Entering Heavenly Spiritual Reality By Ron McGatlin Before us is one of the most significant times of spiritual change of all known history. We have entered the season of the fulfillment of the purposes of God in Christ Jesus. All that has been done on earth since the birth of Christ Jesus has been preparation for and moving toward that which is now coming into view. Supernatural heavenly spiritual reality has come to earth from heaven in maturing humble sons of God. Grace empowerment of God is dwelling on earth in Christ abiding in His people. We are now engaged in a time of rapid preparation to bring forth the glorious plan of God on earth from heaven – the kingdom of God is come, and the will of God is being done. There are yet multitudes to be brought in and prepared for the rule of God on earth as it is in heaven. Never before have so many humble holy people been so disconnected from their natural lives and walking in the supernatural spiritual reality of God in Christ Jesus by the Holy Spirit. Yet many more are now being called to step through the veil into the glory of the supernatural realm of heavenly life. Leaving Our Past Life For many believers, natural life has become a drudge and loss of life’s purpose and passion. They are overloaded with responsibilities of natural needs and requirements of structured social order. There is little or no passion for the purposes that once motivated them with hope for things to come. Hope has been delayed and has faded from them. The things they thought would bring life and freedom have brought boredom and bondage. Coming near to the presence of God in and among others is not pleasant for them. They see others alive with what they do not have. Or they see others only acting out Christian roles pretending to be what they really are not. They continue in their unfulfilled desperate longing for the divine purpose and intimacy with God that seems always just beyond their reach. Reaching back to the old self-effort of self-denying to try to become dead to self enough to really experience the presence of God, leads only to increased failure and more discouragement. They may even begin to believe that the people around them are the problem. “If only my husband, my wife or my church family or friends or whoever, would do what I need and be different, I would feel good about things again.” Fantasy thoughts of abandoning their present life and responsibilities enter their minds. The Call of God Believe it or not, sometimes the above desperate feelings are related to God’s call and His working in our lives. God is probably just as disgusted with our prideful, self-focused, pleasure-seeking lifestyles as we are. However, in His ultimate wisdom and love, He knows that our materialistic, pleasure-seeking, pseudo-Christian lives are simply substitutes for the spiritual reality of life that we may have never experienced. Many of us have been trained by the world to take care of ourselves and strive to gain fulfillment in our natural lives by setting goals based on what we deem will bring us what we want. The challenge of striving to reach our goals does give our prideful, competitive souls increased purpose and motivation for a season. One of the most discouraging scenarios occurs when we reach our goal and find it empty. At this point, our false purpose and motivation that stimulated our lives evaporates leaving us with only the responsibility of tending and maintaining our empty dream. The obvious natural resolution is to regain our purpose and motivation by coming up with new greater goals. For believers this may involve a change of direction toward what we deem as more worthy religious goals. “Surely, my striving to become a significant minister in the church and doing self-sacrificing things to reach the lost will provide the missing deep inner satisfaction of my life.” At some point a shocking and depressing crash results from again discovering the self-established goal and self-motivated dream of being a super minister for God is just as empty as our other goals were. We are again left with the heavy burden and responsibility of feeding and maintaining the works produced by our dreams. The work takes on a life of its own and begins to rule us and everyone that is with us according to its needs and desires. Our unmet natural and spiritual needs have caused us to create monsters that seek to consume us. Spiritually, most of the world including many believers, have become as dry bones with no life left in them. CAN THESE DRY BONES LIVE? God is breathing fresh life of His Spirit into His kingdom army. The spiritual fire of God is once again restoring the desperate and entrapped believers to true life in the Spirit. Fresh breath of the Spirit of God is blowing into the lives of those who once walked in His Spirit and are crying out to Him in the darkness of night for the glory of God to fill their lives greater than ever before. Many others who have never before known the fullness of the Spirit are quickly being filled abundantly with the life of the Spirit. The power of God is coming upon and within His people. God is removing stony hearts and filling lives with the exciting fire of His Spirit. The hand of the LORD came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. And He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" So I answered, "O Lord GOD, You know." Again He said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, 'O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 'Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: "Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. "I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the LORD."' " So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them. Also He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live."' " So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army. ~ Ezekiel 37:1- 10 Answering the Call to Glory This is a work of God not the works of any man. Our self-effort to cleanse ourselves or to cleanse others is fruitless. It is the glory of God that brings life from death and gives light to consume our darkness. We cannot prophesy the unjust into becoming just or the unholy into being holy. We cannot prophesy living people into being righteous or holy. "He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still." ~ Rev 22:11 However, as God directs, we are to prophesy the dead into living. We can prophesy glorious life into dead dry bones of useless lives. Prophesy the breath-of-God supernatural life of glory coming into your own dry-bones life. As long as there is anything remaining of our self will and strength to try to clean up our lives and make ourselves righteous and holy, we are not yet “dry bones” enough to enter the heavenly spiritual reality of the glory of God. Prophesy the breath of Spirit life to the purposeless and passionless dry-bones drudge of natural life. The glory of God will dissolve our self-will and clean us up. The fire of abundant life of Christ Jesus in His kingdom glory is upon those from whom and in whom the words of Spirit flow. Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, 'O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! 'Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: "Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. We are the mighty army of God raised from dead dry bones into the glory of the kingdom of God on earth. Our lives are filled with purpose, and the passion of God flows through our lives. Passion for the glorious kingdom of God is manifesting in our lives now and for eternity. We are entering heavenly spiritual reality. Life will never be the same again. The Sword of the Lord comes, Ron McGatlin www.openheaven.com basileia@earthlink.net | |||
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Entering Heavenly Spiritual Reality by Ron McGatlin
Thursday, November 10, 2011
New Realms of Glory being released through a fresh Wind of the Spirit
New Realms of Glory being released through a fresh Wind of the Spirit
8-23-10 By Stacey Yerian
Jeremiah 51:15,16 He made the earth by His power; He established the world by His wisdom and stretched out the heavens by His understanding. 16 When He utters His voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth. He makes lightnings for the rain and brings forth the wind from His treasuries.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Take Up Your Cross And Follow Me
Take Up Your Cross And Follow Me
There is a suffering for the people of God who have chosen the way of the cross, taking up their cross and following Him. It brings suffering to the saint of God who hears those that do not serve Him speak evil against the Word of God. It makes ones heart cry to hear the Lord spoken of in an evil way. Yet, you have not resisted and had to shed your own blood for sin.
