 |
Free Teachings by Issachar Ministry
- All prophetic teachings below by Peter McArthur and are excerpts from some of the booklets produced by The Issachar Ministry. Our Prophetic books and Study manuals are online now and available for a small purchase fee.
 What is The House of the Lord
- 1 This series on The House of the Lord is intended to show us what the "House" is, and how to "build" it within ourselves, first as an individual and then as a community of covenant believers.
-
2 We will need to hear the truth being revealed. This will mean understanding some of the deeper Biblical insights into the building of Moses' Tabernacle and Solomon's Temple. The insights gained from Nehemiah as he worked to rebuild the City of Jerusalem will also help us to appreciate how we are to spiritually build the House of the Lord today.
-
3 First, we need to be aware that this "House of the Lord" teaching will become a foundation stone to some, but a rock of stumbling to others. Many are still content to build on previous (church) history and doctrine. However it's plain that we should only build in unity with God, and on the revelations found in His Word, otherwise we labour in vain (Psalm 127: 1).
-
4 First we need to realise that God's intention has always been to dwell in a "House" . This house is also His throne (Psalm 18: 11). In Hebrew it's the word "merkavah" meaning a "chariot-throne". God's throne is mobile! He rides on the winds on a mobile throne (verse 10). It's His canopy, His "House". His intention is still to dwell in a House, His people, who are meant to be mobile, on the move, going forth to take the Gospel, advancing His Son's kingdom at every opportunity, apostolic in its calling and destiny.
-
5 The Hebrew word for "house" is "beth / beith" and it's represented by the letter b which signifies "unity in the house". It's a symbolic reflection of the New Jerusalem, the ultimate House of the Lord, where complete unity exists between God and His Sons.
-
6 This Hebrew letter "b" stands for "Understanding" particularly spiritual understanding. It's a letter derived from the Hebrew word "banah" which means "to obtain children, or, to build a house". A man is one who desires to father children, to "build a house for his name". A father is one who has accomplished this and formed a genealogical dynasty to continue his name for succeeding generations. So too with our Heavenly Father. He desires Sons.
-
7 "Ben" is the Hebrew word for "son of " as in Ben-jamin, meaning the son of Jamin. Correctly "ben" means to have a son as a builder! This is ofcourse God's intent, to have Sons who will build for Him a dwelling place for all eternity.
-
8 Thus "beth" is actually a Household of Sons, the family of YHWH. This house is a house of spiritual Understanding, a House of Sons who understand what the Father wants to build and gets on with it. It is the forerunner of the New Jerusalem which is the ultimate "house" consisting of God's true Sons and Daughters (see also Psalm 119: 9-16).
-
9 The New Jerusalem is also known as The Bride of the Lamb, His wife (Rev. 21: 9). This is important to understand, for the whole Biblical purpose of marriage is to establish a household.
-
10 The Lord has preserved strong meat for these Last Days (Hebrews chapters 5 and 6). He wants to bring out the treasure chest of Hidden Mana (Rev. 2: 17).
-
11 This teaching on the "House" is in seed form at present. There is much yet to be revealed; much more strong meat to sit at table with. There has always been a principle involving living things, and that is, the seed comes first. From the seed you later reap the harvest! By applying ourselves to this truth on the House of the Lord, we will be sowing seeds that will one day bring forth an abundant and mighty harvest of many Sons.
-
12 In the symbolism of Moses' Tabernacle, we find an enlightening truth: the Outer Court is for those at the beginning of their spiritual journey. We call these beginners "children" and children are always in need. On the other hand the Holy of Holies is for matures ones, the "fathers", and fathers are always giving.
-
13 So where does God our Father dwell? In the Holy of Holies, spiritually speaking. Our Abba is always giving. And He desires mature Sons who are no longer at the childish stage of wanting and needing, but who have grown up to become spiritual fathers who have learnt to give rather than to take. This is a test in discerning maturity in others.
-
14 There is a ministry within this Holy of Holies, in the Sanctuary, which is prophetically the place of the Heart. This Sanctuary is also the place of holiness. To minister from the Sanctuary is to minister from the heart. God's Sanctuary is within us! (Luke 17: 21).
-
15 Hebrews 8: 2 speaks of the sanctuary that is in God's "true tabernacle" where Jesus our High Priest ministers. Remembering that "sanctuary" means "heart" we can see that Jesus wants to minister out of our heart, with His heart! He desires to walk within our hearts, in the sanctuary. This is why there has been such a call from the Father for us to intensely seek after holiness!
-
16 It's not too difficult for us to now see that historically the Tabernacle and later the Temples, were a Habitation for God so He could dwell amongst men. When the Word became flesh (John 1 :13), when "Jesus" was born as man, He "dwelt" among men. The word means He "tabernacled", habitated with man (verse 14).
-
17 The first instance of God's "house" is found in the original, perfect one in Heaven (Rev. 11: 19 and 21: 19 / Heb. 9: 23-24). All other houses were temporary dwellings, until the coming of Jesus.
-
18 The very first physical habitation, based on the heavenly pattern (Exo. 25: 40 ) was the fabric Tabernacle tent of Moses : it pointed to a stone habitation, a more permanent one
-
19 The next house was David's Tabernacle tent which was in use alongside of Moses' Tabernacle for 40 years : it awaited the stone Temple of his son, Solomon.
-
20 Then came King Solomon's Temple with all its beauty, richness, and grandeur : it was the so-called "high point" of the earthly houses
-
21 Later came Zerubbabel's Temple under Ezra, a restored stone Temple but far inferior to Solomon's (Ezra 3: 12) : it pointed to the hope and possibility of yet another day
-
22 By Jesus' time Herod's Temple had replaced Zerubbabel's along with the palaces and grounds expanded and beautified : it clearly pointed to the pride and glory of man, not God
-
23 The role of Nehemiah in rebuilding the fallen city of Jerusalem will also help us understand the role of the House of the Lord in these days.
