(See also Matthew 8:23-34, 9:18-26; Luke 8:22-56)
In this article, I am using the name Jesus (the name most familiar to us) interchangeably with the name Yeshua, Jesus’ real name in Hebrew (which is good for everyone to learn if you don’t know it).
One morning around 4am, I was praying about a conference where I was going to speak called, “Where Is The River Going?” I asked the Lord, “Where is the river going?” He said, “Read Mark Chapter 5.” As I did, He began to unfold for me three major things He is going to accomplish.
The chapter records three events in the life of the Messiah. Here is a quick overview. Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee (which is actually a freshwater lake), entered gentile territory and was confronted by an insane demonized man. Jesus commanded the legion of demons inhabiting this man to leave and they entered into a nearby herd of pigs, who immediately ran wildly down the hillside into the water and drowned. The man was restored to his “right mind.”
Crossing back over the sea, Jesus was greeted by a large crowd. Out of the throng came a synagogue leader named Jairus who begged Yeshua to come home with him to heal his seriously ill twelve year old daughter. On the way there, he was told his daughter had already died. Jesus told him not to fear, just believe.
As they continued on, a Jewish woman who was bleeding vaginally for twelve years made her way through the crowd and touched the fringes of His garment believing that if she could just touch His clothes, she would be healed. Unaware of her presence, Yeshua felt power leave His body and looked around to find this woman completely healed.
Arriving at the home of Jairus, Yeshua declared to the gathered mourners that she was not dead, just sleeping. They mocked Him for saying that, so He put them all out of the house. Then He entered the bedroom with the girl’s parents and three of his disciples and called her back to life.
As I read and listened, the Lord told me that:
- The Demoniac represents the historic Christian church. He said He was going to set it free from the “bondages” and “insanity” caused by the Spirit of Religion.
- The woman with the issue of blood for twelve years represents the Jewish people. He said He was going to heal their deepest wounds, which is symbolized by this woman’s womb, which was lacerated by that “insane” church for “twelve” years.
- The twelve year old young girl represents the authentic Body of Christ. He said He was going to raise up a new “virginal womb,” a new generation, that is just beginning to become mature enough to conceive and birth the fullness of His purposes.
Jesus Crosses the Water
I want to share with you what I believe the Lord was revealing to me as I have continued to pray and study. We begin at the end of Mark chapter 4 with Jesus and the disciples crossing the Sea of Galilee. They crossed because Jesus had a specific assignment among the gentiles. As they sailed, a great storm arose threatening their safety. The disciples were scared but Jesus was sleeping! They woke Him and He stopped the storm with His words.
Just as He calmed the natural storm with His words, He then calmed a demonic storm with His words. Who can do such things? Only the one who is the Word of God incarnate, who is Lord of both the natural and supernatural realms.
Upon landing in Gadara, He encountered a naked, bleeding, chained lunatic. We may infer that this man (in Matthew’s gospel there are two demoniacs, Mark focuses on one of them) is a gentile, as Gadara is a Greek community which can be seen by the presence of pigs, an unclean animal. We discover that this man is tormented to the point of insanity by the “legion” of demons indwelling him. He is also often unclothed and bound externally hand and foot with chains and manacles, which cannot hold him. He howls day and night and often injures himself. He lives in the burial caves, or tombs, among the dead.
The first thing we notice here is that although this man was demon possessed, there was enough sanity within him to enable him to recognize who Jesus was, and that He could set him free. If Satan had complete control over his will, he would have not only stopped him from running to Jesus, he would have caused him to run away. Now kneeling before Jesus, his demons were compelled to cry out. Requesting to be sent into a nearby herd of swine, Jesus commanded the legion of demons to leave him. They entered the pigs, which numbered about two thousand, which then ran wildly down the hillside and into the water, where they all drowned.
