F@ith_Life

The Authority of the Believer Part 3

By Rev. J.A. MacMillan

The Rebel Holders of This Authority

It is necessary here to state, what is commonly understood by those who study carefully the Word, that the kingdoms of this world are under the control and leadership of Satanic principalities. The great head of these is, in the Gospel of John, three times acknowledged as "Prince of this World" by our Lord Himself. His asserted claim to the suzerainty of the world kingdoms, made in the presence of the Lord Jesus (Luke 4: 6), was not denied by Christ. Although a rebel against the Most High, and now under judgment of dispossession (John 12: 31), he is still at large, and as the masses of mankind are also rebels, he maintains over them an unquestioned, because unsuspected rule, their eyes being blinded to his dominance (2 Corinthians 4:4).

The whole rebellious -system is divided into heavenly and earthly sections (Isaiah 24:21). These are "the host of the high ones on high" (the unseen powers of the air) and "the kings of the earth upon the earth" (the rulers of mankind and their subjects). Both, the prophet tells us, will be judged in that day when "Jehovah cometh forth out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity" (Isaiah 26:21) and "with his hard and great and strong sword will punish leviathan the swift serpent (the antichrist), and leviathan the crooked serpent (the false prophet) ; and he will slay the monster that is in the sea (the dragon)" (Isaiah 27: 1) Before these acts of judgment occur, the Lord's people will be caught op in the Rapture. As Isaiah's eyes were ho den to the mystery of the Church, he does not mention it, but he does speak of the hiding of the Jewish remnant from the wrath of the dragon: "Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee; hide thyself for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast" (Isaiah 26: 20).

The "host of the high ones on high" is carefully divided in our epistle (6: 12). There are first the "principalities and powers." The first-named are mighty princes, whose principalities include large areas of the earth, with authority over the nations included in them. The "powers" are difficult to distinguish from diem, although attempts have been made to state the difference; they are inferior in position, probably as ministers associated in government.

Following come "the world-rulers of the darkness of this age." This name would suggest a ministry of deception, the keeping in darkness of the minds of men, and especially of the leaders of thought. At their overthrow there will be removed "the face of the covering that covereth all peoples, and the veil that is spread over all nations," blinding their eyes, and keeping them in ignorance of the love and purposes of the Most High.

Finally, there are "the hosts of wicked spirits in the heavenlies"---- innumerable body of demons, to whose close connection with mankind is due the grosser sins and deceptions, the stirring up of the animal passions, and the incitement to all manner of sensual and sensuous desires. These are the beings that are present in the spiritist seance, impersonating and deceiving people of strong intelligence, like the well=known leaders connected with the cult today.

These beings are also at hand in religious gatherings, and are a source of peculiar danger, especially when the emotions are deeply stirred. Many earnest souls, who have been urged to entire surrender, open their beings with the utmost abandon to whatever spiritual force approaches them, unaware of the peril of so doing. Such yielding often provides an opening for the entrance of demons, who under some pretext gain control of the will. To dislodge them, and to once more free the victim, is usually a very difficult task.

The "kings of the earth upon the earth" comprise human worldrulers and their subjects, all unregenerate men. An earthly ruler individually may be a Christian, but he is, by virtue of his office, a member of the great world-system which has not yet come under the dominion of the King of kings. All natural men are members by birth also of this system, and so must be "delivered out of the power (exousias, authority) of darkness, and translated into the kingdom of his dear Son" (Colossians 1: 13).

The seats of authority of these rebellious spiritual rulers are also in the heavens. From there they have dominated the human race since its fall. There they will remain until the divine "purpose of the ages" is complete.

Morning Meditation 11-09-09

Started a new series Sunday called "the blueprint-downloading the plan of God". It's about getting Gods plan for your life and walking in the light of it. Should have it edited and uploaded later on today.

I had my notes for the whole series ready but didn't get to them until the last few minutes of the service. But when talking to some of the folks after service I know why, the Holy Spirit knew the needs of the people in the room and spoke to those needs directly during the message.

I had a opportunity of attending a meeting at HBCC last week with Dr. Ed Dufresne and there were a bunch of preachers from all over the bay area there, in fact you couldn't swing a cat without hitting one. In those 4 nights my life and ministry were changed. The Spirit of God used him to confirm some things He had been dealing with me about and in general it was just a great time of refreshing.

The fire of God is starting to burn in California.

Who Are You With?

My sister in-law Angela Curry ministered this Sunday at Faith Life and did an outstanding job.

It is so exciting to see people start to move out into the fullness of the calling of God on their lives...

You can check out the message here.

The Glory Of God...

On Sundays we've been doing a series on the glory of God and today He showed up. It was a small measure, about all we could stand, corporately...but it was real and tangible.

Church needs to be more than a place where we talk about God. It needs to be a point of contact with God, a place where we can be saturated by His presence and changed.

Jesus was in the room today and He ministered to His people. He used me to a certain extent but it was Him doing the work, so all the glory is His.

I like to preach and teach, but the context for all of that has to be the presence of God.

For a guy who talks for a living I'm finding it very hard to put into words what happened today.

