Dear One,
This is not your normal Living Waters article. It is a compilation of the whole FROM THE CROSS TO THE THRONE series. It has a special announcement at the end. Normally I would tell you if this is a one or two cup of coffee situation, but ‘Nope! – this is a whole pot!’ Enjoy it!
I’ll be back with your regular LW article Saturday night. 😊
Love you! KRP
A LIGHTBEARERS PERSPECTIVE OF THE GOSPEL
FROM THE CROSS TO THE THRONE
PART ONE – IS THIS ALL THERE IS?
Have you ever said to yourself, Is this all there is? You are a faithful, blood bought child of God, faithful to God and your church, and looking forward to Heaven someday. But your heart keeps longing for more of God and in God. Are you that one? Is your heart saying, there must be more in the walk in Christ then just being forgiven, as wonderful as that is, then being a good person and waiting for Heaven. If that is you, then we need to make the journey from the Cross to the Throne!
…that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Eph 3:19 NKJV
You don’t see it in the Gospels, the fullness of the believers perfect standing in Christ. You don’t see it in Acts; even though there were great examples to follow, the vast majority of the believers were still zealous for the law (Acts 21:20). So, where do you find out who we are in Christ? Where do we find out the truth about the mystery that has been kept secret from ages and from generations which, had the adversary known, he would not have crucified the Lord of Glory? Where do we see the believer’s hope, and their perfect standing of being seated at the right of the Almighty? We see it in the Church Epistles.
“There is none righteous, no, not one; 11 There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. 12 They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.” Rom 3:10-12 NKJV
The Church Epistles begin with Romans. Romans was the subject that the monk named Luther was teaching when he understood the reality that the just shall live by faith and proceeded to nail his ’95 Theses’ to the door of the church in Wittenburg, Germany. Romans crushes the great lie that is the bedrock of all religion, that man can justify himself by good works before a righteous and holy God. Man cannot justify himself; therefore, he needed a perfect Substitute that only God could supply – Jesus!
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. Rom 3:19-20 NKJV
The great lie of all religion is that man by his good works can get to Heaven. Romans crushes that lie! You might want to tell this to your friends and neighbors when you are witnessing to them. ‘Somebody lied to you, buddy, but here…look at Romans!’
We want to hit some of the great highlights of Romans and the Cross as a foundation before we move on to Ephesians and the Throne. Sometimes you must think about and appreciate the foundation, the rock on which an edifice is built to fully appreciate the structure above it. We have to walk in Romans righteousness before we can fully access Ephesians glory!
Romans teaches that man is hopeless and helpless (the character John Newton, in the film AMAZING GRACE, says, “One thing I know – I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior!”) But God sends a great rescuer in Jesus Christ!
But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith…Rom 3:21-25 NKJV
I get so excited about this truth because I know what healing and deliverance it brings to everyone’s hearts! This word pierces right through the facades of men’s lives and brings life to their innermost beings. It brings true healing to the broken hearts of men, which then prepares them for miracles!
Romans Five should be on everyone’s daily reading assignment until you are completely immersed in its great revelation. Your heart can change in an instant but the paradigms of your soul have to be recalibrated to recognize a new YOU. Romans Five contrasts Adam’s sin with God’s redemption. Here is a nugget that is pure gold!
For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. Rom 5:17 NKJV
What we have learned in ministering healing is that a person’s sense of guilt and unworthiness can keep them from receiving their healing. We’ve also learned that if they are taught to receive an abundance of grace, and to receive the gift of righteousness, they can overcome their bitterness and guilt and receive their healing, their miracle, their breakthrough.
The context in Romans Five ends and jumps immediately to Romans Eight. Romans Six and Seven are a parenthetical insertion that answer four great questions. Look at what we see in the end of Romans Five and the beginning of Romans Eight!
Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous. 20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, 21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom 5:18-21 NKJV
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. Rom 8:1-3 NKJV
He made me free from the law of sin and death, not through my worthless works but through His perfect work on my behalf. Do you see WHY there is no condemnation for the believer? Because Jesus reversed all the effects of Adam’s sin and restored man’s original nature of holiness and righteousness before the Father. Adam’s nature results in sin, sickness, poverty and death, but Jesus completely annihilated the Adamic nature in the believer and replaced it with the sinless nature of God Himself – Christ in you the hope of glory!
When you and I finally stop condemning ourselves, finally stop trying to attain righteousness, whether that means acceptance in a group, or ‘success’ in our worldly lives, or achievements that ‘leave a legacy;’ when we finally leave all those old, sad trappings behind and step up to who we are in Him, then we are ready to go to the Throne. Oh how my heart leaps and is thrilled at these great truths! I see in them all the possibilities of a brand-new life for every man, for every woman, for every child, no matter how hopeless their lives may seem, no matter how broken and worthless their circumstances may have become. Romans Eight ends the doctrinal section in Romans, which then picks up in Ephesians, with these great statements:
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom 8:31-39 NKJV
More than conquerors! Nothing can separate us! If God be for us, who can be against us? How shall He not freely give us all things? How my heart is thrilled as I think of YOU believing these words, of me believing them, and us walking together, knowing that nothing is impossible to those who believe. We haven’t even gotten to Ephesians yet!
Before we leave Romans, we must look at one great section in Romans six that is the first great command to the believers in the Church epistles. Jesus said, If you love Me, keep My commandments. This is Jesus’ first great command as Head of the Body, commanding His Body to align with Him. When Jesus died, we died with Him. When He arose, we arose with Him. This is Romans!
For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
Here Is the command. LOGIZOMAI means to reckon as in a ledger, all of our indebtedness on one side, Jesus’ full propitiation on the other side, and we conclude that ALL of our debts are paid through Him. Sin and death have no more claim on us! We are alive unto God.
11 Likewise you also, reckon (Grk. LOGIZOMAI) yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
THEREFORE always introduces a practical application of the aforementioned truth.
12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. Rom 6:5-14 NKJV
Present yourselves to God! How? When? First thing in the morning, every day. How? Pray like this, “ABBA Father, I am Yours. Teach me, guide me, correct me, forgive me, cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Prepare me to walk in the authority and power of Heaven. Thank You ABBA!” Pray and listen with your full attention, and ABBA will speak!
John G Lake loved his fine suits of clothes. Every day he would stand in front of a mirror and declare, “God dwells in that suit of clothes, and wherever that suit of clothes goes, God goes with it!”
