Our access to Heaven is based on our relationship with God through Jesus. As King, He has the right to revoke that access. To understand this, we need a little background on the wielding power and authority from God.
Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority (all power of absolute rule) in Heaven and on Earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit… (Matthew 28:18-19 AMPC)
Jesus used the word dynamis in conjunction with gifts bestowed upon individuals to do the work of the master. This Greek word means “power;” it is the root of the word dynamite or dynamic. This reaffirms that power is given as a gift from God, as seen in conjunction with the gifts of the Spirit.
For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. (Romans 11:29 ESV)
When God gives gifts, He doesn’t take them back. If we continue in disobedience, our spiritual eyes may be clouded over – one of the aspects of a curse, but we still retain the original gift God gave us. Jesus tells us that not everyone doing signs and wonders in His name is doing what He expects.
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? (Matthew 7:15-16 AKJV)
This isn't referring to prophets of another religion. This is talking about those who call themselves Christians. We know this by what is said a few verses later.
Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father Who is in Heaven... (Matthew 7:21 AMPC)
Jesus clearly states that they are calling Him, “Lord.” This makes these false prophets Christians.
Many will say to Me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name and in Your name drive out demons and in Your name perform many miracles?” Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!” (Matthew 7:22-23 NIV)
“On that day” is the same phrase referred to earlier. It is translated from the Greek word hēmera, which means “a civil day, or a day in your life.” So, when some Christians call out “Lord, Lord,” they will be unable to enter the Kingdom of Heaven where the Courts are, even if they are doing miracles in His name. They were casting out demons and doing miracles in the name of Jesus, so obviously they knew something about the Word of God. They were not just charlatans peddling snake oil (fake elixirs or miracles), they were actually operating in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Two of the gifts of the Spirit are performing miracles and prophesying.
This means you are not guaranteed access to Heaven because you are operating in gifts from the Holy Spirit. They were doing miracles and prophesying without Jesus, they were using the gifts as they wanted instead of according to the will of the Lord. It is about knowing the Lord and having a relationship with Him. There is a penalty for those who disregard the commands of Jesus: they aren’t allowed in His presence. According to Rabbi Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, the grandson of the man who brought the Hebrew language back to life when the country was re-established, this verse should translate in this way:
…you working without Torah (Teaching) must continually depart from Me.
These are people who are working without knowledge of what the Bible says. The phrase, “Lord, Lord!” is a cry for help to the Lord whom they trust. This is confirmed in the Old Testament:
Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you will walk in My ways and keep My charge, then also you shall rule My house and have charge of My courts, and I will give you access [to My presence] and places to walk among these who stand here. (Zechariah 3:7 AMPC)
Access is granted through our obedience to God’s ways. We must be willing to continue learning and apply what we learn if we want the privilege of entering into the Courts of Heaven. Until we can enter into the Courts and see and hear what is happening, our Counselor, the Holy Spirit will often guide us to confess and repent, pleading the blood to remove charges in our prayer time.
Abuse of the Gifts
During the spiritual awakening of the 1970s, gifts of the Spirit were greatly abused, which caused the body of Christ to shy away from these manifestations of God’s power facilitated by the Holy Spirit. Stories of “prophets” who would give a prophecy and then demand payment for the words they spoke were commonplace. You should never be asked for payment, before or after receiving prayer, prophecy, or teachings.
Our Lord gave some very specific instructions when He empowered His disciples:
And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of Heaven is at hand! Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely (without pay) you have received, freely (without charge) give. (Matthew 10:7-9 AMPC)
A worker receives payment once the work is complete, not before it is done, and the quality of the work can be seen. When we receive something from God, a message, or spiritual gifts, we should freely give because we received it for free from God. The Lord continued speaking, showing us what He expects us to do when we receive something of spiritual value for free.
And do not take a provision bag or a wallet for a collection bag for your journey, nor two undergarments, nor sandals, nor a staff; for the workman deserves his support (his living, his food). (Matthew 10:10 AMPC)
Stepping out with nothing is a huge step of faith; we have to trust that God will show up and that people will respond to what God is saying. Shoes were used to get to the next place! Imagine if that happened today: someone shows up with nothing, only the clothes on their backs and God’s message. Would believers take them in, and supply for all their needs after receiving a message they knew was from God?
Later in that chapter in the Bible, there was a promise the Lord gave for those who would receive what He sent. It is applied to those who supported and cared for the disciples by providing food and housing:
“Then if indeed that house is deserving, let your peace come upon it [that is, freedom from all the distresses that are experienced as the result of sin]. But if it is not deserving, let your peace return to you.” (Matthew 10:13 AMPC)
At the time this was written, there were rules about being a host. When you took someone as a guest, you provided for all their needs: food, clothes, and any other needs that would arise. This meant that you would be associated with this person and defend against attacks upon them. It was an honor but also a great responsibility.
The supporters of those sent by God would receive “shalom.” This is a Hebrew word meaning wholeness, completeness in every way because they were free from the consequences of sin. Jesus continues talking about what will happen as He sends them out, then adds:
He who receives and welcomes and accepts a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward, and he who receives and welcomes and accepts a righteous man because he is a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever gives to one of these little ones [in rank or influence] even a cup of cold water because he is My disciple, surely I declare to you, he shall not lose his reward. (Matthew 10:41-42 AMPC)
Receiving a prophet means you would provide food and a place to rest as well as honor the person as a “mouthpiece of God.” A righteous man is one who is a mature Christian. A little one is a new, baby Christian. There are separate rewards for supporting each of these. This is God’s way.
