BLESSED TO REST

BLESSED TO REST

Genesis 2:3
Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.

BEFORE THE FOUNDATION

Before the fall in the Garden of Eden God blessed the 7th day, setting aside a day where he rested from works.  Even before the fall the plan for man to rest was on God's mind.  Before the fall, God knew man would fall. Before the fall, when man was still at rest, God knew they would need to re-enter that rest. God rested from his own works leading the way for man to enter into a rest! Because he rested, we can enter into a rest! The bible says Jesus was already slain before the foundations of the earth were laid! God was not surprised at the fall and had already provided a way for mankind to be saved!  God isn't limited by present knowledge. He sees that past, present and future all at once!   In fact Jesus had to be slain before the foundations of the world because he is the foundation!  In order to build on Christ he must come first and he did!  Before God created the earth, his son was already set aside for the purpose of redemption! This is an awesome truth!

Revelation 13:8
All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

1Peter 1:20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you

Isaiah 28:16 b

Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation,  A tried stone, a precious cornerstone

DAY OF REST FOR MAN

God has designed the human body to need a day of rest.  This is a day that we stop our labor and our toils and both rest our bodies and worship him.  While physical rest is one day a week, rest in Christ is eternal.  The number six represents the number of man. Six days we labor and on the 7th we rest.  The number seven represents perfection.  In Christ, the perfect one, we enter an eternal rest from our own labors and rely on Christ.

Matthew 11:28-30

28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

In the Old Testament the actual day mattered. The Old Testament was a type and shadow of the New. In the Old Testament the Jews worked for 6 days but at the end of the 6th day they could do no labor and they entered into a 24 hour rest.  The New Testament teaching is that we enter into a spiritual eternal rest (not just 24 hours) representing the 7th day-the day we accept Christ as Savior.  It's on that day we rest from our own labors and rest in what he has done for us.  We know all of our own labors and toils can never provide the permanent eternal rest in God that was lost in the fall.  The day of the week doesn't matter but the day you accept Christ does!  Some denominations put an emphasis on the actual day.  You can work Monday through Saturday and wind up like a clock and visit a church on Sunday but that doesn't save you.  You can do the same thing Sunday through Friday and then grace the doors of a church on Saturday and still have a heart that hasn't been cleansed by the blood of Christ.  The actual day doesn't matter but the day of Christ matters.  We must ask ourselves have we found the day that we set down self-reliance and yielded to Christ and his forgiveness?  It's on that day, we find rest! That's when the 7th day, the day of rest becomes an every day experience! That's when we enter back into the place man had in the garden before the fall!  It's an eternal day of rest! Amen!

The Promise of Rest

Hebrews 4: 3-7   7-For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said:“ So I swore in My wrath, ‘ They shall not enter My rest,’” although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”; 5 and again in this place: “They shall not enter My rest.” 6 Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, 7 again He designates a certain day, saying in David, “Today,” after such a long time, as it has been said:


 “ Today, if you will hear His voice,
  Do not harden your hearts.”

8 For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. 9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. 10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.

This passage shows the true rest was not entered into in the Old Testament but that true rest is for those who believe in Christ. Those who don't believe have no rest. Those who do have entered into that rest! He who has entered that rest, has ceased from  his own works!  Praise God!

TODAY IS THE DAY

So there is a promise of rest and that rest is today!

The 7th day is today!

Today is the day of salvation!

Today is the day to make Christ Lord (if you haven't already!)

Today is the day to rest from works just as God did!

We have no guarantees about tomorrow!

I want to thank each person who takes the time to read this post.  If you've never asked Christ into your heart  you can do that right now.  He is present and hears every word you speak from your heart.  If you want to accept his death and the payment for your sins and if you want to accept the rest from your own works and an eternal rest in life with him, just ask him now.  You can simply say, "Dear Lord Jesus, come into my heart.  Forgive me of my sins.  I give you my life.  Take control and be Lord of my life TODAY!"  Amen!

If you said that prayer, the bible says you are saved~

Scriptures used taken from:  http://www.biblegateway.com/

BLESSING: PENTECOST EMPOWERMENT

THE DAY OF PENTECOST- A QUICK NOTE ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST WHEN THE POWER CAME DOWN!


ACTS 1: 4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

This is what Jesus spoke right after his resurrection and there were about 500 followers. On the day of Pentecost when this actually happened there were only 120 that were actually waiting for this promise, yet Jesus had told them they should wait for it. What did he mean when he said they would be baptized in the Holy Spirit?

