Church ministry and leadership, Church ministers and relationhip

CHRIST, OUR NATURAL HABITAT

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CHRIST, OUR NATURAL HABITAT

Allow me to bother you again with one of the life-messages of wisdom. Many Christians today have become so naturally accustomed to specific and essential, practices to the extent that we have almost forgotten the transforming-life lesson we should be learning from them.

Yesterday evening my wife brought these plants home, and she immediately got a cup with water inside and dropped the plants in it. I didn’t give much attention to it except for the fact that she said one of the plants is a pine tree.

 

This morning while I was making myself a cup of tea, the Holy Spirit drew my attention to the cup and asked me, what do you see? I immediately cut the reason for the question; if the plants are not secure in the appropriate environment, they will eventually die in the next few hours or days depending on their longevity.

The right habitat of the plants does not only secure their existence but also their potential in growing and fulfilling their ordained purpose for life.

What a profound truth that we daily take for granted. Living daily in the environment that sustains who we are made to be is an ever-fresh revelation we should always cherish if we must remain relevant in life.

We’ve been placed in an environment that sustains everything we are, and should represent as humans made in the likeness of God. A life lived in the consciousness of the abiding presence of God is one that receives provision for life and godliness according to brother Peter.

Let me remind us that we do not have any excuse whatsoever not to remain in our natural habitat as followers of Christ, and for those who are none-Christians, nature speaks to us of who we are, and how we ought to be sustained in life even without a preacher.

This is the reason the book of Romans declares that as humans, we have no excuse for not living our lives according to the ethics code of God.

Romans 1:20
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

Why is it easy to see the repercussion of not transplanting a plant in their right habitat of water supply, yet, it seems so difficult to accept our own inherent sustained environment within the stream of living water?

While these plants do not have the will of their own to jump out of the water, and if they can, they will eventually die. We, however, see the will of these plants bound to the eternal objective of what they’ve been ordained for in their service to the use of man and the rest of creation.

Man, as the most superior of all Gods creation has been given a will because the one who created him has a will. However, we have not truly fathomed, understand, nor appreciate why we’ve been given a will that should be continually surrendered to the one who gave it to us as part of our daily devotional service to him who created us for his own good pleasure.

We’ve assumed that because we have a sense of where we came from, at least as Christians, immediately translates to been secured within the environment of our sustainability which of course is a terrible lie.

Refusing to consciously yield ourselves in obedience to the will of God is like a fish out of the water, assuming it will survive. Friends, this is not just some natural law, but a spiritual one, that should be daily sustained and in practice if we desire peace and fulfillment.

If you ever assume that you can survive with your supposed advanced intelligence and secured financial muscle without you abiding continually in the presence of Christ who is the source of all things, is a lie and you will soon die if you don’t remain in your natural spiritual habitat in Christ.

I hope these few lines will stir and motivate your spirit mind to start abiding in Christ our eternal source.

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BEING SPIRITUALLY CARNAL. PART 2

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BEING SPIRITUALLY CARNAL. CONCLUSION.

By Isaiah-Phillips Akintola

A considerable amount of Church community has managed to raise men and women who are more popular than the very Christ they claim to be representing. We today have church folks who believe more of what the preacher says in excitement than what is biblically correct.

The image of the man of sin is now seating in the temple, demanding worship and praise from the people of God. Many of our church folks have been bewitched by falsehood; truth has fallen to the ground, and no one seems to care.

Today, the act of carnality has become more fun and trendy to many, including church leaders, who by default ought to be the very exemplary standard-value of spiritual representation. Hardly do we see the concept of a church community gathering today that is not driven by some form activities that merely seek to exalt men.

We have raised a generation of Christians who are uncomfortable with a message that probes the heart and demands a change of character lifestyle. Our gospel messages and initiatives are focus around getting the people motivated for as long as we do not require them to change or sacrifice for the things of the Spirit. The pressure of material blessings, increase Church numbers,, and financial success has led many so-called church leaders to the house of wicked people to get demonic power to increase or maintain their status.

The voice of sensuality is growing more powerful than the sound of the spirit that seeks to please the Father, and we all need to corporately address this perverted spirit before we lose the next generation to the soulish, demonic lifestyle.

The world of the soul-life is a well-organized universe that requires individuals who have successfully graduated from the University of identifying each component and operations of the Spirit of truth, particularly, in the area of the principle of human redemption with the capacity to engage and expose the complex nature and operations of the unregenerate soul.

