GOD’S STRATEGY FOR EXECUTING THE PROJECT

Having seen the details of the Lord’s 3-fold end-time project ahead of us, and the reasons behind it, someone, like blessed Mary, may now be asking, how shall these things be achieved? (Luke 1:34). In other words, how has the Lord planned to raise the great army of Christians for the imminent great harvest of souls, bring about a great harvest of souls proper, and revival of the church and fulfil the pre-rapture necessity, all as detailed in the previous sections of this treatise?

The following is an outline of the Lord’s strategy for executing the said project:

He has scheduled to make and use mighty men of valour to produce the said great army of Christians, bring about a great harvest of souls and revival of the church, as well as fulfil the pre-rapture necessity.

Remember, the Lord is the One working by His excellent Spirit, while His mighty men of valour are His instruments (Zechariah 4:6; Psalms 127:1; John. 14:10; 2 Corinthians 3:5-6).

Let us proceed to discuss the making of the Lord’s mighty men of valour, as we

Describe them
consider the pre-qualification of the prospectives
Discuss the medium for their build-up
Consider their build-up and
Preview the short- and long-term results.

(a) HIS MIGHTY MEN OF VALOUR, DESCRIBED

This is the term that was used here and there in the Old Testament to address men who had all that it would take to lead an army into victory, or to deliver the oppressed from their oppressors (Judges 6:12-14; 11:1; Joshua 1:14; 8:3; 2 Kings 5:1). In the New Testament, both the Lord Jesus and John the Baptist were described as mighty men (Luke 1:15, 32). They were mighty, not in the sense of being physical warriors with special endowment like the ones referred to above, but because of the measure of the Spirit of God and His gifts and fruits that were in them (consider Luke 1:15, 17; John 3:34; Acts 10:38). The apostles of the Lord were also mighty men of valour, having also been filled with the Holy Ghost and the associated gifts and fruits (Acts 4:33; 2 Corinthians 3:5-6).

God’s mighty men of valour that He has scheduled to build-up will compare favourably with the Lord Jesus and His apostles in every respect — in Holy Spirit baptism, the associated gifts and fruits; in ministry; in insight, in all that it takes to be truly men of God or able ministers of the New Testament, able to raise an army of Christians for the Lord (consider John 14:12; Matthew 10:25).

(b) PRE-QUALIFICATION OF PROSPECTIVE MIGHTY MEN OF VALOUR

There are surely certain pre-requisites that those who want the Lord to mould them into mighty men of valour (or able ministers of the New Testament) for the project ahead must fulfil.

The following are the cardinal qualifications

They must be saved
They must have bought the vision (that is, the vision of the said project)
They must have been called into ministry
They must love righteousness and hate iniquity
They must be lowly in heart
They must be jealous of the Lord
Their horse must be before their cart

(i) THEY MUST BE SAVED

It is an irony that someone aspiring to be used of God mightily does not have a genuine experience of salvation. Anyone who listens carefully can hear the challenge of men and angels to such a person saying, “physician, heal thyself” (Luke 4:23 compare Romans 2:21-22). This was exactly the case with certain vagabond Jews and the seven sons of Sceva (Acts 19:13-15).

Because of the necessity of salvation before service, Jesus told those who wanted to serve before being saved to first of all believe in Him for salvation before talking of working for God (John 6:28-29).

It can be said without fear of contradiction that if the Lord Jesus needed to be saved, He would have done whatever that was required of Him to be saved, knowing the inevitableness of being saved before serving. He proved this point when He submitted to the baptism of John the Baptist, since that was part of the basic things required of the Jews at that time for salvation (Matthew 3:13-15).

It is a futile exercise to seek to serve the Lord without having experienced genuine salvation and remaining saved continually. Remember Judas, who was with the Lord and went out to serve with the rest, yet was a thief and a devil (consider Matthew 10:1-8 with John 6:70; 12:6).

There are some “ministers” today whose testimonies of salvation are vague. They have no clear-cut testimonies of having repented of their sins and having believed implicitly on Jesus as is commanded those that seek to be saved (Mark 1:5; 6:12; Acts 3:19; 20:21). One of such ‘ministers’ testified that “there was a prophecy about him by some mighty witch doctor that “a mighty man of God” would be born by his mother, which prediction came to pass, hence he began to see visions and do miracles, even at the age of six years.” What a demon-possessed person such is!.

