HE SPEAKS THROUGH THE APPOINTED GIFTS

“And His gifts were {varied; He Himself appointed and gave men to us,} some to be apostles (special messengers), some prophets (inspired preachers and expounders), some evangelists (preachers of the Gospel, traveling missionaries), some pastors (shepherds of His flock) and  teachers.”    (Ephesians 4:11 AMP)

Each appointed gift has been called, chosen and empowered by God to equip and  perfect the saints to do the work of the ministry of building up His body.  The appointed gifts are given for the repairing, furnishing and building the members toward wholeness. “...until we all attain oneness in the faith and in the comprehension of the full and accurate knowledge of the Son of God; that {we might arrive} at really mature manhood - the completeness of personality which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ’s own perfection - the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ, and the completeness found in Him.”   (Ephesians 4:13 AMP)

The focus of this verse and the purpose for the appointed gifts is Jesus Christ.  There are many sermons, teachings, doctrines and precepts that can be found in the Bible, but they are not meant to be the focus.  The Old and New Testament both point to one mark: Jesus Christ.  Biblically accurate sermons and teachings are not wood, hay, and stubble.  However when they do not place the people’s heart and focus on relationship with Jesus Christ, and becoming LIKE HIM, they only clutter our focus. 

Leaders need to reevaluate on a continuing basis what is taught and why it is taught.  This will give needed adjustments, as sometimes a joint pops out of place.

HE SPEAKS THROUGH APOSTLES

The apostles are sent as God’s messengers.  They are like pioneers, breaking ground for new territory not yet possessed. 

Receiving their direction and message straight from God, places them in the front line of courage to give forth His message.  They face the obstacles of blazing a path at the very beginning of their mission.  Public opinion and the inflexibility of people to venture into new territory are obstructions against the mission.  Nevertheless, because they are sent by God, they are given the grace to stand and bring forth God’s message. 

Paul was a good example of this.  Until Paul, the disciples were sent to the Jewish people.  But the Lord wanted salvation for the Gentiles so He commissioned Paul.  Paul broke new territory and not only had public opinion to overcome, but the mindset of the previous apostles. 

Likewise, the other apostles had the mindset of the Jewish faith to overcome, as Jesus fulfilled the law and started a new era of salvation through faith in Him rather than in Jewish laws.  And again even after he had preached Jesus, Peter was reminded by the Lord that eating Kosher was no longer necessary.  People’s mindset is a major obstacle in being on the front lines of introducing new territory.

HE SPEAKS THROUGH PROPHETS

The prophet operates in four main functions: he foresees, and he foretells.  He also keeps watch for the safety of the wall, and raises his hands in intercession in the time of battle. 

In the Old Testament the prophet was called God’s watchman.  The Israelites had watchmen that stood in the towers keeping watch for any good or bad news that approached the welfare of the city.  So when God called His prophets “watchmen,”  the people understood what that meant in relation to spiritual issues.

The watchman’s most important gifts are his eyes, ears and mouth. “Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he sees.”    (Isaiah 21:6 NKJV)   The prophet sees and hears and then dispatches what he understands, receiving inspiration to speak God’s announcements.  The inspiration to speak is not necessarily for public ears.  Sometimes, it is given in prayer with the authority to speak God’s Word to be fulfilled on earth.  An example is when the Lord commanded Ezekiel to speak to the dry bones:  “Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!”    (Ezekiel 37:4 NKJV)

Most of the prophet’s gifts are received in private, not outwardly apparent to the body of Christ.  “ ...If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.”   (Numbers 12:6 KJ) Much of his training to hear and understand is through the privacy of visions and dreams.

The true prophet appointed by God is like an  iceberg.  The public only sees the very tip.  The submerged gift is the time spent standing at his post.  When the Lord directs him, it only takes a brief moment to declare what he has seen.  Most of his assignment is in private, and only when the Lord commands does he come forth publicly to declare what he sees. 

The prophet’s post not only watches outwardly in the distance, but also looks inwardly toward the safety of the community.  He makes up the hedge, and stands in the gap: “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me in the land...”    (Ezekiel 22:30 KJ)

 For the Israelites, the watchman’s post kept watch over the wall.  If there was a breach or gap in the wall, vulnerable to enemy onslaught, he made sure it was repaired.  The wall in spiritual terms was the spiritual hedge of protection surrounding the people from captivities, famines, wars, etc.  When the Israelites resisted their conscience and disobeyed the Lord, they suffered the consequences of their wall being broken.  This gave vulnerability to enemy attacks.

Today, if a hedge (wall) has been damaged, the Lord instructs and encourages the prophet how it will be repaired.  Sometimes it will be repaired by outwardly confronting the cause of the breach.  However, most of the time, standing in the gap is the 99 percent of the unseen iceberg.  God tells the prophet what’s wrong, and then He tells him how HE is going to fix it.  (God fixes it, not the prophet.)

