PART 3.
THE BODY OF CHRIST
CHAPTER 14. Introduction
What I have written so far is the foundation for The Doctrine of Christ as stated in Hebrews 6:1-2
Without first understanding and flowing “In Christ”, the anointed presence of of Gods love… everything you do will be in vain.
1Cor 13:2: “And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not Love, I am nothing.”
The WHY is more important than the What…
Without Gods love life will continue to be a survival struggle for you…
So Why do you want to be a part of the Body of Christ and flow in the supernatural gifts…?
The simple answer to this is the Joy it will bring into your life…
Sure there will be challenges but I can assure you the Joy of Gods love will far outweigh them…
Heb 12:2: “We must focus on Jesus, the source and goal of our faith.
He saw the JOY ahead of him, so he endured death on the cross and ignored the disgrace it brought him.
Then he received the highest position in heaven, the one next to the throne of God.”
With Gods Love your life will have Purpose and meaning…
As I look around me I see mammons chaos in the world.
The hearts of many have waxed cold in the daily iniquity that surrounds us all…
Mat 24:12-13: “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many will become cold. But he who endures (in Gods Love) to the end, the same shall be kept safe.”
And within this chaos I have found a path to the Good life and at least I now know the direction I must take..
Some days are easier for me than others but it is in the coming together with those that share Gods love and that also fuels the passion to flow in Gods Love and my faith is reinforced and even grows to a greater Joy of Discovery and Accomplishment…
You cannot change the past but certainly can change the future if you put your focus and trust in our Heavenly Fathers love.
THE KEY TO THE GOOD LIFE IS IN THE JOY…
Past Joys of discovery and accomplishment underpin our love on a daily basis…
Happiness and Peace ride on our past achievements and our Future expectations…
But when it comes to flowing in GODS Love there is only so much we can do and then there is what God our Father can do… if we let Him.
As we begin to examine the supernatural gifts of the God always keep in mind GODS Love is the beginning point and also the end.
Rev 22:13: “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.”
Personally I have not experienced a greater Joy than what I have experienced in the flow of GODS gifts. It is a dimension unexplainable through present science and yet is more real and dependable than what we are currently being taught…
Traditional religions tend to avoid the supernatural because it is random and unpredictable… and yet if ever there was a time to demonstrate Gods supernatural Love it would be now…
With church numbers falling and the reputation of mainstream church denominations in tatters now is the time for Gods signs, miracles and wonders…
But God won’t give his Power to the unworthy because as we have seen in the past it tends to lead to false pride and a falling away…
Gods supernatural is not for Personal Gain but the benefit of all humanity.
This is why understanding GODS Love first has to come before God giving us his trust…
Up to now life has been all about you… the People, Objects and Events that you value…your GOOD
As you begin flowing in Gods love you will find yourself feeling greater levels of Happiness, Peace and Joy…
The goal in life is to live the GOOD life and as you apply the keys of Gods love everything changes…
Jesus taught us where the greatest Happiness, Peace and Joy can be found and it’s probably not where you think…
Science even backs what Jesus taught us
Experiments were conducted on the brain to determine where our feelings of Happiness come from and they found a gland in the brain called the “Hippocampus”
Next they wanted to know what is was that stimulated the Hippocampus resulting in the felling of Happiness. Their theory was that it probably would be self gratification.
What they found was rather than self gratification, it was actually Helping Others and WOW Discovery that lit up the Hippocampus…
Jesus put it this way…
John 15:10-13: “If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love (Happiness, peace and joy); even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.(HPJ)
These things have I spoken unto you, that my JOY might remain in you, and that your JOY might be full.
This is my commandment, That you love (HPJ) one another, as I have loved (HPJ) you.
John 15:13: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
To paraphrase it…
There is NO Greater love (happiness peace and joy) that you can have than this…
That you spend your life supporting your friends…
Wow…What a statement for Jesus to make.
Is this true…? Can we really depend on it…?
Look what happened to Jesus… he was crucified…
He now sits at the right hand of the Father…
With the entire universe at his feet…
Notice Jesus didn’t say you have to lay down your life for everyone…but only for those that want to learn and share the same Gods Love values….
These are the friends you will make and have, and what better values to share than those in Gods love… (Exod 34:6) mercy… compassion… patience…
Jesus said that if people are not interested in your support don’t get upset… simply move on to others that do…
Mar 6:10-12: “And he (Jesus) said to them, In whatever place you enter into, abide there till you depart from that place.
And whosoever shall not receive you, or hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet (their dust) for as a whiteness against them.
Truely I say unto you,
It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city.
And they (the disciples) went out, and preached that men should repent…(turn from a self centred, shallow life to a full life supporting in the family of God the Father)
It’s sad that many people struggle to see Gods love and because of their blindness they miss the rewards…
I have learnt to not worry about this… I still care…
but I don’t worry any more…
My focus is to flow in the anointed presence of Gods love like Jesus…
“In Christ”… because as Jesus said…
You will find NO greater love, happiness peace and joy than this…
And I have also found this to be true…
Jesus wasn’t saying we HAVE to literally die to demonstrate our ultimate love for another but rather we HAVE to live for others to find the ultimate love…
The life we have to lay down is the life of Mammon or self gratification.
God will give His gifts to those who will not abuse them…
The Why is more important than the What.
We have not yet seen the fullness of what God the Father has for us because we were not taught that it is available…but only to those that truely flow in Gods love like Jesus… those In Christ
Jesus healed ALL who came to him… not 30%, not 80% but all…
Mat 4:23-24: “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.”
Jesus said…
John 14:12: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believes on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”
There is no greater JOY than seeing someone healed especially when you were the one praying…
There is more to Gods love than healing physical ailments…
God’s attention is always on the healing of the heart and this is not easily scripted…this is why we need to have our hearts prepared first…
Jesus even said that God would prefer you make it to His Glory missing an eye or a hand because these can be replaced… a corrupted heart will not make it.
Mat 5:29-30: “And if your right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from you: for it is profitable for you that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body should be cast into hell.
And if your right hand offends you, cut it off, and cast it from you: for it is profitable for you that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body should be cast into hell.”
Don’t settle for just trying to tick Gods list of “Things to Do to get to Heaven”
There is so much MORE for those who diligently seek the MORE…
1Cor 2:9: “But as it is written,
Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”
So with this in the forefront of our mind we will look closer at the gifts recorded in scripture and discover the supernatural side of Gods Love…
Mat 9:35: “And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel (GOOD news) of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.”
Introducing The Body of Christ…
You may have heard the phrase “The Body Of Christ” preached but it is seldom taught in church…
The scripture that coins this phrase is found in Paul the Apostles first letter to the Corinthian church.
In chapter 1Cor 12 Paul uses the human body as an example to explain how the church should function within itself…
His point being that no part of the human body should consider itself MORE important than the rest of the body…
1Cor 12:12: “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is (those in ) Christ.”…
1Cor 12:26-27: “And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
Now you are the body of Christ, and members in particular.”
The Body of Christ is a United Family that shares and flowers in the Values of God our Father…With Jesus as the head (originating source)
Within that Family there are a mixture of “Gifts” given by God the Father to the Body for the benefit of all…
The Gifts are not exclusive but rather inclusive…
You are not limited in which gift you flow in… God our Father never limits when it comes to the flow of His love…
There are some Gifts that come to some easier than others and it is suggested you focus your attention on these first before coveting a Gift that another has…
Your time on this earth is limited so start and perfect what comes easy before you tackle that which is not already yours…
No Gift is considered greater than another in The Body of Christ…
1Cor 12:13-19: “For by one Spirit are we all baptised into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
For the body is not one member, but many.
If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
If the whole body were an eye, where would be the the hearing?
If the whole body were hearing, where would be the smelling?
But God has set the members, every one of them, in the body, as it has pleased him.
If they were all one member, where then would be the body?”
This same principle will be carried into Eternity so you need to learn it now or you might not make it to Heaven…
We are ALL Gods children and we are ALL His favourites…
God Grieves that not ALL have come into His Love but that’s how freedom of choice works…
The problem is that because the churches have failed in teaching Gods Love as Jesus commanded many don’t even know they have a choice…
Everyone has a story to tell and God the Father is recording them ALL…
As we progress further into the revelation of Gods love and begin to apply and perfect the flow of Gods love there will result a larger and larger Body of Christ…
As a carpenter i know full well the importance of getting the foundation right from the start… That’s WHY I wrote this book… it was for me.
But these are not my words but the words given to me by my Heavenly Father…
Words that He wants to share with you… (God just waved Hello)
This is the way of Love… we share…
The greater the Gift you receive the greater the response-ability you have to run with that Gift… Don’t bury it under your buttocks on a pew…
If your current church is not actively teaching The Body of Christ as a flow on from Gods love…then I suggest you find a group that does…
Life is not a game to be taken lightly…
It is my observation that if the Rapture were to occur today very few would qualify… (God just waved again)
Mat 7:21: “Not every one that says unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but (ONLY) he that does the will (Exod 34;6) of my Father which is in heaven.”
(Jesus waved this time)
I repeatedly say to my family… “The best is yet to come…”
This is not just referring to The New Heaven and Earth but RIGHT NOW…
Today… Tomorrow… and the next day…
I can’t script your life to guarantee success… but God your Father can……If you let Him…
The Body of Christ is the church that not even the Gates of Hell will prevail against it…
I suggest you read the entire chapter of 1 Corinthians 12 in the light of what I have just shared and then for good measure read Chapter 13 as well…
It will take you less time than watching 1 YouTube video and will set you up for Eternity…
CHAPTER 15. The 9 Gifts of The Spirit
There are natural talents that are part of our DNA and then there’s Gifts that are given by God…
One of my talents is I can sing and I learnt to play the Guitar…
But not everyone can sing or know what to play and hear the music of Heaven…
I know this because I have been a music director on more than one church and have song lead in many services…
I used to struggle with excepting praise, wanting to remain humble…
That was until God my Father told me that the talent he had gifted me with was not mine but His…
And I was more than ok with that but my Father added that he was also very proud of me that I had been faithful with that gift and had used it for His Glory…and bringing those who struggle into His presence and Love…
That is how God our Father feels about all his gifts and towards the ones who step up and actually use them…
The Gifts are just as relevant today as their were in Paul’s day…
People are hurting and because of fake evolutionist teach they don’t know where to turn for REAL help…
Jesus created a complete set of eyes from just dirt and some spit…
This would have taken evolution billions of years…
I know which makes more sense…
Paul teaches in a few places about Gods Supernatural Gifts and most of the Gifts are covered in his fist letter to the believers in the Corinthian church…Chapter 12
Paul taught…
1Cor 12:1-10: “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant…
…But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to EVERY man to profit EVERYONE.
For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom;
to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
To another faith by the same Spirit;
to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
To another the working of miracles;
to another prophecy;
to another discerning of spirits;
to another divers kinds of tongues;
to another the interpretation of tongues:”
These gifts are available to everyone and you can flow in more than one gift when the need arises…
In traditional religions they is a belief that these gifts ended with the Apostles but if this was true why doesn’t Paul teach this to the Corinthian Church.
He even went so far as to say… the manifestation of the Spirit is given to EVERY man to profit EVERYONE.
1Cor 14:26: “How is it then, brethren? (This is how you run a meeting)
When you come together, every one of you have a psalm, have a doctrine, have a tongue, have a revelation, have an interpretation.
Let all things be done unto edifying.” (Gods Love)
(Structured and building together in harmony)
In researching this chapter I have been looking at many of the great Faith Healers…
I asked my Father why wasn’t I personally have not been able to flow in the same level of miracles that these men had…
He replied… “To some I have given a greater measure of My Power and this has lead some to their demise… What I am teaching you is for EVERYONE.”
There are literally hundreds of books dedicated to Gods methods of healing and that should tell us that there is not just one way…
What I do know is that the ONE Absolute Truth that ALL Truth flows from is…
Gods Love…
Always start with GODS love and then flow in harmony with the other Gifts of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge and Faith… and something GOOD WILL always happen…
The first gift Paul mentions is…
1. Wisdom
Wisdom can be learnt but this is Gods wisdom directly downloaded at the right time and place and in the right manner.
Simply put …wisdom is the next step… (that leads to Joy)
Gods Wisdom is Gods next step for the situation at hand.
Life is not predetermined… unless you choose to surrender your life over to the leading of Gods Love… like Jesus does.
On the building site I use this gift of Gods wisdom every day…
The Spirit of Truth literally guides my next step.
I know this because when I am not flowing in Gods wisdom I feel lost and the job doesn’t flow.
This is not a mammon use of Gods gift but a daily practice of hearing from God.
When I am writing (like right now) the words God wants written just flow… one into another…and I write them down…
When I later go back and re-read there is further instruction like what happened just now…
I very seldom delete what I wrote the the first time because it wasn’t me that was dictating it…
Questions create a great context for growth and as I write one principle it leads to another question and another answer… the next step.
This is just as much for my benefit as it is for those reading it…
The simple explanation for writing it all down is so that I can remember it and because I love helping others… they can read it and take from it what they will…
I often say… I care about you but I don’t worry about you because the drain on the heart is too much.
When I am teaching in a group Wisdom operates the same…
I get a “feel” for the direction of the group… sometimes its to do revision by asking questions on what I have previously taught or…
It might be to stand up and demonstrate a principle to refocus the groups attention or…
It might be to let the discussion flow because in this way it is letting the teaching of the principles of Gods Love to flow directly from God into the minds of the group…
(God just gave me a scripture)
Mat 16:13-19: “When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Who do men say that I the Son of man am?
And they said, Some say that you art John the Baptist: some, Elijah; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. (No one identified Jesus as the Christ)
He saith to them, But who do you say I am?
And Simon Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.
And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed (enviable) are you, Simon
Bar-jona: for flesh and blood has not revealed it to you, but my Father which is in heaven.
And I say also to you, That you are Peter (The Rock), and upon this rock…
( the receiving of the direct word from God the Father)
I will build my church; and the gates of hell… (separation from Gods love)
…shall not prevail against it.
And I will give to you the keys (Wisdom Power) of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever you shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever you shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Wisdom can come from the natural order of things BUT you will most often find that Gods Supernatural wisdom usually comes from outside YOUR personal experiences.
God doesn’t just fill your every waking moment with reams of never ending wisdom… (See proverbs for that)… The wisdom comes in the going… and it is seldom pre-scripted…
It is always an amazement for those that have the eyes to see and the ears to hear…
Jesus said…
John 5:30: “I can of my own self do nothing:
as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father (Exod 34;6) which has sent me.”
This is literally how we Love like Jesus loves us…
Every human has a degree of Gods Nature within them…Mercy, Compassion, Patience, Loving Kindness, Truth, Forgiveness and Justice (Exod 34;6) but this doesn’t mean you automatically flow in Gods strength and timing in these areas…
I have seen in churches where people can’t wait on Gods wisdom and they feel frustrated… They feel they “Have to be doing something, anything” rather than sitting and waiting on God to speak…
Mat 7:21-23: “Not every one that says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but only he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name and in your name have cast out devils? and in your name done many wonderful works?
(Sounds like they were doing the right thing…)
And then will I say to them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity.” (Unrighteous, lawless, wickedness)
They failed because they didn’t get to know God the Father first through Jesus…
Timing is everything in Gods Kingdom so if a Do Gooder keeps coming along and playing god… the plans and purposed of the Father are sidetracked…
Paul taught…
2Cor 11:12-14: “But I’ll go on doing what I’m doing.
This will take away the opportunity of those people who want to brag because they think they’re like us.
People who brag like this are false apostles. They are dishonest workers, since they disguise themselves as Christ’s apostles.
And no wonder, even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.”
Only Gods Wisdom is THE Way, THE Truth and THE Life…
Everything else is the mess the world is in today…
***To flow in the supernatural wisdom of Gods love is to flow IN Christ.***
Ask God first… then act.
2. Words of Knowledge
Knowledge is pronounced in the original Greek as… gno’-sis
Meaning
1. knowledge signified in general intelligence, understanding.
a. the general knowledge of Christian religion
b. the deeper more perfect and enlarged knowledge of this religion, such as belongs to the more advanced
c. esp. of things lawful and unlawful for Christians
d. moral wisdom, such as is seen in right living
Like Supernatural Wisdom the Gift of Knowledge is often outside of your past understanding…
Often described as a “Word of Knowledge” it manifests as you get a download of information that is outside of your experience but totally relates to the situation at hand…
All the writing in this book comes from Words of Knowledge that have come to me when I have asked the Spirit of Truth questions on questions on questions…
I am then careful to check what I receive based on the knowledge I already have or I go into word studies based in the original Greek to find what I don’t know…
(I predominately use the Strongs dictionary because it is NOT another’s commentary but simply a dictionary of the Hebrew and Greek language…
and a good one.)
The questions create the context for getting greater Knowledge…
Without questions there is no growth.
When someone is standing before you who desperately needs to hear a personal word from God the Father and you give them a word that you couldn’t possibly know…that totally relates to their circumstances…
…. the word of knowledge builds their faith in Gods love for them and they feel less alone.
Words of Knowledge often deal directly with the issues of the heart which is something the occult struggles to know.
Only God the Father knows the heart and the right timing of how to mend it.
Words of Knowledge are often described as “Reading someone’s mail…”
People seldom reveal their “True Self” but God the Father knows…
Jesus said
John 14:15-17: “If you love me, keep my commandments.
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another advocate , that will abide with you forever; the Spirit of truth; who the world cannot receive, because the world sees the advocate not, neither knows him:
but you know him; for he dwells with you, and shall be in you.”
One of the greatest Joys you will experience is when you receive a Word of Knowledge like Peter…
If you can, write the word of Knowledge down before you forget it otherwise spend some time extra time memorising it…
I personally use the “notes” app on my phone all the time…
There is nothing so precious than a word given directly by God… so don’t disrespect it like the world is doing…
Words of Knowledge can take on many forms…
Jesus had a Word of Knowledge for a Samaritan woman at a well that resulted in her village having a Christ encounter..
John 4:13-19: “Jesus answered and said to the woman at the well, Whosoever drinks of this well water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
The woman said to him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither will I need to come here again to draw water.
Jesus saith unto her, Go, call your husband, and come back.
The woman answered and said, I have no husband.
Jesus said unto her, you have well said, I have no husband: For you have had five husbands; and he who you now have is not your husband: in that you have said truly.
The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.”…
John 4:28-29: “The woman then left her water pot, and went her way into the city, and said to the men, Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?”…
Only God knows the heart…
I had an experience where in my imagination I tested God…
I imagined myself in a stadium full of people…
I asked God… So you know everybody in this stadium…?
God replied… Yes
I said… so over the other side of the stadium, back row 4 seats in from the stairs..?
God said… That’s Joe Baxter, He’s married with 3 children… And……….
Ok God I said what about 10 rows down 6 seats in from the stairs…?
God said… Oh that’s Mary Peterson, she’s single but she has her eye on a guy in her church………
As I said this was an exercise in my imagination trying to get a handle on how God would think…
The next day I was in the food court of my local shopping centre, the place was full of people and as I sat there eating I began to look around at the people…
Next thing as I looked at a person in particular I could hear Gods voice speaking… “That’s so in so and they live up the road in whereabouts… and they……….
