MY HOUSE SHALL BE A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL NATIONS
Disciple-making Great Commission – “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. And lo I am
with you till the end of age” (Matthew 28:19,20)
Geographical Great Commission – “You shall receive power after the Holy Spirit has come upon you:
and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the
earth.” (Acts 1:8)
Completing the task of the Great Commission of our Lord remains the
mandate and the reason for the existence of the Ekklesia. Only by fulfilling
the Great Commission can we fulfil the prophecy made by Yeshua:
“And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the
world as a witness to all nations and then the end will come. (Matthew
24:14)
The Lord primary purpose of God through his church is to fulfill
the task of His Great Commission. Only by fulfilling the Great Commission can
we fulfill the prophecy made by the Lord Jesus, “And this gospel of the
kingdom shall be proclaimed in all the world as a witness to all nations. And
then the end shall” (Matthew 24:14).
“I looked, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, out of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues, stood before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palms in their hands. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God sitting on the throne, and to the Lamb. (Revelation 7:9,10).
BIRTH AND DEATH OF THE EKKLESIA
The Ekklesia age started on the Day of Pentecost when 3,000 souls
were baptized. They had no Ekklesia buildings, qualified pastors, Sunday
Service, musical instruments, no tithing, no Christmas, no Easter, not even a
written Gospel, and no political or financial power – yet they grew and
multiplied exponentially because they had the power of the Holy Spirit. They broke
bread from house to house, that is, they ate together, and gossip the gospel
and made disciples.
Over time, all these things were added to the Ekklesia, which slowed
down the growth and multiplication of the Ekklesias and eventually came to a
standstill. Any growth now is biological, or growth by transfer or, worse
still, by poaching. Everything you do in the Ekklesia on Sunday is not in the
Bible, i.e. sing a few songs and call it worship, listen to a sermon that has no
practical application, pay entertainment tax and then have a six-day holiday.
Even the word Sunday is not in the Bible.
The Ekklesia lost its mandate to go and make disciples of all
nations and its mission to witness in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the
earth’s ends. (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8)
If the Ekklesia wants to be relevant, then it must reboot to fulfil
her Master’s prophecy, “And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in
all the world as a witness to all nations and then the end will come”
(Matthew 24:14)
· First condition: Unless you are born again with water and Spirit, you cannot see the
Kingdom nor can enter the Kingdom of God. (John 3:3,5)
· Book of life: “And I saw the dead, the small and the great, stand before God. And
books and the Book of Life were opened. And the dead were judged out of things
which were written in the books, according to their works. And if anyone was
not found having been written in the Book of Life, he was cast into the Lake of
Fire”. (Rev 20:12,15)
·
Moses knew that his name is in the book of Life: When Israel sinned by worshipping a golden calf, God was angry and
told that he will not go with them anymore. But Moses protested and told God to
forgive their sins otherwise blot out his name from his Book. (Exodus 32:32-34)
·
The one who overcomes: this one will be clothed in white clothing. And I will not blot
out his name out of the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My
Father and before His angels”. (Revelation
3:5)
· Christianity is obedience based: When Yeshua commanded the 70 new disciples to go 2X2 to heal the sick, cast out demons and preach the kingdom of God, they immediately obeyed his command. So, he told them, “Rejoice not because the demons are under your control but rejoice because your names are written in the Book of life”. (Luke 10:20).
• To seek and save the lost. (Luke
19:10)
• To destroy the works of the devil.
(1 John 3:8)
• To be the Lamb of God and take
away the sins of the world. (John 1:29)
• To be the light to shine upon
those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. (Matthew 4:16)
• To preach good news to the poor, freedom
to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, liberate the oppressed,
and proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. (Luke 4:18,19)
• That people may have life and have
it more abundantly. (John 10:10)
• To give eternal life. (John 3:16)
· “Love the Lord your God
with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and
with all your mind, (Luke 10:27)
· “Love your neighbor.”
· Love yourself as you are because you are created in the image and likeness of
God who made you his sons and daughters and his royal priests. (Genesis 1:26)
·
Yeshua gave you a new love command: I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. As I have
loved you, you should also love one another. By this all shall know that you
are My disciples if you have love toward one another. (John 13:34.35)
· Yeshua gave a radical love command: “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those
who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you, so
that you may become sons of your Father in Heaven. For He makes His sun to rise
on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and the unjust.”
(Matthew 5:44,45)
·
The last and most important command of Yeshua: “Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them
into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19,20)
· "If you love me, you will obey my commandments. (John 14:15)
The English word ‘church’ originates after German forest goddess
‘Kirkhe’ who seduced men and turned them into monkeys. Yeshua said to Peter, “I
will build my Ekklesia and the gates of Hades shall not prevail.” (Matthew
16:18). Although Yeshua spoke Aramaic, instead of calling it ‘Qahal’ in Hebrew,
he used the Greek term ‘Ekklesia’, which means "assembly," "gathering,"
or "congregation." This is because Greeks had already established
Ekklesias, which were Court Houses where the aggrieved people found justice, “Therefore
if Demetrius and those craftsmen with him have a matter against anyone, the
court days are kept, and there are proconsuls. Let them plead against one
another. But if you ask anything concerning other matters, it shall be
determined in a lawful assembly (Ekklesia). And saying these things, he
dismissed the assembly (Ekklesia). (Act 19:38-41)
The Ekklesia of our Lord can meet anywhere: under a tree, in a
park, in a school/college campus, in an office, in a coffee house, or in a
business centre. In fact, wherever two or three gather in his name, Yeshua is
present there; therefore, it is his Ekklesia.
An Ekklesia is a household of God; therefore, a house is the most
convenient place to greet, ‘meat’ (share a meal), gossip the Gospel, make
disciples, and multiply.
Just like a household has biological parents, grandparents,
children, and grandchildren. Similarly, a spiritual household has spiritual
parents, grandparents, children, and grandchildren, the newcomers.
The Ekklesia is the Bride of Christ. She is a living organism that
reproduces, not a dead organisation that does not reproduce.
A house Ekklesia costs nothing to start or to shift location
because all the facilities are available there.
A house Ekklesia does not have a large crowd or loud music and
therefore, has low visibility, providing better protection against persecution.
A seeker or a non-believer is more likely to come to the friendly
environment of a house Ekklesia and have his doubts cleared rather than go to a
traditional church where he may not be welcome.
Your judgment does not depend on your biblical scholarship, church attendance,
prayer life, tithing, musical talent, or working in a Christian organization,
etc., however good they may be, but upon your fruitfulness. “A man shall be
known by his fruit (souls saved)” (Matthew 7:20). As a believer, if you do not
win even one soul in your lifetime, then how do you expect to inherit eternal
life?
Preachers preach salvation to the lost and teachers
mature them in the Word and then the apostles take them into the harvest field
and give them hands-on training in harvesting and gathering in the barns. This
process is not possible in a traditional church because of multiple reasons, thus
making it sterile, whereas all these facilities are available in the house
church. This is why the house churches grow so rapidly.
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE IN A HOUSE EKKLESIA?
Everybody, especially seekers and non-believers, are welcome.
(1Corinthians 14:24,25)
“Therefore if the whole Ekklesia has come together, and all speak
in tongues, and if uninstructed ones or unbelievers come in, will they not say
that you mad? But if all prophesy, and some unbeliever or one not instructed
comes, all convict him, he is judged by all. And so the secrets of his heart
become revealed. And so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and
report that God is truly among you.” (1Corinthians 14:23-25)
“Brethren (adelphus=womb - where males and females are treated equally),
when you come together, each one of you has a psalm, a teaching, a tongue, a
revelation, an interpretation. Let all things be for building up. You may all
prophesy one by one so that all may learn and all may be comforted.” (1Corinthians
14:26-32)
ROLE OF WOMEN
Women can also teach. 1 Corinthian
14:34-35; 1 Timothy 2:11,12 are in the context of husband and wife where wives
are not allowed to teach their husbands in public but there is no prohibition about
women to teach others. Priscilla, Lydia, Phebe and Junia (Romans 16:7) were great
teachers. In 2 Timothy 2:2 Paul asks Timothy to “Teach things that you have
heard from me among many witnesses, commit the same to faithful ‘men’ who will
be able to teach others also.” The Greek word for ‘men’ is ‘anthropos’ from
which the word anthropology (the study of human beings) comes hence it is about
both men and women who are able to teach.
Women facilitated all the house Ekklesias mentioned in the New
Testament. Priscella -(1Corinthians 16:19; Lydia - Acts 16:15; Phebe - Romans
16:1; Apphia - Philemon 1:2; Nympha - Colossians 4:15; Mary - Acts 12:12). Paul
Yonggi Cho with the biggest church in the world in South Korea says that women
have planted 80% of all his Cell churches.
Even in the Old Testament, there were women leaders like: Sarah,
Miriam, Deborah, Hannah, Abigail, Huldah, Esther, Naomi, Ruth, Rebecca, Miriam,
Deborah, Tamar, and Rachel.
Gender-based disabling of 50% of the evangelistic force by wrongly
interpreting the Scriptures is foolishness of the highest order.
Ekklesia is not a gathering of only Christians, but people of other
faiths must come to be prayed for. How can it be a “House of Prayer for all
nations” unless men and women of other faiths are invited to such gatherings? How
can they be discipled unless they have the freedom to fully participate in the proceedings?
(Mark 11:17)
WHO
CAN LEAD?
