Anne led group in worship…
Pastor Ray shared…
Erika and I are going to share a couple things about the body of Christ today. We both had the same thing come to us. I’m going to read a portion of a Kenneth E. Hagin prophecy. He talks about the body of Christ toward the end of it. In the middle, he said this:
“And let not your heart be fearful nor let it be afraid, for there shall come and on the scene… he has already arisen, one who shall respond unto the things of God and whose heart will be open toward God. And your nation that seemed to be cut down to the roots, and the wild birds and the fowls of the air came and roosted in her branches and did much disrepute unto the nation. Yet that shall all be repaired because this man shall say, ‘I will walk in the way of God. I will trust also in Him.’ And he shall be at the head and many shall follow him. And the work of God shall be consummated and must be consummated in other nations before I come.”
I heard Him say, “Because you see, the enemy shall not gainsay [oppose] the work of the Lord.” And like a trumpet sounding across the valley, I heard His voice, so strong and clear, and He said, “I AM NOT COMING FOR A CHURCH, THE BODY OF CHRIST, THAT’S WEAK, EMACIATED, SICKLY, AND UNDERGROUND. I’M COMING FOR THE SPIRITUAL GIANT THAT’S ALIVE AND LIVING AND WORKING THE WORKS OF GOD!
“So be not fearful, nor cast thy glance around about and become askant [suspicious]. But look ye up unto Him, for He is the head of the Church. And through the Church, the head will manifest Himself. And men are the hands of the Lord, and the hands are in the body. And He shall stretch forth His hands to heal the sick, that signs and wonders shall be wrought in the name of the Holy Child Jesus.”
Pastor Ray continued…
We do the work. We are His hands. We’re His mouthpiece. Lord, we repent for not speaking. For not saying the things that we had opportunity to share or when the opportunity was there and the door was open for us to do more, say more, go more, or whatever… we repent of that. We thank You that Your grace and mercy is working in us and through us in these days. Nothing can stop us—no man, no work of the enemy, or depression… will not stop the Church.
Depression in this room, get off and get out in Jesus’ name. Where depression has tried to have its way, holding men and women and young people and children back, we curse you! We command you to get out! Leave in Jesus’ name. We speak Freedom in the body of Christ.
The body is doing the work of the ministry. That’s why we’re being raised up, members of one body. I’ve been going over how every member must bring his supply, every part doing its job. That’s all we have to do. I cannot do somebody else’s part. Can you?
Erika shared…
We can’t get away from the body of Christ. He doesn’t want us to. He designed it that way. All the while we’re looking into the Word here, our hearts are lifted before the Father concerning these things. The Church taking her position in prayer, praying out these things because “hath God said…” Amen?
Prayed…
Father, we’re so thankful it’s all of You and none of us… but by Your mercy and grace, the Spirit operating to reveal, to declare, to disclose, transmit the things of the Father to us… and enable us, empower us to be who You said we are, to be who You created us to be—the glorious Church. Thank You, that You are the author and finisher and You’re the one that causes us to will and to do of Your good pleasure. We trust you for it and believe You for it and love You for it.
Erika continued…
We’re going to look at some scripture today. So stay with me in your heart connected but always in the position of “Father, this is what You’ve said. I simply believe you to cause it to come to pass. Make me what Your Word says I am. Make the Church what Your Word says.”
In 1st Corinthians 12 (Passion) “My fellow believers, I don’t want you to be confused about spiritual realities. 2 For you know full well that when you were unbelievers you were often led astray in one way or another by your worship of idols, which are incapable of talking with you. 3 Therefore, I want to impart to you an understanding of the following:
No one speaking by the Spirit of God would ever say, “Jesus is the accursed one.” No one can say, “Jesus is the Lord Yahweh,” unless the Holy Spirit is speaking through him. 4 It is the same Holy Spirit who continues to distribute many different varieties of gifts.
Erika continued…
So he begins the discussion of the spiritual gifts we know we’re familiar with in chapter 12.
“The Lord Yahweh is one, and he is the one who apportions to believers different varieties of ministries. 6 The same God distributes different kinds of miracles that accomplish different results through each believer’s gift and ministry as he energizes and activates them. Each believer is given continuous revelation by the Holy Spirit to benefit not just himself but all.”
Erika interjected…
That’s what we’re looking for. Are you believing for it? For the activation of the gifts of the Holy Ghost inside of every believer that you’re so divinely connected to? So he goes on to talk about the variety of spiritual gifts. I’m not going to go into all of that. I just want to highlight some things as our hearts are pouring out for the revelation and the expectation to see the fulfillment of what He said. He said the gift of wisdom, but I like what the commentary said:
“To summarize, God the Father, the Son, and the Spirit delight to give spiritual gifts to His people—the bride of Christ. These gifts are imparted by God to every believer upon conversion as the Holy Spirit chooses. They will confirm the Word of God and expand the kingdom of God.” Did you get that? Do you want expansion in the kingdom of God? Do we want the Word to be confirmed? Amen? “They will confirm the Word of God and expand the kingdom of God. Spiritual gifts can be neglected and misused. But they remain the divine power source for Christ’s body on the earth.”
So we can’t be ignorant thinking, “Well, you know, that happens over there all the time.” He’s talking about you!
