This is the second excerpt from Let My People Go! by David W. Dyer. This book has become one of my all time favorites and I highly recommend you check it out. You can download the PDF for free (below) and you can find his other books and videos by going to agrainofwheat.com.
There is an interesting verse in Proverbs which speaks to this subject. We read: “The locusts have no king, yet they all advance in ranks” (Pr 30:27). These swarms of insects have no visible leader, but they move together in harmony as if they did. There is some invisible impulse which is guiding them. In the same way, the Leader of the body of Christ is not seen by human eyes today. But, if and when the members of His body move and minister following the leading of His Spirit and they are “tuned in” to His authority, then there is a wonderful harmony seen. There is nothing contradictory or discordant. There is no need for believers to be competing to be seen or heard.
We are taught that each one can “prophesy” or contribute their portion. “But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent” (I Cor 14:30). You see, when the Spirit of God is leading a meeting, then everyone must be sensitive to His every direction. No one can dominate the others, using the time for only their revelation and ministry, but always must be ready to yield to someone else who takes up the thread of the revelation which God is giving and contributes his portion also.
There is no need for human organization. There is no requirement to plan and program everything in advance. There is no necessity for someone or some group of men to try to control the rest. In fact, such efforts will be shown on judgment day to have been a great hindrance to God’s work. Jesus is infinitely capable of leading His church in her meetings. It is only essential for every member to learn to enter into and be led by the Holy Spirit. It is necessary for each one to be moved by God’s eternal Life. When the members are directed by the one Head, then all their movements and ministries are in harmony with each other.
A person who is moved by the Spirit in a gathering of believers should minister or speak “as the oracles of God” (I Pet 4:11). They should be careful, according to their spiritual maturity, not to include any fleshly opinions, ideas, or directions. They should only minister according to the proportion of their faith (Rm 12:6). Further, they should be vigilant not to continue on talking or singing when the Holy Spirit has already moved on.
It is very common for someone, when they feel the attention of the group upon them, to become enamored with a feeling of importance. It is easy for the flesh to be stimulated when we are used by God. Consequently, it is not infrequent for different members of the body to go beyond what God wishes to say and continue rambling on, enjoying the limelight. This is detrimental to all.
On the other hand, sometimes it is hard for a more timid member to say anything. Perhaps he or she is naturally disposed to be reticent or shy. Such members need to be encouraged to contribute what they feel the Lord is giving them. They need to be taught that their part, be it ever so small, is something of value to all.
If and when the stronger members of the body dominate any and all gatherings with their gifts and ministries, it is almost impossible for the weaker ones to grow in sharing their portions. Therefore, the stronger ones should be very sensitive to give the weaker members an opportunity to function in the meetings.
Building Strong Bonds
When we have seen the truth about others and still love them, when the devil has shared with us all his insights about their sins and failures, when we have overcome our own reactions and feelings, then what remains is something which will endure forever.
When we cooperate with Jesus and allow Him to build us together in this way, then the church becomes much less vulnerable and eventually, invincible to the attacks of the enemy. In the Old Testament, the stones for the temple were carefully crafted. They were cut, sawn, and possibly even sanded until they fit perfectly together. When they were put into place in the temple, it has been said that they fit so well that not even the blade of a knife could be inserted between them.
You see, the devil’s attacks are like the blade of a knife. He loves to insert his accusations about another brother in the middle of our relationship. When his words find a little space in our hearts and minds, then he begins to twist this knife to pry us further apart. This is his main technique to destroy the work of God. It is to “reveal” to us the faults and sins of others. Then he uses this information to destroy the love which should hold us together.
But when we succeed in living in love, when the devil’s accusations no longer find a place in our hearts, when he has expended all his efforts but has failed to separate us, then the gates of hell begin to tremble. When we overcome his words which he uses to accuse others, then he has very little power left. It is then that he has exhausted all his ammunition and failed.
When we no longer agree with the thoughts which he puts in our minds, when we stop reacting in natural, human ways to his assaults, when we continue to love our brothers and sisters in the middle of his attacks on their character, then the devil’s kingdom is in trouble. It is then that Christian men and women are winning the victory. They are overcoming God’s enemy. God’s house is being built up.
As we have seen, love is the only glue that holds the true body of Christ together. Without some artificial doctrine, leader, practice, method, etc. to keep believers together, only God’s love will work. So the devil does his best to attack this unique, precious connection.
When we, acting in our flesh, cooperate with him and criticize, defame, gossip, and speak ill of our brothers and sisters, we tear apart the only thing which joins us together. This kind of speaking is sin and must be avoided at all costs. If and when we find ourselves involved in it, a deep and thorough repentance is the only solution. It is only when we overcome in this sphere that we will see the house of God being built up in love.
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2 replies on “Locust King”
There are some confusing parts.
Page 22
“GOD NEVER TOLD US TO ORGANIZE GROUPS
Nowhere in the New Testament are we instructed to try to build some kind of church group or organization. This is very important. We are never told to try to get a number of believers together and organize them into some kind of group. We are never taught that we must build up “a” church. We are never exhorted to try to put together some kind of Christian organization.”
I get his message that he saying no formal, continuing, brand named, property owning, hierarchy controlled groups. But anytime he says “no groups” is is also restricting “meeting together” groups, and “when you come together groups.” He should always say institutionalized groups or permanent groups. Only these are problematic demanding lots of money to perpetuate.Fellowship, “one another” function requires at least 2 or 3 which is a group. Forbidding the concept of “organize groups” is very confusing. You have to figure out that God does want groups, rather than solo saints. God wants a kind of group that focuses on God’s instructions for His kind of groups.
When we began a fellowship “group” in our home, there was a few saints who did not want a regular weekly day to meet. That was too groupish. They wanted only an unscheduled group. So they did not meet with us ever after the first couple of visits.
God has an ORGANIZATION dynamic for groups that demonstrate “members of one another”, a body, a family, which is a group. I think the book needs to be edited to clear up this confusion.
I don’t think there is any confusion. It is pretty clear the intent of the work. Yes you need to meet and organize in an organic way. He is speaking here of the IC and it’s structure.