When news of this amazing deliverance spread throughout the region, the people came and saw the former demoniac clothed and in his right mind. After being rejected by the people of that region, Jesus, before returning to the other side of the sea, tells the former demoniac to return to his own people and testify of all the Lord did for him. He did exactly that!
This speaks to us that those who are set free from the bondages and demonic influences of the Spirit of Religion will become great witnesses of the Kingdom of God to those still in the “insane” church.
But sadly, many will reject Jesus and His offer of salvation and freedom.
The “Insane” Gentile Church
The Gadarene demoniac is a picture of the spiritual and mental condition of the historic gentile church ruled by the Spirit of Religion. Under its nefarious influences, the church adopted various demonic doctrines and malicious theologies which, in order to justify its evil behavior, created distorted interpretations of the Bible or rejected its authority altogether. Using those corrupted theological beliefs, those spirits were able to inspire, empower and manipulate church leaders to behave in ways that were “insane.”
To state this another way, bound by the spiritual “chains and manacles” of evil theologies, and inspired to acts of violence and destruction by large numbers of evil spirits, the church believed “insane” things and acted in “insane” ways.
Like the insane demoniac, the historic Christian church, in all of its “insane” expressions, needs deliverance and healing. This is something only the Lord Himself can do.
To help understand the process by which the church left its “right mind” and became “insane,” we have to see how the church was “infected” by doctrines of demons and “infested” by evil spirits.
Under the influence of the Spirit of Religion the church did three things:
- It rejected its “Jewish roots” and Hebraic way of thinking and accepted a Greco-Roman world view.
- It adopted Roman forms of Government led by an “Emperor.”
- It adapted and “Christianized” the pagan beliefs and practices it encountered.
The “insane” church, in disobedience to God, (all acts of disobedience are “insane” and lead to levels of “insanity”), became arrogant toward the Jewish people. It “insanely” rejected its Jewish roots and its Biblical relationship and responsibility to the Jewish people and was “cut off” from the life of God (Romans 11:22).
It departed from its Biblical roots and Hebraic mindset, which emphasized a revelational supernatural personal relationship with God, and adopted a Greco-Roman philosophical mindset which essentially exalts human intellectualism and rationalism. In a sentence, the difference between the two mindsets can be seen this way: The Greek mindset talks about the concept of God, the Hebraic mindset seeks to experience Him. The Greek mind says, “I think therefore I am.” The Hebraic mind exalts the living
God who IS the eternal “I AM.”
The “insane” church implemented Roman forms of government. This exalts an emperor, a “Caesar,” who rules like a tyrant to protect his empire. This is the direct opposite of Jesus’ example and command to be a servant in pursuit of God’s purposes for everyone (Matthew 20:25-28, 24:45-47; Luke 12:42-44, 22:25-26).
The “insane” church adapted, accommodated, and compromised with various pagan beliefs and practices to make its version of “Christianity” palatable to the gentile populations.
Under the influences of the demonic doctrines and manipulations of the Spirit of Religion, the church departed from its call to be “Light and Salt” (Matthew 5:13-14). It stopped calling people to repent, to be “born of the spirit,” and as a disciple enter into a new life of faith in Jesus and obedience to God (Luke 24:47; John 3:3-8; Romans 16:26).
Rejecting, and radically departing from, its original apostolic mandate to make and mature disciples, this “insane” church adopted various aberrant theologies, beliefs, and practices. These demonic theologies birthed many “insane” interpretations and applications, or outright rejections, of what the Bible, especially the New Testament instructs. Under these malevolent influences there emerged a new non-Biblical “insane” religion that called itself “Christianity” but did the exact opposite of what the Scriptures teach.
This “insanity” is clearly seen in how this “church” stopped functioning as the authentic Body of Christ whose motive and purpose is to expand the Kingdom of God by making and maturing fruitful disciples. As it began to acquire either direct control, or significant influence, over secular governments, its motives were influenced by a lust for power and greed, as it worked to exercise and maintain political and governmental authority.
