Eternal Glorious Fountain Ministry (EGFM)
www.egfm.org
Programme: Writing the Vision June Edition (WTV)
Date: Saturday, 19th June, 2021
Speaker 3: Pastor Thompson Ehima
Tongues and Interpretation (1)
“I give the hallow so allow the hallow. Flow and give by the hallow upon. The hallow upon is able to connect the pasture. Flow by the hallow, for there remaineth a blessing in the spirit by which the people should be blessed, even by the hallow.”
Message Begins
1 Corinthians 2:4
‘’And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:’’
The demonstration of the Spirit and power are in two dimensions: the physical and the spiritual. The spiritual demonstration of the Spirit and power are related with Christ and the allocation or dispensation of the Word of God. In the Old Testament, sacrifices were offered in the physical which involved the killing of animals according to the requirement of the Law. Though it has limitations, the physical demonstration of the Spirit and power is not carnal. Such demonstrations are expressed in the physical, like the move of the Spirit, laughing and running in the Holy Ghost and the likes. The physical demonstration of power is like those witnessed by prophets. For example, Elijah who journeyed for 40 days and nights on the food of angels (1 Kings 19:5-8). So, the effect of such demonstrations is calibrated in the physical.
The spiritual demonstration of the Spirit and power was also partaken of by the prophets. Though these prophets offered physical sacrifices according to the dispensation they belonged to, they had an access to the spiritual which the people of Israel could not access because they lacked the requisite knowledge.
Moses could access the spiritual without offering daily physical sacrifices. What differentiated Moses from Aaron was what he owned which Aaron did not have. Moses was beaten into shape and was conferred with honor by God. There was a dealing of the Spirit over Aaron also; a measure of the Spirit rested on him and he had some measure of demonstration of the Spirit. This can be seen in the budding of his rod (Num. 17:8); but this demonstration cannot be compared to that of Moses.
The learning of the Spirit is programmed under the leading of the Spirit. What differentiated Moses from Aaron was that Moses was subjected to a greater leading of the Spirit than Aaron, which worked in him a higher stature in the realm of the spirit than Aaron.
1 Peter 2:5
‘’Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.’’
The offerings in the New Testament do not take place in the physical but in the spirit. The milk of the word has a dimension of the demonstration of the Spirit and power. In the dimensions of Christ, we are being opened up to the realm of sacrifices that are spiritual because there are degrees of spiritual sacrifices in the New Testament. The essence of the demonstration of the Spirit and power is to raise men that can constitute an offering. We cannot be an offering or sacrifice pleasing to God without the leading of the Spirit, especially the subjective leading of the Spirit. The objective leading of the Spirit prepares us to advance to the subjective leading of the Spirit. When it is time for us to be ushered into the realm where we generate spiritual sacrifices unto God, we would be introduced to the spirit of wisdom. The reason is that we cannot generate spiritual sacrifices without wisdom.
Philippians 3:15
‘’Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.’’
To be perfect is to be spiritual. There is a need for wisdom to be introduced so that spiritual sacrifices can be done. That is why Christ is given to us as wisdom (1 Cor. 1:30). We must have experienced the gifts of the Spirit and other benefits that accompany the New Birth experience to move into the realm where we can offer a more spiritual sacrifice to God. When we come into this realm, we would then be subject to the school of wisdom, which is Christ. The teaching of wisdom would help us migrate from offering physical sacrifices to spiritual sacrifices.
The commandments of wisdom would enable us to offer sacrifices of righteousness. A sacrifice of righteousness is a spiritual sacrifice. But we cannot generate a sacrifice of righteousness without the teaching of Christ’s wisdom. Another word for sacrifice of righteousness is the sacrifice of faith. That was the sacrifice Jesus wanted to introduce the rich young ruler to, because he had done the milk of the word and God wanted to introduce him to the sacrifice of righteousness to generate a poor spirit in him.
Isaiah 66:2
‘’For all those things hath mine hand, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.’’
Matthew 5:3
‘’Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’’
The first offering is a poor spirit. But we cannot be poor in spirit until we learn the righteousness of faith. Righteousness of faith is to produce a poor spirit. We must receive the wisdom called Christ. At every stage, Jesus, by His commandments, test how poor we are. The rich young ruler was not poor. His riches would delay him from accessing the spiritual. If he was able to do the commandments, he would be able to offer the sacrifice of righteousness.
The Beatitude teachings are spiritual sacrifices of the New Testament (Matt. 5:3-12). He needed to sacrifice what he had in order to gain the kingdom but he could not. We need to sell all we have if we must gain the kingdom. Christ does not hate riches but if it would hinder us from receiving the kingdom - the way it was a hindrance to the rich young ruler- then, we must sell it. The fulfilment of the commandments of Christ is to demonstrate that we are of a poor spirit. A man that is poor in spirit is one of a lowly heart.
The sacrifice of righteousness is a sacrifice of life. A man that has attained a poor spirit has attained unto life; life is righteousness. Christ would make us attain life and peace. We must attain faith and move to the sacrifice of peace which is charity. When we have unfeigned love for the saints, then a posture of heart is worked in us. There is a posture of heart we must have by the dealings of Christ. We must obey righteousness - the form of doctrine being delivered to us (Rom. 6:17).
