Spiritual Authority and God’s Ordinances

SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY AND GOD’S ORDINANCES

By Eric C. Wheeler (5/25/2020)

[God gave me this “download” – this word – three years ago in 2017 while I was in Florida on an assignment from Him. I was shocked as He dictated this message to me. I never released it before because it wasn’t time yet. He just told me to publish it now! The concepts and precepts are spiritually heavy, but VERY enlightening and far-reaching. I believe we are about to see these things enacted in the Church – among the full Body of Christ. May all peoples be blessed everywhere as they submit to the ordinances of God that He Himself has graciously and generously established for our glory and for our benefit (Eph. 3:14-21].

Recently the Holy Spirit whispered the following Scripture in my ear: “If a woman wants to learn anything, let her ask her husband at home” (I Cor. 14:35). A bit perplexed, I wondered why the Spirit of the Lord said that to me. As a prophet – that is, as a servant in the Church who has and exercises the gift of prophecy, and who helps serve the Body of Christ with a spiritual set of eyes (see Isa. 29:10) – God often says things to me that are forthcoming to the Church; meaning they are on the spiritual horizon as a new season quickly approaches. That is why the Old Testament prophets were aptly called “watchmen”. They stood on the spiritual walls and warned the people of God of impending danger and/or judgment, and also announced and foretold coming blessings and/or a change of spiritual season.

I believe the word given to me from the Lord is twofold; that is, it has two prophetic meanings and two directives from the Lord to His Church. First, God is rebuilding the proper God-ordained spiritual infrastructure in the Church and throughout its membership. Second, God will then use this clean, rebuilt, properly-aligned and submissive Woman (the Church) to witness to the world on behalf of her Husband – who will actually be the One speaking through her. Let me explain what I mean.

Every student of the Bible knows that God reveals His Word to us precept by precept (Isa. 28:10,13). That is, precept BUILT UPON precept. The more you understand one spiritual precept the greater you can see the next, and so on and so forth. This is how you build spiritual understanding and come to know the ways and will of God – “His judgments” (how He looks at things). One of the basic precepts found in the Bible is that of Spiritual Authority and Divine Ordination. Most people don’t realize that the word “ordination” comes from the root word “order”. Divine ordination literally means “how God ordained things to be” – i.e. “the order of things”. It is through this God-ordained and established order that He works and reveals His ways, His will, and His blessings. As we submit to His authority and what He ordained and established, we receive the blessings of the Holy Spirit which flows through us from the Father. This in actuality is the Kingdom (or Government) of God in action.

The Kingdom of God literally means the Government of God – the Realm of God (“the Godly Realm”) – i.e. “that which God governs and reigns over”. In order for us to experience the Kingdom of God or the governing of God in our lives, we must be willing to submit to the ordinances of God – “the order of things” which He established and ordained. The Bible clearly reveals this divine order that God established: “The head of every man is Christ; the head of woman is man [more specifically, her husband is her head, see Eph. 5:23]; and the head of Christ is God” (I Cor. 11:3). If these things are properly in order in any relationship the Spirit and love of God will freely flow in abundance all the way down even unto the animals and plant life among us in our homes. That is, all the way down unto the very Creation itself! Let me explain.

In the beginning, God put the Creation itself under the governance and rulership of mankind. Man was to have dominion over all creation (Gen. 1:26-31; Heb. 2:6-8). Scripture even says that all of creation itself “waits in earnest expectation for the sons of God to be revealed” (Rom. 8:19). That is, the whole Creation itself is waiting for the sons of God (those who have, and are led, by His Holy Spirit) to take their rightful God-ordained place of rulership over Creation so the whole world can be set free and rejoice in the freedom, rest, peace and righteousness that comes as a result of the Holy Spirit freely flowing through them, down to the lowest life forms in the Creation. It has to do with the proper exercising and execution of spiritual Godly authority and governorship over all of Creation.

