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Discouraged But Expecting
Many prophetic people today feel discouraged and disillusioned which leads to discontentment. The reason many watchmen,intercessors,and prophetically gifted people are feeling this way is because they are searching for evidence of the proper functioning of the Kingdom of God in the church. In computer terms we are trying to use a Windows 2000 system on a computer designed for Windows 3.1.
Most prophetic people are looking for the Kingdom of God on earth now, most church leaders are looking for the Kingdom sometime in the distant future. This is the primary reason church leaders misunderstand and find it difficult to deal with Prophetic folks and tend to shy away from them or ignore what they say.
Alternately many leaders see the kingdom as being mostly about church growth. The prophetic see the kingdom as seeking Gods direction and following it implicitly. We often see what we feel are Gods intentions for the church but may have difficulty conveying them efficiently or finding an ear willing to listen.
Prophetic people are looking for the church to perform the way God intended and are impatient to see it come to full stature now. We often get discouraged when we don't see it happening soon enough. We sometimes feel as if God is speaking to us as He did in Haggi chapter one and two "You live in paneled houses while the temple is in ruins". Today of course the temple is in our hearts and we have to build it one person at a time beginning with ourselves. Then wait for it to spread.
The church is the instrument of God on the earth but we must realize that church is a part of the kingdom. It is a large part but not the only part. All the Kingdom of God is not totally contained in the church, rather the church is contained in the Kingdom of God.
What is the Kingdom of God? It's a place where Gods will is always done without question.What is the kingdom of God on the earth? It is certainly salvation of lost souls but it is so much more than that. It is the healing,deliverence and even raising of the dead,both spiritually and physically. It is teaching and training and disciplining of Gods' people so they may function in Gods Kingdom. It is Christians seeing what the Father is saying and doing and saying and doing the same things. That's what Jesus did in his earthly ministry. This is the example we should be following, that's why he said when you pray, pray this to the Father, "Your kingdom come,Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven". We desperately need for His will to be done without question on this earth. That is what we pray for and expect daily. The Kingdom is fully functional in Heaven and will continue to function there. It is also functioning in many people and many places on the earth but obviously not all places. Total obedience to the will of God is what brings heaven down to earth.
There are people, places and churches where this is true to some degree today but it's not true of the majority. Yet it will happen. It just takes the church a while to catch up to Gods intentions. But catch up it will.
It will someday focus less on the outer court ministry and begin to show the way into the Holy of Holies. It will focus less on buildings and programs and more on changing the lives of both the lost and the saved, teaching its people how to live holy lives and be able to function apart from worldly pursuits and desires.
Soon we will begin to see the church awaken and realize that we must follow the lead of the Holy Spirit and not the other way around. Soon the church will come into its proper place and excel as the body of Christ. The church will take back the land. This has been prophesied in scripture and is being prophesied by major prophets today. The majority of Christians know in their spirits that the time is near.
Until that time arrives those of us who are discouraged or disillusioned should "strengthen that which remains" by maintaining our intimate relationship with God and earnestly pray as Jesus taught "Your Kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven". May His kingdom come in us, in the church and in the earth. Soon Lord, soon.
Ray Cleghorn
The Calling of the Church
In the Old Testament God called three people to do three specific things. He called Zeruababel to rebuild the Temple, He called Nehimiah to rebuild the wall and He called Ezra to re-teach the law. I believe He is today calling all of His people to three similar ministries. As He called Zerubabel to rebuild the Temple, so they could reinstitute worship, He is today calling us to worship Him again in abandoned worship as David worshipped Him. As He called Nehimiah to rebuild the wall He is today calling the prophets and intercessors back into the forefront to join up with other called brothers and sisters to make up this unit of His army and to place watchmen on the wall. As He called Ezra to reteach the law, He is calling for the ministry of the teacher to teach His people who they are and what they should be doing in His kingdom.
It is also the ministry of reconciliation. Preaching the gospel, evangelizing by the word of God. Not the same old method but anointed prophetic evangelism. In other words He is calling His people to join His army and work in the Kingdom of God.
We have a situation today similar to the one in Haggai 1:4 . They were being called to rebuild the temple but were saying :It's not time". God is calling forth His army and people are saying the same thing "It's not time". It seems so radical, so extraordinary. Gods' plans always seem radical. It seems to us that whatever God wants it should be in the future but never now. We have for so long been taught that everything is in the bye and bye that we have difficulty focusing on anything spiritual in the present.
The word of God is always present and is always in the present. Today is the day of salvation 2cor:. The time is coming and now is--.John 4:23. NOW IS THE TIME!
We are called to the harvest but first we are called to train the labors for the harvest. Make disciples, teach them, train them to go and to do. How are they to know where to go and what to do? By the voice of God as did the man in Kings whom the Lord sent to prophesy to the altars in Israel. He was told not to eat or drink not return the same way. The same way Ananias knew to go to a street named straight. In these examples The Lord spoke to them and they heard His voice and knew His voice. We must hear His voice also, it's imperative that we learn to hear and distinguish His voice. We must know positively that it is His voice in order to know the direction of our lives and that of our families as well as our churches. We must know how to teach our disciples and train them for the harvest that is surely coming.