Fire On Your Head

“O God, we have heard with our ears,
Our fathers have told us
The work that You did in their days,
In the days of old.
You with Your own hand drove out the nations;
Then You planted them;
You afflicted the peoples,
Then You spread them abroad.
For by their own sword they did not possess the land,
And their own arm did not save them,
But Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your presence,
For You favored them. “

Psalm 44:1-3

Brothers and Sisters,

I know that many of you are seeking miracles and healing; I am too. We read in the Word of the glorious healings and miracles that Jesus performed. He commissioned His disciples to do the same, and they did. He told His disciples to teach their disciples to do these same works, and their disciples did!

When you study Church history, you see that the gifts of the Spirit, including miracles and healing did not die out with the apostles, but in the following centuries they became scorned and people stopped walking in them. The Bible never gives any indication that the gifts should cease. God reveals Himself from the book of Exodus 5 on as “The Lord your Healer.” So why do we see a lot less healing than we would like to see?

I feel like God is helping me to understand part of the problem. Feel free to disagree if this doesn’t bear witness with you, but I feel like it may be helpful.

Think about this: when a person has been bound to a wheelchair for years and the Lord heals them, they often need help to get out of their wheelchair and begin walking, they lean on someone, they take a few steps—more than they could take before—and then they need to sit and rest. We say, “His leg muscles haven’t been used in years. Though God has healed him and his legs work again, his muscles need to readjust.”

Well unfortunately for centuries the Church has put the gifts of healing and miracles into a wheelchair and declared they don’t work anymore.  There has always been a remnant who still practiced healing and miracles, and today many people believe and see healings and miracles, and many more pray and want to see them on a regular basis and believe that God still does these things through us.

So what’s the big deal?

Our expectancy for healing and miracles is kind of like that man’s legs: we know it’s available, but we are slowly moving into the ability to walk in these gifts. Why? Because we “retired” them for so long that when we were saved, born into faith, we saw no expectancy to see healings. It’s not the Christian culture we were born again into, it wasn’t “ordinary Christianity” to us. So though we believe it can happen, our faith is hindered because our expectancy is low.

Here’s another example. I have lately observed that brand new Christians who are in an environment where the believers pray in tongues, prophecy, and so on,  have complete expectancy that they will receive the gift of tongues or that they can hear from God. Why? Because what they see in the Christians around them is what they perceive to be “normal” for Christians. They put two-and-two together, and think “I’m a Christian, so I can be filled with the Spirit and speak in tongues. I can hear from God in prophetic dreams or words, etc.” So when someone asks them, “Would you like to be filled with the Holy Spirit and receive a prayer language that will help you to walk in the rest of the gifts God want to use you in?” The new believer says “yes”, we lay hands on them, and 3 minutes later, they are feeling the power of God on their bodies and they’re off babbling in tongues. A week or two later they’re sharing a dream that they had and saying, “God spoke to me in this dream.” And sure enough, it comes to pass. However, myself and others who came to Christ in churches that didn’t believe in tongues have had to spend a year or two just wrestling with whether or not it’s right for today. Then when we realize we believe it is right, it often still takes months (for me it took a year) to receive and walk in the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with tongues. Why? Because even though we believe it will happen, our expectancy has been hindered by what we saw or didn’t see in our early days as a Christian. In fact our experience has taught us they don’t happen.

So it is with healing. I believe that as we continue to press in in prayer and in praying for the sick to be healed, the dead to be raised, the demonized to be set free, those in need of miracles to receive them, meals to be multiplied, water to be walked on, walls to be walked through, and every need to be met by our wonderful Father–WE WILL SEE THEM COME TO PASS, AND THEY WILL BEGIN TO HAPPEN WITH REGULARITY! What God wants to do in and through us surpasses our wildest (holy) imaginations!

I believe that we need to realize that we are seeking to recover the ability of the Church to walk in the power she was intended to walk in that has laid dormant for centuries, just like a man reclaiming the ability to walk on his once-paralyzed legs. Even though we believe these things can happen, our expectancy is limited by our experience. When it doesn’t happen, we don’t change our theology! We just realize that we are still trying to get the blood flowing in our numb legs! We try again and never believe that it’s not God’s will because it didn’t happen.

Friends, let us not give up! Keep pressing in! Keep pressing in! Keep pressing in! There will be a day when the uncommon is commonplace if we do not lose heart!

Father, give us the faith to believe beyond our expectancy! Poor out the power of your Spirit without measure! Give us a breakthrough in our expectancy, that we will believe to see things we’ve never seen before!  Amen.

“O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the crannies of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards, for our vineyards are in blossom.“ Song of Solomon 2:14-15 (ESV)

I originally wrote an article on this a number of years ago specifically about the insights I had at that time about the effects of praying in tongues, but with the revelation and insight into this Bridal paradigm God’s giving me lately–and to flow with the articles I’ve been posting in the last few months–I couldn’t help but feel that a re-working and revisit to this subject were necessary.  Especially in light of our spending significant time lately reflecting on truths of Christ based in the Song of Solomon and talking about “love being more excellent than wine”.  I have always had a profound revelation from this passage about the way speaking and praying in tongues builds up the believer and helps them overcome in their life and ward off the foxes and demons trying to ruin the work of the Spirit in our lives.

The whole book, whether you read it allegorically or just as a song, is about the love between the Bridegroom and His Bride.  We can glean from it in more specific and personal ways for our individual journeys with the Lord, and not just the collective Body of Christ.  When I read these simple yet profound verses in the Song, I’m compelled to think of passages like the following in the Gospel of John:

I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch of mine that does not bear fruit He takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in Me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. (John 15:1-8 emphasis mine)

We go to the “hiding place”, signifying a place of privacy, but more specifically that of intimacy with Christ in our relationship with Him.   It speaks of letting Him hear our voice, hence re-enforcing that you can’t only think your prayers, but He desires to hear it out of our mouths as well.  Click here for more articles on the importance of confession and just what it is exactly.  Hearing our voice is also applied to our worship of Him.

The Hebrew for the word “ruin” in S.O.S. 2:15, is Châbal: A primitive root; meaning to wind tightly as a rope, or to bind, specifically by a pledge. It also means figuratively to pervert, or destroy; also to writhe in pain, especially of parturition.  The English Standard Version I quote from uses the word spoil, which shows the same concept.

The foxes represent the devil or demons, and could also be applied to our flesh and our carnal leanings & tendencies.  I believe it represents both: in our own neglect of our relationship with Christ, the opportunity is created for outside spiritual and demonic schemes to come in when we’ve let our guard down through neglect or lack of personal devotion.  In either case, if the foxes are not dealt with at this time, they will cause more damage and be more difficult to overcome.  When we’re growing and the vineyard is in bloom and ripe, THAT is the time they are the most vulnerable and sensitive.  Little foxes can destroy the vine that yields fruit. They do this by gnawing and breaking the little branches and leaves, and the bark, by digging holes in the vineyards, and so spoiling the roots by eating the grapes, and any other way to hinder the growth of the vine.

Our First Fruits

What are vineyards for? Grapes.  And what are grapes used for?  To produce wine.  Chapter 5:22-23 of Galatians lists the fruit of the Spirit, and these are some of the evidences there will be in our lives if we’re intimately connected to the vine, we’ll produce fruit and become more like Him whom we’re beholding and Whose image we’re being transformed into. Though many times different symbols are used in different ways in Scripture, the vineyard is often a type or a symbol of the Church in the New Testament, Israel in the Old Testament, and just the people of God in general. And of course, if you’ve been reading my series on “Love, the More Excellent Way” you’d already be familiar with examples of how wine is correlated with the work of the Holy Spirit, and used in chapter 1:2, and 4:10 in the song as representative of GOOD things and finer pleasures of this world.  The devil is always seeking to destroy us in any way he can.  He desires to ruin the work of the Spirit, in our lives individually and collectively as the Body of Christ, and there’s no better way to do it than at the foundational root level, like the foxes seek to do to the vineyard.

More specifically, we know one symbol for the Holy Spirit is new wine–which is made from fresh just-picked grapes, and the passage here in Song of Solomon talks about how the foxes ruin the vineyards that are in bloom–when they’re young, tender or sensitive.  Most plants and trees require that you remove the first fruits as soon as they appear, and then after that the fruit appears in larger size and more quantity.  But if it’s not obtained properly in that first fruit stage, the tree will never grow properly and yield very much fruit–in other words, will never realize its full potential.  I’m sure there’s a sermon in that on giving God our first fruits with all things in our lives, but that’s another post.  Suffice it to say, it’s the first fruits the foxes are trying to spoil, so the vine never comes to its full potential.  Therefore it’s at this crucial moment the foxes must be stopped from doing any damage or else it will be irreparable and the young one in Christ may not fully recover from the damage caused.

Intimacy with God

God calls us through this passage to the hiding place in the rock (the Rock Christ Jesus) and wants to see our face and hear our voice.  This is indicative of prayer, and definitely indicating intimacy.   Viewing these verses in that lens, we see that going and being alone with God and praying, we’ll wind up “catching those foxes” that ruin the Spirit’s work in our lives because we’re bound to them instead of walking in freedom.  When the vineyard is getting watered with the Word of God (Eph 5:26), then the things of the Spirit, such as the gifts and the fruit, and new wine revelation will flow, and it’s THIS the foxes try to destroy, stop or pervert and prevent from happening.

If you are struggling with fleshly tendencies, or overcoming habitual sin, experience and my understanding of this passage encourages me to encourage you to go be alone with Christ and ‘behold Him’ in this manner. Doing so will help you catch the foxes in your life that spoil the work of the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit in turn will help you grow strong in your inner man to overcome these areas.

Notice how it states in verse 14 that He loves the sound of her voice, so what better thing to be offering up with our voices than tongues since according to Romans 8:26 we don’t know what we ought to be praying?  Jude 20 mentions praying in the Holy Spirit to build ourselves up in the the most holy faith.  Another way of saying it, is that praying in tongues builds up the inner man and helps keep those foxes from spoiling the vine.  Jude was writing to the early Church–which was young and still in formation like ‘tender grapes’–to contend for the faith because false doctrine (foxes) had gotten into the Church and was rendering it powerless at this crucial moment in its history.  Early on, while the Body of Christ was still young and getting established, much like the vineyard with grapes in bloom in spring time–was the most sensitive and important time for false doctrine to be weeded out from spoiling things.  So the remedy to that is verse 20, praying in the Holy Ghost. Praying in the Spirit is our inoculation against false doctrine (the foxes) because it is how the Holy Spirit teaches us.

The Apostle John stated in his epistle: “I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. But the anointing [of the Holy Spirit] that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.” (1 John 2:26-27, emphasis mine, and parenthesis mine).  The Holy Spirit, and abiding in Him IS the way you’ll avoid and be protected from deception.

So the application of this teaching?  Be intimate with Christ, and pray a whole lot in tongues as well. Not only will it help with your understanding and revelation of the Word of God, but it will help crucify your flesh and overcome the foxes that are holding us back.  As you dwell in the pure Word of God and allow it to ‘water your vineyard’, it will result in wine being produced.

The Holy Spirit is more easily able to flow through those who are intimate with Christ.

Related posts:

What Are You Feeding Your Tree?

How’s Your Connection To The Vine?

“How much better is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your oils than any spice!” (Song of Solomon 4:10b)

“And I will show you a still more excellent way.” (1 Corinthians 12:31b)

In the opening of the Song of Solomon—my favorite book in the Old Testament—the Shulammite shepherdess states of her lover that his love is better than wine (SoS 1:2).  Then, midway through the song when he speaks of what fascinates him about her, we’re told the same thing.  This writer believes the Song of Solomon is to be interpreted as a representation of the Bridegroom’s love towards the Church, His Bride.  We know that Jesus is better than anything in this world, and the obvious interpretation of that phrase would lead the believer to say “of course it is!” and agree.

