In It To Win It

I want to ask a question today that I know may be somewhat challenging: are you a Winner or a Loser? Some people may subscribe to the belief that "all of us are winners". Personally, I would beg to differ. Everybody is not a Winner. There are some losers in Life. The scripture definitely supports the belief that we are not all winners when it says, "know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize?" (1Corinthians 9). This lets us know that not everybody is a Winner.  I ask this question because for where Christ is taking His chosen in the Kingdom, the only way to get there is to be a Winner. You can't get to the Promised Land, you can't enter the Kingdom of God with a slack and slothful effort and attitude (Hebrews 4). We have to be In It To Win It.

The Apostle Paul says in the 3rd chapter of Philippians that he pressed toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. He also said that if he didn't remain "spiritually fit", that he could preach to others and then become "disqualified" (1Corinthians 9). Saints, if we're going to make it to where God has ordained us to be in the Spirit, we're going to have to Press for the Prize. Are you pressing? I know some of us are tired. I know some of us are worn out. I know the Journey up to this point has taken a lot out of us. But if you know in your heart that you haven't crossed the finish line (in regards to God's Divine Will and Revelation for your life), then you've got to Keep Pressing. You can't give up, you can't back off and you can't retreat. You can't become idle and you can't resort to self-indulgence or carnal comforts. You have to continue to Press.

Then saints, we have to be Disciplined. This is something that I'm seeing lacking in a lot of believers, particularly those in the Ministry. We can't just depend on our Gifting and our Anointing. Yes, our Gift will make room for us (Proverbs 18) and yes God giveth Gifts and Callings without Repentance (Romans 11); but in order to sustain that for which God has called and gifted you to fulfill, you must have Divine Character. That's why the development and nurturing of righteousness and patience and holiness and love is so vital to the Christian witness (Romans 5, 2Timothy 2). In order to do this we must be Disciplined. This is why Jesus says that we have to Bear our Cross if we're going to follow Him (Matthew 16). This is why we are admonished to Crucify the Flesh with the affections and lusts (Galatians 5). There has to be a certain level of Discipline, a certain degree of Focus, a certain level of Commitment and Sacrifice in order to allow the Holy Spirit to develop the godly character required to win the Prize and fulfill the Divine Destiny for which God has ordained His Chosen.

Finally saints, we have to be committed to Suffering. I am inclined to believe that there are more than a few ministries that "sputtered out" at the end of many Ministers' lives because of their refusal and reluctance to Suffer for the Cause of Christ. There's a culture that has been cultivated in the ecclesiastical community that projects onto many of our preachers a status of "Christian Celebrity". We see these preachers on tv, we buy their books and go to their Conferences; and we're just blessed when they minister the Word of God. Nothing's wrong with appreciating the Vessels of God, but something is wrong when you begin to treat them like a Rock Star. This is why every servant of God, regardless of your calling and office, doesn't need to get acclimated to the calls of "Hosanna", but rather embrace the cries of "Crucify Him, Crucify Him". The Bible clearly says that we are called to Suffer with Christ (1Peter 2). Let us not run from this Calling. And we won't, If we are In It To Win It.

The Fallacy of Independence

One of the mistakes that people have been taught, for which we tend to perpetuate unconsciously throughout our society, is the need for Independence. We teach our children and people throughout society to be "self-sufficient"; don't depend on anybody else, just depend on yourself. This concept is a lie. Yes, people need to know how to be functional and to be able to "take care of themselves" if you will. But nobody can be "Independent". God did not create us this way. God did not design us to be "lone rangers" or to be socially and emotionally isolated. This is not the will of God. God, first off, wants us to be Dependent on Him. And then He's designed us to be "interdependent" upon each other. For this reason, we want to expose the Fallacy of Independence.

One of the biggest lies that Satan has sold this world is that we don't need to be Dependent upon God. Now granted, if you're a believer in Christ, you know that you "need" God. Nobody who's operating with even a modicum of faith is going to deny that. But there's a difference between needing God and "depending" on God. When you depend on God, the very essence and substance of your being revolves around who God is and His Divine Will for your life. In other words, you don't make a move on your own. There is no "Independence". Everything you do is in dependency on the Word and Will of God for your life. This is how Jesus lived, as the Son of God. He did nothing apart from the Leadership of His Father. That's why He said that He only does what He sees the Father doing (John 5). This is how Adam was originally made. His naming the animals in Genesis chapter 2 was not an "independent enterprise". This was done under the leadership of the Father. Why do you think the scriptures describe us as "children of God". We're never described as "adults" of God, even in the context of spiritual maturity. Why? Because God always wants us to have the posture and attitude of a child (Matthew 18). Children are always "dependent" on their parents.

