Jude 1:19-21

[Hidden In Him]

The Army Of God: Deliverers From Spiritual Starvation

     During New Testament times, the Holy Spirit Himself was the Teacher of the church, for churches were continually being edified through the operation of the spiritual gifts. Again, this is what the apostle Paul was referring to in the following words written to the Corinthians:

      What is it, then, brothers? Whenever you may come together, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. If anyone with a tongue speaks, [let it be] by two or the most three, and in succession, and let one interpret. And if there is no interpreter, let him be silent in the church, but let him speak to himself and God. And let prophets speak two or three, and let the others discern. And if anything should be revealed to another sitting by, let the first one be silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and be exhorted. (1 Corinthians 14:26-31)

     Yet because the Gnostics were among these early congregations and operating in false gifts, their presence was serving only to discredit the gifts. As Jude warned in verses 12-13:

     These are... waterless clouds, being carried away by winds; unfruitful autumn trees having died twice over, having been uprooted; wild waves of the sea, frothing up their reproaches; wayward stars, for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved forever. (Jude 1:12-13)

     Despite the false gifts the Gnostics were operating in, however, it was paramount that true believers not be deterred from operating in the true ones, for if they did the Holy Spirit would cease to be the church's Teacher, and inevitably the church would begin a slow decline into spiritual starvation. Thus, Jude all the more encouraged his readers to engage in edification, regardless of the presence of the Gnostics:

     These [heretics], distinguishing themselves, are soulish, not having the Spirit. But you, beloved, edifying yourselves upon your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the Love of God, welcoming the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. (Jude 1:19-21)

     The words "love of God" were a expression used to refer to the continued outpouring of the Holy Spirit, i.e. God's Presence (see 1 Thessalonians Study #1), which was a manifestation of His mercy and grace. As such, the gifts could only be welcomed by seeking Him in a spirit of humility, through continual prayer. But the Gnostics were the farthest thing from humble. When Jude said they were "distinguishing themselves," he meant that they were setting themselves apart as superior to others:

     And committing many other abominations and impieties, they run us down (who from the fear of God guard against sinning even in thought or word) as being utterly contemptible and ignorant persons, while they highly exalt themselves, and claim to be the perfect and elect seed." (Irenaeus, Against Heresies, VI, 4)

     As Jude stated, in reality the true distinction between Gnostics and true Christians was that Gnostics did not have the Spirit, making them utterly incapable of producing anything resembling true revelation from God.


When The Spiritual Famine First Started And Why

     As shown in the opening passage I quoted, spiritual gifts were the means by which God was granting revelation to the churches during New Testament times. And fasting and prayer were the means by which New Testament believers were welcoming manifestations of the mercy and Love of God, i.e. the spiritual gifts. For the first 150 years after Christ's resurrection, corporate prayer was still being practiced as is evidenced by quotes from Irenaeus, who specifically attributed the continued raising of the dead to the corporate prayers of the saints. Such works made them stand out from Gnostic magicians, for the latter were accomplishing no such thing:

       Those also will be confuted who belong to Simon and Carpocrates, and if there are any others who are said to perform "miracles." For they perform what they do neither through the power of God, nor in conjunction with the truth, nor for the well-being of men... They can neither confer sight on the blind, nor hearing upon the deaf, nor expel all sorts of demons - except those who are sent into others by themselves... And so far are they from being able to raise the dead that they do not even believe that this can possibly be done. However, the Lord raised the dead, and the apostles likewise did so by means of prayer, and this has been frequently done in the brotherhood on account of some necessity. When the entire church in that particular locality entreated God with much fasting and prayer, the spirit of the dead man was returned, and he has been restored in answer to the prayers of the saints. (Irenaeus, Against Heresies, XXXI, 2, 180 A.D)
 
     Unfortunately, the church did not continue to keep themselves in the Love of God. Within another 70 years or so, the church would show signs of dropping off in the operation of the spiritual gifts, as is clear from how men like Origen made repeated references to there now being only "traces" of the gifts in evidence, as compared to when the apostles were still alive:

     "… we must believe [the signs and wonders of the apostles] to have been performed, both on many other grounds, and on this, that traces of those signs and wonders are still preserved among those who regulate their lives by the teachings of the Gospel." And again in another place, "the apostles of Jesus… could not have prevailed upon those who heard their new doctrines without the help of miracles and wonders… and there are still preserved among Christians traces of that Holy Spirit who appeared in the form of a dove. They expel evil spirits, perform many cures, and foresee certain events, according to the will of [Christ], the Word." (Origen, Against Celsus, Ch.II and Ch.XLVI, 248 A.D.)

     Why were they now seeing only traces of the gifts whereas before the church was experiencing full manifestations of them in New Testament times? The answer is found in a quote from Cyprian from around this same time period. Writing in around 250 A.D., Cyprian warned the Church:

     "Let us urgently pray and groan with continual petitions. Know this, beloved brethren, that I was not long ago reproached in a vision about this also, that we were lethargic in our prayers, and did not pray with watchfulness... Therefore let us strike off, and break away from the bonds of sleep, and pray with urgency and watchfulness… for the apostles also ceased not to pray day and night." (Cyprian, Epistles of Cyprian, Epistle VII, 5, 250 A.D.)

