Fire On Your Head

“For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree.” (1 John 5:7-8)

“We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.” (John 9:4, ESV)

Before proceeding in the direction I’d like to take us in our considerations, let’s take a look at a few things about the Word of God: It is forever settled in heaven (Ps 119:89-92), therefore it is also forever settled on the earth (Matt 6:10) when it is acted on and enforced. According to the Psalms, it will never change. What God said thousands of years ago, will still be true thousands of years from now. Isaiah 55:11 states that God’s Word goes forth and doesn’t return void, but accomplishes what it is supposed to do.

Science has determined that the smallest known particle is that of light, but they have also determined that the particle is composed of two smaller components, which is believed to be what we would call sounds, or waves. Is it possible then, that these components are indeed sounds, and they are the words the Lord spoke in creation when he said “let there be light“? Genesis 1:3 states that the Lord spoke light into existence. The original Hebrew literally would translate as “light, be!” Hebrews 11:3 and 2 Peter 3:5 further state that with the [spoken] word of God the universe was created. We will look at the Spirit’s role in that in a moment.

Science also tells us that the universe is continuing to expand in every direction. It’s my opinion that if man were to go to the very edge of the universe–past where light has reached so far–there would come a time where you’d experience a wall of light passing around you as it traveled to that point, and in that moment you’d hear the Lord saying “light, be!” God’s word, though spoken once, and settled forever, is still going forth. God spoke only once, it’s settled, however God doesn’t get up every morning and ‘re-tell’ the light to come out upon the earth. He doesn’t tell the earth to go around the sun again. It’s happening just as He once spoke it to. As Christians, we enforce and establish His will and what He has spoken every time we preach it, cast a demon out on the authority of that Word, heal the sick, and so on.

The Light Shines In The Midst of Darkness

“The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said,”Let there be light,” and there was light.” (Gen 1:2-3, emphasis mine)

Notice how the Holy Spirit of God was hovering over the darkness, but didn’t do anything until the Lord spoke. We know from New Testament Scripture that by Christ, all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible (1 Col 1:16)–yet the Son is not mentioned in Genesis by name or role. But the opening verses of John elaborate more:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:1-5, emphasis mine)

John later mentions in chapter 9:4 “We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work.” Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit would do the mighty works of the Lord, such as miracles, healing the sick, setting the captives free. Jesus would do the work that He saw the Father doing (John 5:19-20). He did the will of the Father, but it is the role of the Spirit to carry it out.

Jesus stated in Luke 22:53 when his captors came to arrest Him, that “this is your hour, when darkness reigns.” Until His crucifixion, darkness reigned.

That being said, we can see moments in the Gospels, where during the night–the Holy Spirit hovered over the darkness until God’s will was declared and spoke forth something the Spirit was to administer. He didn’t raise Jesus up a moment earlier than planned, but yet the Holy Spirit was still there hovering over the tomb.

The Spirit Follows the Word

^“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” (John 16:13-15)

Jesus told his disciples in John 16:7 that it was a good thing that He ascend to heaven, because if He didn’t the Holy Spirit–the helper–would not come. This is because prior to his death and resurrection, the Spirit only showed up and moved where Jesus, the Word was, but now, He–the Spirit–is indwelling a whole people! From just a numerical and practical standard, a large group of people demonstrating the power of the Gospel, and doing the works Jesus did is exponentially greater than just one man doing them. Until the day of Pentecost, there was no Holy Spirit in the world except when and where the Word was preached by Jesus. Then in Acts chapter 2 after the upper room experience, Peter was the first man endued with the Spirit to preach the Gospel message to any hearer and a large number of people were saved and added to the collective Body of Christ.

But yet most of the Church gets the role of the Spirit backwards. We wait to do things until we have some special feeling or validation as to what God’s will is, and call that ‘being led by the Spirit.’ However, most Christians fail to realize calling it ‘being led by the Spirit’ is just spiritualizing their own laziness, because we’re not actually told to “be led by the Spirit”–this idea is taken from only one Scripture verse in the New Testament (Romans 8:14) that many are taking out of context when they quote it. It is encouraged that one listens to an old episode of our podcast for further discussion on what being led by the Spirit truly is. Instead, we find instructions in Scripture telling us to have the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16), and to let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly (Col 3:16)

The Holy Spirit accompanies the Word and bears witness with it; Mark 16:17-18 states that signs (miracles) would accompany (read, FOLLOW) them that believed, not the other way around like most of us think. Holy Spirit helps YOU, you don’t help Him. It would be cliche to say that many charismatics are chasing after signs and wonders, chasing after moves of God–when those rivers of living water should be springing out of us (John 7:37-39) and aiding us as we preach and proclaim the Gospel. The power of God is intended to be a proof that the Gospel is true.

The Spirit As Our Helper

One thing I like to do when teaching on divine healing, is have a volunteer or my interpreter play the role of my ‘helper’, and act out that I’m a painter or carpenter or some kind of profession like that. A helper in this context is not someone who does the work, but helps the one doing the job. A helper for our intents and purposes would be like an apprentice or a handy man. If this helper is a good worker, he’ll know to anticipate what tools I’ll need. If I’m standing on a ladder, he may be holding my tools for me, and seeing a few steps ahead of me, knowing and anticipating what tool I’m going to need next, and provide it for me before I even have to ask for it. He follows me, and gives me what I need to get the job done. Similarly, though He’s God Himself and not any less than the Father or the Son, the Spirit deserves our utmost respect and reverence all the same. He is this role of a helper to the Bride of Christ, the Church. The Holy Spirit knows exactly what is needed in a particular moment or situation, and pulls out of His tool belt either the healing, prophetic Word, knowledge of Scripture, or whatever you need to help you proclaim and advance God’s kingdom.

Remember when Ezekiel spoke to the dry bones; the Spirit acted and did the work. The Spirit didn’t move first, and then Ezekiel “followed” or was “led by the Spirit” and merely verbally repeated the obvious. Ezekiel spoke the words of God, and the Holy Spirit energized and activated them. He spoke, and the Spirit of God brought the life–created living organisms afresh as the bones connected, and flesh appeared on them and created a new living army! But alas, the Holy Spirit can only confirm HIS word, not our ideas, opinions and certainly not our bad theology. Take note of how Job’s friends waxed eloquent and told him all sorts of pious theological sounding words about why he was going through the trials he was going through. But when Elihu spoke the truth, God showed up in power and spoke! Likewise, the Holy Spirit can’t anoint something that’s not true–He can only agree with the Word. This is why there’s so many ‘dead churches’ preaching a basic Gospel message, and getting what they preach for. Since they don’t believe in, or preach and teach in the power of God or miracles, consequently they don’t see them either.

