A HIGHER LEVEL OF ACCOUNTABILITY

IN DIRE STRAIGHTS: GROWING INTO A HIGHER LEVEL OF ACCOUNTABILITY 5/01/11

EXPERIENCE: Last month, the Lord told me He was moving us all up a notch and that we were to count the cost of such a move. Ever since then, I have been pondering and "seeing" things that I had not considered before in regards to counting the cost. Some of these things have been very sobering and I see even more, that without His grace I simply cant move up to the next level of authority and power without also being accountable for such. Here we have been crying out to be closer to Him, for the manifestation of His power and scriptures, and yet we have been like children not understanding the ramifications of such.

One only has to look at Lakeland revival to see what a huge splat that made on the world, based on immature levels of accountability to men and God. It was a lesson in history where each of us changed and rearranged, bringing us into greater levels of accountability in what we believe and why. We want the power but are we ready for the days of Ananias and Sapphira?

THEIR BLOOD UPON YOUR HEAD

Due to these ponderings, today I was amazed to see a mindset I had that needed changing. I have always thought that judgment prophets were a tad quirky when it came to quoting the OT about the blood of others being upon their own heads, if they did not warn God's people of what they saw and heard. These scriptures are standard for the OT. I just disregarded them due to stumbling over the fruit of the messengers.

I had a preconceived mindset against judgment prophets, because God called me to be an intercessor, and He earnestly searches for those who will stand in the gap, and His Word promises that mercy triumphs over judgment and that He came to save the world and doesn't want to condemn it. So I wasn't exactly thrilled with any word that contained judgment. The problem is that sometimes we stumble over the messenger associated with the message. In most of these cases in the past, the messengers who carried judgment prophesies had a bitter spirit, pointed fingers, accused, divided the sheep, were angry and had all the qualities of wolf teeth... sharp and without love. Sharp teeth rip and devour. The Lord told me decades ago to not listen to them, because their bitter spirits were poison and would contaminate my perceptions of Who He was. And so I obeyed.

Matt 7:15-16

inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits...

Today I am seeing more nurturing fathers step into a watchman's position who carry a true Word of the Lord in regards to warnings of judgments. Usually their messages are accompanied with exhortations for prayer and repentance, longings and pleading when giving admonitions and warnings. Yes, in the fear of God I do know He can be very stern when disciplining us and become angry. I have known these things! But His first priority is always LOVE, because that is Who He is.

Gal 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

1 Cor 13:4-7

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

OT SCRIPTURES IN BEING ACCOUNTABLE TO TELL THE BURDEN OF THE LORD

In the OT, the prophets were accountable to tell the Word of the Lord. God has made a significant investment to raise them up with a voice, and they were His spokesmen. It was a pretty heavy accountability and something I did not understand or give much attention to.

Ezek 3:16-21

Now it came to pass at the end of seven days that the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 17 "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me: 18 When I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.

20 "Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. 21 Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; also you will have delivered your soul."

Ezek 33:1-9

Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 "Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and say to them: 'When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their watchman, 3 when he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people, 4 then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be on his own head. 5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But he who takes warning will save his life. 6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman's hand.'

7 "So you, son of man: I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me. 8 When I say to the wicked, 'O wicked man, you shall surely die!' and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. 9 Nevertheless if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.

NKJV

2 Sam 1:16

So David said to him, "Your blood is on your own head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, 'I have killed the Lord's anointed.'"

Lev 20:9

'For everyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death. He has cursed his father or his mother. His blood shall be upon him.

Lev 20:11-16

The man who lies with his father's wife has uncovered his father's nakedness; both of them shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them. 12 If a man lies with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall surely be put to death. They have committed perversion. Their blood shall be upon them. 13 If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them. 14 If a man marries a woman and her mother, it is wickedness. They shall be burned with fire, both he and they, that there may be no wickedness among you. 15 If a man mates with an animal, he shall surely be put to death, and you shall kill the animal. 16 If a woman approaches any animal and mates with it, you shall kill the woman and the animal. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood is upon them.

Josh 2:17-21

So the men said to her: "We will be blameless of this oath of yours which you have made us swear, 18 unless, when we come into the land, you bind this line of scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you bring your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father's household to your own home. 19 So it shall be that whoever goes outside the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we will be guiltless. And whoever is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him. 20 And if you tell this business of ours, then we will be free from your oath which you made us swear."

