Mood:
specialTopic: Ministry
All glorious within
Joel 2:16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children and the nursing infants, Let the bridegroom come out of his room and the bride out of her bridal chamber.
One morning during my private worship time I fell into a deep sleep. As I began to sleep I began to dream. The message of this dream, I believe will bring both much hope and transformation to the Bride of Christ. Its message is a word to the corporate body of Messiah.
I came into this vast arena where a universal beauty pageant was taking place. The arena was full of darkness which could be felt. There were millions upon millions of people there.
As I passed by the people I felt the burden of every soul, and knew the condition of every heart. I had joined the procession of contestants, each dressed in their national costumes. The other contestants' attire was very extravagant. It was then I looked down at my own attire. My garments were simple. The garment I was wearing looked as though it were an ancient Hebraic garb. It was black with colorful floral embroidery around the bodice. My head was fully covered in a sheer red material. There was also a red veil covering everything but my eyes. Slightly showing was an undershirt of royal blue. Barely showing under the black dress was this purple and gold skirt. In comparison to my head to toe garb, the other contestants were exposing a lot of skin. They were not only flamboyant in attire but in demeanor also.
As I walked though the crowd, still keeping up with the procession, the spectators began to laugh and mock me. They were shouting out things like: "Go home!"…. "You don't belong here….. You're a cripple, you can't take place in a pageant" and, "You'll never win." As I proceeded down the aisle of the arena I felt a sense of great discouragement, hopelessness, and defeat. Overwhelmed by these emotions, I started to turn around and give up, when my mother walked up to me. My mother asked me what I was doing. I said, "Its no use, I give up, there's no way I'm going to win, it seems impossible." In her wisdom, my mother replied, "Of course you're going to win. Don't listen to men. You mustn't give up." Encouraged, I took my mother's advice and proceeded in the procession.
Meanwhile my mother proceeded to go backstage. She approached the head judge who was also backstage. My mother then began to make an earnest plea on my behalf, saying: "Please hear the cry of my daughter. You know how hard she has persevered; despite her crippled feet and the abuse she suffered by the wounding of others. Please consider her plight, please hear her cry."
The vision changed. The procession was nearing its end. Each contestant was carrying a large scroll-like ensign on poles that were several feet high as they proceeded onto the stage. On each ensign was an inscription in the contestant's particular language. Once on center stage, the contestant would then raise their ensign high for the judges to see. The judges were in a high and lofty balcony above the crowd. As each one presented themselves to the panel of judges, the spotlight would come up and their garments would change. Instead of wearing these ornate, beautiful costumes, their costume instantly changed to these worn strips of cloth, barely covering them. As their nakedness was exposed, they each ashamedly exited the stage. I was toward the back of the procession. In front of me was a Chinese woman, who acted superior and cold towards me. The Arabic woman behind me became very angry and hostile toward me as she shouted out obscenities in her language. I choose to ignore both of them and kept focused on the prize.
My turn soon approached. I proceeded to center stage, still clothed in my ancient Hebrew attire. As I lifted my ensign, a great light shined down upon from above. Instantly my attire changed to the most exquisite wedding gown. Appearing like a garment of incomprehensible incandescent light, it shined like millions of precious stones interwoven with gold. This light began to shine forth from within transforming me into this bride. I was adorned with every kind of priceless jewel, exploded with indescribable brilliance. As the glory of God shown from within in me, transforming me to the very core of my being a strange thing began to occur. The glory of God descended upon the millions of people in the arena. It was like a sea of light, which illuminated beyond that of a million stars. The arena was filled with this gold- like mist of a cloud. As I was transformed, so were these millions upon millions of souls. The vision of this was more beautiful than any human eye has ever seen. There aren't words to do justice to what I saw. The beauty of His glory went beyond human comprehension or imagination.
It was then time for the judges to make the decision. The vision changed again, showing only the judges' panel discussing the contestants. They began to discuss me, saying: "She is an unlikely candidate. According to our laws, she does not meet the requirements." Then the great Judge spoke, saying, "There is a law much older than your laws which overrides any of your laws. According to My law, she is the only likely candidate. I look not on the outward appearance but rather upon what is within the heart." As He said this, an overwhelming ray of light and glory shone upon me as the Great Judge said, "This one is the bride chosen for My Son. She has found favor with the King."
