Posted: 06/01/2011 at 7:36am | IP Logged

I have recently discovered that many of my brothers and sisters in Christ are rising up in a freshness of the Spirit of the Lord, many of those well up in years. It reminds me of Simeon and Anna in Luke's gospel who prayed and fasted for the Lord to have the hope of seeing the ushering of the kingdom age. We do not know what was within their hearts as to what they saw in their day, until the words prophetically came forth from Simeon's lips; Luke 2:25-38.

I have heard news that some of these brothers and sisters are going out into the streets and holding revival meetings in and around our nations capital, Washington, D.C.; into the areas that are victim to crime and poverty; others are traveling again in parts of the world declaring things of the kingdom. Sergio Valori I heard is one of these, up in years, but desiring to see the glory of the Lord.

I see the Spirit of the Lord causing young and old to declare the things which once were hidden, now coming forth in the power of the Holy Spirit, for we have not yet seen that which the Lord has intended, nor is it very far off, for in these days the Lord desires even shall it be that there is a fresh move of My Spirit coming to my House, and know this that truly it shall come in two waves of reviving. The first wave shall touch my House, even as when the Child Jesus was brought up to the Temple, there awaiting was My servants for the fulfillment of that day. Even as it was prophesied that He would be for the falling and rising of many, so shall it be in this day, for many are awaiting, but few are prepared for that which I shall do in this hour. The second wave shall flow out from the House from those who like My servants await and prepare their hearts in prayers and fasting before Me. For surely out from My house shall flow the river of God that shall touch the dry places, even unto the wildernesses of those who have faltered under the hand of the Lord, for have you not read in my Word that the river shall flow and be for the healing of the nations. For you shall see the Tree of Life in the midst thereof and the leaves for the healing of the those nations. For I will have a standard in the earth and shall bring that forth within a people, those that have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice, and they shall be willing offerings in the day of My Power. In this day shall I call forth the fruit of the earth, the precious produce of the soil, for behold I await to bring that harvest and the rains will come and there shall be a bringing in of that harvest in the earth. Look and hasten for the abundance of rains do come, and the earth will drink of its freshness, even so the clouds are forming, Prepare, Prepare!! Do not miss the day of your visitation.

From an old scout...

Blessings,

Mp

The Unveiling of His Glory

Sergio Valori

The God of Glory is giving new hope for the Church in this desperate hour which the world faces. Is not our Father saying to His people, “Time is short. The coming of the Lord is near. Prepare your hearts for the Day of the Lord”? The Church needs a fresh revelation of our glorious Lord. Could it be we are living in the early dawn of this new unveiling of our blessed Lord and Savior? God is seeking to prepare His love-servants for the wind-up of this age by a new visitation and appearing, as He did with John on the Isle of Patmos.

Let us take a further look into what John saw when the heavens were opened, and the Lord Jesus Christ as the King of Kings appeared in the splendor of His majesty!

Note:

We trust that you will share this message with friends, particularly with those who are serving our Lord here and in other countries. We do value and appreciate your fellowship in distributing this vital message for this generation – the last generation of those who seek His face, and joyfully proclaim the King of Glory!

To Isaiah, the prophet, who saw and spoke of Christ’s glory, God said, “Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he sees” (Isaiah 21:6). Some several hundred years later our Lord Jesus Christ (the true Watchman) is heard saying “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”

This is certainly a word for us today. One of the things the watchman replies when asked the question, “watchman, watchman, what (is the hour) of the night?” is this amazing word, “The morning comes, and also the night” (Isaiah 21:11, 12). I wish to declare a number of things. Those things which we have seen and heard, and which, to some degree, have become part of us, we declare to you. (1 John 1:3) I also want to make some predictions about the immediate future.

A HEART CRY FOR THE MORNING

The first thing I want to proclaim is this: the night is coming on the present order. Already we see the dawning of a new day breaking forth upon us. There is a cry in our hearts for the Lord to move afresh and anew in our lives and in the land. Many things are taking place but the majority are “left-overs” from previous visitations. I believe that that we are due for a fresh move and work of God in His Church today! So in that sense, the night is coming, bringing to an end a particular form of the moving and operations of the Spirit of God. Though this work has been precious and needful, yet our God in this hour is moving on.

I believe that within many of our hearts the seed of a new order have already been planted. It has been an exciting thing, this awareness of the beginning of something new and different in God. My main desire is to share of these things as He has made them real.

The Lord has been speaking much to me out of the first chapter of Revelation. “The revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave Him, to show unto His servants (His love-slaves) things which must shortly come to pass, and He sent and signified it by His angel unto His servant, John”.

Now, may the Lord deliver us from “the traditions of the elders” – customary interpretations, fixed and

crystallized modes of thinking which hinder our progress in God. Exactly, what I am referring to is to religious mentality which has been molded by what we have heard repeatedly over this years.

For example, the teaching of “the first coming” and “the second coming”.

THE PROGRESSIVE UNFOLDING OF CHRIST

We have been led to think in terms of the first coming and the second coming whereas the Bible speaks in terms of the progressive revelation of Jesus Christ. Our God does not talk about the first coming and the second coming only. He talks about the progressive revelation of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. For example, let us take a look at that thought in Micah 5:2, “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though you be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto Me, who is to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been of old, from everlasting.”