Continue to pray for those that despite fully use you and commit the keeping of your soul to the Lord. God understands your tears and He knows your heart of love for Him. Beloved endure hardness as a good soldier of Christ and commit the keeping of your soul to Me. I hear it all and see it all and I am pleased with your heart of love and holiness toward Me. Take up your cross daily and follow Me and I will deal with those that continue to speak against My word. Your part is to love and pray and see Me move in your life. Take up your cross and follow Me.You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; Heb. 12:4 (NASB)
Monday, October 17, 2011
Invest In The Kingdom Of God
CALLED FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS
INVEST IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD
Many things have shifted in this new season. Some friendships have shifted and this will position each one in the body as He wills. Do not resist the change but flow with it. Many friendships will be better and more Kingdom oriented as a result. Those friendships that were not for My kingdom purposes will fall from your life. Continue as you are led to pray for them but do not try to hold on to them for they will hinder you in the season ahead. Be aware also of those the enemy tries to put there to slow you down and keep you from doing that which needs to be done. I am setting my house in order. Time in My Word, prayer and intercession will bring dividends in the time ahead so take time now to invest in the Kingdom of God.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matt. 6:33 (NKJV)
INVEST IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD
Many things have shifted in this new season. Some friendships have shifted and this will position each one in the body as He wills. Do not resist the change but flow with it. Many friendships will be better and more Kingdom oriented as a result. Those friendships that were not for My kingdom purposes will fall from your life. Continue as you are led to pray for them but do not try to hold on to them for they will hinder you in the season ahead. Be aware also of those the enemy tries to put there to slow you down and keep you from doing that which needs to be done. I am setting my house in order. Time in My Word, prayer and intercession will bring dividends in the time ahead so take time now to invest in the Kingdom of God.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matt. 6:33 (NKJV)
Friday, October 14, 2011
Maturing in the gospel of the kingdom Part 4
Kingdom Growth Guides PART 4 (#032) thru (#040)
The church age is giving way to the kingdom age. A bright, new day is dawning, a day in which the believer is looking to God to rule in the fullness of life. It has always been God's desire and plan to intimately relate to mankind filling His people with His presence; and, thereby filling the earth with His life and His way. The reality of God's love and provision of wisdom and power is arising in this day to govern the earth and all life.
The church is not merely being reformed but completely transformed. In the passing church emphasis age, the church, for the most part, isolated itself within its walls. A mentality developed which separated religious life from "real" life. Believers tended to separate their "Christian life" from the rest of their lives, especially from their business lives and the governing of their nations. The ruling of business, education, government, entertainment and most of the rest of life has been left to the ungodly, secular minds of the world. For the most part, the love, infinite wisdom and ultimate spiritual power of God have been excluded from the governing of our world.
The emerging emphasis of the kingdom of God is a new season. It is a season in which the church walls and structure can no longer divide God's people from the rest of life. People are breaking out beyond the church building walls. Spiritual wisdom and power are becoming a major factor in all of life. It is a season marked by the glory and grace of God, a season of both the love, and the wrath of God, a season of freedom and judgment, a season of peace and warfare; a season of captives being set free and evil kings being dethroned; a season for hidden mysteries being revealed; and erroneous religious doctrines to be replaced with truth, a time of increased revelation and understanding of the spoken and written word of God. It is time for the kingdoms of this world to become the kingdoms of our Lord. It is the time for the true King to begin to rule on Planet Earth. In this new season of God be prepared to be further changed.
Knowing the times and seasons
Knowing the season or time of the epic story of God and man can help us to understand and cooperate with the workings of God. Man is dependent upon God to reveal Himself. Though religion may make a valiant effort to know God, man cannot know God by his own mental effort. No amount of intellectual effort will ever lead to the knowledge and understanding of God. God must choose to reveal Himself to man. God sovereignly decides to reveal certain aspects of Himself to whomever He chooses, when He chooses. Though the Bible may be complete, truth from it will not be revealed to a man until God causes revelation within the individual.
Luke 12:56: "Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time?
The more truth God reveals, the more man has for which to be accountable. God, in His great mercy, allows time for man to prepare himself for the next revelation by fully responding to the previous revelation. Receiving revelation of God and treating it irresponsibly by allowing the perversions that it exposes to remain leads to destruction.
The powerful revelation of the establishment of the kingdom of God is coming forth on the earth. The revelation of God Himself dwelling within man to guide and rule the world is bringing blessing and peace to those who hear. God has allowed two millennia of mercy since Jesus and His disciples first announced the gospel of the kingdom. During most of this period of mercy, the gospel of the kingdom of God was not widely preached.
After the brilliant light of the first century faded, God's messengers had little or no light from God on the gospel of the kingdom. Therefore, during the past two millennia characterized by mercy, man has been free to receive Christ Jesus, by the Holy Spirit, into himself. Yet he was not fully held accountable for the gospel of the kingdom. That era is ending and a new era beginning. The 21st century is the beginning of the third millennium since Jesus proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom.
It has been firmly documented from the Bible that the history of man from Adam to Jesus spans four millennia. From Jesus to the year 2000 AD is another two millennia. Therefore, the history of man according to the Bible completed six millennia in the year 2000, (give or take a few years to allow for man's errors of his calendar, etc.). The seventh millennium began as the sixth ended. We are now living in the seventh millennium. Seven is God's number of fulfillment or completion.
The first two millennia were characterized by God's natural law, the second two by the revealed law of God. The law of the mercy of God characterized the third set of two millennia. The law of the kingdom of God will characterize the seventh millennium.
The seventh millennium will see the revelation of the kingdom of God from heaven on earth. The gospel of the kingdom will be preached to the entire world and all the world must become responsible for the revelation of the kingdom. Rejecting the gospel of the Kingdom will cause corrective judgment from God to come upon vast numbers of people and great areas of the world's systems. Catastrophic events will become commonplace during a portion of the seventh millennium as many of the scriptures of the Book of Revelation are carried out in the earth. This is indeed the end of an era. The era of God's tolerance for rebellious, unresponsive man ends with the wrath of God becoming more evident. All natural and supernatural systems will bear the mark of the new era.
A large segment of the population of the world will destroy itself, as one group destroys another, only to be destroyed themselves by yet another group or by some natural plague or disaster. A generation of violent people has developed on the earth for the purpose of bringing judgment to vast portions of the world's population. There is now a generation of people without conscience and with an uncontrollable urge to destroy. (Joel 2) These people are a natural product of man seeking other gods and his own way and refusing God's way for many generations. The end of these people is their own destruction. The Bible speaks of these as "cursed children, natural brute beast made only for destruction, whose god is their belly, with eyes full of adultery and cannot cease from sin." (2 Peter 2)
Natural systems of the earth are now unbalanced because of man's ungodly ways of living. The imbalance is causing increased natural disasters such as violent storms, volcanoes, and earthquakes. Inordinate tides and water levels will sweep over much of the earth's landmasses. New, deadly diseases will come forth upon man. The rays of the sun will cause much damage to humans, animals, and plants alike. Again, all of this has been set into motion by the imbalance of natural systems created by man�s disobedience to the ways of God over the past two millennia.
