“A Voice for the Gathering Saints”
Duane Stewart
www.avoiceforthegatheringsaints.org
The visible church, as it is looked upon by the world in general, is but a building erected by man to entertain their ideals and rituals before others. Their interest usually lay within the confines of carnal thoughts and expressions to hold and captivate the people in their own philosophy concerning religion. This structured organized arena they call the church has promoted itself above God to remove Him completely from their circles. With the world in general being a reflection of the condition of this structure, we see a great need within the church itself. A church that the scripture classifies has a people having a form of godliness while denying the true God of having any power in their midst.
Seasons have come and gone since the day of the churches birthing on the Day of Pentecost some 2000 years ago. During this span of time, the carnal mind has made such inroads into the church order that God’s Word reveals its true condition. Rev. 17:1,“And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, come hither; I will show unto you the judgment of the great whore that sits upon many waters.” This great whore, the condition of the fallen, rebellious, unclean church which sits upon these waters, is identified clearly in Rev. 17:15, “And he said unto me, the waters which you saw, where the whore sits, are people, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.” This whore, as revealed, represents the many carnal Christians who reject Christ. They love the things of this world more than the things of God. These may study the scriptures and learn about their many doctrines, but the truth eludes them because of their manifesting stubbornness and pride.
Even as Israel played the harlot with other gods, the Christian Community has also played the harlot with this world. Her converts become men pleasers and pleasure seekers. They reject the need to sell out completely to Christ. 2 Tim. 3:1-7, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lust, every learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of truth.”
This harlot church, by making a pact with the earth receives the antichrists lies, and they desire to stop any trials and tribulation that the spoken and revealed truth causes her. Rev. 12:16, “And the earth [carnality and self will, the carnal mind] helped the women [church], and the earth [carnal minded church] opened her mouth and swallowed up the flood [words, a flood of destructive lies sent to separate the harlot carnal church from the true church] which the dragon cast out of his mouth.”The receiving of Satan’s lies is a form of spiritual fornication because Satan is in those lies. Believing Satan’s lies forms the beast that rises up out of the sea (the heart of the carnal church) to reveal the true nature of carnal Christians. Rev. 13:1, “Then I stood on the sand of the sea [heart of the carnal church]. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.” Thus, this harlot church goes forth to do battle with God’s elect, the man-child.
Concerning this, let us take note that from out of the women church God births a man-child, the first fruits of God who shall rule with Him. These first fruits, caught up into God and His throne, now stand before Him in His glory. Rev. 12:5, “And she brought forth a man-child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to His throne [throne-room authority].” In this caught up experience we must remember a promise from God, a promise of entering into a time of rest. Heb. 4:9-10, “There remains therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into His rest [the Holy Spirit alone does the work], he also has ceased from his own works, even as God did from His.” How can this be, when we as humanity recognize the weaknesses of the sin nature that is at work in and around us continually? Could it be that God has continued to tarry until such a time as this, when a sanctified people could stand before Him who is a consuming fire? The Holy Spirit has progressively purified yielded vessels until they can stand before God as He appears through them. Malachi 3:1-2, “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 [God’s people are His temple] even the messenger of the covenant, whom you delight in: behold He shall come, saith the Lord of hosts. But who may abide [endure] the day of His coming? And who shall stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers soap.”
As a refining fire, the holiness of Christ exposes all the carnality that dwells within man as well as in all of creation. Because God is even now finishing the building of His temple, which we are, a people are now awakening to the reality of God’s promises that He alone accomplishes through the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:3-4, “According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness [not a form of godliness] through the knowledge of Him that hath called us into glory and virtue; whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, have escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” Thus, ascension, an awakening taking place within the vessel as to whom they are as they now dwell with God in His place of glory. This people walk the earth manifesting the invisible God to and in the visible world. Isa. 11:1-2,“And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.” That which God revealed through His Spirit and Christ Jesus, God will now manifest through the spirit and soul of His Man-child Company.
This seven-fold spirit of God speaks of His fullness as the seed, which is Christ within, matures and brings forth the fruit of that seed. This fruit is that for which Jesus prayed as it brings forth the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ from within them, manifesting the perfect man. John 17:5 & 22, “And now, O father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with you before the world was. … And the glory which thou gave me I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one.” Eph. 4:13 reveals the act of man’s progressive growth, an on- going ascension, until the full measure is manifest, “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect [complete, full grown] man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”
The ascension, a realm of glory that manifest from God’s dwelling place of glory, is His throne-room. A people birthed into that place of authority, which manifest through the completed man. That is, in his spirit, soul, and body, man is a glorified saint measured unto Christ and sent into the world in the spirit without measure. John 3:34,“For he whom God hath sent speaks the words of God; for God gives not the Spirit by measure unto him.” Ascending unto the presence of God is now upon God’s true church. The bride of Christ is awakening to His coming as He appears through the man-child who manifests the glory of God and brings separation between the carnal church and Christ purified bride. This bride is awakening to the glory of His revealing as they are prepared to take the land. Remember Joshua and the day that God spoke of in Joshua 3:5 concerning the time to take the land, “And Joshua said unto the people, sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”
Speaking of God’s eternal purpose points to the day of God’s eternal power and life being within and upon us, a life revealed unto the world through Gods promised elect as they manifest that power. These are glorified by God to fulfill that purposed priesthood and God’s peculiar possession for His glory. 1 Peter 2:9-10, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, that you shall show forth the praises [virtues] of Him who hath called you out of darkness [spiritual ignorance] unto His marvelous light [underived and absolute – becoming God’s glory]: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.”Remember, as a royal priesthood, we are not a part of the order of law, the Levitical Priesthood but rather a part of the priesthood of God’s eternal endless power. Heb. 7:3,“Without father, without mother, without descent [no longer a part of that which is of the earth, earthly], having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God, abiding a priest continually.”
This time of ascension is a time of glorification for the man-child to know a birthing into the likeness of the Son of God. A people receiving the throne-room authority of God continually, standing in His glory as a fire of purification, and being sent forth in the fullness of Christ to establish His eternal kingdom on the earth. Are you hearing the trumpet that is sounding out the call, saying come up hither and behold the glory of God? Rev. 4:1-2, “After this I looked, and behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were a trumpet talking with me, which said, Come up hither, and I will show you things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the Spirit [understanding the revealed things of God’s dwelling place which includes the heavens within] and behold a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.” Ascending, becoming a visible manifestation of that which God calls the heavens. The heavens are speaking of a glorified people coming forth in the earth realm to remove all the carnal structures of man to establish God’s eternal heavens upon the earth. If you are hearing, this is your day.