[building A Powerful Church To Thrive In A Time Of Crisis] 06 – The Apostolic: Greater Impartation Of Strength In The People

APRIL 22ND 2009

Prophetic Brief Insight and Analysis for the 21st Century

Building a Powerful Church to Thrive in a Time of Crisis – Part 6 The Apostolic: Greater Impartation of Strength in the People

In these issues we are dealing with the changes produced by the apostolic reformation in the churches joined in divine purpose. The following 5 characteristics are present in churches which are building in the reformation. The one in bold font is dealt with in this newsletter:  1. De-emphasis upon the validity of personal blessing and ministry driven by individual preference, and an emphasis on building and architecture

2. A more integrated Church that has lowered the boundaries of individual ministries and changed how leaders approach ministry 

3. Greater level of i m p a rt a t i o n , a u t h o ri t y, strength, and ranking within the churches, making them more able to fight and more able to stand strong in crisis. 

4. Apostles bring an ability to execute what was spoken by the prophets, thereby creating a more effective stewardship of the prophetic word 

5. A greater demand to see beyond the shapes of the natural into the intents and mind of God

The apostolic is not about one person’s ministry or a great leader, it is about distributing the grace given to them by God to many through correct relationship. Within the apostolic reformation people from every jurisdiction of the earth are being built into powerful representations of Christ-likeness, strengthened by the essential component of Christ known as the apostolic. We are looking at the characteristics of churches which are in relationship to the apostolic and have been building within a reformation context, and the third one is: • Grea te r le ve l o f im pa rta tion, authority, strength, and ranking within the people and the churches, making them more able to fight and stand during crisis. Romans 16:25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began…

brings to those who live during difficult and perilous times. 1 Thessalonians 2:17 But, brothers, when we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. 18 For we wanted to come to you-certainly I, Paul, did, again and again-but Satan stopped us. 19 For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? 20 Indeed, you are our glory and joy. 3:1 So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. 2 We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God's fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen (sterizo) and encourage you in your faith, 3 so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined for them. What do we see from these passages?

Acts 14:21-22 They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said. All of the characteristics are important, but this one more obviously so in light of the crisis which is gripping the earth. In the times that we live is it important that the apostolic strengthens the ramparts of the churches and increases their ability to carry and fulfill divine purpose. The words “establish” and “strengthen” come from the Greek sterizo, which means to turn one resolutely in a certain direction, to render constant, to secure and stabilize the mind. The word describes the process by which a thing becomes structurally correct so that it can take pressure and not break. It is also used to describe a pillar that can bear up under tremendous weight and load without warp. The word is used in many other passages, several of which connect the strength it

A) Kingdom Communities (churches) are designed to exist in the context of apostolic relationship and grace. None of the churches mentioned in the New Testament were unconnected. In the passages above we read about: Rome, D e r b e , Ly s t r a , I c o n i u m , A n t i o c h , Thessalonica and the list goes on to include every single church mentioned in the Word of God. There is no context given in the Word of God for a church that exists outside of connection to a credible apostolic source. That’s why it is not effective just to listen to an apostle’s tapes or CDs for instance, without pursuing relationship and connection, because the impartation occurs because of relationship. Paul declared that God was able to establish the believers in Rome “according to my gospel”. In other places he encouraged those joined to him to “follow my ways in Christ” (1 Corinthians 4:17) and to “put into practice the things you have learned, heard, received and seen in me” (Philippians 4:9). There is no apostolic reality without the context of real relationship which produces impartation. It APRIL 22ND 2009

Acts 14:21-22 They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said. is a day of joining and connection, a time when it is not good to be alone!

B) Real relationship and care is the basis for apostolic impartation. Paul used phrases like “out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you” and he also said “you are our glory and our joy”. To the Romans he said “I long to come to you that I might impart to you… so that you might be established ” (Romans 1:11). The apostolic does not work by imposition or hierarchy, but by spiritual affection and real relationship; without care and relationship the apostolic becomes a form of spiritual authority that is distant from the people and therefore oppressive and incorrect. Relationship here is not referring to personal friendship or carnally liking someone, it is based in discernment of the will of God that we are joined together for Divine purpose. There also exists an enlarged internal spiritual capacity within the hearts of leaders and the saints to internalize and carry many others inside – once again not on an emotional level but by revelation. Space between churches and people is removed when we have been joined together by the Lord, a reality that must begin with real relationship among an apostolic team which gives leadership to a functional network.