(ii) THEY MUST HAVE BOUGHT THE VISION (Proverbs 29:18).

Buying the vision implies that they have considered this project, been convinced of its authenticity, whole heartedly embraced it and decided to be party to its execution. Not only this, they have also decided that they will not lose the vision. Such people have done well to obey the Lord, who commanded that we buy the truth and sell it not (because it is precious) (Proverbs 23:23).

The importance of having vision (which makes it mandatory that the prospective mighty men of valour buy this vision) cannot be overemphasized. Where there is no vision, the people perish (fail) (Proverbs 29:18). Whether it is the pastor or the businessman or the student or whosoever that has no vision (something he is given to, and earnestly pursuing), nothing is then propelling such a one. So he cannot work hard and is bound to fail.

(iii) THEY MUST HAVE BEEN CALLED INTO MINISTRY

This is another pre-requisite for those who wish to be built-up into mighty men of valour for God’s use in the project ahead. The Lord Jesus was called (sent) into the ministry by the Father (John 4:34; 5:23, 24, 36; 8:29; 20:21). The apostles and some of His early disciples have clear testimonies of the Lord Jesus sending them into the ministry (Luke 9:1-6; 10:1-3; 20:21; Matthew 10:16).

There is a number of ways someone can receive God’s calling into ministry. Below are a few of such ways:-

Directly through the ministration of the Spirit of God by dreams, visions, the inner voice of the Spirit of God, or unquestionable and strong persuasion in the heart, or clear and undoubtable dissuasion from secular things, and the like (Isaiah 6:1-8; Acts 9:3-6, 14-16; 13:1-2).

Through a genuine prophetic or apostolic utterance of a proven man of God (Judges 4:4-9; 1 Timothy 4:14).

Through the appointment and laying on of the hands of a real man of God or men of God on a willing soul because of the need of expansion of the particular ministry to which the one belongs (Joshua 2:1; 1 Timothy 4:14; 1:1-4).

It is to be noted that there are those who go into ministry without being called. They run, even though they were not sent (compare 2 Sam. 18:19-30). They have some ulterior motive at the back of their minds for becoming pastors, evangelists, etc (Romans 16:18; Philippians 3:18-19; Titus 1:10-12; 1 Peter 5:2). Let the ministers that seek to be part of this project ensure they are called.

(iv) THEY MUST LOVE RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATE INIQUITY (Hebrews 1:9)

Loving righteousness and hating iniquity is the trade-mark of those whom the Lord usually builds-up and uses tremendously. Noah was used by the Lord tremendously because he loved righteousness and hated iniquity (Genesis 6:5-7, 8-9). Abraham said to Lot (a junior), “we be brethren, let there be no strife between me and thee”, an evidence of a heart that loved righteousness and hated iniquity (Genesis 13:1-9). So God used him greatly. Joseph hated the unrighteousness of his brothers and loved righteousness and the Lord used him mightily (Genesis 37:2). We have the testimony of Scriptures concerning others who loved righteousness and hated iniquity and what great things the Lord did with them (eg. Hebrews 1:9; Acts 24:16; 1 Thessalonians 2:10).

Is anyone buying the vision of this project and already picturing himself a mighty man of valour, let such a one tread the road to exaltation — the road of loving righteousness and hating iniquity (Proverbs 14:34; Hebrews 1:9).

(v) THEY MUST BE LOWLY IN HEART

If one could see God’s list of the things that have prevented many of His servants from being developed fully and used mightily, lack of lowliness of heart is among the items. It is an irony that the Lord said, “of myself I can do nothing, as I hear (am taught) I judge…” (John 5:30), but many of His ministers of today say, “we need no further teaching from anybody, no more challenges by anybody”. But those who have gotten to any appreciable level of prowess in ministry know that being lowly in heart is the key to rising high (Philippians 2:5-11; Luke 14:7-11).

The lowly in heart learns and grows through other ministers, workers, babes in church and even from unbelievers. After all we were enjoined to hear (learn from) what the unjust judge said; from what the unjust steward did and even from what the ants do (Luke 18:6; 16:1-9; Proverbs 6:6).