It does take a person who has lived and operated in the conscious, carnal character and a degree of the sound spiritual state of life to assist us to make sense of what it means to be carnally spiritual, and this is what we find I found in Paul and David.

What do I mean by this? David understood a profound character mechanism of the ministry of the (principle) laws of God in the conversion of the human soul.

Now, that takes a certain degree of relationship with the values of God’s word to be shown such level of profound truth. It is true that man, including those of us who have claimed to have experienced salvation to front a sense of spirituality that is derived from the soul realm because we’ve not been exposed to a certain depth of truth in our work with God.

The soul of man can virtually mimic, or even perform certain acts of spiritual activity, including what we may term as miracles, especially when it’s exposed and accustomed to the knowledge and operational system of the spirit, and there’s no doubt that the soul is very familiar with the peripheral environmental activity of the spirit. In the ascended operatives dimensions of the spiritual life, no part of the unregenerate soul faculty is allowed to function without their submission to the divine order of the spirit.

The function of the soul faculties alongside the governing authority of spirit-man is the divine pattern from the beginning. However, the fall has brought a sharp division that has continued to prevent a man from operating in his restored, ascended spiritual lifestyle. It must be clear that our spirituality and its operatives cannot be complete without the functional mechanism of the entire soul faculties.

The priority of heaven in this season is not just for us to understand the functional division of these two realms but to find the divine pathway of restoring them so that Man can once again function in that synchronized position of his restored life. Every autonomous faculty of man, particularly in the soul realm must be regulated and reunited under the governing, leadership system of the kingdom of God’s Holy Spirit.

Many of the spiritual realities and kingdom initiatives we are trying to achieve through an idealistic pursuit like the ministry of the oneness of the Body of Christ may not be quickly achieved due to our obscurity of this truth.

The unity of the Body of Christ and the corporate function of the ascended gifts will only become a true reality when we’ve successfully unseat the soul from the leadership position of the Church and general behavioral human lifestyle.

Unfortunately, the understanding of this highly, technical, operational mechanisms of the unregenerate soul-life is still a mystery to several believers, including many of the so-called spiritual leaders who have allowed the enemy to seduce and subdue their spiritual faculty into this sensual, demonic type of leadership.

Being able to function in what may be termed or seen as spiritual is perhaps one of the deadliest deceptions today especially within the Body of Christ, and we are warned to be wary of such manifestation when we see them in operation.

I have to some degree experienced what I am sharing through this note. Therefore, it is not some theoretical or some third-hand information.

it might be commendable to practice a form of spirituality that is based on some mental process information we’ve gathered, or have been exposed to due to the privilege of proximity and association with those who are knowledgable in spiritual matters.

But certainly not recommended nor commendable when such knowledge has not been duly processed and refined within the crucible of heaven’s designed process.

When ministry does not flow from a pure, devotional state of an ongoing relationship with the Father, it will ultimately produce fruits sourced from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil which will manifest itself in pride which will lead destruction. It is so easy to build our dependence on what we know mentally, and present such mental knowledge to people as a first-hand spiritual experienced; this is called spiritual deception.

When we mention the term carnality, we are quick to think of a particular sin which is true to some extent, but the very nature of carnality as I have earlier described is a lifestyle that operates through sensual knowledge depend on the soul-faculty for what it sees, belief, choose, and decide, and many unfortunately operate their concept of spirituality from the point of view.

Therefore, carnality is to allow the position and influence of men, including that of so-called men God and spiritual leaders to override the mind of Christ and his standard of truth in our lives.

Carnality which is the soul-life is to be more afraid of men than the one who called us and send us to represent him.

Carnality is to lose your voice when heaven expect you to speak in defense of its values and standard. Carnality is when you and I seek to judge things, including people through their material or physical disposition.

Carnality is when the title of our so-called ministry r gifts becomes more important than the very life-fruit of him who called us and sent us to represent him.

Carnality is to eat and be Continually sustained by the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

There are two kinds of wisdom in the scripture just as they are two types of knowledge, one sourced from the tree of life while the other emanates from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

The scripture informs us that knowledge will increase in the last day, and we are seeing the fruition of this biblical prophecy coming to pass before our very eyes; an awareness that contradicts the principle of God and the respect for each other is increasing at all levels.

One of the characteristics of the last days is a total shift from the depending on the wisdom and knowledge of God to depending on the philosophy and ideology of man.

Human wisdom is one of the most significant challenges of today’s church, and the reason is clear, the wisdom or knowledge of God sound and looks foolish to man.

Sensuality is mixed with the knowledge, Eastern philosophy is becoming more prevalent and accepted among the western culture.

