Month: April 2015

186. No Longer a Slave, but a Son

Mike Parsons
with Jeremy Westcott

We are looking in more detail at selected characteristics of the Joshua Generation. All those characteristics come out of relationship: they are characteristics of sons, not slaves.

Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything, but he is under guardians and tutors…  But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son… so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God (Gal 4:1-7).

If we are to have an inheritance, we need to know and have a relationship with the Father. Jesus secured that relationship for us, and we need to enter into it. We are heirs, those who inherit the promises of God, but if we remain as spiritual children we will not be able to handle all God has for us. Unless we mature, we will be no better off than slaves.

14. The Joshua Generation will be filled with the spirit of wisdom

Now Joshua the son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; and the sons of Israel listened to him and did as the LORD had commanded Moses (Deut 34:9).

Wisdom is not just something that we can pick up along the way as we go through life. Wisdom is imparted by the spirit of wisdom.

The seven spirits of God

The guardians and tutors mentioned by Paul in Galatians are there to equip God’s people to act as sons; to explain what it means to be a son; to teach us what it is to have an understanding of the Father’s heart, just as they did with Jesus.

The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord (Isa 11:2).

…Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne (Rev 1:4)

The seven spirits of God are our guardians and tutors. They are not on His throne; they are not the Holy Spirit; they are heavenly creatures, created to bring God’s people into sonship. They have a deep understanding of the ways of God. If we are willing, the seven spirits of God are going to have much more to do with us in future than ever before. We can engage with them to teach us, because we need what they can bring.

20. The Joshua Generation will equip the people to be consecrated (or sanctified) – set apart, dedicated and holy.

Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you” (Joshua 3:5).

On the east side of the Jordan, before they crossed over into the Promised Land, they were called upon to make a decision: whether they would consecrate themselves, set themselves apart, from everything they had already gone through, into something completely new.

Now the Lord said to Joshua, “This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you” (Josh 3:7).

God will acknowledge and affirm the Joshua Generation. He will do things through them; but not the way He has done them in the past. God would be with Joshua just as He had been with Moses, but actually He was about to begin to do something new.

You shall, moreover, command the priests who are carrying the ark of the covenant, saying, ‘When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan’” (Josh 3:8).

Coming to the borders of the Promised Land they were faced with a very large river, in flood. It looked likely, from a natural point of view, that it would stop them entering in.

So they needed a supernatural answer.

Then Joshua said to the sons of Israel, “Come here, and hear the words of the Lord your God.” Joshua said, “By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will assuredly dispossess from before you the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Hivite, the Perizzite, the Girgashite, the Amorite, and the Jebusite” (Josh 3:9-10).

All these ‘-ites’ had possession of Israel’s inheritance. For us, they represent mindsets, patterns of iniquity, or anything else that prevents us receiving our inheritance. We may have tried to remove those things before, from the outside in, but God promises that He is in us and can remove them from the inside out.

Pruning

In a vision I saw a tree with fruit on it. God came, pruned all the branches and removed all the fruit. He said ‘I am now going to deal with and fertilise the roots’.

He is removing all the things we have seen as fruit, maybe miracles and healings, supernatural provision: all the things God has done for us in the past. He wants to deal with the roots, to fertilise them so that the tree produces a new form of fruit. We are going to see miracles, but happening in a new way.

All the familiar miracles of God’s provision stopped when they crossed over the Jordan: manna, quails, water out of the rock, guidance by the pillar of cloud and fire, their clothes not wearing out. God had been treating them as children, doing everything for them, but now it was time for them to mature.

If we are entering into a new dimension of God in the Spirit, we cannot expect Him to keep on doing things exactly as He has done them in the past. So often we pray, ‘God, do this, do that’, or ‘Lord, heal this person’, and He looks down and smiles: ’I told you to do that. You can do that miracle. You are my children. You have an inheritance, to be like Me and do the things that I do’.

When the old ways stop, if we continue to try to operate in them, we will begin to find that there is no anointing in them. God is taking us from a place of being children in our understanding and encouraging us to mature into our responsibility as sons.

Spies

Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly… They said to Joshua, “Surely the Lord has given all the land into our hands; moreover, all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before us” (Joshua 2:2, 24).

The enemy is fearful of us. That is why he tries so hard to keep us from realising who we are. He wants us to remain as children, because he knows he is going to be in real trouble if we mature as sons. He has no power over us other than that which we give him.

Since August 2010 I have been equipping and sending spies into the new land of our spiritual inheritance; firstly here at Freedom Church, and more recently around the world. Some of you are those spies. You have gone in to a new spiritual dimension and seen your spiritual inheritance. You have experienced the realms of heaven. You have seen something of mountains in heaven, courts in heaven, rivers in heaven. You have experienced these things first hand; perhaps not yet in their fullness, but you know they are there and waiting for you to move into them. You are like the spies coming back with a good report.

Consecrate yourselves

Some, like Joshua, Caleb and the spies have already been forerunners. Now it is time for the rest to go in. But 2½ tribes, the Reubenites (passing up their inheritance as descendants of the firstborn), Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, chose to make their home in the old and familiar rather than in the Land of Promise.

Who is willing to cross over Jordan leaving the old revelation and old ways behind?
Who is willing to separate themselves from their old identity as slaves?
Who is willing to leave the childish things of immaturity behind?

We can live in the new land of new spiritual revelation, new methods, and new authority; but the transition from the old to the new is always a battle.

Is anyone willing to consecrate themselves and cross the Jordan, to take personal responsibility as mature heirs and not children? If so, let’s step into the mobile court of God together.

The mobile court

The mobile court of God is here. Around us is a cloud of witnesses, here on our behalf. The seven spirits of God are here to affirm us in our identity. Jesus is here as our advocate.

We are coming to face our accusers: the strongholds and the familiar spirits which are behind the mindsets that would keep us in slavery, keep us in childhood, keep us from our inheritance. We are going to consecrate ourselves and separate ourselves from those mindsets.

I step into the place of responsibility in the governmental mobile court
I accept responsibility as a priest of my own life
I take the covering of the word of God
And I place it over my head as a covering of Your love.

I agree with my accusers
That I have operated with a slavery mentality and an orphan spirit
Father, I accept responsibility for thinking and acting like a slave and an orphan
I repent and renounce slavery
And I choose to forgive and release all my previous generations
For giving me an inheritance of slavery.

I come under the covering of your word, blood and presence
I ask you to judge me according to the covering of your love for my life
Judge this slavery and orphan spirit in me
To destroy its yoke and power over my life.

I stand cleansed, righteous, innocent
I receive divorce papers from its influence
I confess that I am divorced and separated
From slavery and its influence in my life.

I release judgment over my accusers
The familiar spirits behind the strongholds, speculations and mindsets of slavery
I release divinely power judgment to demolish all slavery in my life – body, soul and spirit.

I administer judgment and justice as a son
Into every circumstance and area of influence in my life affected by this issue of slavery.

I consecrate myself as Your son
I receive Your inheritance as a son
I declare myself ready to leave the old ways behind me
And cross over into a new land.

Related articles by Freedom ARC

Other resources from Freedom ARC

Are you part of the Joshua Generation?

We developed this just for you:

Engaging God on the Heavenly Pathways of Relationship and Responsibility
Equipping a Joshua Generation of supernatural sons of God to live according to the order of Melchizedek

Get started today!*

To find out more about the Engaging God programme, click here…

*Technology permitting: automated process on receipt of payment and completion of online registration form. Terms and conditions apply.

185. The Battle For Inheritance

Mike Parsons
with Jeremy Westcott

Israel’s Promised Land speaks to us of our Kingdom inheritance. The journey they travelled was like ours, from slavery to sonship.

Coming out of Egypt’s bondage is a picture of our salvation.
Crossing the Red Sea is a picture of our baptism in water.
The pillar of cloud and fire is a picture of the baptism in the Holy Spirit (most of us have received that baptism in cloud: perhaps not so much in fire – though that is coming, if you have not encountered it already).
The wilderness: testing, preparation, transformation.

Finally, in crossing the Jordan they were embracing their destiny. But they could have done so a generation earlier:

Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will surely overcome it.” But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are too strong for us” (Num 13:30-31).

Because of a spirit of slavery, an orphan spirit, a whole generation did not believe and so failed to inherit – except for two: Joshua and Caleb. God calls us to be like those two. The Joshua generation were forerunners who had spied out the land – experienced it for themselves – and who were ready to lead and equip the next generation to possess [to inherit by seizing, dispossessing and becoming heirs of] the land of promise.

We have the capacity to live and operate in dual realms, and our inheritance is both spiritual (supernatural, heavenly) and physical (natural, earthly). Our inheritance is to bring God’s kingdom, on earth as it is in heaven. It is to fulfil Adam’s mandate to rule in the spirit realm and so exercise influence in the natural realm. It is to see God’s glory fill the earth.

Characteristics of the Joshua generation

A generation ago, Bob Jones prophesied a billionfold harvest. I believe those billion are the labourers who will bring in an even greater harvest in the supernatural dimensions of the kingdom. Some time ago we looked at the characteristics of the Joshua Generation, who received their own inheritance and enabled others to do the same. In coming posts I want to revisit and expand upon some of those characteristics, and see how we can learn from them in our day.

1. The Joshua generation will be victorious warriors, dependent on God for supernatural victory

The very first mention of Joshua is as a warrior.

Then Amalek came and fought against Israel at Rephidim. So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose men for us and go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought against Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill (Exodus 17:8-10).

We understand that mountains and hills represent places of authority. This was where Moses went to stand, with the staff of God in his hand.

The staff of God

When he met God at the burning bush, Moses had a staff which God commanded him to throw down onto the ground. As you will remember, it became a serpent and then, when Moses picked it up by the tail, became a staff again. And God told him,

You shall take in your hand this staff, with which you shall perform the signs (Exodus 4:17).

Moses’ staff represented his natural earthly identity as a shepherd. It represented his own natural abilities (the phrase ‘by hook or by crook’ refers to the use of a shepherd’s staff). It represented his natural source of financial provision. All this he laid down.

When he picked it back up, it had become the staff of God. In taking it up, Moses took up his supernatural identity and abilities in God. And we can do the same.

So it came about when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed, and when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed (Exodus 17:11).

It was God’s supernatural authority that was being lifted up, bringing heaven to earth and causing God’s people to be victorious.

So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write this in a book as a memorial and recite it to Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” Moses built an altar and named it The LORD is My Banner; and he said, “The LORD has sworn; the LORD will have war against Amalek from generation to generation” (Exodus 17:13-16).

Inheritance robbers

Amalek were descended from Esau. They had lost their inheritance, and were trying to take it back. They represent those who would seek to rob us of our birthright and inheritance. In that sense, God still wants us to war against Amalek today.

This battle for inheritance will be in every generation, in each of our lives. Will we be robbed of our inheritance? Or will we fight and overcome in the power of God to receive it? We need to know (that is, to know by personal encounter and experience) the Name of God, Jehovah-Nissi, the Lord our banner or victory. It is only in Him, in His power, in His authority, that victory comes.

What is robbing you of your inheritance today?

Is it your past – memories of sin, guilt, shame or condemnation?
Are there whispers in your head saying you are unworthy, or not good enough?
Maybe you don’t feel forgiven.
You may retain memories of past failure, disappointments, and disillusionment.
If you are haunted by your past, then God wants to meet with you to deal it today.

Are you holding on to a slavery mentality, feeling that you do not deserve an inheritance, perhaps because you have not earned it?
Do you know your new identity, or are you still acting out of what the world and your past say you are?

An orphan spirit can mean that you don’t feel loved, accepted, affirmed or approved of; that you don’t belong, don’t have a father, home or family.

It may be stubbornness and pride – still thinking you can do it your own way, refusing to admit you can’t do it in your own strength; angry with the world and with God, thinking you are owed something; having a big chip on your shoulder.

Such mindsets and behaviour patterns are strongholds in our thinking which, unless they are overcome, continually deprive and rob us of our inheritance, the freedom in Christ to live as sons of God.

Lay it down

Imagine you have a staff in your hands.
This staff represents your natural identity, your past, your natural abilities.
It represents anything you can think of, associated with your past,
which hinders you from receiving your inheritance.

Lay down that staff.

Lay down your past
Lay down your natural identity
Lay down your own natural abilities
Lay down your natural strength
Lay down your pride
Lay down your natural means of provision
Lay down your slavery mentality
Lay down your orphan spirit.

I want to encourage you to be serious about this. In your spirit, deal with those things which are blocking your inheritance. Lay them down.

As you lay them down,
Let your spirit receive the words God speaks to you.
If you have honestly chosen to lay down your past, symbolised by that staff, then God wants to speak into your spirit right now.

I declare that you are no longer a slave, an orphan or a victim
I declare that you are Mine and I am yours
I am your inheritance
And you are My inheritance.

I bless your spirit with the spirit of sonship and with the mindset of sonship
I bless you with a deep heart identity as My very own child
Securely loved in My family

My Spirit testifies with your spirit that you are My child
Receive your adoption into My family.

Let your spirit receive that spirit of adoption.
You are no longer going to be alone, an orphan, separate, rejected.
You are accepted.
Let your spirit receive that revelation.

Receive your forgiveness.
If you have felt unforgiven, that you cannot deal with the sin of the past,
Right now just receive your forgiveness from the Father.

Receive your cleansing from past sin, guilt and shame
Receive your righteousness
Receive your new name as a son [daughter] of God.

My Spirit testifies to your spirit that you are My children
Receive your acceptance and affirmation
Receive your adoption rights
Receive your birthright
Receive your blessing
Receive my love, joy and peace
Receive my supernatural authority and power of sonship

I call you My children.

You are my children and I call you to be displayed
As mature sons and daughters on the earth.

I call forth your spiritual identity as a son [daughter] of God
I call forth your eternal destiny to bring glory to Me
I call forth your divine purpose to restore creation back to its original purpose.

Take it up

As you picture the staff that you laid down,
Now take up the staff of God’s authority and power
For you to operate in the supernatural realms
Bringing heaven’s authority to earth.

As you take it up, you now have God’s authority as His children to do His works. You have authority to do what Jesus did, and greater. Take up the authority it gives you: to overcome all the blessing blockers and blessing robbers in your life, and to help overcome them in other people’s lives; to manifest heaven on earth.

Begin to exercise your authority as His children.

Related articles by Freedom ARC

Other resources from Freedom ARC

Support Freedom ARC

If our free or paid resources are a blessing to you, please consider making a donation to sow into and support this ministry. Thank you!

Are you part of the Joshua Generation?

We developed this just for you:

Engaging God on the Heavenly Pathways of Relationship and Responsibility
Equipping a Joshua Generation of supernatural sons of God to live according to the order of Melchizedek

Get started today!*

To find out more about the Engaging God programme, click here…

*Technology permitting: automated process on receipt of payment and completion of online registration form. Terms and conditions apply.


	


	



		

	



	

		


		
	









	

		

	

	

	

	
	


			
		
		
	
							
						

			
			
						
						
								
				
			

















	
	

		

			%d bloggers like this: