The Inevitable Power that is Coming
Jesus asked, "Who do the people say that I am?" He got several responses about what people were saying about him, but then Peter said, "You are the Messiah, the Son of God." Jesus' reply was, "Blessed are you for man has not revealed this to you, but my Father which is in Heaven has revealed this to you." Only Peter was given the revelation knowledge of proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah.
We are in a time when many things are coming forth. There are those that will come "out from among them" and be anointed in the fullness of Christ. The problem? There have been people and churches who have tapped into a pertinent revelation, but who have then taken the revelation and applied it to themselves. As we enter into end time events when the Lord will wrap up everything and bring all things unto Himself, there are many aspects of His Word that are coming into "revelatory" focus. We can look forward to the approaching ministry of the Two Witnesses, the ministry of the 144,000, the spirit of Elijah that will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to their fathers, etc. Such revelations permeate the air and many have begun to examine them seriously. What is failing however, is a true understanding as to who, what, and where - and even more importantly, how they apply to the Body today. Many who wish to serve in an "important way" take these revelations and self-apply them. There are thousands of professing Christians who have mistakenly taken such revelations and applied them to themselves.
One currently "popular" scenario involves the Two Witnesses of Revelation. Do a search on any internet search engine and see how many websites exist by those who have self-proclaimed themselves to be the "Two Witnesses." At the moment the Hofstee Brothers, Scott and Brett, are two of the more persistent and among the more belligerent and dangerous pairs I have known personally. Yes, the Book of Revelation does tell us that God WILL send two servants or witnesses to preach during the great tribulation period, but since we are not yet IN the tribulation, such current proclamations are false, misleading - and historically proven to be deceptive to such a degree - that many have died because of them. Heaven's Gate started with a self-proclamation of being the two witnesses. Jim Jones, although not making a claim as being one of the Two Witnesses, nevertheless suffered from his own self-delusions to such a degree that over 900 people ended up dead. But does any of these past tragedies negate the promise that the true Two Witnesses will be raised up? NO! How many pairs of two witnesses will come forward BEFORE the real ones arrive? Only God knows, but we can say with perfect assurance that the true Two Witnesses will come despite those who say they will not and despite the self-deluded individuals who consider them already here.
Among other claims are the "Man Childs" of Revelation, or being part of the Elijah company. In even stranger cases some have told me they were the reincarnated Elijah, Jeremiah or others. Another currently "popular" concept is the manifested sons of God. This revelation too, has been abused and misapplied. Having read the doctrine of those who represent themselves as such or promote the doctrine of the manifested sons of God, I have found an array of twisted doctrine and concepts that have no place in the truth. No matter how bizarre a concept, if Satan knows you will swallow it, he will certainly serve it up to you on a silver platter. Yet… there will come those who will exhibit the fullness of Christ. And how much more important it will be then to have desired a place of low esteem rather than such lofty "revelatory" expectations. I am not saying that these revelations are NOT true, but rather that they ARE true, but misapplied by many who declare themselves as the fulfillment of these revelations.
As the time for the birth of Christ came, there were those who rose up claiming they were the Messiah; seemingly having convinced themselves of this by tapping into the true revelation of His coming but mistakenly convincing themselves that they were He. Christ came at a time when many false christs had arisen and He came despite the confusion that such individuals had caused. The parallel cannot be overlooked for even as in the false Messiahs of Jesus' time, we currently have many individuals and groups who have misapplied a revelation and deluded themselves as to their being the fulfillment of the revelation. Even the 144,000 spoken of in Revelation has been misapplied. We have a group who have this revelation and misapplied it to themselves - the Jehovah Witnesses. Does that negate the revelation? NO! Are the Jehovah Witnesses wrong? Yes! Most assuredly! I believe in every instance of God raising someone up, the enemy will also raise someone up to try fill a ministry/revelation and misapply it to themselves. The confusion of it all makes it almost impossible to hope for the real to come along. Nevertheless these things will be fulfilled. Those proclaiming to be the "revealed" Two Witnesses, a member of the Elijah Company, one of the 144,000, or a manifested son of God are false. But the real ones WILL come to pass as surely as the real Messiah came in God's appointed time.
The Father in Heaven revealed to Peter the revelation knowledge of Jesus was the Messiah. The Father DID NOT make a broad proclamation to many people, - a very important distinction. He gave a single revelation (it seems) when Jesus asked, to Peter only. So also, as God raises up these vessels who will walk in the fullness of Christ it is unlikely that God will make clear to many, if any, who those individuals are, but it is sure that He will raise them up! God the Father and Jesus Christ raise up and train those chosen for specific positions and they have never taken out any full page ads to proclaim who or what they are.
The Pharasitical Church has come to think that they have clear revelation of everything by reading scripture only. But the self deluded individuals of Jesus' time may have been more tapped into the revelation of His coming than were the Pharisees and Sadducees of His day. Today that same Pharasitical spirit exists in those individuals and churches who don't believe there is anything coming forth and basically exist in a state of "denial." Some even deny revelation from the Holy Spirit. Although they have Word knowledge, they lack the "Light" of the Spirit to make the Word come to life as God intends. Most claim there are no miracles for today and that the gifts of the spirit have passed away etc. The most sobering aspect of this belief is that it borders on blaspheming the Holy Spirit when such a person/group is confronted by someone actually sent and working under an anointing given by God. The pharasitical church so tries to over protect itself and any and everyone else from what it perceives as "falsehood" that everything that God may rise up is ascribed as being the work of the devil.