…and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, Eph 2:6-7 NKJV
Our spiritual journey is from sin and death unto the throne of God, from Romans One to Ephesians Three, from the lowest to the Highest, eternal death to eternal life. When we know who we are as sons and daughters of His, as princes and princesses in the royal family of God, then the authority of a judge backed by Heaven will flow out of us. I don’t care how low you feel now, how bad your circumstances seem, when you begin to truly believe what we are seeing here in the Word, your life will rise up in glory and power and blessing. The fire of God will consume every negative thing and leave you filled with glory at the right hand of the Lord almighty. Pray in the Spirit and let your heart be so filled with His Word that you freely, joyfully present yourself to Him daily…and He will raise you up so that the glory in your life is so great that you can hardly even remember the times of the past when you suffered in ignominy. We are going on to the Throne of God.
PART TWO – EPHESIANS ONE AND THE THRONE
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ…Eph 1:3 NKJV
In the early to mid 1800’s Americans migrated from the east coast to the west coast, forming what we know today as the continental United States of America. From 1846 –1869 over 400,000 settlers crossed what was called the Oregon Trail to find new lives on the west coast. They crossed uncharted territory with guides who had explored the trail and followed landmarks that took them to their destination. Today, we are on a journey in our renewed minds to the throne of God. Our guide is the Holy Spirit. I’ve laid out for you six landmarks in Romans, starting with the Cross in Romans Three. If you want to make the journey, make sure you are established, you are strong in each truth that makes up the landmark. The Oregon Trail took about six months to cross, but the settlers had a vision and a determination to reach their goal. Our goal, walking in Throne authority and favor, is reachable, and worthy of our supreme effort. How long it takes to reach there is up to each one of us!
For far too long, the Church has been camped at the Cross, and thus has missed out on so many of the blessings of the Throne. The Cross is wonderful and an absolute first step in the walk in God, but there is much, much more. We must put on in our minds and heart the realities of the Cross, of Romans, then we are prepared to receive the realities of the Throne, in Ephesians. Are you ready?
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for (which is) instruction in righteousness, 2 Tim 3:16 NKJV
The Church Epistles consist of what are essentially seven books: Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and 1&2 Thessalonians. Romans is a doctrinal treatise with its corresponding books of 1&2 Corinthians correcting practical error in relation to Romans doctrine, and Galatians correcting doctrinal error in relation to Romans doctrine. Ephesians is a doctrinal treatise that has Philippians and Colossians correcting practical and doctrinal error. Thessalonians is a doctrinal treatise corresponding to the Church’s great Hope which has no practical possibility of error, so thus no corresponding epistles.
Romans – doctrinal treatise – the Cross – died and raised with Christ.
1&2 Corinthians – epistle – corrects practical error regarding Romans doctrine.
Galatians – epistle – corrects doctrinal error regarding Romans doctrine.
Ephesians – doctrinal treatise – the Throne – raised and seated with Christ.
Philippians – epistle – corrects practical error regarding Ephesians doctrine.
Colossians – epistle – corrects doctrinal error regarding Ephesians doctrine.
1&2 Thessalonians – doctrinal treatise – the great Hope of the Church.
Right at the chewy caramel center of these books is Ephesians. Ephesians is the apex of the revelation to the Church. Romans shows us who we were and who we have become. Ephesians shows us who we are and who we will be for all eternity. Romans gives us victory over sin and condemnation. Ephesians restores Adamic authority and more and makes us to be rulers and judges at God’s right hand. Ephesians reveals the great mystery that was kept secret from ages and generations, and most especially the devil, revealing the Church of both Jews and Gentiles as God’s POIEMA, His masterpiece, with each member filled with Christ and part of His body. Are you with me?
Ephesians 1:15-23 contains the first great prayer in Ephesians. It is called Paul’s prayer, and that is valid, but in a greater sense it is the Holy Spirit’s prayer, for He is the Author of Ephesians while Paul is the writer, which is true of all of Scripture, which is why the original God breathed Word was perfect. Why would God be praying? Because His desires and His ability to affect those desires are two different things. He CAN’T make someone get born again nor can He MAKE you believe the Scriptures, thus His prayers become an expression of His desires for you and I. He expresses His perfect will, the best a man or woman or child can have, in these prayers. Do you see?
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Rom 8:28 NKJV
I believe that when you are not specifically interceding over something in tongues then you are praying out the HS’s prayers in the Church Epistles over yourself. THIS is why all things work together for the best possible result when you pray in tongues! Don’t you wish EVERYONE prayed in tongues?
Here is the first great prayer. Since this the HS’s prayer, and Paul’s prayer, shouldn’t this be YOUR prayer if you are a minister of God as you pray for God’s people?
15 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:
First, your faith and love position you to receive the fruit of this prayer. The importance of this prayer and the one in Ephesians Three, is that it releases to us as the Church the knowledge, power and authority to rule over the universe as one who is seated at God’s right hand.
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory (our glorious ABBA) may give (Grk. DIDOMAI) to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding (Grk. KARDIAS) being enlightened (Grk. PHOTIZO); that you may know (Grk. EIDO) what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding (Grk HUPERBALLON) greatness (Grk. MEGETHOS) of His power (Grk. DUNAMIS) toward us who believe (Grk. PISTEUO), according to (Grk. KATA) the working of His mighty (Grk. ISCHUOS) power (Grk. KRATOS) 20 which He worked (Grk. ENERGEO) in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. Eph 1:15-23 NKJV
This prayer has all the great NT power words in it because this is about restoring Adamic authority to the Church. Adam was no weakling. Adam spoke to and ruled over the animals. Adam probably could move from one place to another instantly, because Jesus could, and Stephen and others were able to at different times and had revelation knowledge of everything that was happening around the world. Adam ruled as a judge over all the earth, and probably did so for several decades before the Fall. What could occur if the Church truly grasped Adamic authority?
Let’s go through the highlighted words, then we will talk about the practical application.
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory (our glorious ABBA)…
First, we see our glorious ABBA – our new birth FATHER. We are not adopted from some other father. He is our birth Father and He has loved us from before the foundation of the world. I can honestly say I loved my birth children from the time I was first aware that I would and could be a father, even before I was married. ABBA has loved us from time immemorable!
