Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, begins to explain the church and he says:
“This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the Church.”
Ephesians 5: 32
Understanding the mystery of the Church is critical to understanding many things Paul taught and who we are as the Church. The context of the above verse was marriage. As we have seen in the story of Pentecost, there is a connection in the fact that it was the day that God made a marriage proposal with the Children of Israel at Mount Sinai, and then we see this type and shadow in the story of Ruth.
“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord, For the husband is the head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the Church; and he is the savior of the Body. Therefore, just as the Church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the Word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands out to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the Church.”
Ephesians 5: 22-29
To add to this, listen to Jesus’s prayer in John 17:
“I have given them Your Word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your Truth. Your Word is truth. As You have sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sake I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.”
John 17: 14- 19
We will do a deeper dive into these verses shortly, but let me add just a few more:
“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I am in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one; I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one…”
John 17: 20-23
In these last few verses, we see the type and shadow of marriage. In Deuteronomy chapter six, verse four, the Lord calls the people to “hear” and that the Lord is “one.” The word used for one is the same when we talk about marriage. In other words, it is not saying God is singular, but in light of the Trinity, they are One. When God made man, we see the words, “Let Us,” which is echoed in the Lord’s prayer.
The Church is meant to be one with Him. There is an intimacy and union with the Lord. The Church is to find its identity in Him and not the world.
Earth Governs Heaven
“Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in Heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in Heaven. Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in Heaven. For where two or three are gathered in My Name, I am there in the midst of them.”
Matthew 18: 18-19
These are incredible verses about the authority and Heaven’s expectation of the Church. As we explained in the lesson on authority, authority is given based on a task with an expected result.
Watchman Nee explains:
The peculiar point here is that the action on earth precedes the action in heaven. Not that heaven binds first, but that the earth binds first; not that heaven looses first, but that the earth looses first. Since the earth has already bound it, heaven will also bind it; since the earth has loosed it, heaven will also loose it. The action of heaven is governed by the action on earth. All that contradicts God needs to be bound, and all that agrees with God needs to be loosed.
This sounds almost disrespectful.
To bind, “deo” which means to fasten with chains, to bind
To loose, “lyo” which means to loose any person tied or fastened or to loose one bound.
The term “will be” comes from the Greek, “esomai” which is the future first person or “to be.” If the Church acts within her delegated authority to do what it is called to do, bind or loose, then it causes a response in Heaven that backs the delegated authority.
In Exodus chapter seventeen we see the account of the attack of the Amalekites and Moses climbed a mountain and raised his arms. As long as his arms were raised, they had the victory, but when his arms became tired, and he dropped them, they started to be defeated. So, Aaron and Hur supported Moses’ arms until victory was won.
Here we see a powerful example of the ministry of intercession. Watchman Nee said:
Here we see the principle of God’s working, the secret of His action: whatever He wills to do, if man does not will it, He will not do it. We cannot make God do what He does not want to do, but we can hinder Him from doing what He does wish to do.
Based on God’s delegated authority to the Church and His expectation of the Church is one with the Lord while understanding He is the Head. In other words, the Church should hold the desires of the Lord and, through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, to understand His purposes and plans on the earth.
While as believers, we have a responsibility to pray and intercede for others, there is something extremely powerful about the intercession of the Church. There are times when our arms grow weary and we need a brother or sister to come to our aid.
Remember what Paul said:
“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.”
Ephesians 6: 18
Paul was talking about the Church in Ephesians and while this verse speaks to us individually, it also speaks of the ministry of intercession of the Church. We know God will never do anything He doesn’t want to do or would violate His will. The Church through the Word is to come to the Truth and to know His will, and our prayer should always be done in line with His Word.
In the last verses of Ezekiel chapter thirty-seven, we see the Lord promising to restore Israel and saying:
“Thus says the Lord God: “I will also let the house of Israel inquire of Me to do this for them: I will increase their men like a flock.”
Ezekiel 36: 37
He revealed His purpose, desire, and will to the Children of Israel just as He does the Church, and then because he has delegated power to the Church, He expects the Church to seek His face for these things. Often, we think if the Lord desires it, then He will do it. But this would violate His authority and delegated authority. The Church was given a wonderful purpose, and as long as we are on this earth, we have a critical role to play.
Watchman Nee put it this way:
But here is the word which God declares—that if He be inquired of concerning this matter by the house of Israel He will do it for them. The principle is unmistakable: God has a purpose already determined, but He will not forthwith do it until He is inquired of by the house of Israel. He wants the earth to govern heaven.
Our prayer of intercession must start with the revealed promises of His Word and with the Church recognizing her authority in Christ. If we recognize our authority, then we must also understand our responsibility. As His representative on this earth, we are to reveal Him and his will accurately. We must, like Jesus, live to bring Him glory and our prayer life must demonstrate that.
Watchman Nee further clarified:
Now obviously this in no way can imply that we can force God to do what He will not do; not at all. Rather, it simply means that we may command Him to do what He desires to do.
God gave free will to man and His desire has always been for a people that out of their free will, would seek Him and believe in Him. The Church is meant to be “living stones” or a group of individuals who freely and individually received Jesus and desire to do His will. When we come together as the Church, there is to be incredible power because the Lord comes tangibly and dwells among the Church. Further, He desires that His Church would fulfill the mission given and that on this Fallen Earth, we would make a stand for His purpose and will.
We must start in the Secret Place of His Presence and in holy fear seek His face and know His will. Further, we are to yield to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to bring us into the purpose of the Father. Then we can truly begin as co-workers with by coming under His headship to be a mighty voice on this Earth.
