From Revival Ministries Australia
P.O. Box 2718 BC TOOWOOMBA Q4350
Australia
Phone: 61-7-46130633; e-mail: rma@revivalministries.org.au
Website: www.revivalministries.org.au
THE NATURE OF AN OVERCOMING
PEOPLE
Paul Galligan
The current revelation that the Lord is opening up to us which came late in the International School, when I was teaching on Spiritual Warfare, is to do with the corporate nature of the church which the Lord has given to us in the understanding and practice of apostolic company. In the days of Noah the ark of salvation was a boat, but in these last days the ark of salvation is the church of Jesus Christ. Of course this demands a full and deep understanding of the true church as revealed in the New Testament.
The understanding of apostolic company comes firstly from the example of the 120 disciples including the apostles and their leadership, who continued in the upper room in obedience to Jesus in Acts 1. These brethren continued in prayer and supplication and were “in one accord”. The main task given to Peter by the Holy Spirit was to set the twelfth apostle in place so that the foundations upon which the church was to be built, would be complete. Later in the Book of Acts we find reference to “companions” Acts 4:23, 21:8 and “company” Acts 15:22.
In mid 2001 the Lord instructed us to form an apostolic company and over the years He has enlightened us as to the understanding and practice of apostolic company. The apostolic company is raised up by the Lord to become a “pattern” people. Paul refers to this in Phil.3:15-17 where he speaks of those who “are mature” as having the “same mind” and walking “by the same rule”.
Earlier in 1 Cor.2:6-16, Paul refers to the “wisdom of God in a mystery” which is for the mature to receive and this wisdom “God ordained before the ages for our glory”. God has always intended for the church to come to maturity and it is essential for the church to come to maturity to be able to receive the revelation of the mystery and begin to experience and walk in the glory of the Lord. In these last days the concept of ‘church’ has become very confused with many referring to a building as the church. Therefore God is specifically raising apostolic companies to model New Testament church. Notice that Paul says “we have the mind of Christ” v16! It is a plural reality! No one member of the body will ever have “the mind of Christ” on their own but it is a corporate reality.
By the Blood of the Lamb...
In teaching from Rev.12:11, it dawned on us that the victory over Satan, the accuser of the brethren, is only possible as a corporate [plural] body of believers, properly joined together, overcome him. The Scripture says 'they overcame him'. It is as the saints are joined together in apostolic company - a pattern people - who are committed to walking in maturity, that "the blood of the Lamb" works to give the saints the victory.
How does the blood of the Lamb work? 1Jn.1:7 tells us, "if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." Brethren, it is essential that we walk together in the light of Jesus Christ, being led by His Spirit in the light of His word, being in open, respectful and loving fellowship and submitting to one another in the fear of Christ. According to Eph.5:18-21 a submitted life to the brethren in the fear of God, is a sign of a Spirit filled life.
Therefore whenever difficulties, disagreements, misunderstandings or any other problem arise between brethren, we must keep very short accounts and be reconciled quickly to one another in the fear of Christ. This is how the “blood of Jesus Christ” works in the body: whenever a problem [sin] arises it is to be dealt with immediately by repentance and confession, allowing the blood of Christ to cleanse. Thus the relationships in the body are restored in the short term, allowing true fellowship and enabling the saints to walk in the light together. While there is vital need for each individual saint to walk in the light of Jesus Christ, it is the corporate experience and _expression that God is looking for – the church walking in maturity – and it is the corporate _expression that will overcome the accuser of the brethren, providing for all the members in the fellowship to be walking in victory.
Colossians 3:12-17 is a powerful and commanding guide to life together in the body of Christ. God expects the body to function in this way, "bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another, even as Christ forgave you, so you also." We can too easily overlook the clear teaching and guidance of God through the Scripture in which He is instructing us as to how we should walk and conduct ourselves in relationships in the body. The apostolic company is referred to as ‘the elect of God’ and “the elect” are to “put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness and long suffering.” All of these are relationship words, governing our attitudes and our actions in relationship to other members of the body. Then the Scripture says “put on love … and let the peace of God rule in your hearts.” This is all in the context of the body.
By the Word of Their Testimony
Secondly they overcame the accuser of the brethren "by the word of their testimony". Notice again it is a corporate confession, 'their testimony'. This takes us again to Phil.3:15-17 "as many as are mature, have this mind ... Let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind." Let us "be a pattern people"!
In the Spirit Filled Life Bible the Kingdom Dynamics underneath Rom.10:8 comments on the word 'confess' Greek 'Homologeo': it has the connotation of 'a binding public declaration by which a legal relation is contractually established'. Literally this word means 'to speak the same word'. Remember we have talked about Heb.3:1 and the confession of Jesus our Apostle [this confession has been missing from the church for 1800 years].
The word of their testimony is the apostolic confession of "the faith once and for all delivered to the saints" Jude 3. This is the testimony: the knowledge of the mystery; the fellowship of the mystery (Eph.3:2-11); the reality of adoption as sons (Eph.1:5). It is to the company, the church corporate, that God gives "the mind of Christ" 1 Cor.2:16.
So the word of our testimony is our understanding and confession of who we are: the body of Christ, the elect of God, the saints, and the high calling [attaining to the resurrection of the dead, Phil 3:11] and purpose of God which He has already accomplished in Christ Jesus (Eph.3:11) and is now bringing to pass in the last days church.
This testimony includes the knowledge of the mystery, “the fellowship of the mystery” Eph.3:9, whereby God now intends “that the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenlies.” v10 Can you now see how the corporate church walks in victory, overcoming the accuser of the brethren?
Loving not their own Lives to the Death
Thirdly they overcame him "loving not their own lives to the death". This is the outworking of 1 Jn 3:16 "by this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." Loving not our lives to the death speaks of our commitment to the fellowship, to the apostolic company and our appreciation of our placement in the body of Christ, "we were bought with a price." The ultimate price is martyrdom, and martyrdom is not only 'dying for the faith' but it is also laying our lives down for our friends. In recent times the Lord has made it clear to us that He wants us ‘to give our heart to Him and to one another’. This is the nature of apostolic company. I have given my heart to my brethren. My brethren have given their hearts. As the reality of ‘loving not our own lives to the death’ becomes known to us, the committed relationships that we enjoy become a powerful bulwark against the enemy’s attack, which mostly comes through accusations.
When we begin to walk in this revelation of apostolic company, of true Christian fellowship and community, we will experience corporately enormous victory over the evil one and the glory of Christ will be more and more manifest in and through the saints.
Paul Galligan. 08.09..06
Don Atkin
KINGDOMQUEST International Ministries
http://www.donatkin.com http://www.kingdomquest.net
The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom. - Matthew 13:38
Jesus, the firstborn Son of God and prototype and firstborn of many sons, referring to Himself, said: Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain (Matthew 12:24).
He went on to explain, He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor (verses 25-26).
We are to see ourselves as good seeds, sons of the kingdom, hating our lives in this world, willingly falling into the ground (the field of the world that God so loves), and dying daily as we follow Jesus Christ in pursuit of His kingdom.
SUFFERING SONS
The suffering we embrace is not to take us by surprise (I Peter 4:12-19). We are to count it all joy when we fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of our faith produces patience, that we may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing (James 1:2-4).
Our Father, in bringing many sons to glory, made the captain of our salvation perfect through sufferings (Hebrews 2:10). He also predestined (us) to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren (Romans 8:29).
A right attitude is important, and it is usually developed over a period of time. Learning to "land softly" in "good soil," and trusting God to give the increase, requires a process of growing. Joy comes in the morning as light dawns upon our situation, and we see His strength being made perfect in our weakness. First the root, then the shoot, then the fruit! Joyful suffering eventually produces joyful sons.
God’s eternal plan and purpose will come to fruition as we fall into the ground and die. If we fail to do so, we remain alone. If we do so, we will bring forth abundant and abiding fruit - 30, 60, even 100 fold!