If husbands and fathers would stop serving and seeking to please themselves, and start serving and pleasing their Head (the Lord Jesus Christ), and submitting to Him out of obedience, God’s Holy Spirit will start flowing through them and bless their wives and their families (their subordinates according to the Word of God). Consequently, their wives –who are considered their “husband’s bodies” – will fall-in line (stop being “out of order/out of ordinance”) and become “at one” with their husbands (the “two becoming one flesh”). Then the Holy Spirit will flow through them as one unit just as it flows through the Father and Son. This same Kingdom and governance of God will proceed down through their children, even unto their servants, guests, and animals in their very household. This is how the Biblical prophecy will be fulfilled which says that in the last days “all flesh will see the salvation [the saving power] of God” (Luke 3:6). It will also fulfill what God prophesied through the mouths of Paul and Silas: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household!” (Acts 16:31).

In God’s Ordinance (the Order of Things and the way He ordained things to be) everyone gets to experience both being the “head” (the leader) and the “body” (the follower) at the same time. All get to experience both real authority and true humility. This is one of the most important things that Jesus came to teach us and show us. Most people don’t realize that the “submissive role of the wife” actually pictures Jesus. Let me explain.

The Bible says that Jesus did not consider it “robbery” (cheating Himself) being originally equal with God. But He was asked to take a subservient position to the Father so that many children might later be born into the Family of God through Him. Of His own freewill He “emptied Himself” of His eternal Godhead and divinity (His divine position) and came down to earth taking on the form of a servant, clothed in sinful human flesh, and gave Himself as the ransom for the life of everyone so that many sons and daughters could be born unto the Father – and into the Father’s Kingdom (“the Family of God” – see Eph. 3:14-15). Indeed, He said, “No one takes My life from Me, I freely give it”. He allowed His body to be torn-in-two with the shedding of blood in order that many children might come forth unto the Father. How is this depiction any different from what our wives are asked to do in order to bring forth children unto their husbands and into our own human families? It’s a direct parallel!

Like men, women too, were made in the image of God (Gen. 1:27). In the beginning, they were created equal with men having the same authority and directive from God “to rule over all Creation and exercise authority and dominion over every living thing” that God had created (see Gen. 1:27-31). It was only after sin entered and the fall of mankind happened, that the woman was appointed to take a submissive role to her husband. This was not so much “a punishment” as most of the world incorrectly believes and teaches, as it was the enacting of a Magnificent Plan and Prophecy for the redemption and birth of millions, perhaps billions, of sons and daughters of God into His Family! This is the whole reason why God multiplied the woman’s (mother’s) pain, sorrow, and travail during childbirth (Gen. 3:16). It was to prophetically demonstrate, now that sin had entered in, that it was going to be through great travail and tribulation – and expense of others – (i.e., our mothers – as well as costing Jesus His life) whereby we would be born into the Kingdom of God. As it is written: “We must through much tribulation [travail] enter the Kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:22). It takes such a selfless and sacrificial act of love by mothers to allow their bodies to be ripped open and their blood shed in order to bring children forth into this earthly realm. In this same manner Jesus brings us into the heavenly Kingdom of God by the splitting and sacrifice of His own body and shedding of His own blood to bring us forth. Jesus spoke of these things on the very night He was going to the cross on our behalf. He said, “A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world” (John 16:21).

In this illustration, Jesus pictured the woman (the wife) – the Father’s body (just as wives are their husband’s body). For it is written, “The head of Christ is God” (I Cor. 11:3) – which implies that Christ is God the Father’s body. Again, it is written of Jesus: “When He came into the world, He said: ‘Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me… Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God” (Heb. 10:5-9). It also says, “Behold we see Jesus, who was made for a little while lower than the angels, for the suffering of death… in bringing many sons to glory… For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, … ‘Here am I and the children whom God has given Me” (Heb. 2:9-13). That is why Jesus is called “the firstborn among many brethren” (Rom. 8:29).