Having attained this worldly authority, this “insane” and completely corrupted and aberrant church, no longer brought the “good news” of a freely offered supernatural salvation to the people. Instead, it brought the “bad news” of imposed religion as it intimidated, manipulated, controlled, and punished everyone who resisted that authority.
This “insane” church did not love God, or people, or those it considers its enemies (Matthew 5:44, 22:37-40). In fact, it did the exact opposite and perpetrated many great evils. As with all dictatorial governments, this church could not abide any disagreement or rebellion. We see its “insane” history of being a violent and destructive agency of oppression, persecution, hatred and death. It “insanely” vilified, persecuted, imprisoned and even executed those who dared to disagree with its theologies and doctrines and challenge its authority.
Many Godly men and women who saw this “insane” church for what it was and confronted it, were vilified as heretics and burned at the stake.
What was especially insane and profoundly evil, was its long and horrific history of persecuting and killing the Jewish people in the Name of Jesus.
Like the demoniac, this “insane” church, in both its Catholic and Protestant versions was, and still is, amazingly strong. For centuries this “insane” church controlled kings and entire nations, and literally had the power of life and death in its hands. Today it still influences millions of people.
In summary, this church, like the demoniac, became the embodiment of religious insanity!
This “Insane” Church Is Spiritually Dead
The fact that the demoniac was often “bound in chains and manacles” and lived “among the tombs” symbolizes how this “insane” church is really spiritually dead.
Historically, of course, there were lots of external religious services. But the vast majority of the people were bound in religious “chains and manacles.” They had no inner spiritual life, nor did the “insane” leaders desire them to have one. For centuries, the people were intentionally kept illiterate and ignorant. Even as people learned to read, and books became available, most were kept under the authority of “insane” leaders who not only did not desire the spiritual growth and maturity of the people – which is their Biblical calling and responsibility – but actively resisted and prevented it.
Simply broaching the authority of these “insane” leaders was met with a crushing response. Rejecting and resisting it brought ever more severe retaliations, ranging from censure to excommunication, to torture and execution.
Thoroughly intimidated by the authority of this church, the people were truly deceived into believing that what that church taught them was the truth, when in fact it was counterfeit; it was a lie. Convincing people that the lies they believe are the truth is one of Satan’s major triumphs.
The Spirit of Religion is very adept at deceiving people into thinking that the “insane” church’s beliefs and practices are true and please God. But they are not. They are built on lies and their practices do not please God, they grieve Him (Ephesians 4:30; 1Thessalonians 5:19).
Furthermore, the reality that this church was “insane” and spiritually “bound” and “dead” can be seen by the fact that historically there was:
- No authentic evangelism. There were plenty of forced conversions. If there were baptisms, adult or infant, without true repentance all you got were wet pagans, not true believers.
- No true repentance or supernatural new birth as evidenced by a new life.
- No discipleship and no freedom to learn, change, and grow to spiritual maturity.
- No baptism of the Holy Spirit, or manifestation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
- No authentic body ministry where members can nurture one another.
- No authentic worship which brings the presence and power of God. ● No love. No power. No fruit of, or for, the Kingdom of God.
While there was always a remnant of the authentic Body of Christ in the world, in which the Holy Spirit was welcome and active, in the “insane” church the ministry of the Holy Spirit was resisted, then rejected and eventually forbidden.
It is the Holy Spirit who empowers the authentic Body of Christ. As seen on almost every page of the
New Testament, it is the Holy Spirit who infills and empowers the Lord Jesus, and then those who are His disciples, with His love, power and ability to bear fruit (Luke 24:49; John 14:26; Acts 1:8). It was the Holy Spirit that inspired and empowered all those who rejected and resisted this “insane” church down through the centuries.
“Insane” Leaders Today
The Spirit of Religion is still strongly binding millions to its deceptive and “insane” beliefs and practices. We see the evidence of this “insanity” when leaders are prideful, insecure, and territorial.