…may give (Grk. DIDOMAI) to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge (Grk. EPIGNOSIS) of Him…
ABBA has given us – DIDOMAI – these revelation and power gifts. They are given in the sense that they are laid out on a banquet table but now you must receive them. At a buffet you go through a line and receive portions of the different delicacies made available. If you don’t you just go hungry! If we don’t receive these gifts, we as a Church will go hungry, and the world will continue to starve, because all creation waits for the manifestation of the sons of God. Understand this: even the people that hate you desperately need you – we are the sheepdogs; we protect everyone (Acts 27:24) – and even those who reject you must come to you, because you carry the light of the world. Do you get it?
EPIGNOSIS is the full, experiential knowledge of Him. He reveals Himself, He lays Himself out portion by portion in those times when you are alone with Him, like a dad who takes his son on a fishing trip, or to a baseball game. The people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits (Daniel 11:32). You must know God. Even doing miracles does not replace knowing God (Matt.7:21-23). Do you see how important your times of prayer are?
…the eyes of your understanding (Grk. KARDIAS) being enlightened (Grk. PHOTIZO)…
KARDIAS is literally HEARTS, meaning here the heart of your heart, you inner man, which – yes – has eyes, in fact, five spiritual senses. PHOTIZO is to make your inner man radiant with light, driving out all darkness, making you a lightbearer (Phil. 2:15).
…that you may know (Grk. EIDO)…
EIDO means to see and thereby know. We have our English word VIDEO that comes from this Greek word. We are to see and know three things experientially:
The hope of His calling,
The riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
The exceeding greatness of His power to us who believe.
What is the hope of His calling? We are called and appointed as sons and daughters of God, princes and princesses in the royal family of God, to represent Him and carry out His business here on the earth. As emissaries of Heaven we have the authority of Heaven supporting us. You may say, then why are so many Christians defeated, tortured, murdered? I may say, why are so many Christians delivered, blessed, triumphant? Each of us must believe, each of us must receive their full portions at the buffet table, or else we go hungry, or in some cases, far worse than hungry. Jesus, our example and only standard, was never touched until He as the High Priest allowed Himself to be offered in death as the Passover Lamb. We are playing the most serious game! The hope of His calling is not just Heaven, but the hope that in this life we can live out the fullness of His individual calling of us.
How do we see His inheritances’ glorious riches in the saints here on earth? Only through the eyes of love. Love can reveal that which everyone else is blind to. Jesus said, what you have done for the least of these My brethren, you have done for Me. When you see Jesus in that little unnoticed saint who can, in one sense, do nothing for you, then you are seeing through the eyes of love.
What is the exceeding greatness of His power to us who believe? I’m glad you asked!
…and what is the exceeding greatness (Grk. HUPERBALLO MEGETHOS) of His power (Grk. DUNAMIS) toward us who believe (Grk. PISTEUO)…
HUPERBALLO MEGETHOS – exceeding greatness! HUPERBALLO is a compound word, HUPER meaning ‘super’ and BALLO meaning ‘to throw.’ A super throw! Willie Mays’ catch and throw in the ’54 World Series was amazing, but the greatest throw I ever saw in person was by Austin Slater of the Giants who caught the fly ball in deep left field and threw out the runner tagging from third base before he could score, a throw of over three hundred feet at over one hundred miles an hour…left me stunned, slack jawed, and rejoicing! That’s HUPERBALLO. As an adjective modifying the noun, HUPERBALLO communicates extraordinary, surpassing greatness being thrown out into the world so that everyone is without excuse, the kind our ABBA has demonstrated in the beauty of the whole creation. MEGETHOS sounds like the name of an ‘80’s heavy metal rock band, but this extraordinary word is only used one time in the Greek NT, right here.
DUNAMIS, the power that created the heavens and the earth is inherent spiritual power in every born again one. When I think of DUNAMIS I think of Joshua commanding the sun and moon to stop, or Moses waving his rod and stretching out his hand over the Red Sea, or my friend Kiiza raising a dozen from the dead. JESUS!
…toward us who believe (Grk. PISTEUO)…
Brother Kenneth Hagin, whom I never met, has been, through his books and taped teachings, one of my great mentors, like Derek Prince. I just heard brother Hagin teach on growing your faith today. First, he goes to great lengths to show us in the Word that faith is measurable, that everyone has a measure of faith that you can grow, and how to grow your faith so that you achieve tomorrow what you couldn’t receive today. You grow your faith by feeding your soul with the written Word and building up your spirit man by speaking in tongues. Do you want to do miracles? You can, but you must grow your faith. If you want to grow in the deep things of God, you can, but you must invest yourself totally. The demands of Jesus – he who loves father, mother, son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me – there are nothing like them in the military, in top level sports, or even the tops in any profession or endeavor. Love pays the price. We are playing the most serious game…
…according to (Grk. KATA) the working (Grk. ENERGEIA) of His mighty power (Grk. ISCHUOS KRATOS) 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places…
I saw it again in the sports magazine article about a guy who repairs baseball gloves. He loves his work and he sets the highest standards for his work. It’s always the same among the great ones – LOVE and THE HIGHEST STANDARDS. KATA, translated ‘according to’ sets a standard: the energizing of His mighty power. The exceeding greatness of the DUNAMIS in us is according to His mighty power. The power in us is so great we should have miracles every time we look at someone (Luke 22:61, Acts 3:4). ENERGEIA is ‘energizing’ – what energizes the power of God in you? We will develop that when we get to Ephesians Three. ISCHUOS KRATOS – ISCHUOS is might, KRATOS is power with an impact. We get our word crater, where something has struck a surface and the result is a crater, from the word KRATOS. Make an impact wherever you go!
21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
I love the fact that we can’t blame the devil anymore for defeats in our contest. He’s defeated! He’s under our feet. We simply must assert our authority as sons and daughters seated on thrones of authority. We have set a standard in our schools that no one dies prematurely. This is unacceptable! When someone is reported sick, the prayer team is informed and prayer is made until they are well. We can do this individually as we are led, but the great manifestation of authority seems to come as we are in one accord as the Church.
PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS
We will get to the Throne in Ephesians Two in our study, then on to the great mystery and prayer in Ephesians Three. Get ready to get blessed!
Finally, read and study this section and the others in this article until you understand the major points. If you have questions, write to me. Ask the Lord to teach you Romans Three, Romans Five, Romans Eight and Ephesians One, and don’t settle for less than His best. Feed your soul with the Word and your spirit with speaking in tongues. You will know you are getting adequate feeding when faith starts to become easier. You are changing the whole religious paradigm of your life from being Cross oriented to being Throne oriented. This is a huge but necessary shift in order for you and I, and for the Church to be able to bless the world again. If you will do it, you will see the power of God walking with you wherever you go.
