In
August 2006 on a Mountain in New England the Lord spoke to me to do something
that seemed absolutely ludicrous. By far, it was the strongest word to that
point I had ever been given in regard to the place where the church was now
functioning. I shared the word with a couple of the other speakers who indicated
that it was pretty radical, but they both sensed it was the heart of the Lord
for that conference.The Lord had spoken to me that I would release a word on the final night of the conference that would "level the playing field!" I had no idea what that meant until the next morning when He told me that we as a Team would "ordain" everyone in the conference for ministry. It was so different than what I had been trained to believe, but the more I searched the Scripture, the more I found it to be the heart of God. The result was that believers who had been kept "in check" for more maturity began releasing the Kingdom of God in many places in New England. What we did on that mountain was simply reiterate what it was that Jesus had already done, and continues to do in the lives of people. (See Luke 10) He didn't want us known for our papers, He wanted us known by His Power.
"Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant--not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." (2 Corinthians 3:1-6)
It is difficult to work your way through the book of Acts without finding the "nobodies" who released the Kingdom of God with Power. It wasn't just the twelve who would reach the world… it was all who knew Jesus. Sometimes they had names like Stephen or Philip.. sometimes they had names like Apollos or Priscilla or Aquila. But sometimes they had names that no one ever knew what it was that they did that made it in The Book! Names like Phoebe, Epenetus, Andronicus, Junias, Ampliatus, Urbanus, Tryphena, Tryphosa, and Persis who made it in the book for their hard work in the Lord! Not often quoted, not often known, but His and vital to the work of the Lord! (See Romans 16)
Titles generally give way to pedestals. It works something like this. Anointing comes on an individual and it becomes recognized by others. As a result stories ensue that tell of the workings of this mantle on a persons life. It is no different than in the days of Elisha where the company of prophets noticed the mantle of Elijah on Elisha. (2 Kings 2:15) It was the focal point of the disciples who were trying to determine who the greatest really was. To them the goal was to become the "premier" ordained vessel that would trumpet the Lord's Voice most significantly. The response of Jesus to that question was, bring me a child and I will show you who the greatest is, because it won't be a grown up trying to look important!
It is apparent that titles often mean much to men, but very little to God. Titles don't give authority, God does. King Saul may have had the title of King, but David had the heart of a King even when he didn't have the title. It is His authority and anointing on our lives that reveals a function we release in the Body of Christ, not a title. Titles can produce an unhealthy platform to men and women whereby their failures become apparent to all. The more profound the title, the greater possibility of supreme failure! The characteristics of Ephesians 4:11… "He has appointed some as apostles, and prophets, and evangelists, and pastors and teachers for the equipping of the saints" has taken a twist away from the purpose God intended in much of our theology. The goal of that passage wasn't to find those with those giftings, but rather that those giftings would manifest in the fruit of the "saints being equipped!" It was to a function that we were called, not a position or title. The importance is not on the servant, but rather on the Bride made ready!
When someone falls because a title or insurmountable position has been placed upon him or her, the ripple goes over the entire body. It shouldn't. It should be absorbed by the Body knowing that the character and reputation of Jesus is always in tact, and the fact that someone failed, doesn't mean anything in regards to our ability to walk after God with a pure heart. "Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself." (2 Timothy 2:11-13) Our initial reaction should be to go and restore the fallen one, not judge them!
When we begin seeing those who function in those roles of equipping as human, we will more readily be able to help them, rather than put them on a pedestal that is so high that we become angry when they fall. That is the treasure of Scripture… "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." (2 Corinthians 4:7ff) "… in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:7)
The Goal of the Father has always been to redeem! Look at Moses, David, Peter, Matthew, and Paul! Maybe we should all look at our own lives! We must have "redeeming eyes" always seeing the destiny of the Father in the life of another. We can't look for specks…. We must look for purpose!
True restoration doesn't simply redeem those who have fallen to the same state where they fell from … it restores them to much more than that. We must restore them to the place where they are never on a pedestal again, but where Jesus and His Grace is.
Often in the lives of those totally discarded, the caves become the only place of safety. For Lot is was the place of safety from Zoar for his family. For the Israelites it was a place of protection from the Midianites. For Samson it was a place of refuge. For David it was a refuge where God built his fledgling army. For the prophets running from Jezebel it was a place of safety. For Elijah it was the place of comfort. For Lazarus it was dawning of resurrection.
Caves are always reserved for those who will be promoted or released in a much more significant way. It is the silence and barrenness of the wilderness that produces the greatest anointing and dependence on Father God! The caves of those who failed are often the cocoons of God's greatest metamorphosis. Something happens when life stops because of failure… God begins working deeper than He ever could when servants are caught up in the limelight. It is during these cave experiences that most who have failed will understand that pedestals are meant to run from. It is in these caves that limelight becomes abhorrent, and Grace takes pre-eminence knowing that Grace alone will take the pieces of a shattered life and release a fresh anointing and surge of God's Love through the broken vessel. God's intended discipline of the cave… is meant to result in Grace on a life.
If we begin to turn the tide, and our backs, on pedestals; if we begin to understand the humanity that is required for Grace to operate; if we begin to understand the joy of God in redeeming the shattered… then we will see the move of God through broken vessels, through shattered lives, and the church will arise in Glory. The Glory of the Church is Grace! Grace is the Evidence of God on us! It is the ability to overcome and overwhelm sin, even when it offends and affects us! It is the power of the Gospel unleashed to reveal to the whole world that His Forgiveness is enough, not just for the blatant sinner, but for the fallen saint as well!
When we have fallen; when we have turned from it and come clean with Him; it is enough! Grace is always enough! Come out of the caves … your destiny awaits you!
Chosen by Grace…
Loved regardless!
Danny Steyne