The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most important event in Christianity. Jesus’ resurrection is the cornerstone of our faith. It’s what sets us apart from all other religions and religion dogmas in the world. All other religions deal with doctrine and principles with there being no guarantee of an afterlife. All other founders are still in the grave. Christianity is based on a literal relationship with its founder. We celebrate an empty tomb and indwelling Holy Spirit. Satan has done his best to reduce Christianity to a list of doctrines and decrees to make us the same as every other religion in the earth. He has done this mainly through an institutional church and using fear as its base for obedience.
It's no different than what he tried to do through the pharisees and seduces during the time of Christ. They added 1500 “fence” laws to the torah and the Levitical requirements. Instead of the old covenant revealing Christ, as it was intended to do, it covered the revelation of Christ with laws and traditions so that when He came the first time, they missed His appearing completely. This religiousness became the “smoking gun” as it were to nail Him to the cross.
I believe that this same principle has happened in every movement of the Spirit in our history. He reveals, then men cover it over with their instituted requirements and rules. We shift continually from eating from the “Tree of Life” to the eating of the “Tree of knowledge of both Good and Evil” using the flesh to become “like” God.
This is the main principle behind the “Nicolaitan” spirit that God says that He hates according to the Apostle John. in Revelation 2:6 and 2:15.
One of the commendations that Jesus had for the church of Ephesus is that they hated the “Nicolaitan” spirit.
“Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.”
“The name “Nicolaitans” is derived from the Greek word nikolaos, a compound of the words nikos and laos. The word nikos is the Greek word that means to conquer or to subdue. The word laos is the Greek word for the people. It is also where we get the word laity. When these two words are compounded into one, they form the name Nicolas, which literally means one who conquers and subdues the people. It seems to suggest that the Nicolaitans were somehow conquering and subduing the people”1.
Jesus has said that He “hate” this group and their “deeds”. The word “hate” is a strong word, so let’s see exactly what it means. It comes from the Greek word miseo, which means to hate, to abhor, or to find utterly repulsive. It describes a person who has a deep-seated animosity, who is antagonistic to something he finds to be completely objectionable. He not only loathes that object, but rejects it entirely. This is not just a case of dislike; it is a case of actual hatred”2
“The thing Jesus hated about them was their “deeds.” The word “deeds” is the Greek word erga, which means works. However, this word is so all-encompassing that it pictures all the deeds and behavior of the Nicolaitans — including their actions, beliefs, conduct, and everything else connected to them”3.
In our study of the Church of Ephesus, we discovered that the two things that characterized their society was “paganism” and the “occult”. There was an enormous temple to “Diana” which was one of the seven ancient wonders of the world. Because of that, sexual immorality and paganism was rampant when the Church of Ephesus began. (You can read Acts 18-20 as its background). The “Nicolaitans” taught that you could be a follower of Jesus yet have your foot in the world too They separated the people from God to follow their own perversion. Believe in Jesus but live in the world too. It was ok to live with mixture.
Since spirits and demons have no “shelf-life”, The deities remain largely the same from one generation to the next. The names might change but the practices are the same. One example of a modern day “Nicolaitan” spirit might be seen in the beginning of the “Kansas City Prophets” and eventual beginning of IHOPKC”. What is now being revealed is the decades of hidden immorality that has been a part of this movement. All the “Jane Does” are now coming forth and describing how much of their lives have been destroyed by these Narcissistic leaders who used all these young girls for their own desires. In the case of Paul Cain, it was young men. Mr Cain as one of the most gifted prophets that walked in the modern era but struggled secretly with homosexuality most of his adult life. Yet ministries used him for his anointing. The lie behind this belief is that anointing triumphs over character. An individual can live in so-called intimacy with God but engage in immorality. As we’re discovering, this has been rampant in the last several decades of the church. In fact, 68% of pastors engage regularly in the viewing of porn. Many leaders of mega churches have been involved heavily in the “sex-trafficking” industry according to testimonials though social media.
Generically, the whole “cheap” grace movement would be an example of this spirit. There are reports that there are ministries that use occultic practices in their activation of the prophetic and other gifts. They run after “greater miracles” instead of running after Jesus. The teachers of this movement have become great orators in the pulpit to seduce followers. Jesus warned us of these days in Matthew 24:4-5
“And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ (the anointed one),’ and they will lead many astray.”
It's interesting that the Apostle Paul addresses the “five-fold” ministry in his letter to the very church of Ephesus. Their two objectives; heal and equip the body and connect them to Jesus to become a living expression of the His image to the world. Thus, connecting the church to its head, Jesus.
This is why the resurrection is so vital. Without the submission to the power and authority of Holy Spirit and living with the fear of the Lord, the power of the Nicolaitan spirit is just too seducing to not fall into the being worshipped mode. The Apostle Paul gives an excellent dissertation concerning the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15:3-9 (ESV)
“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.”
He goes on to write in verses 12-22
“Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope[b] in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.”
If Jesus has not been raised, we’re all wasting our time. Religion is a waste of time. Relationship with Jesus is not.
It’s the resurrection that guarantees the fact that God has not abandoned us to wallow in despair but is indeed bringing about His purposes on the earth. Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world. Just when you think all is lost, we discover that God has a plan. No one, even Satan cannot stop what’s coming.
There is precedent to all this in the Old Testament. In the days of Eli the priest. He ministered at Shiloh and his sons ministered with him. Eli’s sons took advantage of and practiced sexual immorality with the women of Israel. God called it an abomination and a disgrace to His house. They were later killed in battle and Israel lost the ARK of the Lord to the Philistines. You can read about his life in first and second Samuel. It was in the presence of all this abomination that God was raising up a Samuel who would transition Israel from years of captivity and religious and moral oppression into 120 years of the greatest days of Israel.
Let me bring application in closing. The church has failed to be a representation of Jesus. We’ve been seduced by and following the Nicolaitan spirit for centuries through leaders with great charisma. As much of the failures of church leadership is being exposed across the globe, know that there are “Samuels” who God has been preparing for this next era of the “kingdom”. In this place of religious abomination, God has been raising up men and women who want nothing more than to please Jesus who will gladly prepare the bride for their bridegroom, Jesus.
THE RESURRECTION GUARANTEES IT! The best is indeed yet to come. Don’t be discouraged but look to Jesus, the author and finisher of faith.
The Spirit and the Bride say “Come, Lord Jesus”!!!
1,2,3…Rick Renners Online Newslette