THE PROPHET HIS GLORY REIGNS B. Childress Aug 9, 2007 Whenever we study church government, we should go to the Word of God to understand how God wants His church to be established: God has given us his guidelines and principals in His Word, but He leaves the responsibility of how to apply those guidelines and principals to us. What is the origin of the word "church." The word "church" in 1 Corinthians 12:28, comes from the Greek word ekklesia. Ekklesia comes from another Greek word ekkaleo. Ekkaleo is a compound word . It is made from two word ek- and kaleo. Ek means "out" and kaleo mean "to call." Thus, what the word "church" really means is "the called out ones" or the "chosen ones" as translated in Ephesians 1:4. When Paul said we were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world, the same word is used (ekkaleo). What is church? First Corinthians 12:27-28 says, "Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular." Today, the word "church" is loosely used to describe a building made of brick and mortar, which could also house a disco, school, industry, or retail store. The universal church is made up of every born-again believer on the face of the earth. Every group of believers who worships together is a segment of the "universal church." Those segments that meet together are "local churches." The church has been called out. If the church is the "called out" or "chosen" ones, there has to be someone calling or choosing. "God hath set some in the church." 1Corinthians 12:28 God is doing the calling or choosing. Ephesians 4: 11 says, "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;" - but who is "he." To understand, we can look at Ephesians 4:8-10, "WHEN HE ASCENDED UP ON HIGH, HE LED CAPTIVITY CAPTIVE, AND GAVE GIFTS UNTO MEN. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things)." The Lord Jesus Christ if the "he" who ascended, and the He Who gave gifts to men. Referring back to 1Corinthians 12:28, God the Father is the One who sets the ministry gifts in the church: these ministry gifts are chosen by God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ in combined authority. Jesus is the One who calls and appoints the ministry gifts. The One (Jesus) who does the calling has authority over the one He calls - whoever chooses the ministry gift has authority over the one He calls - whoever chooses the ministry gift has authority over the one who is chosen. So, who is head of the church? Ephesians 1:22-23 says, "And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body the fullness of him that filleth all in all." The Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the church. He was given that position by God the Father. He was given authority over the church by God the Father as well all ministry gifts He chooses to distribute. THE PROPHET A prophet speaks by direct divine inspiration, an immediate revelation - not something he thought of, but something given at the spur of the moment by sudden inspiration. To stand in the office of prophet, one is first of all a minister of the Gospel, separated and called to the ministry with the calling of God upon his life. The second ministerial office is that of the prophet. In the Old Testament, the position of prophet was one of divine guidance - the prophet was called a "seer." The Hebrew word ra' ah - to see or to perceive - tells us what the ministry of the prophet is all about. Also the word chozeh - a beholder of visions is used as that of a seer or prophet. Under the New Covenant it is unscriptural to seek guidance through the ministry of the prophet because, 1) The Presence of God is living within us- our bodies are the temple of God under the New Covenant, 2) He is within us to lead us,"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.:" Romans 8:14 3) Every believer needs to learn to follow the Spirit of God for himself. He shouldn't have to go to anyone else for guidance, 4) Know in your own spirit that God is leading you. If whatever someone else says confirms what you have in your spirit, fine. If it doesn't, forget it. The office of prophet cannot be filled through a democratic election. A prophet is called of God and set apart by God. The person God picks to fill this office is not chosen on the basis of personality, education, or public standing. When God appoints a prophet in the land, the people have nothing to do with it. So, no group of men and no individual man can choose and create a prophet - only the Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father can choose and create a minister. Jesus stood in all of the five-fold ministries (Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, and Teacher) as Jesus had the Spirit without measure. He is our example. In John 4:17-19, the woman of Samaria identified Jesus as a prophet, "The woman answered and said, I have not husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: For thou has had five husbands; and he whom thou now has is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly. The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a PROPHET." The Bible lists about 78 prophets and prophetesses: Some Old Testament prophets Adam (Genesis 2:19); Enoch (Genesis 5:21); Noah (Genesis 6:8,9); Abraham (Genesis 24:6,7); Jacob (Genesis 49:1); Joseph (Genesis 41:15,16); Moses (Exodus 11:4,5); Elijah (1 Kings 17:1). Some New Testament writing prophets Peter (Acts 2:16); Paul (Acts 17:31); James (5:1-7); John (1 John 2:17,18). Some New Testament speaking prophets John the Baptist (Matthew 3:11); Zacharias (Luke 1:67-71); Agabus (Acts 11:27,28); Ananias (Acts 9:11,17). Prophets in Groups The Seventy (Numbers 11:25); A Company of Prophets (1 Samuel 10:5-10) Prophetesses Miriam (Exodus 15:20); Deborah (Judges 4:4); Huldah (2 Kings 22:14); Isaiah's wife (Isaiah 8:3); Anna (Luke 2:36-38).