Jesus gave up His divine position and glory for a time – originally being equal with God as part of the Godhead – in order for many children to be born into the Kingdom (Realm) of God. This is the same role that our wives and mothers are called to fulfill on earth. To take the same position as Christ! It is not a “demeaning position” by any stretch of the imagination! It is a very high honor – to be like Jesus – to be in the very same role as Jesus among our families! The devil wants wives and women to believe that this Biblical model is demeaning to women – and relegates them to “second-class citizens”. Satan is the ruler of this world and of our societies. In some cultures, especially in the Middle East and eastern cultures, women are seriously being demeaned and abused. And in response to this, western cultures have gone to the opposite extreme to not make any differences between the sexes. Both points of view are in error and are from the devil. And unfortunately, the prevailing wicked trend here in western societies is to abhor anyone who even distinguishes any differences between the sexes. All of this is from the wicked one – the devil. He doesn’t want the Kingdom and Government of God to come to earth in any way!

Jesus said “No one takes My life from Me; I lay it down of My own accord because the Father gave Me that right – to lay down My life and to pick it back up again” (John 10:17-18). The same is true for wives and mothers – as well as all of us! Because of His willingness, faithfulness, humility, and His incredible act of sacrificial love on our behalf, God the Father gave Jesus a name and position above all names, and declared that ALL inhabitants of this world, above this world (that is, in heaven), and under this world (the underworld) must, and will, bow to the position and name of Jesus (see Phil. 2:5-11). “Sit here at My right hand,” He was told by God the Father, “until I make all Your enemies Your footstool.” And “You will rule over all nations” (Acts 2:32-36; Dan. 7:13-14). Brothers and sisters, we are given the same destiny – to rule with Christ – if we are faithful and obediently fulfill ALL of the roles that He has given us at this time (Rev. 2:25-27; 3:21).

As previously stated, every human being gets to experience both sides – being the “head” (the boss) and the “body” (the subordinate). God wants us to learn how to use and exercise Godly authority in service to others. Agape, or Godly love, is not self-serving. We must always work on humbly submitting to His will and following His righteousness, and by this demonstrate the obedience, humility, and submission of Christ which ultimately is love – love for God and man. Jesus said, “My Father is greater than I; and apart from My Father I can do nothing.” His total obedience and dependency were always on God. Likewise, husbands are told that Jesus Christ is the head of every man (I Cor. 11:3). It does not say, the “head of every BELIEVING man”. It explicitly says “the head of EVERY man” – believer and non-believer alike! And every man on this earth is about to come to that knowledge and realization very soon! Men, husbands, and fathers, you better wake up and humble yourselves real quickly – and fall in line – in submission to your Head, the Lord Jesus Christ, or He is going to humble your butt, and grind you to powder if you resist (Matt. 21:42-44)! Don’t think He won’t! He is coming soon, and in a way you don’t (and won’t) expect. He is going to show you who’s Boss! Don’t be surprised if He takes your job; or takes your family in order to humble you. He can (and will) “touch you” in such a way that seriously hurts and will get your attention. He has EVERYTHING at His disposal (illness, death, loss of job, public exposure and humiliation, etc.) given to Him by God (Matt. 28:18; John 5:22-23) to use in order to get our attention. We have been “out of order” (out of God’s ordinance) for far too long and God has had enough! If you haven’t already done so, get down on your knees and ask God/Jesus what He wants you to do – and then obey what He tells you!

Everyone, make sure that you are submitting to your head. Husbands and fathers, and all men – married or not – get in the Word. Christ Jesus, your Head, is the Word. Be in Him (in prayer and in the reading of His written Word – the Bible) every day. Don’t leave your house until you have first spent time with Him in prayer and in reading His Word – to find out what He wants of you! Wives, submit to your husbands, and look to them in order to learn and to provide love and care and Godly leadership for you. If any of your husbands don’t believe yet (and I say, YET), don’t worry or become discouraged; just make sure that you are doing YOUR part in the Lord. Be still and trust in the power of the Lord and in the surety of His Word. Do not preach to your earthly head. For the Bible says that if a woman has a husband who is not currently obeying the Word (Jesus Christ) or who is living in sin or in error, God will convict her husband by her quiet obedience and service (by her “meek and humble Godly example”) (I Peter 3:1-2). But those husbands who still refuse to bend the knee and submit to their Head, the Lord Jesus Christ – and after their faithful, obedient wives have quietly suffered for a time, God reveals in His Word that He will eventually remove that disobedient husband if indeed the wives remain faithful to God (see I Sam. 25:2-42; 26:9-11). Learn to quietly wait on God to deliver you and/or to deal with your husband. He will do so! His Word promises it (Heb. 10:30). [By the way, if your husband is being physically abusive towards you, you may certainly leave him until if and when he changes. By the Word of God, you do not have to dwell with a husband or head who is physically harming you or seeking to harm you (see I Sam. 19:10-12; 23:9-15). However, so called “emotional abuse” doesn’t count as physical abuse. You are called to patiently suffer and endure that in His name (I Pet. 4:12-16).

Parents, teach your subordinates – your children. Fathers, you are required to take the lead in that. Teach them the ways of God (Deut. 6:6-7). But you can’t teach what you don’t know! Get busy; turn off the television and set down that beer. Quit seeking to please yourself, and fulfill your God-given responsibility. Teach your children the right ways of God! If not, I tell you the truth, God will come upon you and humble you, or worse, He will remove you from being their father and give that responsibility and honor to someone else. You can be sure of that!

Earlier, the Holy Spirit had me mention that if everything and everyone is in order as God ordained it, His love, provision and blessing would flow on down to the animals and even unto the very plant life itself – that is, EVERYTHING in Creation with life in it! When men are in subjection to Christ; and women are in subjection to their husbands; and children are in subjection to their parents; then even the household animals will be properly in-line behind the children, all the way down unto the very plants in the house. Let me illustrate this from the Bible.

Have you ever noticed that every time man was judged in the Bible, so were his subjects (i.e., those people that he had authority over; the animals with him; and the land around him)? And likewise, every time man was blessed in the Bible, so was the Creation around him? Notice this in Scripture:

In Genesis, it says that God formed every living thing from out of the ground (Gen. 2:19); and that He gave all of the plant life as food for all creatures to be a blessing to them (Gen. 1:29-30). Soon afterwards, when mankind fell – got out of line with God through sin/rebellion – the ground was consequently cursed (Gen. 3:17-19). Instead of willingly and freely bringing forth its fruit in abundance for mankind and the animals to enjoy (with little or no work involved on man’s part), the plant life would now only produce its fruit begrudgingly – through much hard work, toil, and sweat on man’s part; and along with it would now also bring forth “thorns and thistles” (hindrances, contention, and friction). Prior to the fall, when mankind was in harmony with God (in subjection and in line with Him), the earth brought forth freely and willingly and all man had to do was “cultivate it” – that is, bring it in and gather it (Gen. 2:15). Now that man was out of order/out of line with God the ground would now only begrudgingly serve him; that is, it would now only produce when it was “forced to”. Man would now have to “till it” (beat it by force – Gen. 3:23) to make it produce for him – a type of enslavement and bondage. Instead of happily being the willing subjects of man and animals anymore – serving them willfully and gleefully – plant life was becoming disorderly and in a state of rebellion, resisting man and kicking against him by bringing forth “thorns and thistles” along with the fruit which it was now being FORCED to produce – no longer of its own free will. This is also what the Apostle Paul states in his letter to the Romans: “For the Creation was subjected to futility, not willingly [of its own free will], but because of Him who subjected it in hope. Because the Creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage [slavery] of corruption [decay] into the glorious liberty [freedom] of the children of God. For we know that the whole Creation groans and labors [travails] with birth pangs together even until now” (Rom. 8:20-22).

