Eternal Glorious Fountain Ministry (EGFM)
Programme: Believers' Convention 2022 (Day 3 Morning Session
Date: Tuesday, 9th August 2022
“How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him…” (Heb. 2:3). Salvation is what God has in mind for men. Thus, it should not be neglected. When we look into who our God is, we would see that He has salvation. It is this nature that makes Him separate from any other being. God is separate from angels. This means that although angels are saved, their salvation is not great. Angels serve in the program of salvation as a help for what God wants to do (Heb. 1:14), but they cannot partake of it on their own.
In the past, salvation was attributed to the New Birth alone. As such, it was not prioritized. It was believed that after the New Birth, a believer just needed to concentrate on healing and other natural benefits. At a point, prosperity became the major focus in the church and in some areas of the nation, the focus was on areas like deliverance from demons and the spectacular manifestations of the Spirit. With such light, men would interpret the theme of this Convention to describe a God who can do mighty works. This just shows us that the Church has gone through different phases.
When Jesus met with the woman at Samaria (John 4:7-28), He had moved to a sphere in His ministry, which should connect the future and the present. The conversation at the well entailed both general issues (the conversation about water) and the woman’s personal issue (about her husbands). We all came to Jesus with our personal concerns but that did not stop Jesus from calling us. Left to us, we want all our personal issues solved first before we consider salvation. However, God did not wait till our issues were settled before calling us.
One thing that is primary to this story of the woman at the well is the nature of the Jews in the spirit (Rom. 2:29). The Jews are those who are separated from the rest of the people. A Samaritan is known for corruption but a Jew is one who is seeking salvation. Salvation is of the Jews (John 4:22). The quest for salvation is what makes a Jew, hence the reason their fathers were spoken to by the prophets (Heb. 1:1). The fathers were to foster the speakings of the prophet for the purpose of salvation.
The heart of a Jew has been circumcised for the purpose of salvation. A Jewish man is one whose worship has moved from the mountain to tent worship. We need to know how to move into salvation. The tabernacle is a design to bring the Jews to God. God is the salvation in the temple. The worship in Jerusalem is higher and purer than the worship in Samaria.
“For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.” (Philipp. 3:3). The natural Jews became confident in their temple, so when God wanted to move them out of the temple, they could not see anything outside the temple system. If we do not make progress spiritually, then we cannot attain salvation. Flesh is a limitation to the course of salvation.
“But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.” (Rom. 2:29). Many times, we are deceived by the appearance of some men to think they would go far; just like Samuel mistook the other sons to be anointed king because of their looks, as opposed to the will of the Lord (1 Sam. 16:1-13). Worship is a thing of the heart and not the outward composition of a man.
There is no minister who wants his flock to be lost. One way we keep the flock is by making progress spiritually. It will have been expected that it was a Jew that would meet Jesus and not a Samaritan, but the Samaritan woman knew that the Messiah was the One that would tell them all things. There are many Jews who have lost the coming and essence of the Messiah. If Jesus had met a Jew, such could have rejected Him.
“The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.” (John 4:25). Jesus knew the woman would be coming there; she was a proof that a true Jew is not one born in Jerusalem. One can be in the church and not know the gospel. The purpose of Christ is to make us see the gift of God and to solve our natural issues.
Sometimes, the best time of a ministry is when it does not have any natural comeliness. Real worship is in the spirit and in truth (John 4:24), not in anything natural. Some ministers will not flow well without large gatherings and it is not meant to be because real worship is in the spirit; it is real worship that should make a Jew. It is quite difficult for a minister to move from pastoring a large congregation to pastoring a small congregation. Until our heart is circumcised and connected to the program of salvation, we would not harness true worship .
Jesus was with just one person and the portal of the spirit was opened without restraint. After the encounter, the woman evangelised to the whole nation (John 4:28-29). We must have this discipline also! Some say they are in the spirit and are following truth, but they are not true because their program is not in line with the program of salvation.
“Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.” (John 4:22). What a Jew goes after is not the benefits of salvation but salvation itself. That is why the woman forgot her issues after meeting Jesus. When Christ encounters us, He would not just attend to our natural issues but He would show us all things (John 4:25).
Many claim that we are only focused on the word alone but salvation is all about knowledge. God can determine what to accompany salvation and that is His prerogative. For us to become true Jews, we must know what we worship (John 4:22). We must know what and not just who we worship.
“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?” (Matt. 7:22). Many might use the gifts of the Spirit but as important as they are, without the knowledge of salvation, we would not inherit the kingdom. Salvation must have a place in our hearts; we must have a breakthrough into salvation. The access to powers in the spirit does not leave anyone innocent and so we must consistently make our choice. We must not persistently dent the incursion of God into our lives; we must not choose to go our own way.
“To give knowledge of salvation unto his people By the remission of their sins…” (Luke 1:77). John the Baptist was higher than all the other prophets that came before him because he had light and knowledge. As such, he did not discern Jesus by gifts. Peter discerned Jesus by revelation. When Peter mentioned that Jesus was the Son of God, Jesus knew the Father must have revealed that to Peter (Matt. 16:16). However, shortly after, he contradicted the words of revelation that came to him. This shows that the revelation made by Peter was not by his spiritual growth.
John the Baptist was a prophet of the highest (Luke 1:76); he used stature to discern the Lord. Knowledge is not mere. When the Bible is studied, one would have attain knowledge. The Bible is a book of knowledge. The light in the scriptures can prepare a soul for salvation. The knowledge of salvation has to do with persons. We can read the scriptures and not come to know persons. We can have good character and not know persons in the studying of the scripture.
True salvation is beyond just the study of scriptures; it is the knowledge of persons. One who reads the Bible without having an understanding of Christ cannot be saved. Christ is a message which was delivered to man.
“Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Tim. 2:4). If men would be saved, they must come. We must hear Christ to learn salvation. Knowledge is not just for awareness. We are aware of Christ, everlasting life and God but being aware does not mean we have come to the knowledge of these persons. To come to these personalities, there must be a summon. We are to be summoned to attain salvation.
“[17] That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him…” (Eph. 1:15-17). For the spirit of wisdom and revelation to be given, the Lord must approve it. A people must be approved to receive this operation of the Spirit. The operation is meant for the Church but it is in the prerogative of mercy for it to be given. One can ask for the operation of this gift and it may not be given.
We cannot access knowledge of ourselves. It is the prerogative of mercy for the operation of the seven spirits (Isa. 11:1-3) to be given. As such, we must value the operation of the light in our midst because it is not everyone that would access it. What is needed for church growth is not natural prosperity but Christ. We must pray for the restoration of the five-fold ministry gifts for the edification of the body (Eph. 4:11-12). The gifts were given because the Church needs the five-fold ministry in order to be raised to come into salvation.
“Lift up your heads, O ye gates; And be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; And the King of glory shall come in.” (Ps. 24:7). Those doors and gates are persons. It is a conversation in the spirit for entrance. There must be admittance into that sphere of life and it is by the activity of mercy. We can will and run (Rom. 9:16) but we must wait for admittance. This knowledge has been put in persons but these persons are ways, doors and thoughts. Before we can be granted admittance, these persons will check our conversation.
Some people speak evil of entrance while waiting, it is because the doors are watching. The doors have eyes and they are watching because if they permit some to enter, they would wreak havoc. Thus, we would be watched first before admittance can be granted and it would be good if we are found worthy.
The place of mysteries is in the sphere of the Christ, the Father and God (Col. 2:2). The Colossian church was already established in the Holy Ghost, so they needed to move into the knowledge of Christ, the Father and God. We cannot receive and embody the knowledge of These persons without embracing (or understanding) Their mysteries.
