Highway in the Wilderness

The Bride

“‘Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.’ And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God.” (Rev. 21:9-10)

The Book of Revelation ends with a description of the New Jerusalem. This is where we are headed. The Gospel is more than about heaven and hell. It is about God the Father preparing a Bride for His Son and sharing His love with all of creation. By making the message only about getting saved, we have hindered people from pursuing the fullness of what God has for them. If getting saved is the goal, then all we need to do is maintain what we have received, while we pursue other goals in this natural life. This is a man-centered gospel. Are we thankful enough for our salvation to seek to know the One who saved us? Is our destination heaven, or to be a part of the holy city where the Lord God and the Lamb are the temple (Rev. 21:22)?

Throughout the ages, God has given messages to His people. The Book of Revelation is one such message. There are other messages given to the Church that have not been included in Scripture. They do not have the same authority as scripture, but nonetheless are useful for edification. Today I want to share a little from the message Jesus gave to Dr. Dale Fife, which he recorded in The Secret Place.

In the vision, he walked along a road chronicling the history of the Church. The Lord said, “‘You cannot limit My church to the present time you are living in,’ He said, with a sparkle of eternity in His eye. ‘You must view it through the years and centuries since I began to build it.’” (p. 163). Throughout history, Christ has been building His Church. As we move forward in time, we should rediscover some of the victories the saints obtained, hold fast to what is good, and press in to discover more of what God has for us. We should also believe in hope for a final great outpouring which will help the church rise to full maturity. “‘This is why I have brought you here. You must tell My church that the time for the greatest harvest is at hand. It is now here! The whole earth is in the throes of judgment and deliverance. I am calling in the harvest. You must tell My laborers that now is the time!’. As He said this, He hurled a ball of fire upon the earth and said, ‘I am empowering My workers for the end-time harvest!’”. (p. 165)

Next along the road they encountered a series of grotesque billboards portraying every human body part imaginable. The scene was so disturbing that even Jesus began to weep. “This is what you have done to My church. You have defiled the purity of My bride. You have torn my beautiful bride into pieces and dismembered her. You have divided the parts of My body and put them on display. You have exalted some of the parts and scorned others. I have watched while you ridicule that which I call holy. My heart is broken. I can bear it no longer.” (p. 174). How many of these divisions have occurred in the name of righteousness? How we react to the evils we see in the church is not always the way Christ would have us do it. To move forward without repeating the mistakes of the past, we need a humble and pure heart.

As He spoke, an army of workers was seen approaching. “Behold, My great company of apostles and prophets. Some have already begun to work among the body parts to bring healing and restoration to the bride.” (p. 175). They will not abandon the church, but neither will they participate in maintaining the religious strongholds of the enemy. They will tear down what is man-made and rebuild according to the instructions of the Lord.

These end-time workers will have eyes to see the Bride as she is in the Spirit. “From this moment on, I want you to envision My bride as whole, for I am about to undo what men have done. No longer will I allow My body to be divided into pieces or separated into parts. The final restoration and knitting together of My church is coming. I will not allow anyone or anything to separate My people any longer!” (p. 180). We are all members of His body and individually precious to Him, but we also have a corporate identity. The Body is one. As we come into maturity, “to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13), it will be evident to the world that we belong to Him. “This is the time of times, and the season of seasons. This is the unfolding and fulfillment of My purpose from the foundation and beginning of creation. The earth will begin to see the unveiling of My true bride. That which has enshrouded her and kept her from coming forth will be removed. All that has hindered her will fall at the hands of My true end-time apostles and prophets. Their work of completion has begun!” (p. 181).

It is clear to me that the Church is the Bride of Christ, but I understand why some believe that the Bride is only those in the Church who overcome. The Bride must make herself ready for the marriage supper (Rev. 19:7), so it is true that only the overcomers are the Bride. My conviction is that not everyone who gets saved endures to the end. Once we are baptized into the Body of Christ, nothing can remove us except God Himself. Jesus indicated in His message to the church in Sardis that this is possible (Rev. 3:5). This is a difficult truth to accept this if we see the Gospel as a heaven or hell issue, but I believe there is more to salvation than that. Let God be the final Judge, but as for us, let us continue to walk in love by faith. Nothing can separate us from the love of God except our own choices. “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today,’ lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end.” (Heb. 3:12-14).

The Mysteries of Man

“What is man that You think of him? Or the son of man that you are concerned about him? You have made him for a little while lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor; You have put everything in subjection under his feet.” (Heb. 2:6-8 NAS).

This scripture speaks of God Himself taking on a human form. For a while, He took on a form that was created lower than the angels. After He had suffered and tasted death, He arose victorious. The first mystery is that God took on the form of His creation to raise it up in Himself. The second mystery is that man, who was created lower than angels, is raised up with Christ to rule with Him over all the works of His hands. The third mystery is that the final state of man was planned from the beginning. “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.” (Eph. 1:4,5).

