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Prerequisites
(how can you tell)
By Dahni
© 2024, all rights reserved
How can you tell if a leader (especially) spiritual leaders are those we should follow? Although there are several characteristics of leadership, what is or should be, their first principles?
“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;”
Ephesians 4:11 King James Version,
A doctrinal epistle— ‘How to believe rightly’
The pronoun “he” in the above verse is God. God gave. And these gifts to follow are plural. These plural gifts listed are defined as:
1. “apostles” brings new light to a generation. It may be old light, but it is new to the generation where it is brought
2. “prophets” are individuals that speak for god. Their speaking or prophecies can either be fore-telling (predicts future events before they come to pass) or forth-telling (they simply declare what the Word says or what God wants said in the situation.
Note:
Prophets may seem difficult to be around and above all else, they are going to say and do what God wants said and done and this may contradict what is popular and trendy. The test of a true prophet is that without exception, ALL their prophecies (fore-telling) must come to pass! See: Deuteronomy 18:22
3. “evangelists” are adept at getting individuals to the place where they can believe to become part of the family/household of God and in working with new believers
4. “pastors” bind up wounds, comfort and encourage. They are also protectors like shepherds to their sheep. see: Psalm 23
5. “teachers” are adept at teaching the rightly divided word and are able to communicate effectively so the student can know, understand and apply the Word. Instruction has to be so simple and clear, even a fool or child can understand it. see: Isaiah 35:8
Note:
All of these ministries, ministers, and/or leaders are skilled at and involve teaching! It is not uncommon that a minister operates more than one gift ministries. Unless one knows by sense knowledge what that gift ministry or those gift ministries are, they are or can be spiritually discerned (manifestation of discerning of spirits)
The “gifts” are not given to the individuals, they are given to the Church (all the people of God or those wanting to know God)
The character of those that are operating these ministries to the church are given in:
I Timothy 3:2 (The church in its rule) and II Timothy (the Church in its ruin). In both of those books it is established (used twice), that leaders are to be— “apt to teach.”
As I wrote above, all of these ministries are to teach. So what is the purpose of these ministries. What are the first principles of a true ministry, minister, and/or leadership? In one verse of scripture, God tells us…
True Leadership
“For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry,
for the edifying of the body of Christ:”
Ephesians 4:12 King James Version,
A doctrinal epistle— ‘How to believe rightly’
“FOR…”
1. the perfecting of the saints
This ministry, minister, and/or leader’s first and foremost function should be to perfect the saints (heaven’s holiest). These ministries should be helping us grow in our relationship with God and our walk with him. They should be challenging us where our thoughts contradict God’s thoughts (His Word). The status quo is not enough. Just repeating what has already be researched and taught and believed is not enough. They should be teaching how to believe rightly (doctrine). They should be correcting our practical errors, calling us back (reproof) for failing to adhere to the doctrine (right believing). They should be correcting doctrinal error (correction) from failure to adhere to doctrine (right believing). We need to be taught the spiritual realm and this includes the manifestation of, discerning of spirits. Anything less than this “perfecting of the saints” is just a Christian veneer. Beware that underneath are doctrines of devils and devil spirits.
If these ministries we are listening to or following are not perfecting us each individually and as a whole, this ministry, minister and/or this leader is not of God or they have forsaken their first commitment!
2. the work of the ministry
If this ministry, minister, and/or leader that we are listening to or following are not doing the work of the ministry for us each individually and as a whole, this ministry, minister and/or this leader is not of God or they have forsaken their second commitment!
3. the edifying of the body of Christ
If these ministries we are listening to or following are not edifying the body of Christ — each individual and as a whole, this ministry, this minister and/or this leader is not of God or they have forsaken their third commitment!
A broken commitment of any of these three is a broken commitment, period.
There we have what God says these ministries, these ministers, and/or these leaders are supposed to do, in just one verse. Without exception, all of these ministries, these ministers, and/or these leaders are to do not just do one of these, but all of them. If they are not faithful to these what are they to do, what are all of us to do if they or we do not walk accordingly?
Cast Down
“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing
that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God,
and bringing into captivity every thought
to the obedience of Christ;”
II Corinthians 10:5 KJV
A reproof epistle— ‘How to get back to believing rightly’
Corrects the practical errors for failing to adhere to the doctrine (right believing)
Anyone that exalts themselves, their thoughts, their words and their imaginings above God, need to cast them down and bring them into captivity, every thought to the obedience of Christ. What does the Word say?
“But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.”
II Corinthians 4:2 KJV
A reproof epistle— ‘How to get back to believing rightly’
Corrects the practical errors for failing to adhere to the doctrine (right believing)
We came into this world as bipartite beings – two parts. We had a body and a soul. We still do. But our prototypes or the originals (Adam and Eve) were tripartite beings – three parts. They each had a body, a soul and a spirit. The spirit was given them upon a condition. If they walked according to what God had told them, the spirit would remain But we know from Genesis, they did not and they lost their spiritual connection with God. For thousands of years, the spirit of God came upon certain individuals, but it was temporary because of, the imperfections of body and soul. All people were appointed to die until Jesus Christ redeemed us from this curse.