Then she said, "According to your words, so be it." And she sent them away, and they departed. And she bound the scarlet cord in the window.

2 Sam 1:14-16

So David said to him, "How was it you were not afraid to put forth your hand to destroy the Lord's anointed?" 15 Then David called one of the young men and said, "Go near, and execute him!" And he struck him so that he died. 16 So David said to him, "Your blood is on your own head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, 'I have killed the Lord's anointed.'"

THE NEW TESTAMENT REINFORCES THE SAME ACCOUNTABILITY

WOW. Then I suddenly "saw" that Paul honored and lived accountable to the same OT scriptures! Paul became a face to face Christian after Jesus died. His revelations were many and it was from those revelations that he wrote much of our NT.

Acts 20:25-28

"And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more. 26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.

Acts 18:5-7

When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. 6 But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook his garments and said to them, "Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles."

Acts 20:31

Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.

1 Cor 9:16-17 AMP

For if I [merely] preach the Gospel, that gives me no reason to boast, for I feel compelled of necessity to do it. Woe is me if I do not preach the glad tidings (the Gospel)! 17 For if I do this work of my own free will, then I have my pay (my reward); but if it is not of my own will, but is done reluctantly and under compulsion, I am [still] entrusted with a [sacred] trusteeship and commission.

from The Bible Exposition Commentary

Acts 20:22-27

The final picture, and perhaps the most dramatic, is that of the watchman (Acts 20:26). As in Acts 18:6, this is a reference to the "watchman on the walls" in Ezek 3:17-21; 33:1-9. What a serious calling it was to be a watchman! He had to stay awake and alert, ready to sound the alarm if he saw danger approaching. He had to be faithful, not fearful, because the safety of many people rested with him. Paul had been a faithful watchman (Acts 20:31), for he had declared to sinners and saints all the counsel of God. Unfortunately, we have today many unfaithful watchmen who think only of themselves (Isa 56:10-13).

A HIGHER LEVEL OF ACCOUNTABILITY WHEN WE HEAR AND SEE ON HIGHER LEVELS

We all prophesy in part and according to the measure of faith we have been given to prophesy. The only way to build faith is to hear the Word of the Lord:

1 Cor 13:9-12

For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

Rom 12:6
Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith;

Rom 10:17

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

The Lord has been holding back our level of hearing and seeing clearly because if we heard without veils, and very clearly, we would be held accountable for what we hear and see. This is clear in scripture.

Luke 12:48 NLT

But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.

John 15:22 NKJV

If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.

Luke 12:48 AMP

But he who did not know and did things worthy of a beating shall be beaten with few [lashes]. For everyone to whom much is given, of him shall much be required; and of him to whom men entrust much, they will require and demand all the more. [Num 15:29,30; Deut 25:2,3.]

Num 15:29-30 AMP

You shall have one law for him who sins unknowingly or unintentionally, whether he is native born among the Israelites or a stranger who is sojourning among them. 30 But the person who does anything [wrong] willfully and openly, whether he is native-born or a stranger, that one reproaches, reviles, and blasphemes the Lord, and that person shall be cut off from among his people [that the atonement made for them may not include him].

James 3:1 AMP

NOT MANY [of you] should become teachers (self-constituted censors and reprovers of others), my brethren, for you know that we [teachers] will be judged by a higher standard and with greater severity [than other people; thus we assume the greater accountability and the more condemnation].

CONCLUSION: If we want to walk in more power and authority, we must become accountable to obey scripture in our motives and deeds.

PRAYER: HELP LORD! We are in great straights! For decades we have been praying for greater gifts, greater manifestation of authority and power! In the days of Ananias, with Sapphira, they died in their sin and the fear of God came upon all who heard. We are not yet living in the Fear of the Lord! Help!

Lord we want the great signs and wonders, please finish that which You have begun in preparing us to live worthy of such and become accountable for such. Help us Lord to not take Your amazing love and grace for granted, soiling it with ungodly choices, and gambling with consequences. Ananias and Sapphira rolled the dice and they lost in the same breath. In Jesus Name, Help Lord.

Acts 5:9-14 NKJV

Then Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out." 10 Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband. 11 So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things. 12 And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon's Porch. 13 Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly.