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Rut, Rot or Revival?

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A.W. Tozer preached a sermon series titled: Rut, Rot, or Revival ~ The Problem of Change and Breaking Out of the Status Quo. In it he stated: “The treacherous enemy facing the church of Jesus Christ today is the dictatorship of the routine, when the routine becomes “lord” in the life of the church….When we come to the place where everything can be predicted and nobody expects anything unusual from God, we are in a rut. The routine dictates, and we can tell not only what will happen next Sunday, but what will occur next month and, if things do not improve, what will take place next year….That would be perfectly alright and proper for a cemetery….But the Church (and the Follower of Jesus) is not a cemetery and we should expect much from it, because what has been should not be the lord to tell us what is, and what is should not be the ruler to tell us what will be. God’s people are supposed to grow.”

We are supposed to be growing…spiritually. But Tozers’ sub-title says a great deal: “The Problem of Change and Breaking Out of the Status Quo.” What ever you want to call it, change, transition, transformation, or metamorphosis – the truth of the matter is it requires “death.” Within the world of everything vegetation there is an important step for the seed to become a plant, bush or tree: it has to be buried in the dark earth. In essence that seed of life has to be thrown into a “pit.” And not just any pit. A dark pit, made up of dark soil. How does soil become really dark? Many things sacrifice their lives, dying, to make the soil rich, and dark. The darker the soil, the richer the nutrients needed to spark life. The darker the soil – the greater the sacrifice. The greater the sacrifice – the grander the resurrection.

Physical truth often points to greater spiritual truths. For the seed to become a life-giving plant a change has to take place. It has to break out of the status quo. You see this symbolically throughout Scripture. Noah and his family are “buried” alive in a “coffin” floating on a flood of death. Joseph is thrown into a pit by his jealous brothers in order to resurrect into a “savior” for Egypt and its surrounding countries, and Jesus’ body was tossed into a “pit” in order to bring resurrection life to all those who would join themselves to His Body. Brad McClendon states, “The best place to sow seed is in the dark ground – then covered up in darkness. That’s what happens to God’s good seed. What happens to the seed – when we take it out of the pit? It dies and transformation is halted. When you reach a spiritual plateau, or “ceiling” – you are in His pit and He is trusting you to remain in order to birth something new in you.”

Ruts, and routines are accompanied by spiritual callouses, and plateaus. What moved us forward spiritually no longer does. It is during this season of the 10 Days of Awe that God reminds us we need soak in the “reign” of His Spirit, and reach for the new heights of His Son. Our spiritual plateaus become Jesus’ pits for our growing upwards.

What do we need to understand and accept? God’s seed – His Word and Spirit in us – grows better in pits, darkness, and storms. Noah, Joseph, and Jesus all trusted the Father for the resurrection. We must do the same. In the meantime, How can we have a good death? Do like any seed: soak up the rain, and stretch for the SON. And be encouraged, His Word is transfiguring you into the image of Jesus. Death is working in you – that His life might be actively at work in others. AS Isa. 60 states: the Glory of God WILL SHINE…upon His people. Be encouraged that you are conscious of the plateau and the callouses. That awareness comes only from the Spirit. That awareness is His invitation to shift, to change, and move to another level in your relating and relation to the Godhead.

Confession & Declaration 35

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I trust that you are seeing that you are precious to Jesus simply on the evidence of the riches of our salvation found in Jesus’ shed Blood. I also trust that you are not simply reading the declarations but saying them aloud. There is power and transformation found in our declarations and confessions. Remember the Scripture we began with: Rev. 12:11 “They overcame the (accuser) through the blood of Jesus and the Word of their Testimony…” The overcoming is enforced through our words (the Living Word) and our testimony (Who Jesus is for Us, What He has done – and is doing – by and through His Blood).

Today we see that we are precious simply by the fact that He placed His Spirit inside of us. Ephesians 1:13-14 NIV 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

The day our hearts were moved to trust Jesus for salvation, and we met the conditions of His Covenant we received the Holy Spirit for salvation. Before Jesus’ sacrifice, resurrection and ascension – the Holy Spirit would come and go, but not remain. You see this symbolized as Noah released the dove from the ark. Once the dove found a place to rest and roost it ceased to return to the ark for safety. David voiced this in Psalm 51 when he asked the Lord to not take His Holy Spirit from him. Yet once Jesus ascended to Heaven He released the sealing of our salvation with His Precious Holy Spirit. He no longer leaves – but remains.