PART THREE – ON TO THE THRONE – EPHESIANS TWO
WHAT IS A JUDGE?
Do you not know that the saints will judge (Grk. KRINO) the world? And if the world will be judged (GRK. KRINO) by you, are you unworthy to judge (Grk. KRITERION) the smallest matters? 3 Do you not know that we shall judge (Grk. KRINO) angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? 1 Cor 6:2-4 NKJV
A judge is a person imbued with authority to examine evidence, test its integrity and compare it against existing law in order to render a verdict, a judgment. This is KRINO. The judge makes reference to precedent – KRITERION: a rule or standard of judging based on previous similar decisions – so that his judgment is consistent with the highest courts of the land.
We are going to see that you are a judge. For instance, when you go to pray for someone, you make a decision resulting in a decree or a command. You examine the evidence – the person has a disease. You determine whether the disease has a right to be there or not. After examining all the evidence, you compare the evidence against ‘case law’ – the Word of God. Having examined the evidence, and reviewed case law, you render a verdict. You say, “Cancer, go in the name of Jesus Christ!” or you say in effect, “Legally I cannot command this disease to go until you do X, or Y, or Z according to the instructions in case law – the Word of God.”
Now you are a judge, but a person, a defendant in your court, has the right to go to the Supreme Judge to overrule your judgment. Hezekiah was sick and Isaiah as a judge, having examined the evidence, referred to case law, and finally the leading of the Spirit, ruled that he would die, but Hezekiah appealed the ruling to the Supreme Judge.
In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.’”
2 Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the Lord, 3 and said, “Remember now, O Lord, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
4 And the word of the Lord came to Isaiah, saying, 5 “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will add to your days fifteen years. Isa 38:1-6 NKJV
When it comes to being God’s judge in the world, in any circumstance not just healing, you must be serious about doing the work of a judge. You must examine all the evidence, compare it against the case law of the Word of God, consider the precedents or previous judgments that have occurred in similar cases – for instance, why did Peter and Isaiah present judgments of death? – and then make your judgment with the Spirit’s help or leading. This can take ten seconds, ten hours or ten days. Then the authority and power you have been given in Ephesians One will be released!
Are you ready for Chapter Two of Ephesians?
In Romans Three you saw yourself as a defendant, falling on the mercy of the court. This is where the Cross intervened! Now in Ephesians at the Throne of God you are no longer a defendant, but a judge sitting on a seat or throne of judgment. We are moving from a Cross paradigm, as necessary and wonderful as that was, to a Throne paradigm, because that is who we are and will be for all eternity.
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. Eph 2:1-3 NKJV
Here Paul encapsulates Romans Chapters 1:1 through 3:20 in three verses. But we go from the gutter to the Throne in verses four through ten. We will go through this section with some brief commentary.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Eph 2:4-10 NKJV
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us
The eternal, overwhelming intrinsic value of every life from conception to the grave and beyond is magnified here by the dramatically beautiful phraseology – rich in mercy, great love – used in the text. Receive that reality into your heart for yourself – I AM GREATLY LOVED BY ABBA MY FATHER, HIS MERCY TO ME IS RICH! – and you will never have an unanswered prayer again.
even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved (Grk. SOZO),
When Jesus died, we died with Him. When He was made alive, resurrected, we were made alive, resurrected with Him, by the undeserved, unmerited favor of God. SOZO is to be completely whole, spirit, soul, body, life and circumstances.
and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus
We are ascended and seated at the right hand of God with Him. This is the Throne! This is the position from which we rule and judge in the world. This will not change. This is where we are NOW and where we will be permanently! This is where, as we say, the rubber meets the road. You can be called to be a judge and still have a defendant, as in Romans Three, paradigm or mindset. We must journey from Romans Three to Ephesians Two, from the Cross to the Throne. If you can make that journey, then the power and authority of the prayer in Ephesians One will be released in you. Do you see?
that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Our seat at the Throne is not only our ruling place, but also our place from which we will be instructed and shown the riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. We will be in a school of the Spirit forever, which to my heart makes me speculate that He will test our understanding periodically, which means new adventures, and a whole lot of fun! In our Bible college our faith was specifically and intentionally tested from time to time by requiring us to travel around the country with no money. Go to New Orleans and back from Kansas? Hit the road, Jack, and be back in a week!
For by grace (Grk.CHARIS) you have been saved (Grk. SOZO) through faith (Grk. PISTIS), and that not of yourselves; it is the gift (Grk. DORON) of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast
The key here is the word DORON – meaning a sacrificial gift – Christs suffering and death and resurrection, and all that came in preparation for it was a sacrificial gift to you. I believe in that DORON gift package we got CHARIS, SOZO and PISTIS. This would conclude that faith for salvation is a gift. You see this all the time in witnessing, but you may not be aware of the spiritual transaction occurring right in front of you. You don’t reason or convince people to get born again. You share the truth and you watch them receive a gift right before your eyes! I’ve argued the Gospel with people for hours to no avail but then I find that certain someone, the right someone at the right time, and a miracle happens. They receive a DORON gift that includes faith to believe that a man they never met before did something never done before for them in love to save their lives. Astonishing! And of course, there are no works involved so no one can boast about a completely unmerited gift…
For we are His workmanship (Grk. POIEMA), created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them
The word POIEMA means masterpiece. The Church is God’s masterpiece, His MAGNUM OPUS! Of all of His works, all of His creation the best of the best is His Church, drawn out from both Jew and Gentile with Christ as the Head, who fills each member with all of His fulness. Oh, my heart cries in wonder at it all! EPHESIANS THREE is going to open up our understanding of that masterpiece and who He is for us and in us and who we are in Him.
And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. Rev 22:17 NKJV
In our garden in back of our house we have a fountain that is close to sixty feet long that symbolizes the journey from the world through the Cross to the Throne of God. The throne is set up high and water flows out of it and under the cross out into the world. The invitation to the Throne comes from Heaven to all the world. Come! The lower pool represents the world and you have to cross a bridge made of cedar representing the Cross to get to the Throne. The guy who built the bridge out of cedar had a Bezaleel anointing and did an amazing job. The other guy who built the fountain with his team was a believer as well. So, I have a symbolic representation of Romans through Ephesians right outside of my office, to remind me everyday of the DORON of God, and the POIEMA that resulted from it. JESUS!