Therefore, if He is saying of her that her love is better than wine, then we can automatically rule out that He’d be saying her love is better than any sin since he lived a sinless life and died to save us from our sins, and would not have engaged in any carnal pleasure that he’d compare her love with.

No, she finds His love to even be better than the good pleasures of this life, even things that aren’t inherently sinful or wrong and He finds her affection and devotion to Him better than wine–He finds our love towards Him to be more intoxicating than wine, for Scripture says God desires obedience, and loyalty more than sacrifice (Hos 6:6).  If the believer in Christ would get a revelation that they are the apple of God’s eye, and that your love back to Him blows Him away–I’m convinced it would change and sustain us in deeper ways in life and ministry.  So what is the significance of this?

The Love of God as a Motivation for Service and Operation of the Spiritual Gifts

“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit…To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” 1 Corinthians 12:4,7

In this first entry in our study, we’re going to start by looking at the work of the Holy Spirit involved in our motivation, but in the next study, hopefully we’re going to focus on the role of the Holy Spirit getting us there to maturity in the Love walk.

Oftentimes in the Old Testament, wine is used symbolically to represent the Holy Spirit.  The oft-quoted Ephesians 5:17-21 is not saying the Holy Spirit IS wine or that being filled with Him is like being drunk, but instead when we’re filled we won’t act drunk, but we’ll do the things listed such as “addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.“  We’re going to spend more time on this passage in a later part of this study.

In chapter 12 of First Corinthians, Paul goes into significant detail about the gifts of the Holy Spirit and their operation.  There’s been much debate within the Body of Christ about their use, their importance, which ones are significant, and so on and that’s not the direction I’m going in with this post because there’s other articles on this site that deal with that more effectively.  We’re beginning today with the premise that functioning in the gifts of the Spirit is the norm for the contemporary Church, and that they are exactly what a gift is–something GIVEN to us freely without earning it.  Paul states at the end of this chapter, I will show you a still more excellent way. (v.31)

A more excellent way than what?

The answer is in verse 11: All these [gifts] are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.” Most in the Church emphasize chapters 12 and 14 but skip chapter 13–the “love chapter.”  Then others, fearing misuse of the spiritual enablements, over-emphasize chapter 13 to the exclusion of the other two chapters surrounding it.  Both are necessary, for Paul said “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.“ (v.1-2)

The lesser is included by the greater, but not diminished by it.  The lesser in this case is that the gifts are distributed as the Spirit wills, and the greater work is love.  But, I repeat: the greater doesn’t nullify or do away with the lesser. For example, it is out of love that you will most effectively minister in the spiritual gifts. Maturing into love doesn’t mean you no longer need the gifts.  On the contrary!  Paul didn’t say “instead I will show you a more excellent way“, but he says AND.  The two go together, and the fact he goes into talking about love, is building on the foundation [of the basic use of the gifts], not replacing it.

^“When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.” (v. 11-12)

When we are children in the Lord, it is necessary for the Holy Spirit to distribute the gifts in our lives and in the members of the Body of Christ as He sees fit.  When children are little, there is more supervision needed in their lives, even of some good and ’safe’ gifts they’ve been given.  Maybe, as an example, they are given a computer and hooked up to the internet, but the parents will still put limitations on it such as time allowed, and filter what sites they visit.  But as time goes on and the child matures and is more disciplined and knows how to manage his time well, he proves to be faithful with what he’s been entrusted with, and gradually needs less and less supervision.

But not only that, now the child becomes a fully mature adult, and knows how to use the internet for profitable purposes and no longer uses it just to play video games.  He starts an online business, and donates a large portion of his profits to those in need in other places in the world.  He hears of problems people are going through, and writes e-mails to encourage them.  Now motivated by maturity and love, he knows how to do things without being instructed or given suggestion.  His relationship with his parents has not changed in the fact he’s still their son and they his parents–but he has changed his childish ways and no longer needs the same type of involvement of monitoring his activity online.  Now, he’s grown and is in a relationship with his parents of a more mature nature.  He can be depended on to make right decisions because he is no longer a five year old child.

I realize this example is far from perfect, but I wish to draw the point that the gifts of the Spirit are basic at the fundamental and foundational level–not the “be all and end all” or the telltale sign of spiritual maturity–but the opposite: they’re just a beginning and we’re to move on in maturity from there.  The entire book of Corinthians shows that flawed, imperfect and even selfish people DO still operate in the things the Spirit has enabled them to, but does not signify that they are mature or walking in love toward one another.

So back to the Song of Solomon for a moment: the shepherdess is saying His [Christ's] love is more excellent than the wine–good and noble things, even though they may be Holy Spirit inspired.  If you are being filled with the Holy Spirit–as our familiar passage in Ephesians 5 says–you won’t just be speaking and making melody in your heart, but you will also be “submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ” (v.21).  What is submission more than merely preferring the other person more than yourself, out of the agape love poured out in your heart the more you continually receive infilling of the wine of the Holy Spirit?

Now “your love is better than wine” and “I will show you a more excellent way” both have more significant and impacting meaning to me than they did before the Lord showed me this stuff I’m sharing with you now.

For more on this until I post the next part of our study, it would probably be of benefit to the reader to check a previous post of mine birthed out of meditating on the Song of Solomon, titled Behold, I Stand At The Door and Knock.  I was merely beginning to unpack in that post some of the stuff God has since been impacting me with.

The letter to the Ephesian believers is a vast treasury of wealth and knowledge containing the riches of the spiritual realm. It insrtucts us with the influence and power that the church, the fellowship of believers, has as an inheritence in the heavenly places. And it is a declaration of the fullfillment of the times in the church attaining to the presribed calling and being in the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

Preface

This is the first of a series of blogs that will contain a study I did a while back outlining key points in Ephesians. This is an exegetical study, one where we go either verse by verse or section by section through the book, and summarize the conclusions derived from the sections in context with the theme of the study.

Introduction

Ephesians is a deep revelation knowledge that only gets deeper and harder to understand, it seems, the more of it you understand and have revelation of it. In other words; this is a deep and radical book that reveals mysteries. And the more that the  mysteries are revealed, they lead to even more of them.

Ephesians is a revelation of what, how, and why the church is. This manuscript reveals Jesus’ plan for His church in the earth and in the supernatural realm. I feel that the first three chapters describes who the church is and what she is called to do, and the second three chapters describe how to attain to this calling and identity. Essentially I feel the letter to the Ephesians is  vital in the understanding of the church, the direction we must go, in order to get where we are called to be. Therefore I have entitled this study; The Mystery of the Church.

Background

Acts 19 describes when the apostle Paul first came to Ephesus. This is background and context for understanding his intent in the letter which he would later write to them.

There were disciples in the city of Ephesus but they had only received John’s baptism. Paul preached Jesus to them and they believed and were baptized in His name. Next, Paul laid his hands on them and they were filled with the Holy Spirit (vv 1-6). And now a church has been planted in the city.

Paul and his 12 disciples (v 6) began the work of the kingdom in the city. God began to move in very powerful ways. Handkerchiefs that had touched Paul’s body were being brought to the sick and healing them while driving out the evil spirits. The people of the city brought their magic books together and burned them and the word of the Lord was growing mighty and prevailing (20).

To say that this church started in revival would be an understatement. This is a fellowship that knows the power of God and the function of a church in the midst of a society that is steeped in witchcraft. They were able to overcome these things in their foundation as a church.

These are the same people Paul is communicating with in his letter and this will help us understand the context better. He is writing to believers who are filled with the Holy Spirit, on fire with God, healing the sick, driving out demons, and overcoming witchcraft!

In Ephasians 1, he hits the ground running right away in his description of heavenly places. Even though he is not there, he knows they are still in the midst of this supernatural battle and encourages them that in this place, they are blessed (see verse 3).

For more background and information, you can read any commentary, also read Revelation 1-3, where Jesus writes his own letter to the church at Ephesus.

So, we have our context set up to begin going through the book. My aim is to post 1 blog per week on the chapters. Each chapter will consist of 1 or 2 entries, so check back regularly for updates.

I pray that this will be a blessing to you, with a fresh outlook on a deep and rich portion of Scripture that many of us cherish and admire, as with all Scripture.

“Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.”

Disclaimer

These are notes of mine compiled while doing a study of Ephesians at our church. This is not a dogmatic declaration, but one of many views of Ephesians. I am sharing these notes will all because my heart burns for theses things. Feel free to do with them as you like in a way that benefits the kingdom and builds you up. I trust the authorship will remain as it is. Feel free to copy and study, however, copying in any name other than the author is prohibited. If you would like to receive a notebook with all of the notes you may email me at daefire@gmail.com. Thank you for honoring the wishes of FireOnYourHead.org.

These notes are written by David Edwards and are not to be confused with the publication: Ephesians, The Mystery of the Church, A Commentary by MacDonald, William Published in 1968, H. Shaw Publishers (Wheaton, Ill).

[This study is influnced by the leaders who have taught and influenced me; particularly Robert Gladstone of Fire School of Ministry. Many details in these notes I learned direclty from his classes, messages, and notes. To hear Mr. Gladstone's newest messages click here.]

Ephesians Part 1: Introduction

Ephesians Part 2: Chapter 1

Ephesians Part 3:  Chapter 2

Ephesians Part 4: Chapter 3

Ephesians Part 5: Chapter 4a

Ephesians Part 6: Chapter 4b

Ephesians Part 7: Chapter 5a

Ephesians Part 8: Chapter 5b

Ephesians Part 9: Chapter 6a

Ephesians Part 10: Chapter 6b & Conclusion

Ephesians Part 11: Heavenly Places

Apostolic definably seems to be a subject of consideration and criticism as of late in the Body of Christ. In some Christian circles it is rejected, thought  to have “died out” with the last of the 12 apostles, and in other circles the apostle is the metonym motivational speaker and therefore deemed the new “conference” superstar. With all that is being taught about apostles today, specifically in Charismatic circles, my pastor, Greg Tankersley, has written this article with a view of finding and identifying the purpose or production of the apostolic, which is the equipping of the Body of Christ.

I have been wondering what the term “Apostolic” really means in our day and time.  I hear many in the Body of Christ talking about the subject.  Some are even getting together, appointing each other as Apostles, and having conferences where they gather with others like themselves, and primarily minister to each other.  They are using the titles in their names as though they are deriving their identity from the term.  Some of this is concerning to me.

As far as I can tell, the term “Apostle” came from Rome. As they conquered new regions, they would send an “Apostle” to that region to change the culture from what it once was, to “Roman Culture.”

I believe that the mark of the Apostolic in our day and time is the intrinsic desire to be spiritual fathers and raise a generation that will go and change the culture.  Isn’t that what the true goal is, even when fathering our natural children?  We want to raise children that will grow up and then go out to change the world.

A week or two before I started to ponder all of this, I was at a prayer time at our Capitol.  Out of nowhere I started to see a picture of the battle line between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness.  As I looked, I saw that all of our prayers were advancing the Kingdom of God,  but then the line would drift back to the same place that it was before.  It didn’t seem to be gaining ground for very long before being pushed back to the same place.

I saw that there was a need for the “Apostolic and Prophetic” ministries to come and “slam down” a Godly structure to hold that line from drifting backward.

Ephesians 4 says that we are being built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets.  The word “foundation” there is a derivative of the word “tithemi “,and means:  ”something put down, i.e. a substruction (of a building, etc.)”

I saw the need for the Apostolic and Prophetic ministries to partner with the local church to “slam down” or establish those Godly structures.  Just having conferences and speaking into one another’s ministries is leaving the local church behind.

