Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
II Timothy 1:9 (God) Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to HIS own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
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To each of us, who are born of the Spirit of God, GOD has HIS own purpose for us as we live on this present earth.
To one in the body of Christ, God gives the spiritual gift of "helps". (I Corinthians 12:28)
To another in the body of Christ, God gives the spiritual gift of "exhortations". (Romans 12:8)
All that matters is that we each do that which is assigned to us by God and that we thereby fulfill that purpose for which God has created us.
We must not copy each other but rather we do that to which God has assigned us!
We trust God to make it clear to us where we fit. And we stay in that assignment when we know where is it that God has placed us for that will accomplish God's purpose for us.
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Some are set in the church to care for the church ... but not all are.
Ephesians 4:11-12 And HE (Jesus) gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
And many who say they are ministers do not know their real calling. I've seen men who started out saying they were "evangelists" and later said they were "pastors."
The calling doesn't change. These men just didn't know what they were and often just copied another person.
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After I was born again in 1975, in the night while I was asleep, I was transported into heaven where I was with God, and with Jesus, and with The Holy Spirit. At that time I was merged into the body of Jesus, made one with the Word of God, God and the Holy Spirit witnessing.
A few nights later, the exact same thing happened a second time. (no fleshly images just an experience in the spirit)
I had no thought of becoming a minister. I didn't know a woman could be a minister. And I had no concept at all of a call of God being on a person's life.
Through the next five years, God would show me.
God calls us and it is God who must reveal to us HIS assignment.
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I kept receiving "word of knowledge" when I attended the prayer group or Bible class at our church group. (I Corinthians 12:8)
God would show me an outline of a body part on the wall and when the opportunity came in the group, I would say: "Is anyone having a problem with stomach." (or whatever body part I had seen outlined on the wall)
This happened over and over as I was among the church.
It was strongly recognized by the church members that the call of God was on my life. Many saw me as a prophet. Even my own pastor at that time identified me as a prophet.
But one thing no one knew was revealed to me later during those formative years.
I was driving along the road when God spoke to me by HIS Spirit and said, "I've called you and set you into the body of Christ as an apostle."
I was very shocked and cried out, "An apostle ... what's an apostle?"
I didn't tell anyone what I had heard but I began asking questions to the Bible teacher at our church group. "Who are the apostles at our church group. What do apostles do in the church group?"
When I got no satisfactory answers, then I asked God and HE showed me.
Later many pastors told me I could not be an apostle ... but I continued in that which God showed me and just kept doing the work God showed me to do in the church and I continue to this day doing that work through these writings.
Recalling that I was taken into heaven twice and merged into the body of Jesus twice, I believe this was the calling of apostle and prophet given to the church.
When we believe God has shown us what we are and what we are to do, it is not easy for man to convince us otherwise and we will greatly need that assurance from God.
We work in that area to which we believe God has set us.
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