sent by Clay Sikes
We, as God’s
people are coming awake to this truth, that there is a change going on that
seemingly does not follow in line with the history of church affairs. All that
history can tell us is that man’s desire to promote the gospel has been a
distorting, confusing mess that wars against the unity of the Christ instead of
cementing it together as one. By casually observing the religious climate around
us, we notice that the condition of the visible church stands in fault as
darkness increases within it and on ever side. Note the conditions of the
individual offspring coming out of family units without any discipline, which
promotes an all for me, what I want, do what makes me happy, mindset. Family
units that, for the most part, have removed God from the home and replaced Him
with alcohol, drug s, sex and pornography which creates excepting divorce
without restraint. What about society where entertainment, education, politics,
and religions have promoted life-styles (mind-sets) that extract God from among
them? This through films, educational tools and laws that reject God and His
commandments while promoting immoral, unrestrained lust and desires as well as
so called alternate life-styles that oppose God’s standards. These laws and
life-styles are establishing an order that births spiritual darkness as they
seek to make good – evil and evil – good. Is it not true that all these things
are on the rampage with what seems to be no restraint?
Just where
does the visible church stand in the face of all this darkness? What has it done
to oppose such darkness? It is important for the church to see that a time has
come when the seasons of God are demanding a change. What is it that transpires
when God brings forth such a change? It is a fact that history, when involving
the children of Israel and the church, reveals that change means that all
released from God for any given time, and season will run its course. When each
season has completed what God intended for it to achieve, that season fades away
for a coming of another time and season. While the former season fades away, it
is because its purpose has been completed and incorporated within a seed. This
seed then carries it into the next season where God’s new season is planted and
begin s to manifest God in a greater expression.
The church, as
we have known it from our past until now, is standing in a time and season of
great change. There is a changing of the guard going on in like fashion as the
children of Israel when they stood on the east side of the Jordon River while
waiting to enter into the Promised Land. It would be well to note that these
Israelites had been in a like position years earlier. However, because of
rebellion and fear, they refused to obey God and in their rebellion they reacted
in self and the enemy overcame them. This disobedience sent them back into the
wilderness for another thirty-eight years, a journey that became their day of
judgment as the whole generation that came out of Egypt died in that wilderness,
save two. Now, thirty-eight years later, another time comes for them to enter
the land of promi se again. Nevertheless, let us note the changes made, a
changing of the guard before they could enter in. Joshua now replaced Moses,
God’s man used to lead them out of Egypt. Deut. 31:2, “And he
said to them, I am one hundred and twenty years old today
[God’s number used meaning the end of the flesh]. I can no longer
go out and come in. Also the Lord has said to me, you shall not cross over the
Jordon”.
Moses, the
lawgiver, speaks to us of the law he types that is unable to come into the
promises of God, with the number 120 speaking of the “end of all flesh”. This
speaks of a large portion of the Christian community of today as they have
allowed themselves to become prisoners to the “law of death”, the carnal flesh
man, while not accepting the liberty of life which God released to His people by
the sent Holy Spirit. 2 Cor. 3:6, “who also made us sufficient as
ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the
letter kills, but the Spirit gives life”. Herein, the
carnal church system finds itself a prisoner to the old covenant of death,
meaning that its external code, which was by the old covenant, produces spiritua
l death. A death because the law, while showing us our need, is powerless to
meet that need. Recognize that only the Holy Spirit sent from God gives life, it
is not by following after religious creeds, mental philosophies nor fleshly
works that will birth righteousness. Righteousness comes only from the inward
power of the Spirit of God, which enables us to keep God’s new covenant Law,
which is His nature.