Notice, His “goings forth”. The plural is used. The goings forth of the Lord speak about the Lord Jesus Christ! Also, let us consider Psalm 68:24 – “They have seen Thy goings, O God, even in the sanctuary.” Now, the idea of “goings” has to do with the onward marching of God as King – the unfolding of the purpose of God, step by step. This is what is implied here. This is what history is all about, the progressive revelation of Jesus Christ, the marching forward of God. The unfolding of end time events and God’s order for the ages to come, which are the main contents of the last book of the Bible, are called “the Revelation of Jesus Christ.”

THE PURPOSE OF THIS UNFOLDING

God has purposed to reveal every aspect of His purpose through His son, Jesus Christ our Lord. God the Father had a purpose in Christ even before redemption, way back in the beginning, spoken of as “the eternal purpose.” So we are living this very day in a progression. God is marching on. He wants to reveal Himself and unfold the glorious One that we call the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let us note Revelation 1:9, “I John, who also am your brother and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.” The man who is writing this “revelation” is the same apostle whom our Lord Jesus had chosen when He was here as a man in the flesh. This is the apostle who leaned on His breast, and who had come to an intimate relationship with Jesus of Nazareth. Without question, in those three years of fellowship with the Lord Jesus as a man, John heard and saw much of Him who is called “the Son of God.”

THE GLORIOUS MINISTRY OF JESUS OF NAZARETH

This same writer says, “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only Begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth.” Another time he stated, “This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana, of Galilee, and manifested forth His glory” (John 1: 14; 2:11).

Surely, what was seen on the face of the earth during the three-year ministry of Jesus Christ was something outstandingly glorious! The eyes of John beheld that glory, for he tells us, “That which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the Word of life… we declare unto you” (1 John 1:1-3).

Thus, John, and the other apostles lived in a time of unique revelation of Jesus Christ. But time marches on. Jesus, we know, had to go to the cross to bring redemption. He had to leave them. Another era was coming.

Every time there is a change in the working of God, we are thrown into a crisis situation. There is something about us which is never quite prepared for change, (no matter how much we are told to get ready for change). There is always that shock of seeing one order vanish away, then wondering what the next order will be! The disciples began to get a little nervous when He said He must go away, He must leave them. “For if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you” (John 16:7).

But this is the way it is. The Lord God reveals His glory and it accomplishes a purpose. Then the end of that day comes. The night comes upon that era. God is ready for a new order and another phase of His workings. So we find that in the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus, a new era is begun, and a body of people called the Church is birthed upon the earth.

THE CHURCH MANIFESTING HIS GLORY

John, along with Peter, James and some of the others, was a vital part in bringing unto the face of the earth another unique manifestation of the glory of God. This resurrected Christ had now become a part of them. The Holy Spirit had come into them!

Those who beheld the power and fruit of their ministry had to acknowledge that these fellows, ignorant though they were, had been with Jesus, the Crucified One.

Once again, in the days of the early Church, and with the coming of Paul upon the scene, we find that there is a fresh visitation of God upon the earth. Again, there is a going forth of Jesus Christ, released in another form through a many member-ed Body. God moves on, and a new glory is revealed. I believe that it was only when they were in that new “glory” that they could understand why the order had to change.

THE WANING GLORY OF BYGONE DAYS

At the time of the experiencing of Revelation chapter one, the same man is now older. Time has marched on. The glory that John had seen in the days of Jesus of Nazareth is now a thing of the past. It has done its work, and indeed it has undoubtedly left an indelible impression upon his being. But, none the less, it is a thing of the past. Likewise the glory of that New Testament Church had risen to great heights. The disciples had gone throughout the entire civilized world and spread the glad tidings of redemption through Jesus Christ, and the ushering in of the grace of God. But we find that there was now a waning, even though there had been a fulfillment of sorts. So at the time of the experience of which John is writing, most of the other apostles (perhaps all) had vanished

from the scene. The glory of the early Church had waned to a marked degree. There was a scattering, and much persecution and tribulation. (Acts 8:1-4)

I believe that John at this time is waiting for a further revelation from God. He is not saying, “Oh, if I could just tell you about those good old days that we experienced with Jesus when He was here,… if only we could have continued in those years of great joy in the early Church.” He is not lamenting or trying to recapture the glory of the past. He is there for the Word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ for that day!

OUR NEED FOR A FRESH UNVEILING

I believe that for any day there is that fresh manna, there is that fresh unveiling of the Lord Jesus Christ. We don’t have to try to recapture the past, or try to warm up the glories of yesterday. There is something brand new for you and me today, in the economy of God. Hallelujah!

Thus this tremendous unveiling came in that bleak island. Patmos was almost like solid, barren rock, a place not conducive to receiving revelation. Pay attention to where God leads you. If He is setting you aside, if He is drying things up, if He is putting you in some old rocky, dead looking place, thank God for it. He may be ready to manifest Himself to you. Glory! “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.”

A WAR ALERT MUST BE SOUNDED

When we see the shadows of night beginning to fall, we are not to lament and begin to sorrow. For if a night is coming, a day is also coming. The morning comes! As we go through this Scripture and see this awesome description, I want to point out something else.

“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet” (Revelation 1:10). Though we are hungry for God and want more, we are not easily alerted or moved. We tend to become rigid and crystallized, and fixed in our gaze and in our pose. In order for us not to miss the next phase of the unfolding revelation of Jesus Christ, God has to sound a shrill trumpet into our hearts that we might be alerted. God is wanting to say and do a new thing. This is what is happening here. One translation says, “A shrill voice as of a war trumpet”.