Every person I looked at I got a reading of their life from God… It was actually overwhelming…
That was 25 years ago and I have learned to screen out the Words of Knowledge unless I feel God wants me to go deeper…
I can even get a reading on someone’s picture…especially if I can see their eyes…
I am a respecter of peoples privacy so I take the privilege of this Gift very seriously. It is God the Father showing me and He doesn’t want me prying where I shouldn’t be… I might not cope with what I see…
It has made me sensitive to the pain of others but it has also made me aware of peoples deeper truths and the love that everyone is so desperate to find…
Occasionally I step into the Gift when the situation calls for a Word of Knowledge that goes deeper than what people are portraying on the surface…
Just like Jesus did with the woman at the well…
It’s not my talent but a PRECIOUS GIFT God has trusted me with…
John 4:40-42: “So when the Samaritans (from the woman’s village) came to Jesus, they asked him that he would stay a while with them:
and he stayed there two days.
And many more believed because of them receiving their own word;
And they said to the woman, Now we believe, not because of your saying: for we have heard (words from) him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.”
3. Faith
Heb 11:6: “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
People often confuse Faith with Hope…
Hope is where you pray for something hoping God will give it to you…
The definition of Hope is… “A perceived future pleasure”
Faith is knowing that whatever you ask for that God your Father will know what’s actually best for you…
Simply put… Faith is a confident expectation in Gods Love…
We previously covered “Faith towards God” as part of “The Doctrine of Christ” so here i want to focus on Faith in The Body of Christ…
The Faith part is our part… firstly believing that God IS…
God honours Faith because Faith Honours God…
The next part is then Gods… the Rewards to those who diligently seek him.
Over the years I have received many words of Wisdom and Knowledge and what I have found is when they are delayed or seem to impossible to happen I reflect that they were Gods Words not my mine… this is my faith in God working in me and for the benefit of others…
I had a season where I knew God my Father was teaching me Patience…
One day in frustration I asked… “Why do I need to learn Patience…?”
(One of the few times God has answered me without another question)
He said…“Because you are going to have to deal with people”
Hmmm, I thought…now I get it…
Faith is a CONFIDENT EXPECTATION in a world full of unrealistic expectations.
First recognise GODS Love then diligently seek it… simple.
Like Wisdom and Words of Knowledge Faith for others comes from God…
Heb 10:38: “Now the just (those flowing in Gods love) shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.”…
Heb 11:1-2: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report.”
If you try to project your will onto another without their consent then this is considered Witchcraft…
God gives everyone free choice and it is not your place to do differently…
A word of Faith comes from God the Father and will be backed up by His word…
We do have the authority to “bind and loose” principalities that shouldn’t be there but even here it should come from the word given by the Father…
Before the Cross Jesus prayed…
Luk 22:42: “saying, Father, if you be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but your will be done.”
Our faith can take us only so far…
God faith comes from a greater perspective with greater understanding and purpose behind it…
Timing is crucial and during the times when you are struggling because you don’t have the answer… then know this…
…neither does the enemy.
But God does have the answer and He often withholds the answer to your prayers of faith… until the right time.
Faith is the foundation that all GOOD works are built on…
Rom 10:13-17: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
How then shall they call on him who they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent?
It it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah said, Lord, who hath believed our report?
So then FAITH comes by hearing, and hearing… by the word of God.”
4. Gifts of Healing
There is more than just one way to heal…just are there are more than one type of sickness…notice Paul wrote “GIFTS of healing”
Just like the previous 3 Gifts, Healing must come from God, by God, for the Glory of God.
Sickness is a part of this fallen world and overcoming its effects is a constant battle.. How we do it is determined on where our level of faith is at…not just for ourselves but also for others…
When Jesus taught us to pray his prayer identified 3 levels of sickness…
Mat 6:13: “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.”
The word ”Evil” used here means… Hurtful in effect or influence…
Physical Wickedness…
Moral Wickedness…
Spiritual Wickedness…
Paul taught the Ephesian Church…
Eph 6:11-18: “Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Therefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Stand therefore, having your waist fastened about with the belt of truth (knowledge the scriptures)…
and having on the breastplate of righteousness (to protect your heart)…
And your feet shod with the preparation (for walking daily in) the gospel
(good news) of peace…
Above all, taking the shield of faith, where with you shall be able to quench ALL the fiery darts of the wicked. (Counteract doubt)
And take the helmet of salvation (that protects the mind) and the sword of the Spirit (Gods word of Love), which is the word of God:
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication (petition, requests) for all saints;”
There is more to healing than just Physical healing…
God the Father wants to deal with the WHY behind the WHAT because this is where all sickness comes from…
As shown in previous teaching God is not concerned if you show up without a body part if that is what it took to get you into Gods Kingdom…
Mat 5:29-30: “And if your right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from you: for it is profitable for you that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body should be cast into hell.
God is always looking at the heart because it is the heart that ultimately determines the direction of our WHAT…Your Heart and the HEARTS you will pray for…
There is a strong desire in Christians to see people healed but there is also a strong feeling of Fear of What if nothing happens…?
God is not just looking at their hearts but also yours…
To flow in Gods love is to flow in Mercy, Compassion and loving Kindness and to these you have to add Patience. It’s all about the timing…
Only God knows where peoples hearts are at and what is best for them…
There was a lame man who used to sit at the base of a wall outside the temple begging… Jesus would have passed him many times… without healing him.
It wasn’t until after the cross that Peter walking by him…
Acts 3:3-8: “Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked for alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.
And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.
Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I you:
In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
And he, leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.”
Healing is a flow on from Wisdom, Words of Knowledge and Faith…
Timing and Context are crucial.
I once was requested by a young man to pray for the deliverance from smoking…
We closed our eyes and I silently asked the Father what to pray for…
To my amazement I got a definitive word that was… “Tell him he is not going to get his miracle.”
Wow, what do I do with that word…?
I began to pray with words of general encouragement as I didn’t know what else to do…
As I prayed I began to see in my imagination a body of water in the dark but with a large spotlight shining on it and the water was as still as a mill pond but there was what looked like a deep swell running gently running through it…
I closed off in prayer by describing what I had seen hoping it would mean something encouraging to him… And it did. The pastor had prophesied “there was a swell coming into his life” only just the previous Sunday…
So feeling encouraged I told him there was something else the Lord had said to me and the young man excitedly asked me what it was…
When I told him he was shocked. “What does that mean ?” He asked me…
“I don’t know” I replied but maybe we should talk about it…
I found out he had mental health issues and was on prescribed medication.
He said the smoking helped calm him…
I realised through that experience that God his Father had other issues that needed looking at first and that the young mans smoking was the least of his problems…
You literally cannot script Gods Love and I’m glad that you don’t have too…
There are books written that have template style prayer that deal specifically with methods of prayer and I have no problem with them. “Seeds Of Joy” is a good one…
The main key is to be Flowing in Christ… Flowing in the Anointed presence of Gods Love like Jesus does otherwise you might find Jesus saying to you…
Mat 7:23: “….. I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
There has not been in human history anyone that healed like Jesus…
Jesus represented in human form exactly what Gods Love looks like…
Mat 12:15: “… and great multitudes followed him, and Jesus healed them ALL;”
God the Father doesn’t just want to heal your ailment and the ailments of others but His desire is to make you whole…
Another testimony of Jesus…
Luk 17:12-19: “And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
And when he saw them, he said to them, Go show yourselves to the priests.
And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and he fell down on his face at Jesus feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? They are not found returning to give glory to God, save this stranger.
And he said unto him, Arise, go your way: YOUR faith (In God’s Love) has made you WHOLE.”
Almost every testimony of Jesus and the Disciple’s healing is different and this is because every Person being healed was different…
The modern world is in the mess it is today because we treat people as Objects to be exploited for our own gain…
This is because Objects don’t have feelings that we have to care about so it doesn’t matter how we treat them…
People on the other hand do have feelings and if you want to know how they feel then put yourself in their shoes…
To do this you first have to remove your own…
Everyone is looking for Love but without Support there is NO Love.
When you are sick you feel isolated and unloved…
No one can understand what you are going through and what’s more they don’t seem to even care…everyone is too busy to make the time…
When you are sick and you get a comforting word or supportive action the burden of illness lifts a little and you don’t feel so cursed…
You borrow from the strength of the other to rebuild some of the strength you no longer have…
There are some who “Play the victim” but a Word of Knowledge will soon sort those who are trying to wrought the system from those who are in genuine need…
Our happiness, peace and joy comes from People who share our values and the values of out Heavenly Father… God wants to heal us and the loved ones around us but are we willing to stop and become aware of His gentile voice guiding us, and those trusted to us, into “WHOLENESS ”
Gifts of Healing are available to all who have hearts after God the Father…
They require Wisdom, Words of Knowledge and Faith…
They are a part of God showing us He supports us and flowing in Gods gifts gets our attention out of this temporary world and onto God’s Love
Healing requires connection and sometimes even Laying on of Hands but the most important is… you guessed it… God’s Love
Science has found you can get a successful healing 30 to 60% of the time with a Placebo… Giving someone a pill that doesn’t do anything and telling them it is a wonder drug can literally heal some…
This proves the power of the mind when it is connected to strong Faith…
But Jesus healed ALL and some of those were not even in his presence at the time the healing took place… No Placebo there…
Mat 8:8,13: “The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof: but simply speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed……
……And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go your way; and as YOU have believed, so be it done unto you. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.”
5. Workers of Miracles
Heb 2:4: “God also backed their witness, both with signs and wonders, and with different kinds of Miracles, and gifts from the Holy Ghost (Gods divine Spirit of Truth), according to Gods own will?”(Exod 34;6)
A healing is considered a Miracle but the gift of miracles doesn’t end there…
Mat 14:25: “And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.”
Mar 6:41: “And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all.”
John 21:11: “Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, a hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.”
You may be thinking that this was a gift only for Jesus…
Acts 6:8: “And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.”
Acts 8:6: “And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.”
Acts 15:12: “Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.”
Jesus first Miracle was when He turned Water into Wine…
and it could be interpreted that Jesus didn’t see this miracle coming…
Jn 2:1-4: “Three days later a wedding took place in the city of Cana in Galilee. Jesus mother was there.
Jesus and his disciples had been invited too.
When the wine was gone, Jesus mother said to him, “They’re out of wine.”
Jesus said to her, “Why did you come to me? My time has not yet come.”
Jesus had set his eyes on going to Jerusalem… this was just a quick stop along the way…
Jn 2:5-10: “His mother told the servers, “Do whatever he tells you.”
There were Six stone water jars there.
They were used for Jewish purification rituals.
Each jar held 18 to 27 gallons… Jesus told the servers, “Fill the jars with water.”
The servers filled the jars to the brim. Jesus then said to them,
“Pour some, and take it to the person in charge.” The servers did as they were told.
The person in charge tasted the water that had become wine. He didn’t know where it had come from, although the servers who had poured the water knew.
The person in charge called the groom and said to him, “Everyone serves the best wine first. When people are drunk, the host serves cheap wine.
But you have saved the best wine for now.”
Miracles like Healings, are seldom the same and this is because the Context is seldom the same…
Miracles can be anything…by their nature they indicate a supernatural power outside of the ordinary…. A sign of something bigger at work.
Miracles manifest in the going, in the walk of faith, in the Grace of Gods love…
As a carpenter I have seen the dramatic difference a Christian and a non Christian building company experience in the smooth running of projects…
Building is a complex process with a multitude of steps that must be taken at just the right time… There is so much that can and does go wrong…
In a Christian based business there are far less problems and when the problems do occurs they seem to end up working better than the original plan…
I literally expect one major miracle a week and at least three minor ones…
This is just not the case in Non Christian based companies.
Miracles like the other Gifts flow from a heart that is sold out to Gods love…
How they manifest is determined by the surrounding Context and the level of Faith of the believer on the spot…AND… The greater purposes of God…
It was one thing for Jesus to walk on the water but another for Peter…
Mat 14:25-32: “And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
But straightway Jesus spoke unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
And he said, Come. And when Peter was stepped down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said to him, O you of little faith, why did you doubt?
And when they were both back in the ship, the wind ceased.”
Miracles will be a common occurrence in The Body of Christ so be sure to look out for them, share them, celebrate them and give God the Father the Glory…
Miracles bring increase of Faith and confidence in Gods support and usually occur when you are at the end of your means… and God the Father can then take over…
We should be walking daily in the expectation of Miracles for ourselves and for others…
Every area of life benefits from this kind of faith…
Spiritual…miracles
Physical…miracles
Emotional…miracles
Social…miracles
Financial…miracles
Miracles in Personal relationships…
Miracles in the blessing of Objects…
Miracles in Love based events…
We are only limited by our Faith and the willingness to move forward in Faith…
God once took me in a dream to His Creation Room…
It looked like a builders shed with all sorts of projects on the go…
The next night I desired to explore further so as I laid in bed I went in my imagination back to the room I had seen and this time I entered in…
God my Father asked me what I wanted to create…
I thought…. some kind of energy creator that wouldn’t pollute…
God then gave me the blueprints for a motor that uses only Gravity as its source of power…I’m now waiting for God to bring someone to partner with us to bring this into a reality…
My main job for now is to finish this book and get it released into the wider public so the motor is on the back burner slowly simmering until the right miracle of time presents itself…
I also have 4 movies to write up and a novel…about Jesus…
I don’t worry that I wont accomplish everything because it is in Gods timing and for me I focus on what God is telling me to do today…
I never thought years ago I would be writing this book and you would be reading it today… Right there is a massive miracle of Gods love…
6. Prophesy
1Cor 14:1: “Follow after love, and desire spiritual gifts, but mostly that you may prophesy.”
Of all the gifts Prophesy is the most exciting and challenging…
The prophet Joel prophesied…
Joel 2:28-31: “And it shall come to pass afterward, (in the last days) that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh;
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
your young men shall see visions:
And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.”
He Hebrew word for “Prophesy is pronounced naba
And it means… to speak by inspiration, to predict.
Many of the prophesies in scripture are open to interpretation until an event occurs that shows exactly what the Prophet was talking about…
This does not mean that everything is predetermined…
We know the story of Jonah and the whale and how Jonah went eventually to a city to prophesy its destruction…
The people of the city heeded Jonahs words and repented and the city was saved…
Jesus added regarding Jonah…
Mat 12:39: “But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah: ” (stop wailing and ship up or ship out)
Prophesy are often conditional on the condition of peoples hearts…
It is basically God the Father saying that unless you do this then this is going to happen to you…
Prophesy is also given so that we will understand the sights of the times…
On the cross Jesus cried out…
Mar 15:34: “And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
This has often been interpreted that God the Father had abandoned Jesus because Jesus had taken on and become the sin of the world…
But Jesus never became sin otherwise he would still be in Hell.
Jesus took the punishment for sin even though he was innocent as proven by his trial.
Jesus was actually quoting one of King David’s prophetic Psalms… that accurately described the death of the Messiah…
Jesus was trying to comfort his followers, knowing that they would know the rest of the verse…
David started the Psalm with…
Ps 22:1: “To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?”
The Psalm goes on to say…
Ps 22:14-18: “I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue sticks to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.”
(The Roman soldiers destroyed Jesus clothes except His over cloak…
This is because they recognised it was a seamless garment of great expense.
So instead of destroying it they cast lots for it… A prophesy filled, that at the time of David would not have been understood but Jesus knew disciples would)
The Psalm finishes with…
Ps 22:30-31: “A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.” (Now David is talking about us)
Prophesy is to Encourage and also to warn so as to change direction and repent or to prepare for what’s coming if if nothing changes…
Paul the Apostle prophesied that a future day is coming where the dead and living
“In Christ” will rise up and meet Jesus in the clouds…
1Ths 4:16-18: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”
The key words here are… “In Christ”
Scholars have for centuries tried to predict when this event will happen… and there are many theories… but no one seams concerned about what “In Christ” actually means…(To flow in the anointed presence of Gods Love like Jesus)
Simply put Prophesy is to… Speak by inspiration, Predicting what is to come to Encourage and Prepare…
Jesus said of the Prophets…
Mat 5:17: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.”
Jesus also warned us…
Mat 5:11-12: “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”
He also said..
Mat 7:15-16: “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. You shall know them by their fruits.
Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?”
Jesus shared what he experienced in his home town…
Mat 13:54-58: “And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?
Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?
And they were offended in him.
But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.
And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.”
Just as Wisdom and Words of Knowledge come out of Gods love so it is with Prophesy… Add to this Faith because it calls for boldness to give a prophetic word…
If I’m asked to prophesy I start with the words… “Thus says the Lord”…
Now I’m committed to say more so I have to let the words come to me… but it takes that step of Faith first…
I find it easer to write down a Prophesy because the words seem to come to me as fast as I type… It is also more meaningful to the one being prophesied over because they can go away and re-read what has been said…
The safest and most reliable form of Prophesy is in the Body of Christ…
False prophets try to get you alone where there is no prying ears to correct what they are saying…
Paul taught regarding meetings…
1Cor 14:26-28: “How is it (to be done) then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.
But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.”
Regarding prophesies…
1Cor 14:29-32: “Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.
If any thing be revealed to another that sits by, let the first hold his peace.
For you may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.
And the spirits (breath) of the prophets are subject to the prophets.”
Paul backed this up but teaching…
2Cor 13:1: “In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.”
I have found when struggling for a word i think of the first number that comes to me… Or I might see if I can see a colour…
Scripture has taught us that there are patterned truths that are connected to both numbers and colours and God can use these through you without you first understanding what you are saying…
You will be surprised how well this method works…
You can find Interpretation books that have researched the patterns through scripture…
One particularly good book is… “Interpreting the Symbols and Types” by the Author Kevin J Conner… below is an example of his work…
You can also download a sample of his book in Google books without cost…
by following the link below…
https://books.google.com.au/books?id=j_ieawyAcUMC&printsec=copyright&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false
When we prophesy we are letting Gods Love flow through us whether it be a word of encouragement or a word of correction…
I often remind myself that if God can use a donkey to speak through he can use me… you just first have to believe that God is and that he is a rewarded of those that diligently seek him… Hebrews 11
7. Discerning of Spirits
The Greek word used for discerning in Paul’s letter is pronounced…
dee-ak’-ree-sis
And it means… A judicial estimation: – discern (-ing), disputation.
I have heard on many occasions that… “We are not to judge…”And yet every day we make thousands of judgments and they are not all about what we will wear or eat…
My take is that we should judge everything but not condemn everyone…
To do this we must first recognise the presence of Gods Love so we can make our judgments through our Heavenly Fathers eyes…
One of the seven values stated by God in Exod 34;6 is Judgement…
Jesus taught…
Luk 12:54-57: “And he said also to the people, When you see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway you say, There comes a shower; and so it is.
And when you see the south wind blow, you say, There will be heat; and it comes to pass.
You hypocrites, you can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that you do not discern this time?
And why, even of yourselves judge you discern not what is right?”
Paul taught it this way…
1Cor 2:12-16: “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost (Gods Divine Spirit of Truth) teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him:
Neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
But he that is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is judged by no man.
For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him?… But we (that) have the mind of Christ.”
Paul taught in Hebrews…
Heb 4:12: “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Paul also taught…
Heb 5:12-14: “For when, for the time you ought to be teachers, you have need that one teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God;
and have become such that have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
For every one that users milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
But strong meat belongs to them that are of full age, those who by reason of practical use have had their senses exercised, to discern both good and evil.”
(If you can’t say Amen say Ouch…)
The Greek word used in 1Cor 12 for “spirits” is the word pronounced…
pnyoo’-mah
And it means… a current of air, that is, breath (blast) or a breeze; by analogy or figuratively a spirit.
It is the same word used when describing the Holy Spirit.