Let me tell you of a vision of power. I KNOW what it is like to be filled with the fullness of Christ. I was in a house and there was a commotion. Some were running into the house seemingly to get away from something. I was the only one running out of the house to see what was happening. As I looked up and saw the stars suddenly they shook out of their place like leaves falling from the trees and in the next moment I was completely and totally clothed in the fullness of Christ. I do NOT mean some of Christ… I mean ALL of Christ. I had the full authority of Christ to heal, preach, raise the dead, open blind eyes, bring hearing to the deaf etc. I looked over the land and I saw a large company of others who were the same as I. They were spreading over the entire earth preaching the gospel to the uttermost parts in the last and full display of the power of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ before the final judgments were poured out. NOTE: I have knowledge of how this feels, but I STILL do not engage in saying I am or am going to be a "manifested son of God." I do, however, have a revelation of how it will be for those who are. Although I hope and pray that God does call me to be a "manifested son of God," for now I do what is appropriate for all Christians to do, witness where we can and build up the Body as we can, with the gifts at our disposal.
The Pharasitical Church would deny that such things will come to pass because God did not tell them first… as if He is supposed to. God has given a general revelation of the manifested sons of God for example, and many have realized that this WILL come but some have misapplied it to themselves. The point to be made here is that neither the pharasitical church nor those who misapply revelation will stop God's revelation from being fulfilled. Those who will come forth in the fullness of Christ will come forth whether it is believed or not and whether it has been misapplied or not.
When I came into the knowledge that God was calling me I tried to get a definition for it. I tried to place it in a context that would define what I was feeling about the call. I am as well guilty of misapplying the many different forms that were possible. I had thought in my younger years I was one of the Two Witnesses. I thought maybe I was the "Man Child". You name it, I, at one point or another sought to apply the description to myself in such a way so as to define fully the call I felt was upon my life. I have, of course, now divested myself of all such self applied delusions and seek only to serve God and the Body of Christ wherever and however I may. I look for a time when I may have a greater measure of the spirit of Christ and do not think it wrong to hope for that fullness of Christ as it manifested in Him; however I do not proclaim myself as anything. It is a sign of false prophets and apostles that they proclaim themselves as something of great worth and value. And all - as with the Hofstee brothers who proclaim themselves the Two Witnesses - lack any of the power from God that would prove their case. Further, the Two Witnesses are coming to prove Christ and not themselves; as will those who will come forth as the "manifested sons of God." They will not seek media attention though they may get it in some ways. The greatest miracle ministry I have ever witnessed involved a man few ever heard of. He stayed away from radio and television attention yet what I saw in those services would bring even the likes of Benny Hinn to his knees. Now… don't get all crazy here because I made a comment of Benny Hinn. I happen to love the man. But the truth is that the power of God that I have witnessed in more obscure ministries, are outside the Hollywood spotlight, and would humble the likes of those who so pursue it. Why did Jesus come in history at the time He did? Maybe one reason was that it was before TBN, PTL, CBN and the rest had ever come on the scene. Be clear here! I believe in these ministries. They are simply not the full expression of the power and ministry of Jesus Christ. There are none out there yet that are, but it will happen.
As each day passes we come closer to the time when some will move in the fullness of Christ in ministry; however, these positions CANNOT BE CLAIMED! God is not bound to grant or bless a ministry by any who engage in the claiming of one, although He may, like Ishmael, allow such a ministry to exist. In fact even those who think they can claim a ministry are displaying the true state of their heart and possibly already disqualified from a genuine God-given ministry because of it. I will say this to them who would fill such shoes - you would NOT want to claim this footwear if you had any idea of the training they have gone through. It is a paradox - a life you would not wish on your dog, yet a position you would not trade for anything. So where are God's appointed ministers? Only He knows! The true ministries will not seek media attention, but only to get His work done, to go where sent and to proclaim the Gospel in its last wave of manifested power before the all out bowls of judgment are fully poured out.
All who are Christians will not occupy the same level of power and anointing. God gives gifts to each of His children for His work and to edify His Body and we all have a place in it. However, it is GOD who appoints and anoints a particular person for a specific position of HIS choosing - not the other way around. Many are called, but few are chosen… that verse alone states a difference of position.
The types of revelations that I have discussed are not things that can come from the instruction of men. Although there is a vast amount of information in books about ministry, it is the one who has experience - either from their past or by a direct God given revelation - that is truly qualified. One may read things about the prophetic arena and come to mimic quite well the elements of the prophetic, but unless you have been brought through the training fields of the prophetic as God sets up… you are not going to fill the shoes of a prophet no matter how hard you may try. Do not confuse the gift of prophecy with the office of a prophet, for ANYONE can prophesy. The office of a prophet has far more to it than just prophecy.
We all have a place and call in the Body of Christ. To each one of us God has given a spiritual gift-(s). We do well to seek to use them. And because one may be chosen by God to fulfill a chosen position of power and authority does not indicate that person to be superhuman. Such individuals are no different than any of the rest of us. They are simply the ones chosen by God for His purposes. We should each respect and envy, in a good way, each others call, gift and purpose in the Body. We should not covet other positions and it is particularly dangerous to contemplate such positions as the two witnesses or the manifest sons etc., and to then covet them to such a degree that we assume those positions to ourselves. Any real "chosen" positions coming from God are usually those individuals whom God has personally trained in obscure wilderness places. One does not chose God or a position, God chooses!
We can all look forward to the revealing of the true Two Witnesses, the 144,000, the manifested sons of God, and the spirit of Elijah etc. As for those who preach there is no such thing, they have always been around and will be around until the end. The point is they have no part in these matters and likely, in many cases, no part in the kingdom of heaven at all. And what about those who misapply revelation to themselves? As the Word states: "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a Living God."