FIVE SMOOTH STONES - The Five Ascension Gifts in the Heavenly Shepherds Bag

FIVE SMOOTH STONES — The Five Ascension Gifts in the Heavenly Shepherd’s Bag

While the prophets and teachers of Antioch were gathered to pray, the Holy Spirit spoke and said to them, “ Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them .” (Acts 13:2). After more prayer and fasting the leaders of the Church in Antioch laid hands on them and commissioned them to go forward as sent ones from the Church of Antioch. Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away. Too often in the Church we make our decision based upon what we feel is right or proper, and then after having made the decision, we ask the Lord to bless what we have decided. Here we see they were seeking the Lord, following all that had been established through their biblical foundations and with an ear for the Lord’s voice present. After hearing instructions from the Spirit one can only assume that the additional prayer was for blessing and also direction on how to carry out what was instructed by the Lord. Verse 3 says the Church (through their leaders) sent them forth and verse 4 says the Holy Spirit sent them forth. When the people act in concert with the Lord it is proper to say they were sent of the Lord, but also proper to say they were sent by the Church. There have been many who have been sent by a Church, but not by the Lord, and there are many who say they have been sent by the Lord, but not recognized by the Church. Only when we have the coordination with heaven and earth can we expect the fullest of blessings of the Lord. This is significant for several reasons. This marks the first time recorded in the book of Acts where apostles were commissioned after the day of Pentecost, and beyond the original twelve Apostles of the Lamb. There was no doubt that Jesus came and fulfilled all the Law and the Prophets, but in the New Testament the combining of the prophets and the teachers brought about a dynamic which the Holy Spirit used to commission a new generation of apostles. In this combination one can see the fellowship of the written word and the spoken word represented by the teachers and the prophets. There must be balance within the functioning of the ministries, as well as balance between the Word of God which is written and that which is given prophetically. Much confusion of prophecy given could be avoided with a clear and proper biblical foundation given by fivefold teachers. And much legalism brought about by too much evidence

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