Old Dog III
Back to: THE WHORE of your Babylons
The Nicolaitan Overlords
Bob Neumann
One of the most obvious attributes of our Saviour and HIS FATHER as seen in most of the prophetic “WORDS” spoken in our churches and ”spoken” on the INTERNET is HIS EMOTIONS. We hear of HIS LOVE and AFFECTION clearly for HIS PEOPLE and the whole world. This is because HIS NATURE is LOVE. In fact HIS NATURE is a composite of many emotions. Man who is made in GOD’S OWN image, reflects those emotions. Yet to express any emotion less than positive eventually will cause the ire of many who have painted a very one sided image of GOD. Likewise there are voices out there that have taken a completely contrarian tangent and are focused on JUDGEMENT AND WRATH exclusively. The fact that either side is unbalanced and self-limiting does not bother either side. In fact both seem to enjoy their ”correctness” as they put down the other. What both sides fail to comprehend is that their being content in their position is a simple form of pride. Something we have too much of to begin with.
GOD IS LOVE. There can be no argument there. But GOD is also HOLY. To take it a step more forward HE SAYS HIS NAME IS JEALOUS. It is hard to put JEALOUS and LOVE together. Yet THE WORD IS CLEAR. Likewise throughout scripture less than what man would consider complementary emotions are claimed by GOD. Three such are ANGER, ABHORRENCE, and HATE. I could throw in WRATH….but it is the outcome of the ABHOR that causes the ANGER. So if we look at what ABBA ABHORS and what KING JESUS HATES we will understand why THE MOST HOLY SPIRIT GRIEVES.
The only clear thing we as believers are told not to do is to GRIEVE the MOST HOLY SPIRIT. Yet many will say “How would you grieve THE SPIRIT OF GOD?”. Actually if you really need to ask that question you already are. Not being in relationship with GOD grieves THE SPIRIT. Refusing to obey THE SON GRIEVES THE FATHER. Ignoring ABBA’S LOVE GRIEVES THE SPIRIT.
In Proverbs we are told very clearly exactly what GOD HATES….
Proverbs 6:16-19
16 These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
If they sound familiar, good. But there is something that KING JESUS states that HE HATES. Now have you ever heard any man or woman preach from a church pulpit about the things that THE LAMB OF GOD HATES? Why am I not surprised? Let’s take a look at TWO WITNESSES against the EVIL in our land.
In all the King James New Testament and all the ”red letters” KING JESUS uses the phrase “I HATE” only twice….both are in Revelation chapter 2. The first time is at the end of the Letter to Ephesus….
Revelation 2:6
6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.
Later in the Letter to Pergamos HE gets quite a strong image across….
Revelation 2:14-16†
14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.
16 Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. (KJV)
The Doctrine of Balaam is bad. But to hold on to the DOCTRINE OF THE NICOLAITANS puts you as an enemy of THE LAMB and at battle with HIS KINGDOM.
IF YOU THINK THIS TOO STRONG….YOU HAD BETTER REREAD THE WORD!!!
Solomon said there is a time and purpose for all things….
Ecclesiastes 3:7-8
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
For one very long time the Deeds and the Works of the NICOLAITANS has been hiding in plain sight. Over and over the works and plots of Jezebel and other spirits have been described and categorized with endless detail. Yet when it comes to what THE KING HATES??? Nothing???? No sermons, no tapes, no books? Just silence. Well there is a time for silence and it has passed. Now it is time to speak and to expose the
ENEMY WITHIN.
The term ”nicolaitan” according to DR Strong and his concordance is a term that means ”to have conquered the people”. Now who would we say is victorious over the people? In ancient times it was those who ruled by means of force. Yet how can that apply today? Some will say that none of this applies today. That all of this was back in the time of John when at Patmos. My answer is simple…if this is correct then all the ”stuff” on Jezebel should not apply, either. It too was spoken by KING JESUS to John. Why center on one evil when many evils are out and about. One thing I have learned long ago is that you cannot have it both ways. Use what you want and ignore the rest. NOT IN THE KINGDOM. Attempting to do so is evidence of being compromised between two kingdoms. James calls it being double minded. KING JESUS simply stated that man can not have two masters. THE LORD WAS RIGHT.
James says it clearly, twice….another two witnesses on behalf of GOD.
James 1:8 ….
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. (KJV)
A man unstable is a man unbalanced. James is describing what could be called spiritual insanity. The possibility of someone gladly doing evil in GOD’S NAME. Let’s try to take it a step farther.
James 4:6-10
6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. (KJV)
Interesting the ”double minded” are called to ”purify your hearts”. Not to change their thinking. Not to alter their theology or philosophy. There is something far deeper here than simple sin. Verse 6 is an indictment against PRIDE. GOD openly resists the PROUD.
WHY? Because the PROUD are contesting against HIS KINGDOM, HIS WILL.
How? Because they do not submit to GOD. That is why the enemy has a hold within the church and said church is always under attack. If the church was truly submitting to GOD the devil would be fleeing. SELAH!
We are called to weep and mourn, to fast and pray. We are told to humble ourselves before our GOD and HE would lift us up….SELAH.
But the arrogant and the proud lift themselves up. They are the Nicolaitans whom THE LAMB hate with burning passion. For it is because of them HE comes to an apostate church that has listened and followed the doctrines of men and demons, with a drawn sword. Men who serve the enemy through deception and delusion, or even worse, willingly for their own gain. Either way the sheep have suffered at the hands of both hirelings and ”wolves in sheep’s clothing”. It must end. One way or another.
How can you tell a Nicolaitan from a true servant of GOD?
The answer is simple. Look at their fruit. Look at their sheep. Look at their ”works”….or should I say lack of. James said ”faith without works is dead”. It has caused many useless arguments in the church for centuries. But why? KING JESUS himself said that whatsoever we do unto the least we do as it where to HIM. The church is not a weekly event orchestrated for the sheep’s entertainment. The church is not a building or an organization. Nor is it a set of rules and bylaws that govern behavior. The church is HIS BODY.
THE ECCLESIAH is a global entity of all who are in CHRIST JESUS. It is as HE COMMISSIONED HIS DISCIPLES to perform. We are those called out of darkness and death by the POWER of HIS NAME. We are of every nation, kindred, and tribe. Of every age, color, class, language, and people. We are a HOLY NATION unto OUR GOD and FATHER. We are an eternal BODY that is bone of HIS BONE and flesh of HIS
FLESH. WE ARE OF HIS BLOOD. The reason why KING JESUS hates the NICOLAITAN OVERLORDS with a passion equal to HIS LOVE FOR HIS BRIDE is because the main goal of the Nicolaitans is to pervert the church and prevent the coming of THE BRIDE.
So we have ”church” and not a people sanctified and empowered. So far. All there is, you might say, is a remnant. Would it surprise you if there was only to be a remnant? That THE KING has no interest in the religious and the double minded. That HE is not coming for ten sleeping virgins but for a BRIDE who has made herself ready. Who stays awake and sober working and waiting to please HER BELOVED.
Regrettably things have this tendency to repeat themselves. When THE LAMB came HE was received by many. He was opposed by the religious authorities. The ”elders, chief priests, and scribes” is what the gospel states plotted his death. The only thing that they did not realize was that THE LAMB CAME TO DIE.
Today we have a professional clergy. They make their livelihood off the people. Now JESUS said to be great in HIS KINGDOM you must be the servant of all. So we normally see little of the true servants. Wicked servants enjoy the spot light. Read Matthew 6 for all the things you should not do when giving, fasting, and praying. The Nicolaitans do them all and brag about it.
