by Clay Sikes – www.lighthouseprophecy.org
As many know, we are living in a modern day ‘reformation period,’ much like Martin Luther’s time in the past. We have moved into the third third, from the Church Age to the Kingdom Age, from Pentecost to Tabernacles. Much has been written about this transition by many, and I won’t belabor the point here. I will however, begin to highlight changes that this new Age (era of time) demand – new times produce new characteristics. As in the natural, spiritual times produce new aspects for consideration. Just as the horse fell victim to the car, the telegraph to the telephone, the lantern to lights, the fan to air conditioning; all these factors had one common trait – major change brought on by time! Let us not be short circuited by our own traditions: Ignorance often comes disguised as tradition!
My great grandmother was transported by mule and wagon the first 20 years of her life, yet she lived long enough to see a man walk on the moon. She once told me that during those early years there was no way to imagine traveling by air much less jet travel, much less space travel. The characteristics of travel, even from mule and wagon on dusty roads, to the vast Interstate systems she would ride on before her death were far more than she could have comprehended. As the Industrial Age rolled into the Information Age a few years back, so too has the spiritual Age changed. Few are fortunate enough to see the change of a century, the change of natural age (Industrial to Information), and now a spiritual Age, yet those living today have seen all three. Mind and soul comprehend the first two; but only by the Spirit is the third known or seen. Every season has its unique characteristics, and just as we don’t wear warm clothes in summer, or shorts in winter, so too does the season we have entered have its unique characteristics. To know these characteristics and to be vigilant to look for them is to forearm us with some expectation. Let us not be found with oil less lamps.
What is mentioned here is the tip of the iceberg. I see through the glass darkly, and invite comment and understanding as we ask God’s leadership and provision in building His Kingdom (in all spheres on earth).
For years I have recognized being called out of ‘her’ that I might be drawn to HIM, and in the process ESTABLISH! For years I have been instrumental in the local market in breaking break the mold and establishing change by introducing new ideas and new ways, thereby releasing a new paradigm. This preparation and gift, which first started as a natural phenomenon prior to my salvation, has remained; however the ESTABLISHING today is for His glory, not mine! God is establishing a distinct and clear path to His Way, and as with times past, He can be seen and recognized when the times are urgent, as the hearts of men are more open in times of famine and desperation.
I submit the following for prayer, and that you hear God as to the spiritual validity of this writing. This first in a series of articles is written to those ‘called’ to the marketplace. I cannot shake what I believe God to be saying: “Flow into the new wineskin in the marketplace, and in worship and assembly.” I so strongly believe God is calling the elders at the city gate to pray as to how this wineskin is to look. The last thing I desire is another organization; I abhor the thought, but cannot resist the strong, almost compelling thrust to enter the ‘new wineskin.’ Just what that is remains to be seen. This is where the elders (forerunners) will collectively pray and hear what God is saying. This message is to both Kings and Priest.
I believe that this new wineskin will welcome the hurting world and Body of Christ, ministering to them in great love, compassion, and understanding; and further believe that its strong mission field will be the lost world, lost church, and the generations behind us. We are indeed living in Revelation 12 and Isaiah 60 times. What I see in this effort is an amazing spiritual feeding ground for starving people, coupled with an unparallel opportunity to shape the current generation and the generations following – establishing God’s Kingdom over the deeply rooted world’s system, a system in great decline brought on by its on greed, manipulation, and self serving purposes; and which, by the way, is right in the middle of many of today’s churches.
Many of us have been part of, and hence loathed the organizations of men. This exposure and experience happened for a very defined reason – to contrast the darkness from light. The new wineskin will carry the light into the dark world, and while I so strongly sense the wineskin is in both the marketplace (businesses), and assembly (the church), as stated, I will focus here on the marketplace (our business models). The single characteristic that distinguishes this model from those of the world, and even those we call Christian businesses today is the profound unity and spiritual flow in the appointed leadership of these marketplace models. Hirelings will not exist in leadership roles in these businesses, but rather true called sons and daughters – those led by His Spirit. A single hireling in a single place of core leadership will signal a lack of completeness in the work at hand – a little leaven spoils the whole lump.
Other characteristics exists beyond the absence of hirelings. The one man, top down, hierarchical corporate structure will not be seen in these business models, but rather a flow of confirming ideas under the leadership of God’s spirit. Each leader will have a specific responsibility in tandem with his gifting, with checks and balances (by spiritual witness) among core leaders. This model is not absent a leader, as leaders have a specific responsibility for all final decisions, but this leader is a servant to those who serve the ‘calling to the marketplace’ as unto the Lord, and not unto the leader himself. Each member of this core leadership recognizes his assignment as a ‘calling,’ further understanding the vast significance of Acts 17:26. Core leadership never seeks productivity, but rather creativity from those associated with the business. Core leaders are creative and spontaneously produce ideas that are productive, often defying the realm of possibility, whose thinking has escaped the arena of logic and reason and entered the arena of faith. These business models cry for creators, not producers.
The connection to, and trust for God allows this core group to continuously walk in the revelation of Romans 8:28. Nothing shakes their faith, even when it looks like sure destruction is at hand. Like David’s mighty men in the cave, these called one’s are settled in their callings and the places this calling takes them – cave or palace, makes no difference; never judging from the outward appearance.
These unions are taking place today as radical men and women are joining for His purposes. Nothing can stop the compelling urge to meet and gather IN HIS PRESENCE. The joining of those called will be signaled by a miraculous anointing, which will clearly separate those called from the world’s system to the Kingdom’s Way. Many are convinced that they know what the Kingdom’s Way is, but there is much to be learned as this new model will be constructed specifically by the Holy Spirit for God’s glory. Other characteristics of this company are men who despise not small beginnings, extreme transparency, repentance, praise, worship, prophetic and apostolic leanings, courage, no fear of death, premium time with God, and a strong testimony of overcoming power.
This Age will reveal the miraculous and those called to it as they will live in the world of the supernatural as naturally as a fish swims in the sea. Their testimonies are riddled with occasions of Divine Interference, as the Age will produce another unique characteristic – repeated Divine Interference in the affairs of men. Think it not a strange thing when these things begin to happen, first in God’s forerunners, then to the full remnant, and then with the Body of Christ. God’s time to shine in this dark world is upon us, and He will shine within the skin of men, those obedient unto death, who have exchanged their life for His. Let God arise and His enemies be scattered. Watch out for a Kingdom business coming to a town near you
Tags: kingdom
This podcast is from a meeting in middle Tennessee. The group is led by Wayne Jacobsen and Brad Cummings who have a blog called The God Journey. The gathering was organized by Jason Duncan in Sumner County, TN (www.theway247.com). It is life giving as they ask some of the “hard questions” which are part of this “journey” from Religion to Relationship.
Part 1 of 2:
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Part 2 of 2:
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Definitely outside the box….. I love it.
-Benny-
| By David Orton | ||||
|
||||
Tags: Jesus, kingdom, relationships
This is a STRONG confirmed prophetic WORD for this current season. It is provided by Christine Beadsworth who is from South Africa.
Please test it according to the Spirit.
by Clay Sikes
In early January 2010, I began to sense that the ‘times’ we have entered will bring change – a change of a magnitude not known before. For many, these times will bring extraordinary difficulties, but for others, those who have lived through one difficult period after another, who have been tried by the fires of affliction, who have lived in total obscurity and tested and purified by the Lord’s chastening, true life (destiny) will begin (1 Corinthians 3:13). This time is signified by the manifestation of the sons (daughters) of God (Romans 8). The Kingdom is coming upon earth, ascending from these very sons and daughters, as they live a life of complete obedience to the Lord’s commands, “who love not their own life unto death.”
The Lord has graciously allowed us to see the signs in Matthew 24 in understanding the connection to Revelation 12: 1-6 and Romans 8. Let those who have ears to hear, hear what the Spirit is saying. The woman (Church) has birthed the man-child (sons and daughters of God). This birth has been bloody and messy, and though we are in infant form we are coming into the full statue of Christ, as fully mature sons and daughters individually, and now corporately.
As a corporate Body we are now forming by connecting, as connection (assembly) is the first vital aspect in the formation of any body. When the true remnant Body connection is complete, the Head will begin to direct the Body in uniform corporate measure, such that unity will flow between the masses of God’s appointed.
This is indeed a time of preparation, much the same as in Joseph’s day. We must prepare for what is to come as to be found innocent when judgment begins. We are to prepare our hearts, as heart preparation allows a flow of accurate communication with the Father allowing other measures of physical preparation. There is time enough, though it is short, to prepare and see what is coming as the world’s system is gasping for its last breath (Haggai 2:20). As this once powerful system of greed and entitlement falls under God’s judgment (Isaiah 47), hidden sin will be exposed as never before. The demise of the world’s system will give rise to a Kingdom economic base in which a great wealth transfer will change the planet.
