Backbone Foundations

 

Backbone Foundations

The Holy Spirit dropped a thought into my spirit yesterday whilst praying…HEAVENLY ASSIGNMENTS. At once I knew that He is about to reveal these heavenly assignments to His Remnant Bride soon. And whilst praying about this, He told me to write. Every now and then He will say to me just one word. “Write”. I sense an urgency or an imperative to that word “write” and I know that what I am to write will be under the inspiration of His Spirit.

In Romans 8: 28 - 30 we read the following:

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 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. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

The first verse makes it very clear. We are called according to His purposes. He goes on to say to us that He foreknew us, just like He told Jeremiah, before you were born, I knew you and called you. Then we read that we are predestinated to be conformed to the image of the Son. That is, we are called to be like Him. And because we are predestinated to be like Him, we are called. In other words, it has been His will to conform us to the image of His Son for the purpose of this calling. This all starts with justification, which is the outworking of the cross and the price that He paid for our sins, therefore we are justified. It ends with the beautiful words that he has glorified us. Wait a minute…glorified? As in past tense? We are all awaiting this glorification of our bodies, but here it says in verse 30 we ARE glorified!

Glorified in the Strong’s Concordance is exactly that…glory. Or honor or magnify. So, even though we understand that this is also the glorification of our bodies, I see that it is not just that, but this glorification that has happened already is that we are now brethren…we are the sons and daughters of God! Have you ever really just sat down and pondered that title? I believe that Adam and Eve had glorified bodies when they were in Eden, but once sin entered in, death entered in and the glory departed. He predestined them to be the image of His Son, called to fulfill His purposes, being glorified. Once they sinned they were naked and for the first time, because of the shame of sin, they could clearly see their state when glory departs…naked. But we have been clothed with Christ. We are in Christ and He is in us. We are glorified by Him, through Him and unto His purposes. But this glorification is not the end in itself. The glorification is for His purposes which He predestined us for. Our salvation is not the end, just as our sanctification is not the end nor our glorification, but the end is what He has ordained for us.

We read in Ephesians 2:10

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

One of the principals the Church lacks is an eternal perspective. We are too earthbound in our thinking, even though we desperately want to go home. And unless we see things from an eternal perspective we are bound to limit our perspective on what we are about. We see with eyes only dimly and do not have that glorified perspective and dispositions of sons and daughters of God. We see the happenings of our lives as temporal and something we cannot wait to leave behind. But eternity has no end and no beginning. What we are about is eternal. Your whole Christian experience is the process of preparation. We are His workmanship. And in preparing us for this assignment, He has predestined us each individually to work as a Body together. We think fivefold ministry and all the different gifts of the Spirit and knowing it is for the equipping of the saints, see it is only for being here on earth. But in reality it is for eternity. I do not claim to know exactly how all of this will fit together one day, but what I do know is that as the Word says, not all is Prophets or Evangelists etc. But unto all of us gifts have been given, so that collectively we form the Body of Christ, each one a living member of the corporate Body of Christ.

In this preparation as the glorified Corporate Body of Christ, we are being prepared for far greater eternal purposes, because our God is eternal. Some have gone through tremendous trials in their lives. They have been exposed to warfare scenarios others could not even begin to imagine. They have been trained in discernment, in endurance under extreme attacks from the enemy, gaining wisdom and understanding in spiritual warfare. They have learned not to fear. This is not all they do, but this is prominent in their Christian walk and they are known as such…warriors.

Others have been trained in the school of life with regard to abuse, emotional and physical trauma. They understand the hold fear has on the psyche and have been healed and overcome. They are like a healing river through the dry deserts of this world. They have a firm grasp on just how the enemy uses different circumstances to steal, destroy and kill the children of God. Their words are like healing balm and they are given a spirit of wisdom and compassion to the brokenhearted.

Others have been trained to be intercessors of note. Praying for hours on their knees, knowing what it is to pray through something. They have learned how to travail and carry the burden of the Lord to the throne of grace and stay there until He answers. They have grown sensitive to the guidance of the Spirit and are instant in prayerThey stand at the gates and on the walls and see both what happens inside and outside. They see with spiritual eyes both the spiritual and the Church in her true state. They are the burden bearers of the Kingdom of God. Others have been trained to provide. They see a need and have learned what poverty is both in the natural and the spiritual. They have learned where and how to find provision and nothing can stop them to bring food baskets and living water, both physically and spiritually to those in need.

Others are mothers and fathers not just for their own children, but in the spirit. Having a high sense of protection over the Body and those in need, loving the weary. They are the ones who love the unlovable, the deserted and throw aways. They recognize the hunger in their eyes for love and He has poured His love into their hearts. They see the small and insignificant and place high value on a child, to love, teach and just be with them. They treasure children, they have the heart of the Father.

Others have been trained to be encouragers. They are the motivators, knowing the scriptures and the cheerleaders of this race to the weary and despondent. They lift up the heads of the hopeless. Comforters that are encouraging and strengthening the weak. Always ready with a scripture or a gift or picture that undergirds the truth that another’s pain is seen and prayed for. That in Christ there is always hope. They bring sunshine and are always full of joy. They are the hope bearers.

