OpenHeaven.com Digest July 14, 2017

The Initial First Step

The new wine skin, so vital to receiving the new wine now being poured out in Kingdom marketplace calling, requires much deeper trust and courage – evidenced by the ability to stay calm in the midst of a raging storm. The new wine skin of COMPLETE TRUST wraps your vessel in His warmth amidst cold, dreary, wintery weather – The warmth of TRUST, no matter what I see! Without this attribute, victory will not come. COURAGE – Courage is often neglected in today’s narrative, yet perhaps the most needed of character traits. I often say, “This calling requires more courage than I have, but not more than God can give” – remember this sentence; it may have great meaning to some who understand it’s TRUTH! The first Chapter of Joshua (among my favorites) puts courage and its requirement on full display. “Take the land” is impossible without trust and courage.

Trials come often, recognize them as part of God’s infinite Kingdom ‘preparation’ process. Recognize that God allows in His wisdom what He could’ve prevented in His power – circumstances don’t make the man, they reveal him to himself. ‘Judge yourself’ in the circumstances of life; they will reveal ‘exactly’ where you are on the path to anointed Kingdom service. Do you truly possess inner peace today? Our ‘inner peace’ grounds us into Kingdom life, taking us beyond what we ‘see’ with our eyes, or ‘judge’ by what we hear with our ears. A strong inner peace in the face of unpleasant, even horrible, circumstances is the place of highest inner trust – it is the new wine skin through which much new wine can be poured. We are either seeing by natural eyes or by the eye of the Spirit. To ‘see’ and comprehend fully, we must ‘see’ by the spirit. Make no mistake, new wine CANNOT be poured into old wine skins; it would burst and the wine wasted. God is molding and shaping us on the potter’s wheel – Are we assisting or resisting what He is doing? Finding inner strength in impossible circumstances is not possible for man to achieve unto himself, but must be ‘received’ as a gift from God. Please understand it must be ‘sought’ to be received, otherwise we depend upon man (self) to achieve what only God can give. This vital first step is a major KEY to advance in Kingdom service, as only Jesus can provide the proper foundation. Many ‘called’ are not ‘chosen’ because they cannot get past this first paragraph. If this is ‘you,’ repent and ask God to empower you to fulfill His Kingdom purpose on earth. If you are facing trials rejoice, for the trying of your faith works patience, so let patience have her perfect work that you may become perfected an entire, wanting nothing.

It vastly important to understand trials as preparation for anointed Kingdom service (Hebrews 12); and the first necessary step in finding anointed, appointed, Kingdom Apostolic empowerment within your ‘called sphere’ of Kingdom service in the earth. Trials prepare us and train us for true Kingdom service, revealing our soft spots and areas that need work – this is the ‘process’ (cleansing) at work. These trials are painful, often characterized by a sense of hopelessness and despair, but take heart brothers and sisters, you are being honed and crafted for a specialized work upon this earth. This ‘preparation’ is painful during the night season, but Oh the Joy of the Morning!

The Second Step – Checked At The Front Door!

Often your second initial step into Kingdom service will come as a shock: some major bones must ‘painfully’ break to reset the theological course of your life. You see, our Christian bones (theology) often don’t line up with in-depth Kingdom calling/appointment. Our motives for Kingdom service are often ‘checked’ at the entrance door. This ‘front door’ experience can send us reeling into the depths of disappointment and feelings of rejection, only to find much later that our motive for Kingdom service was ‘selfish’ and not ‘serving’ in nature. Nothing but pure motives can enter true Kingdom service. Nowhere can this initial shock be more evident than a ‘marketplace’ Kingdom calling, where money, ambition, success, and power often rule. Satan was legally allowed to “sift Job because of his wrong motives in serving God.” Motives will always be ‘checked at the front door’ of Kingdom service. Ask me how I know? I have a testimony! Perhaps true marketplace callings, above many others, are difficult to enter for several reasons – 1) This ground has been held for many years by the enemy – the giants are big and the walls thick: those who make decisions by logic and reason will see it as Moses did for 40 years, “One day, some day, just not today.” This is a typical 2nd Day mindset where it is always about what “God is gonna do.” In the 3rd Day, it is about seeing as Joshua and Caleb – God said it is ours “Let’s take the land.” God’s last name is not “Gonna” anymore. God’s last name is “Take it!” The Kingdom of God is forcefully advancing and violent men “take it by force.” We must shed our 2nd Day mindset to get 3rd Day results. And 2) The opposition is fierce. No enemy will lie down and give you territory he holds and controlled for centuries. Higher levels, bigger devils. Spiritual warfare at this level IS life or death. There is no way to win this battle and take this ground without a specific knowledge of the Courts of Heaven. You must learn to take ground by spiritual means, and there is much to be learned to be effective in this sphere. Those unprepared to go deep into spiritual understanding will be ‘turned back’ at this level of confrontation. This is not for the feint of heart, and cannot be dealt with in the flesh. If our hearts are not right, God, in His infinite wisdom, will send us back for more training. He will resist us UNTIL our hearts are right – He knows the number one requirement in serving Him is a pure motive – new wine cannot be poured into an old wine skin. The purest of hearts say, “Though He slay me, yet will I serve Him.” They will lay their lives and all in their possessions at His feet to fulfill His purpose in their life. So, the question becomes, am I more like the rich young ruler, or the widow who gave her last two mites? Seriously consider this question before you ask the Lord to “send you.” Talk is cheap, and “the Hope you profess must be held unswervingly” (Hebrews 10:23). We are taking territory that has not been challenged before; therefore solid spiritual tactics much be sought and learned and put into place. The most important revelation is God’s word is true and satan is a liar! Charge on, even when you can see nothing up front encouraging you to do so!