-
24 While Ezra's role was to restore the ruined Temple, Nehemiah's calling was to rebuild the city of Jerusalem. There is a truth here: cooperating with God in building the House in our own lives, is not the end of the matter. The restored Temple in Ezra's time was identified with the restored City. The two are linked. As we build up God's House within us we must also understand His desire is for us to influence the City, the world. This is what we call Revival!
-
25 Even Queen Esther had a role to play in this restoration. While the overall aims of Ezra and Nehemiah were to deal with the Temple and City, Esther's destiny dealt with the Nation. So we see this three fold principle at work:
-
26 The "House of the Lord" is us! As we cooperate with God in restoring it within ourselves, we will begin to spill out and influence the world, the City. In doing so the Nation itself can be preserved from the wrath and judgments of God. Restoring the House of the Lord is the first step in Rebuilding the City and then in due course Preserving the Nation.
- The above teaching comes from the Issachar booklet Building the House of the Lord.
 Leadership and Ministry - New Wine
-
1. The Principle of Leadership - Ministry
Ministry isn't just about actions and words. It's an impartation of life. This should be the one aim of all leadership ministry.
What we "have" goes out from us to another person.
Godly character originates in the Presence (literally = "face") of God.
It's from the "secret place" that true leadership and motivation spring. Our unction to lead arises out of abiding in this place. Anything that substitutes this will bring death! Don't feed them knowledge (Gen. 2:17), people need, and want, Life!
When others submit to our leadership, when they receive "ministry" from us it can effect their spirit, soul, body or a combination of 2 or 3 of these.
This is why leadership is an act of Serving. You are giving of yourself to others. You actually "serve them up" a portion of yourself! Do you really want to give someone else a part of what you're really like inside?
Who we are in the Secret Place with God determines our ministry destiny. People subconsciously (or consciously!) are looking to see Jesus in us!
This is another reason why I find some difficulty with a secret "catching away" and a Pre-Tribulation Rapture. They don't allow the believer to expect a personal experience of these things outside of some future corporate experience. It seems to me that the pattern in the Word is that there is both a personal and corporate experience of the promises of the Lord.
I believe that we are to first enter a personal experience of "the Rapture" before there is a corporate one. Passover, Pentecostal and Tabernacles are more than just historical events; they are also meant to be "personalised" now!
This suggests that the promises of the Lord (as in the case of the 12 Gates of the Heavenly Jerusalem) are progressive. We are meant to move on through various experiences and manifestations of the Lord. This is why understanding the Exodus is a vital part of our spiritual growth.
If this truth holds up as a recurring pattern in Scripture, then it means the Comings or Appearings of the Lord Jesus are also progressive in nature.
- 2. Touching the heart
Our leadership must touch the heart if it is to bring life to others. Leadership is not about "leading" people; it's about bringing them to a place of life in Christ ( = life in the Anointing).
The quality of our leadership is determined by what deposit of spiritual life we leave behind after we've gone. It isn't always the case we'll be recognised as good leaders while we're still in the position of Leader!
God's life flows between people in the realm of our spirit man. If there's no such flow happening between hearts, even though there might be a genuine impartation of help and assistance to the recipient's body or soul, there has been no spiritual life imparted.
Aim always to do this. No matter how often you fail in it, aim for it. See it as your goal; to be remembered as a leader who imparted life to others.
Like it or not, our ministry will reproduce itself in the life of others! A sobering thought. Each ministry tends to reproduce itself in others.
Some ministries and leaders actually try to duplicate themselves in others; they knowingly or unknowingly produce clones.
Always be on guard that you're not out to duplicate yourself in others. Reproducing what life you have in others is acceptable, but don't clone yourself.
- 3. It is God's House
As we lead God's people we must realise that the House of God is being built in the Heavens.
It's expression will be manifest on the earth, but the reality of it is in the Heavenlies.
We are to learn to minister from a position of being seated with Christ. We must have a perspective, authority and a sense of destiny established in the heavens if we are to build successfully on the earth. (1 Cor. 3:10 - let each one take heed how he builds ).
We are servants and builders. Our heart attitude is vital. A sign of Godly leadership is when we see lives built and joined together through the Holy Spirit.
Man's ability to lead will bring people into bondage and eventually destroy them. Godly leadership builds and strengthens. This can be used as a thermometer to check the validity of our leadership.
As we are faithful and obedient to God's call on our lives, He will extend our sphere of leadership. Recognise your boundaries at each stage of growth as a Leader. Do not go beyond them until God has released you into that new level. One sign of mature leadership is practical wisdom!
Aim for quality of leadership; avoid the desire to want to be recognised as someone who is important, has a calling, is a good leader, etc.
Sadly, it's pride or the lack of recognition that's the greatest fault of Christian leadership today.
- 4. The Price!
Everything that we do as leaders will be tested by God. He will do this to see whether our work is good or bad, fruitful or barren. He does this for our benefit, so we can see if we've built properly or not.
God wants something that will stand. There is darkness ahead of us, so He will test and refine what we do as leaders. Only what He approves of will stand in that day (Heb. 12:26-27 - "Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven." Now this, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.)
So there is a price to pay. No-one should even think of becoming a leader of God's people unless they're willing to lay down their own ambition and pay the price. If you don't it will catch up with you and haunt your ministry all the days of your life!
In the end there is one basic, eternal and life imparting truth that stands out above all other leadership qualities and principles;
 We can only pass on to others what we have experienced in our own lives through the grace of God.
- The above teaching comes from the Issachar study booklet New Wine Teaching.
Click Here to Mail a Friend
|
|