Why is it that
the Christian community seemingly always reverts to incorporating laws for
itself to live by? (Read Heb. 8:6-13). Could it be, that from the fall of Adam,
man has an inward desire to be a god unto himself? For this cause, man, left to
his own devices always seems to institute for himself an order of daily life
that promotes self and self’s image. With this drive, unchecked, man creates for
himself a life-style wherein God is not really wanted. With man, having that
inner need for a god, he establishes for himself an order of religion that keeps
the one true God at a distance while making himself his own god. While the one
true God requires obedience, man makes for self a life-style that feeds self and
all its desires and appetites. Therefore, while having a form of godliness, man
den ies God His right and His power to rule over him. Having received the
promises of God, men refuses to enter in, fulfilling a like natural response to
those wilderness journeying Israelites who refused to enter in to God’s
promises. 2 Tim. 3:2-5, “For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of
money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of
good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of
God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such turn
away!” This is that which had its beginning, first with Abrahams
natural seed and then secondly with the offspring of the church. These have
progressively matured through the decades of time until now. When is it that
this fruit comes to a head? 2 Tim. 3:1,”But know this that in the last
day’s perilous times wil l come”. This word “perilous” is a word
that describes a society that is barren of virtue but abounding with
vices.
In all this,
we see the great need that exists for a changing of the guard, meaning that God
is now ready to present Himself to His creation in a new measure. All that has
gone on in God before this present day has run its course and accomplished that
for which God sent it. Therefore the old day, the old guard, the old
understandings that has presented God in the measure we have known Him has been
fulfilled, and is now being replaced by a new day, a new guard, and new
understandings which are ushering in a full measure of God that is to manifest
the “fullness of times”. Does this mean that all our yesterdays were in vain? In
no way, for they have brought us to this day, a day that shall surpass all the
days that have gone on before. With each new day, God brought forth a greater
manifestation of Self and has now brought forth the people who shall see Him as
He is. 1 John 3:2b, “…but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be
like Him, for we shall see Him as He is”. In this wise, His
people, this new guard shall be like Him.
Even as God
spoke to the children of Israel as He prepared to bring them across the River
Jordan, He is likewise speaking to His people today. Deut. 31:3a, “The
Lord your God Himself crosses over before you;” Did not Jesus also speak
to the disciples concerning coming into this place of fulfillment with Him? John
14:3, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and
receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also”.
Speaking of coming into that dwelling place in God wherein His people shall come
to dwell. Likewise, this new guard people shall cease from their own labors to
rest in God as they manifest Christ in the earth, the finishing of His building,
His dwelling place, and the establishing of the kingdom of God in earth. His
promise remains steadfast, even as He spoke to Joshua through Moses in Deut.
31:7-8, “…Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people
to the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them and you shall
cause them to inherit it. And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you, He
will be with you, and He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be
dismayed”.
Likewise, in
our day, we see a generation, a new guard ascending before God and taking the
kingdom. With the seventh trumpet beginning to sound as proclaimed in
Revelation, loud voices are sounding out to declare this kingdom. Rev. 11:15,
“Then the seventh angel sounded: and there were loud voices in heaven,
saying, the kingdoms of the world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of
His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”. This released
anointing by the declaration of heaven is an anointing that shall bring
amazement to all creation. This new guard shall usher in the light of God with
such magnitude that the darkness of this world’s governments and religions shall
crumble and dissipate. The accusers lies shall be uncovered to remove the deceit
that has h ad the world bound and in his grip. The Holiness of God will flow
like a river as the new nature of restored man establishes the nature of Christ
in the earth. The sin, sickness, corruption and immoral behavior of the world
shall receive healing and deliverance as God releases Himself in and through His
people.
Yes, there is
a changing of the guard. God’s new day is upon us and we shall see the salvation
of the Lord. God shall establish His ways unto all the earth, for in and from
Mount Zion (God’s remnant and first fruits); God shall reign and establish
peace. Micah 4:1-3, “Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the
mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains,
and shall be exalted above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it. Many nations
shall come and say, come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the
house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk
in His paths. For out of Zion the law shall go forth, and the word
of the Lord from Jerusalem [revised true church &ndash ; His
bride]. He shall judge between many peoples, and rebuke strong nations
afar off; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into
pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they
learn war anymore”. The words “teach” from above means “to instruct,
direct, to point, shoot, and aim, throw, cast in a straight manner”. The primary
meaning is “to shoot straight” or “to direct the flow” of something. A
derivative of “teach” is “rain”. Another derivative means, “Teacher”, one who
aims and throws his directives in a straight way, one who points out the truth.
Thus, the foundation of this new guard, with Jesus the head and His body of
first fruits, they guard the word and declare that He is spirit and truth. A
rain is falling upon the earth to water the seed of truth in which God has
planted and He is now beginning the harvest.
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