Thursday – August 11, 2016
Welcome to The Three Minute Word Ministries this Thursday, a day that the Lord has prepared all that we will ever need to be victorious in any and all situations. Let us return to our text in Ephesians.
Ephesians 1:1-2 (KJV)
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
As part of our introduction to this Book of Ephesians I have spent some time discussing the fact that Paul (formerly Saul) was an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God. I have also used the term fivefold ministry as part of that discussion. For those of my readers that may not be familiar with the term fivefold ministry I will take a moment to discuss it and we will spend a lot more time as we come to it later in this very book.
Ephesians 4:8-12 (KJV)
8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
9 … 10 … 11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
When Jesus ascended to Heaven from the Mount Olives after the crucifixion, resurrection, and His showing to many He led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men. The words captivity and captive is referring to persons that were captive as prisoners of war. These were the ‘old testament’ saints who were held in Abraham’s Bosom until Christ. When He ascended so did they from the Bosom of Abraham to a welcoming Heaven.
1 Peter 3:18-19 (KJV)
18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
The spirits in prison were the Old Testament saints that had died and were held in the Bosom of Abraham awaiting the Messiah. Jesus came and preached to them and took them with Him into Heaven. In addition to the gifts given to persons for the performance of the fivefold ministry as outlined in Ephesians 4:11 He gave us the biggest gift of all and that is Christ.
Ephesians 4:7 (KJV)
7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
The word Christ is interpreted as the Messiah (Jesus), the Anointed One (Jesus), and the Anointing (Holy Spirit). The Holy Spirit came in fullness on the Day of Pentecost following Jesus’ ascension. From that day the Holy Spirit is available to all men, a quickening Spirit for all who will accept Jesus as Lord. The Messiah is Jesus, our Passover Lamb forever expunging every sin, giving us the same standing (righteousness) with God the Father He enjoys. The Anointed One showed us the way, how to do the will of the Father in great power. This is a wonderful gift. Jesus said he did not say anything the Father had not given Him to say, and He did not do anything the Father did not show Him to do, and He said it was the Father who did the works. When we do as He did we will do the things that He did and the greater things.
Not everyone is given a fivefold ministry gift but all persons are called to minister (Ephesians 4:12), after all that is the purpose of the Holy Spirit and the fivefold ministry gifts. When I say called to minister, I mean just like Jesus (John 14:12). That is not to say you will be in what is called ‘fulltime ministry’. We all are in fulltime ministry but it occurs through our life, our job, our hobbies, and so on, there is to be no separation. So, the persons called to the fivefold ministry are gifted to perfect or help the saints they are given to help. The fivefold ministry gifts which were given to men (men and women) at the ascension of Jesus have always been present since they are a function of the Holy Spirit. The operation of the fivefold ministry gifts and the operation of the Holy Spirit was very limited in the Old Testament time. Now these are available and operational without limit because of Him. O The Blood! God is still appointing people as Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers.
Hebrews 13:8-9 (KJV)
8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. …
By Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
