Ben Peters: "The Restoration of the Apostle and the Transfer of Wealth and Ownership"

From the desk of Steve Shultz:

We are living in a day of a great transfer of wealth coming to the Church and to God's trusted stewards. We are going to start seeing this unravel in record number...right before our very eyes!

Ben Peters writes an excellent word about this and much more as he shares:

Just like in the early Church, when a great amount of wealth was transferred by enthusiastic property owners to the Church and laid at the apostles' feet, God is about to choose a number of true apostles that He can totally trust and give them the huge responsibility of administrating incredible resources, according to the perfect will of God and the leading of His Holy Spirit.

These men will not claim ownership of what God puts in their hands nor will they consume it on their own self-centered and fleshly desires. Yes, they will be well taken care of, but they will also be on the front lines, dealing with very strong forces of evil, who are not happy with their loss of power and authority.

Wow...wow and wow!!! He is giving us new power and authority to take back what is rightfully His! Please forward this on to others as well, and make sure to read our other published word today, "I Heard the Words: "LAND ACQUISITION" – God is Giving Lands!" from our own Editor, Julie Smith. They really go hand in hand in what the Lord is going to do in this new season! (To Subscribe to the Elijah List go here.)

God's hand is powerfully touching His chosen apostles in this incredibly strategic time in the history of the Church. Their ministry anointing has gone to a new level and very significant revelation is being released to teach and empower every Believer to fulfill their God-ordained role in the expansion of His glorious Kingdom on this planet. As I read the Scripture, I am seeing and discerning truth that has been previously hidden from my eyes. I want to ask the simple question: Why is God revealing and empowering His apostles so powerfully now?

Why Now?

As many readers are aware, apostles, who have always been around, began to be recognized or acknowledged and empowered in a new way in the 1990's. It's been now about 25 years since that new level of recognition, acknowledgment and empowerment began. That has given the position and function of the apostolic ministry a little time to mature and develop. I believe God's timing is impeccable and we are now about to see the apostles take their rightful place and lead the Church into some amazing times of unimaginable exploits in building the Kingdom of Heaven here on the earth.

The convergence of so many events on the earth and particularly in the USA, confirms to my mind and heart that God is up to something amazing and huge. The unity among so many anointed prophets in predicting the most illogical happenings is one of those converging events. I, like many, stand in awe of what is going on in the political and spiritual realms.

Restoration of our national cultural norms is coming from a most unexpected source. Prophets are getting much greater clarity and accuracy in all types of prophetic proclamations. Intercessors are getting more prayers answered in less time. It's like a roller coaster ride where we've been slowly climbing to the top of the hill and have crested to the place where acceleration has just begun.

If we've ever needed the office and function of the apostle it's now, because what God is about to accomplish is going to require the apostolic gift of wisdom to administrate it without quenching it or letting it stray away from its God-ordained pathway.

A Powerful Prophetic Picture in Ezra

I've gotten wonderful revelations from the book of Ezra in the past, but I am so pumped about this one that it's hard to contain it. There are too many prophetic details in this book to deal with them all, but here are some of the most important things to me related to our present day. (Photo via Wikimedia Commons)

A. Condition of Need

1. Israel had lost its God-given possessions through backsliding and sin. They had suffered in bondage for 70 years.

2. Likewise, the Church after Pentecost had lost its original possessions of spiritual power and authority that came out of humility and intimacy with God. They went through 1000 years of Dark Ages.

3. The USA and other western nations have strayed far away from their spiritual and moral foundations. Atheists and anti-Christian forces have persecuted and oppressed the true Church and societal problems have increased.

B. Restoration Has Begun

1. Cyrus decreed that Israel could return to their former possessions.

2. God birthed the Reformation, which was the beginning of the Restoration.

3. God gave America a reformer who wants to make America great again and restore the rights of Christians.

C. Apostles Were Raised up to Administrate the Restoration

1. Ezra chose 12 Levites to administrate the wealth given by the King.

2. Reformers like Luther, Calvin, Knox, Wesley, Wycliffe and others were used to restore what the church had lost in the dark ages.

3. God is raising up true apostles in the USA and other nations to administrate the restoration of our foundational values and to administrate the coming great transfer of wealth, which will fund the resulting harvest.

The Role of Emperors in the Restoration

Both Cyrus and Artaxerxes, who empowered the restoration of Israel to their land, their temple and the city of Jerusalem with its protective walls, were emperors, or Kings of Kings, as they were referred to in the Old Testament Scripture (Ezra 7:12). Cyrus wrote the original decree allowing Israel to return to their land.

Soon sinister opposition took place and Israel's enemies were able to thwart their restoration attempts for some time. Finally, Artaxerxes – three emperors later – read up on Cyrus's decree and issued a decree of his own. Not only that, but he and his seven counselors donated a huge amount of gold and silver, etc., that constituted a great transfer of wealth.

This was an offering from the wealthiest man in the world and the seven people closest to him as well as other wealthy leaders. It was not just pocket change. A man of his stature, whose heart was with Israel, would not be satisfied to give a peasant offering. He would give an offering that was symbolic of his wealth and position.

Ezra-The Skilled Scribe of the Law of Moses

While emperors were called kings of kings three times in the Old Testament, Jesus was called King of kings three times in the New Testament. Thus, in some ways, these Old Testament emperors were a type of Christ, who made the decree that God's people should have their possessions restored.

However, when it comes to Ezra, himself, in this story, I see him as a type of the Holy Spirit. He was called a "Skilled Scribe of the Law of Moses." (Ezra 7:6) He taught the people the Word of God. Jesus said the Holy Spirit would be our teacher. Ezra was also used to raise up apostolic leadership to facilitate the transfer of wealth, the distribution of material gifts. The Holy Spirit is also the one who distributes spiritual gifts among God's people. The Holy Spirit receives from Jesus and the Father and administrates the gifts to the Church. (1 Corinthians 12:4-11, John 16:13)

Choosing Apostolic Leaders for the Transfer of Wealth

In Ezra 8:15-17, we read that when Ezra gathered his leaders together there was an absence of Levites in the midst, those who had the responsibility of administrating the care of the temple and the people who came to offer sacrifices. He therefore instructed some of his leaders to bring to him "servants for the house of our God."

Verse 18 mentions that God sent to them a "man of understanding of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi. His name was Sherebiah," which means "Jah (God) has brought heat." It's an unusual name, but I believe it represents the fire of God's presence when He comes in His glory.

We know that our God is a consuming fire and thus His presence must bring heat. The other man mentioned in verse 19 is Hashabiah, which means "Jah has regarded." It says to me that God has heard our cry and regarded the suffering of His people. Mary, while carrying Jesus in her womb, in her praise offering to God, when she was visiting her pregnant cousin, Elizabeth, said, "For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant" (see Luke 1:48)

Now quickly to Ezra 8:24-25:

"And I separated twelve of the leaders of the priests – Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them – and weighed out to them the silver, the gold, and the articles of the offering for the house of our God, which the king and his counselors and his princes, and all Israel who were present, had offered." (Photo via Wikimedia Commons)

The number twelve speaks of apostolic authority and government. These were Levite priests, who were given huge responsibilities. They had to be very trustworthy men. Each of them carried a great amount of wealth to steward for the sake of the house of God. This included currency and articles and vessels used in the temple of God. Not only gold and silver, but polished bronze, which was valued as greatly as gold.

Just like in the early Church, when a great amount of wealth was transferred by enthusiastic property owners to the Church and laid at the apostles' feet, God is about to choose a number of true apostles that He can totally trust and give them the huge responsibility of administrating incredible resources, according to the perfect will of God and the leading of His Holy Spirit.

These men will not claim ownership of what God puts in their hands nor will they consume it on their own self-centered and fleshly desires. Yes, they will be well taken care of, but they will also be on the front lines, dealing with very strong forces of evil, who are not happy with their loss of power and authority.

For the transfer of wealth is not just a transfer of money. It will be a transfer of authority and power in the spiritual and natural realms. The result will be a fiery backlash and various kinds of warfare that these apostles will necessarily face. They will be true apostles, totally sold out and willing to lay down their lives for the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

A Prophetic Cry and Vision

About the same time this Ezra revelation was given to me, I heard the phrase, A CALL TO ARMS. I could see a scene from the American Revolution, where farmers and butchers, tailors and blacksmiths, pastors and deacons heard the bugles blasting out the battle cry—A CALL TO ARMS. I saw them coming out of their homes, their shops and their churches. They gathered in the village plaza, bringing their weapons and receiving whatever supplies were available.

So what does this have to do with the raising up of apostles to administrate the great Restoration of all things (Acts 3:21)? Simply this: Many are excited about the political mega shift taking place in the USA. But nothing was achieved thus far without the prophetic intercessors passionately praying, declaring and decreeing victory over anti-Christian forces at work in the land. But I humbly proclaim that the greatest battles and the greatest victories still lie ahead. We need to use every spiritual weapon available to us to bring about a complete restoration of what has been lost. Thus, I believe I can hear Heavens shofars trumpeting out to every able-bodied soldier of the cross, "A CALL TO ARMS."

We have never been here before. We need to be guided by God's Holy Spirit every single step on this incredibly great adventure. We will recognize those He has called to lead this Restoration. They will not necessarily be those who are the most recognized in Christendom today. But they will be among the most humble and sacrificial servants on the earth, who also have the ability to hear God's voice and obey it, even if it means their physical death. Any volunteers? (To Subscribe to the Elijah List go here.)

Ben R. Peters
Kingdom Sending Center
Email: ohmint@gmail.com
Website: www.kingdomsendingcenter.org

Ben and Brenda Peters have said "YES" to the call of God to challenge, equip, and send dedicated lovers of Jesus into the harvest fields of the earth, including the seven mountains of society. Together they have ministered to tens of thousands of individuals in several countries of the world. After establishing and serving churches and Christian schools for almost thirty years, they began a traveling ministry in September 1999 under the name Open Heart Ministries. This ministry consisted mainly of speaking, teaching, preaching, and prophesying in conferences, camps, retreats, churches, ministry schools, and homes.

More recently, they also founded an Illinois-based ministry called Kingdom Sending Center after hearing a clear word from God during a Heidi Baker meeting in Chicago. Ben began writing revelatory books in 2000, and has published 23 of them since then. His newest book is THE KINGDOM BUILDING CHURCH – Experiencing the Explosive Potential of the Church in Kingdom Building Mode. Ben and Brenda now live near Sacramento, California, close to most of their five children and twelve grandchildren.

To receive more words like this in YOUR inbox, subscribe FREE to the Elijah List at this link http://elijahlist.com/subscribe.

NEW! America Return to God by Alveda King Book $15.99 $9.99

NEW! What Is God Saying for 2017? by Dr. Alveda King, Dutch Sheets, Jane Hamon, Chuck Pierce and Steve Shultz (Note: This item will not ship until around February 3, 2017) $49.00 $59.00 $36.00