When the Lord reveals how the breach will be fixed, the prophet is given inspiration and authority to delegate the repair.  Nehemiah is a good example of the physical allegory of this concept.  He was given the king’s letter of delegated authority to dispatch supplies to rebuild the wall.  (Nehemiah 2:8) The prophet’s supplies are spiritual.  The Lord reveals whatever is needed to spiritually repair the wall, then the prophet prays with authority what the Lord has spoken.

Sometimes during the repair of a breach, the enemy comes against the vulnerable places.  As an example, the Lord rebuked the false prophets because they did not remain when there was a breach in the wall during battle.  “...those who prophesy out of their own heart… Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! … your prophets are like foxes in the deserts.  You have not gone up into the gaps to build a wall … to stand in battle on the day of the LORD.”  (Ezekiel 13:2-5 NKJV)

The prophet stands with his spiritual hands raised, interceding on behalf of the warriors.  He becomes an active part in the battle of anything coming against God’s Words.  Sometimes the battle will be lengthy.  Yet, there comes a time when the Lord specifically tells him the battle is won in heaven.  “It is finished!”  Then the prophet’s position becomes an active stand of faith, believing God has spoken victory.  He expectantly watches and waits for the promised victory to be performed on earth as it was spoken and seen in heaven.

Standing and believing God for His promised victory, is a rest from the heat of battle, but it still requires abiding, tarrying, enduring, continuing, being employed, and remaining.  God sees the victorious end from the beginning and speaks before it comes to pass.  He who stands in the gap no longer needs to command and speak God’s Word in the battle.  He rests from war and yet remains steadfast against circumstances that say the victory is lost.  He hears and believes God according to God’s spoken victory.  He awaits with hopeful and active anticipation for His Words to come to pass.  The breach will close, with the enemy in retreat as God has spoken.

When knowing the Lord through a prophet, (as well as the other appointed gifts) there is a tendency to have one’s eyes on the man, and not the Lord.  An example of this is looking to the prophet for guidance, or a special word from the Lord.  This perspective is no different than going to someone with the Gift of mercy and asking him if he has the Gift of mercy for them today!  God is the source, not the person.  The prophet is merely the Lord’s servant who dispatches what he sees and hears.  He is completely vulnerable and reliant upon the Lord for His gifts just like everyone else.  The prophet’s eyes look to the Lord as his source, and so it should be with the people.

HE SPEAKS THROUGH EVANGELISTS
 

The evangelist’s gift is to communicate salvation in relevant terms to the lost.  His gift is being Jesus’ mouth.  The Lord sends him as His trumpet to the lost world.  He announces the great joy of salvation to those who will receive.

The Lord calls the evangelist to be a kind of intercessor for the lost.  He will feel the groaning and yearning of the Lord’s heart to reach the lost ones.  The evangelist will be touched with their cries of loss, and the Lord’s cries for His lost sheep.  His prayers are filled with the desire that salvation be sent to those he loves.  He is given that part of God’s heart which has a great zeal for souls.

The evangelist recognizes there is a fullness of time for each individual to come to the Father, and speaks relevant words to those who are being drawn by Him.  The evangelist’s words are empty without the drawing power of the Father.  Jesus said, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him.”   (John 6:44 NKJV)  The Lord knows the conditions of hearts and will not draw a hardened heart who is stubborn in his own ways, until He knows it is the fullness of time for that heart to melt. 

The story of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11) describes much of the Father’s heart toward the lost.  In the fullness of time for the son to return home, the Father (looking for his son in the distance) ran to his side, greeted and kissed him.  The ring, the robe, the fatted calf were his welcome home gifts so freely bestowed.  The allegory of the ring is like a “promotion” of placement and assignment within the Father’s household.  The robe is the Father’s “enduement”  or mantle of authority.  And the fatted calf is the spiritual meat provided for the son to celebrate new beginnings.  The evangelist gives these good gifts as the Father’s enfolding welcome home.

HE SPEAKS THROUGH PASTORS

The pastor lives along side of and with his sheep, watching over them with God’s care.  He nurtures them into an abundant life. They need healing, feeding, protection and guidance. 

Of all the appointed gifts, the pastor has the greatest variety of responsibilities.  A pastor is similar to a shepherd who looks over all the sheep in his care, and becomes a nurturing father to them.  He is their friend.  In family life when a father’s child has an “owie,”  the father takes great care to fix it properly, down to the last detail.  If his child runs away from home, he does all he can to find his loved one.  If the child is hungry, he gives forth a banquet from his heart.  If the child is hungry, sick, or lost, his dad does not impose strict rules upon him, pressuring him to comply to rules and help with household tasks.   Likewise, the nurturing shepherd is like the “dad” to his flock.

