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April 13 - May 13, 2020
The pioneering spirit is apostolic. God always desires to do a new thing, and He will use apostolic people to do it. Apostolic people have the ability to persevere in the face of opposition. They have the strength and mentality of a pioneer. The apostolic anointing will set the tone for your life and ministry. You will become a pioneering believer. You will invade and possess new territory.
New places in the spirit realm need to be opened, where many saints have never been. It takes the anointing to open those places for others to follow and enter in. Those operating in the apostolic anointing are the people and churches who will open new regions...
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The plundered “goods” are the souls that are being influenced and controlled by this ruling spirit to keep them from the truth. Apostles can go into new regions and break through the resistance by binding the strongman.
Even where there are already churches in existence, an apostle can come in and establish new revelation. Often the strongmen in these areas are spirits of religion and tradition.
The apostle has authority only in the place where he ministers or is allowed to minister.
The Lord is now raising up apostles who will be voices in major cities. Wherever God sends His apostles, they will help change the spiritual climate of their assigned areas, whether those areas are cities, regions or nations. The result will be that the people in those areas are more receptive to hearing the Word of God—and the Church will be that much closer to fulfilling its mission.
mighty
Logismos can also be translated as “arguments.” Strongholds are the mindsets of people in a particular territory, fortified places that keep out truth and hold in lies. Dr. Clarence Walker defines a stronghold as a forceful, stubborn argument, rationale, opinion, idea and/or philosophy that is resistant to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. A mindset depicts a mind that is already settled on a set of beliefs and therefore resistant to change. It is fixed and rigid. Most people who claim to be open-minded really are not; their minds are closed and hardened to truth and revelation.
are engaged in confuting arguments and pulling down every barrier raised against the knowledge of God.”
The preaching, teaching and overall ministry of apostolic people are weapons that are mighty through God for the pulling down of these strongholds.
The Church must have the ability to blast and demolish these fortresses. Apostolic ministry has the power and authority to destroy strongholds and change mindsets. There is a grace, a supernatural ability to refute, disprove, discredit and expose these philosophies for what they are. People will not repent without a change of mind. This is the warfare that Paul is referring to in 2 Corinthians 10:3–5—refuting arguments and taking captive philosophies that are contrary to the truth.
Just as the apostles were able to break through the arguments of pagan philosophy, so must we.
It was into this pagan, philosophical Greek world that the early Church was thrust. They were carriers of an anointing that was able to pull down these strongholds. At the root of Greek philosophy was pride. The Greeks were proud of their philosophical heritage and argued when confronted with the truth of the Gospel. But apostolic ministry confounds the philosophies of men. It is a ministry of power that breaks through the arguments that Satan has set up in the minds of men.
They can only be destroyed through an anointing that confounds the wisdom of this world and releases the wisdom of God.
Apostles are standard bearers—commanders who lift the standard and rally the army of God (see Isaiah 59:19). An apostolic church is awesome and terrible, like an army with banners (see Song of Solomon 6:4, 10). Apostolic churches strike fear into the kingdom of darkness.
As generals and commanders, apostles have the ability to mobilize the saints for war. They rally the people of God, which means to bring to order again, to gather and organize anew. It is the ability to draw people together for action. Apostles are endued with the rank and authority to do this. They are leaders with the necessary grace, charisma and wisdom to lead the Church.
Apostolic ministry is a ministry of warfare. It entails commanding, mobilizing, rallying and gathering the army of God to challenge and pull down the strongholds of the enemy. The apostolic invades new territories and breaks through. It has the ability to go first. It is the first to encounter the spiritual resistance of the powers of darkness and the first to penetrate the barriers they erect. This mi...
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As we pray, apostles can be identified and released into every region. We need to identify the true apostles in a region. They may not be the ones we would identify; we need to know whom God identifies. A well-known preacher may not be the one. Sometimes those whom God chooses are hidden until prayer releases them.
The apostolic spirit that is released through prayer fuels church growth; it is a harvest anointing.
Those who come into contact with true apostles gain a better understanding of God’s purposes as revealed in the Word of God.
Apostolic prayer breaks resistance in regions that have been held captive by the powers of darkness.
It does not rest until the plans and purposes of God are complete.
This is another reason Satan hates and fears this anointing. It is an unstoppable
force.
It is persistent and patient in sp...
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and tribulations. It is a battering ram against the cit...
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Apostolic times are those in which the apostolic spirit and the apostolic ministry are being released.
Prophets and teachers should not fight apostles but rather be a part of releasing them.
Some of the prophets and teachers themselves will be released into apostolic ministries.
Trials, tests and tribulations do not deter the true apostolic ministry. There is a grace resident within this anointing that overcomes all opposition and breaks through every barrier. And it does not cease until the task is complete.
they are concerned with the condition of the Church. They are sent to correct things that are not in line with God’s purpose for His Church.
The spirit of reformation is the spirit of change; it contains the new thing that the Lord is doing in any given era.
Apostles have the ability to pull down the strongholds of tradition and bring forth new revelation.
Apostles operate and minister under a reforming anointing. When the Church is out of order, out of its proper form, there is a need to re-form. Apostles have the discernment to know when the Church is not in its proper form.
Religious systems that have been in place for years prior to a reformation are the greatest enemies to a new move of God.
Apostolic reformers are known for their boldness in preaching the truth in spite of persecution and even death.
The enemy does not want the Church to come into the form intended by the Lord, for when the Church comes into proper form, it will fulfill the plan of God in the earth.
But apostolic reformers have the anointing and boldness to bring about reform in the face of staunch opposition. They are hated and called troublemakers because of their message, but they bring to the Church what it needs most—reformation!
The apostolic anointing is at times confrontational. Apostles will not, however,
confront out of hurt or bitterness, but out of a desire to protect and defend the truth.
There are those who believe apostles are troublemakers because they are confrontational. Some would say, “Let’s overlook certain inconsistencies for the sake of peace.” But apostolic ministry does not see things this way. Truth cannot be compromised for the sake of peace. Truth will bring division, bringing a man’s foes out of his own household. Jesus said, “I did not come to bring peace but a sword” (Matthew 10:34).
True apostolic ministry will not budge when it comes to the truth.
When apostolic anointing is lacking or absent, the Church can easily be led astray from truth into error. The apostolic anointing, in contrast, serves as a buttress against error. This is why the enemy hates it and viciously fights it. He must get the apostles out of the way in order to lead the Church into error. He will try to neutralize apostles or destroy them, if possible.
This must be our attitude: If everyone else runs, I will stand my ground and defend the truth.
Modern-day Pharisees, scribes and religious leaders can gather together against the truth. Apostles are fearless and will rise up to meet the challenge. They will drive danger and attack away from the Church. Their preaching and teaching may become impassioned and polemic. But they will minister out of a boldness to preach truth in spite of the consequences.
They recognize that the truth must not only be preached but be defended, for if men do not
defend the truth, lies will prevail. If lies prevail, people walk in bondage and deception. This is another reason why the Church needs the ministry of the apostle.
The Lord is raising up apostles whose words will shake the Church.
Their words will be as bulldozers in the Spirit, plowing through the lies the enemy has sown in the Church. As a result, the truth will prevail, and multitudes will be set free.
The development of leaders is a vital part of any apostolic ministry—everything rises and falls on leadership. We need strong leaders to lead and protect churches.
