Time to Fulfill Purpose and Destiny

God brought us into His Kingdom by a strong arm. His love for us caused Him to release the Second Person of the God Head who paid the prize for our redemption. It is very clear from the planning and execution of our redemption that God loves us so much, but hardly do we meditate on what He did for us. If we do, it will come to our hearts that God would not have gone into such an elaborate and costly length to reconcile us to Himself.

Remember that the redemption plan was conceived before the foundation of the earth. Jesus is called the Lamb of God slain before the foundation of the earth. Our redemption caused the God Head to sit in conference; they took a decision to make man in God’s image and likeness. Man was to be like God, a tripartite being, having the ability to choose. God was seeking a race of beings called men, who He could fellowship with on the basis of equality.

Occupy:

Jesus Christ commanded us to occupy till He comes, for He is coming back to receive us unto Himself. But while we are still here on earth, we are to make a difference. We are to affect this world positively and thereby give opportunity for others to come to the knowledge of the truth concerning Him

Light and Salt in the World:

The Book of Matthew chapter 5:13-16 gives an account of words spoken by Jesus to His disciples. These words describe the believer’s ordained purpose in the earth.

Mat 5:13 You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt loses its savor, with what shall it be salted? It is no longer good for anything, but to be thrown out and to be trodden underfoot by men.

Mat 5:14 You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Mat 5:15 Nor do men light a lamp and put it under the grain-measure, but on a lampstand. And it gives light to all who are in the house.

Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.

This passage simply reveals that we are saved for a purpose. We were delivered so that we can become agents of change. Here Jesus is telling us WHO WE ARE. Unfortunately majority of believers today do not know who they are. They in turn listen to the lies of the devil and His demons. But it is high time we began to yield to the voice of the Good Shepherd and actively follow in His footsteps.

JESUS DID NOT MINCE WORDS:

On this occasion, Jesus spoke up with authority, telling His disciples and by extension ourselves who we are and what our ordained roles should be

SALT:

Salt primarily was used in the fishing Industry to preserve catches made on the waters. It keeps the fishes caught from deterioration and decay until the fishermen reach the shore. Jesus is saying that by virtue of who we are now, we help to preserve the earth from decay and deterioration.  If we don’t take our place, non other will do it and so we stand the chance of allowing decay and corruption to spread uncontrollably.

Jesus was not trying to persuade His disciples here, He told them who they are and what they are supposed to do. If Jesus says we are the salt of the Earth, so are we! Salt is what brings sweetening to food that’s cooked and it makes all the difference in the world when food has a good taste in the mouth of those eating it.

Destined to Preserve and Bring Goodness to others:

It is unfortunate that the majority of Christians living today are unaware of their purpose on earth. Many are too selfish to see the needs of the world around them. But still their lack of awareness is hinged on the fact that they lack a revelation of this truth spoken here from Jesus’ lips. “You are the salt of the earth,” Salt preserves, salt keeps from decay, salt brings sweetness and good taste, so must we be on the earth. SALT is what we are, anything contrary is an abnormality. We need to wake up daily saying to ourselves, “I am salt in the earth, I am destined to preserve and give sweetness. As I go into my world today, I bring change to the lives of men. I turn ugly situations around; I bring goodness into other people’s lives. I am an agent of change in Jesus Name.

Anything Else is a disaster:

Listen, Jesus said, “but if the salt loses its savor, with what shall it be salted? It is no longer good for anything, but to be thrown out and to be trodden underfoot by men.”

The next sentence starts with a “but”, this a conjunction used to join two sentences when the second sentence says something different from the first. It emphasises the aberration and abnormality that the second line of thought or situation suggests as to what we are. We cannot be anything but salt, a situation where our salt loses its savour spells only doom and disaster.

Light of the world:

Jesus proceeds to say that we are the light of the world. Again this is what we are, light! When light is brought into a place, it suggests that darkness is present there.

Satan is synonymous to darkness. His kingdom is called the kingdom of darkness,

The power he exercises and by which he captivates people is called the power of darkness.

