Destroying the Power of MP3 Digital Download Teaching Set
By Jeremy Lopez
We all got saved via an experience with Jesus. We came from a very rational, intellectual space disconnected from our hearts and God. Then, we experienced Jesus in a way that doesn’t lend itself to explanation or need to. Yet, surprisingly, many believers who start from a very relational, supernatural experience with the Holy Spirit try to revert to an intellectual explanation for how God speaks. There are rational reasons for spirituality; we are just adding Spiritual Intelligence (SQ) to IQ, EQ (Emotional Intelligence), PQ (Political Intelligence), AQ (Adoptive Intelligence), and ZQ (Visionary Intelligence).
We do believe in sound doctrine and scriptural teaching. However, we never get far from hearing the voice of God daily or experiencing His presence for ourselves. We never outgrow the need to hear His voice. We don’t live by bread alone!
Matt 4:1 – Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” NIV
It is true that 1) God dwells in our hearts, and 2) many carry 5-fold ministry gifts (Apostle, prophet, etc.). However, those self-concepts can cause us to rationally or theologically conclude that everything I need regarding guidance and authority is already inside me. Big mistake, and here is why:
We never outgrow the daily need to see what our Father is doing and do it with Him. He does invest heavily in our authority and our anointing as sons. But all of that favor flows from heaven’s purpose daily. Religion is the sense that I am holy and need nothing beyond my performance. Christianity is an ongoing fellowship with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There is much healthier leadership in saying, “I don’t know, we should ask Father,” than pretending we have all the answers – we don’t. Self-sufficiency is a lonely, prideful, religious spirit and always has been. It’s easy to discern.
Hunger in Sons
We have good rational and theological reasons for our mystical leanings Biblically and practically. A big part of Jesus’ redemptive work on the cross is sons (Ecclesia in the council). Those sons are Priests in Heaven, Kings on Earth.
John 1:12-13 – but as many as did receive him to them he gave authority to become sons of God.
Gal 4:4-5 – But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.
Father is showing how to take issues from earth to the council and grasp purpose (Priestly)
And how to manifest answers and reign on earth; implement strategy (Kingly)
Rev 5:10 – And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. KJV
Father Values Those Who Seek Him
When God is distant, we rationalize Him as sovereign and all-controlling and we use spiritual language to convey, “Whatever will be will be.” If fate takes us down a painful road, our only rational choice is to attribute (or blame) God for our misfortune. We try to say that we are trusting him through bad times. That may sound noble, but Father would much rather have sons who seek him in the council and bring back an answer and contend for the purpose of His heart. God is not the author of evil, sickness, suffering, and death. He is not glorified by our intellectual/theological excuses for His lousy behavior. It’s the job of sons to bring heaven to earth, and it starts with seeking Him; specifically in the council and then bringing those answers back to earth.
Jer 29:13-14 – You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. NIV
Lam 3:24-25 – I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore, I will wait for him.” 25 The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; NIV
Rom 4:17-18 – As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed — the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were. 18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” NIV
Now What?
It’s time to stop the rationale that I’m spiritual or I have a spiritual office, and I can handle life and counsel others to live by the same principles – self-reliance doesn’t work for believers. We don’t have it all figured out! Yet, we can be more than conquerors, and we can ask whatsoever, but what makes us overcomers and gets those answers is experiencing our Father’s heart in the council and coming away with His purpose. That’s when we can manifest all those whatsoever’s in Jesus’ name.
We are most powerful when we have an accurate picture of our vulnerability. In truth, our frailties are sound intellectual reasons to be humble enough to seek Him in the council! Leaders with inspirational charisma communicate one thing, “I am not better than you; you too can be great being yourself. God can show us how.”
Phil 2:5-8 – Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself …He humbled Himself. NASU
Matt 5:3-10 (with John’s notes)
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Theirs is the Council.)
4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (Have an advocate in the courts.)
5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. (Sons rule and reign; bless nations.)
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. (Seeking in sons.)
7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. (Learn that it’s OK to be yourself.)
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. (Seer gifting activated.)
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. (Sonship is our identity.)
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Council is real, even if others don’t see it.)
Sons
There is a spiritual shift happening right now that is moving believers from religion into the council. Believers can feel something is missing; things are shaking. The answer is a highway to the Father that Jesus paved for the rest of His brothers (us).
There is already a highway in your heart that leads to the council. There is a seat in heaven with your name on it. It feels like home. We sons are here to reign on this earth and bless nations by bringing heaven to earth. Seeking Father is not optional. We are no longer passively waiting for God to visit us and speak to us (religious smugness). We are going to Him. Every son is invited to appear before God in the council (Zion). That’s when we can go from strength to strength and from glory to glory.
Ps 84:5-7 – How blessed is the man whose strength is in You, in whose heart are the highways to Zion! 6 Passing through the valley of Baca they make it a spring; The early rain also covers it with blessings. 7 They go from strength to strength, every one of them appears before God in Zion. NASU
John Garfield
