{"id":19,"date":"2024-10-16T01:21:54","date_gmt":"2024-10-16T01:21:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prayermountainbohol.com\/10things\/?p=19"},"modified":"2024-11-26T03:18:18","modified_gmt":"2024-11-26T03:18:18","slug":"chapter-4-personal-prophecy-is-subject-to-faith-its-not-fate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/prayermountainbohol.com\/10things\/chapter-4-personal-prophecy-is-subject-to-faith-its-not-fate\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 4: Personal Prophecy is subject to Faith\u2014It\u2019s not Fate"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201c… but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith ….\u201d
\nHebrews 4:2<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/br><\/p>\n

A Greek Tragedy <\/p>\n

We\u2019ve all seen movies or plays where there is some kind of prophecy used as a plot device. You learn this when you study Greek Drama, but it is also common in Shakespeare and modern movies, even in Tolkien. <\/p>\n

But the way prophecy actually works is not shown correctly in I think any of these stories. First they don\u2019t understand prophecy because they simply just don\u2019t understand God. God\u2019s character and nature affect how prophecy actually works since it is a way people have direct interaction with Him<\/b> and it is how he reveals himself to them. So instead of teaching how things really work with prophecy these worldly storytellers teach people a false narrative, giving them false expectations and display false dynamics of fate, free will, God\u2019s character, Man\u2019s condition and the outcomes of their actions. <\/p>\n

The World does not see things as they really are, especially concerning God\u2019s existence, his character, and his relationship with Mankind\u2014which basically affects every human endeavor, relationship, society, civilization and situation you can name\u2014so their world view of life creates a perverted reality but one which they also actively teach you to believe in.<\/b> Don\u2019t watch worldly media because it\u2019s always teaching you to live a life of bondage to the world of darkness, sin and death. <\/p>\n

These Greek-inspired thespians therefore actively create and promote many false doctrines and openly display a great many errors in their thinking. Worldly or carnally-minded Christians unknowingly then carry these same misconceptions over into their church doctrines until they mature and these lies are exposed and purged, but this takes time. And until they are corrected this is how they think and this tends to create a community of like-minded believers who may be true saints saved by grace through faith in Jesus, but who may live on a much lower level of blessings <\/b>than Jesus demonstrated and taught us to live in, in the Kingdom he provided for us, only due to their worldly thinking. <\/b>I call this community the \u2018Church of Man\u2019 or \u2018Man\u2019s Church\u2019 but which is very different in nature and experience from what we should now recognize and correctly call \u2018God\u2019s Kingdom.\u2019 <\/p>\n

Both groups are \u2018Christians\u2019 and people in both flocks may be saved, washed pure, have Bibles as lamps unto their feet, but only one group have extra oil and will attend the Wedding Feast of the Lamb. The others may still be saved but it will be as through a fire. <\/p>\n

<\/br><\/p>\n

Natural, Carnal Reasoning of the Scriptures<\/b><\/p>\n

For example, what makes sense to carnal man are things from the natural world. Spiritual things make no sense to them since they have no experience with those things. So when Jesus peached about the unseen eternal spiritual world he often had to use examples from the natural, earthly, carnal lives of the people he was reaching out to. He talked about sowing and reaping for example, and a person who focuses on earthly thinking will seize on this idea and so will often preach things like Sowing and Reaping as a LAW of God. This is inevitably used to teach that you MUST give your money (to him) to get money back from God! This is a LAW! But this is not true. This interpretation is carnal. Deeply flawed. A scheme of man. <\/p>\n

You can in fact \u2018sow\u2019 your money to needy people directly and bypass that preacher and still reap a full harvest from God. Did you know that? You can sow to God directly, even in kind and not in cash, as he guides you day by day and reap an even bigger reward. You should support your church\u2014absolutely!\u2014and support your minsters who have a duty to God to watch over your souls!\u2014certainly! But if it is done as under a LAW there is actually no reward for doing it since you are REQUIRED to obey a law; it is not accounted to you as a gift to be rewarded if you do it, but as an obligation that carries a punishment if you don\u2019t! <\/b>God is testing the heart actually. I am praying God accepts their tithing as a gift and rewards them in full as they teach, but when they are compelled and act as a \u2018legal duty\u2019 to give money there is no reward for doing it, only a punishment for not! Read your Bibles, people!<\/p>\n

Tithing being taught or acted on as a law hinders the real blessings for obeying it in fact. But if people give with a cheerful heart, in love, in compassion THAT is what triggers a full reward. God mostly rewards faith, love, and sacrifice, etc., so yes, there are blessings in acting in willing obedience, and special blessings for tithers, but again God is testing the heart, not only the act. So give, give cheerfully, give from a pure heart, don\u2019t hold back\u2014but don\u2019t fall back into bondage under anything or anyone. Do you see the difference? <\/p>\n

Instead of using threats to get money try inviting people to please help support your pastor and church, they work hard to serve you, they have bills to pay, please just think about it! But people would give less! Maybe, but they would give from a pure heart of love and reap a HUGE reward for themselves, and anyway the pastor knows God is his source, not the people, doesn\u2019t he? Isn\u2019t it better that he models real faith himself? God can provide in a million, zillion ways if you trust him. Why make the people your source? There is a curse on people who trust in Man; woe unto them! And you said it yourself, pastor, you reap what you sow. <\/p>\n

So \u2018sowing and reaping\u2019 is real, and it affects us in many ways, more than only in our finances, however, there are other \u201cLAWS\u201d at work as well than just \u2018sowing and reaping.\u2019 For example, there is also the LAW of the FAITH of the SPARROWS. For the sparrows and the ravens neither sow nor reap but the Father feeds them. <\/b>Why aren\u2019t they teaching you this? How did Jesus pay his taxes, by \u2018sowing and reaping\u2019? Well, yes, and God IS the God of the Harvest, and EVERY ACT of faith is sowing a seed, every answer to prayer a harvest. It\u2019s not always or only about you giving money. Actually the work of God is to Believe\u2014but yes, our actions follow our beliefs. Faith without words is dead. But the Great Works are of God, especially of Him Providing\u2014and that is far above the actions of people sharing their money which men are so eager to manipulate.<\/p>\n

So no, I can\u2019t go into every error people teach or every wrong idea from the world that seeps into Christian teaching, but concerning personal prophecy we have a very interesting kind of dichotomy or \u2018contrary thinking\u2019 that we do need to become more aware of if we want to prosper in God\u2019s Kingdom. <\/p>\n

If we can simply shine a light on these two opposing world views in our midst, the \u2018Greek Drama\u2019 view of prophecy verses the \u2018Kingdom of God\u2019 view of it, then we will be able to see with better enlightenment the errors being taught regarding how personal prophecy functions which will certainly set us free! <\/p>\n

<\/br><\/p>\n

Greek Dramas … are Fatal<\/b><\/p>\n

The Greeks said three evil witches which they called the Fates ruled human affairs. Sometimes portrayed as flying diaper-babies but as their names suggest they \u2018spun the web\u2019 of your \u2018destiny,\u2019 and \u2018alloted\u2019 your \u2018portion\u2019 in life which was \u2018inflexible.\u2019 You could never change your fate or your lot in life. But you see, we are not extras in a Greek play, we are living in the Kingdom of God, and this is a universe that operates by faith, not the Fates. <\/b>We are not subject only to fate but choose our own destiny in one way of saying it. You choose whom you shall serve, and you become like the thing that you choose to worship, and this is what actually determines your eternal destination and much of your journey along the way. But I bet you already knew that! <\/p>\n

So God speaks personal prophecy to us so we know what HIS HEART and WILL are for us, and if we choose to believe him and obey and choose to act in accordance with his word spoken over us, then we will inherit and lay hold of his intended blessings revealed in his personal prophecy to us for our good. <\/p>\n

And yes, while some things he foretells are going to happen no matter what, when he gives a <\/b>personal promise <\/b><\/i>is it <\/b>always affected <\/b><\/i>by our response to it<\/b>. We choose whom we shall serve and our character (nature) is transformed into the image that we are beholding: be it either the God of Glorious Lights … or any number of lifeless Idols of sin, darkness, lust, greed, pride, etc. Personal prophecy is therefore ALWAYS conditional. <\/b><\/p>\n

So note the \u2018Greek Drama\u2019 view of prophecy is under the control of inflexible FATE: it is unavoidable, inescapable, impersonal and it will happen to you no matter what you do about it. It\u2019s a \u2018You can run, but you can\u2019t hide,\u2019 kind of thing. <\/p>\n