Those that have reached the point of being teachers of others only, and having no humility to learn anymore from anybody or anything are certainly living in sin, and may have reached the stage of not realizing anymore that they are poor, wretched and blind, since there are no more new challenges. Surely it will take lowliness of heart to develop to full potentials and become a partaker of the Lord’s end-time project (Phil. 2:5-11; Luke. 14:11).

(vi) THEY MUST BE JEALOUS FOR THE LORD

The prophet Elijah said, ” I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thy altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword: and I, even I only, am left…” (1 Kings 19:10,14). Here the prophet was testifying that he regarded the Lord as the only sovereign One, the only Creator whose adoration must not be shared to any other being. He regarded His house as the highest of all scared places, so must not be polluted. He saw His word in the perspective that God himself saw it, so it must be obeyed and must not be tampered with. He saw the Lord as the best who must be given the best of worship, attention, gifts, service, etc. He was also testifying that, because of who the Lord is, and consequently the highness of His house, His word and His work, he (Elijah) will go to any length to oppose anyone and anything that will tarnish the Lord’s image or pollute His sanctuary or go against His word and His work.

The Lord Jesus also showed that He was jealous for God, His house, His word and His work. Did He not become righteously angry with the religious sinners of His day that were polluting the temple with buying and selling? He tumbled their tables, poured out their money and drove their animal-wares away and put them all into confusion (John 2:13-17). Did He not drive Peter, even Peter behind Him, tagging him ‘the devil’ for attempting (even unknowingly) to prevent Him from completing the lofty but painful assignment the Father gave Him? (Matthew 16:21-23).

The jealous of the Lord are usually mindful that:

Only the Lord should be worshipped (Isaiah 42:8; 48:11).
Only His truth should be taken, observed, disseminated.
Only the name of the Lord should be magnified.
His physical house be respected, kept holy and not polluted, including being angry with unclean spirits that inhabit and pollute the human-body-sanctuaries of the Lord (compare John 2:13-17).
The church (the body of Christ) be kept holy, vibrant and worthy for the Lord to dwell in by His Spirit.
All God’s children be obedient, fruitful and pleasing to Him (eg. John 8:29; Matthew 3:16-17).
All services unto the Lord in any form be undertaken with all the heart, tirelessly and happily too.
The best of gifts be given to Him (Exodus 25:1-5; Malachi 1:6-8).
All His wondrous works be testified of, so that adoration and praise could return to Him (eg. Mark 5:18-20). This list is not exhaustive by any means.

It follows therefore that all who want the Lord to develop them into mighty men of valour must follow this way of being jealous of the Lord.

(vii) THEIR HORSE MUST BE BEFORE THEIR CART

It is common knowledge that putting the horse before the cart is the fruitful arrangement. Otherwise is madness. What does putting the horse before the cart signify? It implies that, in the life of the minister who wants to be built up and used of the Lord, as God is proposing, the pleasure of the Lord, resulting from his (the minister’s) exemplary life-style, his labour and the resultant soundness of the church he is running or intends to run, the effectiveness of his ministry, the growth of the church, his commitment and sacrifice, his appreciation of the work of God, etc, are his pre-occupation (John 4:32-34; 5:30; 6:38; 2 Corinthians 11:28; Acts 20:24).

Unfortunately, many today are otherwise. Their pre-occupation is what they stand to get from ministry — money, house, honour, name, cars, the king’s food, etc (Rom. 16:18-19; Philippians 3:18-19; Titus 1:10-11; 1 Peter 5:2). Ninety percent of their endeavour is prompted by these things. Such persons have put the cart before the horse and the natural result is obvious; everything is stalled.

Now, on realizing that there is no progress from God, nothing is coming in, they turn to gimmicks, human methodologies and the like. They turn to accommodating and importing erroneous strategies, lowering standards and devising all sorts of means to bring the people, because the people must come in, bring their substance, so they can still have what is their priority. Are there not some that have gone into outright occultism with the name of the Lord Jesus because they put the cart before the horse and God refused to progress and prosper them?

Note this: The secret of getting spiritual height, honour, good food to eat, good house to live in, health kept and maintained by the Lord, wife, children and self protected by the Lord, is to make His pleasure one’s priority (Matthew 6:33; John 8:29). Remember, the faithful servant (only) is worthy of his wages (Matthew 10:9-10). Thou shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn (1 Corinthians 9:9; Deuteronomy 25:4).