Check this quote from Reinhard Bonnke:

“Prayer is not enough to rouse a dead church. It needs the power of the Word imbued with the life of the Spirit. Life comes from the living Word. What we can do and what we should do is preach the Word. Praying for God to work is fine, but praying for Him to do what we should be doing is pointless. We cannot send his Spirit anywhere. He moves with us, and he is where we are. We cannot pray for God to save souls and bless people and then wait for something to happen. He sends us with the Word and the Spirit awaits us. It is our privilege to work for him, save souls for him. For anyone who thinks they do not have strength or power, the Word is their strength and their power. There are two important things to note: Holy Spirit meetings without the Word are human meetings, and prayer is not a substitute for the Word.” Reinhard Bonnke, Holy Spirit: Revelation & Revolution: Exploring Holy Spirit Dimensions p. 129

The Spirit answers prayer in the name of Jesus because He is the Word. As Bonnke goes on further to phrase it, “The will of the Father is written and is spoken by the Son, the Word, and performed by the Spirit.”

Truly, truly, I say to you,whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

(John 5:24, 6:63 emphasis mine)

In conclusion, allow me to encourage you to let the Word dwell richly in you (Col 3:16)

For more reflections and meditations on this subject, it is highly encouraged that you give some time to read articles in our series on the ‘seed of the Word of God’, especially the article “The Image Inside The Seed“

“…. the Jerusalem which is above is free….” -Gal. 4.26a

“For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his own works….” -Heb. 4.10

There is a sabbath rest which has been opened up to God’s people through the cross, and we need to resist all religious activity that flows from any other place. Even prayer itself is subject to lesser and unheavenly influences, for if our intercessions spring from our own emotions or minds, or are robotic and contrived, we are not likely touching the heart of God or pushing back the powers of darkness. We need to come into the prayers of Jesus Himself, not by striving, but by a radical surrender to His heart, and harmony with His mind. This is where the authority lies, which we shall see from a man who knew this reality in real life experience.

Thomas Haire was one of a remnant in history who was acquainted with the rarefied air of the heavenly Jerusalem, and his prayers moved things in spiritual places and shifted things on the earth in a manner that we know far too little of as the Church of modern America. We would do well to hear from this remarkable man.

He was a friend and co-intercessor with Leonard Ravenhill, and travelled with him in a manner much like Father Nash, who was Charles Finney’s “Epaphras” (Col. 4.12-14) during the great seasons of revival and awakening in the 19th century. Haire and Nash were both less known than the men they travelled with, but their labors were no less impactful, and only the Day of the Lord will tell how profoundly their obedience and love invaded history with the light of eternity.

A.W. Tozer was so impressed with Haire’s character and prayer life, that he wrote a booklet about his life even before Brother Haire went on to be with the Lord. I want to leave you with a few thoughts from this life-long intercessor, who happened also to be a professional plumber from Ireland. We can learn something from a man who spent over 50 years praying 4 hours a day, decades of which he went sleepless for 3 nights a week, giving himself over to Spirit-endued intercession on behalf of the Church, and a dying world that he loved so fervently.

I haven’t the time or space to note all of the elements of his devotion, which would challenge and encourage any open-hearted believer. You can find Tozer’s full account online if you search for it.

What hits my heart presently is that Thomas Haire, according to Tozer, was the kindest and most tranquil man that he had ever known, and though his devotion to prayer and intercession was marked with awesome intensity and depth, he was not a tense personality, as many who pursue revival seem to be. This marks him out as unique, I believe, for his sabbath peace was also combined with a remarkable authority and dominion in prayer that we have rarely seen in our day. Souls passed from darkness to light, many were healed physically, and God was glorified wonderfully on the wings of Thomas Haire’s prayers. Through all of the remarkable answers to prayer, revivals, and movings of God, he was also a very gentle and kind man, who could move from a ground-breaking season of intercession to making a child laugh through a humorous remark. He was rare indeed.

Tozer writes of Haire:

…. always he is relaxed and free from strain. He will not allow himself to get righteously upset about anything. ‘I lie near to the heart of God,’ he says, ‘and I fear nothing in the world.’

That he lies near to God’s heart is more than a passing notion to Tom. It is all very real and practical. ‘God opens His heart,’ he says, ‘and takes us in. In God all things are beneath our feet. All power is given to us and we share God’s almightiness.’ He has no confidence at all in mankind, but believes that God must be all in all. Not even our loftiest human desires or holiest prayers are acceptable to God. ‘The river flows from beneath the throne,’ he explains, ‘and its source is not of this world. So the source of our prayers must be Christ Himself hidden in our hearts.’

‘Too many of God’s people are straining for faith,’ says Tom, ‘and holding on hard trying to exercise it. This will never do at all. The flesh cannot believe no matter how hard it tries, and we only wear ourselves out with our human efforts. True faith is the gift of God to an obedient soul and comes of itself without effort. The source of faith is Christ in us. It is a fruit of the Spirit.’

(A.W. Tozer, Thomas Haire: The Praying Plumber of Lisburn; Rare Christian Books)

Of prayer, Tozer gives us more of Haire’s thoughts:

According to Tom, there is such a thing as strategic prayer, that is, prayer that takes into account what the devil is trying to accomplish and where he is working, and attacks him at that strategic point. ‘Don’t waste your time praying around the edges,’ he says. ‘Go for the devil direct. Pray him loose from souls. Weaken his hold on people by direct attack. Then your prayers will count and the work of God will get done.’

Tom makes much of the believer’s authority in Christ. Over the protests of the cautious expositor, he appropriates Scripture that might be proved to belong to a future age. ‘God says we are kings and priests,’ he declares, ‘and what is a king without a kingdom? There is a sphere where we can have full dominion in prayer. Complete authority is ours. We only need to ask and we shall receive.’ If this were mere theory we might dismiss it as being simply an error in interpretation, but is has been proved in the fires of practical living. God has given to His praying servant great power to command, to demand, and the results have been and are many and unusual.

I dare say the kind of authority and dominion Mr. Haire spoke of is something scarcely touched in our generation. There have been many boasts of dominion, shouts of authority, and we have cranked up the music loud enough to move every soul in the building, but the heavens are not moved by sweat and noise. The depth of Christ’s character and the profound union with God that Tom Haire had come into were the foundations of his great authority in prayer.

Before Tozer convinced Haire that his story needed to be told for the sake of the Body, the old praying plumber resisted the idea. Not wanting to be popularized or tempted with fame, he replied in his own Irish way, “I don’t want to lose me power with God.” His secret life with God, formed through decades of engaging in prayer, was more precious to him than anything else in his life or ministry.

Do our self-promoting ministries know anything of such “power with God”? Are we guarding a deep and holy union with Christ that has been formed through years of concentrated prayer and worship, or are we being tossed to and fro by the latest teaching or movement? Have we neglected the primacy of secret prayer and leaned too hard into public efforts, expending energy, burning time, and building works that are mostly “wood, hay, and stubble”? Are we rooted and grounded in the love of Christ, or barely keeping our heads afloat, drinking in the spirit of the world and following Christian fads? Thomas Haire’s “power with God” is a quickening reminder of the possibilities of grace, the glories of communion with God, and the remarkable sabbath rest and authority that the Lord places upon a man when he is in harmony with Christ through the Spirit of prayer.

May the Lord raise up tender-hearted, fervent, holy, and hidden laborers again in our day. May we cast off any pursuit that causes us to lose our power with God. May we shake off all that stifles the Spirit of prayer. May we put first things first once and for all. May the same Spirit that rested on Thomas Haire, make His habitation amidst the Church at large, for the glory of Jesus!

A Unique Freedom

A friend of mine stated that his hero was Superman, because he had always wanted to fly. There is something inside the heart of a man that longs for total freedom. Flying would definitely be considered as a form of freedom.  This is a unique freedom. A man can be free politically, socially, geographically, and free from poverty; for there are many freedoms. There are natural freedoms, and there are spiritual freedoms. And when spiritual freedom is truly realized, you are actually liberated in another form of freedom, a transcending of the supernatural superseding into the natural. Only a person with true supernatural freedom could be free to such a degree that the limitations of gravity have no effect on him, to the degree that it would prevent him from exemplifying the Name of the One who made him free enough to fly.

The entrance into such freedom is the entrance into the ultimate freedom; which is freedom from the bonds of death. You can be free from all the earthly dangers and such, however, unless you are free from sin you are still bound. This is a supernatural freedom because it took a supernatural event to constitute; the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Truly, Truly I say to you; ‘If you continue in sin is a slave if sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever. The son does remain forever. So, if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.’ John 8:34-36

Superman?

Even if you are bound in all of these other venues, if you are free in Christ, then you are truly free. And if we are totally free, then why is a Christian’s hero, Superman? A fictional hero with supernatural powers, who can fly? There is something that now resides inside each believer that now longs for more freedom. We are now supernatural, because we have been born in the Spirit. There is a longing to be free even from the natural elements and experience that which is greater; to overcome natural problems and obstacles; to enjoy creation to a degree that would only be possible with supernatural ability. When we have freedom in the Spirit, it is freedom across the “board.” We have supernatural ability, but not many of us know it or how to tap into it. I am not claiming to know all the answers but I do know that it’s available. Jesus can do anything, and he chooses to use us to accomplish His eternal missions. We should not have to look at fictional characters to find an example of that which is supernatural. We should be able to find supermen and women within the church, within ourselves!

Another friend of mine has had a reoccurring dream. In the dream, he is able to swim under water, without holding his breath. Then he is able to come up out of the water and fly through the air. After flying around, he dives back into the water and swims around again.

Supernatural Substitution

Because we are mankind, and created in the image of God; there is in the heart of every man a longing to experience something supernatural, something more, above and beyond all that this present life has to offer. When we watch movies, we are taken to another place, raptured into the characters themselves. When we watch sports, men and women with great natural talent; we are elated, we are thrilled, and it takes us beyond ourselves, because those that we admire accomplish things that we cannot do, but fantasize about through them. “People say that we have no king here in America; I say we do have a king, his name is Sport and his queen is Entertainment,” as pointed out by Leonard Ravenhill. Why is it that we are so consummated with celebrities, athletes, movies, and television shows? Some of the biggest movies as of late have been superhero ones. Why are the Harry Potter books so captivating and fascinating among Christians? What about Lord of the Rings and the Chronicles of Narnia? (Yes, I have seen these movies.): The latter of which some people call Christian. (Similarity does not equal authenticity. The movie and the book mix Christianity with Greek Mythology and Paganism, a counterfeit gospel, which does not display the real Messiah.) The reason we look to the world for supernatural fulfillment is because the church settles for less. She is satisfied with these substitutes, even though deep down she still longs for more.

Supernatural Question

All creation longs for the supernatural experience and they will do anything to get it. They will kill, wage war, and even fly airplanes into buildings. They consult mediums, wizards, witchcraft, psychics, pornography, and mammon. All of this is evident in the church. I also find myself looking for more in the wrong places. The world for the most part is missing something and they are looking everywhere to find it. They are longing for something that they can’t seem to find and they are creating their own temporary fulfillments, such as flying fictional characters.

Supernatural Answer

Who are the ones who hold the keys to the supernatural? Who are the ones who have true supernatural wisdom? These traits are supposed to be major characteristics of the church. However, there have only been relatively small demonstrations and examples of a church of this kind since the first century. Without this manifestation of a supernatural church, the world and the body will continue to seek the substitutions which are made with human hands and the demonic. They need the true supernatural ones to arise and be revealed.

For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 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. Romans 8:19-21

Sons of God is an extremely supernatural exposition of the thematic vocational explorative of the currency, rank, and situational placement, of the identity of an authentic Christian. We are the ones who show the supernatural way (John 14:6), and demonstrate the true supernatural power.

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. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my words were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

Supernatural Splendor

The world will understand this through us being revealed as sons of God. When we heal their sick, and raise their dead (Matthew 10:8), then the “light bulb” will illuminate in their spirits by the Holy Spirit, and the spiritual bondage that clings to their hearts will break away.

There is a song that I have been listening to lately, and the lyrics are: “The first time I noticed my heart, is when I noticed you.” Our supernatural hearts do not beat until the defibrillator of revelation shocks us and sparks into us the electric pulse of the life of the Spirit. The world needs this spark. The world and the church need models of supernatural splendor that display the power of Jesus wherever they go. They need those whose supernatural hearts are beating to show them how to become alive. We must awaken their supernatural heartbeats.

Sailing the Supernatural Seas

“There are a million bottles washed up on the shore,” with no one to rescue them. The church itself is like a great a great ship stuck inside of its own bottle. There is a way out-the smashing of the bottle, the christening of the voyage. The church had a test run in the first century, but has been stuck at port ever since, afraid of the storms which may come, even though it was built to endure them. “It is safe inside the bottle,” so we think, even though is nothing more than shattering glass. Put our faith in Jesus and push put into the deep. We cannot remain hidden, we must be seen and challenge the powers of the spirit that be. Jesus is sifting the earth. We must embrace it, less it is forced upon us.

Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust. Luke 20:18

I am reminded of another song lyric which goes like this; “Lord you’re the Captain that I wish that I could be and I will sail with you forevermore from this day forward.” The One who builds the ship is the One who created the seas, and He knows how to handle them.

I have another friend that recently did a talk to some youth on the person of Christ. He was using the story of Jesus and His disciples on the Sea of Galilee. A storm arose and threatened the ship. Jesus was sleeping and His disciples were frightened:

And behold a there arose a great storm on the sea, so the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep. And they came to Him and woke Him saying, save us Lord we are perishing!” He says to them “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm. The men were amazed, and said, “What kind of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” Matthew 8:24-27

During my friends prep time we were discussing the passage and it occurred to me that the natural scene reflected what was going on inside of both Jesus, and His disciples. This is the reason why there were two different reactions to the situation. Jesus was at peace on the inside, which is why He was able to enforce peace on the outside. The disciples did not have the same peace of God in the inside as Jesus, which is why they were frightened by the turmoil on the outside. Jesus had faith because He had no storms on the inside, thus He knew the storms on the outside where easily overcome-able.

Likewise, David had no fear of Goliath (1 Samuel 17), because he had already defeated the lion and the bear, and he knew his God would deliver Goliath into his hands. We are afraid of material circumstances when we could overcome them in the Spirit, long before we even face them (Matt 6:6).

We can respond just like Jesus and just like David. This requires a death to self and a facing of fear with faith. Many in the church do not want to embrace this death to self. They “want their cake” and they “want to eat it too.” They want to go to Heaven and they still want to do what they want to do in this life as well. This is why many will fall away when the hour of testing comes. So let us find the secret place with God and be the mystery revealed of His power to the earth. They long for us to be revealed and show them the way to God, so they can be free too.

Supernatural Witness

Come on! People are looking to make believe fictional characters that don’t exist as heroes. They believe in what they can see, even though it does not even exist. We believe in what we cannot see because it does exist (Hebrews 11:1). And when they see that supernatural witness inside of us, they will know that He does exist! He has given us the gifts and the power to make His name and His power known in the earth; speaking that which does not exist into existence; making the unseen seen.

For the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy. Revelation 19:10

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. John 14:12

Supernatural Examples

David Hogan, a missionary in Mexico, has seen over four-hundred people in the ministry down there raised from the dead, over the past thirty years. They have almost seen all the miracles in the Bible:  sicknesses stopped dead in their tracks; limbs growing back, eyes popping in heads. External miracles as well: finding ancient wells, becoming invisible when people were trying to kill him. One time he was stopped by terrorist and an angel delivered him, as he sped away on his motorcycle, he forgot about the cliffed embankment ahead, and he flew off the 2000 foot edge. He landed nine miles away at the camp where his men were. Yes, he flew nine miles or so through the air on his motorcycle. If God can create something from nothing, then why is that so hard to believe?

I could go on for books and books worth of testimonies of the supernatural just from his life. Yes, God still moves like this and there are still things to be done that will advance the kingdom that have yet to be seen, if only we believe.

Another brother, John G. Lake, was a missionary to South Africa. He and his team were praying for a demon possessed girl at a mental institution in Wales, UK. All of the sudden light shone all around him, and the next moment, he was flying in the air from South Africa to Wales. He cited certain landmarks along the way that were verified in a future journey. He arrived at the institution and cast the demon out of the girl. The next moment, he was back in Africa. On another occasion, he met with a local preacher, and after they were done the man got up and flew out of the window. Others told him that the man was known as the flying saint. This is biblical; Elijah, Elisha, and Philip were transported in the Spirit.

Supernatural Element

Read Hebrews 11:1-12:2. We are supposed to carry the torch, the fire of the supernatural men and women that have gone before us and spread the Holy Spirit kingdom power all over the globe in Jesus name.

In 2001, I had a dream. In the dream, I was in the church. The entire church was assembled on a rock face, kind of like a rock quarry. I was seated in the middle next to a man in a booth, who was a prophet. The prophet would change from himself into Jesus and then back again. The prophet was not Jesus, but I believe that this was signifying the role of the prophetic place in the church in recognizing the real Jesus in the last days. Suddenly from my left, a great cloud, dark blue and smoky looking, appeared. Many people freaked out and shouted, “It is the Lord. Jesus is coming.” The prophet, however remained silent, so I followed his lead. Next, the cloud moved from the left side of the sky to the right, and it was revealed that this was not the Lord, but the devil acting like Him. Many of those in the church were deceived because of this and fell away. Next another cloud appeared in the right side of the sky, (the other was still on the left). This one was golden in color and there was a bright light in the center of it. It was more like an expanse than a cloud. The prophet began yelling, “Jesus is coming. Jesus is coming!” Then the cloud moved over to the center of the sky and pushed the other cloud–satan–away.

Supernatural Flight

On the other side of where the prophet was sitting, my friend was sitting. (The only two people that I recognized in the dream were the prophet and my friend, in this part.) When the cloud arrived at the middle of the sky, it was so bright, one could not look, but he could. Next, like a space rocket, my friend flew from where he was straight into the expanse and then exploded into a fireball. There he was in the expanses, for he had seen Jesus in the midst of the expanse, and he was changed, transfigured and flying. His arms became wings, suspended straight out on each side, he was in the midst of God looking down at the church (He looked like a phoenix). Instantaneously, when I saw him fly into the cloud, so much faith emerged, that I flew out there too. I also had an encounter with Jesus and instantly exploded into a fireball as well. Here we were, mirroring where we were in the church; I was on one side of Jesus, and he on the other. All together, four of us flew out into the expanse, all of us flying and on fire. Each one of us had a different color flame, (which I interpreted as different gifts and ministries). From our position, you could see the top of the quarry [church]. Behind it was a black, great, and deep darkness. There were multitudes coming over the edge into the church.