Also note: their world view is one of weak humans at the mercy of arbitrary, uncaring and capricious supernatural powers who toy with humans with cruelty and depravity\u2014they\u2019re not benevolent but despotic: they kill, steal, destroy, rape, torture and lie. And so their idea of prophecy reflects this perverted word-view. <\/b>And oddly the natural mind accepts this without question and so naturally embraces a similar carnal view of prophecy very easily, almost instinctively. <\/b>This is because in their world view maybe it is true\u2014they are under the dominion of Darkness and that is what Satan does to people under his control. <\/p>\n

But once we pass into the Kingdom of Light this is no longer our reality, even if it once was. So this firstly means we must be diligent to unlearn and become un-trained in the ways of Man and the Flesh, especially as I am talking about in our little chat here now, especially with regards to personal prophecy\u2014you\u2019ll certainly be glad that you did. <\/p>\n

In Greek Dramas prophecy is usually like a doom that hangs over your head that you can do nothing to change in any way. And so often every \u2018good\u2019 blessing has within it a \u2018curse\u2019 just waiting to sneak up on you and\u2014GOTCHA! <\/i>The \u2018Pet Cemetery\u2019 or \u2018Monkey\u2019s Paw\u2019 version of prayer being answered is alway going to bite you in the end! These fears and suspicions are so devious because they pollute our view of who God is, what He is like and ruin our relationship with a truly Good God because it makes people distrust God and his promises to them. <\/b>There is ALWAYS a catch! they fear. No one is giving away free stuff \u2019just because.\u2019 Well even carnal parents do that for their kids, don\u2019t they? Why is it so hard to believe God would do that too for people who trust in him? Why is it so scary to trust that God is just trying to lead you into his green pastures of comfort and provision just because he loves you? Why is it so hard to believe? Why? Because they\u2019ve been indoctrinated by the Greek View of fate since they were toddlers watching their very first Disney movies. That\u2019s why!<\/b> <\/p>\n

This world-view is demonic, satanic and no, I\u2019m not being overly-dramatic about it. This has to be purged from our subconscious thinking, the mind needs to be renewed but the carnal mind remains an enemy of all God is and does for us. How God makes promises for our blessings, why he does it this way, how we receive them and what obstacles are likely to come in our way which we need to overcome first, etc., are all foreign concepts to people raised on a diet of sugary cartoon nonsense. <\/p>\n

This is why I stress that we are now living in the Kingdom of God, we are NOT living in a Greek Drama! Our future is not \u2018set in stone\u2019\u2014no, it is not! Our choices affect the outcome. Faith matters. <\/b><\/p>\n

<\/br><\/p>\n

What about God\u2019s Foreknowledge? Predestination? <\/b><\/p>\n

I just KNEW<\/em> you were going to ask that! The reality of Prophecy, Fate, Destiny and all that prognostication is certainly confusing in light of our free will when you really consider God\u2019s Omniscience and that He knows what we will choose and what we will do even before we do it\u2014and that he knew this before we were even born\u2014knowing it even before he made the Earth for us to begin life on. This raises a difficult matter of God\u2019s foreknowledge that does not seem to gel with our free-will being intact. And I guess that\u2019s why they used to fight over topics such as Predestination, God\u2019s Foreknowledge, God\u2019s Election versus Free-Will, the open offer to Whosoever<\/i>, and things like that. <\/p>\n

We\u2019ll see this play out in a few pages over King Saul. But personal prophecy is an offer of Destiny more than a statement of Fate. God rewards faith,<\/b> he\u2019s not merely being an invisible weatherman in the sky. Personal prophecy is meant to draw us into a closer walk with him, to draw us towards a relationship with him. It\u2019s not just about telling people random future events in advance. Even when God tells you things like that there is always a higher or deeper underlying purpose, which is at least to teach us to learn to trust in the God who sees and who cares about us.<\/p>\n

And God is omniscient and can\u2019t help but see the End from the Beginning. He\u2019s right now standing there at the End watching us cross the fishing line at the very same time He\u2019s also standing at our bedside as we are being born, while he is also brooding over the waters watching Light dawn on a t\u00f3hu w\u00e2-v\u00f3hu <\/i>chaotic mess in the Beginning. He is outside of Time and can\u2019t help but know the future\u2014the Future is also his Present, as is our Past. <\/p>\n

However, he knows our limitations so while he is nurturing and trying to mature us he has to talk to us in a way we can understand during our journey. He is trying to make us learn to think like him, knowing that right now we just don\u2019t.<\/b> So he gives us offers of destiny, saying things like, \u201cIF you do THIS, I will give you THAT. But IF you do THAT I will give this THIS.\u201d It\u2019s confusing since he knows what we will choose already. Then why even give me a choice? It\u2019s really because while he knows who we are, we don\u2019t, and also as he told me, he can\u2019t reward us until we do something about it … Confusing! Oh, don\u2019t get me started! But this is enough to talk about today to help you understand how personal prophecy in the Kingdom is not like a play from Shakespeare! <\/p>\n

And someone will have to mention the \u2018vessels of wrath\u2019 like Pharaoh and such whom God intentionally creates as well, just to display his power and even his wrath, but I\u2019m sorry but I will have to passover that topic for now.<\/p>\n

So \u2018Letting God Be GOD\u2019 on his end, on our <\/i>end our choices still matter. Paul said it this way in Philippians 3:12, that he did not consider himself to already have attained his full reward or already be \u2018perfected\u2019\u2014which are natural responses to having a firm belief in some kind of fate dictating our lives. Paul did not sit back, relax and have a cold one on his veranda overlooking the Mediterranean … no! What did he say he did instead? \u201cBut I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

He pressed on, exerted his will power, a lot of effort he says just to lay hold of the calling, the reward and to be further perfected\u2014which was why God took hold of him in the first place. He was not sitting by letting \u2018whatever will be, will be.\u2019 The possible future was in fact his to see, so where is there room now for all that \u2018Que Sera, Sera\u2019 nonsense?\u2014Whatever will be, will be? Are you sure? That\u2019s not what I see!<\/p>\n

<\/br><\/p>\n

Que Sera, Sera\u2019? Hogwash!! <\/b><\/p>\n

This belief is like the filth from a dirty pig! <\/p>\n

The Kingdom advances by force (or violence), and the forceful lay hold of it. It is not human force or violence that does this Jesus told me, \u201cIt is the force of a faith that won\u2019t be denied!<\/b>\u201d\u2014Jesus actually told me that! <\/p>\n

God rewards us according to what we do in our time here on the Earth\u2014Romans 2:6-8 says this very plainly. As does 2 Corinthians 5:10. This is the clear idea behind the rewards and loss of the talents in Matthew 25! <\/p>\n

And note: each person\u2019s judgment is personal James 2:13 says: for to those who showed no mercy will have a judgment without mercy, etc. Some are beaten with a few stripes, some with many. There is therefore a great reward for perseverance as many verses also state. So let God be GOD on his end of things but YOU need to learn to be willing and obedient on your end of things if you want to eat the best of the land. <\/p>\n

So our reward and destiny is not out of our control as the Greek Dramatists preach, nor is it somehow already \u2018set in stone\u2019 arbitrarily by an uncaring, inscrutable God, as many still believe even within the Church. No, the Judgment will be to reward everyone for what they have done while in the body with what God has given them, in the situations they found themselves in, and with both the limitations and resources they had to work with and within. <\/p>\n

So EVERY DAY you can shine, no matter what the evil day brings. So Rejoice in the Day God has Made! Press on, keep going! Be glad and rejoice!<\/p>\n

Our judgment is personal, you do very much reap what you sow, the measure you use will be used against you, etc. So it is based on what we do, how we act, less on what we believe but more on what we do about it. Is it noteworthy that the one-talent loser of Matthew 25 even said he believed God was a harsh man, like he was both insulting and trying to flatter God with his own beliefs, yet his own actions were in direct opposition to this claim. He feared God so much he hid his money, insulted him and still expected to be rewarded? Really? People don\u2019t always know their own hearts, and can even deceive themselves sometimes!<\/p>\n