Others have been looking after the sick, the elderly and forgotten ones of society. God has asked them to care for those He treasures so much, those others have forgotten. Those who have lived their lives, but somehow seen as insignificant and irrelevant by society, just because they are old, or have a disorder, or paraplegic. Those in prisons and those in mental institutions…the forgotten ones. Knowing what it feels like to have to endure endless abuse and traumatic experiences that most people are unable to bear. But they humble themselves to be light in a very dark place. They are light bearers in utter darkness.

Others have been trained in the Word. They are skilled in using the Sword of the Spirit, having been shaped and circumcised by the truth of the Word and having applied it authentically to their own lives. They are skilled in teaching and breaking the bread of life open to the hungry and they feed His sheep. And so I can go on and on.

Gifts, gifts, gifts! These He has given us and these gifts have grown in maturity as we use them. Some may have only started this journey, others are skilled. But know this, as I have said before, that life is your training. It is your foundation for everything you will do for His Kingdom. It is your sanctification unto holiness. Sanctification is to be set apart. Not just to Him, but for Him for a specific purpose.

Romans 11:36

36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen.

You are being sanctified for the purpose to which He will use you in the time to come. Whatever supernatural gifts and abilities we receive hereafter, will built on top of this foundation. It will be the backbone of the Body. The backbone carries with it all the nerves (the Holy Spirit) that stems from the brain (Jesus Christ our Head), sending messages to the rest of the body. During this sanctification preparation you learn to become sensitive to the messages that the Head has been giving you. He has trained you already for what is to come. Whatever is lacking, He will complete, because he finishes what He starts.

I believe He is about to make heavenly assignments clear to His children. Puzzle pieces is about to fall into place as we wait upon Him. I believe He will start to open our eyes to see how He has divinely placed certain things in our lives, to prepare us for the time to come. Apart from the supernatural abilities we will receive. It will not just be about power and warfare. It will also be about the heart of God for the lost and those who are in despair. The heart of the Body is the center, the nexus, the driving force behind everything. And what He has thus formed in you is His heart. There are many things we have already gone through that at times may have seemed senseless to us, but our God works all things together for good for those who are called by Him for His purposes. Therefore the importance of occupying, for our occupying is our training. It is not just about telling people about Jesus and the salvation He has provided, but it is also about us being His workmanship. It is the building of our spiritual foundation, the strengthening of our backbone. Do not stop! Keep on doing the work He has given you to do. Do not look upon it as trivial or a waste of time. Rather, have an eternal perspective. The puzzle pieces is soon to slot in and those who have been diligent in the small will receive their due promotion. Those who have not despised the menial will see what He has prepared for them all along.

1 Corinthians 2:9

9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Therefore, gird up your loins. To gird up your loins is to tell someone to get ready for hard work or battle. It was the ancient way of saying “man up!” Look straight on and do every day in humble obedience what He asks you to do. Nothing is insignificant…nothing! Every conversation, everything you see or hear, all form a part of the big eternal picture. He has given you small puzzle pieces through this life thus far. The picture is complete. Not in what you have done, but in Time. Your picture does not look finished, because this earth is bound to time. But our God says before you were born I knew you and called you. All the days of your life is written in My book. He is the Beginning and the End. The puzzle picture was finished even before you began. And it is beautiful! It is about to be revealed. Do not worry about what you have not finished. What is important is that you stay the course. “Now” has eternal consequences and value. We are about an eternal Kingdom. Be diligent, be faithful, be obedient and love Him with all your heart. He is a Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him in faith. Who you will be in heaven will be the substance of who you are now in your personality, your way of thinking and spiritual maturity. It will be the foundation upon which everything else will be built, because what you are about now, is the foundation He has built in you. This life forms the foundation of what is to come. Your life has eternal significance. Every person you encourage, care for, pray for, minister to. Every time you humble yourself, walk in obedience and authenticity and lay your life down for Him. Every single work is recorded in His books. Everything you gave to another, said to another, served and gave your time. All will be part of your eternal existence. Heaven, however glorious, will be a continuation of the life you lived here. Not in the natural or earthly, but foundational. He is the Master Builder of your life.

1 Peter 2:5

5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Your life does not end here and then you get another up there. Your surroundings will change, but you will still be you, just with a glorified body. And because He is a just Rewarder and will judge everyone’s works whether good or bad (2 Corinthians 5: 10), it stands to reason that authority will be given according to how you have lived your life here. We will receive crowns. And crowns speaks of authority and honor. And we will lay it at His feet. With great responsibility comes great authority, but one is only given great responsibility when you have proven yourself trustworthy. The spirit world works in the same way as the natural where there is a chain of command and hierarchy. It is governed by rank, which is authority. It is not about who can get to the top or who can do the greatest exploits. It is not about how high you fly, but how low you walk. Your disposition of heart in every situation. He will lift those up who are humble of heart. All in the spiritual has degrees, even humility. And He who searches the hearts of man, sees all.

Knowing that He is soon to reveal to us our heavenly assignments for the time to come and knowing that what we are about now is eternal, we should indeed gird up our loins, pressing in deeper and more earnestly to do His will. We are to make it our business to know His perfect will in every situation and to live circumspectly. Not just because our works will be judged, but because it forms the backbone, the foundation of our lives to come. 

Please Read:

Ephesians 1: 9 - 23 

9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10 That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. 15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 Which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all.