The Bible says in Colossians 1:13 that God has delivered us from the “authority and dominion of darkness”,

Ephesians 5:11 say not to “…have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them”

2Corinthians 11:14 says Satan has transformed himself into an angel of light, this presupposes that by nature he is an angel of darkness.

On the other hand scripture in many places directly refers to us, believers as light and belonging to the light.

Ephesians 5:8 says “we were sometimes darkness, but now we are light in the Lord”.

In 2Corinthians 6:14 and following, Paul by the Holy Spirit was comparing the “believer” with the “unbeliever”, and then in the latter part of verse 14 he says, “And what communion has light with darkness?” He called the believer light and the unbeliever darkness.

Jesus categorically says that we are the light of the world.  Without us, the world will be in utter darkness. Indeed it is in gross darkness. We need to make a conscious effort to shine, lest we be swallowed up in the darkness which already envelopes the earth.

We Are a City Set on a Hill:

We are the prophetic city called Zion. We are SET or established on a platform which God Himself has chosen to exalt. It is our Place of destiny.

Psa 132:13 For the Lord has chosen Zion, He has desired it for His habitation:

Psa 132:14 This is My resting-place forever [says the Lord]; here will I dwell, for I have desired it.

Psa 132:15 I will surely and abundantly bless her provision; I will satisfy her poor with bread.

Psa 132:16 Her priests also will I clothe with salvation, and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.

Psa 132:17 There will I make a horn spring forth and bud for David; I have ordained and prepared a lamp for My anointed [fulfilling the promises of old]. [I Kings 11:36; 15:4; II Chron. 21:7; Luke 1:69.]

Psa 132:18 His enemies will I clothe with shame, but upon himself shall his crown flourish.

We are in a prophetically auspicious time in history, a time when God has chosen to release His mercy on the gentile world, a time of great favour. If we recognise this and take advantage of what God has already released upon us, we will shine for the entire world to see. Already, God has said He will favour Zion; all we need to do is ARISE and SHINE. God will do the rest. He will cause an unprecedented flow from all the nations of the world to Zion. The sick, the needy, the maimed and the oppressed; all will come, drawn by our light and God will be glorified.

Individually and Collectively:

We must arise individually; we must hear what God is saying, see through His eyes and see a mighty in gathering into His House which He has purposed for this hour. We must arise in prayer and in praise, arise in service unto the King of kings and the Lord of lords. This is our destiny.

Growing Up Into Him In All Things

Jesus is coming for a glorious Bride, a Church without spot, wrinkle, blemish or any such thing. A Church that is victorious completely over Satan, the world and the flesh. When you hear some Christians speak, they give you an impression that Jesus Christ is coming back anytime now. Tomorrow probably! But it is my humble opinion that He cannot come tomorrow, not even next year. This is because He is coming for a GLORIOUS church, a church without SPOT, WRINKLE, BLEMISH or any such thing. The Church I see now falls far short of the scriptural standard stated in Ephesians 5:26-27. But I am certain that The Church that Jesus is coming for will emerge with these qualities before His imminent return.

Jesus Christ Himself gave us His word that He will build His Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I believe He is in the process of raising a glorious Church. An important and outstanding characteristic that will mark out this glorious Church is spiritual maturity. Not that every member of this spiritual organic Body will be matured, no. Individuals in the Church will be at various stages of of spiritual growth, but a large percentage will be matured, knowing who they are and what they have in Christ. They will be individuals who have developed in the 9 fruit of the spirit especially LOVE, and those who are manifesting the GIFTS of the Spirit as the Holy Spirit wills. The glorious Church for which Christ is coming will not be rescued from imminent danger like those who the fire brigade comes to pull out of a burning building before they perish. Rather they will be a people full of the power and manifesting the glory of God before whom no Satanic power can stand. They shall be men and women before whom the gates of hell cannot stand.