Yet, God in his mercy has allowed the continuation of man while He is calling out a people who will allow Christ to live and rule within them. Many called out ones will be spared from these judgments and will remain to bring forth the kingdom of God from heaven on earth. They will become a part of the transformation of the planet.
God has not changed. Nothing about God has changed. He has always hated sin and would not be God if He did not judge sin. He still loves men and women and the door of redemption continues today to be open to all who will believe.
God also is pleased with His creation of this beautiful planet. It is His desire to cleanse and restore the earth as He did at the time of the Flood, and at the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. It has always been God's plan for His kingdom from heaven to rule the earth through mankind. His plan will be accomplished in this seventh millennium.
While the generations bent on destruction have come forth, at the same time there is a mighty army of valiant people of God growing on the earth--a generation of Godly believers who are filled with Christ. Men and women, who by love and faith are empowered to live and speak the kingdom of God on earth, are overcoming evil with good. Great displays of natural and supernatural power will emanate from them for the purpose of establishing good upon the earth.
We earthlings have no capacity to mentally ascend to heavenly things. We are totally dependent upon God to reveal heavenly things to us. Sincere men of the church have sought diligently, throughout past centuries, to define and teach the events of the end times. We have developed varied interpretations of the Scriptures that have become generally valued as truth among diverse groups of believers. The further revelation of the kingdom coming forth in the seventh millennium is forcing us to reconsider what the Scriptures really say in light of the revelation of the kingdom of God.
Prior to the further understanding of the gospel of the kingdom (such as is taught in the previous Kingdom Growth Guides), many expected the dramatic, glorious bodily return of Jesus to begin the establishment of the kingdom. While we anticipated a great moment of climax to occur at some future date that would begin the establishment of the kingdom, it was already quietly growing within us.
Luke 17:20-21: Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; "nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."
The transition into the new era of the kingdom is already happening. Yet, there are multitudes that have no idea that sin is being judged and the kingdom is coming forth.
In the day that Jesus Christ walked bodily upon the earth teaching and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, many religious people totally missed it. The great events taking place around them were seen as something other than the Son of God proclaiming the kingdom of God. It was not just the heathen who missed it; it was the established, Bible (Old Testament) preaching, religious leaders who could not see. Many people, who lived at the same time and in the same place where God's might works were proclaiming the kingdom of God, were not aware of what was really happening. It is no different now as the great events of the seventh millennium are unfolding and Christ again walks in His Body (the Body of Christ) proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom.
The religious leaders of that day were so involved in the old way, which was coming to an end, that it was difficult for them to adjust to the new era of the preaching of the kingdom. This led to their violently opposing Christ Jesus and the kingdom that He preached. They put themselves into the position of becoming enemies of the God they sought to proclaim. The gospel of the kingdom is very divisive. It leaves little or no room for straddling the fence. Either a person sees it and aligns with it or they rise up and oppose it. As the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom has come forth in the new era, some very religious people have put themselves into the position of becoming at enmity with God by resisting His gospel of the kingdom.
We must change with the times of God and not attempt to adjust the times of God to us for our comfort. Change is sometimes not comfortable. Yet, it is far easier to change with the time than to oppose God.
We must face the future, forget the past, and fulfill the present.
Now, in this time, godly people are experiencing an increase of spiritual light. At the same time, ungodly people are experiencing an increase in darkness. It is popular with ungodly people to change with the times and become increasingly evil in their ways. It is necessary for godly people to change with the times and become increasingly holy in their ways.
Holiness is an exciting adventure. There is nothing more exhilarating than experiencing the powerful loving flow of Christ by the Holy Spirit through our natural human bodies. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing the power of God released to change lives for good. There is no greater fulfillment for man than experiencing the kingdom of God. We must make the commitment to endure the severe conditions of change, even if it means adjusting some of our previous interpretations of Scripture. It will be well worth it.
Keep on Pursuing Love
It Will Never Fail, Ron McGatlin
http://www.openheaven.com basileia@earthlink.net
KINGDOM GROWTH GUIDESMaturing in the gospel of the kingdom
THE KINGDOM AGE (#032) The church age is giving way to the kingdom age. A bright, new day is dawning, a day in which the believer is looking to God to rule in the fullness of life. It has always been God's desire and plan to intimately relate to mankind filling His people with His presence; and, thereby filling the earth with His life and His way. The reality of God's love and provision of wisdom and power is arising in this day to govern the earth and all life.
The church is not merely being reformed but completely transformed. In the passing church emphasis age, the church, for the most part, isolated itself within its walls. A mentality developed which separated religious life from "real" life. Believers tended to separate their "Christian life" from the rest of their lives, especially from their business lives and the governing of their nations. The ruling of business, education, government, entertainment and most of the rest of life has been left to the ungodly, secular minds of the world. For the most part, the love, infinite wisdom and ultimate spiritual power of God have been excluded from the governing of our world.
The emerging emphasis of the kingdom of God is a new season. It is a season in which the church walls and structure can no longer divide God's people from the rest of life. People are breaking out beyond the church building walls. Spiritual wisdom and power are becoming a major factor in all of life. It is a season marked by the glory and grace of God, a season of both the love, and the wrath of God, a season of freedom and judgment, a season of peace and warfare; a season of captives being set free and evil kings being dethroned; a season for hidden mysteries being revealed; and erroneous religious doctrines to be replaced with truth, a time of increased revelation and understanding of the spoken and written word of God. It is time for the kingdoms of this world to become the kingdoms of our Lord. It is the time for the true King to begin to rule on Planet Earth. In this new season of God be prepared to be further changed.
Knowing the times and seasons
Knowing the season or time of the epic story of God and man can help us to understand and cooperate with the workings of God. Man is dependent upon God to reveal Himself. Though religion may make a valiant effort to know God, man cannot know God by his own mental effort. No amount of intellectual effort will ever lead to the knowledge and understanding of God. God must choose to reveal Himself to man. God sovereignly decides to reveal certain aspects of Himself to whomever He chooses, when He chooses. Though the Bible may be complete, truth from it will not be revealed to a man until God causes revelation within the individual.
Luke 12:56: "Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time?
The more truth God reveals, the more man has for which to be accountable. God, in His great mercy, allows time for man to prepare himself for the next revelation by fully responding to the previous revelation. Receiving revelation of God and treating it irresponsibly by allowing the perversions that it exposes to remain leads to destruction.
