AN ESTABLISHED POSITION

by Rosemarie Attardo

Once I saw a vision of a police officer conducting traffic at a busy intersection. There were many cars coming and going, horns honking and just general confusion.

As the visionary camera came in for a zoom shot, I saw the police officer was not wearing his uniform.

Instead, it was hanging on the hanger which he had in his left hand while he was using his right hand to conduct traffic. Nothing effective was happening other than he was getting a lot of weird looks from the motorists. As I watched this in the spirit, God spoke to me and said that this is how His people are, they have authority and don't know how to wear it or use it.

The next scene showed the officer clothed in the very uniform he had been holding up in front of him. The scene was entirely different. Instead of a chaotic traffic jam, the traffic was flowing smoothly and all the motorists were obeying the uniformed officer.

Intercessors are to be clothed with Christ and know their calling and gifting in the spirit. As they understand the levels of authority ready for them to enter into because of their mantle and as they become established it in, they will function with a greater assurance. When they know their mantle and are established in it, and wear it properly it helps to strengthen the intercession.

There are 25 gifts which God has given to the Church. These are found in Ephesians 4:11-12; Romans 12:4-8 and I Corinthians 12. Once the intercessor knows who they are and particularly in regards to their function in the Body of Christ, then it's best to encourage them to pray and ask God to establish (to place or settle in a secure position, to make firm or secure) them in their calling.

Paul said in Romans 1:11, “For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established. The biggest lie of the enemy is that you shouldn't put a name to your calling – e.g. apostle, prophet, teacher, administration, helps, governments, etc because they say it's prideful. If you cannot put a name to it, then you won't understand the authority of the calling and how to move in it nor your sphere of the responsibility in it. It's a disservice to the Kingdom of God. Knowing your calling is much more of a safety as some think it could be a detriment.

Throughout the Bible it doesn't say that a person had a prophetic spirit or an evangelistic spirit, it says they are a prophet or they are an evangelist. If you know your sphere or realm of authority that goes with the mantle upon you, then you know when you are in presumption and when you are not. If one does not know what and who they are, then how will they know their true authority to move in those areas. We sure want to know that our physician knows he is a brain surgeon if one needs brain surgery! If we can't put a name to it, then we can't be established in it which also means you won't be able to advance to strategic levels of warfare and intercession.

Being established causes one to maintain their stance in the spirit. Being established means you can't be shaken. Being established means you will be able to be trusted with authority in the spirit and grow in it. Being established means that you allow God to make you a general in the spirit and not a private or a corporal. And being established also means that you won’t draw back from the ground already taken when testing comes because you will know that you have gained it legally. You will understand and know your legal position in the spirit because you stand in it. As with the example in the vision of the police officer mentioned earlier, because he knew who he was and how to wear his mantle he was then able to direct traffic legally and with authority.

In spiritual warfare, God will separate the warriors for you and show you who are established and who are not. He will bring each person to the point of testing. The seasons of testing, though difficult, will clearly define areas in which each person needs to grow and be strengthened In the testing times, God helps them discover their tools and their ability to use them The testing times also allows the team to discover their ability to move as the wheel within the wheel moving with the leadership that God has given for that particular intercession The testing helps one know their own heart in matters of character, calling, and commitment Testing times will show you those who are established and ready to move forward and those who would have to be mentored and in what areas.

To send intercessors in to warfare too early, when not called to a particular assignment or when they are not established will cause problems in the intercession It is important to know who are warriors and who are the intercessors. Not everyone needs to enter or sustain a warfare Is the intercessor called to intercession solely, spiritual warfare or both? There is a difference between those who engage in spiritual warfare and those who carry an intercession.  Those who understand their calling, the type of intercessor they are and will allow themselves to be established will have even more ability to carry an intercession because they carry it from the established position of their office or sphere of authority.

Does the intercessor know their true authority in Christ experientially? If these things are not fully known, the intercession could be hindered because the person will move toward the warfare or intercession with fear, reservation and the fear of man The enemy responds with "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you? Acts 19:15.

As the intercessors move in their calling and minister in intercession from an established position spiritually speaking the anointing increases in mighty ways. Each believer has authority in Christ against the enemy but what you will notice is that when someone can war or interceed from an established position there is a particularly stronger ability in the spirit to see the intercession or warfare sustained; and when significant ground it taken in the spirit it is more easily maintained.

Usually those with apostolic and prophetic mantles are the ones God chooses to lead the intercessory assignment because of their authority One thing should be noted is that not all intercessors are apostles and prophets but all apostles and prophets carry the intercessory mantle They have the breakthrough anointing in specific spheres related to their mandate. They are the people whom God has chosen to plow the ground to see the foundation of the church laid in new areas whether it be in the marketplace as those who carry a Joseph anointing or as one who establishes new works or breaks through in the heavenlies so that the church in that area will see breakthrough.

The breaker anointing is stronger in groups in which the intercessors are established in their calling, not just as an intercessor but in their calling in the Kingdom of God Intercessors who are established in their calling increase the breakthrough potential and bring a greater synergy to the intercession.

Whether you are an intercessor or not, being established is a gift that one gives to themselves and then becomes to the Kingdom of God.

 Suggested Resource:Third Heaven Intercession

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rosemarie Attardo is missionary having ministered in 46 countries throughout Eurasia, Europe, South America, and Asia. She has pioneered ministry training schools and has lived among un-reached people groups ministering the Gospel.  Rosemarie is the Founder and President of Vessels of Honor Ministries, Inc., which mentors women in strategic levels of intercession, ministry, and missions.

 Visit the Vessels of Honor Ministries Website

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