Oh, dear one, may your heart be touched with the grace and love of God to allow you and I to be His POIEMA, and to be His judges and representatives out in the world. May we be found faithful of that calling because we are seated at the Throne of God!
PART FOUR – THE CHURCH IN THE THRONE ROOM OF GOD
The purpose of doctrine is to set a true foundation to what we believe and apply. It also corrects wrong doctrine, wrong ways of believing that produce wrong or bad fruit. The test of any doctrine is the fruit it produces. By their fruit you shall know them! If what I’m doing is not producing results, then I need to look at what I believe. This is my attempt to outline right doctrine for us as individuals in the Church and for us corporately, but it’s only an outline, and it could need corrections. If there is any insight you want to share with me considering the subject, please write to me with your thoughts.
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Eph 3:20 NKJV
We began this study asking the question, “Is this all there is?” I’m a blood bought child of God, forgiven of my sins, seeking to be a good person and waiting for heaven. Is that all there is? We started our study in Romans Three, where we were found guilty of our sins, indeed, we were born that way, fell on the mercy of the court, and were acquitted of our crimes by the substitutionary act of the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ – the Cross. Romans Three was where we began a journey in our renewed minds from the Cross to the Throne of God.
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ… Rom 5:1 NKJV
The next stop on our journey was Romans Five, where we found we had peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; that one man’s catastrophic sin had condemned the world but one Man’s redemptive sacrifice, the second Adam, had undone the work of the first for all men, giving us a peace treaty with ABBA. Then in Romans Eight we found out that there was no condemnation – no reversal of the Court’s verdict that we were made the righteousness of God through Christ – and that NOTHING could separate us from the love of God which is in Christ our Lord. Pretty good, huh? But that was only the beginning, the necessary foundation of what was to come.
…just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, Eph 1:4 NKJV
In Ephesians One we discovered that we were members of His body with Him as the head, and that all the authority Adam had lost was restored to us as His EKKLESIA. What we have been given is greater than Adam’s authority, because his was conditioned on whether he walked righteously, while ours is unconditioned because it’s built on the finished work of Christ. You can’t lose it or sin it away because you can’t change what He accomplished, but you can lose its effectiveness if you don’t walk in faith.
Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? 2 Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3 Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? 1 Cor 6:1-4 NKJV
Finally, in Ephesians 2:1-10, we saw that we were raised and seated together with Christ at the right hand of ABBA our Father, seated on thrones of judgment in the court of God, presiding over affairs on the earth. We are no longer defendants in God’s court, as in Romans Three, but judges in trial courts under the Supreme Court of the Godhead. I recently got to sit in a municipal court and watch a judge adjudicate matters with defendants, public defenders, defense lawyers and prosecutors. As I watched her, I said, “That’s us!” Our thrones, while seated at His right hand, are subservient to His throne, just as trial courts are under appellate courts and a supreme court. Subservient – our verdicts are reviewable by the Supreme Court – but are nonetheless, very powerful!
The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein. Ps 24:1 NKJV
How do we render judgment? Let’s say God’s enemies decide to build a mosque down the street in your town. You ask the Lord, “How do I render judgment in this case?” Case law – the Word of God – says the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof. The Lord’s enemies do not have the right to build an altar to a false god in your town, no matter if they own the land or have building permits. The land ultimately is owned by God and you are His representative. So, as you are led by the Spirit, having reviewed the evidence and case law, you decree – not rudely, or even in front of anyone, but before the Lord – ‘this mosque will not be built.’ You hold that decree in your heart, perhaps even decreeing it daily, like Elijah held the decree that it would not rain or even have dew in Israel until he said so, until the Lord releases the final verdict, the elimination of the mosque. Simple, elegant, powerful!
What we want to study right now is what I call the Church in the Throne Room of God – Ephesians 2:10 – 3:21. Each of these subjects could be a book, but I’m just trying to give you the glimpse that I see of the greatness of His Church, His sons and daughters, as we dwell in His presence in the Throne Room, and how we can aspire to walk with Him. We will briefly look at five great truths:
THE POIEMA OF GOD – OUR ACCESS TO ABBA – THE CHURCH AS THE NAOS – THE GREAT MUSTERION OF THE CHURCH – FILLED WITH ALL THE PLEROMA OF GOD
THE POIEMA OF GOD
For we are His workmanship (Grk. POIEMA), created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Eph 2:10 NKJV
For we are His workmanship (Grk. POIEMA – masterpiece) – The Church is the masterpiece of God. We were called from before the foundation of the world. Suppose Adam had never sinned! We still would have been born. We still would have become the Church, the EKKLESIA of God, the body of Christ, the bride of Christ, His sons and daughters. ABBA would have had His family! At some point Adam’s conditional authority would have become permanent, and we would have become the Church. Even though Satan intervened with Adam’s catastrophic sin, the purpose of God from time immemorable would have been fulfilled because we were called from before the foundation of the world.
When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Prov 29:2 NKJV
created in Christ Jesus for good works – When you study the phrase GOOD WORKS you will find in some places it used as a generalized statement but in others, it lays out a list of specific actions. I believe here it refers to our actions as judges, presiding over the affairs of the earth. When we preside as led by Him we protect and bless everyone, saved or unsaved. Paul protected the lives of all in the wheat ship, not just the believers. Our decrees carry weight as we believe God has spoken through us in that situation. We must shift our thinking from being defendants in God’s court – Romans Three – to being judges in God’s court – Ephesians Two. Do you see it?
…which God prepared ( Grk. PROETOIMAZO) beforehand that we should walk in them.
PROETOIMAZO is only used twice in the Greek NT, and it means to prepare or ordain, and it speaks to the foreknowledge of God. God has prepared the greatest life possible for us but we must choose to rise up and walk in that calling. You don’t live at the level you desire, you live at the level you accept. The Lord never intended for us to live in mediocrity or debasement or defeat, but we must choose to strive for that high calling and never compromise our integrity at each level of growth. This is the POIEMA, the masterpiece of God, the Church.
OUR ACCESS TO ABBA OUR FATHER
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation… Eph 2:13-15 NKJV
For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. Eph 2:18 NKJV
The first great reality that we see is that we have access to God. Under the OT, access was limited to one guy, the high priest, entering once a year into the Holy of Holies. But our Lord’s redemptive work has broken though all the barriers, and because we have been made the righteousness of God in Him, we are lifted up as sons and daughters of His and we have access to a holy God, ABBA our Father. This is why we have easy access to revelation. We can walk with the Lord like Adam and Eve did before the Fall, enjoying sweet fellowship and dealing victoriously with every situation. As we rise up in our souls to see the reality of what He has done in our spirits, then access to every solution becomes available to us.