This transfer will have little or nothing to do with past discussions or teachings on ‘what this means,’ as God’s great wealth transfer will encompass all of God’s people in some degree, including the poorest of the poor. God’s Kingdom economic system will work, and redeem His people as His principles replace the world’s system. The economies of the world will bow their knee to the Kingdom’s influence upon the earth.
Teaching others to become God-centered and community minded will release the greatest wealth transfer in the history of the world, as God’s hand of favor and blessing will find those involved in this appointment and exponentially release resources.
This is not a time to fear, but rejoice as Jesus will be seen on earth through His corporate Body who will reign and rule with an iron scepter. The ‘iron scepter’ means many things, but its initial meaning is found in serving others, teaching the ways of our Lord to those we are appointed to serve. This will begin with the remnant company of God’s appointed, causing others to grasp complete and total surrender (dying to self) thus producing a bride without spot or wrinkle.
The signs are in the air that these events are now happening, as some months ago I felt the Lord gave me a vision of a map that addressed events in this country. What I felt He told me was that a whirlwind would start in the west (California) and work its way east, but not to fear because He was in the whirlwind.
Much more to come as we are living in the most exciting times this earth has known.
Clay Sikes (www.lighthouseprophecy.org)
2010, perhaps like no year in recent history, will signal abrupt change for many ‘front line’ remnant Saints. This change, I believe, will begin in the marketplace and extend into many other areas of life and ministry. A ‘front line’ remnant Saint is one who has faced the intensity of battle for an extended period of time; one who has discernment between ‘true relationship’ and ‘religious pursuit;’ one who recognizes that it is God’s purpose in life, and never his own. Where we are in this progression will be revealed in coming years, but will begin in earnest in 2010. For those leading the ‘charge,’ a sudden and unmistaken joy will arise; a joy so powerful that it will be reminiscent of our ‘first love.’ This joy will invite manifestations of God’s love and favor upon His people, as a succession of miraculous events will leave little room for even the most skeptical – God is ‘in the house!’
2010 will offer even greater evidences of ‘contrast’ than did 2009, as God continues to distinguish His own from those who are not. It is said that ‘possession’ is nine tenths of the law. In God, ‘possession’ is the law; and to the degree we are ‘possessed’ of God to that same degree will the revelation of God be revealed in our lives. A fully possessed man does not belong to himself – He lives for God. Many claim to ‘live for God,’ but cannot because they do not hear Him. Only true Sons can ‘hear’ Him, and to the degree we ‘hear’ to that degree are we possessed, as only His sheep hear His voice. It is important to note that the word ‘His’ is possessive and denotes ownership. Possession in this context has little to do with outward appearance; it is a condition of the ‘heart.’ Many caught up in the ‘Church System’ do not recognize this simple fact as ‘works’ and outward appearance are the poor substitutes that often block true relationship. The fires of affliction however, have a way of balancing this impropriety.
Two words best describe the prophetic relevance of 2010 – Sudden Evidence. ‘Sudden’ is a word describing the ‘abrupt’ changes that 2010 will bring, as things long stagnant will suddenly begin to move. ‘Evidence’ refers to the physical manifestation of a long sought ‘breakthrough.’ Often our areas of greatest crisis are the areas of our calling and gifting. The enabling ‘word made flesh’ in our lives, which brings deliverance during crisis, is the overcoming testimony that leads and liberates others. Crisis abounds in the marketplace, and no greater place can the aforementioned ‘contrast’ be revealed in a global sense than in the marketplace. The proverbial cart is now in the ditch and God’s appointed and anointed will arise with solutions. One’s leadership ability is directly proportionate to one’s ability to solve and resolve problems. Appointed leaders will arise with solutions, first for themselves and their communities, and then to the nations. ‘Watch’ as entire systems are replaced! The Kingdom of God will replace the World’s System in virtually every area of existence. As the ‘Kingdom’ emerges in the marketplace the fragile ‘World’s System’ will continue to crumble.
Credit, once the vehicle of commerce, will be replaced as barter and exchange will become more prevalent in times ahead. Borrowing will give way to lending as God’s appointed kings and priest take their rightful positions within their appointed Kingdom sphere. These evidences will begin in isolated areas of seemingly ‘global insignificance,’ but will give eventual rise to an entire system of monumental global significance. The abruptness of this happening and the changes that it will bring to the marketplace will startle many yet give rise to economic recovery long sought by economist and world leaders.
