Mt 9:17 Neither do men put new wine into old wine-skins: else the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins perish: but they put new wine into fresh wine-skins, and both are preserved.
There is a separation coming between the old wineskins and the new wine.
The old wineskins represent our present religious system. It is our “church culture,” our “Christianisee” ways that plagues much of our American churches and our lives as Christians.
Today, I call it a Christian ghetto, where Christian culture supersedes the move of the Spirit. Secondly, where the Christian ghetto culture frowns upon those whom God brings to our churches, because they are dressed, or look, or believe differently than what our Christian ghetto culture dictates. This is called religion, ans its obnoxious smell is immediately sensed by these who visit our churches. Religion of this sort is one of the most dangerous and threatening factors to the healthy growth of Christianity. Christians beware, and become free from this.
The old wine skin is the system that exalts its theological doctrines, doctrines of men, or church denominations as idols above the Word or the Spirit of God. Such are the churches that say that spiritual gifts are not for today. Or such are the churches that limit and hinder the move of the Spirit as not to offend the “seeker”, who comes to their Sunday services.
On the other hand the old wine skins also represents those churches that are constantly seeking the supernatural, the blessings, the instant miracles, the instant solution, or shortcut, the instant financial prosperity, the claiming and framing from a “Santa Claus” God, without at the same time teaching its people a strong and correct foundation of Christian character through the Word of God and embracing the cross of Christ. I call it text message Christianity or “ the pastor has all the answers for me” Christianity.
The old wine skin emphasizes ministry and the power of God above, and or without the forging of strong leadership among its ministers. Ministry is good, if those who lead it are also in intimate relationships with other leaders and with the congregation.
Ministry for the sake of ministry without the intimacy of relationships will eventually fail.
The old wine skins represent the ministers that thrive on control and one man shows. It is also the same system that thrives with believers who are pew sitters forevermore. God has not created us to be spiritual babies forever. God has a calling and a ministry for each of us.
The old wine skins represent the manipulation and hype that comes out of our pulpit for money. It is also made up of believers that think that their problems will be solved strictly by a financial donation, and that instant miracles and solutions will come to them because of it. God is not a Santa Claus God. Most times a lack of financial blessings are either a sign of testing, faith building, or that something is wrong with our walks before God. We need to find out what God is telling us.
What is the New Wine?
2Co 13:4 for he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth through the power of God. For we also are weak n him, but we shall live with him through the power of God toward you.
It comes out a crucified life that is lived through us by the revealed person of Christ.
What is meekness? The dead man has no rights to respond to claim of plans, prosperity, a career, reputation, or ministry.
But because he is dead he is free from sin, and hurts, and is a clean channel to flow in the power of God.
This is why the cross is so important.
Ro 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
His only right is to be a slave of God.
God makes Himself to take full care of that believer.
His responsibility is to hear the voice of God and obey so that God can move through Him in the fullness of His power. If our control has died, then God controls us and execute His plans through in His perfect timing and touches t many souls.
Joh 3:8 The wind bloweth where it will, and thou hearest the voice thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Our agendas and programs of the old wineskin have been crucified and have died.
The new wine believer or church has no programs and agendas which can supersede the life of obeying the Spirit of the living God, moment by moment. and that with instant joyful obedience.
As we do not know where the wind goeth so the believer whom would live in this new wine must allow God to blow him or her where the Lord desires.
He knows not where God will take him next. It is a life of exciting hardship, also adventures, challenges, living on the edge, and un boring sacrifice.
As Mother Teresa said we become God’s pencil and God uses us in tremendous ways.
The believer must not have his or her whole life etched in stone. Their main priority is to be attentive to the voice of the Master to change their life, their plans, and their destiny for God at a moment’s instance. God will do great things through the believer that is at His disposal.
2Co 5:4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
The new wine believer’s plans, and future expectations have died and swallowed up in the immensity of the greatness of God. The believer loses himself to the infinity and greatness of the heart and mind of God for Him and for a lost world.