If we read Numbers 10 we find that there were differences in the way the trumpets were blown. One such way was the blowing of an alarm when it was time for battle. A trumpet serves to stimulate, to arouse, and to alert you to get ready for battle. This is what John is hearing in this passage. The Greek literally says, “A war trumpet”. Now, this sounds like the voice of One who is going to make war! And indeed He is going to make war throughout the entire book of Revelation.

THE DAY OF HIS JUDGMENT IS UPON US

There is going to be a unique and different unfolding of this One we call Jesus Christ! For He is about to go forth bringing His judgments to the whole earth, to the entire wicked order that has been established. We see Christ riding forth on His horse with armies following Him, judging and making war. Suddenly, the character of the Lamb has been changed from being meek, mild, and lowly, until men are found fleeing from the wrath of the Lamb! Can this be the same Jesus? The wrath of the Lamb is beyond our understanding. When we talk of “Lamb” we do not associate such with wrath. But in this book we find an unveiling of the wrath of the Lamb. I want to declare that God is going to come forth in these last days in a revelation of Jesus Christ with the judgments and wrath of God. This shaking and purging will affect the very Church of the Living God. The hour has come when judgment must first begin at the house of God. (1 Peter 4:17; Hebrews 12:27)

A NEW VISITATION FOR THIS DESPERATE HOUR

I am predicting a fresh revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. It’s going to come in the midst of us, and I hear and see signs that already He is beginning to come. I believe we are living in the early dawn of another appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. Glory to God! We are living in the beginning of a new and fresh visitation to His Church!

These things are burning inside of me. I am being quickened by these things, knowing that God is on the move. I want to be part of this visitation that is preparing His people for the windup of this age. Let us take a further look at what John saw. Verse 12 says, “And I turned to see the Voice that spoke with me. And being turned I saw…” May His coming be of such a nature to us even today that we can be turned inwardly, in our spirit, to behold Him who longs to come in a fresh new way into our midst.

FACING THE PROPER DIRECTION

I say this again, it takes a lot to turn us. The psalmist cries out “Turn us, O Lord. Cause Thy face to shine and we shall be saved.” (Psalm 80:3, 7, 19) It is only as we turn in the direction of the present glory that we can know transformation! You can read of the history of revivals, you can think of yesterday, you can reminisce all you want. There is not enough power in such things to transform you. Transformation comes only in the light of the present Glory and revelation of Christ Jesus. Praise the Lord!

We need to turn, to behold Him and to see Him as He is, not as He was! The Bible says, “Henceforth know we no man after the flesh; yea though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him no more” (i.e. no longer after the flesh, merely as a man—2 Corinthians 5:16). I dare say there is a multitude of people today whose experience does not go too much further than a little bit of knowledge of a historical Jesus they read about in the four Gospels. Oh, we need to see Him by the Spirit! We need to see the revelation of Jesus Christ as King and Lord! There is a vast difference, brothers and sisters. The writer says in one place, “He that sins has not seen Him neither known Him.” This is not speaking about a natural thing, just reading about Christ as one would any historical character. Seeing and knowing Him is talking about an unveiling of Jesus Christ by His Holy Spirit.

THE GLORIOUS PROSPECT OF HIS PRESENCE

The Lord wants to come into our midst in a new way. I am asking God to reveal Himself to me these days in a fuller way. We go through our meetings, our songs and the like. But underneath it all, down in the depths of my spirit, I am saying, “O God, visit us afresh. Do a new thing. I need You!” Are you hungry for that today? Are you anxious and eager for God to come?

Though the earth and all creation are waiting for His manifestation (Romans 8:19), He shall appear first to His Church – “Unto those who (eagerly) look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation” (Hebrews 9:28). We are awaiting Him. I hope you are among those who are looking for Him to appear, expecting a visitation by the Holy Spirit, even today. (2 Timothy 4:8)

“And being turned I saw seven golden candlesticks” (lampstands) – Revelation 1:12. These seven golden lampstands (as we see later in this chapter) are the seven churches.

THE AWESOMENESS OF OUR LORD AND KING

“And in the midst of the seven candlesticks One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the foot.” (Verse 13) Let us consider the various aspects of His Person and of His countenance which are described here for a purpose. Christ is seen clothed with a garment down to the foot. Compare Daniel 10, where we see a great similarity between the revelation of Jesus Christ that John saw, and the vision of God that Daniel saw. “I am the Lord God, and I change not.” We need to see Him as He is: “I lifted up my eyes, and looked, and, behold, a certain Man clothed in linen” (Daniel 10:15). This garment which John sees is the same garment that Daniel saw – it was linen. Linen in the Bible generally speaks to us of righteousness.