A man that has come into life has become poor. We cannot be poor in our souls if we do not have life. We must exercise our faith unto hope. The reason we can offer sacrifice is because there is a change of hope; the hope is no longer on the earth. The rich young ruler had his hope on the earth; that was why he could not offer. Many of us would have to reject certain earthly offers like a well-paying job in order to have the kingdom; the reason we would have to let go of such jobs is because they have the ability to ensnare the heart. Each time we obey the dealings of the commandments of faith, there is a shift in our hearts; our hearts are made to hunger and thirst for God.
After we have completed the sacrifice of righteousness, we would be enrolled to do the sacrifice of peace. It takes meekness to be at peace with all men. A sign of charity of a meek man is that he can bear all things. We cannot bear all things if we are not at peace. We must be at peace, for only the wicked are not at peace (Prov. 28:1). The reason a man can be at peace in the heart is because he has carried out an obedience; which is not just worked in him by Christ as wisdom but by righteousness and sanctification. A man that can exercise meekness is one that peace has been worked in.
It takes a man that God has worked upon to ignore the persecution of men and be able to offer the sacrifice of peace which is charity. One sign that a man has come into sacrifice of peace called charity is meekness. This was demonstrated by Moses. Despite the contention of the people against him he could not defend himself because he was meek. He was already getting to the borders of everlasting life according to the order of life because he was exhibiting some everlasting traits. He was a man slow to anger.
When we begin to do righteousness which entails the learning of faith unto hope and charity, we would arrive at making sacrifices of peace – peace offering. We must learn Christ as righteousness, sanctification and redemption. A redeemer is known first when he does not have nor seek vengeance. It would take a meek man not to seek vengeance. Moses prevented God from destroying the people. A meek spirit is an embodiment of love the way Christ loves, which is a sacrifice. Moses offered a sacrifice to God by not seeking vengeance.
Tongues and Interpretation (2)
“You need to do Me. You need to become my nature and do Me because I am pouring myself into you in light, that you might do Me. As you do Me, you undo the adversary; even his work, nature, person and sacrifices. For when you do contrary to My command, you offer a sacrifice on the altar of your heart to the adversary. Therefore, do Me to change and crumble the nature of the adversary that is in you. Do Me to call for more of Me, even in you. You need to do Me; I want you to multiply Me in your being by doing Me. Be a doer of Me, do Me!”
Message Continues
In offering, Moses allowed his things to go and he interceded for the people before God. He possessed a heart full of compassion. He had so much love for God's heritage (love for the brethren). He was exhibiting something very high; though he could not overcome at the end because he did not have the material for overcoming that Jesus had. For Jesus went through his kind of dealing - he was actually tempted on all sides and was found without sin.
Another sacrifice to do is to tremble at God’s word. All these things are love commandments (Eph 5:2). Meat offering is the will of God (Lev. 2:3).
1 John 2:16-17
‘’For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.’’
When a man is able to do the will of God, he offers sacrifice to God. It was the Will that was given to Jesus to do. There is a will or law of God that we cannot do now because we do not have the heart state for it; for the sacrifices of God are those who tremble at His word (Isaiah 66:2b). We cannot do that aspect except we do the will of God. That is why we are first trained with the sacrifice of righteousness, so that we learn not to struggle with God’s will. We must have made peace. So, they train us with faith, hope and charity so that we can be easily taught to tremble and attain brokenness.
A carnal man cannot do the will of God (Romans 8:7). We have to learn righteousness first and become meek to advance to begin to do the will of God. We must find commitment to do Christ well, learn wisdom and not be tired. We must learn righteousness, sanctification and redemption. Charity always redeems; we do not want to get to a point where we would have to turn away.
Tongues and Interpretation (3)
‘’I am showing you how to serve me even from your heart, offering true sacrifices; sacrifices that touch and connect my heart. I am expectant of your service within; service that leaves you poor, broken, contrite, and trembling within your heart. The adversary has worked in your heart and hindered you from serving me. That's why I am showing you how to serve me. I am showing you how to serve me, from one level of service to another. Serve me and I will upgrade your curriculum of service, even as I upgrade your light and the demand of my Spirit upon you wherewith I will demonstrate greater life within and through your heart. I seek for such who would serve me in Truth and in Spirit, in the place of yieldedness and obedience, even from their heart.’’
Charge by Pastor Tayo Fasan
There is a stature that would be raised in us through subjective leading – being subject to the Spirit. By subjective leading, we would forsake sister, brother, father, mother, land (Matthew 19:29). Commandments enable us to forsake; for everything that the adversary will tempt us with is tied around the items mentioned which are of the earth. We can forsake like our Lord Jesus did. This is why we need to come into a stature. And by leading, we are enabled to deny all these things for the sake of Christ’s name.
To inherit everlasting life, we must do everlasting life. After we have used faith and charity, then we would have the doctrine of the Son and the Father; and we would be able to do the full curriculum of His name. In the process of forsaking land and brethren, we would be given everlasting life to do. When we do, we would have everlasting life as an inheritance.
The objective and subjective leading of the Spirit is to enable us inherit everlasting life. The reward called eternal life awaits us when we faithfully do everlasting life. The teachings of this season are imparting in us hope to have everlasting life and pursue it solely. So, like earthly men are strategic with their earthly prosperity, we also will come to a point where our pursuit will be to lay hold on the inheritance of everlasting life. And we would attain the state Jesus reached when he was about fulfilling His Father's business. All His desire was to attain everlasting life and be able to receive the reward of eternal life.
To lay hold on eternal life is to have everlasting life. What God is doing is to bring us to the point where the only hope alive in our souls is everlasting life. We would be possessed with a godly jealousy to have everlasting life.