God Tabernacled in His Bride Part 2

First-Fruits Bridal Company

In his classic book The Pursuit of God, A. W. Tozer wrote, “the simplicity which is in Christ is rarely found among us. In its stead are programs, methods, organizations and a world of nervous activities which occupy time and attention but can never satisfy the longing of the heart.”

Although this objective appraisal was written a generation ago, its truth is still pertinent to our day. Even so, hidden among us there exists a company of people who will never be satisfied substituting religious activities for intimacy with Christ and the fullness of His stature.

For a season, God concealed David in the Cave of Adullam. At the appropriate time, he and his mighty band emerged in strength to execute God’s commission. So shall it be with this company. Sarah Palin’s sudden breakthrough from relative obscurity to the forefront of the political scene is a token representation of this hidden company prepared until God’s appointed timing. The outcome of this political confrontation is not yet certain; that will ultimately be determined by the praying Church. But one thing is clear, God knows how to groom and release champions who embrace and embody righteous standards of leadership.

Many called to play key leadership roles in the Bride’s preparation are not even widely known on earth; but they are recognized in Heaven. They are spiritual warriors who have received God’s imputed righteousness and carry His influence. Having captured Heaven’s attention, it is now time to arise like Moses from the wilderness and shine like a bright evening star. Only then are we qualified to exercise the Lord’s delegated authority to usher in a wave of harvest. Daniel foretold that:

Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. -Daniel 12:3

We are presently called to a heightened place of intimacy and fellowship with God. Our covenant is built upon better promises than that of Moses. Even so, Moses was required to veil his face because of the residue of God’s glory resulting from his close encounter with God. How much more should we experience His glory in the new covenant and the literal fulfillment of the spiritual implications associated with the Feast of Tabernacles!

New Seven Year Cycle

Rosh Hashanah 2008 ushered in a new seven-year season in God; it will be much different from the previous seven year cycle that emphasized warfare and preparation. Substantial fruitfulness and restoration will characterize those who are spiritually mature and strengthened to become trustworthy stewards of His mysteries and power. A first-fruits company will begin to experience Heavenly realms and embrace great insights from the now “opened book” containing notable strategies and revelations of the Lord. (See Revelations 10)

There is a present Word being released in God’s people that is preparatory for the impending outpouring. It is through His Word abiding in us merged with the Spirit that makes us “Sons of the Kingdom” and the “Tabernacle of God.” To espouse manmade traditions, doctrines and perceptions of men rather than the true revelation of the Word, will only become cumbersome weights that interfere with our ability to meet the challenges of this new day.

Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope full upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ –1 Peter 1:13

For years, the Lord has been nurturing and empowering many people in anticipation of this hour. We are now at a crossroad in His blueprint with great change on the horizon. As we determine to worship the Lord in Spirit and Truth, we will also draw nearer to His heart with greater levels of revelatory insight. This model is essential to be entrusted with keys to the Kingdom that unlocks Heaven’s greatest resources.

Deep to Deep

This group, by responding to “deep calling unto deep,” is being prepared to travel in a new way not yet known to the Church. Our call is to be prepared to carry mantles of power that will be unique to the harvest generation. These things will be called forth by the Spirit of Prophecy. According to Isaiah 48:6-7:

You have heard [these things foretold], now you see this fulfillment. And will you not bear witness to it? I show you specified new things from this time forth, even hidden things [kept in reserve] which you have not known. They are created now [called into being by the prophetic word], and not long ago; and before today you have never heard of them, lest you should say, Behold, I knew them! (Amplified version)

A fresh prophetic word is being delegated to the Church to articulate Heaven’s desire. When a clear directional word has been imparted, it is our place to announce it through an atmosphere of His anointing. This will be part of the bridal calling.

Those anointed with this Spirit will begin to speak against sickness, sin and spiritual corruption. This past season of grooming and refinement has been for this purpose. There has been a sifting of our soul and the establishment of contrition and humility essential to embody extravagant levels of power and authority. The Spirit of Understanding will bring illumination to this reality and mobilize God’s people for this great task.

Sanctified in Truth

An issue of great importance consistently emphasized by the Lord is the full manifestation of the Spirit of Truth. As the emerging army of believers, we must learn to embrace Truth so the “fog” of deception and delusion would have no place to flourish in the Church.