They take great pride in their theologies and doctrines. They strongly emphasize their “distinctives” to separate themselves with their “this is what we believe and how we do things,” mentality. Those who are caught in this deception believe they are the “only true church” who have the only true doctrines and beliefs. They will easily reject and vilify any who dare to question, disagree, or oppose them.
This is in contrast with Godly leaders who, while maintaining their unique perspectives and theologies with an attitude of love, humility and grace, recognize that they only “know in part” and “see through a glass darkly” (1 Corinthians 13:9,12). Such leaders are neither insecure or territorial. They recognize that they are only “stewards” who have a responsibility to disciple, equip, teach and train those whom the Lord has entrusted to them (Luke 12:42-44; Matthew 24:45-47).
“Insane” leaders are only interested in their churches and are mostly indifferent to the health and welfare of all the other churches in their communities. They rarely, if ever, do anything, such as evangelizing their communities or share discipleship resources with other churches. Many leaders are insecure about losing their people and finances. Others simply just do not care. The result is that the Body of Christ is loveless and riddled with division. Both are great sins, yet “insane” leaders continue in them! (Colossians 3:14; Ephesians 4:3-6).
I have observed, read and heard testimonies about leaders who “insanely” believed that their members actually belonged to them. When they referred to their members as “my or our people,” it was more of a reflection of this deception than it was an expression of responsibility and care. Their insanity is seen in how they forget that the people belong to the Lord, and are “His people and the sheep of His pasture” (Psalm 100:4) who were “purchased with His Blood” (Acts 20:28) and are “His possession” (Ephesians 1:14).
“Insane” leaders focus on having church services that the people enjoy and continually pour money into. They provide “religious entertainment” and are concerned with the comfort and happiness of those who attend. They would never preach or teach anything that might possibly offend anyone. They are not creating environments for growth, where people are really challenged and encouraged to encounter the Lord and deepen their relationship with Him. The consequence of this is an endemic lack of discipleship, resulting in great spiritual immaturity and little or no fruit for the Kingdom of God in the lives of those under such “insane” leadership.
“Insane” leaders are threatened by real spiritual growth in their people. Maturing people might ask “difficult” questions and challenge their knowledge, authority, and position. To avoid this possibility, such leaders actively limit and hinder real spiritual growth. They are like the stewards Jesus warned about in Luke 12:45-46 and Matthew 24:48-51. Failing to fulfill their responsibilities and abusing their authority, they were severely punished.
Jarius
After setting the demoniac free, Jesus sailed back to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. There a large crowd was gathered and a Synagogue leader named Jairus, (Ya’ir in Hebrew which means “God will enlighten you”), knelt before Yeshua and pleaded with Him to come to his home and heal his gravely ill daughter. Yeshua agreed to go and this great crowd followed him as they pressed upon each other to try and be as close to Him as possible.
There are a few lessons for us to learn from Jairus. Here was a man with hope, faith, love, and humility. His faith enabled him to be bold enough to press through the crowd and directly approach Jesus. His humility brought him to his knees as he pleaded with Jesus to come and heal his beloved daughter. He knew there was a chance he could be dismissed or ignored but he had hope that that would not happen. He had to take the risk of faith and approach the Lord with humility to ask. When Jesus agreed to go with him, he was filled with fresh hope and faith. He would draw upon these when people from his home came and told them that his daughter was already dead. Looking to the Master, he chose to believe what Jesus said to him. “Don’t be afraid, just believe”
We must all learn to live by faith (Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11). We must learn how to pray with faith, boldness and humility (Hebrews 4:16, 11:6; Ephesians 3:12; James 1:6). True humility will make you bold because you know who you are, why you are praying, and who God really is! We must also learn which voice to listen to. We have to learn how to hear the voice of our Shepherd (John 10:14,27). Only what He says is the truth! As we learn how to do this, we will more and more be able to ignore the thoughts and words spoken to us, that are contrary to what He speaks to us. We will grow in faith! We will not fear! We will believe!