The life is in the breath as is the inspiration…so it is important to discern where the life of the spirit is coming from…
There are only two sources… Gods Love or Mammon
Demonic spirits are the definitive vision of a self serving being…
Gods love is the definitive vision of a family serving being…
Most of the teaching I see on YouTube, in my opinion, is not coming from the Center that is Gods love…
This is because I know exactly what Gods love is and you now know exactly what Gods love is…and what it is not…
There is no condemnation in my statement just an observation…
The reason for is because Gods love has not been actively taught but only gets mentioned as a passing statement… assuming everyone knows what it is…
If you are not actively teaching Gods love as the foundation for all life then you could be under the influence of an Anti-Christ spirit…
To be In Christ is to flow in the Anointed presence of Gods Love like Jesus…
Now is the time to discern for yourself and to discern those spirits who are influencing you daily… before it is too late to do anything about it…
8. Tongues
The Gift of Tongues was first mentioned by Jesus as he was giving final instructions to the Disciples before his ascension into Heaven…
Mar 16:15-19: “And he said unto them, Go into all the world, and preach the gospel (GOOD NEWS) to every creature.
He that believes and is baptised shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be damned.
And these signs shall follow them that believe…
In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat at the right hand of God.”
We hear of Tongues again next in the book of Acts…
Acts 2:1-11: “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans?
And how (is it we) hear we every man in our own tongue, from where we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, proclaimed, we hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.”
The Greek word for tongues is pronounced… – gloce’-sah
Meaning… the tongue; by implication a language (specifically one not naturally acquired )
Tongues are a supernatural gift that God uses to speak His wonder…
In a dream I had I was walking down the side off a hill in a farming district on the New Earth…
I was been lead by a boy of abut 10 and he was taking me to see a farmer…
As I was walking i could hear what sounded like wind in the trees only there was more to this wind…
As I listened more closely I could hear tongues being gently sung…
I continued walking until I reached the Farmers house…
I told the Farmer I had been sent to answer his questions…
He told me that he didn’t have any Questions but he said I could pray for his daughter as she wasn’t feeling well…
I went into his house and over to his daughter who was lying on a bed…
As I began to pray I remembered the tongues and sure enough I could still hear them…
Rather than me praying I instead began to harmonise with what I could hear…
It was at this point I woke up.
The next time I was praying I remembered the dream and the Tongues I had heard ad sure enough I could still hear them and harmonise with them…
I used to project my tongues… now I flow in tongues…
Every time I pray it is for something different and so there is a different Tongue…
I also sing my Tongues because that is what It sounded like on the New Earth…
I don’t know what I am praying exactly but I do know the direction of my prayer and my intention.
I have only met a handful of people who can Interpret Tongues, as for me that gift still eludes me…
9. Interpretation of Tongues
There is not much said in scripture relating to the Interpretation of Tongues but Paul considered it a gift or he wouldn’t have listed it…
But are tongues beneficial if no one interprets them…?
This is Paul’s take…
1Cor 14:26-28: “How is it then, brethren? when you come together, every one of you has a psalm, has a doctrine, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation.
Let all things be done unto edifying. (Building up)
If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.
But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.”
1Cor 14:39-40: “Therefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.
Let all things be done decently and in order.”
Almost all of 1Cor 14 deals with the Interpretation of Tongues and its place in the Body…
Paul taught…
1Cor 14:5: “I would that you all speak with tongues, but more that you prophesied: for greater is he that prophesies than he that speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, that way the church may receive edifying.”(building up)
Those I have met that can interpret say its easy… they can hear the discernible words as if they are spoken in English…
If this is you then be bold and Interpret.
Mat 5:13-16: “You are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its ability to flavour, wherewith shall it be used? It is now good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.
Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it gives light unto all that are in the house.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
This scripture taught by Jesus applies to all the gifts…
If you are afraid that you will be harshly judged by people, then be wise in how you speak…
Some words are not for everyone to hear… let Gods love be your guide…
There are more Gifts in Paul’s other letters to other churches such as in…
Rom 12:5-10: “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
Having then gifts differing according to the grace (the divine influence on the heart and the reflection in the life) that is given to us,
whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith (see above)
Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering (Hearing from God our Father first)
or he that teachers, on teaching (The truths discerned by Gods Spirit of Truth)
Or he that exhorts, on exhortation (to strengthen others in the Faith)
he that gives, let him do it with simplicity (without expecting direct benefit in return)
he that rules with diligence (leading, sure the important things get done)
he that shows mercy, with cheerfulness (Showing kindness from right standing)
Let love be without dissimulation. (sincere: – without hypocrisy)
Abhor (to detest utterly) that which is evil; cleave to that which is good (Gods love)
Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly (Family) love;
in honour preferring one another;” (Gods Love is NOT a Hierarchy but a Family)
10. The Gift of Giving…
There is one more gift that I want to focus on…
Of all the gifts this is the hardest to get right because it involves MAMMON
Jesus taught…
Mat 19:16-23: “And, behold, one came and said unto Jesus,
Good Master, what GOOD thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
And Jesus said to him, Why do you call me good? there is no one good but one, and that is, God: but if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.
The man said, Which commandments?
Jesus said, You shall do no murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honour your father and your mother: and, you shall love your neighbour as you love yourself.
The young man saith to Jesus, All these things have I kept from my youth until now, what do I still lack?
Jesus said to him, If you want to be perfect, go and sell what you have, and GIVE to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven then come and follow me.
But when the young man heard that, he went away sorrowful: for he had great personal possessions.
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall struggle to enter into the kingdom of heaven.”
When it comes to giving the dominant teaching is on the TITHE
The regular giving of 10% of your pay packet or increase so as to open the windows of Heaven and pour out a blessing on you…
The principle was first mentioned when Abraham gave 10% of his gain to the King of Salem. The word Tithe means a tenth…Genesis 14:20
There is a common thread in religious teaching that goes…
“If you do as they did you can have what they had…”
This doesn’t apply to flowing in Gods Love because Gods love is not about EXCHANGE but about… FLOWING IN GODS LOVE
Jesus taught…
Mar 8:36-37: “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”
In all of the gifts there is one common thread…
You can do nothing except hear from Gods Love first…
Every situation is different and so requires different responses but all responses must start with Gods love FIRST.
1Cor 13:3: “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not LOVED, it profits me nothing.”
If you are being supported but a local church then support them with your money… There are cost for the comfort of church buildings…
There is a saying… “If you give a man a fish you will feed him for a day, but if you teach him how to fish then you will feed him for life.” I have added to this saying…
“Unless he lives in a desert.” It is all about the CONTEXT
When you give ASK GOD FIRST…?
Who should you be giving to…?
How much should you give…?
Unless the WHY you are giving is out of your personal relationship with God your Father and flowing from HIS will… you will be doing it out of Mammon..
Gods love is Not a system of exchange but a system of flowing in LOVE
SUMMARY OF THE GIFTS
Wisdom… The next step
Word of Knowledge… Gods knowledge flowing through you
Faith… A confident expectation in Gods Love
Gifts of Healing… Healing the broken hearts
Working of Miracles… God demonstrating the supernatural
Prophesy… Seeing what’s going to happen so as to prepare…
Discerning of Spirits… Seeing the truth behind the facade
Tongues… The creative language of God
Interpretation of Tongues… Proclaiming the creative language of God
Giving… Laying down your life in Gods love for the service of others
1Cor 13:1-3: “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing.
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profits me nothing.”
Unless Gods love came first…
CHAPTER 16. The Body of Christ Ministries
1Cor 12:28: “And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.”
1. Apostles
2. Prophets
3. Teachers
4. Miracle Workers
5. Healers
6. Helpers
7. Administration
8. Intersession
APOSTLES
Jesus early followers were known as the Disciple’s of Jesus
Jesus also called them disciples and also Apostles…
Luk 6:13: “And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;”
The word Apostles in the Greek is pronounced…ap-os’-tol-os
Meaning… a delegate; specifically an ambassador of the Gospel; officially a commissioner of Christ (with miraculous powers): – a messenger, he that is sent.
The word had its origins in the Persian empire and was the title given to a specific person…
When the Persian army overcame another culture the Persian king sent in an Apostle with large group of Apostates who were made up of governing officials, architects, chefs, entertainers and builders to name a few…
When the new conquered area was ready a messenger would be sent to the King and the King would visit the area… he would’ve be able to eat the food he liked and sleep in a bed he was familiar with and be able to listen to his music…
You can see why the disciples used this word…
Apostles today are mostly thought of as church establishes… but their roll is far greater… The apostle is the divine leader appointed by God to bring the people into Gods Love… They take care of the day to day running of the organisation…
2Cor 12:12: “Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.”
Eph 2:18-22: “For through Jesus we have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
In whom all the building correctly framed together grows unto a holy temple in the Lord:
In whom you also are builded together for a habitation of God
(Gods love) through the Spirit.” (Of Gods Truth)
PROPHETS
The Greek word for Prophets is pronounced…prof-ay’-tace
meaning… a foreteller, by analogy an inspired speaker; by extension a poet
As taught earlier by Paul the Gift of Prophesy is available to all who desire it…
A Prophet would be someone who focuses of the gift to gain a deeper understanding and who can teach to others.
Prophesy looks to the future with the guidance of God the Father…
The purpose being to enlighten regarding future events on order to prepare…
Prophesy is a two edged sword because it has the warning of approaching calamity and the promise of salvation with repentance…
Not all prophesy is doom and gloom as there are encouraging prophecy’s that foretell of GOOD things to come… but these also are conditional on us playing our part otherwise the opposite can happen…
I experienced a prophetic dream that was later confirmed to be true by the context of the place where the dream took place having the same context in reality…
I even had the opportunity to take further steps relating to the dream but was slack in following them up…
To this day it has taught me a hard lesson about making sure you follow through when God shows you something so specific…
I will always wonder at the opportunity I missed because of procrastination…
I wont make the same mistake twice.
Also Jesus warned us that in the last days…
Mat 24:24: “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”
John also taught
1Jn 4:1: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”
The best test is the one used by the Apostles themselves…
Does it line up with the heart sentiment of Exodus 3:6…?
