#282 Kingdom: The Revelation of Christ

John 16: 7] “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.

John 16: 12] “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. [13] “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. [14] “He shall glorify Me; for He shall take of Mine, and shall disclose it to you. [15] “All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said, that He takes of Mine, and will disclose it to you.

Jesus was going away but He assured them in was in their best interests because He was going to send the Holy Spirit to them in a much greater dimension. He had been “with them” but now He would be “in them.” In this dimension the Holy Spirit will repeat to us what He hears from heaven and He will disclose it to us. The Holy Spirit takes those things that belong to Jesus and discloses them to us. The Holy Spirit will reveal or disclose the things that the Father has that has now been assigned to Jesus. With this “restoration” we will be kept up to date with the revelation of Jesus and with current information for the church and daily direction. Even though this level of revelation has been treated as too incredible for today, the fact is that God has not reduced this down to the level that we readily understand with the natural mind today.

For example; The disciples had no way of knowing that Jesus ascended to the right hand of God and took His seat there unless the Holy Spirit revealed it. Much of what the disciples knew about the risen Lord was revealed to them by the Holy Spirit. Even Paul’s third heaven encounter was the Holy Spirit disclosing the things concerning Jesus.

I am guessing that it is the Holy Spirit that is revealing Christ, the King of His Kingdom, to us even in this time period. For Him to reveal Christ to us it is necessary to reveal His Kingdom also or we will get a shallow view of the exalted Christ and maybe only understand Him as the Savior that died for our sins. I suspect it is the Holy Spirit that is disclosing to us another dimension of the risen Lord and His Divine Sovereignty over all of God’s creation, including both the visible and the invisible realms.

In other words, our connection to the Kingdom of Heaven reality is through our union with the Holy Spirit. {being filled] If we refuse to give Him full access to our life, we cut ourselves off from the revelation and reality of the Kingdom of God. If our revelation of the Kingdom of Heaven is so shallow, our understanding of “the heaven of God’s purpose” will also be too shallow. We then separate “heaven” from the Kingdom Government of God and make it a place we go when we die. Without spiritual revelation all we have to use in explaining the Kingdom of Heaven is the natural mind, using natural things, to explain a natural heaven with natural characteristics such as flowers, exotic odors, peace, righteousness etc. While these things may be accurate they speak very little about His demands and His eternal government. They say very little about God and His “set sons” or the “overcomers” that will rule with Him. They say nothing about the Laws of God being administrated throughout the universe of God’s creation. These things say nothing about those who carry the Word of God out from the New Jerusalem to the nations of the New Earth.

Without the revelation of the Holy Spirit we are limited in our understanding to just what we can comprehend with our natural mind. The natural man in the pulpit, preaching natural words, to natural men in the pew, who only understand with the natural mind is supposed to produce a spiritual result that will build up a natural church with a natural vision of heaven and God’s purpose. Obviously the result is 100% natural. Paul rebuked the church at Corinth because they were walking like mere natural men and acting in a carnal way. The natural ministry of the natural man will never reveal Christ to anyone and neither will it reveal or demonstrate the Kingdom of Christ.

Why then, has the Kingdom been lost by the church? Probably because these dimensions of the Holy Spirit have been lost to the Church. Being “Pentecostal” today is not much different than being “denominational” in our reliance upon the Holy Spirit to bring the Revelation of Christ and His Kingdom.

The result is that the message centers around restoring forgiveness of sins to the church rather than restoring the Kingdom of God to the church. The message of “forgiveness” may not be so shallow but it is very limited. For example we may preach by the Spirit of Christ who is in us. This is not wrong but it is limited..

1 Pet 1: 9] obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls. [10] As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful search and inquiry, [11] seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. [12] It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven--things into which angels long to look.

Much of the preaching today in the denominational “salvation”churches is done by the Spirit of Christ. However, the gospel of the Kingdom is preached by the Holy Spirit that has now been sent down from heaven. The fact that we are baptized with the Holy Spirit doesn’t prevent us preaching by the Spirit of Christ also but the Kingdom is preached by the Holy Spirit!

To try to comprehend the various attributes of the Kingdom and to preach them by the natural mind may be popular but far short of God’s plan. Since it is the Holy Spirit that brings us the revelation of Christ and the things pertaining to Him, it must be by the Holy Spirit that these things are preached. There has to be some reason for the weakness and shallowness of our message. There certainly nothing wrong with preaching the sufferings of Christ and the glories that follows. But now Christ has arisen and is seated upon the throne of the Kingdom and He must rule until every enemy is put under His feet. He must subdue all other kingdoms and establish His Kingdom and then He will surrender the Kingdom to the Father, that He might become all in all. This Gospel of the Kingdom is preached by the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven, things that the angels are curious about. They will most likely hear this revelation of the Kingdom from us.

