WHY YOU NEED A PASTOR

“And I will give you shepherds according to my heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. “Then it shall come to pass, when you are multiplied and increased in the land in those days,” says the Lord, “that they will say no more, ‘The ark of the covenant of the Lord.’ It shall not come to mind, nor shall they remember it, nor shall they visit it, nor shall it be made anymore. “At that time Jerusalem shall be called The Throne of the Lord, and all the nations shall be gathered to it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem. No more shall they follow the dictates of their evil hearts.” Jeremiah 3:15-17 NKJV

WHY WE NEED A PASTOR

No one has the right to correct or think they are the boss over a pastor. No deacon board or church board has been given such authority. The government of the house comes from and through the senior pastor. I had a good friend tell me that the government of God will always produce the glory of God. The glory of God will always create gold in the house. Money and increase are attached to our reaction to the man of God.

You must understand some key things about the Ark of the Covenant to fully understand the power and importance of the pastor.

The Ark was the place where God housed His presence and power. In this presence, His power would be hidden. The Ark was made of acacia wood and covered in pure gold inside and out so if you cut the Ark down the middle and opened it you would see gold, wood, gold.

Gold represents the Godhead and wood represents humanity. Acacia wood is the hardest wood known to man. Acacia wood will not rot. Acacia wood is a type of Christ in that, when Christ died, corruption could not touch him.

The gold, wood and gold also represented that Jesus, the Messiah, would come from deity, enter humanity and then return back to deity. We know that the Ark of the Covenant was a type of Christ in the Old Testament. However, in Jeremiah, God said that we would no longer ask for the Ark. God has now placed that assignment on the man or woman of God. It is the pastor who now sits on the high place. This is why there is a

platform in church. It isn’t a stage for entertainment. The platform is the high place where the pastor, a type of the Ark, can sit above the people and protect them from the wolves that try to sneak unaware. The enemy comes in to steal, kill and destroy those who are deceived. The pastor is the Ark prepared for battle.

“And I will give you shepherds according to my heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. “Then it shall come to pass, when you are multiplied and increased in the land in those days,” says the Lord, “that they will say no more, ‘The ark of the covenant of the Lord.’ It shall not come to mind, nor shall they remember it, nor shall they visit it, nor shall it be made anymore. “At that time Jerusalem shall be called The Throne of the Lord, and all the nations shall be gathered to it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem. No more shall they follow the dictates of their evil hearts.” Jeremiah 3:15-17 NKJV

“Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary. For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lamp stand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary; and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat.” Hebrews 9:1-5 NKJV

Above the Ark were two cherubim angels whose wings touched each other. They were the covering and shadowing of the Ark. There were three types of angels in heaven:

1. Archangels: Principalities, protectors of nations. We already discussed this group in the first part of the book
2. Seraphim: They stand above the Lord singing, Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord. They are the guardians of God’s atmosphere.
3. Cherubim: They denote the power of knowing and beholding God. They are filled with divine wisdom. Wisdom is poured out through them. God promised to commune with Moses, “From between the Cherubim.” (Genesis 25:22)

“Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary. For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary; and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat.” Hebrews 9:1-5 NKJV

We see the shadow of the Spirit of Wisdom over the pastor. These Cherubim are the fountain, or covering, of God’s protection and here is where the wisdom of God communes to the Pastor, “between the Cherubim.” Cherubim covered the mercy seat as well. God’s mercy is strongest when we are connected to those God has placed over us. Satan knows that disconnecting from the man of God can create seasons of loss and pain.

INSIDE THE ARK

1. Golden pot of manna
2. Aaron’s rod that budded
3. The broken tablets of the covenant

In the senior pastor is the mantle, the message and the miracle. You can’t have these qualities without the senior pastor. There has to be a covenant, a connection to the man of God.

THE MANTLE

The mantle is the calling, the holy selection that comes on the man of God. The mantle is the manna, the breath of God placed in the mouth of the pastor. When we come to the church we are sitting in the place where God has placed His manna in the mouth of the man of God. God wants to rain down over the gathering of people and have that manna, which is God’s word, stick on those who hear.

There was a process to the manna. The manna was the second thing released on the earth. The dew would fall first and cover the earth. Then after the dew was in place, manna would fall and stick to the ground for the children of Israel to eat. “And when the dew fell on the camp in the night, the manna fell on it” Numbers 11:9 NKJV. The earth represents the flesh, the dew represents the Spirit of God, and the manna represents God’s spoken word. So, the first thing we must understand is that unless the dew covers the ground, the Word of God (manna) will not stick or be able to sustain.

The children of Israel survived for forty years in a wilderness that would have killed others because they ate the manna. Their shoes never wore out, their clothes never wore out and their bodies never became sick. Their things were protected and lasted through the consumption of the manna.

The dew, or the Spirit of God, must first be applied on the ground, the flesh. The Spirit of God falls when we praise and worship. God inhabits our praise. “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabits the praises of Israel.” Psalm 22:3. He sends the Spirit to hover over us and in us. God’s presence is the only place where our weaknesses will die. Every time we gather for worship service, I watch for people who just sit there and don’t worship. They just look around as if those who are participating are bothering them. Most of the time, these people never receive the word that is preached. The manna can’t attach to the ground, or flesh, because these people have not been wet with the dew of God’s Spirit. If you are ignoring this process expect everything in your life to break down and wear out. Your marriage, your mind, your health, your job, your finances: they are all attached to the receiving and eating of the manna. No worship, no rain. No rain (dew), no manna.

THE MESSAGE

“For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.”

1 Corinthians 1:21-22 NKJV

“But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also, I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!” 2 Timothy 4:17-18 NKJV

The broken tablets represent the power of the message of God. God’s laws are hidden in the man of God. They are in broken pieces only to be placed in whole when they are delivered to the body of Christ.

God imparts His wisdom for change through the man of God. The pastor is the voice of conviction, the voice of empowerment, the voice of love. His voice and message carry the power to change cities and nations. The battle can only be won when there is a body of believers who undergird him and lift his hands.

“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?” Romans 10:14-15 NKJV

The pastor is the person in your life who carries the instruction to preach so others can hear and be changed. Present seasons might become permanent if we do not understand that without the shepherd in our lives, we may live life void of the instruction that could change us.

God has always used men and called them to be His deliverer in word and deed. I would be very careful touching, attacking or even talking about those whom God has chosen in His holy selection to be His messenger.

THE MIRACLE

In the man of God is the power of a miracle. I believe when the person God has selected for governmental order is in position, the atmosphere is pregnant with the budding rod of Aaron. Let’s discuss this spiritual phenomenon. The rod of Aaron was cut off of the root of the tree. In all perspectives, the rod was a dead piece of wood. It lost its power to reproduce, grow, and change every year when it was cut off from the whole.

However, Aaron’s rod would bud every year. It would show signs of new life every year. This is completely out of the norm. The rod was dead; it had no root system to reproduce. That’s the miracle of the pastor. When you allow the pastor to be in his position over you and your family, you are allowing the miracle of new growth and change to take place.

The enemy would flee when the Ark came down to the battlefield. The pastor is the ark for battle over the enemy in your life that keeps trying to defeat and beat you down.

“So it was whenever the ark set out, that Moses said: “Rise up, O Lord! Let Your enemies be scattered, And let those who hate You flee before You.” Numbers 10:35 NKJV “

But they presumed to go up to the mountaintop. Nevertheless, neither the ark of the covenant of the Lord nor Moses departed from the camp. Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who dwelt in that mountain came down and attacked them, and drove them back as far as Hormah.” Numbers 14:44-45 NKJV

The attitude of the people over the ark put fear in the hearts of their enemies. I believe the same is true about the pastor. When the body has a strong affection and loyalty to the pastor, their praise and shouts will show forth. The enemy will fear and tremble when this happens. The enemy would usually leave when the Ark was on the battlefield. The enemy feared the power of God that was placed in the Ark. The people of God had a sense of praise and joy when the Ark was with them and heading towards their enemy. This is true with the pastor. The enemy fears the result of battle when he sees the connection between the people the pastor.

