Reformation Means New Patterns
By Greg Crawford Apostle
With every reformation there are new patterns that emerge to bring greater understanding. This past week the Spirit of God visited me in a unique way. This visitation came in a dream form with a previous vision within the dream occurring.
He said to build the container according to the pattern shown you. Patterns exist to build containers of my Glory and presence. Containers are 2 fold, individual and corporate gatherings. Reformation is not so much about changing the people of God but about the container the people participate in. Most people are functioning based on what the container they have placed themselves in allows. The Church or ekklesia is not about the building but about the called out ones to rule and reign. What has been done today is to make it all about the container and not the people. The program is building the container, yet I say I will build My Church. My Church exists within the container, but is held back from being added to because they place themselves in containers that God has not built or do not allow Him to build. If you change the container to what I desire to build, the people will automatically function differently and will even grow up spiritually. The current container will not hold My glory and is designed to hold people back from true spiritual growth. Reformation is not based on maturity, but based on My patterns of things I have determined I will build upon. Josiah is a good example of a reformer. At age 8, he is given the task of being king over Israel. He has no natural knowledge to do such a task. The advisors he could draw from have been under the same idolatry spirit allowed in the nation. He went back and found the last established pattern that had been lost. He saw what his father David did. As he did this, he sees the blessing of God come upon an entire nation. Climb the mountain of the Lord and grab hold of the orbs of truth as they come by. Reach out to embrace while climbing ever upward.
Then a previous vision occurred within the dream with the Lord speaking to me. I was walking up a mountain with a group of people. There were many paths at the base of the mountain but all merged to one path. As we ascended, blue orbs were floating around us. On the first ascent, the Lord spoke to reach out and grab hold of these �Truths� as they came by. We were able to reach most but not all. He said some are specific and we must grab hold of those that apply to our lives. The Orbs or truths of God were lighting our pathway. We knew many had traveled this path and the more that traveled the ascent the more defined it was for others to follow. It seemed we had so many concerns. We reached a platform and had rested. The Lord said �transition�. We start the next ascent in a seemingly different way. We knew it was the final one. We did not look back like before and we did not have concerns about the enemy or even who was coming with us. This time the blue orbs were not just passing by but were surrounding us and even engulfing us at times. The truths of God were not just touching our lives but now became a part of our lives. The journey had been hard to this point but now the seasoning of God was upon us. We had new strength. We were warriors, proven, tried, a force to be reckoned with, ones who had beaten the pathway for others. I could see that we knew how to war and how to love. We were on a mission of the highest level. Nothing was to stop or distract us. Our faces were set as flint, seeing the price before us, knowing what we had endured. This was the final journey, the final quest; this was the finishing of all things and the beginning of all things.
The Lord then said �build the container with what I have already spoken, the mandates that I have placed within your heart. Look at Josiah and see how a nation was turned. The only thing you can pass on are MY patterns and containers built with my patterns! Only my patterns will I build upon. The patterns will always make a pathway for others to follow. They will always create life. They are the true riches and inheritance to pass to others.�
We see the story of Josiah in 2 Kings 21. Manasseh has done evil and causes a breach in the tabernacle. Josiah comes as a reformer. You see when ever you see a breach; the pattern of God is not in place to build the proper container! Without getting into the whole story, Josiah reforms a nation by changing the pattern they were living under. He first put the pattern of David back into his own life and then into the pattern of others. He removes idolatry, wickedness, and establishes worship and the reading of God�s word. In other words, he changed the container for God to dwell again by changing the patterns that were operating. We need to stop and look at the patterns we have established. Are they Godly?
As good leaders, we have built what seems good and acceptable. David did the same thing bringing in the Ark of God. In 1 Chron. 13, David consulted with the people, built a new cart, sought peoples approval and had worship. But the pattern was unacceptable. )Sounds a lot like today.) But he shifted and established the pattern God had ordained in 1 Chron 14-15. He becomes a spiritual leader, instead of a people pleaser, he carries the ark how God said, and his worship is not in form but now has joy! We must develop and move from what has caused the breach to what brings the presence!
The word �pattern� means in likeness, form, it refers that what is built must have God�s hand seen in it, To build in the divine order of what God has determined. Building is always associated with salvation. �Pattern� in the New Testament means, fashion, the mark of a stroke or blow, to have an image that all can see. David built according to pattern and that is what Josiah went back to.
1 Chronicles 28:10-15 Take heed now; for the LORD hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it . 11 Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat , 12 And the pattern of all that he had by the spirit, of the courts of the house of the LORD, and of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated things : 13 Also for the courses of the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and for all the vessels of service in the house of the LORD . 14 He gave of gold by weight for things of gold, for all instruments of all manner of service; silver also for all instruments of silver by weight, for all instruments of every kind of service : 15 Even the weight for the candlesticks of gold, and for their lamps of gold, by weight for every candlestick, and for the lamps thereof: and for the candlesticks of silver by weight, both for the candlestick, and also for the lamps thereof, according to the use of every candlestick .
1 Chronicles 28:19-20 All this, said David , the LORD made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern . 20 And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it : fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD .
Like the sons of Issachar we must know the times and season that are upon us right now.
1 Chronicles 12:32 And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment .
Times = seasons Rt = perpetuity, for ever, continuing future, everlasting, eternal
It means to understand natural patterns
It means to understand one time event patterns
It means to understand God�s fixed or set time or pattern
Every season has a pattern to it. When we understand the season, we understand the pattern being formed. New patterns of heaven are now being established in The Church and the earth. Patterns always reveal the glory of God! The seasons of preparation we go through are about creating correct patterns so the Glory can be seen. So when we finally realize a season is finished, it also means a pattern has been formed and there is something God desires to show forth through us! You see it is not about laboring to be blessed but laboring to see heaven�s patterns on the earth.
God does not start a new pattern to do away with the old, but changes the expression of it! We must be careful not to get caught in old patterns that have no affect. We see Moses� and David�s tabernacles both operated at the same time but only one pattern was affective! The one that also carried God�s current expression! We have created earthly patterns copied to express heavenly patterns without accessing the revelatory realm to see the current patterns of God. Right now, not only does God have patterns for us in this moment but also is forming patterns for the future eternal moments of the endless age!
Next week we will contiue this teaching with three distinct Patterns God showed me coming to the earth right now!
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Greg Crawford Apostle
J. I. M. Ministry Base
116 W. Burlington
Fairfield, Ia 52556
641-472-9916
J.I.M. Ministry Base
Iowa Alliance For Reformation
Jubilee School of Ministry
Jubilee on MYSPACE
