As I have gone over 40 odd years of sermons in preparation for a ministry trip to Zimbabwe this May, I have become more aware of what I believe God has been showing me since I was first saved.
The underlying theme is that of a great move of God before the Lord’s return and the emergence of a Glorious Church. It’s not a Church that gets weaker and weaker as we near the Lord’s return, but a Victorious Church. Unfortunately, there is a defeatist teaching that the Church would be in such a bad way, that unless Jesus came back and raptured her, we would all be done for.
As I have looked at the many prophecies concerning the Last Days and been exposed to the Historicist Teaching on God’s plan for the End time Church, I know this is not true. I don’t believe Jesus is coming back for a sick, weak Church that He will heal when we all get to heaven, but for a Victorious Church. A Church that will know who they are in Christ and all that He has done for them at the cross. A lot of Christians have more confidence in Jesus coming back and then fixing us all up than in the power of the gospel to get us ready for His return.
Like Bill Johnson, I believe that Jesus is returning for a Glorious Church. It’s the corner stone of my belief system. I realise that it’s the heart and soul of what I live and believe for. After examining the teachings of Paul, I now have a hard time believing that Jesus will come for a big jigsaw puzzle that He has to piece together and then bring healing too. Scriptures show us that Jesus is returning for a Bride whose body is in equal proportion to her head.
“Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” Ephesians 5:25-27
The trouble is most Christians today are ‘Futurist’ in that believe in a falling away of the Church and the appearing of the Antichrist before the Lord’s return. They ignore the fact that there was a ‘Falling Away’ of the Church after Paul died, but Praise God since the Reformation, the Church is being restored to its former glory, plus some. I don’t have time to go into that now, but I believe the best is yet to come for those who believe. Of course not all the church worldwide will embrace this truth, but Praise God He has given to us Apostles and Prophets and Teachers etc. to help get us ready. Most of these ministries were lost during the Dark Ages, but are now being restored to prepare the Bride for her Husband.
“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;” Ephesians 4:11-12
Paul speaks of giving gifts to the Church and these gifts are people for her protection and empowerment. How long will that program be in operation? It says that its until we all come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God - to a Perfect Man. That means there will be millions of body members transformed into a Perfect Man who is just like Jesus. It is a full revelation of Christ. A revelation of what He is like and what He has done for us on the cross. It’s a Church that finally gets it. A Church that knows that Jesus is in the Father and knows that He is in us and we are one with Him. John 14:20. A Church that lives in union with Christ as one. Galatians 2:20
To think that the Lord is coming back to a weak, sick Church and then heals her when He gets us home is an offense to what He accomplished at the cross. He made something possible that must be experienced before this is all over. There will be a generation that says ‘YES,’ before His return. A people who have a clear manifestation of the resurrected Christ in their lives, that will be seen worldwide. It’s the ‘Greater Works’ generation spoken of in John 14:12. They believe that Jesus has gone to the Father and that we are also with Him in Heavenly Places while down here on earth, receiving all that He has and all that He is. They know what it is to be seated in Heavenly Places even while here on earth. Thier thinking is from the throne and according to His riches up there and not according to our resources down here.
“For the Holy Spirit makes God’s fatherhood real to us as he whispers into our innermost being, You are God’s beloved child!” And since we are his true children, we qualify to share all his treasures, for indeed, we are heirs of God himself. And since we are joined to Christ, we also inherit all that he is and all that he has.” Romans 8:16-17
“For the very glory you have given to me I have given them so that they will be joined together as one and experience the same unity that we enjoy.” John 17:22
I used to think that we needed a special visitation from God to help make this all happen, but now see that it is already done for us and we need our eyes opened by the Holy Spirit and a renewing of our minds. This all comes through a revelation of who Christ is and what He has already accomplished for us on the cross. The Glorious Church understands Ephesians 1:17-24 that explains what Christ did for us – His body. A Church who knows that Christ has been exalted far above the enemy and that we His body and now have the Devil under our feet.
The primary reason the enemy is working so hard to keep us distracted in these days is to keep us unattached to our true identity that is wrapped up in the glorified Christ. He’s getting us to feed on the inferior, feeding on things that pull us away from that discovery. We need to see the risen Lord and by keeping our eyes on Him we are then changed.
“We can all draw close to him with the veil removed from our faces. And with no veil we all become like mirrors who brightly reflect the glory of the Lord Jesus. We are being transfigured into his very image as we move from one brighter level of glory to another. And this glorious transfiguration comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18
All those who focus their hope on Him will always be purifying themselves, just as Jesus is pure. There is a purifying hope that transforms us. This is more than a hope of His Second coming. This is the hope of His Glory and that we will be like Christ.
“Beloved, we are God’s children right now; however, it is not yet apparent what we will become. But we do know that when its finally made visible, we will be just like him, for we will see him as he truly is. And all who focus their hope on him will always be purifying themselves, just as Jesus is pure.” 1 John 3:2-3
The source of our transformation comes from Christ’s glory. It is a transforming glory that is the result of gazing upon the beauty and splendour of Jesus Christ. Knowing who He is and what He has done for us. This is the Glorious Church. A people who know, that they know, that as Jesus is ‘now’ so are they in this life. Jesus is now exalted far above all principalities and powers and we are in Him.
“By living in God, love has been brought to its full expression in us so that we may fearlessly face the day of judgment, because all that Jesus now is, so are we in this world.” 1 John 4:17
This is a Church that I long to see before the Lord’s Return, and I pray that I will be a participator in this move of God and not just a spectator. How about you?