The powerful revelation of the establishment of the kingdom of God is coming forth on the earth. The revelation of God Himself dwelling within man to guide and rule the world is bringing blessing and peace to those who hear. God has allowed two millennia of mercy since Jesus and His disciples first announced the gospel of the kingdom. During most of this period of mercy, the gospel of the kingdom of God was not widely preached.
After the brilliant light of the first century faded, God's messengers had little or no light from God on the gospel of the kingdom. Therefore, during the past two millennia characterized by mercy, man has been free to receive Christ Jesus, by the Holy Spirit, into himself. Yet he was not fully held accountable for the gospel of the kingdom. That era is ending and a new era beginning. The 21st century is the beginning of the third millennium since Jesus proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom.
It has been firmly documented from the Bible that the history of man from Adam to Jesus spans four millennia. From Jesus to the year 2000 AD is another two millennia. Therefore, the history of man according to the Bible completed six millennia in the year 2000, (give or take a few years to allow for man's errors of his calendar, etc.). The seventh millennium began as the sixth ended. We are now living in the seventh millennium. Seven is God's number of fulfillment or completion.
The first two millennia were characterized by God's natural law, the second two by the revealed law of God. The law of the mercy of God characterized the third set of two millennia. The law of the kingdom of God will characterize the seventh millennium.
The seventh millennium will see the revelation of the kingdom of God from heaven on earth. The gospel of the kingdom will be preached to the entire world and all the world must become responsible for the revelation of the kingdom. Rejecting the gospel of the Kingdom will cause corrective judgment from God to come upon vast numbers of people and great areas of the world's systems. Catastrophic events will become commonplace during a portion of the seventh millennium as many of the scriptures of the Book of Revelation are carried out in the earth. This is indeed the end of an era. The era of God's tolerance for rebellious, unresponsive man ends with the wrath of God becoming more evident. All natural and supernatural systems will bear the mark of the new era.
A large segment of the population of the world will destroy itself, as one group destroys another, only to be destroyed themselves by yet another group or by some natural plague or disaster. A generation of violent people has developed on the earth for the purpose of bringing judgment to vast portions of the world's population. There is now a generation of people without conscience and with an uncontrollable urge to destroy. (Joel 2) These people are a natural product of man seeking other gods and his own way and refusing God's way for many generations. The end of these people is their own destruction. The Bible speaks of these as "cursed children, natural brute beast made only for destruction, whose god is their belly, with eyes full of adultery and cannot cease from sin." (2 Peter 2)
Natural systems of the earth are now unbalanced because of man's ungodly ways of living. The imbalance is causing increased natural disasters such as violent storms, volcanoes, and earthquakes. Inordinate tides and water levels will sweep over much of the earth's landmasses. New, deadly diseases will come forth upon man. The rays of the sun will cause much damage to humans, animals, and plants alike. Again, all of this has been set into motion by the imbalance of natural systems created by man�s disobedience to the ways of God over the past two millennia.
Yet, God in his mercy has allowed the continuation of man while He is calling out a people who will allow Christ to live and rule within them. Many called out ones will be spared from these judgments and will remain to bring forth the kingdom of God from heaven on earth. They will become a part of the transformation of the planet.
God has not changed. Nothing about God has changed. He has always hated sin and would not be God if He did not judge sin. He still loves men and women and the door of redemption continues today to be open to all who will believe.
God also is pleased with His creation of this beautiful planet. It is His desire to cleanse and restore the earth as He did at the time of the Flood, and at the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. It has always been God's plan for His kingdom from heaven to rule the earth through mankind. His plan will be accomplished in this seventh millennium.
While the generations bent on destruction have come forth, at the same time there is a mighty army of valiant people of God growing on the earth--a generation of Godly believers who are filled with Christ. Men and women, who by love and faith are empowered to live and speak the kingdom of God on earth, are overcoming evil with good. Great displays of natural and supernatural power will emanate from them for the purpose of establishing good upon the earth.
We earthlings have no capacity to mentally ascend to heavenly things. We are totally dependent upon God to reveal heavenly things to us. Sincere men of the church have sought diligently, throughout past centuries, to define and teach the events of the end times. We have developed varied interpretations of the Scriptures that have become generally valued as truth among diverse groups of believers. The further revelation of the kingdom coming forth in the seventh millennium is forcing us to reconsider what the Scriptures really say in light of the revelation of the kingdom of God.
Prior to the further understanding of the gospel of the kingdom (such as is taught in the previous Kingdom Growth Guides), many expected the dramatic, glorious bodily return of Jesus to begin the establishment of the kingdom. While we anticipated a great moment of climax to occur at some future date that would begin the establishment of the kingdom, it was already quietly growing within us.
Luke 17:20-21: Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; "nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."
The transition into the new era of the kingdom is already happening. Yet, there are multitudes that have no idea that sin is being judged and the kingdom is coming forth.
In the day that Jesus Christ walked bodily upon the earth teaching and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, many religious people totally missed it. The great events taking place around them were seen as something other than the Son of God proclaiming the kingdom of God. It was not just the heathen who missed it; it was the established, Bible (Old Testament) preaching, religious leaders who could not see. Many people, who lived at the same time and in the same place where God's might works were proclaiming the kingdom of God, were not aware of what was really happening. It is no different now as the great events of the seventh millennium are unfolding and Christ again walks in His Body (the Body of Christ) proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom.
The religious leaders of that day were so involved in the old way, which was coming to an end, that it was difficult for them to adjust to the new era of the preaching of the kingdom. This led to their violently opposing Christ Jesus and the kingdom that He preached. They put themselves into the position of becoming enemies of the God they sought to proclaim. The gospel of the kingdom is very divisive. It leaves little or no room for straddling the fence. Either a person sees it and aligns with it or they rise up and oppose it. As the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom has come forth in the new era, some very religious people have put themselves into the position of becoming at enmity with God by resisting His gospel of the kingdom.
We must change with the times of God and not attempt to adjust the times of God to us for our comfort. Change is sometimes not comfortable. Yet, it is far easier to change with the time than to oppose God.
We must face the future, forget the past, and fulfill the present.
Now, in this time, godly people are experiencing an increase of spiritual light. At the same time, ungodly people are experiencing an increase in darkness. It is popular with ungodly people to change with the times and become increasingly evil in their ways. It is necessary for godly people to change with the times and become increasingly holy in their ways.
Holiness is an exciting adventure. There is nothing more exhilarating than experiencing the powerful loving flow of Christ by the Holy Spirit through our natural human bodies. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing the power of God released to change lives for good. There is no greater fulfillment for man than experiencing the kingdom of God. We must make the commitment to endure the severe conditions of change, even if it means adjusting some of our previous interpretations of Scripture. It will be well worth it.