Those marked to initiate these changes in 2010 have two specific common denominators: 1) they are sensitive to ‘Kingdom Coalitions’ – alliances, partnerships, and relationships of God’s choosing that release supernatural synergy to accomplish God’s purpose. As with Joseph, some of these alliances may be with and from Pharaoh. Just as they are sensitive to ‘associations,’ so too are they sensitive to ‘disassociations.’ Relationships steeped in religiosity will delay the plan of God. 2) They “considered not the deadness of Sarah’s womb.” Never did the ‘deadness’ of their marketplace calling affect their decisions, as the fruit of their faith was grounded in ‘hearing.’ Those who have remained steadfast in God appointed and anointed calling will emerge from the fires of affliction waving the banner of God as they walk the way of God, and in the process bring in many sons.
Tags: kingdom, marketplace
Keep on pursuing love. It never fails
and His kingdom never ends.,
Ron McGatlin
by Wolfgang Simson
God is changing the Church, and that, in turn, will change the world. Millions of Christians around the world are aware of an imminent reformation of global proportions. They say, in effect: “Church as we know it is preventing Church as God wants it.” A growing number of them are surprisingly hearing God say the very same things. There is a collective new awareness of age-old revelations, a corporate spiritual echo. In the following “15 Theses” I will summarize a part of this, and I am convinced that it reflects a part of what the Spirit of God is saying to the Church today. For some, it might be the proverbial fist-sized cloud on Elijah’s sky. Others already feel the pouring rain.
Fifteen Theses towards a Re-Incarnation of Church
1. Church is a Way of Life, not a series of religious meetings.
Before they where called Christians, followers of Christ have been called “The Way”. One of the reasons was, that they have literally found “the way to live.” The nature of Church is not reflected in a constant series of religious meetings lead by professional clergy in holy rooms specially reserved to experience Jesus, but in the prophetic way followers of Christ live their everyday life in spiritually extended families as a vivid answer to the questions society faces, at the place where it counts most: in their homes.
2. Time to change the system
In aligning itself to the religious patterns of the day, the historic Orthodox Church after Constantine in the 4th century AD adopted a religious system which was in essence Old Testament, complete with priests, altar, a Christian temple (cathedral), frankincense and a Jewish, synagogue-style worship pattern. The Roman Catholic Church went on to canonize the system. Luther did reform the content of the gospel, but left the outer forms of “church” remarkably untouched; the Free-Churches freed the system from the State, the Baptists then baptized it, the Quakers dry-cleaned it, the Salvation Army put it into a uniform, the Pentecostals anointed it and the Charismatics renewed it, but until today nobody has really changed the superstructure. It is about time to do just that.
3. The Third Reformation.
In rediscovering the gospel of salvation by faith and grace alone, Luther started to reform the Church through a reformation of theology. In the 18th century through movements like the Moravians there was a recovery of a new intimacy with God, which led to a reformation of spirituality, the Second Reformation. Now God is touching the wineskins themselves, initiating a Third Reformation, a reformation of structure.
4. From Church-Houses to house-churches
Since New Testament times, there is no such thing as “a house of God”. At the cost of his life, Stephen reminded unequivocally: God does not live in temples made by human hands. The Church is the people of God. The Church, therefore, was and is at home where people are at home: in ordinary houses. There, the people of God:
share their lives in the power of the Holy Spirit, have “meatings,” that is, they eat when they meet; they often do not even hesitate to sell private property and share material and spiritual blessings, teach each other in real-life situations how to obey God’s word—dialogue- and not professor-style, pray and prophesy with each other, baptize, ‘lose their face’ and their ego by confessing their sins, regaining a new corporate identity by experiencing love, acceptance and forgiveness.
5. The church has to become small in order to grow big
Most churches of today are simply too big to provide real fellowship. They have too often become “fellowships without fellowship.” The New Testament Church was a mass of small groups, typically between 10 and 15 people. It grew not upward into big congregations between 20 and 300 people filling a cathedral and making real, mutual communication improbable. Instead, it multiplied “sidewards”—like organic cells—once these groups reached around 15-20 people. Then, if possible, it drew all the Christians together into citywide celebrations, as with Solomon’s Temple court in Jerusalem. The traditional congregational church as we know it is, statistically speaking, neither big nor beautiful, but rather a sad compromise, an overgrown house-church and an under-grown celebration, often missing the dynamics of both.