Why would this encourage you and I to know that we are precious to the Lord? And how can this be used as a weapon against the accuser of the brothers?

In Matthew 3:11 it states: I indeed baptize you in (with) water because of repentance [that is, because of your changing your minds for the better, heartily amending your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins]. But He Who is coming after me is mightier than I, Whose sandals I am not worthy or fit to take off or carry; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

Deuteronomy 4:24 states: For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. Then in Deuteronomy 9:3 it adds what His Fire does: Therefore understand today that the Lord your God is He who goes over before you as a consuming fire. He will destroy them and bring them down before you; so you shall drive them out and destroy them quickly, as the Lord has said to you.

Because our God is a consuming fire guess what happens to anyone who chooses to pass through it? They die. It would be negligent of me if I did not take the time to point out how you are able to stand amidst His consuming Fire. You are able to stand, or rather rise, because you have chosen to identify with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. You’ve been crucified with Jesus, picking up your cross daily – to follow Him. Thus the way you use this knowledge against the enemy is through simply exerting the Truth that you have been baptized in the Holy Spirit and Fire. Why should we declare that? Because God is a Consuming Fire destroying, bringing down, and driving out His enemy and ours – thus satan can’t remain. He cannot pass through His Fire.

We know that we are precious to the Lord simply because He has caused His Spirit to dwell within. Very few rarely take the time to understand and grasp what this means. I usually begin this discovery by pointing out that the 11 Disciples of Jesus received the Holy Spirit from Jesus after His Resurrection (See John 20:22-23) But there was no transformational change in the Disciples. Why is that? They had simply received the Spirit of God to secure their salvation. What few fail to examine is that Jesus exhorts these same Disciples, along with the 500 He had appeared, to receive the Baptism of the Spirit. I make this assumption based on the 120 who had gathered to pray in the Upper Room to receive this Promise, and the exhortation in Acts 1:4-8. There are no contradictions in God’s Word and thus there must be an explanation for the differences found in the two passages of Scripture. (And there most certainly is) John 20 is about the Disciples being sealed for salvation (See Ephesians 1:13-14). While Acts 1 is about the Disciples being empowered to be little Christs – little anointed ones. This is why Ephesians 5:18-20 states that the believers were to be filled with the Spirit even after he stated in Ephesians 1 they were already sealed by the Spirit. One is for salvation and the other is an equipping to be Jesus’ Witnesses, Ministers, and Missionaries. I split these out into these categories because of what the modern church has done to dilute these terms. In Jesus’ day one Christian didn’t just do the work of evangelism, and another the work of missions, and another minister to others. No, if you were a disciple of Jesus, Born – Again of the Spirit – you did all three.

The other thing I really enjoy pointing out is the expectation the New Testament Church had as they prayed in the Upper Room. I enjoy asking a certain question that modern day believers typically fail in understanding. The question is this: When Jesus promised the Baptism of the Spirit, did the disciples and believers have a clue in understanding what to expect? In my limited experience through out the Body of Christ I can say that within that narrow scope the modern believer always fails to answer this correctly. The answer to the question is, Yes they did have a clue. In fact, you can actually find it in Scripture. Numbers 11:16-17 And the Lord said to Moses, Gather for Me seventy men of the elders of Israel whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; and bring them to the Tent of Meeting and let them stand there with you. 17 And I will come down and talk with you there; and I will take of the Spirit which is upon you and will put It upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not have to bear it yourself alone. Then in verses 24-29: So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord, and he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and set them round about the Tent.25 And the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took of the Spirit that was upon him and put It upon the seventy elders; and when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied [sounding forth the praises of God and declaring His will]. Then they did so no more. 26 But there remained two men in the camp named Eldad and Medad. The Spirit rested upon them, and they were of those who were selected and listed, yet they did not go out to the Tent [as told to do], but they prophesied in the camp. 27 And a young man ran to Moses and said, Eldad and Medad are prophesying [sounding forth the praises of God and declaring His will] in the camp. 28 Joshua son of Nun, the minister of Moses, one of his chosen men, said, My lord Moses, forbid them! 29 But Moses said to him, Are you envious or jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!