The Authority Of The Believer

By Rev. J.A. MacMillan

Chapter 2 The Source of Authority

In the beginning of this article, we made the statement that the soul's authority dates from its contact with Calvary. Let us now point out the meaning and the depth of this truth. When the Lord Jesus, the Captain (Archegon, Prince-Leader) of our salvation, was raised from the dead, the act of resurrection was accomplished through "the exceeding greatness of His (God's) power (dunameos), to usward who believe, according to that working (energeian) of the strength (kratous) of His might (ischuos)." In this working there was such a putting forth of the divine omnipotence that the Holy Spirit, through the apostle, requires four words of special significance to bring out the thought. We shall not enter into the expressive meaning and grouping of these words further than to say that their combination signifies that behind the fact of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus there lay the mightiest working recorded in the Word of God.

Having been thus raised from among the dead, Christ Jesus was exalted by God to His own right hand in the heavenlies. Then was seen the reason of such mighty working. The resurrection had been opposed by the tremendous "powers of the air":-"all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world (aioni, age) but also in that which is to come." The evil forces of the "age to come" had been arrayed against the purpose of God. They had, however, been baffled and overthrown and the risen Lord had been enthroned "far above" them, ruling with the authority of the Most High.

The Conferring of Authority

In calling attention to the "exceeding greatness of his (God's) power," we passed over without comment four words. These are: "to usward who believe." All the demonstration of the glory of God, shown in the manifestation of His omnipotence pointed manward. The cross of Christ, with what it revealed of obedience to God, of atonement for sin, of crushing defeat of the foes of divine authority, shows us a representative Man overcoming for mankind and preparing, through His own incumbency, a throne and a heavenly ministry for those who should overcome through Him.

Observe in this connection the identification of Christ's people with Himself, in this crisis of the resurrection. In the first verse of chapter two, the words read literally: "And you, being dead in trespasses and sins," or, perhaps, to bring out better the thought: "And you, when ye were dead in trespasses and sins." It will be noticed that we have left out the verb "hath He quickened" which appears in our Bibles. This verb is not in the original; the sentence is incomplete, "being left unfinished," says one expositor, "in the rapidity of dictation." We do not accept this as the explanation of the omission, for we believe that the Holy Spirit so arranged the structure of the whole passage, that the fact might be emphasized that Christ and His people were raised together.

Where, then, do we find the verb that controls this passage? It will be seen in verse 20 of chapter 1: "According to that working of the strength of His might when He raised HIM from the dead .(then, putting a parenthesis around the words to the end of the chapter) . . . and YOU when ye were dead." The same verb which expresses the reviving of Christ expresses also the reviving of His people. That is to say the very act of God which raised the Lord from among the dead, raised also His body. Head and body are naturally raised together: Christ, the Head; His body, the Church (ho ekklesia, the assembly of believers in Him). This is a most important statement, and one of which the definite significance cannot be overestimated.

The same thought in another form, is developed by. the apostle in Romans 6, where the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus are shown to also include His people. The passage in Romans sets forth (I) the death to sin of the believer with the crucified Christ, and.(2) the consequent annulling of the power of sin over him through the impartation of the life of the resurrected Christ. The believer is thus made a full partaker of Christ's righteousness. But Ephesians lifts (3) the believer with the ascended Christ to the heavenlies where he is made a partaker of Christ's throne. In this enthronement, there is an anticipation of that future union in the government of the nations which h:- shall share with his Lord, ruling them with a rod of iron and breaking them in pieces like a potter's vessel, (Rev. 2: 26, 27).
The Location of Authority

That there may be no misunderstanding of the Holy Spirit's meaning in this presentation of the truth of the elevation o, the Lord's people with their Head, He presentation of the truth of the elevation of the Lord's people with their Head. He gives it a second time in chapter 2:4-6. They are made to sit with Christ "in the heavenlies," Christ's session is at the right hand of God. His people, therefore,'occupy "with him" the same august position. This honor is not to a chosen few, but is the portion of all those who share the resurrection of the Son of God. It is the birthright of every true believer, of every born-again child of God.

When the Master foregathered with the eleven on the Galilean mountain, at some time during the forty days of His manifestation after His Passion, He said to them: "All authority is given unto me in heaven and in earth." His formal assumption of that authority took place when lie sat down "on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens" (Hebrews R: 1 ). 1 -lie right hand of the throne of God is the center of power of the whole universe, and the exercising of the power of the throne was committed unto the ascended Lord. He is still there in full possession of His rights, awaiting the Father's time when His enemies shall be made the footstool of His feet.

The elevation of His people with Him to the heavenlies has no other meaning than that they are made sharers, potentially for the present, of the authority which is His. They are made to sit with Him; that is, they share His throne. To share a throne means without question to partake of the authority which it represents. Indeed, they have been thus elevated, in the plan of God, for this very purpose that they may even now exercise, to the extent of their spiritual apprehension, authority over the powers of the air, and over the conditions which those powers have brought about on the earth and are still creating through their ceaseless manipulations of the minds and circumstances of mankind.

