23.1 Prophecy
© 2017 Christ Revealed Bible Institute
God creates all things by speaking. Jesus sustains all things by the spoken Words that He is. Yet, in their creation and continuance, all things remain ignorant of God. And thus many things turn to their own iniquity in spite of the good speaking by which they exist. God has set from the beginning, inside His Pro-Thesis, His original declaration of intent, that the manner by which He will turn all things towards goodness is by working together with us, His image and likeness.
Paul stated that this Word that is God, this Word that is Jesus, is in our mouths and in our hearts, and that we speak the same Word together with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Positioning Everything. Now, I want to position everything before we continue to investigate the Covenant terms regarding this incredible ability God has placed in our mouths. In the last session, I spoke of authority, ability, and power. We have established our authority to speak Christ into all – This is My commandment – that you love one another in the exact same way that I have loved you. In this session, we are setting forth our Ability to speak Christ, the ability and the right of every human to speak. Then, in the next session, Cleansing Water, we will seek out the terms of the Covenant regarding the Spirit flowing out from us accomplishing all that we speak – the Power.
Motive – Opportunity – Means. In a sense, we have returned to the premise of Symmorphy I: Purpose, except we have laid out the commission of this mystery in this order – motive (love) – opportunity – (a mouth to speak Christ) – and means (by My Spirit, says the Lord.)
It’s so very simple, really. We know that we have the motive to commit this crime of God now and here through our human flesh – The Love of God IS shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit given to us (Romans 5:5). We have the opportunity – The Word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart, this Word of faith which we speak (Romans 10:8). And we have the means – He who believes in Me, out of his belly will flow Rivers of Living Water (John 7:38).
The Covenant. WOW! Do you see that? That’s the Covenant. That’s exactly how we set all creation free. – By the Word of their testimony. Print out these words, memorize them, know them.
God Manifest in My Flesh.
The motive – The Love of God IS shed abroad in my heart through the Holy Spirit given to me.
The opportunity – The Word is near me, in my mouth and in my heart, this Word of faith which I speak.
The means – I, who believe in Jesus, out of my belly are flowing Rivers of Living Water.
The time and place – before the resurrection – IN MY MORTAL FLESH (2 Corinthians 4:10-11).
The Greek “Pro. ” Let God be true! – Let God be true.
The Greek prefix “pro” is very commonly used and is attached to many different roots. When it is used in reference to earthly or daily events, it means, most certainly, “before,” the same as our English prefix, “pre.” Yet in things pertaining to God, it cannot mean “before,” as in, “a long time ago.” Rather, it must mean “out of the depths of an all-here-now and Personal God.”
In other words, “pro” refers to that which is already true right now INSIDE of God without reference to any created thing – and thus the source out from which all things come. Besides the three big “pro’s” we have already studied, one more is at the level of a Covenant Word – Pro-phecy.
Seven Words Together. Pro-Thesis – Pro-Knowing – Pro-Determination – Pro-Calling Forth. Inserting Symmorphy and Image in between God-Determining and God-Doing means that everything God is and does, He intends to be and to do through us. Let’s put all seven words together.
Pro-Thesis, the set forth purpose of God – Pro-Knowing, the Heart of God in which all things first exist – Pro-Determination, the Fire of God by which all things are set in their course – Symmorphy, the nature of God by which He reveals Himself – Image, you and me through whom God reveals Himself – Pro-Calling Forth, God Himself, now in our mouths – Inheritance, all of God and all of creation given to us.
Both Sevens. Now, let me show you something. I already penciled in the topic of the next lesson – Speaking the Seven. Under that heading, I meant to see how it is that we speak Christ as each one of the seven entrances or passages in this walk of the Covenant, this passage of the Jordan. I had no thought of laying out these seven words in this manner. Yet look at that. Both sevens are the same.
The authority by which we speak, by which we call forth Christ into the human experience as the knowledge of God in every place, MUST BE known and it must be placed in its place so that we might KNOW. Creation set free is dependent upon our CONFIDENCE.
The Spirit of Prophecy. Alas, we must await the next lesson before writing out this wondrous pattern. Here we must continue with the New Testament word – prophecy.
For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy (Revelation 19:10). – They overcame him… by the word of their testimony (Revelation 12:11). – The word is near you, even in your mouth and in your heart, this word of faith which we speak (Romans 10:8). Speaking the truth in love, we grow up in all things into Him (Ephesians 4:15). – Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy… He who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men (1 Corinthians 14:1 & 3).
A Five-Fold Ministry. Now, we must deal with something that is powerfully of the evil one inside the church of Christ. And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints (Ephesians 4:11-12a).
In present Christianity, the outline of “evangelists, pastors, and teachers” is reasonably close to God’s meaning, in spite of limited understanding. “Apostles and prophets,” however, are NOT. The problem is ENTIRELY the definition of “God.” Those who see God through the lens of the serpent define “apostles and prophets” in a manner contrary to Jesus.
Functions of Ministry. The “evangelist” is that function of Jesus Himself, anointing those chosen by Him, to lead those whom the Father has given to Jesus through the Gate and into the forgiveness of sins.
The “prophet” is that function of Jesus Himself, anointing those chosen by Him to lead God’s people into the Holy Place, into the rivers of Spirit, and there to teach them to speak Christ.
The “apostle” is that function of Jesus Himself, anointing those chosen by Him to lead God’s people into the Holiest and there to turn them around to BE the Mercy Seat of God, going forth with Father to set creation free.
The “pastor,” then, refers to those in all three arenas who guide God’s people forward with tender hearts and the “teacher” refers to those who make the Word coming through each arena clear to all and applicable to every daily circumstance.
The Core of Calvinism. The central essence of seeing God through the image of Satan (I am the likeness of God), the defining core of Calvinism, is this. The sight of God as He “IS” creates in the one seeing the knowledge of SIN in the flesh. And thus those who “see God” in this evil way interpret “speaking the truth in love” as meaning exposing SIN in those who belong to Jesus. “I call it like I see it.” There is no truer testimony. Their eyes are filled with sin and Satan, and they see both everywhere they look – yet they call their “seeing,” “God!” If I “love” you, then I will be causing you to see just how riddled you are with sin and iniquity, while placing upon you an obligation you can neither bear nor escape.
Old Testament “Prophets.” Then, we have many who do enter into the Holy Place, into full immersion in the Holy Spirit and into a further understanding of the grace of God. Yet because of the grip of Nicene theology, their overall definition cannot change.
Many, then, find in themselves a human ability to assert themselves as “prophets.” Yet they use the Old Testament role and function of “prophet” as their definition. Thus they “predict” the future, whether in general or personally for individual people. God does not “predict the future,” God speaks Christ and inside of Jesus each one finds their destiny.
Encouragement – Confidence – Hope. When I read the utterances of present-day, Spirit-filled “prophets,” I do not read any words that are speaking Christ into me personally, causing me to acknowledge all the good things of Christ inside of and revealed now through me. In my experience in the Spirit-filled fellowship of which I was once a part, most “speaking the truth” was, “Let me show you how you are falling short of God.”
Paul’s definition of New Testament prophecy is VERY specific - He who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. Three things – edification, that is, be encouraged inside of Jesus – exhortation, that is, be confident in Jesus in you – comfort, that is, hope in Jesus who always carries you.
The Apocalypse. Almost all Christians rip Jesus right out of His revelation. The “apocalypse” is, to most, a time of unprecedented evil, the exposing of SIN, and the destruction of mankind. And thus, “I will give to My two witnesses and they will prophecy” means, to most, Old Testament “prophets” striding across the earth, exposing sin and striking people dead.
All who read the Apocalypse in that way carry Satan in their eyes. Some even, attempting to find a “God of love,” rather than remove Satan from their eyes, cut John’s vision out of their Bibles, even while continuing to accuse the “God of the Bible” as evil. Yet there is a greater evil in present-day “prophesying.”
A False Prophet. John spoke of a false prophet, a prophet who “exalts the beast.”
And this is the most terrible thing found in the words of many of those moving in the realms of “Spirit-filled prophetic utterance.” You will find them exalting the governments of men, particularly that dark religious cult called the “United States of America.” And you will find them placing “God’s Purpose” upon that perverse and wicked people who have seized by violence and in defiance against Jesus, that little strip of land on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. And you will find them glorying in the return of the sacrifice of beasts, one of many abominations in the “Holiest.”
God’s Real Testimony. Now, I have set forth this false prophesying regarding a serpentine “God” as starkly as I can in order to show this enormous UPSET that is coming as God’s REAL testimony of Christ stands forth upon this earth. I LOVE you; I lay down my life for you – a Fire that consumes all that is false.
Let us turn abruptly, now, to our final definitions of what “Pro-Calling Forth” actually means. We do not deny the negative side of our testimony, a negative against two things, the governments of men in this world and the powers of darkness. To bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence (1 Corinthians 1:28-29).
Our True Focus. Yet, as with Jesus, we spend little time on that focus, just an abrupt declaration and a casual dismissal. Do you see how these words, “that dark religious cult called the United States of America,” coming through the power of the Holy Ghost, require an immediate cutting off of such evil as “God bless America.” The world hates Me because I testify against it that its deeds are evil – yet Jesus said very little, actually, against the world. His presence alone, speaking Father into people, was sufficient.
Yet we turn, now, to our true FOCUS, and we see the absolute power given to us, this Fire placed in our mouths, to call forth Christ into the human experience.
We Prophesy Christ. God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did (Romans 4:17b).
God has one purpose – Himself to be seen and known by all of His creation – through His image, a family of people walking together in love. You and I are being given by God the incredible privilege of calling this IMAGE forth inside this heaven/earth, the image of God’s dear Son.
We see God, and by seeing God as He is, we acknowledge the good things of Christ inside of us AND we see all things sustained good every moment by the Word of His power. We prophesy Christ; we call what IS into appearance forever.