In the course of ministering to the Body of Christ and particularly to those in my most immediate territorial spheres of influence, I came to a place where I had to seriously evaluate the productivity of my ministry. I began to survey the spiritual dispositions of those who had been affected by the teachings of the ministry.
What I found was that many had been listening to the teachings for years, but only a few had truly embraced them. This apathy toward the Word of God was astounding to me. I knew that some of my people had never even considered becoming totally vulnerable to God or anyone for that matter. They would not even consider to voluntarily surrender complete control of their lives to Him. (This is silly seeing as how they confess that God is always in control). What this meant was that He was in control of everything, except those things they kept in reserve for their own decision making. No matter how much I tried, no matter how hard I preached, discipled, or counseled, this condition in many never changed. They never agreed with God’s control of their lives and the paths He would lead them on. Consequently, they were never able to walk in the Spirit. Their desire to maintain human rights and self-preservation superseded their trust in the consolation of God. My teaching turned into a pleading with them to believe the message. I literally begged them to trust God as Lord of their life.
The more I begged and pleaded, the more it seemed my words were falling on deaf ears. The best they would give me was a mental consent that the Word was good and real. But when the tests came and the need to be totally vulnerable to God surfaced, they rejected the very idea. After watching so many willingly fail at this opportunity to surrender completely to God, I began to feel like a failure in ministry. “What was it I missed? Maybe I am not holy enough to be persuasive.” These and other more disparaging thoughts bombarded my mind. But then there were some who had embraced the truth. There were those who truly were walking after the Spirit. This meant that all was not for naught. But what about the numerous others; why wasn’t I able to reach them? I could find no comfort or contentment in my ministerial efforts. I prayed. I took all my frustrations to my Father. I told Him the same things I am telling you. I asked Him, “What is it going to take to reach your people? They don’t believe me. They say they do, but time and chance proves differently. I am with them. I have not abandoned them in word or in deed. But Lord, they still don’t believe me.” The Father answered. “It is my Word they don’t believe.
It is me they have rejected. I know those who are mine. I know them by name. They know me as well and have taken great delight in me. I am their God and they are my people. It was so from the beginning.” I don’t know exactly what I felt at that moment as He spoke to my spirit. But I do know that I was happy to know that He had heard me and was concerned about my disposition concerning His people. But before I could mentally celebrate this moment of communion with the Father, the reality of His response hit me. “Are you saying those I have not reached are lost forever? Is there no hope for them? My God, what are you saying?” Again He answered… The scriptures are true and my Word is sure. I have defined my church. Though many have attempted to redefine it, my church is the Christ. It is the fullness of Christ manifested in the earth. It is not lacking in character, neither is it void of purpose; nor is it grievously in submission to my will.
My church is pure in heart and holy in deeds. I will magnify its righteousness upon the earth. The lost, the ignorant and the wayfarer will come to it to drink of its holiness and partake of its grace. By it, my enemies will know me. I have not done this thing in the dark. It is not hidden. I have prepared a people who will manifest all that is written of them. They will not lust after the things of this world. They will not forsake my righteous ways; neither will they regard the substance of men. But they will cleave to me and speak those things that will bring deliverance to those who are called. They will stand in persecution and overcome despair. They will not be offended by the way they must take. Those who are called by my name have become even as Israel was in the days my Son walked the earth. Many have fallen away and made idols unto themselves. I hid as it were my face from Israel and for a season, I did not visit them until the time of reformation. It was then that I sent Jesus to proclaim the truth. He walked in my ways and declared my holiness in the earth. Those who followed Him did not love their lives unto death. They walked in my purpose for their lives and died the death of beloved sons.
My church was established and defined in them. The definition has not changed. My church will rise up out of the darkness of the world and stand full of righteousness and great love. It will be a great light for the lost and a deliverer for the captives. I have done these things by my Spirit. The scriptures are true and my Word is sure. With my hands clasped and my elbows resting on my lap, I slumped over the keyboard of my computer. I couldn’t move. I could only meditate on what I had just heard. It was as if my spirit was waiting for something else. The words of my Master were zooming across the galaxies of my soul. Each line and phrase finding its way to the halls of academic, experiential and revelatory knowledge I had gained over the years of service. Scripture, revelation and faith were becoming one reality. What I saw was not a great light, but a great awareness. The gifts were put in the Body for the perfecting of the saints, the work of the ministry and to bring us to the unity of the Spirit.
The Father had determined this before He laid the foundations of the world. Perfection by Christ being formed in our mortal bodies is the eternal purpose of our God. He has spoken it. God has defined His church. He will have nothing less than Christ. Moreover, He has accomplished this great wonder. It is done. There is nothing that can forbid it. Suddenly I understood that time was not my enemy. It is in truth my greatest ally; for at a set time the true Sons of God would be revealed. As a fellow servant of the Most High stated, they are the first fruits of the reformation. For now, they are hidden in geographic pockets and spiritual quivers throughout the world, teaching and preaching truth and waiting for time to reveal their labor. They will be put on display in the Body of Christ first, even as Jesus came to His own first, and then to the world they will be exposed; even as it was so with the early church. How marvelous is our God in all His doings. He is consistent in His plan of redemption. So what of the ones I couldn’t seem to reach? What of them? Well, as the Master said, “The scriptures are true and His Word is sure.”