THE IMPERATIVE PREPARATION OF THE BRIDE

There is going to be a bride-company who will qualify to be united to Him, to assist Him in the affairs of the kingdom. The bride-company has this characteristic: they have prepared themselves; they have made themselves ready. “And to her was granted that she should be arrayed (clothed upon) in fine linen, clean and white; for the fine linen is the righteousness (or righteous acts) of saints” (Revelation 19:8). We are going to have yet further and deeper revelation of the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

There is today a shallow understanding across the land in many circles about this truth of righteousness. People are settling for the fact that if you have faith in Jesus Christ, you gave imputed righteousness. You are counted righteous. Thank God for that! Indeed we are. But I find the Bible calls for an in-working of this righteousness, into the very fiber and makeup of our being, so that we, as a people, will be able to manifest and bring forth the fruits of righteousness. John told the Pharisees, to not only come to his baptism and get dipped in water, but to “bring forth fruits fit for repentance.” There had to be something genuine experienced in their lives in order for

the water baptism to be effective. That is what a lot of them were failing to do. They wanted the baptism, but there was not that corresponding work of repentance in their lives. Today many are even saying, “Well, I’m born again.” The Lord says, “By their fruits ye shall know them. A good tree brings forth good fruit, and a corrupt tree brings forth corrupt fruit.”

HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS MUST BE INWROUGHT

We need to have a revelation of the righteousness of Jesus Christ – that He was righteous, holy, pure, clean through and through. That’s the way God wants us as a people. Look at 1 John3:6 – “Whoever abides in Him sins not. Whoever sins has not seen Him, neither known Him. Little children, let no man deceive you. He who does righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous.” Not he who preaches righteousness, not he who talks about it, but he who does righteousness. This is currently a great area of deception. Let no man deceive you, because many will come in His name and talk about righteousness.

But let us look at the fruits. Let us “try the spirits” (1 John 4:1).

Those who are of God are those who have character, the character of our Lord Jesus Christ. Many shall come and shall prophesy in His name and they will even do miracles in His name. They will eat and drink in His presence, but they are going to be disqualified from vital union with Him. Christ will say to them, “Depart from Me you workers of iniquity. I never knew you” (as My bride). Observe that word “iniquity”.

God is going to purge us from all iniquity. He is going to do a thorough work. He is going to thoroughly cleanse His threshing floor.”In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil” (1 John 3:10). Here is an important distinction. Whoever does not do righteousness is not of God (see 1 John 2:29). Everyone who does (not preaches) righteousness is born of God. There should be an expression of His life through our lives.

Let us look at Isaiah 61:11 and 62:1-2. “For as the earth brings forth her bud and as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.” This has to do with the kind of righteousness that is formed within us, even as a garden is made to flourish, even as there is a planting and watering of seeds and finally the production of fruit.

Even so, the Lord will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations. This is the theme of Isaiah 62 – “For Zion’s sake will I not hold My peace and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her righteousness go forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burns. And the nations shall see they righteousness and all kings thy glory…” Why? Because this people will have become married unto the Lord in intimate union, and out of that union will bring forth the fruits of righteousness. This passage speaks of a righteousness that is worked into you and me, a righteousness that has its reflection in my countenance, in my state of being, in what I am and in all that I do! (Phil. 1:11, cp. Psalm 90:17)

ALL CREATION MUST BEHOLD HIS CHARACTER

The whole earth is waiting for the Glory of the Lord to be manifested! God is not going to bypass the mode of operation He has chosen of working through human instruments. The dealings of God in your life and mine are for a purpose. There is something more to this than going to heaven and walking on streets of gold. This was the mentality that was being developed into me as a young man. I thought, “Is this what Christianity is all about?” Thank God there is heaven, but I want to tell you something. All the dealings of God towards us – the cross, the sufferings, the fires – are all intended to put something of His nature and character in to us. These workings will enable Him to be made manifest in this old dark world in which we live. Glory to God!

God has purposed that righteousness and glory shine forth before all the nations. This is going to be done through those who are being transformed into the likeness of His Son. Do you believe in that kind of righteousness? That is the kind I believe in. Many are saying: “Well, praise God, I’m saved now and all of Jesus’ righteousness has come to me.” Potentially yes. Legally, yes. But let us go onto experiential appropriate this righteousness. (Romans 13:12-14)

PUTTING ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

There is something wrong with an “imputed righteousness” that leaves people in their sinful habits, and keeps the mark of the world on them indefinitely. True, we must be tolerant with people that are having problems with sinful habits and who are struggling to overcome in various areas. But there also must be evidence of progressive transformation, of the mortification of the deeds of the flesh, and of the putting on of the Lord Jesus Christ. You don’t put Him on completely by getting “saved”. The exhortation to, “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ” is to believers. Put Him on daily. Purify your souls through your obedience to the truth. (1 Peter 1:22)

We need to have a revelation and a deeper understanding of the righteousness of God. “And gird about the breasts with a golden girdle” (Revelation 1:13). In the vision that Daniel had, he saw Him girded with a golden girdle around His loins. When John, the revelator, is looking upon Him, he sees Him clothed with a golden girdle from the head to the top of the legs which speaks to us of the Divine nature, the very essence of Christ Jesus, the very Glory of God!

THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE GLORY UNVEILED

God who in times past spoke by the prophets is in these days speaking to us by His Son, Who is “the Brightness of His Glory and the express Image of His Person” (Hebrews 1:1-3). Jesus our Lord is the Brightness of the Glory of God. When we truly see Him, we are seeing the Glory of God the Father. He is the express image (the exact representation) of God’s Person. When we truly see Jesus Christ, we see the Glory of God!

Now, I’m going to make a prediction – We are going to experience a revelation of the glory of the Person of God in Jesus Christ between now and the end of this present order – an unveiling of His glorious Person! We are going to come unto a manifestation of the Person of our God. There is something about entering in beyond the veil, which means that we will come to God Himself.