The first Adam was created a “living soul”, with a spirit, and a physical body (Gen. 2:7). God’s order for man is first the spirit, then the soul, and then the body (1Thess. 5:23). When the spirit comes into man, it gains an entirely new dimension of expression. The soul is essential for the spirit to function in a body. In the new creation his spirit is renewed, his soul is transformed, and he obtains a new spiritual body. This renewed spirit will obtain an entirely new expression in a spiritual body that is greater than what was possible in a physical body. A transformed soul is essential for the spirit to function through this new spiritual body.

All of this is possible if our salvation is complete. We often think of it as a past event, but it only begins with the new birth. Salvation should come to every part of man, but it is possible for us to receive only some of it. I believe we have presented the gospel too simply. There is a salvation of the spirit, a salvation of the soul, and a salvation of the body. The spirit is saved through the new birth, but the resurrection of the body is the “hope of our salvation”. We will attain this if we overcome this world.

There is more to salvation than just going to heaven. We are called to reign with Christ as His Bride. Only those who overcome will reign with Him. Jesus made this clear in His messages to the seven churches of Revelation. “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” (Rev. 3:21).

How can we be overcomers? We face a lot of issues in life, but to be an overcomer we must go to the root of our problems. The key is found in what happened to us in the fall. We were deceived to partake of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and as a result we became like God. What is so wrong with becoming like God? I certainly want to be like God in character, but the tree of the knowledge of good and evil does not produce character. Instead, it gives one the ability to be a judge. Partaking of this fruit outside of the will of God resulted in the independent nature found in man. This nature has been dealt with on the cross, but the old thinking remains in our soul. In Christ, we are no longer bound to live by the old nature; we are free to choose which thoughts to obey. “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” (Rom. 8:6).

The independent spirit is the spirit of pride. We can tell by the fruit in our lives if we still have issues with independence. Fear and anxiety are symptoms of independence. So is a lack of grace to overcome sinful habits. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (Jas. 4:6). One of the most overlooked results of independence, however, is judging others or ourselves. Only God has the right to judge. Paul said, “In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord.” (1Cor. 4:3,4).

Jesus overcame this world and has made a way for us to do the same. The key was His humility. The devil tried to tempt Him to walk independently from God (Matt. 4:1-11). He even offered Jesus “all the kingdoms of the world and their glory” without having to go to the cross. “And being found in the appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” (Phil. 2:8).

Even though He overcame as a man, He did not rely on human strength. Before going into the wilderness, He was filled with the Holy Spirit. Before the devil came to test Him (Lu. 4:2,3), He spent forty days strengthening Himself in the Spirit through fasting and prayer,. Then He came out the wilderness “in the power of the Spirit” (Lu. 4:14); not just because He overcame the devil, but because He had been with the Father.

The advice Jesus gave His disciples in Gethsemane still applies for us today: “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matt. 26:41). We do not overcome the enemy by looking at him or our problems. We overcome by keeping our eyes on the Lord. First, we draw near to God, then we resist the devil (Jas. 4:7,8). As we commune with God, the light of His presence surrounds us. We see more clearly when the devil or sin gets in the way of our fellowship. If we know our authority and if we are quick to repent and believe, we can maintain unbroken communion with our Lord.

What is man that God thinks of us? It really is not about us; it is about His Son. God is preparing a Bride, a companion suitable for Him. “Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” (Rev. 19:9).

Mysteries of Creation

“This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” (Eph. 5:32)

It is important that we understand the mysteries of creation as they concern Christ and the Church. One of those mysteries is “that in the dispensation of the fullness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.” (Eph. 1:10). “For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things on earth or things in heaven” (Col. 1:19). From the beginning, God had a plan for mankind that would far surpass the original creation. We tend to think of redemption as something God was ready to do in case man sinned, but the mystery is that the second state of man is better than the first. In the beginning, man had fellowship with God, but through redemption, man became “members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.” (Eph. 5:30). Man was first created as a living soul but in Christ, he becomes a living spirit (1Cor. 15:45). Redeemed man becomes a new creation, not just a restored one. (2Cor. 5:17).

In the first account of creation, we see the order of when the heavens and the earth were formed. We are told that on the seventh day God rested because “the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished.” (Gen. 2:1,2). There is always more than one dimension to the Word of God. When we look at the seven days of creation, we can view them in a framework of time and space, which would mean that there is an eight day and so on. We can also view the account as covering all of creation, from the beginning of time to the end, which would mean that each day represents an era. With this second view, the fall and redemption of man is included within the six days and God’s rest is for eternity. I like to think that both views are acceptable and provide different perspectives of God’s work.

One of the mysteries to consider is of the earth itself. How old is the earth? We know that God created everything is six days, but how long was a day before the sun was formed? Also, what was the earth when it was created? God calls it all the dry land (Gen. 1:10). From our perspective that would mean the planet Earth, but from God’s perspective, it could mean all the dry land in the universe. Even limiting our interpretation to the physical universe may be wrong. What if God’s perspective is multi-dimensional? Maybe the earth that God is referring to is in another dimension and the physical universe is just an expression of it. On the earth that God is referring to, vegetation came forth on the third day, but the sun and the stars were only created on the fourth day. This means the original earth had light from a different source, just like the new heaven and the new earth will have (Rev. 21:23).