When the children of Israel had sinned, the Ark wouldn’t show up on the field of battle. The guilt of sin stopped the movement of the Ark. The result was loss every time. The same is true in our churches. When the people stop living right and stop respecting the pastor because of rejection or offense, the people stop bringing the pastor to the battlefield. The result is the same, LOSS! Loss of land… Loss of finances… Loss of friends and family… and in some cases… loss of life.

“And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth shook. Now when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, “What does the sound of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” Then they understood that the ark of the Lord had come into the camp. So the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “God has come into the camp!” And they said, “Woe to us!” 1 Samuel 4:5-7 NKJV

Many people believe that the pastor is someone the deacons hired to motivate and encourage a church. They think he is nothing more than a hireling on their payroll, and if they don’t like what he stands for they can just take a vote and fire him.

I’ve seen many pastors’ families ruined because of how they were treated by their so-called bosses. I’ve witnessed some of the meanest and cruelest things that can be done against God’s man. I wouldn’t want to be some people on judgment day. There are those in our churches who have stored up heavy wrath from God because of how they’ve treated and talked about God’s man.

No one has the right to correct or think they are the boss over a pastor. No deacon board or church board has been given such authority. The government of the house comes from and through the senior pastor. I had a good friend tell me that the government of God will always produce the glory of God. The glory of God will always create the gold in the house. Money and increase are attached to our reaction to the man of god.

Death comes to those who wrongly touch the Ark. Look at the story below. When Uzzah reached out and put his hand on the Ark the anger of the Lord was aroused, and Uzzah was punished. So will all those be punished who reach out and lay hold of the man of God; whether by words or deeds.

“And when they came to Nachon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God. And David became angry because of the Lord’s outbreak against Uzzah; and he called the name of the place Perez Uzzah to this day. David was afraid of the Lord that day; and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?” So David would not move the ark of the Lord with him into the City of David; but David took it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months. And the Lord blessed Obed-Edom and all his household.” 2 Samuel 6:1-11 NKJV

Aaron’s rod would bud supernaturally. It would produce disconnected from what was, because of what it had now been connected to. The pastor is the source for miracles. Maybe you had to walk away from friends or family members to stay connected to your local church and pastor. Don’t be discouraged. God is going to have you budding even though you had to walk away from what was. Your connection to what is will produce incredible miracles. Stay connected no matter what.

When we stay connected to the pastor, we activate the mercy seat over us. I believe there are four different types of followers:

1. The passive follower: They only reach when it is convenient, or when their personal efforts do not produce their desired result. They subconsciously expect the pastor and the church to produce success for them.
2. The parasite follower: They pursue for credibility, not for correction. They will use the name and influence of a church, or pastor, to manipulate others into a relationship. They want what the pastor has earned, not what he has learned. They want a reputation without preparation.
3. The prodigal follower: They enter and exit the relationship freely. When serious correction occurs, they move toward another pastor or another church that does not know them and their flaws. They distance themselves when the pastor, or the church, encounters personal attacks, difficulties, loss of credibility, false accusation or persecution. They only return when their pigpen becomes unbearable.
4. The productive follower: They have a servant’s heart. They never make a major decision without the counsel and feedback of their pastor. They view their pastor and church as a dominant gift from God. They love their pastor as much as themselves. These followers view their connection as a divine privilege by God.

TEN SIGNS OF A PRODUCTIVE FOLLOWER

1. The productive follower will invest everything to stay in the presence of their pastor and church.
2. The productive follower follows the counsel of the pastor.
3. The productive follower follows the counsel of the pastor. s heart with the pastor and the church.
4. The productive follower follows the counsel of the pastor. in with the pastor.
5. The productive follower defines clearly his expectations to the pastor.
6. The productive follower gladly sows seeds of appreciation back into the life of their pastor.
7. The productive follower ultimately receives the mantle of the pastor he serves.
8. The productive follower moves toward the shelter of the pastor during a season of great attack and warfare.
9. The productive follower will change his own schedule to invest time in the presence of their pastor.
10. The productive follower is someone who discerns, respects and pursues the answers God has stored in the pastor for their life.