The Greek used is baptizo which means to be submersed and also to be continually dipped. This is different that being baptized into the body of Christ, which happens at salvation and it's different from being baptized in water which is an outward act of a choice you make to follow Christ. In the same way we are submersed into the body and submersed in water for baptism, we are submersed in the Holy Spirit by Jesus for a life of consecration, boldness, power and witnessing.

Acts 2:1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

It was right after this moment that Peter stood up from where he was and spoke the gospel with boldness, resulting in 3000 being saved. Peter who was just coming out of the failure of denying Christ was the one in the face of the religious crowd breaking down their man made traditions and proclaiming the uncompromising gospel of Jesus Christ, the savior of the world!

The 380 that didn't receive (at least at this time) the baptism in the Holy Spirit were no less followers of Christ than the 120 that were in the Upper Room but they didn't at that time experience the baptism Jesus had told them about. It's that baptism that fills us with the power to stand up and be bold about Christ. It's that power that fills us with the Holy Spirit equipment to become his witnesses! It's that power that brings the gifts of the Holy Spirit that are just as alive today as they were then, and which actually equips to set captives free, bring sight to blind, healing of broken hearts and more! Just after that experience those followers went forward preaching and they saw signs and wonders including healing, deliverance, & all kinds of miracles!

Here's something else he said right after he told them to wait for the promise:

Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Even today there are Christians that are satisfied with their own salvation, going to church and shall we say "a little dab will do ya Holy Spirit, and actually spend almost no time at all sharing and demonstrating their faith to others.  All through the book of Acts, an experience and work of the Holy Spirit AFTER salvation is seen. While there may be debates about what the evidences of that work will be there is no question that work results in power to witness and a flame that burns toward boldness- that makes one submersed and consumed with witnessing! That proimise is still available and to receive, one only needs to ask. If you've experienced the baptism in the Holy Spirit, you know it! If you don't know it, make that your Pentecost Celebration commitment; to seek it and find it! Also don't think that a one time experience is enough. As long as we are in this flesh we will need that continual dipping to stay filled for both increased Christ-likeness 

 and increased power to witness Amen!

BLESSING: DOMINION IN THE EARTH- YOUR SPHERE OF BLESSING

THE BLESSING OF DOMINION

GENESIS 1:28  Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

God spoke a blessing over man that included dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on earth.  You don't see the animal kingdom living in houses, building houses, cities, roads and highways while mankind lives in the forest or lives as pets to animals!  I've never seen a dog leading a man around on a leash!  No! God gave man dominion on the earth over the animal kingdom and in fact over every living thing.  Man is made in the image of God and is superior to anything else as far as dominion goes.

Dominion in Hebrew means to tread, rule over, take by force or break apart.  This blessing to take dominion was never taken away by God.  There was a curse of sin and death and labor on the earth but God never withdrew the blessing over man to dominate the earth, to subdue it and have dominion over all life.  It was never God's intention that animals shred and tread on man and for the most part you don't see that, except for in animal attacks.  In the Garden of Eden, however, it wasn't so.  Now the earth and all creation is groaning waiting for the full redemption and the full manifestation of the dominion and reign of God on the earth.  The bible says the earth groans waiting for the sons of God to be revealed.  When we walk in the authority and dominion given to us by God, the creation sees the sons of God walking in their inheritance and walking in their blessing.  The completion and fullness of this restored dominion will finally be seen when Christ returns, but until then we as "sons of God," must learn to walk in the blessing.  We must not allow the devil and circumstance to crush us, to tread upon us and to destroy us.  We must not let the devil trample us under foot.  What Jesus has purchased for us is to be able to tread upon serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy yet we often walk in defeat and in a place of allowing the devil to dominate us!

Luke 10:19, 20 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 

Romans 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.

THE FULLNESS OF TIMES

While all things have been placed under Christ's feet and the victory has already been won, we don't yet see all things in subjection.

HEBREWS 2:8 You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him.