These verses bring us back to the original prophecy when mankind got out of line (out of subjection to God) and everything in Creation got out of order (in rebellion) and was placed in forced servitude (slavery/bondage) – bringing with it resistance, contention, unhappiness, unfulfillment, and a sense of utter futility (purposelessness). This is what the Bible describes as “barrenness”. It is a physical condition (a lack of trees and vegetation and produce) that is reflective of a poor spiritual condition.

Another example in the Bible is the Flood. Have you ever wondered why God punished (killed) the animals along with mankind in the Flood? Also, why did God spare only certain specific animals (two of each kind)? Why not save all of the animals? He certainly had the power to destroy mankind, and yet spare all of the animals at the same time. Why was judgment on them as well? Why on both man AND animals? And on all of the plant life too? When God judged Egypt during the time of Moses, He sent ten plagues upon them. Why did God also specifically mention that He was going to send His judgments upon both man and beast, and even upon the plant life (see Exod. 9:22-25; 11:4-7; 12:29)? When God was about to destroy the city of Nineveh during the time of Jonah, why did He specifically mention upon the Ninevites repenting, that He was happy to spare them and the animals as well? This obviously demonstrates that God was intending to destroy (judge) the animals along with the disobedient people (Jonah 4:11). When God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah and all of the surrounding cities of the plain, why didn’t He spare any of the animals, or even any of the vegetation? For it specifically says, “Then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the Lord out of the heavens. So, He overthrew [devastated] those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground” (Gen. 19:24-25). And that “the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace” and the land became completely uninhabitable even unto this day? Why punish the animals and plant life when God judges and punishes mankind? Scripture says that “God turns rivers into a wilderness, and the water springs into dry ground; a fruitful land into barrenness for the wickedness of those who dwell in it” (Psa. 107:33-34). Why do the innocent “subjects” have to be punished along with their evil “rulers”? The Bible clearly says that God cares about even the precious life of a little sparrow (Matt. 6:26; 10:29). Why then does God punish all of the lifeforms on earth when He punishes mankind? Why does God clearly present and intentionally illustrate this precept and principle throughout the whole Bible? What is He trying to tell us?

The answer is it has to do with Spiritual Authority and Spiritual Dominion!

I began this message by stating that the Holy Spirit whispered the following Biblical verse to me in my ear: “If a woman wants to learn anything, let her ask her husband at home” (I Cor. 14:35). It is clear to me that what God is telling the Church – the body of believers who have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying – that each of us better get our spiritual “houses” in order. In other words, each person (spiritually referred to as a “house” here) is responsible to first bring their own physical body into submission – “bringing every thought into subjection and obedience to Christ” (II Cor. 10:5); and that each of us should “know how to possess his or her own vessel in sanctification and honor, and not in passion of lust” (I Thess. 4:4-5). We must dear brethren, first bring our own bodies into line with our mind (our head) which should be subject to the law of God and of Christ (see Rom. 7:25 – “So then, with my mind I serve the law of God…”). After we bring our own physical body into subjection, we must then allow Christ, our Head (for it says that those of us who have the Holy Spirit literally have the mind of Christ – I Cor. 2:16), to flow down through our whole body to those under us – that is, let Him then flow down through us to our subordinates (those who are subject to us). This is the Spiritual Order of things as God has ordained them. This is how the Kingdom of God – His supreme governance – is going to come down through us as His conduits, and how it is literally going to be witnessed by the entire earth!

Husbands, be the SPIRITUAL head of your wife! Let Christ (your Head) and His love flow down through you to your wife (your body). In turn, when she feels that Love and Light (Christ Jesus) flow through you to her, she will recognize that it comes from her Creator and therefore respond and submit. If she doesn’t respond and submit, God will punish her as He sees fit. He will either grant her a heart of repentance (see Rom. 2:4; II Tim. 2:25-26), or He will replace her altogether (see Esther 1:9-22; 2:1-17). Husbands, you don’t have to correct your wives and bring them into submission – that is NOT your responsibility. You did not give the original command for “wives to be in subjection to their own husbands” (Eph. 5:22-24). You did not set up this divine ordinance – God did! And it’s NOT up to you to enforce it. God will enforce it in His own time. It’s not your Word, but His. It is not up to you to determine or decide whether or not your wife (your spiritual sister in the Lord) is obeying God’s commandment. That’s none of your business or concern! That’s between her and God. She is His daughter, just as you are His son. You both have to answer to God – your Father – for yourself. It is more than enough to be concerned about keeping your eyes forward on Jesus and properly following Him as your Head, than to be spending your time preoccupied to see whether or not your wife and subordinates are properly in line following you! Judge yourself and understand whether YOU are properly submitting to YOUR Head and thoroughly following Him instead of looking back and judging her to see if she is properly following YOU.

In turn, wives, submit to your husbands as unto Christ Himself (Eph. 5:22). God always judges each of us as to whether WE are doing what He commanded US to do. When David was in a submissive position to the wicked King Saul (as both a subject to the king who God had appointed as leader, and as the king’s son-in-law), David knew that God was ALWAYS judging him on whether or not HIS attitude and response was right, regardless of whether King Saul’s behavior was godly or not. David knew God would eventually deal with King Saul, since it was God who had given King Saul’s position to him in the first place (see I Sam. 26:9-11). David never tried to usurp King Saul’s God-given authority or rebel against him in any way. By showing honor and respect to King Saul as “the Lord’s anointed”, David was honoring and showing respect to God. In time, God justly dealt with King Saul, after a period of testing David’s true heart and character. Wives do likewise by following David’s humble example. And in due time, God will exalt you and reward you by joining you up (marrying you) to the true Christ forever – just as He did in the story of Abigail and David which was given to us as a clear demonstration of this principle (see I Sam. 25:2-42).

When these divine ordinances and commands are followed – that is, when Dad and Mom are properly in submission to Christ – the children will begin to feel the love and safety (security) that originates and flows down from the throne of God the Father, through Jesus Christ His Son, unto the head of the family – the husband and father. It then will flow through the humble, submissive, beloved wife and mother, then through the children, and finally, even unto the family pets which will then fall in line as well. Animals were told from the beginning to submit unto man, and whenever they rebelled, they were put to death for being out of order against the ordinance and commandment of God (see Gen. 9:5; Exod. 21:28; Lev. 20:15-16). Notice in Scripture that every time man was out of ordinance with God, and in a state of rebellion, the nature of the animals changed and their relationship towards man became hostile accurately reflecting the same spiritual disharmony. But every time man was in harmony with God, and properly walking in submission with his heavenly Master, the animals’ natures also changed towards man in order to accurately reflect that same spiritual harmony and relationship (see Gen. 2:19-20; 6:5-7; 6:11-13; 6:17-21; 7:13-16; 7:21-23; 9:9-17; Isa. 11:5-9; Hos. 2:16-18; Dan. 6:16-24; Gal. 5:14-15).

Like a great spiritual mirror, animals reflect mankind’s spiritual condition with God. In the Garden of Eden, before man’s sin and rebellion, animals were in harmony with man, even coming to him to be named and to be happily ruled over, just like Adam and Eve were towards God. Yet, after the fall, animals became fearful of man just as Adam and Eve became fearful of God. The animals became violent, killing and devouring one another just as man was also doing to his fellow man (Gen. 6:11-13). So, God decided to destroy both man and beast. But notice in the Millennium, when the Kingdom of God is being established upon the earth, the animals’ natures will change as well. There will be no more killing or devouring, because mankind’s relationship will be in harmony with God once again – just like it originally was in the Garden of Eden: For thus, says the Lord God: “The wolf will live with the lamb; the leopard will lie down with the goat; the calf and the lion and yearling together, and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear; their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Isa. 11:6-9).

Come, Lord Jesus, come!

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