Christ-Centered Leadership

Truly Christ-Centered Leader Development

By Malcolm Webber, Ph.D. 

www.LeadershipLetters.com

God’s ultimate purpose in all things revolves around His Son:

having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth – in Him. (Eph. 1:9-10, NKJV)

The Son of God, Himself, is the final and complete revelation of God (Heb. 1:1-2). He fully reveals the Father (John 1:18; 16:15; 17:10, 26; Col. 1:19). Everything is “under His feet” (1 Cor. 15:27). All things were created through Him and for Him, and all things are held together by Him (Col. 1:16-17). In everything, He has the preeminence (Col. 1:18).

Accordingly, the biblical model of leader development revolves specifically around the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Healthy leader development must be entirely Christ-centered, Christ-focused, Christ-absorbed. The Son of God is all in all!

For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. (Col. 2:9-10, NKJV)

In previous Letters, we have examined both the goal and the process of Christian leader development. In everything, leader development must revolve around the Son of God.

First, the goal of leader development must be Jesus Christ. All five of the necessary elements of healthy leadership are connected directly to Him:

• Christ (John 15:5; Gal. 2:20; Col. 2:6). Apart from union with Christ, we will accomplish nothing of any eternal value. “Apart from me you can do nothing.”
• Community (Eph. 1:23; 2:21-22; 3:16-19; 4:11-16; 5:31-32). Spiritual maturity is a corporate experience. First, Christ builds community; the leader’s union with Christ will be expressed in the leader living together with others in the Community in self-giving love, in true servanthood. Second, community builds Christ; it is in nurturing and accountable relationships with others that the leader will fully experience the indwelling life of Christ.
• Character (Phil. 1:11; Is. 64:6). Human righteousness, apart from His indwelling life, is “filthy rags” in God’s eyes. True righteousness “comes through Jesus Christ.”
• Calling (1 Cor. 3:11-13; Gal. 1:1). Neither man nor ministry should be first; in all things, Christ must have the preeminence. Today, so much is done in the church to serve either man’s need or his ambition; but God is only glorified through His own vision, He is only pleased with what He initiated.
• Competencies (2 Cor. 3:5-6; Phil. 3:4-11; 4:13; Col. 1:10-12; 1 Pet. 4:11; Zech. 4:6). All of man’s greatest accomplishments are “rubbish” compared to that which comes from Jesus’ indwelling life.

We could build our emerging leaders to shine brilliantly in every human capacity, but if we have neglected to bring them into deep union with Christ, from Whom the whole person is properly built, they will ultimately experience failure in both life and ministry.

Second, the process of leader development must be Jesus Christ. He is the Source of power in all four of the Dynamics of Transformation:

• Spiritual (2 Cor. 3:18). There was a veil in our hearts of separation between us and God. In Christ, God has removed this veil. Now, inwardly, we can see Him, we can hear Him, we can touch Him. As we look inwardly at Him we are transformed into His likeness, by His Spirit, from one realm of glory to another.
• Relational (Eph. 4:16). Corporately, we are united with the eternal self-giving fellowship of the triune Godhead. The Father loves the Son who loves the Spirit who loves the Father and the Son – through us! It is “from Him [that] the whole body… grows and builds itself up in love.”
• Experiential (2 Cor. 1:8-9; 12:7-10). Challenges and sufferings take us beyond our own strength and we are forced (often for the first time) to look away from ourselves and to truly rely, with deep surrender, on Him; that is how we are changed.
• Instructional (2 Tim. 3:16-17). “All Scripture is God-breathed” – this is not only a proof text for the doctrine of the inspiration of Scripture; it is a revelation of specifically how the Word changes us. Our interaction with the Word of God must go beyond human intellectualism. It is through the breath of His Spirit upon His Word that we are transformed.

Our training programs might harness the latest and greatest of human wisdom and methods, but if we do not bring our emerging leaders into face-to-face encounters with the Son of God (1 John 1:1-3) – through spiritual, relational, experiential and instructional dynamics – their lives will not be transformed.

Thus, leader development must revolve around Him in everything.

It is an extraordinary and utterly disastrous error to ignore, neglect or assume the intentional centrality of the Son of God in practical Christian leader development in both its goal and process. Jesus, Himself, isthe Goal and He is the Process.

Today, in many nations, Christian leaders are returning to their first love – to Him. Burned out and frustrated, they are recognizing that they have been absorbed in His work more than in His Person, and that they are much better equipped in knowledge about Him than in living union with Him.

Of all of the many necessary paradigm shifts that Christian leader development is currently undergoing,this is the deepest, the most profound, the most vital.

Let us return to the centrality and the preeminence of the Person of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, in Christian leader development. He, Himself, is our Process and our Goal; He, Himself, is our Journey and our Destination.

For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen. (Rom. 11:36)

Distribution:

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All content © 1998-2009, Malcolm Webber, Ph.D., Strategic Global Assistance, Inc. All rights reserved.

Kingdom Teaching

 Kingdom and Non Kingdom Believers

By Ron McGatlin

Not everyone will enter the kingdom of God / kingdom of heaven life now available on earth. Many Christian believers are missing the mark of advancing into the spiritual reality of kingdom of God now available and offered to whosoever will. This is NOT talking about going to heaven when we die. This is NOT talking about what is traditionally called being born again. Believers may be on their way to heaven when they die, but the gospel of the kingdom that Jesus brought is much more about releasing heaven’s ways on earth now. This is about being translated from the kingdoms of this world into the kingdom of our Lord. 

Col 1:13: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.

Mat 7:21-23: "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'”

Christ Jesus is now dwelling with and within all who are willing to lose this life and be translated into the kingdom of God, New Jerusalem life. There is a leaving of one kingdom and moving into another with Him in the Spirit. Entering and abiding in the kingdom of heaven lifestyle is a life of pure righteousness without defilement – a life of perfect peace in continuing rest - a life of clean pure joy – a life of light and brightness – a life of comfort in all situations – a life detached from the woes of pain and sorrow of earthly circumstances and situations – a life of mature faith – a life of rejoicing and thanksgiving in Christ in all things (Mat 5:11-12).

1 Pet 1:6-8: In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory in the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory.

This is truly a life in which all things work together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28).

This is a life lived as spirit beings in Spirit God who is above and beyond the defiled fallen life handed down through our forefathers from the first Adam. It is the life Father God created for Adam and all mankind to experience – the life that is forfeited in disobedience and redeemable at the cross. This life is only possible today in the Spirit of Christ dwelling within those who will lose their lives that He may live His life within them (Gal 2:20). It is Christ in you the hope of glory in this life now.

Col 1:27-29: To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.

Many, if not most, Christians have never experienced the kingdom of God life. Religion has taught us that in this life we cannot experience the reality of the pure, holy life of Christ Jesus. Many have been made to believe that in this life they cannot be free from the “old man” inherited from the first Adam and therefore cannot become a perfect man in Christ Jesus.

We may or may not know that there is a zero tolerance for defilement in the New Jerusalem life. Nothing, absolutely not one microbe of defilement will ever be allowed to enter this pure holy kingdom life (Rev 21:27). We may also rightly believe that the blood of Christ Jesus has paid the penalty for all our sin. However, many do not know that Christ Jesus dwelling in us by the Spirit can completely cleanse our lives now in this world and transfer us into His kingdom life now.

For me, one of the saddest deceptions to affect the potential of kingdom living is the teaching that we need not live holy lives. Good people believe that the sin and defilements that they allow are not a problem. Christians persuaded by this fallacious teaching remain mostly powerless and ineffective in bringing change to a needy world. For the most part their lives are usually consumed in trying to meet their own needs and to make it through the trials of this life. In this season when the way to kingdom life is opened, Jesus must turn away many from the New Jerusalem life, because He does not abide with them in their defiled lives.

Another very sad error that works to prevent this situation from being rectified is a lack of respect for the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of Almighty God is devalued to a third-rate segmented part of God’s family by this erroneous emphasis.

