Dear Brethren,

The message this month is based on Scriptures from Revelation 12. You will remember that last month I shared from Rev.12:11 on the nature of the overcoming company. With the help of other writers inspiring me, the Lord has continued to unfold understanding of the overcoming company. I trust this message will push you into the Scriptures and into the Lord to find divine revelation and understanding, enabling you to minister the word.

"Peace to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen." Eph.6:23-24.

Paul Galligan.

THE MAN CHILD COMPANY!

A woman clothed with the sun

Revelation 12 introduces “a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and on her head a garland of twelve stars”v1. Who is the woman? Before we answer this question, let us remind ourselves that Rev.1:1 tells us the Book of Revelation is revealing things “which must shortly take place”, that is, telling us of things yet to come. This woman is described in cosmic proportions: she is “clothed with the sun”. At His transfiguration Jesus’ face “shone like the sun” Matt.17:2. The church is said to be the ‘bride of Christ’; the church is the woman. The woman has taken on the characteristics of the Son of God, the husbandman.

A fiery red dragon

This woman is ready to give birth and at that point “another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns and seven diadems on his heads”v3. There is no doubt as to who is the dragon. The devil is the implacable enemy of the church, always intent on stealing, killing and destroying Jn.10:10.

A child is to be born

“The dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her child as soon as it was born”v4. There is a birthing prophesied and this birthing is referred to many times in the Scripture. Zion is giving birth to her sons! Many Scriptures in the Prophets speak of Zion in labour, travailing to give birth. Isa.66:7-10 is such a passage: “Before she was in labour, she gave birth; before her pain came she delivered a male child. … For as soon as Zion travailed, she gave birth to her children.” Zion prophetically represents the Bride of Christ; she delivers a male child [singular]; she gave birth to children [plural]. We can say from this that the male child represents a corporate entity.

In Romans 8 Paul speaks of “the creation eagerly waiting for the revealing of the sons of God” v19. Then he says “the whole creation groans and labours with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption … The Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” v22,23,26. There is a birthing! It is to bring forth the sons of God! The Spirit is at work in the bride church to bring something to birth: to bring to birth the sons of God for whom all of creation waits.

Rule all nations with a rod of iron

 “She bore a male child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron.” This reference is taken from Ps.2:7-9 where the Son is promised the nations as His inheritance and He “shall break them with a rod of iron; shall dash them to pieces as a potter’s vessel.” Because of this, some have said that the woman is Mary or the woman is the Old Covenant community that brought forth Messiah. However, if the Book of Revelation is concerning things to come then we must look further to understand the church and the bringing forth of a man child company in these last days. The true church is made up of Spirit-born, Spirit-baptised believers who are members of the body 1Cor.12:13

Revelation 2:18-29 is Jesus’ letter to the church at Thyatira. This is the church that is called to overcome Jezebel. This is the only New Testament reference to Jezebel but it is a very important one. Jesus promises that those who overcome Jezebel and “keep My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations – ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; they shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’ – as I also have received from My Father.” It is this promise to the church overcoming the power of Jezebel that gives us understanding of whom the male child can be. The woman in Rev.12 is giving birth to a male child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. The promise to Messiah in Ps.2 is given by Messiah to His church in Rev.2:26-27. The word ‘rule’ in Revelation 2:27, 12:5, 19:15, is the Greek 'poimaino’, meaning ‘to tend as a shepherd’. Christ rules as a shepherd king and His people will rule with Him with a shepherd’s heart but ‘with a rod of iron’. How does a shepherd rule with a rod of iron? The rod is the rod of discipline or instruction and iron is very strong and unbreakable. The rod of iron is the uncompromising word of God! It is every word of Scripture “given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” 2Tim.3:16.

Who or what shall be dashed to pieces? The nations! In what way? The antichrist systems and laws imposed on people that make it illegal for the gospel to be preached; that puts pastors in jail for making converts; that put people to death who convert to Christianity etc. It is these systems of government and law that oppose the LORD and His Christ that will be dashed to pieces Psalm 2:1-12.

Overcoming the power of Jezebel

Some have said that the power of Jezebel is the specific enemy of the ministry of the prophet and the prophetic restoration of recent decades. However in the original context of the Book of Kings, Elijah represents more than the prophetic ministry. In reality Elijah is a type of the King/Priest. In the nation of Israel at that time, Elijah had the ministry of priest in that he was authorised to offer sacrifices but he also had the ministry of king in that the real authority in the nation was with him and king Ahab was subject to the word of the LORD through Elijah. Then in Revelation 2 Jezebel is to be overcome by the church in Thyatira, not overcome by a prophet as such, but overcome by the church. Our experience in the apostolic restoration is that of persistent and continual attacks from the Jezebel spirit. The power of Jezebel is the power of satan trying to stop the church ruling and reigning in the earth.