A house Ekklesia does not require a qualified pastor to lead. None
of the disciples of Yeshua were theologians but they were all practitioners. Anybody,
men and women and even youth, can lead. Over time, as the Ekklesia matures,
local elders can be appointed. Elders does not mean old people but those who
are mature in faith.
Biblical qualifications of an Elder: (Titus 1:5-9; 1 Timothy 3:1-7)
1.
People of character,
2.
Given to hospitality,
3.
Honest stewards of God’s money and other resources,
4.
Able to teach and
5.
Able to interact with people of other faiths boldly and fruitfully.
Wherever Paul went, he raised up local leadership and sometimes
personally followed up or sent his disciples or wrote letters to make sure that
the Ekklesias did not go off track, “And Paul said to Barnabas, Let us go
again and visit our brothers in every city where we have announced the Word of
the Lord, to see how they are holding to it.” (Acts 15:36-41). He did not
appoint any outsider as a pastor of any Ekklesia. This is because the local
leaders communicated in the local language, culture, music and context.
Local people of other faiths identify with this kind of community Ekklesia,
where all are welcome to participate rather than the traditional foreign
implant with Gothic buildings, leaders dressed up in foreign attire, foreign
music and foreign language. The local Ekklesia should belong to the whole
community rather than to those with a foreign religious identity. The Ekklesia
will only reach all tongues and tribes when it is seeped in the local language
and culture.
WHAT
DO YOU DO WHEN YOU GET TOGETHER?
Jesus commanded, “Seek ye first his kingdom and his
righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew
6:33). The Lord used the word “church” only three times (Matthew 16:18; 18-20)
but he used the word “kingdom” 80 times. We talk about church, but Jesus
prioritized bringing the kingdom of God on earth. Therefore, the most important
function of the church is to win souls and establish the kingdom of God.
They did not have praise and worship services accompanied by loud music,
sermons, or tithing followed by a six-day holiday. Instead, they had Apostolic
teaching. Pastoral teaching is about “Come and be blessed,” while Apostolic
teaching is about “Go and be a blessing to others.” They had fellowship
(koinonia) when they made strategies for reaching the lost. They had food
fellowship and shared their worldly possessions with the needy. And they went
out in small groups whenever convenient to preach the gospel. And the Lord
added to their numbers that were saved daily. (Acts 2:42-47)
In the gatherings where seekers were present, everyone participated
with a teaching, a Psalm or sharing a vision or a testimony, or prayer for
healing and casting out demons and baptisms. Discussion took place on whatever
topic the person was teaching and checking from the Scriptures whether it was
so. “And these were more noble than those of Thessalonica, in that they
received the Word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily
to see if those things were so.” (14:24-32; Act 17:11)
Well-off people brought extra food for the needy; they were in no hurry to return home, and the gathering sometimes lasted the whole night. (1 Corinthians (Acts 20:7-12; 17:11)
The Passover Feast was first celebrated within the premises of
their own houses on the last night when the Israelites left Egypt.
· Priest: When the head of the family sacrificed the lamb, he became the Priest
of the family.
· Protector: When he splattered the blood of the lamb on the doorpost to
prevent the spirit of death from entering his house, he became the Protector.
· Provider: And when he provided meat, he became the Provider of his
family.
During his Last Supper, in an Upper Room, Yeshua provided his
disciples with a Passover meal consisting of roast lamb, unleavened bread,
bitter herb and wine (Exodus 12:8). After eating the Supper, he got up and
washed his disciples’ feet and then took bread and broke it as a symbol of his
Body and the cup as the symbol of his blood. Passover was never celebrated in
the Temple or the synagogue or any religious building but always at home. The
Lord’s Supper was a full meal, not just a ritualised wafer and a sip of wine.
Now, “Breaking bread” from house to house is Holy Communion, a full
meal served to all those who are present and participating, baptised or not.
All those who can afford, bring extra food in their tiffin boxes and share it
with the poor and the newcomers. Washing each other’s feet was commanded by
Lord Yeshua. Not sharing the good news of Yeshua’s death and resurrection with
the lost after a shared meal is taking the meal unworthily. “For as often as ye eat this bread, and
drink the cup, ye proclaim the Lord's death till he comes.” (1Corinthians 11:26; John 13:3-17; Exodus 12:3,7,8, Romans 10:15)
In the Old Testament, God had lunch consisting of roast beef, bread
and curd, served by Abraham under a tree (Genesis 18:1-8). Melchizedek served
bread and wine to Abraham and his army of shepherds on the roadside (Genesis
14:18). Yeshua invited himself to the house of Zacchaeus, the sinful tax collector
and brought salvation to that house (Luke
19:1-10). Yeshua always used mealtime to
share important insights. He said when he comes knocking on your door and if
you invite him, he will have supper with your family (Revelation 3:20). The
only trouble is that he may not come as a religious leader but as a poor, hungry
stranger. The Scripture says, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to
strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing
it.” (Hebrews 13:2)
The Lord’s Supper helps poor and hungry people to come and get some food and eventually become disciples of Yeshua. Needy people also get other help like old clothes, help with medical care if they are sick, children’s school fees etc.
WHAT ARE THE FUNCTIONS OF THE EKKLESIA
Four Fields (4F): The Ekklesia must seek to replicate what Jesus
and his disciples did in their ministries by entering a lost community and, 1. Sharing
the gospel, 2. Discipling the saved, and 3. Forming Ekklesias and
4. Equipping leaders so that other Christians could reproduce this plan
from entry to leadership formation.
“Jesus said, so is the kingdom of God, as if
a man should cast seed into the ground; and should sleep, and rise night and
day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knows not how. For the earth
brings out the fruit of itself, first the blade, then the ear, and then the
full grain in the ear. But when the fruit has been brought out, immediately he
puts in the sickle because the harvest has come”. (Mark 4:26-29)
The Ekklesia must aim to equip believers to bind
the strongman first (no point in sowing the seed without first pulling out the
weeds) and then share the good news and start reproducing churches that make
disciples and share with others, who in turn will repeat the plan. This plan
depends upon understanding the four areas or “fields”: evangelism, discipleship,
Ekklesia planting, and leadership development. If you implement this
strategy, you can soon turn the world upside down.
Jesus came to save souls, “For the Son of Man
came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10) therefore, the primary function of the Ekklesia is to save lost souls: "For what will it profit a man if he gains the
whole world and forfeits his own soul? Or what shall a man give in return
for his soul? (Matthew
16:26; Acts 2:47)
Yeshua also came to destroy the works of the devil (1John
3:8). So, souls cannot be saved unless you first bind the strongman and then
you can plunder the people in his possession. (Matthew 12:28,29)
The best way to save your own soul is to save a lost
soul, “He who turns back a sinner shall
save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins.” (James 5:20)
“And those who are wise shall shine as the brightness of the sky;
and those who turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars forever and ever.” (Daniel 12:3)
Yeshua said, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of
men.” (Matthew 4:19). Every Christian must endeavour to become a prolific
fisher of two-legged fish. There are
different levels of “Followers of Christ” in the church who need to be
matured into prolific “Fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19)
First function is to wage a spiritual warfare and then save
souls, “For the Son of Man came to save the lost.” (Luke 10: 17; 19:10)
Next function is to convert ‘Saved souls’ into empowered
‘Believers’ who can cast out demons and heal the sick. (Mark 16:17,18)
The next function is turning ‘Believers’ into ‘Disciples
who bring abundant fruit (disciples).’ (John 15:8) Jesus sent 12 ‘disciples’
2x2. They brought 70 more ‘disciples’ (Luke 9:1-3; 10:1,2). Disciples do not
make just converts but make disciples who make disciples.
The next step is to identify “Gifted Elders’ like
Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Shepherds and Teachers (APEST). Their function
together is to “Equip the saints for the work of the ministry so the Ekklesia
grows and multiplies.” (Ephesians 4:11,12) Apostles raise local
leaders and plant Ekklesias where none existed (Acts 19:8-10).
Prophets now do not
foretell the future but prophecy, “Exhortation, edification and comfort in the Ekklesia.”
(1 Corinthians 14:3). Yeshua declared John the Baptist as the greatest and the
last prophet of all times, not because he foretold the future but revealed that
the Messiah has come, “Behold the Lamb of God” (Matthew 11:11-13; John 1:29)
Evangelists preach
the Gospel with mighty signs and miracles where Christ is not named (Romans
15:19, 20).
Shepherds feed the lambs to reproductive maturity (John 21:15-17).
Teachers unfold deeper
meanings of the Scriptures, which are, “Profitable for teaching, reproof,
correction, and instruction in righteousness so that the man of God may be
perfected and thoroughly furnished for every good work.” (2Timothy 3:16,17)
Spiritual Parents: The final function of the Ekklesia is to identify ‘Spiritual Fathers and Mothers’ who are relational rather than “the teacher and the taught”. They lovingly mentor and guide new followers of Christ into prolific fishers of men. (1Corinthians 4:15)
WHAT ARE NOT THE FUNCTIONS OF THE EKKLESIA
Baptising babies, marrying couples and burying the dead are
not the functions of the Ekklesia. Yeshua was dedicated as a baby and baptised in
the Jordan River when he was thirty years old.
All Hindu, Muslim and Jewish weddings take place in
homes, including the one in Cana. Christian weddings can take place in the
Registrar’s office for Rs. 150, get a legal certificate and celebrate in the
house Ekklesia. It will save you a lot of money and hassle.
