A Picture of the Council
We’ve all heard that “God has a wonderful plan for your life.” Most believers can’t tell you what it is beyond the pablum of religious generalities (evangelism, missions, Kingdom). The theological paradigm looks like blindfolded believers depending on the Holy Spirit nudging them to stop or go, turn left or right. It sounds like, ‘I have no idea where I’m going, I’m just faithfully following a trail of breadcrumbs from the Holy Spirit.” That’s even made to sound spiritual in most charismatic circles (I’m more spiritual if I don’t know where I’m going). The testimonies are always in the vein of “God spoke to me, and this miracle happened,” as evidence of the success of their breadcrumb relationship.
Servants don’t know the master’s business (Jn 15:15). They receive orders to obey, and neither the master nor the servant expects to have conversations about purpose or strategy. The mindset of knowing or needing to know the purpose in Father’s heart has some convenient roots:
- I might fail if I committed to a larger and more specific purpose (fear)
- Purpose might expose my carnal independence, pride, and presumption (my depravity)
- I’m a sinner who God can’t trust (I don’t even trust myself). I am Balaam’s ass, God can find me.
- I don’t know how (nor need) to hear God’s purpose (red light, green light theology)
Servants obey orders; sons share purpose – Father wants to share His purpose and Kingdom strategies with sons who seek Him; sons who search out Father’s purpose with all their hearts; sons who volunteer to share that purpose!
Prov 25:2 – It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter (purpose) is the glory of kings. NIV
Rom 8:28 – And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose. NIV
Eph 1:11 – In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will NIV
2 Tim 1:9 – who has saved us and called us to a holy life — not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. NIV
What’s the desire of your heart? – In the Courts and Council, one of the first questions Father brings up is, “What would you like to do?” Servants have no concept of owning any responsibility for writing our book or destiny. God is doing many things, all with purpose. He has also created us with talents and written the desires in our hearts. The most shocking discovery of connecting with our own hearts is to find that a purpose that already resides there because it came from Father’s heart. That’s why Jesus specifically told us to ask “whatsoever” (Jn 14:13-14, 15:7-8, 15:16, 16:23-24). Sons carry the Father’s heart in the desires of their heart. We can’t obey our way via breadcrumbs from the Holy Spirit into sonship.
Ps 37:4 – Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. NIV
We face a dilemma: we have all failed at some dream we really wanted. The presumed explanation is that we must have been outside God’s purpose. It usually results in a vow never to go out on that dream limb again. We miss that, 1) each of us is part of a much larger battle, 2) that Father has a strategy to resurrect from setbacks, and 3) that “it’s not all about me.” None of our lives make sense outside the context of the story in our Book. If you don’t know the story, you are a pinball bouncing through life with no clue where you will end up. We can try to paint that as spiritual, but wouldn’t it be better to know your purpose? If I know I’m contending for God’s purpose and lose a battle, is that surprising? No, we don’t expect to win every battle. We expect to win the war and we believe in resurrection, redemption, and second chances!
Warfare – We help people navigate the waters of purpose with two primary tools for sons, Courts and Council. The enemy’s biggest goal isn’t keeping you out of heaven; it’s keeping you out of your purpose.
- The courts of heaven remove enemy accusations legally rooted in generational influences so that our books can be known and released. The enemy often has them all locked up for a legitimate reason we are not aware of. One session in the courts of heaven can lead to a jailbreak in terms of understanding and experiencing your book (Purpose, Ps 139:151-16).
- The Council is the place we go to refine that purpose. There are ongoing conversations and 1000 mid-course corrections to navigate on the way to purpose. The Holy Spirit does “guide us into all truth.” The place where that happens is the Council, and there are seven spirits to help, not just one (Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Might, Knowledge, and Fear of the Lord). You’ve experienced safety in a multitude of counselors. But there is a place in the Spirit (God’s Council) where you can experience much more.
The fruit of sonship – moving from a servant living on crumbs to a son with a seat in heaven is an amazing encounter. When my purpose is consciously interwoven with Father’s heart because I’ve heard His voice and have seen what He is doing, my confidence and authority go up to the bullet-proof level of glee in Jesus’ disciples:
Luke 10:17-19 – The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” 18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. NIV
The Holy Spirit still dwells in us and nudges us, but a prompting in the context of our and Father’s purpose is totally different from prompting a blindfolded servant. We cannot be prompted into purpose! The dimension added by the Spirit of the Lord resting on us with seven spirits is profound and practical.
Isa 11:2-3 – The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him — the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit off counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord — 3 and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears;
Sons are doctrinally sound and intellectually well educated. But they carry another dimension that goes far beyond intellectualism and experience to discern people, problems, and opportunities. We are no longer making decisions based on what we see with our eyes or hear with our ears… in business or relationships. We have a seat in heaven, and sons have a totally different perspective from heaven. We are bringing heaven to earth prophetically, practically, and strategically. God has purpose for sons, and each of us carry a specific purpose to bring the Kingdom of heaven to earth and bless nations. Your book is worth knowing, and Father is inviting you to help write the chapters in the Council over a conversation.
What if? – What’s the dream for translating this into business?
#1. Know Purpose – We integrate mind maps in 1-on-1 conversations with staff so that we consciously try to understand purpose (What’s really in the other guy’s book)… so that we can help make their dream come true as a means of making Kingdom progress and growing our own people and business.
#2. In the Council – We trade red light/green light guidance for clarity on Father’s purpose (and ours). We say yes to being present in the Courts and Council so that we understand purpose/books and execute a plan for Intentional Reformation. Courts release books, Council is to live out that purpose.
#3. Create the Culture – We create a community (or army) of sons and Father them into their books and their kingdom companies (their dream) so that Reformation comes to their staff, business, city, and Nation.
Abba – The greatest expression of love we can have for another person is to know what’s in their book and help them get there. I have felt the love of people for helping them cross a bridge and connect with the purpose their hearts and Father’s heart. It feels like a son meeting his Father. It’s a relationship that does something: co-laboring, working together to build the Kingdom, doing what Father does. We are all called to purpose. Until we find it, there is a void in our hearts. In the Kingdom there is no wall between work and worship. They become the same thing. We delight Father’s heart when we are about our Father’s business. It’s the music of heaven!
Resources – The purpose of heaven for each of us is already written in your heart and can be heard in the Council. Your business can shift from a Christian business full of servants to a Kingdom business full of sons who make a difference. We help people and businesses get their prophetic purpose in writing and then make it happen on earth. Taste and see! Tools to get started are here:
- Intentional Reformation Intro (A free diagnostic you will enjoy along with our purpose & Values)
- Nail your Purpose Field Guide (A place to start clarifying your heart’s desires)
- OnlineHeartPlan.com (Our web site and on-line Courses)
- USA Book (proof we can get our arms around the books of people, businesses, and nations)
Cutting room Floor
Matt 15:27 – “Yes, Lord,” she said, “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” NIV
This was so good. Thank you, John
Superb