The Awesome Reality of the Holy Spirit

There is no kingdom life – no New Jerusalem life to experience apart from the SPIRIT of GOD. You could spend all the rest of your life teaching and being taught about Jesus and the Father and never have one moment of real experience of God in your life without the work of the Spirit. The kingdom is in the Holy Spirit (Rom 14:17).

For those without the fullness of the Holy Spirit, the only reasonable mental conclusion they can come to in explaining their powerless and troubled lives is the same one reached centuries ago by religious theologians, which is, there is no kingdom of God available on earth now.

One of the most urgent efforts of the devil is to convince God’s people that the Spirit of Christ that can now abide in His temple (Body) on earth is not really Christ Jesus returned to earth (1 Cor 3:16) (2 Cor 6:16). Therefore, they conclude that only after Christ bodily returns will the real Christ Jesus be here to establish His kingdom. To keep up this charade, the devil must create a separation between believers and the work of the Holy Spirit. This has been done effectively by blinding the minds of Christians with false teachings regarding the Spirit and the kingdom.

The enemy has fostered many false teachings about the kingdom and the Holy Spirit. False kingdom teachings are tools of the enemy for preventing people from entering the real kingdom life now.

False kingdom teachings may use a lot of good kingdom terms and contain a lot of truth. However, it will add in a dose of error with the truth. When the error is discovered it is then ammunition for the heresy hunters and religionist to use to discredit the whole truth of the gospel of the kingdom. The enemy then comes up with vile accusations against something they call “kingdom now theology.” Many people are turned back by these false teachings to their lukewarm religious systems and miss the word of the kingdom. The kingdom of God is not a theology. It is a present spiritual reality in the Holy Spirit.

False teachings about kingdom are often spawned from the very popular widespread traditional views and doctrines perpetrated centuries ago that exclude the reality of the kingdom of God affecting this life now. They create a diversionary focus on man as the focus of the gospel and making it to heaven after death as the goal. Planet Earth is taught as evil and to be destroyed by God. Everything of the kingdom and victory is put off to the future either in heaven after we die or after the bodily return of Christ Jesus. Believing these teachings can leave the devil room to continue his dirty work even though he is defeated.

In this season, the revelation of the pure, holy kingdom of God life of Christ in us by the Holy Spirit is again being widely proclaimed for the first time since the first century when Christ and His first-century apostles preached and demonstrated in power the gospel of the kingdom of God. I personally believe there has always been a hidden remnant of kingdom truth since Jesus proclaimed it. However, only now has it been widely heralded. Yes, the revelation of the kingdom exposes much of the traditional but erroneous teachings that developed in the church systems around the third century.

The plain facts are that many believers still hold tightly to, and reverence as major doctrines of the church, much of the non-kingdom fallacious teachings that are being exposed as error by the Spirit of God uncovering and making clear the word of the kingdom. The revelation light of the gospel of the kingdom is being planted in pure-hearted, humble believers who are becoming revolutionaries bringing the return to the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. Father, Your kingdom come and Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven(Mat 6:10).

There is now available free of charge, a wealth of anointed material for preparation and assistance in moving from religion to intimate personal relationship with God in the real kingdom of heaven. The “Kingdom Growth Guides” in PDF and other books, articles, and audio/video are available for free download.  

The “Kingdom Growth Guides” in Word format are also available Click here. 

Keep on pursuing love. It never fails

and His kingdom never ends.,

Ron McGatlin

www.openheaven.com 

basileia@earthlink.net

Live For Him Dangerously!

Wanted: Hazardous Men & Women

By James Ryle

www.truthworks.org

“Men who have hazarded their lives for the name of the Lord Jesus.” (Acts 15:26).

Perhaps one of the greatest compliments ever paid one Christian by another occurred almost 2,000 years ago during a strategic meeting of the first disciples.

The spread of Christianity had been explosive, with new churches springing up all throughout the Roman Empire. The challenge of balancing dynamic growth with uncompromising quality was very real—and continues to be so today.

As the leaders in Jerusalem pondered how best to address this challenge, they chose two men to go forth with their blessings to represent Christ and His Gospel in the best possible way. They chose Barnabas and Paul, men who, as the record shows, “hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 15:26).

