Crossing Over by Nel Sewraj

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CROSSING OVER ISBN 978-0-620-78131-2 First Published by Nel Sewraj in 2017

eBook design, editing and typesetting by: Battle Axe Publishing Green Gables, Eland Road Ballito, 4420 RSA

www.groundbreakerschurch.co.za

CROSSING OVER ESSENTIAL PRINCIPLES FOR UPGRADING THE CHURCH

NEL SEWRAJ

Table of Contents CHAPTER 1

Why Churches Are Powerless ………………………………………. 1 CHAPTER 2

The Original Purpose of the Church ……………………………….. 6 CHAPTER 3

How to Measure the Church ……………………………………….. 10 CHAPTER 4

The Governing Church ………………………………….………….. 17 What is a Governing Church? …………………………………. 17 The Characteristics of Governing Churches……………………. 20 CHAPTER 5

Fathers and Sons………………………………………………………22 Why the Father-Son Model is the Proper Order in the Church..... 22 Why Pastors Don’t Think About Raising Sons………………...... 24 Why It Is Important To Raise Sons……………………….…….. 25 How To Identify Potential Sons…....…………………………… 26 How To Know When Sons Are Ready For Succession....……….. 27 Why We Need Spiritual Fathers…………….…………………… 29 What Blessings Are Conferred By Fathers ………………………30 Authority in the Local Church…………………………………... 32 CHAPTER 6

Breakthrough Believers………………………………………….…… 33

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Why Churches are Powerless Twelve Components That Must Be Restored To The Church

Introduction

n his attempt to make all the saints in the house vulnerable, the devil will make every attempt to remove one important foundation stone after another. Some very pertinent things have been removed from the church thereby rendering it powerless. We need to identify what these things are and how we can restore them back into the life of the church. In this way the church can be changed and become powerful again.

What has the devil removed from the Church? 1. The Church has no Call of God •

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There are many churches in the city but how many are approved, authorized and sanctioned by God? Many have an illegitimate existence. Like Ahimaaz (2 Sam.18:1931) many pastors and churches run without command and fail to finish strong. When there is no call there is also no clear assignment or mandate. We end up doing everything that everybody else is doing. So while there may be many programmes & activities in our churches, these alone will never be able to change lives, atmospheres and unseat powers over our cities & regions. When there is no call of God there is also no covering & protection from God. As a pastor or leader, do you really want to make impact in your ministry? Then do only what He “called” you to do. Do what God asked you to do - nothing else. Let the others do what they need to do. Do not be intimidated by what they are doing. You must be where God asks you to be. This puts you into a position of power. 1

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2. The Church has no Cross •

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Pastors are putting in so much but getting so little return because they have taken out the cross. The cross has been replaced by counselling. It is only when we preach the cross that the flesh begins to die and there is transformation of lives. Many don’t preach the cross because its standards are too high or too hard. Messages about dying to self have been replaced with messages about self-confidence & selfachievement. God is trying to destroy self; we are trying to glorify it. Members continue to sin and misbehave because the cross is absent. Pastors know who these members are but they do not address them. Christians don’t think in terms of “Christ alive in me” anymore. They have not died to self and there’s no evidence of a changed life. As soon as we bring the cross back, self begins to die.

3. The Church has no Christ •

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Christ is no longer important. He is no longer the centrality. We no longer consult Him. He is no longer the pursuit of our lives. Who is honestly in the church for Christ? Many are there for the money, to be blessed, for miracles, for friendships, for ministry etc. Christ is not the drawing force. The absence of Christ = the absence of the true gospel. That’s why the gospel has become a social gospel in the church. What the people want has become central. That’s why the programmes of the church have become the highlight. Christ has not been formed in the lives of believers. The absence of Christlikeness means that self is dominant. Church members are self-centred, murmurers, complainers, quarrellers, dishonourable, disrespectful. The nature of Christ is not present in them. Every pastor should ask God for the grace to form Christ into the inner lives of their members. Col.3:3-4 “For you died, and your life has been hidden with Christ in God…Whenever Christ our life is revealed, then also you will be revealed with Him in glory.”

4. The Church has no Cause • • •

This means that there is no revealed purpose & destiny to attain to. The Church does not have a cause to fight for. Every pastor should ask himself: Why am I doing what I am doing? Why am gathering all these people? The cause is important. It can rekindle the passion of the church. People need to feel that they are going somewhere; they become frustrated if they continually gather for no reason.

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5. The Church has no Crown • • •

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This refers to the absence of God’s authority & government in the church. The devil has harassed, demoralized and devastated the church because she does not know her authority and power. Eph.1:20-23; 2:4-7 – the church is seated with Christ at the right hand of God and far above principalities and powers. All evil forces are in subjection to the church. The least member in the church has demonic powers under his feet! The church must execute & exert this authority over the powers of the devil. We need to revise our demonology. Teachings that elevate the devil to a higher level than what he has are erroneous & misleading. Books that give the devil power over your life must be discarded. Christ has authority and His authority must be seen in the house. The church must have an authority structure and a chain of command. In the church there must be submission to authority. If there’s no government in the church, lawlessness will prevail. It’s not about “Pastor is trying to control us”; it’s about divine authority & Kingdom government.

6. The Church has no Canon of Scripture •

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This means that there are no absolutes. Everything is in the grey. The church lacks strong convictions about what it believes. Churches are forever confused about Scripture and doctrine. Because the church is never sure about what it believes, it opens itself up to the spirit of error. Many Christian leaders teach things that are inaccurate to empower themselves and consolidate their position over the people. Our beliefs must be accurate because what we believe will affect our nature. We must believe it with convictions of steel. We must be willing to defend what we believe with all we have. Sometimes we must be able to separate over doctrine. We must build the absolutes and core values into the church, making sure that the whole church believes the same. Do not let them choose what to believe. You as the leader must listen to God and build what He tells you into the people. Then the church will be strong

7. The Church produces no Change of Life •

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So many church members have not changed; they have just learned to fit in. They adapt to everything and everyone in the church although their lives remain untransformed. The church must have testimonies of changed lives. The transformation of lives is a catalyst for the transformation of society. 3

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Pastors must open themselves up to their members, work with them and change their lives. It’s not about how many members they have but how many changed lives they have. Why gather more and more bricks that you are unable to use? Members must change; otherwise others in the church will also pitch at the same low level. Bad standards are easier to follow than high and good ones.

8. The Church has no Capacity •

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The church/ Christians no longer have the spiritual capacity to receive more from God. Why? i. They are filled with other things ii. They receive things in the mind instead of the spirit iii. They are satisfied & content with what they have What can pastors do to increase the internal capacity of their churches? i. Train them to stay strong in the Spirit ii. Train them to hear God’s voice by meditating on His Word iii. Help them to remove everything that contaminates them (negative emotions & thoughts, unorganised lifestyles, laziness, procrastination etc) iv. Equip them to overcome quickly when they are down

9. The Church demands no Cost • • •

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The enemy has removed the spirit of sacrifice from the church. Christians are no longer willing to make sacrifices. They don’t want to pay the price. It is a fact that church member pay little or no cost in comparison to the pastor & leadership in the church. We should never raise anyone into the leadership structure of the church without cost. If they are brought into leadership without paying the price they will have an entitlement mentality. The spirit of sacrifice must be restored to the church. Christians must be taught to lay down everything and to pay every price to outwork His Word in their lives. Matt.6:21 & Luke 12:34 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” The Church has no Coalition The devil has robbed the church of partnership & teamwork. He keeps the church from working together and operating as a one man company. He has divided the house. Everyone operates as an individual. Everyone has their own self-agenda. Everyone works solo as an island to themselves.

