THE GREATER WORKS
THE GREATER WORKS
Sunday, May 16, 2019, the Year of Our Lord
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
With the cross behind Him, the Lord rolled up His sleeves and begin the bigger task of raising the Church on the foundation He had laid. His greater ministry lay beyond the cross. Why? The part He plays in the building of His church couldn’t be done while He was in the flesh. His disciples were to operate as Spirit led and Spirit filled men as He operated within them in the Spirit. They, as well as we, were to take His place on earth, performing the human part to redeem the human race, while Jesus supplied the supernatural power. Consequently, the building of His church is a supernatural job.
When people accept the invitation to receive Christ, He applies the atonement to their souls and brings them into His invisible church. The disciples were not authorized to invite men and women into a physical building, but into Heaven itself.
Our conference this year is “Those Who Inherit Heaven and Earth – Now!”
Last week Bruce Beaton gave me a Word about our building. “A building is coming soon. Since Eastgate is a supernatural, Spirit-led Church, the building will also be supernaturally provided.” I said, “AMEN!”
I pray “let us be clothed upon with Heaven.”
The Lord Jesus has done the necessary loosing and binding work Himself. He did that by His cross. Men and women will be saved or lost, depending on whether they want to be loosed or bound in Satan’s grasp. The disciples were given the authority to tell people their sins were either “retained” or “forgiven” depending on what they did about the invitation to Christ (Jn. 20:23).
Gathering souls into an invisible body is a mysterious business. It is not easy to teach disciples about a supernatural creation. Yet, that is what we, the church, are---an invisible body part of an invisible Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven. “Carolyn that which is in Heaven will be Heavenly on earth.”
The Tabernacle of Moses was made according to the pattern in Heaven. The Temple of God in each one of us is being built according to the pattern of the Heavenly Tabernacle of the Body of Jesus Christ. Through being born-again, we become a New Creature. (Gal. 6:15).
After the resurrection, Jesus’ frequent appearing and disappearing were to prepare the disciples’ mind to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit to understand the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit on earth and the work of the Holy Spirit to build His Church.
The Holy Spirit transforms the soul into a supernatural, life-giving, light, holiness, righteousness, peace and joy. The regenerating power of the Holy Spirit produces an inward and miraculous NEW HEART. The Holy Spirit washes and cleanses our natures. He takes away the heart of stone and gives us a heart of flesh. He writes his laws in our hearts.
2 Co. 3:3: You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
Frances Metcalfe in her visions of Christ Jesus was shown His heart:
“He began to reveal His Heart…I was so melted, so humbled, so moved by the revelation of the sacred Heart of Jesus, that I cried for a heart like His. Then He ministered to my heart---first binding it up, for it had previously been crushed; then He applied rare ointments, healing and strengthening it.
He had been writing His New Covenant and laws on the fleshly tablet of my heart. It seemed that now it was to serve also as a tablet for the heavenly revelation of Jesus Christ, and that it was written there first before it was given to my mind.”
2 Cor. 5:17: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a NEW CREATURE; old things are passed away; behold, all things have become NEW. All things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation.”
In this NEW DAY, there is a NEW ORDER of people who have another name, which is a NEW NAME (Rev. 2:17; 3:12). This NEW NAME is a NEW NATURE, even the nature of Christ (Col. 1:27, Gal. 4:6, Lk. 17:20-21). This NEW ORDER of people will become a NEW WINE.
The NEW ORDER is the establishment of the KINGDOM OF GOD on earth as it is in Heaven under a NEW COVENANT which is NEW JERUSALEM.
Regeneration is a creating act of supernatural power. A new principle or law is created in us by the Holy Spirit. “By grace we are saved through faith, not of ourselves. It is the gift of God. Not of works, less any man should boast. We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God has ordained…”
This NEW CREATION is not a new habit formed in us, but a supernatural power and ability. So it is called “the divine nature” of which we are a partaker. We are given a NEW NATURE, even the nature of Christ. This NEW CREATION is a NEW POWER and ability created in us by God and it bears His image.
No man/woman bearing the image of God will partake of the doctrine of devils saying that man can determine his own gender.
If you love me, you will keep my commandments. I will ask the Father and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever. Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see him, neither knows him; but you know him; for he dwells with you and shall be in you.
Oh, the wealth of the riches of God, when we reach such a place of favor and blessing that He speaks to us in all things, and where we, in all things, can reveal Him and His truth! But this is for those who are able to receive it.
Heb 6:5And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
In Acts 1:8: “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.
Those who receive the Holy Spirit are going to be able to release captives from Satan’s kingdom and transplant (or convey) them into Christ’s Kingdom (Col. 1:13). No military force can do that. It can’t capture the minds of men, let alone their hearts. Ah, but spiritual power is unseen and works by Faith.
