TEACHING

Don Atkin

ALERTING THE CHURCH TO THE PRESENT SEASON

We need to wake up, stand up, and suit up!

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places. - Ephesians 6:1-12

 

SPIRITUAL HOSTS OF WICKEDNESS

Mass murders, serial killers, suicide bombers, gang rapes, bizarre robberies, varieties of addictions, immorality and corruption in government - and in the church. Where does the list end? Who knows? I know!

The end of evil has been placed in the hands of the church!

She must awake from her slumber - her dullness of hearing and blindness - and be on the alert!

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith. - I Peter 5:8-9a

To date, much of the church is groping around in the darkness, trying to put a handle on the cause of the flood of evil in the earth. It is difficult to sort us out from those who remain children of the darkness because of their unbelief. Much of the church continues to stumble in that same darkness, even though the Light of Life has come into our souls regarding our personal salvation.

It is quite normal for babies to live in the center of their own little worlds, oblivious to their roles in destiny. Thus, much of the church is not strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Much of the church remains naked and ill-defended from the wiles of the devil. Much of the church knows little or nothing about wrestling - much less about identifying our true enemies. They don’t even understand that we are in a war!

I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one - because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one. - I John 2:12, 13b, 14b

John has contrasted for us the significant difference between children and young men. There are too many children and not enough young men in today’s church. Children must be raised up into young men in whom the word of God abides. Do not mistake children with Bibles in their hands for young men with the word of God hidden in their hearts!

When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him. - Isaiah 59:19b

 

THE CHURCH IS GOD’S EXPRESSED STANDARD

Do not look to a change in political parties, new legislation, new organizations, or even stricter enforcement policies to get to the root of the issues of evil. We should be thankful for and pray for God-given human authorities, who are not a terror to good works, but to evil (see Romans 13:1-7). But, their premier efforts affect the fruit at best, and not the root. Creation knows.

For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God . . . because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. - Romans 8:19, 21

Human law enforcement can catch and incarcerate perpetrators. But it cannot eradicate the demons - the spiritual hosts of wickedness - that have invaded planet earth with a vengeance!

Jesus, the firstborn among many brothers (Romans 8:29), is the Prototype of many sons whom God is bringing to glory (Hebrews 2:10). Study Hebrews 2 and Hebrews 5. See how the work of the Pattern Son prepares and equips us to overcome as sons, as partakers of Abraham’s seed, and priests according to the order of Melchizedek. The first and greatest commission to the first Adam remains intact, thanks to the recovery work of the last Adam (I Corinthians 15:45-49):

So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said unto them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion . . . over every living thing that moves on the earth." - Genesis 1:27-28

The Spirit of the Lord is still lifting up His standard to come against evil (the devil and His fallen angels) whom hell is spewing out of its bowels on our day.

 

THE SONS OF GOD

The church is made up of children, young men and fathers (see I John 2:12-14).

It takes fathers to make young men out of children!

It takes young men to overcome the wicked one!

Paul told the church in Corinth, Yet you do not have many fathers (I Corinthians 4:15).

However, we are living in a new day! Malachi 4:5-6 describes the coming of the Spirit of Elijah (the Spirit of fatherhood) upon the church:

And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse. - Malachi 4:5-6

Elijah, spiritual father of Elisha, provides a type of the fathering spirit that is preparing sons for glory in this season. It’s not happening everywhere. But it is happening somewhere! I’d rather be somewhere than nowhere! I’m glad to be where the Spirit of Elijah is moving in restoration. Hallelujah!

 

THE SPIRIT OF SONSHIP

This fathering in the church is a timely and necessary work of the Holy Spirit to prepare the children for adoption as sons. Fathers desire and expect their sons (male and female) to take the kingdom far beyond them.

Elijah’s ceiling was Elisha’s flooring!

Authentic spiritual fathers are not living to be called father. There is One in heaven who is their Father (see Matthew 23:6-12). True spiritual fathers live to prepare the sons for promotion from glory to glory.

The Spirit of Elijah (an aspect and work of the Holy Spirit) is the Spirit of Fatherhood, preparing the children of God for the work of the Spirit of the sons! The multifaceted work of the Spirit is involved in birthing, empowering, equipping and adopting us. We grow up in all aspects into Him so that we might manifest all aspects of Him in this world.

The coming of the Spirit in new birth makes us part of the new creation. The coming of the Spirit in Pentecost empowers and enables us to become what we have the right to be (see John 1:12-13). The coming of the Spirit in fathers enables us to mature into our destiny. And, the coming the Spirit in adoption is our full release into fruitful ministry.

Joseph fathered Jesus through childhood unto barmizvah, then through adolescence to

full stature as a son. At age 30, He received the Spirit of adoption:

It came to pass that Jesus (also) was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, "You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased. Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph. - Luke 3:21-23

Even as Elijah treated Elisha as his own son, so Joseph treated Jesus as His own son. Although born from Another, they took their respective fathering duties seriously and responsibly. They had hearts to see these sons excel way beyond them - for their ceilings to be the floors for this next generation. Joseph had the heart, the Spirit of Elijah, for Jesus. We see the process described in Galatians 4.

 

THE MYSTERY: CHRIST IN US, THE HOPE OF GLORY

The mystery which as been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them (His saints) God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man (male and female) perfect in Christ Jesus. - Colossians 1:26-28

To me, who am less than the least of all saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;

To the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. - Ephesians 3:8-12

The church is to destroy the works of the devil!

Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. - Colossians 2:15

Jesus, the firstborn of many brothers, the Prototype Pattern Son, has shown us the way. He is presently reigning upon the Throne of David at the right hand of our Father. On the day of Pentecost, Peter quoted David regarding this present age:

The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool." - Acts 2:34-35

Jesus has passed the baton for earthly ministry and dominion to the many sons who will rule with a rod of iron:

And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations - "He shall rule them with a rod of iron; they shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels" - as I also have received from My Father; "and I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." - Revelation 2:26-29

And they sang a new song, saying:

"You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth." - Revelation 5:9-10

And they (the saints) overcame him (the devil) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time. - Revelation 12:11-12

 

THERE IS NO "PLAN B"

God has put all of His eggs in His glory basket!

 

Th - th - th - THAT’S US, FOLKS! The church is God’s glory basket!

Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name."

And He said unto them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you." - Luke 10:17-19

"I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." - Matthew 16:18b-19

Wake up, church!

Stand up, church!

Suit up, church!

Step up, fathers!

Submit, children!

Join the battle, young men!

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One more thing . . . . I need to mention that

A divided church cannot displace a united enemy!

The good news is that the Spirit of sonship releases us to soar above denominating differences and fully embrace the authentic body of Christ wherever our brothers (male and female) are found.

As we are led by the Spirit (For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God - Romans 8:14) we bear witness with others who are, with us, a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation (I Peter 2:9). We are positioning ourselves to participate in the answer to Jesus’ prayer,

"That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one, just as we are one." - John 17:21-22

Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. - Matthew 6:10