John 10:1-3
1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber
2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
It is the Father who gives us access to Christ by His Spirit and opens the door into the sheepfold wherein we are to minister. He is the Porter. It is also the Father who draws the sheep’s attention to the voice of the Shepherd. Jesus is the door and the shepherd. He is the way into the sheepfold. All who enter in must do so through Him. They must also have the heart of the shepherd if they are to be successful in ministering to the sheep. Not everyone within the sound of the shepherd’s voice will hear it. Only those who are His own will hear. He will call them by name and they will come out from among those who cannot hear.
John 10:4-5
4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
Those of us who work in the vineyard will preach and teach a gospel that will cause the sheep of Christ to be identified. Those who truly belong to Christ will hear the truth when it comes to them. It does not matter what their situations, circumstances or relationships are; they will not allow anything to keep them away from the words of life. Many will flee from dead works and churches that have become little more than social clubs. They will leave the glitz and glamour of religious institutions that only promote the acquisition of things. The sheep will hear His voice. Those with great wealth will choose to finance the gospel and provide for those who give themselves wholly to the work of the Kingdom of God. The rich and the poor alike will hear Him if they are truly sheep of His fold.
John 10:6-9
6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
We heard many things in the name of the gospel before we were called to the truth. But there was something in our spirits that rejected much of what was ministered. The mere fact that we all had the same testimony, “there must be more to the gospel than this,” gave proof to the fact that we didn’t really hear. We never heard or accepted the lie in our spirit. Even though many of us preached it, there was always something lacking and yearning within. We called it a check in our spirit. But in actuality it was a void or deep hole in our soul that could never be filled by the messages, songs or sermons we heard. No matter what we heard, the emptiness was there. But we didn’t know how to fill it or what to fill it with. But thanks to God, time and chance happens to us all. One day we heard the voice of the Master Shepherd. He may have used the body of an uneducated dirt farmer, a corporate executive, or even a bean picker from the muck. But it was His voice. We heard it and nothing else mattered. We migrated from all walks of life and places of worship. We found ourselves sitting in storefronts, or gathering around kitchen tables, meeting in front of computers and crowding in living rooms.
We traveled up and down going in and out among the people of God, oftentimes not knowing how we would go or what to expect when we did. When possible the people clothed and fed us and shared their substance so that the gospel would not be hindered. Much of the time we are called to suffer inconveniences and need; that we might be blameless. But yet we continue to come back to our storefronts and living rooms, computers and kitchen tables. Why? To hear the truth. It is our meat. It is our lifeline and the substance of our faith. It has brought life to our spirits and joy to our hearts. We have a great expectancy. Not for the things of this world, but for the power of righteousness to be revealed to this dying generation. We come to gain strength and courage that can only be found in the truth. We hunger for souls. We rejoice in purity and righteousness. We are the Sons. We are the called out ones, the first fruits of the reformation.
We suffer needs and desire relief, but yet we are happy and at peace to be in the service of the Master. We do not complain about the things we do not have nor are we offended by hardness we are asked to endure. We do not look upon our brothers or sisters with envy, but rather rejoice in their well doing. We are passionate regarding our purpose, but yet compassionate towards those who are ignorant of the great peace the Father has offered. It is our meat to please the Father and we seek no other course. We are the called out, the first fruits of the reformation. Yes, it is true. We do exist. There are some of us who really walk after the Spirit. We know our purpose and we will not depart from our mission here on earth. We live and worship among those who are given the same opportunity to hear the truth. But with all the preaching and teaching of this gospel it will only be heard by those who are the called out by the Chief Shepherd.
In a great house there are vessels of honor and dishonor. Soon the Shepherd will put forth His sheep as a testimony of His resurrection. The truth must come to the Body and the world with a demonstration. It must produce a people who are perfected in character and purpose. We are that people. We are the true Sons. While all these truths were engulfing my soul, while sitting in a restaurant with some of the saints, we met a man who decided to engage in a conversation with us concerning the gospel of Jesus Christ. It was indeed the handiwork of God. The man began to say things like, “the Sons of God are another species on this planet,” and “we were in Christ at Calvary while He hung on the cross.” Instantly, we knew this is another called out one. He is one of our counterparts. During the course of the conversation, we began to talk about the frustrations one could experience when we entertain born again Christians who do not believe the truth. He said, “Mary, it is impossible for them to believe. They have not heard. It is the sheep that will hear the voice of the Shepherd. Bless them where they are and go on to the next encounter. You will know the sheep and they will know that you come in the name of the Lord. They will hear and they will follow.” Needless to say this was a powerful endorsement or witness to the conversation I had just recently had with the Master. I agreed with God and it was in that agreement that I found consolation, peace and the strength to continue the work.
