The Twelve Gates of The Holy City

Chapter Ten

(The Third Gate of The City, Levi)

Levi is the name of the third gate of The Holy City. When we think of the word Levi, most of us immediately think of the priesthood and we are not too far off. The meaning of the word Levi means `Spiritual Ministry'. It is a ministry of and by the Holy Spirit in union with our spirit.

The actual meaning of the word Levi is union or attached. Two things being entwined. Something joined together. Adhesive. To adhere to. To cleave. For this cause shall a man leave his mother and father and cleave to his wife. This union that the word Levi speaks of is both vertical and horizontal. I am in union with God, by the Spirit, and in union with man, by the Spirit.

The purpose of the second experience, that of being filled with the Holy Spirit, is so I can have union with God. Paul said, "He who is joined with the Lord is in Spirit with him." God wants us to first of all be in union with Him, and then we can be in union with one another. We can minister unto Him and we can minister unto one another.

Paul said in Eph. 4:15-16,

"Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, thatis, Christ. From Him the whole body, joined and held together by ever supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."

And in I Cor. 12:7, "Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good."

One of the biggest problems in the local church is that people don't know one another by the Spirit. We have not matured and our judgments are in the flesh. In II Cor. 5:16 Paul says,

"So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. (KJV - Henceforth know we no man after the flesh) Though we once knew Christ in this way, we do so no longer."

If, when I mention Christ, all you can think about is the man who walked in Galilee, then you don't understand this verse. All the Calvary stories that make men cry are not spiritual at all, and for you to just sit and be reminded of the historical Jesus will move your flesh, but will not do your spirit any good. Can you not see that most people don't even know Jesus after the Spirit.

Let's take a look at His title and I think you will be able to see what I mean. Jesus Christ the Lord. Jesus is the man, and most people just know Him in that dimension. Someone who lived two thousand years ago and is now somewhere out there in heaven, where ever that is. How many have moved into the second dimension and know Him as the Christ (The Anointing)?? This anointing is in you and it abides. The third dimension is knowing Him as Lord

The amplified version of II Cor. 5:16 says,

"Consequently, from now on we estimate and regard no one from a purely human point of view - in terms of natural standards of value. No, even though we once did estimate Christ from ahuman view point and as a man, yet now we have such knowledge of Him that we know Him no longer in terms of the flesh."

Now, listen very carefully to what I am about to say: "You and I can not go through this third gate until we learn to discern one another after the Spirit and not after the flesh!" Most Spirit-filled people have not gone any further than Simeon. Once you are filled with the Holy Ghost, you must move on into Spiritual ministry, because this is the whole purpose of being filled with the Holy Ghost. I am not talking about the pulpit ministry because very few are called by God to be in this ministry, but I am talking about everyone learning how to minister to one another effectively in the Spirit.

You can be a channel of supply through the gifts of the Spirit, you can come into a service, not primarily to be ministered to, but to minister to others and to give of that Christ life that is within you. I want to become so in union with Him and so in union with you, brother, that I don't know anyone in the flesh and I am not moved by what I see with my eyes, nor am I governed by what I hear with my ears, but I can flow with a clear pure Spiritual ministry.

Most of the time when I am talking to another person I am not even looking at their outward appearance because I am looking at the vibes they are transmitting. I can't help it because there is a radar set on the inside of me. Most of you would be amazed by just how sensitive it can be. When I meet you I want to tune in to your spirit. What I hear you say can just be a cover up, a mask, of what is really there. The purpose of the gift of discerning of spirits is to distinguish what kind of a spirit is motivating a certain action or behavior. The Greek literally means a seeing through.

What would happen in your fellowship next Sunday if we all came with the attitude that this morning I am coming ready to minister? This teaching is not profound; it is very practical. It will change your life now, if you will apply it. This will bring commitment and responsibility.

Listen now, I want to shock you and cause you to, hopefully, wake up. I declare to you that the reason we don't see more of Levi (Spiritual ministry) is because so much of our fellowship is in the natural and not Spiritual. The minute you start wanting to be spiritual, natural people will say, "Who do you think you are?" "Don't you want to talk about anything except the things of God?" NO!!!!

The things in the natural are dying and will soon pass away. If it is not eternal, if it is not of the Spirit, it is passing away. We call ourselves spiritual, but we are hung up on houses, cars, lands and everything in the world except Levi. Why is it that we think we can come into a service, get ourselves a cheerleader and sing choruses for forty five minutes and then we are in the Spirit?

Now, I know that with thanksgiving and praise it gets deeper as you go and I don't want to be one of those that are so heavenly minded they are no earthly good, but God is not interested in natural fellowship, natural worship. The reason your worship service is so fleshly sometimes, is because you live, walk and talk that way all week. If you do that all week, there is no way you can come to church and in forty five minutes get into the Spirit by singing choruses. We are to walk in the Spirit at all times.

