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