If the earth is multi-dimensional, then the garden of Eden, which was planted by God on the earth, is still here. After the fall, man was driven out of the garden, but Scripture does not say that Eden was removed. Rather, it says that “He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.” (Gen. 3:24). Since the garden of Eden is still on earth, in a different dimension, then we should be able to gain access to it in Christ. We do not need to understand everything, but the more we do, the deeper can be our experience with God in His Kingdom.

The second account of creation is “a history of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.” (Gen. 2:4). This record helps us to gain an understanding of the mystery of mankind. We know from Chapter One that man was created (or re-created) on the sixth day. In Chapter Two, however, we find that Adam was formed “before any plant of the field was in the earth and before any herb of the field had grown.” (Gen. 2:5). This would indicate that Adam was created on the third day, before even the physical universe, as we know it (sun, moon, stars), and before any of the fish, birds, and animals. This time frame is confirmed in the next verses as God creates birds and animals to provide companionship for Adam. The problem we have with understanding scripture is we always look at it from our current circumstances. The earth as we know it today is in a fallen state, subject to death and decay. This was not the case in the beginning, and it will not be after death is destroyed. (1Cor. 15:26; Rev. 20:14).

It is not clear on which day Eve was created. Following the linear timeline, it could be on the sixth day when God created man “male and female” (Gen. 1:27). This would place the fall and redemption of man after the seventh day. If we consider the view that the creation account is from eternity to eternity, then it could be before the creation of our present universe, on the fourth day. With this view, marine life, animal life, and mankind would be re-created on the fifth and sixth day. Redemption would then occur on day six, when we become new creations in Christ.

What about the angels? The only reference to them is at the fall of man. When Lucifer appears to tempt Eve, he is described as a serpent that “was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord had made.” (Gen. 3:1). Could the original birds and living creatures be angels? At least symbolically they are. When Paul quotes from Genesis 2:24 in Ephesians Chapter 5, he compares the creation of Eve to the creation of the Bride of Christ. Angelic beings would then have been created to provide companionship to the Son, but they were not sufficient. “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.” (Col. 1:16). By putting Adam to sleep, God was foretelling the death of Christ. It has always been God’s plan to create a Bride for His Son. The ultimate purpose of man is to reign with Christ as His Bride. Salvation is the pathway to this end purpose. Let us pursue God with all our hearts so that His purpose will be fulfilled in us.

The Normal Christian Life

“In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” (Jn. 1:4)

After my retirement, my wife and I moved unto an acreage. A large part of the reason for this move was our understanding of the times we live in. We are preparing for more glorious and more difficult days ahead. As much as possible, we want our needs to be met apart from the world’s economic system, but more importantly, we want to be a source of blessing to other believers. Greater than the natural preparations, however, are the spiritual ones. As we turn to see what the Lord is saying to His people, we are learning to dwell in our union with Him. This union is not just for our spirit life, but for the natural life as well.

Although we live in the natural world, the normal Christian life is not natural, it is spiritual. When we say “spiritual” we think of prayer and ministry. It certainly is that, but it is also Christ living a day-to-day life through us. Have you ever thought about the first thirty years of Jesus’ life. At the age of twelve, He was found in the temple teaching the scholars of Israel. Although He said He should be about His Father’s business (Lu. 2:49), He left Jerusalem and returned to Nazareth with His parents, “and was subject to them” (Lu. 2:51). In returning to Nazareth, He was not putting off being about His Father’s business; He was only putting off the ministry part of it. The Father’s business is not just preaching, teaching, and healing (Matt. 9:35). “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Mic. 6:8).

The normal Christian life is to let Christ live through us (Col. 3:3,4). Christ desires to live every aspect of our life. We are to live “in Him” spiritually as He live “in us” naturally. It requires a constant act of faith to submit our soul and body to Christ. The normal Christian life is spiritual because it is our spirit, in union with Christ, living in our body, through our soul. We can walk with the Holy Spirit in everyday life. Religion separates the secular from the religious, but Christ in us is both King and Priest. There is an anointing for daily living in the same way that there is an anointing for ministry. It is accessed by faith through thanksgiving and praise. As we walk this way, we will experience more peace and joy. “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (Col. 3:17).

In the book The Call, Rick Joyner describes a vision of the end-time army of the Lord. It concerns the plan of the Lord to prepare His Church for the last great battle. In the vision, the army is composed of three groups. “As I watched, I noticed that the plain was dry and dusty before the army, but immediately after the first twelve divisions passed, the earth was dark green, with trees giving shade and bearing fruit and pure streams flowing throughout the land. This army was restoring the earth.” (The Call, p. 142). The second group in the army was not as focussed as the first group because the soldiers were hindered by the selfish ambitions. “They left bridges and many buildings, but the ground was not left in as good of shape as before they had passed. The grass was not as green, the streams were somewhat muddied, and much of the fruit had been taken.” (The Call, p. 142). The third group did not at all behave like the first two. They were plagued with in-fighting. After they passed over the land, “The grass was either gone or so trampled into the earth that it could not be seen. The few trees that remained were stripped. The streams were polluted. The bridges were broken down and impassable. The buildings were left in shambles. It seemed that this group had undone all the good that the first two had done.” (The Call, p. 142, 143). In seeing this, and sensing the Lord’s displeasure with the third group, Rick asked why He did not just remove this third group. The Lord responded that most of the Church was still in the third group but that it would not be so in the end.

