixed with the true light must give way to the pure and glorious light of the kingdom of God.

God is cleansing the darkness from our midst, first from the children of God and then from the world.

The core answers to the questions above regarding the corrupt leaders and lack of discernment is that the church left the reality of the headship of Christ Jesus in the Holy Spirit. Discernment is by the Holy Spirit. Empowerment for holy living is by the Holy Spirit. The kingdom of God is in the Holy Spirit. When men after the first few centuries set up church government and turned to their own minds for guidance, the Holy Spirit pulled back leaving the then apostate church with only human intellect to discern the word and guide the church. Christianity became a religion, modern theology was born, and a hierarchy of men replaced Jesus as head. Doctrines were devised without the revelation of the Holy Spirit that favored the new system and shrouded the truth of the gospel of the kingdom. The void created by the loss of the Holy Spirit was filled by powerful religious spirits that have infiltrated and affected the religious church and the world ever since.

Though reformation began four or five centuries ago, there is much yet to be dissolved before the true gospel of the kingdom can be fully implemented. What we are seeing now in the uncovering of the corrupt character of ministers is a part of the major cleansing and dissolution of the religious systems that are decaying before our eyes. That which God used in the past is not usable in the kingdom age that we are entering. God is preparing a people of faith who will walk in holiness by the Holy Spirit and will be used to destroy the works of darkness and bring forth the pure clear light of the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven.

Love Never Fails Overcoming evil with good

Is it possible that the destruction of evil is now within the potential of Christ in man? Is it not possible that the Bible word is true and that good can overcome evil? Could it be that the Spirit of Christ bringing forth His love in the body of Christ throughout the world can bring forth righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit and overcome the evil of the world?

If we look at the problem, the multitudes of evil men who are bent on destruction, and the great deceptive philosophy of seeking carnal pleasure that rules men around the world, certainly it does not seem possible to the natural mind that evil can be defeated and the kingdom of God can and is coming forth into our world. Looking at the giants in the land is exactly what the enemy wants us to do. (Num 13:32-14-1)

The victory waits for men to grow in faith to really believe the words of God. Faith grows where there is righteousness, peace, and the joy of the Lord in the Holy Spirit. Faith in God cannot be strong in carnal pleasure-seeking people. The prayers and faith of righteous people will unleash the power of God to change the world. The great outpourings of the Spirit of God upon His mature sons can bring forth revival and people will repent of their mixture of seeking carnal pleasure and seeking to serve God at the same time. Many will turn to God with their whole hearts and become holy humble servants filled with the love and power of God by the Holy Spirit.

In the same season of great outpouring of Holy Spirit revival, great shakings of purifying judgment upon all the earth will continue. We will enter the kingdom age through much tribulation, and all pride and loftiness of man that lifts itself against God will come down.

Acts 14:22: “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”

While at the same season of spiritual revival, the great apocalyptic cataclysmic events of the book of Revelation will destroy evil works and quickly alter the entire scheme of things in the world. Yes, it may be a bloody, fiery road to the kingdom, but God can protect and deliver His children. The kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our God. (Rev 11:15) We will rule and reign in the earth with Him. (2 Tim 2:12) We will overcome the evil one by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. There is nothing too hard for the Lord. (Gen 18:14)

This is a miraculous transformation of God from the church age to the kingdom of God age. Only God could have ever orchestrated such an apocalyptical and cataclysmic series of events that would in the end bring forth the beauties of holiness in the glory of God on earth as it is in heaven.

Rev 12:11: “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.

All the rich history of the people of God all the incredible acts of godly people all the pain and suffering of Christ and the many who have willingly followed Him and suffered and died through the ages all the sacrifices of the saints all the victories that have been won all the revelation from heaven and all the faithful service of men and women in the church age have all been moving toward the season we have just began to enter the season of the proclamation and the manifestation of the promises of the ages for the redemption of all the kingdoms of this world as the kingdoms of our God. Christ Jesus, the rightful king of all, will fully reign with His holy Bride upon Planet Earth. And there shall be no more pain, no more sorrow, for the old will have passed away and the kingdom of heaven will be fully manifested on earth as it is in heaven.

We need not be discouraged when the unsoundness of mixture and corruption is revealed in the decaying church systems that have faithfully done and continue to do the works of God while striving with darkness of religious futility. When our own inner futility is revealed, we must count it all joy and be made holy and be made whole. The presence of God is among us to change us into the original design of image and likeness of God to rule and reign with Him in pure holiness and humility of love and power.

However, this is not just about our sanctification and empowerment; it is about our becoming redeemed sons of God to carry out the mission of restoring the kingdom of God on earth. We have a glorious and worthy mission , a mission that will only be done as Christ Jesus is formed in His Body by the Holy Spirit and we become as Christ in this world. Our mission includes the glory of God covering the earth, a goal worthy of losing our lives, that we find His life. Be greatly encouraged God is on the throne, and His love wins.

Keep on pursuing love.
It never fails.

Ron McGatlin
Coordinator OpenHeaven.com

http://www.openheaven.com
basileia@earthlink.net

Grace is not a license to sin!

Posted: June 17, 2011 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, teaching, wilderness
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What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Rom 6:1-2

Jesus made it clear that scripture cannot be broken (John 10:35). This means that there will not be contradictions in God’s Word. Jesus says that not one jot or tittle would pass from the law (Matthew 5:18). Paul says here, “Do not sin,” and sin is the transgression of God’s law (I John 3:4). Nonetheless, many Christians in our day say that the law is done away. This raises a contradiction.

Now if Jesus’ death combined with the New Covenant does away with the law, then there is no such thing as sin, and Christ died in vain—especially as far as those who have lived since His death are concerned. Something, especially those who hang tightly to a belief of “conditional grace”, Romans 6:1-2 states plainly that Christians are not to sin, that is, break God’s laws. Therefore sin—and thus God’s law, which tells us what sin is—must still exist.

Sorry, but the truth is written here and one must see that it cannot be both ways. If they say that the law is done away, then in the biblical context, it is logical to conclude that there can be no sin. It is therefore illogical for them to claim that it is still wrong for a person to murder or to commit adultery because those sins would not exist without the laws that determine they are immoral or illegal acts.
But the true answer lies elsewhere: Their conclusion that the law is done away is wrong!

Some are comfortable just living a good life, never living with the victory over sin in their life. Many of these “Christians” are the very people who hide under what I earlier called “conditional grace”. What I mean by that is they believe that sin is something that we are always going to live with and that is why we have God’s grace. Yet they believe that God’s grace, though powerful enough to forgive them of their sins. Is not powerful enough to remove certain sins in others lives!

We must be willing to take God at His Word – Now if His Word says sin has been broken then we must be willing to seek that truth out until the reality of this power proclamation of the Lord is manifested in our lives.

A truly radical Christian (one who follows Jesus with the same dedication as the disciples in the New Testament) will chase after truth until the power of God’s truth is like skin, it covers every area of their lives. We can not settle for that which many in our day have settled for which is borderline lukewarm and is nothing like the radical life style that Jesus lived and taught His students (disciples) who in return lived as well.

So let us not found hiding behind such a vile false grace message, one that unknowingly promotes sin – for it teaches that we can never live without sin. Rather let us be found as true students of the Word, that we radically seek the deep things of the Word and apply the purity of God’s Word to our lives – For the Honor and Praise of the Son and that the Father may be Glorified.

We must never step back from the glorious rights we have received as citizens of the Kingdom of God and one of those rights is the infusion of grace into our lives which empowers us to live a life without sin!

For the joy of Kingdom life is living in all the Spiritual benefits that we have been afforded from our King, Yahushua!

For indeed we serve a awesome and loving God!
“The highest rank is servant”
Russ Welch

Engulfed in Peace

Posted: June 16, 2011 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, Prophetic, teaching, wilderness
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Engulfed in Peace
By Ron McGatlin

Injustice exudes from an upside down fallen world.
The masses have had their minds inverted and their hearts darkened.
Wisdom has hidden and righteousness has departed far from them.
The shrewd and strong take from the weak and simple and no one intervenes.
They spend wildly what they do not have for what they do not need.
They trample the precious and embrace the corrupt.
They reject truth and cherish lies.
They kill their babies and pamper their pets.
They sleep with a viper and run from a Lamb.
They abandon their wives and molest their children.
They run after knowledge and turn away from truth.
Their judgment is upon their heads and they know it not.
The devourer is upon them and their time of loss is at hand.
Their leaders take them the wrong way and they do not discern.

Their sin has separated them from their God (Isa 59:2). They have turned from Him and He has given them over to perverse reprobate minds (Rom 1:28).

To have spiritual eyes and understanding is a burden. Seeing what should be and finding no way for it to be is a source of great frustration and discouragement. To see our once blessed nation crumbling and the children wasting their lives brings great pain. To see the armies of evil moving in to devour the strength of the people is sad beyond measure. However, the hardest part of all is to know the solution, to have the remedy to save the land and restore the people and be violently turned away. This is the most troubling and frustrating of all.

But take heart and be filled with courage. God is not finished yet. There is a kingdom reality manifesting now with us and before us is the righteousness, peace and joy of the glory of God on earth as it is in heaven.

In the midst of the devastation of cataclysmic events of judgments, a great light shines through on the horizon. Beyond the smoke and dust of devastation the Kingdom reigns and the glory approaches. Look up to the light and be engulfed with total peace beyond all reason and understanding. Even in the midst of great destruction your heart will be at perfect peace and rest. Warmth and comfort will supernaturally engulf your heart and life. As the light approaches, the peace of righteousness will become joy unspeakable and full of glory.

Do not dwell upon the news of death and despair. Do not set your eyes on the evil that is being dissolved but look up and set you affection on the light of our glorious KING the LORD of all and His kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy.

Keep on preaching and demonstrating the kingdom grabbing hold of those who come running out of the fire. Refresh them with the pure cool water of the Spirit and provide them a fresh clean change of cloths. Many will be saved even during the cleansing fires of judgment. Supernatural faith and peace will be graced to you to finish the work of God allotted to you. You will be engulfed in peace hidden in a cloud of His love. Set your mind on things above. Set your affection on heavenly things of Christ Jesus in the Spirit.

Col 3:2: Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

Let your life be consumed in the Spirit. Let you daily moment by moment walk be in the Spirit.

Gal 5:25: If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Be led of the Spirit in all things and lean not unto your own understanding.

Prov 3:5: Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding.

Rom 8:14: For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

Psa 91:7-8: A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you. Only with your eyes shall you look, And see the reward of the wicked.

Phil 4:4-7: Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Phil 4:8-9: Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy; meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

Keep on pursuing love. It never fails
and His kingdom never ends.

Ron McGatlin

http://www.openheaven.com
basileia@earthlink.net

Blinded by the worlds bling, bling!

Posted: June 15, 2011 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, teaching, wilderness
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Is the world so powerful in these days that its ability to hide the truth is so great that the majority of Christians do not even realize that they have been captivated by it allure. So many believe they are free not realizing how thick the prison walls of worldly desires are around them. Sadly one of the thickest walls is that of religion. Praise God for His Word – let us not stop professing it in the Authority & Power of Jesus Christ.