Jewish priests were not allowed anywhere near a dead
body. Young men buried Ananias and Saphira without any ceremony (Acts 5:1-11). Yeshua
was buried without any religious ceremony. We do not know what happened to the
body of poor Lazarus; maybe it was thrown into a garbage dump and eaten by dogs
who used to lick his wounds, but his soul went to paradise (Luke 16:19-31). It does not matter where you are buried; even if you drown in the sea and
fish eat up your body, Yeshua will find you and resurrect you on the Last day if
you love him and obey his commands. (John 14:15)
Playing loud music and singing songs is not worship; it is only
praise.
You praise God with your lips (Psalm 51:15; Hebrew 13:15).
You glorify God by bringing abundant fruit (John 15:8).
You worship God by offering your bodies as a spiritual sacrifice.
(Romans 12:1,2)
The first time “worship” is mentioned in the Bible is when Abraham
took his son Isaac to be sacrificed. Abraham asked the servants to take care of
the donkeys while they went up the Mount Moriah, now known as the Temple
Mount at Jerusalem, to “worship”. When Isaac heard the word ‘worship’, he
asked his father, we have the sword and the fire, but where is the sacrificial animal
(Genesis 22:5-7)? Even as a lad, he knew that worship requires a sword, fire
and a sacrificial animal. In the Mosaic Tabernacle, the Priests needed a sword,
an Altar of fire and an animal to be sacrificed for worship. (Hebrews 9:1, 6)
On the Day of Pentecost, the iron sword changed into Word of God “And
hearing the Word of God, they were stabbed in the heart.” (Acts 2:37; Ephesians
6:17; Hebrews 4:12) and the wood fire changed into Holy Spirit as the tongues
of fire (Acts 2:1-3) and the animal sacrifice changed into 3000 baptised souls as
a living sacrifice.
Now, we worship God by offering broken and contrite hearts. (Psalm
51:17). David praised God by singing Psalms and dancing and worshipped God by
offering abundant sacrifice. (2Samuel 6:12-14). Solomon worshipped God by
offering 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. (2Chronicales 7:5). No one was allowed
to come to the Temple for the Feasts emptyhanded. (Deuteronomy 16:16)
We now first offer our own bodies as sacrifice, which is true
worship, “I beseech you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God to
present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God, which is your
reasonable service (Latreia=worship). (Romans 12:1,2)
Then we offer lost souls as a living sacrifice, “Know that he
who turns back the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death
and shall hide a multitude of sins.” (James 5:20)
Paul, a Priest of Yeshua, offered sanctified Gentiles as a living sacrifice.
(Romans 15:16)
The best way to worship is to fulfil the Great Commission of our lord: Go-Make disciples-Baptise and Teach obedience. (Matthew 28:18-20)
Several types of baptisms are mentioned in the Scriptures:
Mikveh: Jews do not take baptism because they believe
that God baptised all their generations and possessions when they crossed the
Red Sea. (1Corinthians 10:1,2). Instead, they took a Bath of Purification
whenever they came to the Temple or were polluted, like coming in contact with a
dead body and so on. They call it Mikveh (pool). There were hundreds of pools
in Jerusalem in those days. Even today, where there are a significant number of
Jews, they have separate Mikveh for men and women. Priests have no role in baptising
people.
Water Baptism of Repentance: John the Baptist gave water baptism of repentance. (Acts 19:3,4). However,
Yeshua’s baptism was not of repentance as he was sinless, but to fulfill all righteousness.
But he was also baptized in the Holy Spirit which came and settled down on him
like a dove. (Matthew 3:15,16)
Baptism of the Holy Spirit: Immediately after water baptism, Peter and Paul laid hands on them
and they were filled with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:37-39; 8:14-17; 19:5,6). The
Holy Spirit gives boldness to preach the gospel in the midst of persecution and
empowers believers to cast out evil spirits and heal the sick, etc. and helps
to bring forth fruit of repentance (Matthew 13:8) that has qualities of “love,
joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
self-control.” (Acts 4:29; Galatians 5:22-26)
Baptism of fire: When you are
persecuted, you are baptised with fire. Yeshua himself went through the baptism
of fire and guaranteed persecution for believers, “If they persecuted Me,
they will persecute you as well.” (John 15:20). “And whoever does not
carry his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple.” (Luke 14:27)
John the Baptist said, "I indeed baptise you with water
unto repentance: but He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I
am not worthy to bear: He shall baptise you with the Holy Ghost, and with
fire" [Matthew 3:11].
