Sunday, August 03, 2008

Revolutionary Champions and Principles

The Bible is full of Revolutionaries (men and women) who saw beyond what was and into the Spirit realm and saw what God was doing or desired to do. One of Biblical account which demonstrates this truth is 2 Kings 6:15-17.

15 When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. "Oh, my lord, what shall we do?" the servant asked.
16 "Don't be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them."
17 And Elisha prayed, "O LORD, open his eyes so he may see." Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha . NIV

What is the definition of a Revolutionary?
1. According to Webster: Major Fundemental Change
a: of, relating to, or constituting a revolution b: tending to or promoting revolution c: constituting or bringing about a major or fundamental change
2. According to the Bible: Turning the World Upside Down
These New Revolutionaries want more than revival of what is and have diligently prayed and worked for what God in His Word has promised. They seek the work of His Spirit in this generation with such magnitude that nations are changed and the tide of darkness and the stench of hell and death are cleansed from their cities and nations. These New Revolutionaries are the ones who reject the spirit of religion and passionately embrace the truth and power of God's Word to change what is by into what God desires, a reformation of every village, town and city in the nations of the earth.
Acts 17:6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out,"These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.NKJV
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The Champions:
The faith of the people are listed in Hebrews 11, in God's supernatural ways and character caused them to do things and say things that put them in direct conflict and opposition to the way things were in their culture, and often to the government and the ways people around them lived and behaved. The Bible tells of these Revolutionaries who looked for the life, provision and home God had built to share with them. Hebrews chapter 11 tells many of their stories.

Heb 11:1-40
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for.
3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
4 By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.
5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.Heb 11:11-40
11 By faith Abraham, even though he was past age — and Sarah herself was barren — was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12 And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country — a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. 17 By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18 even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." 19 Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death. 20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future. 21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones. 23 By faith Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king's edict.

24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. 25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. 26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.

29 By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days. 31 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.

32 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. 37 They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.

39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. 40 God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. NIV

1. Principle One: FAITH
One of the Keys concepts for the The New Revolutionary is FAITH that God is the greatest supernatural being in existence and that He desires to provide us with all we need to have a supernatural life and accomplish all He desires in and through our lives.
Hebrews 11:1-3
'Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.'

2. Principle Two: DEATH
Another Key concept for the New Revolutionary is a willingness to DIE to all of the desires of our heart and this world even to the point of DEATH for the cause of Christ. The New Revolutionaries, as well as, the Biblical ones were so desirous of gaining what God had for their lives that this earth and all it offers had no hold on them.

Hebrews 11: 13- 16.
And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country — a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

Hebrews 11 is not an exhaustive list of the Biblical revolutionaries. It is however a review of many and the cost they were willing to pay for the cause of God!

Will you pay the price needed to answer the call to be one of the New Kingdom Revolutionaries for Jesus the Messiah?

Will You Pledge Allegiance To The Lamb?

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=fd28e0f6fcdffbcdd760

ARTWORK: 'Guardian Angel' Danny Hahlbohm

http://www.allposters.com/gallery.asp?startat=/getthumb.asp&CID=B76AE35B549945EEB3B53AB313FF3271&PPID=1&sortby=PD&c=c&page=3&Search=19294

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