Submission to Leaders ?
What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.”
Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? (1 Cor 1:12-13)
PRE-CONCEIVED MISCONCEPTIONS
During prayer one morning, I asked the Lord:
"What is it Lord that prevents people from coming to a knowledge of Jesus Christ and being saved?"
He said to me "Pre-conceived Misconceptions!"
Pre-conceived Misconceptions are quick judgments based on lack of knowledge due to mindsets that have been molded by the world's system, or the environment a person has been subject to.
Pre-conceived Misconceptions apply both to unbelievers in the world and to believers in the Church.
The key scripture is:
"The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Cor. 4:4)
Applying this scripture to the church it reads:
"The god of this age has blinded the minds of believers, so that they cannot see the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God as they ought to."
The Lord through prophecy gave me understanding of how the above scripture is achieved in the world and in the Church through the following formula:
"A combination of deception + restriction + distraction (through time wasting methods) in order to create a foolish, weakened, dependent and deluded people for the sole purpose of control"
In the world it is achieved through the various sectors of Government control, in the Church through ungodly leadership.
THE CHURCH:
Just as people in the world are subject to pre-conceived misconceptions that hinder them from coming into the knowledge of the Kingdom and being saved, likewise the Body of Christ is also subject to pre-conceived misconceptions which prevent believers from understanding and seeing the full counsel of God and walking in the glory of the Kingdom.
Just as the world's system molds the thinking and understanding of unbelievers through deception, restriction and distraction for the purpose of taking away a person's independence, individuality, and trust in God, likewise when the church isn't walking in the full knowledge and wisdom of God, it has similar consequences resulting in deception which brings with it unnecessary restriction.
DECEPTION:
The problem is when leaders who do not possess the full knowledge or counsel of God, cannot likewise possess full knowledge of diverse circumstances that may be occurring in a person’s life and therefore restrict or even prevent circumstances that the Lord may be trying to work out in a person’s life or the world, due to their understanding of how things ought to be.
The deception is when a form of godliness or goodness is only applied to a person by the Church if a person is walking according to the Church's understanding of godliness or goodness, but in reality this is often violating WISDOM. If many Pastors were walking in the full knowledge and Counsel of the Lord, they wouldn't simply be Pastors, but Apostles.
The Lord gave me this prophecy to understand the problem that causes this:
“People go to church and listen to sermons or they hear testimonies to find out the ways of the Lord. But be alert, for what you hear may be correct, but this may also cause you to develop a pre-conceived misconception about God’s workings in your life. Therefore be alert and seek the Lord, for what you know about the Lord may be true, but may not be the way God will choose to work in your life.”
Demands of work and family cause people not to have valuable time to seek the Lord about their life and usually church sermons preached from a person’s own understanding, rather than under the instruction of the Lord, are a fast method to learn the ways of God, resulting in a church without the power that they ought to have !
Many Leaders who come out of Bible College are taught by schedule and knowledge rather than by prompting and experience with the Lord Himself, resulting in a molded understanding of how things ought to be. Molded understanding is a limited understanding of the fullness and Wisdom of God causing restriction.
RESTRICTION:
A person who is truly submitted to God desires to obey the commands and teachings of Jesus Christ. They also walk in the revelation of the brevity of life and like the Lord Jesus Christ whom they are called to be like, they have an eternal perspective stemming from love towards people and situations. For these reasons, they walk in the urgency to get people saved and bring them to the knowledge of Christ and His Kingdom, in order to please their Master.
Many times leaders don't understand the zeal of someone who walks in this urgency, and the reason for this can only be that they themselves can't be walking in the same love, perceptiveness and understanding. They therefore place restrictions and demands on a person who is trying to accomplish their God given goals such as:
"Who are you? Why should I listen to you?"
"What is your relationship to the Body of Christ?"
"Which Church do you go to?"
"How long have you served in your Church?"
"Who is your Pastor?"
"Are you submitted to leadership?"
