COUNSEL OF GOD - FOUNDATION

Council –

  1. An assembly of persons called together for consultation, deliberation, or discussion.
  2. A body of people elected or appointed to serve in an administrative, legislative, or advisory capacity.
  3. The discussion or deliberation that takes place in a council.
  4. An assembly of church officials and theologians convened for regulating matters of doctrine and discipline.

Counsel –

  1. The act of exchanging opinions and ideas; consultation.
  2. Advice or guidance, esp. as solicited from a knowledgeable person.
  3. A deliberate resolution; plan of action.
  4. A private purpose or opinion: keep one’s own counsel.
  5. pl. Counsel. A lawyer or group of lawyers esp. an attorney engaged to conduct a case in court.

What is Counsel?

Many people in the Body of Christ desire good counsel, they wish to express their ideals and opinions about the way their life should be. They think that good counsel comes from good idea’s. The thought that something is good is a hook to lour them into a certain direction. That direction may be good or may not be good, the results will speak for themselves. The problem is that thoughts can come randomly to anyone’s mind.

Proverbs 15:26
The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD: but the words of the pure are pleasant words. KJV

Isaiah 55:7-8
7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. KJV

Proverbs 12:5
The thoughts of the righteous are right: but the counsels of the wicked are deceit. KJV

Proverbs 16:3
Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established. KJV

We know according to God’s Word that thoughts are taken by man through the words of our mouth when we agree with the thought. Simply put when we speak out the thought with the same intention from which it came honoring the source, we are stating that we agree with the thought and believe in its reality in our life.

Matthew 6:31
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? KJV

Proverbs 16:30
He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things: moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass. KJV

Starting at the lower spectrum of thoughts we have a crafty deceiver who consistently exalts his will over the will of God, more commonly known as Satan. He will place ungodly thoughts and ideals into the mind of people on the earth in an attempt to make the world ungodly. The process of this system is biblically know as the antichrist, or we could say for simplicity sake a world governed without God’s law, lawless, chaotic. The second level of thought is man’s ideals including dreams, visions, reasoning and certain level of human wisdom. These thoughts could be good or bad in most cases they are both. The human soul occupies the middle ground, some more godly people will think on and receive primarily good thoughts and accept some evil thoughts along the way. While the lost typically think on ungodliness because the world system has filled them with darkness due to the absence of light (God’s Love).

John 8:42-44
42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. KJV

The lowest level of thought from the devil is always bad and corrupt. Bad thoughts produce fear, strife, turmoil, trouble, oppression up to and including death. The highest level of thought from God is always good, holy, peaceful, righteous, strong, edifying, comforting, etc.. up to and including the Abundant Life. This is known as having the Mind of Christ, including songs, visions, dreams, words of knowledge, prophesy, and a whole lot more, etc… That means the Good Shepherd can give you a godly thought which is much better than a good thought. It is the right thought that if acted upon properly will yield the peaceable fruit of grace and success. The Lord said in:

Deuteronomy 30:19-20
19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them. KJV

We have freedom and ability to choose what we think on. Choosing well will dictate your actions and attitude in this life. This is why counsel is so important. Our very gracious Heavenly Father has established a system of counsel. For our dispensation under this age of grace it is called the church. Although the church of the Lord Jesus Christ has many facets and many parts it only has one divine order. Most believers would agree that the local church is ordained of God.

Matthew 16:17-18
17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. KJV

Acts 3:47
Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. KJV

In the Old Testament the same principle was displayed with the congregation of the children of Israel. Since we believe in the local church we also believe in God ordained pastors.

Jeremiah 3:14-15
14 Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:
15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. KJV

John 21:15-17
15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. KJV

One of the primary purposes of the pastor is to feed the sheep. Sheep usually don’t gather food for other sheep, however pastors specialize in this ordained calling. The pastor is suppose to feed the flock of God according to:

1 Peter 5:1-3
1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. KJV

God called pastors, they are ordained by God to give His Word to His People, the children of God should be properly nourished with an adequate diet of God’s Word. Feeding from the Holy Bible should be a regular meal. It is quite fascinating to see that those who feed on the Word of God on a regular basis typically hear from God on a more regular basis than those who don’t feed on God’s Word. It is one thing to listen to the preacher but feeding on God’s Word is something entirely different. Feeding on the Word of God is chewing on it for a short time after it is served and swallowing it into your digestive system for complete nourishment for your body.