Baptism of fire separates the wheat from the chaff. “His
winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather
his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” (Mattew
3:12). “So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit
you out of my mouth.” (Revelation 3:16)
Remember - “When you are persecuted for your faith, you are to
rejoice and be exceedingly glad for great is your reward in heaven. You are
also to love your persecutors, bless them and pray for them.” (Mattew 5:10-12;
5:44)
Baptism of the dead: Paul says, “Now if there is no resurrection, what will they do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptised for them?” (1 Corinthians 15:29). It does not mean a dead person can be saved by proxy. Baptism is not a requirement for salvation in the first place (Ephesians 2:8; Romans 3:28; 6:3–4; 10:9,10). This is about the surety of the resurrection. Corinthians took baptism for their dead to convince those who did not believe in resurrection that Christ would raise us all to live again in the Resurrection, “But if Christ is proclaimed, that He was raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, neither has Christ been raised.” (1Corinthians 15:12,13)
In the Temple, the Jews first offered sacrifices and then prayed in
the following order:
“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers,
intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and
for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in
all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God
our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge
of the truth.” (1Timothy 2:1-4)
1. Techinnah
(Supplication)- The devotee laid his hands on the head of the animal,
confessed his sins and requested (supplication) God to accept his vicarious sacrifice
and forgive his sins.
2. Tefillah
(Prayer = Self-examination) – After offering the sacrifice on the Altar,
the Priest washed his hands and feet with water from the Laver and examined
himself to make sure he was not doing anything wrong as he was about to enter
the Holy Place with the fire from the Altar. Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu died
inside the Holy Place because they offered strange fire (without sacrifice)
(Leviticus 10:1,2). Now, we examine ourselves to see if we are taking the Lord’s
Supper unworthily. (1corinthians 11:28-33)
3. Bakkadosh
(Intercession) – The Priest poured incense on the fire on the Golden Altar
inside the Holy place. The incense came from many nations. As the smoke went
through the Veil into the Holy of Holies, where the Spirit of God rested on the
Ark of the Covenant, the priest raised his hands and interceded for the
nations.
4. Hodayah
(Thanksgiving) - When the devotees standing in the outer court saw the
smoke bellowing through the roof of the Tabernacle, they all raised their hands
and gave thanks to God for accepting their offering.
5. God’s
Response - When King Solomon worshipped God by offering thousands of
animals as sacrifices, God said to him, “If My people, who are called by My
name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their
wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin and heal
their land”. (2 Chronicles 7:5,14) If we pray as above, offering others as a living
sacrifice, our land will be healed. (Romans 12:1,2; James 5:20)
“And an angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden
censer. And many incenses were given to him, so that he should offer it with
the prayers of all ‘saints’ on the golden altar before the Throne. And
the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended
up before God from the angel's hand.” (Revelation 8:3,4)
Saints are equipped for the ministry which results in the edification
(growth and multiplication) of the Ekklesia. (Ephesians 4:12)
“The reason the Son of God appeared was to
destroy the works of the devil” (1John 3:8).
Prayer walking to bind the strongman (territorial spirits) and demolishing the gates of Hell is an important prayer strategy. You will have no harvest unless you first prepare the soil by removing the weeds. Then only the Person of Peace will be found and discipled and a Ekklesia planted in his house. (Matthew 12:28-30; Luke 10:2,5).
WHAT ABOUT TITHES AND OFFERINGS?
In the Old Testament, there were three ways of giving:
1. Temple tax - Half a shekel
was given as tax for the Temple’s upkeep (Exodus 30:13). This was given once in
a lifetime after attaining the age of 20 years to be eligible for membership of
the Temple. Yeshua sent Peter who caught a fish with a shekel stuck in its
throat, which was offered as Temple Tax. (Matthew 17:24–27)
2. Tithe – Was food, “Bring
your tithes so that there may be food in my house” (Malachi 3:10).
Only the landowners gave the Tithe of their increase such as animals, grain,
oil, wine, fruit and so on. In the Burnt offering, the whole animal was burnt
to ashes on the Altar but in the case of Peace and Thanksgiving offerings, the
priest kept the front leg for himself and returned the rest of the animal to
the devotee who then shared a community meal with the Levites, widows, orphans
and strangers (Gentile farmhands) (Deuteronomy 14:22-29).
Yeshua, Peter and Paul did not give any Tithe as they had no land. Gold,
silver or money was never offered as Tithe as it could not offered on the
Altar.
3. Freewill offering – A widow gave her two mites in the boxes kept outside the Temple
court, where people could give a freewill offering of gold, silver or money.
(Mark 12:42)
What you pay to the Ekklesia as Tithe is Temple Tax as a service
provider to baptise your baby, marry your daughter and bury you when you die.
