We need to take a fresh look at the foundations that are required to be laid in our lives in order that we may understand what is necessary for us to enter and live in the Kingdom of God.
In the church there is a lack of understanding when it comes to the basic foundations that God requires of us in order to live in the Kingdom of God.
There is a difference between being born again and living in Kingdom realities. This may be a surprise to many of you! However, walking in the realm of Kingdom realities which are not of this world (John 18:36), is supposed to be the norm for Christians.
We are living in times of great darkness and great light, at a time when the end-time harvests are about to be reaped. While the thought of great harvests of souls is wonderful, the responsibility that this brings upon the church is awe-inspiring. We need to be prepared to teach and train a whole new generation in the ways of God, bringing them into maturity quickly.
The purpose of my website is that of making teaching material and prophetic insight available for this generation that will help them to adequately reap the coming harvests and prepare a bride for the coming of the Lord.
Foundations are important; Jesus said that if we don’t have the right foundations laid in our lives in these end-times, our house will be blown away, (Matthew 7:22-27). In order to survive the days that lie ahead — days of great darkness as well as days of great light — we need to make sure that the proper foundations are firmly established in our lives.
Revelation is progressive, which means that this generation will have a greater understanding of the scriptures because greater revelation will be given to this last generation. As we look at these foundations let’s keep our hearts open to greater understanding of what some have called the basic foundations. However, there is nothing basic about foundations; they are essential for us to build upon and if we have inadequate foundations, the building will collapse under pressure.
Dreams and Visions- We are told that a prominent phenomenon of this end-time generation will be a generation who will see visions and dreams (Joel 2:28).
We have often heard said, “It was only a dream” this term is often used to convey the impression that the experience wasn’t real.
We need to understand that the language of heaven is not just expressed in the spoken word. In the realm of heaven visual communication is very real. God uses pictures to convey truth and understanding, this language of vision is often a superior form of communication than that of the spoken word. Visions and dreams transcend the natural realm into the spiritual realm and when this happens, the dream or vision is real, even more real than the physical realm.
The Apostle John transcended this physical realm into the spiritual realm while on the island of Patmos. Revelation 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet. In this experience John saw the Lord, heard His voice, and was shown around heaven by one of the Old Testament prophets.
When you accept the Lord as your savior and are born again, this is just the beginning of a Journey into the Kingdom of God. So many Christians are born again but never proceed any further into the Kingdom. The New Birth is the beginning of a Journey into the Kingdom of God. In order to proceed, further foundations have to first be laid for you to build upon. This is the beginning of a Journey which is supposed to culminate with intimacy with Jesus as your friend.
This journey is pictured in the Old Testament with the journey of the children of Israel from Egypt to the Promised Land. However, most died in the wilderness and they did not complete the journey, falling short of their destiny. They were God’s people, but they never made it to their Promised Land. It took another generation to complete the journey.
This is a picture of many Christians today.
In Hebrews 5:12 in the context of the principles of the doctrine of Christ it says by this time you ought to be teachers. As a teacher it is your job to get new Christians to complete the Journey and you have to show them the way.
It took Moses 80 years to gain insight into and learn the ways of God, but it only took a short time for him to teach the ways of God to Joshua.
God said that in these end times He would do a quick work. We are living in days where acceleration is a reality — what it took us many years to learn, this generation will learn and walk in realms that the former generation never dreamed were possible.
This often has been a problem in the past to Christians who have spent years maturing in the things of God and then suddenly see a whole generation catch up and go beyond them within a short time. The temptation, then, is to reject what God is doing with the new generation — or at least become resentful — because of what has had taken years in order to come into maturity.
It is true that so often those former generations had paid a great price for what they had come into and we don’t devalue this in any way. But, many in this generation will go to heights that no other generation has, and will do so because of the great grace that God will pour out in these last days. If the pupil goes beyond the teacher, that is a great compliment to the teacher! We will have to watch our attitudes and be blessed to see a whole generation surpass what the former generation had in God.
For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
The coming harvest will net a generation of young people who will be like no other generation. They will experiences the fullness of God and walk with God like no other generation. You have to teach, train and prepare them and many will go on to levels in God that you have not yet experienced. Which means: you have done your job well.
But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen. Matthew 20:1-16
Yes, God is doing a quick work — so let’s not resent it.
Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 1 Corithians 3:12-13
The Apostle Paul states in these verses of scripture that we can have different foundations; Gold, Silver, Precious Stones, or Wood, Hay and Stubble. Paul is talking to Spirit-filled Christians and is making it clear to us that if we build our Christian lives on wrong foundations which Paul lists as hay, wood and stubble, the consequences will be devastating.
Jesus said it differently yet is saying the same thing
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. Matthew 7:24-27
We are now in what the Bible states as “Perilous Times” 2 Timothy 3:1 — times of darkness as well as great light (see Isaiah chapter 60). If we are to survive the times that are ahead of us, our foundations must be securely laid in our lives as a definite living experience.
Hearing and Doing- Many hear the word of God and that is as far as it goes; there is no commitment, no pledge to do the word. These Christians are ever learning about God and the things of God but never experiencing those things.
Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 2 Timothy 3:7
The English word knowledge here is from the Greek word epignosis, which has a greater and more fuller meaning than the English word. The Greek word has the meaning of knowledge gained through encountering or experiencing it.
This is what Paul is saying in this verse. Some are forever learning but do not make it a reality in their lives: they don’t experience it. It is important that we do the word of God. Doing the word lays a good foundation, a strong foundation. We have to commit to doing God’s Word. God’s Word — a sure foundation Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. Isaiah 28:16
Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. Hebrews 11:3
God’s words, the Scriptures, are Unchanging, Eternal, Immovable, and we must believe God’s Word even when we don’t understand it. We must take it at face value and never try to change it, water it down, or explain it away. Theologians have the tendency to spiritualize the Word of God when they don’t understand it. Or, often, they will place it in a time zone beyond the immediate; placing it either in heaven or in the millennium. However, God’s Word is true from the beginning and Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever, Hebrews 13:8. God’s Word is true, He cannot lie. His Word is irrefutable. God keeps every promise, and what He says He will do.
For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. 2 Corinthians 1:20
This foundation stone must be laid in our lives in a way that it cannot be shaken by doubt or unbelief. This may seem elementary to you, but I am amazed at how many Christians are plagued with unbelief. God’s word is true whether we understand it or not. Believing comes before seeing Hebrews 11:3 tells us that through faith we understand. It is not that we believe it because we understand it. Believing God’s words is a foundation stone that opens the door to you understanding God’s Word.
We walk by faith and not by natural sight. You have to believe you can do what God says in order to be able to do it. If you believe you can walk with God as Enoch did, then it is possible
If you are teaching this to others you need to make this very clear and make sure that your hearers understand this truth. If this foundation is not firmly in place you cannot proceed any further.
It is important for you to understand that before you can teach effectively, you must have experienced the truth you are teaching. It must be a reality in your life.
If you are teaching this to others you need to make this very clear and make sure that your hearers understand this truth. If this foundation is not firmly in place you cannot proceed any further.
Jesus is truth, His word is sure and you can only start to build when this foundation, this truth, is laid as a reality in your life.
It is important for you to understand that before you can teach effectively, you must have experienced the truth you are teaching. It must be a reality in your life.
Testing the foundations Knowledge of the scriptures is not enough; you must experience the truth and walk in it. We must first encounter truth as a revelation.
Two Greek words are used in the Bible for the word Knowledge:
Gk gnosis which means intellectual knowledge learned through the mind and study.
Gk epi-gnosis which is knowledge gained through an encounter with the source of knowledge.
One denotes intellectual knowledge gained through study and experience and the other means knowledge gained through revelation; a divine encounter.
Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge (gnosis) puffeth up, but charity edifieth. I Corinthians 8:1
For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. (Not according to epi-gnosis knowledge derived though a divine encounter). Romans 10:2
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: (epi-gnosis). Ephesians 1:17
And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: (epi-gnosis) Colossians 3:10
Revelation, in essence, is light; it is a power and this encounter with light and power changes us. Intellectual knowledge does not have the power to change you into the likeness of Jesus. We need an encounter with light in the person of Jesus.
All things of spiritual worth come to us this way’
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge (epignosis) of him that hath called us to glory and virtue. II Peter 1:3 Each foundational truth must be experienced The testing comes in experiences of life. God allows situations to occur in our lives which are tests; these tests are designed to expose you to a situation which will test whether you are walking in the truth, or not.
You must pass the tests before you can move on. God’s dealings in our lives have to do with tests which we must pass before we move on to the next level. God will not allow us to move on until the foundation stones are carefully and securely laid in our lives.