SPIRITUAL WARFARE: FALSE PROPHETS, DEMONIC GUARDS & TERRITORIAL OPPOSITION - Part 1
Spiritual Warfare: False Prophets, Demonic Guards & Territorial Opposition
By Jonas Clark
PART 1
Prophecy is not mystical, confusing, ambiguous, self-serving, enchanting or bewitching. If it is, it’s not prophecy – its sorcery! There are many modern sorcerers that have hijacked the true nature of prophetic ministry.
Are you ready for apostolic ministry? God's first apostolic team Barnabas, Saul and John Mark faced false prophets, demonic guards and territorial opposition to their ministry.
Barnabas and Saul entered the apostolic dimension when sent from the local church in Antioch around 45 AD. John Mark also accompanied them as an assistant. "And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews and they had also John to their minister" (Acts 13:5). This is probably the same John Mark that would later author the Gospel of Mark. His mother Mary was a prominent woman in Jerusalem where many believers gathered during Peter's imprisonment by Herod Agrippa (Acts 12:12). John Mark joined Barnabas and Paul after delivering famine relief to those in the Jerusalem church. John's ministry on the team probably included:
Meeting the personal needs of the team.
Praying for the team and mission.
Making travel arrangements.
Securing food and lodging.
Perhaps some teaching.
This was a time of training and ministry development for him. After being sent by the Holy Spirit from the Antioch church Barnabas, the Apostle Paul and John Mark began what is commonly referred to as "Paul's first missionary journey." Actually this was the first apostolic team sent on assignment from the Antioch church. These were the Antioch apostles, they were a team.
The spread of the Gospel had been the result of persecution, but now its advancement is by apostolic design. Apostolic ministry is strategic and impacting. Half of the world's population is gathered in gateway cities. Gateway cities are recognized not only by large population, but their influence in the nation. This standing can be measured in many ways including:
Commerce
Travel
Historic significance
Cultural and musical influence
Education
Politics.
As the Spirit of God continues restoring apostolic ministries the ability to identify gateway
cities and important territories will increase. We can expect the Holy Spirit to set up Antioch model governing churches in these places. Apostolic churches are ministries of influence. Apostles are spiritual architects and master builders that carry strong governing authority. This team of Antioch apostles traveled inland to the seacoast town of Seleucia, then sailed on to Barnabas's homeland, Cyprus (Acts 4:36). Cyprus was a bridge for international trade and travel. It was a spiritual hub and would become the home base for Barnabas's ministry (Acts 11:19-20, 15:36-39).
At Salamis, the team preached the word of God first in Jewish synagogues. They established this as a pattern for ministry --preach to the Jews first, but not exclusively (Romans 1:16). This would be impractical for us today and Paul later changed this. "Then the Apostle Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, it was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing you put it from you and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation unto the ends of the earth" (Acts 13:46). Even though Paul and Barnabas stopped taking the Gospel to Jews first does not imply we should restrict evangelism. The Gospel is for all both Jews and Gentiles alike.
By Jonas Clark
PART 1
Prophecy is not mystical, confusing, ambiguous, self-serving, enchanting or bewitching. If it is, it’s not prophecy – its sorcery! There are many modern sorcerers that have hijacked the true nature of prophetic ministry.
Are you ready for apostolic ministry? God's first apostolic team Barnabas, Saul and John Mark faced false prophets, demonic guards and territorial opposition to their ministry.
Barnabas and Saul entered the apostolic dimension when sent from the local church in Antioch around 45 AD. John Mark also accompanied them as an assistant. "And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews and they had also John to their minister" (Acts 13:5). This is probably the same John Mark that would later author the Gospel of Mark. His mother Mary was a prominent woman in Jerusalem where many believers gathered during Peter's imprisonment by Herod Agrippa (Acts 12:12). John Mark joined Barnabas and Paul after delivering famine relief to those in the Jerusalem church. John's ministry on the team probably included:
Meeting the personal needs of the team.
Praying for the team and mission.
Making travel arrangements.
Securing food and lodging.
Perhaps some teaching.
This was a time of training and ministry development for him. After being sent by the Holy Spirit from the Antioch church Barnabas, the Apostle Paul and John Mark began what is commonly referred to as "Paul's first missionary journey." Actually this was the first apostolic team sent on assignment from the Antioch church. These were the Antioch apostles, they were a team.
The spread of the Gospel had been the result of persecution, but now its advancement is by apostolic design. Apostolic ministry is strategic and impacting. Half of the world's population is gathered in gateway cities. Gateway cities are recognized not only by large population, but their influence in the nation. This standing can be measured in many ways including:
Commerce
Travel
Historic significance
Cultural and musical influence
Education
Politics.
As the Spirit of God continues restoring apostolic ministries the ability to identify gateway
cities and important territories will increase. We can expect the Holy Spirit to set up Antioch model governing churches in these places. Apostolic churches are ministries of influence. Apostles are spiritual architects and master builders that carry strong governing authority. This team of Antioch apostles traveled inland to the seacoast town of Seleucia, then sailed on to Barnabas's homeland, Cyprus (Acts 4:36). Cyprus was a bridge for international trade and travel. It was a spiritual hub and would become the home base for Barnabas's ministry (Acts 11:19-20, 15:36-39).
At Salamis, the team preached the word of God first in Jewish synagogues. They established this as a pattern for ministry --preach to the Jews first, but not exclusively (Romans 1:16). This would be impractical for us today and Paul later changed this. "Then the Apostle Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, it was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing you put it from you and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation unto the ends of the earth" (Acts 13:46). Even though Paul and Barnabas stopped taking the Gospel to Jews first does not imply we should restrict evangelism. The Gospel is for all both Jews and Gentiles alike.
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