In the “outer court” you may have His blessings. In the “holy place” you may have His presence, or something of an overflow of His presence. But in the “holy of holiest” you deal with the Majestic One Himself! You can taste of the blessings from God, learn about God, and periodically experience His presence, but never really get to Him. Beloved, we are being brought unto God! We are being brought unto an expression of the Glory of God, the likes of which none of us have ever known!

There are different degrees and different types of the manifestation of God. Individually as well as corporately we have had manifestations of our Lord Jesus in times of worship, singing, prayer, and prophecy. They are all part of the revelation and expression of Christ. In some way God comes through. But there is a meeting God that is on a higher order, in a higher dimension. I am sensing this in my spirit. I find I am probing and searching. “Deep calls unto deep”. I’m on a journey. I want to get to the Mount of God, to Mount Zion and meet with Him – to touch Him and have Him meet with me. Something is going to happen when we have this type of unveiling of Christ. We are going to fall down before Him in awesome wonder.

WE MUST THINK BEYOND OURSELVES

Let us be challenged to think beyond ourselves. The true nature of the Scriptures and of the Spirit is to elevate us beyond ourselves, beyond our limited understanding, into things we have never heard, or known, or seen before. (1 Corinthians 2:9-10; 2 Corinthians 12:1-4)

The apostle Peter saw Him day after day, performing the miracles. Peter walked with Him and he knew Him to some degree. There was something of revelation coming through the manifestation of Christ’s power. And one day Jesus said, “Whom do men say that I, the Son of Man, am? And they said some say you are John the Baptist; some Elijah; and some others Jeremiah, or one of the prophets… But whom say ye that I am?” In that moment Peter had an experience; he had a revelation. He looked by the Spirit and saw into the interior of this One that he had known as Jesus. Peter saw Him as the Anointed and Glorious Son of God. He saw something different that day and said, “Thou are the Christ…” He saw through the veil of the flesh!

CLOTHED WITH MAJESTIC GLORY

“Thou are the Christ, the Son of the living God!” It is on this type of revelation that God can build in our lives. We must see Him in this way. Those are the building experiences, when we see our Lord as He really is. “On this rock I will build My Church” (Mathews 16:13-18).

One day, Jesus said, “There will be some standing here, who shall not taste of death till they see the kingdom of God come with power” (Mark 9:1). And He took with Him Peter, James and John. They saw something truly magnificent. The Lord Jesus’ very countenance and His whole Person was changed. He was clothed with a quality and degree of glory they had never seen before in all the days previous to that hour. They beheld another glory, but it was the same Person. It was the same “Jesus Christ” but Another Glory! And this without question left a deep, lasting impression upon Peter. He wrote years later, “I will endeavor that you may be able after my decease, to have these things always in remembrance. For we have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known unto you the power and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His Majesty” (2 Peter 1:15-16). Peter had experienced an unveiling of Jesus Christ.

MODES AND FORMS OF HIS APPEARING

Every unveiling of Jesus Christ serves a purpose. And what about Saul of Tarsus? When he met the Lord on the road to Damascus, what did he see? Let’s look at Paul’s recounting this before Agrippa: “At midday, O King, I saw in the way a light from heaven above the brightness of the sun shining round about me and those who journeyed with me” (Acts 26:13). Saul did not see a man six feet tall with a beard. He saw a light and a glory that was brighter than the shining of the sun at noon day. It was the glory of Jesus Christ, appearing in a different form. What I am saying is there are many modes and forms of the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ. As much as I know now, I am seeking to prepare myself. O Lord, make Your appearing – come into the midst of us. We are longing to see You. (2 Timothy 4:8b)

This is exactly how John describes Christ – “His countenance was as the sun shining in its strength” (Revelation 1:16). This is what John saw in Jesus Christ. Centuries before, Isaiah saw Him and cried out, “Woe is me! For I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.” (Isaiah 6:5)

There is an aspect of the revelation of Jesus that causes all iniquity (deviation from right, lawlessness, and from wickedness) in you to surface and be exposed for what it is. You can see yourself through and through in the light of His Presence. Up until that time you think, “Oh, I’m doing pretty well, preaching and prophesying a little, carrying a burden for God’s people and developing a vision. But in the light of that Glory, I am a man of unclean lips, I am undone, exposed!” This is the kind of revelation that is going to come to His Church.

A CORPORATE MAN FOR KINGDOM ENTERPRISES

I believe that there awaits for us the fulfillment of the Feasts of Tabernacles. What God purposes to accomplish in this working is to deal with all the uncleanness in His people. (Leviticus 16:30) When this cleansing work is completed, God will have obtained for Himself a “corporate man,” a bride which will qualify for presentation unto the Lord at His return. (Ephesians 5:25-27)

We are going to enter into these dealings. We are going to move beyond Passover and Pentecost into the New Testament fulfillment of Tabernacles, which will prepare a corporate Man for kingdom enterprises. We are now living in the dawn of a great new day, which will bring much Glory to His name! We are not going to camp here. God is wanting to thrust us onward in the march of His purposes.

THE DEGREE OF PURITY NECESSARY

“His head and His hair were white like wool, as white as snow” (Revelation 1:14). This speaks of two things – purity and maturity, or the stature of the fullness of Jesus Christ. This ties in with what was said earlier, that concerning righteousness. We need a revelation, an understanding of the degree of purity that God is aiming at for His Church. We are still playing around too much. We are taking advantage of the grace of God. There are hidden things within us that have to surface and be dealt with. For He would have a people that are pure as He is pure. How many of us can agree with 1John 3:2 where it says, “Beloved, now we are the children of God and it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him… “Do you agree with that? I agree with it, and it tells me there is a further work to be done!

