Commission and Permission

The late Derek Prince once said that the witness of a Christian is to reveal the spiritual unseen world. 

To be a witness means to attest, give testimony, to a fact in reality that is not readily seen or known. 

When Moses came down the mountain after receiving the Ten Commandments, his face shown -- he was beaming! And why was he shining? He had just experienced the Heavenly realm and he was about to give a witness in the earthly realm of the heavenly pattern,

But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious…For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory…. 2 Cor 3:7-18

On the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus, ministered to by both Moses (law) and Elijah (prophets), as He became transfigured before them and His disciples. Transfigured means to cross over to another figure or form. As Jesus was experiencing the shining Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus was giving us a witness of the authority He was about to give us to administrate here on earth.

His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light... Mat 17:1-3

When Stephen was witnessing to Jews that Jesus was the Messiah, his face shined like that of an angel,

And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people…And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke…And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel. Acts 6:8-15

When Jesus introduced Himself to Paul, then called Saul, it was a shining light from Heaven that knocked Saul off his high horse, 

As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Acts 9:3,4

Jesus commissions us as born-again believers to be His witnesses in the ministry of righteousness -- His Word, the Word, re-internalized on clean conscious hearts with the power to act through His abiding Holy Spirit – shining righteousness for amazing and extraordinary works! 

Furthermore, The Lord gives us full permission to be bold in righteousness – bold as roaring lions!

The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion. Prov 28:1

The term dead works or works of the law refers to a humanistic attempt to get atonement – it is as its name infers, DEAD! However, there is a works-phobia in the anemic Western church that when one begins to teach on the works of righteousness, ignorant souls ruffle their feathers and respond with, “We are not saved by works!" Absolutely true, we are not saved by works of the Law, but we are saved for works of righteousness! For clarity sake, we are called to good works! 

Be assured, Beloved, we as believers are and will be motivated by the Holy Spirit to do good works EVERYWHERE! In fact, we are born again to do the works ordained before the foundations of the earth!

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of (dead) works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus UNTO good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Eph 2:8-10

You are the light of the world… Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven. Matt 5:14-16

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.

This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men. Titus 3:8

It doesn’t matter how much we know, own or do – there is nothing in this earthly realm that could reduce or increase the value, power and authority that has been given us in our born-again experience by the SUPREMACY OF THE BLOOD OF JESUS -- nada, nishto, nothing! 

The manifestation that we are living in and from His Righteousness is that we shine as lights – hearts beaming – giving a clear and powerful witness of Him in this darkened earthly realm.