Contending for the superior reality of the Gospel.
Wayne Duncan
We need to carry the soberness of the awareness that we are constantly establishing a culture in everything we give ourselves to. Were contending for a superior reality for the church. Were contending for a church that will be more that what we are, were contending and partnering with Jesus to build a church that demonstrates who God is and who we are as a result of the finished work of the cross.
Every church has a culture…
Every church has a belief system…
Every church has a flavor…
Every church has a theology…
How did the church get these things?
What we release into the church will bear fruit into the future. Now that includes good and bad seed.
Day by day, week after week, month by moth there is a steering, a guidance of the church. Years later there is a place, a result.
Much of what was pronounced over the church has lead to a decrease in power, and an incapacitation of the average believer. You tell someone year in and year out that they have a sinful nature, they will believe it and become it. You tell people they must work to be accepted by God, they will believe it and eventually become discouraged, never entering the rest. You tell people they must qualify for the anointing, they will believe it and strive. Generations of faulty pronunciations has left the average believer disillusioned, weak, miserable, unconfident, striving, immature, disconnected and powerless. But praise God there is a Gospel revolution, and Jesus is rescuing His glorious church by bringing us back to the Gospel, and our inheritance through the finished work of the cross.
So we carry the soberness of the reality of ensuring that what we sew into the life into the church results in a preferable culture. We cannot be dictated to by the current culture, we cannot accept the current culture as a place of satisfaction and arrival, and we cannot commit the same mistakes previous generation made, we must learn, we must see by revelation what Jesus is saying to the churches, and make the relevant changes.
In this time Jesus is strengthening His church in the world and raising Her up to be the most powerful force in the earth today. To the churches who hear His voice at this time, there will be a partnership that arises that will effect and infect every corner of the earth with the Gospel of freedom and power.
So what culture do we want in the church?
What are we contending for?
Here are a few things we have identified as part of the preferable culture, the superior reality we feel Jesus is calling us to. These things explain much of what we do, and were we are wanting to go in God. Were wanting to grow in these areas, and establish the superior reality of a normal church, for generations to come.
So here are a few things in no order of priority, and not an exclusive or exhaustive list.
We want the culture of the Gospel of truth, liberty and freedom preached, with a demonstration of power.
We want a culture of love acceptance and forgiveness.
Were wanting to see a culture of the Holy Spirit coming on people and changing lives.
Were building a culture where God presence is honored and desired above all.
Were wanting a culture of life changing revelation released over eachother.
A culture of signs wonders and miracles.
Were contending for a culture of growth in people, growing into the fullness of Christ.
Were contending for a place of safety.
Were building a culture that transcends Sundays meeting.
Were looking for a culture of authenticity…
A culture of salvations.
A culture of maturity in the use of the gifts of the Holy Spirit by every believer.
A culture where every royal priest and king carries an anointing to minister and serve.
A culture where worship transcends words and music, but ushers in the Glory.
A culture of demonstration of the teaching.
A culture of openness to hear, learn and to change.
A culture of "we are well".
A culture of unity, were in one accord.
A culture of meeting in homes.
A culture of favor with all people.
A culture of honor.
A culture of dignity.
A culture of acceptance.
A culture of love.
We want the culture of the Gospel of truth, liberty and freedom preached, with a demonstration of power.
We want the truth that emulates from this place to be Christ centered, cross honoring gospel truth that has the power to change lives and bring freedom from every bondage there is. There are many false and fake Gospels out there. We want the real Gospel, and we want this to be a place of truth.
We want that Gospel to have accompanying power. We refuse to go to the world with just a book, and a message, but with power. Power ushers and promotes the preferable future.
Romans 1V16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith
Acts 1V8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
1 Cor1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God
John 14 The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves. 12"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Jesus would say believe my message, and if you cant, then believe based on the miraculous works I do.
Today the church says, believe the message, and maybe one day there will be miracles. We need to get back to normal supernatural Christianity that has the power of God flowing through the veins of every born again spirit filled believer.
The good news is that that power is already there. Every believer has the power of God in them for miracles and healing and acts of power.
Jesus said:
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do
So were on this journey of discovering who we are. When we were born again, we were made new creatures, we were given a new nature, a nature that as Bill Johnson says "has the very righteousness of God flowing through our veins". As were transformed by the renewing of our minds, and more clearly begin to see who we are as a result of what He has done to us, we begin to see the power within us.
Our contention becomes to destroy every argument and pretention that sets it-self up against the knowledge of Christ. We demolish the demonic lies that disqualify us from seeing who we are.
This year God spoke to us clearly about seeing who we are in Christ, and we are learning.
That's why the Gospel of grace is so essential. The word clearly teaches us that God qualifies every one of us for ministry. God freely gives us everything we need fro life and Godliness. There are no levels, there are no favorites, there are no super hero's. Were all qualified, were all hero's.
Religion wants to disqualify you, legalism wants to disqualify you, lying demons want to disqualify you , but God has qualified you. Every one who believes is qualified!
2 Cor 3V4 Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. 5Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, 6who has made us competent(Or sufficient) to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Who has qualified you…God, and what God has qualified, let no man disqualify!
You are qualified to minister life! You are the life and light of Christ. Everywhere you go you carry the power and presence of God. Arise shine for your light has come, and the glory of the lord has risen upon you. Jesus has qualified you, your life is now hidden in Christ, and You are in Christ. You have become a son. You are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. There is no condemnation for you. Every hindrance is removed. We used to believe that sin hinders the ability to minister. Believing that leaves every believer neutralized. For every believer has sin. God uses imperfect people to minister to imperfect people, growing us all the while.
Were contending for a culture where people be who they are. Be who you are. A righteous spirit made perfect forever by Christ. Hebrews says "you are the spirit of the righteous made perfect"…and "by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever…". We don't look to the discouragement of our condition, but to the joy of our position in Him.
Every contention flows from faith. If we need out perfection and performance to minister, we will loose faith every time we fail. But if our faith is in His performance on our behalf, we can have a permanent sustained faith that can produce superior results.
Imagine a Church that operates with this revelation. Imagine every believer having power flowing out of their every pronunciation of the Gospel. Who ever though it would be so simple all we need to do is preach the Gospel, and then watch God back it up with signs wonders and power.
Mark 16:20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.
All we have to do is preach the Gospel. Wow, and signs will follow!
I started by saying this We want the culture of the Gospel of truth, liberty and freedom preached, with a demonstration of power.
Preach the message, the Gospel, the Gospel of the glorious grace of God, and signs will follow. I'm not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God unto salvation. For in it a righteousness is revealed from God! Preach the Gospel of righteousness by faith. When you believe in Jesus you are made righteous. You are saved, and now made right with God forever! The power of God is in this message of the sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf! Now God is with you and in you. You can do anything, all things are possible with Christ.
Were positioned for victory, when we preach the Gospel there is accompanying signs.
When we believe in Jesus there are miracles through who we are. Were infused with supernatural sanctified steroids. Now through the preaching of the Gospel, and the revelation of who we are in Christ, we will never be the same, the church will never be the same, and the world around us will be effected like never before!
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