So God\u2019s judgment and our rewards are according to our choices and actions\u2014it is not by some arbitrary and inscrutable Fate. So Faith really does matter. <\/b>And yes, that means you can really mess things up! Don\u2019t mess this up!!<\/b> Walk in faith, walk in repentance, be sober-minded, walk circumspectly Paul said. Choose to be holy as He is holy\u2014purify your hearts for the pure in heart will see God\u2014purify yourself and you can become a vessel of honor fit for the Master\u2019s use\u2014walk humbly before our God and he will be pleased because he really does resist those who are proud, stubborn and mean-spirited. Walk in love even when it\u2019s seemingly impossible, for by doing so you reap the greatest rewards\u2014not just heaps of gold and diamonds, but personal intimacy with God, being transformed into his image which we are beholding in our trials, thus becoming more like him in nature! HE is our reward, don\u2019t you know? But I bet you already knew that!<\/p>\n

These rewards are all laid hold of by your choices and actions and so IF this is how God interacts with Mankind THEN this is therefore also the basis of the fulfillment of God\u2019s personal prophecy to us. Simply put: God\u2019s character, goals and purposes directly affect the operation of personal prophecy.<\/b> So we then understand that our faith is therefore an essential condition on ALL personal prophecy<\/b>\u2014if we are willing and obedient we will eat the best\u2014the fat\u2014of the land! But if we refuse such a great salvation or blessings that are being offered to us, well, that is not God\u2019s heart or will for us actually, but he will still allow it and so honor our choices. He wants ALL to be saved and be blessed and come to Know Him AS HE IS\u2014but we have freedom of choice. We have free will. He won\u2019t force us. And we are going to be judged (for reward or otherwise) for what we do while in the flesh. This affects the operation of personal prophecy more than people dare to think, say, teach or even believe. <\/b><\/p>\n

<\/br><\/p>\n

Personal Prophecy is ALWAYS Conditional <\/b><\/p>\n

So yes, what God told me is that I can say that Personal Prophecy is ALWAYS Conditional. <\/b>There are even unspoken conditions. This means the same thing ultimately, and that is why I keep saying this: Faith matters<\/b>. It really does! This therefore also means Perseverance under pressure really pays off! And as I heard Bobby Connor say our best response that brings the best outcome and blessings is \u2018swift and complete obedience<\/b>.\u2019 Humility is therefore a great strength and real Sacrifice would be the doorway into substantial earthly as well as heavenly prosperity alike. <\/p>\n

Wow, I can\u2019t talk about all those things in one short chapter on prophecy, or can I? Well, no, I\u2019ll have to leave most of that on the table for now, but I want to focus in on the main relationship between a personal prophecy and the faith that makes it come to pass. Let\u2019s see some examples in the Bible first.<\/p>\n

<\/br><\/p>\n

Hebrew 4: Destiny is on Offer\u2014it\u2019s not FATE<\/b><\/p>\n

Personal prophecy is not a matter of fate. Everyone is given many offers of destiny but only those who exercise faith in them will receive them. This is clearly laid out in Hebrews 4 and also in the dreaded or greatly misunderstood Romans 11. <\/p>\n

But first Hebrews 4 is fairly lucent and so we can ostensibly be cogent without any need for prevaricating equivocation. <\/p>\n

1<\/sup> \u201cTherefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. 2<\/sup> For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. <\/b>\u201d<\/p>\n

The gospel was preached to the people who never received the promised blessings because THEY did not put their faith and trust into it. The prophesied promises did not fail\u2014the people did.<\/b> We\u2019ll see this again in Romans 11, that the Jewish people were called, they still are, but many will refuse that calling and end up missing the Promised Land, the eternal one I mean. The promises are still valid, the promises were not withdrawn, but those people refused them and they personally<\/i> lost out. The promises didn\u2019t fail, their faith did.<\/b> It will be more clear in a few pages when we talk about Romans 11, I hope. The Lord asked me not to do a Bible study on Chapter 11 but the thorny verse people get stuck on is right in the middle of that passage. Can people lose their calling? Yes, they certainly can! But we\u2019ll get there in a bit. <\/p>\n

<\/br><\/p>\n

SO AGAIN\u2014Beware the Mighty \u2018IF\u2019!<\/b><\/p>\n

So according to Hebrews 4 God offered the people a blessing but there was a condition they failed to meet. So often God is able to talk to us plainly and He tells us things in personal prophecy such as, \u201cIf you stop dating Janet, the girl you are dating, I have instead a chosen woman for you, a chosen vessel, who you will marry and have a happy life with.\u201d <\/b>So if the person begins to wind-down things with Janet, fewer coffee dates, fewer flirty text messages, fewer cute plush toy gifts delivered to her workplace during lunch break … but instead sets his heart on what God has offered, he will position himself to receive the prophesied blessing. He is acting on his faith, <\/b>not replying to Janet\u2019s frequent texts as often, drawing back, canceling his scheduled Amazon plush toy delivery celebrating two months since they first met, speaking kindly but curtly and not leading her on <\/i>if they do talk … these are his works of faith. <\/b><\/p>\n

But won\u2019t Janet be angry?! You bet! Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned! People talk a lot about overcoming the Fear of Man\u2014but what about the Fear of Woman! But both of these obstacles must be overcome to receive our reward! <\/p>\n

BUT WHAT IF INSTEAD he figures, \u2018I\u2019ll play this out with Janet for as long as I can and when the new girl finally <\/i>shows up (assuming he would even be able to recognize her when she does) THEN I\u2019ll break things off with Janet, cold turkey.\u2019 Oh, you chicken! The fact is even if you would somehow on your own be able to discern the woman of God\u2019s dreams when you do meet her, what have you done in the meantime that now has to be undone? Or worse? Have you taken things too far? Have you been joined as \u2018one body\u2019 to her even when God said he has someone else in mind you should have kept yourself for? You reap what you sow, you said it yourself! There is a slippery slope, as we say, in personal matters of the heart and people try to hide their true intentions, desires and motives … but all is open to God\u2019s penetrating view to see as plain as day. <\/p>\n

So at some point if you keep things going with Janet you may even hear God say, \u201cOK, you\u2019ve made your choice. Enjoy yourselves you two little love birds!\u201d But what of the prophesied mystery woman? \u201cOh, she just got married and shared her massive lottery winnings with the faithful man I sent her after you rejected her. She even had to quit being a fashion magazine cover model to deal with all her global travel!\u201d \u201cNo, God! I want that money! She\u2019s mine! You promised!\u201d God is most likely not even going to honor your outburst with an explanation! You made your choice. Or maybe He will but only later\u2014much, much <\/i>later. Most of God\u2019s dealings with us, for reward or otherwise, the fruit of the seeds we planted, will only be revealed to us once we are in heaven, he told me. You should have listened. You should have obeyed! <\/p>\n

And oh, how valuable can a word on a Mate or a Date be!<\/p>\n

<\/br><\/p>\n

How much depends on this One, Tiny Word\u2014IF! <\/b><\/p>\n

I so often hear people accuse God or his prophets or the prophetic word when things don\u2019t work out according to what they expected. This can simply be because of a mistake in what they expected. <\/b>It can be because they simply weren\u2019t listening. And so often it is simply because he told them, \u201cI want to do this for you IF you obey me.\u201d Or, \u201cIt is my will to give you this when you are ready, so IF you keep seeking me, keep closing the doors to your past you can receive it. However if you return to your old ways you won\u2019t be able to carry this blessing.\u201d Or, \u201cIf your break up with Stanley I\u2019ll protect you. Do it now. If not you\u2019ll be implicated in his crimes. He\u2019s been stealing from his company and is about to be arrested. Leave! … Leave NOW!\u201d These words all have clear conditions in them\u2014clear if you have eyes to see, ears to hear.<\/p>\n

But sometimes people just don\u2019t listen. Sometimes they just don\u2019t take his words to heart! And really so often when a word \u201cfails\u201d with even a casual look into what God actually said you can quickly discover that tiny, pesky little word, such an insignificant word right in the middle of all God was saying\u2014IF! <\/p>\n

So try to be mature, have an open mind. Don\u2019t be so fast to accuse God or prophet when a word seemingly fails. Not every true prophecy should come to pass. <\/b>Did you know that? A warning of judgment should never come to pass since people should repent before it does. A personal blessing should always come to pass, as people should act in faith to lay hold of it. But if people are careless or unfaithful or ungrateful even, it certainly might not\u2014or at least be very well delayed or reduced because of their lack of diligence and obedience to stand in faith and act in accordance with the word of promise. So I say a warning should never come to pass, a promise of blessing always should\u2014but so often the opposite is true. <\/b>That\u2019s not God\u2019s fault!<\/p>\n

<\/br><\/p>\n

Did God\u2019s Promises Fail? No, but King Saul Did! <\/b><\/p>\n

This is a sad, cautionary tale if ever there was one. What God promised, the conditions given, what behavior was recorded and what outcome resulted\u2014tragic. And not in the Greek Drama sense of that word either but in it\u2019s true meaning\u2014tragic! <\/i><\/p>\n

