Five-Fold Today - The Nature of an Apostolic Team - Power and Glory - Who Can Know the Heart? - My Voice Will Not Be Silent - Let's Be Thankful - The Soldier's Prayer - Come and Ravish His Heart - Repent Before It's Too Late
The Nature of an Apostolic Team
Alison Papenfus
Part 2 of 2 parts -
Back to Acts 1. What characteristed the 11 apostles of Acts 1?
OBEDIENCE
Having received this command they were obedient to it - they went back to Jerusalem and waited. But not
alone.
1:10 RATIO IN APOSTOLIC TEAMS
UNITY AND PRAYER
One accord - this phrase is used again in Acts 2.46, 4.24, 5.12, etc - and it always indicates the
unconditional unity amongst the believers - in the face of suffering, persecution, selfless giving - they
were as one. The first characteristic of those on an apostolic team is this - UNITY!
Prayer and supplication - what for? The promise that had been given them. They prayed for what they
knew they had been promised
PATTERN IN ACTS 13
MODERN APPLICATION
APOSTLES - TEAM PLAYERS, UNITED WITH THEIR TEAMS, ABLE TO "DO AND TEACH"
And out of this came prophets - strong, accurate and accountable itinerant ministries - e g Acts 11.27
CONCLUSION
Alison Papenfus
Power and Glory
Ras Robinson
You are about to experience my power and glory as never before. Enter into my presence now and you will begin to experience a foretaste of heaven. There is coming a day when my presence, glory and power will fill the earth. Come now and let me show you what you have not seen. Do not be frightened by the smoke of my presence. Your prayers and the prayers of your brethren have been heart. Your hearts are before me now. I will open heaven to you and you will suddenly be taken aback by the splendor and absolute glory of my presence. Press into me. Come in close. Settle into the intimacy. You have been afraid of intimacy. Do not be afraid. Don’t be as some before you and stay at the foot of the mountain. You will soon experience far more than Mount Sinai with all of its power, glory and smoke. I am opening Mount Zion to those whom I have chosen. Prepare to go up! Leave behind worldly pleasures and possessions. Forsake those burdens and all the baggage for you will not be able to take it with you where I am taking you. You are about to experience my power and glory as never before.
And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice. And the Lord came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the Lord called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up. Exodus 19:17-20
http://www.fullnessonline.org
Who Can Know the Heart?
Stephen Hanson
They will return to it and remove all its vile images and detestable idols. [19] I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. [20] Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God. [21] But as for those whose hearts are devoted to their vile images and detestable idols, I will bring down on their own heads what they have done, declares the Sovereign LORD. EZE 11:18
"What is in the heart of man? What comes out of a man's heart? The heart is wicked and no one can understand it. Only I, says the Lord, can understand your heart. There is so much bound up in it. There are hurts, and there are dreams and there are fears. I have said that I would give you a new heart, besides the stony heart that you originally had. With this new heart you will learn to praise Me at all times. You will learn to come to Me with everything that you have in this life. Your hearts, even though hurt with many scars and wounds, will be healed. No one can plumb the depths of your hearts but I. There are areas of your hearts that only I know about. Hold them up to Me and give Me all of them. Do not hold back from Me, says the Lord. If there are corners and areas that you keep from Me then you will not come into the fullness that I have promised to you. The heart is the area that is most vulnerable and that is why you must guard it. I will knit your inmost parts together. I will refine them as of gold. I will set a border around it of brocades. I will set gems and rubies there. I will purify your darkened streams. And when your hearts are made pure again then your hearts will resound in service again to Me."
"All of your dreams and visions are bound-up in your hearts. It is with your hearts that you believe. It is through your hearts that you can also doubt. Give Me your dreams and give Me your visions. I have said that I would give you the desires of your heart, but those desires need to be set upon Me."
"Oh my people, I have beautiful things in store for you, but these beautiful things can only happen if you you give Me all of your hearts."
http://www.angelfire.com/in/HisTruth
My Voice Will Not Be Silent
Jeanne Stewart
I will have a voice from the rising of the sun to the place it sets and it will shine forth in beauty. My voice will not be silent! I will have a people that listen to Me and then speak! My fire will devour before them and My tempest rage as My wind purifies the atmosphere by My Spirit.
I gather to Me My consecrated ones who have made sacrifice and a covenant with only Me. You will see fresh signs and wonders like you have never seen before and you will know I AM in the midst of them ... for I AM GOD!
I will speak and you will honor Me. There is now a new fire burning in you to speak with a greater anointing. The wind of My Spirit stirs you continually with My words that are to be birthed into the atmosphere around you. Speak it forth ...
Those My Spirit has chosen to receive it are My messengers of violent beauty! The ax has fallen to the root ... be not afraid to speak it!
hjstewart@intellex.com
Let's Be Thankful
Yoland Ballard
Let's turn the tide on the enemy. Let's take a look at the times under greatest attack, where the Lord used it to His
glory. Let's share testimony of His faithfulness where our trials worked for our good and the good of the kingdom of God.
Who wants to share first?
I want to encourage you to make good use of your trials and discomforts of life for if you use them wisely, you can turn
these times when the flesh is at the most discomfort to bring glory to God and use them to promote ministry for the body of
Christ. There are many examples of this in the Word from Genesis to Revelations where God used His bond-servants and
handmaidens the most when they were in captivity, either in prison or during personal battles in their own lives with their
enemy.
What the enemy means for harm, God will turn for our good. Would you trade a time of long endurance in your life for
more freedom, where you can come and go as you want, if you knew you would be giving up times of intimacy with the Father
and great revelation from the throne of God? God promises us an abundant life full of freedom but also much tribulation.
God promises us times of refreshing as He trains us and prepares us for the great battle ahead.
We are in a spiritual boot camp where many without choosing will go on long periods with little to eat because of
finances. But what does that do for you except prepares you for spiritual times of fasting and a greater thansgiving in
our hearts when we receive abundance. Every area of testing work for our good for it buillds in us Christ-like character.
Give thanks for everything for everything is for our good.
Do not allow the enemy to blind you or rob you of all the good that comes from trials by murmuring or complaining or even
giving into self pity, bitterness, and the list goes on! The fire purifies us like gold and brings to the surface all that
isn't of God. Yes, I have had a hard time since I got saved with many attacks from the evil one. And its been like having
triple-decker trials since day one. I guess the Lord had to do a quick work in me, and I am thankful for all I've been
through.
I have had the greatest times of intimacy where the Lord spoke the clearest in writing when I had my sleep schedule
greatly disturbed. Levi usually stays up till around 4 am and then then sleeps in late. So I keep an eye on him all night
even though he's in his room. I listen for him until I know he's asleep. Then when I finally get to sleep, then the dogs
want to go out a couple of times. I might look like Rocky Raccoom with dark rings, but God is doing a good work through it
all. And I know my day will come when Levi will be set free, and I will be like on a vacation!
But even then when things are going good, we need to be careful not to forget the Lord. For many have fallen prey to the
enemy when they have prospered or gained great deliverance in an area. Our flesh cries out for freedom, but our spirits
know that at a place of desperation for the Lord, we are at great safety. So I encourage you to have peace in your hearts
and thank the Lord for His fire for all He allows us to go through is because He loves us and wants us to be able to stand
strong with head set like flint against the evil one.
We are ones that know His faithfulness, because we have gone through the fire. We are strong because we have the shout of
the King within us. We are strong because we know we have won the war. We are strong because we overcome by the blood of
the Lamb, the word of our testimnony, and we love not our lives unto death. "And the Spirit and the bride say come. Come,
Lord Jesus."
RainNglory@msn.com
The Soldier's Prayer
Timothy Glendenning
With all his shining armor, the soldier's equipment is not yet complete. There is one other vital thing to be named, and
this the Christian warrior must take along with him, for his warfare will be hopeless if he leaves it behind. 'Praying
always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perserverance and supplication for
all saint's'
Why should he pray? A praying warrior receives into his soul the grace-energies of the eternal God. The power of grace is
just the holy love and strength and beauty of the Godhead flowing into the needs of the soul and filling them with its own
completeness. Now we do not pray in order to make God willing to impart this grace, but in order to fit ourselves to
receive it. We do not pray to ingratiate God's goodwill, but to open our souls in hospitality. We do not pray to create a
friendly air, but to let it in, not to propitiate God but to appropriate Him. We do not pray to turn a reluctant God
towards ourselves, but to turn our reluctant selves toward a ready and bountiful God.
When should we pray? The answer of the veteran warrior Paul is 'always.' Not at some time, but at all times! 'Praying
always.' But can we do that? We are called upon to earn our daily bread. We have to face a hundred different problems.
Every bit of grey matter in our brain is devoting its strength to the immediate task. Is it possible for us to think of
two things at once? Can we be thinking out some absorbing question in business, and at the same time be praying to God?
One thing is surely perfectly clear, we cannot be always thinking of God. It is constitutionally impossible. But while we
cannot always be thinking of God, and always speaking to God, we can always be mentally disposed toward Him, so that
whatever we are doing there can be a mental leaning or bias towards His most holy will.