2 Cor 2:15 For we are a sweet savor of Christ unto God, in them that are saved, and in them that perish;
16 to the one a savor from death unto death; to the other a savor from life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
The new wine believer does not cry out for revival. He or she is a revival. Wherever they go God flows through Him in unlimited power, at His perfect timing and executes His eternal plans to affect many souls. God can do that because the new wine believer hears the voice of the Spirit clearly. God uses him as razor sharp instrument.
A spirit of revival or judgment will follow this believer’s life based if his hearers obeys or disobey the voice of God through him.
Heb 11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out unto a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
The new wine believer walks totally by faith so that God can take him or her where He wants, use him as He wants, and when He wants.
The believer will then be living constantly from the greatness of God and moment from moment excitement of the plans that God continues to execute through Him. He has died to His plans and has taken God’s plans upon himself.
He is totally surrendered to do his with his time, his ministry, and his finances, as God will. God will greatly use such as one as this. As it says if God knows He can channel it through us He will give it to us.
The smallness of the plans that this person has for his life are swallowed up in the infinity of God’s eternal great plans.
Faith must become a totally normal way of life. Faith cannot be taught. Faith must be lived out.
If we live by sight it will keep us bounded in the littleness of our own comfort, our own safety, our own understanding schemes and our control and mind. Our lives will always be meager and limited bound by our frail human limitations.
We must come to place where our whole dependency is upon God and not upon our money and our control. Then God can lead us freely, He can powerfully act and perform through us. He can give to us more and more.
We will live out of His strength, His eternal plans that will affect countless people for eternity and His power.
2Co 1:9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: {sentence: or, answer}.
Miracles, signs and wonders happen always when we come to this end of ourselves.
This end forces God to act for us.
In this country we depend so much on ourselves on our money and our comforts that God does not have to act on our behalf. Hence we never see His power. We live powerless and bored lives.
Christians can have so many problems with finances, because God cannot bless them with much money. He cannot trust us. We are too alive!! Too much in control, too much selfishness still plagues us. God fears that their hearts might stray from Him.
True financial prosperity comes to believer who keeps whatever money God tells him to keep and channels every other penny out according to the voice of God instantly and joyfully.
Ch 22:14 Now, behold, in my trouble I have prepared for the house of the LORD an hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand talents of silver; and of brass and iron without weight; for it is in abundance: timber also and stone have I prepared; and thou mayest add thereto.
A three billion dollar contribution just in gold!
Resting, Leaning or Depending Upon Anything Else than the Revealed Person of Christ.
1Co 1:23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
We preach Christ as being crucified.
This entails that we enter into his crucifixion.
1Co 2:2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
The outcome is to experience the resurrected Christ.
Ac 4:33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
The Substitute Life
The other person living within us lives a separate life from our carnal life.
The lives are diametrically opposed. One is natural and one is spiritual.
The cross is used to kill, still and silence our natural life so that the person of Jesus Christ can be discerned, heard, and obeyed.
Two lives cannot compete. One must die and the other one live.
Walking in the Spirit is a life of cooperation with the other person living within.
Walking in the Spirit is simply discerning the life of Jesus living with in us obeying his whims and desires.
2Co 6:1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
Phillip 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
God’s character is to time and time again bring us through trials of weakness, impossibilities, handicaps, and difficulties, to cause us to come to an end of our efforts, strength, and agendas.
God works in our lives through our weaknesses, hopelessness, and failures. God knows how thoroughly corrupted by pride, ego, and selfishness even our best Christian intentions and plans are.
If we are to work in the power and glory of God everything in our lives must be purified. Everything must be put to death and resurrected through the cross of Christ. As we shall see, our God can only raise up the dead. (Corpse in the Greek). Abraham and Sarah were walking corpses at the time of God’s visitation to them.
The Lord most effectively moves when our agendas, our plans, and visions have become literal corpses before Him. This is because only the dead are freed from sin and the flesh. This is exactly what God needs to work. Remember, “God’s greatest manifestation of power transpired on the event of His raising Christ up from the dead.”
As we yield, and yield, and yield even more, God will fill us more, and more and more, until we can joyfully exclaim with the apostle Paul;
Ephesians 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
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