The Functions of the Forerunner Ministry
The Functions of the Forerunner Ministry- MIKE BICKLE
FUNCTIONS OF THE FORERUNNER MINISTRY AS SEEN IN ISAIAH 40:1-5
A. The first mention of the forerunner ministry-comfort. "Comfort, yes, comfort My people!" says your God. (Isa. 40:1)
B. The forerunner brings comfort to the people who are wholehearted for God. John the Baptist was sent with a ministry of comfort. John was a man filled with happy love for Jesus. When he heard the voice of the bridegroom he was filled with joy. Examples of John's comfort and joy (Luke 1:14,44,78; In. 5:35; Mt. 11:17).
C. Preparing God's way was a key theme of Isaiah (Isa. 40:3; 57:14; 62:10).
"The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Prepare the wav of the LORD;
make straight in the desert a highway for our God." Isaiah 40:3
D. Isaiah gives 8 functions of the forerunner ministry that fulfill the spirit of Elijah. Four of these functions are seen in Isa. 40:3-5 and another four in Isa. 62:10-12. In Isa. 40, Isaiah focuses on the emotional restoration of God's people whereas in Isaiah 62, he focuses on the spiritual restoration of the corporate people of God.
E. Emotional restoration in Isa. 40.
"Every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill brought low; the crooked places shall be made straight and the rough places smooth;" (Isa. 40:4)
1.Every valley shall be exalted -lifting up a valley speaks of restoring emotional brokenness (fear, intimidation, inferiority, low self-esteem, etc.)
2.Every mountain and hill shall be brought low -exaggerated issues (mountains of pride) in our heart will be humbled (brought low).
3.The crooked places made straight - areas of perversion are to be healed.
4.The rough places are made smooth - areas of religious harshness (Pharisees) are to be replaced by tenderness (Jesus).
F. The global context of the prophetic promise for the forerunner ministry.
The glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and ALL FLESH SHALL SEE IT TOGETHER; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken. " (Isa. 40:5)
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Functions of the Forerunner Ministry - MlKEBICKLE
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THE FORERUNNER'S MESSAGE (ISA. 40:6-26)
The voice said, "Cry out!" And he said, " What shall I crv?" "All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. (Isaiah 40:6)
A. The prophetic theme is the weakness and futility of man's beauty (Isa. 40:6-8).
B. We will proclaim the beauty of God's sovereign power (Isa. 40:9-26). This is the answer to overcome being offended with God (Isa. 40: 18-21).
C. The preparation necessary for this ministry is waiting on the Lord. (Isa. 40:27-31)
1. Isaiah addresses the fear created that will be common related to international crisis (Isa. 40:27-28). They complained, that God forgot them in the midst of the calamities and difficulties.
2.Isaiah addresses their sense of feeling disqualified (Isa. 40:29-30).
3. Isaiah exhorts the weak forerunners to "wait on the Lord" (Isa. 40:31)
THE FORERUNNER MINISTRY AS AT THE END OF THE AGE REVIVAL
A. Forerunners will proclaim this message to the ends of the earth.
Indeed the LORD has PROCLAIMED TO THE END OF THE WORLD: "Say to the daughter of Zion, 'Surelv vour salvation is cominf!: behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him. ", (Isa. 62:11)
B. People from all nations will hear and respond with righteousness.
For as the earth brings forth its bud, as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before ALL THE NATIONS. (Isa. 61:11)
c. This speaks of a time that the whole human race will witness the glory of God.
The glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and ALL FLESH SHALL SEE IT
TOGETHER; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken. " (Isa. 40:5)
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FUNCTIONS OF THE FORERU_NER MINISTRY (ISA. 62:10-12)
"Go through, go through the gates! Prepare the way for the people; build up, build up the highway! Take out the stones, lift up a banner for the peoples! Indeed the LORD has proclaimed to the end of the world: "Say to the daughter of Zion, 'Surely your salvation is coming; behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him. And they shall call them The Holy People, the Redeemed of the LORD; and you shall be called Sought Out, a City Not Forsaken." (Isa.62:10-12)
A. Go through the gate - place of authority. The forerunner's first mandate is to prepare leaders of the church for the ways of the Lord.
B. Build up a highway - they build up the highway by preparing the people
conceptually and spiritually to come into agreement with God. The highway in
the ancient world was built so that a king could visit and bring all his goods with him. It required much work to build the road because one had to work through all the valleys, mountains, crooked and rough places (Isaiah 40:3). It is a road that allows the King's good to be given to others (signs, wonders, etc.).
C. Take out the stones - accusations against God and ourselves. The stones are the lies that we accept.
D. Lift up a banner - God's message or His banner of hope for all nations. The forerunners speak with clarity under the anointing. They speak of things yet to come. It is a banner of hope and confidence in order to create understanding. They cry out, "The breakthrough is coming!"
E. God will commission forerunners in the ends of the earth to speak to Zion.
Indeed the LORD has vroclaimed (commissioned forerunners) to the end of the world: "Say to the daughter of Zion, 'Surely your salvation is coming; behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him.'" (Isa. 62:11)
THE SPIRIT OF ELIJAH (MAL. 4:5-6; LK.1:17)
A. John the Baptist came in the power and the spirit of Elijah (Luke 1:17). The spirit of Elijah speaks of the purpose of Elijah. He confronted the religious system of his day with courage. Especially he confronted the spirit of Jezebel.
B. The power of Elijah was the demonstration of signs and wonders. Elijah was used by the Lord in power to turn the heart of people back to God from dead religion through a supernatural unction of the Holy Spirit on his preaching that was confirmed by demonstrations of power.
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