     The Church had become lackadaisical in prayer, and the result was that the spiritual gifts were now disappearing from the Church. Within another 150 years or so, they would be little more than a distant memory.
     As Chrysostom would later write in around 400 A.D.:

     Truly the Church was more like Heaven in Paul's time, in that the Spirit governed everything and moved each one of the members in turn. But now it seems we have merely the symbols of those gifts. We likewise only have two or three speaking in a service, but these are only a pale shadow of what prevailed then... The present church is like a woman who has fallen from her former prosperous days, and retains only the outward signs of that prosperity, displaying the boxes and caskets within which she once kept her wealth, but which are now empty. This is true not only in the matter of the gifts, but in life and virtue as well. (Chrysostom, Homilies on the Epistles of Paul to the Corinthians, XXXVI, 7, 390 A.D.)


The Work Of Caterpillars, Palmerworms, Cankerworms And Locusts

     "Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord, "that I will send forth a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the word of the Lord. And the waters shall be troubled from sea to sea, and from the north to the east shall men run hither and thither, seeking the word of the Lord, but shall not find it. In that day shall the fair virgins and the young men faint for thirst; they who swear by the sin-offering of Samaria, and say, "Your God lives, O Dan," and "Your God lives, O Beersheba." Yet they shall fall, and no more rise again. (Amos 8:11-14, LXX)

     This is a prophecy concerning the times we are living in now. Dan and Beersheba were the very southern and northern-most edges of Israel's kingdom, suggesting that the people would run everywhere throughout God's kingdom searching for the word of the Lord and yet still not find it. Indeed, there is now an incredible famine of the word of God ravaging the landscape of the modern church. No matter how many Christian teachers and preachers one listens to today, they still nearly always comes away starving and hungry for what the Spirit of God Himself is actually saying to the churches. Saddest of all, most don't even know they're experiencing spiritual starvation, but think they are being "fed."
     Why did this famine occur? Because the church stopped seeking for the Holy Spirit to be their Teacher a long time ago. As a result, demonic spirits rushed in, much like "caterpillars, locusts, palmerworms and cankerworms," and began eating away at the accurate teachings of the church. Now, some two millennia later, little of value remains.

                                   

     But all of this was prophesied in Joel a long time ago, specifically with reference to end-time events:

     The word of the Lord which came to Joel, the son of Bathuel. "Hear these words, you elders... The leavings of the caterpillar has the locust eaten, and the leavings of the locust has the palmerworm eaten, and the leavings of the palmerworm has the cankerworm eaten... Mourn, you priests who serve at the altar of the Lord, for the plains languish. Let the land mourn, for the corn languishes. The wine is dried up, the oil becomes scarce. The husbandmen starve. Mourn your property on account of the wheat and barley, for the harvest has perished from off the field. The vine is dried up, and the fig-trees are become few. The pomegranate, palm-tree, apple, and all the trees of the field are dried up, for the sons of men have abolished joy. (Joel 1:1, 4, 8-12, LXX)

     The Book of Joel also offers hope, however. God promised that when His people finally turned back to Him with their whole hearts, minds, souls and strength, and sanctified a fast and prayed, He would then restore His great power - the same power of the Holy Spirit that was being poured out on the church at Pentecost - and through this power they would begin bringing back all that the caterpillars, locusts, palmerworms and cankerworms had eaten:
     
     "Now therefore," says the Lord your God, "turn to Me with all your heart, and with fasting and weeping and lamentation. Rend your hearts and not your garments, and turn to the Lord your God… and, because of the years which the locust, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, and the cankerworm have eaten, I shall recompense unto you My great power, which I sent among you. And you shall eat abundantly and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God for the things He has wonderfully wrought among you. And My people shall not be ashamed for ever. And you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel… it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. And I will pour out My Spirit upon My servants and My handmaidens in those days. And I will show wonders in the heaven and on earth, blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and glorious Day of the Lord comes." (Joel 2:12-13, 25-31 LXX)


Prophesies Regarding The Coming Army Of God

     In his book, The Vision, the Spirit of God gave Rick Joyner a brief description of what the army of God will be like during the end-times. Out of the rabble that currently calls itself "Christianity," a true army will be formed. But as it is today, there will still remain many in Christian leadership who lack true authority in the word, and offer nothing of any real value in the way of true spiritual leadership:

     Suddenly, I was standing on a high mountain overlooking a great plain. Before me, there was an army marching on a wide front. There were 12 divisions in the vanguard that stood out sharply from the great multitude of soldiers who followed behind them... All wore armor that was polished silver, shields that appeared to be pure gold, and weapons that were both silver and gold. The banners were huge, 30 to 40 feet long. As the soldiers marched, their armor and weapons flashed in the sun like lightning, and the flapping of the banners and the tread of their feet sounded like rolling thunder. I did not think the earth had ever witnessed anything like this before.
     Then I was close enough to see their faces - male and female, old and young from every race. There was a fierce resolution on their faces, yet they did not seem tense… not a single one feared the battle to which they were marching… Every soldier also wore rank insignias and medals… [but] from the highest ranking officer to the lowest, they all seemed to be close friends. It was an army of unprecedented discipline, yet it also seemed to be just one big family… I could not detect ambition or pride anywhere in the ranks.
     Then I was behind the front divisions looking at a much larger group that was composed of hundreds of divisions… this was also an awesome army, simply because of its size… They all had uniforms and ranks, but I was surprised that many of these did not even have on a full set of armor, and many did not have weapons. The armor and the weapons that they did have were not nearly as polished and bright as those of the first group… These seemed much more aware of their own rank, and the rank of those around them. I felt that this was a distraction hindering their focus. I could also sense ambition and jealousy in the ranks, which unquestionably was a further distraction…
     Behind this second army, there was a third one which marched so far behind the first two armies that I was not sure they could even see the groups ahead of them. This group was many times larger than the first and second armies combined… but these had on tattered, dull grey uniforms which were neither pressed nor clean. Almost everyone was bloody and wounded. A few were attempting to march, but most just walked in the general direction in which the others were headed. Fights were constantly breaking out in the ranks, causing many of the wounds.
     In this third army, I was surprised that there were only two ranks - generals and privates. Only a few had a piece of armor on, and I did not see any weapons except dummy weapons which were carried by the generals. The generals flaunted these weapons as if having them made the officers special, but even those in the ranks could tell that the weapons were not real. This was sad because it was obvious that those in the ranks desperately wanted to find someone who was real whom they could follow. (Joyner, The Call, P.137-141)

     A few pages later, the Lord reveals to Joyner exactly where the church stands today in relation to these three armies:

     "What you saw today is still in the future. The ministries I am about to release will gather this army and equip them to be all that you saw. At this time, almost My entire army is in the condition of the third group." (Joyner, The Call, P.145)


The Ground Will Produce Fruit Once Again

     Just as modern armies are sometimes deployed to bring humanitarian relief to starving populations, so too will the army of God bring relief to believers during the end-times. But as Joyner's vision also revealed, only those who are true soldiers in Christ will bring relief. Many who suppose themselves to be a great "blessing" to others in this regard will actually be doing much to destroy the work being done:   
     
     I was suddenly on a mountain where I could see the entire army. As I watched, I noticed that the plain was dry and dusty before the army, but immediately after the first twelve divisions passed, the earth was dark green, with trees giving shade and bearing fruit, and pure streams flowing throughout the land…
     I watched as the second divisions passed over the same ground. They left bridges and many buildings, but the ground was not left in as good a shape as before they had passed. The grass was not as green, the streams were somewhat muddied, and much of the fruit had been taken.
     Then I saw what happened as the third group passed over the same ground. The grass was either gone or so trampled into the earth that it could not be seen. The few trees that remained were stripped. The streams were polluted. The bridges were broken down and impassable. The buildings were left in shambles. It seemed that this group had undone all of the good that the first two had done. (Joyner, The Call, P.142-143)

     The "buildings" in this passage refer to precisely that, physical temples being built by those who will be focused primarily on building the material church. But God's focus will primarily be on building spiritual temples, where the "streams" of living water run pure and the "trees" again begin bearing abundant fruit.
     That this will be the Lord's focus is also clear from the Book of Joel. The result of His Spirit being poured out upon believers during the last days will be that true spiritual life will again start to be restored where great spiritual famine once existed. The end-time church will once again "eat abundantly, and be satisfied," as she was in the beginning.

     Be of good courage, O land. Rejoice and be glad, for the Lord has done great things. Be of good courage, you beasts of the plain, for the plains of the wilderness have budded, for the trees have borne their fruit, the fig tree and the vine have yielded their strength. Rejoice then, and be glad, you children of Zion, in the Lord your God, for He has given you food fully, and He will rain on you the early and the latter rain, as before. And the floors shall be filled with corn, and the presses shall overflow with wine and oil. Because of the years which the locust, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, and the cankerworm have eaten, I shall recompense unto you My great power, which I sent among you. And you shall eat abundantly, and be satisfied… [for] I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh. (Joel 2:21-26a, LXX)

     The "early and latter rain" and the "overflow of wine and oil" both speak of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, by which means revelation will again begin to be restored to His people and they will again "eat abundantly."
     But if this vision is yet for the future, what should we be doing now? For those with ears to hear, the task set before us is to "gather this army, and equip them." By this, I mean we must begin arming them with true revelation from God. The Holy Spirit Himself is the One who grants such revelation, and He is "welcomed" through fasting and prayer. Thus, if we would return to operating in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, it will only happen if we finally stop playing games and turn to the Lord with all our hearts, and with "fasting, and weeping, and lamentation." Only then will the promises given to Joel reach their fulfillment and pave the way for the coming end-time harvest.