The Holy Spirit empowers men and women to:
- Cast out devils (Mt. 12:28)
- Is the agent of new birth (Jn. 3: 5-8)
- Takes that which is Jesus’ and brings to us.
- Quickens (Jn. 6:63)
- It is the Holy Spirit who gives life”; imparts power (Lk. 29:49)
- “Knows things of God” (1 Cor. 2:11)
- “Imparts gifts to men” (1 Cor. 12: 1-10)
- Speaks mysteries through man (1 Cor. 14:2; 14-16).
- “Imparts character of God (Gal. 5:22).
- “Works miracles” (Rom. 15:19; 1 Cor. 12: Heb. 2:34)
- Can carry man (Acts 8:39)
- Raises the dead; imparts skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts, etc. etc.
- Helps us to be overcomers.
The Holy Spirit is a person and the third person of the trinity. He is the One who empowers believers for spiritual work (to be witnesses).
This is fantastic! Few today (even Spirit-filled Christians) comprehend the magnitude of the supernatural power of Christ through the Holy Spirit on earth as it is in Heaven.
The indwelling of Christ is a mystery. It is nonetheless a FACT. He desires that we carry as much of the “Glory” as we are willing to die to our flesh. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is a fulfilled promise.
Jhn.. 16:7Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
The fullness of the Godhead was in Jesus Christ bodily (Col. 2:9). In order for Jesus to be available to indwell all who will receive Him, it was necessary for Him to make the transition from flesh to Spirit.
The Greater Works Ministry of the Church is not only to do the works that Jesus did, but an even greater work is to win souls and bring them into His Kingdom to receive eternal life.
By indwelling the millions who would come to Him, He is able to multiply His own joy millions upon millions of times.
We long to see the lost saved, the heart of our nation turned back to Jesus. We continue to preach the gospel to grow Christ in each one of us. We long for and desire His coming whether by visitation or His Second Coming; yet there are souls to be won---lives to be changed---broken hearts to be healed---this is the Greater Works. Let us never consider what we have been appointed to do in His Kingdom to be least or insignificant. Perhaps you have been called to worship Him and that is your ministry to Him. Perhaps you have been called as an intercessor and through your intercession many will be saved and Evangelists will go forth. Perhaps, like me, you have been called to preach and teach the gospel to those to whom I am sent. Then do all as unto the LORD, not for the recognition of men.
When Jesus began His public ministry, He was properly introduced by John the Baptist. Months before the Lord appeared on the scene, John the Baptist began to herald His coming. He didn’t say…”The Messiah is coming!” Instead He said…”A Baptizer is coming!”
As for me, I baptize with water; but He who is mightier than I is coming, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He himself will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and Fire. (Lk. 3:16).
Matthew said it. Mark said it. Luke said it and John said it---A Baptizer is coming! Indeed the greater work he had come to do was the building of His Church by Baptism in the Holy Spirit and FIRE!
During Jesus’ earthly ministry, He never baptized a soul in water. The disciples continued to baptize with water. The Lord reserved for Himself the spiritual baptism of souls into His Kingdom.
The Spirit of God speaks to the heart of the listener. Should the man accept the witness of the Holy Spirit, he opens his heart to Jesus. The Lord comes via His Spirit and indwells us. Christ actually comes into our life and takes up residence within our body (1 Cor. 6:19). We become the temple or dwelling place for God in the Spirit.
Ro. 8:9: If any man does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.
In that same moment a second blessed thing happens. We are simultaneously placed into the Church, the body of Christ. 1 Co. 12:13: For by one Spirit have we all been baptized into one body.
We are delivered from Satan’s kingdom to escape his fate—hell. For in that second…God has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son.” (Col. 1;:13)
In Tuesday Morning Bible Study, we have been studying, rapture, transported, translated, and transfiguration. We have truly been translated according to the Word of God on earth from the power of darkness into the Kingdom of Heaven of Jesus Christ.
Jesus’ Greater Work has never ceased. We have the privilege of doing it with Him. Inasmuch as this was the joy set before the Lord and set before us as we work with Him.
Heb 12:2Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
We’re all invited to participate in this great joy which is set before us as part of His Body which is the biggest and most thrilling task on earth, the Building of His Church.
The last chapter of Luke pictures the disciples joyously returning from the ascension to await the coming of the Spirit. One must always have the ascension in mind if we are to understand rightly the true nature of Christ’s church on earth. What takes place in the visible world, as set forth in the book of Acts, originates in Heaven as Jesus commanded us to pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven,” that which is in Heaven will be heavenly on earth.
During the forty days which followed his crucifixion, the Lord presented Himself to his apostles many times and in ways which provided unquestionable proof that He was alive. Not only was He seen by them, but He used the occasions to speak to them about the Kingdom of God.
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries Church