“Through teaching, evangelizing, prophesying, demonstrating of the miraculous, God uses His people to expand the kingdom and to establish righteousness on the earth through the proper use of the gifts He has given. There is no place in the scripture or in church history where the gifts were taken away or removed from the body of Christ. The Church moves forward through these divine gifts. Spiritual gifts do not replace the Word of God. But the Word of God will spread and flourish as the fully-equipped body of Christ operates in the wise use of enabling power.”
I like that. So we want that. Amen? So we have the word of wisdom, revelation, prophecy, discerning of spirits, speaking in tongues, and interpretation of tongues. “Remember, it is the same Holy Spirit who distributes, activates, and operates these different gifts as he chooses for each believer (v. 11).”
So then he goes on to say, he’s talking about the gifts. Don’t be ignorant. He goes on to say, “Just as the human body is one, though it has many parts that together form one body, so too is Christ” ( v. 12). He says, “Christ is now a body with many parts. The human body of Jesus is glorified and enthroned in heaven, so also the body of Christ, we are co-enthroned with Him. But we continue to exist on earth to represent Him to the world.” I like that. “For by one spirit, we were all immersed, mingled into one single body. No matter our status, whether we’re Jews, non-Jews, oppressed or free, we are all privileged to drink deeply of the same Holy Spirit.
14 –20, “In fact, the human body is not one single part but rather many parts mingled into one. 15 So if the foot were to say, “Since I’m not a hand, I’m not a part of the body,” it’s forgetting that it is still a vital part of the body. 16 And if the ear were to say, “Since I’m not an eye, I’m not really a part of the body,” it’s forgetting that it is still an important part of the body. 17 Think of it this way. If the whole body were just an eyeball, how could it hear sounds? And if the whole body were just an ear, how could it smell different fragrances? 18 But God has carefully designed each member and placed it in the body to function as he desires. 19 A diversity is required, for if the body consisted of one single part, there wouldn’t be a body at all! 20 So now we see that there are many differing parts and functions, but one body. V.27, “You are the body of the Anointed One, and each of you is a unique and vital part of it.” And then he says, “God has placed in the church the following: First apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then those with gifts of miracles, gifts of divine healing, gifts of revelation knowledge, gifts of leadership, and gifts of different kinds of tongues. 29 Not everyone is an apostle or a prophet or a teacher. Not everyone performs miracles 30 or has gifts of healing or speaks in tongues or interprets tongues. 31 But you should all constantly boil over with passion in seeking the higher gifts.”
So he’s talked about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. He’s talked about your part of the body. Now we’re going into chapter 13. “And now I will show you a superior way to live that is beyond comparison!” So he gave us all that and it’s all good. And he wanted to give us that. It was part of His design. He goes into the love chapter. And he says, “If I were to speak with eloquence in earth’s many languages, and in the heavenly tongues of angels, yet I didn’t express myself with love, my words would be reduced to the hollow sound of nothing more than a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I were to have the gift of prophecy with a profound understanding of God’s hidden secrets, and if I possessed unending supernatural knowledge, and if I had the greatest gift of faith that could move mountains, but have never learned to love, then I am nothing. 3 And if I were to be so generous as to give away everything I owned to feed the poor, and to offer my body to be burned as a martyr, without the pure motive of love, I would gain nothing of value.”
So in light of all that He’s given us, if we don’t have love, we have nothing. Amen? Verse 8 says, “Love never stops loving. It extends beyond the gift of prophecy, which eventually fades away. It is more enduring than tongues, which will one day fall silent. Love remains long after words of knowledge are forgotten. 9 Our present knowledge and our prophecies are but partial, 10 but when love’s perfection arrives, the partial will fade away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke about childish matters, for I saw things like a child and reasoned like a child. But the day came when I matured, and I set aside my childish ways. 12 For now we see but a faint reflection of riddles and mysteries as though reflected in a mirror, but one day we will see face-to-face.”
I like it because the comment here is “Paul is referring to God speaking to Moses “face-to-face” (Hebrew “mouth-to-mouth”), and not using dreams and figures of speech (Num. 12:8). Transforming love will bring us all face-to-face, mouth-to-mouth with God.”
Prayed…
Father, we thank You that Your divine plan is so perfect, all encompassing… Your plan is so amazing… You have given us the ability to see and know to understand, to comprehend, and to walk in the light of the revelation of an all face to face experience… with You… we believe that for every member… as we come face to face with You, everything else fades away… all the hurt, shame… human dysfunction fades away… we become one with You… in our hearts, unite today for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry… five-fold ministry gifts you gave… all of these to enable and empower and equip the Church to be Your hands and feet on the earth… that Your kingdom would expand and Your goodness would be seen… men would see your goodness and glory… but mostly, they would see Your love… that love displayed in and through the Church… one for another… as Christ loved us… we’re looking for a change… a continual dynamic change from one degree of glory to another… in the Church… glorious transformation… transition… breaking through barriers and obstacles that seem to be impenetrable… standing the face of the Church… but our faith worketh by love… to live in the last days… everything in Christ… to come up… for Your body, the precious bride, to be unwrapped… to be loosed from earthly grave clothes… to be anointed and covered and clothed… with You… with Your love… to make us what we ought to be…
Pastor Ray shared…
I feel that there are so many gifts here in this place this morning that still have not been released. I’ve experienced that over the years, for sure. There’s an anointing right now for you to be loosed. So if you want to see what He sees in your, I’d like you to come up and we’ll lay hands on you. It’s the anointing.
Prayer line for those who came forward…