After Pentecost, the Tithe changed into food being shared (breaking
bread) from house to house. (Acts 2:46)
The Freewill Offering is strictly for reaping the harvest, “He
who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall
also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not
reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
(2Corinthians 9:6,7)
Tithes and offerings are purely for those who are extending and
advancing God’s kingdom where Christ is not known and not for staff salaries
and church maintenance. In the Old Testament times, the Priests and the Levites
received a tithe of the offering, which was food like meat, grains, fruit, oil
and wine etc. while they were serving in the Temple. There were 24 families of
the Priests. Each family served one week at a time and maybe twice in a whole
year. During the Feasts, extra Priests joined to deal with the crowds of
people. The Priests had to take care of themselves the rest of the time.
In the New Testament times, although they did receive donations sometimes,
no leader was salaried (Philippians
4:15).
They were all bi-vocational, like Paul, Priscilla and Aquilla were tent-makers.
Peter and John were fishermen who rented out their boats. Lydia, Phebe and
Archippus were businesspeople. Luke was a physician. Joanna the wife of Chuza, was
Herod's steward. Mary Magdalene, Susanna and others ministered to Yeshua of
their possessions. (Luke 8:2,3)
Paul highlights that God expects every Christian who can work to do
so (1 Thess. 4:11–12). He exhorts the Thessalonians “to work with [their]
hands” (1 Thess. 4:11) and to “have need of no one” (1 Thess. 4:12). “I have
coveted no man's silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these
hands have ministered to my needs, and to those who were with me. I have shown
you all things, that working in this way, we ought to help the weak, and to
remember the words of the Lord Yeshua, that He Himself said, It is more blessed
to give than to receive.” (Act 20:33-35)
“But if any man does not take care of his own, especially of his
house, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” (1 Timothy 5:8)
In Luke chapters 9 and 10, Lord Yeshua gives in detail how to plant
a house Ekklesia. In chapter 9, he sent the 12 disciples 2x2 (Mark 6:7), with the
power to heal the sick and cast out demons. They brought 72 disciples. He then
told the 72 disciples to go 2x2, not take a large crowd, go simply without much
visibility, and pray to the Lord of harvest for labourers (not leaders). They
all obeyed without making any excuses. He told them to first bind the village’s
strongman (evil spirits) by prayer walking around it (Matthew 12:28-30).
That will reveal the Man of Peace, who will invite you into his
house and provide you with food and accommodation. Do not sing songs and preach
the gospel first; heal the sick and cast out evil spirits. They will then ask
you to tell them by what power you are able to do this.
Now, you can fully preach the gospel and teach them the Discovery
Bible Study method so that they can grow in the Word and multiply while you are
not there. Do not go from house to house unless the Man of Peace takes you
there because he is going to be the leader of that house Ekklesia.
Discovery Bible Study: Through conversation, believers and
unbelievers study God's Word together. It is a study method that does not depend
on an expert but on the Bible itself and the Holy Spirit. In this method, a
portion of the Bible is read and the conclusion is discovered through
questions. And then, a decision is taken as to what insights
we have gained, what we are going to implement and with whom we will share this
newfound insight. This is a very effective method which brings maturity very
quickly. The next time they meet, there is accountability as to how far they
were able to fulfil the decisions made last time.
HOW
TO CAST OUT DEMONS
Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from
you.” (James 4:7)
“But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of
God has come to you. How can you enter a strongman's house and plunder his people
unless you first bind the strong one, and then plunder his house? The one who
is not with Me is against Me, and the one who does not gather with Me scatters.”
(Mat 12:28-30)
“Finally, my brothers, be strong in the Lord and in the power of
His might. Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand
against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood,
but against principalities, against powers, against the world's rulers, of the
darkness of this age, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Therefore,
take to yourselves the whole armor of God:
The whole armor of God (Eph 6:10-18):
·
Loins girded about with the belt of truth,
·
And the breastplate of righteousness
·
Your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
·
Take the shield of faith,
·
And take the helmet of salvation,
·
And the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God,
·
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.
The first five are defensive weapons while the Sword of the Spirit
is for attacking.
First, identify how powerful the evil spirit is. If it is weak, it
will come out just by taking the name of Yeshua. But if it is a strong one,
then you will need to fast for one day or more days, depending on powerful it
is. Then you will need to prayer walk around that house or the locality like
Joshua walked around Jerico, silently binding the evil spirits and releasing
the power of the Holy Spirit.
Always remember that the Lord Yeshua has given you “Power over
all the power of the enemy and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in
heaven, and whatever you loose will be loosed in heaven.” (Luke 10:19;
Matthew 16:19)
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to
flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but mighty through God
to the pulling down of strongholds, pulling down imaginations and every high
thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into
captivity every thought into the obedience of Christ.” (2Corinthians 10:3-5)
“Son of man came to destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8).