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As a result the church has no synergy to finish God’s purposes. Also, its inability to co-ordinate itself into a one man company results in its inability to win battles. No army can win without coordination. A house divided falls. The church must move from Ai (heap of stones) to Bethel (an assembled house). Example: bricks must become walls. They are no more individual bricks but have consolidated to form a fortified wall. The bricks join together to form something so much greater. The bricks lose their individual identity to become ONE wall! Members must dissolve their personal aspirations within corporate destiny. They cannot continue to do their own thing. The Church has no Culture Every local church family has its own unique core values, attitudes & behaviours. It is what makes that local church distinct & different from others. This is their family culture in the spirit. Examples of church cultures: worship, prayer, leadership, training, social, advocacy/activism, evangelistic, prophetic. Our members must embrace our corporate spirit-culture. It enables them to coordinates their efforts towards the same destiny in God. They cannot operate in their past church cultures or their own ideologies & styles. If everybody is allowed to do their own thing, the spirit-culture will be lost and momentum will be affected. In Acts when people embraced the church, they also embraced its apostolic culture (Act 2:40f) The Church has no Courage There is no possibility-thinking because the enemy has stripped the church of its courage. Christians won’t attempt great things for God. They live under a spirit of oppression and intimidation. Pastors must understand that courage to do great things comes when the Word is released. The Word inspires possibility thinking in people. Therefore pastors need to capture the proceeding Word of the Lord and release it over their churches. When the Word goes deep into the hearts of their people, the people will act on it. William Carey (English missionary to India) said: “Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God.”

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The Original Purpose of the Church Why Does The Church Exist?

What We Generally Accept As The Purposes Of The Church

any other things drive church nowadays: tradition, the denomination, finances, programmes-activities-events, buildings, seekers. Like Rick Warren’s bestseller “Purpose-Driven Church”, many churches emphasize certain areas of ministry such as evangelism, fellowship, prayer, worship, ministry, discipleship. These are merely functions of the church – not the purpose. Purpose is different from function. Purpose is where the church is supposed to go. Purpose is the original plan given by God for the church.

The Original Purposes Of The Church 1. To manifest the government of God in the earth ❖ The church is a glimpse of God’s government in the heavens. She makes God’s government and order in the heavens visible in the earth ❖ The church first establishes God’s government within the people and through them into every domain of society. ❖ Therefore society must see the church as regal & royal. They should admire our order, ranks & authority. There is no room for rebellion, lawlessness & anarchy in the church. Remember the whole world is full of disorder; there is breaking of ranks, dishonour. Therefore everything we do must be governed & ordered well: an ordered life, ordered family, ordered in the way we talk, move, speak, handle ourselves etc. 6

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2. To reveal Christ as the standard and measure of all things ❖ Christ is the standard & measure of all things. All “success” must be measured against Christ. His standards are the only valid standards. ❖ His Body, the Church, is the standard for everything that takes place in the earth. The church is the standard-bearer for the non-Christian world (1Co 14:24-25 “But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all…And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth” ). When non-Christians look at our lives, families, how we manage & use our resources/ finances & so forth, they must feel deficient. 3. To be the voice of God in the earth. ❖ The church is the conscience of society. Therefore we must speak up & throw light on everything happening around us. ❖ The church should never shrink back & barricade itself off & refrain to be a voice in society ❖ We must hear what the Lord is saying & go and tell them: "This is what the Lord told us…". Tell the non-Christians too; they will come to God in this way. The church must be able to speak into people's lives at any time & in any place. After all God came to give life in abundance and not salvation only. 4. To extend and expand God’s kingdom here on earth ❖ The church is called to invade every domain & penetrate every strata of society. ❖ Dan 2:34-35, 44 – The stone that is cut out by the hand of God becomes a great mountain that fills all the earth. In the NT (1 Pet.2:6), the stone is Zion (the church) and Zion becomes a mountain (Kingdom) & fills the whole earth. ❖ Therefore Kingdom expansion is not limited to the confines of the church; it goes beyond our four walls. Our members must get out & change the world. Teach them to take over in their domains. Train them for education, business, politics etc. 5. To manifest the manifold wisdom of God against principalities and powers ❖ Eph. 3:10 - “to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places” ❖ Eph.6:11 speaks of the “schemes of the enemy”; v.16 speaks about “the fiery darts of the enemy.” The wisdom that proceeds from the church must shut these schemes & extinguish the fiery darts of the enemy! ❖ Train the church to war in the spirit. They must learn to engage in the spirit – not in the natural. ❖ They must take their problems to the spirit world & solve them there. Let them get an answer before coming to you for problem-solving techniques & counselling. 7

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6. To become the dwelling place of God ❖ The church is not merely for gatherings & services; it is for God. Therefore He must descend when we gather. When we meet, He must manifest among us. God must leave the heavens and descend. The God-factor is essential. He must be there, else it is only us which is not enough. ❖ The church is God’s dwelling place. “Dwelling” means to make a place home; to live and express oneself freely & with no restrictions. We cannot put God under house arrest in His own house! Is He able to manifest in any form He wants to? Can He express Himself freely? In every gathering we must allow Him to take charge! 7. To break dividing walls between peoples, tribes and nations. ❖ The church is not a melting pot of culture; it is the place where every culture is broken & only Kingdom culture prevails. Break everything that is outside heavenly culture. We cannot act like African, think like Europeans, Indians etc. The church cannot be dominated by one single culture. ❖ Eph.2:14 – “For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation.” ❖ Kingdom culture is the dominant culture and we must work towards that culture alone. We are not a multi-cultural or multi-racial church. We are a heavenly church. We cannot use the culture of the local environment to dominate anybody. Church is created by Him & He is heavenly. The culture in the house is therefore a heavenly culture (i.e. Kingdom culture) 8. To fulfil the pledge of the Father to the Son. ❖ Acts 2:34-35 - The Father’s pledge to the Son was that He would make all His enemies His footstool (“Sit at my right hand…until I make your enemies your footstool”). The church (His body) is built to execute & fulfil this pledge and bring everything under total subjection to Jesus Christ. ❖ So the purpose of the church is to complete & finish His final battles with His enemies (sin, sickness, satan, death). NB. The church can longer be preoccupied with fighting its own internal, domestic battles. Everyone must win all their personal battles so they can take on the enemies of God. 9. To express the relationship of covenant between God & man. ❖ Abraham walked in covenant with God. God worked with Him as a “friend of God” (James 2:23; 2Chron.20:7; Isa.41:8). The church must manifest this dimension of covenant. ❖ God must attest to our covenant with Him with signs, wonders & miracles. Covenant with God must be manifestable cf. Elijah on Mt Carmel. Even witchdoctors manifest supernatural powers because they covenant with powers of darkness. 8

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To sum up all things in Christ, both in heaven and on earth.