Then on the Day of Pentecost, (see: Acts 2) the 12 apostles for the first time ever in the history of the world, experienced two things and one was in public (in the Temple), where all the people could see it and hear it.
These 12 apostles were all Galilean and Galileans were not known for their great intellect or language skills. They were not liked much by the other Judeans of the nation of Israel. They spoke one language and it was most likely the most primitive and simplest form of Aramaic. It was called, Estrangelo Aramaic. This was a common language at the time. This is the language that Jesus Christ likely read and spoke and most likely, as did Adam and Eve. But on the day of Pentecost, these first 12 received the gift of holy sprit, eternal life spirit and this was the birthday of the Church.
Since Pentecost was a feast, a holy day, a special Sabbath, at least the heads of every household of the Judeans were required to be in Jerusalem and at the Temple during the appropriate times. The scripture in Acts lists at least some of the parts of the world these Judeans were living in when they returned to Israel, Jerusalem and the Temple. It also mentions many if not all the languages these people understood in the countries from which they came.
“…we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.”
Acts 2:11b KJV
The miracle of the new birth was evidenced by the “cloven tongues of fire” that sat upon them. After the resurrection of Jesus Christ, he instructed his disciples/apostles how to receive the coming promise of the Father and he literally breathed in…
“And when he [Jesus Christ] had said this, he breathed on them,” [breathed in] and saith [said] unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: [holy spirit]“
John 20:22
So when the 12 apostle in Acts 2:2 saw the spirit of God descending and spreading out as cloven tongues as fire and when if “sat” (spiritually complete), they opened their mouths and using the mechanics of speech, began to speak in tongues.
According to I Corinthians 13:1 the languages were either of men or of angels. If they spoke languages of men these could have been dead languages where no one, including the speakers would understand what the words were or meant. If they spoke in the languages of angels, no one would understand them, including their own selves.
We know that Jerusalem was crowded, as was the Temple area for all the special Sabbaths (5 times per year), including that Pentecost. We know that many of these Judeans came to Israel, Jerusalem and the Temple, from other countries. We know that many of these countries were named. We know that the Galileans (those that spoke in tongues) only usually spoke and understood Estrangelo Aramaic and would not understand what they were saying. But other people did understand the languages that were spoken by the Galileans. “They heard them speak…”
The miracle of Pentecost was that initially, only these 12 received the gift of holy spirit. We know that on this same day, about 3,000 others were added to the Church. (see: Acts 2:41) It does not say that the about 3,000 added souls spoke in tongues, but they had the same potential as the the 12.
The phenomenon of Pentecost was that many of the tongues that were spoken by the 12, were not understood by them, but many people in the Temple heard them and their response was that they heard them speak (they understood the language spoken) “the wonderful works of God.”
There is nothing in God’s Word that says if you or I speak in tongues that someone(s) in the area where we speak, would understand the language we speak.
The simple thing here is, what we speak in tongues is God’s business, but that we speak in tongues is ours.
We are still talking about the ministries and ministers and/or leadership and how to detect them and what to do if they are we are not casting down anything that is not God’s word. This is correction practically (reproof) and the correction of doctrinal error (correction) for failure to adhere to the revelation given in the doctrine (right believing). Along with revealing the ministries and those that are supposed to be operating them for the Church and how to correct them or ourselves, there is one more thing we must all understand.
Having taken what time was taken to go over the manifestation of this spirit and specifically, speaking in tongues, that is critical to this next verse.
“But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.”
II Corinthian3 4:2
A reproof epistle— ‘How to get back to believing rightly’
Corrects the practical errors for failing to adhere to the doctrine (right believing)
Casting down imaginations and every thought to the obedience of Christ is equal to “renouncing the hidden works of dishonesty.” Notice that word “hidden”
These things are hidden, crafty and deceitful. How is anyone supposed to do any of these things:
1. if they are “hidden” how would you and I know
2. how could what is revealed (the “hidden”) be “renounced” without some supernatural ability (the “manifestation of the truth”— manifestations of the spirit)
What can reveal these hidden things of dishonesty and etc. is the same that enables one to do these things is— “by manifestation of the truth.” The only way to manifest the truth is to operate the manifestations of the spirit (9 — see: I Corinthians 12, 14).
By operating the nine manifestations of the spirit, one produces (God in Christ in you— see: Colossians 1:27) produces the fruit of the spirit (9— see: Galatians 5:22)
Remember that all people have a body and a soul. Any one or a combination of the five senses receives information: seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching. But having the spirit of God, spiritual information can also be received. If you can understand the principles of learning sensual knowledge, the principles work the same way in the spiritual realm. The spirit of God in the one must make spiritual information understood to the individual, in ways in which that individual can understand it— make sense.
