Mark Saunders – Page 14

The Ministry Of The Prophet

A good building is planned from start to finish and it’s not done by one man. We need brick layers, electricians, plumbers…

The spiritual building of the Church also needs a blue print and a team.

Men who carry a prophetic anointing are part of this team. They bring word from the Lord – what’s in God’s heart to His people and are used by Him to turn the hearts of God’s people to back to Him.

He’s not there to tell you your phone number or who you will marry!

He won’t use the anointing for money – a little “something needed to release the anointing!”

His concern is for God’s people, not his fame or pocket. He’s not a hireling and it’s not God’s heart for him to be a “Lone Ranger” and himself subject to no spiritual authority over his life.

The prophet is a spiritual “office of responsibility” …different to the spiritual gift of prophesy or word of knowledge which is available to any of us as Christians for the edification of the body.

The ministry of the prophet can’t be “learned” at “prophetic school.” It’s an anointing from God and essential in the spiritual construction of our lives.

Ephesians 4:11 -13
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge

1 Corinthians 12:4-8
There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,

Mark Saunders

We All Need A Point Of Reference To Help Us Not Get Lost… Or Help Us Find Our Way When We Do Get Lost

We all need a point of reference to help us not get lost… or help us find our way when we do get lost.

In God’s spiritual construction of the Church he also gives us a point of reference.

Apostle Paul describes the Church as lives being “built on the foundation” of the Apostles and Prophets with Jesus being the “chief cornerstone”

That foundation is Jesus Christ and him Crucified. The prophets “saw it” before it happened and the Apostles had revelation of what had happened spiritually after it had happened.

Apostle is not a title given by a man. It’s an anointing given by God – a deep revelation of Christ crucified. It’s not taught to him. It doesn’t come through a certificate. It’s imparted to him from above and enables him to lay the foundation of Christ crucified, in the Church. It’s not just a knowledge of the foundation. Rather a revelation and an authority from God to lay it with profound effect that can’t be imitated.

Everything above the foundation – meaning our lives – is positioned with reference to the cornerstone – Jesus Christ.

The fullness of God’s plan is that he gives us men to help position our lives to line up with Christ …men who have anointing and authority from Him to build us spiritually… the five fold ministry team of Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Teachers and Evangelists.

Together are accountable to Jesus himself for the Church. It’s the only way Jesus has given to effectively build the spiritual Church. Personally I’m so grateful that my life is being “built” in this way.

Ephesians 2:20
having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,

Ephesians 4:11 -13
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge

Galatians 1:1
Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead),

Galatians 1:11-12
But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Mark Saunders

We Cannot Separate Jesus And The Cross

A building always takes the shape of its foundation. A man building his house won’t ever build it on another’s foundation. It wouldn’t look like he planned and frankly it wouldn’t be his.

It’s the same in the spirit for His Church. There is a foundation laid – that is Jesus Christ.

low angle shot of high rise building with a cross shape

Jesus’ ministry on earth was not really about the miracles- it was about the cross. The miracles without the cross would have left us all unsaved.

So we cannot separate Jesus and the cross.

Apostle Paul said that Greeks wanted wisdom, Jews wanted signs but as a “wise, master architect” he would only know Jesus Christ and Him Crucified. He knew what was needed for the foundation of our faith. Not teachings or miracles but Christ Crucified.

We can conclude that the foundation for the Church is Jesus Christ crucified. Not Jesus Christ the teacher or the miracle worker.

The right foundation shapes, in the spirit, the church that is built on it. The wrong foundation will bring the wrong shape.

The image that people see will not be the one the architect intended.

1 Corinthians 3:11
For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 2:2
For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

1 Corinthians 2:5
that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

1 Corinthians 1:22-23
For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,

Mark Saunders

Church Is Not A Place Or A Meeting. It’s A People Being Built Together For A Habitation Of God In The Spirit.

The truth is not always like you’d expect.

Here’s one that might startle you. “Just Jesus and you” is not enough. That was never God’s plan. It’s much bigger. His plan is the Church.

In the old covenant His people were the nation of Israel. In the new covenant His people are the Church. His promises are only for His people.

Church is not a place or a meeting. It’s a people being built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.

His plan is for us to be linked together to be a testimony to the world – not by our programmes but by the life of Christ manifest in our individual lives that together reflect the fullness of Him.

There is a way He builds His Church. A foundation, a structure and an order in the spirit.

Ephesians 2:14-15
For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man

Ephesians 2:20-22
having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone, in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Mark Saunders

A Christian Walk Will Certainly Bring It’s Sufferings. But Take Heart, He’s Already Reached The End – For The Joy Set Before You – Continue – Don’t Stop!

Every journey has a beginning and an end.

Christian life is similar. It begins when we’re born again. The destination will be eternity with the Lord… but while we’re alive on earth our time is spent “on the road”.

Jesus described the road as narrow. The word “narrow” translates as “afflict, suffer tribulation or trouble” What does He mean?

He’s talking about a spiritual suffering that the Holy Spirit will lead me in if I’m willing. This suffering comes as I’m ready to let my flesh (carnal nature) be dealt with.

Here’s the thing – we’re perfectly righteous in Christ but far from perfect in reality. True or not? We still carry our “flesh” with us.

An example… holding grudges. Do you hold any? That’s of the flesh, not the spirit.

The Lord might allow a circumstance in which I’m offended to teach me to forgive… I would have been afflicted, have suffered and maybe undergone tribulation in the process.

A servant is not greater than his master. A Christian walk will certainly bring it’s sufferings as we walk on the narrow road. But take heart, He’s already reached the end – for the joy set before you – continue – don’t stop! This is often how He shapes and forms us into his image.

Matthew 7:14
Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (KJV)

Philippians 3:10
that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,

1 Peter 4:13
but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.

Mark Saunders