In 1 Samuel 15 the instructions prophet Samuel gave Saul included an express description of what to do: destroy the Amalekites and everything that belonged to them\u2014but there was no explanation of the consequences for disobedience. <\/b>Also, God did not explain to him why this was so important other than saying that many hundreds of years ago they attacked Israel coming out of Egypt. There was not even any explanation of why they acted so evil towards God\u2019s people back in the day. He just said to do it; it\u2019s important. <\/p>\n

When Saul spared the life of king Agag and all the best spoil I doubt he had any other than purely natural or carnal reasons for doing this. The king is a trophy and to have him bound in Saul\u2019s personal dungeon for years would exalt himself as a true conqueror. The value of thousands of livestock is easy to equate. <\/p>\n

And I still don\u2019t know what God\u2019s reasoning was behind this direction other than as a lesson or test to expose Saul\u2019s heart, or maybe for him to be an instrument to act out God\u2019s vengeance? Vengeance is Mine says the Lord, and he can judge as he pleases. <\/p>\n

But I always wonder if there\u2019s more to it. What I think about is the spiritual pollution of child-sacrificing devil worshipers and I think EVERYTHING that belonged to them was somehow infected with demons. And as a worst-case-scenario to spare their KING, the head over this demonic culture, would be to preserve the very anchor of this evil principality over the land ensuring it\u2019s evil reign would continue and probably infect the military conquerors, the Israelites, as well.<\/p>\n

Paul told us about a thousand years later that we wrestle not against \u201cflesh and blood\u201d but against \u201cprincipalities and powers\u201d which other versions call \u201crulers and authorities\u201d and other terms, but is the same words arche<\/i>, exousia <\/i>and dynamis<\/i>. <\/p>\n

Ephesians 6:12\u2014\u201cFor we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.\u201d <\/p>\n

These words refer to the supernatural cosmic demonic governmental powers in Satan\u2019s world-holding kingdom of darkness over the Earth. The term \u2018arch-angel\u2019 simply means one of these ruler-beings in an \u2018arche\u2019 position of rulership. When Gabriel, also an arch-angel, wanted to give a prophetic message to Daniel the \u2018prince of Persia\u2019 (an arche <\/i>or exousia <\/i>demonic fallen angel that ruled over Persia obviously) was what resisted him and he could not enter the territory until Michael (the arche<\/i> over Israel) came to help him. He was told later the Prince of Greece (the arche <\/i>or exousia <\/i>of Greece obviously) would come, and in reality this actually happened as the Greek Empire conquered Persia. This is the exact same thing going on that Paul talked about in Ephesians. There are demonic world-holding powers the Bible calls Rulers, Authorities, Princes, Powers, Dominions, etc.\u2014arche<\/i>, exousia <\/i>and dynamis<\/i>.<\/p>\n

But I doubt King Saul had any idea there were such supernatural \u2018rulers and authorities\u2019 behind the scenes in the spiritual realm\u2014but wait, Joshua and Caleb probably did and said so when they gave their report as spies in Canaan, \u201ctheir protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us.\u201d <\/b>(Numbers 14:9) This is mentioned several times in the book of Ephesians by the way, and again in Colossians. But I think King Saul had a very short-sighted view and carnal understanding of what he was doing and why. That\u2019s surely why he really failed. The carnal mind in an enemy of God; to follow its ways is death.<\/p>\n

But looking back at the prophecy from Samuel, does God really need to say all this and explain how demonic powers rule and how they are defeated and what God\u2019s master plan is for the region and so on and so forth? Did you ever have a 5-year-old see a trigonometric function and ask you what it means? Can you explain the Pythagorean Theorem to a five year old? You can try! It\u2019s better not to! <\/p>\n

<\/br><\/p>\n

Obey in Trust, even when it makes No Sense<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

So when God gives people instructions isn\u2019t it sometimes better to just do as you are told? To trust him and obey? People ask for conformation before obeying and that\u2019s fine Jesus told me. But He may very well simply repeat his instructions! He told me it\u2019s OK to ask for confirmation, but at some point you need to just obey.<\/b> God owes us no explanation or justification for what he asks us to do. He also even asks us to do things that simply make so sense to us and which we just do not understand. I think he does this on purpose! He does like to tell us why and how and all those things usually, if we can understand it, if there is time, if he knows we are anyway willing and obedient, sure he will. But sometimes we can\u2019t understand, and there isn\u2019t time and he may want to show us our bad attitude(s). So would you prefer God NOT speak to you? Or isn\u2019t it better to just trust him and do what he asks, even when it\u2019s confusing and simply makes no sense? <\/p>\n

My friend was driving his car in Ireland down a divided highway and God simply said, \u201cPull over.<\/b>\u201d There was no urgency in his voice, no sense of alarm or danger. So he just pulled over and as he did he calmly asked God, \u201cOK, why?<\/b>\u201d Just that second a giant cargo truck, a lorry, or what we in the US may call a 10-wheeler and it was on the wrong ride of the divided road <\/b>and was going FULL SPEED in the wrong direction in his lane. He was diving one of those tiny Irish microcars I think and he would have been given early release to go to heaven that very day if he had not obeyed! But he obeyed instantly and without arguing or fighting God about his schedule being late or demanding an explanation first or why are you always bossing me around! People actually think these things! Much more than you realize! Instead of hesitating or arguing or resisting he just … pulled over and lived to tell the tale. <\/p>\n

I think it was Lance Wallnau who said a similar thing happened to him. He was just lounging poolside and God said, \u201cSit up.<\/b>\u201d He did just as he heard God say … and then there was a GREAT C-R-A-S-H as a massive tree limb fell and smashed his lounge chair just where his head was resting only a moment before. It pays to obey. Swift and Complete obedience brings God\u2019s blessings the fastest! <\/p>\n

On a much less dramatic note, one time I was praying for healing for a lady with a heart issue during a training activation session and God said, \u201cOK, tell her to bend her knees.<\/b>\u201d I hesitated but obeyed and she bent her knees. \u201cOK, now tell her to straighten up.<\/b>\u201d I did and she did. She needed prayer for her heart, why ask her to bend her knees and then straighten back up? God then said, \u201cSometimes I will ask you to do things that make no sense to you. Will you still obey?<\/b>\u201d A few seconds later he healed her of her heart condition. Why the bending of the knees?? I really think it was just to test our obedience\u2014mine especially. <\/p>\n

<\/br><\/p>\n

Strike Two<\/b><\/p>\n

So in King Saul\u2019s case God asked Saul to destroy the Amalekites and Saul disobeyed. But this was the second time he did this. Previously in Chapter 13 he was told to wait for Samuel to offer sacrifices before starting their war but he seemed to be late and people began going home. Saul panicked and he, a king, not a priest and not the prophet, offered the sacrifices to God … and then Samuel showed up. Ooops! <\/i><\/p>\n

This first failure to follow God\u2019s word was confirmed in his second act of disobedience, but was God just giving him a second chance dealing with the Amelkites? I think it was more than that. <\/p>\n

The real lesson may be about the character of Saul, which clearly models, is the pattern of and plainly represents the mind of man, those who operate according to the fear of men, the carnal flesh … showing us the consequences of the natural course of their behavior in God\u2019s service. The Carnally Minded Man will always fail in the service of God. <\/b>Paul told us, again a thousand years later, that the mind of the flesh is the enemy of God, it can\u2019t even be made to obey the ways of God and cannot please him. <\/p>\n

Romans 8:5-9\u20145<\/sup> \u201cFor those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6<\/sup> For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7<\/sup> Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. <\/b>8<\/sup> So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.<\/b>
<\/br>9<\/sup> But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. <\/b>Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.\u201d <\/p>\n

So if Saul was doomed to fail to teach us that all who operate in the mind of flesh are likewise doomed to fail, then that is a very important lesson! I guess it also means obedience matters, flowing with the Spirit matters and again having faith really does matter!<\/p>\n

<\/br><\/p>\n

He can only Reward or Punish us once we Act<\/b><\/p>\n

Now this leads me to share something Jesus told me. <\/p>\n

God said Saul would be king, but He made him a promise that I am sure he didn\u2019t even understand. His kingdom would endure forever which referred to the Kingdom of Christ who would have been his descendant. When his kingdom was taken from him and given to \u2018someone better than him\u2019 what David actually received was a role in the lineage of Christ, head of an eternal kingdom. We call Jesus \u2018Son of David\u2019 for this reason. Otherwise he would be famously known as \u2018Son of Saul.\u2019<\/p>\n

