“ELOHIM” – God the Creator

 

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen.1:1). Our God is the Creator of the heavens and the earth. He is the Creator-God i.e. “ELOHIM” in Hebrew language. He created every thing through His Word, i.e. Christ (John 1:3).

Have you suffered a grievous and unbearable loss in your life? Has the Devil stolen from you the good things like joy in your married life or your health or your wealth? Have you been in the furnace of afflictions for a very long time, losing all your faith in our Lord?

The Lord now wants you not to “remember the former things nor consider the things of old”. The things that existed till yesterday are the former things or the things of old. You should not remember them today. Because the Lord is going to “do a new thing” today. “NOW (as you read this message) IT SHALL SPRING FORTH” (Isaiah 43:15-21). He is going to create something new in your life because He is “ELOHIM”.

He reveals Himself to you as “the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King” (Is.43:15). As the Creator of Israel, He creates absolutely new things – which you have neither seen nor heard since the beginning of this world (Isaiah 64:4). This promise is meant for His chosen people. He is your King, seated on a high throne above the worldly and the devilish kingdoms.

In the 37th chapter of the prophetic book of Ezekiel, God commanded Ezekiel to prophesy unto the dry bones (Verse 4). As soon as Ezekiel prophesied unto the dry bones, the work of creation began in the dry bones with the result “breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army” (Verse 10). The Holy Spirit commands you to “prophesy upon these bones and say unto them, “O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord”. These days, we attach little importance to the gift of prophecy or the ministry of prophets. Less emphasis is laid on the gift of prophecy, whereas undue emphasis is laid on the gift of tongues as in the days of the Corinthian Church. Please note prophecy is as important as prayer. Prophecy can be distinguished from prayer. A prayer proceeds from man to God, whereas a prophecy proceeds from a holy man of God to another man or a people or a kingdom or a nation including animate and inanimate things as he is moved by the Holy Ghost (II Pet.1: 21).

 

An inanimate thing has the ear to hear the word of the Lord. For instance, the wind hears His Word and obeys Him (Mark 4:39). When you utter the word of God and command in Jesus’ Name, the inanimate things or the natural forces as moved by the Holy Ghost, will obey you. Please read Matt.21:19-22. Jesus said, “If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done”. A prayer conveys man’s words, whereas a prophecy conveys God’s words. Prophecy is more important than any other human effort in reviving either backsliding children of God or dead souls. A word of prophecy creates something new.

 

Prophecy can change the course of history of a church or a nation. Prophecy can also bring about divine judgment and can cause the rise or the fall of a kingdom. Jesus spoke the words of prophecy to Jerusalem in Matt.23: 37-39 and accordingly the judgment of God devoured Jerusalem in A.D.70 through Roman destruction. A word of mouth from a holy prophet can either create or destroy a thing.

 

Be discreet in prophesying unto the people. Do not openly or directly address them as dry bones as this would lead to misunderstanding amongst the hearers. Be careful. You have to prophesy unto the dry-bones, not to the hearing of the bodily ear. As you are about to preach or intercede in prayers for others, you may speak the words of prophecy silently so that the spiritual ears and not the physical ears may hear them.

 

As you prophesy in Jesus’ Name, the Creator-God – “ELOHIM” creates a new thing in your life.

 

“JEHOVAH MEKKADISHKEM”

 

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: “Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I AM THE LORD WHO SANCTIFIES YOU” i.e. “Jehovah Mekkadishkem” in Hebrew language (Ex.31: 13). According to God’s commandment, the children of Israel should keep the Sabbath for it was holy to them. Accordingly, they should work for six days but the seventh was the Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever did any work on this day, he should surely be put to death. (Ex.31: 13-17).

 

For the children of Israel, Sabbath was a special day of holiness on which they were not supposed to work. For the Christians, we have to observe Sabbath in our daily life. It is not a holy day but a holy life to be lived minute by minute with the help of the indwelling Holy Spirit. We, the spiritual children of Abraham, are different from the children of Israel in flesh. As you live a life completely dependent on Christ, trusting His power to deliver you from the sin through His grace, He sanctifies you. On your own strength, you cannot lead a holy life. Daily you should go to His Cross for sanctification. You should confess, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now life in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal.2: 20). Allowing Christ to live in our crucified flesh is sanctification under the New Testament. The Cross of our Lord Jesus is a sign between God and us so that we know that IT IS THE INDWELLING CHRIST WHO SANCTIFIES US THROUGH HIS BLOOD (Heb.2: 11 & 9:14).