Keep on Pursuing Love
It Will Never Fail, Ron McGatlin
http://www.openheaven.com basileia@earthlink.net
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Maturing in the gospel of the kingdom
Kingdom Growth Guides PART 5 (#041) thru (#052)
KINGDOM GROWTH GUIDESMaturing in the gospel of the kingdom
KINGDOM POWER (#041)
The seat of power in a kingdom rests in the king.
Only the king possesses all the resources and knowledge to empower individuals or groups to exercise his ways in order to order the kingdom. In the kingdom of heaven, King Jesus is not only the source of authority and power to order all life according to the ways of the Father; but He also is the life. Jesus is the very source of all existence spiritual or physical, supernatural or natural. The kingdom of heaven on earth is the kingdom of Christ Jesus.
Man has proven, from the time of his fall until now, that he is unable to successfully order life on the earth in his own strength or with his own wisdom. The lust of the flesh and the pride of life in natural fallen man produce need and greed that create self-centered beings that cannot order life according to the ways of the true King. It produces “little kings” that attempt to rule themselves and others. Every “little king” goes about seeking power to rule as much of the world as he possibly can for himself his way. Psychological or religious manipulation and political or militant force are some tools used by “little kings” to bring others under their rule and to establish their power to rule more of the earth. Manipulation skills and demonic intrigue are employed to seduce individuals, and then to use them to strengthen the “little king’s” power to rule.
We are not speaking only of big-time political or religious leaders. Ordinary people may employ these and other techniques to get their way in life. To get what they need and want in life, they may use whatever systems and whatever talents they can to rule things their way. Even small children will often demonstrate practices of seeking to rule their world their way.
Dealing with the "Little King” Syndrome
Unfortunately, acknowledging Jesus as Saviour, walking the church aisle, getting baptized, joining the church, and attending Bible college or seminary does not necessarily remove all of the “little king” syndrome. It is very possible to make it through all of the above processes and yet be affected by the desire to rule one’s own life and the lives of others, which is the desire to rule the world. Spiritual maturity is, in part, a development of doing away with one’s own needs, desires, and agendas. It involves becoming a clear, clean conduit for the Spirit of Christ Jesus to flow into and through one’s life. Spiritual maturity involves ordering one’s life and, eventually, the world according to the will of the Father and not the will of fallen man. The Spirit of Christ Jesus the King must replace the “little king” of self-rule, which is truly a flesh king and is often reinforced by an antichrist spirit.
It is important to the enemy to keep this understanding from men, including those seeking to minister for God. The enemy will use anything he can, including religion, to perform a process called “blinding the mind”. His desire is to blind the mind to the existence of the “little king” syndrome in the lives of individuals. He will also attempt to blind the minds of people to the marvelous potential of being filled with or baptized in (saturated with and immersed in) the Spirit of Christ by the Holy Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ Jesus the King (the KING’S SPIRIT). As mind blindness is overcome and spiritual eyes are opened to the awesome potential of the King’s Spirit within, the love and power of Christ Jesus can overcome the “little king" syndrome and allow the true King from heaven to rule.
2 Cor. 4: 4: Whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
Eph. 2:2: in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
2 Cor. 3:5, 4:2: Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.
Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech; unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away.
But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.
But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
Who is the Spirit? The Lord is the Spirit!
How are we changed? By the Spirit of the Lord!
Who is the Lord? Christ Jesus is the Lord!
Who is the King? Christ Jesus the Lord is the King!
Who is the Spirit? The King is the Spirit!
The King is Christ Jesus the Lord, who abides in His people by the Holy Spirit.
Where is our power from? Who is our sufficiency to live righteously, to overcome evil, to be saved, to teach and preach and do all the works of God, to be ministers of the new covenant, to rule and reign on earth now? Is it the letter or is it the Spirit of the King, the One with all power that enables one to be as Jesus is, in the world? (1 John 4:17)
Such a glorious ministry!
The ministry of the Spirit is not a “get-by-until-Jesus-comes-back” type of ministry. It is the very life of Jesus being manifest, coming forth in our bodies. Only as our “little king” dies, only as we are delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, can the life of Jesus come forth in our body. (Rom 6:11)
2 Cor. 4:7-11: But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
2 Pet. 1:3-4: as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge (knowing) of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
THE GRACE OF GOD IS EMPOWERMENT.
Eph. 2:1-10: And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
The vastness and significance of the gift of God and the love of God for man are not easy for one to grasp. Not only while we were sinners, but because we were sinners, God gave His glorious grace gift to man.
The grace gift of God is much more than some have thought it to be. It is more than a free ticket to heaven and a blanket to cover our continued disobedience and spiritual powerlessness. It involves more than the death of Jesus on the cross. The grace gift of God for salvation also involves the resurrection of Christ Jesus and the Spirit of Jesus the King. It is the gift of the resurrected Christ indwelling the believer by the Spirit of the Lord empowering the believer to live righteously and to do the will and works of God. It is His workmanship. There is nothing anyone could do to accomplish the works of God apart from God doing the works.
Man must receive the gift of God by faith. One must believe in the heart the resurrected Christ and confess with the mouth unto salvation (Rom 10:8-10). The process of salvation begins with our willingness to believe and receive the work of Jesus on the cross to pay for our sin and the work of the Spirit of the resurrected Christ within to overcome sin and produce righteousness.
Those who will be saved and live godly in Christ Jesus will also participate in His death in this life. Unless one’s “little king” is dead, one cannot fully receive the resurrected Spirit of Christ Jesus the King. The process of salvation includes the Spirit of Christ manifesting His life as King in the place of our dead “little king.” It includes restoration, deliverance, and healing to destroy all the work of the enemy in one’s life, and to provide a clean vehicle, an open conduit for the Spirit of Christ Jesus the King to dwell in and flow through. The presence of the Spirit of Christ Jesus the King flowing through the individual produces powerful righteousness and puts an end to powerless disobedience. Thus, the grace gift of God brings one to salvation and establishes the kingdom of God in the world.
THE MANIFEST PRESENCE OF GOD
The saving, restoring, purifying power of God flowing in, through, and around the believer may be spoken of by believers as the life of Christ, the presence of God, the grace of God, the anointing of God, the power of God, the glory of God, the presence of the Spirit of Christ Jesus the King, and in other terms. Our finished salvation depends upon the Spirit of God appearing or manifesting in our mortal body to accomplish His workmanship of full redemption. It is God that works in the believer both to create the desire and to accomplish the work of God to save, heal, and deliver man from all the work of the devil (Phil 2:13).