For I am not ashamed of the Gospel (good news) of Christ, for it is God’s power working unto salvation [for deliverance from eternal death] to everyone who believes with a personal trust and a confident surrender and firm reliance, to the Jew first and also to the Greek, For in the Gospel a righteousness which God ascribes is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith [disclosed through the way of faith that arouses to more faith]. As it is written, The man who through faith is just and upright shall live and shall live by faith.(A) For God’s [holy] wrath and indignation are revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who in their wickedness repress and hinder the truth and make it inoperative. (Rom 1:16-18 AMP)

Holiness has seemed to have become a challenge for most people to obtain.

Our salvation is the power which affords us the ability to live, not just a life of faith, but a life of faith that is based upon godliness.

There are some terms that most people shy away from today, which speaks of their relationship and stand with God that seem to segregate them from the common population. Terms such as holiness, sanctification, righteousness, perfection, peculiar, and consecrated are not common in the Body today, yet many of the worlds wisdom is spoken of and portrayed as a holy revelation.

“The world has taken captive in many churches the powerful message of Biblical characters”

We start using TV programs and characters to relate to rather than the people of the Bible as though they are now out dated.

Most people do not want to be looked at as being different; we try so much to assimilate, until we assimilate ourselves to spiritual compromise. Some things, some of us, would never see as being unrighteous or compromising, because we choose to keep God out of that part of our lives.

There is an element of unholy control that we like to have over certain areas and we resist any efforts of change and ultimately label others as being either fanatical, weak, or religious when challenged to change in those areas.

I have learned that no matter what is preached, unless individuals allow the Holy Ghost to penetrate their hearts, they never see the errors of their ways. Therefore, in these last days, the church has become too compromising and that has lead to a frustration of its purpose.

There was a day that there was a distinct difference between those who were sanctified and those who were not. Yet now the mention of true sanctification is shunned away as legalistic.

Many of us have forgotten the admonition by Paul in:

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers [do not make mismated alliances with them or come under a different yoke with them, inconsistent with your faith]. For what partnership have right living and right standing with God with iniquity and lawlessness? Or how can light have fellowship with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and Belial [the devil]? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? What agreement [can there be between] a temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in and with and among them and will walk in and with and among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.(C) So, come out from among [unbelievers], and separate (sever) yourselves from them, says the Lord, and touch not [any] unclean thing; then I will receive you kindly and treat you with favor,(D) And I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.(E) (2 Cor 6:14-18 AMP)

Paul is literally speaking in this passage about compromising our spiritual values and assimilating with the unrighteous philosophy of the world.

What makes it so difficult for the people of God to sanctify themselves for God only?

Have you considered why the world seems so attractive to people, when it was the world that caused them to run to Christ?

Oh my friends, many of us are in denial having allowed the lust of our eyes, the lust of our hearts, and the pride of life to cause us to become more attracted to the world than to please God.

We need to turn back to the roots of our beginning and realize that the Lord birthed something in our Jewish heritage that the enemy knew if he could sever our ties to it, would cause us to be a weakened church. Now is the time that we need to turn towards the Lord our God whole heartedly, we must learn to sacrifice ourselves, our agendas, and our philosophies to the sole authority of God, the Father. If not, I believe that some of us are in for a rude awakening at judgment time.

Speaking of shunned words this is but another thing that people do not like to talk about, judgment. We all will have to give an account for all that we do in this flesh.

The Jewish people were taught from a young age to know only study and recite the Torah, they were taught to have a holy reverent fear of the Lord and His Word. The truth is today, we have not seen, nor realized the drastic outcome and punishment of divine judgment, because we have allowed the world to justify ill conditions to fate and not attribute them to the hand of God.

I believe that God is highly disappointed with the church today and, as the scripture states; He is shortening these last days so that the very elect will not be fooled.

So let us pose this question today of “how are we fooled”? We are fooled when we choose to outdate the scriptures; when we choose to justify our actions; when we choose to compromise our values and standards; and the like.

Because we allowed the things of the world take rule in the church, walls of separation and segregation were imposed. Today because of the error that has traditionally become a “false” truth has left us with actions that are not necessarily denominational dependent, but are direct in violation to the word and will of God. God’s word never changes, nor does God. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Because of all the hype and counterfeit moves of God today, I believe that most people have had a religious experience, but all are not truly filled and baptized with the Holy Ghost.

The very Word itself has been consistently manifested before our very eyes, yet not knowing the Truth of the Word we have been blind to the fact that we have birthed a generation of “believers” who have a form of godliness, but deny the very power of the God they state that they serve.

God is not weak; the blood of Jesus is not powerless; the power of the Holy Ghost has not diminished; prayer still works; so does, fasting, studying, and submitting to the word of God.

Let us read what the Master stated in gospel of John:

If you [really] love Me, you will keep (obey) My commands. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby), that He may remain with you forever– The Spirit of Truth, Whom the world cannot receive (welcome, take to its heart), because it does not see Him or know and recognize Him. But you know and recognize Him, for He lives with you [constantly] and will be in you. (John 14:15-17 AMP)

Jesus’ words in this passage allow you to take an individual spiritual assessment and to measure your spiritual development based upon your love for Him.

Just as He said in Luke 7:47, “Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.” Many of us have not properly valued His forgiveness of our sins. And, what you value little, you respect little.

“Worldly wisdom says to disregard the ways of the world and that everyone can believe the Word according to your own understanding”.

Again I want to touch base on how our being cut off from our Jewish heritage in the church has left us prepared to disregard the world’s wisdom and hold strongly onto the Truth of the Word. When one studies the early church, we find a group of people who were prepared to be those whom the Lord would birth the Bride through. Their culture of honoring and holding to the scriptures as a life source allowed them to transfer this into the next generation. At an early age they could recite the Torah, today many in the church can not recite more than a handful of scriptures.