 

The children of Israel could not lead a victorious life. But we can lead a victorious life because we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus (Rom.8: 37). Under the New Covenant, God gives us His abundant grace to overcome sin through the indwelling Holy Spirit. The law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:16-17).

 

“JEHOVAH MEKKADISHKEM” has revealed to us through Christ Jesus Who sanctifies us. Are you not able to lead an overcoming life today? Allow Christ to live in your crucified flesh. Surrender your life completely to the dominion of the Holy Spirit.

 

“You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees”

When Hagar conceived, Sarah her mistress began to persecute her. When Hagar fled from the presence of her mistress, the Angel of the Lord met her by a spring of water in the wilderness on the way to Shur. The Angel of the Lord asked her to return to her mistress and to submit herself under her hand. Afterwards, the Angel of the Lord gave her promises that He would multiply her descendents exceedingly and that she would bear a son. Then Hagar called the Name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees” for she said, “Have I also here seen Him Who sees me”. Therefore, the well was called “Beer Lahai Roi”. This means, “Well of the One Who Lives and Sees Me” (Gen.16: 1-14).

Hagar was blameless. However, it is Sarah, the wife of Abraham, the father of faith that was to blame. Sarah not only gave her maid Hagar to her husband to conceive a child but also dealt harshly with Hagar, despite the fact that Hagar served her mistress faithfully.

 

But the Lord did not forsake Hagar. Though Hagar was the bondwoman and Sarah was the mother of the son of the promise, the Lord did have compassion on Hagar. The Lord Who is rich in His mercies did not forsake Hagar just because Sarah was to give birth to Isaac in whom all the nations were to be blessed.

Sarah was self-centered and lacked in compassion for the maid who served her faithfully. Today, we may find in our midst some servants of God like Sarah who have, by faith, inherited the great promises of God from His Word but lack in compassion for others. They condemn and cast out the sheep under their care just because they do not submit to their leadership or their doctrines.

 

Do you find yourself in the position of Hagar today, having been condemned by your own people, for no fault of yours? There is a God Who lives and sees you. He has seen all your afflictions. Today He meets you by a spring of water in the wilderness. Oh, you have been in this wilderness for a long time. Lift up your eyes and see the spring of water there. Christ Jesus, your beloved Shepherd is standing there with His outstretched Hands to embrace you. It is only Christ Who gives you the Living Waters abundantly in this wilderness. Oh, He wanted you to reach this spring of water in your life. In this place, He gives you promises concerning restoration of the things lost by you. It is He Who has allowed all this persecution in your life. All things work together for your good only. He does not want you to flee from the place of persecution immediately.

 

Dear sister-in-Christ, your spouse may be likened to Sarah. God has allowed your husband to persecute you so that you could reach this spring of water in the wilderness and find your Shepherd there. God teaches us only in the school of suffering so that we may learn His Word in a practical manner. There is no other school to learn from Christ. Psalmist says in Psalm 119:71, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes”. Paul writes in Col.1: 23-24 “…. I Paul am made a minister; who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His body’s sake, which is the church”. As a member of His body, every one of us, without any exception, should fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in our flesh. According to Heb.5: 8-9, though Jesus was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered, and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him. 

 

You have to be in the school of sufferings until the Lord wants you to. Do not run from the school before time. God will bless you with a deliverance ministry once He brings you out of this school. He will fulfill His promises concerning restoration of the things lost by you once you step out of this school. Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God so that He may exalt you in due time.

 

“EL ELYON” – The Most High God

 

Our God is referred to as “the Most High God” in Gen.14: 18 in the context of the meeting of king of Salem with Abraham who had returned from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, the king of Elam and of the kings that were with the said king. The wicked king had taken captive of Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, and his goods. When Abram heard this news, he along with his trained servants, pursued the enemies and brought back Lot and his goods and the people held in captivity. On the victory of Abram, king of Sodom went out to meet the former. And Melchizedek, king of Salem blessed Abram and said, “Blessed be Abram of the Most High God, possessor of heaven Salem, who was the priest of the MOST HIGH GOD brought forth bread and wine, and earth…”


In Hebrew 8:20 and 7:1-28, we find that Melchizedek, priest of the Most High God, was, by interpretation, Christ Jesus, the King of righteousness, and the King of Salem (Peace). Melchizedek “without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually”. Melchizedek was considered as a great man “unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils (tithes)”. In Psalm 110:4, Christ was prophetically referred to as “a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek”.


