Coming into the Higher Realm of Spiritual Life
Romans 12:1-2
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world:
This is the major purpose for the cross. This is why Jesus came to enable the highest level of commitment that we can make to the Lord; it is also the most difficult to keep. However, it will result in our being qualified to be counted among those overcomers.
Revelation 26-27
26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over
the nations:
27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
You notice here, first, he is talking about the millennial reign of Christ, and secondly, he’s
talking about the ages to come. So, our keeping his works to the end relates to our being ready to enter into the marriage supper of the Lamb.
Revelation 19:9
9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.
Matthew 25:6-10
6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet
him.
7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
9 But the wise answered, saying, not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready
went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. The people who were ready were the bride the overcomer.
Song of Solomon 6:8-9
8 There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number.
9 My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother; she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.
Now remember the Song of Solomon is all about the journey of Christ and the bride.
Revelation 12: 5-6
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.
6 And the woman fled into the wilderness,
where she hath a place prepared of God that they should feed her there a thousand two
hundred and threescore days.
In Revelation 2 Jesus talks about the overcomer ruling with a rod of Iron, then he calls them
He. Here he says the man-child will rule with a rod of iron. So we see that the overcomer and the man-child are the same people; they are the ones that ripen first.
Now, there is no question that we are living toward the end of the sixth day (midnight) and the dawning of the seventh.
Matthew 17:1-2
1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up
into an high mountain apart,
2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as
the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
There were twelve disciples, but three of these twelve had a special relationship with
Jesus. Especially during the time in which we live, there are overcomers with the body of
believers who also will participate in his translation glory.
These overcomers are those who have become so transparent that only Jesus can be seen. This means their self-life has been totally crucified. This crucified life results from an extended time of submission to the Lord’s dealings (he that keeps his works)
Hebrews 12:6 6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
(you may say don’t the lord loves everyone, this love speaks concerning the
purpose of transformation) John 14
Because he is coming in his glory to accomplish this corporate witness to the nations, it is
necessary that we understand why our self-life must be dealt with. Only then can we say with
Paul
Galatians 2:20
20 I am crucified (chastened and scourged) with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
The phrases I live yet not I speak of a process that we must undergo before this can become a personal reality.
2 Corinthians 4:11
11 For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
Those who come to this level of commitment will become the end-time witnesses that will
greatly affect the nations. At the appointed time, Jesus will so lift and empower his body (the
marriage supper of the lamb) that it will be evident that he has come to take his place
manifestly as the head of his Body.
Just as Jesus lived and ministered in a single body during his first coming, in the time of the
closing our of the Church age and the establishment of the Millennial Kingdom Age, he will
minister through a corporate body in a comparable way, as the actions of this body of
overcomers will be his actions.
God made all of this possible in the creation of man. Remember, he said I will make him in my own image. Through Adam's sin, that image or spirit was lost. It is restored in redemption but must be developed or grown into maturity.
Romans 8-29
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his
Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
This word confirmed tells us that beyond our receiving the gift of salvation, there is a process to which we must submit. It does not just automatically happen just because you were born
again.
1 Peter 1:2
2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit,
unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ:
Let me say it in a different way: Elect to obedience. Our being predestined does not relate to
whether or not we will be saved. Instead, it relates to our having the capacity created within us to grow into spiritual maturity, which will result in our being made conformable to his
image. Whenever we come short of this, we are forgiven through his blood and again begin to move forward toward the goal.
Philippians 3:12-16
12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I
may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
16 Nevertheless, (or to the degree) whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule; let us mind the same thing.
He is saying let us have this mind. Not all Christians have a deep inner desire and willingness to press toward the goal of the prize of the upward call of God. This is the opportunity to become an overcomer, but it is conditional.
Matthew 22:14 14 For many are called, but few are chosen
He is not talking about pressing to make it to heaven; all you have to do to make it to heaven is be saved, have no unconfessed sins in your life, and walk in all the light that you have.