We are living in a current age when all things are currently being gathered to Christ.  Until all that will be gathered to him is gathered to him, we are in that age. At the fullness of that time, this final redemption will take place. Until then there is this evidence of the fall and although the redemption has been bought and paid for; the blood has been shed and Jesus is seated at the throne, we still do not see all things subject to him. There is still evidence of the fall.  Work is still oftentimes laborious, animals and the earth still groan and bodies still age!  Have you ever noticed the animal kingdom's voice is in the minor key?  I don't remember where I first heard that but when Jesus restores all things I do think their voice will change from one of groaning to one of rejoicing and possibly they may even be able to talk!  However, the fullness of blessing has been bought back by Christ. He has already crushed the head of the serpent and those who have already come into his kingdom have the ability to walk in the blessing he bought!

Ephesians 1: 9,10- 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth.

To walk in dominion is to walk in blessing.  It is ruling over the sphere, the place God has given you. Obviously at this present time, with earthly natural limitations no man can be all things to all people at all times.  Only God can do that!  God told man to "have dominion."  When we are fruitful, increasing in every area, subduing and filling the earth with the knowledge of the glory of God, we are walking in dominion and blessing. When we experience lack and failure, we are not walking in the blessing Christ bought back for us.  When people walk in famine, poverty, sickness and sin they are not walking in the blessing that has already been redeemed; that Christ has already paid for.  While we sometimes walk through seasons, we need to never accept that failure, lack, sickness and defeat of every kind is God's perfect will.  He's called us to walk around in victory.  He's not only called us to walk around in victory for our own lives but to bring the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ to those around us.  That gospel includes not only salvation and eternal life but it includes an abundant life now that is full of God's blessing!

NATURAL TRAGEDY

It was never God's will for animals to dominate man.  When you see animals attacking and shredding and killing or harming man, you are not seeing the plan of God for mankind.  It's not God's will for destructive weather patterns to dominate man. This is part of the fall.  That's why Jesus rebuked the storm and it ceased it's destructive power!

We as Christians are to walk in the dominion Christ bought back for us and to influence the world around us for him until he comes and all of these things that are contrary to his will are brought under his feet!  Man was made to have dominion.  While we live on this earth, we will continue to see the effects of sin and the results of the fall but we have given authority and we must stand and rebuke evil until Jesus returns and puts an end to everything that was a result of the fall! There is a final redemption coming that will put all things back in order.

1 Corinthians 15:20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. ²¹ For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. ²² For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. ²³ But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. ²⁴ Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. ²⁵ For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. 

Psalm 8:6 You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet.

What has God placed in your care. He's given you dominion over your surroundings- over the work of his hands.  You're in charge and you reign.  You are his representative on the earth.

You may be the only person in your family serving Jesus.  What about your work or other activities. You may be the only Godly example in the someone's life. That is your sphere.  I'm not saying that's all you have dominion over.  God may place something on your heart to pray about.  Whatever he asks you to do, you do it in his strength, power and authority.  Until he sets things in order, you reign in the place he's put you in!  It is not God's will for Christians to walk in defeat!  The bible teaches we all have a place in the body of Christ and that each one is important and necessary.  We need to find that place, fit in and fulfill the purpose God has designed for us!

DOMINATION VS REIGNING

Man was never meant to be dominated but to dominate.  Even men are not to dominate over men but rather to rule by example and as co-laborers.  We are to willfully submit to one another in relationship.  God will give men position and even raise some up to be kings, rulers, presidents, prime ministers, governors, mayors, pastors, prophets, overseers, bishops, elders, parents, principles, teachers, coaches, youth leaders, team leaders, etc.  In that capacity they are to lead as examples and yes, followers are to submit to their leadership but not to their domination!  Even pastors who are typified as shepherds of the flock are also typified as sheep themselves and can only lead where they've already been.  They are to gently lead as the good shepherd does.  The bible says he's a good shepherd, who gently leads and whose voice the sheep hear and gladly follow!  Whatever our leadership capacity, we need to gently lead where we've been and not by dominating men! 

DOMINATE THE DEVIL IN YOUR PLACE OF REIGN

If dominate means to tread down, destroy, and break apart, who should we be dominating?  We should be dominating the devil and we should be dominating our negative circumstances!  Remember, Jesus crushes the head of the serpent.  The following is the promise of God at the beginning of time:

Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

He's under our feet.  We are now recipients of the above promised seed and have been given the authority to crush the head of the serpent, Satan!:

Luke 10:19, 20 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20- Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

Be free and don't be dominated by anything!

Psalm 119:45  And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.

2 Corinthians 3:17  Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

Bring that liberty to those around you by preaching, proclaiming, laying hands on the sick and loving the wounded and broken hearted!