The Supernatural Church

Those who were like us were going out into the darkness and sending them here to the church to be discipled, until they too would be sent out as well. When I was in this state I could fly all around. Faith was not even an issue, for we knew that God could and would do anything. Anything that came our way was nullified because we resided in God and His power was all consuming. Words cannot describe the state of faith I was in. I only hope that one day I will experience here and not just in a dream. And I will in Jesus name. Once pride entered my heart, I immediately lost the ability to fly and fell down into the water that was at the bottom of the quarry. It was there for our protection, to catch us when we fall, and then we could climb back up the rocks. The dream ended with me on fire and full of faith, flying out into the darkness. As I went, light was shinning from Christ through me, showing them the way to salvation. And I saw people, the further I went all heading in the direction of the church, for a revolution was taking place and multitudes were being saved. Others were coming behind me, to accomplish their heavenly mission as well.

The church revealing the mystery of God is the mystery of the church revealed. We are all supermen. Let us seek God until these things burn in and out, through us, in Jesus name! Amen

“But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matt 13:23)

Recently I had heard about a number of tombs being found in Egypt in recent years which contained mummified remains of people.  In the tombs they also had jars which contained seeds that had been preserved in that state for thousands of years. Someone got the idea to sow them and harvest the corn and such contained in the seed to see if there was any significant difference between what they sowed in Egypt over 2700 years ago, compared to the seeds of those types of crops harvested today.  There was no difference, it yielded the same exact thing.  It didn’t matter how old the seed was, because apparently the seeds we’ve passed on from generation to generation, still contained the same crop as those from thousands of years earlier.  It didn’t expire or reach its ‘best before’ date.  All of the image of what that seed was intended to yield remained intact inside it for over 2700 years until it was harvested.

I thought this was simple yet amazing enough of an example of God’s kingdom worth adding to my series on the ‘imperishable seed‘ lately. I highly suggest going over those posts for the benefit of this entry if you’ve never read them before, as many of the Scriptures I’m referencing or taking for granted in this post I’ve been covering more in depth in previous posts for the foundation I’m building on in this one.

Another way I thought about this: I remember as a teenager the days when I used to make mix tapes – long before we had digital mp3 players and iPods (which I thank God for!).  I would take songs on CDs of mine that I wanted to make a mix tape with, and listen to the tape on my Sony Walkman while delivering newspapers.  The quality of the songs–because they were only a copy–would be degenerated compared to the original CD I obtained them from.  If I wanted to make a copy of that mix tape for somebody, I’d have to go to the original CDs again, because if I copied the tape–which itself was just a copy of songs–then the quality of that next tape would be even worse than mine was.  Such was the quality of copying using analog–it gets worse and worse the more you reproduce it from one copy to another.

Natural seed is not like such, and this is certainly not the case with the imperishable seed either (1 Peter 1:23)–it doesn’t diminish, lose anything, or degenerate from one generation to the next as it’s passed on.

The same seed of Christ planted in a believer who was changed by the blood of Christ having put their trust in Him 2000 years ago does the same work in a believer’s heart today.  The seed has not gotten worse the more it was spread.  Kingdom seed is not analog.  Its ‘DNA’ doesn’t change when it’s passed on from one person to another.  If what’s true of the natural seed is true of the spiritual imperishable seed of Christ in us, then it shines light on passages like when Jesus said in John 14:12  “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.”

We are capable of doing at the very least the works, signs and wonders Jesus did, because His imperishable seed–perfect image of His nature–has been implanted in us (1 John 3:9).  But Jesus didn’t stop there, He said we’d do greater works than these.  Whenever I talk to people of certain evangelical persuasions or denominations who don’t believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit–tongues, healing, and what have you–as being for today, I no longer go to the book of Acts to point out that there’s no reason to believe such activity was to stop in the Church, but I point to this aspect of Christ’s character.  If He did certain things, and said we would also and more, AND has planted His seed in us, then nothing of the image in that seed has depreciated over the centuries or degenerated in quality since.  Nothing of His has been lost or diminished in us. He didn’t even say we’d do at least the same He did, but greater works.  I know that sounds blasphemous to some, and is an abused concept by some people, but it’s still what the Word of God teaches and shows.  So the idea it’s arrogant to say believers can heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons or do things Jesus did and said we’d do (Mark 16: 16-18) is strengthened, and “only He can do it” is nullified, because the very nature of Christ is implanted into us as believers when we’re born again.

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. (John 12:24)

Jesus, our ultimate example, left His abode in heaven, and entered our fleshly earth realm, and lived as a man.  He ‘fell into the earth’ and died, that He may be raised from the dead and conquer sin, and in a sense, plant a new work in mankind that would blossom and flourish and that work itself would overcome the sinful, carnal death nature.  Jesus died in order to be gloried, much like a seed.   Seed gives forth after its own kind, and Jesus’ likeness is reproduced into those of us where His seed is implanted.  Who He is, is spread and reproduced in us as we mature and grow and spread the kingdom of God with evangelizing and manifesting the nature of Christ through healing the sick, and giving freedom to the oppressed.

Likewise, in order to obtain the Christ seed, we ourselves die.  We have to give up our life and no longer be in control, or no longer own ourselves, in order to be a part of this spiritual realm.  In order to manifest this heavenly Christ-ruled kingdom, we die to ourselves, and live through Christ.  There can’t be any ounce of self left, because Christ’s nature abides in the believer.  He was not like ‘us’ in our sinful fallen state.  Therefore such sin nature must die–that nature must no longer be nurtured–but the seed of Christ in us watered and nurtured, and cultivated.  The seed of Christ on the inside of us is as holy as how sinful Adam’s seed inside us is evil–the nature that must be killed in order to mature in the nature of Christ.  Galatians 6:7-8 states “For whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” All opportunities for this flesh nature to grow, or be nurtured, must be cut off.  I encourage reading a previous post for more about the importance of that.

What Exactly is IN the Seed?

“The seed is the word of God.” (Luke 8:11)  This being the case, I’m going to use the word ’seed’ interchangeably with ‘the Word’ of God, and by no means is the following list exhaustive, but I just want to share a few ideas to drive the point home.