A few weeks later,  as I came home from another prayer time at the Capitol, I believe the Lord gave me the blueprint for the Godly structure.

I saw what looked like a river with people flowing along in it.  As I looked, it reminded me of times when I had been prayed for in a “fire line”; people lined up on each side, and those being prayed for walking between the two lines.

As people went along in the river; there were those on the side of the river that were pouring ministry into the ones going through.  I saw that they represented the five gifts to the church that are mentioned in Ephesians 4.

As the people went through the river, it opened up a little farther down stream and got bigger.  The shape reminded me of a trumpet; the way it got wider and fanned out.

I realized that what I was seeing was an Equipping Center.  As the people came through, they were equipped, then they fanned out into the region and changed the culture.   I saw the Apostles and Prophets going into different cities and regions to establish these Equipping Centers.

I saw these things as I was driving home from prayer, so I decided to pull off the road and draw a diagram of what I was seeing.  As I did, I realized that the Apostle and Prophet were the “Foundational” part of the structure. They would travel from place to place establishing the Godly Structures, and then check back to make sure they were doing OK, thus overseeing the work.

I saw the Evangelist as the “Motivational” part of the structure.  He too would travel to each structure, encouraging and motivating them to reach out to the lost, and keeping them fired up in the things of God.

I saw that the Pastors and Teachers would stay at each Godly Structure to love on the people and make sure they were ok.  Their role in the structure was to get the people grounded in the Scriptures,  learn who they are in Christ,  develop Godly Character,  determine their gifts  and calling, cultivate an intimate walk the Lord, and learn to walk in authority and power in the Kingdom of God;  in general, to make them dangerous to the kingdom of darkness.

If there has ever been a time in history that our culture needs to be changed, it is now.  When you look at the things that are plaguing our society, the statistics on those things are the same in the church as they are in the world.  It doesn’t take 20/20 vision to see that the way we have been doing things is not working very well.  I know that there are a lot of good churches out there doing a lot of good things, and I am grateful for that.  I am just saying that maybe we should take additional steps in order to effect lasting change in our culture, and in the lives of those the Lord wants so desperately to love and minister to.

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[This article is just one angle that probes into the meaning and understanding of a vast subject that God is shedding more and more light on as the days go by, and as we dare to consider and long for such mysteries to be unveiled, even in our generation. The above article is Greg's own journey and personal discovery in such a search that looks even deeper than the meaning, which is reaching into the heart of the matter, and the way God spoke to him about it. I hope this perspective adds to the one you have and opens the door for further apostolic enlightenment. Thanks-Dave!]

Other articles on the subject of the Apostolic and Apostles:

Reclaiming the Genuine Apostolic Anointing, by J. Lee Grady

True and False Apostles, by Bryan Purtle

Apostolic Essence, Prophetic Essence, by David Edwards

Fire On Your Head Podcast: Are Apostles For Today?

Download this episode (right click and save)

This is the conclusion of the first article on the Spirit of Jezebel by Edwin and Sophia Christiaan, entitled Knowing Jezebel. I will post the second article in part 3. I encourage you to check out their website: http://instituteoflove.net for more information. They are awesome believers with a unique ministry and anointing to accurately reveal to the body of Christ the schemes of the enemy, particularly the spirit of Jezebel.

Fighting Jezebel

In order to fight Jezebel you have to first come to her level of competition. This means, you have to be as strong and fierce as she is. The Spirit of Jezebel is a very overwhelming and overbearing spirit that gives the Jezebelite an arrogant and self confident flare and attitude, making her believe she is invincible. She believes with all her might that she is the victim of every seemingly injustice committed against her up through her life, and she is fully convinced that anyone who doesn’t buck to her authority, is against her, plotting her downfall. In many cases, the Jezebelite has been the victim of sexual abuse in her childhood, and carries a huge grudge against men, and people in general. They demand “silk-glove” treatment. So, in order to combat her, you need to first be completely convinced in your belief about what you are dealing with.

First of all, you have to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are in fact dealing with the spirit of Jezebel in that person. If you doubt your position, Jezebel will for sure chew you out. She is strong, manipulative, and very powerful in her witchcraft. She immediately knows it if you are insecure and afraid. Like a predator, her instinct will tell her about the level of your strength and authority. If you are not strong, you will be eaten for breakfast.

Second of all, you have to be prepared to fight. Fighting could involve relentless letter writing, phone calls, and open communication with spiritual leaders to let her know, that you know what she is up to, and that you are telling the world! What Jezebel fears and hates the most, is when they are exposed. They are usually able to easily seduce and deceive people, so when you expose them, it hits them like a train. They lose their power and get knocked out of their path. In this momentum you can work. That is the time to keep pounding to expose her, because she is weary, and has been taken off guard.

This is where the level of competition is so important. If you are not strongly convinced that you are fighting the spirit of Jezebel, you will not use your tools efficiently. Remember how strongly she is convinced, and match that!

There are some controversial points to the fight against Jezebel that every believer should be aware of: When it comes to Jezebel, you can forget about praying for her to come to truth and repentance. You will be wasting your precious time. Also, you must never sympathize with her. You must be 100% against her, and stop having hopes for her recovery and well-being! She is not your sister or brother in the Lord. She is living in the strength of demonic soul power, absolutely sold out to doing evil, and completely out of the will of God and obedience to God. She is her own master, and ultimately she serves Satan. Yes, you are dealing with a human being behind the Jezebel spirit, but don’t be weak. This is a pure spiritual battle. You might ask: “Isn’t she just a poor deceived person herself?” Yes, she is deceived, but don’t you also be deceived to have any weakness for this person. If you love the person, cut soul ties immediately, and surrender her completely to God, for Him to determine her destiny. Remember again the book of Revelation where God gives her time to repent, but she refuses to do so. Do not try to save her, or you will go down with her. You need to alienate yourself completely, and have no patience and tolerance for her actions.

All these seemingly controversial points for a typical Christian mindset need to be dealt with before you are ready to fight Jezebel. Anything less than these attitudes will cause you to doubt, and fall prey to her. Remember she is ready to devour you, using all kinds of evil, such as confusion, guilt, accusation, and intimidation, among many other things. Don’t set out to confront her, and then pull back in the middle of it. She will bite you, and make sure you never gather the courage to combat her again. Her stings are so toxic, they can drive you to a breaking point, even causing you to commit suicide. So do not underestimate what you are dealing with.

Also, do not mock her or hint to her. Do not use sarcasm or irony. Do not let her drag you into an argument, but stay in the Spirit when talking to her. Combating, is not antagonizing or challenging or provoking the spirit in a cynical way, but rather staying on top of her, continuing to expose her unbiblical behavior!

Never tell her any personal things, what you are going through, how you are feeling, or where you are with the Lord. She will suck your information in, and use it against you, by twisting and turning your words, making you feel guilty or defeated, especially in your walk with God. For instance she will say that you are not praying or fasting enough. When she accuses you, do not stay silent and prayerful. Instead, rebottle everything she says! Be stronger than her. Although she claims to be spiritual and a woman of God, don’t believe her. (Note how she never passes on the glory to Jesus, has a hard time worshiping, and doesn’t share about her personal love for Jesus in genuine love and humility!)

Treat her as someone who lives in disobedience. Do not be lenient towards her, thinking she will submit to the Word of God like you do! She is not a real believer; she is an idol-worshipper, and a great deceiver. If you seek to live a God-fearing life, you have nothing in common with her. She is like King Herod who told the wise men to let him know when they found baby-Jesus, so he could come and worship too. It sounded real, but he only said it so he could find out where Jesus was so he could kill Him.

When dealing with Jezebel you have to be able to believe the worst of the worst and never be naive. You must know that you cannot trust Jezebel for a word she is saying. In fact, if she says one thing, make it a habit to automatically believe the opposite. Never make the mistake of believing she has any good intentions. See, the wise men looking for baby-Jesus, the newborn King and Savior, heard from the Lord what to do. Otherwise they would have succumbed to Herod’s evil intentions, without ever understanding and discerning them.

Pray, and ask the Lord whether you should fast in your battle against Jezebel. Pray to God to help you expose the darkness, but do not pray for Jezebel. You need to focus all your energy on staying on top of your game, and not giving up!

Giving up is a major threat to your success in battling Jezebel! She will wear and tear on your life, and seem like she will never give in. She will exhaust you on every level, until all you want to do is quit! No, she will not give in out of herself, but if you stay strong in the Lord, He will make her give in. Usually the battle is long and may take years, but with the right steps to understand your position, you can make it!

Many Jezebels use magic – a kind of witchcraft that doesn’t necessarily involve voodoo dolls and animal sacrifices and those kind of things. As the Bible says, she leads the people astray with false teachings. In other words, her magic comes from distorting the things of God: The Word of God, the Spirit of God, prophecies, prayers, healings, miracles, fasting — anything God has given His people to use for worshiping and glorifying God, and living holy lives. That is Jezebels main domain! For instance, she will not always put needles in dolls, but she will lay hands on you, asking if she can pray for you. Then, she will proceed to speak a false soul-powered prophecy over you, making you focus on a counterfeit spirit of “God” which is not God, but actually the debts of Satan! She sows doubt into your life, so you start looking for answers in the wrong places, and ultimately causes your life to run off track.

Also, be aware that many Jezebel’s have a demon-empowered telepathic ability! This ability usually works with people they have managed to entice and create a soul tie with! For instance, you may be praying to get out of the darkness and confusion you suddenly find yourself in, and she will be calling you, or she will appear in your thoughts, telling you what to do. Whenever you seek to find God, she will interrupt you by telepathically speaking to your mind, letting you know she is watching you, so you feel trapped and guilty. She is everywhere, demanding your attention. If she gets your attention, she gets your “worship”.

How to recognize those who are being oppressed by Jezebel

Wherever Edwin and I go we see Jezebel Spirits manifesting the same ways in different people. It’s almost comical how alike they are. The same goes for Jezebel’s “victims”; they also talk the same talk no matter where in the world they are. To give you an idea of how a Jezebel victim talks, we will give you some sentences we hear often so you can judge for yourself whether you, or someone you know, has been drinking from Jezebel’s poison and eaten the fruits of her false teachings.

Jezebel victims always tend to defend her! They feel responsible to come up for her to let everyone know that she “really is a good person”, and that she “really has a good heart and only wants the right things”. They say, “she does a lot of good to people”, and, “you just have to understand her personality”, or, “she doesn’t have any bad intentions at all”.

What she is actually doing is making her own feeling, opinions, and needs more important than God. The righteous living in God is pushed aside to accommodate her personal perception on the way she sees life. When she lives in fear, controls people, and don’t admit any wrong doing, “it’s okay”, because “nobody’s perfect”, and “we have to understand where she’s coming from and what she has to battle in her life”. Slowly she lifts the focus off of God and Jesus and onto herself, making her struggles and shortcomings “understandable” and something we all should sympathize with, instead of suggesting that she should change and repent from wrong and ungodly attitudes.

Although the “victims”, as I call it, do not realize or admit that they are afraid of her, you can easily tell how much they actually fear approaching her with anything she doesn’t like to hear. They will say to you, “Oh, please don’t say anything bad to her. Don’t make her upset, or else she will get angry”. In other words, they are fearing her reaction and the possible punishment and repercussion they might suffer after trying to speak into her life. They have all tried in the past, and failed miserably at reaching her. Now, they try the approach of being patient and understanding. But no matter their attempts to live in peace, she is never satisfied with them, or what they have to offer. They try to give her everything she wants, whether it be money, things, acknowledgement, encouragement – anything she is demanding. But no matter their efforts, she will continue to be bitter and hateful to them, be discontent, demand change, demand perfection, throw fits, and demand whatever she WANTS!