The fullness of knowledge and wisdom dwells in the person of Christ, the Father and God; so we must treasure Them and their mysteries. What the Lord is doing now is kept for posterity. A generation would arise, one that understands the way to God and the mystery of God is not obscure to them anymore.
Many have cried of their need to know God in previous years, but the light of His revelation was not present. We cannot break into God without His light. Salvation is with persons and what saves is the light in them. We cannot know the Lamb by seeing Him in a physical vision, we must know His inward configurations for us to know Him in the true essence.
The beast that rose from the earth had a horn like the Lamb (Rev. 13:11). It was when he began to speak that they heard blasphemous words. The antichrist needed that order of beast. As an antichrist, he could move the sea and not the head. The antichrist was a wonder to the world but he needed one that would look like a lamb, but with a beastly configuration inside, to interface with the earth.
What makes the Lamb is not the external, but His inward configuration. The person of Christ can be worked in our souls. When Christ is preached, His conversation is interpreted to us personally, and our growth is dependent on our response or obedience to the demands being revealed. If we remain rigid in the dispensation of the Holy Ghost, we would not be able to hear other persons of salvation (Christ, Father and God); and we would not make progress spiritually.
Our pursuit and lifelong goal is to embody salvation. Despite our engagement on earth and in our earthly habits, our quest must be to press hard for salvation.
“And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.” (Rev. 7:10). Our occupation must be salvation. When we are asked where we are going, we must know that we are from God and we are returning to God. As ministers, we must know that we are not to serve men but to serve God, and if we are serving God, we are serving salvation.
We are from the throne and we must obey the laws of the throne until the throne becomes our inheritance.
Blessings!
Summary
1.(Heb. 2:3). Salvation is what God has in mind for men. Thus, it should not be neglected. When we look into who our God is, we would see that He has salvation. It is this nature that makes Him separate from any other being.
2.God is separate from angels. This means that although angels are saved, their salvation is not great. Angels serve in the program of salvation as a help for what God wants to do (Heb. 1:14), but they cannot partake of it on their own.
3.Worship is a thing of the heart and not the outward composition of a man. Many times, we are deceived by the appearance of some men to think they would go far; just like Samuel mistook the other sons to be anointed king because of their looks, as opposed to the will of the Lord (1 Sam. 16:1-13).
4.There is no minister who wants his flock to be lost. One way we keep the flock is by making progress spiritually.
5.Real worship is done in the spirit and in truth (John 4:24), not in anything natural. Until a man's heart is circumcised and connected to the program of salvation, we would not harness true worship.
6.John the Baptist was a prophet of the highest (Luke 1:76); he used stature to discern the Lord. Knowledge is not mere. When the Bible is studied, one would attain knowledge. The Bible is a book of knowledge.
7.The light in the scriptures can prepare a soul for salvation. The knowledge of salvation has to do with persons. We can read the scriptures and not come to know the persons of the Godhead. We can have good character and not know these persons in the studying of the scripture.
8.True salvation is beyond just the study of scriptures; it is the knowledge of persons. One who reads the Bible without having an understanding of Christ cannot be saved. Christ is a message which was delivered to man.
9.What is needed for church growth is not natural prosperity but Christ. We must pray for the restoration of the five-fold ministry gifts for the edification of the body (Eph. 4:11-12). The gifts were given because the Church needs the five-fold ministry in order to be raised to come into salvation.
10.The place of mysteries is in the sphere of the Christ, the Father and God (Col. 2:2). The Colossian church was already established in the Holy Ghost, so they needed to move into the knowledge of Christ, the Father and God. We cannot receive and embody the knowledge of These persons without embracing (or understanding) Their mysteries.
11.When Christ is preached, His conversation is interpreted to us personally, and our growth is dependent on our response or obedience to the demands being revealed.
12.Our pursuit and lifelong goal is to embody salvation. Despite our engagement on earth and in our earthly habits, our quest must be to press hard for salvation.