Fathers can not pass on the knowledge of the Word when they themselves know it not. The enemy sought to replace this important aspect of the family and replaced the ‘fathers’ with the clergy or priest, even to the point that for decades and in some cases in our day they are still referred too as “father”.

The Fathers were use to being the spiritual leader of the homes and this custom was passed from one generation to the next. Even today many even though they do not believe that Jesus was the Christ, they are reaping the reward of holding to the Word of God and given God is correct place of authority and ruler-ship in their lives. They know what it means to be a spiritual family.

Like the people of the first church, our love for God should cause us to obey all of His commandments; they are not grievous, except to those who desire to do wrong.

The reason why some of our lives are so spiritually weak is simply because our lack of true love for Christ, the Word and the WAY of God diminishes the effectiveness of the Holy Ghost, which is given to us.

Our love and obedience empowers us with the comfort of the Spirit in every situation of our life.

So, what will you give or surrender in exchange for your soul? Will it be a little pleasure; a little recognition; a little fame; a little popularity; a little compromise; a little here and a little there?

Back to what the Lord said earlier, “Consider your ways.” Living for God is more than about blessings and prosperity, but it involves righteousness, holiness, consecration, sanctification, and sacrifice.

What you do now determines the strength of your relationship. God has already given us everything that pertains to life and godliness through the working of His Holy Spirit. But, it will do us no good if we never obey.

Let us repent and turn to the Lord God adhering to the Masters call to” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind. And love your neighbor as you love yourself.” and begin with removing the lust of this world, replacing its ruler in our lives and start with the first commandment “You shall have no other gods before Me”.

We are living in the days when the Lord is seeking radical disciples – those who have heard not only the message of the cross, but the call to bare ones cross as well.

For indeed we serve an Awesome & Holy God.

Forsake not the poor!

Posted: June 14, 2011 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, teaching, wilderness
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“After an absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the poor and to present offerings.” (Acts 24:17), “All they asked was that I should remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do”. (Gal 2:10)

It appears that the ministry to the poor was an important part of the early church as they lived out the teaching of Christ our Lord. Some have endeavored to say that these passages imply only to the Jews in Judah, and one could surely use this example as an excuse not to feed the poor, yet the admonishment of the Master to minister unto the poor erases this conclusion. The heart of the Father is that all would receive His Salvation and one of the ways we have in which to do so is to reach out to the needy that they may taste of the Fathers mercy through over service.

As we study the history of the church we find that there have been many times in which Christians have had to defend to their church’s responsibility to care for the poor. Sadly I believe that we are living in such a time right now, a time in which Christians have become polarized on issues and otherwise strong evangelical churches are afraid to take stands in areas that the Bible makes clear are of great interest to our God.

Many have believed the lie that it is the liberals who are concerned about the poor and that we conservatives have been given the higher calling of evangelizing the lost world. To be sure, many a liberal has fallen prey to the trap that neglects evangelism almost entirely. But we have no Biblical excuse for neglecting the physical needs of the poor and solely evangelizing them. To be Biblical is to be concerned about both the physical and the spiritual realm at the same time.

A true student of the Word clearly sees that the Bible itself leaves no doubt about what the people of God should think and do in regards to the poor;

“thou shall open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in the land.” (Deut 15:11b)

“blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.” (Ps 41:1)

“he that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.” (Prov 19:17)

And we go on to see this aspect of the Fathers heart being lived out and taught by His Son as we see Jesus eager to see ministry to the poor continue. In Matt 25 as Jesus foretells the separating of the sheep from the goats, the sheep are characterized as those who did something about the plight of the stranger, the sick, the hungry, the thirsty, the poorly clothed, and the person in prison. In Luke 16 Jesus tells the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, and Jesus makes it very clear that the rich man is in Hell for his unbelief characterized by his lack of urgency in helping Lazarus the transient in his midst.

We also can conclude that the leaders of the early church were very adamant about ministry to the poor. The apostle James was very upset in his letter about favoritism being shown to the rich. When Paul met with the leaders of the church in Jerusalem he tells us, “only they would that we should remember the poor, the same thing which I also was eager to do (Gal.2:10).” Interestingly, Hebrews 13:1 tells us that if we minister to strangers, we may very well have met an angel without knowing about it!

Unfortunately ministry to the poor, especially those living on the streets is not easy work! There are always concerns about safety. Some have mental problems and in addition to being hard to communicate with they also can be violent. We have all heard stories of good samaritans who have lost their lives simply because they cared enough to help somebody.

Now, the church needs a plan. Instead of expecting the pastor to display Solomon like wisdom and mother Teresa like care every time a person in need stops by, there should be thoughtful reflection given to the conditions under which the church should help (wisdom and discernment). There should also be a designated fund set up which the pastor can use to help people with. Otherwise the good-hearted pastor will go broke doing what he believes to be his Christian duty.

As well, it may be helpful to separate in-church assistance from out of church assistance. From time to time there may be members who need care and the church is in a place to take an offering for a car, or groceries or for whatever. At times like this when members of the church have a need the church should not just pray for the need, the church should meet the need. One of the outcomes of this will be the strengthening of the body. Out of church assistance, however, and by that I mean ministry to those in need such as the homeless, should have as its goals compassionate assistance and evangelism. The gospel should be shared!