I see Jairus as a representation of all authentic disciples of the Kingdom of God who are enlightened by the Holy Spirit. They are the ones who intercede with humility and faith that God will manifest His power and free the Body of Christ from dead religion and bring her into maturity and fruitfulness for the Kingdom of God.
May this prophetic picture encourage us. Nothing is impossible for God. He is able to raise the dead! He is able to bring the Body of Christ to Unity and Maturity!
The Healing of the Jewish Woman’s Womb
On the way to Jairus’ home, a wonderful story of faith unfolds. A Jewish woman who has been bleeding vaginally for twelve years, believed that if she was able to even touch Yeshua’s clothing, she would be healed. She made her way through the huge pressing crowd and managed to touch the “Tzitzit,” the fringes on Yeshua’s outer garment that all orthodox Jews wore in obedience to the commandment in Deuteronomy 22:12 and Numbers 15:38. At the moment she touched those “Tzitzit,” power flowed from Yeshua into her and she was completely healed. Recognizing that power had left him, He turned to His disciples and asked, “Who touched me?” Taken aback by this question, they said, “You see the crowd pressing in on you, and you ask, who touched Me?”
Looking around, Yeshua saw this woman at His feet trembling and telling Him what happened. I can imagine Him smiling broadly as He lifted her up by her hand saying, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your affliction.”
As I read this story, the Lord began to show me that this woman represented the Jewish people, who were mercilessly and ruthlessly persecuted by the “insane” church the demoniac represented. More specifically though, He showed me the significance of Jesus healing her bleeding womb, which she suffered for twelve years.
The womb of course is the place where natural conception, gestation and birth takes place. In the spirit, our spiritual “womb” is the place where the “seed” of the Word of God is implanted and where it can grow to maturity and bear fruit.
Satan knows the important role the Jewish people play in God’s plan to return Jesus to Earth. He knows that when the Jewish people receive Yeshua as their Messiah, Yeshua will return. He also knows that return means his destruction. That he knows this, is evident by the many times demons cried out concerning their future demise (Matthew 8:29; Mark 1:24).
To try to stop the return of Jesus and prevent his destruction, Satan devised several strategies intended to pervert the church’s relationship to the Jewish people, so that it would do all it could to keep the Jewish people away from faith in Jesus. In direct opposition to God’s plan to use the Body of Christ to lovingly testify to the Jewish people of the salvation they received in their Messiah, Satan turned the gentile church into hate filled oppressors, persecutors and murderers of the Jews.
He infected and infested the historic gentile church with doctrines of demons and the activities of evil spirits. Together, these doctrines, and the demons that inspired and activated them, created various “insane” anti-Semitic beliefs. The most notoriously successful one is “Replacement Theology.” Essentially this demonic doctrine teaches that because the Jews rejected Jesus, God rejected them and replaced them with the gentile church. Building upon this blasphemous lie, Satan was able to create a series of hateful “insane” accusations against the Jewish people. The most infamous one was that all the Jewish people, everywhere and in every generation, were forever guilty of the crime of “Deicide” (killing God), and should continually be tormented as they are forced to suffer various kinds of oppression, persecution and even death as a fitting punishment.
To add to the wickedness of this spiritual “insanity,” all of this was perpetrated upon the Jewish people in the “Name of Jesus.” The names “Jesus” and “Jesus Christ,” became, and remains, an abomination and anathema, who is despised and rejected by most Jews today.
What happened in the spirit realm was this. Satan’s demonized “insane” anti-Semitic church repeatedly attacked and viciously lacerated Israel’s “spiritual womb.” So deeply wounded and bleeding, it became impossible for the Jewish people to receive the living “Seed,” the Messiah Yeshua (1Peter 1:23). Because of the persecutions perpetrated on the Jewish people in Jesus Name,
Jesus is despised and rejected as a false messiah and considered to be the “founder” of
“Christianity,” the evil gentile religion of hatred, persecution and death.