Anyway, Saul disobeyed and the Lord rejected him as king, his family dynasty would not endure, and his future role in the Kingdom of God under Jesus was passed to someone else. But was he set up to fail? If God knew he was going to fail, why offer him the opportunity to begin with? Did God not see that coming? <\/p>\n

First, what I can share is that Jesus told me that God will not reward or punish us until we act. <\/b>He KNOWS what we will do beforehand but he is not able he said to reward or punish us until we prove TO OURSELVES who we are. He said, he already knows who we are and what we will do, but he cannot judge us good or bad until we act out and do it. <\/p>\n

In Saul\u2019s case he was a type of carnal man, a man who walks in the flesh and has no real heart for God. His foil or opposite is David, who was known as a man after God\u2019s own heart. He wasn\u2019t perfect, but God accepted him, flaws and all. This is as important a reflection of God\u2019s kindness as the lesson of faith is in my mind. God is perfect but he is not a perfectionist. <\/b>Anyway they both needed to be given the chance to show us and themselves who they were, and these lessons have served countless generations a profound warning and encouragement ever since. <\/p>\n

Anyway God said Saul would be king, chose him … and then rejected him. How would Saul know so much was at stake fighting pagan terrorists or killing and offering simple livestock as a sacrifice? Were the consequences of his actions made clear to him? \u201cDo this and that and you\u2019ll be blessed, or Do that and the other thing and you\u2019ll lose the eternal kingship\u201d\u2014I say no, this was not spelled out clearly to him. But God still judged him on it!<\/p>\n

So what can we learn? Clearly that personal prophecy has conditions. <\/b>In fact I am bold to say as the Lord told me I can tell people that Personal Prophecy ALWAYS has conditions.<\/b><\/p>\n

The example that gives me the most caution is from a \u2018bad\u2019 king of Israel whom God pronounced judgment on for his sin and because \u201che should have known\u201d better. Just like with Saul even unspoken conditions sometimes exist!<\/b><\/p>\n

<\/br><\/p>\n

This unfortunately leads us to … Romans 11 <\/b><\/p>\n

In Matthew 25 three people were given \u2018talents\u2019 of gold, meaning large sums of money and in accordance with their varying abilities. I think you cannot overlook the obvious double meaning of \u2018talent of gold\u2019 and the modern usage of the word \u2018talent\u2019 meaning a gift or skill or ability. One person was given 5, and another 2, and then lastly a man received 1. That\u2019s an odd number sequence; it\u2019s not linear, it\u2019s exponential. The people are exponentially increasing in faithfulness and capabilities over the previous level it seems. And then God doubled that! <\/p>\n

Anyway the last guy only had one thing to do! Or rather one \u2018talent\u2019 to do it with, and when he was evaluated, it was taken away from him. Can God give you a talent? Can God take it away? The clear answer is Yes, to both. And if it can happen to One then it can happen to Any One.<\/p>\n

King Saul failed and the promises were given to someone better than him. I heard God say that about a man\u2019s marriage when his wife backslid and left and despite waiting three years for her she later even denounced ever being called to even minister with him\u2014when it was her who previously prophesied it herself! God said he would take her calling which was being left undone, part of it being her marriage to that faithful man, and give it to \u2018someone better than her.\u2019 Ouch! I also have to mention a certain disciple but actually I don\u2019t like him and won\u2019t mention him by name, but he too was called, equipped, but was unfaithful and had his position and calling given to someone else. <\/p>\n

So this is what God told me about gifts and callings but people misread Romans 11:29 and protest. God asked me not to do a Bible study on the whole chapter of Romans 11 but to share what he told me. <\/p>\n

So briefly, Israel lost their position, and so many individuals in Israel who were once in the Olive Tree were \u2018broken off\u2019 for lack of faith, so the Gentiles who had faith could be \u2018grafted in.\u2019 This was to make the called Jews jealous as they watched us do their job for them in God\u2019s Kingdom! What a statement! <\/p>\n

God\u2019s original plan is SO FAR from what actually happened! Do you see it? The ENTIRE 2000 Year spread of the Church Age of Christianity was supposed to be spearheaded by the Jewish nation and be a Messianic Age with Jewish national leadership right up until the end of this Age. They were originally called as a nation of priests and prophets of the Kingdom and they should have led the world into revival over these last many centuries<\/b>, and not be persecuted, dispersed, hated, hunted and certainly not to have the pagan gentiles fulfill their holy calling for them instead! Talk about things being turned upside down! When a blessing gets reversed what do you call that? Yes, a curse. <\/p>\n

The Jewish nation is still \u2018called\u2019 this chapter says clearly, but most individuals <\/i>will sadly not receive this blessing, only a remnant he says will receive the promised blessings. <\/p>\n

What of the disobedient who were called but refused their calling and got \u2018cut off\u2019 as Moses warned? Isn\u2019t their calling irrevocable? Permanent or whatever? <\/p>\n

This is what raises a thorny issue\u2014I\u2019m going to have to say a VERY thorny issue. Can you lose a gift or ministry calling for disobedience? And as unpopular as it is, the answer is YES! Most people quote Romans 11:29 only, and funny, their conclusion is directly in opposition to the main idea of the rest of the whole Chapter 11. <\/b>But people don\u2019t always see it that way. <\/p>\n

It says the Jewish nation is CALLED, but will they answer that call? For some yes, but for most, no. Only a REMNANT will be saved. But the OFFER stands Un-Revoked. It gets much worse when Paul starts to tell of the secret purposes of God for their rebellion in giving the Gentile world an Era within which to be saved, to make the Jewish nation jealous, to put everyone under mercy (since now EVERYONE has failed to walk in their callings and fell from their original purpose)\u2014so to humble EVERYONE, and also to allow those who were once \u2018not a people\u2019 to now \u2018be a people\u2019 and be used by God as his glorious ministers in the place of their Jewish exemplars\u2014but which Age will all come to an end, a glorious end, a bloody end\u2014but the Jewish nation will nevertheless endure. That\u2019s all what I won\u2019t talk about now. But the chapter so far deals with the issue of salvation primarily, and a national calling to minister, and that not deserved or earned but all for the sake of promises made to the Patriarchs long ago! <\/p>\n

You can see why God asked me NOT to do a Bible study on Chapter 11 right now! However, there are a few other statements in this chapter that you do need to read and be clear on, the main point is illustrated with the issue of the Branches: a key summary is probably verses 19-22: <\/p>\n

19<\/sup> \u201cYou will say then, \u2018Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.\u2019 <\/b>20<\/b><\/sup> Well said. <\/b>Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 21<\/sup> For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. <\/b>22<\/sup> Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

And there is that pesky little word again\u2014\u2019IF\u2019\u2014\u201cif you continue in His goodness.\u201d<\/p>\n

And this is also what Jesus said to the Jewish nation:<\/p>\n

Matthew 21:43\u2014\u201cTherefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken away from you, and shall be given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.\u201d <\/p>\n

So if they are CUT OFF, the Kingdom taken away from them, are they still \u2018called\u2019? <\/b>If you are grafted in, you are being allowed to partake of the calling for the blessings which they rejected. But if God did not spare the natural branches, Take heed! YOU TOO could also be cut off. That\u2019s painful but also painfully clear! <\/p>\n

<\/br><\/p>\n

The Bugaboo of Chapter 11\u2014Verse 29!<\/b><\/p>\n

Romans 11 deals with the nation of Israel as a whole, and it is primarily dealing with their Salvation and not an individual person having a personal gift or calling. But it does deal with individuals ministering, and so the principles must therefore be the same.<\/p>\n

But when we come to verse 29 and the language is hard to grasp, and different versions render it in very different ways, we end up with a doctrine that is often directly opposed to the general sense of Chapter 11. <\/p>\n

The King James Version was the basis for many other English language versions and being a pillar of English Civilization for four hundred years their word choice holds a great deal of sway over other versions. The original reading of this verse however was, \u201cFor the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

It\u2019s impossible to understand that clearly since people repent when they turn from their sin\u2014gifts and callings are not people and don\u2019t. Why are gifts \u2018without repentance\u2019 unless it means this has something to do with \u2018callings\u2019 being given sovereignly by God without regard to the receiver\u2019s current walk with the Lord\u2014it is chosen apart from the state of their repentance. <\/b>This is much of what people say about having a gift at birth, or being \u2018predestined\u2019 to be saved and serve God as a minister in some way BEFORE their will is engaged to choose it. So people have callings from birth, before we \u2018repent\u2019 and are \u2018saved\u2019\u2014yes, but God also responds to our actions, choices and prayers by whosoever<\/i>. <\/p>\n