Paul speaks to the Galatians and Corinthians about how we should respond when we receive spiritual wisdom from God. They were not Jewish like the disciples, so they needed to be taught this basic principle.
“Let him who receives instruction in the Word [of God] share all good things with his teacher [contributing to his support]. Do not be deceived and deluded and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained, or mocked by mere pretensions or professions.) [He inevitably deludes himself who attempts to delude God.]” (Galatians 6:6-7 AMPC)
If we have sown [the seed of] spiritual good among you, [is it too] much if we reap from your material benefits? (1 Corinthians 9:11 AMPC)
When we receive instruction, we are supposed to give back to acknowledge God. If we don't give back to acknowledge God, then we are sneering at God, treating Him disdainfully. It isn't only about the person bringing it; you are not “spending money,” you are “acknowledging God.” When we receive something of spiritual value that we know is from God, we should give back something of material or monetary value to acknowledge that God. It isn't only about the person bringing it; you are not “spending money,” you are “acknowledging God.” This opens the door so that God can move in greater measure in that area of our lives.
This is a principle of the Kingdom of God that can be seen throughout the Bible. We see this by not taking what Paul said to the Galatians out of context:
“For whatever a man sows, that and that only is what he will reap. For he who sows to his own flesh (lower nature, sensuality) will from the flesh reap decay and ruin and destruction, but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” (Galatians 6:7-8 AMPC)
Put into proper context, this much-quoted verse is referring to giving back to support those who are teaching you God's ways. After Paul told the Gentiles to support those who were teaching them, he gave this Kingdom principle. What you give to, opens a door to that thing in your life.
Do you want more of God in your life?
Do you want to hear more from Him?
Do you want to be used by God?
Then give to where you have received from God, acknowledging Him by sowing seeds in that place. You will reap (receive) wherever you sow (give).
You should only give after receiving something and deciding if it was of spiritual value from God.
If you give before you see there is spiritual value, you are acknowledging the person, not God.
You don't yet know if what they are saying or doing is definable from God and a benefit to you.
If you have received something from God, there is no excuse not to. Jesus saw a widow giving two mites (the smallest coins) because that was all she had. Even though others gave large sums, our Lord said her gift was greater because she gave even out of her lack. It is an honor to receive even the smallest gift when someone has barely enough to feed themselves. If God has blessed you with much, you may have to sow much to equal that small amount.
Our church follows this principle:
classes
tutoring appointments
books
prayer appointments
Everything at this church is freely given. It is up to you to decide if you have received something of spiritual value and then give in return. Let's not forget the other verse that many Christians can quote:
In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths. (Proverbs 3:6 AMPC)
I stand in agreement with this word of God, as you acknowledge Him, may He bring the high places low and make the crooked places straight, and may he firmly direct your path!
Barred from the Courts
Here is what happened in a particular appointment:
The leader had already confessed for the sin of wielding unauthorized authority and even stepped down from being on the board of the church but continued to wield unauthorized authority but he was still under attack. He began fasting, hoping to find out how to remove the attack. A few days into the fast, the Holy Spirit said, “Did I tell you to fast? Go to the Courts.”
Our team received a witness that going to the CoH was necessary. When I entered the Courts through prayer, I heard, “He has been barred from the Courts.”
It seems that a leader can be barred from entering into the presence of God if they have led a rebellion against God and they may need someone to intercede for them. We must be careful, though. Do they really understand where they have gone wrong?
God’s judgments in the CoH are His will in Heaven. The Judge may give Satan or his minions power over a person or a place. A leader can lead others to rebel against just judgments from the Just and Righteous Judge by trying to free a person or remove a principality from an area. This is leading a rebellion against the Kingdom of Heaven. We need to be very careful how we pray for leaders who have rebelled against the Kingdom of Heaven.
Do not be in a hurry in the laying on of hands [giving the sanction of the church too hastily in reinstating expelled offenders or in ordination in questionable cases], nor share or participate in another man’s sins; keep yourself pure. (1 Timothy 5:22 AMPC)
A leader who is under attack must learn where they have opened a door through sin which is allowing the enemy to attack them. Only when they see this sin the way God does, confess, and turn from that sin, will the attack be removed. You do not want to pray for a leader to be restored unless you are sure they understand where they have gone wrong, lest you be found guilty of their sin.
Though we need to be cautious when helping leaders, they will need our help. The Lord told us to talk with leaders and send them directly to the classes they will need to understand where they have gone wrong. Obediently, we updated our website and made an “LTI Chat” appointment available to those who are Leaders, Teachers, or Intercessors and are under attack from the enemy.
Appearing in the CoH is a BIG deal. When going into the Courts with others, we must have a seer with us which will allow us to hear what is being used against us so that we can apply the blood of Jesus and receive freedom from attacks of the enemy. You will need to learn more about operating in the Courts to decide when it is right for you to go before the Judge.
We should never be charged a fee or have a “suggested donation” that we must give in order to be prayed with to enter into the Courts and receive charges. This is charging for what we have been freely given before you see if it has value. If you have paid someone to take you into the Courts, you should confess, repent, and plead the blood over this!
More information about how this can bring an attack into your life is found in the Removing Attacks course!
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