According to the law, the sons of Levi were supposed to receive tithes from the people. But Melchizedek whose descent is not counted from the sons of Levi received tithes of Abraham and blessed him that had the promises. The crux of the messages from the book of Hebrew is that perfection was not of the Levitical priesthood but of “another priest” who should rise after the order of Melchizedek (7:11). Christ sprang not of the Levitical priesthood, but of Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. Under the New Testament, we have only one priesthood, which continues, forever through our Lord Jesus Christ. The Levitical priesthood was done away with on the Cross of Calvary. All of us, who have been washed by the Blood of Jesus Christ and who have been baptized by the Holy Ghost, have become the children of the Most High God through the one Priesthood of Christ Jesus. We are not only children of the Most High God but also are made through the Blood of Jesus Christ “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people…” (I Pet.2: 9).


These days, everywhere, in the churches of God, we find the Levitical system of priesthood, which was done away with on the Cross of Calvary. All the members of the body of Christ are the priests of the Most High God. However, for ministry to the body of Christ, there are five kinds of ministers i.e. apostles, prophets, evangelists, teachers and pastors. The remaining members of His body other than the five types of ministers are also assigned ministerial positions by the Holy Ghost in the body of Christ in diverse ways. They are also equally important. The five types of ministers are also not “priests” as far as their service to the other members of the body of Christ is concerned. All of us, including the five types of ministers, are priests of God offering praises unto God and intercessory prayers before His throne, on behalf of the lost and on behalf of one another. The New Testament ministers are, in fact, servants. They are not to be ministered to but to minister. What is prevalent in our churches, be it orthodox churches or Pentecostal churches, is quite contrary to the words of truth under the New Testament. There is a clear line of demarcation seen everywhere, thus branding the members of His Body as “believers” or “ laity” as distinct from “pastors” or “clergy”.


Another disquieting factor is demand of tithes from the members of the church by the pastors, quoting the Old Testament books. Under the New Testament, we are supposed to minister to the saints, especially the poor saints, widows, etc who are of the House of God. Every one should be a cheerful giver under the New Testament. “Ever man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver “ (II Cor.9: 7). If we give only to the pastors, what about the other ministers like apostles, prophets, evangelists and teachers, and those other ministers engaged in God’s work in other ways?

Perfection is not possible through the system of Levitical priesthood but is possible only through Christ Jesus.


Only those who get the revelation of the truth concerning the eternal Priesthood of Christ Jesus, our Elder Brother, Who was of the order of Melchizedek, can appropriate the Name of God “El Elyon” for themselves and claim themselves to be the priests of the Most High God.

 

“I AM THAT I AM”

God commanded Moses to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt in order to deliver them from the slavery of Pharaoh and Egyptians. Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?” God said, “Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: when thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain”. Even after God had assured His abiding presence and gave Moses His wonderful and irrevocable promise that he would make him serve God on that mountain, Moses did not take God at His word. In stead, he looked for some excuse to withdraw from God’s great plan and mission for him on the pretext that the children of Israel would ask him to reveal the Name of the God Who commanded Moses to save them from Pharaoh (Exo.3:9-14). Not only here but also on the subsequent occasion, Moses looked for one excuse or the other to be spared by God. He even took the plea of his being not eloquent and pleaded God to send another person. Upon this, the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses (Exo.4:10-14).

 

When Moses was hesitant to go to the children of Israel and expressed his fear that they might ask for the revelation of the Name of the God Who gave him such commandment, God said to him, ‘ I AM THAT I AM…Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you”

 

Like Moses, we are also not taking God at His wonderful promises in the Word. We always doubt His promises and look at our own strength and resources for performing our ministries. We compare ourselves with those speakers who are great orators on the dais, attracting thousands of listeners to their gospel/revival meetings. God does not look for the eloquent people or orators. “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty………that no flesh should glory in His presence” (I Cor.1: 27-29).

Are you frightened to go to the people for ministry, nurturing some inferior complexity? Are you afraid of preaching to the people? Are you worried over the paucity of finds for your ministry? Do you have a feeling that God will neither perform miracles in your ministry nor manifest His power during your evangelistic crusade? God reveals His Name to you, as “I AM THAT I AM”. If any person discourages you with his negative words concerning your ministry or questions the operation of the spiritual gifts in your ministry, you should tell him, “I AM has put me into this ministry and sent me to the people”. “I AM THAT I AM” now indwells us through Christ Jesus. Moses was frightened to approach the Mount Sinai for communion with “I AM THAT I AM”. However, under the New Covenant, we have the wonderful privilege of boldly approaching His Throne of Grace and communing with “I AM THAT IAM” through the Blood of Christ Jesus. Christ Jesus in you, and not merely His power or His gifts, would help you to accomplish great things in your life and ministry.

- Job Anbalagan


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