I have seen people come through both the first two gates that are ever learning, but never coming to a knowledge of the truth. (II Tim. 3:7) People will come our way and enter into the presence of the anointed Word and get into heavenly places in Christ Jesus, but there is never any change in their lifestyle. The reason being; they have stopped at the second gate. When ever you see the word `knowledge', you can think of Levi, because Levi means union. The word knowledge (EPIGINOSKO

#1921) means to become fully acquainted with, and to have full discernment. When you have full knowledge of something or somebody you have actually come into union with them, because you have taken the time to get to know them.

I Cor. 13:12 says,

"We see through a glass darkly but then face to face; now I know in part; but then I shall know even as I am known."

The first time the word known is used here, it is the Greek word (GINOSKO #1097), and means here that my understanding is in part. The second time the word know is used in this verse, it is the Greek word (EPIGINOSKO #1921), and means that I will be fully acquainted with Jesus, even as He is fully acquainted with me. There has been a growth, a development even as in a marriage relationship, it is a learning.

Jesus extended to us, as believers, the covenant relationship of love, and He said, "Come all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. Come and learn of Me (He compared Himself to an ox) for I am meek and lowly in heart (then He invited you to marry Him) take My yoke upon you and learn of Me." Marriage is a learning process and you and Jesus are like you and your wife, you are a team of oxen yoked together.

Do you want to know what causes strife between you and Jesus? He wants to move and you just want to sit, or He wants to rest and you are rearing to go. What happens then, is that you just go around in circles. God wants everyone of us to demonstrate spiritual ministry. Here are ten examples of this.

1. We are many boards. Ex. 26:15-20

2. We are many stones. I Peter 2:5

3. We are many teeth. Ca. 4:2 This describes the teeth of the Bride. He says they are

like a flock that has just come up from the washings (she has just brushed her teeth) they are even shorn, they all bear twins, and there is none barren among them. (no cavities) A tooth is a living thing, and if you don't believe in the principle that when one suffers we all suffer, just get a tooth ache. Did you know that the teeth in your mouth actually represents the body of Christ? If one gets bad enough you just get rid of it. The trouble with most churches is that they are just a lot of false teeth.

4. We are many crumbs. I Cor. 10:17 "For we being many are one bread."

5. We are many joints. Eph. 4:16

6. We are many flames. Matt. 5:14 Lights

7. We are many grapes. Is. 658 New wine in the cluster.

8. We are many soldiers. Joel 2:1-11

9. We are many grains of salt. Matt. 5:13-16

10. We are many clouds. Rev. 1:7

All these terms reveal just one thing, and that is ministry. Each one of these terms have to supply, each one has to give, each one has to minister in order for the whole thing to work. In Levi, God wants every one to come into union with Himself and with his fellow man, until each one can be a joint of supply.

Genesis 49:5-7 says,

"Simeon and Levi are brothers." (Simeon means toY be filled with the Spirit and Levi means to I minister) instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. O my soul, come not into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honor, be thou not united: For in their anger they slew a man, and in their self will they digged down a wall. Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cru el: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel."

Not only does all these things happen when you refuse to go any further than just being filled with the Spirit, also they happen if you stop after learning to minister in the Spirit. Have you ever been in a church where prophecy flowed, yet these things were happening? Don't think that just because we prophesy in church on Sunday Morning that we have arrived. We have just begun.

You see, if I stop and am content to just prophesy in part and if I stop and I only want to know in part, if I am content to just work some miracles and see some gifts of healing operate, then the chances of these things happening in my ministry are great.

SimeoHen did not change, but Levi did change. Much like the two thieves on the cross. Saul was not as great a sinner as David. David was an adulterer and a murderer. Yet David was a man after God's own heart because he was quick to repent.

In the 25th chapter of Numbers, a descendent of Simeon was involved in whoring after the Gods of the Moabites and with sexual immorality with the Moabite women. This is the last reference to the tribe of Simeon for they are not mentioned in Deuteronomy where Moses blesses the tribes of Israel.

In Exodus 32:26 Moses said, "Who is on the Lord's side? Let him come to me. And all the Levites rallied around him."

There are some people who will just sit and say, "I probably never will move into spiritual ministry." If You want to move into spiritual ministry, you will; if you don't you won't. I want you to notice something; both Simeon and Levi had a chance to prove themselves, and they did.

One changed his fate, and the other did not. We must grow up. Once we understand that we have passed through the gate of being born again and have also passed through the second gate of receiving the Holy Spirit, we must go on and learn to minister in the power of the Holy Spirit and this is not just an option. As a matter of fact if you continue to seek the Kingdom of God, you will not be able to help yourself, because this ministry will flow naturally through you. If you continue to pursue God and are not satisfied with stopping at the second gate, then all of a sudden from within you a real ministry will start to flow.

In Deuteronomy 33:8-11, Moses said to Levi,

"Your Thummim and Urim belong to the man you favored. You tested him at Massah; you intended with him at the waters of Meribah. He said of his father and mother, I have no regard for them. He did not recognize his brothers or acknowledge his own children, but he watched over your word and guarded your covenant. He teaches your precepts to Jacob and your law to Israel. He offers incense before you and whole burnt offerings on your altar. Bless all his skills, O Lord, and be pleased with the work of his hands. Smite the loins of those who arise up against him; strike his foes till they rise no more."

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