Being so profoundly wounded in their “spiritual womb,” the only way the entire Jewish nation can be healed is by a supernatural flow of power represented by the touching of Yeshua’s “tzitzit.” These sacred tassels, the “tzitzit,” show us that Jesus/Yeshua was an orthodox Jew. Touching them symbolizes the supernatural revelation that will come to all of Israel, that the despised and rejected “Jesus Christ” is in reality the Jewish Messiah, “Yeshua HaMashiach!”
Only the God of Israel can accomplish this! He did it prophetically and symbolically when He healed this “bleeding womb.” He will fulfill it when He does it in historical reality! The Jewish people are going to be reconciled to their Messiah; they are going to touch His “tzitzit.” Israel’s spiritual “womb” is going to be healed! The Jewish people are going to receive the Living Seed, the Living Word of God, Yeshua HaMashiach!
Watch for it, it will happen! “His coming is as certain as the dawn” (Hosea 6:3) and “All Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26).
The Healing of Jairus’ Daughter
After healing the woman who was bleeding for twelve years, they arrive at the home of Jairus to find it filled with mourners weeping and wailing loudly. Jesus asked them why they were so distraught because He told them the child was only “sleeping.” Hearing this they all began to laugh and mock Him because they knew she was dead. Jesus put them all out of the house and entered into the young girl’s bedroom with her heartbroken but nervously hopeful parents and three of his disciples, Peter, James and John. Taking the hand of the lifeless young girl, He spoke the words of eternal life, “Little girl, arise!” and she came back to life and stood up. Jesus then told the amazed and astounded parents not to tell anyone, and to feed her. Of course, the story of her resurrection spread rapidly.
Jesus had already shown His disciples His authority and power over nature and over demons. But now, Jesus had shown His power and authority even over death itself! Can you imagine the state of mind of His disciples having witnessed all of this in one day!
Prophetic Significance of the Number Twelve
As I read these verses, the Lord began to give me what I believe are some very profound prophetic insights. The first thing the Lord drew my attention to was that we have here a picture of two “twelve year old wombs.”
We must recognize the significance of the number twelve. In the Bible, it is the number that represents governmental rulership and authority.
It is also interesting to note that the first recorded words of Jesus in the New Testament was when, as a twelve year old, He first demonstrated His wisdom and authority to the elders of Israel as He discussed the Scriptures with them at the Temple in Jerusalem (Luke 2:42-49).
Jairus’ daughter is twelve years old. This is the time when the virginal womb of a young woman is just entering sexual maturity. Her womb is beginning to get ready for conception and pregnancy.
The Jewish woman who was healed by touching Yeshua’s “tzitzit” was bleeding from her womb for twelve years. Her affliction began the same time that Jairus’ daughter was born. For the entire length of Jairus’ daughter’s life, it was impossible for her to get pregnant.
It is also significant when Yeshua addressed the newly healed Jewish woman, He called her “Daughter.”
The fact that both wombs are covered by the number twelve shows us that God sovereignly determines the time frames involved in the fulfillment of His purposes. He has established how long, humanly speaking, He allows events to continue. There is always a “beginning and an end” to the times and purposes of God.
Twelve signifies the fact that God has determined how long the Spirit of Religion would have governmental authority over the ‘insane” church. He also establishes how long it will take for the “virginal womb” to come to maturity, and into the new life symbolized by Jairus’ daughter’s resurrection.
The Scripture does not tell us how long the Gadarene Demoniac was insane. I would not be surprised to find out it was for twelve years.
Twelve also signifies the fact that there will come a time when God sovereignly determines that the Jewish people’s spiritual “womb,” which is still deeply scarred from the persecutions of the “insane” demonized religion, is going to be supernaturally healed. It also signifies that there will come a time when God sovereignly determines that a new people with a “virginal womb,” is going to emerge who will fulfill His end time purposes. I believe that these people will be joined with those who have been free from the “insanities” of the Spirit of Religion.