6. No church is led by a Pastor alone
The local church is not lead by a Pastor, but fathered by an Elder, a local person of wisdom and reality. The local house-churches are then networked into a movement by the combination of elders and members of the so-called five-fold ministries (Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Evangelists and Teachers) circulating “from house to house,” whereby there is a special foundational role to play for the apostolic and prophetic ministries (Eph. 2:20, and 4:11.12). A Pastor (shepherd) is a very necessary part of the whole team, but he cannot fulfill more than a part of the whole task of “equipping the saints for the ministry,” and has to be complemented synergistically by the other four ministries in order to function properly.
7. The right pieces – fitted together in the wrong way
In doing a puzzle, we need to have the right original for the pieces, otherwise the final product, the whole picture, turns out wrong, and the individual pieces do not make much sense. This has happened to large parts of the Christian world: we have all the right pieces, but have fitted them together wrong, because of fear, tradition, religious jealousy and a power-and-control mentality. As water is found in three forms—ice, water and steam—the five ministries mentioned in Eph. 4:11-12, the Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Teachers and Evangelists are also found today, but not always in the right forms and in the right places: they are often frozen to ice in the rigid system of institutionalized Christianity; they sometimes exist as clear water; or they have vanished like steam into the thin air of free-flying ministries and “independent” churches, accountable to no-one. As it is best to water flowers with the fluid version of water, these five equipping ministries will have to be transformed back into new—and at the same time age-old—forms, so that the whole spiritual organism can flourish and the individual “ministers” can find their proper role and place in the whole. That is one more reason why we need to return back to the Maker’s original and blueprint for the Church.
8. God does not leave the Church in the hands of bureaucratic clergy
No expression of a New Testament church is ever led by just one professional “holy man” doing the business of communicating with God and then feeding some relatively passive religious consumers Moses-style. Christianity has adopted this method from pagan religions, or at best from the Old Testament. The heavy professionalisation of the church since Constantine has now been a pervasive influence long enough, dividing the people of God artificially into laity and clergy. According to the New Testament (1 Tim. 2:5), “there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” God simply does not bless religious professionals to force themselves in-between people and God forever. The veil is torn, and God is allowing people to access Himself directly through Jesus Christ, the only Way. To enable the priesthood of all believers, the present system will have to change completely. Bureaucracy is the most dubious of all administrative systems, because it basically asks only two questions: yes or no. There is no room for spontaneity and humanity, no room for real life. This may be OK for politics and companies, but not the Church. God seems to be in the business of delivering His Church from a Babylonian captivity of religious bureaucrats and controlling spirits into the public domain, the hands of ordinary people made extraordinary by God, who, like in the old days, may still smell of fish, perfume and revolution.
9. Return from organized to organic forms of Christianity
The “Body of Christ” is a vivid description of an organic, not an organized, being. Church consists on its local level of a multitude of spiritual families, which are organically related to each other as a network, where the way the pieces are functioning together is an integral part of the message of the whole. What has become a maximum of organization with a minimum of organism, has to be changed into a minimum of organization to allow a maximum of organism. Too much organization has, like a straightjacket, often choked the organism for fear that something might go wrong. Fear is the opposite of faith, and not exactly a Christian virtue. Fear wants to control, faith can trust. Control, therefore, may be good, but trust is better. The Body of Christ is entrusted by God into the hands of steward-minded people with a supernatural charismatic gift to believe God that He is still in control, even if they are not. A development of trust-related regional and national networks, not a new arrangement of political ecumenism is necessary for organic forms of Christianity to reemerge.
10. From worshipping our worship to worshipping God
The image of much of contemporary Christianity can be summarized, a bit euphemistically, as holy people coming regularly to a holy place at a holy day at a holy hour to participate in a holy ritual lead by a holy man dressed in holy clothes against a holy fee. Since this regular performance-oriented enterprise called “worship service” requires a lot of organizational talent and administrative bureaucracy to keep going, formalized and institutionalized patterns developed quickly into rigid traditions. Statistically, a traditional 1-2 hour “worship service” is very resource-hungry but actually produces very little fruit in terms of discipling people, that is, in changed lives. Economically speaking, it might be a “high input and low output” structure. Traditionally, the desire to “worship in the right way” has led to much denominationalism, confessionalism and nominalism. This not only ignores that Christians are called to “worship in truth and in spirit,” not in cathedrals holding songbooks, but also ignores that most of life is informal, and so is Christianity as “the Way of Life.” Do we need to change from being powerful actors to start “acting powerfully?”
11. Stop bringing people to church, and start bringing the church to the people
The church is changing back from being a Come-structure to being again a Go-structure. As one result, the Church needs to stop trying to bring people “into the church,” and start bringing the Church to the people. The mission of the Church will never be accomplished just by adding to the existing structure; it will take nothing less than a mushrooming of the church through spontaneous multiplication of itself into areas of the population of the world, where Christ is not yet known.
12. Rediscovering the “Lord’s Supper” to be a real supper with real food
Church tradition has managed to “celebrate the Lord’s Supper” in a homeopathic and deeply religious form, characteristically with a few drops of wine, a tasteless cookie and a sad face. However, the “Lord’s Supper” was actually more a substantial supper with a symbolic meaning, than a symbolic supper with a substantial meaning. God is restoring eating back into our meeting.
13. From Denominations to city-wide celebrations
Jesus called a universal movement, and what came was a series of religious companies with global chains marketing their special brands of Christianity and competing with each other. Through this branding of Christianity most of Protestantism has, therefore, become politically insignificant and often more concerned with traditional specialties and religious infighting than with developing a collective testimony before the world. Jesus simply never asked people to organize themselves into denominations. In the early days of the Church, Christians had a dual identity: they were truly His church and vertically converted to God, and then organized themselves according to geography, that is, converting also horizontally to each other on earth. This means not only Christian neighbors organizing themselves into neighborhood- or house-churches, where they share their lives locally, but Christians coming together as a collective identity as much as they can for citywide or regional celebrations expressing the corporateness of the Church of the city or region. Authenticity in the neighborhoods connected with a regional or citywide corporate identity will make the Church not only politically significant and spiritually convincing, but will allow a return to the biblical model of the City-Church.
14. Developing a persecution-proof spirit
They crucified Jesus, the Boss of all the Christians. Today, his followers are often more into titles, medals and social respectability, or, worst of all, they remain silent and are not worth being noticed at all. “Blessed are you when you are persecuted”, says Jesus. Biblical Christianity is a healthy threat to pagan godlessness and sinfulness, a world overcome by greed, materialism, jealousy and any amount of demonic standards of ethics, sex, money and power. Contemporary Christianity in many countries is simply too harmless and polite to be worth persecuting. But as Christians again live out New Testament standards of life and, for example, call sin as sin, conversion or persecution has been, is and will be the natural reaction of the world. Instead of nesting comfortably in temporary zones of religious liberty, Christians will have to prepare to be again discovered as the main culprits against global humanism, the modern slavery of having to have fun and the outright worship of Self, the wrong centre of the universe. That is why Christians will and must feel the “repressive tolerance” of a world which has lost any absolutes and therefore refuses to recognize and obey its creator God with his absolute standards. Coupled with the growing ideologisation, privatization and spiritualisation of politics and economics, Christians will—sooner than most think—have their chance to stand happily accused in the company of Jesus. They need to prepare now for the future by developing a persecution-proof spirit and an even more persecution-proof structure.
15. The Church comes home
Where is the easiest place, say, for a man to be spiritual? Maybe again, is it hiding behind a big pulpit, dressed up in holy robes, preaching holy words to a faceless crowd and then disappearing into an office? And what is the most difficult—and therefore most meaningful—place for a man to be spiritual? At home, in the presence of his wife and children, where everything he does and says is automatically put through a spiritual litmus test against reality, where hypocrisy can be effectively weeded out and authenticity can grow. Much of Christianity has fled the family, often as a place of its own spiritual defeat, and then has organized artificial performances in sacred buildings far from the atmosphere of real life. As God is in the business of recapturing the homes, the church turns back to its roots—back to where it came from. It literally comes home, completing the circle of Church history at the end of world history.
As Christians of all walks of life, from all denominations and backgrounds, feel a clear echo in their spirit to what God’s Spirit is saying to the Church, and start to hear globally in order to act locally, they begin to function again as one body. They organize themselves into neighborhood house-churches and meet in regional or city-celebrations. You are invited to become part of this movement and make your own contribution. Maybe your home, too, will become a house that changes the world.
From: Houses that change the World, Wolfgang Simson
THE ADVANCEMENT OF SOCIALISM
Kriston Couchey
THE ADVANCEMENT OF SOCIALISM
In my nation there is a movement toward socialism in all levels of government. Many Christians have begun to react with fear and anger over this trend that seems to threaten the freedoms they have been given in the constitution of the United States. The reactions of both Christians and non-Christians opposing these changes in government have sometimes been a reasoned response, and at times shameful and ungodly. But, there is more going on then just an earthly government changing it’s policies and practices, there is a spiritual cause that if not recognized and removed, will continue to bring a great many people into bondage.
