A Warning to Church Leaders

Leaders of the Church

Stars are lofty and heavenly. They represent something from the heavenly realm. These angels are the men who are the leaders of these churches. It is clear they are not literal angels because in each of the messages to the seven churches, many of which are rebukes, Jesus says, "To the angel of the church of... " The word angel here means messenger, and speaks of God's appointed fivefold ministers.

There is a very important truth we all must embrace if we are going to fully mature into our God-given destinies. Jesus, and not man, anoints and appoints His leaders within His church, and He calls them His angels. In the Book of Revelation, Jesus states that they have a special calling and access to minister to Him on His behalf of His people.

Jesus says these leader are His, and He has them in His right hand. The right had always speaks of God's strength, salvation, and deliverance. He will use these leaders to exercise His strength, salvation, deliverance, and victory in the earth.

What God is Saying to the Leaders

This image of the stars in Jesus' hand also sends a fearful warning to those who are leaders that they are His representatives and will be held to a much higher standard: To the leaders Jesus says:

• They are My flock not yours. "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood" (Acts 20:28).
• You must live holy and above reproach. "It is an abomination for kings to commit wickedness, for a throne is established by righteousness" (Prov. 16:12).
• Your teaching and example must lead people in the ways of righteousness. "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea" (Matt. 18:6).
• You will be held to a much higher standard. "Not many [of you] should become teachers [serving in an official teaching capacity], my brothers and sisters, for you know that we [who are teachers] will be judged by a higher standard [because we have assumed greater accountabiltiy and more condemnation if we teach incorrectly] (Jas. 3:1, AMPC).
• You must cause the people to revere and honor Jesus by how you minister to and for Him. "'By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; And before all the people.
• Glorify Jesus in all that you do. "I must be glorified" (Lev. 10:3). Teach the people that Jesus must be treated with the highest honor. "The priests shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the common or profane, and cause them to distinguish between the unclean and the clean" (Eek. 44:23, AMPC).

Jesus holds that stars, His leaders, in His right hand. He has exalted them, and He will hold them accountable. The stars, leaders, must see themselves in Jesus' right hand and tremble at His word. It is a fearful thing to fail to represent Jesus correctly.

Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: "As I live," says the Lord GOD, "surely because My flock became a prey, and My clock became food for every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, nor did My shepherds search for My flock, but the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock" -therefore, O shepherds, hear the world of the LORD! Thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require My flock at their hand; I will cause them to cease feeding the sheep, and the shepherds shall feed themselves no more; for I will deliver My flock from their mouths, that they may no longer be food for them." — EZEKIEL 34:7-10

God anoints and appoints leaders, fivefold ministries, to release revelation gifts to mature and empower the entire body of Christ. Without these leaders functioning properly the church cannot fully mature.

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