By girding our loins with the “belt of truth,” our foundation in Christ is firmly established, allowing us to be leaven-free and fully released into His anointing for this seven-year spiritual season. When wonderful reports began to circulate out of Lakeland, FL and it seemed a revival was on the horizon, I asked the Lord about it and received an unusual response. The Spirit impressed upon me the phrase, “it is the last of the old order.” Initially I did not fully understand its implication but greater clarity has developed in recent months.

Based on a prophetic word, our ministry co-sponsored with MorningStar Ministries a conference in March entitled “Honoring the Fathers,” with the promise that a spirit of revival would follow. We felt what was developing in Lakeland could have been the initial response to that promise. In retrospect, I do believe that revival was God initiated and the last of an old order.

Clearly great spiritual outpourings are forecast for the coming days. We will see more tent meetings, evangelistic crusades and powerful gatherings in stadiums and churches. However, despite our great appreciation for the healings, miracles and salvations, what we saw demonstrated in Lakeland did not model or demonstrate the “new thing” that is promised. There is more…much more!

Leaven Free

Pentecost was the only of the Lord’s Feasts that allowed leaven. What is coming will maintain an emphasis on the extraction of spiritual leaven. Jesus said:

How is it that you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. -Matthew 16:11-12

We have seen the realization of Passover, the Feast of the first month, and Pentecost, the Feast of the third month. Now, we are poised to see the literal fulfillment of the Feast of the seventh month-Tabernacles. God will tabernacle in His bride to do through her all the great and wonderful things He did while on the earth in human form.

Of the seven Churches outlined in Revelations, the Laodicean Church most accurately defines this present age. Like Laodicea, our admonition is to be clothed with white garments that the shame of our nakedness would not be revealed; these are representing priestly and divinely powerful apparels by which we clothe ourselves spiritually. To experience Tabernacles is to be “clothed with Christ.”

The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. -Romans 13:12-14

Our ultimate calling is to be like Him and display His garments of righteousness, sanctification, revelation and power. This is only achieved through the union experience and God Himself tabernacled in His Bride. Isaiah prophesied this saying:

I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, My soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. -Isaiah 61:10

If we put on Holy array then our motives will carry no misrepresentation or selfish ambition. Either we must learn from history or we will be doomed to repeat it. In times past many wonderfully anointed leaders stumbled because of the failure to be completely clothed in Christ. We are commissioned at this time to embrace His offering of grace to “become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
(See 2 Peter 1:4)

We are to be “galvanized” with Christ! An iron chain is a very powerful tool; however it can be compromised through corruption and rust. When the iron chain links are galvanized they are coated with zinc, which is non-corruptible. Galvanized iron then becomes much more powerful because it is no longer subject to corruption; it will endure under the harshest of conditions that would otherwise compromise its integrity.

Likewise, when we “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” our spirits are “galvanized” with Christ and our flesh is coated with the anointing. Corruption will then take on the incorruptible nature.

Removing Mixture

The Feast of Tabernacles is referenced more often in the Bible than any of the other feasts and is recognized throughout Israel’s history as the greatest of her festivals. It is also known as the Feast of the Open Book.

When Moses came to the end of his journey the Lord commanded him to open the Book of the Covenant and read it to the new generation since the former generation perished in the wilderness because of unbelief. Only in the Feast of Tabernacles was the book opened and read before the people as a symbolic gesture of the great revelation that will come to the generation that literally fulfills all that this Feast represents.

Not only are we called to access the revelations of the “open book” but also devour them and prophecy them to this final age, that the fullness of the Gentiles may come in. According to Revelations 10:10-11:

I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and it was in my mouth sweet as honey; and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. And they said to me, “You must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings.

This is none other than the book concealed in Daniel’s day and revealed to the end-of-time generation. It is the full stature and revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Like the sons of Zadok, the bridal company will minister to the Lord and dine at His table in order to emerge with the discernment necessary to separate the precious from the profane and the clean from the unclean. (See Ezekiel 44)

From a practical point of view, we should expect tremendous revelatory teachings to surface in the coming days that will take us deep into God’s Word and the full revelation of the wonderful things concealed through Daniel but revealed to the Bride. This will present her without spot or wrinkle and cleansed of spiritual leaven.