As believers, we love the miraculous. Miracles make it clear that God did it and not us. If we are intentional and do something noteworthy, there is always a concern that it came out of a sinful part of our presumptuous soul and didn’t originate from God.
The goal of the new age movement is to teach people to use their soulish powers apart from God. The counterfeit message of mindset, gratitude, belief, visualization, confession, and unity enables the cosmos to deliver your dream (and empty your soul). The new age movement used to be distinctly separate from Biblical Christianity, but now this stream of thought is embedded in marketing, motivational, and business instruction. Some of the gurus quote verses from the Bible and claim to be Christians, and some of them are!!! It’s all very confusing.
The Tower of Babel – The secular business crowd (the sons of men) in Babel decided to build a great city and make a name for themselves. Sound familiar? God interrupted the construction with this observation:
Gen 11:4-9 –5 The Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. 6 The Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they began to do, and now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible (restrained, pruned) for them. NASU
Nothing shall be impossible, restrained H1219 (Bawtsar) to clip off, fence, wall, pruning grapes
God acknowledged the power of their soul (nothing they purpose will be impossible) and dropped a bomb on the whole process. In the Hebrew, impossible means restrained or pruned. Their independence from God left them without the possibility of self-restraint or Godly pruning, a normal process that increases the fruitfulness of sons.
John 15:2-5 – every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. NIV
How much initiative? – We have all taken initiatives we believed in and have seen them fail. We’ve all been filled with promise and passion that gave birth to an embarrassing dead work. We’ve all experienced the shame and vowed never to do it again. We’ve all seen other people, full of themselves in passion, and money, and power, and visibility. They operate apart from Jesus, and you can tell a train wreck is in their future.
I want to suggest that God created the power in your soul and that we should all learn to use it in a right way that doesn’t give birth to dead works. We all ask the same basic questions:
1. Should I be intentional (soulful) or wait for God’s Spirit to move me? – When Father reveals purpose in Heaven, Sons start implementing on earth
We can be both intentional and available once we know God’s purpose. Co-laboring with our Father and doing what He does implies the use of every faculty we have, including our soul and initiative. We can safely be passionate and assertive when we know Father’s purpose for our lives. When I know His purpose ahead of time, I can start things without feeling His presence, and He will come alongside me and add anointing and power. Other times there will be a prompting that Father initiates. When we’re working together on the same purpose, it doesn’t matter who starts, or precisely what the division of labor is. Father covenants to make your name great and bring you to glory (Gen. 12:2, Heb. 2:10), and sons delight in laying their crowns before His throne and giving Him glory (Rev.4:10).
John 14:12-14 – I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. NIV
2. Should I wait for His guidance or go find it? – Go find His purpose!
Ask!!! The key ingredient for #1 is knowing purpose. We go and see what the Father is doing in the council, and as sons, we accept the responsibility for bringing that purpose to earth prophetically and practically. The purpose God gives us is intertwined with the desires He already wrote in our hearts. God wired us to be delighted by our “assignment.” It expresses the design of our identity. Works don’t compete with our identity, our exploits communicate who we are and who we serve. As we implement our Father’s purpose (and ours), we get many other leadings or ideas. It’s not always clear, or important, whether they came from the Father’s heart or our heart because the purpose is the same. We have a Father who promises to “show us” all things and greater things. Learn to be Seers-and-Doers.
John 5:18-23 – He was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. 19 Jesus gave them this answer: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. 22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. NIV
3. Can I Represent God? – Created in His image means we look and act like our Father
Yes, that’s the whole point of being a son who sees purpose in the council and brings heaven to earth (Kingdom). The disciple’s reaction to this “experience” amazed them, “Lord, Lord, even the demons are subject to us, in your name” (Lu. 10:17). Jesus told them to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons (Mt. 10:7-8). He gave them power and authority to be about their Father’s business. The better question is, “Can I refuse this offer to be a son with access to His council.” All creation is waiting for your answer! Don’t wait to die before you go to the council. The Kingdom is on earth now and the council has a seat in heaven with your name on it – now!
Rom. 8:18-20 – I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.
4. What If I Make a Mistake? – Don’t worry, You will! It’s OK
Your active soul will also grow a few branches that need occasional pruning. Chastening is a normal part of a Father/Son relationship, and we learn to thank Him for mid-course corrections. It’s a safety net. The council is the best and most preventive way to get early adjustments from Wisdom and the Fear of the Lord. As sons, we learn to ask for adjustments before we make the mistakes.
Father will also give us assignments that get delayed or may not work. It’s not a mistake, it’s warfare. We don’t win every battle. Setbacks and resurrections are part of being a son and building the Kingdom. Your seer gift and your presence in the council will keep you out of condemnation from failures.
5. What If I’m Tempted to Compromise? – Don’t worry, you will be.
Jesus was tempted three times by the devil (Mt. 4). All three were things he could have done in His own power but chose not to because they weren’t aligned with His Father’s purpose. He restrained himself. You and I will similarly be tempted with shortcuts to results, power, money, fame, etc. Knowing the Father’s purpose is our protection. Our Father has a better offer for His sons; a better plan. If you have been to the council and have seen what that offer is, you won’t be tempted. Jesus endured temptation and the cross for the joy set before Him. He understood the plan and wouldn’t trade for second best.
Did you notice the concept of sons in the council appears as a key in all five of these common questions? We help people become Seers and Doers. More here in a 12 minute video – Nations.
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