Again, there are always those who will come up with a number of scenarios in regard to the safety of the “church” and “its members”. To this I believe that as we walk in the wisdom of the Lord, seeking Holy Spirit guidance and realize that the Lord is our shield and our protector we will willingly and obediently sacrifice our time and energy with the understanding that we are living out, as did our Lord, the Fathers desire that the world may not merely hear about His love and compassion but that they would, through our lives, experience it as well.

For indeed we serve an Awesome God!



The road to Signs, Miracles and Wonders is paved with…?

Posted: June 13, 2011 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, teaching, wilderness
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Holiness!

There is something very important yet largely dismissed attribute of our Christian walk. The Word clearly puts forth that holiness is something to which we ought to aspire, and it is something which we ought to pursue. With the move towards the user friendly church, one can see that holiness, like repentance is no longer fashionable, and anyone who speaks of these things, or as the case happens to be writes of these things is quickly labeled as a legalist, but as I’ve shown before I have no problems with being one who upsets the apple cart.

Today what we need to understand foremost about holiness is that just because it isn’t being preached in most churches in our day doesn’t make it any less relevant or necessary than it was two thousand plus years ago when Jesus preached it. It doesn’t matter if holiness has fallen out of favor with men, it has not fallen out of favor with God, and this is what ought to concern us most as His children.

So exactly what is holiness?

The first thing holiness is, is something into which we are called. In his letter to the Romans Paul spells this out by greeting those who are in Rome, and reminding them that they are called to be saints.

Romans 1:7, “To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

God calls us to be His Children, God calls us to be holy, but we must choose to heed the call of God that we might grow in the knowledge of Him and the power of His Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 3:1-2, “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house.”

In his letter to the Hebrews, Paul takes it one step further and actually calls them ‘holy brethren and partakers of the heavenly calling’. Yes, God calls us to holiness, and if we desire to be partakers of the heavenly calling we must aspire to the selfsame holiness that the Word of God has called us to.

Over the past 50 years, we have witnessed a watering down of the Gospel message, they’ve been discounting the Word, all the while bemoaning the absence of power in the churches, bemoaning the absence of miracles, and signs and wonders. Many have sought a message that would fit Jesus and holiness into their lives rather than a message of truth which liberates them from a sinful life and transforms their lives into one of Jesus and Holiness!

Well, you can’t have true heaven birthed signs and wonders and miracles and prophecy without holiness. But you sure can muster up all the false signs, wonders and miracles by standing on the road of lawlessness!

Now, rather than writing off the supernatural altogether and telling ourselves it is no longer viable in our day and age, why not try holiness, and see what God can do and will do?

Just a thought, but yes, I know too much effort, too much time, and we’re all so busy with other things. We can’t blame God for our own laziness, we can’t blame God for our own unbelief, we can’t blame God for our own disobedience, nor can we blame God for our indifference to His Word. Some have become so used to lethargy, they are so used to this mellow and none dramatic spirituality that I don’t know what many would do if they felt the true power of God fall on them. While others have been tricked into the hyper-emotional spirituality that is rooted in mysticism and absence of God’s true power, rather it is fueled by hell and plays on the individuals fleshly longings. (speaking to my own fleshly man here as well friends!)

Oh yes my friends, there is more of God to be had; yes there is more of God to be experienced, but we must break through the barrier of selfishness that has kept us from knowing the fullness of Him, and commit fully and completely, surrendering our all for His all.

The second thing holiness is, is a daily work of the Holy Spirit and the Word in us.

Romans 6:22, “But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.”

2 Corinthians 3:18, “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 by the Spirit of the Lord.”

2 Corinthians 7:1, “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

Sadly many today do not experience true freedom, rather they cycle through their sinful nature, hoping for a righteous life, yet bound in the prison of depression in the Hotel of their sin – they treat Holy Ghost like a cheap maid who is to come in once a week and clean up the mess they have made in the rooms of their heart! What is their answer to their freedom?

We are to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord!

We are to put on the new man, which was created according to God, in righteousness and true holiness! It’s sad to see so many in this perpetual cycle of doing what they want all week, coming to church on Sunday and saying a prayer and thinking they’re ok until the next week rolls around when they have to say the prayer again. A vicious cycle friends that the Lord desires to crush and end – it is my the Blood that this cycle can be destroyed, it is thru the power of that which was accomplished on the cross.

On the road to the cross one come across the knowledge of the Fear of the Lord. For if you have not known the fear of the Lord; you have not known the fear of God, and this is why you refuse to cleanse yourself from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit.

Jesus is the only answer to this plight of mankind – the power of the awesome message of the Kingdom He brought to give to men – We must see that the enemy knows this and has been and will continue to dilute the truth until it has no power at all – Holiness is and ingredient which has been removed and must be returned!

Whoever this is for, please read the following lines carefully: God is not mocked! He sees all! He knows all! He judges all! May the fear of the Lord stir your heart, that you might perfect holiness, that you might be transformed from glory to glory and not simply return to your sin as a dog to its vomit and a pig to the mire!

‘But brother that’s so unloving and unkind. We’re supposed to encourage those who stumble.’

Yes, we are too encourage those that stumble, help them up even, but this is not stumbling I’m talking about; this is willfully running too sin thinking ‘it’s ok, God forgives, He is loving, He won’t judge me.’

God will judge all men, no matter where your from or what religion you claim.

1 John 3:2-3, “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him, purifies himself, just as He is pure.”

If we truly want the signs, wonders and miracles that followed those at the beginning of the church, then we must seek after Christ with holy hands and holy hearts. We must allow Holy Ghost to cleanse us of our old sinful nature. We must limit the awesomeness of our God as a mere side show to see how righteous we are – rather we are to seek after the Father with everything we have and never claim that which belongs to Him, that in all things we give Him the Glory, Honor, and Praise!

For we do indeed serve an awesome God!

Joy Comes in the Morning

Posted: June 12, 2011 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, Parents, teaching, wilderness
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Joy Comes in the Morning

By Ron McGatlin

The world is now experiencing a beginning of sorrows as spoken of by the Lord in Matthew 24. A time of great sorrows or tribulations coincides with the proclamation of the gospel (good news) of the Kingdom of God.

“We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.” ~ Paul

This is not religious theological talk. This is practical real life and death experience of this generation of called-out kingdom sons breaking through the thick crust of darkness that is upon the world with the powerful lightning strike message of the kingdom of God now coming forth on earth.

In this historical season of the manifesting of the kingdom of Christ from heaven on earth, the sons of God are again proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom that Jesus and the first century apostles preached and demonstrated.

Sons of the kingdom have endured the pain of personal suffering maturing them into full sonship as elders to help lead others through the glorious and sometimes painful transition of God’s people.

Our light personal suffering begins with the breaking away of our own past lifestyle that was adjusted to self-focused worldly practices and false religious beliefs. Our growth continues as Christ manifests His life in us. We become a part of His sufferings as the world rejects and persecutes Christ in us.

1 Pet 2:19-21: For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:

1 Pet 4:12-14: Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.

Death always precedes resurrection and the dark night of suffering is always followed by the glory that comes in the morning. The day of the dawning of His glorious government (kingdom) filling the earth is beyond the season of worldwide suffering of cleansing judgment. The pure and holy sons of God are arising from their dark night to thoroughly plant the seed of the kingdom in every heart of good soil and every nation and tribe that will receive and grow the Word of the Kingdom.

Sons are bonding together as brothers in a love that endures beyond differences. Natural ethnicity is overcome by the Spirit bonding us in the DNA of God. We are all of one Father and one Family in the glorious love of the kingdom.

On the other hand those of a different family with a different DNA cannot remain connected as one with Christ and one with the Family of God. The tares and the wheat have grown up together and were indistinguishable until the fruit began to manifest in the good grain. The fruitless look-alike tares will not abide with the maturing grain of God’s kingdom of pure holy sons. After the removal of the tares, the sons of the kingdom will shine forth as the sun lighting the world with the glorious kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven.

Mat 13:41-43: “The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

Righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit are the living reality of the kingdom within the maturing sons of God now, and will become the characteristics of the worldwide kingdom of God on earth. The supernatural strength of the maturing sons emanates from the righteousness, peace and joy of the Lord abiding within the sons of God. A popular snippet of scripture is the proclamation that “the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

We may momentarily experience a lack of joy that results in a lack of strength when personal adversities tear at our lives and especially as we see the demise of the contaminated systems of the old world. Many activities, works and things that we had thought of as good and natural will be passing away. Many people who continue to deny the Lord’s kingdom will be passing away with the fallen systems of the world.

However, the maturing sons of God will arise from the ashes of the momentary lack of strength with hearts filled with the strength of the joy of the Lord. Rivers of living waters flowing from them will refresh the earth with righteousness, peace and joy of life everlasting. Abundance of powerful life-giving strength will fill our hearts to overflowing with the life of God reclaiming and renewing the world to the kingdom of heaven on earth.

Isa 9:6-7: For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

Keep on pursuing love. It never fails
and His kingdom never ends.

Ron McGatlin

http://www.openheaven.com
basileia@earthlink.net

Christ-like Discipleship verses the Modern Church discipleship

Posted: June 11, 2011 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, Prophetic, wilderness
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As we were ministering to the homeless last night, I thought of all the peoples in the City neglected by the church, not just the homeless, but the mentally tormented, the addicts, the elderly and shut ins -yet these peoples are not forgotten by the Lord.

Last night I was crying before the Lord for the need is so large yet so few are moved with true compassion. He had reminded me early as I was driving home from downtown of how He has said there will be a day when those who had been clothed for the wedding, will have their garments removed and they shall be placed up the way wards and servants.

As I was weeping before Him, He showed that many like those we have been ministering are a hidden remnant army of Heaven, waiting to be awoke for the last days – that of those who the religious have forsaken He shall revive, restore to their created purpose and place in them the Fire of His Glory. For many look to those who appear to be “righteous & Holy” as pleasing towards the Lord, yet the fragrance of their prideful religion is a stench to His nostrils.

Many in the modern day church believe that by building huge “houses of worship” and filling them with great performers and most advanced technological gadgets of the day, we shall disciple a huge amount of workers – Yet history goes against that thinking, for the past 100 years the church as evolved with the modern world, they have allowed the power of God’s Word to be replaced with modern ingenuity and we have been left with a powerless people – powerless not because the Lord has not desired to empower them with His presence – they are powerless for they have grown dependent upon their wisdom, their knowledge, their way and have rejected the ways of the Lord.

The church in a large part has become broken in the Spiritual things, though it appears wealthy in the modern sense – it has turned from the style of discipleship which birthed the world changers of Jesus day and attempted to better the very style He has prescribed in His Word.

They see themselves as rich because all the money they bring in and can spend on modern amenities – Yet the Lord says “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked”. (Rev 3:17)

First of all, making disciples is not an easy process. It is trying, it is messy, it is slow, tedious and even painful at times. It is all these things because it is relational (something that can not be gained from those who believe they can mainly disciple from a pulpit).

We read part of the instruction that Jesus gave us and what it involves in that we are to go and make disciples of all nations. Then we are to baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. We are to teach them to obey everything Jesus commanded. All this adds up to the means to multiply people who enjoy God’s grace and extend His Glory around the world.

