REDISCOVERING SENT ONES
To enter the apostolic, believers need placement on apostolic teams. These teams consist of sent ones. Apostolic believers are spiritual trailblazers. They are the sent ones. We have read much about apostolic ministry. We know that apostolic churches consist of apostles, prophets, teachers, governing presbyteries, many pastors and evangelist. We know they form apostolic teams that are sent into harvest fields with specific task. We also know to be apostolic there must be a local church involved in the sending. These local churches have an apostolic anointing that displays in people that carry a strong desire to minister in local territories and the nations of the world. These are the sent ones.
There is something powerful about sent ones. More than any other ministry, apostolic believers are spiritual trailblazing pioneers. They make apathetic religious people uncomfortable because of their bold approach to challenges.
Apostolic ministries form teams of sent ones. These sent ones receive training in ministry, assigned specific task, know how to work with others and are spiritual sons and daughters in their local church. Those on apostolic teams, the sent ones, receive the highest calling a believer can receive. Let's look at some biblical patterns of sent ones.
JESUS WAS A SENT ONE
"But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ" (Galatians 4:4-7).
JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS A SENT ONE
"Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD" (Malachi 4:5).
THE HOLY GHOST WAS A SENT ONE
"But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me" (John 15:26).
THE TWELVE APOSTLES WERE SENT ONES
"And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give" (Matthew 10:1-8).
APOSTOLIC MINISTRY TRANSITIONING KIT
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THE SEVENTY WERE SENT ONES
"After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come" (Luke 10:1).
MODERN APOSTLES ARE SENT ONES
"And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" (Romans 10:15).
Sent ones carry the authority of those that sent them.
YOU TOO ARE A SENT ONE
And finally, you are a sent one. "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15).
As a sent one you can act in the most powerful expression of apostolic governing authority. "As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent (apostello) them into the world" (John 17:18). This apostolic model of sent ones from a local church will challenge many in our generation who are doing their own thing under the guise the Holy Spirit is leading them.
Apostolic churches network with sent ones and avoid lone rangers. This apostolic model will challenge religious thinking and help bring stability to a flaky generation disarmed by vain religious tradition and selfish ambition. The glorious Church will include thousands of apostolic teams, not believers wondering around doing their own thing, but anointed sent ones.
ACTION EXERCISE
Balance is needed in prophetic ministry. scri pture teaches us to "covet prophesy" but it also teaches us to "try the spirits" (1 Corinthians 14:39, 1 John 4:1). My advice to believers is to beware the various prophetic cults that have hijacked prophetic ministry. You don't need a prophet to tell you your name, where you live or the color of your car. You should know those things already. Neither do you need ambiguous (unclear) prophecies that can be interpreted ten different ways. scri pture says that the Holy Spirit "speaketh expressly" (1 Timothy 4:1). Our God is perfectly capable of making himself clear to you. Don't follow mystics that some label as prophets. Avoid them at all cost! The purpose of prophecy is edification, exhortation and comfort, not fear, control, manipulation or money. My book "Prophetic Operations" explains what every prophet needs to know about prophetic ministry. If you have ever dreamed of entering prophetic ministry, read this book first. If you are already in prophetic ministry, read this book today, this weekend at the latest. If you are a prophet, this book will help you avoid prophetic pitfalls designed to take you out.
© by Jonas Clark