TEACHERS
Be very careful when desiring this gift because you are held accountable four times more for what you teach… this goes for Truth and false Truth
Also be careful what you share because this is a form of teaching…
That being said Paul taught…
Heb 5:12: “For when for the time you ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again …..
There as soooooo much teaching in the world today….but there is only ONE ABSOLUTE TRUTH and ALL truth flows from it and that is GODS LOVE.
And yet there is almost no good teaching on the subject… Why?
Because of all of the knowledge there is no greater, no more powerful teaching than Gods Love and the enemy knows it.
If you want to teach and you should, then teach Gods Love because everything else is a distraction…That’s what Jesus did…
Paul taught…
1Cor 2:13: “Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.”
The world is in trouble, serious trouble and only GOOD teaching can rescue it because if there is not a clear definitive truth that everyone can understand then humanity is lost…
At the time of writing this, 2024, there are eight people a DAY committing suicide because they don’t know where to find the way, truth and life…
Jesus said..
John 14:26: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall TEACH you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
Everything Jesus said and did was to point us to Gods Love… everything
What will they say about you…?
Most people I know say… all he talks about is Gods Love…
What better topic is there to talk about than Gods Love…?
To Teach you must know and flow in Gods 7 Values especially Patience…
2Tim 2:24: “And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,”
This is because you will be teaching… People. Not Objects or just headlining big Events but teaching Gods future family…
Some will get what you are saying but most wont because like Jesus taught the hearts of people are in different levels of receiving…
Mat 13:19-23: “When any one hears the word of the kingdom, (Gods Love) and understands it it not, then comes the wicked one, and steals away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. (The well worn Path)
But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that hears the word, and with joy receives it; Yet he has no (deep) root in himself, but endures for (only) a while: for when tribulation or persecution
(opposition/distraction) arises because of the word, by and by he is offended.
He also that received seed among the thorns is he that hears the word; and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.
But HE that received seed into the good ground is he that hears the word, and understands it; which also bears fruit, and bringing forth, some a hundredfold some sixty, some thirty.”
… that’s 30x, 60x and 100X… this is the Teacher of Gods Love.
Rom 10:13-15: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”
MIRACLE WORKERS
These are those who flow in the manifestation of Miracles…
One group who is often overlooked in this field is the Business Men and Women who sit in the pews. They are often only appreciated for what they can give and seldom are considered more than an ATM.
Of all the gifts Miracles are the standout… and also the most neglected…
Rather than try and fail it is easier for most to do other things…
It takes a strong Faith…in Gods Love.
Miracles are not scripted and seldom the same but they occur frequently for those with the faith to step out into the un-tested…
I often say that the hardest part of teaching what Gods love is because tomorrow hasn’t happened yet…
Yes I can and have given you the foundation that God has taught me but it is ultimately God our Father that builds the Body
This to me is that is the really exciting part… God in my experience has always exceeded my expectation’s.
Writing this book is my step of faith that it will ultimately help many find Gods Love just as I have and that an explosion of Sign’s, miracles and Wonders will follow…
There is a prophesy as unforfilld
Joel 2:28-32: “And it shall come to pass afterward (the end times), that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD has said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.”
HELPS
This is one of the gifts that without it churches as we know them would not exist…
Not everyone wants to be onstage but that doesn’t mean they want to be taken for granted either so right now I personally want to say a huge THANK YOU to all those unseen helpers that are the backbone of any organisation…
The volunteers that give freely of their time not because they have to but because they love to… You are in the good company of God your Father…
I have seen so many sitting in church waiting for the Astor to ask them to do something and I have seen those same pastors waiting for someone to volunteer…
I spent all my time at the back row of the church because that’s where the hurting and lonely sit… The ones that are shabby in their dress but like a garden bed waiting for the right seed to be planted…
All that’s needed is some recognition they matter and some encouragement and support then let Gods Love doo the rest…
Many of my best long term friends have been found in the back row…
A true Pastor should not be all the time at the front but you will find them at the back looking for the lost sheep…
I met a young man in a church I attended who was a bit of a loaner…
He either sat with his parents or by himself at the back. He looked like he was in his twenty’s and wore thick rimed black glasses… I’m sure there is one in your church too…
I made it a point to introduce myself to him even though I had only been attending that church for about six months…
I wanted to test a theory out on him…
After we get chatting I asked him how long he had been attending that church and he told me it was about 3 years
I asked him whether he thought of himself as a member of the church or a little more than a visitor…
He replied he felt little more than a visitor.
I said to him that this was because he was not actively helping in the church and that when the pastors mentioned a need the church had that if he felt he could meet that need then he should volunteer…
The following week he approached me and told me that he had stepped up to a need in the church… He was going to look often the children on a Thursday during a Womens Aglow Meeting held in the church… I didn’t see that coming…
6 months later I left that church but not after getting to make friends with that man and also his beautiful parents…
I moved to the coast about 30kms from the church and so began looking for somewhere closer to serve…
About a year later that mans parents also moved to to coast and began attending the same church I was…
I was the music director in a congregation of about two hundred members..
I had struggled to find a sound tech who could run the mixing without messing it up… My wife was mixing and doing an amazing job but didn’t want the responsibility of doing it every week…
I asked the man if he could help and he did… Without having a big ego to deal with he seamlessly learnt what we taught him and I believe years later he is still serving in that church…
The moral of that story… You can’t script Gods Love.
A word of warning to you helpers… you cannot earn you way into Gods love because you are already His favourite…
Luk 10:38-42: “Now it came to pass, as they went, that Jesus entered into a certain village and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and listened to Jesus teaching.
But Martha was encumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, you are full of many cares and troubled about many things, But one thing is needful (Gods Love) and Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not (ever) be taken away from her.”
Helpers, in your serving don’t forget to serve yourself at times and connect with God your Father… taking your instructions from Him just as Jesus does…
It’s more important to be IN Christ than just serving to feel needed…
There is a Joy that comes from serving but it has to be serving from Gods direction, just as it is in all the other gifting in ALL The Body of Christ
HEALERS
Of all the gifts this is the most hand on… but this is not a problem for those who have been called to Heal…
In Pentecostal type churches we have seen the ministers going down the line placing their hand on head after head with some collapsing and others not…
And it is not for me to judge them right or not because I don’t know if it is from God the Father or not…
I know God can heal this way and that there is defiantly a place for it but I question whether there is the follow up for those not healed who are now thinking that God doesn’t care about me…
Healing is not all about what happens on the surface but often requires a deeper work…
With the failure of church in teaching the basics of Gods Love it has left many feeling confused and lost…
The job of healing has been reserved for visiting ministers and those pastors who feel comfortable having healing services…
So what about The Body of Christ… I have met many Healers who have never had the opportunity to grow in their gift… all the while our hospitals are full of patients who have put their faith in science and drugs to get their healing…
It’s only from third world countries that don’t have a modern Medicial system that we hear of miraculous healings taking place at healing events…
Even Jesus struggled to heal in his home town because very few came to him…
Mat 13:54-58: “And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Where has this man found this wisdom, and these mighty works?
Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Where then has this man all these things?
And they were offended (displeased) in him.
But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, except in his own country, and in his own house.
And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.”
Don’t let the unbelief of others deter you on what you know God is calling you to…
One of the main reasons I have felt compelled to build up The Body of Christ is to set a platform for all of those who flow in the gifts… but especially the genuine healers…
Of all the gifts, healers bring the greatest Joy when they lift the burden of sickness and shine the light of Gods Love into peoples hearts…
It is this light that brings the wholeness that leads to ETERNAL LIFE…
Luk 17:11-19: “And it came to pass, as Jesus went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go show yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
And Jesus said unto him, Arise, go your way: your faith has made you whole.”
ADMINISTRATION
This is the gift of pulling it all together…
Without organising and implementing nothing happens…
I have seen more people promoted because they have been faithfully attending rather than because they can do the job… with disastrous results.
Very early in my serving in churches God my Father gave me two words to meditate on… they were Responsibly and Accountability…
So I asked God what was responsibility …?
In typical God fashion He asked me, What do you think it is…?
I thought the best way to figure it out was to break the word down into syllables…
Not being the best speller and not having computers to spell check my every word I came up with… Response Ability meaning the ability to respond… the response ability…
I quickly saw in our church those that has the responsibility but not the
response-ability… It’s interesting that the difference between the two words is the “I” in the middle…
Next I tackled the word Accountability and as I had as not yet checked the spelling I figured that it would be similar to response-ability…
Accountability is the ability to count or measure through numbers… a count ability.
This is like driving a car… without a count ability you wont know how fast you are travelling, how much fuel you have or whether the motor is overheating…etc
The most common a count ability relates to time…
Having a completion date takes a wish and makes it a goal…
I noticed in our church there was a lot of focus on bringing new people in and no focus on the ones that were leaving…
Administration is the gift of organisation which takes responsibility and accountability to be successful…
There is an old saying that goes…
People never do what you expect, only what you Inspect.
I say… I don’t always do what I expect but I always do what others expect…
(See the chapter on Eternal Judgements for further reference)
Organisers build big churches but it is for nothing if they don’t teach and flow in Gods love and promote all of the gifting sin The Body of Christ…
There is a big church in the area I live and the head Pastor preached he had a visitation of Heaven… In it he was shown his Mansion which was a lot smaller than he had imagined… he told this to God because he reasoned that because he had built a big church he would have had a big house in heaven…
God said to him… I never asked you to build that church.
If your gift is administration then you are a valued member in the Body of Christ, just make sure you are doing it for the right reason and that is to flow in Gods anointed presence of love like Jesus does…
DIVERS OF TONGUES
This is a strange one so I asked God what it means…What I got back was it means Intersession.
All the gifts are Intersession when you stop to think about it…
Intersession is standing in the gap between the Natural and the Supernatural…
Intersession is prayer for the Body and of all the gifts it is to me the most important…and the most underrated..