Mat 16: 15----“But who do you say that I am?” [16] And Simon Peter answered and said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” [17] And Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. [18] “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it. [19] “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

The Keys to the Kingdom are given upon the revelation of Christ that is given by the Father but probably delivered by the Holy Spirit today. Since the true church is built upon the revelation of Christ, the disclosure of Christ by the Holy Spirit is essential for this work of building the church. Jesus said He will build His church. He will also speak and the Holy Spirit will convey the message to us. The Holy Spirit doesn’t speak on His own initiative but speaks what He hears and reveals it to us. It is by this revelation that Jesus is building His church but He is doing it through those who are hearing what the Holy Spirit is saying. “Hear what the Spirit is saying” in Revelation 2 & 3 is the Keys to the Kingdom. This focuses upon the revelation of Christ and hearing what He is saying through the Holy Spirit. To try to make the “keys” some denominational thing is foolishness.

If we ignore Christ’s function through the Holy Spirit we will ignore the focus upon the Kingdom Government of God and the church will suffer loss. In the last restorations, over the past 500 years, the Kingdom has been neglected because the emphasis has been upon the Outer Court experiences. Now the emphasis is upon the Holy Place and the Lampstand Church and the “Kingdom obedience” is essential to produce the pure gold. The revelation of the seven Spirits of God will reveal so much more about the Kingdom from the Showbread. The construction of this Lampstand is probably the next major restoration. However, without an accurate revelation of the Holy Spirit and His work this will be delayed.

The natural mind of the natural man has had nearly 2000 years to ponder this mystery of the Lampstand and very little has been accomplished. There is no reason to believe that another 100 years of the natural mind, preaching natural thoughts to the natural man, who can only understand what is natural, will produce any more. The fulfillment of the Feast of Pentecost, which must take us beyond the down payment level, is essential to the experience of the church in our day.

The details of the Feast of Pentecost or the Feast of the Fiftieth Day will reveal there is much more to Pentecost than speaking in tongues.

Lev 23:15 `You shall also count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day when you brought in the sheaf of the wave offering; there shall be seven complete Sabbaths. [16] `You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall present a new grain offering to the LORD. [17] `You shall bring in from your dwelling places two loaves of bread for a wave offering, made of two-tenths of an ephah; they shall be of a fine flour, baked with leaven as first fruits to the LORD. [18] `Along with the bread, you shall present seven one year old male lambs without defect, and a bull of the herd, and two rams; they are to be a burnt offering to the LORD, with their grain offering and their libations, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the LORD. [19] `You shall also offer one male goat for a sin offering and two male lambs one year old for a sacrifice of peace offerings. [20] `The priest shall then wave them with the bread of the first fruits for a wave offering with two lambs before the LORD; they are to be holy to the LORD for the priest. [21] `On this same day you shall make a proclamation as well; you are to have a holy convocation. You shall do no laborious work. It is to be a perpetual statute in all your dwelling places throughout your generations.

The various sacrifices connected to the Feast of Pentecost have been ignored and the fulness of Pentecost has escaped us and instead of the Spirit without measure we have just received the down-payment of the Spirit. Because of this we are poorly prepared to experience the revelation of the Seven Spirits of God “disclosing”the hidden things in the Showbread and the deeper things of our cooperation with God to get His will done on earth..

Until the Holy Spirit reveals the things that the Father has given to Christ and the things that Jesus Christ is currently saying to the church, we will be just repeating the same old things over and over. It is my opinion that too much of the church is getting bored with that level of ministry.

There are 6 separate offerings presented at the Consecration Offering and it appears like some of these offerings are identified in the Feast of Pentecost. In Exodus 40 God connects Baptism, the Garments, the Anointing, the Consecration Offering and the Ministry together. These are the requirements for the priesthood and prepares us to minister to the Lord..

Exo 40:12] “Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the doorway of the tent of meeting and wash them with water. [13] “And you shall put the holy garments on Aaron and anoint him and consecrate him, that he may minister as a priest to Me. [14] “And you shall bring his sons and put tunics on them; [15] and you shall anoint them even as you have anointed their father, that they may minister as priests to Me; and their anointing shall qualify them for a perpetual priesthood throughout their generations.”

