We have been addressing the manifest presence of the Lord, and its relationship to koinonia fellowship. We will now cover some of the basics that enable this, and that can inhibit or rob us of this basic and crucial part of our inheritance in Christ. We will begin with the mentality of fallen man, which has led to the most devastating counterfeits and robbed many of the greatest experiences they can have in this life. The most poignant illustration of this trap is found in Genesis 11:2-4:

It came about as they journeyed east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there.

They said to one another, "Come, let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly." And they used brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar.

They said, "Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.

         The first seemingly good but most evil of all intents of fallen men was to attempt to build what would “reach into heaven” by their own strength and wisdom. They may have attempted to reach God, but their real motive was to “build for ourselves.” It was to “make for ourselves a name,” or for their own fame, not to lift up God.

            They also thought this original human project would gather men and not scatter them. But when these are the true motives behind what we build, no matter how much we claim it is for the Lord, it will ultimately end up scattering instead of unifying, as we read in Genesis 11:5-9:

The Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built.

The Lord said, "Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they began to do, and now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them.

"Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, so that they will not understand one another's speech."

So, the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of the whole earth; and they stopped building the city.

Therefore, its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of the whole earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of the whole earth.

         Babel means “confusion,” and Babylon means “city of confusion.” “Mystery Babylon” in the Book of Revelation is the mature plant version of this seed in Genesis. “Mystery Babylon” is also called the “great harlot” because it is composed of Christians whom the serpent again deceived and caused to fall by seeking what is self-centered. All such works are the counterfeit of the pure, chaste virgin church that will not commit adultery with the spirit of the world.

         When this false, harlot church grew in the power of the spirit of this world and joined herself to earthly governments, it tried to do what the men of Shinar tried. It tried to unite all men under what it claimed was the Lord’s work in their own might and power and not God’s Spirit. It was really building for themselves to make a name for themselves and attract more men to their project than to the Lord. The Lord did the same thing to them He did at this original tower—He scattered them and now we have more than ten thousand languages—and denominations.

          Not all denominations are driven by this evil intent, nor is everyone in them. Many denominations were born out of authentic moves of God and many who are in them have pure hearts for the Lord and for His true work. However, as much as their builders and leaders claim to be doing everything for the Lord (and some are), this whole system has a corrupt foundation, and this will not be the foundation of the city of God. Remember what we read before in Hebrews 13:12-14:

Therefore, Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate. So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.

          Has there ever been a spiritual movement that became institutionalized that did not become corrupt? What does it mean to “go out to Him outside the camp?” Was there any time Jesus, the first century apostles, or the first century church ever went “inside the camp?” What happened to the church in the third and fourth centuries that did go “inside the camp?” It became the seat of the worst spiritual corruption and antichrist spirit the world had yet known.

         Even within the darkest times of this corruption, the Dark Ages, there were great souls in it who were lights to the world. And even now there are great souls in the institutional churches, and there will be until the Lord calls them out. Some of them make me jealous with their pure devotion and intimacy to the Lord, and I am honored to call them my brothers and sisters. But a time is coming when they, too, will have to make the choice “to go out to Him outside the camp.”

         Abraham, the “father of faith,” began His walk with the Lord by going outside the camp, leaving one of the great cultures and civilizations of the time, which was in the same region of Babel and Babylon. He went out not knowing where he was going but knew what he was looking for—the city that God is building, not men. As Jesus replied to those who claimed Abraham was their father, “If you are Abraham’s children, do the deeds of Abraham” (John 8:39).

© 2022 Rick Joyner. All rights reserved.