Now, according to Jesus, disciple making involves going. It involves intentionally taking the gospel to the people where they live, work and play. Disciple making is not a call for others to come to us, in a building, to hear the gospel but a command for us to go to others to share the gospel. It is a command for us to be gospel-living, gospel-speaking people at every moment and in every context where we find ourselves.

We disciple true disciples by leading them by hand in to the high-ways and by-ways – not by mere instruction – but by walking the walk with them – walking thru those neighborhoods where the modern day church dare not go – walking into the trauma centers – walking into the bars – walking into the nursing homes – walking into the prisons – and breathing out the gospel message. Christ first led the way, showing the disciples how to minister – then He said go, do what you’ve seen me do.

Many of the modern day church leaders if they were to lead the church to where they were taught, it would be but back to the halls ways of religion, the seminaries where they were taught by the those who dared not go themselves – being taught the business structure of church, the non-offensive politically correct art of “church” – not the hands on laboring structure of the Kingdom!

I recently came out from underneath a leadership who believed they had come out from the religious church structure only to find that they are attempting to build their own. Dis-regarding the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ in the call to go out, they teach “gather” them in that “our” elite might minister too them. Sadly they have continued to attempt to build like minded leaders to advance their name, dis regarding the call to go out and reach the lost, disc regarding the Lord’s call to feed the hungry.

I praise Yeshua for His faithfulness to call out too His own, for during the whole process, many of the trained leaders, having had a true and revelationary encounter with the Lord have been drawn away from such religious foolishness and have gone out to spread the Good News.

Now the truth is, it has cost those who have dared to truly follow the Lord, even as Jesus said it would – false accusations, back biting even being told that they are walking away from God’s calling. In reality they are walking directly into the purposes of God for their lives.

God is calling for a re-aligning of the Bride back too her foundational setting!

Give me the Bible and the opportunity to speak of its power, sharing the testimony of how thru it, Holy Ghost has transformed and continues to transform my life – mix with with the testimonies of others, coat in the power and authority of heaven via the anointing of Holy Ghost and you will see a people being reached with the truth – yet this is not for me alone – this is the opportunity for every believer who has been set free to do – going out and sharing the power of the gospel to lost.

If we were to strip these modern churches of all the fancy gadgets and turn them back to the preaching of the Word of God in truth and purity – if we were to remove the performance based worship, speaking and theatrical style church services back to that which the Lord taught us, we would see a church that is impacting the very culture that surrounds it rather than the church being impacted by the culture!

Time is short, the Father has told Holy Ghost to ramp up the shaking – the earth itself is crying out for the Lords return. Holy Ghost is empowering those who desire the true gospel with a last days out-pouring of anointing, dreams and visions – the time for the religious modern day church to repent and turn back to the foundational teachings is short.

You have heard the Word and heard the call – the decision is now before you – follow Jesus and His Word in His truthful authority & anointed power or continue to sit in the comforts of religion listening to those ear tickling, watered down – self help, powerless messages. Today the alarm is being blown before you, those who take up the cause of Christ, their cross and His Kingdom shall see their rewards, they shall be empowered from on High with supernatural peace and strength to push forward the Kingdom of God.

There is a gospel starved generation out side the walls of religious conformity- Are you radical enough to say no more to religion and start living, breathing and walking in the power of His name? For the true radical disciples of Christ have a fire burning inside to transfer the message of truth into others lives, that they in return become set a blazed with the passion of Christ to go out and do the same!

Give me ten such individuals, who have denied themselves, turned from religion and rejected the modern day powerless doctrines of individualism and conformity which leads to a life of religious compromise.

Yes Lord, show me ten such radical Kingdom citizens who have been baptized in the fires of Yeshua’s passion for the lost and forsaken, those filled with His fire filled passion for His Bride- for then I will show you a city being transformed, who shall then see the Spirit birthing out a people who shall transform a State, who then shall see the Spirit birthing out a people who shall transform whole nations for the Glory, Honor and Praise of our Lord Jesus Christ, which in return Glorifies the Father!

The choice is set before you today friends – follow man or follow Christ!

IHS,
Russ Welch

Increasing in Spiritual Authority

Posted: June 10, 2011 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, teaching, wilderness
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First, as a disciple of Jesus Christ you have authority over sin.Let me show this to you in the Word by turning to John Chapter 8, beginning in verse 31:

“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My Word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ They answered Him, ‘We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, “You will be made free?”‘ Jesus answered them, ‘Most assuredly I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”

So first of all, number one, as a disciple of Jesus Christ, you have authority over sin. Thanks be to God Who has delivered us from sin through Jesus Christ. We have authority over the penalty of sin, and we have authority over the power of sin. That means, according to Paul in Romans, that sin does not have to have dominion over us, as opposed to before when we had no choice, we had no say so, but we were bound by sin. And now, through the death of Jesus Christ, we’ve been delivered from the power of sin, and we’ve been delivered from the penalty of sin. So now we have authority over sin. So praise God for that! That is the first thing you have authority over as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Whoever the Son makes free, they are free indeed!

And you might say, “Well, I don’t feel like it, it doesn’t look like it, blah blah blah.” One thing you need to learn about authority is: authority is yours whether you see it, whether you feel it, whether you act upon it or not. You still have authority over sin. We’ll talk about how to increase that authority, and that’s the difference. The increase of authority over sin (and over anything else that we’ll discuss) is increased as you act upon that authority. We’ll discuss that as we go forward, but right now, just accept it on faith based on what Jesus is saying. He or she, whoever the Son sets free, is free indeed. So you have authority over sin. You’re no longer a slave to sin, instead, Paul says you are a slave to righteousness. Now the first step is recognizing that so you can start living according to who you really are, not the way you’ve been living up to the point where you gave your life to the Lord. So authority over sin – that’s what you have already, number one.