Then saints, we need each other. The spirit of Individualism that regulates American affairs is not reflective of the spirit of the Kingdom of God. In the words of Hezekiah Walker, "I need you to survive". This is why it is incumbent upon the church to create, and in many instances re-create, a Sense of Community in our various neighborhoods and cities. Everybody's living these "isolated lives", even in the church. This is not the Will of God. It's going to take some effort. We're going to have to get out of our comfort zones. But if we want to establish the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in Heaven, then we must break down The Fallacy of Independence.

It's Not a Flow, It's a Fight

One of the things most people want to experience, and this includes Christians and the church, is for life to  be a Flow. We don't want to experience a lot of stress, we don't want to experience a lot of strife. We don't want to have to deal with a lot of dissension, we don't want to have to endure a lot of confrontations and circumstantial turmoil. Yes, we know that life involves problems and that "things" do tend to happen. But all in all, we just want things to go smoothly and have a tranquil life. Even though this is ideal, it's not necessarily reality. Neither is it reality for the Christian believer. There are more than a few Christians who mistakenly believe that since we "are" Christians, and because we do have God in our life, that things should be easier for us. However, this is a gross misconception of the Christian experience, because living for Christ Is Not a Flow, It's a Fight.

One of the things that we must constantly keep in mind as believers in Christ is that we have an archenemy that is positioned to bring about our defeat and destruction (John 10). Because American society has not really been exposed to an "all-out war" on our land (even during the World Wars), we don't have a concept of what it means to live and function in "wartime". Saints, we've got to understand, we are at War. Now more than ever, because the Devil knows his time is short; plus he knows God is up to something, he just doesn't know fully what it is. Therefore, we need to abandon the mindset that things are supposed to go smoothly for us because we're "Blessed". Wrong. No saints, It's Not a Flow, It's a Fight.

For this reason the scripture says to, "fight the good fight of faith" (1Timothy 6). The scripture also says for us to "endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ" (2Timothy 2). When we're challenged to endure pain, hardships, hurts, conflicts and disappointments, particularly in regards to our faith, don't look at it as an aberration. Don't perceive it as something odd. And don't try to question "what did you do wrong". Understand, this is part of the Fight. This is part of the struggle called Life. Then remember what the scripture says in Romans 8, "and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose". Whatever God is allowing you to go through, whatever it is, He's already ordained it to work for your good. But if we're going to get to the Good for which God has ordained, we've got to Fight, we've got to Struggle, we've got to Press. Is it easy? No. So quit thinking it's supposed to be. Is it going to get harder? Yes. Whoever said Bearing your Cross is supposed to be easy? (Matthew 16) But is the Reward worth it? Yes! (Hebrews 11). And we will be rewarded saints if we understand, It's Not a Flow, It's a Fight.

Hurting People

As we look throughout our country, we see that there are a lot of people that are hurting. People are dealing with various sicknesses and illness that they won't even let people know about. Many of the people that you think are "okay" are really not. They are dealing with aches and pains that they refuse to publicly divulge. They are physically hurting. Then there are people who are suffering with emotional pain. Wounds and scars from the past that have never been healed. Since there is no institutional form of addressing emotional and psychological issues (like the medical system and hospitals address physiological ailments), outside of counseling and therapy, people are forced to deal with their internal turmoil the best they know how. Then there are the relational issues, financial issues, career issues, that are throwing people into social tumult. Bottom line my friends, we are living in a society where there are a lot of Hurting People.

The Good News about the Kingdom of God is that God has established His Kingdom in order to address the hurts and pains of people (Luke 4, Isaiah 61). The Kingdom of God is not simply for "personal prosperity". Yes, God is going to release Supernatural Favor to His Chosen as a Manifestation of the establishment of His Kingdom (Exodus 12). However, when you study the Ministry of Jesus, His Ministerial Objective was never the material advancement of Himself, let alone the people He served. Jesus was always about dealing with the hurts of the people. All throughout His Ministry He was healing the sick, raising the dead, giving sight to the blind, making the deaf hear, empowering the crippled to walk, feeding the hungry; this was The Ministry of Jesus.

