2 Cor 3:18 … are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. Refining, purifying, glorifying. Progressive levels of transformation to maturity. Progressive levels of responsibility and authority. Servant to Bond servant to Steward to Friend to Lord to King to Son.
The basis of our transformation is God’s covenant love (His mercies). God’s mercies are motivated by His love. God’s love motivates us to change. Rom 2:4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? Repentance means 180-degree change.
John 14:6 “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me”. 2 Cor 1:20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ…
God’s M.O. is by covenant. Adam (Hosea 6:7). Noah (Gen 9). Abraham’s seed – Isaac – Jacob (Gen 12, 15, 17). Israel – Moses (Exod 19-24). David (2 Sam 7). Jesus (Jer 31, Heb 9).
Adam. Gen 1:28 God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over it.” Blessing. Fruitfulness. Multiplication. Government.
Matt 28:18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Act 1:8 “…but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses (testimony) both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
All God’s covenant promises are fulfilled in Jesus and in us. New Covenant fulfils all covenants. Abraham – Blessing to the world. Noah – Sowing and reaping. Moses – Light of the world. David – Rule on David’s throne.
Rom 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Transformation = metamorphosis. Change from one form into another. Caterpillar to butterfly. Tadpole to frog. Spirit. Soul – mind, emotions, will, behavior. Body – DNA level.
John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease. He adds to me what is like Him. He takes away from me what is not like Him. Humility – I present myself to receive. Prov 14:12 There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. – Humanistic option.
Frog can live in dual places on land and in water Butterfly can live in dual places on land and in the air. Transformation enables us to live in dual places of heaven and earth. From ‘Body – Soul – Spirit’ to ‘Spirit – Soul – Body.’
Do you want to be transformed like a caterpillar or a tadpole? Cocoon or pond? Passive or active? Are you willing to fall on the rock or does the rock have to fall on you? Running from or to transformation?
Prophetic word from Patsy Southway to Deb. You and hubby (Mike) were stood outside of the Freedom Centre. A large dark cloud appeared over the whole area where you are. This changed… into a canopy which was stretched right over the WHOLE area where your Centre is. It had thick, strong ropes coming off of it which were securely rooted. The canopy was green, which speaks to me of LIFE!
These were my thoughts… The cloud (representing a rain cloud) hovering and brooding over your area is changing the atmosphere which will in turn become a canopy. A strong covering of God over the land which is yours will be a safe haven for many. A City of Refuge. At times this place will become ‘unknown’ to your enemies but ‘known’ to all those that he will bring. Multiplication upon multiplication…
Dark cloud – good cloud. Cocoon. Wilderness. Crucible. Furnace. It is our situations, circumstances and relationships that God uses.
Where am I? Who am I? What am I? Why am I? Cloud overshadows – Spirit is brooding. Don’t run, don’t criticize the environment. Pursue and embrace the transforming cloud and fire of God’s presence.
Dark, restricted, hot, disorientated. Falling apart. Heat and pressure turn coal into diamonds. Weeds into compost – fertile soil. Our identity as sons is forged in the fires of adversity and challenge.
Pressure on the soul to react and respond in old patterns of thinking and behavior until we separate from it and live out of our spirit in union with the attributes of God, and then our soul comes into union with our spirit, because it no longer acts independently.
James 1:2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. Act 14:22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”
Rom 5:3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Caterpillar’s body is dissolved. Heat – the body turns to mush. DNA of the caterpillar genes gets switched off. DNA encodes new genes to form a butterfly. Struggle from cocoon produces strength to overcome and fly.
Overshadowing, brooding, vibrating of the Holy Spirit produces change. Gen 1:2 The Spirit of God was moving (hovering, brooding, vibrating) over the face of the waters. Luke 1:35 The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you…”
Exod 19:16 …there were thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain… 18 the Lord descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently.
Act 2:3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. Act 9:3 As he was travelling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him;
Overshadowing. Vibrating energy of the Holy Spirit causes: Shaking. Realignment. Resonance. Harmony with our identity and destiny as sons.
Matt 11:12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force. Fight, press in, press on. Don’t give up. Pursue your inheritance. Don’t be a settler, be a pioneer. Note: ‘House of Heroes’ is now Freedom Therapeutic Community.
Don’t try to help the butterfly out of the cocoon. Struggle enables flight. Encourage and support but don’t try remove the struggle. Don’t try to avoid the process. Pursue the process.
Heb 5:12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.
God has moved and He wants us to chase after Him towards maturity. God makes us uncomfortable where we are, so things no longer work and you can’t see or hear as you once did. God is moving us from His presence to His glory. God wants us living in dual realms.
God has been calling us deep too deep to engage heaven. God is calling us to a supernatural lifestyle. He is calling us out of the wilderness into our true inheritance. He is calling us to bring His kingdom government from heaven to earth. Don’t resist it: embrace it, pursue it.
Be ready to move when the pillar of fire or cloud moves? God has moved and He is desiring that you pursue Him. He is not where He was. He is not doing things as He was. Glory and grace depart slowly.
Fall on the rock and be changed before the rock falls on us and changes us. God will put you under pressure to change. God will put you into the cocoon. Deepest things will come to surface. What is hidden will be revealed.
Transformation is because He loves us. Transformation is the only way to maturity. Maturity is the only way to sonship. Sonship is the only way true fulfilment of our destiny. Restoration of the whole universe.
Psa 139:23-24 (TM) Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about; See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong then guide me on the road to eternal life.
Psa 139:23 Search me thoroughly, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; 24 And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.