THE MEDIUM FOR MAKING THE MIGHTY MEN OF VALOUR

We recall that, while treating the Lord’s strategy for executing His 3-fold end-time project, we showed that He will build-up mighty men of valour, use them to produce the great army of Christians, which will lead to the great harvest of souls and a mighty revival of the church, as well as to the fulfilment of the pre-rapture necessity — building a universal church that is fit for the rapture.

We also recall that, while treating the issue of building up His mighty men of valour, we first described them and went on to consider the 7-point pre-qualification of such.

Now, we will conclude the entire treatise with (a) discussing the medium for making the coming mighty men of valour, (b) showing the result that follows.

THE MEDIUM

To get a clearer view of what is meant by the medium for making the mighty men of valour, consider the fact that there are workshops for training and producing craftsmen, technicians and engineers, grounds for training drivers, higher institutions of learning for training various categories of academicians and professionals, military facilities for training military men and so on.

This implies therefore that the Lord, as a matter of necessity must have a medium for building His coming mighty men of valour. He has accordingly chosen one, which He has surnamed, “THE MOUNTAIN OF THE LORD’S HOUSE”. What is this mountain of the Lord’s house? It is this special ministers’ forum termed the the INTERNATIONAL (AND INTER-DENOMINATIONAL) GOSPEL MINISTERS’ CONFERENCE OF THE HOUR (on a regular basis). Let us now view this medium in the light of what is written concerning the mountain of the Lord’s house in Isaiah 2:1-5.

In a nutshell, one commonly acceptable literal rendering of this passage (Isaiah 2:1-5) says that, during the millennium, Christ’s kingdom will be literally established over and above all nations and kingdoms, having His millennial headquarters or temple in Jerusalem. At that time, all nations of peoples will be taught by Him from Jerusalem and the effect is the universal peace that will be all over the places.

The Lord has revealed (and we make bold to announce) that, He has chosen the forum of the INTERNATIONAL GOSPEL MINISTERS’ CONFERENCE OF THE HOUR (on regular basis) as the MOUNT OF HIS GLORY (all that He is known for), from where He will make mighty men of valour for His end-time project. THE LONG AND SHORT-TERM RESULTS

(a) LONG-TERM RESULT

We have already seen the long-term result of the Lord making and having mighty men of valour. Through them He will raise a great army of Christians that will bring about a great harvest of souls and a mighty revival of the church, as well as produce a universal church fit for the rapture.

(b) SHORT-TERM RESULT

Aside of the above long-term result, which is the same as the revealed project, there is a short-term result that the raising of the mighty men of valour will produce. What He revealed about this is termed “arriving and dwelling in Jerusalem”

ARRIVING AND DWELLING IN JERUSALEM

To facilitate a quick understanding of what is meant by “arriving and dwelling in Jerusalem”, we need to know a few things about the physical city of Jerusalem in the state of Israel and some of its fascinations.

The city of Jerusalem is located on a cluster of hill-tops and valleys (with the valleys having no housing developments). The height of the city from sea level is 762 metres (2500 feet).

For one to reach Jerusalem, one has to ascend it, beginning at a point on the highway as one approaches it (say from Tel-Aviv on the West), until one gets to the hill top city of Jerusalem.

As a Christian, it is fascinating to arrive Jerusalem, as one visits and experiences the sites of Holy Bible incidents. The following readily come to mind:- the different points on Jesus’ way to the cross — the garden of Gethsemane, the place of His judgment and condemnation, the place of crucifixion, the point where His body was anointed for burial, the place of His burial, etc. There are also such sites as the tombs of the prophets, the Mount of Olives from where He ascended to heaven. Indeed, it is a wonderful and enriching experience to arrive physical Jerusalem.

Here now is the meaning of arriving and dwelling in Jerusalem, once the mighty men of valour are made. It means, “arriving and dwelling at such a spiritual level (or realm) that brings immediate wonderful and enriching experiences to the mighty man of valour himself, his family, the local assembly and whosoever that comes under his ministration. There, at this realm, faith, insight, authority, love for the Lord and for men, name it, flow unhindered, with their attendant results” (consider Acts 5:12-16; 8:5-8; 10:38).