Aligning Our Passion to God's Pattern for Service - Part 1

With the rise of the prophetic movement in the Philippines, it is essential that we fully understand the works, its purpose and rules when ministering through the different spiritual gifts the Lord has bestowed to His bride, the church.

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”  - Hebrews 4:12

As a prophetic people being called by the Lord, I felt that we need to fully understand the difference we can make if we align everything and base our knowledge on the written word of God, the bible.

Unless we fully grasp the final authority of the bible to every prophetic utterance can we truly experience the real prophetic movement God is raising up in the end times.

"Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed...There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work." (12:1-6)

The Holy Spirit brings balance to the community of believers by bringing these gifts to different people, with different background of ministries and measure of grace. Simply put, God loves diversity!

This also means that it is the Holy Spirit who calls men and women, place these gifts to them and build it up for service. We are only vessels whom the Lord will use and we don’t choose our gifts but the Holy Spirit is the sole authority to whom he calls to have it.

“Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines….” (12:7-11)

The role of prophecy is to edify, encourage and build our brethren in the Lord. Prophecy for one is just one of the many manifestation gifts the Holy Spirit can work through us. It is an important gift just like serving, leadership and mercy is but does not overtake the other gifts in the body of Christ. Every gift (and people) in the Kingdom of God is important and valuable.

In the Kingdom of God, He has placed offices to take care of His sheep while he’s away. He also called us to equip the saints, build them up for service and unite the church and fulfill the great commission. And yet, not all of us are called to be in a high position and not everyone is qualified for such a role.

“Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by^[c] one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.” (12:12-14)

God is raising up his people like a big puzzle with different parts working together to bring completion to the work of God in this earth. God placed ministers to oversee and ensure we are on track both in our ministry and spiritual upbringing.

“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.  And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues^[d]? Do all interpret? Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.” (12:27-31)

We do not rule over our brothers and sisters in the Lord just because we are visible in the local body. All the more that we be careful with our words, we continue to place humility as an utmost desire as we will be held accountable to God and to men.

Also, not everyone can do what we do or the other way around. This protects us from thinking that we are “SUPERMAN” and the only person who can do these things. We need others to bring completion to the harvest's call. We should not think that others are not important to God's work because this will only lead to apostasy.

Let us remember that God's purpose for the gift is to unite the body of Christ not tear it apart.

My prayer is that God will raise men and women in this season that will align others for the purposes of our King. May He also call forth the forerunners of this end time season for the harvest field!

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12 Functions of Prophetic Ministry by Jonas Clark

By: Jonas Clark

Christ set in the Church five distinct ascension gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. All of them are quite different, distinct and carry different graces needed to equip the born-again believer for effectiveness in life and ministry.

“And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors, and teachers” (Ephesians 4:11).

All five ministry gifts are equally important. We need the apostle. He is a spiritual father, architect and builder. We need the soul winning evangelist that reminds us of reaching the lost. We need the pastor who counsels, nurtures and comforts and the teacher to instruct, tutor and explain God’s Word and ways. And we need the prophet, God’s voice of edification, exhortation and comfort. All five ascension gifts have decided graces on their lives that add something clear-cut to the born again believer. 

LOGOS TO RHEMA

Prophets are gifted with living (rhema) Word to the Church. Your bible is full of words known as logos, the written Word. Have you ever read your bible and suddenly the words sprang to life and you received a revelation of what you just read? That is an example of the Word, logos, changing into rhema, or life-giving Word. That’s what we call spiritual revelation. Prophets flow in revelation or rhema.

“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.” (Revelation 2:29)

We need to listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying to the Church, not just what the Spirit hath said. We need the freshness of prophetic revelation, that life-giving rhema that comes through the prophet’s gift. Without that refreshing we die a boring religious death and are not spiritually relatable to our generation. We all need the prophetic voice to come into the earth that we might have a “living Word” imparted into our lives. Without the life provided by the prophetic voice, the Church would be like the dry bones in Ezekiel’s vision.

God wants to raise a prophetic people who are able to hear His voice clearly. Not just lone prophets, but a prophetic people. It is important the world hears the Word of the Lord with power and refreshing that comes from the prophetic anointing. We need a prophetic people who have been delivered from the “fear of men” and who are not “men pleasers.”

ROTOR ROOTER MINISTRY

Prophets carry a great sense of spiritual authority. They enjoy rooting out, pulling down, and destroying all spiritual opposition that gets in the way of the plans and purpose of God.

“See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.” (Jeremiah 1:10)

In this verse, nations are symbolic of the natural realm, and kingdoms symbolic of the spiritual realm. To “root out” means to lay hold of the root of a thing and pull. The prophet is called to root out. He is called to pull down. He is called to destroy. He is called to overthrow. Notice that all these words deal with destroying opposition. Prophets are God’s spiritual reformers and revolutionaries. To reform means to bring about change.

Prophets make some people nervous and they will try to get rid of the prophet or close his mouth before he gets to do what he is best at, building and planting. God builds by His Spirit and there are many spiritual obstacles that must be dealt with before the building and planting begins. 

When we understand the prophet’s gift we can all be more effective when warring against the spiritual forces that oppose the establishing and advancement of the Kingdom of God.

BREAKING PLOWS

The Holy Spirit uses Christ’ five fold ascension prophets as spiritual plows to break the hardest of sin-blackened soils and cut the deepest furrows within the heart of man. The prophet is gifted to prepare the way toward spiritual breakthrough through his rotor-rooter challenge of any spiritual opposition that might get in the way. One reason some feel uncomfortable with prophetic operations is because of the results of the prophet’s prayers. 

What the prophet attacks through intercession in the Spirit will sometimes reveal itself in the natural. If he attacks rebellion, for example, then any common ground with rebellion in the people will manifest. But rather than stop the prophet’s rooting out intercession, we should continue to press in and let that prophetic grace finish its work. Once the spiritual warfare is finished the prophetic gift will open the heavens to us. Remember when Daniel was battling the principalities and powers? Because he didn’t give up and quit the angel was able to get through with the Word of the Lord for the nation.

Sometimes when the prophet speaks, people get stirred, troubled or offended. Offenses are the bait of Satan used to unplug you from important spiritual relationships. If you are being challenged, perhaps the Holy Spirit is trying to prepare you for your future. I have seen the prophetic gift in action used to prune out the dead wood that keeps us from growing. Pruning is good for us all because pruning is necessary to produce more fruit. Currently we are in a time when the Church is being challenged to awaken from its sleep. Roots of binding religious traditions are being pulled out because some have been sitting in religious comfort zones for too long. As the “restoration of all things” continues on so will the restoration of true prophetic ministry. 

The Church is moving forward. From be healed, for example, to be taught. And from be blessed, to be changed. Everybody likes to be healed, taught, and blessed because it requires little of the hearer. But the restoration of the prophetic moves the Church into governmental authority that requires more of us. All believers are called to govern. They are a priesthood of kings given spiritual authority that enables them to be more than conquerors. In the days ahead prophets will be more involved in activating the spiritual authority of every believer to make a difference with their lives.

ON PERSONAL PROPHECY

Some people think that a prophet must give personal prophecies to qualify to walk in the office of a prophet. That’s partially true. He will give personal prophecies, but his revelation gifting goes far beyond personal prophecy. Personal prophecy is the lowest prophetic operation of the true prophet. I say that because some have hyper-focused on personal prophecy and miss the big picture of the prophet’s ministry. 

Prophets also:

1. Are forerunners who make a way for “greater things” to come (Matthew 3:3).

2. Deal with spiritual climates (Jeremiah 1:10).

3. Turn people from sin to holiness (Jeremiah 23:21-22).

4. Are front line intercessors (Jeremiah 27:18).

5. Turn the hearts of fathers and sons (Malachi 4:5-6).

6. Challenge dead traditions of men and dangerous spirits of religion (Matthew 3:9-10).

7. Are stewards of the mysteries of God (Ephesians 3:5).

8. Carry lamentations, mourning and woe (intercession burdens) (Ezekiel 2:10).

9. Are fore-tellers of things to come (Amos 3:7).

10. Contend with false prophets of divination including Jezebel and Baal (1 Kings 18:19).

11. Challenge demonic territorial guards (Acts 13:7).

12. Speak to the nations and kingdoms (Jeremiah 1:5).

Prophetic ministry is a wonderful gift from God. Moses said, “Would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them” (Numbers 11:29). With them Jesus said, “I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail.”

(c) Jonas Clark

www.jonasclark.com

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Characteristics of The Remnant by Jonas Clark

Characteristics of The Remnant
By: Jonas Clark

Some are coming to the possibility that before the Second Coming of Christ this gospel of the Kingdom will be victorious throughout the entire world. We call these disciples the Remnants. The Remnants carry a subduing spirit as the scripture confirms. “And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all” (1 Corinthians 15:28).

The Remnants know they are destined for dominion. When building churches preachers come to a decision, they either draw the multitudes or the remnants. Today those that gather the multitudes water down their message refusing to address sin and idolatry. Many issues are not confronted such as: homosexuality, pornography, adultery, and national influence of corrupted politicians, failure of the public school system, and worldly music that is impinging the Church. Regardless of the withdraw others stand boldly like John the Baptist as a voice of one crying in the wilderness make straight a highway for our God. These are the Remnants.

The uncompromised gospel still convicts of sin and confronts the demonic powers of darkness. This gospel of the Kingdom is a stumbling stone for some and the corner stone for others. In every generation the Holy Spirit anoints remnant believers, for it is the remnant that goes first carrying the banner of Christ’s victory.

After a grand house is carpeted there are a few pieces of carpet left. These left over pieces are known as the remnant. No one knows what to do with them because they don’t fit anywhere. Some are discarded and others placed at doorways. The remnant carpet sits at the doorway and used to clean the bottom of someone’s shoes before entering. Have you ever felt like you didn’t fit anywhere? The reason for that is because you really didn’t fit. You are probably part of the remnant. Remnant believers are different because they carry a different spirit.

The Remnants play a major role in the restoration of all things (Acts 3:19-21). To them belong many “go first” apostolic opportunities because they carry a dominion spirit. A dominion spirit is one that is ready to take over for Christ. The Remnants reject a fatalistic world view that Christ will rescue the Church right before the world is overrun by demon powers. They understand their apostolic call to build and restore. Scripture declares, “And they (the Remnants) shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations” (Isaiah 61:4).

The Remnants believe the spiritual man is strong in the Lord and the power of His might. To be a spiritual man means to be led by the Holy Spirit for it is written, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Romans 8:14).

The Remnants are doers of the Word not just hearers. James makes it plain, “But be ye doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word and not a doer he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was” (James 1:22-24).

As “repairers of the breach” the Remnants carry the culture of the Kingdom of God into a dark world separated from the love of God. Every kingdom has a culture, so too the Kingdom of God. The Remnants understand their duty to carry the light of Christ’s truth into the world. As already said the Remnants make a highway for Christ. Scripture says, “And they (the Remnants) that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in” (Isaiah 58:12).

The Remnants believe the Word became flesh, was anointed by the Holy Ghost, and was crucified for our sins, rose from the dead, defeated Satan and all his demon hoards. To the Remnants the devil is defeated! They see the devil subdued under their feet and sing, “O clap your hands all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph. For the LORD most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth. He shall subdue the people under us and the nations under our feet” (Psalms 47:1-3).

OVERCOMING ALL OPPOSITION

The Remnants believe they can overcome the world through faith. “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith” (1 John 5:4). To overcome means to subdue. In the Genesis mandate is the blessing to be fruitful, multiply, replenish, subdue and take dominion.  These are five blessings, expectations, empowerments and responsibilities. The word subdue in Hebrew is kabash meaning to tread down, subjugate, subdue or bring into subjection. In the New Testament the Greek word is nikao meaning to subdue. The Remnants believe they are born of God and through faith subdue the world for Christ. These scriptures confirm this belief. Let’s read these scriptures exchanging the word overcome with the wordsubdue.

“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh (subdues) the world: and this is the victory that overcometh (subdues) the world, even our faith. (1 John 5:4)

“I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome (subdued) the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome (subdued) the wicked one. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. (1 John 2:13-17)

These verses are clear Christ gave His disciples the power to subdue the earth and bring it into subjection to Christ. As you can see the Remnants are destined for dominion. Other promises include:

PEACE
“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome (subdued) the world.” (John 16:33)

“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome (subdued) them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)

TREE OF LIFE
“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh (subdues) will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” (Revelation 2:7)

NO HARM IN THE SECOND DEATH
“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh (subdues) shall not be hurt of the second death.” (Revelation 2:11)

HIDDEN MANNA
“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh (subdues) will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.” (Revelation 2:17)

POWER OVER NATIONS
“And he that overcometh (subdues) and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations.” (Revelation 2:26)

CLOTHED IN WHITE RAIMENT
“He that overcometh (subdues), the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.” (Revelation 3:5)

PILLAR IN THE TEMPLE OF GOD
“Him that overcometh (subdues) will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.” (Revelation 3:12)

SIT WITH CHRIST ON HIS THRONE
“To him that overcometh (subdues) will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame (subdued), and am set down with my Father in his throne.” (Revelation 3:21)

DEFEATED SATAN
“And they overcame (subdued) him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” (Revelation 12:11)

VICTORY
“And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory (subdued) over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.” (Revelation 15:2)

From these verses we read the Remnants understand their call to invade, influence and subdue the world with the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. St. Athanasius saw the Remnants ability to carry the Word of God into society and bring glorious change. “When the sun has come, darkness prevails no longer; any of it that may be left anywhere is driven away. So also, now that the Divine epiphany of the Word of God has taken place, the darkness of idols prevails no more, and all parts of the world in every direction are enlightened by His teaching.”

The Church can only lose the battle to Satan when it is overcome with doubt and unbelief. How you see yourself determines how the devil sees you. “And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers and so we were in their sight” (Numbers 13:33). The Remnants see themselves walking in victory. Like Caleb they see the enemy subdued and under their feet. “And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it” (Numbers 13:30).

Your partner,

Apostle Jonas Clark
www.jonasclark.com

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