His First Message

Yesterday I began reading the Gospels again, this time from a specific mindset: I wanted to see beyond what I believe is a typical mindset. It seems that the common view of theses book is to present the story of Jesus coming, death, resurrection and how it can be made applicable to our lives. In short, it is about how He created a way of heaven for us. This concept simplifies it to the point that we are purchasing fire insurance or a ticket to some destination.

However, for a while now, I have felt there was more to it than just providing an escape for us. Some of my basis for this is the first message Jesus preached, found in Matthew 4:17. It states that" from that time (a point of beginning) Jesus began to preach and say 'Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Notice what He did not say: "repent, confess, believe or be born again and get ready to go to heaven."

The focus of His message was to change your thinking (look up the definition of repent) because the rule, dominion or realm (look up the definition of kingdom) of a spirit realm is here. Jesus first message was one of dominion, authority or power. He then proceeded to demonstrate this kingdom by manifesting it's power.

• Matt 4:23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. 24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.

Jesus proceeded to demonstrate the authority of His kingdom over the kingdom of this world. Further, in John 17:18, Jesus states that as he was sent into the world, he was sending us. We are to continue to fulfill the mission He started of calling others into His kingdom.

Till next time
martin

The Purpose of Apostolic Authority

We have defined what apostolic means and presented the basic components of what it means to be sent. I would think the question in someone’s mind is “What is the purpose of apostolic authority?” Well, to answer this, I think we must first look at God’s purpose and then His purpose for creating man.

In my review of the scriptures, it is apparent that God’s purpose was to have His glory fill the earth. (Isa 6:3, Hab 2:14, Num 14:21). There are numerous other scriptures that declare that there will be one king over this earth and all nations will come and worship Him. (Ps 86:9, Zech 14:8, Rev 11:15). So…God’s purpose was to fill the earth with His glory!

If the earth was and is to be filled with His glory, what was God’s plan to accomplish this? By creating man in His image, giving him dominion and to multiply and replenish the earth (Gen 1:26, 28). Mankind was to bear fruit in increased numbers and fill, fulfill or overflow the earth with the image of God.

God’s purpose is to have this earth filled with His image and glory. His intent is to accomplish this through you and I; born again believer’s walking in His image and manifesting His glory. WOW! what an awesome place of privilege.

til next time-
Martin
more on this topic click here

Demonstration of Apostolic

There is a statement that has been around a while that is used in reference to the validity of something: "The proof is in the pudding." According to AskYahoo, the "phrase originated as "the proof of the pudding is in the eating." It means that the true value or quality of something can only be judged when it's put to use. The meaning is often summed up as "results are what count."

In apostolic authority, the fourth component of being sent is the completion or demonstration of the action is the proof that the individual was sent. It is when those that are apostello, actually go and do what they were ordered and commissioned to do or say. It was not how much they discussed or planned their actions - did they go and do it!

Operating in apostolic authority is doing what we have been sent to accomplish. It is only when we DO this, we can expect the authority of Jesus to be revealed in our lives.

food for thought
Are you acting on what you have been commissioned to do?
More information click here

Till next time
Martin

Knowing Our Place

Apostolic authority is based on being sent. It is acting as Jesus' representative, declaring the message or words that He has authorized us to speak. This was exampled when Jesus sent out the 12 disciples (Luke 9) and the 70 disciples (Luke 10). In each case He authorized and instructed them what to do and say.

Along with the orders to go and the commission of what to do and say, apostolic authority includes a place of operation. This may be a specific, city, country, group of people or a particular setting to operate in. Jesus himself said that he was "not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel" Matt 15:24. Jesus first and primary place of ministry was to the nation of Israel. In the natural world, ambassadors have authority to represent their home country in regards to the particular country they have been sent to.

In regards to our authority, we must not only know what we are to do or say, we must know where and to whom we are sent to minister.

Till next time
martin

Faith From Our Commissioning

Understanding our commission is crucial to operating in apostolic authority. It defines what we are empowered to do, thus giving us the liberty to operate. It is from this we can derive a faith and freedom to operate.

The centurion in Luke 7 knew his commission and freely operated in authority. It was demonstrated by his confidence in giving instructions to his servants with an expectation they would obey. It was this same authority he saw in Jesus when he stated that if Jesus would just speak it, his servant would be made whole. Jesus responded by saying He had not seen such faith in all of Israel. How did this relate to faith?

The centurion had faith because he understood what a commission was. He knew who had sent him and what he was authorized to do. Because of this, he had a freedom to act.

It is the same with apostolic authority. When we grasp what we have been commissioned to do, we can then demonstrate with faith. As we do what we were commissioned to do, we can expect the Lord to support us because we are operating according to His instructions.

Food For Thought
What is your level of faith? Do you know what you have been commissioned to do?

till next time
martin

Our Commissioning

The second component to the definition of apostolic is: those that are sent, are commissioned with a specific purpose.

A commission is;

“an authorization or command to act in a prescribed manner
or to perform prescribed acts.”

A clear example is seen in a military commission. “Commissioned officers in the military derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position. Wikipedia.” Spiritually, apostolic authority is receiving a commission from Jesus himself in John 17:18, Jesus states: “Just as You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world” AMP. In both instances the word sent is apostello, meaning to send out and it is from where we derive the term apostolic.

The centurion of Luke 7 understood his commission and was not afraid to exercise his authority. He states; “I am a man set under authority, I say to one go and he goes to another come and he comes.” This individual was operating according to his commission and those around him obeyed his authority.

The ability to operate with Apostolic authority is available when we are operating within the dictates of our individual commissions.

Food for thought:
Is your ministry involvment based on His commission?

till next time

martin

Sons of Sceva

In our day and time, there is an awakening in many hearts to the power and wonder of God revealed as He was in the lives of the first church. However, along with this, there are those who seek the power of God for their personal gain. This is seen in the example of the Sons of Sceva.


The sons of Sceva (Acts 19:14) were vagabond jewish exorcists. In their attempt to use what was probably to them the latest spiritual "thing" they attempted to cast a demon out of an individual. However, in this encounter ended in failure. The demon's response was the he knew Jesus and Paul, but did not know these individuals. He then proceeded to compel the man he possessed to physically attack these exorcists.

Why did this attempt at exercising authority fail? Let me suggest some ideas:

• First, there is no indication they were born again
• Second, they were attempting use authority for their own benefit
• Thirdly, and in my mind the most important - they were not sent. If they were not sent, there would not have been the authority to operate
  

The application of this to our lives is simple to state, maybe hard to do. We must make sure we are entering into a ministry based on His sending and not one of our own making. If he is sending, the authority will be there for us to operate in.

food for thought
if you are frustrated in ministry; did He send you there? or was it your idea?

till next time
martin

Authority Is From The Sender

Being apostolic is to be sent. This obviously implies that someone is doing the sending. It is from the one sending that the authority is derived. Those that were sent by Herod to slay the children had much more authority to act than those who were sent by the Pharisees to question John as to his identity. The greater the power and authority of the sender, the greater the potential authority of the one sent.

Jesus (the man) comment was that he was doing the will of the one who sent him. (Jn 5:30). As long as the man Jesus, performed the will of the Father, there was unlimited power to accomplish the purpose.

We have been sent to this world as Jesus was sent - apostello (Jn 17:18, Jn 20:21). If we can grasp this, we can understand that we have available to us the same authority that Jesus had. Apostolic authority is being empowered to continue the mission that Jesus started.

Till next time
Martin

Defining Apostolic

Much is being said today about “the apostolic.” There are those who believe a restoration of “the apostolic” is necessary. Various views of what apostolic means include: a succession of leadership traceable back to Peter, a particular doctrine instructed by the apostles or a particular church organizational structure with an individual in leadership, calling themselves an apostle. Many of these may contain some elements of truth or they may be man’s attempt to apply the principles of apostolic, but they often can fall far short of God’s original intentions. With this in mind, I would like to present a view of apostolic for us to consider.

To begin with, the word apostolic is not contained in the scriptures. This word is a creation of man. So what is this word based on? In my personal experience, apostolic is used as an adjective to describe the type of ministry first demonstrated by Jesus, as The Apostle, then His apostles. The Greek for apostle is apostolos. According to Vine’s it is “one sent forth.” Holman Bible Dictionary says it is “a person sent to accomplish a mission. An apostle represents the one sending and has authority to represent the sender in business, political or educational situations.” An apostle is one who has been specifically sent by another to deliver a message or conduct business according to the one doing the sending.

Scripture shows us that the word apostle and sent are similar. According to Thayer’s, send or sent is apostello; “properly, to send off, send away.” Furthermore, Thayer’s tells us there are four components to being sent.