Jeremiah 15:16
Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts. KJV

We need to humbly receive God Word by agreeing that we will do it.

James 1:21-22
21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. KJV

James told us that we must be willing to remove all ungodly influences from our fellowship (filthiness and naughtiness), and then we must have a humble heart (meekness) to receive and after that we must allow His Word to grow and develop inside of us by being doers of the Word.

This is God’s definition of counsel.

The counsel of God is the intimate discussion between you and Him about the subject of His Son Jesus Christ. The main point our Father is trying to drive home in His Beloved Children is that we desperately need Jesus, the Son of God, the Word of God alive and working in our everyday life. This is also known as fellowship with God or communion with the Holy One!

1 John 1:2-4
2(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. KJV

Revelation 3:18-20
18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. KJV

How the many in the Body of Christ think that counsel is just one or two session meeting with a man or woman. I have been guilty too of thinking about counseling as a series of sessions with a man or woman. Now I have come to realize by the grace of God it is not about men and women chatting with each other, but rather the children of God exchanging information with their Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus. Is not the Holy Spirit known as your Counselor?

John 14:26
But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you. AMP

Does the Holy Writ speak of another coming in the place of Jesus to comfort you by communing with you?

John 14:16
And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby), that He may remain with you forever-- AMP

John 16:7
However, I am telling you nothing but the truth when I say it is profitable (good, expedient, advantageous) for you that I go away. Because if I do not go away, the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you [into close fellowship with you]; but if I go away, I will send Him to you [to be in close fellowship with you]. AMP

This Counsel of God is a systematic approach to continuous fellowship.

The process starts with the believer becoming saved through the Blood of Jesus. Hopefully the baby Christian stays with a local flock, they become a part of the local church. This gives the Lord a outward channel to communicate with His sheep. The pastor should be sharing the current Word of Lord that will benefit your life. Hopefully, this process of being bottle feed is consistent and power packed with rich vitamins and minerals of God’s Word uncompromised. The good thing about being connected to a local church is that if the message has a scripture or principle that you don’t understand you can ask one of the pastors to help you with it (or perhaps an elder or teacher). These ordained offices are also a apart of God’s Counsel. Understanding that Godly counsel is an intrinsic part of your growth and development in Christ Jesus, should motivate us to be compliant with God’s System. God’s system was built for the long haul not just a specific event. We need to receive counsel inwardly from the Holy Spirit while outwardly we submit to God established offices of government. God’s Holy Spirit will always agree with Jesus Christ the Living Word of God, which will always agree with the will of our Heavenly Father, thus pleasing all three.

1 John 5:7-8
7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit (your reborn spirit), and the water (God’s written word, the Holy Bible), and the blood (God’s witness of Love): and these three agree in one. KJV

So don’t be content with the counseling sessions of man, seek to receive the always good, always holy, always right Counsel of God. Then and only then will you began to understand godly fellowship, which is God’s Will for your life to make you more and more like Jesus. To become like our Lord Jesus Christ is the ultimate plan and purpose for our life, but we can only get there through Godly Counsel. Amen!

Man may (and often will) help us to understand God better, but only one can truly connect you to the Heavenly Heart of our Father, and His Name is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is made unto wisdom and righteousness according to:

1 Corinthians 1:30
But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: KJV

This verse clearly informs us that our Lord Jesus Christ is our mind renewal, thus our fellowship, our object of affections, our lovers and ultimate counsel in the written word (Holy Bible) and in demonstrated presence (In the person of the Holy Spirit communing with our reborn spirit). If we are not receiving the promises of God and becoming frustrated in this life we must check-up on our Counseling. We should ask our selves the question are we really walking in the Counsel of God or are we staggering inside the counsel of man. The choice is not for the Lord but rather for the children of God to make. For God is always ready and willing to commune with His Beloved Children, the real question is, "How much intimacy are you willing to commit to your Loving Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus Christ?" Just remember it all starts with Godly Counsel inside of God’s Holy System (First Born Again, then established in a church, after that the more deeper intimacy with your Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus Christ.

PS – We never strive to let man be dependant upon other men but we do earnestly desire for all men to be totally dependant upon our God, the Savior Jesus Christ of Nazareth! For if a believer is stumbling submitting unto mere men upon of earth, how effectively will he submit unto God way up over the earth in Heaven? For if one refuses to work within the practical laws of men, will he be able to deeply understand the spiritual principles of God?

John 3:10-12
10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? KJV

In His Love, Eric & Angela Foster

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