Everyone in the Body of Christ should be standing in the gap for each other and for those on the outside…
I could personally tell when the music team were praying for me and when they weren’t… it’s prayer that oils the wheels of The Body of Christ
It’s prayer that connects us to the power of Gods love… I know this because God just told me…
There is so much spiritual opposition to the church praying that most don’t have a dedicated night to pray…
People are either too busy or too tired… how do I know this? Because that is what happens to me on our group prayer night… but you have to press through… overcoming and diligently seek the answers to what God flows you into…
As I have pressed in and not given up I have not once prayed alone…
When Jesus returns you want him to find you in corporate prayer…
Mat 26:40: “And he came unto the disciples, and finding them asleep, he said unto Peter, What, could you not watch with me one hour?”…
One of the most powerful visions I have received was at the end of praying corporately for one hour…
It was at a men’s prayer meeting run by my church…
I rember thinking how It was a waist of time as there was no coming together but just random prayers for this and that….
I prayed to myself… Lord this is disappointing…I didn’t come out tonight to receive nothing… and it was then the vision began to unfold…
The Lord is a rewarded of those who diligently seek him but it shifts to another level when two or more come together in one accord…
Acts 2:1-4: “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were ALL filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”….
Acts 2:14-21: “But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said to them, You men of Judea, and all you that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
For these are not drunken (being full of Joy), as you suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
And I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Intersession is direct communication with God our Father for the benefit
of others…. This is the foundation of the Body… In Christ
CHAPTER 17. The Ascension Ministries
The Ascension ministry’s are often seen as the Body of Christ but there is a difference between those who are given gifts to those who are the gifts…
Eph 4:10-16: “He that descended (Jesus) is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.
And HE gave some (as), apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
For the perfecting of the saints(The Body of Christ), for the work of the ministry, for the edifying (architecture, that is, (concretely) a structure; figuratively confirmation) of the body of Christ:
The ascension ministers are the foundation pillars that hold up The Body of Christ..
They are not seen publicly because they support by their nature…
They don’t learn their gift but have flowed in all their life…even if no one else has recognised it…
They don’t aspire to the other gifts because they know who they are and they are not restless for the other gifts… they know their call.
Apostles…
Called by God to speak over nations and in doing, change the spiritual atmosphere as lead by God the Father… They are the fathers to whole movements and they guide with an authority that flows in the miraculous…
They are often perceived as a bit dreamy or un-logicial in their choices but make no mistake they are plugged into the Spirit of God the Father for to bring direction into the now…
Prophets…
That speak over nations and the elements, shaping entire continents… their prophecies are statement and direct declarations of God. In relation to the Body of Christ they are brutally honest..This doesn’t always win them friends but they are not looking to be people pleasers.
If you have an ascension prophet in your organisation pair them with an ascension Apostle and watch the revelations flow…better still put them on stage together and the meetings will be… interesting to say the least.
Evangelists …
The preachers of the GOOD NEWS… Often seen as great winners of souls they carry an authority that convinces the unsaved to repent and turn to the Fathers Love. They are fearless in their pursuit of the unsaved. They are creative and dedicated to winning the lost…
They have a message that the world wants to hear and they are not afraid to use it…
They don’t make good pastors and they were never meant to… so let them run and watch the Body of Christ grow in numbers…
Pastors…
They are the Shepards who feed and guide the flock to greener pastures… They are married to the church and their delight is in bringing the flock together and then to Christ.
Their creed is Psalm 32… The lord (by extension, Pastor) is my shepherd and they shall not want…
They protect and when one in their care goes missing they don’t rest until they know they are safe… The Evangelists catch the fish and the Pastors clean them… An ascension Pastor is the Shepard over many congregations and he make sure the Pastors in the Body of Christ don’t get led astray by the latest “feed Lot”. They are people, people and the idea that a people are treated as an “objects” makes them sick to the stomach…
If someone threatens their flock they are not reactive but this doesn’t mean they wont do something about it… they know the best strategies come from God the Father and praying and interceding for those trusted to their care is their daily bread…
Teachers…
Everything to them is a lesson… they evaluate and test then test some more…
Always refining their methods to bring greater knowledge for the benefit of all… they are humble in their knowledge with the patience that only flows from Gods love…
They love the joy that comes from helping others so they are constantly aware of what’s going on around them both in the natural and the spiritual…
They spend many hours in the word and are not afraid to listen to the theories of others…especially when they are coming from God the Father… But even here it is Test, Test Test…
They know that even the enemy can appear as an angle of light so they go deeper and wider than anyone to find the absolute truth…
Other peoples opinions don’t rattle them because they are happy that there are others having a go and no one is right ALL the time including them… no one that is, except God the Father…
The Ascension Purpose
Eph 4:13. To bring all into the unity of the faith, and unity of the knowledge of the Son of God, developing a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:
That we now no more be children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the fraud of men, and their cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive…
But rather speaking the truth in love, that all may grow up into him in all things, which is
(found in Gods love) Jesus the head, even Christ: (Gods anointed presence of Love)
From who the whole body has its place, joined together and compacted by that which every member supplies, according to the effective working in the measure of every part, making increase of the Body unto the edifying (confirmation) of itself in love.”
SUMMARY…(a printable page reminder)
GODS LOVE… The one absolute Truth that all Truth flows from…
PART 1… Discovering Exactly what Gods Love is…
1. All Love came from God
2. Love is a “Good” to a “Very Good” Feeling
3. We FEEL Love as happiness peace and joy…
4. Supported by People, Objects and Events we Value… in valued Context
5. Grief is the opposite of love because it comes from unsupported love.
We feel grief as sadness anxiety and anger, reset the expectation based on what you now know to be true and set new expectations…in God’s Love
Gods love is GODS GOOD
The PEOPLE God values are Gods Family
The OBJECTS God values are His creation and the creations of His Family
The EVENTS God values are the acts of love as stated in Exod 34:6
Mercy Compassion Patience Loving Kindness Truth Forgiveness Justice Exodus 34;6
Living “IN CHRIST”… To be flowing in the anointed presence of Gods love like Jesus.”
PART 2… The Doctrine of Christ, Hebrews 6;1-2
Repentance… A change in the direction of the Heart towards Gods Love
Faith towards God… A confident expectation in Gods Love.
Baptisms… A Public full immersion commitment to flow in Gods Love
Laying on of Hands… Not just talking about Gods Love but Loving on others
Resurrection from the Dead… Going from Mammon to standing up in Gods Love
Eternal Judgments… Lake of fire, New Earth, New Holy City or Throne Room…
PART 3… The Body of Christ
The Gifts of the Spirit…1Cor 12; 1-10
Wisdom… The next step in God’s Love
Word of Knowledge… The supernatural knowledge from God the Father.
Faith… First you hear then you act, not the other way around.
Miracles… What’s impossible for man is more than possible for God
Prophesy… Only God knows the future… now you can to…
Tongues… Gods creative language of love
Interpretation of Tongues… Shining the light on Gods language of love
Giving… Always from the heart of Love otherwise you do it for nothing
The Body of Christ Ministries 1Cor 12;28
Apostles… The ambassadors of the Body
Prophets… The future tellers in order to prepare the way for the Body
Teachers… Dividers of the word and life’s lessons, relating to the Body
Miracle Workers… Flowing in the Supernatural manifestations of the Body
Helps… The backbone of the Body
Healers… The health of the body
Administrators… The organisers of the Body
Intercessors… The prayers and foundation of the Body
The Ascension Ministries… Eph 4:10-16
The Guiding Hand of God to support the Body
So what comes next…? now that we have got to the end of the book…?
Simple, we begin to put what we have learned into practice…
Step 1… Learn your ABCs
a. Make a heart felt decision to Repent from Adams mammon survival lifestyle to…
Focusing on The Fathers intended lifestyle of Flowing in His Love.
b. Put up reminder notes around your house of the points in this book that really spoke to you and also the next goal God has put before you…just as in Deut 6:4…
c. Start loving as Jesus loved us, and you will be literally become one of Jesus disciples…learning on the job…
John 13:34-35: “A new commandment I give unto you, That you love one another; as I have loved you… By this shall all men know that you are my students, by the love you have, one to another.”
d. Connect with us…
There are more projects in the pipeline waiting for people just like you to help carry the Gospel locally and Globally…
We run weekly online teaching and prayer meetings…
Connecting the Body In Christ is OUR next step…
Our vision is to have home groups all over the world teaching Gods Love…
There are heaps of different outreaches we can do but we first have to build the foundation… then we go…as the Father leads
We would love you to partner with us and help bring in the last day Revival that everyone has been talking about for years…humanity’s return to the FIRST Love…
Step 2 Join locally with another who shares the same Gods love values… you may have to teach them first by giving them this book…
A three stranded cord is not easily broken… you your friend and God the Father…
This book is free so just send them the PDF or get it printed and bound at your local printers…
These are the words that God the Father gave to me to be a blessing to me and you and anyone wanting to live the VERY GOOD LIFE…
Freely I received so freely I give…
Partnering with someone will not only bring accountability but they will provide a Context for continued growth…. After all, that’s how this book got written…
Start with 1 person and start meeting face to face on a weekly basis…coffee shop… local park… at home…
Go through the The Good Life and discuss the points…
You will have plenty to share with each other when you are flowing
“ In Christ. “
They will be flowing in their ABCs as well…
When you are not meeting face to face commit to texting daily with an encouraging word or experience or even a question… when you come together in Gods Love… God will be there in the middle…
Discover your personal Gifts, and both of you begin flowing in them…practicing and supporting each other…
Small steps of Faith leads to great achievements…and great Joy…
Step 3 Expand your family to others as God brings them… and He will bring them… everyone is looking for love and you are the only place in town that has the true version of Love…
Step 1 and Step 2 are the base framework for Step 3… and these three steps are the foundation for all of Eternity…
Step 1 Repent, Focus, Love like Jesus and Connect with us…
Step 2 Partner with someone locally… the beginning of your family In Christ…
Step 3 Let God build the Body…
And memorise John 5:30…
Jesus said “I can of my own self do nothing…
as I hear, I judge, and my judgment is true, because I seek not my own will,
but the will of the Father which has sent me.”
