“A Voice for the Gathering Saints”
Duane Stewart
www.avoiceforthegatheringsaints.org
“God – Divine in Purpose”
God, before the beginning of time, purposed to lay out the foundations of the earth. Out from Himself He created all things according to His purpose. From the heart of God came forth all created things in which He could express Himself. The intensity of God’s love moved Him to impart a part of Himself into the creature as He moved in response to that love. Motivated by this love He continued to create until He formed man from the dust of the earth, and then He breathed into that man who becomes a flesh and bone body wherein God might finally house Himself in and through this formed man. This man, created with purpose in that he might become the image and likeness of God. Therefore, with man becoming spirit, soul and body, he retained a “light” covering in which to maintain himself in having fellowship with God, his Father.
However, in man’s fall, because of disobedience and rebellion, he lost his “light” covering and his memory of his former life and time in God. Man has fallen asleep and he does not remember his pre-existence in God. Through Jeremiah and his birthing God reveals such a place in God that also applies to the many called and chosen of God today. Jer. 1:5, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations”. Note the key words in this scripture. “Knew” meaning “had in mind that you would be”. “Sanctified” meaning “set you apart”. “Ordained” meaning “assigned you to be”. This leaves for us the knowing, that God, in relationship with us before our birth, had in mind that we would be. Therefore, before our birth God created man for an assignment according to His plan and purpose, birthed to fulfill that purpose. Nevertheless, until an awakening could take place, the memory of that relationship was asleep within and man was unreliable for the purposes of God. Note Job 38:4-7, “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely, you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? To what were, its foundations fasten? Or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” Fallen man, lost in another world wherein fellowship with God is now invalid until redemption could come. Redemption speaks of “ransom, redeem, and repurchase; to set free by avenging or repaying”. This refers to the custom of buying back something a person has lost through helplessness, poverty, or violence.
While Job 40:10 challenges us to “adorn yourself with majesty and splendor, and array yourself with glory and beauty”, Isa. 52:1-2 reveals a need to be awaken from sleep, that realm of death, wherein we cannot have fellowship with our creator. “Awake, awake! Put on your strength, O Zion; Put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city! For the uncircumcised and the unclean shall no longer come to you. Shake yourself from the dust, arise; Sit down, O Jerusalem! Loose yourself from the bonds of your neck, O captive daughter of Zion!” An awakening, a renewing of the mind, a coming into the revelation of who we are in God, a being set free to walk with God again in the spirit of the day even as Adam and Eve walked with Him in the Garden of Eden before the fall resulted in them dwelling in the darkness of separation.
But, what a day of rejoicing when God’s offering of a sacrifice received brings an awakening which brings revelation concerning God’s will and purpose, a purpose which is now upon us to enable us to become the fullness of that same will and purpose. A people who having their names written in the Lambs Book of Life before the foundation of the world, are now becoming the over-comers that are to be clothed in white garments, the light and glory of God. That is, garments of incorruption and immortality, the fruits of the pureness of God. Rev. 3:5 declares, “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels”. Your name, is it known in heavenly places? Understanding imparted concerning the knowledge of God’s purpose and callings makes for an overcoming walk in God. A birthing takes place that enables this people to dwell in the heavenlies while walking on earth among all creation. Rev. 12:5, “She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne”.
Knowing that the kingdom of God is within and His throne room is within the kingdom, this overcoming people ascend in their knowledge of God and a knowing of His purpose. God’s purpose is to manifest Himself through them as their God in the earth. They take dominion over God’s creation, first in the heavenly realms and then over all the earth. Rev. 12:7-9, “And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Enemy, even that adversary who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him”. Speaking of total victory unto those who, while walking on this earth, they have spiritually ascended to dwell in the heavens wherein the life of God, without exception, now lives in them. Because these now know an open heaven, salvation, strength, and the kingdom of God, they now have a knowing that the power of the Christ within them has come.
With the opening of heaven unto the called and chosen of God whose names dwell in the Lambs Book of Life, the kingdom of God does now manifest and establish that kingdom from within. With a people now dwelling in these high places of God, the purpose of God from the beginning is now manifesting in an increasing manner. For the establishing of God’s kingdom shall be as these chosen ones, this remnant people exercise the delegated authority given to them by God. Jer. 1:9b-10, “…Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. See I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant”.
According to God’s purpose and because of a relationship to Christ Jesus, God has now activated this King/Priest anointing through the residing Holy Spirit. Eph. 1:3-5 & 11, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, …In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined [foreordained] according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will”.
(Read Rom. 8:24-30). The Holy Spirit’s abiding is the promise that releases deep instructions within His people. In the spirit of obedience, this people wait upon God and respond in whatever method He desires to move. God blesses His people as they receive His insight and enablement. God may move through His people with weeping, travailing, wrestling, fasting, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, dreams, visions, impressions, the quickening of Scripture or even silence. In this, we should continually wait upon God and give Him time to move in and through us. Psalms 62:5, “My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him”. “According to His purpose” in (Rom. 8:28) speaks of “a deliberate plan, a proposition, an advance plan, an intention, and a design”. Our salvation is well planned and it also demonstrates the abiding faithfulness of God as He awaits the consummation of His plan for His church.
1 Cor. 2:5-10 speak of wisdom that exceeds far beyond the wisdom of man. It is the Godly wisdom that now dwells within these chosen one’s who are now being sent forth of God. “However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 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. But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God”.
This word “mystery” in the above scripture does not mean something mysterious or difficult to understand, but denotes a truth hidden in God’s mind until He chooses to disclose it. Thus as God is revealed to this people, the Divine of God is opened and imparted unto the overcomer, that the world through this overcoming people, might begin to know Him. Deut. 29:29, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law”. This word “revealed” has the meaning of “to uncover, reveal, open, lay bare, strip away, denude, expose, disclose, and unveil”. Thus, God is making bare, exposing, revealing, uncovering, and disclosing His secret plans to His chosen people. In this God’s purpose and the full disclosure of Himself is now upon His creation as the “fullness of times” has come. God, divine in purpose, does establish Himself in His people with the glory still and always belonging to God. Our day, the day of His kingdom and purpose has come.