Our primary destiny and highest calling is to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, and our secondary destiny is to fulfill our ministry here on earth and to rule and reign in this life seated in Christ in a position of Authority on a throne, becoming a governmental male and female son of God governing not only the earth but also the whole natural creation of God, which includes the heavens and the earth. The only realm God did not create was eternity which is different from heaven.
To inherit a kingdom, is to be coronated as a king or queen and begin to rule. We all have different functions and roles in the kingdom of God, but we have to reach a place of maturity to be adopted- which refers to being acknowledged as the Father’s son or daughter, in which we now become responsible for the family business-kingdom.
God made Adam in his image and likeness, but when Adam fell, his children were born into the fallen image of Adam (Genesis 5:3). Therefore, God primarily wants to restore us to his image, so that we can walk and talk with him on earth and in heaven and have fellowship (sharing in a common life-the divine nature).
We put the cart before the horse seeking first to fulfill our secondary destiny and wonder why we have become frustrated. Life on earth is designed in such a way to prepare and enable us to be conformed to the image of Jesus. The trials, disappointments, failures and sorrows all serve to shape and groom us for our highest calling. Because they should cause us to look unto Jesus to see who he wants to become next inside of us. Jesus becomes all things to us as we see the next installment of his image or divine nature. We put him on or appropriate that aspect of his nature and practice it until we become it. It becomes the way we now respond to situations in life, we are transformed in that area of our lives.
ROMANS 8:29 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.
COLOSSIANS 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
Millions of Christians eventually die only to find themselves in heaven without having fulfilled the purpose for which they were born. Even though they made it to heaven, their loss is great.
God is looking for sons and daughters that have been conformed to His image while they were still living on Planet Earth, this is the bride of Christ, she has made herself ready appropriating the fullness of the Spirit.
For ones such as these, their eternal state and calling is far beyond anything that we could ever imagine with our finite minds. We all pass through this life on a planet that is designed to be hard enough to bring many sons to glory.
THERE ARE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF GLORY WE CAN ATTAIN TO IN HEAVEN.
1 CORINTHIANS 15:39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. 40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead.
Paul the Apostle saw the importance of being conformed to the image of Jesus. He knew that this life was only a schoolhouse for Sons of God; he knew the importance of graduating with honors.
ROMANS 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,