These forms of thinking that derive its source of information and inspiration from the soulish, sensual thinking is rewriting the template of how humans see and process morality and spirituality.

Of a truth, this is the age of knowledge as it has been prophetically declared according to prophet Daniel, and we are seeing the power of knowledge giving rise to many things not just in the general society but within the Church, which is contradicting every form of sound, biblical values of spirituality.

Knowledge is a product of the Spirit. However, we are now witnessing the accelerated, advanced development of another type of knowledge which the fallen man is very much familiar with, gaining precedence over the wisdom that comes from the tree of life.

This knowledge that flows from the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil has almost taken over the entire spiritual culture and worship system of the Church.

What is generally define as spirituality today are mostly sourced from the fruit of this tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and unfortunately, very few are keenly aware of this important deceptive and seductive activity taking place before their very face.

Today’s definition of spirituality is a learned art, mimic by what the soul as glean from those who many sees and deem to be successful. When we see and judge success merely by the obvious, it means that we subject to demonic control, manipulation, and witchcraft.

Being spiritually carnal is a term I have coined out to give voice and perspective to one of the most challenging topics in the contemporary Christian faith and human development. Particularly, in an era where carnality is now wearing the image of what men define and termed as spiritual.

The increased influence materialism and visualization has continued to Rob the church of the true sense of spirituality. When we base reality on what can be touched and seen, am afraid, we cannot go on with the Lord to that place of spiritual maturity.

Please note this point, being carnal does not necessarily prevent us from being aware of specific information either natural or spiritual.

We can be very aware or exposed to profound spiritual knowledge and still be highly sensual in our values and desire because information on its own does not have the transforming power of change. What we do with what we know is where the power of truth lies.

Here is a profound statement that gives voice to what I am trying to convey. Truth is not just about what we know or do with what we believe. The truth is about who we are becoming by what we believe in thought and through experience.

Lucifer is one of the most spiritually intelligent beings, yet, totally sold out to a sensual lifestyle, expressed in rebellion to the set standard of the Father. Some of his deadliest weapons at his disposal today are the ability to manipulate the knowledge and truth he was exposed to while he was the cherubim that cover the glory of God, and his the single reason the ecclesia must study and understand the doctrine of truth.

What defines true, biblical spirituality is not just about the degree of knowledge we have acquired or have been exposed to which have eventually become part of our residual, intellectual property.

But a continual relationship with the Father that keeps such knowledge or information alive in the place of unbroken, daily relationship.

I firmly believe that this was the principle and value the Father was instilling within the mindset of his children when he introduced the principle of manna in the wilderness.

Living out of the proceeding word is a powerful spiritual discipline that keeps us away from the deception of soulish, self-dependence attitude.

Learning to depend on the Lord for our daily [provision of sustenance] bread either for our emotional, psychological, material, or spiritual need is the most beautiful thing, and the most important spiritual principle we can ever attain.

Total dependency on Christ is the highest level of faith attainment in the spiritual journey. This has however proven to be one of man’s most challenging spiritual quest due to the advanced operational nature of the unregenerate soul faculties in man.

It is easy to depend on your own will, desire, or emotion regarding a need or decision that than to trust and wait for the Father’s verdict. Human needs, particularly, emotional or material always expose human carnality.

The children of Israel proved this point time and lever gain. Whenever they met a situation of need, they would run back to their default position of reasoning which is usually soulish and not spiritual. exposed.

In fact, at a point in their journey due to the delay of Moses on the mountain with the Father, they decided to choose another means that will lead them to the Promised Land rather than waiting for Moses, the leader God choose for them.

Further still, you will see them praise God whenever things work for their favor. Their understanding of spirituality means that things should always work out for their favor, then they will give praise and glory to God.

This lifestyle is, however, a profound manifestation of pure carnal tendency which is what we see being practiced in today’s context of Christianity.

The soul faculties are designed in a manner that they can both receive and [release] give knowledge in whatever form or format such knowledge or information is required.

In other words, when a person gets to be exposed or grows in a particular environment that offers the privilege to know certain arts, by default, such a person is able to duplicate or replicate the art in a different environment.

This is a law; what we learn can be replicated with or without our personal interest. This same goes for the concept of language.

When a child is born a different environment to his or her mother’s tongue, the child naturally picks up the lingual of such environment of birth. Knowledge is a learned art beyond the orthodox four walls of a classroom.

General knowledge is usually imparted through contacts and the influence we come under. Knowledge is what we are exposed to particularly through cultural philosophies.