The Lord is preparing His people to be like the first group. He is coming for a Bride that is “a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she would be holy and without blemish.” (Eph. 5:27). Most of the Church is not there yet, but the good news is that some are, and many have moved out of the third group. We are still in a time of preparation, but the day is coming when we will be judged. Before the last battle, the Lord will discipline His army. “Know that I will no longer abide those who remain in the condition of the third group. Then I will stop the march of the entire army until those in this group have been disciplined to become soldiers or dispersed. I will discipline those in the second group to cast off their evil ambitions and live for Me and My Truth. Then My army will march forth, not to destroy, but to give life.” (The Call, p. 150).

As children of light, we are called to produce life wherever we go. His life in us is the light that shines in the darkness. The normal Christian life is prophetic in nature; God speaks and acts through us. “For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” (Rev. 19:10). We cannot separate the natural things we do from our calling to be children of light. Living life in fellowship with Christ is an act of worship (Ro. 12:1). To walk this way is to walk in the wisdom from above. “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.” (Jas. 3:13-15).

The Powers of the Age to Come

“and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come” (Heb. 6:5)

As we enter the last days, we can see from a distance the start of the Millennium Age where the Bride of Christ will rule and reign with Christ on the earth (Rev. 20:4). Soon, Christ will reveal Himself to all mankind and those who have been faithful will be changed “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.” (1Cor. 15:52). The resurrection and glorification of believers will be the long-awaited revealing of the sons of God (Rom. 8:18-25). All of creation is waiting to be “delivered from the bondage of corruption and into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” (vs. 21). Creation groans and “we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.” (vs. 23). Will the release from bondage be a one-time event? For the children of God, it is both gradual and sudden. First, we are born again in the spirit and seated with Christ in heavenly places. We have been restored to fellowship with God our Father. Our soul is undergoing the gradual process of transformation (Rom. 12:1,2). But we still groan inwardly because we live in temporal bodies. Even now, however, the resurrection life of Christ is making our natural bodies come alive with health and strength (Rom. 8:11), and suddenly our bodies will be changed into eternal bodies at the appearing of Jesus Christ (1Cor. 15:22,23).

For creation, the release from corruption will also be gradual and sudden. Although the natural world is increasingly suffering the effects of man’s sin, there are local areas of relief because of the righteousness of the saints. During the millennium, creation will experience an increased measure of its release from the bondage of death. “The cow and the bear shall graze; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.” (Isa. 11:7). The complete release from death, however, will only occur after the Millennium, when God creates new heavens and a new earth (Rev. 21:1). The gradual obtaining of victory, until a climax is reached, is a spiritual principle that applies to every age. This is an important principle to understand as we approach the end of this age.

In my early years of ministry, I was warned against the manifest sons of God doctrine. I accepted this warning at the time, but because of its growth in popularity, I have now been pressed to discern it for myself. How we discern doctrines is important. To discern is different then passing judgment. The former brings understanding; the latter brings division. Because of fear, we tend to isolate anything that may appear to be wrong. This results in dividing the Body of Christ. There is a need to remove sin from our midst, but that should not include separating ourselves from those of different views. Certainly, there are destructive doctrines propagated that should not be tolerated in any form. These are the ones that deny the Lord or what He has done for us through His atoning sacrifice. “For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Jude 4). The manifest sons of God doctrine may or may not be scriptural, but it should not be included in the category of “destructive heresies” (2Pe. 2:1).

We are to judge (discern) a tree by its fruit. When I look at the fruit in the lives of ministers who adopt these teachings, I see good fruit. I also see some bad fruit, but this occurs with any movement because of how people apply the teachings. The problem with new revelations is how we interpret them. Prophets see things coming and tend to explain them from their current understanding, which always contains some influence from past traditions. The revelation may be true, but the explanation may be inaccurate. If we are too quick to reject new teachings, we risk missing what God may be saying. For the sake of unity and love, we need to accept one another, even if we have different views. God is moving us away from a focus on doctrine to a focus on relationships. As we “endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”, our understanding will grow and we will come closer to the “unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” (Eph. 4:3,13). The basis of their teaching is that God will bring about a company of mature children in the last days. I think we can all agree that Christ is returning for a mature Bride. What we may disagree on is what this will look like and how it will come about.

The revelation that the Body of Christ needs to receive today is that we can taste the powers of the age to come. Anything that belongs to the next age can be experienced today, in a measure. What will be can now be. We will reign with Christ during the Millennium, so we can reign with Him now. We are not hidden away as we wait for the appearing of the Lord; we work with Him to put all His enemies under His feet. “For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.” (1Cor. 15:25).

Religious traditions will try to keep us from advancing, but we must press into all that God has for us. To meet the challenges of the end times, we must walk in the powers of the age to come. As we move forward, however, we must continue to guard our hearts against enemy tactics. An increase in spiritual experiences can lead to spiritual pride. The devil will try to tempt us, deceive us, or discourage us with persecutions, but we are more than conquerors in Christ. We overcome him by the blood of the Lamb, the word of our testimony, and by living in total surrender to Christ (Rev. 12:9-12). Our desire for spiritual gifts and experiences should not overshadow our pursuit of love (1Cor. 14:1). Spiritual maturity is measured by the character of Christ in us, not our experiences. “And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” (1Cor. 13:2). To taste the powers of the age to come is not the end goal, but seeking these experiences to extend the kingdom of God may help us to fulfill the commandment of love.