Isaiah 61:1  The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound

Galatians 5:1  Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

YOUR DOMINION, YOUR CALL-THERE'S ONLY ONE YOU

Joseph had a call on his life.  God was going to save and deliver an entire nation through him.  God had years before Joseph was born shown Abraham and spoken to him in a vision that his descendants would go into a time of bondage in Egypt.  Although they would only be delivered over 400 years later, their time in Egypt would be a season of being fed and preserved.  There was to come a famine in Joseph's land yet God would position Joseph as a ruler in Egypt to show favor to his people.  There they would thrive and flourish.  By positioning Joseph ahead of time, the people would be preserved. This is the very short version of a very long story.  Just as God had shown Abraham a vision, God showed Joseph a vision of him being in authority.  Even his brothers and parents bowed down.  Rather than holding the vision in his heart he told the vision to his brothers.  Sometimes it's better not to tell.  We know God only shows us in part.  Instead of rejoicing that God had spoken to Joseph, the brothers were jealous.  Now Joseph had not asked to dream the dream. It had just come. All he was doing was telling, yet they were jealous.  They were already jealous because his father favored Joseph.  Who knows if the outcome would have been different had he pondered the vision, rather than told.  Joseph's brothers, sisters, father, and all the Hebrew people were not only saved but thrived and flourished through Joseph's leadership!

God has a plan for you and his plan for you is not your brother or sister's call.  He has a plan for each individual.  We need to have God open our eyes to see the call on our lives. Many never realize their full potential because rather than focus on their own particular call and blessing they are too busy comparing themselves with others!  Only Joseph could fulfill his call and only Joseph could endure what he had to go through to get into the position God had for him.  Only you can fulfill your call and only you are cut from the cloth necessary to walk the walk God has designed just for you.  Joseph's coat wasn't cut out for his brothers and neither would it even fit his brothers. (Rodney Howard-Browne's The Coat My Father Gave Me, 

http://www.revival.com/the-coat-my-father-gave-me.1958.1.htm?q=1)  

You have a path you have to walk on to fulfill your call and only you can do it!   Many want position but they don't want the path!  Many want position but they don't want to pay the price.  Many only see the glory and dominion but they don't see the 13 years of suffering that preceded Joseph's rise to prominence!  Rather than seeking the glory and position of another we need to have our own vision as Joseph did.  God will give you your particular call and vision and it will be according to your faithfulness and willingness to walk in integrity!  No matter what Joseph went through or was accused of, he never turned from God and never compromised his integrity!  Amen!

It's time for the body of Christ to rise us and fulfill God's plan for their life.  This plan may involve leading just a few or God may make you to lead many!  Whatever the call you need to realize there's only one you!  We need to not look at others but say, "Lord not my will but yours be done!"  We need to dominate the devil and walk in the authority God has bought back for us through Christ, bringing liberty, increase, blessings and fulfillment not only to ourselves but others!  It's time to walk in dominion over the devil and not over people!  Jesus reigns and does reign, and will reign for all eternity.  Just as he was prophesied to come the first time, there's coming a day when not only will all things BE under his feet but we will actually see all things under his feet!  Until then, we walk in authority, walk in dominion, and take part in gathering all things to him!  Praise God and Amen!

BLESSING: REPLENISH & FILL THE EARTH WITH THE GLORY OF GOD- Part 2

A DEMONSTRATION- THE WEDDING OF CANA

Genesis 1:28
Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”(NKJV)

I've been writing on this blessing of God first spoken over man that included filling the earth.  Yesterday I wrote about how we are not only to fill the earth in a natural way but God has filled us to be poured out.  Today in part 2 we see a beautiful picture drawn at The Wedding of Cana. 

FILLED TO BE POURED OUT

In the same way the Holy Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost filling those that were waiting with power and boldness, after he first poured out to them, he poured out through them to bring the good news of the gospel and the power of God to a world in need of salvation. This power not only gave them the boldness to speak but it was the equipping for signs, wonders and miracles that would bring deliverance from all manner of evil!   In the same way the life of Jesus was poured out in his earthly ministry,  the life of Jesus Christ would continue to be poured out only now it would be through those upon whom the Holy Spirit was poured out.

This was demonstrated in pictorial form accompanied by the miraculous at the beginning of Jesus' ministry at the wedding of Cana.  Notice it was on the third day!

Water Turned to Wine 

John 2: 1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. 3 And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”

Wine in the bible is a type of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus comes to a world that has no wine.  They were living in a time when the voice of God had not been heard for an over 400 yr. period of time.  When we bring the Holy Spirit to a world that doesn't know God we are pouring out the oil of joy, the refreshing living water and the wine of God that makes glad the heart of man.

John 2 cont'd:  4 Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” 

At that time Jesus said his hour had not come.  At this time the day nor the hour for Jesus´ return has not yet come.   Until he comes, we pour out what has been poured in, bringing his Spirit until he comes.

John 2 cont'd: 5 His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” 

His mother knew what everyone else didn't know.  She knew he would make things right.  She knew he had the power to fill their lack.  Remember Jesus had that power because the Spirit of the Lord had come upon him and anointed him.  That was spoken by Jesus himself in Luke Chapter 4.  That power would be demonstrated by doing what he said to do, whatever that may have been!   Today we know whom we serve and we know he has the power to fill the lack in this world and it's him through the Holy Spirit that is the treasure in our earthen vessels and it's of his Spirit we pour out in the same way they would pour wine from earthen vessels to the guests at this wedding.  Today we are led by the Spirit, just doing what he says do to meet the needs and it's through that and speaking his word that the world sees the power of God continually poured out!

John 2 cont'd:  6 Now there were set there six water pots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. 

We are the water pots. We are the containers.  The passage in II Corinthians 4 says, "We have this treasure in earthen vessels."  An earthen vessel is a water pot!  In this case what started out as a water pot turned into a wine pot.  We have been filled and we cannot keep it to ourselves.  As we allow him to pour himself through us, he turns the water into wine and bring joy to a lost and hurting world that is suffering from a lack of joy!  He was never intended to be kept to ourselves but in fact Jesus had told them when the Holy Ghost came upon them, they would become witnesses of him!

John 2 cont'd:  7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the water pots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim.

We are the water pots and we have been filled.  The brim is the edge and it's the same word that the edge of the Jordan was translated into from the Old Testament Hebrew text.  It's a crossing over from Old to New; from a life of sorrow into dancing and joy; from a life without to a filled and satisfied life!  Coming out of Egypt represented salvation but crossing the Jordan represented the infilling and the victory that came with it.  It is through the infilling in the water pots of our hearts that we are filled with the power of God to be witnesses but it is also the power of the Holy Spirit that leads us into all the promises of God; it's the Holy Spirit inside that satisfies our lack; and it's the Holy Spirit poured out that runs over; it's the Holy Spirit inside that guarantees our inheritance in this life and in the life to come!  When we allow ourselves to be poured out, we are bringing the same new life to others that we have received.

John 2 cont'd:  8 And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. 9 When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. 

The time is now!  We are to draw out now!  We are told there is no time to waste and this is no time to wait.  The harvest is ripe right now!  People just need to taste and see that Jesus is good and when they get a taste, they're going to be glad they took that drink!  When we share Jesus to a world that is without, there is a taste that goes with it and the taste is good.  The bible says to "taste and see that the Lord is good."  When people taste, they may not know exactly what they're tasting and where he came from but they know it tastes good.  The bible says you don't know the ways of the Spirit- that he's like a wind.  You don't know where he comes from or where he goes but you see his effects.  The people may not have understood exactly what had happened but the one doing the pouring knew!   The one doing the pouring,  knew the source of the wine- it came from Jesus!  The one doing the pouring knew that it was their job to do what he said!  The one doing the pouring knew they were the ones appointed to pour out!  Without them pouring out, the wine wouldn't flow!  We know Jesus and we know that it's his anointing that is poured out from us that creates a taste that people respond to!  Could it be that one key to a great move of God is every person that calls themselves a Christian getting filled and every person that calls themselves a Christian pouring out.  There are enough Christians on earth that if each one influenced one person to be saved, the entire world would be saved in a very short time!

10 And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!”
11 This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.
12 After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.

In the same way that this event marked the beginning of the miracles of Jesus, the pouring out of the Holy Spirit on The Day of Pentecost marked the beginning of the church spreading the glory of God through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus life was poured out but the end result marked the beginning result which was the best.  He truly did save the best for last and he endured the death so that he could offer the best- the pouring out of the precious treasure of the Holy Spirit.  But child of God, pay attention to the next passage that says they did not stay there many days.  We do not have many days to spread the good news through the preaching of the gospel and the demonstration of his power.  When Jesus return on this earth, it will seem like just a blinking of the eye since he walked this earth in light of eternity.  Jesus is coming soon! The harvest is ripe and we don't have much time.  We must be poured out now!  There's no time to wait!  It is now ordained that we take that infilling  of the precious treasure of the Holy Spirit and as Jesus was poured out, our lives are to be poured out. 