But the Christian soldier is not only a suppliant for his own spiritual health. He is much more than this. The Apostle
councels him to be a suppliant for the health of the entire Christian army. That is to say, the Christian soldier not only
prays for the health of his own spirit, but for a healthy esprit de corps throughout the whole militant Church of Christ.
it is his duty and privilage to be prayerfully jealous for the saints, and for the spiritual equipment of all his
fellow-soldiers on the field.
And then, just to finish it all, and by one example to show how deep and wide is this ministry of supplication, the apostle
Paul asks the Ephesian soldiers to pray for him. 'And for me, that utterance may be given unto me.' Let us be careful to
note this, and let us observe its heartening significance. These immature Christians in Ephesus, trembling in their early
faith, are asked to pray for the old warrior in Rome. Do all congregations realize that privilege and service concerning
their ministers? Do I realize that my prayers, obscure and nameless though I be, can give utterance to a Paul, a
Livingstone, a Moffat, or a Chalmers? Do I realize that I can pour grace upon their lips? What a brave and splendid
privilege! Am I using it? I thank my God, that we pray for one another. And it is shone by our communion together.
In Christ, timothy.
glendenning@prodigy.net
Come and Ravish His Heart
Deborah Voetberg
As the children of the Most High God we have found the Holy Spirit sifting through our hearts and revealing to us, and maybe even to the world around us, what has been hidden in our hearts but laid bared before Him for all time. There is such a force beginning to come forth in the spirit, and the impact will change our lives and the world as a whole. That force is His Holiness.
Beloved, we are children of light that have allowed areas in our hearts to fellowship with darkness. Our Lord is holy and has nothing to do with darkness. We know that, but the practicing of lawlessness still colors our lives.
We are coming quickly into the time of great fellowship with our Lord. A time the world has not seen because there is now coming a magnitude of His Spirit that is already starting to flow over those who have consecrated their hearts and lives to Him. Not a perfect Bride but a set apart Bride. Ones with oil in their lamps!
We come not because of our love, for our concept of love is still so darken compared to His and we are still coming into the knowledge of what love really is, but because He is the one whom loves our soul! When we come to Him with all of our hearts we have the capacity to ravish His heart! With one look of our eyes turned towards Him, we are able to transport and flood His heart with the love He so longs to share with us. Can we truly comprehend how He longs for us, and waits for the time He'll be calling us to join Him at the marriage supper of the Lamb?
By His Holy Spirit He is pouring over the details of our hearts to prepare us for a flooding of His Spirit that through us, He'll touch this world with His love, purity, righteousness, compassion and healing. Yes the miracles are coming in a greater measure and signs and wonders will turn the eyes of this world upon the Body of Christ and see her as she was meant to be portrayed. Glorious and full of His righteousness. But the lawlessness and carnality that has so been the face we have shown the world must be repented of and rejected, for it has nothing to do with who we are. Living temples of the Most High God.
This year that we have entered into, will be marked with the beginning of the mighty move of God that we have been waiting for. It will come through the compassion of the church that has fallen in love once again with her Shepherd and Beloved whom loves her soul! A Bride who has set aside her own identity and has taken up fully the identity of her Bridegroom! A Bride who has found that the lust of the flesh and pride of this world truly lead to death and life is only found in Jesus Christ.
If these last few months have been a time of trial and shaking in your life, be encouraged and rejoice for you are being prepared to house more of Him and show forth His glory in these last days! Let go once and for all of the sins that so easily ensnare you. He truly is the author and finisher of your faith. Believe Him. Trust Him. Rest in Him. Fall in love with the one whom loves your soul. Come to Him out of His love for you and He will teach you of His ways, compassion and love. Only He can teach you, and it will come out of the heart He will give you that will beat with His love. We will see through His eyes and touch lives out of the compassion of His heart. And out of our bellies the world will finally see flow rivers of living water!
Great Grace!
Deborah Voetberg
Dabar Ministries
www.judges5.com
judges-5@msn.com
Repent Before It's Too Late
Dave Howe
For the body.
Today there are many in the body that are in sin and justify it by misusing the Word thinking they are getting away with it. But no longer, for judgment is beginning with the house of God. The Lord has to judge his house first before the world.
So if you have to repent - Repent now and be free - Don't wait a second longer. Repent and be pure and Holy before the Lord for sin cannot stand in the presence of the Lord. Remember what happened to Ananias and Sapprira.
Repent while we are still in the age of grace - For soon the age of grace will be over and then the time of judgement.
No more mixture - No more in the world and of it - No more justifying loving the world - No more lusting after the world - No more justifying sin - For the Word says we are in the world - BUT NOT OF IT.
For many of my people praise me with their lips - But their hearts are far from me - As soon as they are out of sight of others then they watch sin with their eyes - Speak sin with their mouths, Do sin with their bodies and think no one sees them.
But I see them says the Lord - For I see all things - See even the deepest parts of your hearts. See what is done behind closed doors -For no door is closed unto my eyes says the Lord.
Come my people - Repent and be truly converted - Yes come be saved -Come and be washed in my blood that I poured out down the cross for you all so that you could be truly free from sin and death.
For there are many who will say to me on the day of judgement that they prophesied in my name - That they healed the sick in my name -But I will say to such as these "Depart from me you workers of evil, I don't know you, Depart from me and go with your father the devil into the lake of fire."
Take care and heed my word unto you. For I want none to perish but all to come to repentance and true new life in my son Christ Jesus.
Come Repent my people. For even though your sins be red as scarlet, they shall be white as snow. You will be washed white as snow if you truly repent says the Lord.
I say again take heed for time is shorter than you think - For this age of grace is soon coming to an end - Then the tribulation and judgement.
Come repent while there is still time my people. Repent and stop justifying your sins. Stop misusing my Word - Repent before it's to late. For I am still holding my nail scared hand out to you in love - For I want none to perish.
Come Repent Before it's to late - Do not Die in your sins - For after death comes the judgement.
Dave Howe
Wellspring Prophetic Min England.
Living Waters Fellowship Margate.
davehowe@fdn.co.uk
February 13, 2002
The immediate commandment given to the first 11 apostles was Acts 1.4 ""not to depart from Jerusalem but
to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said "you have heard from me; (5) for ... you shall be
baptised with the Holy Spirit not many days from now"
v 13 makes is clear that there were about 120 people in the group that waited. The apostles received the
commandment and passed it on immediately to all those who were in that group. In v 15 Peter expounds
scripture to them and Matteus is appointed as the 12th apostle - supported by prayer from the group. So
in a group of 120 it was roughly 1 apostle to 10 people.
What did the group DO? They waited. But the nature of the waiting is vital - v 14 tells us that 120
people "continued with one accord in prayer and supplication"
If we go to Acts 13 we find the same pattern - 5 people were praying and serving the Lord together. I
wonder why? My opinion is that Barnabas and Saul were feeling a nudge from the Holy Spirit to go out and
the others agreed to fast and pray with them over their call - I could be wrong, I'm reading into
scripture a bit - but the important point is this - they were in unity, they were in prayer
If those who believe they have been given a commandment to go out and perform the work of an apostle will
gather around them 10 who will be united in belief that God wants to send people out - and pray with them
into this purpose - then I want to suggest that we will see it come to pass. But until apostles operate
out of TEAM we are not going to see the apostolic released! The first 11 did not hang onto their
ministry for themselves - they brought another one into the group even before the Holy Spirit was poured
out! They shared everything with the 120 who were in unity and prayed for them. Apostles didn't go
rushing off solo to plant churches - they were obedient to the commandment they had. They worked with a
united team. And because they were obedient and united God poured out His Spirit - we are the result of
that!
Apostles are not lone rangers - they are part of a united team! Not only should they be part of a team
of apostles - they should be part of a praying team as well. As the church in Jerusalem grew the prayer
did not diminish - there are wonderful nuggets in Acts, some clearly written with some humor (e.g Acts
12.14-15) - the Apostles had been sent to preach - and everyone united and backed them up in prayer -
Acts 6.4-5 - the scripture is clear that in the early part of the book of Acts the preaching, teaching,
miracles were performed through the apostles 95% of the time - and Acts 6.5 says "the multitude" of
believers was perfectly happy with this - no grumbling about wanting the pulpit etc etc - they were happy
to be able to back up an apostolic team - in prayer and - if necessary - dishing up in the soup kitchen.
Why send an article of this sort to prophetic people? Very simple - because we are holding up the
release of the apostolic. We have allowed ourselves to be intimidated into thinking that we dont have
"much" authority in the church - and by ourselves that's true - we dont! But in unity with teachers we
have the authority to send out apostles! In unity with an apostolic team we have the power to pray-in
the promise of God for that apostolic team! And until we rise up - as prayer leaders and as those who
are ready to send out the ones God has called - the whole church is frozen in a time warp! Because it is
the prophets and teachers who need to take a deep breath right now and say "It's time! This is how we
need to pray. These are the ones God has chosen to go!"
January 2002
www.africaprophecy.co.za
And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple… Rev. 15:8
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? JER 17:9
inhistruthprophet@earthlinkPraying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perserverance
and supplication for all saints. Eph. 6:18
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