Religion and even spirituality is a learned art that can be further developed into a personal experience depending on what caught our attention and what happens when our attention is caught.

This is one of the reasons why we are commissioned to go preach the good news to the world, and then make disciples of all nations. So, how would the people hear without anyone being sent?

When we consider the various aspects that make the communication of the truth or the gospel of Christ to the world, we see a progressive pattern that carries a systematic, continuous form of engagement and development until individuals arrive at their point of deciding that they need to have a relationship with the Lord.

The arriving point of deciding to have a relationship with Christ is never an instantaneous thing as many have assumed and this one of the end I am trying to raise as we examine this principle before us.

Many unfortunately have remained in the awareness point of what the scripture revealed about truth and spirituality, and in fact, have to build things and ministry around this awareness knowledge that is yet to be translated into a relevant relationship with Christ and his kingdom.

In an Age where another form of spirituality that does not involve pure relationship that flows from the heart of total devotion to the Father is fast gaining popularity across the world, we need to reexamine what defines the art of true, biblically sound spirituality so, don’t fall into the trap of this New Age spirit.

The rise of the New Age ideology of spirituality has continued to give precedence to this false, ancient lie that promotes that ideology that one can be spiritual without necessarily adhering to the value standard of God’s oracle.

The New Age spirituality promotes any form of religion that allows a man to be whatever he decides to be for as long as he or she feels right about it.

This is undoubtedly a false religious belief that must be challenged with the most advanced, biblical, prophetic insight and wisdom.

I do believe there’s a synergistic connection between sound biblical spirituality and human development. There’s no way we can accurately arrive at a perfect development without the restored inflow of biblical spirituality.

While the fallen man has continued to enhance the various aspects of his unregenerate soul faculties in terms of his exposure to foreign knowledge in the realms mental, emotional, and intellectual aptitude. He, however, remain estranged to the divine, unified, perfected life of his being in Christ.

Until the soul and his entire faculties surrender to the divine authority of the awakened spiritman, he will never enter the day of unified, perfected rest.

This is the day the Lord is calling us back to the realm of total harmonization of our entry back to its first state in the Father.

The division man experienced in the garden between his faculties must first be identified and restored before the advanced reformation and restoration of the various part of the body of Christ, and his ascended gifts can become a true unified, corporate church that executes the bedding of the Father seamlessly without friction.

This is, however, not going to be easy as many have assumed. we will have to first return to correct the assumption we have nursed and built regarding the ministry of salvation and redemption.

The lack of a well-balanced, knowledge of the way of the Lord has led us to the point of presuming the ways and arts of the Spirit. unfortunately, this false reality has become the very template of the operation of many in terms of dealing with life issues.

Our ignorance of the divine precepts of the kingdom of God has led us to create a false reality of a spirituality we today call Christianity, and this has to be of the major hinders to the precise development and transformation of the total man and his society.

I do not mean to be cynical with this title but to rather help to paint a picture of the dilemma of today’s spiritual dysfunctional state.

This is a subject that has fascinated me for many years as a follower of Christ who had struggled in many occasion to understand myself and the meaning of spirituality, and why I fail in many cases from living out the standard showed to me by my Lord.

An honest follower of the Lord must have at some point arrived at the reality of asking some of these critical, challenging questions especially around their weakness and failure to enter the realm of rest and upward development in the art of biblical spirituality.

Frustration, challenges, and resistance are synonymous to any honest seeker of the way, the truth, and life of Christ standard for lifestyle.

In my years of pastoral ministry service, I’ve come to this conclusion that many do genuinely desire to walk with God, but their inability to understand the origin and nature of their weakness and struggle in terms of gaining mastery over their carnal behavior is a major setback.

The practice of spirituality either by biblical values or on some other foreign ideological means requires the involvement of the entire soul faculties.

Therefore, who or what controls the soul realm of soul carries the upper hand in influencing the decision we make regardless of the direction or intention of such a person’s spirituality. Spirituality cannot be divorced from the harmonization of the entire human faculties.

It is essential we state that spirituality is the harmonization of the entire human faculties bringing glory to the Father. The spirit, soul, and body of man must be in agreement when the act of spirituality is being practiced.

Devotion cannot be completed until there’s a valid agreement between what the spirit desires to how the soul process and response to the passion of the spirit.

After all, both the passion and longing of the spirit can only be revealed through the faculties of the soul which are the very seat of human will, intellect, and emotion. And once the soul faculties agree on a desire that reaches her either through the imagination or thought realm, the chemistry of action goes into effect; action follows suit.