When Jesus was pierced through in his side, his earthen vessel spilled out upon the earth.  It's in pouring out that the earth is filled.  It's in pouring out that we continue to walk in all the fullness of God in being fruitful, multiplying and filling the earth.  Jesus has done everything he was appointed to do at the time of his ministry.  Now he has appointed that we carry on his ministry on earth.  We not only fill the earth with a natural blessing in food, water and wealth but we fill the earth with all of the goodness of God that has been placed inside of us. We are vessels meant to be poured out.  It's in this way the earth will see, know and become recipients of the glory of God.  We're the vessels. He's the water and through our fullness we pour out to bless others.  It's in being poured out that we continue to walk in the blessing of God to be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth!  Be blessed and better yet, be a blessing!

Scriptures taken from The New King James Version

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%202:1-12&version=NKJV

BLESSING: REPLENISH & FILL THE EARTH WITH THE GLORY OF GOD- Part 1

FILL THE EARTH WITH THE SPIRIT OF GOD

Genesis 1:28
Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”(NKJV)

BLESSING:  FILL THE EARTH

Part of the blessing God spoke over man was to fill the earth. We have seen how we fill the earth with all manner of fruitfulness, whether spiritual or natural fruit.  Did you know that when God blessed us he ordained that we be blessed, spirit soul and body.  He spoke a blessing of increase over us in every area.  This blessing was spoken to Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and on and on through the generations down David and then through the generations to Jesus who has passed that blessing to us!  Through Christ, we have inherited all the fullness of God and blessings both natural and spiritual.

SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS

When we were filled with the Spirit, God blessed us in filling us with a treasure that we carry in earthen vessels.  We were blessed with spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 1:3-13 tells us we are blessed with all spiritual blessings, we are made us holy and without blame, we are adopted us as sons, we are accepted, redeemed, forgiven and given us an inheritance.  It goes on to say we are sealed with the Holy Spirit, the guarantee of our inheritance.  The Holy Spirit is the guarantee that we are sons of God!(NKJV)

The Holy Spirit is a treasure.  He's a treasure carried inside of us that although our lives are poured out as an offering to him, his life is manifested in and through us.  That manifestation of the life of God reaches out to a needy world and brings life and glory to those upon whom he is poured out!

2 Corinthians 4:7-12  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.12 So then death is working in us, but life in you.(NKJV)

SEALED AND FILLED

The bible says in Acts 2:1-4 that on the day of Pentecost, those followers of Jesus who had obeyed him in waiting in the upper room for the promised outpouring of the Spirit were filled.  This is when the Holy Spirit was poured out.  It was these believers that received this outpouring that went beyond the seal.  Every believer receives the seal of the Holy Spirit but not every believer received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  It was these believers that received the infilling and a baptism of the Holy Spirit that empowered them to be witnesses.

Acts 2:1-4  When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (NKJV)

It was at this event that the life of Jesus was poured out upon and into the 120 when the Holy Spirit came upon them! Five hundred had received instruction to attend this event but only 120 had obeyed in waiting.  Is that an indication of a church that doesn't rely on the power of the Holy Spirit today? In another scripture there is a verse that talks about a form of godliness that lacks power.  I hope it isn't the case but there's a reason the bible says only 120 received this infilling.

Every believer has a well of salvation but not every believer is filled with a river of life that flows out of them.  Jesus in John Chapter 4 spoke of a well (a fountain) for every individual but in John 7 he spoke of a river that would flow out of individuals.  It's one thing to drink for yourself and be refreshed with your own salvation but it's another thing to be a vessel poured out!   Upon believing you receive a well of salvation in your innermost being but only upon drinking of his Spirit through a mighty baptism in his Spirit that fills to fullness do you receive a mighty river that flows out of your innermost being!

John 4:13-14 Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” (NKJV)

The well above speaks of a fountain springing up to everlasting life but the passage below speaks of a river of living water flowing from an individual!

John 7:37-39 on the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (NKJV)

It's the infilling of the Holy Spirit that causes you to speak the Word with boldness.  From out of the mouth of the speaker comes the very living Word of God to bring conviction and life to the listeners.

