Posted: 01/10/2016 at 6:37pm | IP Logged

From Preparation to Fulfillment

By Duane Stewart

Rev. 10:3-4, “And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roared: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices. And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write; and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not”.

Rev. 10:7, “But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets”.

          Within the scope of events that are taking place upon the earth today, we are facing a season, in God, which shall bring forth world changing happenings and events. In this, the Christian community is finding itself in great need. The need is to escape a mind-set that has gripped the church into believing only in a God of the far-off future and in a God that is okay with a compromising people. While God is an eternal God, He is a God of the past, of the present and the future. God’s desire is for the Christian community to know, by experience, the God of the now and to know His purpose for His people during this present season. Just what is it that God is doing today and what is it that He requires of His people in the now? The word of God makes it clear that His purpose today is as it has always been, to make for Himself a people in which to dwell and then to manifest Himself through them. In bringing fulfillment to this desire, God chose to establish the law of the seed. In fulfilling this law, which is a seed bringing forth after its own kind; God first prepared the ground, planted the seed, then watered and nurtured it with the full expectation of bringing forth a good mature harvest. Nevertheless, this harvest, in its growing stages, has become a mixture of wheat and tares because of an enemy that has also sown his seed among the field of wheat. Thus, as maturity comes, the difference in each seed reveals that there is a need for a separation of the tares from the wheat. In this, with the tares removed first, there is now a first-fruit Man-child Company who appears being the wheat to manifest the fullness of God’s purpose. In the appearing of this first-fruit man-child, they now are to gather in the rest of God’s harvest, those left because of the removal of the tares.

          In observing the movements of God that He manifests through this time of harvest, what is it that we are seeing in Him? When speaking of the first-fruit man-child company, they are now to come forth in this season, with the fulfillment of the necessary time of preparation and separation. If this were so, what is it that God requires of them? In considering man’s ways, we should also consider that the condition of the world is one where anarchy is among us with persecution becoming more and more common against God’s true people. Therefore, God in purifying His people, through judgment, He is now ready to establish the coming forth of His kingdom on this earth. Heb. 12:1-2, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doeth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God”.

          In the completing of God’s will and purpose, and knowing that the natural man with his outward religious laws could not gain the place of man’s inheritance, God instituted a new covenant. This new covenant, not subject to the laws of the carnal man, is now able through Jesus Christ and the cross, to birth a new creation man. This man becomes the fulfillment of God’s stated eternal purpose. Heb. 8:10-13, “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel [the spiritual man, the true son’s of Abraham] after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts [mans soul]; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his brother, saying know the Lord: For all shall know me from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. In that he saith, a new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayed and waxed old is ready to vanish away”. Thus, a new creation man, one who has allowed the cross to slay the old man’s nature, his fallen character, while allowing God to write a new nature upon and within the soul, the seat of man’s nature. This nature is alive to God and fulfills His purposes in a full measure.

          Could it not be that the conditions of the world as we know them today are even now declaring the season of God, which is sounding out this new day? This is the day in which the book of Revelation describes as the revealing, the opening up of the seven sealed thunders. These thunders are the mysteries of God, in the form of seven blowing trumpets. With six of these seven sealed mysteries of God already revealed and with the increasing activities coming forth now, we should note the results of these unsealed mysteries and their fulfillment. This will speak to us of the time that is upon us for the opening up of the seventh sealed mystery. With the number six, used by God to denote “man”, already having been opened up, it begins to speak that now it is time for the ending of man’s rulership over the earth. This also speaks of man coming to his death to the sin nature that he might now begin to live in and according to the nature of Christ.

          With the first six opened mysteries, which had there beginning during the time of the early upper-room church, they have progressively been being opened until today, when we are now standing before God in preparation of the final seventh sealed mystery to be opened. God uses the number seven to declare the time for man’s completion, his perfection and his fulfillment. Therefore, through the first six sealed mysteries, one at a time progressively opened for its season, with revelation and understanding given to bring God’s man to his time of completion and perfection. These opened mysteries have given to receiving men the understanding needed until they now stand during a time for man to become the manifestation of all seven mysteries. This means that Christ is becoming a corporate man, manifesting God’s fullness in His completed purpose for creation. This speaks to us of God’s progressive work in the completion of His creation, male and female He made them.