THE CHURCH AS THE NAOS – THE TEMPLE
“Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, And He shall build the temple of the Lord; 13 Yes, He shall build the temple of the Lord. He shall bear the glory, And shall sit and rule on His throne; So He shall be a priest on His throne, And the counsel of peace shall be between them both.”‘ Zech 6:12-13 NKJV
19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Eph 2:19-22 NKJV
“If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” John 14:23 NKJV
It’s been said that the OT is the NT concealed and the NT is the OT revealed. The Ark, the Tabernacle and the Temple in the OT were all foreshadows of what would come through the Church and in the future with the reign of the Lord on the earth especially in the new heavens and new earth. As Israel carried the ark of the covenant and the presence of God on its journeys we carry the presence of God in our spirits through the Holy Spirit. God dwells in us! No wonder the angels desired to look into these things as we shall see when we talk about the Church as the MUSTERION of God. Christ is in you – Col. 1:27 – the Father and the Son through the Holy Spirit dwell in you!
Please, dear reader, take time, slow down and meditate on these truths as I have tried so poorly to present them to you. The Church in the Throne Room is so much greater than what I can possibly share, but the Lord can use these words to communicate truth to our hearts that changes, transforms and lifts us up to new heights of faith and glory. Next we will continue with the Church as the mystery of God and the fullness of God in you, expanding our understanding of the Church in the Throne Room of God. You and I are judges in the courts of God. May we be found faithful to bring the blessings of the kingdom to all the earth, and all the glory to our ABBA.
PART FIVE – THE CHURCH AS THE MUSTERION – THE MYSTERY OF GOD
…I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Isa 6:1 NKJV
We are on a journey in the renewing of our minds from the Cross to the Throne. It is at the Throne of God that we find the true fulfillment of who we are and what we are called to do. This is a true journey because there must be a change of the paradigms of our minds from a ‘defendant in the court of God’ mindset in Romans Three to a ‘judge in the court of God’ paradigm in Ephesians Two and Three. This in no way elevates us or makes us equal with God, but it empowers us as His true representatives to carry His authority into the world and adjudicate the affairs of the world in a Kingdom manner.
Now the Church in the Throne Room of God is what we find in Ephesians 2:10 – 3:21. I think of the Throne Room as a whole complex of buildings like a university campus, with God’s Throne at the center, soon to be set on the New Jerusalem earthly campus. In that complex, in Ephesians 2:10-3:21, we find five great subjects: the Church as the masterpiece of God – the POIEMA, our access to ABBA our Father, the Church as the NAOS – the Temple of God, the Church as the great mystery – the MUSTERION, and finally the fullness of God – the PLEROMA. We’ve looked at the Church as the POIEMA, our access to ABBA, and the Church as the NAOS – the Temple of God. Now we look at the Church as the mystery of God.
The first two usages of the word MUSTERION in the Greek NT are critical to our understanding of the Church as the mystery of God in His throne room. The first two usages are almost the same, making the statement emphatic. Here’s the first usage…
He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries (Grk. MUSTERION) of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For whoever has (the wisdom to use that which is given him), to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have (the wisdom to use that which is given him), even what he has will be taken away from him. Matt 13:11-12 NKJV
In verse twelve there is an ellipsis, a figure of speech, used twice – a statement clearly implied but omitted in the text – that makes the whole statement understandable. The disciples had asked regarding why Jesus spoke in parables to others, especially to the religious leaders, but plainly to them. The answer was stunning, and important to our understanding of Ephesians Three. The disciples had the wisdom to use that which was given them, but the religious leaders did not. Thus, the disciples were given more, including the advancement of the gospel to the ends of the earth; but the religious leaders suffered the loss of all, including their temple in 70 AD. Wow…
How profound is this? If we in our generation do not have the wisdom to use the great mystery of God as He reveals it in Ephesians Three, then we will lose it, have it taken away from us, and the Lord will wait to see what the next generation does with it when He gives it to them. My friend Henry Hon has some great light on the unity of the One Body. He says that unity in practical application in the One Body is based on love, respect and listening to one another even in our differences, our different factions, and then voting together, to become as one voice; that unity is not based on conformity of doctrine, which is absurd if you think about it, as I was taught. If we don’t walk out the revelation of the great mystery of the One Body in great wisdom and love, then we will have it taken from us, and we will be at a loss. With that warning, and the encouragement that if we do it right, we will receive more, let’s investigate the mystery of God in Ephesians Three!
For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles — 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, 7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.
For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles – What reason? The Church as the Temple – NAOS – of God, and the Masterpiece – POIEMA – of God. The mystery of God is going to explain how we as the Body are the masterpiece and the temple of God, with Christ in us, the Godhead in us, and the supernatural, spiritual worship of God being in the great reality of speaking in tongues in love, in praise, in thanks and worship. Right now, in your physical body the Godhead dwells in your spirit and the Holy Spirit leads your temple in worship as you pray in tongues in love. Do you see how big that is? Let’s keep reading!
… by which, when you read, you may understand (Grk NOEO) my knowledge (Grk. SUNESIS) in the mystery (Grk. MUSTERION) of Christ)…
There is a supernatural impartation of understanding when you read the Word. In our Holy Spirit Encounters, we train God’s people to read the Word and pray in tongues at the same time, which is incredibly powerful and efficient. If you ever read a chapter in the Word and not get anything out of it, say, “ABBA, I missed my supernatural impartation! Can we read that again, and You teach it to me? Thank You!” and read it again.
NOEO comes from the word NOUS, meaning the whole mind, spirit, soul and body. There are things that you know in your spirit that you don’t comprehend or know in your soul. This understanding of the throne room of God will start out in your spirit and grow up in your soul as you meditate on it, apply it and walk it out. It’s a journey!
SUNESIS is the coming together of disparate thoughts like small rivers or streams flowing into a great river, becoming one. SUNESIS is a work of the Spirit in you. It’s that ‘Ah-ha’ moment when the light comes on, when you KNOW what you previously only surmised, when everything comes together like the ten fingers of your two hands folding together as one. SUNESIS is a wonderful experience!
MUSTERION is the mystery of Christ.