❖ Eph. 1:9-11 “having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself…that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times

He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him…In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being

predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.” ❖ God has called the church to gather all things together in Christ. We must pursue this call & make it a reality. ❖ God will pull everything into alignment in Christ as the head of the Church. The church must be strong so that everything can be pulled together. This is God’s purpose in Jesus: The whole nation is to be changed & adjusted to the measure of Christ.

CONCLUSION These are God’s original purposes for His church. It is the will of Father God for His church. Our meat must be to do the will of the Father & finish it. This is the church the Lord Jesus Christ is building. God will shift the dynamics of the entire city around this church. Become the leader of your community because you hold the authority. Are you ready to lead the city? Then build the house well.

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How To Measure The Church How Can I Measure The Growth Of The Church?

he common mistake we make when think about measuring the church is to think only in terms of the number members. The membership size is never a true reflection of the strength of any church. The ostrich is a very big bird too but it cannot fly. Ricardo Semler(author of the book Maverick) says: “only two things grow for the sake of growth: businesses and tumours.” It's not about the size of the dog in the fight; it’s about the size of the fight in the dog. Pastors must not measure themselves or the church wrongly. They must measure themselves with God’s measurement. They must do the same with their churches as well.

How Should We Measure Church? 1. The Size of God in the church ❖ The measure of His presence. How and in what measure does God manifest in your church? ❖ The supernatural attesting of God to confirm the message with signs and wonders (Acts 2:22 – “Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs”). ❖ The grace to break natural limitations & touch the impossible. ❖ No obstacles, no opposition can stop you (government, crime, factors in the environment). No men can stand before you ❖ Our people are God-conscious wherever they are. ❖ An unfailing atmosphere of God’s supernatural grace and covering. Every battle is won is some supernatural way. ❖ The proceeding word is always readily available. No lack of God’s word 10

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2. The Size of the Strength of the Church ❖ The inner strength of every believer = the spiritual strength of the house. True church growth occurs inside people’s lives when their spirit/inner man is strong. There is strength of character & maturity in the people (not natural maturity of age). ❖ The passionate drive and motivation of the people. They have zeal & inward drive. This is a healthy, growing church. ❖ The people are consistent and steady in pursuit of vision. There is oneness of mind, heart and soul for God’s purpose. The church is becoming a one-man company every day – having one voice, one mind, one vision and purpose. ❖ The strength of interpersonal relationships amongst the people. There is corporate strength in accurate interpersonal relationships. Division in the house will break the spiritual energy & inner strength of the house. ❖ The members are empowered with gifts and graces. The more members carry gifts, graces, anointings & power, the stronger the church is. Teach them how to pray in the spirit, prophesy, lay hands on the sick etc.

3. The Size of the Influence of the Church ❖ Our members are affected by the atmosphere in the church. They are changing & turning towards God without major force, effort or human coercion ❖ There is a steady stream of new vessels you can fill. Older members reduce your influence to what they want you to have/ hear. They settle & don’t place a demand on the Spirit. Newer people allow you to influence them more. ❖ Our people are being positioned in the right places in the city. Their influence & stature is increasing in their places of vocation. Their positions in the marketplace is not only about a better life for them; it’s also about increasing our influence in the city ❖ We are preparing people to affect different domains of society e.g. politically, in education, in media, in the medical field, through the churches etc. ❖ Nonbelievers are recognizing our activities and work. They come to partner with & support us. They recommend us and create more opportunities for us. They call for our help, advice, and assistance. The examples, patterns & efforts of our members are recognised by the non-Christian ❖ We are providing positive input into our society and its development. The church is resourcing the community with various initiatives, drives & projects (skills, HIV, poor etc.) She is also becoming the voice for her community.

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4. The Size of the Infrastructure of your Church ❖ A facility to facilitate the progress and development of your own people. Buildings should only be to facilitate the work of God. It is not to impress others. The building is not the end. No building is built for the glory of God. Do not add any spirituality to brick and mortar. There is nothing spiritual about the building itself. We need space to make people, and that is all we need. Also, get a place that can grow according to future needs & expansion. ❖ You need competent men to extend the territory. Without workers nothing can be done. Train & skill your people in spiritual things so they will be competent ❖ We need technology to facilitate the administration. Technology is merely to make ministry more efficient. However, don’t waste money on technology you don’t need. ❖ The quality of the administration. Not only the number but the work quality. ❖ Training the trainers and training the people. The more people are trained in the church, the better it is. Start training them now! The senior pastor should release more & more of the things he does to others. ❖ Readily available resources for expansion. We need cash available readily. Raise & accrue resources in the church account for future needs.

5. The Size of the Growth Structure within the Church 1st = Church Health

2nd = Church Development

3rd = Church Growth

Church growth is the result of church health. ❖ There must be a fresh word and move from the Holy Spirit within our church. Nothing can happen without a proceeding word. If anything is going to happen in the church it’s because of the proceeding Word (Isa 55:10-13) ❖ The Senior Pastor is rising to receive a stronger mandate for the house. The growth structure is built around the pastor. He is the vertebrae of the body. The pastor is taking his place, stations himself well, is always at the front line of the battlefield, prays strong etc. ❖ The leadership base is maturing and is sufficiently preparing for expansion. God solves problems by using people – not systems. What we lack is found in people – not information, knowledge etc. 1st = PEOPLE

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❖ More volunteer lay-leadership is rising spontaneously. These are not paid but volunteers (not living off church’s finances). There is danger in trying to push everybody fulltime and pay them. Raise up more volunteers in the church who will give their services freely. 12

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❖ Healthy couples and marriages are modelled in the church, and these are available for home church leadership. Couples are among the best group leaders. They face the same problems, struggles etc. and can easily help others. They can run it like a home. Good homes stabilize the church. These couples must represent the senior pastor well. ❖ Financial resources, personnel, technology and expertise must be readily available in church. What do we want to be doing five years from now as a church? How far in the vision? We must reserve seed for the next season. Paul worked hard as a tentmaker so that he would not be a burden; many Christians/ pastors don’t want to.

6. The Size of Hope and Vision for the Future This always keeps the church strong, buoyant and energized ❖ A generation of young men & women are being trained & mentored. They are the carriers of our hope. They have captured our dreams & becoming the fulfilment of it. ❖ There is adequate succession in place for all areas and departments. We need to raise up “standby” members & teams for worship, ministry, pastoral, musicians & singers etc. ❖ Greater talents, skills & competencies in leaders, ministers & staff. They must become better every year, or else the church will overtake & override them. ❖ Venture into other domains of business, education, arts, media, communication, politics etc. All these sectors carry our hope so we must get our sons to enter & takeover all these sectors ❖ More community projects that are effective in city penetration. Have a goal for every initiative we undertake; it must carry the same hope. ❖ Community leaders become part of the house. Learn to use your community leaders and politicians. Learn how to be seen with them & among them irrespective of their religious alliances. ❖ Training opportunities to reproduce strong leaders and labourers in, & for, other domains. The church must be seen as useful for - not only their own - but for the non-Christian world too. We cannot just raise up spiritual leaders but leaders in business & politics.

