New Wineskins (Disruptions & Realignments) Matthew 9:17
By Apostle Joshua Selman
There are many factors that can enhance, promote, partner with, and make for the manifestation of God’s prophetic program or frustrate, delay and even abort His prophetic programs.
Matthew 9:14-17
The biggest delay/interruption to the manifestation of God's program, is the kinds and qualities of the vessels available.
The word wine skin goes beyond just a vessel.
It is a metaphor for structure, ideology, perspectives, an approach - a way of doing things, an orientation.
For example believers' world view on a subject like “God”?
The average believer cannot define who God is
No believer can become victorious if God does not help us unify our viewpoint from scriptures
Enjoying the best of God and walking in dominion demands that you build a spiritual and a mental structure that is wholesome and formidable enough to receive what God is releasing.
Our prayers and desires have largely been towards the arrival of the new wine, the new anointing, the manifestation of prophecies, with less emphasis on the condition of the wineskin.
If the wineskin(Your mentality) is bad, small, perforated or inferior, God will have to delay the release of the new wine. God is looking for men and women who are willing enough to trade the old wine skin for a new superior wineskin.
What the wineskin is not
It is not a campaign of pride, dishonour, self righteousness, carnality, hatred among believers, universalism(accepting everything - John 17:3) and over emphasis on intellect.
By the works of the flesh, no man can please God - It is not endorsement for licentiousness, it is a call to realize that if you ever find yourself working in true righteousness and holiness, it is by the mercies of God.
3 Keys to partner with God to prepare yourself and the new wine skin for fresh oil/fire
- We must recognize that we are still limited in knowledge 1 Corinthians 8:2, 1 Corinthians 13:9
- Carefully examine the teachings and perspective that we hear - examine from scriptures first, before accepting or discarding them Acts 17:10-11
- If we desire to truly grow, we must put away sentiments and biases that come from people we love and contend for superior light. Our press for greater light does not have to affect our loyalty to our spiritual leaders.
Pray:
The spirit of pride, hatred, disunity, immaturity - all kinds of plagues that have stopped the move of God in Nigeria, in Africa, lift up your voice and cry: Lord show us mercy!
Pray, mention the names of the churches you remember, cry: Father let fresh fire come upon those pulpit.
Prayer for Koinonia:
That we would remain at the cutting edge of God’s program, that this will not become a place where we add to the pain of the body of Christ, that this will be a house of Liberty. Anything that represents the old wine skin(ideas) that we are malleable enough for God to bring us a new wine skin.
Prayer for yourself:
Ask God for mercy where you have played an active role in adding to the problems of the church.
Father, I am ready with my new wineskin(built from the materials of humility, meekness, hunger)