Our weapons:
·
“Submit to God: and resist the devil and he
will flee from you.” (James 4:7)
·
The name of Jesus: “And these signs shall follow a believer, they will
cast out demons in my name.”(Mark 16:17)
·
With fasting and prayer. (Matthew 17:21)
·
The Word of God: Which is like a double-edged sword.” (Hebrews 4:12)
·
With the help of the Holy Spirit: Jesus himself cast out evil spirits with
the help of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 12:28)
·
With the blood of Jesus and your testimony: “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because
of the word of their testimony. And they did not love their soul until death.”
(Revelation 12:11)
Like Joshua, you may have to prayer walk the area several times and
then confront the evil spirit and command it in the name of Yeshua to get out. If
he argues, then you may sprinkle some water on him as the blood of Yeshua.
After the evil spirit has been cast out, immediately gather all the
people and tell them: “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he
walks through dry places seeking rest and finds none. Then he, returns and finds
it empty, swept, and clean. Then he brings seven more evil spirits, and they enter
and live there. And the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so,
it also shall be to this evil generation.” (Matthew 12:43-45)
Tell them that they do not want that to happen; they must repent,
get baptised, and accept the Lordship of Yeshua. (Acts 2:37-39)
YOUR
IDENTITY IN CHRIST
We are not called to be Baptists, Lutherans, Presbyterians,
Methodists, Orthodox or Pentecostals. These all divide the Ekklesia according
to their brand of theology. We must not be called ‘Reverend’ (KJV) because that
is the title of the Most High God (Psalm 111:9). We are the Sons of God, Ambassadors,
Royal Priests, Apostles, Prophets, Disciple-makers, his witnesses, Inheritors
of the Kingdom, Fishers of men, sowers of seed, reapers of harvest, soul savers,
abundant fruit bearers, people who turn the world upside down and so on. They
all have the same goal: to demolish the kingdom of Satan and bring the Kingdom
of God on earth.
All these are not free gifts but acquired skills obtained by hard
work and training under skilled mentors. Mentors are not theologians but practitioners
who practice their faith among non-believers. Paul ‘reasoned’ with
hardcore Jews; if that did not work, he ‘persuaded’ them, and if that still
did not work, he ‘disputed’ with them, and if that also did not work, then
he ‘departed’. (Acts 18:4; 19:8,9; 15:7)
For instance, the function of a Royal Priest: As royalty, you need to
fulfil God’s original agenda, which is, “Be fruitful, multiply your own
kind, fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over it.” (Genesis
1:28). As a Priest you must fulfil the priestly functions of “making disciples, baptising and teaching
them to obey.” (Matthew 28:19,20)
The Lord has already ‘ordained’ you, “You have not chosen me,
but I have chosen you and ‘ordained’ (appointed) you that you may go and
bring forth fruit, fruit that remains.” (John 15:16)
Every believer of the Lord Yeshua is an ordained priest, ordained
with the Holy Spirit. (1Corinthians 12:3)
Everyone functions within his own calling and gifts, it is not a solo
ministry, but someone prepares the land, someone sows the seed, manures, waters,
and protects it from the predators, while others reap the harvest and God gives
the increase. (1 Corinthians 3:6-9)
Young people get married and produce children, and they become
parents. When their children grow up and produce children, they become grandparents;
when grandchildren reproduce, they become great-grandparents. Not some but every
member of the family is engaged in reproduction activity. And so, the biological
household grows and multiplies. Similarly, each believer must reproduce a spiritual
family, grow, multiply, and fill the earth. India has 25 million traditional
Christians. Our country will soon become a Christian country if each one reproduces
just one spiritual family once a year.
Paul gave the formula of generation growth and multiplication to his
disciple Timothy: “And the things that you have heard from me among many
witnesses, commit the same to faithful men who will be able to teach others
also.” (2Timothy 2:2)
Here, Paul is the first generation who himself was mentored by
Barnabas, tells Timothy, the second generation, to share whatever he had learnt
with the third generation consisting of faithful men (Anthropos-men and women)
who can teach others, the fourth generation.
“They shall know their seed among the Gentiles, and their
offspring in the midst of peoples: all that shall see them, shall know them,
that these are the seed which the Lord hath blessed.” (Isaiah 61:9)
One simple way to encourage believers to reproduce and multiply the
Kingdom of God is to ask them how their spiritual children and grandchildren
are doing when you meet them.
CURRENT
SITUATION
Today, the house Ekklesia movement has become a global phenomenon,
with the fastest-growing movements in the world are in Hindu Nepal, Muslim Iran,
Indonesia and Afghanistan, Buddhist South Korea, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, Communist
China, Catholic Cuba, pagan Mongolia, Burmese Rohingyas and occult practicing
African continent and of course India that is Bharat. The more persecution, the
faster it grows. At this rate, hopefully and prayerfully, in this decade, this
movement will permeate through all nations, tongues and tribes. And then the
end will come.
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