Actually, some Old Testament scriptures give us a prophetic view of the glorious Church. One among them is the Book of Haggai, chapter 2: 1-9

Hag 2:1 In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of the LORD by the prophet Haggai, saying, Hag 2:2 Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and to the residue of the people, saying, Hag 2:3 Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing? Hag 2:4 Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the LORD; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the LORD, and work: for I am with you, saith the LORD of hosts: Hag 2:5 According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not. Hag 2:6 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; Hag 2:7 And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts. Hag 2:8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts. Hag 2:9

We are in the latter days and the Church of the Lord Jesus is here referred to as the "latter house". Here in this prophetic message through Prophet Haggai, God speaks to the leadership and people of Israel, calling upon them to be strong and build. The church, the Body of the Lord Jesus Christ of this end time will be one in which both the leadership and followership will stand in STRENGTH, the strength of the Lord. Strength which will come from a revelation of God's word and the power of the Holy Spirit who is at work in the life of every believer. Most of what we see in the Church today is the preaching of a self-serving gospel, messages that pander to the selfish and often covetous desires of people. The Church today is filled with many so called leaders who draw attention to themselves rather than to Jesus, they promise "blessings" and "miracles" which are nothing but quick fixes and fast food approach to things of spiritual importance. We see Christians today whose lives and lifestyles no longer affect or challenge people in their immediate surroundings. The present day believer has so much blended with the world that rather than utilise spiritual principles and methods to solve day to day problems, the Church is importing secular methods to bear upon spiritual matters.

There is a need in the Body of Christ. A need for anointed Teachers and Preachers of truth that will build up and thus bring the Body of Christ into mature manhood. This now is very necessary because the Church must stand up to do the work of the ministry, i.e. interceding for the lost, preaching the gospel of the Kingdom with power, getting newly born again believers baptised in water and in the Holy Spirit, ministry to the sick and the oppressed of our communities and being the eyes, mouth, hands and feet of God upon the earth. Becoming deliverers from eternal damnation, in the place of the Master who before He left instructed the Church to occupy till He comes. The Book of Obadiah says:
  And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD'S.                                                                                                                                              
Oba 1:21

Note in the passage above, "And saviours shall come up on mount Zion ..." The word saviours speaks not of Christ but of His Church. Because now, Christ the Body must walk in the steps of Christ The Head, doing the works that He did and greater works also. For this to happen, the Church must come to maturity. Notice that when Jesus was on earth, He did not begin His ministry until He was 30 years old. 30 is God's number for maturity. The church of the Lord Jesus must come into mature manhood so as to do the work of the ministry effectively and successfully. For this to happen the five fold ministry offices of Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher must arise in the Body of Christ to bring the Body into the place of spiritual maturity.

Presently, self styled apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers abound, decieved and deceiving many. The power of these ministry offices is not in the name, but in the function and anointing of God which rests upon the office. A truly anointed man or woman in the 5 fold ministry office will be recognised not by the title, but by the fruit of the ministry in which they stand.

As we speak, God is raising up within the Body of Christ a core of intercessors, who are desiring that God will release into the earth, "teachers of righteousness", men and women who will stand in the 5 fold ministry offices in this end time. Ministers who by the reason of the anointing that raise them up will be engaged in teaching the Body those things necessary for bringing her to the place of spiritual maturity. A church that will be consumed with the passion to see the Kingdom of God become manifested and functioning upon the earth today. A church that does not know her left from her right spiritually will be greatly handicapped, she will be taken advantage of by Satan and his cohorts. A baby church that does not know her rights and privileges in Christ will only be a breeding ground for spiritual failures and the like. It is therefore very important that those who God has raised up  arise and stand in  in the places of their calling to build up a people that will be spiritually matured in this last days, and then build up a company of people that will manifest God's glory. Let us remember that this is the time of Zion's favour. Let us grow up into Christ in character, wisdom, purity and power. The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.

We Are A Chosen Generation

In Psalm 132, we find a prophetic scripture in which God spoke by the mouth of David about what His intention was concerning Zion. Zion was the seat of David’s rule after he became king over Israel, but prophetically Zion is the name for the Church of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Head and we believers on earth are the Body. So today, Jesus is a corporate unit, He being the Head and we His Church the Body.