There are numerous examples of this throughout the Old Testament in which when the Spirit of the Lord came upon someone they were able to do amazing things: artisans, elders, judges, prophets, priests, Kings, and disciples of the prophets. When Jesus said He was going to be baptize them in the Holy Spirit they knew exactly what He was referring too – and they wanted it! They wanted to be like the Spirit anointed saints of old and empowered to do the works they did. Do you see how the enemy has robbed us of this? Diluted and made this truth impotent? Can I let you in on a secret? Jesus doesn’t change (See Heb. 13:8). If it was available back then – its still available now. Do you see and understand why you are precious to the Lord? You were made for more than looking at the back of somebody’s head and calling that worship, or Christianity. What a sad joke has been played on the modern day church, and satan has us exactly where he wants us.

Declaration 35: Lord Jesus, Baptizer in the Spirit and Fire. I praise You for the greatness of Your Salvation, that You made me for more than what I’ve understood. Thank You Jesus that You dwell in Consuming Fire and no power of hell can pass through it. Thank You Jesus that Your Consuming Fire lives in me. Fan the Flames with the Wind of Your Spirit. Empower me with Grace and revelation to throw the kindling of my flesh onto its glowing embers. Call me to raise up and ascend in holiness that Your Fire’s may roar to life in me. Thank You Jesus that the promise still remains, and that You don’t change. I need the Baptism, the Infilling and the Fire of Your Holy Spirit. Blaze in me! Light revival fires through me. Use me as Your witness, minister and missionary. And Lord thank You, thank You, thank You that you have poured out Your Spirit into my life to raise me up with power like the prophets, elders, judges, priests, and kings of old. Thank You Jesus! I truly have overcome the enemy by the Blood of the Lamb! Burn within, burn without, and light me ablaze with Glory and Passionate Love. Thank You Jesus!

Confession & Declaration 27

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Revelation 5:8 And when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders [of the heavenly Sanhedrin] prostrated themselves before the Lamb. Each was holding a harp (lute or guitar), and they had golden bowls full of incense (fragrant spices and gums for burning), which are the prayers of God’s people (the saints).

This scene occurs in Heaven’s Throne Room. What’s phenomenal to me is the last part of verse 8: golden bowls full of incense (fragrant spices and gums for burning), which are the prayers of God’s people (the saints).

Think on that: Golden bowls of incense which are the prayers of the saints. We have no idea how precious we are to God. Yet here in this passage it is so beautifully illustrated. Your prayers, and my prayers are mingled with the prayers of all the saints, from all the ages. Can you imagine? Your prayers are mingled with Noah’s, Abraham’s, Isaac’s, Jacob’s, Joseph’s, Moses’, and Joshua’s. They are mingled with the prayers of the prophets, Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Daniel. Crazier still? Our prayers have been mingled with the prayers of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. That should cause you to pause.

Now you might ask, What does this have to do with overcoming the enemy? The answers are varied but ultimately you should be getting a picture of what a treasure you are to God. The enemy wants to remind you of your frailties, and failures. He wants to accuse and condemn you. What you need to see is that there’s a reason why that is. Do you remember the meditation regarding being co-heirs with Christ? Do you remember that all things that belong to Jesus – belong to us? Well guess who Jesus owns? All the angels and demons. And Jesus shares that ownership with you. The devil hates you because Jesus Christ so valued mankind that He chose to share the stewardship of the entire universe with us. In comparison to angels we are frail, puny, weak men, and women. Yet God shares the stewardship of the universe with us – entrusting us – through our prayers. Prayers which move the heart and hand of God. Prayers, which are led by the Spirit of God, lifted before the Father, through Jesus. Your prayers shape world events. Your prayers move through the universe ushering in the Kingdom of God. Thus, you overcome the accuser through the prayers of the Spirit lifted before your Intercessor Jesus. And God the Father? He answers with thunder, power and wonder.

Declaration 27: Holy Father I stand amazed and awed by Your great love and the mystery of choosing man to co-labor along side of You. Thank You for including us in the stewardship of the world. Thank You for choosing me to know You. Thank You for praying through me – intermingling my intercessions with those of the Spirit, Jesus, and the saints. Thank You that I am a co-heir with Jesus, through Jesus’ conquering resurrection. Through Your Resurrection and Ascension Satan is defeated, and death has lost its sting! Thank You Jesus that Your coming back and that I will reign with You! Grant me Grace and the Power of Your Spirit to add more and more prayers to the golden bowls before Your Return. Grant me Grace and the Power of Your Spirit to pray in Your Spirit, from my spirit, as I abide in Your Word – let Your Words abide in me. Hallelujah I thank You Jesus that the Living Word of God dwells in me and that I am seated in heavenly realms with You!

Who’s Your One? Wednesday, February 5, Day 24