More is required than a head-knowledge type of believing that Jesus died for the sins of the world. More is required than conforming to a religious system by joining a church or following any system or set of rules and practices. Men will continue to yield to temptations and be entrapped in schemes of the devil until the presence of Jesus the anointed One of God is manifested in them. To overcome sin and sinful habits, one must abide in the powerful, spiritual presence of Jesus. In a real and practical way, one must walk in the powerful presence of the Spirit of Christ Jesus and, thereby, put to death the deeds of the flesh. One who knows Jesus in this way does not walk in sin. If one walks in sin, one can know for certain that the experience of the grace of God, the powerful presence of the Spirit is not yet fully happening in one’s life.
1 John 3:5-11: And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.
Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning.
For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
“God is love.”
The predominant characteristic of God is love. His loving kindness released toward man cannot be stopped. The love of God can reach into the darkest corner; it can flow through the thickest wall; it can overcome the vilest evil. Evil cannot be destroyed by evil. The love of God is the most powerful force in creation to destroy evil and establish righteousness. God’s love produces righteous obedience, peace, and joy in life.
The first characteristic of a person in whom the Spirit of the Lord dwells is the manifestation of the love of God. Anyone with the righteousness-producing love of God within will love his brother and overcome sin. God’s love produces righteousness and dissolves sinful living. The person in whom the Spirit of Christ Jesus the King rules will practice righteousness and will love his brother.
Sin and unlove are not of God and anyone who practices sin is not receiving it from God. The devil is the father of sin. God is the Father of love and righteousness. Thus, one who practices sin is being fathered by the devil. In contrast, the Spirit of God is fathering one who is righteous.
This is not a lost-or-saved issue. It is not a born-again or not-born-again question. Certainly, one must be born again for the Spirit of Jesus to live within. But, many who are born are not yet fully grown; and, therefore are in a growth process toward righteous living. As minds are being renewed to the Word of God, and old life structures are being cut down and replaced with the seed of God, one’s healing and deliverance from all the work of the devil is taking place. The Spirit of Christ is destroying all the works of the devil in the life.
Righteousness is a process carried out by the Spirit of God within the willing believer. One must come into agreement with God for one’s “little flesh king” to die and be replaced with the Spirit of the King from heaven, Christ Jesus the Lord.
All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. (Rom 3:23)
The seat of power in a kingdom rests in the king.
Only the king possesses all the resources and knowledge to empower individuals or groups to exercise his ways in order to order the kingdom. In the kingdom of heaven, King Jesus is not only the source of authority and power to order all life according to the ways of the Father; but He also is the life. Jesus is the very source of all existence spiritual or physical, supernatural or natural. The kingdom of heaven on earth is the kingdom of Christ Jesus.
Man has proven, from the time of his fall until now, that he is unable to successfully order life on the earth in his own strength or with his own wisdom. The lust of the flesh and the pride of life in natural fallen man produce need and greed that create self-centered beings that cannot order life according to the ways of the true King. It produces “little kings” that attempt to rule themselves and others. Every “little king” goes about seeking power to rule as much of the world as he possibly can for himself his way. Psychological or religious manipulation and political or militant force are some tools used by “little kings” to bring others under their rule and to establish their power to rule more of the earth. Manipulation skills and demonic intrigue are employed to seduce individuals, and then to use them to strengthen the “little king’s” power to rule.
We are not speaking only of big-time political or religious leaders. Ordinary people may employ these and other techniques to get their way in life. To get what they need and want in life, they may use whatever systems and whatever talents they can to rule things their way. Even small children will often demonstrate practices of seeking to rule their world their way.
Dealing with the "Little King” Syndrome
Unfortunately, acknowledging Jesus as Saviour, walking the church aisle, getting baptized, joining the church, and attending Bible college or seminary does not necessarily remove all of the “little king” syndrome. It is very possible to make it through all of the above processes and yet be affected by the desire to rule one’s own life and the lives of others, which is the desire to rule the world. Spiritual maturity is, in part, a development of doing away with one’s own needs, desires, and agendas. It involves becoming a clear, clean conduit for the Spirit of Christ Jesus to flow into and through one’s life. Spiritual maturity involves ordering one’s life and, eventually, the world according to the will of the Father and not the will of fallen man. The Spirit of Christ Jesus the King must replace the “little king” of self-rule, which is truly a flesh king and is often reinforced by an antichrist spirit.
It is important to the enemy to keep this understanding from men, including those seeking to minister for God. The enemy will use anything he can, including religion, to perform a process called “blinding the mind”. His desire is to blind the mind to the existence of the “little king” syndrome in the lives of individuals. He will also attempt to blind the minds of people to the marvelous potential of being filled with or baptized in (saturated with and immersed in) the Spirit of Christ by the Holy Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ Jesus the King (the KING’S SPIRIT). As mind blindness is overcome and spiritual eyes are opened to the awesome potential of the King’s Spirit within, the love and power of Christ Jesus can overcome the “little king" syndrome and allow the true King from heaven to rule.
2 Cor. 4: 4: Whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
Eph. 2:2: in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
2 Cor. 3:5, 4:2: Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.
Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech; unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away.
But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.
But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
Who is the Spirit? The Lord is the Spirit!
How are we changed? By the Spirit of the Lord!
Who is the Lord? Christ Jesus is the Lord!
Who is the King? Christ Jesus the Lord is the King!
Who is the Spirit? The King is the Spirit!
The King is Christ Jesus the Lord, who abides in His people by the Holy Spirit.
Where is our power from? Who is our sufficiency to live righteously, to overcome evil, to be saved, to teach and preach and do all the works of God, to be ministers of the new covenant, to rule and reign on earth now? Is it the letter or is it the Spirit of the King, the One with all power that enables one to be as Jesus is, in the world? (1 John 4:17)
Such a glorious ministry!
The ministry of the Spirit is not a “get-by-until-Jesus-comes-back” type of ministry. It is the very life of Jesus being manifest, coming forth in our bodies. Only as our “little king” dies, only as we are delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, can the life of Jesus come forth in our body. (Rom 6:11)
2 Cor. 4:7-11: But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
2 Pet. 1:3-4: as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge (knowing) of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
THE GRACE OF GOD IS EMPOWERMENT.
Eph. 2:1-10: And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
The vastness and significance of the gift of God and the love of God for man are not easy for one to grasp. Not only while we were sinners, but because we were sinners, God gave His glorious grace gift to man.
The grace gift of God is much more than some have thought it to be. It is more than a free ticket to heaven and a blanket to cover our continued disobedience and spiritual powerlessness. It involves more than the death of Jesus on the cross. The grace gift of God for salvation also involves the resurrection of Christ Jesus and the Spirit of Jesus the King. It is the gift of the resurrected Christ indwelling the believer by the Spirit of the Lord empowering the believer to live righteously and to do the will and works of God. It is His workmanship. There is nothing anyone could do to accomplish the works of God apart from God doing the works.
