The Daily Word of Righteousness

We Christians Do Not Understand the Gospel!, #17

. . . and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded. (Joel 2:8)

During his lifetime every soldier of the Lord is cut, cut, cut by the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. His joints and marrow, his soul and spirit, are cleanly divided. The result is, the Word of God no longer can wound him. He is a dead-living person.

Because they are righteous, holy, and sternly obedient to the Father, all the powers of the heavens are moved when they march.

The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining: (Joel 2:10)

This is God's army, not man's army. We must undergo lifelong training to qualify to be in the army of the Lord. We must first be called, then be chosen because of our zeal for Christ, and finally proven faithful throughout a lifetime of tests and imprisonments. Those who will appear with Christ when He returns are called, chosen, and faithful.

And the Lord shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it? (Joel 2:11)

These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. (Revelation 17:14)

The two thousand years of Church history primarily have been for the purpose of calling out and training the members of the nobility of the Kingdom of God, the royal priesthood. In addition, the testimony of Christ has been given to the nations of the earth.

In the days to come the great latter-rain testimony will be given to the nations, as symbolized by the two witnesses of the eleventh chapter of the Book of Revelation. But even more important than this colossal work of witnessing will be the full transformation of the royal priesthood, as symbolized by the birth of the ruling Son, an event found in the twelfth chapter of the Book of Revelation.

To put it simply, as the saints, the members of Christ's Body, are being used by the Spirit to give the end-time testimony (Revelation, Chapter 11), they also will be undergoing the transformation needed for their participation with Christ in governing the nations during the thousand-year Kingdom Age (Revelation, Chapter 12). He who would participate with the saints in governing the nations during the Kingdom Age must have been crucified with Christ and risen with Christ. Christ must be formed in him. For the Father will give His Glory only to His Son and those who are an integral part of His Son. God will never give His Glory to flesh and blood!

He who desires to rule with the Lord when He appears, to rise to meet the Commander in Chief in the air, must enter today into the process of death with Christ and resurrection with Christ, as the Holy Spirit directs.

To be continued.