But the real issue this odd wording mixed with carnal thinking causes is that it makes people think you can be in \u2018gross sin\u2019 and still be a prophet or \u2018healing evangelist\u2019 or pastor <\/b>because the gift and therefore their ministry is not linked to their ongoing<\/i> repentance or current walk of faith with the Lord. They say it means God won\u2019t take the gift away, the gift of prophecy or healing they mean, when they fall into sin and walk away from the Lord. I do not know what people think this verse means with regard to salvation exactly, but they say if God gifted you in prophecy and you turn from God you can somehow still prophesy. I\u2019m not sure how they would know that. It seems dubious and like a largely theoretical conclusion to come to, and based on a poorly worded verse! It has the feel of carnal wisdom to me. But that is what many people very emphatically teach. <\/p>\n

You have to ask them, Did God tell you that interpretation? And don\u2019t be surprised if they say, \u201cNo, God no longer speaks to people nowadays.\u201d Well, then how can you be so sure this is the right meaning? And they say, \u201cI just know.\u201d <\/p>\n

Other modern Bible versions render this phrase in verse 29 as, \u201cFor the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.\u201d <\/b>And this word choice accounts for many or even most English versions. God called you to be saved, or called you to be a prophet, priest or king and that\u2019s it. He won\u2019t change his mind or revoke his calling<\/i>. <\/p>\n

And what of King Saul? Judas Iscariot? Or the one-talent loser in Matthew 25 who lost his \u2018talent\u2019 and ended up being thrown into where there is \u2018weeping and gnashing of teeth\u2019? Or the cut-off branches of Romans 11 who are thrown into the fire? <\/p>\n

Is the answer simply the difference between the offer of a calling and the personal acceptance (or rejection) of it? <\/b>It is the word \u2018calling\u2019 after all, not \u2018acceptance\u2019 or \u2018final reward,\u2019 etc. <\/p>\n

And what about the others mentioned in Romans 11 itself who were called, most of whom rejected the calling and so will not even be saved\u2014as only a remnant are? So the OFFER of salvation may very well be irrevocable but if people reject the offer <\/i>they still lose out and end up in Hell. God won\u2019t force them to get saved or serve him either\u2014but the \u2018offer\u2019 still stands.<\/b><\/p>\n

Elijah quit. God accepted his resignation and appointed Elisha in his place to carry on the exact same mantle, ministry and purpose Elijah began with. Yes, doubled\u2014but Elijah still quit. The Bible does clearly say King Saul\u2019s position was taken from him and given to someone better than him. The same as Judas. This is hard to fit neatly together with v29 read as \u2018irrevocable.\u2019 Unless again he just means the \u2018offer\u2019 remains open, which is not a guarantee of their acceptance of it, or of it being \u2018forced on them\u2019 to complete the work they were originally called to. <\/p>\n

And how this can be reconciled with the previous section in Romans about the branches being cut off for their lack of faith? How is the calling (so yes maybe not the acceptance or fulfillment of it) is \u201cwithout repentance\u201d is even more difficult to decipher at face value.<\/p>\n

<\/br><\/p>\n

The Dread Pirate Roberts of Romans Chapter 11!<\/b><\/p>\n

For many people this verse does not mean what they think it means. Still other Bible versions on this verse are equally opaque and here are a few more: <\/p>\n

American Standard Version:<\/u> \u201cFor the gifts and the calling of God are not repented of.\u201d<\/p>\n

J.B. Phillips New Testament:<\/u> \u201cFor once they are made, God does not withdraw his gifts of his calling.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wycliffe Bible:<\/u> \u201cAnd the gifts and the calling of God be without repenting. [Soothly the gifts and calling of God be without repenting.]\u201d<\/p>\n

Young\u2019s Literal Translation:<\/u> \u201cfor unrepented of [are] the gifts and the calling of God;\u201d<\/p>\n

And finally Rotherham:<\/u> \u201cFor, not to be regretted, are the gifts and the calling of God:\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s no wonder this verse is so murky, and so we ought to be equally cautious about making firm doctrines based upon it alone!<\/b><\/p>\n

<\/br><\/p>\n

Other Biblical Statements are Fairly Clear<\/b><\/p>\n

So trying to piece this all together we have at least five other Biblical ideas that bear on the issue of v. 29 directly: <\/p>\n

> What people have can be taken away. <\/b>Matthew 13:12, 12:18, 21:43!!, 25:14-30, Mark 4:25, Luke 8:18, Luke 19:26 and maybe other verses as well. Quite a clear precedent I say!<\/p>\n

> What God offers can be rejected and lost.<\/b> Hebrews 4, etc. <\/p>\n

> The open offer to the whole Jewish nation is only laid hold of by a remnant and I think it means a small remnant.<\/b> Romans 11 clearly. (This is also what Jesus said in Matthew 21:43!)<\/p>\n

> Many are called, but few are chosen.<\/b> Matthew 22:14-16.<\/p>\n

> And who would forget he who had the one talent and was unfaithful with it and had it taken away from him<\/b> (and he himself was cast out), again Matthew 25:29-30. <\/p>\n

<\/br><\/p>\n

Fleeing Their Habitations\u2014Abandoning their Gifts and Callings\u2014The Great Falling Away<\/b><\/p>\n

But God also spoke to me on this topic and I\u2019ll share what he said now only after showing you the sometimes and somewhat murky Biblical background. <\/p>\n

First was the dream I publish with a conversation with Jesus to interpret it that I call Fleeing Their Habitations. <\/i>I shared much of this above in Chapter One. I saw people leaving the dormitories and apartments God had prepared for them (habitations prepared for them to live and be trained in his Kingdom) when they heard \u2018news from a foreign land\u2019 that made them panic and flee from Him. And they left empty-handed but it looked like their old apartments had been ransacked! God said when people choose to leave him they do not do so in a right frame of mind but have many unanswered questions which if they come back, as many (but not all) of them will, they will have to face. But at least it will be with new insights to help them deal with the mess of the unanswered questions they fled from and left behind.<\/p>\n

What first struck me was all the things they left behind, which God said were: \u201cGifts, mantles, callings that are now being left undone. They will be given to the faithful few, a redistribution of wealth!\u201d <\/b>We were going through them and taking whatever we liked and I asked if it was wrong but he said: \u201cNo, it is in my word. Those who have much will get more, those who have little will lose what little they have. Look it up!\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

I did and found several references to this \u2018wealth re-distribution\u2019 at that time and quoted Matthew 13:11-12 and of course, Matthew 25:28-30 when I wrote it up.<\/p>\n

Matthew 13:11-12\u201411 <\/sup>\u201cHe answered and said to them, \u2018Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12<\/sup> For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.<\/b>\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Matthew 25:28-30\u201429<\/sup> \u201cFor to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.<\/b> 30<\/sup> And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said he was showing me The Great Falling Away already breaking upon the Body\u2014it is an Exile of Christians in a way of thinking about it\u2014which had already begun by that time, adding, \u201cAs a man thinks in his heart, so IS he. They are far from me since their hearts are cold towards me.\u201d<\/b> He said they will, many of them, still refer to themselves as believers, Christians, what have you, \u201cbut their hearts have left and are far from me.\u201d<\/b> <\/p>\n

So I understand it this way. Gifts and callings are given to us to serve God and his people and if we refuse, or if we are proven to be unfaithful for whatever reason, he will take those things away and the gifts and opportunities to serve (and their rewards) will be given to other people who are more faithful than us who will get the job done! I then realized MANY PEOPLE have fallen away and they may still attend church and identify as faithful Christians and even ministers, but that does not mean they are so, or that their \u2018service\u2019 such as it is, is still \u2018building the Kingdom in people\u2019s hearts\u2019 anymore. It therefore means there are MANY JOB OPENINGS right now in the service of the Kingdom, <\/b>although I dislike calling serving God a \u2018job\u2019 but yes, there are many ministry opportunities available right now\u2014God is recruiting! The laborers are really so few!<\/p>\n

It is a similar reason we saw in Matthew 21:43 and Romans 11 that the called Jews refused the Gospel and so God offered their position and this Kingdom to the Gentiles. But now these same called Gentiles are also refusing to serve him so he is now calling out on the highways and byways to anyone who will respond to serve him and his people in this crucial season. <\/b><\/p>\n