6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel,
The Gentiles were truly wicked people. One example – homosexuality and pederasty were fully accepted and normalized in almost all Gentile cultures. The Jews under the Torah made huge cultural changes when they said that man was for woman, and woman for man in a monogamous relationship, and that the foundation of culture was the family. The Jewish and Christian understanding from the Bible civilized the world, freed women and young boys from their cultural shackles, and brought happiness, hope and joy into the world.
I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Gen 12:3 NKJV
It was known throughout the OT that the Gentiles would be blessed, but it was not known that they could become joint heirs with the Jewish believers in Christ, joint partakers of the unsearchable riches of Christ, and that what God was doing for one nation, Israel, He would now do for the whole world. This was a mystery, kept secret because had Satan known it, he never would have crucified the Lord of glory.
But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 1 Cor 2:7-8 NKJV
Satan truly screwed up. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, what the Lord had done for Israel for over a thousand years He would now do for the whole world. With this understanding, and the understanding that each of us in the Temple – the NAOS of God – would be individual ark of the covenant bearers, carrying the presence of God in our spirits, Christ in us, ABBA and YESHUA through the RUACH KODESH in our spirits, that we would be unstoppable, the Church would bring the Kingdom of God wherever we went. And, we do!
THE PURPOSE OF THE MYSTERY
8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; 10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, 11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. 13 Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. Eph 3:1-13 NKJV
To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given – This principle never changes, whether its Moses as the meekest man on earth, or Paul as the least of all the saints. The meek ones, filled with strength, receive the blessings. Those blessings become a test in themselves to remain meek. Paul was not the titular leader of the first century church; perhaps James was. He never got the recognition in his lifetime – in fact whole churches that he planted rejected him – 2 Tim.1:15 – that he enjoys now. But Paul in his humility got to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ and make all see what the fellowship of the mystery is. What an honor! So, I say to all my ambitious young ministers, embrace the journey to meekness! The fruit that will come of it may just make your life legendary, like Moses and Paul.
to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord – This is one of those statements that is so humbling that we can hardly speak about it. To think that ABBA was using us, the Church, as an object lesson to teach all the angels and demons and satan himself under His creation that He is sovereign God, and that His will will be done regardless of the resistance of all; that ABBA would accomplish His eternal purpose in us through Christ Jesus our Lord. Dear one, let your heart be broken with the grace of God that He would so love you that He would draw you into His family, and make you His prince or princess, His judge on a throne over the affairs of men!
…to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness (Grk. PLEROMA) of God. Eph 3:19 NKJV
Next we will finish this journey and deal with the PLEROMA of God.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Rom 12:2 NKJV
I know the doubts you may feel, but that is simply a Romans Three mindset. You are what God says you are. You have what He says you have. Don’t accept less than God’s best for your life. Your strength becomes strength to those around you which is the essence of leadership. We need the Church to lead the world like never before in this day and time. We need Throne Room level businessmen, family heads, teachers, entertainers, social media influencers, and politicians; we need Throne Room level young, old and middle-aged believers in every category of life to bring Kingdom decisions and blessings into the world, and to the billions who have no clue but depend on us regardless of what they think. And we depend on Him, and that is a good place to be, don’t you think?
PART SIX – THE FULLNESS OF GOD
…that you may be filled with all the fullness (Grk. PLEROMA) of God Eph 3:19 NKJV
We are ready in our study of the journey from the Cross to the Throne, to approach the great second prayer in Ephesians, in Ephesians Three. As I stated previously, Paul is the writer of this prayer but the Holy Spirit is the Author of it, making it in effect His prayer for us. Just as you express your desires in prayer, this prayer here, and the prayers throughout the Church Epistles, express the Author’s heart and desires for us. Indeed, it is God’s prayer for you.
Ephesians 2:10-3:21 describes what I believe is the Church’s position at the Throne of God. Like the different buildings on a university campus, the different aspects of the Church expressed here surround the Throne and give glory to Him who is seated there. We’ve identified five major themes of the Church in this section of the Word and we are ready to consider the fifth and final theme: the fullness – the PLEROMA – of God.
For this reason I bow my knees to the Father (In Hebrew its ABBA) of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family (Grk. PATRIA) in heaven and earth is named (Grk. ONOMAZO), 16 that He would grant you, according to (Grk. KATA) the riches of His glory, to be strengthened (Grk. KRATAIOO) with might (Grk. DUNAMIS) through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell (Grk. KATOIKEO) in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted (Grk. RHIZOO) and grounded (Grk. THEMELIOO) in love, 18 may be able (Grk. EXISCHUO) to comprehend (Grk. KATALAMBANO) with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height — 19 to know (Grk. GINOSKO) the love of Christ which passes knowledge (Grk. GNOSIS); that you may be filled (Grk. PLEROO) with all the fullness (Grk. PLEROMA) of God. Eph 3:14-19 NKJV
For this reason I bow my knees to the Father – ABBA in Hebrew -of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family (Grk. PATRIA) in heaven and earth is named (Grk. ONOMAZO)…
ABBA’s whole PATRIA is certainly a lot bigger than I was ever taught, which is a reminder that what you learn AFTER you think you know it all is what really counts! ABBA’s PATRIA would include OT saints, starting with A&E, right up through the patriarchs, Israel and OT Gentile saints, all the ranks of angels and NT saints both deceased and alive. ONOMAZO indicates that all were named or placed in the PATRIA of God.
…that He would grant you, according to (Grk. KATA) the riches of His glory, to be strengthened (Grk. KRATAIOO) with might (Grk. DUNAMIS) through His Spirit in the inner man…
We are going to see in this great prayer the relationship between love and power; that faith, and the power faith releases, is energized effectively, according to Galatians 5:6, by the love of God we have in our hearts. Love inspires you to make the sacrifices necessary to release the great power of God in your life. One of the great healings I’ve ever seen in my ministry was of a boy afflicted by polio whose leg faced backwards. The day before I had prayed from 630am to 330pm, stopping briefly for breakfast and lunch, when God spoke and said, “You are ready,” after which I quit because I was ready. It is said that Oral Roberts would pray in tongues for five hours each night before he preached in his crusades. Love requires sacrifice!
KATA sets a standard by which the power of God can be compared, measured or judged. The standard is His glorious riches. Wow! Meditate on that for a minute, and realize that everywhere you go, you can bring fabulous blessings!
KRATAIOO means power with an impact. We get our English word CRATER, the result of an impact by a solid object of great density and high-speed striking a landscape. If you want to make an impact wherever you go, the way to effectively do that is with the power of God. For example, prophetic words spoken in love go straight to people’s hearts and create faith. Such words will be remembered and treasured when thousands of others are forgotten and ignored!