As the disciples and Body of Christ, this too is our Mission and Ministry. Just as Jesus was called to Minister to the hurts of people and minister to Hurting People, this too is the job of the church. Our job as Witnesses of Jesus Christ is to go where the Holy Spirit sends us and address the needs and concerns of Hurting People. People want to know does someone care? Americans today are "politically vulnerable" because they are desperate for a Government that cares. Cares about their economic plight, cares about their financial woes, cares about the emotional state of their families, cares about the safety and security of their communities. And not only does someone care, can anybody do anything about the problems? The church's answer should be a resounding yes. There is someone who cares, and His Name is Jesus. He cares so much that He gave His Life on Calvary's Cross to die for the forgiveness of the sins of the world. That is the Love of God. The Design of the Kingdom of God is to take the Love that the Father Manifested through His Son on the Cross and spread it to the entire world. A world that needs to know that there is a God who is and has the answer for Hurting People.

The Heavenly Man

There's a belief that I have communicated that may not be entirely wrong, but at best needs to be modified and adjusted. For years I have held to the belief that when Jesus came to the earth as the Son of Man and as the last Adam (1Corinthians 15), He came not only to redeem us back to the Father, but also to restore to humanity what was lost at The Fall (of Adam). Remember that Adam and Jesus are the only two biblically recorded men who operated in the Sinless Glory of God (Romans 3). With this being said, it means that Adam operated in the Glory of God as a human being. This Glory is what Jesus manifested when He took on human flesh (John 1-2). However, what Jesus has obtained for us through His Death, Burial and Resurrection may be even more than what Adam obtained at his creation.

The scripture says that once Jesus completed His earthly ministry and His Post-Resurrection Ministry with the disciples (Acts 1) that He went back to Heaven and is seated at the Right Hand of the Father (Hebrews 12, Colossians 3). The scripture also states that we as believers are seated in heavenly places in Christ (Ephesians 2). As far as we know (scripturally speaking) Adam was not seated at the Right Hand of Jehovah during his earthly sojourn at Creation. The scripture also says that Adam was made a living soul and that Jesus was made a quickening spirit (1Corinthians 15). That passage goes on to say, "the first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the Heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly." Then the scripture goes on to say that "as He is, so are we in this world" (1John 4).

What's my point? My point is that I am beginning to believe that Jesus didn't die and was raised from the dead, "just" to restore what we lost in Adam. I'm beginning to believe that He died, rose and is ascended to the Father to give us something better! We always talk about being Christ-like, and we always put it in the context of His "earthly ministry". But what if Jesus died so that we could replicate His "Heavenly Ministry"? What if Jesus came, not just for us to operate the way He did on earth, but to actually operate the way He does in Heaven? The scripture does say that we are operating now with a "better Covenant" (Hebrews 8). What would make it better? The fact that it's no longer an "earth based" covenant but a Heavenly based Covenant. What this means is that God is creating a new race of people; but it's not an earthly race, it's actually a Heavenly Race. This is the substance of The New Creation (2Corinthians 5). We tend to think that us being the New Creation talks about the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8) And it does. But it's deeper than that. And please understand, if we "are as He is" not as He "was" when He was here, then that means the same Powers that Jesus has now; walking though walls, disappearing and vanishing in thin air (John 20), we too can do Now. I know it's out there, but this is what it means as a Christian, to function as The Heavenly Man (1Corinthians 15).

Anointing v.s Authority, Part 3

Let us continue with the distinction between the Anointing v.s Divine Authority. If the church is going to see a Kingdom Move of God with Power, we must be able to embrace the Divine Authority of God, and not just the Anointing of the Holy Spirit. We established that the Divine Authority of God is based upon the Order of God, and that Order carries with it Rank, meaning that the Offices within the Order are not equal. That Order can be found in Ephesians chapter 4, which consists of Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers. We must understand the Order if we're going to embrace the Authority.

As we addressed previously, many if not most of us have grown up in the mainstream church and been exposed primarily to the office of the pastor. Everybody "loves their pastor", as well they should, because they represent the Anointed man or woman of God for that particular flock. But we're not talking about the local church, we're talking about The Kingdom of God. And what needs to be established is that, in order to have a Kingdom Move of God, you have to have in operation the Office and Rank that is higher than the Pastor. According to the Word of God, the pastoral office is fourth in rank in regards to the Divine Order of God for the church and the advancement of the Kingdom. Once again, the scripture says: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers (Ephesians 4). Therefore, if all we're operating with is the pastoral office, then we are not ecclesiastically nor spiritually equipped to receive nor usher in the Kingdom of God.