General Characteristics of a Prophet: There is a difference between standing in the office of a prophet and the simple gift of prophesy:
Signs and Wonders accompany a prophet's ministry... The laying on of hands goes with the prophet's ministry. A healing ministry goes along with the prophet's office. When the prophet exercises the gifts of healings (or any ministry function), it is a prophet's ministry in operation. "The Hand of the Lord" referred to in the Old Testament, is actually the Spirit of God - the anointing; the other terms used are the "Spirit," "double portion of thy Spirit," and "mantle." We find the terminology the "hand of the Lord" used quite frequently in the ministry of Ezekiel, the prophet, "And it came to pass in the sixth year, the sixth month, the fifth day of the month As I sat in mine house, the elders of Judah set before me, that the hand of the Lord fell there upon me". Ezekiel 8:1 "The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest. Again he said unto, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD. So I prophesied as I was commanded: as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them. Then he said unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the win, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceeding great army." Ezekiel 37:1-10 These excerpts from Ezekiel point out, 1) the call of God was already upon Ezekiel - the "hand of God" was upon him to minister potentially - but his prophetic ministry was not in manifestation until the "hand of the Lord" fell upon him, 2) Ezekiel detailed the exact dates and details of each one of these experiences. Kenneth E. Hagin recounts being able to remember exact dates, times, and specific details surrounding certain experiences in his ministry. The ability to do so goes along with the apostle's ministry. In Ezekiel 33:22, we find that the "Spirit" was again upon Ezekiel, but in a different way, "Now the hand of the Lord was upon me in the evening, afore he that was escaped came: and had opened my mouth, until he came to me in the morning; and my mouth was opened, and I was no more dumb." Ezekiel 33:22 The prophet went all night with his mouth open, never saying a word. He was speechless until that fellow (escapee) came and then he could speak. John the Baptist's father, Zacharias, who was a priest, did not believe the angel Gabriel's message that a son was to be born to him and his wife. He became speechless and remained speechless until John the Baptist was born (Luke 1). Zacharias was not mute from sickness or disease - the hand of the Lord was upon him. Elymas, the sorcerer who withstood Paul on one of his missionary journeys was made blind. Paul said, "And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season." Acts 13:11. Elymas was not struck with disease, Elymas was blind because of the power of God that had come upon him. Kenneth E. Hagin speaks about how the hand of the Lord came upon him as he was laying hands on the sick. When the anointing came upon him on this particular occasion, he could no longer speak in English - only tongues. The anointing was so intense he had to "pass" the anointing on to another minister, " I turned around and said in tongues to Fred ( Fred Price), 'You go ahead and lay hands on the people and finish the healing line.' Fred understood me as if I had spoken to him in English. He said to me in tongues - and I heard it as if he were speaking in English. ' All right, you lay your finger in my hands that I may minister with the same anointing, and I will pray for them.' I did so, he began to minister, and it seemed as if there were a stronger surge of power than before. I stood there and watched the whole thing but couldn't speak in English...When I first came back over into English at Fred Price's home an hour and a half later, I could only speak a word or two. I still couldn't even put sentences together." (p. 83)
Requirements:
God does nothing without first revealing His secrets to His servants, the prophets, "Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets." Amos 3:7 In summary, the characteristics of a prophet today are: 1) Prophets have the ability to fortell the future. 2) One who experiences visions and revelations. 3) One who experiences and operates in signs and wonders. 4) One who operates in the revelation gifts (the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, and discerning of spirits) as well as the gift of prophecy. 5) Laying on of hands and gifts of healings operate through the prophetic ministry 6) Proficient in the Word of God. Defenders of the Word of God. 7) Preachers and teachers. " Perhaps there is nothing so exciting as prophecy. In these last days we must have the prophet's ministry at work among us. All kinds of people will be reading the stars and predicting future events. The Devil will be out to fool as many people as he can regarding the future, so God's people must take their place against him. Don't be afraid of the future. No matter what happens, I guarantee you a greater move of the supernatural than you have ever seen before. Let's get ready for it. Lets seek it. Let's love it. I know that the God of heaven is going to bless us in it, and I am ready for His blessing! Let the ministry of the prophet be heard in the land!" Lester Sumrall (p. 237) " I think there are aspects of the anointing we are going to come into in the days ahead that we haven't experienced yet. By this I mean the use of the anointing, the purpose of the anointing, the utilization of the anointing, ministering under the anointing, and transferring or transmitting the anointing - on the one hand to do good and bring blessing, and on the other hand to bring judgement on those like Elymas who would stand in the way and hinder the Gospel. " Kenneth E. Hagin (p. 84) Sources: The Shaping of an Apostle, June Newman Davis, Copyright 1981 by Scripture Keys Ministries, Inc. Understanding the Anointing, Kenneth E. Hagin, Copyright 1983 RHEMA Bible Church. The Gifts and Ministries of the Holy Spirit, Lester Sumrall, Copyright 1982 by Lester Sumrall Evangelical Association (LeSEA). Decently and In Order, Bob Yandian, Copyright 1983, 1987 by Whitaker House. The Ministry Gifts, Kenneth E. Hagin, Copyright 1998 by Whitaker House. |
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