There are many brands of Nicolaitan to chose from, but they have certain things in common. Pride is one. Desire to rule and control is another. They tend to be very defensive of their position and station. They have no compunction at bending rules, even their own. They do not let little things like THE MOST HOLY SPIRIT or THE WORD get in their way. Self serving is the rule. Yet the cultivation of an air of spirituality is almost universally pervasive. Sometimes you run into a Nicolaitan with no spirituality whatsoever. Instead they have this sophisticated intellectual personna that appeals to many. You see these in many liberal type churches that do not believe in much of anything. Like GOD, JESUS, THE MOST HOLY SPIRIT.
The Nicolaitans that preach blatantly ”other gospels” are easy to spot. They preach against GOD and HIS WORD. They embrace sin and iniquity without remorse. The can call themselves ”Christian” and promote the enemy’s agenda at any and all opportunities. They have titles and degrees. They have large churches and expansive ”ministries”. Yet there is the issue of whose side they have served long and hard.
Then there are those Nicolaitans who are strict legalists. They attack sin and evil at every turn. Yet in the midst of their zeal the gospel is powerless. They deny the GIFTS as they ”honor” the MOST HOLY SPIRIT in their words and not in their heart. They preach against the GIFTS and deny the reality of INSPIRATION. ABBA no longer speaks except in that still small voice and that is usually mute according to authority. And no one argues against authority.
Now there are various shapes and sizes of the next type of Nicolaitan. They call themselves ”spirit-filled”, and bear the labels of charismatic, Pentecostal, prophetic, apostolic. Some are affiliated with organizations or denominations. Some are clearly ”independent” and make sure you know it. This group has all the outward appearance of ”being of GOD”. In fact they will tell you they are the only ones who are ”of GOD”. Then again our liberal and legalistic brands say the same thing and say all others are either in error, or just plain of the devil. In that case they all are correct.
The “Spiritual” Nicolaitan flows ”in the spirit” and often acknowledges being ”of the five fold ministry”. Yet when you look at the infrastructure of the beast it is categorically one fold. Now if anyone wants to say that this is all an involved attempt to ”bash pastors” and promote ”prophets”, get a life.
If you allow me I will bash all Nicolaitans with all vigor….equally….no matter what ‘title’ they carry. Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Teacher, Pastor, Elder, Deacon, Bishop, Presbetyr, whatever. If they serve anything but THE MOST HIGH GOD they are the enemy of THE LAMB. Is that clear enough?
If it isn’t, then seek THE LORD while HE may still be found. Selah.
The Amerikan Church is definitely ”pastor” heavy. Why? In all of old KING JAMES the term ”pastor” only appears once in Jeremiah. The plural ”pastors” appears only 8 times in all of scripture. Yet only once in all the new Testament, and that is Ephesians 4:11-14.
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; (KJV)
The reason I have 4 verses is because Paul has one very long run on sentence going here. It is all one flow which man chops and dices to his heart’s content. It actually goes on for a couple more verses. But here is the key. The so called five-fold ministry as this verse describes is the only place ”pastors” appears in the NT. “Pastors” are but a part of the overall plan to ”perfecting the saints”, “edifying” which means to build or construct the “BODY OF CHRIST”. If you prefer to say ”build up” or strengthen it is okay by me. Either way it is to bring us to the three foaled goal of ”unity”, ”knowledge”, and “measure”. I use the term ”foaled” because all three are birthed in us to take us to a maturity where the enemy’s scheme’s will no longer have control over us. Maybe that is why a ”true” five-fold ministry is the last thing the Nicolaitan wishes to see alive and moving in Amerika.
Every week I receive letters, phone calls, email from people who have heard THE VOICE of THE MOST HOLY SPIRIT to ”come out from amoungst them” and ”come out of Babylon”. Each week I hear the pain of children and sheep that sit Sunday after Sunday in places where they are ”starving” and ”dying” in the midst of the congregation. For years the only church growth we have seen is when people bounce from church to church. Church hopping is not a sin. It is a symptom of a disease at the core of the BODY of CHRIST. Is the place they assemble at in obedience to THE LAMB? If it is then the people will tend to stay. Some will go to and fro, but that is the nature of sheep.