It is important for us to understand that throughout the centuries, at the same time the “insane” church was lacerating Israel’s “womb,” there was always a “virginal womb” in the process of growing up. Just as there is always a remnant of faithful and obedient people in Israel, so there is in the nations (1 Kings 19:18; Romans 11:5). In every generation, God has His obedient, faithful, and fruitful people
(Matthew 7:14). You do well to study the lives and ministries of people like John Wycliffe, Jann Huss,
William Tyndale, Menno Symon, John Wesley, Peter Waldo, George Fox and William Booth. A good book to start with is called “The Torch of Testimony” by John Kennedy. Also read “Fox’s Book of Martyrs” by John Fox.
So, What Does a Church in Her “Right Mind” With a New “Virginal Womb” Look and Act Like?
As the young girl was raised from the dead, so the Lord will bring forth a new people free from any influences of dead religion. God is going to raise up a “virginal bride,” whose womb is getting ready to enter new levels of spiritual maturity and become “pregnant” with the “Seed” of God’s end time prophetic plans and purposes. Together with those set free from the “insanities” of traditional Christianity, she will become the “Bride without spot, wrinkle or blemish” (Ephesians 5:27), a true expression of the authentic Body of Christ, the “One New Man” (Ephesians 2:14-16), or, if I may phrase it this way, the “One New Womb Man.”
When Jairus’ daughter was raised from the dead, and when the demoniac was restored to his “right mind,” we witness the same result. People went everywhere testifying about what happened. I see in this a great explosion of power evangelism as we draw closer to the events preceding the return of the Lord. As evil grows darker and darker, culminating in the rise of the anti-Christ, so will the Light of the Gospel grow brighter and brighter (Isaiah 60:1-3). The tares and the wheat will grow together until the angels come to harvest and Jesus returns! (Matthew 13:24-30)
This “One New Womb Man,” will be a unified Body of Believers who are filled with love and power that:
- Understands their Biblical relationship and responsibility to Israel and the Jewish people (Romans 11).
- Is focused on evangelizing all the nations and people groups of the world (Matthew 28:19).
- Is working together to bring the whole Body of Christ to spiritual maturity (Ephesians 4:11-16; Colossians 1:28-29).
I find it very interesting that when this young girl arose, Jesus told her parents to feed her. This was more than Jesus having a practical concern for her wellbeing. I see here a prophetic exhortation to the leaders in the Body of Christ to “faithfully and wisely” (Matthew 24:45-47; Luke 12:42-44) steward their responsibility to nurture, teach and train this emerging “virginal” church, so that she can grow to spiritual maturity and fulfill the end-time purposes of God.
Environments for Growth
These “wise and faithful stewards” must strategize together to create environments that support and encourage that process of spiritual maturity. These environments are “sacred spaces” because they are designed to help everyone feel free to lovingly express and learn from their diverse understandings, opinions, insights, perspectives, and disagreements. Here people are free to create “Iron Sharpening Iron” relationships (Proverbs 27:17) where there is no rejection, judgment, condemnation, or shame. Everyone is encouraged in the process of learning, changing, and growing to fruitful spiritual maturity as disciples of the Kingdom (Colossians 1:28-29, Ephesians 4:11-16).
In this process, you learn something new about God, yourself, the Scriptures, etc, etc… and then you practice implementing it into your life. Without this practical application, there is no true Biblically based learning, which is what discipleship is. Otherwise the information you learn simply remains an intellectual “concept.” It can never bear fruit in your life. It is fruit, not just knowledge, the Lord is looking for! (John 15:1-5)
As you implement what you have learned, you change. You are thinking and behaving in new ways. You are responding to people, places and circumstances in new ways. You will discover that people around you have to change to adapt to the new you!
As this process of change continues, you find yourself growing. As you continue to grow you mature. You say and do things in new ways, and that causes new and better fruit to be born in and through you (2 Peter 1:5-8; John 15:1-5).