Acts 4:31
And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

When's the last time you saw a place visibly shaken by the power of God after believers assembled together and prayed.  This was the model of the early church and there's no "Amen" to the book of Acts.  In the same way the first believers had to rely on the Holy Spirit for boldness and power, we should be relying on him today!  If our meeting places are not visibly shaken by the power of God then maybe we need to re-think whether we're relying on that power!

FILLED TO BE POURED OUT

In the same way the Holy Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost filling those that were waiting with power and boldness, he poured out from them to bring the good news of the gospel and the power of God to a world in need of salvation. This power not only gave them the boldness to speak but it was the equipping for signs, wonders and miracles that would bring deliverance from all manner of evil!   In the same way the life of Jesus was poured out in his earthly ministry,  the life of Jesus Christ would continue to be poured out only now it would be through those upon whom the Holy Spirit was poured out.  Be blessed and better yet be a blessing by filling the earth with the glory of God! Amen!


(This was a really long post so I've divided it into two parts: Be on the lookout for Part 2- the demonstration at the Wedding of Cana!)

GOD'S BLESSING-BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY

I know that if you will take time to read this, you will in fact be blessed.  We can know for certain that our God is a God that desires to bless us and see us increase in every area.  He said be fruitful and multiply and he has given us the ways and means to see that happen!  Be blessed as you read about God's plan to increase you!

Genesis 1:28  And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

HE SAID TO BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY

Part of the initial blessing spoken over man was to be fruitful and multiply.  To be fruitful and multiply means so much more than to just have children which was part of it but it means to increase in number and become great!  It means to increase in livestock or livelihood.  It means to bring others up under you teaching them to be fruitful and staying connected.  It means to increase in the "likeness" of God, demonstrating and spreading his goodness throughout the earth.  It means to increase in wealth as well, as we labor with our efforts and supply others with our abundance.  It does not mean to become greedy and love money and wealth above God but as we pursue a life of godliness, a blessing from God is that we have no lack.  Even in the New Testament, which is the better covenant full of better promises we see a God that desires to do far more for us than we can ask or think.  He desires to do it for us and he desires that we glorify him for it!

Ephesians 3:19-21 (New King James Version)

19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

God's desire is to bless us and increase us more and more in a never-ending perpetual blessing that we might spill over.  I'm not only talking about a financial blessing but a life that is blessed and is a blessing in every area!  It includes finances and again, the subject is way to large of a subject to cover in detail here, but we must realize God's salvation covers spirit, soul and body! It's about being blessed and not cursed!  It's about being a blessing that can reach out and help others.  The best thing we can do is share eternal life with someone.  That's what I mean by perpetual.  The blessing is now but this blessed life spills over in every area and reaches into eternity.  It's in this life and in the life to come.  It's a never ending perpetual blessing!  In the above passage, he said, "to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."

INCREASE MORE AND MORE

1 Thessalonians 4: 9-12  9 But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; 10 and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more; 11 that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, 12 that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.

What a wonderful passage that sums up a life in Christ:  loving one another, doing good toward all, increasing more and more, living a hard working life with no lack!

It is not God's will that his children have lack but rather that his children are able to bless others! 

ABOUND MORE AND MORE

This passage in fact starts in verse 1 stating it is God's will that we abound more and more:

1 Thessalonians 4:1  Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more

Now it is true this is talking about the love and ways of God but it's also true that the love and ways of God are that we have no lack that we may be a blessing to others.  The passage ends in verse 12 saying "that you may lack nothing."  What is nothing?  It is no-thing.  Nothing! Nothing! Nothing!  It is God's will that we lack no-thing!  When the passage said it is his desire that we abound more and more, it meant to become and be great, just as the blessing spoken of in Genesis says to multiply. It means the same thing- become great!  Abound in the Greek and in the English means to be great and be abundantly supplied in both flow and overflow.  To abound is to have something come to you and flow outward to others.  It is to be fully furnished, to have in abundance, to be in affluence, to be pre-eminent and to excel and exceed beyond original measure.  It means to be furnished richly so as to have to give out!  Again, I can't over-emphasize that we serve a God of abundance in every area!  He is good in every area! He is loving in every area!  He is merciful beyond imagination!  He is kinder than any other, sweeter than any other, more beautiful than any other, more powerful than any other, and yes, he is wealthier than any other!  He's the creator and the owner of all things.  He is just beyond imagination and he has spoken over you that you also should be blessed, be fruitful, multiply, take dominion and increase more and more and more! It is his will that you abound and be like him!  This IS the will of God for your life!