Restoration of the Church

“They have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.” (1Sam. 8:7).

Even though this happened in the days of Samuel, there is a principle here that applies to believers today. Of course, we do not want to be guilty of rejecting the Lord as our King, but unless we understand this principle, we may be doing just that. From the time of Joshua to Samuel, the Israelites were governed through judges. This relationship with the Lord as their King required a walk of faith and obedience. If they turned to other gods, the help of the Lord was withdrawn. When the prophet Samuel was old, the nation was concerned that they would fall back to the failures of the past. Rather than rely on faith for national security, they decided to ask for a king like the nations around them. We are doing the same thing if we allow our churches to rely on human structures instead of the Holy Spirit. God’s method for building the Church is still: “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord.” (Zech. 4:6).

The church was founded by the outpouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost. Everything was new to the disciples, so they relied entirely on the Holy Spirit. As the church grew, leaders were set apart by the Spirit to minister to the Lord and to the people. After the apostles passed away, and the reliance of the church on the Spirit decreased, the role of the leaders changed. By the time of the Dark Ages, they had accepted a religious system instead of “men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom.” (Acts 6:3). During the Reformation, the process of restoring the church to its original design began. This is a process that will continue until the Lord returns and the Bride becomes “a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing.” (Eph. 5:27).

In the nineties, my wife and I pioneered a church in Saskatchewan. As the manifestation of the Spirit increased among us, and our numbers grew, we began to establish a cell group structure. This is when a major conflict occurred. Some of the new leaders were teaching against speaking in tongues in the services. More specifically, they had issues with our practice of praying in tongues during worship. As we prayed about this, it became clear what the real issue was.

My wife was the worship leader. As a prophetic intercessor, it was normal for her to lead the congregation in prayer when a breakthrough was needed for worship. We still had much to learn about flowing in the Spirit, but we would not learn it by quenching the Spirit. To help discern the spirit behind this conflict, the Lord gave us this verse: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her!” (Matt. 23:37). Jerusalem was the centre of the religious system. The Lord revealed to us that a key aim of the religious spirit is to kill the prophets. This revelation set us free. We took authority over the religious spirit and continued to allow freedom in the operation of spiritual gifts.

One of the roles of the prophets is to see and hear the plans of the Lord. For the church to move into all that God has for her, she has need of the prophets. She also has need of the other leaders. Together they must shepherd the flock into new pastures.

As I ponder what the Lord is doing today, I find myself returning to the vision of the Body of Christ that was given to Tommy Hicks in 1961. I wrote about this vision in my two articles on “End-Time Vision”. In this vision, the church is represented as a great giant lying on the earth with his head at the South Pole and his feet at the North Pole. A great outpouring of the Spirit of God occurred after the giant stood up with hands lifted, reaching into the heavens. We read in the account of the vision,

“Slowly this great giant began to rise and as it did, his head and hands went into the clouds. As he rose to his feet he seemed to have cleansed himself from the debris and filth that was upon him, and he began to raise his hands into the heavens as though praising the Lord, and as he raised his hands, they went even unto the clouds.”

Hearing the testimonies of the encounters the prophet/seers are having with God, the angels, and the cloud of witnesses, I am reminded that when the giant got up, his head reached into the clouds. The head represents authority; the clouds represent the heavenly realms. One of the results of these spiritual encounters is a restoration of spiritual authority. These prophets are declaring on the earth what they are hearing the Lord speak to them in the heavens. They are participating in a form of intercession that is greater than what was seen in previous decades. Although there is nothing new under the sun (Eccl. 1:9), the increase of these experiences is new for us today.

The reason why leaders pull back from the prophetic is because they want order in the church. God is a God of order, but He does not bring that order by domination. He offers freedom in love, and judges (disciplines) what is evil. We cannot plow new fields without some unwelcome challenges. “Where no oxen are, the trough is clean; but much increase comes by the strength of the ox.” (Prov. 14:4). Rather than resisting the prophetic, we should “test all things” and “hold fast to what is good” (1Thess. 5:21). I always try to hear what the Lord is “saying”, not what the prophet “thinks about” what He is saying.

As we put our faith in the Lord and His prophets, we will prosper (2Chron. 20:20). This increase in prophetic experiences will bring an increase in power for the whole Body of Christ. These experiences are not limited to a few prophets or seers, but we are all invited to experience these manifestations of the grace and glory of God. “And it will come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams.” (Acts 2:17).

The Main Thing

“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:13,14)

I have never forgotten the instruction the Lord gave me concerning setting goals for our lives. As a young believer, I was seeking the Lord for an understanding of His purpose for my life. I wanted a vision to work towards. He led me to this passage, and I understood that it was to be the goal for my life. It was not about a career or a ministry, which is what I was inquiring about; it was about the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Based on the context of the passage, I understood that this was referring to the resurrection of our bodies, but it was also more than that. “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” (Phil. 3:10,11).