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7. The Size of the Word Content in the Church How much of God’s Word is in the house, in the lives of the people, how much of the Word is moving them, how much of the Word is governing their activities. Most churches don’t have the Word; they have activities & programmes. Members are governed by programmes – not by the Word. Isa 55:10-11 – “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud…”. Rain & snow comes sovereignly & not by human initiative. The rain comes and discovers the seed. A cycle starts. They are types of the Word. The Word does the same. When the church gathers it must be because of the Word. Every programme must be because of the Word. If there’s no Word we shouldn’t have the meeting! Our mistake: to have more activities & programmes with no Word! The Word is the most important thing. It takes priority! ❖ Is the proceeding word constantly and consistently in the house? Not just coming to you (pastor) but also to the members. Everybody must be capturing it. Every person must be hearing God’s voice. He must be speaking to their spirits and hearts all the time. Isa 38:4-5- “And the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, saying, "Go and tell Hezekiah, 'Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: "I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will add to your days fifteen years.” The Word came & cut short death on Hezekiah’s life. The Word intercepts our lives with heaven’s life. The proceeding word must arrest decay and decline and bring us into life. Everyone who is on the go should be because they heard God. Let God’s word be the origin for every one of our movements. ❖ The senior leader is the voice of God to the people. He must never reduce what God is saying in the heaven. What God is saying must be communicated and articulated accurately to the people, without being watered-down or diluted. The people must be allowed to touch the same frequency. ❖ Is your leadership base carrying out the Word? The effectiveness of the Word we speak is always killed by our leaders. If they struggle with it they will not be able to transfer it. Choose leaders - not on the basis of gifts, skills and talents. They must capture our heart & be able to represent us well. Make sure your leadership base captures the Word first. They must receive it before they can preach it. Our leaders must become our voice to the members! ❖ The youth must is established on the Word and not just the blessings of Egypt. Don’t water down the Word for them. The young generation are seeking for more, they are longing for purpose & direction. Do not attack the young generation. They do not want to live like the adults they have seen failing, hurt, disappointed, oppressed. ❖ Redesigning the new community by the power of the Word. God designed the whole world by the Word (Heb. 11:3 “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.”)

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8. The Size in Numbers of the Church It is not about how many children you have; it’s is about how many you raise up well. It’s not about how many we bring to Christ; it’s about how much of Christ we put into them. Text references: Act 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls/ Act 6:7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith./Act 6:1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration./Act 11:21 And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord. True growth is not measured by how many attend our main service on a Sunday; it is measured by: ❖ Those who attend our main services and other meetings too. They are committed to what God is doing in our midst. Types of Christians: i. Those who seek God daily: Committed Christians ii. Those who seek God weekly: Religious Christians iii. Those who seek God occasionally: Moody Christians iv. Those who seek God seasonally: Festive Christians v. Those who seek God annually: Superstitious Christians vi. Those who sought God previously: Dead Christians vii. Those who seek God momentarily: Crisis Christians ❖ Those who are totally committed and connected in support of the house (not just the meetings ). They are supportive of what we are doing as a house (our vision) ❖ Those who are submitted to authority and work in accountability. The risky people in your church are those who have grown with you from the inception of the ministry because of familiarity. They have a problem with coming under your authority and being accountability to you. They are on their own. People who feel that they have a say are dangerous. One day they will rise and attack you. We cannot lower the standard and accommodate what is inaccurate, even though we value the support they gave us. ❖ Those whom you can depend on to carry what you carry. They have grown your life and message in their own lives. They are able to carry what you carry. When you go to war you must know whom you can count on & who will stand with you. They represent us well. They are like the other “you” in the congregation.

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❖ Those who increase your influence by touching those they are connected to. They are not only carrying but use what they carry to increase YOUR influence everywhere they are connecting. o Andrew said: Come, see the Messiah! He didn’t project himself, the focus was Jesus alone. Some members project their own gifts & run with their own agenda because they were never connected to the arrowhead leader. The arrowhead leadership must be accepted. No one in the church ever finds their place if they haven’t accepted the pastor!

CONCLUSION

It’s time we measured church the way God would – not the way man would. As a pastor or church leader be honest and ask yourself: How many in your church can carry your grace, your message, your dream, your spirit, your life, your DNA? Do not measure yourself wrongly. Measure yourself with God’s measurement.

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4 Chapter

The Governing Church What Type of Church Is God Building?

od wants to invade cities & territories all across the nations of the earth. He is raising up a new breed of churches in the earth to become the gateways & bases through which He can take cities & nations. These churches are built on apostolic (Acts) blueprints. They are called to influence their regions & impact their nations with passion & power. These are governing territorial churches. They are not measured by numbers but by their stature.

What Is a Governing Church? 1. A governing church is a strong local church ❖ The believers are maturing & spiritually healthy, vibrant & lively ❖ Members fulfil their role & functions well & are pursuing corporate destiny ❖ Acts 2:42-47 – all NT ingredients for doing church are present & functioning in balance: Word/truth, fellowship, prayer, worship, evangelism, the prophetic, admin. Even church growth must result directly from church health. 2. A governing church is a strong resource centre ❖ This church resources the region & beyond with the dimensions of the Word & Spirit. What God gives them overflows to others in their locality eg. their messages, music/songs, leaders & other resource materials ❖ Gen.12:3 - “And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” They have a global mentality to become a blessing in their region, nation & in the earth. ❖ This church benefits other churches; other churches grow at their expense.

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3. A governing church is an apostolic church ❖ An apostolic church is a built according to the patterns found in the early church in the Book of Acts (i.e. Acts of the Apostles). It is built on foundation of the apostles & prophets. Its members are breakthrough believers in whom Christ has been formed. ❖ This church is also apostolic in function. It reproduces its grace, apostolic patterns, it dimensions & strategies into other local churches making them just like it. We are apostolic when we start to reproduce our lives into another available local church i.e. when they begin to use everything that we are channelling into their church. They begin to carry the same grace, passion, truth, & spirit dimensions as us. ❖ Acts 13 – Paul & Barnabas raised the first apostolic church in Antioch. After building this apostolic model they were commissioned to export this model of church to other cities & nations. 4. A governing church is the epicentre of divine activity ❖ Divine activity resonates & pulsates from here. Divine stirrings of revival and reformation are present. God manifests here in power & demonstration. The Word of the Lord & visions come in abundance. There is no lack of revelation knowledge and Spirit operations in this church. God tabernacles among them therefore they always have His fresh bread & hidden manna. ❖ They even become the entrance point for God to move in their region. The divine stirrings that began in this local church spreads into the surrounding areas. They become the gateway for revival & reformation in their region. 5. A governing church is the government seat of God in the region ❖ Ps 110:1-2 – “The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool (the Son is being positioned for ultimate conquest over all His enemies)…The LORD shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of Your enemies!” (God is using the church (Zion) to execute His vengeance & judgement on His enemies). ❖ This church becomes the governing seat for God in that region and nation. They have the spiritual stature to rule with Christ in heavenly places (Eph.2:6). They have risen into the heavenly realm to dislodge the powers of the air & unseat demonic powers over that region. 6. A governing church extends the Kingdom by exercising dominion over the spiritual realm ❖ Because the church is an extension of the Lord Jesus in the heavens she possesses the “keys of the Kingdom of heaven” to operate on the earth. What she does on the earth will be backed by heaven (Matt.16:19 “whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven”). 18

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❖ Some points about “keys”: i. Keys are entrusted to the mature. This is a church that has grown from childhood to maturity in Christ. They have moved from saints to sons ii. Keys give one freedom of access. She does not need to wait like the “foolish virgins” or knock for the door to open. She can enter at any time! iii. Keys are given to authorised persons only. She has been received prior approval from the Father to operate in authority ❖ This church is recognised in the spirit realm & she is feared by demonic spirits (Acts 19:15 "Jesus I know and Paul I know…”). They have God’s approval to execute His authority in the heavenlies (Luke 10:20 “rejoice that your names are written in heaven”). They represent Jesus fully in His Kingdom governance. ❖ Matt.6:33 - “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you”. The Kingdom of God begins within the life of the believer (Lk.17:21) & proceeds outwards. Seeking the Kingdom is not doing church activities or spiritual work; it is about training our lives, hearts & minds to operate by the laws & principles of the Kingdom. When the Kingdom is properly positioned within the life of the believer then “all these things” i.e. the blessings of the Lord will overtake us. We will also rise & become an influence in the community because the Kingdom of God will swallow up all other kingdoms of this world! (Rev.11:15). 7. A governing church keeps the heavens open for the moves of the Holy Spirit ❖ The governing church is called to police the heavens. They unseat principalities & powers of darkness in the heavenly places & open up the heavens to the moves of the Holy Spirit. In so doing they make it conducive for the Holy Spirit to breakout in that region. (Gen.28:11f) ❖ Acts 13:2 – The church in Antioch open up the heavens for the Holy Spirit to come into the church & supernaturally commission Paul & Barnabas. The governing church aligns its activities with heaven allowing the Holy Spirit to manifest. When the Holy Spirit manifests God’s plans for our churches will unfold. ❖ This church is led by the Holy Spirit: ➢ Acts 16:17-18 – The possessed slave girl followed Paul & cried out for many days but he did not give her any attention. Why? Because the devil does not call us out to war/ battle. Jesus is the Lord of Hosts & the Captain of the Army. We must only respond to His command ➢ Acts 16:25 – Although Paul & Silas were thrown into prison in the early afternoon (v.16), they did not do anything until “midnight”. Co-ordinating with heaven requires sensitivity & spiritual maturity. God is looking for churches that will operate in this fashion. In fact this move of the Holy Spirit resulted in the establishing of the church at Philippi.

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Characteristics of Governing Churches 1. The governing church rises into the spirit to dislodge the powers of hell ❖ This church rises into the realm of the spirit and dislodges the powers of hell over that region ❖ This church repositions herself in the realm of spirit to rule & reign over that region 2. The governing church repositions herself to become the stronger man ❖ This church become the “stronger man” over the city because she has overthrown the “strongman” of the city ❖ This church exercises a new spiritual position as the “territorial spirit” in that region 3. The governing church exercises territorial control over the region ❖ This church exercises this territorial control & influence over that entire region ❖ This church becomes the “gate” or entrance point for God & His angelic host to reach into that city and region ❖ This church has the power to open & shut doors in that locality. 4. The governing church takes responsibility to keep the spiritual climate conducive ❖ This church makes the spiritual atmosphere conducive for God to move. She creates a holy habitation for God in the spirit realm over that region. ❖ She is responsible for keeping the heavens open in that locality 5. The governing church is not measured by numerical figures ❖ This church cannot be measured by the number of members it has (those attending church services & those recorded on its membership register) ❖ This church is measured by its spiritual stature, the authority it wields in the spirit, supernatural strength & power and such things.

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6. The governing church carries a clear “gospel of the Kingdom” message ❖ This church does not only preach the gospel of salvation (pertains only to salvation). It is more than a soul winning harbour consumed only with evangelizing the lost ❖ This church preaches the gospel of the Kingdom (pertains to the reconciliation of everything – including every sector of society – in Christ) ❖ The Kingdom message increases the maturity, calibre & stature of the saints. This creates cycles of restoration, reformation & revival. It also builds generationally & fathers raises up succession (sons). 7. The governing church reforms the nature of society ❖ This church reforms the very nature & foundation of the society she lives in. ❖ The positive effects of this church can be physically observed in society. ❖ This church raises up mature sons to exercise dominion in every domain of society.

CONCLUSION God is raising up governing churches across the nations of the earth to influence entire regions. They are God’s battle-axes to execute His will & Word in their territories, cities & nations. They shatter the works of darkness and terrorize terror & frighten fear. The gates of hell will not be able to withstand or resist them! A force to be reckoned with!

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5 Chapter

Fathers and Sons Why Must Church Be Built On The Father-Son Model?

Why The Father-Son Model Is The Proper Order For The House Of God

1. God created Man to be His son ❖ Adam was made in the image of Christ, the patterned/perfect Son of God (Gen.1:26-27; cf. Col.1:15-16; 2 Cor.4:4; Heb.1:3) ❖ Adam was created to be “a son of God” (Luke.3:38) ❖ In the Scriptures the word “son” has no meaning in itself. It cannot stand alone. The “son” only has relevance when he was viewed in conjunction with or in relation to his “father”. A man was identified by his sonship his father [i.e. he was the “son of…”](eg. Saul asked of David: “Abner, whose son is this youth?” – 1 Sam.17:55) ❖ So this was God’s arrangement from the beginning: the Father was to be God & the son was Man. God’s relationship to Man, as Father to sons, is neither accidental nor casual. It is a deliberate order that was foreordained by God ❖ In the Fall, Man separated himself from his Father. He continues to live in a state of perpetual fatherlessness and as an orphan in the earth. The prevailing culture in the world today is the culture of fatherlessness.

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2. When Jesus the Son of God came to the earth, He came to restore Man as His son again (to relate to Him as “Father” again) ❖ Before Jesus came the culture of fatherlessness prevailed in the earth. In fact God’s people did not think of Him or relate to Him as “Father”. Consider that He was rarely called “my Father” in the OT. Their view of God was similar to Islam’s. ❖ This was the reason why God sent Jesus, His Son to live among human: through Jesus God wanted to provide an explicit template/model of the Father-Son relationship to the world ❖ Prior to the coming of Jesus to restore Man as God’s son, there were types and shadows in the Old Testament that mimicked the principle of the father-son relationship: 1) Abraham (God) sacrifices the lamb (Jesus) to spare Isaac (Man) (Gen.22) 2) The patriarchal order (Abraham-Isaac-Jacob) 3) The principle of the firstborn & the transfer of legacy (covenants) 4) The sons of the prophets

3. The relationship between God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son is the standard order even for the house of God. ❖ In God’s House Jesus is “the firstborn among many brethren” (Rom.8:29). “Brethren” (adelphos) speaks of those who have the same father, parents or who came from the same womb, brothers. In God House there are other sons who have entered- in through believing in the Prefect Son & His shed blood. ❖ The final OT prophecies regarding the restoration of God’s House brings up the issue of the restoration of the father-son relationship. (see Mal.4:5-6). John the Baptist was the spirit of Elijah. The angel Gabriel made this clear to John’s father Zacharias (Luke 1:17) and Jesus confirmed this (Matt.11:11,14). John the Baptist marked the close of the old covenant and the commencement of the new i.e. the age of the church which is the season of the restoration of fathers and sons in God’s House. ❖ Let’s understand the spirit of Elijah. Elijah had an understudy called Elisha who would become his successor. In 2 Kings 2:9f Elisha requested a “double portion” of Elijah’s spirit. The “double portion” is what a father reserves for his firstborn only! The firstborn son was to maintain the father’s family and continue the father’s legacy. He who gets the double portion must perpetuate his father’s house. When Elisha made this request he was indirectly calling Elijah his “father” – not his natural father but his spiritual father. He expressed this verbally when Elijah was being taken away with the words “my father, my father!”

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Final Comments: When one is born again he is born into the family of God or God’s Household. However, although this person has been spiritually reconciled his soul remains unchanged. The culture of an orphan is still intact in his soul. As a saint he tries hard to relate to the Father however the spirit of fatherlessness has not departed from his soul. He needs to transition into the culture of a son. He must be tutored and disciplined in the culture of heaven (father-son culture). God has assigned this task to a spiritual father. The relationship of spiritual fathers and spiritual sons within God’s House is merely a tutoring tool, a rehearsal and practice-run to equip sons of God for the authentic relationship between God the Father and themselves. It is a foretaste and precursor of the real thing. A spiritual father is given as a gift to the spiritual son to reveal the nature of God the Father to sons of God.

Why Pastors Don’t Think About Raising Sons 1. They have not found true sons ❖ Negative past experiences make them cautious. 2. They fear that successors may destroy their dream and legacy ❖ Because pastors value their God-given dreams, they keep it to themselves. They don’t want to throw their pearls to swine. 3. They are afraid that successors may jeopardize the work ❖ Pastors find it difficult to surrender the church to inexperienced people. So they only give people minimal responsibility – not the whole ministry. 4. They believe that only they can do the job well ❖ Most pastors believe that they are the only ones who can do the job properly; and most of the time they are right. 5. They know that the work is the hope of their future

❖ Pastors see the future & destiny of the church; members only look at their own ministries. Some do not share his hope for the future.

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Why It Is Important To Raise Sons 1. Sons will continue the father’s legacy & will not change the course ❖ Abraham, Isaac & Jacob prove to us the legacy can be transferred & perpetuated properly through covenant father-son relationships 2. Fathers can only be honoured and remembered through their sons ❖ The honour of fathers is to see their sons rise up. Jesse was honoured by David’s exploits. When David went to fight Goliath, Saul asked: “whose son is this youth?” (1 Sam.17:55). In the achievements of the children the father is remembered 3. Succession is inevitable ❖ The senior pastor cannot avoid or escape this reality (Eccl.2:18 - “Then I hated all my labour in which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me.”) 4. Fathers have the opportunity to choose men carefully for succession ❖ Eccl.2:19 – “And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will rule over all my labour in which I toiled and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.” 5. When a pastor does not choose his successors & reproduce himself, he will get replaced & misplaced in history ❖ The church is not about producing numbers; it is about producing sons i.e. those who want to finish the course. It is a father-son enterprise where fathers reproduce after their own kind for continuity. If there is no continuity the father’s legacy is squandered.

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How to Identify Potential Sons 1. Sons will be trainable material ❖ Acts 19:8-12 – Not all members are trainable material. Some become hardened in their hearts. They lose the capacity to be moulded. They resist change because they like the way they are. They become disobedient. They know the truth but don’t do it. Non-practising believers. Hearing but never doing. They speak evil of the way the pastor is doing things. They are loose-mouthed & critical. They still have issues. ❖ Trainable ones do not contend with what the pastor speaks. They hear well & change accordingly. ❖ Separate the trainable from those who are not trainable. Our best ones must be allowed to move forward instead of being slowed down by everyone. Raise them to get out of the church & impact the city. 2. Sons will be well spoken-off by others ❖ Pastors should avoid training Christians who have a bad testimony. A bad name will cut short a good ministry. ❖ Acts 15:36-41 - This was an important apostolic assignment to set doctrines right in the early churches. John Mark lacked character. ❖ Look for those whose hearts are clean & ways are pure. Preaching ability, educational competence, status in society or financial income are not qualifying factors 3. Sons are willing to embrace change & a new walk of life ❖ Acts 16:1-4 - Timothy had to embrace a new change (circumcision) for the new walk & ministry. Similarly every son has to be raised up in a unique way to fit his/her call & the future demands. ❖ Elisha had to leave his father & his household without delay. Consider also the Rabbi-disciple relationship. Prospective sons embrace a new lifestyle ❖ Every son has to be raised up in a unique way. There are no stereotypes in raising sons. These are not different standards either. In war different soldiers train with different weapons. Parents know how to prepare each of their children because they are different. 4. Sons must have their foundations re-laid for the future ❖ What sons have at present may not be enough. Old foundations are insufficient for what needs to be built ❖ Acts 18:24-26 - Apollos only knew the past doctrines. He needed upgrading ❖ Sons must be updated & upgraded to the new. Even in technology there are advancements ❖ They must trained to keep moving forward & not stop as previous moves of God did 26

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Sons are carriers of all the father has & all he is ❖ Phil. 2:19-24 - Paul felt that only Timothy could represent him & his concerns accurately. A son must be a worthy replacement of his father ❖ Psalm 127:1-5 – The church is built for war (“speak with their enemies at the gates”). Fathers must prepare arrows (sons) for battle. Arrows must be in the quiver & on the battlefield with the warrior - not in the armoury! Sons are ready to move with father & are available for him to use at anytime

How to Know When Sons are Ready for Succession Phil.2:19-24 - “(19)But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your state. (20) For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. (21) For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. (22) But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel. (23) Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it goes with me. (24) But I trust in the Lord that I myself shall also come shortly” 1. Can the son fully & accurately represent the father? ❖ V.19 – Paul sends Timothy as his representative ❖ He is a steward of the father’s reputation before the people (church, society) & at the gates of the city (work, official places) ❖ He is the father’s ambassador. He reveals the father’s life, nature & desires. Remember, even Jesus the Son came to reveal the Father; He made the Father known by manifesting the Father’s life in His own (John 5:19 “The Son can do nothing of Himself but what He sees the Father do. For whatever things He does, these also the Son does likewise.”) 2. Is the son capable of making identical prophetic assessments of situations like the father? ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖

V.19 – Paul sends Timothy so that he could “know your state” He interprets & reads situations in the same prophetic dimensions as his father His perception is so fine-tuned that he can assess the nature of any problem They are precise in reporting giving the father a bird’s eye view of the situation He can even provide the needed counsel to redeem the situation

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3. Does the son possess the same passion & dimensions of the spirit as the father? ❖ V.20 –“For I have no one who is like-minded” ❖ He possesses a kindred spirit with his father. ❖ He possesses the same spirit dimensions i.e. the same inner dynamics of the spirit life. ❖ He is NOT a clone of the father though; their spirit nature & drive are the same. He has different personality expression but carries the same spirit intensity. 4. Is the son genuinely concerned about his father’s burden & concern? ❖ V.21 – “For all seek their own…” ❖ He carries the same burden & vision of the father ❖ He is concerned with the same issues & needs. He voluntarily chooses to do what is in the heart of his father ❖ He has tested the father & knows that his concerns are truly the concerns of the Lord 5. Does the son seek after Christ’s interests for the house? ❖ V.21 – “…seek…the things which are of Christ Jesus” ❖ He has caught the heart of the Heavenly Father – just like his spiritual father. He knows the passion God has for His people & the house ❖ He has been trained to follow the Spirit of Christ like his father ❖ He knows how to access the will & plans of Christ for His church because know the Builder & Maker of the house. 6. Does the son understand that serving the father is truly serving God? ❖ V.22 – Timothy “served” ❖ Elisha fulfilled his call by serving Elijah and so received the mantle of Elijah. The covetous Gehazi served himself and so forfeited succession (2 Kings 5:20-27) ❖ Joshua was Moses’ servant (Josh1:1); later he became Moses’ successor ❖ Sons understand that the only way they can come into their own destiny is by serving the ones above them (Lk.16:12 - “And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who shall give you that which is your own?”)

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Why We Need Spiritual Fathers 1. The Father-Son model is the only proper model for spiritual induction into ministry. ❖ In ancient times the concepts of seminary, Bible college, mission school & theological qualifications was foreign. The men and women that were used to lead God's people were not nominated or elected by the people or church boards; neither were they appointed by a denomination or head-office. Ministry was not conferred by some high ranking official(overseer, superintendent) of the church/denomination. ❖ When we examine the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) we realize that succession in ministry had very little to do with the transfer of information; it had to do with the transfer of a legacy. It was conferred through covenant – not competence. ❖ In proceeding generations, the training of successors for ministry was via the model of the schools of the prophets (cf. Elijah & Elisha; also see 2 Kg.9:1 “sons of the prophets”). By the advent of Jesus a Rabbi-disciple relationship model [elaborate] was already in place. Thus, ministry competence was acquired by labouring and living with one's spiritual father. Jesus Himself commenced ministry after induction & validation by His Father: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Matt.3:17). ❖ When did this model change? Today there are countless qualified and eloquent preachers who have been trained in institutes, ordained by their churches and have continued ministry for years…but without a father! Having violated the divine order for ministry succession, can they legitimately represent God's purposes in the earth? 2.

The blessings of fathers are highly esteemed & valued (God Himself protects & defends the inheritance conferred by fathers) ❖ Read 1 Kings 21:1f – Naboth’s inherited his vineyard from his father (& forefathers since he uses the plural “fathers”). His father’s legacy was transferred to him. ❖ Ahab tried hard to hoodwink and dupe Naboth into surrendering this vineyard to him. Who was Ahab? Ahab was the 7th king to rule over Israel. He reigned from 919-896 BC. He represents leadership over God’s people. “Ahab” (ach-ab) – the word “ach” means “brother, relative, another”. So Ahab means the father’s brother or relative; or ‘another father’. A pseudo-father! Here, Ahab’s agenda is same as the devils i.e. to steal, kill and destroy. Finally, Ahab is married to Jezebel. She represents the spirit of manipulation, domination & control. This spirit has a deep hatred for spiritual authority & spiritual fathers. Jezebel is the spirit that kills Antipas [Father](Rev.2:13f) and wants to replace the father. Therefore she seeks to usurp the father’s blessings & destroy it altogether ❖ Jezebel has Naboth falsely accused, tried, and murdered (v. 8-14) for the sake of this vineyard, his father’s inheritance. After the murder of Naboth, Ahab goes to take the vineyard (v.15-16), a father’s inheritance to a son. At that very moment God intervenes because of the magnitude of the violation: someone had interfered with the transfer of a father’s blessings. The penalty for usurping the inheritance of a father is severe (v.17-19). 29

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What Blessings Are Conferred By Fathers: 1. They unlock the sons true identity & destiny ❖ BENJAMIN (Gen 35:18) “And so it was, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-Oni; but his father called him Benjamin.” ❖ Rachel inappropriately named Benjamin "benoni" (son of my sorrows). A name declares one’s identity & speaks to one's grace/ function. Rachel represents a church system & old order. This system gives us identity and function on the basis of its own experience which, in most cases, is a dying & self-preserving experience. . ❖ Benjamin's father, however, named him "benjamin" (son of my right hand or son of my strength). Out of his father's prophetic utterance came the lineage of Saul, the first king to rule over Israel. Sons need fathers to speak into their destiny. It is a tragedy for sons to misalign themselves with pastors & churches that cannot speak to their destiny. ❖ In biblical times a son was identified by his association with his father. A son did not possess an identity of his own; his identity was locked up in his father. Saul asked of David: "Whose son is this?" (1 Sam.17:58). It was common for them to attribute stature & strength to one’s father. Similarly spiritual stature & competence in ministry is attributed to spiritual covering. 2. They unlock prosperity & resources for their sons ❖ Lot prospered because of Abraham. Read Gen 13:5 - Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks and herds and tents. 3. They bring sons to wholeness (spiritual, physical & emotional) ❖ The father’s wholeness overrides and defies the son’s weaknesses and defects. It eliminates barrenness and inadequacy. ❖ David's feeble men became mighty men • 1 Sam 22:2 - “And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him.” • 1 Chron. 11:10 - “Now these were the heads of the mighty men whom David had, who strengthened themselves with him in his kingdom, with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel.”

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4. They multiply the grace in sons & so accelerate them towards their destiny in God ❖ MOSES - Num 11:16-17 “So the LORD said to Moses: "Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tabernacle of meeting, that they may stand there with you . "Then I will come down and talk with you there. I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone.” o Moses’ spirit was imparted to 70 elders without diminishing Moses’ stature. It was not a separate spirit but the spirit of Moses. Moses’ spirit was duplicated in the elders. God positioned Moses as a father over Israel so God did not bypass Moses. The 70 elders became partakers of Moses' anointing, his giftings, his gracings, his burden, his legacy. o The spirit upon Moses came from God - it was sovereign. The spirit upon the elders came from Moses i.e. it was borrowed/delegated. The elders functioned in Moses' anointing. ❖ ELIJAH & ELISHA • Elijah did 16 miracles; Elisha did 32 5. They provide supernatural covering & protection for sons ❖ Fathers are our first line of defence, the access point to our lives. They ensure that our lives have a hedge of protection. With paternity comes protection. ❖ NOAH - Gen.6:7-10 “So the LORD said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them."…But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD…This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God…And Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.” ❖ JOB - Job 1:2, 4-5 “And seven sons and three daughters were born to him… And his sons would go and feast in their houses, each on his appointed day, and would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them…So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, "It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." Thus Job did regularly.”