DISCIPLING SONS
Sons are not produced merely through proclamation. Jesus spoke to multitudes, but poured out His life, every fiber of His being, into twelve men who would be the first fruits of His fathering ministry. His priority and methodology can be found by studying the gospels.
(My book, "Like Father, Like Son," is based upon Jesus’ priority and methodology, and is subtitled,
"Discipling Sons For God." It is available online, at www.DonAtkin.com.)
Our commission is not merely to preach. It is to disciple the nations! Biblical preaching was primarily to the unsaved people in the world, who need demonstration at least as much as proclamation. We are to preach the gospel of the kingdom to them, and then disciple those who respond.
Jesus devoted most of His three and one-half year ministry to discipling twelve men who were then sent to change their world. Mentoring seems to be a preferred term in our day. It seems a little softer. Maybe that is part of the problem - less dying involved!
We have been commissioned to disciple sons for God, training them how to gracefully die to self daily in pouring out their lives to others.
It takes time to gather baggage. It takes time to get rid of baggage. We all come into the kingdom with history. We are largely the products of our environment. Not only does our environment need to change so that we are living in the atmosphere and spirit of heaven, but we need to be purged of baggage. This often requires deliverance, inner healing, and release from the effects of generational curses.
Many never get free enough to die to self. They go through life self-consumed because they cannot make themselves vulnerable enough to receive the help and training, healing and equipping, they need. They never come into fruition because they are never equipped for the work of the ministry which God ordained for them to walk in. (See Ephesians 2:10; 4:11-24.)
Discipleship is a Bible term, used by Jesus to describe a very necessary process:
A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. - Matthew 10:24-25
Such a process requires authority, submission and accountability. Jesus commended a centurion for his great faith because he understood these principles. (See Matthew 8:5-10.)
MATURING SONS
Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. - Galatians 4:1-2
The perfecting (maturing) process requires that the son posture himself as a slave, submitting himself to the delegated authority of the God-appointed guardian/steward in his life.
"God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." - James 4:6-8
Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. - I Peter 5:5-7
Get it? He cares for you! He wants you to properly posture yourself that He may exalt you when you are ready - perfected, matured.
The posture of the appointed teacher/guardian/steward is also very important. We who are privileged to obey the Great Commission by discipling nations are to be postured as servant sons who wash the feet of our disciples, bringing refreshment and life to them in love. We are to father them with Father’s love and wisdom, always pointing them to the Lord Jesus and to our Father who is in heaven. They might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet not many fathers whose example they may imitate. (See I Corinthians 4:14-16.)
Instruct and demonstrate for them how to rightly relate to God and men. Caution them to not love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, "Rabbi, Rabbi."
But you, do not be called "Rabbi"; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. - Matthew 23:6-12
RELEASING SONS
Some sons are to stay. Most are to be sent. One hindrance to kingdom expansion is the failure of some leaders to raise up, and then release sons. Another hindrance is our failure to make room for those who are raised up. We sometimes "disciple them to death." Or, we keep them at our side at the expense of their own destiny, because we perceive that they are integral to our personal success. We never send them forth to be sown in the soil of the world as seeds - sons of the kingdom. Our sons are really His sons, sons of the kingdom, to be sown as seeds among the nations as directed by the Holy Spirit!
We need to have a strategy for releasing maturing sons into the harvest.
Jesus, devoted a short time of very few years to the twelve who would become the apostles of the Lamb. They were still very young when He met with them and said,
You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.
You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another.- John 15:14-17
We are to choose disciples who have the right attitude of submissive obedience and accountability, who are willing to unselfishly serve to the point of dying daily, and will follow our example of humility. We need to impart unto them all that the Father gives us. Then we must appoint them to go - go and bear fruit, relating directly to the Father as sons being revealed to their worlds as lights in dark places.
We are to enjoy their continuing friendship, as we are all brothers. I am a blessed man today, enjoying the friendship of many brothers in many nations whom I have been privileged to father, steward, guard - as sons of the kingdom. It is my joy to pray for them, encourage them, counsel them, affirm them, and support them in any way that I can.
They are multiplying the very Seed that will release all of creation from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God (Romans 8:21).
Don Atkin