DUNAMIS is inherent spiritual power, the same power that created the heavens and the earth. You and I have that power, but crossing the key landmarks, almost step by step, in Romans and Ephesians is necessary for us to allow ourselves to release that power. Have you ever noticed how the children of believers pray with power because they haven’t been taught yet that God DOESN’T answer prayer? Those pure hearts just know that God will answer. The landmarks we’ve talked about on the road to the Throne seek to get us back to that purehearted level!
…through His Spirit in the inner man…
How is this accomplished? If this were automatically done at the new birth, like so many of our rights in Christ, then why would it need to be prayed for? This is one of the greatest arguments for every believer to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Speaking in tongues edifies the believer and builds up their faith. It is how we are strengthened with might by His spirit in the inner man. Let me say that the Church Epistles were given by the Holy Spirit with the expectation and assumption that every believer would speak in tongues.
Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. Gen 28:12 NKJV
I never used to value prayer. I did it as a Christian discipline, but without real conviction. Now I understand it as a time of worship, of empowering, of giving and receiving, of being brought together with Heaven and earth to produce Kingdom power in the world. It’s like the heroes in the fantasy/sci-fi stories that are so popular now. They go out and fight, but they must return to their power source, or else they die. Very much like us! Our inner man must be renewed through prayer and worship daily, or else we fall from lack of power.
…that Christ may dwell (Grk. KATOIKEO) in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted (Grk. RHIZOO) and grounded (Grk. THEMELIOO) in love…
KATOIKEO means to reside or bed down, not merely to visit, to make our hearts His home. Again, we see the standards, the demands of the Gospel, are the highest in all the earth. Jesus said that if you love wife or husband or son or daughter more than Me, you are not worthy of Me. The first command is to love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. The highest standards! Do you see why this is a journey?
RHIZOO and THEMELIOO. Rooted and grounded. Jesus is the root of David and He is the rock upon which our lives are grounded. We are rooted and grounded in Him who is love. By the way, the rooting and grounding begins in Romans with those landmarks I previously pointed out.
…may be able (Grk. EXISCHUO) to comprehend (Grk. KATALAMBANO) with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height — 19 to know (Grk. GINOSKO) the love of Christ which passes knowledge…
God makes us smarter. EXISCHUO means ‘to make entirely competent’. Perhaps you were always told that you were an idiot, which is a decree from hell. Perhaps you always had low marks in school. I tell you, my sister or brother, apply yourself daily by reading the Word out loud and praying in tongues and God will make your physical brain cells sharper, more alive and you will get smarter. He will make you entirely competent!
KATALAMBANO means to take, seize or possess eagerly. To comprehend is to grasp with eager hands the full understanding of the love of God.
GINOSKO means to know by experience, not merely an intellectual knowing, but a ‘gut level’ experience. A gut level experience of knowing the love of Christ – this is the answer to the question ‘Is this all there is?’ This understanding, this perception of the love of Christ will lift you into whole new realms of faith, because love energizes faith. All that Jesus did, all that He walked in, all the victory that overflowed and touched the world is now open to His sons and daughters to walk in who know by experience the love of Christ. The Lord God will meet you, and individually instruct you, and carefully train you, and show you the intimate details of the love of Christ in your soul so that you are transformed into His image.
…that you may be filled (Grk. PLEROO) with all the fullness (Grk PLEROMA) of God. Eph 3:14-19 NKJV
PLEROO is to be filled full. The fullness of God is the image of Christ. Jesus said, He who has seen Me has seen ABBA! This is the end of the journey in our renewed minds to the Throne of God. We are so secure in Him that we can walk in great love, because great love requires great strength, all the time. Great love produces great faith which yields great power. All the fruit of the Spirit, all the gifts of the Spirit, all the RHEMA words and an increasing understanding of the LOGOS of God are all in the fullness of God. Two things can be happening here even simultaneously: being continuously filled to fullness and increasing in capacity. We can be filled full yet growing more and more!
And the Child grew (Grk. AUXANO increased) and became strong in spirit, filled (Grk. PLEROO) with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him. Luke 2:40 NKJV
To get from one place to another, especially a place you have never been, requires four things: (1) you must know where you are, (2) you must know where you want to go, (3) you must have a map showing a route with its intermediate landmarks or objectives, and (4) you must have a guide. The map shows you the objectives and the guide keeps you from going off course. Your guide will reroute you as necessary! If you are a born again one, your starting place is the Cross. Your goal, where you want to go, is the Throne. Your map is the word of God, specifically Romans and Ephesians, and your guide is the Holy Spirit.
Find someone to take the journey with you. A threefold cord is not quickly broken! Identify each objective in Romans and Ephesians, starting in Romans Three, and don’t leave the objective until you have completely embraced its truth and are practicing it comfortably. Be accountable to your partner and to the Lord. This is a marathon, not a sprint. I’ve run a couple of marathons, and it requires patience, pacing and keeping the goal in mind. But you can do it, dear one. You can be a great judge, bringing Kingdom authority, favor and blessing to all the world around you to His glory. Amen? Love you!
Remember dear one, we must be about our Father’s business…
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO BE A PART OF AN EXPERIMENTAL GROUP TO TAKE THE JOURNEY FROM THE CROSS TO THE THRONE. THE PURPOSE HERE WOULD BE TO DEVELOP A DISCIPLESHIP PROGRAM BASED ON THIS SERIES AND THE FIVE LEVELS OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH TEACHING THAT YOU CAN FIND ON OUR WEBSITE. IT WOULD BE AT LEAST A SIX-MONTH COMMITMENT WITH NO GUARANTEES THAT WE WOULD GET TO THE THRONE IN SIX MONTHS (THIS IS WHY IT IS EXPERIMENTAL). IT WOULD INVOLVE ZOOM MEETINGS, PRACTICAL DAILY EXERCISES, READING AND STUDYING, CHALLENGES AND PERSONAL MINISTRY. I ASK THAT YOU BE FORTY YEARS OLD OR YOUNGER, FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT – SPEAKING IN TONGUES, IN POSSESSION OF YOUR OWN LAPTOP OR DESKTOP COMPUTER, AND HAVE THE TIME NECESSARY TO INVEST IN THE TRAINING. OF COURSE, YOU COULD LEAVE THE TRAINING AT ANY TIME. PLEASE LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS BY RESPONDING TO THIS EMAIL!