• First, they are ordered to go.
• Secondly, they are sent with a commission or something intended for another.
• Thirdly, the place of their sending is specific.
• Fourth, the completion or manifestation of the duty is proof of the sending.

In the literal sense of the word, anyone who has been given a job to perform then sent (apostello) to do this duty for the one sending is an apostle (apostolos). In Matthew chapter 2, those that Herod “sent forth” to slay the children in Bethlehem were apostello. In John 1:19, the Jews “sent” or apostello as their apostolos, priests and Levite's to question the identity of John. If you are part of an organization or business and you delegate someone to go and relay a message, represent you or conduct business for you, they have been sent (apostello) by you and are your apostle (apostolos).

The major significance of biblical apostolic is:
WHO is DOING the sending.
And What are we being sent to accomplish.

Being apostolic is being sent as a representative of Jesus Christ. It is from Him we are to get our orders. Jesus stated that all power had been given to Him. When He sent out his disciples in Mark 6:7-13, they were given specific commands of where, who and what to say. When they operated as He commanded is when they saw the miraculous happen. In Acts 19, we see the sons of Sceve attempting to operate under their own initiative. They were attempting to accomplish something of benefit, yet they were not effective. Their problem was they were not sent. I can desire to do good things for the kingdom, yet find frustration and limited results IF what I am attempting is not what He has sent me to do.

This is significant for us to grasp because if we desire to see His kingdom manifest or reach the lost of this world with His miraculous delivering power we MUST make sure we are operating as His representatives in the manner that He has determined. We must make sure we are not perpetuating man’s traditions, values or structure. In my personal life and ministry, I must be sure that I am operating in a manner that He has authorized. Our churches must carefully evaluate and make sure we are performing His mandate and not our programs. The power to impact our worlds only comes when we are operating in accordance with His commission.

Food For Thought
Am I operating according to my plans or His sending?

What This Is All About

As the introductory post, let me quote from the introduction of our book "Apostolic Authority, Every Believer's Privilege." Apostolic Missions Inc (www.apostolicmission.org)

The young woman lay on a pallet of blankets. The muscles of her extremities were withered so that her legs and arms were drawn up toward her torso in an agonized, twisted position. The little strength she possessed only allowed her the ability to lift and turn her head. As she turned toward me with a pleading look in her large, sorrow-filled eyes, the Spirit spoke to me and said, “A withered spirit”.

This vision occurred one morning in prayer as I sought the Lord for His purpose and direction. With this statement, came the understanding that the church possessed a withered spirit. The spiritual muscles had atrophied to the place that there was no longer strength to move or minister. The withering had produced a helpless body, unable to fulfill the purpose it was created for.

From my college days and years in practice, I know that in the human body muscles will begin to waste away, losing both size and strength primarily for two reasons. First, there is an injury or disease to the muscle itself. Secondly, the muscle has lost its nerve communication with the brain. Both of these, if untreated, will result in progressive loss of strength and ability of the muscle. Likewise, spiritually we find that individuals and churches begin to waste away, losing their spiritual strength for similar reasons. They have experienced an injury or there is a loss of communication with the Spirit of God. Ultimately we find a withered, weak and powerless church, unable to exercise the authority or dominion the Lord intends for it.

When looking at the first church, authority and power were evident on a consistent basis. Just as Jesus came teaching, preaching, and healing all manner of diseases and casting out demons, His early church continued in the same ministry. Wherever the disciples went preaching, the Lord confirmed their word with signs and wonders. The power of God was evident in the daily lives of the first believers, so much so that they were said to have “turned their world upside down”.

However, the 21^st century church is withered. Very little power or authority is manifest in the lives of believers. There is even leadership today that states this type of miraculous demonstration was only for the first church to be established and is not necessary today. I submit, however, that we have come to the place, much like the Pharisees of Jesus day, that we teach the traditions of men, organizations or philosophies. By doing so, we make the commandments of God of none effect. The result is that we have lost the ability and faith to walk in power and authority.

It is the purpose of this blog to present thoughts that will challenge us to reclaim what the Lord desires for His church. To help us:

• Understand the authority and power that we have been given.
• To grasp what it means to be sent and where we are sent to operate.
• Exercise that same dominion that was given to Adam.
• Fulfill His purpose for our lives.

It is about you and I walking in apostolic authority