But then Jesus openly spoke to me more to explain this idea of gifts and callings and said this: <\/p>\n

\u201cPeople think they cannot LOSE a gift or a mantle or a calling, but I say this is not so. You can lose anything I give you if you are disobedient, stubborn or unwilling to carry out the task you are assigned to. <\/b>People say the gifts and callings of God are beyond repentance but search and see what this really means, that these things are not what you earn by your good deeds, maturity or your own spiritual strength.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are things I CHOOSE for you to do, regardless of your standing with me. I mean I choose them before you were born, before you know me, or before you walked with me. I can take them away just as easily if you prove to be unfaithful to yourself\u2014since I already know what you will be and what you are\u2014but I give you the chance to prove yourself. I won\u2019t judge you for what you do not yet do, either to punish or reward you for your calling, only until it becomes a present reality in your walk with Me do I have the ability to decide if you are faithful or disobedient, even though I know whether you will be or not before it happens.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo these gifts are given not as a question of your right standing, but as a decision of my grace to empower you to serve me in one way or another. THEN you start the walk of repentance and learn how to serve me and how to operate in the gifts and callings of the Kingdom\u2014if you choose to\u2014and that is the substance of the reward of your service to Me. <\/b>People who unrighteously want to STEAL from Me, and claim an inheritance I have not approved or given them say these things that the gifts and callings of God are beyond repentance so they can continue to walk in them even if they are in gross sin, but this is not true. They only look at the gifts and talents on the surface, as man sees the results of their fame as it brings in the crowds, the music albums they can create, the books they sell as a \u2018best-selling author\u2019 or engagement fees they can command when they speak on the international preachers\u2019 circuit \u2026 but these are not the true measure of the gifts and callings of God, since the substance of what you build is in the hearts of man<\/b>, not in the numbers of people who come to an event in your name \u2026 You can be famous in man\u2019s world because of the gifts I gave you even when you cease to operate in my Kingdom and stop building the lives of the saints in reality <\/b>\u2026. Just leave such people behind \u2026 they are blind guides, clouds without rain, leave the dead to be buried by the dead \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

I know, maybe next time lead with that, right!? But I think you needed a foundation before I sprang it on you or you would probably just not believe me anyway. <\/p>\n

<\/br><\/p>\n

But relax\u2014it\u2019s just so rare for this to happen, right?<\/b><\/p>\n

And if people want to argue, don\u2019t. They may also say this problem is at best very rare, with hundreds of cases of people in faith and only three who failed. So what\u2019s the harm in teaching that it can never happen at all? Right? Because if it is by faith we overcome, which is a kind of confidence, and if the real truth just wrecks their confidence, isn\u2019t it better to just lie a little <\/i>or omit certain truths <\/i>so people\u2019s faith can take root?\u2014a \u2018fake it until you make it\u2019 kind of ministry philosophy?\u2014No, I don\u2019t think this way but people do and OK, let\u2019s just consider this view for a minute. <\/p>\n

OK, minute\u2019s up. Moving on.<\/p>\n

So is it really so rare? Are there only three cases of faithless people falling away from God\u2019s promises in the Bible? King Saul, Judas and the One-talent loser in Matthew? <\/p>\n

Oh, there\u2019s also Hymenaeus and Alexander too, but beyond that I don\u2019t recall any. Except Ananias and Sapphira. And well, yes, also counting the Exile to Babylon of course. Oh, I mean also the entire faithless generation of people under Moses who left Egypt\u2014they didn\u2019t fare so well, did they? And Psalm 76 mentions the tribe of Ephraim who were trained and equipped yet turned away in the day of battle\u2014don\u2019t expect a lot of fruitful rewards in their case! And in John 15:6 Jesus talked about the branches that did not abide in the Vine who are withered, cut off and cast into the fire. Oh, I forgot about that! And who can forget the rejection of the Gospel by the rulers of the First-Century Jewish nation that we talked about in all those verses above. And don\u2019t forget the Great Falling Away among the modern day faithless Gentiles which is right now upon us. <\/p>\n

Yes, so besides those few hundreds of millions of cases, is there anyone else? I mean is that all? <\/p>\n

Yes, I can see what you mean. A very rare scenario. It\u2019s only a few hundreds of millions of times, give or take a few ten millions. <\/p>\n

But if God had not openly told me, I too would not be able to comment on this issue, but the text in Matthew 25 is clear: <\/p>\n

28<\/sup> \u201cSo take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. … 30<\/sup> And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/br><\/p>\n

The END of the Law is FAITH<\/b><\/p>\n

And so what all this finally leads us to … again … is Faith. If conditions exist, faith will fulfill them. If obedience is at issue, faith is the strength behind our obedience. Faith produces works of the Spirit. If an open offer stands, we just have to respond to it to receive the promised blessings\u2014which we do in, by and with Faith! <\/p>\n

But what is faith? How do we get it? What does it do? This actually should be the meat of this chapter, but people have so may misconceptions I needed to spend a lot of time, ink and paper to clear all that out of the way first. So now let\u2019s get to the real meat in this pot roast! <\/p>\n

<\/br><\/p>\n

Now Faith IS <\/b><\/p>\n

Jesus taught me a few things about faith itself and it\u2019s hard not to quote the whole conversation. I\u2019m still growing and learning to walk in it, but the three main things he said have to do with 1. How we get faith, <\/b>in that it comes from hearing him speak to us. 2. What Faith causes us to do.<\/b> This has to do with the \u2018works\u2019 or actions inspired by faith. And 3. The effect of walking in faith. <\/b>He said Faith always carries us towards him and into his purposes. Faith can never lead us away from him he said. <\/p>\n

But yes, there\u2019s still timing and testing and obstacles and delays and warfare and recompense and all that … yes, but all that is just … details<\/i>. So it is FAITH that moves the Mountains. It\u2019s Faith that causes us to act in line with his word and Will and which pleases Him and so it\u2019s faith that triggers a personal prophecy to come to pass. That\u2019s why I\u2019ve been saying all along: Faith matters!<\/p>\n

<\/br><\/p>\n

Faith Comes by Hearing <\/b><\/p>\n

So first, faith comes from God when he tells us what he is going to do. Yes, you can just read Scripture on your own and from the Holy Spirit\u2019s inspiration discern God\u2019s will and know what he will do for you based on that alone. But you cannot only operate on a hunch or merely by guessing. <\/b>You need to have real <\/i>confidence that this is actually <\/i>God\u2019s will for you, that you heard him right, that you didn\u2019t make this up, and so there is unshakable confidence that he will absolutely <\/i>do what you say he will\u2014you need faith before you step out and risk your comfort, job, reputation, family or life on it! You can\u2019t fake faith, Jesus told me. <\/p>\n

Faith comes by hearing as it says in Romans 10:17 and people try all sorts of ways to make this dark and mystical but it really is quite clear and simple. This is what Jesus taught us. How do you claim a promise from God?\u2014<\/p>\n

\u201cFaith is how you claim the promise from God. Take a step out in faith and boldly do something because you know for a fact that the promise exists. God prepares you bit by bit and you practice with smaller things then go bigger and bigger, but you are always called to higher levels of faith\u2014it\u2019s what the secular world calls \u2018taking a risk.\u2019 You do it according to God\u2019s leading and the guidance of the Holy Spirit\u2014you can\u2019t pretend it, you can\u2019t pretend your faith exists, you can\u2019t fake it. You can\u2019t have a \u2018let\u2019s give it a try, I\u2019ll give it my best shot\u2019 attitude. You pray for it, you ask for it, you dwell on my promise and you allow your faith to just grow and it bubbles over and your heart just overflows with confidence that nothing and no one will shake. And you make a decision and take a step out in faith because you know 100% that you will see the promise come to pass. There is no doubt when you take a step in faith, there is no fear when you take step in faith, most of all, you know with bold confidence that THERE IS NO RISK when you take a step in faith.<\/b> Again I say you can\u2019t fake faith, you can\u2019t force it, you can\u2019t pretend it\u2014faith just is. <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd it grows in you as you grow in Me, and when you dream big as I ask you, parallel to your dream will be a rise in your faith. Faith is how you claim and faith is how you get the promise\u2014it can\u2019t be taught\u2014it\u2019s a natural consequence of opening your heart to Me.<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cA declaration of faith is a declaration of a truth that is in the future. You can\u2019t pretend it\u2019s true\u2014you KNOW it\u2019s true. This kind of faith comes through prayer and asking. I will teach you, I will guide you.<\/b> All you do is seek it and listen when I teach. It is how all the disciples learnt and eventually operated in the same faith as Jesus.\u201d <\/p>\n

