John the Baptist … Mt. 14 … At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus, And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.
For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife. For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.
But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask. And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger.
And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her. And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison. And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.
And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.
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Concerning overcoming … it is so important to know that it was God who “commanded” (told) you to do what you are doing.
God said to Joshua …Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. Joshua 1:9
If you have evidence that it was God who told you what to do, you have a very strong anchor when the problems arise concerning that which you are doing.
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I’ve had pastors and others tell me I cannot be an apostle.
But, like Paul, “I know WHOM I believe.”
I am totally unaffected. I just reflect on WHO told me that. And I continue to do what I see to do in each case, in each thing that arises before me.
(If a tree produces apples, then it must be an apple tree. By their fruits you will know, if you really have a pure heart to know and belong to God.)
As for each of us in that which we are doing, we must be grounded in the following.
II Tim. 1 … Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know WHOM I have believed, and am persuaded that HE is able to keep that which I have committed unto HIM against that day.
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In Paul’s day, there were people who did not believe Paul could be an apostle.
Paul was not like Peter and the other apostles. Paul never saw Jesus when HE walked on the earth.
And even when the apostles met to replace Judas, Paul wouldn’t have been selected as an apostle because Paul did not meet the requirements set up and announced by Peter.
Acts 1 … And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,) Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.
For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry. Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood.
For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take. Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that HE was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of HIS resurrection.
And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.
And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
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At the time this happened, Paul was not even born again. Paul was out gathering up Christians to turn them over to the leaders of the Jews so they could be imprisoned and even killed.
SO WHERE DOES PAUL FIT AS AN APOSTLE?
We know Paul was an apostle. We know Paul had a special calling.
Some teach that Paul was the last apostle. And they teach there are no apostles today.
But this does not fit with Ephesians 4 … which says … After Jesus arose, after HE was crucified and resurrected and taken into heaven … And HE (Jesus) 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:
Paul fits here … one of the apostles given to the church by Jesus after HE arose.
Paul is not the last apostle. Paul is the first of those NT apostles given by Jesus to the NT church.
But in Paul’s day, some did not believe he was an apostle. We know this by the scripture … Paul says … If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord. (I Cor. 9:2)
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WHAT DO NEW TESTAMENT APOSTLES DO IN THE CHURCH TODAY?
NT apostles have an anointing by God to deal with church doctrines.
Paul said: Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which HE hath purchased with HIS own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Acts 20
Paul knew terrible things were coming inside the church groups.
Men would take over and eliminate scripture and twist scripture to allow the people in the congregation to please themselves and to feel approved in doing contrary to scripture such as men marrying divorced women, which Jesus said would be adultery (Mt. 5:32) … and women leaving their husbands and marrying another which Paul said would be adultery. And Paul said it was a commandment of the Lord, that the woman not leave her husband but, and if, she did leave her husband let her remain unmarried or return to her husband. (I Cor. 7)
The time was coming, and now is, where churches have changed the Holy Scriptures from these commandments of the Lord for the NT church.
Mt. 5:32 … Jesus says … But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
I Cor. 7 … Paul says to the NT church … And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.
We see how these scriptures have been twisted away today by most church groups and another doctrine has been set up in the churches today.
But NT apostles will not tolerate these changed doctrines. NT prophets will also fight strongly against these new doctrines of men in the churches.
So many churches teach there are no apostles or prophets today in the NT eliminating what was said in Eph. 4 that after Jesus arose HE gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to the church … apostles are like judges in court of law, dealing with scriptures and doctrine by the Bible and the Holy Spirit, keeping such straight in the church … prophets are like policemen. Of course antichrist would want such removed (and portions of scripture removed) for only if these are removed can antichrist move about freely inside the churches.
This is exactly what we are seeing today … the falling away of II Thess. 2 was not people leaving church … The falling away are churches leaving the doctrines of the Bible and changing the scriptures to permit and even to approve sin in the congregation.
All this sets up the judgment and the return of Jesus.
II Thess. 2:3-4 … Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
Antichrist, the man of sin, is a spirit of sin and lawlessness in man. Antichrist would sit in “the temple of God”, the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Antichrist (opposite to Christ) would enter into the hearts of man and take over in the church, promoting the will of man in the church.
The falling away would be churches falling away from scripture to set up another “gospel”, another way for the church, opposite to scripture … thus opposing all that is called God, or that is worshipped … antichrist would be “as God”, showing himself that he is God … doing his own preferences … in the church.
Paul said this would have to happen before the day of the Lord. II Thess. 2
We are seeing this in churches today.
II Thessalonians 2
vv. 9-12 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.