To be honest, I was a bit disappointed in the Lord’s answer. It seemed too simple. Why was taking part in the resurrection going to take some pressing towards? I thought since having accepted Jesus, getting caught up with Christ at His coming was just the completion of what I had already obtained. Obviously, Paul did not think it was a guaranteed thing, since he said “if by any means I may attain to the resurrection of the dead.” And, as I have come to understand, messages from God often have deeper meanings than first appearance.

What does taking part in the resurrection mean? “Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.” (Rev. 20:6). This is what the Bride of Christ is called to. “Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” (Rev. 21:2). Who is the Bride of Christ? The letters to the churches in the book of Revelation tell us that she is a company of overcomers. “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.” (Rev. 3:12). She will not be hurt by the second death, which means that she will take part in the first resurrection. (Rev. 2:11). Those who overcome (i.e. the Bride) will rule with Christ (Rev. 2:26,27).

You will notice from these verses that they are all promises that we have believed belong to the Church, the Body of Christ. Is the Church the Bride of Christ? It is obvious from the verses we have just read that she comes from the body of believers on the earth. The letters in Revelation were written to seven churches in Asia Minor (Rev. 1:20). Now, we must ask a very difficult question. If the Bride of Christ is the company of overcomers from the churches on the earth, will the remainder of believers, who are not overcomers, be part of the Church in heaven? To phrase it another way, will they take part in the first resurrection? These are important questions if we are to understand Paul’s pressing on to “attain to the resurrection of the dead”.

We know that those who take part in the first resurrection will be priests of God and will reign with Christ a thousand years. Those who will reign with Christ are the overcomers. Who are the priests of Christ? The apostle Peter tells us that believers are “being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1Pe. 2:5). The Lord has made them “kings and priests to His God and Father” (Rev. 1:6). As His royal priesthood, we understand, then, that the Church will take part in the first resurrection. If the Church and the Bride are not the same, then their roles as priests and rulers will be different, but they will all be the Body of Christ.

I personally have a problem with this interpretation because it appears to contradict this scripture: “For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” (Eph. 5:30-32). Also, believing that even the complacent believers will attain to the first resurrection gives them a false hope. We must endure with Christ if we are to reign with Him (2Tim. 2:11). Just because we have been added to the church on earth does not mean that we cannot be removed. (See Rev. 2:5 and Rom. 11:17-22).

I realize that this is a difficult view to accept because we tend to associate salvation with being in the Church. I believe it is possible to be saved from eternal punishment and not be part of the Church. After the thousand-year reign of Christ, there will be some on the new earth who will be saved but they will not be the Bride of Christ. “And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor to it. Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” (Rev. 21:24-27). Having said that, I also believe that it is possible to lose one’s salvation.

Therefore, my goal is not just to be saved from eternal punishment, but to be as close to Jesus as I can. My hope is to attain to the first resurrection, to be in the company of overcomers which is the Bride of Christ. “Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.” (Phil. 3:15,16).

The Restoration of All Things

“That He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things, about which God spoke by the mouths of His holy prophets from ancient times.” (Acts 3:20,21).

It is very important for us to understand what the Holy Spirit was declaring through Peter in the verses above. If “heaven must receive (Jesus) until the restoration of all things”, then He will not return until certain events have come to pass. To gain a proper understanding of this statement, we must keep it in context, otherwise, “all things” can suggest many different things. I recently heard one teacher quote this passage as saying, “the restoration of all things created”. Adding the word “created” to this Scripture opens it up to all types of interpretations, some of which can be quite destructive. If we keep the verse in context, we see that the Lord was not talking about “all things created”, but “all things, about which God spoke by the mouths of the holy prophets”. God indeed will make all things new (Rev. 21:5), but not until what is evil has been removed. Not all things “created” will be restored to their original state; some things are reserved for destruction. Fallen angels and evil doers will be cast into the lake of fire to be tormented night and day forever (Rev. 20:10-15).

Jesus mentioned the restoration of all things while speaking of John the Baptist. “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished.” (Matt. 17:11,12). This was a reference to the words of Malachi concerning the coming of the spirit of Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord (Mal. 4:5). In speaking to the father of John the Baptist (Lu. 1:17), the angel linked this prophecy to Isaiah’s prophecy of a voice in the wilderness preparing the way of the Lord. Isaiah was prophesying the restoration of Israel. “Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.” (Isa. 40:1-3). Although John the Baptist came in the spirit of Elijah, there is still a coming of Elijah in the last days. In the same way that John came to “turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God” (Lu. 1:16), the last days ministry of the spirit of Elijah is to complete the restoration of the Church and of Israel.

The Church has an important role in the restoration of Israel, but it must first be restored to the life and power of the New Testament church. Then it must go further and do the “greater works” that Jesus talked about (Jn. 14:12). The Jews missed their day of visitation when Jesus first came to the earth, and they will not receive Him in these last days unless God does something different. The days we are entering are very different than what the world has seen to date. The events of the last days will have a great deal to do with the restoration of all things. It will be a time of great darkness, but it will also be a time for the Church to reflect the glory of God. Rather than looking to escape the time of the end, we should be seeking to understand what the Lord is doing, and work with Him to accomplish it.

