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Ascending to the Table of the Lord
By Ron McGatlin
In the past revival waves, Barbara and I along with many others were blessed on many occasions to witness the fire of God coming down in the Holy Spirit with holy angels greatly impacting those who were gathered seeking His presence. In history and especially in the past few centuries, wave after wave of revival and outpourings of God’s Spirit have come upon people who sought after God.
For me, being a part of the wave that flowed in the 1990s seemed to be the greatest thing that we could ever expect from God in this life. It seemed there could be nothing better than being a part of the awesome works of God that were impacting His people.
When the fire of Almighty God came into contact with us mortal human beings, there were explosive results. Our bodies trembled, some shook as if being electrocuted and many fell to the ground as if dead. These and many other manifestations of the power and love of God changed us forever. There were tears of joy and healing of bodies and souls (minds, wills, and emotions). Spiritual gifts arose, and men did what they could not do.
Prophesy along with all spiritual gifts flowed as words of knowledge, words of wisdom, and powerful prophecy came forth. Joy filled our hearts, and His pure love overcame us and flowed among the people. Spirit-induced laughter poured forth from some bringing deep emotional healing and great joy with humility and love. Truly it seemed there could be nothing greater.
Now in this day God has something even better for those who love Him with their whole hearts.
Revival Fire is not the end or the ultimate goal. It is a means to the end or goal.
1 Corinthians 9-14: But as it is written, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” 10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. 13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
The fire of God falling upon us in the Holy Spirit was and is a preparatory work of God that carries us further into the revelation of Christ being formed in us. The fire from heaven brings His Spirit life into us and becomes one with our spirits.
The preparation of Christ formed in us; living His life causes us to become holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:13-16). It is totally the grace of God – the empowerment of Christ in us by the Spirit that literally makes us to live holy lives. Sin is not just covered it is removed by the power and love (grace) of Christ in us. As we become one with Christ we only do the things that He does in and through us. There is no mixture in the pure holy Christ in us.
Through this spiritual reality we will be as Christ in this world. We will suffer persecution as He did. We will bare our cross as He did, and we will die to our self-life our (old man) as Christ Jesus is formed in us by the Holy Spirit. We are thus crucified with Christ and no longer live, but the life we now live is by the life of Christ in us (Gal. 2:20). In Christ we can also ascend with Him into resurrection life, abundant life in the kingdom of God / kingdom of heaven.
Ascending to the throne of God
As we fully mature in Christ and Him in us, we become pure holy sons of God in whom Christ fully dwells, and we are no longer waiting for the fire of God to fall on us here on earth to purify us. Also as Christ did, we as one Spirit in Him, can ascend into heaven to the throne of God and are seated with Christ Jesus at His table.
Luke 22: 29-30a: And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed upon Me, 30 that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom.
Eph. 2:6: And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
Mat. 8:11: And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
No Mixture
There is no mixture in the pure ministry of Christ that flows into us while seated at the table of the Lord receiving of His ultimate love, power, and wisdom for this world. As Christ descended and became as a man, we also descend from the heavenly table to bring forth the glorious kingdom of the Lord to His people on earth.
There was and is mixture in the Pentecostal season of spiritual outpouring. Again, it was a process of purification in preparation for the greater season of Tabernacles, in which God is within us and among us by the Holy Spirit.
Purified sons and daughters are the living temple of God filled with the life of Christ. All love, power, and wisdom of God is available as we are seated with Christ at His table partaking of the substance of God in His kingdom.
We become carriers that deliver the heavenly food from the table of God in heaven to the people on earth that have spiritual ears and eyes. Our life is filled and sustained in Christ Jesus by the Holy Spirit.
There will be no end to this completely pure and holy work of God. However, many will never even know that it is here. They literally see the light of God and His kingdom as darkness. The people of darkness who will not turn to God have no part in the kingdom of heaven on earth. However, those who sit in darkness who SEE THE LIGHT of the kingdom will arise and come into the kingdom. The great cleansing judgments will completely forever separate the sheep and the goats. And there will nothing that offends enter this fullness of the kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.
Seek first above all else the kingdom of God and His righteousness. His life and power will manifest in our lives in this glorious and terrible Day of the Lord. His cleansing judgment season will do its work, and the sons of God will shine forth to fill the earth with His glory.
The love and peace of God that is beyond understanding is filling our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus by the Holy Spirit.
Ron McGatlin
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