The Manifestation Or The Message
We are living in very interesting days in our Apostolic & Prophetic Restorations in Ecclesia in 2021. It seems that we have two very distinct groups of Believers that consider themselves as part of the Remnant Church. These two groups are really not so new, they have actually existed simultaneously before in the Post Word of Faith/Charismatic Moves.
These two groups are:
Those that are Hungering for Greater Manifestations of the Spirit.
Those that are Hungering for a Greater Message of Foundational Doctrine.
Again, this really is not a new phenomenon, we have lived through this before. It brings to mind the well-known expressions: “Nothing is new under the Sun” and “History Repeats Itself”; as both are very apropos for where we are right now. There are just some slight differentiations in our current focuses of each as opposed to how they have manifested before.
In days gone by, those in the first group were focused on the Manifestation of the Gifts of the Spirit, Healing, and Miracles. These have been replaced in our current situation by - “Fire Tunnels”, “Angelic Visitations”, and “Traveling to Heaven”.
In days gone by, those in the second group were focused on the Message of Faith, Healing, and Prosperity. These have been replaced in our current situation by - “Foundational Government”, New Testament Blueprints & Patterns”, and “The Elementary Principles of the Doctrines of Christ”.
Can I just be honest? There is nothing wrong with any of the preceding focuses. All of them are viable and have their place depending on what Holy Spirit is stressing at any given time in Church History.
What does have me concerned is something more evil that we have not seemed to learn. We are still allowing the enemy to divide us with: “An Either/Or Mentality” as opposed to “A Both/And Mentality”.
WHY MUST WE CHOOSE?
WHY CAN’T WE HAVE BOTH AT THE SAME TIME?
We actually need all of the Manifestations and all of the Messages. Why place more importance or emphasis on one above the other? Why argue that the Manifestation is More Important, or that the Message is More Important, when Both are Equally Important?
The Manifestation exhibits and demonstrates the reality of the Message, while the Message grounds the Manifestation in solid Biblical Context keeping it from getting off.
This somewhat reminds me of the Argument over the Spirit or the Word, which we have witnessed in days gone by, which brought about the well-known, often-repeated statement:
“The Word alone you dry up, the Spirit alone you blow up, but Both Together you grow up!” ~ Originator Unknown
Does our Manifestation Demonstrate our Message? Does our Message Ground our Manifestation? Do we stress both together? There is nothing wrong with any Manifestations or Experiences that are held up to the Plumbline of Sound Doctrine, and Sound Doctrine that becomes so Pharisaical that it disallows Manifestations must be avoided at all costs.
We Need Both Working Together...It Is Not The Manifestation Or The Message...It Is The Manifestation And The Message That We Need!