So many of us read this passage, and fail to read verse3, “And he who has this hope” – do you have that hope of being like Him? May it grow today. May it be intensified in this hour. “He who has this hope in him purifies himself, even as He is pure.” How does one purify himself? We purify ourselves in obedience to the truth. (1 Peter 1:22) When He comes near, when He speaks, when He deals – obey, abandon, and yield yourself to Him!

DIVINE ENABLEMENT AVAILABLE

There is a kind of teaching about “grace” that I don’t like much. All I hear in it is, “I can’t, I can’t, I can’t.” When you are truly walking in grace and receiving God’s grace, you are being inspired, motivated and energized in your will and in your action. (Philippians 2:13) When you are appropriating His grace you are bending your will and surrendering your will to Jesus Christ. You are trading your inability for His divine enabling. When you are living by His grace, you can do all things – all things that will bring honor and blessing and glory to God. “I can do all things through Christ, Who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13)

True, we cannot do it ourselves. If God is not dealing, if He is not putting His finger on things, don’t try to change your habits or improve yourself. It is a frustrating game. But when the Lord passes by, when He deals, when He points His finger at things in your life, when He brings dross to the surface by the searching of His Holy Spirit, in that hour His grace is present to enable us to do righteousness and to conquer sin. Glory to God for His mercies!

THE PROCESS UNTO CORPORATE STATUS

God does expect transformation within us. He rightly expects change over the years. True, we can receive forgiveness over and over again, but that does not mean He does not expect change. Christ said to the woman caught in act of adultery, “Go and sin no more”. God is in the process of preparing a glorious Church, without spot or wrinkle. One of the methods He is employing is washing by the Word, the cleansing and sanctifying action of the Word. He is preparing us unto glory! May we see Him today, and in seeing Him may we be transformed into His likeness. (Romans 9:23; 2 Corinthians 3:18)

His hair “white as wool” also speaks of Christ’s full stature. This is what apostles and prophets, etc. (the fivefold ministry gifts) are for, to bring us to the fullness of the stature of Christ. This is another goal in the workings of God toward us. He wants to bring us unto full stature in Him. “Leaving (i.e. advancing or passing on from) the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection.” (Hebrews 6:1) The goal of our God is a mature, full-grown man. We are heading in that direction today.

THE EYES OF HIS EXCELLENCY

“And His eyes were like a flame of fire” (Revelation 1:14). Let us also look at Revelation 5:6 – “And I beheld and, lo, in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb, as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes.” That is a strange thing, we might think Christ has two eyes, but here it is seven eyes – “Which are the seven Spirits (or seven-fold Spirit) of God sent forth into all the earth.” And in Zechariah 4:10 – “Who has despised the day of small things… these are the eyes of the Lord which run to and fro through the whole earth.” Also: “For, behold, the stone that I have laid… upon one stone shall be seven eyes; behold, I will engrave the engraving of it, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will remove iniquity of that land in one day.” (Zechariah 3:9)

Now, without getting into all that the “eyes” might mean, this scripture tells us that the “eyes” will be used to remove the iniquity of the land. So the eyes of the Lord are used in purification, to surface iniquity and uncleanness and wickedness in His people. “All things are naked and open unto the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do.” (Hebrews 4:13)

After Peter had denied the Lord three times in the high priest’s house, the Lord turned and looked upon Peter. No sermon was necessary; that look was enough to bring deep conviction. He went out and wept bitterly. There is going to come into the midst of us the purifying presence of Christ. We are going to know those times when the eye of the Lord Jesus is upon us, and upon certain things in our lives. The times when we are most aware of our perverted nature are the times when we know He is looking upon us, when we know that His eye is right on our iniquity to expose it to us. When His eye is on our sin, we are judged and convicted. There is a need today for a restoration of good old fashioned conviction. People resist conviction. But when we know that the eye of the Lord is upon certain things, then conviction comes. Lord, cause Your eye to focus on me. Can we pray this today?

JUDGE NOTHING BEFORE THE LORD COMES

His eyes are a flame of fire, discerning, burning, and piercing into us. “Judge nothing before the time until the Lord come” (1 Corinthians 4:5). When is that? – Only at His “second coming”? No! That is his coming in a sense we are speaking of here. “Judge nothing before the time… until the Lord come, Who (when He comes) both will bring to the light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts, and then shall every man have praise from God.” (Compare 1Corinthians 11:28-31)

There are times of Divine visitation when the Lord deals with you. Don’t try to bring things to judgment before the Lord comes. The same thing is true for other people’s lives. Don’t try to bring them under conviction and get them into a dealing before the proper time. There is a time that the Lord has reserved for every one of us. He will walk up and down the whole territory of our being, if we allow Him to. He will cover us thoroughly from head to toe, in every area of our lives. He is going to convert this whole “earth” of mine so that it may reflect the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ!

