The Spiritual Subversion
If the devil can by any methods, shut the Holy Spirit out of the church, he has effectively prevented the church from being God's church on earth.
He accomplishes this by retiring from the church the agencies or agents that the Holy Spirit uses.
Satan displaces them with natural devices that are rarely if ever the channels used by the Holy Spirit. Christ announced this unchangeable, universal law when He said, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” John 3:6.
If a church has a holy preacher, a man of great prayerfulness, of great grace, filled with the Spirit, Satan will use any method to retire him and put in a man who does not pray, but who is eloquent and popular.
The church may seem to have gained, but it has 'gained' by the substitution of natural forces for spiritual ones, an exchange that has unknowingly revolutionized the church.
E.M. Bounds
Mr
Bounds was a Baptist 'prophet/teacher.'
He knew what he was talking
about.
How many churches today are actually allowing the movement of the Holy Spirit in their midst?
The government of God given to the church has ceased according to some of them. They tell us that we no longer need the government of God through the five fold ministry as recorded in the New Testament.
It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,...
EPHESIANS 4:11
Some would tell us that these governing agency's were only for the foundation of the church and are no longer needed because today we have the Bible.
Well if that is the truth, then we no longer need evangelists or pastors or teachers.
This list stands or falls as a whole.
Lets look at the next verses of this text:
12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up
13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.
15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.
16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
As long as there are new believers, there will be those who need to be 'built up' and taught.
And EACH part will do its work.
There will be spiritual infants who need the function of the ministries given to the church by the Holy Spirit.
How unfortunate that there are those in pulpits across the land that would intellectually rob the church of the five fold ministry given to her by Jesus Christ.
They worship at the alters of the intellect, teaching that the government of God, as given in Ephesians 4:11 is no longer needed, but of course THEY are needed.
Jesus Christ Himself GAVE these ministry gifts. For what purpose did He give these ministry gifts?
Ephesians 4:12
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.
For the perfecting of the saints.
The Greek word KATARTISMOS translated 'perfecting," according to Vine's Espository Dictionary of New Testament Words, denotes a fitting or preparing fully, implying a process to consummation.
If one purpose for which the ministry gifts are given is the perfecting of the saints, will they ever reach maturity without them?
No.
For the work of the ministry.
For the edifying of the Body of Christ. For how long did He give the ministry gifts?
Ephesians 4:13
TILL WE ALL COME in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, UNTO A PERFECT MAN, UNTO THE MEASURE OF THE STATURE OF THE FULNESS OF CHRIST.
These ministry gifts are Christ's own provision for the continual need for ministry in His Church until He comes for His Church.
An arroneous teaching which surfaced a few years ago stressed what is termed "body ministry." (And there is a certain truth to that. God does use everyone.)
But some taught, "We don't need pastors and ministers any longer.
God is not using ministers any more.
God has a different program now."
The Scripture says that He gave those gifts to men, TILL WE ALL COME...unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."
Until Jesus comes, "all of us" will never come to that place of maturing of the saints until Christ comes for His own.
What is the ultimate aim in all ministry?
Ephesians 4:13-16
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
The Church needs all-round spiritual growth to arrive at her destined perfection in Christ.
Spiritual children are easily disturbed and swept about by false things.
The ministry gifts Christ placed in the Church help us grow up into His image.
We cannot reach that place without the function of the fivefold ministry.
Some areas of Christendom have not matured beyond a certain stage of growth because they recognize only two or three ministry gifts: evangelist and pastor, or sometimes teacher.
In summary:
The ultimate aim of all ministry is not for self glory or to magnify the human in any way.
It is entirely toward the Body of Christ. It takes all these ministries functioning to edify-build up-the Body of Christ.
Get out of those churches that teach that the five fold ministry has ceased.
Get into Churches that allow the full function of the gifts given by Christ for the work of the ministry.
Satan has been at work ever since Jesus gave these ministries, he has tried his best to eliminate them from the Body of Christ so the work of the ministry would suffer and be incomplete.
There are good men who are moral who would try to convince you that the five fold ministry no longer exist.
Who do you think is ultimately behind that lie?
Why would Christ remove the very ministries needed to build up His Church?
Satan does that.
Where does Satan attack?
Satan is always watching for any opportunity to attack the Church.
If he can convince leadership that the five fold ministry given by Christ no longer exist, he can keep whole segments of the Body of Christ from maturing and being edified.
Then there would be a lack of true spiritual growth.
Satan attacks the strongest provision to the Church.
The Holy Spirit and the five fold ministries.
He works and gains his spoils where the Christian slumbers in spiritual babyhood.
Spiritual growth with constant sure spiritual development, are the surest safeguards against Satan's assaults.
Constant growth keeps our eyes open and our hearts strong.
Satan wants to keep all of us babies.
So he attacks the ministry offices, convincing who he may that the five fold ministry gifts no longer function within the Body of Christ.
THAT IS A LIE FROM HELL designed to destroy the Body of Christ!
For more about the Five Fold Ministrys:
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