Man must receive the gift of God by faith. One must believe in the heart the resurrected Christ and confess with the mouth unto salvation (Rom 10:8-10). The process of salvation begins with our willingness to believe and receive the work of Jesus on the cross to pay for our sin and the work of the Spirit of the resurrected Christ within to overcome sin and produce righteousness.
Those who will be saved and live godly in Christ Jesus will also participate in His death in this life. Unless one’s “little king” is dead, one cannot fully receive the resurrected Spirit of Christ Jesus the King. The process of salvation includes the Spirit of Christ manifesting His life as King in the place of our dead “little king.” It includes restoration, deliverance, and healing to destroy all the work of the enemy in one’s life, and to provide a clean vehicle, an open conduit for the Spirit of Christ Jesus the King to dwell in and flow through. The presence of the Spirit of Christ Jesus the King flowing through the individual produces powerful righteousness and puts an end to powerless disobedience. Thus, the grace gift of God brings one to salvation and establishes the kingdom of God in the world.
THE MANIFEST PRESENCE OF GOD
The saving, restoring, purifying power of God flowing in, through, and around the believer may be spoken of by believers as the life of Christ, the presence of God, the grace of God, the anointing of God, the power of God, the glory of God, the presence of the Spirit of Christ Jesus the King, and in other terms. Our finished salvation depends upon the Spirit of God appearing or manifesting in our mortal body to accomplish His workmanship of full redemption. It is God that works in the believer both to create the desire and to accomplish the work of God to save, heal, and deliver man from all the work of the devil (Phil 2:13).
More is required than a head-knowledge type of believing that Jesus died for the sins of the world. More is required than conforming to a religious system by joining a church or following any system or set of rules and practices. Men will continue to yield to temptations and be entrapped in schemes of the devil until the presence of Jesus the anointed One of God is manifested in them. To overcome sin and sinful habits, one must abide in the powerful, spiritual presence of Jesus. In a real and practical way, one must walk in the powerful presence of the Spirit of Christ Jesus and, thereby, put to death the deeds of the flesh. One who knows Jesus in this way does not walk in sin. If one walks in sin, one can know for certain that the experience of the grace of God, the powerful presence of the Spirit is not yet fully happening in one’s life.
1 John 3:5-11: And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.
Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning.
For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
“God is love.”
The predominant characteristic of God is love. His loving kindness released toward man cannot be stopped. The love of God can reach into the darkest corner; it can flow through the thickest wall; it can overcome the vilest evil. Evil cannot be destroyed by evil. The love of God is the most powerful force in creation to destroy evil and establish righteousness. God’s love produces righteous obedience, peace, and joy in life.
The first characteristic of a person in whom the Spirit of the Lord dwells is the manifestation of the love of God. Anyone with the righteousness-producing love of God within will love his brother and overcome sin. God’s love produces righteousness and dissolves sinful living. The person in whom the Spirit of Christ Jesus the King rules will practice righteousness and will love his brother.
Sin and unlove are not of God and anyone who practices sin is not receiving it from God. The devil is the father of sin. God is the Father of love and righteousness. Thus, one who practices sin is being fathered by the devil. In contrast, the Spirit of God is fathering one who is righteous.
This is not a lost-or-saved issue. It is not a born-again or not-born-again question. Certainly, one must be born again for the Spirit of Jesus to live within. But, many who are born are not yet fully grown; and, therefore are in a growth process toward righteous living. As minds are being renewed to the Word of God, and old life structures are being cut down and replaced with the seed of God, one’s healing and deliverance from all the work of the devil is taking place. The Spirit of Christ is destroying all the works of the devil in the life.
Righteousness is a process carried out by the Spirit of God within the willing believer. One must come into agreement with God for one’s “little flesh king” to die and be replaced with the Spirit of the King from heaven, Christ Jesus the Lord.
All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. (Rom 3:23)
We do not and must not continue to live in sin. We must continue on to maturity. The love of God must be perfected in us. If we truly know Him in the sense of abiding in Christ and having His Spirit abiding within our being, we will not live in sin. We will keep His commandments. But, while we are in the process of dying to our self-governing “little flesh king” and becoming ruled by the King from heaven, we have an Advocate with the Father. Jesus is there pleading our case, telling the Father that He is still working on the job of cleansing His child from all unrighteousness. Confessing our sin is the first step to forgiveness for the past act of sin and cleansing for future righteous living.
1 John 1:8 - 2:5: If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.
Gal. 5:14-17a: For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another.
The kingdom of God from heaven on earth is established and continues by the Spirit of God in man producing victory over sin and establishing God’s will on the earth as it is in heaven.
Keep on Pursuing Love
It Will Never Fail
Ron McGatlin
http://www.openheaven.com
basileia@earthlink.net
1 John 1:8 - 2:5: If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.
Gal. 5:14-17a: For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another.
The kingdom of God from heaven on earth is established and continues by the Spirit of God in man producing victory over sin and establishing God’s will on the earth as it is in heaven.
Keep on Pursuing Love
It Will Never Fail
Ron McGatlin
http://www.openheaven.com
basileia@earthlink.net
New Jerusalem Order and Authority
New Jerusalem Order and Authority
By Ron McGatlin
All authority rests in the throne of God and is given to Christ Jesus. The mature or well-trained army of God marches by love in rank and file in the order and plan of God from heaven. God is not the author of confusion in His people.
God is the author of confusion among those who are in the flesh or of another spirit. A word from Spirit God can send the army of the enemy into confusion and chaos.
An immature or not yet well-trained army of good people seeking to serve God may enter into confusion when the word or command from the Spirit conflicts with their remaining residue of natural fleshly desires and mindsets.
God's kingdom army is an army of love. The love of God in His people is the ultimate motivation to become a living sacrifice unto God. The experience of His love constrains us to leave our past lives, to serve God with our whole hearts and to not love our lives unto the death, Rev 12:11.
The army of God is being shaped and trained for the season ahead. A good soldier surrenders his will and his way to the will of God. Christ Jesus is the supreme leader of God's army. A good soldier will not entangle himself with the affairs of this life. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. ~ Paul
In a natural army, soldiers in training are abruptly removed from the things of "this life" and subjected to something called "boot camp." For most, this is a painful time of leaving the comforts of their past life and entering into learning obedience by the things they suffer. The soldiers learn to take authority over their natural desires and endure the pain of being trained to follow the will and instructions of the leader of the army, even to the point of losing their lives for a cause that is considered worthy. Those who do well are promoted to mature leadership in the army. (I believe you sense the parallel with the spiritual army of God.)