          In considering the activity prior to the unsealing of the seventh mystery, consideration must be given to the types set forth through the pattern given to us in Moses’ tabernacle and these types being fulfilled in completing the whole man, spirit, soul and body. The first type, the mystery denoting salvation, the forgiveness of our passed committed sins, was opened when Jesus died on the foreordained cross. This, typed by the brazen altar set in the outer court of the tabernacle where there was a sacrifice given for man’s sins. Sins are the product of fallen man’s nature that needed the sacrifice for the pardon of those sins and for the overcoming of the sin nature. Here, the spirit of man, separated from living in God’s presence as the results of Adam’s disobedience, is to unite with God’s spirit and to know His presence again. Therefore, man needed a sacrifice for the fallen nature that still dwelt and operated within his soul. This, Christ has done, He is our sacrifice. Thus, the mystery of salvation for sin was available for all who would receive.

          Nevertheless, what about the old sin nature that is the makeup of the fallen soul? Herein God continues His progressive work. The opening of the seal concerning the second mystery gives understanding that reveals the necessary steps needed for sanctification and consecration. This seal, typed by the brazen laver for cleansing, is also in the outer court of Moses’ tabernacle. When applied daily it speaks of a cleansing of the old vessel to become useful for God’s purposes alone. Sanctification speaks of the daily activity of repentance, which is progressively purifying the vessel for God’s use alone. The first step toward sanctification taken is the need for water baptism, a type of a covenant with God that points to and identifies us with His death, burial and resurrection. This is the covenant made between the participator and God, when yielded unto it points as a type to becoming complete and fulfilled in Christ. Secondly the need for receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit, the comforter and helper given to abide within man as our source of help in time of need. He is also the revelator who reveals unto the thirsting soul God’s eternal purpose in each vessel. Thus, a pointing to the step of baptism into Christ as a living part of His body, herein the receiving and participating vessel becomes one with Christ.

          Does this not point to Jesus’ prayer in John 17:20-21, which declares, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me”.

Finally, we are looking to becoming one with Him by a nature change from that of a fallen dead soul separated from God to one alive unto Christ. In this change, man’s nature is becoming one with Christ and His nature. Herein, an act of consecration, established in a people, set aside for God’s purpose. Learning Him and becoming one with Christ to likewise only do and say what we see and hear the Father do and say.

          Next, the third mystery being unsealed wherein we are identified as being in a union with Christ that is typed by the golden lamp stand which stands in and moves us from the outer court into the holy place realm. Here we become a people who dwell in the dimension of hope, the realm of an in-part order and ministry, purposed by God to bring to us the light of understanding. This lamp stand types the anointed Holy Spirit vessels that work with God to bring forth only the Father’s will.

This enables a people to press onward to the mark of God’s high calling, abiding in a hope of that which is to come, which is for us to become a completed, perfected people.

          The fourth mystery is also within the holy place, revealed so man can observe and partake of the table of showbread. This table, when eaten of, is a three dimensional revelation of the Christ and His completed work. In the consuming or eating of this bread of life, our eyes become open to see Him as He truly is. That is, first as the Christ coming within us, to take up His abode within that we might enter into our rest in Christ. Secondly, we began to observe and recognize the Christ that exists in the many member body of Christ. In recognizing, the many member body of Christ, the Christ is within where we receive strength of unity to stand until perfection comes. Christ also helps to stabilize us from error of doctrine as immature children. Eph. 4:13-14, “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the slight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive”. Then thirdly, we began to recognize the presence of the Christ that is among us, a presence that quickens us through love as we grow up in Him in all things. Eph. 4:15, “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ”. Herein we are being born again as a “living soul”, becoming less and less of that “old fallen dead soul” realm.

          The fifth seal upon the opening fifth mystery reveals an understanding of the sin-nature, seeing the need to overcome it as revelation reveals the fulfillment of the altar of incense; this altar also being in the holy place realm of hope. It releases an understanding that Jesus came to save the soul of man and not just a renewal of his spirit. In this, God’s desire is to change the nature of fallen man to a renovated one to manifest the nature of Christ. In this, the new creation man alive in our spirit is to overcome and slay all of the “fallen soul” to become a soul alive and of one nature with God. Man’s soul, made up of four parts is manifesting man’s nature through the mind, the emotions, the will and the desires. Man, in his natural fallen state cultivated his nature from a standpoint of darkness. It is the darkness that covers the earth and gross darkness the people. This darkness has, from birth, formed and shaped the nature that manifest itself through these four parts of the soul. This fallen nature resists God in all His ways as a barrier of carnality separating our soul from the indwelling spirit. The barrier, purposed by God to be broken down, is broken down as Christ breaks through from our spirit to conquer the fallen soul (man’s mind, his will, his emotions and his desires).