No one knew what was in the mind of God the Father regarding dwelling in a spiritual House until David decided he would build a dwelling place for Him. He impressed God by this decision and heart commitment he made while he was still King. He loved God so much that building God a resting place was number one priority on his heart.

Ps. 132:1-5

Psa 132:1 A Song of degrees. LORD, remember David, and all his afflictions:

Psa 132:2 How he sware unto the LORD, and vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob;

Psa 132:3 Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my bed;

Psa 132:4 I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids,

Psa 132:5 Until I find out a place for the LORD, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.

I figure that David must have thought a lot about God to have made him arrive at such a decision. His life of fellowship and intimacy with God must have been what made his thoughts to go along these lines. But whatever the reason was, he ended up thrilling God beyond measure. To the intent that God also made a promise to David that He had never made to any man before or since then.

 Sa 7:1 And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest roundabout from all his enemies;

2Sa 7:2 That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.

2Sa 7:3 And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the LORD is with thee.

2Sa 7:4 And it came to pass that night, that the word of the LORD came unto Nathan, saying,

2Sa 7:5 Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?

2Sa 7:6 Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle.

2Sa 7:7  In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar?

2Sa 7:8 Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel:

2Sa 7:9 And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.

2Sa 7:10  Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them anymore, as beforetime,

2Sa 7:11 And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house.

2Sa 7:12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.

2Sa 7:13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom forever.

This House is The Church:

The House which God promised to build is Zion, and His Son who will reign forever over this house is Jesus. The way it translates to me is that God had had the Church in His heart; He had purposed to make the Church His Place of abode. David just happened to stumble upon that secret in the heart of God. But did he really just “stumble” upon it?

A few other verses in Psalm 132 read;

Psa 132:13 For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation.

Psa 132:14 This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.

Psa 132:15 I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread.

Psa 132:16 I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.

Psa 132:17 There will I make the horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed.

Psa 132:18 His enemies will I clothe with shame: but upon himself shall his crown flourish.

The angel Gabriel who came to announce the coming of Jesus to His birth mother, further attested to the lineage of David through which the child Jesus would come from and confirmed the tenure of His reign as being      forever.

We are fortunate to be part of that Church today and are blessed to be a part of that “House” in which God has been pleased to dwell. But David indeed has done his part, the other’s Patriarchs in the Old Testament and saints whose names adorn the pages of the New Testament have run their race and finished with Joy. It is left to us, the end-time church, to finish this whole business in flying colours.

David by intimacy with God brought forth God’s intention to have a people called by His Name who He would inhabit as a dwelling place. We also by studying the scriptures and seeing what God has intended to do can put ourselves in a position where we will live and cooperate with Him to actualize His dream of a DWELLING PLACE.

What has God said about Zion?

Zec 12:8  In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them.

Zec 12:9 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

Zec 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

Notice the phrase “in that day” in this passage. It reminds me of John’s gospel, chapter 16:23 “In that day ye shall ask me nothing …” What day is being referred to here? There is another prophetic scripture in Isaiah 27:1-2 which starts with this same phrase,

“Isa 27:1 In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.

Isa 27:2 In that day sing ye unto her, A vineyard of red wine.”

This phrase is referring to no other day but that in which we are living right now. The day of the Lord. The day when these prophetic words will become relevant to the spiritual seed to whom it was directed. More than ever before, God desires to inhabit His HOUSE, the Church. Can we do what David did? Can we upon whom the Spirit of grace and supplication will be poured, stay in the place of prayer and intercession until God will make good to us what He promised to our fathers of faith? Can we endear our hearts to God as we make His concern ours, promising never to slumber nor give sleep to our eyes until Zion becomes the dwelling place for our God?

Yes we can, for we are the generation upon whom the “ends of the world has come.” We are the sons and daughters to whom God has purposed to send the outpouring of His Spirit in this latter days, the generation that will be priviledged to have the former and the latter rain in the first. It is time for us to arise, time to plough our fallow grounds and seek the Lord until He rains righteousness upon us.

Hos 10:12 Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.