empty empty empty

#290 Kingdom: A Heart for Restoration


“A Heart for God” is a term that can be wonderfully real or it can just be another Christian Cliche. So what does it mean when it is really real? When the Holy Spirit is alive in us there is a “spiritual energy” within our new nature that propels us into a new direction and He begins to work toward new goals. This energy is subjective. Ordinarily, in the Pentecostal mind set the power of God or this “spiritual energy” is objective and is manifested in gifts of power etc.


Luke 4:1 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led about by the Spirit in the wilderness [2] for forty days, being tempted by the devil.


This new energy within set Jesus into a new direction with a new goal. Following this experience the goal was revealed.


Luke 4:14 And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit; and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district. [15] And He began teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all.


Luke 4:16 And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. [17] And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book, and found the place where it was written, [18] “THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE DOWNTRODDEN, [19] TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD.”


It is my understanding that when God puts a hunger and purpose in our heart, He will answer every prayer associated with that motivation within. This may be premature but I want to call this “Incense Prayer” when the motivation of God connects with the heart desire of man and the focused faith of one or more “priests of God.” This burning within IS the fire of the Holy Spirit preparing the incense to rise from the Altar of our life. In this, we become the Incense Altar and our “incense prayer” rises up to God and cooperates with Him to get His will done on earth. This is another example of the Kingdom of heaven being manifested on earth.


Several of us now are feeling the same burden for a corporate group to start to experience the next restoration of God. Many of us have been deceived into thinking that God has a fixed timetable and on a certain predetermined date God is going to begin the next restoration. I have been “waiting” for this to happen since 1985 even though I suspected that this restoration would require our cooperation with God and a crying out of hungry hearts to ask God to do it.


Daniel had been studying the prophets that came before him and learned that the time of the captivity of Israel had finished. Still, no deliverance had come. If God had set a date on the calender then deliverance would come to Israel whether Daniel had prayed or not. Since the earth has been given to man for His apprenticeship training for eternity, God can do nothing until man asks Him or cooperates with God to get His will on earth accomplished. This action is man submitting to the sovereignty of God and standing with God in His purpose. It appears that Daniel was alone in this tremendous work.


It is my opinion that God has done wonderful things in the past through one man or a very small group of believers diligently asking Him to do it. It is my opinion now that God is waiting for a corporate group to diligently ask God to begin the next restoration. I believe the reason is because of the magnitude of this restoration and the dramatic effect it will have upon the church, upon the nations, upon the unbelievers and upon the “priesthood ministry after the order of Melchizedek.”


Nothing like this has ever taken place in church history before. I expect this restoration will overshadow and surpass all past restorations and will require the greatest consecration of the church to the purpose of God. This “Consecration Offering”will develop a “creative desire” that will produce a faith to boldly ask God to begin the restoration. This is not asking God to raise up somebody other than you to do the ministry but entering into covenant with God to participate and answer the call, personally.


If we believe in the cooperation and partnership between God and man in the government of the affairs of the earth, this is the time to make it experiential. To make this experiential there must be a fusing, a union, a spiritual bond between God and man in the spirit / soul of the inner man so that the “two (God and man) have become one.” This is not just a “cooperation” between a “saved person” and the eternal God but a Vine-branch union so the two are one in mind, will, emotion, purpose, nature, Life and character. My thought is just stop praying “Lord make me a channel of your power” and begin with “Lord, make me one with you.” “Make me a channel” leaves us separated from God!


This may seem to be too much hype for today but I believe this is supported by scripture and this is the time for a real corporate unity. For example; If I am one with God and you are one with God and others are one with God then we are one with each other. [It is the law of mathematics] And this is most likely the “Law of the Kingdom.” Trying to get a bunch if “individuals” to come together in unity has been very disappointing.


When we come into unity with God we will come into harmony with His life and purpose. If there is a conflict between us and God there can be no harmony. Unity means there is a rhythm between our spirit and the Spirit of God so we move in unison. It may be something like a symphony orchestra where all the instruments are cooperating with the conductor for a common purpose of making music. Still, the conductor and the musicians are in unity.


It is interesting that God did not tell Moses “You strike the water with your rod and then I will part the red sea.” God just told Moses to divide the sea. WHEN God has all there is of us AND we have all there is of God, God and man become one. He is Spirit of our spirit and we are spirit of His Spirit. Many of us now are longing for the time when our soul, mind, spirit, heart and being enters into God and God into us. Until there is a real and total consecration this is cannot be our experience. While portions of this has been taught in past generations, the time line given is after we die and go to heaven. I am suggesting that we need to begin to think and pray for these things in the present and begin experiencing the next restoration now!


Should we wait until this “truth” is widely accepted before we start to pray? If this is present truth does it matter if anyone believes it or not? For example there is a verse in Romans 8 :29-30 that seems to mix up the proper time line.


Rom 8 :29] For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren; [30] and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.


We can follow this until the last statement. We know we have been justified but to say that we are now “GLORIFIED” is not acceptable to our understanding. This is a hard saying! But what IF it is true? Would it be wrong to believe it is true and begin to act upon this truth? But what does that really say? I am guessing that this statement is so compressed that it may require much prayer and meditation to decompress it. IF it means that we have the potential to come into union with God, through Christ, by the Holy Spirit then glorification is a possibility. If it is a possibility should we just wait for it or should we begin to pray for it?


IF we are going to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom with the authority of the Throne it may be necessary for the Living and abiding Word of God to dwell in us and for us to be anointed by the Holy Spirit who has filled us. Since this is a widely accepted doctrine can it be much more radical to speak about a union of Life and purpose with Him?


We might call this the “vision” of the glorified Christ AND the glorified Christian. Not just a person justified and saved from his sin but one that is recreated in Christ Jesus and joined to Him in a Vine-branch union. It would be nice if we could preach this message and then have people come forward to receive this blessing. However, this will require each individual to do business with God in total surrender and full consecration. I believe these are two parts of the same act. One thing many of us have discovered is that every consecration has to be tested to see if it is real and enduring. It seems clear that Paul’s consecration was tested regularly.


In the next restoration the separation will be between those who received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the gift of tongues and those that received the same baptism of the Holy Spirit with a full consecration. All who “speak in tongues” consider themselves “equal” with all others that speak in tongues. The difference will be visible in those who have died to themselves in full consecration after they spoke in tongues. Power and quality of the baptism of the Holy Spirit has been emasculated by those that “just spoke in tongues” and have become a stumbling block to others by their life.


For about two years we have been emphasizing Col 3:1 If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. [2] Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. [3] For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. [4] When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.


If we expect to see the Jesus of today we need to stop focusing upon Calvary and discover the Lord who is now seated upon the throne in heaven but dwells in our life as the Spirit of Christ. We are raised up with Him and He has come down to be joined with us as one new man. He already has been given ALL power and authority and dominion and He is hopefully ruling in us and through us. Together we are the manifestation of God to this earth. We may either see that as “our potential” or as a “reality.” If we see this as a reality we could say “we are glorified together with Him.” This may require a small adjustment in our thinking and in our prayer time.


This new order of “king / priests after the order of Melchizedek” will require many adjustments in how we view the Christian Life and our oneness with Christ. The old order must pass away for us who are moving forward into the next restoration and the new order must quickly take its place. The adjustment from the Outer Court light to the Light of the Holy Place will be revolutionary.


Each of us must redefine what “salvation means” as our personal experience. We have covered this theme in other studies but we can review here. “Salvation means ALL that God can accomplish in us, in body, soul, and spirit during our life time on earth.” One part of that is “salvation from sin” but “salvation” also includes the Kingdom fulfillment in our lives, experientially. Since we have focused upon the negative aspect of forgiveness and removal of sin, we may have neglected the positive aspect of perfecting us for the Kingdom of God which is a full re-creative work in our inner man.


The error has probably come because we have focused upon the letter of scripture rather than the spirit of scripture. We have focused upon a few verses to define salvation rather than on God’s eternal purpose. Many who have been forgiven of their sins are still short of spiritual enlightenment. When Jesus breathed or blew into His disciples, something of Himself entered into them and became part of them in the same way that something of God was breathed into Adam and he became a living soul. Adam was not a separate creation from God, (evolution) but had something of God in him that was called image and likeness.


When we discover that we are no longer separate from Christ but something of Christ dwells in us we will discover that we are of a different species than other earth dwellers. If the Holy Spirit of God dwells in us we are not under the same restrictions as other earth dwellers. According to John 14:23] Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our abode with him.


If God and man become one there is a new creation, a new species of man present on earth. If the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit came to dwell in man nothing should be called impossible. I believe this is the confidence that must become normal to the next restoration. God in heaven and man upon earth was the mentality of the Outer Court restorations and our prayer and fellowship was with a God who might show up for the meetings. The Holy Place restoration must “BEGIN” with a change of mind and a confidence that the body of Christ cannot be separated from the Christ our Head. If God is in us then we are God / men and a different species from other men limited by flesh. In the spiritual light of the Holy Place, these things that seem incredible now will become normal and we must begin to live in and act upon this higher truth.