          What the law of the old covenant could not do, this altar of incense, in the form of the new covenant accomplishes. Recognize that God had already established a Day of Atonement, a time of restoration when this altar of incense was to move from the holy place realm of hope into the next dimension of God called the Holy of Holies, the realm of life. At the opening of this fifth mystery, the mystery of the new creation man becomes an active progression of becoming the word made flesh in the earth again. A birthing comes as the fallen nature dies and becomes a new creation in God’s resurrection power.

In this, Jesus, the seed planted within those receiving Him through the Holy Spirit is now to bring forth fruit after its own kind. John 1:14, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we behold his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth”.

          The sixth mystery, opened to reveal the overshadowing of God’s glory, a fulfillment of the mercy seat within the Holy of Holies. The eternal Day of Atonement, made available to the maturing new covenant man, the one coming forth as the man-child of God (altar of Incense birthed into the Holy of Holies). These are His many member sons, the man-child of God’s glory. This is the glory of God, manifesting through the sons, that causes the knowledge of the Lord, His glory, to cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Isa. 60:2, “For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: But the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee”. Herein, this man-child, the many sons of God, dwell to challenge all darkness in establishing God’s kingdom on the earth.

Liken unto Jeremiah, these shall root out, pull down and bring destruction to the kingdoms of this world. Herein these completed (birthed) sons are now throwing down the world’s kingdoms that they might build and plant with God His kingdom on the earth. Jeremiah 1:10, “See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build and to plant”. During this time of great trouble, these standing in the throne-room order of authority are not to be defeated in fulfilling God’s purpose.

          We, God’s people are now standing in a season of God when we are now looking for the appearance of the Christ who is to come in the full measure of God’s eternal purpose. The seventh mystery, with the seal removed is to manifest God’s man-child, typed by the Ark of the Covenant that dwells in the Holy of Holies, the throne room realm. The man-child, the manifested body of Christ with the life giving church (His bride) is to incorporate into Christ. Herein the throne-room authority dwells within them to rule over God’s kingdom in all its glory. To this the question asked, where is God’s throne-room and its authority as given to man? Thus an understanding, is not the soul of man his place of restoration? Man, created by God from the dust of the earth, remained but a form of dust until God breathed into him the breath of life. Herein man became a “living soul”, a soul containing the life of God, with God’s nature placed within him. God’s breath, His spirit, contains that which God is, that is His nature. Therefore, God placed within man His nature that the invisible God might manifest Himself through His visible creation. However, when man in disobedience to God fell, man separated from God become as one with a beast nature. A nature without God now separated from God’s throne-room authority.

Nevertheless, through the sacrifice of God’s only begotten son, man can now receive and progressively mature into becoming the dwelling place of God’s throne-room authority to manifest the God of all creation. Gen. 1:28a states, “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over … “.

          Thus, in fallen man, we see the need for the man to be born again, that is the renovation of the fallen soul, his character, his personality. Again, in considering the fallen soul we see the need, for man without God is truly as a beast with a beast nature. The beastly soul of fallen man is firstly in the fallen mind where scripture likens it to an eagle that is always soaring into heights. Herein, with a restless nature that is always seeking, searching, and looking for meaning to life down any and every avenue available.

Secondly, the emotions of fallen man likened unto the lion are a nature that is strong but wild and terrible in an ungodly manner, a destroyer. Thirdly, the will of fallen man likened into an ox, which represents a strong and stubborn will, only doing what is good for self. Then fourthly, the desires of this fallen man likened into the face of a man, being like man who is a creature with very strong desires, mainly for self, but without God, his desires become perverted and corrupt. This fallen man then needs to know the salvation of God, a need for complete change in the soul realm. Heb. 10:39, “But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul”.