The purpose of THE BODY is to transform sheep into children and children into servants. So sheep tending is not a means unto itself in THE KINGDOM. On the other hand in the world it’s a great job where you set your own wages, benefits, and perks…. and answer to no one except your wife/ husband/ significant other. The reason people are looking for GOD and leaving ”the church” was GOD wasn’t in the building. SELAH.
Yet to leave a church is not easy. I have been told of people who were members of a church for many years. All they have to do is ask the wrong question and they are either ”pushed” or ”frozen” out. Then there are those who ”visit” another church and are branded as ”traitors”, ”disloyal”, ”rebellious”. If they were good and docile sheep who are hearing GOD and trying to leave they are ”admonished” at forsaking the ”assembly of the brethren”. Often they are cajoled and mocked. Husbands are used against wives and visa versa in plain and simple manipulation. Then if that fails hurt indignation rises. One older lady who wrote to me in tears was told that she was demon possessed by her pastor. Her ”manifestation”?….because she told him she felt uncomfortable sitting under a pastor who was divorcing his wife to marry his secretary. I wonder why no one else was made uncomfortable.
Yet there are men and women called to ”shepherd” lambs and sheep. Few ”rule” over congregations. In the natural a shepherd usually will watch 50-60 sheep. With sheepdogs, horses, motorcycles and helicopters the modern sheep rancher still needs men to care for sheep. Funny that the ratio has not climbed over 60-70 sheep per man. Today our mega church ”pastors” do not pastor. They delegate it to ”underlings”. Actual interaction with ”sheep” is too demeaning for Theologians and Administrators that hold on to the title of “pastor”.
If you find a church where they follow the patterns of worship as given by Paul led by ”elders”, then you have a chance to be free of the Nicolaitans. Do all the members have a chance to participate? Are they interested in promoting all above themselves? Do they want to serve others and not expect perks? Is their main ”vision” to reach outside their walls to the lost and dying? Then you might find a pastor and a teacher and a prophet and an evangelist after GOD’S OWN HEART. And if you find them there is probably an apostle cleaning the bathrooms or mopping floors. Apostles are not needed till there is a problem the elders cannot solve.
WE SETTLE FOR A FIVE-FOLD MINISTRY ALL TOO EASILY.
The Nicolaitan Overlords prevent us going beyond their barriers. Paul also said much about the BODY and how it ‘could’ work.
1 Corinthians 12:18-31
18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?
20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.
21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.
24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked.
25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
Funny that GOD honors the part that lacked. The Nicolaitan demands special honors at every turn. GOD wants no schism, which is the life-blood of the enemy, so we see the Nicolaitans on both sides of every argument, debate, and division. On both sides working against all that GOD desires.
Funny how so many ”religious” types find such great pleasure at the falls of others. How eager they are to spread gossip and elevate themselves climbing over the misfortunes and sins of others. Such is the sin of Spiritual Sodomy. Using ”man” to satiate yourself, elevate yourself, promote yourself. SELAH.
27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. (KJV)
What could we be if we sought THE KINGDOM only? Just a more excellent way. Moving in grace, power and love without spiritual baggage. Bringing salt and light to a world yearning to be free without religious strings attached. Is it too much to ask for?
IS HIS KINGDOM WORTH FIGHTING FOR?
I CHOOSE THE LAMB…..LET THERE BE WAR……
Because it can not be done if the Nicolaitans rule and the Doctrine of Balaam is held up.
Yet the Nicolaitans and their lust for control can only be held if all three things that KING JESUS warned us of are alive and in power within the walls of ”the church”.
SO LET THE WALLS COME DOWN! LET THE STRONGHOLDS BE BREACHED!
Selah
old dog