When the offices of Apostle and Prophet are fully functioning in the Church as Jesus intended them to, the fantastic end time revival will sweep our planet with unprecedented power and glory. The main reason that I say the reason being the primary intent behind both of these offices would be to lay the only real Three spirit foundation that the Church can stand upon and that foundation is Jesus Christ. Indeed you can find two items that will continue to improve until the tribulation arrives. First, an increasing revelation of our great Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and second, an increasing revelation of the Antichrist.

Ephesians 2:20

And are made upon the building blocks of the apostles and prophets,

Jesus Christ himself being the main corner stone;

If the inspiration of the Church isn't built upon the ministries of the Apostle and Prophet as the term declares, then it's no surprise we cannot build the Church in to the powerful and blessed work she is called to be. It is the primary responsibility of Apostles and Prophets to reveal the exalted Christ in His glory, nature, and character. When the entire revelation of Jesus Christ is made manifest, all men is going to be drawn unto Him. Each of the five-fold ministries are able to reveal Christ in the character and character of their office. As an example, the Pastor will primarily make known the Lord Jesus Christ as the great Shepherd, the Evangelist as the fantastic Savior, the Teacher as Jesus the truly amazing Rabbi, that's the great Teacher. The Apostle and Prophet make Christ known primarily in His authority and power, wisdom, and love. Dear one, we will have to walk in this authority and power in these last days if we are to overcome the increasing wickedness and manifestation of the evil one.

Many have grieved at the loss of children to the influences of the world. Among the issues that secular society has offered the teenagers is just a proliferation of super heroes and of the supernatural. This constant flow of the seemingly super men and women have supplied the hunger with this generation for the supernatural. I believe here is the pattern that the enemy has used on the generations to circumvent the coming moves of God. Yet does not the Lord say that, "Once the enemy will come in such as a flood, I will raise up a regular against him"? That standard could be the Apostles and Prophets who flow in the ability and authority of Jesus Christ. Seeing this, our enemy has done everything he is able to to discredit these ministry gifts of Jesus Christ to His Church! Whilst the Apostles and Prophets flow in these powerful truths, it will release one other three five-fold ministries in to the fullness of these anointing.

Ephesians 411-15

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Till all of us come in the unity of the faith, and of the information of the Son of God, unto a great man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

15 But speaking the reality in love, may grow up into him in everything, which will be the pinnacle, even Christ:

Why then has the restoration of the offices of Apostle and Prophet failed to impact the Church as they will? I see there are at the very least three reasons why this really is so.

The initial and most prevalent reason is the existence and functioning of a religious spirit. The religious spirit seeks to pre-empt any new move of God by stubbornly and rebelliously resisting what our great God is performing through religious sounding oppositions.

The second reason is having less maturity in the current day Apostles and Prophets. This has resulted in many rejecting the restoration of the ministries that the Lord has purposed for these end times.

And thirdly, the Apostles and Prophets are not moving in the degree of "signs and wonders" their offices require. Once the Apostles and Prophets are fully flowing in your community of signs and wonders, they will be quickly sought after in the local churches. Still, unless those flowing in signs and wonders are walking in the total maturity of the character and nature of Jesus Christ, their impact is likely to be very limited. This obviously is true of every believer along with the five-fold ministers.

Let's deal first with the religious spirit that seeks to thwart every true move of God and render it powerless to complete its purposes. The reason why this spirit is indeed effective is really because it masquerades as the actual function of what is concerned with the things of God. The religious spirit loves good preaching, singing, and teaching so long as there's limited or no power associated with one of these biblical functions. The religious spirit loves good works and busy work, and looks down on those whose primary calling is to "wait upon the Lord." Those with the religious spirit like Martha will miss the true visitation of the Lord since they are busy doing religious things.

Luke 10:40-42

40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about a lot of things:

42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shan't be taken away from her.

Notice with me that Martha possessed three characteristics that seem to dominate lots of today's churches. She was full of worry and troubled about many things. Could it be incorrect that individuals too reflect the type of Martha? When we meet and talk about what exactly of God does not worry and the troubling things that are going on in the church and our lives dominate most of our conversation and talk? Do we not find that after such "spiritual talk" that people are drained and weary? Whenever we discover the spirit of frustration has engulfed our counsels and strategy gatherings, we must discern that that is the work of a "religious spirit" that then begins to indicate what we discern as a lack of someone else being involved in what we are doing.

When the scriptures say, that Martha "was cumbered about several things" it identifies the procedure of "dragging something heavy all about." How frequently have we felt like that at the end of the day. We've dragged about some heavy weight of concern all day long and often blamed somebody else for the problem.

How then should we handle these specific things? First, we must know that the Lord Jesus Christ has come to your door and is patiently waiting to be invited in to ensure that He is able to have a wonderful consult with us and reveal His plans.

Rev 3:20

20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the doorway, I will be to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

John 15:15

15:15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I've called you friends; for several items that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

The religious spirit is prideful of what it presently has and does not have any desire for what the Lord is restoring to His Church. The religious spirit boasts of its history and past without insight or desire for truths the Holy Spirit is restoring. That's why the prior move of God that's often turn into a denomination rejects the next truth the Holy Spirit is restoring. The religious spirit often hides itself in a number of the hardest working people in the church. Even as Martha was yet ready to challenge even the Lord Jesus, and demand that He make Mary cease to attend on the Lord and join her in her religious work!

Most of us in the five-fold ministry are often deceived by this very spirit and are "distracted" by the total amount of work that really needs to be achieved in place of waiting on the Lord in sweet fellowship and then receiving His strength and direction.

Here are some of the characteristics of the religious spirit that Rick Joyner lists. Let us examine ourselves to see if this spirit has found a method to worm itself into our thinking and actions.

The Religious Spirit will attract self-worth, self-esteem, self-actualization, self, self, self - New Age ideas Symptoms (Rick Joyner, Robert Heidler)

1. See primary goal as tearing down what they believe is wrong - see what's wrong, not what's right - legalism

2. Unable to just accept a rebuke from those "less spiritual"-"pay attention to God, not people"

3. Overwhelming feeling of guilt that can't live up to the Lord's standards - perfectionism

4. Leadership style that's bossy, overbearing, intolerant of weakness/failures of others

5. See themselves as nearer to God than others

6. Take pride within their "spiritual maturity"- believe they are on the "innovative" of what God is performing

7. Have a mechanical prayer life

8. Glory more in what God did previously than what He's doing in the present - tradition

9. Suspicious of new movements, except if it's their own

10. Tend to view all supernatural manifestations as evidence of God's handiwork and approval

11. need to figure things out, intellectualize the spiritual, explain God, as opposed to serving Him

12. Independent, self-sufficient

To be set free from any deception the enemy could have sought to impose upon us is fairly a straightforward matter when we elect to walk in humility and pray for a renewed mind. It is pride and stubbornness that provides this spirit authority to deceive and oppress us. So let us simply pray this prayer together:

Heavenly Father, I thanks for the dear and precious Holy Spirit who has arrived at expose the lies of the enemy. I reject, renounce, and bind the religious spirit that has sought to work within my life. I repent for allowing myself to drag across the weights as Martha did. I repent of worry and depression which are marks of the religious spirit. I confess your yoke is straightforward, and your burden is light. When I find myself weary and distracted, I will now recognize the clear presence of this spirit and resist it and it'll flee from me. For I rest in your peace and rely upon your sufficiency. I repent for failing to love the Apostles and Prophets as you love them and cry out for their full and complete restoration.