In truth, much of Christianity is about ‘Talk,’ while (all) of Kingdom appointment is about ‘Walk.’ Much of the spiritual perversion in the Church today is predicated on ‘talking’ men trying to lead others where they are not ‘walking.’ It is impossible take others where you have not ‘walked’ yourself; and strongly indicative of why the current ‘weak’ Church is in weak condition. In the Kingdom dynamic, this is impossible – not only is testimony required, but “overcoming testimony” at that. The seasons have changed, as the preaching of the ‘Church Age’ has bowed its knee to the demonstration of the ‘Kingdom Age.’ Overcoming testimony is a demonstration, and its truth ‘demonstrates’ the gospel as Christ did and the true Apostolic Order of our day does. Again, no man can lead you where he has not walked. If his mouth (talk) and his feet (walk) don’t align, be careful! The highest form of communication in the earth today is Spirit-To-Spirit, (not intellect-to-intellect), and the highest form of Spirit-To-Spirit is ‘impartation’ through testimony. “Gold and silver have I none, but such as I have, I IMPART (give) to you; stand up and walk.” The lame beggar had never heard a Gloria Copeland teaching tape on healing – Peter imparted truth and ‘immediately’ the lame man walked.

Third Step – Finding Apostolic Connection In Your Calling

Finding ‘the people’ you are called to walk with is as important as finding ‘the purpose’ for which God placed you in the earth. Why? Because they are ‘the key’ to functioning within that ‘called’ purpose. Connecting to an ‘appointed’ Apostle in the sphere of your calling is vital to fulfilling your ‘appointed’ purpose. He (the Apostle) will help you “lay the ax to the root,” finding wisdom (saving years of time) in finding functioning purpose. Appointed Apostles, in their respective spheres, have paid a severe price in knowing and establishing ONLY what God wants in this earth (in their sphere). They don’t stray from their respective lane, but know their authority in their wheelhouse. Pride is an enemy to finding this Apostolic camp, keeping many of God’s very elect wandering and wondering around in darkness, losing valuable time in the plan of God. Finding Kingdom ‘appointment’ is not only ‘what’ but ‘who.’ It is neither a guess or a hope, but rather a solid fact, sealed so tightly ‘within’ that nothing can tear it apart. Wandering and wondering means nothing other than your seal has not been opened…yet. But take heart, it will!

Many still walk in the ways of the world (man’s complete and utter dependence upon man – most often self, the congregation, Church Age systems, banks, the rich, those with a giving heart), while the true Kingdom man’s complete and utter dependence is upon His God. The question is “where are your eyes cast, from whom does your money come?” This is a heart issue, not a money issue. Upon who do you depend? The systems of men are fading (Daniel 7:27/Revelation 11:15), as the Kingdom of the Most High God is emerging through His appointed, emerging sons and daughters of God, those who hear His voice and obey His will unto death (Romans 8/Revelation 12). The road to Kingdom authority is littered with the carcasses of Christians stuck in a 2nd Day, Church Age mindset, during the 3rd Day, Kingdom Age time and calling. You would not wear shorts in winter, nor would you wear a heavy jacket in summer – hence the vast importance in knowing the characteristics of the Kingdom Age in which you now live.

Attach yourself to life and detach from death as though your (Kingdom) life depended upon it – And It Does! Marketplace Apostolic Fathers have been years in the making – they have prepared their camps well, awaiting the arrival of many new sons and daughters. They are prepared, with His gift, to check you at the front door (for more training), or skillfully guide you to your assignment. The time has come for two equally spectacular occurrences – the manifestation of the sons of God, and 2) the emergence of the Kingdom of God (in the marketplace). The compelling and urging within us defines and refines our Kingdom appointment. Remember, it is not only ‘what’ you are called to in the marketplace, but also ‘who’ you are linked to. These manifestations are ‘happening’ now, and amazingly many from the world are stepping right into Kingdom power, bypassing years of Churchanity, by seeing a true demonstration of God’s love, power, and purpose in the Kingdom on earth just as it is in heaven!

Clay Sikes