But we must understand that we are or were once just body and soul and could only learn by our 5 senses. What some erroneous folk call the sixth sense, by sheer logic, puts it into the category of spirit or into the spirit realm. It is spirit coming into concretion into the natural world.
We know from the scriptures that there are many gods, but only two main or principal ones. The one, Lucifer, the Devil, a fallen archangel that according to the Bible is legally, “the god of this world.” (see: II Corinthians 4:4)
The rulership of this world, was transferred to Lucifer (serpent = just one of his many names) from Adam, when he and Eve disobeyed God.
The second or I should say the first and only true God (with a capital G) is, the true God and creator and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. My intent was to begin with the lessor and end with the greater— less and more.
To our minds, we can figuratively renew them (see: Romans 12:2) and not be conformed to this world. We can change what we think by replacing our thoughts with God’s thoughts. But to be really “transformed” and to really prove by the renewing of our minds—
What is good
What is Acceptable
What is the Perfect will of God…
We must operate the manifestations of the spirit. In so doing we see the results— the proof that we are doing the right stuff. The individual may understand their operation of the spirit, but all can see the fruit that is produced by operating the spirit. This is how we commend ourselves to the conscience of others, in the sight of God!
In Conclusion
In order for us to know for sure if the ministry and ministers and/or leaders are really walking with God, they must be faithful, (not perfect) but faithful to:
1. the perfecting of the saints
2. the work of the ministry
3. the edifying of the body of Christ
4. understand, teach and live that all of theses are gifts to the church, not the individuals
5. understand, teach and live that all of these must be “apt to teach”
6. they must first study to teach (see: II Timothy 2:15)
7. they must teach the rightly divided word that we can continue as disciples and THEN we can know the truth and Then we can be made (not set) free by the truth
8. If they or we falter and fail, all must be taught to cast down everything to the obedience of Christ
9. In order to really do all of the above, all must teach or be taught that it is only the “manifestation of the truth” (the 9 manifestations of the spirit), whereby ONLY GOD can produce the fruit (God in Christ in us— the spirit of God in us and we know that we know that we know. And the world can see it.
To close this out, let’s look at some scriptures from the book of James. In the book of James, Jesus Christ, the Red Thread from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 is— The Royal Law.
“But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude [likeness] of God: Out of the same mouth proceedeth [proceeds] blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
” For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.”
James 3:8-10,16 KJV
“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.”
James 3:17-18
The only way that the tongue can be tamed is, if God tames it. The only way He can do this is by the fruit of the spirit. (see: Galatians 5:22, 23) The “fruit of the spirit” is, but one of about 18 of the purposes and benefits of the manifestation of, speaking in tongues.
The only way there can be fruit of the spirit is by the individual free will to operate the manifestations of the spirit. The only way the individual by freewill can operate the manifestations of the spirit is to have, the spirit of God and be taught HOW to manifest.
All of these things are what the ministries and the ministers and/or leaders should be “apt to teach” and teach!
Notes:
Speaking in tongues alone has at least 18 purposes and benefits. Producing fruit of the spirit is just one of these eighteen. We need to look at these in the future.
Most people have been taught (and I was once among them) that there are 66 books in the Bible. Jesus Christ is the Red Thread, the Go-through (used as a noun) that binds the entire Bible together from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21. Jesus Christ is the subject of the entire Bible. He is concealed and then revealed in 56 books in the bible. We need to look at these in the future.
There are 9 manifestations of the spirit. We need to look at these in the future.
There are 9 fruits (singular “fruit” of the spirit, like one bunch of fruit with 9 grapes on it). We need to look at these in the future.
I have written before that some 90% of the entire planet do not know what happened the last two weeks in the life of Jesus Christ. We need to look at these things in the future.
I will go a step further here. Roughly 90% of the whole world do not understand the Bible at all, believe even less and those that do believe, most cannot from the scriptures say why or prove what they believe. We need to look to these things in the future.
There are seen things God does not want us to be ignorant of. It He does not want us to be ignorant then what does He want for us, what is available— to be wise, smart, to understand? Well of course He does! One of these these that He does not want us to be ignorant of is— “spiritual matters” (see: I Corinthians 12:1). We need to look into this and these seven in the future.
Now I am not saying I am a minister, but I am “apt to teach” because, I have been taught and I am still being taught.
How would I or anyone know these things unless we are taught? No one can believe more than they know. No one can know more than they have been taught. No one can lead anyone any farther than they have been led themselves. These are laws of learning. This is what the ministries, ministers, and/or leaders should be doing — teaching (“apt to teach”).
“How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher [publicly expound the scriptures]? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”
Romans 10:14-15 KJV
A doctrinal epistle— ‘How of believing rightly’
Now if you want to dispute any of this, Go for it, but I did not write the Bible, I am just…
…a witness.
Dahni
Pentecost 