“And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish.” (1 Cor 15:37-39)

• It contains what it is to reproduce after, as we’ve already been establishing.

“The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.”(Mark 4:26-28)

• It contains the kingdom of God.  All that is necessary for revival and the kingdom of power spreading is found first in the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear…

“He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.  You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.” (2 Cor 9:10-11)

“Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” (James 1:21)

“I write to you, young men, because you are strong,  and the word of God abides in you,  and you have overcome the evil one.” (1 John 2:14b)

• It contains your righteous nature and ability to live holy, and to overcome sin and the evil one, and salvation for our souls.  See also 1 John 3:8-10.

By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. (Hebrews 11:3)

“For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God” (2 Peter 3:5)

• It contains creative forces which create and give life.  As you can see, faith is mixed in with this word of God in order to bring forth any creation.  The same properties as mentioned in Hebrews 11:3 are true of seed.  The wood and leaves and fruit and all such things itself are not present in the seed, but the DNA is and in the right conditions, those things come forth out of the ground when it’s planted and nurtured.

I personally believe this ’seed’ is where gifts, talents, skills, and our calling is located.  I won’t be too argumentative if someone disagrees with me, because I can’t completely ‘prove this’, but hear me out:  the same way each and every individual person has specific and unique DNA that makes them who they are, I believe the Lord does with this imperishable seed in all believers.  The same way that the seed in the womb of a woman contains all the information as to who the baby is and will become, its hair color, its personality, and other traits not just physical, I believe the spiritual seed implanted inside the believer contains all the spiritual versions of such DNA and it’s up to us to water and nurture that seed.  It’s up to us to edify, encourage and exhort each other as well (since we are all the collective Body of Christ) into maturity into such things as God has designed for us individuals to become in Him and in His Body.  That’s why some people are capable of not ‘realizing their potential’.  It’s not that some people fail, and others succeed because God is hyper-sovereign and picks and chooses some to be outpacing others, but because He’s deposited in us all we need, and allows us to be stewards of our own edification and growth.

The point of the seed is that it yields and gives forth after itself, and does not remain a seed.  Therefore in an upcoming post, I’ll share some more on how to extract that information from the seed and grow spiritually.

He said therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.” (Luke 13:18-19) 

God’s intention is not that we remain in seed form, but grow in such a manner as to produce fruit some thirty fold, some sixty and some a hundredfold.

May it be so in our lives!

A common topic in the church in recent years is the statement which is quoted from 2 Kings 2:14: “Where is the Lord the God of Elijah?” Elijah had just ascended into heaven via a whirlwind. Elisha had received his mantle which represents the anointing, the power of the Holy Spirit in his life. He took the mantle and tapped the water, made the statement, the water parted, and he crossed over.

As they were going along and talking, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven. Elisha saw it and cried out,”My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. He also took up the mantle of Elijah which fell from him and returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan. He took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and struck the waters and said “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over. 2 Kings 2:11-14

Elisha was Elijah’s disciple. Elijah was a very powerful prophet who raised the dead, and called rain and fire down from heaven. Something else that he did was amazing too: he had a School of the Young Prophets (as referred thereto by Bob Gladstone). He surrounded himself with those willing to learn the ways of God. In essence, he was a father to a whole company of prophets who would carry his vision from God into the coming generations. (ref 1 & 2 Kings)

Here was a man who was absolutely possessed by the Spirit of God, to the degree that he would not even face death but be taken up to heaven, while he was still alive! God did call him to raise up another in his place. The revelation did not leave with him, it grew into further revelation through his disciples, especially Elisha. The power and the move of God did not leave with him, it was magnified through those he trained up to walk in his footsteps.

Generational Transfiguration

Elijah knew after Elijah was gone, now was the time for him to walk in the prophetic call of God. Now was the time for him to be the prophet to his generation. This is the reason for the statement; “Where is the Lord the God of Elijah?” He already knew God, but now he was stepping into his call, replacing Elijah as a prophetic light and voice to Israel.

Now was the time, the commissioning and birth of his ministry, through the waters of the Jordan river. This was a birth that had to be supernatural, so he called upon the God of his father to lead him in power, just as the Lord had done beforehand in Elijah. Elijah may have left, but his call and his vision-his mantle, did not. Elisha received the mantle that the Lord placed on Elijah. And now he would relate to God in a whole new way. Walking with the Lord the way Elijah did required an understanding of that relationship, producing the exclamation Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah.

Elisha’s call to fulfill Elijah’s call was part of him accomplishing his own call. This is the essence of the hearts of the fathers turning to the children and the children to the fathers. A “generational transfer” as we so often hear it explained. I, however, would call it a generational transfiguration. Each generation has more revelation than the previous generation in light of the understanding of the knowledge of God for the unfolding of the times. Therefore, when this revelation is passed from generation to generation, there is a multiplying of powers, not just addition. The more clear it gets and the more it unfolds, the more of God’s plan for the ages will be revealed to us.

When you have the previous generation’s revelation and the new generation’s revelation together, a larger part of the picture is seen than ever before, bringing the church closer to the fullness of Christ (Eph 4:11-13). Thus it is right to make the statement ourselves Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah? in this context. The Lord has not changed, He is still there, still present. He has given us all the power we need in each and every situation to accomplish His will. Consequently I believe that the Lord and the earth would say this:

Where are the Elijahs of God?

Behold I am going to sent you Elijah the prophet before the coming great and terrible day of the Lord. He will restore the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to the fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse. Malachi 4:5-6

Now we know according to the Gospel of Matthew that Jesus declared John the Baptist as Elijah who was to come (v 11:14). Also Elijah is still to come: “Elijah does first come and will restore all things” (Mark 9:12; 11 ref). So we see here two fulfillments of one prophecy. Many believe Elijah will himself return as one of the two witnesses mentioned in the book of Revelation. That may be true. I believe there is a generational fulfillment in that as well. We need mentors and fathers to take their knowledge of God and pour the substance of that wisdom into the young ones around them. And, the young ones need to embrace need to embrace and learn from them without trying to do it all on their own. The generations must come together for the world to see a true picture of who our God really is. The love of a Father…

Models?

Elijah was a father in the faith. He walked in the power of God. We need those who are full and walking in the power of the Holy Spirit, those who actually know God to the degree that Elijah did. Where are those who can heal the sick and raise the dead, in Jesus’ name?