After living with Jezebel for many years, they start becoming weary and disillusioned. They start believing that they really are a failure, as she has been pointing out so clearly, and that they are the one to blame for it all. The Jezebel Spirit loves to make them suffer internally, digging themselves more and more into the pit of defeat for every day that goes by. The more they try to please her, the more of a sucker they are. And the more she despises them for it. It’s like the Devil when he comes to tempt us to fall into sin, and when we finally fall he heaps condemnation on us to make us believe there is no way out for us, although Jesus is willing to forgive any sin. That is the way he traps us in defeat, and Jezebel uses the same mechanism.

Intercession

Be careful who you pray with. Realize that Jezebel’s grows stronger in their abilities to manipulate, control, and dominate over the years. Some are more seasoned than others, and you will find Jezebels of all levels in churches. Do not intercede with someone who bosses you around, telling you when to pray, and what to pray. Do not pray with someone who stops you to correct your praying by telling you that you are doing it all wrong, and then points out someone else to continue in your place. Do not let her manipulate her way in between you and your other intercessor friends, whom you are in spiritual agreement with, and one with in the Spirit of God, causing a division to come between you, ultimately destroying the prayer group! Do not allow her “take-over” spirit to set the agenda, by running her own mini-ministry inside your prayer group. She will take excess time to read the Word, pray for people un-encouraged, sing or play music way too long, and practice healing and praying as if she is the main minister. It can be difficult to discern the spirits sometimes, but ask the Holy Spirit to expose it. If she starts to run the show, speak up in God’s authority! Tell her how you do things according to the order and authority of God’s given directions in the Word of God. Do not be afraid of a confrontation, or try to keep the peace with her. If she doesn’t submit, ask her to leave! Do not be lenient with this spirit, as you understand how wicked it is, and how it will drag you and the church down.

Watch out when she starts isolating other prayer partners, spending extra alone time with them. She will often move outside of the building and start leading the group outside, bedazzling them with “wise teachings” and create soul ties with them. Jezebel works fast and ruthlessly. She goes after the weak one’s, and even “buys” them by giving gifts or trips or money, all to get a foot in the door.

Copyright©2008 Sophia & Edwin Christiaan

To read parts 1 & 3 click here.

This article entitled Knowing Jezebel is a good teaching and perspective on the spirit of Jezebel and will encompass parts 1 and 2. The authors: Edwin and Sophia Christiaan are ministers out of California, in whom our fellowship recently spent some time with. I encourage you to check out their website: http://instituteoflove.net for more information on them. They are awesome believers with a unique ministry and anointing to accurately reveal to the body of Christ the schemes of the enemy, particularly the spirit of Jezebel.

As the “End Times” are coming closer, we believe the secular, as well as the Christian world, is experiencing a worldwide cleansing. Everywhere sin is being exposed like never before, and God is giving His people divine wisdom to deal with the exposures in His mercy and grace, leading people to God’s heart and destiny for their lives, instead of condemning them and leaving them for the world to devour. May the Lord Jesus Christ guide and direct us. As the Bride of Christ is becoming whiter, we are also seeing an uprising of the counterfeit spirituality, the seducing spirit of Jezebel, working more actively than ever to kill, steal, and destroy.

While some Christians are ignorant and even skeptical of the spirit of Jezebel, many Christians have become educated in some facets of what this spirit of Jezebel is all about. Even so, we many times get this question when we teach on this subject: “I know I must fight the spirit of Jezebel in the Spirit and not in the flesh, but what exactly does that mean for me in real life? How should I behave around people in my family, my work place, my church etc. who have the spirit of Jezebel?” Many say things like: ”I just don’t understand why this is happening to me? Why are they doing this to me? I have tried to stand strong and pray but my energy is zapped, and I’m about to give up. Will I ever win over this spirit?”

From Edwin’s and my experience in battling Jezebel practically our entire lives, we want to share some of our personal experiences in how to practically deal with Jezebel – what to do and what to avoid. This encouragement is especially meant to be for those who feel God is telling them to combat the Jezebel Spirit they are facing in their lives. We do realize that not everybody is meant to enter into combat but rather feel led by God to stand back and not confront. This study is also for all the victims of this vicious Spirit of Jezebel, who doesn’t know what they are dealing with – yet! We pray they will be enlightened and filled with Godly discernment to discover any assignment on their lives.

But first a little background on the spirit of Jezebel:

I know all the things you do — your love, your faith, your service, and your patient endurance. And I can see your constant improvement in all these things. But I have this complaint against you. You are permitting that woman — that Jezebel who calls herself a prophet — to lead my servants astray. She is encouraging them to worship idols, eat food offered to idols, and commit sexual sin. I gave her time to repent, but she would not turn away from her immorality. Therefore, I will throw her upon a sickbed, and she will suffer greatly with all who commit adultery with her, unless they turn away from all their evil deeds. I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am the one who searches out the thoughts and intentions of every person. And I will give to each of you whatever you deserve. But I also have a message for the rest of you in Thyatira who have not followed this false teaching (‘deeper truths,’ as they call them — depths of Satan, really). I will ask nothing more of you except that you hold tightly to what you have until I come. Rev 2:19-25 NLT

Jesus is calling Jezebel a false teacher that leads His servants astray, someone who encouragebelievers to worship idols, eat food offered to idols, and commit sexual sin. (Note that this encouragement can also come in a subtle form, such as an entrapment for you to fall.) You can find Jezebel in any level of society. She can be in your family, your school, work place, church — virtually anywhere. She is a woman who claims to have religious zeal and she calls herself a prophet, and likes to mingle in with the influential people especially in church. This type of person is especially dangerous because it will deceive people to believe she is one of them, and thereby gain their confidence in order to start teaching them “deeper truths” that twist the original Word of God. Some people get so bedazzled by her deep “wisdom” and somehow become addicted to mystifying the Word of God, making it cryptic and withheld to only the “chosen” or “special” one’s who are able to understand these truths, that are actually myths. Jezebel’s specialty is to ensnare and convince people to follow her teaching’s that will lead them to rebellion against God. In their naïveté, people fall for her charm, and give in to idol worship in their lives, just like King Ahab did when he married Jezebel.

And as though it were not enough to live like Jeroboam, he married Jezebel, the daughter of King Ethbaal of the Sidonians, and he began to worship Baal. 1. Kings 16:31 NLT

No one else so completely sold himself to what was evil in the LORD’s sight as did Ahab, for his wife, Jezebel, influenced him. He was especially guilty because he worshiped idols just as the Amorites had done — the people whom the LORD had driven from the land ahead of the Israelites.

1. Kings 21:25-26 NLT

The Old Testament’s Queen Jezebel of Israel was a worshipper of Baal, a despicable god who required even human sacrifices, and she encouraged and led others to do the same. This way, she steered the people of Israel onto a path of disobedience toward their true God, and brought evil and destruction into the land. She was able to do this, because of the influence she gained over her husband.

One of the Jezebel spirit’s biggest goals is to kill the true prophets of God. An example of this was the prophet Elijah, who, after challenging and killing more than 400 of Queen Jezebel’s false Baal prophets, ran out in the desert in panic, after receiving a letter from Jezebel, swearing that she would retaliate and kill him. He was so intimidated by it that he wanted to lay down and die. But Jezebel’s predictions were false, as this spirit’s many prophesies usually are, and Elijah did not die. God’s plan is higher and more powerful than Jezebel’s curses.

Jezebel’s character traits

Let us take a deeper look at the character traits that goes along with the spirit of Jezebel, because it is much more than what meets the eye, and can be extremely difficult to discern for the untrained eye. There are certain characteristics that always seem to follow these women (and men), and we have mapped some of them for you, so you will be able to recognize them in your family, job, school or church, or anywhere else you go. You can only spot the Jezebel spirit when you understand her personality traits, so let’s spend some time under her skin.

The very first, and probably most outstanding quality of a person with a Jezebel Spirit, is their undeniable, ever-present need to always be right! They are not humble people who seek the input of others, but have an unquenchable desire to “win” over you in everything. The worldly term for the spirit of Jezebel is ‘malignant narcissism’ for which there is no cure. Some traits of narcissism include: excessive self-love; firm conviction that he or she is better, smarter, or more talented than other people; becomes irritated when other people don’t automatically do what he or she wants them to do; thinks most criticisms of him or her are motivated by jealousy; regards anything short of worship to be rejection; often complains of being mistreated or misunderstood; has fantasies of doing something great or being famous, and often expects to be treated as if these fantasies had already come true.

The second thing, highest on our list, is the “chameleon” Spirit she possesses that allows her to appear a certain way, but not actually be that way. She will adapt to her surroundings to seem like a loving, charming, and even peaceful person, all the while trying to get a hold of your soul. She will appear to blend in, and suddenly, out of nowhere, stick her tongue out, and swallow you up, by verbally attacking you. The Jezebel spirit is born out of witchcraft and is designed to destroy the host (which is the body it lives in), the spouse, children, family, relationships, marriages, the church, the prophets of God, and the body of Christ in general, in every crafty and subtle way possible.

The third aspect is her use of seduction, deception, and manipulation to control your mind, your actions, and your destiny. She wants to see how far she can involve herself into your life, how far you are willing to allow her to go.

Jezebel’s usually come in two categories; the active, and the passive. Or as is has been said; the high-profile, and the low-profile. The high-profile, active Jezebel is the woman who is the leader of the home, including everyone in it. She is the one who “wears the pants” in the marriage/family, the overbearing, bossy, in-control, in charge, dominating woman, who is outspoken, bold, and militaristic. The low-profile, passive Jezebel is the woman who controls the husband and family “behind the scenes”. She has a meek exterior, and no one would guess that she has the family in a head-lock, quietly controlling, manipulating, and destroying people’s lives. She is soft-spoken, seeming submissive and nice on the outside, and only the closest family knows the truth about who she really is.

Jezebel hates children, especially her own, but it takes great discernment to discover it. Women with the Jezebel Spirit tend to treat their children cold and distant, rarely showing tears or emotion. She likes to make sure they don’t get any sympathy, because she hates weakness. She doesn’t show much love or affection – genuine hugs, smiles, and affirmation are a rare gift. Usually, her children are merely treated as pawns in her game of control and achievement of power. She uses conditional love to ensure her children’s subordination. In this way, they will always strive for her attention and approval, and she will glory in it, only for her own self-gratification.

Jezebel will often mix religious terms and phrases to appear godly, but her life doesn’t produce godliness. Following her life and example will lead to rebellion, darkness, anger, and strife.

You will many times find a Jezebel woman involved in various types of teaching activities. Not only in religious settings, but also places such as schools and various types of counseling. The reason for this is their need to be an influence to people. The spirit within them drives them to want to reproduce themselves and their teachings to other people. They like to be highly involved in people’s personal lives, getting up close and intimate, making people confide in them. Then she becomes important, needed, and wanted, just the way she likes it. Satan places them specifically in teaching positions so they will impart a distorted and untrue message to people, and thereby cause more spiritual and mental darkness to come upon their lives. People may be in a bad condition when they come to her, but they leave worse off than they came.

She is a master of the “blaming game”, and is extremely clever in gaining sympathy for herself by producing convincing arguments for her case, usually portraying herself as fair in her assessments. She will twist and turn information to better fit her, even if it involves lying and crying, anything to make you be the responsible or guilty one.

Jezebel does not truly forgive people who offend her. She keeps track of all past offenses, and she uses them to her advantage when she sees the need for manipulation. Her love is always conditional, making you know of the things that please her, so if you do not comply, she will reject you.

