By Isaiah-Phillips Akintola

PERSONAL VIEW AND REVELATION

 

Many, in their zeal and excitement of describing what they’ve perceived or felt in their spiritual journey will usually accept such knowledge or experience to be the literal, general acceptable yardstick standard of spiritual accuracy and development. To the degree that they, in most cases, fall into the trap of measuring, viewing and even interpreting others spiritual life through their one-sided, piggy hole, personal revelatory position unfortunately.

The fact is, some of us, in our personal walk with the lord may have reached certain spiritual zenith or experience if you will, that may even suggest we have embodied some of the greatest depths of prophetic revelatory knowledge, and that is fine. However, we need to constantly remind ourselves at all occasions to put into context and perspective the kind of audience we are relating to. Meaning that the more we can discern the spiritual level and standard of the individual or community, we are interacting with helps us understanding what to share, and how best to convey the revelation we want to share.

 Declaring what you believe has been given to you doesn’t mean you’re wrong, particularly in an era of fast social media platforms. And it should not also be assumed that those who may refuse your persuasion and position of revelation at the ‘moment’ are wrong too.  We certainly all don’t wake up at the same time.

The sun rises earlier in some time zone than other places. This is true with the issue of spiritual development and maturity. This fact doesn’t stop us from sharing with others, the deep things of the Spirit. In fact, our desire is to leave behind the elementary realities of the gospel and migrate further into the ascended realm of transformation in Christ. My point is, while we may pursue the advance dimension of kingdom life, we should never impose that position we have just discovered with others.      

 

SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT AND REVELATION.

While our journey towards the zenith of the revelation of Christ, the full status of all truth carries a universal sound of awakening and development. However, the transitional momentum and experience towards such confluence of sound is usually a unique, personal dealings of knowledge and experience that must be respected and appreciated by all. While others may get stirred, motivated and encouraged through what is preached and taught, how they process the information, and relate to the lord in terms of their exposure to the truth they’ve received will ultimately determine their spiritual growth, capacity maturity onto that next level in transition.

Revelation is one of the most beautiful and most important aspects of the dynamism of spiritual growth and transition. The elevated knowledge received through the opening of the mystery of revelation comes with the tendency, if care is not taken, to develop a sense of superiority complex.  The word of God says, Knowledge puffs up, including spiritual knowledge.

This is a highly sensitive and conscious place to be as we move to seek to know and build the designed mind of the father for our day. The desire to want to know things, more so, if they are things that must do with the future, is a quest more Christian and non-Christian alike tenaciously longs for.

 

The fact is, the quest to seek the unknown is what the enemy used in the first place in the garden to seduced Eve to disobey the instruction of the father. That same desire is what the evil one is using to lure many to seek all forms of false portals to gain access into what is unclear to them. Having access today into that which intended for tomorrow gives humans, some sense of security, and that answers the many reasons why millions today have fallen prey to the spirit of false prophetic ministry.

 

As believers and followers of the lamb, it is critical that we understand that revelation, regardless of it’s grand influence, is should never be assumed as the yardstick of measuring spiritual development or maturity. Revelation is a key that grants access to that which is hidden to the natural faculty. While revelation allows, us access into divine things, the condition and posture of our spirit-man, however will determine what we do with such revelatory information.

 

The act of revelation Itself does not determine nor alter the shape of affairs; it is how we understand and precisely execute the revelatory knowledge that produces impact and the desired transformation. Indeed, revelational [truth] knowledge can greatly enhance our process of development in making the necessary adjustments through the divine knowledge accessed, as we apply wisdom and understanding to the decisions we are taking. The part you’ve been shown or given in terms of revelational insight was designed to shift your understanding with regards to the demand of the lord for your growth.

 

Furthermore, the ministry of revelation, which is one of the core arm of the prophetic ministry, is designed as a schoolmaster, assigned to prep the saints on the oracles of biblical spiritual growth and development into the perfect day in Christ. So, when we make statements relating to our spiritual (status) state of knowledge, understanding or experience, regardless of how genuine our expression, we must vigorously seek to effectively communicate such position of truth in a humble, balanced, persuasive, intelligent manner.

 

Our communication of divine matters, including the ministry of revelation and restored truth should always cause our students, audience or listeners to seek to what to learn by appreciating what we are saying in the spirit of grace and humility. This implies that when people hear or read our stuffs, while they admire us, we should never create an impression or atmosphere that suggests we are better and indispensable to the people. While people can enjoy the freedom to respect, honor and even serve the grace of the Lord in our lives due to sacrificial lifestyle they can see in us.

 

 They should, however never be encouraged to think they cannot be more proficient than us in their pursuit of revelation in fulfilling their own given assignment. If our materials or message of faith directly or indirectly shifts the heart of the people to start looking at us as some super spiritual being, we have certainly set ourselves up to fail.

 

While people seek to honor and appreciate us, and in fact, they should do that as often as they are led by the lord. We must, however never suggest the idea of spiritual superiority in our communication and representation of divine things. There’s a need to always try to (display) show how the Lord brought us to that point of spiritual (experience) persuasion and understanding of spiritual things, for this is the chief purpose of the mission of a teacher.