If they do not receive the answers they expect according to their understanding, they restrict or reject God. This was also a problem with the Pharisees when they questioned Jesus on various things. Jesus’ answers, and the way he achieved his objectives didn’t agree with their mindsets, so they rejected the Lord that came to save them. Even to the point that they themselves gave consent for His crucifixion.
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!'" (Matthew 23:37-39)
Such questions although may be good intentioned, are often rooted in insecurity rather than in genuinely seeking the Lord for Wisdom, for they are reminiscent of the world that asks evangelists the same questions:
"Why should I listen to you?"
"Which denomination do you belong to?"
"Who is your Pastor?"
"Under whose authority have you come to evangelize?"
"You are not a pastor, why should I listen to you!"
Such questions, whether asked by the world or leaders are irrelevant for they are rooted in a conformed and insecure understanding that people and situations operate according to their understanding, rather than in the omniscient, unlimited, wise and unconventional ways of God who works in every situation according to what is fitting for righteousness.
For if the Apostle Paul who Church leaders so quote and revere encourages Christ to be preached irregardless of false motives or true motives (Philipians 1:15-18), how much more accountable are leaders who restrict those trying to obey Christ with true motives ? For what Paul understands that many leaders do not seem to, is that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has its objectivity and validity apart from those who proclaim it; that the message is more than the medium, and irregardless of the medium, has the power to save!
It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice (Philipians 1:15-18)
That's the difference between foolish restriction which prioritizes the medium and wise allowance which prioritizes the message!
Jesus taught that the Kingdom of Heaven isn't a kingdom of restriction but of rapid advancement.
"The kingdom of Heaven is like yeast (symbol of growth) that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough." (Matt.13:33)
"From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing and forceful men lay hold of it" (Matt. 11:12)
Lack of the heart of God, the full counsel of God, the Wisdom of God and of circumstances, is the cause of unnecessary and foolish restriction.
For how does one place church protocol restrictions on or explain circumstances like:
1. A believer, who lives on a small faraway island, is zealous for the Kingdom but the other few members of the one small church there not sharing the same zeal.
2. Submission to a Pastor that lacks Wisdom or the heart of Christ?
3. A believer who may be blessed with more revelation, prophecy, understanding and zeal for the things of God and eternity than their leaders?
4. People belonging to a church, are submitted to leadership, but are nullifying the commands of Christ for the sake of their traditions. (Matt.15:1-9)
5. A person who walks in a greater understanding of the brevity of life and the certainty and unpredictableness of death than their Leaders.
For if belonging to a church and being submitted to leadership were the criteria for being in obedience to Christ and ensuring your salvation, then leaders and pastors wouldn't need to be concerned about their flock backsliding or ever walking in disobedience.
God works in ways according to predestination, unconventionality, looking at the heart and not the years of service to a church or leadership. Here are some examples:
* God called Abraham even in the midst of his pagan family influence.
* "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."
* Moses - not even among his people when God called him from within the bush.
* Joseph - revelation of his destiny through prophetic dreams from youth.
* Ruth - foreigner from a despised people.
* Saul - king of Israel in a day.
* The kings of Israel - succession by birthright irrelevant- still disobedient
* The disciples - of no priestly/religious/educated descent - fishermen and sinners.
* Jesus - despised yet Savior of the world.
Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead), and all the brethren who are with me (Gal 1:1,2)
DISTRACTION:
When believers do not walk in the fullness of Wisdom belonging to the Lord's Kingdom, they conform and subject themselves to the set-up of the world, things temporal, foolish, bringing with it distraction, preventing the Lord’s work which is of eternal value.
Therefore deception comes from a lack of the full knowledge and heart of God, restriction is the result of that limited understanding and distraction is prioritizing temporal mindsets over eternal ones, causing a failure of the Kingdom of Heaven to come on earth as it should. Subsequently this causes foolishness, weakness, delusion and a people independent of God!
SCRIPTURES:
But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. (Acts 4:19)
As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him. (1 John 2:27)
I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church. Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God. (1 John 3:9-11)
What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.”
Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? (1 Cor 1:12-13)
PROPHECIES:
Here are some prophetic revelations the Lord gave me, as well as prophecies from others:
(Note: all prophets are born-again)
Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. (1 Thes 5:19-21)
"My people obey Me! Do not prioritize submission to your leaders over your submission to me. Look and learn from my people Israel. For many times their obedience to Me wavered according to the leaders they were subject to. I have not called you to be a wavering people whose obedience is subject to the obedience and influence of your leaders. But I have called you to be a steady and decided people subject to Me. For irregardless of their leaders they were given the covenant and they knew how they should walk. Likewise you have been given My Word, and irregardless of your leaders, you to should know how to walk .This is why I have always made My Word to be available to all rather than confining it to leaders so that each person may work out their own salvation."
Prophetic Revelations:
Many believers in Christ seem to easily forget what God has delivered them from - HELL!, A place of ETERNAL TORMENT. Their decisions are still subject to temporal mindsets rather than eternal mindsets. Temporal mindsets cause one to follow idols which prevent them from pleasing and serving the Lord wholeheartedly. Temporal mindsets also cause people not to weigh their circumstances correctly and be grateful which prevents them from showing mercy to others.
"When a person prioritizes the subjecton of their actions or decisions under the scrutiny of any leader rather than under God, they are giving people the honor that is due to God alone. They risk being in sin, for they may be unaware that in the eyes of God that person may be in heresy. A persons actions are to be always placed under the scrutiny and authority of the Word of God. For those that sin like others must expect to suffer like them; God is unyieldingly just!"
"When we rebel against God and our allegiance to Him, then those in subjection to us will rebel against us. Therefore if we find people breaking their covenant with us and neglect their duty, then we must reflect upon our breach of Covenant with God and the neglect of our duty to Him, rather than try to justify ourselves in the comfort that someone else is disobeying the Lord."
"Those who are concerned for God's glory act in holy zeal. Those concerned about their own reputations act in passion."
"Sometimes the very person you have a scornful attitude towards, is the very person God will use to bring you to your destiny."
"Be careful that the blessings in your life causing you to be powerful, do not lead you into the sin of pride. For in pride comes anger and rejection of the instructions of the Lord."
Those that persist in consulting things and people pagan to God for their answers and do not humble themselves under the Lord's instruction and warnings bring upon them a sentence of death.
"For those that will not enquire of the Word of God for their comfort shall be made to hear it, whether they will or not, and to their amazement."
More Prophecies:
1996 10 21.2
But heed the Word of God in this age. For there are many that will not heed it. You'll find these in the churches. The world couldn't care less about it, but the church will deny it.
Such churches are not of Me. Such leaders in the church who deny My Word, turn away from—do not heed them, they are not of My Kingdom.
It is a sad state to say it, but My church is full of sin, and is full of unbelief, and is full of disobedience.
However, I am purging My church of sin. In the days to come, you'll see much more of this purging than you have in the past. It will come in several ways. But it always will accomplish several major goals.
First, I will purge sin out of My church: either they will repent, or they will go. For you will see churches rise against churches. And leaders within churches rise against each other and fight.
DO NOT FIGHT MY BROTHERS!!!! Under no circumstances fight My brothers!!! This is not of Me. If they are in sin or they are in error, pray for them, pray for them, definitely pray for them!! But do not rise up and fight against them. When the opportunity arises, stand against their error, but do so without hate in your heart or without fighting! You can do that! You should stand against an error without fighting against a person.
You can do it in love. And that's the way you must walk. For those of you who rise up in this coming fight within the churches; they are My evil servants. That is, they are not a servant at all, but they call themselves servants: they are in pride, they are in sin. They must either repent or be removed.