They “hazarded their lives.” O that such a thing could be said of you and me today!

The Greek meaning is “to surrender, i.e. to yield up, entrust, cast, commit, deliver up, give over.” Inherent to the word is the idea of risk, especially in the face of danger. It means that another is now in control; another is now calling all the shots.

May I ask when was the last time you took a risk for Christ? Can others tell by how you live that your life has been “handed over” to Jesus? Wouldn't that be something you would want them to know. And more importantly for their sakes, isn't that something you would want to inspire them to do for themselves by your own example?

Hand it over. Your life, hand it over to Jesus and watch what He does with it.

Paul and Barnabas hazarded their lives for the name and fame of Jesus. Contrary to what one may think this does not mean to be reckless or irresponsible. While there is unquestionable risk involved in “handing over your life to Christ,” it is in fact the ultimate act of personal responsibility.

Biblical endorsement comes from Jesus Himself. “Whoever loses his life for My sake will save it, but whoever insists on keeping his life will lose it” (Luke 9:24, Living Bible). If you hold on and try to keep it for yourself -- you lose it all. If you let go and place it in the hands of Jesus -- you gain everything.

So, what are you going to do?

Paul said, "So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life--your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life--and place it before God as an offering.

"Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out.

"Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you." (Romans 12:1-2, The Message).

May your day be filled with God's presence as He leads you on the upward way!

The noble spirit of true disciples does not seek the pampered, risk-free environment of a lifeless faith. No! It begs for challenge, and cries out for significance! You and I were created by God with an inner passion to live a life that makes a difference. But this will not happen until we “hand our lives over to Christ.”

Only in His hands will we find the eternal security that emboldens us in this world to dare to think the unthinkable, to dream the unimaginable, and to do the impossible.

Like the songwriter said, we are those who “dream the impossible dream, fight the unbeatable foe, bear with unbearable sorrow, and run where the brave dare not go.”

We are those who will always seek “to right the unrightable wrong, and to fight for the right without question or pause; to be willing to pass into hell for a heavenly cause!

"And the world will be better for this, that one man scorned and covered in scars, still strove with his last ounce of courage to reach the unreachable star—and to dream the impossible dream!” (from the Broadway Musical, Man of La Mancha, lyrics by Joe Darion).

Whether it be the fictional Don Quixote, or actual people that we ourselves know—we are faced daily with the stories of those who strive with all their heart to achieve the spectacular in life, or in sports, or in business, or in education, or in exploration. These individuals have hazarded their lives for the sake of career, wealth, fame, fashion, or glory.

Isn’t it time that we hazarded our lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ?

Watch out for Bullies!

Back Row Bullies

By James Smith

www.preachit.org

They may not sit in the back row. In fact many times they sit closest to the front. Most would say they are “Faithful” as they seldom miss a service. They appear to be the backbone of the church. They pay their tithes. They dress right. They look right, but once you really get to know them, you find that they are the Back Row Bullies of the church.

These people all too often run the church. They decide who is going to do what. They decide how loud the music is and what color the walls of the sanctuary are going to be. Little happens in the church that they don’t know about and don’t in some great way influence the out come of. Theirs is a mission. Theirs is a job that nobody else will do. Without them they know that the church would fall apart. They are the Back Row Bullies.

No one is quite sure how they gained such influence. Maybe it has to do with the amount of money they gave at one time or even still. They may have family within the church whom they have great influence over. Their measure of sacrifice is probably great, but nonetheless, they are Back Row Bullies.

We all know what a bully is. It’s someone who pushes their weight/influence/resources around to cause you to do something you would not ordinarily do. Let me break that down a bit. You ordinarily would not put up with someone creating division in the church behind your back, but since they give so much money… You otherwise would not allow them to have the position in the church that they have, but because their influence over so many in the church is strong…

You would yank that person out of that class, office, position, platform in a New York minute if only… (You finish that sentence.)

