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What Exactly IS the Living Impartation?
Episode #601
6-10-2018
With Martha Kilpatrick and hosted by John Enslow
Every Shulamite Podcast is described as giving “not just another method but a living impartation.” But what does that mean? How do we impart to another?
Martha:
I have had quite a morning and I’m sitting down with John. We are going to do a Podcast. But I have something personal I need ask for. Someone sent me a wonderful book on The Cross by a man named Mantle. But the name of the giver was not in the package. So if you would just let us know who you are I’d love to thank you for such a rich book. Okay, this morning I was really deeply seeking the Lord for two friends of mine who are very sick and I came to a passage in 2 Corinthians 1:3 (-5 ESV):
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.
The next verse in 2 Corinthians 1 is 6 and I am going to read this one from the Amplified:
But if we are troubled (afflicted and distressed), it is for your comfort (consolation and encouragement) and [for your] salvation; Verse 6 says: But if we are troubled (afflicted and distressed), it is for your comfort (consolation and encouragement) and [for your] salvation; if we are comforted (consoled and encouraged), it is for your comfort (consolation and encouragement), which works [in you] when you patiently endure the same sufferings.
And I’ve said often and I don’t hesitate, it’s so real to me, that nothing God gives me in terms of revelation, in vision, in understanding—none of it is for me. I’m a vessel in which He deposits things for others. So that’s how I view myself. I’m just a vessel. I’m a conduit for what God want to give everybody else. And so in reading this I realized that I had the capacity to comfort because of my own recent suffering. But actually, it’s not my comfort that I learn, it’s I’m here to impart the very comfort He gave me to those who, those two who are sick. And when I imparted that comfort to her by the Spirit, not in words, she said, “My spirit is soaring high,” because of the hope that I could give her, because of the hope He gave me. I gave her His hope, I believe. I didn’t give her my hope. I gave— What John always said that so puzzled me, John always said, “Not another message but giving a living impartation.” And for a long time I didn’t understand that. And then when I did understand, I could hardly believe it. That if you’re speaking from the Spirit, from the revelation of Jesus Christ, you’re speaking on a different dimension than if you are giving information. You’re giving not just an inspiring message, you’re being given life. And that sounds audacious and presumptuous but it’s the
truth. We are to minister – even Sparks says so, Nee says so – we are to minister life not words, life not information. Christ’s life not 1-2-3 how-to’s.
John:
What I say is that it’s not another method; it’s a living impartation. See the problem is, is that quite often we want the method, we prefer the method. The method is “I can do it, I can control it, and I can maintain it” but that’s not it. That’s a bastardization of the actual Gospel. The Gospel doesn’t say that I am the source of all life. My vessel becomes the source of life because His life is in me. And so, you know, if you could give me just a 1-2-3 methodology, then I can leave God and go do it. It’s, it’s rebellious. It perpetuates my rebellion and my independence of God. And that’s the whole, that’s the whole problem with a method. A method is very, very, flattering to my flesh. A method… But it’s the original lies. It’s the original lies that say that I can do it without God and that I know. And as long as I have my method, I’m good. “I got you, God. I’m all ok. I’m perfect.” And the fact is, is that I’m not. And so the thing that’s so dynamic about what you’re saying to me is that, I mean, you are validating the entire thing, that the living impartation of Christ has more value and more worth than all the methods out there. So let the methods dry up and wither away and blow away in the wind. That’s what I would really like all the methods to just – poof. Twelve steps to this and, you know, three steps to this and A-B-C to this. Those are, they’re repulsive to Christ because of the fact that… I’m not saying the Twelve Step Programs are repulsive but just, this is the spirit of the thing, I’m not, you know. He uses things, ok. He uses, He uses things where we’re at. But the fact is, is that the ultimate is impartation, and that’s what you have.
Martha:
And, John, you’ve been saying that for twenty years and I’m beginning, probably, to catch on. But I did see this oneness of the body. There is One life that is the Body of Christ; just One life. Not five million together or five trillion together. There is One life in the Body of Christ and that One life is available from life to life, from vessel to vessel. And so the Body of Christ is one. It doesn’t matter how far. I remember reading that what we go through of liberty or deliverance or blessing is transferred to the Body of Christ all over in some mysterious ways. Not just dependent on the internet and books and tapes. Ok, so living impartation, and it is absolutely scriptural, John. And you’ve understood it for more than twenty years. I realized that I had something to impart not to say to my friend.
John:
One of the first messages I heard of you before I ever came was the “Christ, the Head.” It was one of the most impactful messages I had heard from The Spirit and the Wind CD series. And it basically talked about Christ being the head of His body and that… You just, you validated all kinds of things that I was feeling and things that I was hoping for. But with what you’re saying about the unity of the Body and the unified mind of the Body and the one source of the Life and how we’re all one body, we’re all one – one! – under the head who is Christ. And the thing that just, just shocks me and just… There is One force, there is One will going forth out of all of us that are under the Head. “Who are My brother, sister, mother? It is those who do the will of God” (paraphrased). Because you’re in the mind of Christ, you’re under the headship of Christ, you’re moving so there is no discord, there is no conflicting, you know, there may be, I don’t even have to go there. There is no conflicting purpose because it’s all, you may have to have the purpose revealed to you of how it is, but we’re all moving forward. That means out of your life is the same life that’s coming out of me, all for the same purpose. And that means the church in Kansas City, there’s a one purpose; the church is Colorado… They’re all one purpose and all under one mind.
And so the living impartation is that it’s all Christ as Head, and the single mind. We can be all unified, you know. With all our different lives and all of our different—we can all be unified because we are under one head. His mind is moving all of us. And, you know, you say you are a conduit. Ok, yeah. You are a conduit. As you’ve submitted your will – less of Martha, more of Christ – His life is coming through you. Does this make any sense?
Martha:
It makes perfect sense because those who truly know Him, that’s what they say. That you, if you’re not imparting life when you speak, you’re imparting death. There’s only life and death. And there’s only One life. If we could ever get that there’s only One life! But, see John, you got that so many years ago and I was puzzled by it for years, because I couldn’t conceive that you could actually give Christ away and it be living. But that’s what the function of the Body is.
What Exactly IS the Living Impartation? – Episode #601 – Shulamite Podcast
Every Shulamite Podcast is described as giving “not just another method but a living impartation.” But what does that actually mean? How do we impart to another person? And what is it we’re imparting to them? Tune in for John and Martha’s impartation!
God is so amazing! I didn’t listen to this podcast until right now. Earlier today I was reading a T A Sparks book that spoke along the same lines. How wonderful God is to be able to order it that these same messages were opened and read to me on the same day! God is Sovereign!
So illuminating, this message is an example of living impartation. These verses come to mind: “But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life.” 2 Cor. 2:14-16 NIV
Thank you Douglas. If this is an example of living impartation, it’s just perfect. And this verse is excellent! I have witnessed it many times, in both directions. Blessings and love to you and Nancy!