The vision changed once more. Several newscasts from around the world began to flash by saying, "The most unlikely candidate has won. She has found favor with the King. She has overcome insurmountable odds. There is victory on every side." Over and over again they would herald a report of absolute victory.
The interpretation
Let me reiterate that this is a corporate word for the bride of Christ. The arena is the world, and the people within the arena are souls. Passing by each one of them, I instantly discerned every burden, every struggle, hurt, and sin. The true bride of Christ carries the heart of the Father everywhere she goes, touching everyone with whom she comes into contact. What burdens the Father's heart burdens hers. The black garment does not represent sin, but death. The Lord is calling to His bride to walk her road to ..:NAMESPACE PREFIX = ST1 />Golgotha and crucify her flesh. Death becomes the bride, because it is in dying that she lives in Christ.
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified 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.
Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Dying to the flesh is painful. The joy of God's promise is that as we die to self, we will be transformed into that new creation in Christ. No longer living in her self-will, dreams, aspirations, or fears, the Bride comes alive in the resurrection power of her Bridegroom. The floral embroidery on the bodice of the dress represents the promise of God and hope in spite of present suffering.
2 Corinthians 1:5 -10 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation. For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
The red material represented the blood covering over the mind.
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Not only does it represent the renewing of the mind but also the protection of God as well. The red veil indicates that the bride was hidden and separated. We are hidden in Christ, we are His veiled Bride. The Middle Eastern men in ancient times believed that a veiled woman was like a guarded jewel.
Song of Solomon 4:12 A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.
This dream has many references to Esther. Esther's Hebrew name Hadassah, means," I will be hidden". Are not we not that dove hidden in the cleft of the rock (Jesus)? The whole concept of being hidden is that of being separate. We are that priestly bride called be separated from world and unto God.
The blue, purple and gold garments where all mostly hidden. There was a reason for this. Blue is the color which represents heaven. Purple represents majesty and gold the glory or divinity of God. The red material (blood) was completely visible to ward off the enemy. In contrast however, the heavenly (blue), the majesty), and the glory (gold) were all hidden as a tactic of warfare as well. You never let your enemy know your full identity until the opportune time to reveal it. The Bride of Christ has been hidden until the opportune time to be revealed. Her glory has been concealed from her enemies. The hour is approaching when she will be revealed.
Proverbs 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings is to search out a matter.
The other contestant's attire was flamboyant. All that glitters isn't gold. The world's wisdom and ideals cannot compare to God's. It would be like comparing fool's gold to real gold. The world offers the false appearance of gold (human wisdom and fame), enticing to many, but once have you it you'll find it's fleeting and of no eternal value. We become what we chase after. If we chase after the world and its fool's gold, we become foolish and lost, without hope or eternal security. When we chase after God, simply to know and love Him, He will find us and us Him.
Jeremiah 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
Psalms 91:14-16 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation.
Song of Solomon 1:1(a) Draw me, and we will run after thee:
The spectators who mocked me represent people who have persecuted the church and mocked her. When truly live for God we will have persecution.
Matthew 5:10-12 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Discouragement of failure in ministry and wounding from the church is commonplace. Often times it will cause one's hope to be diminished and even extinguish the fire of our first love for God. Satan is ever-present making chaos amongst the body of Messiah. It is his tactic to plant seeds of discouragement that grow into apathy and bitterness if it isn't dealt with. God is longing to rebuild the ancient walls. What was ruin and ash can be transformed by the light of His dear Son. The crippled feet represent the spirit of fear. If fear is ruling us, than perfect love is not. How can we bring the good news of the gospel if fear is crippling us?
The encouragement of my mother to proceed in the contest is a picture of the Holy Spirit, providing both comfort and motivation in our daily walk. It can also been seen as the spiritual mothers in the body who provide wisdom and direction. My mother's earnest cry to the Great Judge is the spirit of intercession. The Father of course is the Great Judge. He is the only true judge. The Lord showed that the other judges were both secular people and the Church. He also showed me that, I was one of these judges and at times one of the harshest. Many times we allow the judgment of others and ourselves to demean our worth. If we look through the eyes of Father, we see with the eyes of the spirit. When we judge others and ourselves unworthy, we are in essence denying that we are royalty. We mustn't judge after the flesh. There is only the Great and Righteous Judge, Yvh.
John 8:15-16 Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.
Sin is exposed when brought into the light. The true nature of the contestants was revealed when they were exposed. The scroll- like ensigns they were each carrying were their laws. Many live by their own law. The law of fear, greed, lust, envy, and pride. God calls us to live according to the law of liberty. What is the law of liberty? Love. Love brings freedom. It erases a debt we could never pay. So when the light shined down upon me, all the Great Judge saw was the perfect law of liberty, which in essence is Jesus, Himself.
The transformation
Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
We are adorned with the wedding garment of salvation. It is interwoven with His glory. His glory is nature manifested within us. We are all glorious within.
Psalms 45:13 The king's daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold.
Why are we all glorious within? We are His bride, purchased by His blood. The redemption by His blood restored unto our glorious inheritance in Him which was forfeited since the fall. We have been brought near, as that priestly bride joined to our Beloved. Our garment enimates the very light of His glory, transforming us within. Transformation is contagious. Once light is dispersed into a room darkness flees. The glory of God will not only transform you but those with whom you come into contact. Transformation of a drastic proportion will soon occur within the bride of Messiah. The earth will be filled with the knowledge of His glory. The transformation will provoke both Jew and Gentile to jealously. The world will take notice of the drastic change of the church. On the other end of the spectrum those who have been "playing church" will be uncovered. All that is hidden will soon come to light. The time has come for the separation of the wheat from the tares. The other contestants who were exposed are people who "play church". I like to call them the modern Pharisees of our day. The Pharisees had a hidden agenda. Hidden agendas will be exposed. Jesus has this to say about such people:
Matthew 7:21-23 "Not everyone who says to Me, "Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven: but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles? And I will declare to them, I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS."
The other contestants are people in the church who have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof. They are imposters, at best even hirelings who wound the true Church. The opposition I faced from the other contestants is evident of that of Pharisees in Jesus day when they came against Him.
The glory will uncover every intent of the heart whether it is holy or profane. The hour is speedily approaching for the revealing of the true bride of Christ. Arrayed in a wedding dress of salvation, wrought with glory from within, she herself will be an ensign to the world, to the enemy (as a warning), and most of all to her Beloved.
The reversal of fortune
Isaiah 61:7 For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.
A reversal of fortune is coming for the bride of Christ. Long awaited victories will soon emerge in the areas of healing, finances, ministry, relationships, and family salvation. Unlimited favor will soon be released as the bride comes into her destiny. Like Esther, when she approached King Ahasuerus, destiny will collide with eternity, as you are granted favor with the King.
Wounding from the past will grow dim in the light of His love. Wholeness of body, mind and spirit will suddenly change every dimension of our lives. The waste places no longer desolate will become too large for us. There won't be room enough, because the favor and goodness of God will overwhelm us. Where there was defeat, discouragement, and confusion will be absolute victory, hope, and peace.
Psalms 45:10 Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house;
Isaiah 61:4 And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.
God is rebuilding the ancient walls which will ultimate result in the emergence of the New Jerusalem, i.e. the Bride.
The adornment
Revelation 21:2, 11-27 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
The adornment of the bride of Christ is refereeing to the gifts and callings of God within her. We are one body, but have separate functions.
Romans 12:4-6 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
The twelve tribes of Israel represent the gifts and callings of God. We corporately are living stones, which in unity shine forth as a brilliant city, the New Jerusalem. The gifts and callings of God are not for own satisfaction or personal glory but rather for the kingdom.
I Peter 2:4-5 And coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected by men, but choice and precious in the sight of God, you also as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 49:6 He says, "Is it to small a thing that You should be My Servant (My Servant is capitalized because its refer to a deity- Jesus) To raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel (Referring to the Jews); I will also make you a light to the nations (translates to Gentiles) so that My salvation (word in Hebrew is the name of Jesus Yeshua- therefore we know this verse refers to Him) may reach to the end of the earth."
Jesus is the head cornerstone, as Lion of Judah raising up the tribes of Israel. We reflect the head, our Husband, Messiah Yeshua. As He saw and heard what the Father is doing, so will we. This is how we are supposed to operate in the gifts. Ministry should always flow out an outpour from the intimate relationship with the Father and Jesus. Performance natures must be extinguished on the altar. Ministry flows from a lifestyle of love. It is the mission of Jesus and His Bride.
Isaiah 61:1-4 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.
It is time for the bride of Christ to emerge. No longer hidden, she will radiate the light of the Son. There will be no darkness within; she will be holy and blameless. She will be all glorious within.
Rev 21:22-26 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.