What eventually determine sound spirituality must be based on discipline, agreed action of the soul-faculty. It is highly possible to live and practice what many terms as spirituality within a divided, dysfunctional belief system, and in fact, this is the present concept of how many today practice their Christianity, or else, we will not have had so much of Christian activity with very little or no result. I would like us to examine this concept as we search to biblical answer in answering this long, ancient challenge to the Church. We need to deal with every form of carnal tendencies that will hinder us from enjoying the full life of the Spirit.

We need to address the desire and passion that seeks to mix spiritual truth with carnal activities; this is the day of spiritual purity so we may adequately represent the advancement of the kingdom of God to our world and generation.

TOWARDS THE REFORMING OF THE BODY OF CHRIST AND SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP.

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MISSIONS AND THE CHURCH-18

 

Exposing spiritual pride

By Isaiah-Phillips Akintola

The bride of Christ is maturing in all dimensions of her faculties. The Spirit of Christ is now being allowed into those realms and positions he had been earlier refused access, and this is highly commendable.

However, the level of continual arrogance and pride manifest through some so-called, privileged access to some apostolic, ascended truth or revelation about the Father and his prophetic, kingdom realities by some brethren amongst us is a thing of great concern that should be addressed even though we’ve been talking about this for years now.

This is a day of light; this penetrating light is shining from a more brighter position of truth and wisdom that speaks to the issues of spiritual pride within us and in the body of Christ across communities.

No one can be close in his or her natural, human work with the Father than the privilege position Lucifer once enjoyed at the presence of the Father until iniquity was found in him.

Doing the things that prevents (lawlessness) iniquity to gain access into our hearts is one of the highest spiritual values and discipline we can attain in our relationship and various ministries.

In my work with God I’ve learned to discover that there’s just a fine line between truth and error; between light and darkness. It’s so easy to miss the primary things of the Spirit while we focus and fixative on secondary matters.

It’s so easy to lose focus and direction while trying to carry out what we believe is the heart of our assignment. Ministry and relationship are two unique, different things that we cannot afford the mistake of separating them or allowing one to overshadow the other.

One of the warnings the Lord echoed to the hearing of Cain was that sin lays at his doorsteps because of his wrong attitude towards his brother, and if he refused to gain mastery over it, it shall enter in and destroy him, and that was what eventually happened.

Ministry and our relationship with divine things are birth through a deep, close work with the Spirit of Christ as we saw manifest in the garden when Adam enjoyed a regular visitation of the Father in a time frame the scripture calls the ‘cool’ of the day.

This work of the Spirit which is both reformative and transformative by nature produces mobility to walk toward the direction of the formation of the Body ministry in a manner that is revealed through one’s testimony of the in-depth work of the cross of Christ.

The deeper we work in the ascended life of Christ produced by the cross, the close and more precise we can see the inner work of Christ in the lives of our brethren who may not be recognized or accepted by the blind multitudes.

Not being able to see or identify with the inner scar of the sacrificial work of the cross in the life of traveler of light with his unperishable bag of kingdom treasure that wax not old, is a clear reflection of such a person’s spiritual blindness and deficiency of apostolic life.

The truth is, What will eventually unite the various parts of the body of Christ on that mountain of confluence will certainly not be the degree of our revelation, or how we’ve been able to authenticate and articulate such revelation. What will begin to unify the broken, fragmented Body of Christ is going to be our ability to manifest before others, the fragrance of the sentence of our spiritual death at each season or junction of our call to migrate to a new spiritual position of life in Christ.

Many have romanced the loadable ministry of the unity of the body but have indeed invested very little or nothing in the divine call to die to their loftiness and sense of spiritual pride and ministry exclusivity.

It is highly essential and required that we are able to clearly articulate the ascended revelation of Christ and his kingdom as part of the reclaiming of our identity and culture as members and followers of the new nation in Christ.

However, our articulation of this identity must align with the in-depth formation of Christ in every sector of our human existence.

The reformation of our humanity is the only channel by which humans both saved, and nonsaved alike can see and appreciate the fruit of Christ and his kingdom lifestyle through us.

Revelation is for your personal reform in the journey while the participation of such revelation is your testimony of the new man you’ve become in Christ which then gives you the courage and boldness, but not in pride to express your authority of revelation to represent Christ to others.

If you keep saying what you’ve not genuinely become through the grace of spiritual process in redemption, you’re not better than a glorified, 21st century Pharisee.

Some I felt we need to consider or reconsider carefully. Pls, share this note to benefit others. Thank you.

BEING SPIRITUALLY CARNAL

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BEING SPIRITUALLY CARNAL.