Number two, you have, as a disciple of Jesus Christ, authority over satan. You do have authority over the devil. I’ve already read this, but to reinforce the point once more – and there are many scriptures that we could provide to support this, but one of the clearest examples is Colossians Chapter 1 – so if you’ll turn to Colossians Chapter 1, I’d like to begin with verse 12:

“Giving thanks to the Father, Who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us…” (Now that is past tense. He has – not going to deliver us.)

“…He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the Kingdom of the Son of His love.” The Greek word “power” there again, being “exousia”, more properly translated “authority”.

Once you have received an inheritance of the saints in the light, and you’ve been transferred out of darkness and into the Kingdom of His dear Son, you’ve been delivered from the authority and the power of darkness. Your eyes have been opened, and satan no longer has authority in your life. And so, you’ve got authority over the devil, you have authority over satan, and that is not something you have to work towards in an effort to try and get that. Instead, that authority is yours in the Name of Jesus. Now, listen! You don’t have to claim it; it just is. Whether you claim it or not, whether you believe it or not, you have authority over sin, you have authority over satan.

Now obviously some people have more than others – only because some people recognize that authority and they live accordingly. If you have authority over the devil, but you keep giving him permission to operate in your life, then guess what? He’s going to beat you up. If you have authority over sin, but you continue to willfully sin, and you don’t deal with those areas, and you don’t allow yourself to be crucified and dealt with in those areas, then you’re going to continue to sin – even though you have authority over sin, you have authority over satan; nevertheless, that authority has to be recognized, and then it has to be exercised.

Now regardless of what you believe, or what you think, or what you feel, or what you see, this is what the Scripture says. So that’s the second thing. You have authority over sin, you have authority over satan – as a believer, as a saint, as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Thirdly, you have authority over the world. And that is found in I John Chapter 5, if you would turn there please. Beginning in verse 4, it says this:

“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”

Praise the Lord. Now, it doesn’t say you have to be mature. It doesn’t say you have to be spiritually adult. It just says you have to be born of God and believe that Jesus is the Son of God; and once you are born-again, God at that moment gives you authority over the world.

Different people could translate that to mean different things. I take it as: authority over the world system, authority over the ways of the world. It means the world no longer has to have that pull and that draw upon you, because your citizenship now is in heaven, and you can be an ambassador for Christ and a king and priest in His Kingdom and represent that to the world around you. That’s how you overcome the world. John says don’t love the world, or the things of the world, because the world and the things therein are passing away, but he who does the will of God will abide forever. And this is he who overcomes the world: those who are born again. Those who have believed on the Name of Jesus. And this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith. So praise God.

Now, in the world you’ll have tribulation, so authority over the world doesn’t mean that my circumstances will always be just the way I want them; I’ll never have any problems, and I’ll never have any challenges. What it means is: in the midst of all of that coming against me in the world, I can still be victorious in Christ.

And so, you already have, as a disciple of Jesus Christ, authority over sin, number one; authority over satan, number two; and number three: authority over the world.

Now, since all disciples have this authority, why doesn’t every disciple overcome? You might be asking yourself that question. You might say, “That sounds good, I believe what the Bible says, but I certainly don’t see that happening in my life, and I don’t see that as being the standard for Christian’s lives as a general way of life. I don’t see this happening. So if all disciples have this authority, why don’t more disciples overcome?”

Well, I think the clue you’re going to find out is right back where we left off in John 8. You remember Jesus says, “If… if… if.” See, that’s a condition. “If you continue, if you continue, if you continue in My Word.” What happens if you don’t continue? Well, “if you don’t continue in My Word, then you’re not really My disciples, and therefore the Truth cannot make you free.”

Truth makes us free in a progressive sense. In other words, we have authority over sin, but many times we’re still bound by sin. We have authority over satan, but a lot of times we allow satan to intimidate us, or to exercise power over us, as a result of our own ignorance, our own laziness. See, God says “My people perish for a lack of knowledge.” It is not because satan is all-powerful. It’s not because he’s even very powerful. It’s not because he has authority, in fact the exact opposite is the case when you’re born again, you become a child of God, you have authority over satan!

So how is it that the devil is able to accomplish so much? It’s because “My people perish for a lack of knowledge.” It’s a lack of understanding, and actually a lack of wisdom, because we don’t continue in the Word, we don’t give the Word time enough to transform us and conform us. We don’t continue, we don’t abide in His Word. And so Jesus says (in effect) “if you don’t abide in My Word then you’re not my disciples indeed, you will not know the truth, and the truth will not make you free.”

It’s all contingent on abiding in My Word. “Abide in Me, I will abide in you, you will produce much fruit, and your fruit will remain,” it says in John 15. But, “if you do not abide in Me, if you do not continue in Me, if you do not continue and abide in My Word and in My teachings, then you will not experience fruitfulness, and you will not experience the liberty and the freedom that is there, that is available to you – but you’ve got to continue in My Word.”

Don’t be condemned, but just let me speak the truth to you. If you’re lacking in an area, it’s not because sin is so powerful. It’s not because the devil is so powerful. It’s not because the world is so powerful. It’s only because you have failed to appreciate and recognize and walk in the authority that God has given you. That’s it! You just haven’t grown up to the point that you can walk in the assurance and the knowledge and the authority and the maturity that God has already provided for you.

So don’t blame God, don’t blame sin, don’t blame satan, don’t blame the world – and don’t blame yourself. Just go ahead and say, “OK. I recognize now that I have failed to grow up in these areas.” And ask the Lord to help you to grow, and as you do, your awareness of the truth will begin to transform you.

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