EMBRACE GOD'S STRUCTURE

“Then God said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth”. Genesis 1:26

When God wanted to create the real intent in His heart, He didn’t embark on it on His own. He needed a team to carry out His original intent-it was an “US” affair. He went on to give the mandate to “THEM”. We were never wired for independence but interdependence.

When people say, “I just want to mind my business/I just want to serve God”, that’s an antichrist statement. You cannot truly be in fellowship with God and not be in fellowship with men.

When we hear the word church? What comes to mind? The church is the body of Christ; it is also known as the army of Christ and the army is made up of soldiers. Just like a soldier cannot function alone except with the army of soldiers, so also, the body of Christ cannot function alone. There are different parts in the body, each with its own unique feature, but nevertheless, each part needs the other to function effectively. However, what is common to both is STRUCTURE. This means there’s a part for everyone to fit in and it must be respected.

Sadly, we tend to have more regard and respect for human structure and less regard for the structure of God.

“For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height; to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God”. Ephesians 3:14

The terms being used in this verse of scriptures gives one a picture-that of a family-God was referred to here as Father. Thus, it gives the picture of a family, coexistence. Strength is a requirement for the journey of life. You can never come into the fullness of God in isolation no matter how much you live Him. What you know of God is as He reveals to you per time, to know more of God, you need the contribution, partnership of others to come into more of God. Daniel had a company while in Babylon, he didn’t walk alone.

Anyone who has genuinely encountered God will love the people of God. It is an antichrist spirit to believe it is only God you are in fellowship with or just with the man God sent you to. Life is about relationship. Every dealing with man is dealing with God. To come into the fullness of God, you have to fellowship with the saints. It was at the point we began to embrace strange cultures and lifestyle that are alien to scriptures, we also began to see strange culture and lifestyle creep into the church-His body.

“…There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all…When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men."  (Now this, "He ascended"; what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) 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 of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ…from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love”. Ephesians 4:1-16.

Looking at the scriptures above, we know that this is the structure of God. The saints cannot be equipped nor perfected without the input of these ministry gifts ordained by God. In order to play your role effectively in the body, you must give yourself to be impacted by the ministry gifts. We cannot be built up in isolation nor can you build yourself by yourself. Our unity is an internal one. Every part has a part to play, every part should know it’s connected to the body and should be supplying what it’s meant to supply. This structure must be regarded if we must get ready and prepared for His coming.

“Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you”. Hebrews 13:17.

If the scripture says to obey, obey. You mustn’t be forced to obey those God has set over you. Don’t frustrate them so they will not become grieved. And truly, it is for your benefit if you make up your mind to obey them. If you do not see beyond man, you would be at variance with God’s instruction and structure.

“Early the next morning the people went out to the wild country near Tekoa. As they were starting out, Jehoshaphat addressed them with these words: People of Judah and Jerusalem! Put your trust in the LORD your God, and you will stand your ground. Believe what his prophets tell you, and you will succeed”. 2 Chronicles 20:20 GNB.

God is in heaven and whatever God will do on the earth, it is a combination of both man and the Holy Ghost. Believe God’s Prophet-the one who has been sent by God because he has not come on his own behest but as sent by God with His word.