In ministering the Holy Spirit to believers we should possibly include the “water baptism, the garments, the anointing of the Holy Spirit and the Consecration Offering” as one experience. In other words if believers were totally given to God as part of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit it may save years of struggle to move into the fulness of the Spirit. Years and years spent under the natural light of the Outer Court can possibly be avoided and the believers who become priests can begin functioning in the Holy Place ministries immediately. For “pastors or the other ministries” to be limited to the Outer Court ministries has severely limited the church from making the transition to the “priesthood ministry” because there is no one to lead them into that dimension.

Jesus Christ took up His priesthood after the order of Melchizedek as part of His Baptism in the Holy Spirit at the Jordan River WHEN HE WAS BAPTIZED. He immediately presented His Consecration Offering in the 40 days in the wilderness and then began His ministry. If there had been a twenty year delay between His Baptism in Water, His Baptism in the Holy Spirit and the Consecration Offering it might be a pattern for our experience. The fact that this all happened in a little over one month is part of the revelation of Christ. In my opinion the Holy Spirit is saying that we need to change our understanding of the Holy Place “salvation.”

From the viewpoint of the “priesthood after the order of Melchizedek” there is no place to stop at the Altar or the Laver or the garments or the anointing or the Consecration. Priesthood “salvation”begins in the Holy Place! If we could move believers into this priesthood ministry in one day the struggle with the Outer Court light would be eliminated and then new souls could be sought through “priesthood evangelism.” Of course this is a new term but is confirmed by Exodus 40:12-15.

For example; Acts 8:4 Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word. [5] And Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ to them. [6] And the multitudes with one accord were giving attention to what was said by Philip, as they heard and saw the signs which he was performing. [7] For in the case of many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them shouting with a loud voice; and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed. [8] And there was much rejoicing in that city.

Acts 8: 12] But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike. [13] And even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip; and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed.

Acts 8:14 Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, [15] who came down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit. [16] For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. [17] Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.

It seems that “priesthood evangelism” was moving along fairly fast “by the believers” and there was very little delay between these Outer Court experiences. There was forgiveness of sins, deliverance, water baptism and miracles in nearly the same day. A few days later they received the Holy Spirit! It would have been more clear if then the Bible said Peter and John immediately lead them into presenting their bodies as a full Consecration Offering. Of course that is not recorded but in those days to become a “Christian” was not very popular and they could get excommunicated from the Jewish religion or receive severe persecution from the Jewish leaders and from the unbelievers. Even though “Consecration” is not mentioned, the hostile conditions within that society reveal the truth of full commitment.

Our goal is to see this long delay between the first experiences and the entrance through the Second Veil reduced to a few days instead of years. The five-fold ministries have tried to bring the believers to perfection and establish them in the “ministry” by keeping them in the Outer Court. If these five-fold ministries can’t get them into the Holy Place Life they will never bring them to perfection. The Outer Court was never designed for that work. Once the five-fold ministries get the believers into that dimension of the Holy Place, God will teach them and discipline them and cause the growth.

Keeping the believers in the Outer Court and teaching them how to move in the gifts and how to do natural light ministry or how to move in the anointing has not proved successful over the past 30 years. We have thought that if we taught them “knowledge” that was real growth. The problem is their life doesn’t change and even with “knowledge” they can do very little. It seems that the five-fold ministries are just teaching Outer Court doctrines instead of laying these foundations and insisting they go on to perfection. However, if the “ministries” don’t move ahead first they can’t lead anyone into these spiritual dimensions. The result is that if believers want to move into these realms these Outer Court “ministries” feel threatened. If we just understood that the Outer Court is ONLY for foundations we wouldn’t try to get the believers to grow by repeating these same things year after year. Real growth is in the spirit, not in knowledge. It is not that “knowledge”{gnosis} is not important but it is the true knowledge or “epignosis” that comes from God and causes growth.

1 Cor 3: 6] I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. [7] So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.

This is such a simple truth but we either don’t believe it or we ignore it and think WE can cause the growth by keeping the believers in the Outer Court and teaching them the same things over and over, year after year. This ignorance must cease because that was in the past and that time is over.

Eph 1:17] that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. Knowledge here is epignosis and is the result of the ministry of the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation, which is one of the seven Spirits of God on the Lampstand. If the five-fold ministries could impart this “epignosis” through the Outer Court ministries things might be different. Apparently this “knowledge” is beyond “the ministry of man” and must be by the direct revelation by God. Therefore, the sooner we, ourselves, get into the Holy Place and then get the believers into the Holy Place Life, the sooner the church will begin to grow.