The overcoming company

“And her child was caught up to God and to His throne”v5. This child is a corporate entity even as the woman giving birth is a corporate entity. The male child [man child] can refer to ‘the sons of God’; it can refer to the apostolic company; it can refer to the company of overcomers. These are all ways of describing or pointing to the remnant church that is being birthed and raised in these last days. Being “caught up to God and to His throne” is not referring to a catching away [rapture] of the church out of the earth realm, but is referring to the nature of the relationship that this elect group [man child] has with God: they are walking with God in a transforming way even as Enoch walked with God, and they are an overcoming body of saints who know the authority of the Lord of lords and the King of kings [His throne], who are preaching and representing His kingdom on the earth. Such a company will rule the nations!

How are we caught up to God and to His throne?

It is by being born from above (Jn.3:3); we must be born of the Spirit to enter the kingdom of God (Jn.3:6). Since the day I was born again I have known that I am a part of the kingdom of God. God is my Father and the Lord Jesus Christ is the King. If there is a kingdom there must be a throne. The nature of the Christian walk is such that we are meant to grow from being babes in Christ to ruling and reigning with Christ in His kingdom. The sons of God company has to come to birth; then there is a time of growth before the sons come to maturity and walk with God in such a way that His kingdom is manifest through them. The Son of God Himself was in His mother’s womb for the normal time; then He had to grow to maturity over 30 years. He then ministered for three and a half years, manifesting the kingdom of God, completing the work the Father had given Him to do. We are being prepared now for a time of awesome manifestation of Christ in us, the result being that all the nations will be disciplined by the word of God and finally Babylon will fall.

War in the heavens

The result of this male child being birthed, who is now walking with God in such an awesome relationship, is that “war broke out in heaven”. Notice that the war in the heavenlies is between “Michael and his angels and the dragon and his angels” v7. The war in the heavenlies is the LORD’s! The church is not called to war in the heavenlies. As a result of the war, the devil “who deceives the whole world, was cast to the earth and his angels were cast out with him” v9. The church is called to overcome in the earth! Our battle is with the accuser of the brethren who has been cast down from heaven. Our victory is on the basis that “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come” v10.

The church is giving birth to sons

Out of the true church made up of born again believers, sons are now being birthed world-wide. The message of sonship was heralded forth in earlier decades by some pioneers but now is the time for the fulfilment of this message There is the bringing forth of the sons of God! These sons are representatively known as the man child, as the overcoming company, a mature body of believers. In the apostolic company it is easy to have this seed of sonship birthed in you. Then there is a time of growth to come to maturity and to learn to walk in maturity. We can be part of this man child!

The church is giving birth to sons. These sons will be a militant, witnessing group of people who will be unstoppable, indestructible; the apostolic company who will rule the nations with a rod of iron.

Paul Galligan, 7^th September, 2006.

 CALENDAR

Friday 22^nd Sept. Pastors & Leaders at SHILOH for a time of refreshing: 9.30-1.30,  including lunch. If you are a pastor or clearly acknowledged as a leader in the ministry or the local church you are welcome. It is essential to book in for this gathering: ph. 46130633

                             Worship Night: 7pm – 9pm at SHILOH. Hear the ‘new song’ of the Lord, be part of corporate worship in the Spirit. All Welcome!

Saturday 23^rd Sept. Training Day at SHILOH, 10.30 – 4pm; morning tea at 10am, lunch provided for gold coin donation. All welcome!

Sunday 24^th Sept. Combined meeting at Meringandan 4pm – a special time of celebration and declaration of the word.

Sunday 24^th September - Annual General Meeting of Revival Ministries Aust. 1.15pm at SHILOH

Saturday 30^th Sept.-2^nd Oct. – Visit to Lower Hunter, Kurri Kurri, for public seminar and house meetings. Contact Ps. Daniel Appleby: ph. 0411400552

Future training days:

Oct. 28^th; Nov. 25^th : there will be pastors gatherings on the Friday before each of these Saturdays.

OVERSEAS TRIPS:

East & Central Africa for month of November – Ps Peter De Bressac will be teaching and sharing in various seminars and gatherings in Nairobi, West Kenya and in Bujumbura Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda

Myanmar, in November 10^th-29^th: Ps Jean Manning, Margaret Hooper & Pastors Ros and Roger Fraser [Killarney] will be teaching and sharing in Myanmar with pastors and in Bible Colleges.

We will be sending money for orphanages in both Kenya