God is doing a new thing. “Behold, I will do a new thing, now it will spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The beast of the field will honor Me, the jackals and the ostriches, because I give waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, My chosen.” (Isa. 43:19,20). The Lord will use the Church to provide drink to returning Jews. The river of God flows out of believers. Since Jesus is the Way, and we are in Him, we also are the highway in the wilderness. The redeemed among the Gentiles are meant to help the Jews return to Zion. “Then they shall bring all your brethren for an offering to the Lord out of all nations, on horses and in chariots and in litters, on mules and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem…” (Isa. 66:20). The Church is to help direct the Jews to the Lord by the preaching of the gospel with signs following.

There is an order to the restoration of all things. First the Gentiles, then the Jews, then the resurrection. Paul tells us in Romans that “blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved…” (Rom. 11:25,26). “For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?” (Rom. 11:15). Jesus is in heaven, bringing all things under His feet. He is making one new man of both Gentiles and Jews (Eph. 2:14-16). But “the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called but few chosen.” (Matt. 20:16). God’s plans will be completed; what remains to be seen is who will be a part of them.

As we enter the end times, we can expect things to change in the spiritual realm as well as in the natural realm. The Church will walk in greater authority. God will do things through the Church that we have never seen before. The sad thing is that some will not accept the new move of God because it will not fit their expectations. Even more concerning to them, it will threaten the religious systems they have come accustomed to. These religious traditions offer a false sense of security. Without repentance there is no forgiveness, and without holiness no one will see the Lord (Heb. 12:14).

The message for today is still the same as when Peter preached his sermon on the restoration of all things. “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” (Acts 3:19).

Communion of the Holy Spirit

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.” (2Cor. 13:14)

The three persons of the Godhead are united in purpose, but they have different personalities and functions. In our pursuit of God, it is important to know and relate to each Person of the Trinity. One of the ways to do this is in prayer and worship.

In my last article (Streams in the Desert) I shared about my experience in releasing the River of Life by faith. As I continue to listen to the messages of the forerunners, I am finding that my method of cooperating with the Holy Spirit is expanding. I am engaging with my imagination in new ways. When I release the River by faith, I begin to experience the presence of the Holy Spirit. As I meditate on being “in” the Holy Spirit, the sense of His presence grows. I appreciate the communion of the Holy Spirit, but that is not my goal. My desire is to worship the Father and the Son, and I do that while consciously abiding in the Spirit because “no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit” (1Cor. 12:3).

I see myself “in” the Holy Spirit, and I also see myself “in” Christ. We know that Jesus is both man and God. As members of His Body, we are “in Him” offering our worship to the Father. “You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1Pe. 2:5). On the earth Jesus worshiped and prayed to the Father. In heaven, He continues His role as Christ: “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” (Heb. 7:25). As born-again believers we are new creations, and it is important that we identify with this new reality. We are not independent, but individually members of His Body. (Rom. 12:5). My meditation then, is to see myself as part of Christ, offering worship and prayer to the Father.

To worship the Son, I like to see myself as a “living stone” in the temple of God. The temple is alive because it is a spiritual house made up of royal priests, who are anointed by the Holy Spirit to “offer up spiritual sacrifices”. Viewing myself as part of the temple is also a corporate image. Sometimes I like to worship the Son by seeing Him as the Lamb of God as He appears in the book of Revelations. “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!” (Rev. 5:12).

I am not afraid to pursue God with my imagination. It is one of the ways to commune with the Holy Spirit. As I do this, I am not trying to create an image, I am trying to engage with the Spirit using the Word of God. We are exhorted in Scripture to meditate on His Word. In Joshua 1:8 and Psalm 1:2, the word “meditate” is translated from the Hebrew word “hagah” which means “to mutter” and “to ponder” (Strong’s #1897). In Psalm 119, the word “meditate” is used a few times and is translated from the Hebrew word “siyach” which means “to ponder” and “to converse with oneself, or utter” (Strong’s #7878). Our “pondering” on the Word should not simply be an activity of the mind, but of our spirit by faith. As we ponder, we should speak out in prayer (silently or out loud) the images the Word we are meditating upon.

Jesus taught us that the Word is a seed which must be planted in the soil of our hearts. When a seed is planted, it needs moisture and heat to germinate. Two symbols used for the Holy Spirit are water and fire. Through meditation, the Holy Spirit gives us understanding, which prevents the enemy from snatching the Word from us (Matt. 13:19). With understanding we can keep the Word, until it bears fruit in us (Matt. 13:23). The principle of meditation applies largely to believing the promises of God, but it also applies to our fellowship with God. God is spirit so we relate to Him with our spirit. Our natural life (soul and body) benefits from this fellowship if we allow the Holy Spirit to influence our soul through our spirit.