This transition in our faith and in our thinking may be a greater transformation than when we first believed. Psalms 8: 4] What is man, that Thou dost take thought of him? And the son of man, that Thou dost care for him? [5] Yet Thou hast made him a little lower than God, And dost crown him with glory and majesty! [6] Thou dost make him to rule over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet, [7] All sheep and oxen, And also the beasts of the field, [8] The birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, Whatever passes through the paths of the seas. To live in this dimension and act upon this eternal truth will certainly require a great rectification in our faith and thinking. A transformation in both our spirit and in our soul and certainly a renewing of our mind. The same old status quo mentality will not welcome these new demands upon this new species of men who after Christ were created in the image of God..


Since the outer man and how he functions in ministry and fellowship has dominated our thinking in the past restorations, it is clear that the inner man must be the focus of our attention in the next restoration. This new species of man must be in the forefront as God’s messenger to this age. The union of this new species man with God IS the source of all ministry from the Holy Place. We trusted in the anointing for ministry in the past, which was correct, but union is another dimension of ministry that we are not familiar with yet. The “man is mortal mentality” must be corrected to “the redeemed man is a new species mentality.” The revelation of the priesthood ministry is that God and man have become one in essence, in substance and in purpose. Man is in God and God is in man. We may accept this as a doctrine but to live in this dimension is quite different from what is normal Christian thought. Jesus Christ has breathed Himself into us and He is the motivation of the new inner man. It is this “new inner man” that is led by the Holy Spirit and is the son of God. The ministry of the outer man by the five physical senses and by the Tree of Knowledge is no longer acceptable and is being rejected by more and more believers today. That which is predominately physical and soulish is considered as dead by those who are seeking spiritual reality.


This “new man” is the dwelling place of God and this “new man” is the substance and essence of God who has come as our new Zoe Life. The Holy Place ministry is out of this Zoe Life. Thank God for the anointing and the gifts but the emphasis will soon be upon ministering Spirit and Life and Truth. It is this “new inner man that is groaning and weeping within” that cannot be satisfied with more religious meetings. It appears that God’s government is NOT set up in the outer physical man but only in the new man of the heart. Therefore, until the new man becomes predominate in us, God’s government becomes ineffective to correct, discipline and govern us. Just as the outer man is conscious of things around us so the inner man is conscious of the things that touch the spirit and are being taught within us. Most of us have neglected this ministry of the inner man and therefore have failed in outward ministry. The Charismatic Movement was criticized on this point by those who were doing the same things. It is my opinion that we will never come to know God except as He is revealed in our inner man. L:ooking for outward signs of God has been popular but results in confused concepts of God.


While we could say that our new spirit is created in the image of God most of us know our soul is not yet transformed into the image of Christ. Our corrupt outward actions are the product of this undeveloped soul. We may be “redeemed” but our soul is not yet rectified to accurately reflect the God who is within. I am guessing that God will correct this defect in the priesthood ministry as they stand before Him, minister to Him and burn Incense! The development of our new spirit is probably the greatest need we have today to assist in the development of the soul. The development of our soul into the image of Christ is probably the greatest need that we have today to prepare us for the next restoration. This “new inner man” which is developing into the image of Christ is the “instrument” for the “priesthood ministry” assigned to the function in the Holy Place restoration. The development of the “new inner man”means the development of the new “spirit / soul man.” Much of our emphasis has been upon the development of the “spirit man” but it seems clear that the “soul man” must experience a parallel development to complete the function of the one “inner man.” God must “transform us” before He can trust us with more of His Life and His Person.


Our first clue that we are receiving more light comes when we finally realize that our life is not in harmony with the Life and purpose of God. Our focus has been upon a greater ministry until we realized that our feeble life will not support a higher ministry. God is certainly not withholding a higher ministry but He is preparing us to support a higher ministry. That higher ministry is to stand before Him, minister to Him and burn Incense.


We might call this higher life “the spiritualization of the soul.” That means a turning of the soul toward the spirit until the soul can receive instruction from the spirit. That is as opposed to receiving instruction from the earth bound mind. I am guessing that the first indication that we are experiencing the “spiritualization of the soul” will be that we are beginning to receive a clearer revelation of “Christ in us” our hope of glory. This development of the “inner man” is the key to the priesthood ministry functioning in spiritual light. God has a lot of work to finish within us.