C) Building people who are strong and able to withstand the assaults of darkness is the primary aim of the Kingdom. Repeatedly there were phrases used such as “you know quite well that we were destined for these trials”; and also “through many hardships you must enter the Kingdom of God”. Any teaching which emphasizes only success and prosperity will produce a people who are not ready for crisis; indeed many in the earth today love and worship God during times of plenty but at the first sign of difficulty they begin to question “where is God and how could He let this happen to me?” They have not been established and therefore they are unprepared for life in the end times

placed in the body of Christ in a correct and orderly arrangement—impartation of apostolic grace has established them firmly in a correct and powerful spiritual location that can withstand the assaults of darkness. Therefore one way of assessing if apostolic ministry is credible and correct is to assess the lives of the people in the churches which are joined in divine purpose – are they apostolic? Are they strong like pillars that can withstand great load and stress without breaking? Do they have an enlarged capacity of heart, able to carry the global company within their inner man and be delivered from the smallness of their own life? Are they enduring hardship well, or when difficulty comes do they question God’s love and care for them? Paul and his apostolic team built within the churches those who were pillars which could take load and stress and not warp or break. Likewise we recently gathered those churches joined to us in divine purpose for an intense seminar which was designed to give them understanding about the present crisis, and to impart strength and capacity to allow them to meet the spiritual requirements for 2009, a unique time to be alive. The seminar was filled with teaching, ministry, worship, interaction and dialogue as people from all over North America gathered to be strengthened. At the conclusion of the seminar we asked people to give one word descriptions of the impact of the spiritual impartation, and we compiled the following list from their responses: fortification, strength, tenacity, resolve, r a m p a n t , f u l f i l l e d , e m p o w e re d , encouraged, confidence, demand, surrounded, authorized, determination, defined, galvanized, mandated, identified, relevant, focused, validated, certain, cherished, thoughtful, authenticated, deliberate, elevated, loved, connected, celebrated, responsible, sobered, unified, established, grateful, patient, perseverance, stabilized, moved, destined, kept, oneness, liberated, hopeful, capacity

Assessing Apostolic Ministry This immature and limited knowing of God must be replaced by people who are spiritually equipped with correct mentalities and real grace from God that sustains them during difficulty. The Apostolic has created a people who are

There is an apostolic dimension functional in the earth, and this essential component of Christ is required if we are going to successfully navigate our way through the crises to the End.

Building people who are strong and able to withstand the assaults of darkness is the primary aim of the Kingdom. Repeatedly there were phrases used such as “you know quite well that we were destined for these trials”; and also “through many hardships you must enter the Kingdom of God”. Any teaching which emphasizes only success and prosperity will produce a people who are not ready for crisis; indeed many in the earth today love and worship God during times of plenty but at the first sign of difficulty they begin to question “where is God and how could He let this happen to me?” They have not been established and therefore they are unprepared for life in the end times. The Architecture of the New Prophetic Dimension

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APRIL 22ND 2009

Key Issue

An Apostolic Building Dimension

What are some features of the apostolic impartation and the building dimension given to us by God at this time?

1. Functioning within a strong

This places within the people a sense of endurance and commitment to long-term

building dimension imparts an

building. People are not moved by short term crisis and downturns because they have given their entire lives to building correctly, and they know that one of the marks of a true apostolic people is generational continuance, and they are committed living correctly and also to passing down correct patterns to their children.

ability to overcome discouragement and hardships.

We are able to rise above the bigness and apparent arbitrariness in life and recognize

2. Encourages the people to

there is a divine plan and that God is building. In the midst of crisis and downturns when people are losing jobs and houses and generally encountering difficulty, they must be able to discern God’s purpose and His design – the apostolic has blueprints and designs from God (1 Corinthians 3:10) for the entire building, so people become aware of how their life fits into God’s macro building in the earth.

search for design or divine architecture in the apparent arbitrariness of life.

which is a perfected people and the culmination of all things.

3. It anchors the faith of the people on the final product of the global church,

ultimate victory before the battle ever begins.

5. The people are assured that

prevail in the face of an accurate building dimension. Victory is the sure result of right choices and correct building, therefore it becomes simply a matter of time. No longer is victory measured by short term blessings or Babylonian standards of measurement, but people see the triumph of Christ over the Kingdoms of this world through the crisis and they are therefore strengthened. and they don’t hold anything back in case the Kingdom doesn’t work. Their church, a vital representation of the apostolic through correct joining to a credible apostolic source, becomes the portal or branch of the Kingdom of God that people willingly invest their lives into, without fear or without holding back part of their heart. People can finally deal with their historical woundings and fear of authority, and commit themselves to building.

the investment of their life is worth it

6. People can submit themselves to the master plan with confidence, and release selfish/ carnal control of their lives and die into Him. 7. There is a release of a greater sense of partnership with God that removes the sense of our remoteness.

process of personal maturity to a corporate reality. We can look forward into the fulfillment and maturity of our lives as a state we have to arrive at. Knowing that we are moving towards the Finish and that a mature Church is required for correct arrival, awareness is produced that produces faith in the long term outcomes that God is moving us towards. We have a sense of triumph in the midst of darkness and ignorance which cannot

4. People are connected to

smallness and apparent

This also ties our

People have seen the purpose of God to build a perfect man in the earth, and they have surrendered themselves and submitted their will to God. The call to die to self is a primary aspect of the apostolic company (Ephesians 2:20), and perfect death is possible by realizing that their surrender to the purposes of God is in the context of our real movement towards ultimate fulfillment of Divine purpose. This produces an increased recognition that God is alive and He is close and working with us and in us to build. There is a fresh sense of correct realization of Jesus’ words “I am with you”, which removes from people an incorrect sense of insignificance or of spiritual irrelevance. Every human life gains relevance through increased partnership that a building dimension of the apostolic brings.

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Releasing The New Prophetic Dimension • Activating The Capacity To Build • Obeying The Command To Finish

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