In many cases I will remove churches. Entire churches will fall and split and disappear!!! Because they fell in the sin of pride, the sin of various doctrines. It is not up to you to decide what doctrines are right, it is up to Me. I am the most Holy God. You are not. If you would set the concept in yourselves on serving Me, all these doctrinal questions you have will become FAR LESS IMPORTANT! And you would be spending your time in service to Me rather than arguing amongst yourselves.
Here Me! I mean business!! I am going to clean up the church. It will be messy! It will be very messy!! It will be extremely messy!!! BUT I WILL DO IT! And when the dust settles and when the war is over, I tell you, I will have a church filled with the Spirit of the Living God.
1998 01 11.1
Thus saith the Lord, hear Me, hear Me, hear Me. For My people are lost without a direction. For they follow after one word, and then after another. They seek not Me, nor do they seek My Holy Spirit.
For rather they seek a leader, a flesh leader. They follow after one, and then they follow after another. And they are lead left and they are lead right from the path of true righteousness.
Do not be lead aside by the word of men. Study the Word. Show yourself approved unto the Lord. Study the Word. Know the truth that you not be lead aside from the ways of righteousness to the errors of men.
2000 10 21.6
Within the church organization that call themselves christian, that call themselves denominational—they have made My power of no effect. They have raised up the church, a democracy. Voting in this, voting in that. You become a member and vote. But where am I, says the Lord?
Did not I say I rule My people? Did I not say I am in charge, says the Lord? Where in the Word did I institute a democracy? Where in the Word did I state to vote in those in leadership?
You'll read in My Word I appoint them, I anoint them, and I place them in those positions. I've trained them. I've built them up.
No one votes Me in, says the Lord. And no one votes My appointed people in. Whether they be apostles, whether they be prophets, whether they be evangelists, pastors or teachers, nobody votes them in, says the Lord.
But My people have longed after the ways of the world around them. They have longed after the filth around them. They have longed to wallow in that filth, and so they have. And so they wonder where is the power of the Lord in the church.
1998 10 17.1
There is a word that has gone forth from the very mouth of the Lord, and it is this:
That My people who are called by My Name, they must repent, they must seek their hearts and see if there is any wicked thing. And then they must allow Me to seek their hearts to see if there is any wicked thing.
For their sin has dragged them down. They have lusted in their heart after the goods of this earth. They have lusted in their heart for strength and power of the flesh.
They have not sought the will of the Lord. They've not humbled themselves. Therefore, there will be great disasters because of their sin.
From the time of the beginning of Adam and Eve mankind has sought an evil lust and desire to control things himself rather than to submit unto the Holy Creator of all things.
Make no mistake those who seek selfishness reap the rewards of it. Many will sow to the flesh, they'll reap the rewards of the flesh, AND THEY WILL STINK!!
For those who seek the things of the Lord, they shall be held up in a strong way over the judgment that shall come. There shall not be anyone of My people who seek the things of the Lord, a humility atmosphere, that shall not be raised up and in protection against the things to come.
But those who seek to pretend to be holy, whose hearts are selfish, whose hearts have lust of power and greed, I tell you, they will fall a great fall.
Some say, what is to come should not be. But I say, what is to come MUST BE, IT MUST BE, and must never be forsaken.
For this will sink into the hearts of man, THAT I WILL NOT BE MOCKED, says the Lord! I will not be mocked. For they have mocked Me from the churches. They are not even answerable to Me anymore. For they have sought to make a circle. A circle where the people are answerable to the pastors, and the pastor to the board, and the board is answerable to those who elected them, the people. And they have made a circle.
And no one is answerable to Me, anymore, says the Lord. AND I DESPISE EVERY BIT OF THIS!!!
Harken and heed the word of the Lord in this hour. I demand people submit to the Spirit of the Living God. And how many of you have sought Me with tears, with prayer, with a simplistic heart, that nothing in this world matters, save the things of the Lord. How many? I tell you very, very, very few of those that call themselves christian have really sought the heart of the Lord to do His Word.
They have only sought a format. A format that they could call themselves christian. A format that they could go on with their lives, not disrupt their nice comfortable lifestyle, for things like preaching the word, witnessing, testifying, praying, interceding on behalf of people.
No, they've got no time for that. They've got time for their games. They've got time for their houses, and their cars, and all the goods that they wish to have. They have time for that. AND THEY HAVE LITTLE TIME FOR ME!!! And they think there shall not be a condemnation!
PROPHETIC WORD
... I would like to share a word the Lord spoke on Sept. 11, 1994, a word which has become a Divine Standard in my life - by which I lay alongside everything that would come into my life.. I question: how does it measure up to the standard of total and complete dependence upon Jesus Christ? Maybe others have received this instruction also?
The word as I received it on Sept. 11, 1994 --
My Yoke: Dependence Upon Me
Whatever steals your dependence upon ME is evil. Anything that is raised up and places itself in MY place is evil. Anything that places itself in MY place is evil. Anything that steals your dependence on ME is EVIL.
Anything that places itself as a necessary covering, steals your dependence upon Me and is a deception from the Evil One. My Yoke is easy, for My Yoke is only this: Dependence Upon ME. Dependence upon Me is the only yoke you need. All other yokes are bondage from the enemy.
Turn and repent from these yokes that you have picked up. Turn and repent from the Evil. Am I the Lord of your life? AM I? Not unless you have shed those yokes of bondage that you have been carrying. I am revealing these Yokes of Bondage... for apart from Me all is evil. Take up My Yoke for it is easy. Have Faith that I am all that you need.
Prophecy #12
Warning , Warning, Warning.
Do not look up to your pastors.
Do not look up to your pastors.
They are evil. They are evil.
Look to your Father First.
Look to your Father First.
Look to your Father First.
The Great I am, I am, I am.
This is your Father.
This your Father speaking.
This is your Father speaking.
There are many pastors with forked tongues.
They have too much Pride, too much Ego.
Prophecy #32
But...., But I don't want you to walk
with your chest sticking out
believing you know it all.
I don't like it. I don't like it.
I don't like anyone, anyone,
and even the Pastors,
and the Priest that go out,
and walk as if they know it all,
with their chests sticking out.
Prophecy #38
I was strongly rebuked for placing this newspaper Ad in the Contra Costa Times with my own money by the associate pastors of the Four Square Church I was attending. I was ordered to have it removed from the newspaper immediately or I would not be allowed into Church again. Since the Lord told me to place the newspaper ad, I didn't remove it as ordered and ran it for a full month.
Prophecy #45
I have been telling you Ray, the Plan that will be, in a time, in the future. I will tell you what to do, with all the information I have been giving you, but listen Ray, what I say will come to be. You will be persecuted for what you say, but never forget Me. I will protect you from the theologians, from the pastors, from the enemy. Trust in Me, and only Me, and it will be easy, but you have to trust Me.
Prophecy #64
Stop thinking of yourselves, you pastors. Stop thinking of your own ideologies, your theologies. Think of the Flock for My Sake, your God. For the penalties of a bad Shepherd are severe. Please, I do not want to implement My Law on you, but if you don't think of your Sheep first, My Wrath will fall upon you without mercy, for My Lambs and Sheep are crying to Me.
Prophecy #92
You theologians, you pastors who have lead My Sheep so far astray, will be held accountable. I am not asking you. I am telling you. You straighten up Right Now! Because the day that is mentioned in the Bible is staring you right in the face. If you don't Buckle Up Now!, you will be held accountable for every last thing that you have done to keep My Children, My Saints from hearing the Word at the proper time and at the proper place.
You like to discipline your flock in a manner and in a way that matches your Word and your Theology. Now!, it is My turn to rebuke you, to snap you into place. For the only obstacle left is the Hierarchy of the Church. Which has disassembled the Body of Christ in such a manner that you have an infinite number of religions going by the name of My Son, Jesus Christ. You don't get along. You don't speak. You have prejudices. You Pastors are worse than Children among each other. Instead of uniting and fighting with One cause and One Word, the fighting is among yourselves.