The Spirit of Jezebel also produces sexual imbalance and perversion in the children. We have seen many examples of rebellion and extreme dark and obscure behavior in children and teenagers of mothers who possess the Jezebel Spirit. The family around them doesn’t seem to understand why the children choose rebellion instead of becoming “normal” like everyone else, not knowing that it is actually not always a choice of conviction, but rather a direct influence by the distorting spirit of Jezebel operating in the family. The control the children are under causes them not to develop as strong, individual, healthy human beings, but causes perversion and confusion, and sexual immorality. Children of Jezebel’s can also fall in the exact opposite category, being overly well-behaved, submissive, pleasing, passive, and shy of conflict. They can be recognized by their fear, lack of ambition and self-esteem, many times rather wanting to take the blame for everything upon themselves, instead of searching for justice.

Confusion and peace

A Jezebel spirit will never admit any fault or wrong-doing. If you plan to confront the Jezebelite with something, you can be totally clear about your problems, and your list of concerns, and yet come out on the other end, totally convinced that you were the only one at fault. The mighty dark cloud of confusion that surrounds the Spirit of Jezebel makes you give up, and give in to her demands without proper reason. You don’t even know what hit you, you just don’t have the strength to fight her, and you may even feel a sense of relief for achieving peace with her, not realizing the prize you are paying is compromising for the sake of peace.

The spirit of Jezebel brings about a tremendously powerful confusion that can make you doubt everything you stand for. After your first few confrontations, you learn to stay away from coming even remotely close to suggesting correction. You find out, that you are not strong enough to stand up against it, and start becoming passive. This kind of passivity is what King Ahab suffered from, when he looked the other way, instead of confronting the wrong his wife, Queen Jezebel was doing:

When Jezebel heard the news, she said to Ahab, “You know the vineyard Naboth wouldn’t sell you? Well, you can have it now! He’s dead!” So Ahab immediately went down to the vineyard to claim it.” 1. Kings 21:15-16 NLT

Because of King Ahab’s passive negligence of Queen Jezebel’s wicked actions, we have the term “Spirit of Ahab” which is the “perfect” counterpart to Jezebel. He wants to remain innocent, but is anything but innocent in the eyes of God. In fact the Bible says Ahab was an evil man, possessing the same persecuting spirit as his wife, as he mocked the prophet Elijah and called him intimidating names: “So it’s you, is it — Israel’s troublemaker?” Ahab asked when he saw him (Elijah). 1. Kings 18:17 NLT. Jezebel is calling Jehu names, mocking him and comparing him to another murderer:“When Jehu entered the gate of the palace, she (Jezebel) shouted at him, “Have you come in peace, you murderer? You are just like Zimri, who murdered his master!” 2. Kings 9:31 NLT

Remember, Ahab’s passivity cost him everything. The Bible says he sold himself to evil. In other words, it’s not only through “old-fashion” Satan worship we can sell our souls, but also, when we sell our souls to worship another human being, who will drag us into a life away from God.

No one else so completely sold himself to what was evil in the LORD’s sight as did Ahab, for his wife, Jezebel, influenced him. 1. Kings 21:25 NLT

No peace around Jezebel

I believe, we have to understand, that dealing with the Jezebel spirit, will never be peaceful! One has to give, and that is certainly not going to be Jezebel if she has her way. A Jezebelite doesn’t respect anyone, and certainly not someone of lesser authority than herself. She will never humble herself and help find a way to make things work. Things have to be her way, or no way at all. King Jehu, the warrior, knew that there is no achieving peace, no compromise that can be made with Jezebel, only a violent counter-action can stop her:

“King Joram demanded, “Do you come in peace, Jehu?” Jehu replied, “How can there be peace as long as the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother, Jezebel, are all around us?” 2. Kings 9:22 NLT

Copyright©2008 Sophia & Edwin Christiaan

To read parts 2 & 3 Click here.

A Study of 1 Corinthians 13:10

For we know in part and we prophecy in part; but when the perfect­ comes, the partial will be done away with.

This is an awesome and powerful statement. Therefore, in order for the meaning to be derived we will take an exegetical approach as we examine the context, the meaning of the times, and the application as applied to us today.

 

Schools of Thought

This is a much debated passage that primarily falls into two schools of the thought: The first being the cessationist. The cessationist believe that the gifts of the Spirit ceased in the church after the death of the last biblical apostle or after the completion of the canon of scripture. The second view is primary adopted by Pentecostals and Charismatics. They believe that the gifts of the Spirit are still in operation in the church today.

 

The passage we are studying is one of the primary sections of scripture that cessationist use to validate their view of the doctrine. They believe that the passage makes declaration of the gifts not being needed, therefore ceasing, when the perfect comes; the perfect being the completion of the scriptural canon, i.e. the finished Bible. Now that the bible is complete, we do not need the gifts of the Spirit, the have passed. To them, the early church was immature and childish (cr ref. Eph 4:11-13, vv 11), the gifts of the ministries and the Spirit were given to mature the church. Now that the church is full grown, with a bible, the things which caused the growth are no longer relevant.

 

The Pentecostal/Charismatic view of the passage is that the perfect speaks of the fulfillment of the ages, when we see Jesus face to face. The gifts were given to grow and mature the church into the body and image of Christ. The bible is the living Word that guides us in the ministries and functions of the gifts. The Charismatic view is that all of the gifts of the Spirit and gifts of the ministries are still in operation today, building up the body to the fullness of Christ.

 

Author and Background of the Letter

The apostle Paul wrote at least 4 letters to the church that he planted in Corinth. This is the 2^nd written around 55 AD. The first letter is probably lost, however part of it may be included in 2 Cor 6:14-7:1; and he makes reference to the third in his last correspondence, 2 Corinthians. The letter was written to address a variety of problems in the assembly, accounting for his sudden shifts in the subject matter.

 

Paul begins the letter reinserting that he is a “sent one” or apostle of Christ. This establishes his authority to address issues at hand. In Ch 1 he starts with a division that has occurred over this issue. Some were declaring their leaders as Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas. He responds with the power of the cross. They were concerned over which man they were under, and he revealed the foolishness of this. They should not boast in man but in God.

 

From this perspective we enter the 2^nd chapter. Here he solidifies the statement:

 

And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling,

4 and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. 1 Cor 2:1-5 NASU

 

This is the foundation of their testimony in the Lord and the pretext from which Paul builds on in the remainder of the letter. Their experience was a demonstration of the Spirit’s power. Preaching not from man’s wisdom, but from God’s power will produce faith in the hearers, just as it had for them. And as he continues, he writes that the Spirit is the One who reveals to us the knowledge of God.

 

9 but just as it is written, “THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.”

10 For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. 11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, 13 which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.

1 Cor 2:9-13 NASU

For without the revelation of the Spirit we will not be able to accept the things of the Spirit of God.

 

14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. 15 But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. 16 For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ.

1 Cor 2:14-16 NASU

 

We are a spiritual and “peculiar people.” We are people of the Spirit. We have authority and power in the supernatural because the Spirit of God lives inside us (vv 3:16). Paul continues in Ch 3 on the same theme. Through a demonstration of power they came to believe in God and now have access to life and knowledge in the Spirit. This is the building that the Lord is constructing in the earth. And when we are in His church, not only are we being built, but we are also building up (vv11-12). He reiterates that we are building according to God and not divisions of men, for we are of the Spirit.

 

16 Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are. 1 Cor 3:16-17 NASU

 

When we believe the Spirit of God takes up residence and makes His dwelling inside of us. In the OT, only one priest, one time per year could enter into God’s presence in the temple, the holy of holies. There he made the atonement for the sins of Israel. Now Jesus has made the permanent atonement for the sins of all mankind, ripping the veil that kept us from God’s presence. Now we are the temple, we have access to God’s presence all the time. And from this understand we realize that we owe everything to Christ and He is the One we should boast in.

 

Chapter 4 begins in this way: 4 Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy. 1 Cor 4:1-2 NASU

 

Paul has established that they are a people born of the Spirit (Jn 3:6), and this allows us access to the power, knowledge, and revelation of God. This is the Gospel that we proclaim, the mysteries of God. And if this is our calling, then we should steward the mysteries of God in a trustworthy manner.

 

This sets the tone for the remainder of the letter; he address a variety of things that they are doing out of the Spirit and in the flesh that does not properly demonstrate the kingdom that God is building in the earth, to the city around them, and even to members of their own body.

 

Developing the Context of the Verse

The following chapters cover various concerns Paul has for the church, which may prevent it from functioning in a trustworthy manner in the Spirit; from lawsuits, to immorality, marriage, and use of liberty… This brings us to Ch 12, and the use of spiritual gifts. Before we tackle the issued, remember the context that we have established for these chapters: a people of the Spirit that must function properly.

The twelfth chapter is a description of all of the gifts flowing together. One is not more important than the other, but all are needed for the “common good” (v 7). He then compares the gifts to a human part and how each part is necessary. This is a set up for the underlying issue that he was addressing. In the church in Corinth, there were people in the church who were not using the gifts in an edifying manner. Some would stand and declare whole messages in tongues, without interpretation, and no one knew what was going on. Next, someone else would stand and try to outdo the last person, and so on.

 

They were members of one body, growing in the giftings the Father had given them, to bring about maturity. In the process, they veered off track, and began to try to operate spiritually, in the flesh (Ch 1). They were not trying to build each other up, but it was a contest to see who was most spiritual, which is why some were even picking captains like Paul and Peter.

 

They were basically assembling together and making a bunch of noise. They were missing the one ingredient that would bring them together in unity that would create a harmonious sounding orchestra; love, thus bringing us to Ch 13.

 

13 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. 1 Cor 13:1-3 NASU

Now that context and background has been established, this passage makes more sense. The Corinthians were not loving each other but were in competition with each other. They missed the purpose behind the giftings.

 

35 ” By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35

God loved us and desires for us to love each other. Love binds us together in the Spirit. As a body we must love one another. If they had love, they would not have been competing.

4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Cor 13:4-7 NASU

 

This statement is not specific for this section but caps off what we have studied thus far. It solves the problems the church is facing. They are a church being built in the Spirit, and they must keep their vision on the love of Christ, or they begin to digress and get their vision on themselves (Mt 16:23).

 

So in light of the context, if we read the next verses in view of the progression through the book, and at face value; removing all external notions; how would we perceive the interpretation?

 

8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. 13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Cor 13:8-13 NASU

 

In vv 8-9, He is showing that these gifts are simply part of a greater whole. The very reason we have fellowship is to love one another and contribute to the revelation of Jesus in each of our hearts. And if we are not using them in love they are not effective, because one day it will not be like this. We will not see in part, we will see in whole. Now we get prophetic glimpses of Jesus from His Word, His Spirit and His people, but one day, we will see Him face to face.

 

We will study the Greek in a bit, but I am trying to present this in “an as” mode. How would you interpret this if you just read straight through for the first time, like a story? In the context of the book, and the purpose of the content, it is clear that this means that they need to get spiritually focused because the God that Paul has been basing his letter on will be staring us in the face and the important thing is that we used His gifts in love, because now everything is revealed and we need not prophesy about some that is now known fully. You will see Him. Why would I describe or speak in a heavenly language to you about somebody if you were standing right next to them. They will not be needed, but in that moment, love will remain.

 

This section of 1 Corinthians is a major discourse with a purpose of being aware of the Spiritual gifts (12:1). Paul is describing that love must be present for the gift to function properly. The gifts give us a view into the mystery of Christ. In the end, the perfect state will be our earthly relationship with Him culminates into a heavenly one that will last for eternity. “When we see Him we will be like Him.” We will no longer see parts, we will see Him face to face. We will no longer know only partially what He is like, we will know fully, just as He knows us fully.