And it shall come about in the last days, God says; “That I will pour out my Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions and your old men will dream dreams: Even on my bondslaves, both men and women, I will in those days pour forth My Spirit, and they shall prophesy. Acts 2:17-18

This was Peter’s explanation for the drunk-like state of those who had been baptized in the Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The verse before this he says; “This is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel…” This the fulfillment of that prophesy, for there to be a people in the last days-which can also be translated new Jesus age-that live in this state of prophetic application. This is the demarcation that we are children of God in the end times: We are full of the Spirit and walking in the power of the Spirit. We need models to look up to who walk in the Spirit like this, and we need to become models for those in our midst. Where are the Elijahs of God?

Provoked?

Now when Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols. (Acts 17:16, read through 34 for context).

His spirit was being provoked from within him. Is your spirit provoked within you when you see evil, or are you entertained by it as I often am? What is it going to take for us to hate sin and quit making excuses for it?  For us to quit putting Christian labels on it just so we can do it? I used to be provoked constantly, then I became soft. Live life in freedom, but by all means be provoked. Be provoked by sickness and heal it! Be provoked by death and raise it! Be provoked by sin and preach against it! Be provoked by hate and love it!

Paul’s spirit was provoked–a synonym could be taunted. The idols were taunting him or egging him on. Likewise, Goliath taunted the armies of the living God (1 Sam 17). When David heard him, he could not hide from Goliath behind the rocks with the other men. By default, because of the residency of the Spirit, he was forced to take a stand! Forced to silence the voice of the enemy! Forced to protect his people! Forced to display to an entire nation that his God would deliver him!

Are you an Elijah?

This will be a revolution of the Spirit (Gladstone). Quit turning the other cheek to sin, sickness, and death. Be provoked and stand like Elijah and Elisha, like Paul and David; act, overcome. Victorize  yourself and those around you! Where are the Elijahs of God? Are you an Elijah, declaring the way of the Lord?

After Elijah was taken up, the prophets asked Elisha if they could go search for Elijah. Elijah was gone but his call was resting on Elisha. There is a searching in the earth today for an Elijah generation. I declare: let that be you and I.

Final Thought

This is a revision of a post I did in October of 2006. Recently I realized that I needed to get more on fire for Jesus. I was not reading the Word and praying nearly as much as I used to. Right after a struggle with sin I asked the Lord what was going on. The answer was sharp and immediate; “You are not provoked!” was the response He placed in my spirit. I got this post out and read it right away and knew that God was setting my back on the path to freedom. Preaching against sin is not a religious spirit, that is a top tactic to those who are experiencing a new freedom of expression in God. Sin will turn your freedom into slavery with you even realizing it, for the sake of being non-religious. Be free, and, be free from sin. Its like duct tape on the skin, it hurts to pull it off but it feels great once its gone.

To listen to this message click here and scroll down to the sermon player, click on Where are the Elijahs?

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.

I’ve been thinking recently ever since my time in Pensacola, FL of an analogy that has stuck with me ever since seeing something while there.

For those of you who don’t me know–or at least not well–I am all about practical jokes. In fact, on a weekly basis one or two of my roommates were the victim of some kind of funny prank on my part, and usually with my third roommate’s collaboration when we all lived together during my second year at FIRE School of Ministry. That easily was my funnest living arrangement or at least the house was the best house I’ve lived in.

We did it all–put pennies on Arian’s ceiling fan so when he turned on his light they shot everywhere like bullets; we put all of our alarm clocks in Jeff’s room and set them 20 minutes apart beginning at 3:30 am. You name it. I regret very little of them since they went over usually well and to the best of my knowledge I never crossed any lines or hurt anyone’s feelings.

Anyway, these two roommates and I once went away with a classmate for the weekend, and he took us to a practical joke store in his hometown of Atlanta. I bought gum that gives the victim gas; gum that turns a person’s mouth blue; and this powder–which was my favorite. It was some kind of polymer (plastic) that if you put it into someone’s drink–coffee, water, juice, soda-–you name it–it would solidify it in a matter of seconds. But here’s the catch–you had to make sure the prank victim didn’t try to drink it after that (which would be hard because it was solidified). With the added ingredient, the polymer had made the liquid undrinkable. The warning in the instructions actually used the word poisonous.

One time I put it in my roommate’s water and he went to drink it and this solid almost jello-like blob fell out of his mug. I put some in a guy’s sweet tea at our cell group one night, and after a long time he finally announced out loud when he discovered it that “there’s something wrong with this sweet tea!” This went over great every time.

As simple of an illustration as this is to me, it is profound. You see, this plastic added an ingredient that ‘preserved’ the drink in its original form and would make it unable to be contaminated or go bad, but rendered it undrinkable. At the expense of preserving it permanently was the inability to do with the liquid what it was intended for–to drink. It made it no longer fresh. Yet in the Church, we add all sorts of ingredients to our spiritual lives that render the true refreshing of the Holy Spirit undrinkable for others and even ourselves.

“Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:3b)

Like so many movements in church history, God was doing something, but when something was added to it by men, it no longer flowed or was drinkable. And by and large we’ve been content with our unnatural preservatives.  Sometimes moves of God naturally waned and reached their usefulness, but men whose livelihoods or jobs depended on the move of God sought to preserve them out of their own selfish gain or survival or both.

To make this more applicable–take some groceries I’ve bought while overseas in other countries–especially Holland. I noticed that the expiration date on many products, but particularly dairy-is sooner than the expiration date on products I’d buy in North America. Why? The lack of preservatives. They may cause the product to last longer, but it lowers its quality and is in fact less healthy. Such is what I’m talking about on a spiritual level.

For example, somewhere along the line we added the ingredient to the Church that it’s OK not to have faith for big things, therefore we don’t see them and then find ways of explaining away the Bible passages that do talk about them–”the age of miracles are past” many say. “Sound doctrine” became more important than actually doing something with our doctrine. Even though the ‘proper faith’ that is commonly taught doesn’t actually heal any sick or produce any tangible results.

I once talked on MSN with someone who described to me a discussion that happened in one of his classes in Bible school that week and it prompted him to observe the real reason Christians spend so much time arguing with others about why NOT to believe for miraculous or explaining away the gifts of the Spirit, is that we don’t want to admit it is doubt and unbelief that causes us to form these doctrines. We don’t want to admit that many of our doctrines are the fruit of our failures.

