Let Us Never Forget That The Government Is On His Shoulders
God is searching for men and women in whom He can entrust the call to reap the end-time harvest.
These men and women must possess the heart of David for the Lord desires to give to them the Key of David.
The key of David relates to divine and biblical government.
The following verses carry with them some of the most terrifying words and some of the most comforting and encouraging words imaginable.
Let us be found to be one who hungers for God.
First let us look at the words that should bring terror to our hearts.
Words that should cause us to search so deeply into the motives and methods of our life that only brokenness and humility of spirit remain.
They read like this.
Isa 22:19-23 9 So I will drive you out of your office, And from your position he will pull you down.
The Lord says to Shebna, I will drive you out of your office, and from your position he will pull you down.
What has this man done that has so angered the Lord that he would speak these words? Two things, one they were in trouble and they worked very hard to get out of it.
They made plans worked hard but did not "inquire of the Lord".
Two they were celebrating when they were called to be repenting.
The Lord had called for a season of repentance, brokenness and humility and Shebna called for a time of "good reports".
For this he is rejected from his office.
It is the same sin of the Laodicean church of Rev.
3.
Rev 3:17-19 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
KJV Statistics can be very dangerous things or they can be a great blessing.
When we choose to report only numerical results of money and people yet fail to report that fifty per-cent of our marriages are ending in divorce and that we are losing our young people or that a high percentage of our ministers have committed moral failure we paint a false picture and fall into the category of why God judged "Shebna".
I once asked the Lord why the end-time church could be called lukewarm, here was His answer.
Any time a Church is willing to settle for inspired preaching, exciting worship, and strong tithes and offerings while it's young people are being lost, it is a lukewarm church.
The mark of Godly leadership is the ability to see what God sees and regardless of the personal cost report it.
One of the reasons we need Prophets so desperately is that more than anyone else they stand in the presence of God and have learned that their sustenance comes completely from Him.
True Prophets must be free from the influence of money, possessions or titles.
For the Prophet learns that God is his only source.
The Lord may supply his need by a raven for a season or by a penny less widow the next.
Prophets must by their very calling be fearless.
That is why the Lord raises them up in the wilderness.
Sometimes the Prophet is called to declare a?famine? caused by lack of rain and sometimes he is anointed to declare the end of the famine.
His success is measured by his obedience not by what he is reporting.
He is only a voice that has use to God if it reports accurately.
1 Kings 17:1 17 And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
KJV 1 Kings 18:41 41 And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.
KJV Let us not be found as King Ahab who gathered around him only yes men who would say and report only what he wanted.
Let us be like King Jehoshaphat who asked - 2 Chron 18:6-7 6 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might inquire of him? 7 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, by whom we may inquire of the Lord: but I hate him; for he never prophesied good unto me, but always evil: the same is Micaiah the son of Imla.
And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
KJV To reject the office of the Prophet is to doom whatever position the Lord has called us too.
Prophets are the mouthpiece of God.
Every successful King not only sought the advice and direction of the Prophets but also learned to have Godly fear of them.
The fear I am speaking of is the one refereed in the scriptures as - Ps 111:10 10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
KJV To receive a prophet in the name of a prophet is to receive the prophet?s reward.
The prophet?s reward is multi-faceted but certainly includes the voice of someone who stands in the presence of the Lord.
This office is not only invaluable but essential to the end-time purposes of the Lord.
Remember it is the two prophets who the Anti-Christ wants to silence.
Let us make sure that our fear of the Prophetic voice is not anit-christ fueled.
This will take tremendous discernment for the desire to be reasonable and practical are two tools this spirit can thrive on.
The problem with prophets is that when called by God to a prophetic declaration or prophetic act they are rarely practical.
They at times are scary.
That is not to say that we do not judge the Prophets or their message.
It is the responsibility for us to judge them.
Yet once recognizing and acknowledging those who stand in this office let us be careful not to dismiss what they have to say no matter how alarming, revolutionary or unfamiliar it might sound.
The prophetic office has a long way until it gains maturity.
Yet the Government of God will not allow the Apostolic or the Prophetic office to be ignored.
To be found opposing any of the five-fold ministry offices is to be found opposing the Government of God.
20 'Then it shall be in that day, That I will call My servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah; 21 I will clothe him with your robe And strengthen him with your belt; The Lord is replacing one of His disobedient servants with a man that will obey Him.
His name is Eliakim.
The Lord is taking the robe and belt away from the previous man and giving them to Eliakim.
Shebna is the man the Lord told to tell Israel that they were in serious trouble but he would not.
Instead he decided to throw a party.
The man who is replacing Shebna will receive his robe, belt (of truth), and the responsibility to bring the Government of God to the nation of Israel.
Isa 22:21-23 21 And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah.
The Lord is searching for a man who will establish biblical Government that is according to due order.
He is looking for leaders who will be fathers.
Mal 4:6 6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
The role of a Father begins first as a protector, then provider, next mentor and teacher and ultimately one who prepares his son or daughter to inherit what he has built.
22 And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.
23 And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father's house.
KJV Lord give us sure nails that are driven into a sure place.
Men and women who know that they are appointed and anointed by God and will honor and serve Him and Him alone no matter what he cost.
These men and women must possess the heart of David for the Lord desires to give to them the Key of David.
The key of David relates to divine and biblical government.
The following verses carry with them some of the most terrifying words and some of the most comforting and encouraging words imaginable.
Let us be found to be one who hungers for God.
First let us look at the words that should bring terror to our hearts.
Words that should cause us to search so deeply into the motives and methods of our life that only brokenness and humility of spirit remain.
They read like this.
Isa 22:19-23 9 So I will drive you out of your office, And from your position he will pull you down.
The Lord says to Shebna, I will drive you out of your office, and from your position he will pull you down.
What has this man done that has so angered the Lord that he would speak these words? Two things, one they were in trouble and they worked very hard to get out of it.
They made plans worked hard but did not "inquire of the Lord".
Two they were celebrating when they were called to be repenting.
The Lord had called for a season of repentance, brokenness and humility and Shebna called for a time of "good reports".
For this he is rejected from his office.
It is the same sin of the Laodicean church of Rev.
3.
Rev 3:17-19 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
KJV Statistics can be very dangerous things or they can be a great blessing.
When we choose to report only numerical results of money and people yet fail to report that fifty per-cent of our marriages are ending in divorce and that we are losing our young people or that a high percentage of our ministers have committed moral failure we paint a false picture and fall into the category of why God judged "Shebna".
I once asked the Lord why the end-time church could be called lukewarm, here was His answer.
Any time a Church is willing to settle for inspired preaching, exciting worship, and strong tithes and offerings while it's young people are being lost, it is a lukewarm church.
The mark of Godly leadership is the ability to see what God sees and regardless of the personal cost report it.
One of the reasons we need Prophets so desperately is that more than anyone else they stand in the presence of God and have learned that their sustenance comes completely from Him.
True Prophets must be free from the influence of money, possessions or titles.
For the Prophet learns that God is his only source.
The Lord may supply his need by a raven for a season or by a penny less widow the next.
Prophets must by their very calling be fearless.
That is why the Lord raises them up in the wilderness.
Sometimes the Prophet is called to declare a?famine? caused by lack of rain and sometimes he is anointed to declare the end of the famine.
His success is measured by his obedience not by what he is reporting.
He is only a voice that has use to God if it reports accurately.
1 Kings 17:1 17 And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
KJV 1 Kings 18:41 41 And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.
KJV Let us not be found as King Ahab who gathered around him only yes men who would say and report only what he wanted.
Let us be like King Jehoshaphat who asked - 2 Chron 18:6-7 6 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might inquire of him? 7 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, by whom we may inquire of the Lord: but I hate him; for he never prophesied good unto me, but always evil: the same is Micaiah the son of Imla.
And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
KJV To reject the office of the Prophet is to doom whatever position the Lord has called us too.
Prophets are the mouthpiece of God.
Every successful King not only sought the advice and direction of the Prophets but also learned to have Godly fear of them.
The fear I am speaking of is the one refereed in the scriptures as - Ps 111:10 10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
KJV To receive a prophet in the name of a prophet is to receive the prophet?s reward.
The prophet?s reward is multi-faceted but certainly includes the voice of someone who stands in the presence of the Lord.
This office is not only invaluable but essential to the end-time purposes of the Lord.
Remember it is the two prophets who the Anti-Christ wants to silence.
Let us make sure that our fear of the Prophetic voice is not anit-christ fueled.
This will take tremendous discernment for the desire to be reasonable and practical are two tools this spirit can thrive on.
The problem with prophets is that when called by God to a prophetic declaration or prophetic act they are rarely practical.
They at times are scary.
That is not to say that we do not judge the Prophets or their message.
It is the responsibility for us to judge them.
Yet once recognizing and acknowledging those who stand in this office let us be careful not to dismiss what they have to say no matter how alarming, revolutionary or unfamiliar it might sound.
The prophetic office has a long way until it gains maturity.
Yet the Government of God will not allow the Apostolic or the Prophetic office to be ignored.
To be found opposing any of the five-fold ministry offices is to be found opposing the Government of God.
20 'Then it shall be in that day, That I will call My servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah; 21 I will clothe him with your robe And strengthen him with your belt; The Lord is replacing one of His disobedient servants with a man that will obey Him.
His name is Eliakim.
The Lord is taking the robe and belt away from the previous man and giving them to Eliakim.
Shebna is the man the Lord told to tell Israel that they were in serious trouble but he would not.
Instead he decided to throw a party.
The man who is replacing Shebna will receive his robe, belt (of truth), and the responsibility to bring the Government of God to the nation of Israel.
Isa 22:21-23 21 And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah.
The Lord is searching for a man who will establish biblical Government that is according to due order.
He is looking for leaders who will be fathers.
Mal 4:6 6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
The role of a Father begins first as a protector, then provider, next mentor and teacher and ultimately one who prepares his son or daughter to inherit what he has built.
22 And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.
23 And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father's house.
KJV Lord give us sure nails that are driven into a sure place.
Men and women who know that they are appointed and anointed by God and will honor and serve Him and Him alone no matter what he cost.