Duane Stewart

www.avoiceforthegatheringsaints.org

Posted: 01/10/2016 at 6:42pm | IP Logged

From Preperation to Fulfillment – Part Two

by Duane Stewart

Rev. 10:3-4, “And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roared: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices. And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write; and I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not”.

Rev. 10:7, “But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets”.

John, while on the isle of Patmos, was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day. He, caught up into a heavenly realm begins to behold the things of God that speak of things concerning our present day. After seeing the opening of the first six seals, what was it that John then began to see? Rev. 7:1, “And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree?” Again, what was it that John was being shown? With the four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, we should recognize that the natural earth we live on does not have four corners. However, upon this earth God has placed His created earthman. This man is earth’s highest form of creation and this man has a soul with four parts or corners. With man created as a spiritual creation, a living soul, and these angels standing upon the spiritual earth (man), this man finds that the four areas of his soul are receiving four messengers that hold back the winds of destruction that is to come upon humanity. Rebellion in man causes the need for judgment, but judgment held back until God messengers complete the sealing of the servants of God in the forehead, that is a putting on the mind of Christ. Is this the time for preparation to be finished in man?

God creating the earth and the earthman spoken of here, He is speaking of spiritual things. When pointing to the sea and the trees He is also speaking of other spiritual things. Thus, John is beholding things within the man on a spiritual level that reveals the areas of needed redemption. The earth spoken of here speaks of the need, as it exists within the carnal man who yields himself to the things of the flesh and its appetites. This man may know about God but does not maintain a changing relationship with Him. The sea, speaking of the carnal nations, the heart of the carnal church, tongues and people of the world are the nations and peoples who, by establishing their own carnal governments, reject the government of God to have rulership over them. Trees bring into focus the Christian community, which because of carnality ruling over their minds, has through religious activities, allowed the enemy of God to plant tares among them. Thus, judgment begins at the house of the Lord that brings forth the needed separation of the harvest field. The Christian community shall know its day of separation as the results of receiving or rejecting Christ.

In Rev. 7:2-3 God continues to reveal the events and man’s need for this our season in God. “And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God; and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, hurt not the earth neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads”. From these scriptures, revelation for our understanding comes concerning the events of our season. With these four angels held back for a time, the work of the ministry of God is to disciple a people as they learn of Christ and put on the mind of Christ. God uses the number four as His number for tribulation and these four angels speak of His messengers of destruction. These four angels, held back for a time, until the fifth angel completes his work. Five is God’s number for the ministry of grace ministering the life of God through Christ and the cross. Eph. 4:11-13, “And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ; till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ”.

Thus, Gods anointed ministries, restored into activity and sent forth with a word of restoration and reconciliation unto God’s creation. This ministry withholds this time of destruction until their ministry is complete, the ministry of sealing the men of God in their forehead. The receiving of the mind of Christ is speaking of the changing of the soul of man; it is God’s people receiving the nature of God into their souls to become the manifested nature of Christ through His people. Herein we receive oil for our vessels (our souls), beyond just our lamps (the spirit), to lighten up this world of darkness. Preparation time is here but knows that destruction is destined to come. Therefore, humble yourselves before God and become that new creation man, manifesting God’s nature in spirit and soul, to know the changing of the body.

God has purposed to have for Himself a church, a bride without spot or wrinkle. Eph. 5:27, “That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish”. As we look at the church, the Christian community of today, we see a great need. The carnal religious minds of today have established many forms of rebellion within her to find itself facing judgment. Jerusalem, a type of the church that is now facing the judgments of God because of the needed cleansing that is now beginning to come forth. Ezekiel 9:1, “He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand”. “Destroying weapon” speaks of judgment, with judgment beginning at the house of the Lord, which we are. Therefore, God has purposed to cleanse His house (which a repentant people are), a clean house in which He is to dwell in that His glory may come forth to affect all the nations.

In Ezekiel’s vision, he saw that six men come forth with purpose, which is to slay all within the house that is the product, the mind-set of the abominable carnal man. Ezekiel 9:2, “And behold, six men come from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north [carnal mind], and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side; they went in and stood beside the brazen altar”. With six being God’s number for man, we are shown that man with a “slaughter weapon in his hand” speaks to us of man with his fallen mind-set, a carnal life-style, and he has within himself that which brings forth death. This man of carnal statue comes into the fullness of himself when he puts on the mind-set of 666, the antichrist spirit. Where does this destruction come from? As written, destruction comes “from the way of the higher gate … toward the north”. North likewise speaks of the cold bitter north wind that proceeds from the carnal mind. This reveals a need for cleansing from all the cruel doctrines of religion that formulate from the carnal mind of rebellious men.

