Eight Functions of the Forerunner Ministry I. THE SPIRIT OF ELIJAH A. John the Baptist came in the power and the spirit of Elijah – Luke 1:17. The spirit of Elijah speaks of the purpose of Elijah. He confronted the religious system of his day with courage. Especially he confronted the spirit of Jezebel.
turn the heart of people back to God from dead religion through a supernatural unction of the Holy Spirit on his preaching that was confirmed by demonstration of power. 2. Isaiah 6 and Isaiah 40 connected B. Isaiah gives eight functions of the forerunner ministry that fulfill the spirit of Elijah. He gives four functions in Isaiah 40:3-5 and then another four functions in Isaiah 62:10-12. II. THE FOUR FUNCTIONS OF THE FORERUNNER MINISTRY AS SEEN IN ISAIAH 40:1-5
Isaiah 40:1-5 2. Isaiah 40:6-26 is the forerunner message. It speaks of the spiritual diet that the forerunner lives on. 3. Isaiah 40:6-26 is a development of the theme of Isaiah 6:3 “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord”. 4. Isaiah 40:27-31 is the life preparation that is necessary for the forerunner. This passage highlights the priority of waiting upon the Lord. A. The first mention of the forerunner ministry in the bible is Isaiah 40:1 “Comfort, yes, comfort My people!” says your God. (Isaiah 40:1)
Baptist as a comfort ministry but he was first sent as a ministry of comfort. He was a happy man in love; he heard the voice of the bridegroom and was filled with joy. B. Examples of John’s comfort and joy: Luke 1:14, 44, 78; John 5:35; Matthew 11:17 C. Prepare the way of the Lord:
desert a highway for our God”. Isaiah 40:3
57:14; 62:10 2. Forerunners prepare the way of the Lord, that is their primary function. The eight more specific descriptions of function are like sub-thoughts under the subject of preparing the way of the Lord. D. The four descriptions focus on the emotional restoration of individuals where as in Isaiah 62, Isaiah focuses on the restoration of the corporate church community.
made straight and the rough places smooth” Isaiah 40:4
emotional brokenness such as fear, intimidation, inferiority and low self-esteem etc. It is common for these areas of our lives to be lower than they should be. God will lift these valleys up. 2. Every mountain and hill shall be brought low – the exaggerated areas are humbled. The mountain areas of pride have to be brought low. 3. The crooked places must be made straight – the areas of perversion. 4. The rough places are made smooth – religious harshness. The Pharisees were a picture of religious harshness. Jesus wants tenderness in the heart to replace roughness. E. The global context of Isaiah 40:1-5
has spoken” (Isaiah 40:5) III. WHAT IS THE FORERUNNER’S MESSAGE? ISAIAH 40:6-26
like the flower of the filed.” (Isaiah 40:6) A. A voice from the throne of God asks a vital question, “What shall I cry?” In other words, “What is the message that I am to cry out?” Then the Lord answers it very clearly from verses 6-26. B. First, in Isaiah 40:6-8, he speaks of the weakness and the futility of man’s beauty and glory. C. Then Isaiah unfolds the theme of the majesty of God in one of the most superb chapters in the whole word of God 40:9-26. When Job was struggling, God revealed His majesty to Job. The beauty of the Lord is the great answer in the time of the global shaking. IV. PREPARING THE HEART OF THE FORERUNNERS – WAITING ON GOD A. The primary issue of preparing the forerunners – Isaiah 40:27-31 B. First, in verses 27-28, fear is addressed. This fear being voiced by the people was created by international crisis. They were saying, “God you seem to have forgotten us … there are so many calamities and difficulties”.
passed over by my God”? Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength.” (Isaiah 40:27-28) C. Then in verses 29-30, Isaiah speaks of the issue of disqualification in our lives. These forerunners who those who stumbled and fell in their sinful humanity. D. Then in verse 31, Isaiah exhorts the weak forerunners to “wait on the Lord”. E. Verse 18-21 talks about how they accuse the Lord. Their hearts are offended at God is what is going on here and the Lord is bringing them to peace instead of offended at God, and He is settling their Spirit as to who He is. V. THE FOUR FUNCTIONS OF THE FORERUNNER MINISTRY AS SEEN IN ISAIAH 62:10-12
Take out the stones, lift up a banner for the peoples! Indeed the Lord has proclaimed to the end of the world: “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Surely our salvation is coming; behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him. And they shall call them The Holy People, the Redeemed of the Lord; and you shall be called Sought Out, a City Not Forsaken”. (Isaiah 62:10-12) A. He contextualizes the forerunner ministry as at the end of the age revival.
salvation is coming’ behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him’” (Isaiah 62:11) For as the earth brings forth its bud, as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before ALL THE NATIONS. (Isaiah 61:11) The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and ALL FLESH SHALL SEE IT TOGETHER; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken” (Isaiah 40:5) B. The four functions of the forerunner ministry – corporate dimensions in the local church.
through the gates of the city of God. The gates speak of the authority structures. The forerunner’s first mandate is to prepare church for the ways of the Lord. Yes, forerunners are deeply committed to evangelism but their first mandate is to prepare the church for unprecedented activity from the Lord and for new standards of righteousness from the Lord. Why? Because when the Lord begins to release new activity in the church then the harvest comes in much more effectively. 2. Build up a highway – they build up the highway by preparing the people conceptually and spiritually to come into agreement with God. The highway in the ancient world was built so that a king could visit. It was great work to build the road because one had to work through all the valleys, mountains, crooked and rough places of Isaiah 40:3. The highway of God is more fully developed in Isaiah 35. it is called the highway of holiness. It is a road that allows the King’s cargo to be carried. In other words, signs and wonders flow when the highway of holiness is developed.
They are like stones that accuse and pronounce judgment. The accusing stones must be thrown to the ground. 4. Lift up a banner – God’s message to all nations. It is a banner of hope. The forerunners speak with clarity under the anointing. They speak of things yet to come. It is a banner of hope and confidence in order to create understanding. They cry out, “The breakthrough is coming, the breakthrough is coming!” We unashamedly, without the politically motivated fear of man, lift a banner up. In other words, we take a stand about prophetic truths that others mock. C. Who is God commissioning? Indeed the Lord has proclaimed to the end of the world: “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Surely your salvation is coming; behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him’ (Isaiah 62:11) particular message to give to the daughters of Zion. 2. The Lord is not speaking to the daughters of Zion but to the proclaimers who will speak to the daughters of Zion. This group who are being commissioned by the Lord will speak to the daughters of Zion. However, note the context, they speak to the ends of the earth. VI. THE MESSAGE OF THE FORERUNNER MINISTRY – ISAIAH 61-63 A. Jesus began His Messianic ministry with Isaiah 61:1
The beauty that He possesses is the beauty He also imparts. 2. Forerunner ministry – a joyful ministry – Isaiah 61:3, 10 B. There are seven places in Isaiah 61-63 that are directly fulfilled by the life of John the Baptist. |