The Body Language of Faith

The Body Language of Faith from Mark Hankins Ministries on Vimeo.

Happy Birthday Baby!

Shortly before my wedding day I asked the Holy Ghost was the young lady I was about to marry was she the one. It didn't take long, in fact the quickness of His reply startled me, but He let me know that Michelle Rene Rice was indeed the Fathers perfect will for my life.

She is an absolute manifestation of Prov. 31 and mere words can't communicate how much of the blessing she has been in my life.

Without her prayer and support I wouldn't be here.

Happy birthday!

Start From The Beginning

Ephesians 2:10 (Amplified Bible)
For we are God's [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].

The whole process of starting a Church from scratch can sometimes be daunting especially when one starts pays to much attention to what you do and do not have.

When you do what wisdom requires and count up the cost of doing a new endeavor before starting you can sometimes become distracted by the so-called facts.

"Okay whose going to pay for all this?"

"Who is going to come to a Church Pastor by me?"

"The Lawyer just told me she wants 250 bucks a Hour!"

"Lord is this you or that pizza I ate last night?"

Don't let what you don't have stop you from using what you do have. People are delaying their destiny waiting for some perfect moment when everything they (think) need will be laying there right in front them.

That moment may never come.

If the dream that's burning in your heart is God given, He'll lead you into the fullness of it by one seemingly small step of obedience/faith after another until you wake up one day and find your standing in the glory of God.

So start from the beginning and take the first step. When it's time for the second step what you (really) need will be there waiting for you and now your in position to receive it.

Anointed Ones...

The following excerpts are taken from Ablaze for God by Wesley L. Duewel:J. Elder Cumming writes:The anointing is the Holy Ghost Himself…He comes to be the anointing oil upon us and within us. Jesus of Nazareth was anointed - not by Him, but with Him…

How striking, then, is the thought that we are the anointed ones of God! Messiahs of the new dispensation! Christs of God! "Ye have an anointing"; the same anointing as the Lord had. And we bear it on our names, as He did. He was called Christ, and we are called Christians. The anointed followers of the Anointed One.

He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come (2 Cor. 1:21-22).

He that anointed us is God (2 Cor. 12:1).

You have an anointing from the Holy One (1 John 2:20).

The anointing you received from the Holy One (1 John 2:20).

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.If you lack the realization and benefit of the Spirit's anointing you are living a subnormal, spiritually deprived life. You are living below your privilege as a Christian. No Christian has the right to lower the average level of church life by living an unanointed life. Certainly no Christian leader dare demean and debase Christ's cause or Christian leadership by living an unanointed life and exhibiting an unanointed leadership.

The anointed of the Spirit gives spiritual refreshing. Times of refreshing were promised following Pentecost (Acts 3:19). The Spirit gives new freshness, new variety, new adequacy. He gives joy and freshness to the prayers we pray, the worship and mediation we share, and to all aspects of our ministry. He gives is new promises, shows us new depths in the Word, and gives us new assurances of His love. He is creative, original, and makes all things new.

Seasons

Ecclesiastes 3:1 (Amplified Bible)
TO EVERYTHING there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven:

The Church I've been serving at for the last 8 years is closing it's door this Sunday.

I've known in my spirit for many months that big time change was coming, so when I heard the news I wasn't dismayed or sadden. I knew this to was just part of the process of the Lord doing His will in the earth.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (Amplified Bible)
Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding.
In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.

I've known for a couple of years that the Lord was getting ready to move me out into my own ministry. And the Holy Ghost has been working overtime on me to get me in position to make the change.

This process has been both unpleasant and exciting at the same time. Because a change in status always requires first a change in you.

Change is sometimes hard on the soul and flesh. Many people miss their season because they are unwilling to change.

Throughout this whole process of change I've had to fight to maintain my focus on the Lord, His person and in-workings in me. Fight to stay attentive to the voice of the Holy Ghost and be careful not to step out of line of His directions.

Hebrews 11:1-3 (Amplified Bible)
NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, [a]the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].
For by [faith--trust and holy fervor born of faith] the men of old had divine testimony borne to them and obtained a good report.
By faith we understand that the worlds [during the successive ages] were framed (fashioned, put in order, and equipped for their intended purpose) by the word of God, so that what we see was not made out of things which are visible.

So I was laying on the couch last night just counting up the cost of doing this new thing and it was like how in the world am "I" going to do this? Where is all the money going to come from? Who is going to help me?

In a instant I lost my focus and took my eyes off Him and His unlimited provision and put my eyes back on me. Which is not a good thing.

Then Hebrews 11:1-3 came up in my spirit and this holy thought came to my mind..."I have faith in God, I have everything I need".

John 16:13 (New Living Translation)
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.

Is Jesus making great changes in your life? If you have faith in Him, His Word and Yield to the Holy Ghost this transition into this new season can be easy.

In fact you might even enjoy it...

The Holy Spirit already has the plan for your success. All the resources you need to put the plan into effect are already there waiting for you to make a demand on them, by faith.

If you'll simply trust, listen and obey this whole process can be easy.