We are always in a hurry. God is never in a hurry. Be sure to give Him enough time. He is going to deal with you. He is going to deal with your brother and sister. He is going to have a Church without spot or wrinkle, a Bride thoroughly purged, whose iniquity has been taken away. (Ephesians 5:27

THE NATURE OF HIS VISITATION

The next characteristic of the Risen Lord is especially meaningful in the light of an experience I had some time ago. I would like to share this with you. “And His feet were like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace.” This speaks of the judgment of God, of His refining fire. The quality of the presence of the Lord that we are going to know in the future will be the quality of a burning fire! We have all sat in this fire from time to time, where the burnings of God were so intense we could hardly stand it. We are going to know an intensification of that as we are able to receive it.

Let us examine Malachi 3:1-2, which is becoming very real to us in these days. “Behold, I will send My messenger, and he shall prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, shall suddenly come to His temple.” Is this temple somewhere over in Jerusalem, or is it some house made with wood or stone? No, I believe it is our temple, a flesh and blood temple. (1 Corinthians 6:9; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 2:19-22)

We are members of His bones and of His flesh. We are His temple. “Even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in; behold He shall come, saith the Lord of hosts. But who may abide the day of His coming?” I don’t believe this is the “second coming”. This is the visitation of the Lord Jesus Christ to the Church, to His people, to the over-comers, to those who are looking for Him, to those who are seeking His face! Are you seeking Him, loving His appearing? “And He shall sit like a refiner and purifier of silver; and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them like gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.” (Malachi 3:3; compare 1 Peter 2, 9)

QUALIFIED TO STAND AS A BRIDE

The Lord Jesus comes to us in different ways. When Mary Magdalene saw Him at the resurrection she thought He was the gardener. She did not recognize Him. He was in another form. Many and varied are the appearing and comings of the Lord Jesus. (Mark 16:12; Acts 1:3) We are going to have another visitation, brethren, it is dawning. It has begun even now. Praise the Lord! It is a visitation that is intended to prepare a people for His return. That people will be a people who will qualify to stand beside Him as His bride, pure and holy and glorious, even as He is glorious. (Psalm 45:10-11, 13-15; Colossians 1:21-22)

This is the nature of the next visitation which will prepare a people for the winding up of this age. God is enabling us to align ourselves with Him that we might be presented unto Him holy, blameless and un-reprovable in His sight. You will be amazed at the number of scriptures you will find where Paul and other writers are saying – People of God, prepare yourselves. Increase in the knowledge of God. Be filled with the fruits of righteousness, etc. so that you may be ready for the Day of Christ. The apostle said in effect, When that day comes I don’t want to be ashamed before Him at His coming. And I don’t want to be ashamed of you either. (Philippians 2:15-16)

THE FIRE OF GOD MUST COME

When He comes, I want to be able to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:2). This is why He must dig deeply. This is why the fires have to come. A short while ago the Lord was talking to us repeatedly about the fire of God. It was one of those seasons where the only thing that was alive in the Word was the fire of God. Yes, even in this age of grace, our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:29) This One Whom John saw was seen in the New Testament age. John’s was not an Old Testament experience.

During this season, we had been studying and sharing concerning His fire, because the Lord was anointing that word. I was brought to a place where I said “Lord, send this fire; send Your fire.” How many of you know it’s not easy to pray prayers like that. It takes the Holy Spirit to bring you to a place where you ask for the fire of God, where you ask for the Cross, where you ask to share in His sufferings. (Philippians 3:7-11)

EXPERIENCING HIS FIERY PRESENCE

One night something happened as we were praying for six or eight who had come to the front wanting to meet God in a fresh new way. All of a sudden as I was praying for the fire to be kindled in them, something happened to me. God came into my being! It was a sovereign visitation just as real as the incoming of the Holy Spirit. It was the coming of the fire of God. It was as though liquid fire were poured into my inner being! It was a form of the presence of God that I had never known in all my experience.

There was a quality about this presence that was both glorious and yet terrible. It was something which I wanted to continue, and at the same time I wanted it to leave me! I agonized and groaned, and at the same time I was saying, “Yes God, yes God.” It was burning in the depths of my being. I believe this was just a foretaste! It lasted about twenty minutes. When I turned around (I was somewhat in a trance) and finally opened my eyes, the little group that had gathered there that night was prostrate on the floor. They could not get up, such was the awesomeness of His Presence. Now, I am not advocating that you should look for an experience like this. But in general terms I am saying that there is going to be a fresh unveiling of Jesus Christ to His people – a revelation that is going to prepare us, cleanse us, and invade our beings. It is going to produce a finishing work in our lives to prepare us for the coming of the Day of the Lord.

THERE IS MORE TO EXPERIENCE

I have been saved and filled with the Holy Spirit for many years, and I’ve been asking God for a long time, “Now Lord, what else do you have, what else is there?” And the Lord has been gracious. He has been merciful. He will have me know there is more to experience of Him! There is a baptism of fire. There is a fuller revelation of Jesus Christ that is going to come. When that Presence and that Fire come, we are going to see people down on the floor weeping and crying out for mercy. I stand here in the Spirit predicting that we are going to see people who will cry out like Isaiah cried out. But God does not bring us down to kill us, or to annihilate us. He does it that there might be that full subduing of our beings, that utter abandonment unto Him - that we might become a highway upon which the Lord may move to perform all His work. Out of that He will raise us into newness of life. Praise God. (1 Samuel 2:7-8; John 3:30)

UNDERSTANDING GOD’S CORPORATE PURPOSES

The Voice of the Lord in Revelation 1 was heard as the sound of many waters. Daniel, too, heard His voice like the voice of a multitude. (Daniel 10:6) Waters speak of multitudes of people. This is to give us vision and understanding of the corporate nature of the Church. God is going to have a people who are joined into one. There is going to be a praise and a worship and a serving of God in a corporate (collective, united) way. “… that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Corinthians 1:10). There won’t be individual voices here and there, but we will be blended together into one! (Romans 15:5-6) God deliver us from that independent, individualistic spirit that wants to do its own thing in its own little corner. May God bring us together and join us bone to His bone, that the voice of the corporate Son may be heard in the land again.