THE EFFECT AND ROOT OF SOCIALISM
Socialism is defined by some as the equal distribution of wealth among people. In practice, Socialism is the transfer of personal liberty, responsibility, and authority to govern oneself over to the control of a centralized government institution (leadership structure). Socialism is DEPENDENCY upon government (leadership structure) to direct and take care of you. The move towards socialism in institutions of men is a manifestation of the spirit of Anti-Christ. The spirit of Antichrist opposes and denies Christ come in the flesh. The expression of Christ come in the flesh today is you and I, His hands and feet on earth. Anti-Christ means “instead of” or “in the place of” Christ.
SPIRITUAL SOCIALISM
The children of Israel afraid to hear God at Mt. Sinai told Moses, “You hear God for us and tell us what He says and we will do it”. Like the children of Israel, many in the church have abdicated their personal liberty, spiritual responsibility and authority over to “leadership” that hears God for them and tells them what to do instead of hearing and obeying God themselves; Spiritual Socialism. The Lord is clearly exposing in this hour the dependency upon men (spiritual socialism) that has hindered the church from entering into it’s destiny. This dependency on man’s leadership has effectively hindered the formation of Christ in His people as they have relinquished their liberty, responsibility, and authority in Christ to a leadership structure. The church has become socialist in it’s governance, and the nations of the earth are manifesting the state of the church. The church has enabled socialism to flourish in the world through it’s own failure to overcome the spirit of Antichrist. The Antichrist spirit has manifest in the church as people have depended on men’s leadership to take care and lead them “instead of” Christ.
SPIRITUAL TOTALITARIANISM
From Joseph Stalin to Fidel Castro, we have seen that the abdicating of power and authority over to “centralized” leadership to “care for and guide” the people has given men a “systemic” doorway to abuse power and enforce totalitarian rule. Spiritual Socialism (dependency) in the church is the doorway to Spiritual Totalitarianism. Take as an example the Roman Church.
The zenith of the Antichrist spirit’s power in the church was during the dark ages. These were the days in which the Roman Church was supreme in it’s ruling over church AND state. All men and women of the western church were in TOTAL dependence upon the church system for spiritual life, even for forgiveness. This bondage of the church to the Antichrist spirit manifest in the world as feudalism; Lords and slaves, landowners and serfs, rulers and subjects. This was a time when the expression of Christ in the common people was rare. This dependency (spiritual socialism) upon church leadership systemically enabled corrupt men to rule over the masses in the the church with totalitarian rule. TOTAL-itarian means TOTAL rule.
While much has changed since Luther’s 95 thesis on the Wittenburg church door, western church structure and function is still patterned closely after it’s mother; the Roman Church. Moves of the Spirit have brought refreshing, reformation, and revival. But, throughout history, the Antichrist spirit reacts and tries to preempt each move of God. It still has a hold on the church, as dependency and the rule of men over the affairs of the church rather then Christ still replace and hinder the full expression of Christ in His people.
MOVES OF GOD OPPOSED
A recent example of this spirits work was the 1970’s charismatic movement, the “shepherding” teaching squelched the work of the Spirit in God’s people. It did a good job of it. Every time there is an expression of Christ in His people the Antichrist spirit tries to use a inappropriate leadership hierarchy to “swallow up” the work of the Holy Spirit and oppose the expression of Christ in His people.
I am not writing to following to be critical or condemning to the church that Jesus loves passionately. I am writing this to bring light to the state of affairs in the church to help bring healing and deliverance to His beloved Bride. In the last 15 years I have personally witnessed and heard testimony of numerous organizations and individuals devastated by abominable leadership teachings that rob the people of God of their dignity and freedom in Christ. Much of this is done in the name of “Apostolic” ministry. As one example: the moving of God’s Spirit in the mid 1990’s was followed by a totalitarian response from the Antichrist spirit in the unbiblical “covering” doctrine, a carryover of the shepherding movement. It is one of MANY false leadership teachings that have leavened today’s “apostolic” movement.
These are NICOLAITAN teachings. Nicolaitan means: “Subduing or lording over the people”. The church has become in many cases (NOT ALL) a state in which leaders are TOTALLY depended upon for things spiritual. A “lay person” (an unbiblical term applied to the church) that hears God speak differently then leadership is liable to be cast out as a rebel. As a pastor told some friends, “I don’t need to hear what God is speaking to you, I have high level prophets that tell me what God is saying.”