When I was a child growing up on the playground I found that there is only one way to handle a bully. You have to confront him. You have to get right in his face with as many people watching as possible. You have to be willing to go all the way with this confrontation. You might get your lights knocked out or you might get a chance to see the bully cower, but win or lose, you are about to gain the honor and confidence of every kid on the playground.

Are you tired of being bullied? Are you exhausted with trying to keep the peace or to cast vision, only to have the Back Row Bully come along and stymie everything you are trying to do? When was the last time you preached a message that you were not concerned as to who it offended? When was the last time you removed someone from office without worrying if it was going to cause a church split?

Men and Women of God who are truly called of God and know it, do not care about bullies. Theirs is a mission from God. Their agenda has nothing to do with small minded politics or Back Row Bullies. They know that their calling and election is sure and no one and nothing is going to stand in the way of what God has called them to do. Either God has called them to that church or He hasn’t.

It’s Elijah facing off with Ahab and Jezebel. It’s Moses in Pharos court. It’s Samuel telling Saul he just lost his kingdom because he offered the sacrifice when he should have been waiting on the man of God. It’s men and women of God who declare ‘Thus Saith The Lord!”.

If you are going to face off with the bully of the church, you better be prepared to see them leave. You need to have fixed in your mind the possibility that they may do their very worst. However, many times, they back down. Most often still, the saints of the church have also grown very weary of the bully and will rally around anyone who will have the courage to accept the bullies challenge. You may find that the support of the church you have longed for, for so long, will be right there when you face off with the bully.

Don’t challenge this bully without prayer and intercession for their soul behind you. But don’t delay either. In delaying, you are giving them more time to hinder your effectiveness which will cause others to lose confidence in you.

Yours is a high calling. The approval you need does not come from any man. It comes from God alone.

Leadership

How Do You Demonstrate Leadership?

By Author Unknown

Fundamental principles underlie the thinking and conduct of all true leaders, and these principles are even sharply defined for leaders within the kingdom of God. From time to time those whom the Lord has chosen for leadership need to examine themselves in the mirror of thought- provoking maxims. These proverbs are designed to help Christian leaders move forward in administrative excellence.

• Responsible leaders do not make irresponsible statements.
  

• A godly leader speaks out of the presence of God.
  

• A humble leader never makes light of eternal truths, but esteems them with reverence.
  

• A wise leader resolves conflicts peacefully, not forcefully.
  

• An enduring leader withstands insult without anger.
  

• A wholesome leader is characterized by tolerance, which saves him from hasty decisions in crisis, and retaliations in the face of contrariness.
  

• The good leader attempts to make friends, not enemies.
  

• Dealing harshly with opponents causes more aggravation and hostility. A polite leader uses gentleness and kindness.
  

• A leader who listens well to his subordinates manages them well.
  

• The greatness of a leader is in his humility before God, not in his eloquence before man.
  

• A devoted leader gives himself totally to the ones he is leading, helping them to develop their undiscovered potential.
  

• A patient leader remembers that people’s responses vary according to their nature, temperament, and level of development. undiscovered potential.
  

• A mature leader shows highest respect for others, irrespective of race or rank. undiscovered potential.
  

• A wise leader guards himself against the pitfalls of success, self-assertiveness and over- confidence. undiscovered potential.
  

• Broken promises quickly destroy confidence in leadership. undiscovered potential.
  

• A wise leader inspires and motivates rather than intimidating and manipulating. undiscovered potential.
  

• A weak leader retreats in the face of rising difficulties and loses the respect of his followers. undiscovered potential.
  

• Severe trials open the door to new revelation. undiscovered potential.
  

• The path of leadership is always lonely.
  

• The greater the leader the greater his fall when he succumbs to temptations. undiscovered potential.
  

• A teachable leader eagerly probes for truth learned by others regardless of their status. undiscovered potential.
  

• A relaxed leader relaxes his followers. undiscovered potential.
  

• The self-righteous leader lives in a cell made of blocks of deception, hypocrisy, and lies. undiscovered potential.
  

• A stubborn leader is a menace who cannot be trusted by his colleagues.
  

Establishing Apostolically

Catherine Brown:

In a Recent Vision, the Lord Planted a Big Pillar With the Word "ESTABLISH"

"By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ."
—1 Corinthians 3:10-11

Intro

Please be blessed by my article on the establishing aspect of apostolic ministry. Brian Simmons, who is an apostle in the USA with whom I have ministerial relationship, has kindly written the following endorsement about the article:

"Catherine Brown has given us focus on the two great tasks of apostolic ministry: To establish and to encourage! Nothing is more important for the advance of the 2nd Apostolic Reformation than laying foundations and inspiring the Church and its leadership to move forward. Momentum is building in the nations, and Catherine's deposit cannot be understated."

May you be blessed and encouraged to press in to the Lord and receive from the fullness of His grace.

Yours because we are His,

Catherine Brown

Vision

During a recent time of prayer I had a revelatory encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ. In a vision I saw that Jesus had dug a large hole, and once a deep enough foundation had been created, the Lord planted a big pillar with the word "ESTABLISH" etched on its exterior. The Lord then began to expand my understanding of the vision in relation to the "establishing" role of apostolic ministry. The vision has some personal applications, but it also has a relevant and timely corporate application for the Church, especially leaders, at this time.

God has graciously endowed me with a building anointing, and I believe we are living in days of acceleration and multiplication. However, before we can advance, we must ensure that our foundations are in place. A building or building work must have sure and strong foundations or the work built upon it will perish. Before we can advance as a people of God, we have to embrace the establishing aspect of apostolic ministry, which will labour to ensure strong and Godly foundations are laid—upon which ministries can flourish and the Kingdom of God advance with miracles, signs and wonders to the glory of His name. Establishing is part of building.

Establishing Flows from Encounter with God

The key to understanding the establishing aspect of apostolic ministry lies in our comprehension that it is God alone who establishes, and solely in Him is found true and incorruptible strength of a magnitude and purity we can only begin to imagine. The grace to move in an "establishing anointing" is released and imparted to us from a posture of worship—we learn to flow in the establishing anointing from a place of holy encounter with God.

An example of this is seen in God's creation of the blueprint for the Temple that Solomon built. As part of those plans the Lord had mandated that two 16-metre-high pillars would adorn the front of the meeting place between Himself and His people. As the people went up to worship and meet with the living God, they could not help but see the pillars that were placed at the front of the Temple and be reminded of God's omniscience, omnipotence and omnipresence.

These magnificent pillars were adorned with pomegranates and ornate chains and were named, Jakin, which probably means He establishes, and Boaz, which probably means in Him is strength (see 2 Chronicles 3:16-17). Establishing is a labouring anointing and requires strength, stamina and endurance. God wants to ensure that those who are used in the establishing ministry understand that it is not in their own strength they labour but in the mighty power and eternal strength of the God of all Creation.

Established as Kings and Priests

God established His Kingdom on the earth with love, righteousness, mercy (see Isaiah 16:5), and wisdom (see Jeremiah 10:12; 51:15).

In the Old Testament we see the clear precedent of how God established kings on their thrones (see Samuel 5:12), priests in their priestly roles (see Exodus 28:1) and prophets in their office to serve Him (see 1 Samuel 3:20). John the Revelator writes in Revelation 1:6b of how Jesus Christ, through His atoning sacrificial death on the Cross, has made us to be a "Kingdom and priests to serve His God and His Father" forever. The establishing anointing is both a priestly and kingly anointing that flows from the Chief Cornerstone, Jesus Christ. It is an anointing to serve before the Lord, and at the same time it is an anointing that releases the reign and rule of God on the earth. It is essential that we grasp the centrality of the Cross in establishing us in the purposes and plans of God. Establish means to set firm and/or to put in place—this speaks to us both of foundations and of what is built (i.e. established) upon those foundations.

Established in Covenant Grace Foundation

God established His covenant with Israel: "The Lord will establish you as His holy people, as He promised you on oath, if you kept the commands of the LORD your God and walk in His ways" (Deuteronomy 28:9).

Throughout the Bible we see that God establishes covenant with His saints (see Genesis 6:18, 9:9, 11, 17:7, 19, 21; Leviticus 26:9).

The Hebrew word for covenant is: Quwm (koom): a prime root. To rise (in various applications): abide, accomplish, be clearer, confirm, continue, decree, be dim, endure, enemy, enjoin, get up, make good, help hold, (help to) lift up (again), make, but newly, ordain, perform, pitch, raise (up), rear (up), remain, rise (up) (again, against), roué up, set (up), establish, (make to) stand (up), stir up, strengthen, succeed, (as make) sure, (be) up (hold), rising).

That's quite an explanation for the manner in which God establishes us for His glory!

In the New Testament context we comprehend that our precious Saviour, Christ Jesus, became the Mediator and Establisher of the new covenant of Grace (Hebrews 9:15, 10:9). We are enabled to enter into covenant relationship with God through Jesus Christ's atoning sacrifice and by the gift of faith and grace (Ephesians 2:4-9). We are established in this eternal covenant by Jesus' perfect sacrifice by death on the Cross and resurrection from the grave; we are marked and sealed by the Holy Spirit and the firm foundation of our faith is thus established (Ephesians 1:14). Grace is the ultimate establisher of truth in the hearts of Believers, preventing us from being carried away by all kinds of strange teachings (see Hebrews 13:9).

Established in Faith—New Believers/New Churches

A foundation is the lowest, load-bearing part of a structure, usually hidden. A foundation is laid so that it can be built upon. This principle holds true for our Christian faith; salvation is the foundation upon which the Holy Spirit will conform and transforms us to God's holy nature, His will and His ways. It is imperative that we grasp that new Believers and new churches need to be established in their faith by gospel truth and Holy Spirit revelation. They need to be encouraged to go on to maturity, which is echoed in Apostle Peter's words in his second letter, to be "established (sterizo) in the present truth" (2 Peter 1:12).

The Greek word sterizo (Strong's #4741) is from a presumed der. of 2476 (like 4731): to set fast, i.e. to turn resolutely in a certain direction or to confirm, fix, establish, steadfastly set, strengthen.

Apostles and apostolic leaders are entrusted with the role of encouraging, strengthening and establishing new Believers and churches in their faith (as well as those that are well established). The apostles were described by Paul as "pillars" in the Church, "James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognised the grace given to me..." (Galatians 2:9).

A pillar helps to support a building or building work. In this context, it simply means the apostles were serving in the role of helping to strengthen and set Believers firmly in their faith and helping the Church to grow in maturity and in the knowledge of God. Indeed, we read in Ephesians 4 how God has called all the five-fold ministry leaders (apostle, prophet, teacher, evangelist and pastor) to help bring the saints to full maturity and to prepare God's people for works of service.

Barnabas an Apostolic Example— ENCOURAGEMENT AND ESTABLISHMENT

Barnabas represents an encouraging apostle. He was the apostle who assured the early leaders in Jerusalem about Paul's conversion and ministry (Acts 9:27).

• Barnabas was a leading apostle in the early Church (Acts 14:14, "But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes...")

• His name means "son of encouragement" or "son of prophecy" (some versions of the Bible say "son of consolation").

• Barnabas was sent from Jerusalem to Antioch to encourage/teach the new Believers/young Church (see Acts 11:23).

• He brought Saul from Tarsus and they taught for a whole year encouraging AND establishing the Church.

• He was a good man and filled with the Holy Spirit.

• He was part of the first apostolic team released from Antioch along with Paul to plant new churches (see Acts 13).

• He later disagreed with Paul over John Mark and separated from him. He and John Mark went to Cyprus, while Paul took Silas and revisited the churches that he and Barnabas had established (see Acts 15:36-40).

Antioch: The new Believers at Antioch needed to be strengthened and encouraged in their faith—strengthening and encouraging are part of the establishing anointing. Barnabas was commissioned to go to Antioch to assist in establishing the new Believers that had received Christ when the disciples were scattered on the day of persecution and the Gospel was preached to the Greeks. Once Barnabas got there he sent for Saul, and the two men stayed there for more than a year teaching the new Believers and helping them to stand firm in their new faith. God uses mature Believers to help young Believers to "stand firm." The establishing anointing is a gift from God to enable new Believers to grow in grace and develop and mature as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ (see Acts 11:19-30).