It is time that we recognize and embrace the Order of God and the Rank and Offices required to usher in a Kingdom Move of God, and that is Apostles and Prophets. Even though there has been some degree of exposure to these two offices, they have yet to be established as the Divine Authority for the mainstream church. In order for us to see a Kingdom Move of God within our churches, this has to change. There are several ministers, including several pastors, that operate within an apostolic or prophetic anointing, but have not been established within the Apostolic or Prophetic Office. This is where the church must mature and exercise more discernment. Once again, we love the Anointing, and a person operating within an apostolic or prophetic anointing is going to bless us immensely. Whether it's a word of wisdom, a word of knowledge, a prophetic utterance or demonstration of the miraculous and healings; these two anointings are a Blessing to the Body of Christ. But when you have someone operating in the Apostolic or Prophetic Office, then you're talking about Authority. And the challenge with Authority is that you must be subject to it and you must submit. This is what we must learn to do saints. If we as the people of God do not learn how to submit to the Authority of the Apostolic and Prophetic Office, we will be disqualified from our inheritance of the Kingdom of God. These two Offices represent Kingdom Authority. If we want the Kingdom of God, if we want the Power of God, we can no longer just embrace the Anointing of God, we must also learn to submit to His Kingdom Authority.

Anointing v.s Authority, Part 2

As we continue this discussion, once again, we want to distinguish between the Anointing of God and the Authority of God. When we speak of Authority we're talking about the Divine Authority that God has ordained for the establishment and advancement of His Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven. As I've stated previously, the church loves the Anointing, the activity and manifestation of the Holy Spirit. But what I have learned over the years is that the saints are not equally in love with the Authority that God has assigned and ordained for His church. As a result, because we as the people of God have not embraced the Authority of God, we have consequently forfeited the Power of the Kingdom of God.

Without the Divine Authority of God you cannot access the Power of God. And if you cannot access the Power of God then you cannot have the Manifestation of the Kingdom of God (1Corinthians 4). This is why in the Western church (particularly in America) we witness so many "powerless" churches. Aren't you tired of going to churches that are the equivalent of a Sunday morning religious social club? No Miracles, No Healings, No Signs and Wonders. Aren't you tired of that? I tell you what, God Is! The God we serve is a Supernatural God! But He works according to the faith of His people, or the lack thereof (Matthew 9). Therefore, we must learn how to embrace Divine Authority so that we can receive a Manifestation of the Kingdom of God.

Part of the challenge in terms of the church properly embracing Divine Authority and not just settling for the presence of the Anointing of the Spirit, is to have a better understanding of Divine Order. The God we serve is a God of Order (1Corinthians 14). Many Christians don't understand the Order of God. And without a proper understanding of this Order, it's difficult to fully embrace Divine Authority. The Order of God for the establishment and advancement of the Kingdom of God lies in what is typically described as the "five-fold Ministry", found in Ephesians chapter 4. This Divine Order consists of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. Let me say very quickly that this Divine Order carries with it Rank. In other words, these offices are not "equal" in Authority. Just like a General ranks higher than a Colonel, and a Colonel ranks higher than a Sergeant; so does an apostle rank higher than a prophet, and a prophet ranks higher than a pastor. Most of us, if you've grown up in the mainstream church, are primarily exposed to the authority and rank of the pastoral office. Let me say for the record, the pastoral office in and of itself is not sufficient for the establishment of the Kingdom of God. Which means saints, if we want to see a Move of God and the Manifestation of the Kingdom of God with Power, it's going to take more than just the pastor of your local congregation. How do we know this? Because the pastoral office doesn't represent the Rank and Order of the Kingdom. The scripture says in 1Corinthians 12, "And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers". That scripture talks about Rank. Now if your church hasn't been exposed to apostolic leadership, or the prophetic office is still something relatively foreign to you, it explains why for the most part we haven't witnessed the Power of God in our churches. Yes the pastor represents Spiritual Authority, but that office doesn't the carry the necessary Rank to usher in a Kingdom Move of God.