A Kingdom Mindset Part 5 Avoiding the pitfalls of the past

A Kingdom Mindset Part 5   Avoiding the pitfalls of the past   Great healing movements have swept the earth in the past although nothing like the magnitude of what is about to unfold. We must learn from the mistakes of those who went before us. The 1948 healing revival produced great men and women who impacted the world by co-operating with the Holy Spirit in a specific a time a season.  Recently I visited the Billy Graham Charlotte Headquarter in North Carolina. While wandering through the Hall of Fame I was impacted by the integrity, and character of a man who weathered the decades following the 1948 move of God.  Many would say Billy Graham was not a Pentecostal! All I can say not man could achieve the results over years of ministry that this man has without being filled with the Spirit of God. This move of God produced many great men and women who led countless numbers people to the Lord.  There were failures of course, we need to understand that we are in an army that is at war causalities are part of this war that we are fighting, and many have been and will yet be wounded in this struggle against light and darkness. I came across a man who had been badly wounded in this battle and was on the brink of giving it all away, the problem was not in the initial wounds he received in the battle, the most grievous wounds were those inflicted upon him by self righteous Christians who has almost finished him off.  Christians have to stop shooting the Wounded; this continues to be a source of great grief to the Lord.  Galatians 5:15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. Remember you will reap what you sow, King David had a heart after Gods own heart; we need to seek that kind of heart filled with compassion, grace, kindness, and love. Humility the badge of honor We are told that pride precedes a fall. Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. God hates pride it was the cause of Lucifer’s fall and many have succumbed to this powerful attribute of Satan.   Proverbs 6:16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17a A proud look, Pride separates you from God and causes Him to resist you. James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Many have been given power to heal the sick and cast out demons but we must understand one thing. There is a danger of walking in great power and authority We need to understand that that walking in great power and authority is not Gods endorsement of you or your message. That may come as shock to some but Just because you walk in great healing or delivering power does not mean that your message, or doctrine is correct. If you start to think that way you will open the door to a fall and great delusion.  This form of pride is deadly and has been the downfall of many.  The truth that without Him you can do nothing has to be deeply engrained in us. Those who seek exposure and promotion for their ministry, those who gained their positions through self promotion and political maneuvering will find themselves unqualified and unable to be a part of this next great move of God. The majority of Christians judge ministries by their gifts instead of by their fruit or their character; this can quickly lead to disillusionment when these ministries fail. I believe many of us in the ministry know what it means to depend upon and run with our anointing without really knowing the Lord, however we also know this eventually leads to failure and baroness. The Apostle Paul’s aim and longings were “that I might know you” Paul realized the futility and dangers of anointed ministry without really knowing the Lord.   Philippians 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;  We could list many of the sins that have caused the fall of ministries, but we need to realize that theses sins are primarily caused by the root of pride. Pride was the initial sin from which all others sprang from. The second main root of sin was that of believing a lie, Lucifer believed that he could become as God and even dethrone Him; such is this deception that He still believes this. The Apostle Paul admonished Timothy not to place a person in oversight that did not have the character and qualities required for such a roll, namely  the fruit of the spirit which is foundation to the requirements for leadership. We have all seen recently how devastating that can be. Giving endorsement to any   ministry requires real discernment and an assurance of integrity and Godly character. 1 Timonthy 3:6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. However we must always remember it is not how we start but how we finish the race that matters. Psalms 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his 24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand. A kingdom mindset requires of us that we have a heart for building His kingdom not ours. The gospel of the Kingdom requires that we understand and acknowledge and bow to the King. It is a message of a King and His kingdom and submission to this King brings life and justice and will restore heaven to earth. His kingdom is not a mix of many outposts (churches) vying with each other; His true Kingdom is one Body. Many who will be used to lead in this coming revival and ingathering will be those we have never heard off, as well as those who are fathers in the Kingdom. Finally 2 Peter 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. God is looking for His character to be formed in us to qualify us for this end-time army Pursue fruit along with great humility and you will never fail Blessings Neville Johnson  January 27, 2009