MINISTRY UNDER DIVINE CONTROL

“In His right hand I saw seven stars and the seven stars are the angels (pastors or messengers) of the seven churches.” When I see the seven stars in His right hand, I saw that at last there is going to be a ministry that it is under Divine Control. Praise the Lord! A ministry not manipulated by man or systems, not swayed by having popularity, or money, or the people, but a ministry that is under the control of the Spirit of God. May the Lord take hold of us and save us from these other manipulative forces that want to take hold of us.

THE SHARP SWORD AND HIDDEN THINGS

“Out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword.” Some may think this word has been sharp, cutting, with its penetrating effect. Well, I think we need it. I feel the worst and the best at the same time, and that is when the sword of the Lord is hitting me. The Word of the Lord is quick and powerful – living and active – sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder (separating) of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow – the deepest part of our nature. It is very sad when once hears of cases where a tumor is so deeply embedded that doctors cannot cut it out. But God can get at everything within us, even the deepest parts of our nature. (Hebrews 4:12-13)

This visitation of God is going to surface things in our lives which have been hidden. When dealings come and we do not respond, the impurities become buried. When another dealing comes and we fail to respond, the impurities become buried. When another dealing comes and we fail to respond, they get buried even deeper still. Opportunity after opportunity passes. After a while these things are buried so deeply in one, that it takes no small thing for them to surface and be dealt with.

Please, surrender and let the Lord deal with you when He is gently speaking about some issue. Don’t ignore it! The next time God has to speak louder because it is farther away. Some things in our lives are deeply hidden, but the sword of the Lord, the dealings of God, are going to cause everything to surface and be brought out of the darkness. The fire is going to be such that all the dross will emerge. The Word of God discernes of the thoughts and intends of the heart. These characteristics of the Son of God are all worthy of much more study and investigation, as the Holy Spirit may direct you. Notice, upon receiving revelation John said, “When I saw Him I fell at His feet as dead.” Daniel in a similar situation records, “I, Daniel, alone saw the vision; for the men who were with me saw not the vision, but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves”. (Daniel 10:7)

WHAT SHALL I DO IN SUCH A PRESENCE?

Undoubtedly there are some who are going to react like that. As soon as they hear the rumblings and catch the beginning of this thing, they are going to flee, and not expose themselves to this operation. From time to time there are little flashes as this regal One wields the sword. He comes as a fire. People don’t like it. So they withdraw and find refuge somewhere else where the dealings are not so unpleasant. What will you do? “I, Daniel, alone saw the vision.” Some of those men heard the voice, but they didn’t see the Vision. “Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision.” When we hear the sound of His coming, let us not run, but let us wait for Him to fully unfold what he has for us, and expose ourselves.

Let us say, “O Lord, if You are coming to deal with me, I want it; here I am. Do a good job.” Praise the Name of the Lord! He is willing.

NO STRENGTH WITHIN, YET STANDING UPRIGHT

“And there remained no strength in me; for my comeliness was turned into corruption, and I retained no strength. Yet I heard the voice of His words. And when I heard the voice of His words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground. And, behold, a hand touched me, which set me up upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands. And He said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright.”

This is always the way He deals before the Divine commission comes. There is that meeting with God. Then there comes the unfolding and revelation of His purpose. “Come, Daniel, I want you to understand what is going to befall your people in the last days!” (Daniel 10:8-12, 14)

DO WE WANT THIS INVASION

Before the will of God was revealed to Ezekiel, he had to have the heavens opened unto him. He had to see the glory of God and be brought down low before Him. Then came the marvelous unfolding. The same happened to Isaiah. Do we want this today? Do we want the Lord to come to our temple and visit us? Do we really want Him to invade us through and through – to thoroughly touch every area of our lives? Or, are there some things we are comfortable with, which we think won’t hurt because we’ve gotten by all this time anyway? If we think this way, we are not going to experience His revelation. There has to be that desire and hunger in which we say, “O God, thoroughly deal with me, and make me over completely.”

BELIEVING OUR LORD FOR THE PRESENT TRANSFORMATION

Let us bow together, and as we do, let us open our hearts and raise our hands unto the Lord. O Father God, come. We seek Your face. O Lord, come to Your temple even today in greater measure. Come, with the means necessary to further Your work of transformation in us. Come that we might behold Your glory. Send the fire upon us, O God, to thoroughly purge and refine us – to prepare us, O Lord, for that Day when You will come to receive us unto Yourself.

Come into our hearts, Lord Jesus, in a new way. Let the eyes of our understanding be opened, that we may see Thee today in present revelation. Oh, visit this people. Thank You for the hunger, the reaching out of those who are receiving Thee. Make the truth into substance in our hearts and lives. May we carry forth something of Thy Glory to others. Lord, initiate an operation of Your Spirit that will continue in days to come, and that will greatly further Your work, until we stand complete in Thee. We ask in the Name of our risen Lord Jesus Christ, Who is alive forevermore, Amen.