He also said that when we \u2018dream\u2019 with God, imagining what we want to do with Him, he said: <\/p>\n

\u201cYour dream should be based on who your Father is, what he has told you that you can accomplish, and he said that if you have faith as small as a mustard seed you can move mountains, regardless of what the world says about you.\u201d He said, \u201cThe fact is, every believer has this ability. I can use each believer to move mountains but they have to exercise that faith and that comes from believing and knowing in their heart that I am their God!! I am their Father!!!\u201d AMEN!!<\/p>\n

So sharing personal prophecy CREATES faith in the hearers that God will do what he just said. Prayer helps, dwelling on the promises he made and Scriptures that back your promises up helps. Asking for help helps. As we grow in HIM faith grows in US. So absolutely Romans 10:17 means what it says, Faith comes by Hearing. So listen! <\/p>\n

<\/br><\/p>\n

Faith Produces the Works of the Spirit <\/b><\/p>\n

Then if a person is walking, standing, even crawling in faith it causes them to do things differently than before. He said, \u2018Take a step out in faith and boldly do something\u2019 which produces a kind of \u2018work\u2019 that is birthed from the Spirit of God. A work that is inspired by faith is a work of the Spirit, a \u2018work of faith.\u2019 This is what he told me: <\/p>\n

\u201cFaith will produce works of my Spirit, My Kingdom, My Father\u2014not works of the flesh\u2014it is not outwardly seen but by a few people who have eyes to see\u2014Do YOU see? That is the eyes of faith operating in you, my son. <\/p>\n

\u201cFaith without works is dead\u2014so man without faith just \u2018works\u2019<\/b>\u2014he is condemned in a way to work, labor, strive at his own initiatives, according to his own will, to work at his own plans and schemes devoid of the work of My Presence\u2014yes, I can be called to come into the world of man, and asked to build the works of man, and all who avail themselves of Me earn My Peace, BUT I WILL NOT BUILD THAT WORK WHICH IS CRUMBLING DOWN IN THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF THOSE OF MY BELOVED WHO LABOR AND TOIL AMONG THOSE NOT SAVED BY GRACE, BY FAITH, BY THE WORKS OF ME, OF MY SPIRIT ON THEIR BEHALF \u2026 Come I say, come and let us reason together.\u201d <\/p>\n

I love to quote that: \u201cFaith without works is dead, so man without faith just works.\u201d<\/b> That is just so classic \u2018Jesus.\u2019<\/p>\n

<\/br><\/p>\n

Faith Draws us TOWARDS GOD<\/b><\/p>\n

In that same conversation describing his meaning of the Mountain Valley Vision <\/i>to me he said Faith always draws us towards Him. It cannot lead us away. <\/p>\n

So while we may call on God in any earthly situation, he will come down to help us find a way out and also to understand him better. But know this, and he said it a few times, he is not interested in strengthening the World system of Mammon and Babylon\u2019s control over us. He said: <\/p>\n

\u201cFaith carries you up into my purposes. <\/p>\n

\u201cI may train you while you are within the world and subject to the pull of its ways \u2026 but faith will not carry you further away from Me. <\/b><\/p>\n

\u201c… So I may start your basic training from within the world system, meaning while you are still subject to its realm of carnal, human, ordinary wants and needs \u2026 Faith, walking, standing even crawling, yes, being in faith will not carry you away from Me. <\/p>\n

\u201cFaith cannot do this\u2014it only produces righteousness in my sight,<\/b> behavior that is attuned by and to my Holy Spirit at work within you to draw you and bring you to myself.\u201d <\/p>\n

So really, the goal of a personal prophecy is not just to find a difficult way to give you stuff. It is train you to live by faith, which is what pleases him and draws you towards him. It makes you righteous in his sight <\/b>as we develop a more dynamic relationship with him! Faith cannot lead us away from God! We can therefore say that the real goal of personal prophecy is righteousness for us, and intimacy with Him. <\/b>Wow!<\/p>\n

So simply hearing God speak personal prophecy to us creates faith in us to believe what God said, and also faith grows in us as we grow in Him; it grows through prayer and asking and as he teaches and guides us. We ask, seek, knock and then listen and obey as he opens, speaks more and guides us in his ways. This \u2018naturally\u2019 leads us to act in accordance with the faith we have in this word of personal promise now dwelling within us. We act on it and this produces the noble works of the Spirit in accordance with our faith. These are the works of faith, works of the Spirit, works birthed from the Father! Acts of Faith make us righteous in his sight and all this is to draw us near to him into a vibrant interactive relationship where we really get to know each other. Amazing! There is just so much going on in that teaching! It\u2019s just wonderful being taught by God!<\/p>\n

<\/br><\/p>\n

It is FAITH that Moves the Mountains <\/b><\/p>\n

So being grounded in the reality of the Kingdom we know it is FAITH that triggers a prophecy to be fulfilled. It is the FAITH that MOVES the MOUNTAINS. It is not only a matter of time, immutable fate or little babies flying around in diapers that does this. God responds to our FAITH. <\/p>\n

We now understand this better, that God responds to people with faith, nothing doubting, not because they are \u2018special\u2019 or merely \u2018chosen to be blessed\u2019 and have their prayers answered better while the rest of us suffer in silence. Don\u2019t get me wrong, some people do get their prayers answered much more than others, but it is not because they are a chosen class above the other Christians. People actually think this! <\/p>\n

It is simply because people without faith don\u2019t receive as much from Him, sometimes nothing at all. I like to give an example of two identical twins with identical promises and identical hairstyles but who may have very different outcomes of a personal prophecy based only on the differences in how they stand in faith, <\/b>their maturity level (again, their faith or trust), the depth of their relationship with God\u2014how well they know Him in reality, how much time they spend with him in Spirit and in truth, how much they listen and obey. Again, this is simply about how well they stand in faith and will directly affect what they receive from Him as well. <\/b><\/p>\n

That\u2019s why I like to say a warning prophecy should never come to pass, a promise of blessing always should. But so often the opposite is true. Now maybe you can see why I say this. <\/p>\n

<\/br><\/p>\n

So Fight the Good Fight of Faith <\/b><\/p>\n

If this is so, and it is, then we ought to take to heart what Paul said to Timothy. <\/p>\n

1 Timothy 1:18-19\u201418<\/sup> \u201cThis charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, <\/b>19<\/sup> having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck ….\u201d <\/p>\n

We fight in faith according to the personal prophecy that we have received. We act in faith, producing the works of faith. THIS is how you see a personal prophecy come to pass. No flying-diaper-babies required. <\/p>\n

But still others are given personal prophecy and do not walk in faith\u2014and they suffer shipwreck! Tragedy! <\/p>\n

Satan therefore must hate our Faith and must be fighting against us acquiring it all the time! So, heads-up! Guard your heart! Guard your mouth! Protect your faith! <\/p>\n

Faith is always required so a personal prophecy is always conditional. Faith means God responds to us, we have a say in our future\u2014it is not all \u2018set in stone.\u2019 <\/b>Yes, and if that\u2019s true it also means we can really mess things up! Don\u2019t mess things up! But actually God does not want us to fear, not even fear messing everything up! Why? Because anyway knowing this is so, we will not rely on ourselves, or lean on our own understanding or trust in Man, even when that Man is us. We know the danger and the consequences so we draw near to Him and trust Him and put our faith in Him! And if we do … everything is going to be A-OK!<\/p>\n

So we are now citizens of Heaven, members of His Body, Dwelling within the Kingdom of Light\u2014we are no longer bound by the bondage of the dark rules of Fate so common in the world\u2019s media and Greek drama\u2014IF we continue in His goodness.<\/p>\n

We are so blessed beyond what we deserve to now be living in the Kingdom of God\u2014so Trust in God\u2014protect your faith because Faith Matters\u2014we are not living in a Greek Tragedy!<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201c… but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":63,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":4,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-10-things-chapters","category-key-chapters"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/prayermountainbohol.com\/10things\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/prayermountainbohol.com\/10things\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/prayermountainbohol.com\/10things\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prayermountainbohol.com\/10things\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prayermountainbohol.com\/10things\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/prayermountainbohol.com\/10things\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":415,"href":"https:\/\/prayermountainbohol.com\/10things\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19\/revisions\/415"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prayermountainbohol.com\/10things\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/63"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/prayermountainbohol.com\/10things\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prayermountainbohol.com\/10things\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prayermountainbohol.com\/10things\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}