Meditating on the Word of God allows the Holy Spirt to fulfill His role as our Teacher (Jn. 14:26) and Guide (Jn. 16:23). He leads us to inspired teachings, which He witnesses to in our inner man. When the Apostle John said that we have no need of anyone to teach us (1Jn. 2:27), he was not diminishing the value of anointed ministers. These are gifts to the Church (Eph. 4:11). He was emphasizing the role of the Holy Spirit in our instruction. When we hear anointed teachings, we are “hearing” the Word. To make the teaching our own, we need to put it into practice. Between “hearing” and “doing” we must gain greater understanding from the Holy Spirit through study and meditation.

There are other ways that the Holy Spirit helps us. He is active in the transformation of our soul by helping us to be free from the world (Rom. 8:12-14). “And when He comes, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.” (Jn. 16:8). As we walk with the Holy Spirit in this area, we develop the fruit of the Spirit.

He also helps us to minister to others. “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all.” (1Cor. 12:7). These gifts of the Spirit are not independent of Him. We must work in partnership with Him because He “works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.” (1Cor. 12:11).

Other symbols, like oil or prophetic mantles, can be meditated upon as we fellowship with the Holy Spirit. This is one way to “stir up the gift” that is in us (2Tim. 1:6). There are many more symbols in Scripture which can be used in communion with the Holy Spirit to help us to know and to serve God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Streams in the Desert

“For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.” (Isa. 35:6b)

One of the things I try to do in meetings is release the river of God. On one occasion, while attending a large gathering in Edmonton, I became focussed on praying for a greater release of the anointing as we worshiped. After a time, the burden lifted, and I sensed that I should just listen. A hush came over the gathering as the youngest member of the worship team began to play spontaneously on her violin. It was heavenly. My prayers and those of others had been a part in this release of the Spirit.

As I was pondering this topic for an article, I remembered the words “streams in the desert”. The Lord uses the symbol of water in Isaiah’s prophecy to explain how we can have a part in extending the Kingdom of God. To better understand this, we should put the verse in context. Isaiah prophesied that there would be a highway in the wilderness leading the redeemed of the Lord to Zion, which is the New Jerusalem, the holy city of God (Isa. 35:10). Those who walk this path of holiness are being made into the Bride of Christ (Rev. 21:2). Christ is the builder of this spiritual house (Heb. 3:6), and we can all have a part in His work. If we allow Him to build through us, we will have a lasting reward (1Cor. 3:14).

What then are these streams in the desert? They are the operation of the Spirit through believers along the wilderness highway. There are multiple streams, each originating from the throne of God (Ezek. 47:1). Since the Kingdom of Heaven is within us, and the throne of God is in His Kingdom, we can expect this river to flow from within us. It is as Jesus told His disciples, “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” (Jn. 7:38). We release this river of life whenever we speak as inspired by God or serve with the ability that God provides (1Pe. 4:11).

It is interesting to note that the river of life increases in breadth and depth as it moves away from the temple (Ezek. 47:3-5). The increase occurs because different streams are joined. The combining of streams is different than drinking from a stream. When we drink from a stream, we are refreshed. Someone’s gift is bearing fruit in us. There is nothing wrong with that since we need to drink to bear fruit. When we join our stream with another, however, we begin to flow together. Combining streams increases the fruitfulness of each stream. This may be the unity that the Bible speaks about: “Behold how good and how pleasant it is when brothers dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garment.” (Ps. 133:1,2). Unity releases the anointing and results in a blessing from the Lord. It is also a requirement for the maturing of the Body of Christ. (Eph. 4:13).

True unity is in the Spirit. It is a unity of purpose, not of conformity. By faith we choose to unite in prayer and worship. We can release the river by declaration, or by consciously looking to the Holy Spirit as we pray. Along the banks of the river are “all kinds of trees used for food” (Ezek. 47:12). Each stream may bear a different fruit, each depending on each one’s calling or gifting, but all contribute to a greater corporate anointing.

Besides corporate prayer and worship, we can also join streams for ministry. As someone is ministering by the Spirit, we can agree in faith for God to move through them. There is an increase of the manifestation of God as the minister consciously steps into the flow of the river. When we pray like this in a meeting, there is also an increase in angelic activity. If we are called upon to help at the altar, we can also flow under the minister’s anointing. I like to think of it as submitting to the anointing that resides with the angels. Participating in ministry this way can cause a greater anointing to abide on us, even after the meeting.

The methods described thus far relate to giving out, as should be our goal, but we cannot give unless we receive. There are changes coming to the Church, and God is revealing these things to the forerunners. These are prophets that have gone ahead and encountered God in heavenly visions. It is important that we receive their messages, not only with our minds, but with our spirits. As we drink from their streams, we will be refreshed, but we need to go deeper. We need to become part of what God is doing. We must come into agreement (Amos 3:3). This does not mean that we should forsake all that the Lord has taught us to date, but we must be willing to change. We must forsake any religious traditions that deny the power of God, and we must wage war with the prophecies we have previously received (1Tim. 1:19). The same principles that produce mature character in us will produce mature understanding. “But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to distinguish between good and evil.” (Heb. 5:14). We need to discern what the Lord is saying, and we must be doers of the word (Jas. 1:22).

The river of life flowing through us will increase as we release it by faith, and as we join our stream to other streams. There may be turbulence when two streams are joined, but if we keep our eyes on the Lord, we will “grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ…” (Eph. 4:15).