 

14 Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. 1 Cor 14:1 ESV

 

Now the foundation is set for the operation of the gifts. We are to pursue love and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts. If he had just made a case for them to cessede in this present age, why would he go on to tell them to earnestly desire them? Reading this through, you would not even think that is what he meant. We are to approach the next section with the understanding of love. This is the obvious flow of scripture here. Why would this section even be in here if it was going to go away with the writing of this letter, which is the Bible, part of the canon? If its part, then its part, you cannot pick and choose a date, there are too many in church history to guess at. If this is the inspired word, then it is sealed in the Spirit as it’s written.

 

Chapter 14 is where he specifically addresses the issues we discussed earlier; the proud tongue sermons that needed to go because they did not edify anyone but the person doing it. Now they are free to continue in their gifts in love, which does edify.

 

This teaching on the spiritual gifts starts off in this way:

12 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware. 1 Cor 12:1 NASU

The teaching concludes in this way:

37 If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord’s commandment. 38 But if anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized. 39 Therefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues. 40 But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner. 1 Cor 14:37-40 NASU

 

The Lord’s commandment is for us to prophecy and to speak in tongues. It simply has to be in orderly manner. This is the point of the context.

 

(On a side note, vv34-35, women were not permitted to speak in church. This was also a problem at the Corinthian church, they would speak out of turn and interrupt. They sat on the opposite side from their husbands and would yell across the isle, asking what the speaker meant. This is kind of conduct is what Paul was stopping; we was not permanently barring women from speaking in church.)

 

Context is the key to making proper interpretation and application to understanding scripture in the Spirit. With the understanding of the surrounding verses, v 10 is sandwiched right in the middle, the correct interpretation of the word perfect, should be perfectly clear.

 

Applying the Greek

First, we will give several Greek definitions and applications of perfect. Next, from the meaning, we will derive a context for the Greek, just as we performed an exegesis earlier.

 

Perfect

 

I. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words

PERFECT (ADJECTIVE AND VERB), PERFECTLY

A. Adjectives.

1. teleios (‎te/leio$‎, NT:5049) signifies “having reached its end” (telos), “finished, complete perfect.” It is used (I) of persons, (a) primarily of physical development, then, with ethical import, “fully grown, mature,” 1 Cor 2:6; 14:20 (“men”; marg., “of full age”); Eph 4:13; Phil 3:15; Col 1:28; 4:12; in Heb 5:14, RV, “fullgrown” (marg., “perfect”), KJV, “of full age” (marg., “perfect”); (b) “complete,” conveying the idea of goodness without necessary reference to maturity or what is expressed under (a) Matt 5:48; 19:21; James 1:4 (2nd part); 3:2. It is used thus of God in Matt 5:48; (II), of “things, complete, perfect,” Rom 12:2 1 Cor 13:10 (referring to the complete revelation of God’s will and ways, whether in the completed Scriptures or in the hereafter); James 1:4 (of the work of patience); v. 25; 18.

2. teleioteros (‎teleio/tero$‎, NT:5046), the comparative degree of No. 1, is used in Heb 9:11, of the very presence of God.

3. artios (‎a&rtio$‎, NT:739) is translated “perfect” in 2 Tim 3:17: see COMPLETE, B.

B. Verbs.

1. teleioo (‎teleio/w‎, NT:5048), “to bring to an end by completing or perfecting,” is used (I) of “accomplishing” (see FINISH, FULFILL); (II), of “bringing to completeness,” (a) of persons: of Christ’s assured completion of His earthly course, in the accomplishment of the Father’s will, the successive stages culminating in His death, Luke 13:32; Heb 2:10, to make Him “perfect,” legally and officially, for all that He would be to His people on the ground of His sacrifice; cf. 5:9; 7:28, RV, “perfected” (KJV, “consecrated”); of His saints, John 17:23, RV, “perfected” (KJV, “made perfect”); Phil 3:12; Heb 10:14; 11:40 (of resurrection glory); 12:23 (of the departed saints); 1 John 4:18, of former priests (negatively), Heb 9:9; similarly of Israelites under the Aaronic priesthood, 10:1; (b) of things, Heb 7:19 (of the ineffectiveness of the Law); James 2:22 (of faith made “perfect” by works); 1 John 2:5, of the love of God operating through him who keeps His word; 4:12, of the love of God in the case of those who love one another; 4:17, of the love of God as “made perfect with” (RV) those who abide in God, giving them to be possessed of the very character of God, by reason of which “as He is, even so are they in this world.”

2. epiteleo (‎e)pitele/w‎, NT:2005), “to bring through to the end” (epi, intensive, in the sense of “fully,” and teleo, “to complete”), is used in the middle voice in Gal 3:3, “are ye (now) perfected,” continuous present tense, indicating a process, lit., “are ye now perfecting yourselves”; in 2 Cor 7:1, “perfecting (holiness)”; in Phil 1:6, RV, “will perfect (it),” KJV, “will perform.” See ACCOMPLISH, No. 4.

3. katartizo (‎katarti/zw‎, NT:2675), “to render fit, complete” (artios), “is used of mending nets, Matt 4:21; Mark 1:19, and is translated ‘restore’ in Gal 6:1. It does not necessarily imply, however, that that to which it is applied has been damaged, though it may do so, as in these passages; it signifies, rather, right ordering and arrangement, Heb 11:3, ‘framed; ‘it points out the path of progress, as in Matt 21:16; Luke 6:40; cf. 2 Cor 13:9; Eph 4:12, where corresponding nouns occur. It indicates the close relationship between character and destiny, Rom 9:22, ‘fitted.’ It expresses the pastor’s desire for the flock, in prayer, Heb 13:21, and in exhortation, 1 Cor 1:10, RV, ‘perfected’ (KJV, ‘perfectly joined’); 2 Cor 13:11, as well as his conviction of God’s purpose for them, 1 Peter 5:10. It is used of the Incarnation of the Word in Heb 10:5, ‘prepare,’ quoted from Ps 40:6 (Sept.), where it is apparently intended to describe the unique creative act involved in the Virgin Birth, Luke 1:35. In 1 Thess 3:10 it means to supply what is necessary, as the succeeding words show.” See FIT, B, No. 3.

From Notes on Thessalonians by Hogg and Vine, p. 101.

Note: Cf. exartizo, rendered “furnished completely,” in 2 Tim 3:17, RV; see ACCOMPLISH, No. 1.

C. Adverbs.

1. akribos (‎a)kribw=$‎, NT:199), accurately, is translated “perfectly” in 1 Thess 5:2, where it suggests that Paul and his companions were careful ministers of the Word. See ACCURATELY, and see Note (2) below.

2. akribesteron (‎a)kribe/steron‎, NT:197), the comparative degree of No. 1, Acts 18:26; 23:15: see CAREFULLY, EXACTLY.

3. teleios (‎te/leio$‎, NT:5049), “perfectly,” is so translated in 1 Peter 1:13, RV (KJV, “to the end”), of setting one’s hope on coming grace. See END.

Notes: (1) In Rev 3:2, KJV, pleroo, “to fulfill,” is translated “perfect” (RV, “fulfilled”). (2) For the adverb akribos in Luke 1:3, KJV, see ACCURATELY; PERFECT in Acts 24:22, KJV, see EXACT. (3) For the noun akribeia in Acts 22:3, see MANNER. (from Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright © 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.)

II. Thayer’s Greek Lexicon

NT:5046 te/leio$, ‎telei/a‎, ‎te/leion ‎(‎te/lo$‎), in classic Greek sometimes also ‎te/leio$‎, ‎te/leion ‎(cf. Winer’s Grammar, § 11,1), from Homer down, the Sept. several times for <l@v*‎, <ym!T*‎, etc.; properly, brought to its end, finished; lacking nothing necessary to completeness; perfect: ‎e&rgon‎, James 1:4; ‎h( ‎‎a)ga/ph‎, 1 John 4:18; ‎o( ‎‎no/mo$‎, James 1:25; (‎dw/rhma‎, James 1:17); ‎teleiotera ‎‎skhnh/‎, a more perfect (excellent) tabernacle, Heb 9:11; ‎to/ ‎‎te/leion‎, substantively, that which is perfect: consummate human integrity and virtue, Rom 12:2 (others take it here as an adjective belonging to ‎qe/lhma‎); the perfect state of all things, to be ushered in by the return of Christ from heaven, 1 Cor 13:10; of men, full-grown, adult; of full age, mature (Aeschylus Ag. 1504; Plato, legg. 11, p. 929{c}): Heb 5:14; ‎te/leio$ ‎‎a)nh/r ‎(Xenophon, Cyril 1, 2, 4f; 8, 7, 6; Philo de cherub. § 32; opposed to ‎paidi/on ‎‎nh/pion‎, Polybius 5, 29, 2; for other examples from other authors see Bleek, Brief a. d. Hebrew ii., 2, p. 133f), ‎me/xri ‎… ‎ei)$ ‎‎a&ndra ‎‎te/leion‎, until we rise to the same level of knowledge which we ascribe to a full-grown man, until we can be likened to a full-grown man, Eph 4:13 (opposed to ‎nh/pioi‎, 14); ‎te/leioi ‎‎tai=$ ‎‎fresi/ ‎(opposed to ‎paidi/a ‎and ‎nhpiazonte$ ‎‎tai=$ ‎‎fresi/‎), 1 Cor 14:20 (here A. V. men); absolutely, ‎oi( ‎‎te/leioi‎, the perfect, i. e. the more intelligent, ready to apprehend divine things, 1 Cor 2:6 (R. V. marginal reading full-grown) (opposed to ‎nh/pioi ‎‎e)n ‎‎Xristw=|‎, 3:1; in simple opposed to ‎nh/pio$‎, Philo de legg. alleg. i. § 30; for /yb!m@‎, opposed to ‎mantanwn‎, 1 Chron 25:8; (cf. Lightfoot on Col 1:28; Phil 3:15)); of mind and character, one who has reached the proper height of virtue and integrity: Matt 5:48; 19:21; Phil 3:15 (cf. Lightfoot as above); James 1:4; in an absolute sense, of God: Matt 5:48; ‎te/leio$ ‎‎a)nh/r‎, James 3:2 (‎te/leio$ ‎‎di/kaio$‎, Ecclus 44:17); as respects understanding and goodness, Col 4:12; ‎te/leio$ ‎‎a&nqrwpo$ ‎‎e)n ‎‎Xristw=|‎, Col 1:28 (cf. Lightfoot as the synonym above: see ‎o(lo/klhro$‎, and Trench, § xxii.).* (from Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, PC Study Bible formatted Electronic Database. Copyright © 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)_

 

III. Strong’s

NT:5046 te/leio$ teleios (tel’-i-os); from NT:5056; complete (in various applications of labor, growth, mental and moral character, etc.); neuter (as noun, with NT:3588) completeness:

 

NT:5056 te/lo$ telos (tel’-os); from a primary tello (to set out for a definite point or goal); properly, the point aimed at as a limit, i.e. (by implication) the conclusion of an act or state (termination [literally, figuratively or indefinitely], result [immediate, ultimate or prophetic], purpose); specifically, an impost or levy (as paid): (Biblesoft’s New Exhaustive Strong’s Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

 

Perfect here is according to the Greek, the definitions and language used referring to a state of perfection, in which all things are complete. It has almost an apocalyptic tone to it. This the fulfillment of the Body of Christ into perfection. I gander it is safe to say that that has not yet happened, and can only see true fulfillment when the church is glorified in His presence.

 

Originally I was going to hit all of the surrounding Texts, highlighting the key words with their Gr definitions, and that would cause this study to turn into a book. For the remainder of this section I am just going to report to what I have studied.

 

Partial

This is the Greek word meros, from the word, meiromi. It means the receiver’s of one’s portion; a part; a share; case. This is the same Gr word used for “part” in vv 9 and 12.

 

Perfect and partial are the two contrasting elements here. The perfect is the complete, the whole, the end, perfection. The partial is individual pieces of that whole. As the pieces come together, as they were supposed to in proper function within the Corinthian church, then a revelation of an aspect of the mystery of Christ that the Spirit was speaking at the time would have unfolded, causing them to become more mature, growing up into all things, leaving the childlikeness (v 11) resulting in manhood. This is Christian growth.

 

They Lord may give me yellow and you blue, and unless they come together, we will never see green. This is the beauty of the fellowship of believers, the church. This is the masterpiece God is painting in the earth.

 

Eying the Perfect

The Greek language in the following verses I believe is key into tying in the interpretation of the Gr context, specifically v 12.

 

12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. 1 Cor 13:12 NASU

 

Have you ever looked at your reflection on a unpolished or blemished surface? You may see your reflection, an it may even look like you, but it still imperfect, still is not the real thing. In the time of the Corinthians, this is all that they had:

1 Corinthians 13:12

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

Through a glass ‎di’ ‎‎esoptrou‎. The English Revised Version (1885): “in a mirror.” Through ‎dia ‎is “by means of.” Others, however, explain it as referring to the illusion by which the mirrored image appears to be on the other side of the surface: others, again, think that the reference is to a window made of horn or other translucent material. This is quite untenable. ‎Esoptron ‎“mirror” occurs only here and James 1:23. The synonymous word ‎katoptron ‎does not appear in the New Testament, but its kindred verb ‎katoptrizomai‎, “to look at oneself in a mirror,” is found, 2 Cor 3:18. The thought of imperfect seeing is emphasized by the character of the ancient mirror, which was of polished metal, and required constant polishing, so that a sponge with pounded pumice-stone was generally attached to it. Corinth was famous for the manufacture of these. Pliny mentions stone mirrors of agate, and Nero is said to have used an emerald. The mirrors were usually so small as to be carried in the hand, though there are allusions to larger ones which reflected the entire person. The figure of the mirror, illustrating the partial vision of divine things, is frequent in the rabbinical writings, applied, for instance, to Moses and the prophets. Plato says: “There is light in the earthly copies of justice or temperance or any of the higher qualities which are precious to souls: they are seen through a glass, dimly” (“Phaedrus,” 250). Compare “Republic,” vii., 516.

Darkly ‎en ‎‎ainigmati‎. Literally, “in a riddle or enigma,” the word expressing the obscure “form” in which the revelation appears. Compare ‎di’ ‎‎ainigmatoon ‎“in dark speeches,” Num 12:8.

Face to face. Compare “mouth to mouth,” Num 12:8.

Shall I know ‎epignoosomai‎. American Revised Version, rightly, “I shall fully know.” See the note on “knowledge,” Rom 3:20. The King James Version has brought this out in 2 Cor 6:9, “well known.”

I am known ‎epegnoostheen‎. The tense is the aorist, “was known,” in my imperfect condition. Paul places himself at the future standpoint, when the perfect has come. The compound verb is the same as the preceding. Hence, the American Revised Version, “I was fully known.” (from Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament, Electronic Database. Copyright © 1997, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)_

We have yet to see Jesus face to face. We have a relationship with Him and the Spirit and the Word. They are here to guide us, to make us more like Him until we get to see Him as He is in His glory. This has not happened yet, so we need the gifts that He has given us by His Spirit, along with the Word to help lead us through this like so we can mature and grow and become complete in Him. This is why I entitled this Eying the Perfect, for we are beholding an image, the image of God, greater than our selves. The more we see this image, the more we are changed into that image, transformed from glory to glory.

Application of the Times

In the times in which Paul wrote this letter, this is what he meant. We will never have the correct application for our day without an understanding of what was meant when it was first written. With this knowledge we can then apply it to our day and generation. This is why some people think women still have to wear their hair in a bun. There is a need in the earth for the truth, a plumb line that stretches throughout Scripture to be revealed. The following are some excerpts from commentaries to add to the background of the passage.

IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Teatament

1 Corinthians 13:8-13

13:8-13. As in verses 1-3, Paul demonstrates here that love is a greater virtue than the gifts; in this case it is because love is eternal, whereas the gifts are temporary. Some *Old Testament prophets predicted the outpouring of the *Spirit in the final time, accompanied by ability to speak under the Spirit’s inspiration (Joel 2:28); but other *prophecies noted that all the citizens of the world to come would know God, hence there would be no reason for exhortation (Jer 31:33-34). Paul believes that the time of the Spirit’s gifts, including mere human knowledge, is the current time, between Jesus’ first and second comings (cf. 13:10,12).

 

Mirrors (13:12) were often made of bronze, and given the worldwide renown of Corinthian bronze, would perhaps strike the Corinthians as a local product (also 2 Cor 3:18). But even the best mirrors reflected images imperfectly (some philosophers thus used mirrors as an analogy to describe mortals’ searching for the deity); contrast the more open revelation of Ex 33:11; Num 12:8 and Deut 34:10.

(from IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament by Craig S. Keener Copyright © 1993 by Craig S. Keener. Published by InterVarsity Press. All rights reserved.)

Barnes’ Notes

1 Corinthians 13:10; 1 Corinthians 13:11; 1 Corinthians 13:12

 

1 Corinthians 13:10

But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

[But when that which is perfect is come] Does come; or shall come. This proposition is couched in a general form. It means that when anything which is perfect is seen or enjoyed, then that which is imperfect is forgotten, laid aside, or vanishes. Thus, in the full and perfect light of day, the imperfect and feeble light of the stars vanishes. The sense here is, that “in heaven” – a state of absolute perfection-that which is “in part,” or which is imperfect, shall be lost in superior brightness. All imperfection will vanish. And all that we here possess that is obscure shall be lost in the superior and perfect glory of that eternal world. All our present unsatisfactory modes of obtaining knowledge shall be unknown. All shall be clear, bright, and eternal.

1 Corinthians 13:11

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

[When I was a child] The idea here is, that the knowledge which we now have, compared with that which we shall have in heaven, is like that which is possessed in infancy compared with that we have in manhood; and that as, when we advance in years, we lay aside, as unworthy of our attention, the views, feelings, and plans which we had in boyhood, and which we then esteemed to be of so great importance, so, when we reach heaven, we shall lay aside the views, feelings, and plans which we have in this life, and which we now esteem so wise and so valuable. The word “child” here

neepios

denotes properly a baby, an infant, though without any definable limitation of age. It refers to the first periods of existence; before the period which we denominate boyhood, or youth. Paul here refers to a period when he could “speak,” though evidently a period when his speech was scarcely intelligible-when he first began to articulate.

[I spake as a child] Just beginning to articulate, in a broken and most imperfect manner. The idea here is, that our knowledge at present, compared with the knowledge of heaven, is like the broken and scarcely intelligible efforts of a child to speak compared with the power of utterance in manhood.

[I understood as a child] My understanding was feeble and imperfect. I had narrow and imperfect views of things. I knew little. I fixed my attention on objects which I now see to be of little value. I acquired knowledge which has vanished, or which has sunk in the superior intelligence of riper years. “I was affected as a child. I was thrown into a transport of joy or grief on the slightest occasions, which manly reason taught me to despise” – Doddridge.

[I thought as a child] Margin, “Reasoned.” The word may mean either. I thought, argued, reasoned in a weak and inconclusive manner. My thoughts, and plans, and argumentations were puerile, and such as I now see to be short-sighted and erroneous. Thus, it will be with our thoughts compared to heaven. There will be, doubtless, as much difference between our present knowledge, and plans, and views, and those which we shall have in heaven, as there is between the plans and views of a child and those of a man. Just before his death, Sir Isaac Newton made this remark: “I do not know what I may appear to the world; but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the sea-shore, and diverting myself by now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, while the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me” – Brewster’s Life of Newton, pp. 300,301. Ed. New York, 1832.

1 Corinthians 13:12

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

[For now we see through a glass] Paul here makes use of another illustration to show the imperfection of our knowledge here. Compared with what it will be in the future world, it is like the imperfect view of an object which we have in looking through an obscure and opaque medium compared with the view which we have when we look at it “face to face.” The word “glass” here

esoptron

means properly a mirror, a looking-glass. The mirrors of the ancients were usually made of polished metal; Ex 38:8; Job 37:18. Many have supposed (see Doddridge, in loc. and Robinson’s Lexicon) that the idea here is that of seeing objects by reflection from a mirror, which reflects only their imperfect forms. But this interpretation does not well accord with the apostle’s idea of seeing things obscurely. The most natural idea is that of seeing objects by an imperfect medium, by looking “through” something in contemplating them.

It is, therefore, probable that he refers to those transparent substances which the ancients had, and which they used in their windows occasionally; such as thin plates of horn, transparent stone, etc. Windows were often made of the “lapis specularis” described by Plint (xxxvi. 22), which was pellucid, and which admitted of being split into thin “laminae” or scales, probably the same as mica. Humboldt mentions such kinds of stone as being used in South America in church windows-Bloomfield. It is not improbable, I think, that even in the time of Paul the ancients had the knowledge of glass, though it was probably at first very imperfect and obscure. There is some reason to believe that glass was known to the Phenicians, the Tyrians, and the Egyptians. Pliny says that it was first discovered by accident. A merchant vessel, laden with nitre or fossil alkali, having been driven on shore on the coast of Palestine near the river Belus, the crew went in search of provisions, and accidentally supported the kettles on which they dressed their food upon pieces of fossil alkali.

The river sand above which this operation was performed was vitrified by its union with the alkali, and thus produced glass-See Edin. Encyclopedia, “Glass.” It is known that glass was in quite common use about the commencement of the Christian era. In the reign of Tiberius an artist had his house demolished for making glass malleable. About this time drinking vessels were made commonly of glass; and glass bottles for holding wine and flowers were in common use. That glass was in quite common use has been proved by the remains that have been discovered in the ruins of Herculaneum and Pompeii. There is, therefore, no impropriety in supposing that Paul here may have alluded to the imperfect and discolored glass which was then in extensive use; for we have no reason to suppose that it was then as transparent as that which is now made. It was, doubtless, an imperfect and obscure medium, and, therefore, well adapted to illustrate the nature of our knowledge here compared with what it wilt be in heaven.

[Darkly] Margin, “In a riddle”

en

ainigmati

. The word means a riddle; an enigma; then an obscure intimation. In a riddle a statement is made with some resemblance to the truth; a puzzling question is proposed, and the solution is left to conjecture. Hence, it means, as here, obscurely, darkly, imperfectly. Little is known; much is left to conjecture; a very accurate account of most of that which passes for knowledge. Compared with heaven, our knowledge here much resembles the obscure intimations in an enigma compared with clear statement and manifest truth.

[But then] In the fuller revelations in heaven.

[Face to face] As when one looks upon an object openly, and not through an obscure and dark medium. It here means, therefore, “clearly, without obscurity.”

[I know in part] 1 Cor 13:9.

[But then shall I know] My knowledge shall be clear and distinct. I shall have a clear view of those objects which are now so indistinct and obscure. I shall be in the presence of those objects about which I now inquire; I shall “see” them; I shall have a clear acquaintance with the divine perfections, plans, and character. This does not mean that he would know “everything,” or that he would be omniscient; but that in regard to those points of inquiry in which he was then interested, he would have a view that would be distinct and clear-a view that would be clear, arising from the fact that he would be present with them, and permitted to see them, instead of surveying them at a distance, and by imperfect mediums.

[Even as also I am known] “In the same manner”

kathoos

, not “to the same extent.” It does not mean that he would know God as clearly and as fully as God would know him; for his remark does not relate to the “extent,” but to the “manner” and the comparative “clearness” of his knowledge. He would see things as he was now seen and would be seen there. It would be face to face. He would be in their presence. It would not be where he would be seen clearly and distinctly, and himself compelled to look upon all objects confusedly and obscurely, and through an imperfect medium. But he would he with them; would see them face to face; would see them without any medium; would see them “in the same manner” as they would see him. Disembodied spirits, and the inhabitants of the heavenly world, have this knowledge; and when we are there, we shall see the truths, not at a distance and obscurely, but plainly and openly.

(from Barnes’ Notes, Electronic Database Copyright © 1997, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

 

Life in the Spirit New Testament Commentary

 

Love in an Eschatological Context (13:8-13). The opening and closing statements of this section underscore the eschatological context: “Love never fails”; faith hope and love remain… “but the greatest of these is love.”

 

Verse 8-10 highlight the permanence of love and the impermanence of spiritual gifts: “Love never fails [pipto]” (v 8). Pipto means to fall, collapse; in context, it here means that love will never cease to exist. On the other hand, prophecies, tongues and knowledge (word of knowledge?) will cease “when the perfect comes” (v 10). They function, nevertheless, in the here and now and contribute to the upbuilding of God’s people. “Knowledge and prophecy are useful lamps in the darkness, but they will be useless when the eternal day has dawned” (Robertson and Plummer, 297). The termination of these gifts is expressed by two different verbs: katargeo, used with “prophecies” and “knowledge,” means to render ineffective or inoperative, to cease or pass away; pauo, used with “tongues,” means to stop or cease. Paul is not suggesting a subtle difference between the two words, the variations is for rhetorical reaons (see Carson, 66-67).

 

The reason for the cessation of the gifts is that knowledge and prophesying (also tongues?) are only “in part” and are consequently imperfect (vv. 9-10); they will no longer be needed when “the perfect” (NASB) comes. Knowledge in this present life, whether acquired by human effort of by revelation, will never be complete. The statement about the coming of the perfect must be understood here in an eschatological sense, as the consummation of all things (Hering, 141-142). At the coming of the Lord, we will be like Him (1 John 3:2) and will transcend the need for partial, imperfect, and temporary insights and revelations.

 

Verses 11-12 illustrate the imperfect-perfect contrast in two ways. (1) Speaking in the first person. Paul says that childhood speech, thinking, and reasoning are appropriate for a child, but the child must not remain a child. There is a twofold purpose in what Paul says: (a) The Corinthians are in a state of arrested spiritual development (3:1-3), particularly in the present context in their understanding of spiritual gifts. (b) In this present life all Christians are immature to some degree. Complete maturity will take place at Parousia.

 

(2) Paul draws on the analogy of a mirror. “Now we see in a mirror dimly [en ainigmati]” (NASB). The English word “enigma” (riddle) transliterates the Greek noun ainigma; in using it Paul probably had in mind Numbers 12:6-8. First century mirrors were polished metal; some of the finest were made in Corinth. Only the more wealthy could afford a mirror of good quality, and even those were not always free of imperfections. Furthermore, a mirror by its nature distorts because its reflection is the reverse of the person or object before it. But someday we will see “face to face,” which is “almost a formula in the Septuagint for a theophany” (Carson 71, who cites Gen. 32:30; Duet. 5:4, 34:10; Judg. 6:22; Ezek 20:35).

 

The now-then motif continues: “Now I know [ginosko] in part; then I shall know fully [epiginosko], even as I am fully know [epiginosko].” Epiginosko is a compound form of ginosko and here denotes knowledge that is full and complete. For the believer such knowledge will take place at the coming of the Lord. The last clause is best understood to mean, “as I was fully known [by God]” (see comment on 8:3). God’s full knowledge of Paul is already complete; Paul’s full knowledge of God is yet future.

 

Throughout this chapter Paul corrects the mistaken notion of some Corinthians that they had already entered the age to come. Applications of his teachings on love to that situation are obvious though chapter 14 will make some of them specific. (Life in the Spirit New Testament Commentary, 879-880.)

 

Conclusions

God is building His people in the earth. A nation, Israel was formed through which a Messiah would come to save the world by restoring their relationship to the Father in the Holy Spirit. Jesus life was an example and testimony of how to live this way. He died and resurrected to reproduce Himself in individuals that constitute a church, His body; doing grater things than He did in the earth.

 

12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. 13 ” Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.

John 14:12-14 NASU

 

If He died to create this in the earth then why would He undo shortly thereafter?

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. Rom 8:18-22 NASU

I have studied a number of cessationist’s views and their reasoning comes primarily down to two things. They believe that the Bible is the perfect in itself, the fulfillment of Christ in the earth. The bible is the key to unlocking the fullness in someone’s life through the power of the Spirit living in them. And to, simply, they wither do not see miracles, so the gifts, they conclude, must have passed, or they just don’t believe.

 

After the joining of the church with Rome the ones of the Spirit became a remnant that spanned throughout church History. Just because the church compromised, and the gifts were rarely seen by the powers that be, doesn’t mean that the gifts ceased. I am reminded of a comment made in church history. One said, “The church can no longer say, silver and gold have I none,” in which the other responded, “No longer can we say, In the name of Jesus, rise up and walk either.” The world needs a demonstration of the Spirit’s power in His people (1 Cor 2:4). We are supposed to be a supernatural people reflecting Jesus in the earth.

 

Do you honestly think that the church today is the fulfillment of the Body of Christ in the earth, the mature man walking in fullness. I mean seriously, the canon being closed, how do we get that, unless we add it. The canon being applied to this term in context would not make sense because the people he was writing to would have been dead for three to five hundred years before the matter was finalized. The bible is here to guide us to maturity, to be Christ like, He was the embodiment of power from on high, and the church is now supposed to be that image in the earth doing greater things. If the canon was the fulfillment then why are we here? Oh? we have to preach to the nations? Preach what?, read this book, no we illustrate the book by walking in power it describes!!!

 

The point of these letters was the need for the gifts to reach maturity, and that is why we read them today. Where is the transition into the supernatural? We were not created to live mundane, natural; we are the children of God the nations long to be revealed. Why read a book full of power, stories, and experiences with God that clearly states that the promise is for us too, on a greater level, and then say we don’t need that because we have the book! This is missing the whole point. It is the same thing the Pharisees did that caused them to miss what God was doing in their generation. They looked for something in the letter so intently that they missed the application of the heart. The book is here for the experience, to ignite our relationship with God into a fire that lights up the whole earth.

 

How will those around us see Jesus, through the mirror of our hearts. This is a dim view, but soon they will come to know Him personally, which is the means to seeing Him face to face. What do I have to prophecy about Jesus when I am looking Him in the face? There will be no need. But here The mystery is constantly being revealed, and The Holy Spirit leads us in His likeness and shows us in essence, ”what would Jesus do?”

 

If we are His body, and He we know from the BIBLE, would heal someone, then how can we justify that we have a book, so we should not, when the very book commands us to? One word in one verse doesn’t eliminate chapter after chapter of the absolute essentialness of the Gifts of the Spirit and the relationship with His Spirit to effective minister the Gospel in the earth.

 

An instruction manual will not put together a new cabinet for you, it will guide you properly.

 

Read the Bible for what it says and start a revolution against the powers of darkness. Kick out diseases, and enforce the kingdom saving power of grace preaching the word at all times everywhere the opportunity presents itself.

There comes a time in every believers life that the opportunity for growth comes. It is my experience that those waho are hungry for the truth are fed by the Lord. The truth is Jesus. The Christian life is one of growth, and growth brings discipline, change, trials, pruning, and also maturity and fullness for those who are willing for it. It is no accident that the those who seek truth fine it. Often they find themselves in situations they did not anticipate nor expect that require change that they did not know they needed, in order to engae in a greater reality than they realized even existed. This is the very process being described in 1 Corinthians 13:10-13.

 

Father, I pray in the Name of Jesus that Your words prevail in this teaching. May that which is of the flesh fall to the ground and that which is of the Spirit bring life and fruit. May all who read this be ignited with a passion for you and a desire to function in a worthy manner of love in the gifts of the Spirit. May all of us be eying the perfect. Amen!

Over the past few months I started writing down some of the things that God has done in my life and in the lives of my friends. The Psalmist says “One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts.” Psalm 145:4. So I just want to take this time and talk about some of the things that happened in my last trimester of FIRE school of ministry.

I was at a prayer meeting and I told a guy named Ernie that I felt like there was anger and fear coming against him. It turns out there is a lot of anger coming against him.
I was emailing my friend Matt back home and I just wanted to encourage him that I was praying for him and not to feel alone because God is with him. And he emailed me back really encouraged and said that he had felt alone because he had just moved into a duplex from a dorm and was feeling really alone.

In the mall I prayed for Heather with a brace on her arm and all the pain went away except when she stretches sometimes.

God gave me the opportunity to go home from school to be at my grandmother’s funeral and on the way back in the airplane I met a really cool hunter from Colorado named Steve. And God just gave me the boldness and grace to share the gospel message with him. It was the first time I had ever done that on a plane so it was a cool day for me and he was a really genuine and nice guy.
At my brother’s wedding I got to pray for my best friend Rob for his voice to get higher again and Rob kept praying after that and God totally restored his voice range one day.
At Christmastime we prayed for my good friend Thomas because of intense sleep problems, they were really messing him up and two days later it broke and he was able to sleep great again!

My roommates and I were all praying together one monday night and Mike Prayed for our neighbours to hear the gospel. And then honestly like just a minute or two later they walked into the house and totally sobered up when they stepped on the carpet even after they drank 12 beer that day. Mike shared the gospel with them and really challenged them to have more than just a mental assent to who God is, they need to live their life for Him.
Mike and Eddy and I were at the Circle K during treasure hunt time and we talked to the lady at the counter and Mike asked her about her daughter and how she was doing. She said “My daughter was kidnapped a year ago” somebody just came to me today asking about her. It’s the saddest thing in my life, I wanted to commit suicide. And we prayed for her and she just felt a refreshing I think and a bit of her burden lift. It was really cool.

Mike and I were walking out of Sam’s club and he sees a big black woman and he asks her if she has “arthritis” she says yeah and we ask if we can pray for her and she says “Yes, as long as you don’t lay hands on me” so that was kind of interesting, we prayed and she said thanks and walked away quickly.

At the bass pro shop we see a guy in a motorized cart. We pray for his ankle that he hurt in a fight and he gets up, he’s like 6′7″ and he looks at us like “Whoah, what did you guys do?” but then as he tests it out the pain started returning to the level that it was normally. But it was really exciting at first!

At Wal-Mart today God blessed us with a lot of people in our path that wanted a touch from him. We prayed for a few people and they were really appreciative and one of the guys named Chuck said “I feel something that I can’t even describe”.

Last week I was in worship and I saw an angel feather fall into my hand and then disappear immediately. The day before another hit my chest and dissapeared. It was just a really cool reminder that God is working and there are things going on in our midst that we can’t even alway see.

We prayed for my sister as a house and she stopped needing sleeping pills for the next while.

Mike prayed for my stuffy nose and all the snot turned to liquid and started pouring out.

I just had been feeling this week that Mike had been thinking less of me that I was wasting time when I would study on my computer. And so I just asked God to remove any bitterness in my heart but I also asked God that Mike would appreciate me and understand me better. And honestly like 30 seconds later he opens my door and says “You’re awesome David”. And we had a really good conversation. It was just a simple little thing but it meant a lot to me.

Wade and a some roommates pray for Mikes back and almost all of the pain goes away

Praise God!!! Every testimony that we hear sets a standard as to what is possible and what is available to us. I’m even just encouraged hearing these again. Feel free to post any of your own in the comments section. God bless.