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Authority In The Local Church 1. There is only one authority structure in any local church ❖ The authority flows from God to the senior pastor of the church. He is the source of divine authority in the local church. ❖ No ministry opportunity should be opened for members who do not recognise or submit their lives to this structure of authority. Such persons minister without spiritual covering of protection & open themselves up to demonic infiltration. ❖ No one can exercise authority without first being under authority. If we do not submit to the authority of the senior pastor we cannot carry any spiritual authority in our own ministries. 2. All other leaders in the local church derive their authority from the senior pastor ❖ Other leaders in the local church receive spiritual authority to function by first recognizing the headship role of the senior pastor over them. ❖ The senior pastor provides spiritual covering over others in leadership when they maintain godly relationship with him. When a leaders break their relationship with the senior pastor they remove themselves from his covering & open themselves up to demonic attacks, deception & disease. ❖ All other leaders in the local church receive only a measure of authority. This measure is delegated to them by the senior pastor. It is limited authority because it is restricted to the position or responsibility entrusted to them. Only the senior pastor carries complete authority over the whole church. 3. Those who break the chain of command remove themselves from spiritual covering ❖ Even if the breaking is in the heart, the flow of spiritual authority gets cut off. The person may still be functioning in ministry. However there is no spiritual authority & backing from heaven because he/she has remove themselves from God’s chain of command. ❖ Such persons can bring their own lives as well as the church under a barrage of attacks because they are operating under another chain of authority.

BREAKTHROUGH

BELIEVERS

6 Chapter

Breakthrough Believers

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What Calibre Of Believers Comprise Governing Churches?

he governing church is made up of a new breed of believers. They are unique & set apart from normal traditional church members. They are emerging in every nation of the world & are the hope of those nations.

Revelation 12:1-6 Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun (the glory of God being released upon the church), with the moon (symbol of Jesus – will be turned to blood – Calvary – Rev.6:12. The church stands secure in Jesus’ finished work!) under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars (this is a governing church). (2) Then being with child (breakthrough believers/sons of God), she cried out in labour and in pain to give birth. (3) And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. (4) His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. (5) She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne. (6) Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days. ❖ This male child is destined to rule all the nations of the earth (v.5). This unstoppable generation will impact cities & influence nations. This is the seed of Abraham in whom all the families of the earth will be blessed (Gen.12:3). ❖ This male child is caught up to God and His throne (v.5). Breakthrough believers are spiritually positioned in the heavenly places. They live under an open heaven & rule over the spirit realm

BREAKTHROUGH

BELIEVERS

❖ This male child is different from the rest of the woman’s offspring (v.17). The woman has other children who are still in the wilderness, immature & targets of the devil

Acts 11:19-22 1. Breakthrough believers pioneer the new move of God (v.20) ➢ These believers were not confined by the limitations & traditions of Judaism. They reached out to Gentile Greeks (v.20) although Jews have no dealings with Gentiles. ❖ They have the boldness to speak & do what others will not ❖ They have the grace to break into new territories. They penetrate the barriers of culture, race & other human limitations. ❖ They don’t have many role models & examples. But they trust God’s leading. 2. Breakthrough believers prevail in the face of much resistance ➢ These believers came from places of intense persecution & martyrdom (v.19). However it did not kill their momentum or diminish their zeal. ❖ They suffer the agony of loneliness because they are ahead of others ❖ They face the resistance & persecution of existing religious systems ❖ They face the pressures of self, sin & satanic onslaught. ❖ They encounter lots of crowd pressure but they don’t sacrifice their obedience (1 Sam.13:5f – Saul lost his throne because he succumbed to crowd pressure. Also consider Moses – he struck the rock 3. Breakthrough believers do not compromise ➢ These believers stayed true to their convictions even though they had no leadership oversight (Barnabas & Paul only came to the Antioch church later on). ❖ Paul also commended the Philippian church; “you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence.” (Phil.2:12) ❖ They don’t turn back in times of difficulty. Unlike the sons of Ephraim (Ps.78:9-10) they will not abandon us in the day of battle but are ready in the quiver (Ps 127:5) ❖ They will not succumb to crowd pressure nor yield to the demands of the masses ❖ They retain the standards of truth they have learnt (the apostles’ doctrine). They neither compromise nor dilute the message of truth but live it out in their lives.

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4. Breakthrough believers are recipients of present truth & revelation ➢ These believers reached out to the Greeks even though that was taboo in their day. They responded to present truth & revelation given by the Holy Spirit. As a result they moved the church from an ungodly tradition & made it relevant to the present. ❖ Acts 10 – Peter was confronted with new truth in this vision. It broke his own cultural interpretation of Scripture. Present truth will cause us to break our own limitations ❖ They are taught by God; they hear His voice & move into what God is saying today ❖ They capture the proceeding Word & revelation when the pastor preaches it.

5. Breakthrough believers subject themselves under spiritual authority ➢ They willingly submitted their lives to Barnabas when he came from Antioch (v.2224). They did the same when Paul came over from Tarsus (Acts.11:25-26) & when prophets came over from Jerusalem (v.27-30). They knew how to yield to “sent men”. ❖ They understand the importance of working under authority & coming under leadership covering so that the church can go further ❖ They honour the spiritual father in the house and will not violate the chain of command that God has established in the house. ❖ They have dealt with & broken the spirit of rebellion & witchcraft in their lives.

6. Breakthrough believers always place corporate destiny above their own interests ➢ These believers were the ones who sold their property & possessions in Jerusalem & shared with all who were in need (Acts 4:34-35). They were knitted together in fellowship, breaking of bread, prayer & teaching from house to house. They experience persecution together. ❖ Most believers act independently & pursue their own personal agendas in life; they gain strength from the church only to perform well in the world systems. Their worldly activities get top priority. ❖ Breakthrough believers make God’s Kingdom & His church their priority (Matt.6:33); they prosper by making time to be involved in the Father’s business (see Lk.2:49,52)

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BELIEVERS

7. Breakthrough believers penetrate & impact their cities ➢ These believers caused a great stirring in Antioch (v.21-22). They were acting & living like Christ so much so that they were first called “Christians”(v.26) here, meaning “Christ ones”. Many Gentile-lives were impacted in the city of Antioch. ❖ They act and live as Christ; thus they create an impact on those around them and it ripples into the society. People observe their lives & become aware of Christ. ❖ Their example & testimony affects the faith of other believers & churches in the entire region. News of what was happening in Antioch reached the church in Jerusalem (v.22). They influence others everywhere & leave their mark in society. ❖ 1 Thess. 1:7-8 – “you (church) became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe…For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything.”

CROSSING OVER ESSENTIAL PRINCIPLES FOR UPGRADING THE CHURCH

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