And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11–13)
“And He gave some” (v. 11, emphasis added). The Lord is the only one who has the power to call someone into the fivefold ministry office. He is the only one with the authority to hire leaders to build His company. He does the background checks and the interviewing, hiring, and firing. He is even the one who conducts the performance evaluation to determine whether or not the person hired will receive a promotion based upon his or her work ethic and job performance.
God calls, not man. God makes the decision regarding your promotion, not man. God looks at your heart to determine your next assignment, not man. It is the Lord who pours the knowledge and wisdom into your spirit regarding your purpose, not man. Everything begins and ends with God. “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End” (Revelation 22:13 NIV).
“And He gave some.” (v. 11, emphasis added). God does not call everyone into the fivefold ministry office. This doesn’t mean that others are of less importance or have no responsibility within the body of Christ. All parts of the body are essential components that are needed to function as a healthy and whole body.
But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary. (1 Corinthians 12:20–22)
The eye needs the hand to pick up what it sees. The head needs the feet to take it where it needs to go. We also need every hidden part of the body. We need every organ, tendon, ligament, bone, and joint in order to survive, thrive, and function. It is necessary for all members of the body to be bonded together with one another and to build each other up in love through His Son, Jesus Christ. “From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (Ephesians 4:16 NIV).
Although we are many members, having diverse functions, we are still one body. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. (1 Corinthians 12:14–20)
The Lord is coming back to present unto Himself a “glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:27). He is coming back for His bride, a mature church that will look like Him. The apostle Paul encourages the believer to endeavor to “keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). Then he goes on to remind the saints, “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling” (Ephesians 4:4).
God is not coming back for a divided church but a unified church—one body.
There should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. (1 Corinthians 12:25–27)
It is unnatural for a body to be divided against itself. If so, this points to the fact that a foreign substance may have cunningly been introduced into the body, spreading its poison throughout. In the natural, the purpose of the kidney and the liver is to flush and filter out toxins from the body. In the spirit, someone’s function within the body may be to flush and filter out anything that is not like God that will try to cause dis-ease in the body of Christ. The kidney and liver are not seen outwardly, but they are major components in the life of the human body. Every organ and joint is necessary for the development and maturity of the body of Christ, “every joint supplieth” (Ephesians 4:16). Ask the Lord to reveal your role, and whatever it is, know that it is needed for the survival of the whole body.
Until we begin to see all of the fivefold ministry offices operating effectively together in the body, we will not reach the level of maturity into which God is calling the church to grow.
Your body is a prophetic messenger. Listen to it, and make the necessary adjustments for its continued growth.
[Read more in my new book, “Submerged in the Prophetic.” ]
Blessings,
Prophetess Jocelyn