Somewhere along the way, we became happy with institution (I’ve heard the term “the impotency of institution”) where we’re more preoccupied with the programs, the institutionalisms and the denominationalisms–which are a form of self-preservation contrary to the death to self that comes in the cross of Christ-–and neglected the organism of what a Body of believers is supposed to be by definition. Somewhere along the way, the poison of self-righteous religiousness was added, and sucked the life out of what is supposed to be Christianity. Not all are bound by this poisonous religion. But it has more pull in the Church as a whole than we’re willing to admit.

There’s lots of undrinkable elements to the body of Christ currently, and you can think of your own if you’d like to meditate on this further. Like sacred cows, “undrinkable elements” of Christianity include–if you notice it in your own thinking or just in “acceptable Christianity”-–things that are commonly accepted as correct doctrines or practices, but yet do absolutely nobody any good whatsoever if you put it into practice.

If the dying world around us were to need our water, would they be able to drink it?

Matthew chapter 10: “as YOU go, preach this message” They had to go do it. Simple enough, right?

Imagine seeing someone standing on a street corner with their mouth open, and going up to them asking what they are doing. Imagine they tell you that God told them to go preach the Gospel, and you ask “well why aren’t you doing it then?” and they tell you they are waiting for God to speak through them. Wouldn’t that sound ridiculous?

Why do I bring that up? Because we’ve missed this next part as a Church, and I listen to countless people tell me they won’t lay hands on the sick or practice healing because “only Jesus has power to do it.” This sounds noble and spiritual, but it’s a slap in the face to Jesus Who has given His authority to anyone who is saved through Him. Whenever people tell me this, I remind them “well, if Jesus lives in you, then let Him IN you do it through you.“ Philippians 4:13 says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. If responsibility that the Church has been commanded to do is not included in “all things”, then by all means place some liquid paper over this verse in your Bible.

He gave His disciples authority to drive out spirits, and gave them authority to heal the sick. This was a temporary endowment with power. When the Holy Spirit came down at Pentecost in Acts 2, that was a permanent empowerment, and not just for the disciples. (see Acts 1:8, 2:39-40)

Luke 9:2 basically says He told them “preach and heal”. Do you think it would be conceivable to these disciples if you went back in time 2000 years, and stopped them before going on this mission, and told them the modern day evangelical view of healing, and taught them–as many do today–that “you can preach the Gospel without any power accompanying it”? Sorry, Jesus–no less God Himself, didn’t seem to think His disciples should go preach without power accompanying.

Stuff to observe and think about:

• In Luke 10, when Jesus sends out the seventy-two, He says “heal the sick, and preach”. This is described in the opposite order than the instructions he gave in the previous chapter when Jesus sent out the twelve. Also keep in mind, this passage effectively demonstrates that it was NOT just the disciples who healed or performed miracles.
  
• Mark 6:10-13 records how they went out and preached that people should repent, then says they healed them –
• In Acts 3, Peter and John said “what I have I give you” to the cripple who asked alms of them
• Acts 2:43 – many miraculous signs and wonders were done by the apostles, Acts 5:12 says the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. It does not say Jesus showed up as an answer to prayers for Him to do it.
• Acts 6:8 – Stephen full of God’s grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs amongst the people.
• Acts 8:6 – when the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said.
• Acts 14 – when the people saw what Paul did, they tried to worship him but he stopped them and said he’s just a man
• Acts 28:8 – Paul laid hands on Publius and healed him

In each of these instances, we have human vessels doing the work of the Anointed One they follow and represent.

So far in life I’ve been unable to obtain a credit card in my name. Missionary work, and having monthly support, is not considered ‘income’ in the eyes of any bank I’ve gone to to apply for a credit card in Canada. So my mom signed me up to be under hers. I carry a visa card in my wallet that has my name on it. It’s my mom’s credit, and her credit background and her income that provides me the ability to use it when it’s not possible to use cash to order or pay for something. But I am the one who goes into a store and uses it–she “gave me the authority” to. I make the transaction, but for all intents and purposes of this analogy, I make the transaction on my mom’s “authority”. I carry the card in my wallet and it has my name on the card I keep in my wallet–but it’s ‘her’ credit. She gave, and I ‘have’. This is similiar to what the Lord has given His followers out of HIS power, but WE have it in His name and authority.

If you want to compare authority and power, just think of police officers directing traffic. I’ve seen police officers pointing and waving their hands for giant mack trucks and large vehicles, indicating with hand gestures when it’s appropriate for that truck driver to pass or turn. A truck could crush a police officer in an instant, no questions about it, but the officer, just by wearing that uniform and standing in the middle of a road can demonstrate his authority. If said truck driver did not obey, then power would be used when say a tank or something more powerful than the truck is brought in to blow that truck away. Power is the enablement to DO something. Authority is the command that requires obedience towards those being commanded. Believers in Christ have been given both.

Asking God to drive out the demon is insulting the authority God has given you.
All we are doing is reasserting God’s authority and power over peoples’ lives. “But Steve, who do you think you are trying to do what God does”–I’m a child of the King, stating we are to do what He instructed us to do; set the captives free. “But Steve, you’re interfering with the Sovereingty of God when you do things like this and advocate others are to as well”. We’re not interfering with God’s sovereignty, we’re enforcing it using the power He’s given us, His children.

Matthew 4:23 – every healing is a deliverance on some level; this passage says Christ healed the sick, but then people brought to Him the demon possessed, and they were healed.
Compare this with Matthew 8:16-17.

Yes, it’s true that in Matthew 10 the commission to only go to the lost sheep of Israel was a commission to those twelve disciples in this passage. But the Great Commission is for all of us, every generation, to all nations. Later, in Matt 10:11, 17-18 Jesus tells the disciples they will be flogged in the synagogues—when did this happen? In Acts, not before. Interestingly, Smith Wigglesworth said “you don’t get persecuted until you get the Holy Spirit.” Later in the chapter, Jesus goes on to say they will bear witness before the Gentiles–when did that happen? Not on that particular trip, but years later in the book of Acts. Jesus also said “he who stands firm until the end will be saved” (v.22). “You will not finish going through the towns of Israel until the Son of Man comes” (v.23).

This is obviously continuing ministry, not just the mission trip they went on in that chapter. And we see this applies to anyone who believes in Jesus’ name.

So Church, let’s start doing those things in Jesus’ name and authority. If He could use them, He can use us.