Gods Love is the one, absolute truth that, all truth flows from, so don’t let the enemy distract you from Gods Love… and the VERY GOOD LIFE, from now until forever….
I can’t wait to read YOUR story in GODS Love…..
Your brother In Christ….
Derek
☝️💕👍
derek@body-of-christ.org
Mat 24:14: “And this gospel (The “GOOD” news) of the kingdom
(of God’s Love)
shall be preached in ALL the world for a witness (testimony) to all nations…. and then the end (of this word) will come…
Bonus… a prophetic dream I had…
I had this dream about 10 years ago before I began my journey into discovering exactly what Gods love is…
I often think of the dream as it reminds me of the distractions there are in life and what the one clear path home is…
The Journey Home…
The dream began with me standing with a group of 20 to 30 people.
We were all milling around and the general feeling was that we wanted to go home but were not sure how to get there.
It was decided that twelve or so of us would go ahead and scout out the best direction to go.
So we decided to climb up a nearby mountain to see if we could get a better view of what lay ahead.
It wasn’t long before we came to the base of a very large cliff which was glass smooth and impossible to climb past.
The cliff was mostly black in colour but upon closer inspection we noticed there was writing etched into the face.
As we looked even closer we could see planets inside the surface of the rock, it was is if the cliff was made of glass.
As we looked even closer the planets, small as they were, were glowing glow and moving slightly.
There were clusters of planets in spiral galaxies and all of them were slowly moving…
It was beautiful and interesting to watch. We felt there was a need for further investigation as it may explain where we were and how to get home.
A few decided they would stay to investigate more while myself and others would go back and report what we had found.
We began going back down the mountain when we found ourselves in a large forest.
It was a forest just like any other and the going was relatively easy until I began to notice very large spider webs.
I had the thought “charlotte’s web” like the book even though I have not read it.
I also had the feeling that all was not good as the webs were the size that could catch an animal of my size. This also meant it had to be a very large spider.
As we progressed it was not long before we all became entangled in the webs. I took out my sword and began easily cutting through the webs and the others followed suit.
Some women then appeared. They seemed friendly and did not seem concerned about the webs and what we had just come through.
They didn’t seem threatening in fact they were very friendly and with genuine smiles they invited us to their village.
Something was not right as I had my suspicions that it was the women who had set the webs.
We entered the village and sat down at tables where food was served.
The women were very friendly and very flattering. The food was great and some were even getting back massages while they ate.
Something was not right. Even though it felt nice to be looked after by the women, beneath the friendly faces there was almost a hunger in their eyes, a burning desire, they wanted desperately to have children and a family.
I could see through what they were doing. They wanted children but they needed men.
This was not the home we were looking for but another distraction and I told the others what I thought.
There were many who didn’t agree with me so I got up and left while most of the others stayed behind. They seemed to like what they had found.
Our group was now down to 4.
We next found ourselves crossing over a very deep ravine on a rope swing bridge. I was thinking about how I had used my sword to cut myself free from the webs and I felt we had to get rid of our swords.” He who lives by the sword usually dies by the sword” I thought to myself. I felt this was not Gods way for winning battles and that we needed to rely on him not our swords for our safety. I told the others what I was thinking and pulling out my sword I threw it over the edge of the bridge into the ravine and continued on.
I looked back and the others were doing the same. Their swords were glowing as they pulled them out. They were magic swords. One was yellow, another was orange and another was blue. All went over the side. One of the guys asked us to wait a second while he pulled out a set of drums and said we may as well get rid of these to.
We continued on. As we were walking I began to have doubts whether throwing away our swords was a good idea after all.
The thought was my sword was not just for defending me but could also be used to defend others and maybe I hadn’t thought this through properly.
Suddenly I found myself at the bottom of a small valley and up ahead was what looked like a car salesman dressed in a white patterned suite and he was grinning at me.
“Bit of a silly thing you did throwing away your sword like that” he said “others are going to die now because of you”
I didn’t believe him because I would never hurt anyone so how could I be the cause behind their misfortune. I didn’t like the look of this guy, his cheesy fake smile was intimidating.
He could tell I didn’t like him and next thing he pulled out a stock whip.
He began repeating that it was a silly thing for me to have thrown my sword away and also began whipping me. One whip, CRACK then he would disappear then reappear in a different spot and crack me again. After about three direct hits I started running but I couldn’t find my way out of the valley, CRACK he hit me again.
I remembered the thought I had when I threw away my sword and I knew that the lord would help me. All I had to do was imagine a weapon and it would appear.
I decided to give it a go and I imagined a scene from star wars and the blasters they used. Next second it appeared on a rock near me and I rushed over and picked it up.
I then imagined where the trickster would appear next and let of a shot.
I hit him with my shot just as he appeared on the spot I had imagined.
He stopped trying to whip me and said “It looks like you have worked out how to fight back.”
I could see that He was not fatally hurt so I thought it best to keep moving while he was distracted.
I ran down the valley and around a small hill and bend and straight into the original group.
They had given up waiting for us and some were walking into the valley I had just come from while others were going off with some women from the forest that had arrived in carts. The rest I could see in the distance climbing the mountain.
I tried to warn them that they were going into danger and that it wasn’t the way home but they didn’t listen as they wanted to see for themselves…
The next thing that happened to me was I found myself in front of a very large stone wall about 10 to 20 meters high. There were three large doors about 10 metres high embeded into the wall.
To go forward I knew I had to make a choice which as to which door I would go through.
Each door represented either the Mountain, The Village of women, or the Valley of endless puzzles.
The Mountain I now knew to be the pursuit of wisdom where my life would be spent always looking for more knowledge and searching for fresh revelation.
The Forest would be where family concerns would consume my life.
The Valley would be where I would spend my life working, solving endless puzzles and riddles with the trickster.
I somehow knew there had to be more than only these three choices and it was then I noticed another door of to the right side of the three large doors.
It wasn’t as big as the other doors. It was the size of a normal door.
It was made of simple wooden vertical plank’s and it looked very old.
There was no handle but there was a keyhole.
We had been talking about kingdom keys in our weekly bible study home group and so I knew there was a key to open this door so I thought to myself I wonder what is the key for this door.
A voice sounded in my head and said “Jesus is the key.”
I thought “what does that mean” so I asked “How is Jesus the key?”
The voice said “He is the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father but through him.”
I thought back to the valley and how we were expected to be continually solving meaningless puzzles, yet here was THE WAY.
I then thought about the mountain and how lives were spent searching for the truth and yet here was THE TRUTH.
And of course the Forest where creating life was everything to the women and yet here was THE AUTHOR OF LIFE.
Things were beginning to add up so I asked “How do I use the key?”
The voice said “You have to put on Jesus and the Father will see Jesus and open the door.”
I understood what I had to do so I bowed my head and stepped into the anointing, allowing Jesus to fill me completely in full surrender to him.
The door then opened and I was able to walk through to the other side.
The first thing I saw was the night sky. It was not just above me but in front of me and all around me. There were millions of stars and coloured clouds and it was very clear.
I was surprised that it was night time as I thought heaven would not have any darkness in it.
I heard the kind voice of the Father in my head, “ You are mistaken” the Father said “The universe is full of light and it has been so since the creation. Every star you see fills the universe with its light.
If it was darkness you would not see anything.”
I knew he was right and I began turning, taking in the amazing sight of the heavens around me.
As I turned, I saw the door that I had just come through was still there.
On the other side there was a line of people patiently waiting to come through.
I saw the fellow at the front of the line bow his head and then bend down on one knee. Jesus came up beside him and gently took him by the shoulders lifted him back to his feet. Jesus then stepped into the man and they became one. The outline was Jesus but I could still make out the man underneath and as one, they walked through the door and disappeared merging into the universe.
As the man stepped through the doorway he disappeared and I knew that the man had become one with the universe with a purpose to play.
I asked my Father what was happening and what this was all for.
I felt his smile at my question and He replied, “ I am building my home”
(I don’t know if you have ever arrived home before everyone else only to find an empty house. It is not until family arrive with their noise and presence that the house feels like a home. That is what my Father was saying to me).
I began to think of the others who had not yet passed through the door and turned to see what was becoming of them.
I saw the line at the simple door and I saw Jesus with them. I also saw the outline of Jesus in the valley of puzzles. He was also in the Forest and on the Mountain and as I looked closer there was a faint outline of someone inside him.
It was then I woke up from my dream to the sun shining in my window.
Over the next few days I have thought a lot about the dream and I have noticed that almost everyone I have talked to is trapped inside one of the three worlds even if they don’t know it.
All of us can relate to being actively involved in one of the three worlds but the question is “Do we have Jesus covering us?” Remember, Jesus was the only way to the Father.
How do we put on Jesus?
Firstly this is not a program you follow or a magic sword you wield. Jesus is THE TRUTH, you have to accept His Love, His sacrifice, and surrender to it, in order to understand it..
How will we know we have found Jesus?
We are all different in looks and culture but there is one language we all speak the same. It is a language that was put into us when God created Adam right back at the beginning. It is the language of Emotion, not just feelings but deep felt emotions like Love, Hate, Laughter and Grief. The greatest is Love.
Jesus was and is the ultimate demonstration of God the Fathers Love and when you find that language you find Gods anointing and He covers you. You will know you have Christ in you because you will speak His language fluently… the language of GODS Love.
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved…
Mar 16:15-18: “And Jesus said to them, Go into all the world, and preach the gospel (Gods Love) to every creature.
He that believes and is baptised shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be damned.
And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name (my love) shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”