OUTSIDE THE WALLS

Bob Jones and Keith Davis

The Lord is continuing to release prophetic revelation outlining the desires of His heart for the season of the Spirit in which we are living. Many of these revelations have been for the purpose of preparing to receive His outpouring and others to identify the character and nature of His purposes. The following article is the result of these experiences helping us to align and position ourselves to flow readily with His Spirit in this generation. To function most effectively in ministry, we must find the place of His anointing and work together with Him. One thing He has made clear to us is that great grace and anointing can be obtained by those willing to go “outside the walls” of the church structures, TAKING the gospel of truth and power to the streets and by-ways. Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. (Luke 14:23)

GO THEREFORE AND MAKE DISCIPLES

Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it shall not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover. (Mark 16:15-18)

The Lord is illustrating His desire to raise the “Arks” of the covenant during this end-time generation in order to demonstrate His great power and authority. The Ark of the Covenant here referenced is not a manmade instrument plated with gold; rather it is individual men and women clothed in a spirit of humility equipped with the Lord’s abiding presence. It is the Lord’s desire for the “Arks of the Covenant” to be “arcs” of light who GO “outside the walls” compelling many to leave the darkness of this world to be joined with His eternal light. An “arc” is defined as “a sustained luminous (light) discharge of power across a gap in a circuit or between electrodes.” That is what we are to become…a sustained Light bridging the gap.

Presently, the church has been much too inclined to remain within its four walls being saturated like a sponge with the things of God. It is our admonition in this hour to leave the four walls of the institutional church and mingle with those most desperately needing the light we possess; becoming a river of living water not merely a sponge. Currently, we have a “COME-IN” mentality and the Lord is wanting us to have a “GO-OUT” perspective once equipped.

The buildings of wood and stone in which we meet are not the literal church, only a gathering place for fellowship and instruction. The true church (ekklesia-called out ones) is constituted of men and women born by the Spirit of God joined together as one body with the high calling of expressing His radiant glory and power in the earth. We certainly do not forsake the gathering of saints in the church for that has its purpose. However, our admonition is to alter the mind-set of inviting the lost and needy to come in to the church and instead go out to them in the demonstration of the Spirit and Power.

GRACE FOR HOME GROUPS

And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. (Acts 5:42)

There will be a special grace and anointing on those called to home fellowship groups for the purpose of nurturing and equipping others. When structured appropriately and under proper authority, this intimate and specialized form of ministry is very effective and high on the list of priorities with the Lord so that men and women can become vessels of light themselves. It will be leaders training leaders in the school of the Spirit.

When thus equipped, these “ arcs” will begin to take the light of the gospel to the dark corners of the earth with a message of salvation and deliverance.

THE SPIRIT OF POVERTY

Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich, and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and {that} the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see. (Revelation 3:17-18)

One of the predominant strongholds of the enemy, even within the church, is the spirit of poverty. This speaks not only of natural or financial poverty, but also poverty of spirit and soul. There is also resident within many, especially in this country, a mental or emotional poverty as the result of many hours wasted on worldly entertainment and carnal indoctrination. This has created a vast void in the intellectual and emotional constitution of an entire generation. Poverty and shame will come to him who neglects discipline, but he who regards reproof will be honored. (Proverbs 13:18)

Without controversy, when the Lord gives advice it would behoove us to follow it. The advice, given to the Laodicean generation is to buy of Him gold refined by fire, speaking of His nature and character, that we may become rich. He further advises us to clothe ourselves with His righteous garments and apply the eye salve of His anointing that our focus may be with Spirit eyes. In this place poverty cannot exist in any form.

There has also been the existence of a spirit of poverty within the racial constitution of the church. It is deprivation of the worst kind to separate brethren simply on the basis of race, color or creed. This cannot remain in the church if we are to become prosperous spiritually, naturally, and in the soulish realms of our existance.

The end-time “arcs” will begin to achieve heightened levels of intercession and prophetic proclamation calling into being the purposes of the kingdom. It will be their hearts cry, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. The authority will be released in this setting to literally call into being that which does not exist, breaking the spirit of poverty. The unity that is presently lacking will be called into being by the spirit of prophecy, bringing to fruition the Lord’s great High Priestly prayer. The glory which Thou hast given Me I have given to them; that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that Thou didst send Me, and didst love them, even as Thou didst love Me. (John 17:22-23)

The prosperity and “shalom” of God that is currently missing in the corporate church will be called into being through this prophetic intercessory voice ascending to the very throne of God.

FOCUS EXTERNALLY

One of the strategies of the enemy is to cause our thoughts and energy to implode on ourselves with an internal focus on our personal needs and desires rather than an outward expression of love and concern for others. This breeds a spirit of self-centeredness in the corporate church that inhibits the flow of the Spirit to those most needing the gospel. We must overcome this spiritual tendency that promotes an intrinsic focus and begin to direct our energy externally to those around us.

“Now is the Time” for the church to stand up and be reckoned as the light of the world and allow His light to shine upon us in the midst of vast darkness. Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For behold, darkness will cover the earth, and deep darkness the peoples; but the LORD will rise upon you, and His glory will appear upon you. And nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Lift up your eyes round about, and see; they all gather together, they come to you. Your sons will come from afar, and your daughters will be carried in the arms. Then you will see and be radiant, and your heart will thrill and rejoice; because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you, the wealth of the nations will come to you. (Isaiah 60:1-5)

This will also release the quickening power of God to make alive our mortal bodies and free us from the physical poverty that permeates the church through the spirit of infirmity. As we overcome the spirit of complacency and become more spiritually and physically active doing the work of the ministry, a quickening will take place freeing us from many of the infirmities plaguing the body of Christ.

Many in the church at the age of 40 are having the physical difficulty and complications of a 70 year old. If we will employ divine principles, we can experience His quickening power and enjoy at the age of 70 the energy and vitality of a healthy 40 year old. This also involves communion with the Lord and abstinence from the violation of natural laws. It is the Lord’s desire to release divine health to His people if we will heed His voice in this hour. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life (quicken) to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you. (Romans 8:11)

THE LIVING CHURCH

It is our commission in this hour to become the “living church” outside the four walls of institutional facilities. We will then begin to convey life in our communities and allow the flow of heavenly resources to touch the vast need of humanity. We are to be the “arks” which people hasten to for mercy and insight. We cannot do that without adhering to these divine principles. It is now time to cease from conversation and begin to do by the Spirit those things we have understood as our calling and commission. Even as the Lord Himself began “to do and teach”. We should likewise follow this admonition by doing first and then teaching as we do.

Those with the greatest need for salvation and deliverance are not being invited into the church, rather we are being sent out to compel them in. This includes the entire spectrum from the streets of the inner city to Wall Street. It is outside the walls that we will find the Lord’s good pleasure and the purpose of His heart in this hour.

The “arks” will become places of refuge for those without hope to find comfort, salvation, and deliverance. We will overcome the spirit of poverty and complacency by feeding those with the greatest need physically, spiritually, and emotionally. This will break the power of the demonic realm and release the greater provisions of the Spirit in order for us to reach our high calling.