The “Business of the Church” – Make and Mature Disciples
Wise and faithful leaders will focus on the fact that God has called the Body of Messiah into the
“business of making and maturing disciples.” We are not in the “church services” business, or the “christian entertainment” business, or the “make people happy and feel good” business, or any other “religious” business. We are in the business of making and maturing fruitful disciples throughout the nations (Matthew 28:19-20; Colossians 1:28- 29, Ephesians 4:11-16).
This business focuses on four things:
- Saving the lost.
- Maturing the saved.
- Training the mature. 4. Sending the trained.
What would it look like if all the churches in any community came together to accomplish these four goals? It would look like the authentic Body of Christ in unity, joining resources to make the “business” entrusted to them by the Lord “bear much fruit” (John 15:5-8) locally, nationally and internationally.
Greek vs. Hebrew
A church in its “right mind” will understand what it means to have an Hebraic, as opposed to a Greco-Roman, mindset. A Greco-Roman mindset is interested in only a natural rational understanding of life. Human logic is the standard for living. A Hebraic mindset is rational and recognizes the obvious value of logical conclusions, but it also recognizes the limitations of our merely human natural perceptions and perspectives. A Hebraic mindset welcomes the supernatural revelations and wisdom that “comes from above” (James 3:15), and understands that a relationship with the living God makes His Word the “Truth” and that is the standard for our lives, our families, our churches and our ministries (John 17:17).
The Spirit of Religion is scared to death of the Church understanding its Biblical Hebraic roots and getting a Hebraic understanding of faith and life.
Jewish or Hebraic Roots
The “One New Womb Man,” the authentic Body of Christ, will understand its Biblical relationship and responsibility to the Jewish people. This “sane” Church will repent of the horrific sins of “Christian” anti- Semitism. This “sane” Church will arise with a loving testimony to the Jewish people, in hopes of provoking them to reconsider who Yeshua really is. All of this is built on God’s plan to eventually bring the Jewish people to the place of repenting of their national rejection of Yeshua, receiving Him as Messiah and King and ushering in His magnificent return to raise the dead, set up His throne in
Jerusalem and establish His millennial Kingdom rule on the earth (Zechariah 12:10, 14:3-4; Matthew 23:39; Romans 11;15;1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; Revelation 20:4).
Unity
When the Church is in her “right mind,” all the leaders will repent of their independence and self-centeredness. Everyone will recognize that there is only “One Church, which is His Body” (Ephesians 1:23, 4:5) and actively do everything we can to “preserve that unity” (Ephesians 4:3). We will no longer allow ourselves to be repeatedly divided because we understand that division is Satan’s strategy to destroy us. Understanding the power of unity, we will begin to find ways to synergize and harness the amazing resources available in the diverse parts of the Body, in order to fulfill the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20).
Just as the human body is comprised of so many different parts, but functions as one whole unit, we will see that we are “members one of another,” where “every joint can supply” whatever is needed, so that the whole Body of Christ can “build itself up in love” (1Corinthians 12:12-27; Romans 12:4-5; Ephesians 4:16).
With that Biblical understanding, we will not allow ourselves to be divided by different interpretations and applications of the Scriptures. Instead, we will learn from each other, lovingly and humbly either receiving or rejecting those interpretations and applications of the Scriptures as we are led by the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:1- 22). We will not reject those we disagree with, but learn how to grow in love with each other, giving Glory to God and also proving to be His authentic fruitful disciples (John 15:8; Ephesians 4:15).
We will see that being a committed member of a local faith community, which is vital for building solid nurturing relationships, should not prevent us from having healthy relationships with other believers from other churches, helping one another learn, change, grow, mature and bear fruit.
May God fulfill the prophetic picture we see in Mark chapter 5. May each one of us hear His Voice and fulfill our role, as we participate with Him in the fulfillment of His glorious plans and purposes. Amen!!