OVERFLOW BY EMPTYING OUT

In the same way that God is a God of abundance and his abundance flows outward from himself to bring increase to you, it is his will that we, from our abundance flow outward to others.  This is the way you multiply!  You multiply by giving out! That's how God multiplies.  He multiplies by the very nature of creation!  He made us in his image.  Now he has a family with many children.  Through God giving his son, he has multiplied exponentially as a family!  Oh my, I am seeing how long this study could be!  Now you know for sure why I have a very hard time writing short teachings!  Just see it!  God increased when God gave and we too increase when we give.  When we give, God can trust us to be givers so he refills our cup so we can keep on giving.  If you are not a giver, you will not be replenished by him.  He refills us when we give out!  We increase more and more so we can share our increase more and more.  When we give, we take on the very nature of God and become just like him and so he continues to refill us!  It's his nature!

Luke 6:53  Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

Well you can't get any plainer!  Give AND it will be given to you.  When you give, a pressed down, shaken together, running over blessing comes back to you! The secret is to keep being filled to overflowing, you must keep spilling out all around you.  This is the exact nature of seedtime and harvest which God said would always be.  A natural and spiritual law that was set in place in the beginning of time, applies in every area! 

SEEDTIME AND HARVEST

Seed produces.  Anything given out, multiplies and comes back.  Sowing and reaping is a natural and spiritual law of God.  Things do come back to you but it's not because of a law of some made-up religion! It's the seed-time and harvest law of a super-natural, ever existing, God, the creator of all mankind and the creator of the earth he gave us to live on!  God was the first person to mention seedtime and harvest or sowing and reaping:

Genesis 8:22  “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease.”

Seedtime and harvest is not a man-made religion.  It's a God-made law!  It applies in every area.  Whatever is sown, is reaped!  Look at how the New Testament states the same principle:

Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

WHAT DID HE MEAN WHEN HE SAID "BE FRUITFUL"

Fruit comes from seed sown

Part of the spoken blessings is fruitfulness.  Let's just look at a quick list of some of what the bible calls fruit:

Fruit & vegetation: Genesis 1:11

Reproduction: Genesis 1:28

Labors: Exodus 23:16

Ways of Man: Proverbs 1:31

Souls: Proverbs 11:30

God's Wisdom: Proverbs 8:19

Spoken Words: Proverbs 12:14; 13:2; 18:20,21

Thoughts: Jeremiah 6:19; Philippians 4:8

The Word of God:  Matthew 13:23

The Fruit of the Spirit: love, is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control.

Offerings: Philippians 4:17

Good works: Colosians :10

Discipline: Hebrews 12:11

Praise: Hebrews 13:15

MAKE SURE WE'RE PRODUCING GOOD FRUIT- YOU'RE KNOWN BY IT

Just because a person calls themselves a Christian doesn't make them one!  It's fruit that tells the story.  The bible says we are known by the fruit we produce!  That fruit is produced by a Spirit- led life that walks and talks in the ways of God in obedience to him!  It is the outcropping of the life of God flowing out of them from an inward change, a work of the Holy Spirit himself.  Man can try with all of their might to produce a fruitful life on their own but at the end of the day, it's a work of the Spirit that will be lasting and produce true change!

Matthew 7:16  You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn-bushes or figs from thistles?

Matthew 7:20
Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

Let's make sure we are filled with the wisdom, words and ways of God that we might produce fruits of righteousness, ever increasing more and more.  Let's make sure we are living spirit-filled, spirit-led lives that we might first be changed!  Let's make sure we live hard working lives, not expecting things to fall from the sky but knowing that God will bless the work of our hands. Let's truly be fruitful in the fruits of the spirit!  Let's make sure we are continually living a life that is planting good seed through giving, charity, acts of kindness and righteous living that we may be influential in the lives of others.  If God can trust you to be a giver, God will refill you.  The blessing of God will make you great.  God will give to you because he can trust you to give to others.  It is through God's laws of seed-time and harvest that the blessing comes! Let's sow good seed and be blessed! Be fruitful, multiply and subdue the earth! Remember, in exercising patience, you will see the fruit of all of your seed sown! Amen!

James 5:7  Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.