TRUE LEADERSHIP
But Jesus called them unto him and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and those that are great wield power over them. But it shall not be so among you, but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant,
God is bringing a greater revelation of the purpose, heart, and function of the ascension gifts in this new day. There is coming a great diminishing of the positions and titles of men in the church, simply because God is putting the church back into order, HIS ORDER. While God is establishing apostles in His church; God is NOT building an apostolic hierarchy of superiors and inferiors. He is building (forming) Christ in His people. The church is not a structure of dependency upon an apostolic network, it is a world wide family that is becoming in nature and authority the expression of Christ on the earth. It is a kingdom of Priests. The job of apostles and prophet is to SEE TO IT Christ is formed in people, that means teaching people to be dependent on HIM, and letting Christ be expressed as He wills through His people.
JUDGMENT FIRST IN GOD’S HOUSE
…casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. ~Paul~
Full obedience to Christ in the church will signal judgment on all disobedience. God is come to His church and is cleaning house now in this day of transition. We are not in a position to judge the world until our own house is in order. We go deeper into bondage and deception if we attempt to take a splinter out of another’s eye when we have a log in our own. I have seen one person attempt to deliver another who had the same bondage as the one they were trying to deliver. It doesn’t work. The church as individuals and a corporate entity has no divine authority to confront the strongholds in the world they themselves are overcome by. Bondage does not beget freedom, freedom begets freedom.
God is bringing deliverance from the oppression of the spirit of Antichrist IN His church.We must see our sin before we can repent of it. Praise God the tide has shifted and is going out now. Being exposed on the beach are “unseen” places where we have been mired in chains and muck. It is a body wide revelation God is bringing to free us ALL from what many have not begun to recognize until now. Now is the day of our release, the sun has risen with Healing in His wings. He brings deliverance for His people from the spirit of Antichrist that has enticed men to usurp the Lord’s rightful place as head of His household. Judgment has come to the house of God.
He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. ~Father God~
In His Love
Kriston Couchey
Tags: Christ, leadership, Spirit, structure, word
A New Era Has Begun – Emerging Kingdom Coalition
Submitted By Clay Sikes
September 13th, 2009
www.lighthouseprophecy.org
We are no longer in transition; we have given birth. We have come to the end of the term 9/9/09. We have crossed over and now find ourselves in a new era – a time which will produce physical evidences of the emerging Kingdom. The first such evidence is revealing itself as appointed ‘forerunners’ are beginning to identify each other. They know who ‘they are’ (having been through many years of trials and testing – Acts 14:22) and recognize ‘others’ with similar spiritual DNA. As this initial ‘identification’ process completes itself, we will move into a time of ‘uniting’ – coming together for common purpose (not necessarily in a geographic sense).
As has been written, Ishmael (works of the flesh) seemingly always precedes Isaac (works of the Spirit). We have seen it in past ‘moves’ such as the prosperity message and moves to form Christian Coalitions. These moves started with revelation, but quickly shifted to man’s doctrine for man’s purposes, which eventually eroded the work. We are moving toward a ‘coalition,’ but one of God’s choosing, which will perform His purposes upon the earth – a Kingdom Coalition. This work will release powerful signs of the Kingdom upon earth. Those who have been appointed to initiate this effort recognize the ‘human hands’ element of organization and purpose – they abhor it!
Many of these initial forerunners will come from the marketplace, as the marketplace will be the first arena in which Kingdom evidence will reign supreme. The current economic crisis will produce men and women (in the market) who will produce solutions. Their wisdom and application, much like Joseph, will be recognized for what it is – God favor! Even Pharaoh will recognize this supernatural gifting. Those steeped in religious doctrine will never recognize this move of God and will even oppose it, failing to understand that arguing a man’s doctrine is fruitless in the face of his testimony (Revelations 12:11). Truth cannot be recognized by those not appointed to see it! Opposition is part of the design, and serves great purpose in driving us to the throne – expect it!
This initial appointment will involve ‘forerunners;’ who, as they have always done, pave the way for the Body of Christ. For the most part, these men and women will be no name nobodies without large ministries, TV and Internet exposure, databases of names, and the typical ‘human hands’ World’s System approach. The Spirit of the Living God is stirring this ‘gathering.’ The trumpet has sounded. Let the gathering begin!
Clay Sikes
Lighthouse Prophecy
Facebook
LinkedIn
Twitter
Delicious