A Gospel of Maturity to the Body of Christ
If some are called to preach to the lost and have a burden for them. I have a burden for the Body of Christ and for things to be in order. As those who preach to the lost and there is a conviction of sin and sins are addressed by those giving the word… then there is also that same kind of "conviction" I am compelled to give in relation to those things that are out of order in the Body. I can only address the issues - as a friend of mine has termed me the canary in the mine - and it is still necessary that the Holy Spirit bring conviction. As there are those who are lost and living in sin… there are those in the Body who are not yet in a place as desired by God. My heart is full of mercy in these things not wanting any to be offended or hurt. I am not after control or recognition and have NO desire to rule over others. I have, however, a sincere and deep concern that the Body of Christ grows up and matures and leaves behind those things that are childish and unproductive. I believe everyone is out of phase with walking perfectly. We will never walk perfectly while still in this flesh. The need is that we continue to re-adjust as we go and as we grow. There is a great liability in the Body of Christ of many who are holding on to their childish ways and in many cases ready to throw a fit and a tantrum as they come to the time to give up those ways and embrace maturity. I hear of believers who boast of their "Liberty in Christ" in their church and this is a GOOD thing… until and unless it becomes a liability in other areas. I spoke of a vision God gave me some years ago. The Lord took me in spirit to watch a particular scene. The Lord said watch. I saw a man who suddenly began leaping with joy and shouting praises to God about being called to work in the harvest. He began running through the fields ripe for harvest, leaping and shouting and praising God. The Lord asked me what I saw. I said, "Lord, I see that he is trampling down the wheat and destroying it." The Lord said, "Yes! And I cannot use those who are so wound up in themselves and their "Liberty in Me" that they trample down the harvest." Then the Lord showed me that anything, even if it is praising Him, if it is something that "SCARES AWAY THE LOST" who desire to come in then we are trampling down the wheat and that there is NO SUCH THING as "Liberty in Christ" if it is at the expense of the Lost! If we DO NOT speak the Gospel of Salvation to the lost then they will not get saved and if we do NOT speak conviction to those things out of order in the Body then there will come NO correction, no growth and no maturity. Things will NOT come into order and the presence of God and revival will be sacrificed for the need to hang on to things that are unhealthy and are, in fact, a liability rather than an asset. The call to the Harvest is a call to maturity and a job. Those who are not mature will desire to remain in doors to play with their toys. The urgency of this condition is getting more critical as we approach a more serious time of Harvest and the need for those who will carry the anointing in sobriety. NOTICE the word sobriety here. Again, many I see continue to indulge in an (anointing?) to the point of being drunk and worthless to work. Some of this is truly the Spirit of God they are getting all worked up in, however… much of this is simply the flesh and carnality getting in the way of the True Spirit of God that desires to come in and bear fruit.
Something we may enjoy with God and express ourselves in a very verbal way can be all well and fine between the person and God, however… when such things become a continual open show that scares away new people and continually is a source of disruption for the Spirit of Revelation coming in and bringing more mature direction and words then it is a problem. It is not to say the person is WRONG for having these behaviors and emotions, but it is to say that they are being expressed in the wrong forum when it serves to keep the Body from functioning in an optimum manner. Those in leadership need to have a serious desire to see the Body grow and mature. Those who are in position just to say things that sound profound and spiritual, when not really speaking by the Spirit are a liability toward growth and maturity.
God DOES NOT want those in leadership to be saying things that sound good and profound. He wants those in leadership who will say what God is saying and who will bring instruction to the Body that will bring in growth and maturity. Growth is Change! If someone is the same way as they have been for years or even just for the last year… then there has not been growth. That really is somewhat of a “no brainer”. Many have come to believe that as God gave them an anointing years ago and that that is where they were suppose to "Park It" and have NOT shown any signs of growth since. The Body of Christ is full of people who are leading many, not because they are really in touch with the Spirit of God moving, but rather because they simply have an aggressive personality by which they have attained or gained their position in the first place. Many who know they are called have proceeded forward and have taken more authority for themselves then the call they have can validate. It is an over exercise of authority. One who is a soul winner by call can end up in a position such as a pastor or assistant pastor and by that position think it is his place or call to involve himself/herself in many areas they have little or no concept of. They may involve themselves in prophesying and giving a word of revelation and it is all out of tune and out of whack because the person was called to win souls; not called to build up the Body of Christ. Everything I am saying is true and is true throughout the Body of Christ worldwide. Some Body of Believers have a better handle on this than others. Some do not have a handle on this whatsoever. Some will miss out entirely in what God is bringing or desires to bring, because they will be found caught by the addiction of their own importance and behaviors. If I am a watchman set over to see what dangers lie in being out of order and I say nothing, then what trouble may I find myself in with God? Should I desire to wait until the children give me authority to bring correction or has God raised me up to bring correction? And what if God has raised me up to help bring maturity and growth and I do not do it and He comes and finds the children all with no discipline acting rowdy, unruly and doing damage to the harvest? This is the wisdom God gave me for the work I should be doing. As one called to witness to the lost he goes out with the Gospel of Salvation. As the Bible says how will they believe if they have not heard? It is in the charge of the person witnessing to bring the words of salvation to the lost. It is NOT his job to force upon others the words he was sent to speak. It is man's free will to reject the gospel of salvation.
What God has shown me is that, for the most part; I am sent to the Body of Christ for the edification and the building up of the saints. God sends me with a "Gospel of Maturity" for the church. It is not my job to force others to accept what I have to say from the Lord. Like the lost everyone has the free will to accept or reject the words. The lost will miss out on salvation and the Body that rejects growth and maturity in this time will miss out on the best of God and will NOT be worthy of hire for the harvest. And, I fear, may place many in the category of the foolish virgins. Here I take the word "foolish" to imply immaturity in the Body - though in that I may be stretching the point. It is for sure that those who will stand before the Lord saying "Have we not prophesied in your name and performed many miracles?" The Lord sent them away… they had MISSED a path they had been given at one time but REJECTED it in favor of following their own ways. Is it NOT a child that seeks to follow his own way?
I find myself now in a position where I am no longer able to wait for so many to "Get a Clue". I need to go where Believers are receptive to growth and maturity and leave behind those groups who are bent on retaining a spiritually arrested development. God has been longsuffering over the last few years in allowing so many to prophecy in many forms that contained error. Such prophesies were from the soulish realm; some from imaginations. Some immature in the gift for the most part put their own spin on the word after receiving it. I witness also some have medical conditions that bring them into this arena and should not involve themselves at all. There exists many who have a bipolar condition, a depressive condition, a manic condition or simply a poor self image that is in search of position and recognition. Anyway… that is an area inundated with elements that needs to be cleaned up. That is certainly NOT the only area. The entire Body of Christ needs growth and the elements of spiritual nutrition that will bring that about. Continuing to eat harmful spiritual food will only keep the Body weak, sick and ineffective for service. Not only has the condition of the prophetic become a liability more than an asset, but much of the Body is in such a case. Almost every member in the Body of Christ is functioning to some capacity in an area they are NOT called to be walking in. The Body needs the apostolic and prophetic offices with discernment and wisdom to bring the living stones in order so as to FIT together rightly. There simply is NO more latitude for excesses in the flesh. The old Pentecostal behaviors or any other behavior that impedes the lost from coming in is no longer an acceptable practice. It never was.
I hear those talking about having "Liberty in Christ"… but their perception of that is to be allowed to act up and be a spectacle in any manner that makes them feel good. Let me remind everyone at this point - the issue here is the HARVEST and NOT what rights we think we have. Simply; if we are a liability in any way so as to impede the growth of the Body and the bringing in of the Harvest then it CANNOT BE liberty in Christ as God intends. It can ONLY be selfish behavior at the expense of the Lost and at the expense of keeping the Body of Christ in a stage of arrested development. I had hoped to work with members of the Body of Christ who would be receptive to growth. It is only a child that is so resistant to growth. And I also can hear those who will declare my "Gospel of Maturity" as only me trying to come in with CONTROL. All children think discipline is CONTROL… and YES! It is, but it is correct control. It is declaring what is good and what is NOT good for the health of the Body. Without discipline one will not grow up "In the way in which he should go". If I do not state clearly what function I feel called to serve in; then how will anyone know how I can serve them. So I should state clearly what is clear to me. I KNOW the Body of Christ needs to grow up in the use of their gifts, in particular to me - the gift of prophecy. No one receives a spiritual gift and walks in it in a mature manner immediately. The point is growth is needed and instruction and the application of wisdom to ALL the gifts. The lack of maturity and discipline has allowed those in the prophetic to accept prophesying from the soulish realm without a check system in place. But the Body is out of sync because most things are in need of adjustment and alignment in maturely going forward.
I wish I had the funds to start up a church to be able to implement what needs to be instead of waiting for those to "get the point" to what God has already said. Preachers are still "bellowing out" as though VOLUME was in some way in relationship to the power of God or in some way evidence or proof of it. These things will all become embarrassing someday; as we all look back and see how we once behaved, but we all look back on things we did as a child and see those embarrassing things. The bad thing is the many who will dig their heels in, refusing to go through this change of growth now insisting on their rights to "act up as they wish" and to continue to play with their toys. I am NOT saying this stage does not have place… it does. What does not have place is the individual who has been a Christian for 20 years, or for 1 year and has not grown in any way and acts exactly the same as at the first. Is this so hard to see this is arrested development? And, to encourage the antics of immature people and to label it as "Liberty in Christ" is indeed an error in the purposes of God. If I do not speak maturity and the need for it to the Body of Christ then I miss what I should be doing and I am disobedient to my call. Those with the gift of mercy have covered the immature from growing up. Much like the mother who does not want to see the child disciplined and protects the child from ANY growth to the point the child then grows up unprepared to live and function in the real world. So then… we have many who have not grown and who are NOT prepared to live in the spiritual realm that is at hand and is certainly going to be present in this end age. Some, if not many, will be offended at my implying that I am mature. I know quite well that before God I will always remain in need of growth. But am I suppose to apologize for the fact that I am aware of those things that are lacking in the Body of Christ that will enable the church to mature?
Maybe I have said too much. I may feel I have not at all said enough. But what should and needs to be said now should be for those who desire growth and maturity. Those who are immature will resent this message for one reason only… they are immature and feel threatened and the idea of growing up is far too uncomfortable for them.
I cannot say enough how it grieves me that those particularly in ministry are so full of themselves and continuing to exhibit the same antics day after day and week after week. This behavior SO derails the Spirit of God as precedence is given to "acting up" rather than entering into the presence of God. If something calls attention to itself - it is simply DRAWING ATTENTION AWAY FROM GOD! GOOD LORD! - CAN ANYONE GET A CLUE FROM WHAT I JUST WROTE? If you are drawing attention to yourself then you are stealing attention away from God - you ARE stealing His glory! It is selfish and immature as children think the world revolves around them. Some pastors carry on as though the whole church is set to revolve around what they do and say… this is because they have NOT taught the people how to revolve around God AND NOT THEM. To boil it down to the most basic thing I could say at this point… - "Shut up already” - those who keep rambling on as though God has spoken". STOP already! - those who continue to leap and jump and shout and scream and dance - NOT because God is on them, but because they have been allowed to act anyway they wish without any concern that their behavior has chased the lost away from entering the front door… and please… don't even try say this is liberty in Christ… it IS NOT - it is GROSS NEGLIGENCE and misuse and abuse of what should be our freedom in Christ. Pastors - Get hold of this an move out in whatever way you can to bring an end to the antics and start bringing in what will mature the Body and make it worthy of hire. It does not impress me to see someone who has been a pastor for 30 years and to see they have no more handle on maturity than a two year old wanting his own way. I AM NOT IMPRESSED BY THE LENGTH OF TIME A PERSON HAS DEVOTED TO MINISTRY. I AM IMPRESSED IN THOSE IN WHOM I HAVE SEEN OR DO SEE GROWTH. I know a young man now who has been a Christian for a year or so and has more maturity in him then pastors I know who have been preaching for more than 30 years. I respect and am joyful in the spirit of this young man – Thomas.
It IS NOT surprising the world does not want to come into the sanctuary. The sanctuary is full of foolishness. People and churches that are so in prayer for the lost to come into their church… I am praying that GOD NOT lead them into these places until there is growth and maturity, because the last thing I would like to see is NEW Christians putting their lives in the hands of dangerous children who think playing with matches is a good thing because it "LOOKS PRETTY"… and children wielding swords in all the wrong ways.
I seek to minister with all my heart, but I have to say it has become despairing enough that we have thought to quit many times. It is only by God that we have continued. If anyone knows or has a facility that can be used to get things moving in more positive ways or who are pastors of churches who wish or can offer some room to teach and feed on maturity then I welcome the opportunity. My point now is I come to preach the "Gospel of Maturity" and the choice is to accept it or reject it… after that the results shall be results of the choices in that matter and NOT because I had not spoken up.
This is to the Body of Christ, which to me is a worldwide concern. Those who see "Their church" as separate from the concerns of believers worldwide are also missing the point and the goal of God in these end time purposes.