1. God’s Government - Leaders and Gifts
By Ron McGatlin
Great evil is arising and threatening to destroy all that is godly from the world. Noisy clamor of violent discord floods the streets of once peaceful cities where children grew up without fear in stable families. Like a sick tree, societies have rotted from the core, and the next wind that comes by may bring them crashing down into piles of rubble. Rooted in dry dirt and rock, there is no life source to sustain them.
Great disorder has led to chaos and corruption, and the entire world suffers as a result.
Where is the wisdom and strength to turn back the flood of darkness and release the light of righteousness, peace, and joy to a new generation in beautiful holiness?
Where is the leadership and governance to turn the world from death unto life?
Where is the great King that can transform the hearts of mankind and bring real life to our spirits?
Where is the kingdom of God the ONLY hope of the world?
The kingdom of God is in the KING Christ Jesus. The governance that will save and transform our rotting world is the government of God – the kingdom of Christ Jesus. JESUS, THE ONE WHO DWELLS IN HIS TEMPLE ON EARTH AND IS ALSO SEATED AT THE THRONE OF HEAVEN, CAN DESTROY EVIL AND PLANT HEAVEN IN ITS PLACE BY POURING HIMSELF OUT IN A THUNDEROUS TRUMP OF ROARING FIRE OF LOVE AND JUSTICE IN HIS PEOPLE.
THE TRUMPETS ARE BLOWING – THE PROPHETS ARE SHOUTING
The plagues are intensifying. Holy angels are releasing war against evil in the world. The fire of the glory of God is at hand. The presence of the Lord is within and without. Nothing is hidden from Him, and all things are to be put under His feet. No flesh can stand in this day of the Lord (Mal 3:2). Activate, come alive, look into the Spirit, and do not look back. You shall be as a mighty army and do exploits beyond any human ability (Isa 52:1-3) (Rom 13:10-14). The power and presence of the beauties of holiness are upon you in this day. Do not miss your personal visitation; prepare now the time is short and urgent (Luke 19:41-44).
God’s government on Planet Earth is a Spirit kingdom. Christ Jesus is the government of God from heaven for earth (Isa 9:7). Father and Son in the Holy Spirit as One God is the only true government of all earth. All legitimate authority to govern on earth is from heaven and is given to Christ Jesus the Lord of all (Mat 28:18). Unlimited power to rule is in Jesus. Unlimited wisdom and understanding to bring God’s perfect order to the entire world is in Christ.
Christ Jesus is the government. Elders are His gifted servant leaders. Gifts are the tools He provides.
God is the authority. God is SPIRIT and needs not delegate authority to another for He is the authority within His gifted servant leaders.
Elders who bring forth the kingdom of God are those who have ceased from trying to govern God’s kingdom on earth. They are those who no longer live. Where they once lived, Christ now lives (Gal 2:20). They are not only gifted, but they are the character and nature of Christ as the Spirit fills their human spirit, soul, and body with the life and attributes of Christ.
Elders may be gifted as apostles, prophets, evangelist, shepherds, teachers, or any combination of these spirituals or others. Elders are more than representatives of Christ; they are carriers of the life of Christ. The potential is for them to function in any realm or way that Christ Jesus functions.
Every believer in whom Christ dwells by the Holy Spirit is to become carriers of the life of Christ and thereby demonstrate the character and nature of Christ. Elders are those believers who are further down the spiritual road of becoming the character and nature of Christ than the younger believers (not necessarily chronologically). In the natural an elder person is one who is more mature. Also in the spiritual realm an elder is one who is more spiritually mature. The elder lead the younger less spiritually mature believers to become fully connected into Christ by the Spirit and become as Christ is in the world.
Christ governs by the Holy Spirit. Christ is the only head of His Body. Elders, through seasons of the experience of abiding in Christ and Christ in them, are prepared to lead the younger or less mature into maturity of truly abiding in Christ and Christ in them by the Holy Spirit.
Gifts do not govern.
Gifts are tools and do not govern any more than a hammer governs what and when it will strike. The one who holds the hammer determines how and when it will be used and supplies the power or strength to work the hammer. Tools do not rule; Christ rules.
Spiritual gifts are vital in the establishment and function of the corporate kingdom of God on earth. Spiritual gifts are greatly involved in the preparation of individuals to become carriers of the life of Christ. The purpose and function of gifted elders or leaders is the preparation of individuals to so fully abide and walk in Christ by the Spirit that the body functions in unity with every joint supplying its part (Eph 4:10-16).
Spirit God in and through His people is the government of God. Leaders are gifted elders who flow the life of Christ by His Spirit. The love, power, wisdom, and other attributes of Christ bring governance to the world through His Body by His Spirit. There is nothing even remotely religious or hierarchal involved in the God-orchestrated, supernatural flow of Christ in His people by HIS SPIRIT.
The great evil storms upon our world are not forever. When the evil storms have passed, the kingdom of God remains. Evil storms are for a season, but the kingdom of God is forever.
Psa 30:5: …. Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.
Luke 12:32: "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
Topic: OpenHeaven.com Digest June 30, 2010