However, take note; there is a seventh man who appears before this destruction is complete. This seventh man, God’s number for perfection and completeness, is a man “clothed in linen” or clothed with the righteousness of Christ who is to bring forth salvation, deliverance and the manifested kingdom of God. Note that this ministry of completion stands by the brazen altar, the altar of sacrifice, the place of death and deliverance. This altar, in the outer court realm of death speaks, that all that is the product of the carnal man must die. In experiencing this death of the cross, man comes into the reality of the spiritual life of God as manifested through Christ Jesus.

In continuing with God’s progressive work of judgment and perfection Ezekiel 9:3-4 states, “And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And He called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer’s inkhorn by his side; and the Lord said to him, go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem [type of the church] and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof”. We understand that the Shekinah glory dwells between the two cherubim’s over the mercy seat, but this glory began to move even as we see the same need in the church of today. This glory of God moved “to the threshold of the house”, a leaving from the mercy seat to go to the outer court, bringing forth judgment. God’s glory, upon the seventh man of completeness and perfection is resulting in the needed separation that becomes evident between the carnal man and the spiritual man of fullness.

The true church is to now separate unto God, with the results being a mark upon the foreheads, meaning those who receive the mind of Christ because of true repentance and a changing of the whole man. Here the man-child of God, birthed from the holy place church is to ascend into the nature of God, the Holy of Holies that they might minister to those judged for a time of repentance and deliverance. What about those carnal Christians, the church that refuses to receive the discipline needed to slay carnality? These enter tribulation such as the world has never seen, for God’s kingdom of fullness is coming as God’s people mature into a mind-set of spirituality versus the carnal corrupt mind. Thus, judgment in a full measure comes because of the carnality that matures in the rebellious men as they receive the mark of 666. Ezekiel 9:5-6, “And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city [church], and smite; let not your eye spare, neither have pity: Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: But come not near any man upon whom is the mark [mind of Christ]; and began at my sanctuary …”.

Thus, the question asked by many is, what is this mark given by the inkhorn rider upon the forehead? Jeremiah 31:31-33 explains that the mark is that which takes place within the soul of the repentant vessel. God is renovating the soul from a dead fallen soul or nature to a “living soul”, the nature of God. “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel [spiritual house or church], and with the house of Judah [a new song church]: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of Egypt [dark narrow land of bondage]; which my covenant they brake [law makes nothing perfect], although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord [same relationship God has desired for the church]. But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel [spiritual church]; after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people [same nature as Christ]”. This handwriting speaks of more than an outward law in trying to live up to something that is not a part of fallen man’s nature. Therefore, the heart, representing the soul of man, shall receive, at the dying of the old nature, the inscribed nature of God. Therefore, no longer fighting the battle of the two natures because we are dying to the old carnal fallen nature that would mature into 666, and we are alive unto God by receiving a new nature in Him. For this cause, here in the holy place anointing a people are being spiritually matured and birthed from the realm of hope (holy place) to the full measure of God’s original purpose, a family of God in His likeness and image, being birthed to manifest the fullness of the Father (the Holy of Holies). Unto those who refuse His nature, they continue to rebel and mature into the nature of those becoming the 666 of the antichrist seed.

Friends, let us understand that we are in a particular season in God when a movement is taking place, a people being birthed from one dimension of God to another. Ascending from the Holy place order to the order of the Holy of Holies, this speaks of a coming into right standing with God in His throne-room authority. Note, that these ascended one’s, with their feet on the ground, they live totally after the order and authority of the throne-room. Rev. 14:1-5, “And I looked, and lo, a lamb stood on the mount Zion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Fathers name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: and they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beast [from the four parts of the soul – the mind, will, emotions and desires], and the elders [priesthood order]: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth [carnal realm]. These are those which were not defiled with women [fleshly soul realm and religious orders]; for they are virgins. These are they, which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile; for they are without fault before the throne of God”.