 

By Isaiah-Phillips Akintola

 

THE LAW OF THE LORD IS PERFECT, CONVERTING THE SOUL.

 

Part 1

 

Introduction.

In this latest article, I have sought to provide insight, answer, and direction to some of the most perplexing questions before the Body of Christ in relating to what has been erroneously defined and termed as spirituality or Church practice.

Several young and upcoming spiritual leaders today are confused, particularly in the area of determining the correct footing of what could be defined or described as an appropriate biblical practice of spiritual leadership. Jesus made a profound statement when he said, these people draw close to me with their mouth, but their heart is far from me.

This is one of the most deceptive characters highlighted regarding a spiritual relationship. The fact that we can vocalize all the right spiritual ‘things’, and still be spiritually disconnected and dysfunctional is a serious issue that should not be ignored or neglected.

The increase of sensual and demonic inspired leadership practice demands that we raise our prophetic discernment and biblical doctrine and spirituality such that everyone can easily identify false spiritual projections, particularly, in this season of increased darkness. We cannot fold our hands while charlatans continue to corrupt and misrepresent the prophetic intention of God for the Church and the nations.

We should engage these raised false altars and impression that has brought so much shame to the Body of Christ. I have tried to examine this highly interesting but complex subject through the eyes of the Spirit. It’s my prayer that you will take the time to carefully study and meditate on some of the points highlighted in the article. Please feel free to engage me in any area you may seek further expansion.

When we buy the lie…

one of the major lies we have accepted as humans but particularly a major part of today’s church is to believe that one part of human is spiritual while the other aspects are none spiritual. The truth is, every single aspect of man is intricately designed to be spiritual both in existence and function. The creation of man and its various complex functions are all reflection of a certain degree of spirituality that takes the spiritually inform and awakened to understand.

Being spiritual is an integration of who we are, what we represent, and how we function emotionally, intelligently, physically, and of course, spiritually. Let’s examine some simple but critical facts that can assist us in the understanding of how human beings get to be shaped, develop, and function in behavior. I am not an expert on human development but I can say that I have extensively read books and research materials that back my knowledge on this subject. Further still, my work in the matter of spiritual development and leadership has given me rear opportunity to glean certain biblical values that have enhanced my insight and understanding.

 

Development and knowledge

 

We’ve all had of what is known as early childhood development (ECD). Experts reckon that the first 1000 days in the life of a child is critical because that is the formative process period of a child’s interaction to life. In other words, this period determines how the child will see, view and interact with so many things we define to be behavior and intelligence.

Intelligence is shaped and enhanced through early exposure to the necessary information and nurturing the brain requires to effectively function. As this point of fact applies to the natural realm, so does it apply to the concept of the spiritual infancy development of man.

Meaning that environment, either physical or spiritual plays a significant role in shaping our idea of knowledge and how we interpret such knowledge, especially in the area of defining truth and its application to real life events. The development or better still, the none development of the soul, which is the residence of human attitude, character, and behavioral pattern control how the brain process information, and how humans react and respond to such information, regardless of the spiritual state or carnal tendencies of such a person.

The brain which is part of the faculty of the soul operates based on a particular system of data inflow, particularly when such data is released frequently on a systematic, repetitive format.

Research has proved that the brain does not recognize the difference between imagination and reality. Thus, whatever gets infused within the human brain cognitive character long enough, becomes by default, the very reality the brain projects to such a person — this a profound law that has enhanced or even weaken the developmental journey of humans throughout history.

 

 

The power of reinforcement

 

Repetition reinforces what the brain thinks, sees, believes, and accept as its reality. No wonder the word of God declares, “as a man thinks in his (mind) heart so he is.

Any form of thought pattern, good or bad, creates a profound sense of reality within the mind if they are not immediately dealt with correctly.

Whatever we believe and accept as spiritually correct becomes what our brain accepts and reinforce as the truth within the various faculties of our being as the truth.

If we, therefore, do not have a biblically set pattern of determining and measuring truth and spirituality, we can easily fall into any deceptive trap of the enemy, and in fact, this is what the enemy is busy with today to lure many into his den of destruction.

I’ll like these basic facts to be the footing of some of the principles I want us to examine through this article as we continue to find the divine pattern for our spiritual reformation, transformation, and ultimate restoration even as the battle of light and darkness continues.

 

 

Unveiling carnality within spirituality.

2 Timothy 3:1-5

 

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

To be carnally minded is death and but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. The term carnality is a berry broadened word that goes beyond a particular act of sin. The biblical definition of carnality is anything outside the standard order and functional state and value system of the Spirit of God.

