“A Voice for the Gathering Saints”
Duane Stewart
www.avoiceforthegatheringsaints.org
It is finished
Psalms 22:28-31, “For the kingdom is the Lord’s: And He is the Governor among the nations. All they that be fat [all the great ones – pointing to those in Christ] upon the earth shall eat and worship; all they that go down to the dust shall bow [recognize the Christ, head and body] before Him: And none can keep alive his own soul [death will complete its work without receiving Christ]. A seed [remember the law of the seed – every seed brings forth after its own kind] shall serve Him; It shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation [His matured seed]. They shall come, and shall declare His righteousness [the Christ nature]unto a people that shall be born [birthed into salvation], that He hath done this [it is finished – sacrifice accomplished on the cross and is still available to complete full salvation].”
In considering that which God has purposed from the very beginning of His eternal purpose, consideration must be given to a present day generation birthed into Christ’ likeness and image. Throughout the ages, God’s seasons have come and gone with each age progressively making up a creation that shall fulfill that purpose. Thus, in this our day, a day has come for the harvest of the planted seed to be gathered. In this gathering, Gods first order of the harvest is the first fruits man-child. What and who are these first fruits? Are they not that part of the harvest that matures into Christ image and His nature first? Yes, a people coming together in such unity of mind such as the world have never seen. This is the birthing of a many member man-child into God’s throne room order. Those who shall know this birthing, with throne room authority as delegated from God, shall prepare the people of the world for the gathering of the remainder of the harvest.
This present day birthing is now taking place, even as Jesus spoke of it to Nicodemus. John 3:3, “Jesus answered and said unto Nicodemus, verily, verily, I say unto you, except a man be born again [from above by divine power], he cannot see [the actual perception of the object shown] the kingdom of God.” This time has now come upon the church, the woman destined to birth the man-child. This woman, the true church, is even now in travail and pain to deliver the coming man-child. Take note that this man-child’s birthing is a people who manifest the throne room delegated authority of God. A man-child birthed in the image and nature of Christ to prepare the world for the establishing of the kingdom of God on earth. Rev. 12:5, “And she [the church] brought forth a man child, who was [is about] to rule all nations with a rod [scepter] of iron and her child was caught up [anointed to dwell in the throne room order of God] unto God and to His throne [a realm, a way of life].”
Two thousand years ago, man’s history arrived to a season in God’s seven-day plan in making for Him a creation in which to dwell. That is, a generation with spiritual maturity and authority in which He becomes their God and they become His people, meaning a people in which He inhabits. This generation was not to remain a natural people only born of the earth, as were the children of Israel. Nay, while these Israelites were but types and shadows of a greater coming kingdom, they were not nor could they be the fullness of God’s purpose. God’s kingdom is a greater kingdom, a people born from above, a people born again and purposed to manifest the kingdom of God in all the earth. Thus, the birthing of His man-child, a throne room anointed people, Jews and Gentiles borne again, having come to the time of their season, their birthing.
Phil. 3:20-21, “For our conversation [citizenship] is [exist even now] in heaven; from whence we look for the Saviour also, the Lord Jesus Christ [has He not already come to us as Saviour – did He not say, it is finished]: Who shall change [transform, change the fashion of – by the renewing of our minds] our vile body, that it may be fashioned like [to be conformed]unto His glorious body, according to the working [the ultimate purpose] whereby He is able even to subdue [subject] all things unto Himself.” Herein this people are citizens of and dwellers of another world, an order of government in which we have both rights and responsibilities. Remember, we are His handiwork, a new creation of God and ordained to walk after the order of God’s new creation. Eph. 2:19, “Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners [of God’s throne room order], but fellow citizens [our seat of government is of the heavenlies] with the saints, and of the household of God [way of life].” These heavens are also that which dwells within believing and receiving vessels, the truly born again ones.
A way of life made possible because God so loved us that He gave Jesus Christ, the supreme sacrifice who paid the debt for all humanity. The question now is, are you willing to believe and receive? Just what is it that we receive when accepting this sacrifice? Available is a complete new life but, when and how? Remember Jesus said in John 19:30, “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said, it is finished: and He bowed His head, and gave up the ghost [sent forth His spirit].” “It is finished,” declares that all necessary for fallen man’s redemption is done and complete. All the debt paid for those receiving the sacrifice are now free. Free from dwelling in obedience to a corrupt world to dwell in the throne room of God, that is, living in another world typed by heaven. By faith, “all things” are available. Are you willing to live in these “all things”? These “all things” are ours therefore let us receive and manifest them through faith. Eph. 1:18-19, “The eyes of your understanding having been enlightened that you may know [without effort, to understand] what is the hope of His calling [to the sonship order; Eph. 1:4-5; our acceptance as sons in the beloved Son], and what is the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working [energy, strength] of His mighty power.” The necessary response is to place our faith in Him and His ability alone, not ours. He alone is able to fulfill His purpose.
