By Jim Goll
It's time to Return to Antioch in the body of Christ. A little over a
year ago, we moved from our life time home in Kansas City area to
Antioch, TN. We knew that this was a prophetic act. A little over a
year later year later, we are beginning to grasp the symbolic significance
of this move---
The Lord is going take us back to the lifestyle of Acts 13:1-3. We
are returning to Antioch as an act of retrieving and restoring that
which was lost over time and once again raise up apostolic sending
centers. Like when antique furniture restored, the old layers of
religious veneers will be pealed away to restore God's furniture back
to it's original beauty.
As it was at Pentecost in Acts 2, there again will be the Holy
Spirit's supernatural activity of fire, wind and wine to empower,
cleanse, and restore that which was intended. It was in Antioch that
God brought apostles and prophets together to release a worldwide
impact.
The Lord gave me a vision and in it I saw an ATM Machine. I was given
a key card to make a heavenly withdrawal of huge proportions of that
which had been stored up to equip the saints. It is time for the
A-Team to come forth - God's Apostolic Team Ministries. His swat team
of holy, abandoned, itinerant tacticians; a wandering band of warriors
to establish God's work. But first we must Return to Antioch.
.
In Returning To Antioch there are 10 points I wish to unfold taken
from Acts 13:1-3 in birthing the purposes of God for this next
generation. In the church at Antioch there were prophets and
teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manean and
Saul of Tarus. While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the
Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me, Barnabas and Saul for the Work to
which I have called them."
1.) DIVERSITY IN UNITY There were five men listed here in Acts 13.
Barnabas who was first called Joseph - the son of encouragement or the
son of prophecy who was a Jew. There was Simeon from Niger - meaning
black man. There was Manean who grew up in the house of Herod who was
a Greek. There was Lucius from Syrain of Northern Africa and lastly
there was Saul from Tarsus - a man from modern Turkey. Today, God is
bringing the different ethnic groups together where there will be
unity and reconciliation, and there will arise a multi-colored,
multi-cultured, multi-sound in the Church. Diversity in Unity!
2.) THE WEDDING OF THE SPIRIT & THE WORD The wedding of the School of
the Word (Teachers) and the School of the Spirit (Prophets) will bring
forth offspring called Apostolic Team Ministries. It will be the
joining of those who hold the string of a kite and the kites
themselves to once again see the church catch sail and flow in the
winds of God.
3.) AUTHENTIC TEAM MINISTRY There will arise a new networking
as ministries and places of equipping and sending arise not in
competition but in divine cooperation with Jesus leading the way. He
will be the head of the body!
4.) PRIMARY PURPOSE: TO WORSHIP & MINISTER TO THE LORD
The primary purpose of ministry will be restored: ministering to the Lord!
We will come together in worship with abandonment to give to our King
the praise He is due. Pavilions of praise will spring up in many places.
5.)PRAYER & FASTING Prayer and fasting is being restored to it's
proper place of importance. Today we have the ever growing Prayer
Movement with Praying Through the 10/40 Window Campaigns, the call for
two million Americans by Bill Bright to pray and fast for America, the
Watch of the Lord vigil with Mahesh and Bonnie Chavda and much more is
yet to come!
6.) THE HOLY SPIRIT SAID In Acts 13, it doesn't say how the Holy
Spirit spoke. Was it an audible voice? An angel? A gift of
prophecy? Maybe it was the finger of God writing upon the wall?
Perhaps it was an impression or a vision or even a dream? One thing
we know, man didn't receive the acclaim as no man's name was
accredited to what was proclaimed. The Holy Spirit is going to get
all the credit! We will find our identity and security not in our
giftings but in Jesus Himself.
7.) SEPARATE UNTO "ME AND THE WORK" He desperately wants us to
get the horse ahead of the cart this time! First we are the Lord's, then we
are given to the ministry. First things first! Be separated unto the
Lord! The work was never intended to be purpose driven, but person
driven. But when we get Jesus first, out of that intimacy and union
with Him, callings and commissioning come forth.
8.) BARNABAS & SAUL In the verses and chapters that follow, we see a
change from "Barnabas and Saul" to "Paul and Barnabas". This will
test relationships and our very security when another gets an
anointing greater than your own. Be sensitive to changes in
leadership positions.
9.) FROM THE GENTILES TO THE JEWS As we Return to Antioch, another
transition will occur. The emphasis will gradually turn from the
Gentile Church being self absorbed into caring for and watching their
older brothers, the Jews, come back to the Messiah and walk in unusual
authority and power. The "One New Man" will truly emerge!
10.) THEY WERE FIRST CALLED CHRISTIANS
Acts 11:26 declares, "The disciples were first called Christians at
Antioch." Authentic, abandoned Christianity will arise across
the face of the earth once again as we Return to Antioch!
NOTE: For more teaching on this subject get the tape The Return to
Antioch from the MTTN Resource Center, www.ministrytothenations.org
(click here to return to the Apostolic page)
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