I will frequently use this term on a broad definition that should help us make sense of what the Spirit of the Lord is emphasizing in this hour, even as we continue to witness the false impressions of spirituality all around us. To understand and thoroughly apply the perfected law of the Lord in its true essence is to begin to step into the journey of the conversation and transformation of the soul back to its ordained, original place and function in Christ.

There are several ascended truths and high values we can glean from this profound statement made under divine inspiration through David, centuries-long before Christ our Redeemer came to earth. It’s evident that the main focus of the Spirit in this season is the conversion of the human soul and its entire operational faculties.

The need to continue to unravel the character nature of the soul-man is necessary to begin preparing the Body of Christ for the next spiritual emphasis of kingdom lifestyle and its governmental expression. There are just too many assumptions flagging around today in the name of biblical spirituality, or in the name of some kingdom manifestation that is totally contradictory to God’s divine order and value pattern.

Many out of shared zeal in our time have sought to run with some kind of apostolic mandate or prophetic message without clear knowledge and insight into how the deceptive, operative influence of the unregenerate soul seeks to corrupt and disregard the advancement of kingdom assignment. I do not believe that we can fully enter the scope of the third day ascended ministry of the ecclesia without a clear, broadened, prophetic insight into every sphere of human faculty operational system.

It will be a great mistake to venture into the realm of high-level kingdom spiritual activity within the context of the humanist, New Age definition of spirituality without a well-balanced, matured sense of biblical spiritual wisdom and authority of engagement.

 

Removing the footing of assumption

 

Therefore, pressing into the realm of kingdom possibility in this hour necessitate that each one of us returns to the school of Christ, and be upgraded on how the soul-man seeks to manipulate and circumvent the divine protocol of accurate spiritual ministry lifestyle.

In my past articles, I have sought to deal with the concept of the soul and how the mind operates. In this article, however, my focus is slightly different in the sense that I am trying to unravel how the unregenerate soul-man can almost successfully camouflage in its operations as an authentic spiritual manifestation.

 

It is a known fact that is worth repeating that many of the acts of war, destructions, wickedness, enslavements, corruption, perversion, religious cultism, social abuse, and many other destructive tendencies we’ve witnessed in history till this very day, all emanate from the fruit of the rebellious, unregenerate souls of men. The soul faculties of man by the act of the fall is morally corrupt and continually wicked in its desire and aspirations. The unrefined behavioral patterns of men find their roots from the fallen, Adamic character of the soul.

Beyond this, the influence of illegitimate leadership power either from the viewpoint of political manipulation, socioeconomic degradations, or the abuse of spiritual authority, are all products of the fallen, dysfunctional character values within the human soul. When that which is defined to be spiritual and sacred becomes the very instrument of deception, perversion, corruption, then, such narrative of spirituality calls for significant concern, and this is what I am seeking to highlight through this note.

What worries me is, a significant part of today’s church is fast losing the true meaning and essence of spirituality to that which is soulish and carnally motivated. As I read and interact with folks, especially on social media platforms, I see how a vast number of church members; individuals we once thought have spiritual understanding, stand up in defense of criminals who call themselves men and women of God.

It baffles me to see how folks confront and criticize authentic followers of Christ who stands up in defense of the truth. It is surprising to see how so-called Christians today can rise in defense of that which is indefensible. These brethren seem not to know nor understand what is biblically deem heretic from what is spiritual and doctrinally correct. I cannot but wonder what in the world is going on within the mind frame of many of our church folks today.

YOUR GIFT IS NOT ENOUGH FOR EFFECTIVE MINISTRY

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 By Isaiah-Phillips Akintola 

When a relationship that ought to effectively drive our corporate, assigned prophetic activity is merely built on the peripherals of some humanistic, civil, politically correct ideology, we can be rest assured that we are not ready to confluence as Christ regents in matters of kingdom civilization and engagement for the redemption of creation.

If Church leaders are afraid to speak truth to themselves, how can we corporately speak truth to the powers that be? While it is highly critical that we learn to be respectful and civil with each other, it is, however, more critical we learn of truth and to speak the truth openly and cautiously to each other so we can corporately grow in the unity of the faith according to sound, biblical injunction. The fear of being rejected for speaking truth to each other is a clear sign that our understanding of the input of the ministry of the Saints to each other is still very shallow and immature to say the least.

I am afraid to declare that such kind of relationship will never produce the in-depth, intended objective of the Spirit, regardless of how powerful we may individually move in our ministry gifts. Ministry gift is not what perfects the saints; it is of rather the experiential life and nature that shapes the wineskin that houses the gifts and their various functional capacities in the community. Gifts without the maturing of wineskin will do more damage to the construction and perfection of the ecclesia.

 

Jesus, at the age of 12 was already super gifted but had to submit to the life-process of maturing and perfecting the wineskin that will ultimately house and effectively express his gift. I have met many gifted folks who are yet to be matured in the quality of life that can carry and dispense what they’ve been gifted with.

To build a ministry or relationship from the standpoint of a powerful gift without the essential character quality lifestyle to regulate and dispense such a gift is a setup for the manifestation of the spirit of pride that will ultimately lead to destruction.

This is one of the reasons Paul warned Timothy not to commit spiritual things to [immature] novice. Being gifted without a refined character to carry and represent such gift is one of the most dangerous things than can happen to you as a Christian.

The need to go through seasons of spiritual development, coupled with real-life challenges is indeed helpful in shaping and imprinting the right character qualities needed in operating our gifts. I was a highly gifted person that was so obvious to many around me, but the Lord brought me to a place where he paralyzed that gift for a season because he needed to work on certain blind spots of my life that I could not see not accept even when I was shown by others.

A significant hindrance to our corporation as gifted leaders in the Body of Christ is center around pride and insecurity. When we are yet to learn, as ministers of the gospel the significance of the ministry of the Saints, we cannot effectively function in our individual ministries to the world and creation.

Our definition of ministry is entirely out of biblical order and priority. We judge and approve each other based on gifts, influence and material acquisition and not on the level of spiritual experience and maturity.

There are people I have met on my journey of spiritual apostolic transition, including young Millennials who are still in the thirty-fold reality of the understanding of spiritual things, who have tried to undermine my prophetic assignment because they cannot find around me those material things they’ve been asked to look for when a so-called ‘seasoned apostle or prophet’ stand to speak. In most cases when I feel like giving them a piece of my heart in rebuke, the Lord often correct me not to do so, because that would mean that I am subjecting myself to their ungodly, carnal opinion.

Our measuring standard and values of spiritual matters need to be drastically readjusted if we are ever going to enter the prophetic scope of divine engagement; the correction of sight must be a major priority for many of us particularly here in Africa. The condition of poverty propelled through the false gospel of mammon and materialism has almost destroyed the right footing and template of sound spiritual relationship and leadership in the Body of Christ.

There’s a company of individual’s heaven has prepared and sent that will help us embrace the process of the maturation of our gifts and wineskin, but we need humility and the spirit of mutual submission to awaken our hearts to see and embrace them. Regardless of how gifted you are in this season, you need to come to terms with the current emphasis of the Lord, which is, all gifts must be collapsed into the character lifestyle of the Spirit of Sonship.

This means that the Lord desires a corporate man in the earth that will function in the ascended power of the ascended Christ. Gifts were only given to the Body of Christ when Christ ascended on high.  Therefore, only those with the ascended character lifestyle of Christ can function in the full potential of their callings and gifts. The emphasis of the Lord for this hour is a lifestyle that is correctly configured to house not just our gifts but to understand the humanity of others even as we seek to connect with their spirituality for effective ministry.

This lesson will assist us to discern others, particularly leaders beyond just the operation of their gifts. The anointing is a seal of our calling and assignment, but to effectively function in the anointing, we also need to be developed in the Spirit of wisdom and understanding such that our insight and knowledge regarding other folks can tamper with matured ministry of mercy and grace. The ministry of mercy and grace are the trophies of our victory through the journey of accurate transition of our gift and callings. When we are able to finally see people the way the Lord sees them, then, we are able to relate and flow in the spirit of mercy and grace as we corporately share hearts and gifts together for the kingdom advancement.

To engage with a well matured, apostolic [value system] ministry on this third day, the church, especially, its leaders and the elders must learn the routine of handling necked truth with wisdom, mercy and grace without being ashamed of each other’s weakness of failure. One of the principal characters of truth is that it exposes the very core of our being, and when we are truly open to others and their gifts, we will not only see their ability, but we shall also see and share in their disabilities, and this is highly critical in the principle of relationship in administering our ascended ministry gifts.

If we are unable to effectively manage the weaknesses and exposures of each other’s blind spots and spiritual defects, we are merely playing church and peddling with things meant for mature elders, seers, prophets, and watchmen at the gate. It’s about time the church and its leadership leaves behind childish ways and thinking.

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 1 Corinthians 13: 11-12