The greatest soldier of all in the army of God is the man Christ Jesus.
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father, Phil 2:5-11.
Elder (mature son) Training
Elders in the army of God are being trained to fully flow the kingdom authority that is flowing by the Spirit from the throne of God. We are being trained to not overstep our given or assigned sphere of service into adjacent areas or spheres that are not assigned to us. God's continuous spiritual communication lines must be fully connected into our spirits. It is more than urgent that we be able to fully hear God's instructions and guidance at all times. It is also imperative that we be responsive in a timely manner. If we fail to move in the time directed, the moment will pass and the instruction will be invalid out of its time.
Explosively Urgent Season of History
Personally, I well remember the first days of World War 2. In a matter of days a massive nation at rest came alive after the attack on Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941. The whole nation seemed to abruptly jump into action. There was an explosion of activity as the whole nation leaped instantly into full-out war effort. Hundreds of thousands of men lined up the next day to join the military. With unbelievable speed factories were converted into production of war goods. Shipyards became alive and all of industry swung into full gear. Every household was involved in the effort to save our nation from foreign occupation and stop the aggressors who had already taken over many nations with tyrannical rule.
It is my opinion that we are spiritually at a more explosive time than ever recorded in history. We have entered the season of world harvest in which the seed of the evil one and the seed of Christ Jesus planted in the hearts of man are reaching full maturity. The fullness of all things is before us in the season we have now entered.
Can a nation come forth in a day? The spiritual nation of the Kingdom of God is exploding into fullness and the world including much of the "church" does not even know it. Hearts of godly people are being invaded with the fullness of the kingdom of God. Fire and urgency of intense self-sacrificing love is flooding the souls of men, women, boys and girls. Unexplainably, there is GREAT confusion and frustration coming into the hearts and lives of many people that are yet involved with mixture. It is God that is destroying the inner peace of soldiers yet entangled with the affairs of their past lives. God will not give rest until His people are fully lined up at the recruiting stations of heaven to be trained for the spiritual war for the world and its people.
Now is the day of salvation. There is no more time for casual life as usual. The powerful presence of God is calling and the joy of the Lord awaits the purified holy army of humble servants of God filled with His love and life. The angels are ready and waiting for the great celebration of fulfilled victory now at the beginning. It is done and the work of the Lord is finished. Praise Him and receive your weapons of spiritual war to love the world into submission to God and forever bind the enemy from the land. The army of God is coming together in the spiritual realm. Spiritual forces are marching forth to speak the living powerful creative words of God to overcome and transform His people and the world around them.
The Sword of the Lord comes,
Ron McGatlin
www.openheaven.com
basileia@earthlink.net
By Ron McGatlin
All authority rests in the throne of God and is given to Christ Jesus. The mature or well-trained army of God marches by love in rank and file in the order and plan of God from heaven. God is not the author of confusion in His people.
God is the author of confusion among those who are in the flesh or of another spirit. A word from Spirit God can send the army of the enemy into confusion and chaos.
An immature or not yet well-trained army of good people seeking to serve God may enter into confusion when the word or command from the Spirit conflicts with their remaining residue of natural fleshly desires and mindsets.
God's kingdom army is an army of love. The love of God in His people is the ultimate motivation to become a living sacrifice unto God. The experience of His love constrains us to leave our past lives, to serve God with our whole hearts and to not love our lives unto the death, Rev 12:11.
The army of God is being shaped and trained for the season ahead. A good soldier surrenders his will and his way to the will of God. Christ Jesus is the supreme leader of God's army. A good soldier will not entangle himself with the affairs of this life. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. ~ Paul
In a natural army, soldiers in training are abruptly removed from the things of "this life" and subjected to something called "boot camp." For most, this is a painful time of leaving the comforts of their past life and entering into learning obedience by the things they suffer. The soldiers learn to take authority over their natural desires and endure the pain of being trained to follow the will and instructions of the leader of the army, even to the point of losing their lives for a cause that is considered worthy. Those who do well are promoted to mature leadership in the army. (I believe you sense the parallel with the spiritual army of God.)
The greatest soldier of all in the army of God is the man Christ Jesus.
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father, Phil 2:5-11.
Elder (mature son) Training
Elders in the army of God are being trained to fully flow the kingdom authority that is flowing by the Spirit from the throne of God. We are being trained to not overstep our given or assigned sphere of service into adjacent areas or spheres that are not assigned to us. God's continuous spiritual communication lines must be fully connected into our spirits. It is more than urgent that we be able to fully hear God's instructions and guidance at all times. It is also imperative that we be responsive in a timely manner. If we fail to move in the time directed, the moment will pass and the instruction will be invalid out of its time.
Explosively Urgent Season of History
Personally, I well remember the first days of World War 2. In a matter of days a massive nation at rest came alive after the attack on Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941. The whole nation seemed to abruptly jump into action. There was an explosion of activity as the whole nation leaped instantly into full-out war effort. Hundreds of thousands of men lined up the next day to join the military. With unbelievable speed factories were converted into production of war goods. Shipyards became alive and all of industry swung into full gear. Every household was involved in the effort to save our nation from foreign occupation and stop the aggressors who had already taken over many nations with tyrannical rule.
It is my opinion that we are spiritually at a more explosive time than ever recorded in history. We have entered the season of world harvest in which the seed of the evil one and the seed of Christ Jesus planted in the hearts of man are reaching full maturity. The fullness of all things is before us in the season we have now entered.
Can a nation come forth in a day? The spiritual nation of the Kingdom of God is exploding into fullness and the world including much of the "church" does not even know it. Hearts of godly people are being invaded with the fullness of the kingdom of God. Fire and urgency of intense self-sacrificing love is flooding the souls of men, women, boys and girls. Unexplainably, there is GREAT confusion and frustration coming into the hearts and lives of many people that are yet involved with mixture. It is God that is destroying the inner peace of soldiers yet entangled with the affairs of their past lives. God will not give rest until His people are fully lined up at the recruiting stations of heaven to be trained for the spiritual war for the world and its people.
Now is the day of salvation. There is no more time for casual life as usual. The powerful presence of God is calling and the joy of the Lord awaits the purified holy army of humble servants of God filled with His love and life. The angels are ready and waiting for the great celebration of fulfilled victory now at the beginning. It is done and the work of the Lord is finished. Praise Him and receive your weapons of spiritual war to love the world into submission to God and forever bind the enemy from the land. The army of God is coming together in the spiritual realm. Spiritual forces are marching forth to speak the living powerful creative words of God to overcome and transform His people and the world around them.
The Sword of the Lord comes,
Ron McGatlin
www.openheaven.com
basileia@earthlink.net
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