Everything our lord did was reveal to his disciple after the crowd had left. The matters he felt they were not ready for was kept to be revealed through the ministry of the Holy Spirit after his ascension. Our spiritual expression should not be understood as if we are communicating revelatory knowledge with sublime arrogance and pride. We must seek to bring the people up to the next level of the father’s plan for the people and not where we think they should be in our own measure standard of life.

 

 It’s so easy to presume where the people should be because we measure ourselves by other’s standards. Constantly remember that there are three levels of believers and positions in our Christian Faith, and in in fact, all we know and express in our ministry of truth and revelation are also benchmarked by these three levels according to the word of God.

 

I am referring to what Christ called the thirty-fold position, the sixtyfold and of course, the hundredfold dimension which relates to the fullness or completeness of all things in Christ. All that was created in the development of the body of Christ are designed in parts. Your assumed fullness or completeness is only a part of a greater dimension within the body that must fit into its rightful place for the church to perfectly function towards that point of maximum creativity and productivity kingdom community.  It is naive for a community like the Corinthians church to be engaging in ideas of the second coming of Christ amongst themselves while they are just beginning the process of developing and integration as a community being commissioned to interpret the prophetic purposes of the lord for their region and time.

 

 

AND THE WORD BECAME FLESH

Those called to be leaders and role model in the current advanced emergence of kingdom order, must develop beyond the mere preaching and celebration of the revelation to its intended, precise position of strategic implementation. It is biblically clear that revelation is for personal development and corporate edification. Yet, the implementation of such given (truth) revelation becomes highly relevant when it can make contact and impact through the domain of its carrier to the society.

 

A revelation that does not produce the creative life force of growth, reform and transformation within and outside our immediate environment needs to be reconsidered of its source and authenticity.  Heaven centered revelation as seen through scripture must make contact and impact with the earth in a way that attracts the attention of the people of the world to a new standard and position of kingdom lifestyle.  Our lord Jesus Christ as we know, was, and he’s still is, the embodiment of all spiritual insight and revelatory knowledge. He is the Revelator and the revelation. Still, his life and message was felt in the corridors of political and economic powers of his days.

 

The entire Roman Empire system knew him. They recognized his authenticity and influence without raising an army or sword to fight. If truly, the revelation given to you has become flesh, it will progressively and naturally transform your world and environment without effort. It’s amazing how today’s church loves running with powerful kingdom truths that are yet to develop and transform us internally.

 

We revel in sharing what we’ve seen, and that’s good, but not good enough if we are going to represent the affairs of the kingdom. It must be that which we have seen, touched and our hands have handled having been with him on the mount. That is a true reflection of the force of an ascended life. The word became flesh and dwelt among men, and we beheld his glory…

 

After the encounter of the revelation at the upper room, there was an immediate contact with the religious system of the day that attract the attention of Roman Empire leadership. Authentic spiritual insight or revelation must be transformed into a viable, creative nonresistance force that attracts the nations into the field of the lord’s harvest. The big question is, are the nations beholding the glory of what we are today declaring as a revelation today? Something to think about.

 

THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH, A GOOD EXAMPLE

 As insightful and matured the Corinthians church seem in chapter 1 of Corinthians, one would expect this church to also be a community of peaceful, united, corporate community, pursuing the grace and life of their corporate assignment in the spirit of matured understanding. Unfortunately, it’s not so, as you begin to read chapters two and three further, you start to see the childishness and immaturity of this community.

 

Suddenly you get the sense of how far they are from what was depicted in chapter one as well spiritually developed community. I use to know folks back in my teenage days as a zealous Christian in separate search for anointing and revelation. In those days, there was a sense of deep respect and admiration for anyone who seem to have in depth knowledge and insight into the word of God.

Young fellow will spend there to school fees or their incomes to buy Christian literatures. Others, like me, who seem to have a partial understanding of a calling will go for concordance, commentaries and theological materials just to polish my spiritual insight, and I can tell you that it was enjoyable. Nevertheless, the purpose of this seemingly wonderful spiritual request was to prove a point to others that you’re the best. Thus, while people listen and applauded what was coming out of my mouth, my heart was taking the glory. The exercise was never truly designed to bring glory to the lord. It was all about competition. This is the same thing I see today amongst many leaders. While they are articulating the right things in terms of what is expected, their hearts, however are seeking to take the glory.

 

 When need to understand that the mouth can say all the right things while our hearts does not truly engage in the spirit of truth to want to see constructive change. A word that is yet to affect us cannot transform the listeners regardless of how finely fitted our lingual expression. Revelation is not simply about the use of words to communicate something we believe has been given or shown to us. Truly revelation is called to see and experience that which is behind the veil of human understanding to adjust our lives to fit that heavenly pattern.

 

 Therefore, seeking to understand what we’ve seen is a critical component of being custodians of the ministry of revelation. Making ambiguous statement, more so in our spiritual stands only without a standardized balance of a guiding doctrine, complicates the primary objective of the purpose of communicating our faith and hope which is to ultimately bring edification.  If we effectively communicate our spiritual position with the purpose to educate, reform and transform, we will eventually edify and build up the body into fullness in all things in as we convey revelation guided by the character quality of the fruits of our regenerate spirit.