With the name, the nature of Christ written in their foreheads, we see here a people who have submitted to the nature change as God writes His nature within their soul, that is, the mind, the will, the emotions and the desires of God, which is to be manifested from these overcomers. This God-like nature overcomes all other powers. It delivers the receiver from the destruction coming upon rebellious men that stands in need of God’s judgment. Could the 144,000 who follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth be a number used by God to reveal to the earth a people who have come into God’s completed divine government in a full measure with Christ and is not speaking of an amount in quantity? The number twelve is God’s number for divine government, which when being multiplied by another twelve (tribes or orders) it equals the number 144. Then with the number zero being God’s number for “seed” and being used these three times (000), it declares that the “seed” is to come to completeness and perfection. This is speaking of God manifesting and revealing a people who are now completed and matured into God’s likeness and image.

This brings us to another question. When shall these things be? (Please read Matt. 25:1-13). Here we have the declaration of the ten virgins. Jesus states that the kingdom of God is like ten virgins, waiting for the bridegroom to come. The number ten is another number used by God that reveals His divine order and rulership for the destruction, the judgment of the sin nature. This signifies for us that these virgins are those appointed rulers with an authority to carry on God’s business. However, in the reading of these scriptures, a great needed truth is uncovered that we might know the greatest of need in becoming God’s Kings and Priest. Even though the difference is but one seemingly small point, it is one of great significant. Note that all ten virgins were dressed alike, which declares they were clothed properly because all were virgins. They all had oil in their lamps and each one had lighted lamps. This speaks of having oil or the spirit of God in their spirits with forgiveness of sins forgiven in a continuous manner. Proverbs 20:27, “the spirit of man is the lamp [candle] of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly”. This also speaks of the spirit of God within man that seeks to bring change to the fallen soul that it might become a “living soul” even as the first Adam was before his fall. Herein, the spirit brings change to the soul and fills it with the nature of God.

Note here that the difference between the five and five was that only the five wise had oil in their “vessel”. It is the vessel (soul) that God desires to fill with oil. Understanding tells us that the vessel, the soul, is the person. Each persons (vessels) makeup is a mind, will, emotions and desires. A fallen “dead soul” manifests the nature of fallen man, likened unto a beast. However, the “living soul” is one that receives oil from God in his vessel to manifest God’s nature, to enlighten the world, and come into an intimate relationship with the bridegroom. Without oil in the vessel, the soul, God declares, “I know you not”. Speaking of a relationship that produces oneness with the bridegroom, a seed that is bringing forth after its own kind, for it is oil in the soul that really matters in becoming a people likened into His nature. How then is it that man receives oil in the soul? The “altar of incense” with the sacrifice given on this altar types the soul. This is where the fallen soul, with its four parts is being sacrificed, that the entering from the Holy Place hope order of Pentecost into God’s divine presence in the Holy of Holies, His place of fullness. This indwelling divine presence of God, made possible as the results of the Day of Atonement. This is the day when this altar of incense moves from the Holy place to beyond the veil with the purified High Priest offering up the sprinkling of blood and the burning incense before the Lord.

It is this movement from the Holy place into the presence of God where all lost, in the fall of Adam (as it resides in all men), is renewed. No more captivity and lost inheritance, no more bondage, but freedom to stand in God’s Holy presence with a full measure. In addition, as written in Rev. 7:1, that after these things the soul of man is changed through sacrifice to inherent the inheritance. This is becoming the Priest/King Company to establish, under God, in the earth the order of God’s throne-room authority. We see now a people who are waiting upon the Father even as Jesus declared concerning the works and ministry He fulfilled. This first-born son declared, “I only do those things I see my Father do; I only say those things that I hear my Father say”. This obedience and unity of being is a becoming so at one with the Father, which is the results of their natures becoming the same. Therefore, through a nature change to become one with Him, we shall likewise be of one mind with our Father. Rom. 12:1-2 states, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind [soul] that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable and perfect will of God”.

Now appearing in the earth is God’s new created man, living according to the new covenant, a man now walking in union with his creator. This new created man, as Jesus Christ the first-born son, becomes the expression of God in the flesh, living on the earth doing only what they see their Father do, saying only what they hear their Father say. This creation does only the works of the Father that sends them, as the fullness of Christ, manifesting in all the earth. This is God’s completed perfect man moving in the Spirit without measure. This is moving from preparation to become the fullness of God manifested.

Duane Stewart
www.avoiceforthegatheringsaints.org