Philippi, Macedonia: The apostles Paul and Silas were used by God to bring encouragement and strength to the Believers who met at Lydia's home. Without too big a stretch of the imagination, it is possible to envisage the new church plant consisted of Lydia, her household, the jailor and his household, along with the young slave girl whom Paul had delivered of a spirit of divination. We read that after Paul and Silas were subsequently released from prison, "they went to Lydia's house, where they met with the brothers and encouraged them. Then they left" (Acts 16:40).

The apostles encouraged the new Believers under Lydia's care. Encouragement releases strength, gives hope and motivates Believers. Apostolic encouragement is a lifestyle that, when modeled in love and humility by leadership, releases great grace upon the Church. It has been my experience that the ministry of establishing and the gift of encouragement often operate side by side to release strength and joy to the Church.

So the churches were strengthened (the King James Version says "established") in the faith and grew daily in numbers.—Acts 16:5 (Notation mine)

God's Word is Established

In these days of supernatural increase, acceleration and multiplication, I believe the establishing anointing is going to come to the forefront as one of the ways in which apostolic grace is manifested. We will witness a wonderful cooperation between apostolic and prophetic anointing to release the word of the Lord in season and with authority to establish His will on earth. We will witness missional increase as apostles and evangelists work together in end-time strategic collaboratives. We will see exponential increase in discipleship maturation as apostles and teachers work in divine alliances to establish and nurture the saints. We will see tremendous growth in the Church and in new Kingdom movements as apostles and pastors co-labour for the glory of God. We will witness powerful prayer strategies outworked in the nations as apostles and prophetic watchman join their hearts in prevailing apostolic prayer to bring reformation to the Church and revival in the nations.

However, in order to advance (meaning go forward, move ahead, proceed, progress and improve) we must learn to embrace the establishing anointing; it is part of our weaponry for the end times. Just as God established a testimony in Jacob (Psalm 78:5), He is also establishing a testimony in us! The book of Job also confirms that as we speak forth in faith, so shall it be established unto us by the grace of God. "Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways" (Job 22:28, KJV).

In Summary

• Establishing flows from a worshipful encounter with God (without encounter, nothing can be established that will stand on the day of testing).

• We cannot establish if we are not grounded in worship and holy intimacy with God (worship must precede works).

• Establishing happens out of ministry to the Lord and before the Lord (the establishing anointing is both a priestly and kingly anointing).

• Establishing must be carried out in obedience to the blueprint given from Heaven.

• Establishing bridges the generations. (During a time of co-regency, David received the blueprint for the Temple and gathered together materials needed for the Temple building in preparation for Solomon, his son, to later build the Temple, according to the pattern that had been given from Heaven.)

• Establishing can involve receiving a divine blueprint, laying the foundation, planting, building and nurturing (David received the blueprint, Solomon laid the foundation and built upon it. The New Testament echoes this sentiment in Apostle Paul's teaching in relation to the one who plants and the one who waters, i.e. nurtures, stressing it is God alone who causes it to grow. See 1 Corinthians 3:6-7).

• Establishing must be carried out in accordance with the divine mandate; if we build according to God's plans and not our own ideas, He will send His glory. We must build/plant by revelation and inspiration, not through our good ideas and perspiration!

• Establishing is part of apostolic grace ministry.

• Establishing is a necessary part of (1) Laying Godly foundations and (2) Building upon those foundations, whether in the context of new Believers or new Church growth.

• Establishing causes the saints to mature and the Church to advance in the purposes and plans of God.

• Establishing is an important aspect of planting, nurturing and building for individuals, churches or movements.

• Jesus Christ is the Chief Cornerstone upon which our lives are established.

• Jesus taught us that our foundation is His Word.

Catherine Brown

Gatekeepers Global Ministries

Email: admin@gatekeepers.org.uk

Website: www.gatekeepers.org.uk