When a pastor bares his heart and becomes vulnerable to those he loves, he becomes one with them, living among, and identifying with their personal lives.  With a closeness established, he can be there to restore, feed, guide, and protect His own.  The pastors are the heart of the body of Christ.  “Jesus said ...I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.”  (John 15:15 KJ)  Is a pastor to be any less to his sheep? 

I was so touched by hearing a story in a radio sermon.  The Lord told me years ago He was going to raise a new crop of nurturing shepherds, who were willing to truly nurture His sheep.  Because of knowing this, I was particularly interested in this living example of the true heart and role model of what the Lord’s pastor should be.  The pastor said he was just getting on an airplane to go home from a conference when a lady started crying as he approached.  He recognized her as  having been in his congregation years earlier when she lived in his town.  It turned out she was crying with relief because she knew help had arrived!  She had been nervous about her six year old son flying all by himself and now she knew he would be safely guarded by her former pastor.  So they made special arrangements for him to sit by her son during the flight. 

On the flight, they played army with tanks and men, colored pictures and shared stories.  He said it was the best plane flight he’d ever had.  I was so deeply touched by this.  He mentioned how tired of flying he had become.  But this time he got to enjoy it through the boy’s eyes of his first experience in flying.  The boy was absolutely thrilled. 

Besides the beauty of this man’s willing heart to love a child, I thought his experience was also an allegory of the nurturing fathers enjoying the experience of those taking their first flight of faith in accepting Jesus as their Savior.

Visiting a church in another town, I witnessed a sight I will never forget.  The pastor asked for a few minutes of testimonies.  After a few were shared, a young fellow with long dirty hair, dressed in tattered clothing stood up in the back row.  All he said was, “I have been away for a long time and I have come back to Jesus.”  The pastor, dressed in Sunday clothes, said nothing.  There was a hush as he stepped away from the podium, and took the long walk down the aisle.  When he approached the young man he threw his arms around this man and said, “Welcome home, my dear brother.”  I still get teary when I think of it.

HE SPEAKS THROUGH TEACHERS

Teaching is the ability to impart knowledge and understanding on a relevant basis.  It clarifies the hidden things, bringing them into focus. 

The teacher’s position within the body is the pastor’s right arm. He brings detailed understanding, in an overall manner, to concepts the Holy Spirit has taught.  Teachers work in a smaller setting and have the opportunity to bring the intimacy of details to individual lives.  The teacher is one who loves to study, research, and prepare specifics for presentation.  He devotes the time it takes to bring a greater understanding of concepts the Holy Spirit is bringing to the flock.  Teachers give details, bringing delight to others through offering the particulars.  Jesus was a wonderful Teacher, using the details of the surrounding circumstances and environment to reveal the mysteries of God. 

The Lord gives a teacher the gift to be able to communicate what he learns.  Many times, when we hear the Lord through a teacher, there is a quickening of a little detail shared, maybe a definition, or an example that rings in our ears the rest of the day.  The Lord delights to speak to us through the smallest, detailed gifts.  Through the teacher, there is time for these intimate gifts of His Word to be planted in our hearts.

Paul warns “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we shall incur a stricter judgment.”   (James 3:1 NASB)  Like the other appointed gifts, the teachers are held accountable for how and what they teach His people, and how they live.  They are representatives of His message and need to act and teach accordingly. 

However, in spite of this warning, the Lord needs people who are willing to become teachers.  Many of you have been sitting on the sidelines with wonderful gifts yet untapped.  The Lord needs you for His huge harvest.  He has multitudes of children of all colors, shapes, sizes and age wanting to play with you!  It’s like a Mom who asks her son if he wants to watch the baseball game.  He says, “Mom, I don’t want to watch, I WANT TO PLAY!”  She realizes she has slipped into the role of a watcher and not a player and is missing out in life because of it.  If you have slipped into being a pew warmer, when the Holy Spirit nudges you, please consider getting into the game and sharing your life and time with others.  “...The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth labourers into His harvest.” (Luke 10:2 KJ)

Here is a testimony from one of our QW Class Members:

“About 6 years ago a prophet came through town and he stopped in the middle of his message and said - 'you should be teaching' and then he saw children and then said 'start with children' and the door will eventually open for you. At that point I didn't even think I had a teaching gift. He also said there is nothing wrong with organizing your thoughts on paper first and that has been very helpful to me, because I am not a natural speaker. I don't talk a lot. It does help me to organize my thoughts on paper. I am just now stepping into this, so I am still learning.”