Just what is His inheritance in the saints? Titus 2:14, “Who [Jesus] gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto Himself a peculiar people [a people as an acquisition], zealous of [with respect to] good works.” Therefore, God’s inheritance is a people, a chosen people to become the expression of His glory upon the earth. Remember, from the time of the early church the callings and commission remain the same. After receiving the indwelling Holy Spirit, the mandate was to pronounce and establish the kingdom of God upon the earth. They were to be the fulfillment of the example prayer spoken by Jesus, “thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” In this, the sent Holy Spirit was to enable the receiving vessels to manifest the one sent and reveal to the world the precious fruit of the kingdom. Acts 1:8 declares, “But you shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you [coming from heaven to abide within you – is still of the heavenlies]: and you shall be witnesses [a bearing witness] unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
Heaven coming to dwell within earth (the men) on the Day of Pentecost enabling the church to continue in the commission given to Jeremiah without ceasing, in both earth and heaven. Jeremiah 1:10, “See, I have this day set you [not only appointed, but installed him] over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.” With the season for God’s kingdom to manifest within us now, is it time to fulfill that which “it is finished” completed and made available? Where does it say that these things were to diminish over time from the early church? Could it be that deceitful teachings and understandings have robbed the church of truth that God intended to manifest continually from within His people?
When Jesus declared, “it is finished”, He released from the heavenlies an order from God to bring into manifestation all that Jesus made available from the time of His resurrection continuously. Therefore, He then rose from the dead to become a planted seed within receiving vessels that they might likewise become fruit of the seed Christ is, therefore bringing forth a full measure after His own kind. Thus, the promised Holy Spirit came to dwell within believers to nurture and water the seed to maturity. This makes those receiving the seed, fruit of a harvest with the harvest season upon us now. These, the first fruits of the seed are ascending unto the throne room anointing to manifest the heavenlies of God on earth. Herein, an established kingdom is on earth, coming from the Christ who dwells within these vessels purposed to manifest who Christ is as His appears through them, a people revealing the Christ to the world.
This process of maturity-accomplished reveals the risen Christ (head and many member body) manifesting their anointed dwelling place in Him. This order of ministry was never to nor is now to establish an order of clergy, a ministry standing above the people, but they are to remain servants to bring the harvest of Christ into perfection. This order of perfection, coming from the Christ nature within the vessel, established and never ordained by God to change according to modern day thinking. Eph. 4:11-13, “And He gave some apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers; for the perfecting [to arrange or set in order according to Christ nature] of the saints, for the work of the ministry [service rendered], for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect [full grown, mature] man, unto the measure of the stature of Christ [making up the fullness of Christ, head and body].”
In edifying the body of Christ, the above verses speak of a further increased completeness of Christ, more than just the one appearance of Jesus, the seed. It speaks of and points to the purpose of God’s salvation process until the completion of the whole Christ, Jesus the head and His many member body. Eph. 2:21-22, “In Whom all the building fitly framed together[harmoniously fitted together] growth [increasing] unto an holy Temple in the Lord: In Whom you also are builded together [being built in together] for [points to a line being drawn to meet another line, at a certain point] an habitation of God through the Spirit [becoming His dwelling place].”
Friends, “it is finished”, all things are made available from that day on the cross to this day, nothing can be added to it nor taken away. The process of Gods purposed order has run its course for the present day appearing of God’s first fruit harvest. A season is upon us that now brings forth the manifestation of God’s kingdom as these anointed man-child saints, through God’s delegated authority, destroy the kingdoms of this corrupt world to build and plant the kingdom of God. A purified heaven is now manifesting through these saints as Satan, who deceived the whole world and now cast out of the heavens of these first fruits, he is no longer able to accuse them before God. Rev. 12:10, “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, now is come salvation [of the whole man], and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power [delegated authority] of His Christ [the Messiah – head with His many member body]; for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.”
A change has come, the anointed of the Lord is now manifesting as the delegated authority of God in these first fruits has reached the maturity of their purpose and season. “It is finished” is appearing in the land and a trumpet is blowing loud and clear. The fall of Babylon is upon us (read Rev. 18:1-5) as God calls forth the man-child appearing of His first fruits. Rev. 11:15, “And the seventh angel sounded; and their were great voices in heaven [consider the heaven within], saying, the kingdoms of this world are [is] become the kingdoms of our Lord, and His Christ [the Messiah – head with His many member body]; and He shall reign for ever and ever.”
“It is finished”, now matured within, coming from the saints to manifest God’s Christ throughout all creation. Herein, that which God purposed from the beginning is now finished and we cannot put limits upon Him. The Christ, according to His eternal purpose is now appearing, the long awaited kingdom of God is now come to earth to be established wherein God and the Christ might reign forever and ever. “It is finished” and He shall die no more. Come forth you firstfruits of the Lord. Arise and build with God His kingdom from within. From within where God has His dwelling and now dwells within the man, the many member man called Christ and the sons of God. “It is finished”.