The following two articles by Ron McGatlin are very good reads. He says, “The next level to which God is calling His people is the oneness that results from knowing the Son of God in such intimacy that we become perfected spritual beings to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” This is our prayer. We hope it is yours as well.
The Next Level
By Ron McGatlin
Crystal clear spiritual clarity comes through perfected purity and holiness.
Perfected purity and holiness comes by the resurrected life of Christ replacing our crucified life. (Rom 6:5, Gal 2:20, Rom 6:11-13, Col 1:27)
The next level to which God is calling His people is the oneness that results from knowing the Son of God in such intimacy that we become perfected spiritual beings to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. God has been specifically preparing a people to become as Christ is in the world since he called Abraham out from among his people thousands of years ago. (Eph 4:13- 16, Col 1:27, Heb 11)
Take heed and beware of the leaven… Mat 16:6
A new level of life awaits the unleavened people of God. The leaven of religion and the cares of this life permeate the lives of believers creating a fog of darkness that clouds the crystal clear spiritual clarity preventing the full measure of the fullness of the stature of Christ.
Provision has been made. The fullness of the stature of Christ is not an unreachable goal for this generation in this age of the maturing kingdom of God. For thousands of years, through many generations, God has been preparing a people. The Holy Spirit of God is pouring the resurrected life of Christ into emptied vessels of humble forerunners who have been purged of the leaven of religion and this world.
The greatest hindrance to moving into greater kingdom fullness is the dark fog of leaven or mixture that seeps into our hearts and lives from relating in a Babylonian cultural environment. Leaven or mixture is like a virus and spreads quickly and quietly by contact. Once infected it dulls our spiritual ears and eyes and then spreads from us to others by contact. The fog of mixture causes us to lack sharp clear discernment and become spiritually clumsy and slow. We become vulnerable to falling into sinful thoughts and entanglements.
Multitudes on the journey into the fullness of the stature of Christ are detained from ascending the mountain of the Lord. After having started the upward move, the leaven of the cares of this life and Spiritless religion seeped into them through relationships and connections.
Their vision became clouded, and they gradually turned from the upward trail and began to move around the mountain instead of moving upward toward the high calling of God. They were moving but were only going around the mountain year after year at the same level. Many have come to believe that maturing into the fullness of the stature of Christ is not possible in this life. They believe the kingdom is not in reach now in this life and will only be fulfilled in some future day.
Connection, Affection, and Relationship
No person lives in total spiritual isolation. Our connections and affections develop into relationships that significantly impact our lives. Who or what we relate closely to will affect the destiny of our life.
Moving upward to the next level in God is directly tied to our relationships. The first and primary foundational relationship is with God. We must be securely connected in God through and by the life-giving Spirit of Christ. Our deepest affection must be for Christ Jesus and His kingdom from above. This is the foundational relationship that transforms us into pure, holy sons of God. This relationship will affect all other relationships in our lives.
God’s jealousy for us is not a selfish jealousy but a most valuable influence in our lives to prevent hindrances in our attaining the full destiny of God in our lives. We will never ascend to the next level of the fullness of the stature of Christ in God while we remain closely connected to those who are not and will not be fastened into full connection to God and set their affection on Him, love Him with all their heart and relate closely to Him in the Spirit.
Neither can we be of ultimate value to help those in need of more of Christ unless we ascend to the next level. Only then can we become a mature brother to them and allow the Spirit to work through us to draw them toward more of Christ. To remain in close relationship with those who are not willing to move upward for the purpose of trying to help them is deception and will hinder our moving upward with God. We will be leavened and will not move into greater fullness until the leaven or mixture is removed from us.
Please hear this carefully. When we are properly related to God, we will become an offense to those who are not willing to move upward to the next level. We can only remain in closeness with them by compromising our own relationship and potential stature in Christ. In compromising we have fallen into personal sin and are in need of cleansing ourselves. If we do not compromise, we will be rejected and cast out from them and thereby will not continue in a close relationship. How shall two walk together except they be in agreement?
This is NOT just talking about connection with people or groups with blatant sin or corrupt reputation. This is about what we might term good believers who may have a lot of things right but are still tied to other gods and Babylonian ways and will not or cannot turn from them. Also this is not talking about becoming elitists or prideful as the accusers will surely say. It is moving on to the greater fullness of the stature of Christ and a greater fullness of His Kingdom reality.
Also, this is not talking about refraining from eating or visiting with sinners. Jesus reached out to sinners and went into their houses, drawing many to Himself. However, Jesus never joined into them and did not draw life from them but rather offered life from heaven to them. When Paul spoke about not even to eat with a sinful person, he was talking about a person called a brother in immoral or blatant sin, not a lost person (1Cor 5:9-11).
Also this is not implying animosity toward or ill feelings toward those from whom God has separated us to lift us to the next level. Jesus loves everyone, but He does not connect closely in relationship with everyone. Even some who use His name in ministry He will turn away saying, “I never knew you.” In other words He is saying we were never in relationship (Mat 7:21-23).
Anything or anyone that becomes equally as important to us as our relationship with God has become another god to us.
Hear the word of Father God when He said that we shall have no other God’s before Him – “Come out from among them and be separate and touch not the unclean and I will be a Father to you – For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God.” These are only a few statements among many from God on this issue.
Attaining the fullness of the stature of Christ may require severe actions to cleanse the body personally, and perhaps corporately, from the leaven or mixture that offends our destiny in God. Here is what Jesus said for us to do when we find ourselves in the situation of being hindered from entering into the next level of fullness of life with God.
Mat 18:8-9: “If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.”
Throughout biblical history the saints have paid a great price in this epic journey toward the fullness of the stature of Christ bringing forth the New Jerusalem life of “God with us” in the glorious kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven.
The heritage of the blood of Jesus and of all the saints who have given their lives suffering unspeakable hardships in faith is with us, pressing us onward to the fullness of the stature of Christ now. In faith they subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
Women received their dead raised to life again. And others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection (life). Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were slain with the sword.
They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented; of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.
And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. (Heb 11:33-49)
We must not hold back. We must move upward into the destiny of the ages to the fullness of the stature of Christ. The kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our God, and the glorious New Jerusalem City of God shall prevail to rule the earth with the glory of God. God is with us.
Arise; shine; for your light has come!
The glory of the LORD is risen upon you.
Ron McGatlin
www.openheaven.com
basileia@earthlink.net
2. Some Major Sources of Leaven TodayThere are powerful sources of leaven that rob the fullness from God’s people. We cannot leave the world but we must consider what we receive into our minds and hearts. These same avenues listed below can be used to fill us and others with real love and truth in a pure holy non Babylonian environment. Here are a few to consider:
What we set before our eyes and what come in through our ears. Babylonian TV, Books, Movies, Magazines, Music, and Internet
Foundation building mind forming Concepts and Principles are planted in us by: Babylonian Education especially Higher Education, Church Systems, Family Modeling and Training
Personal Connections and Relationships to Babylonians: Close Friends, Family Members, Work and Church Relationships, Ministry Situations
These sources of receiving leaven or mixture should be measured and managed by the Holy Spirit. However, the primary solution to dealing with all this is to be so filled with the Spirit and so intimate with God at all times that rivers of living water are flowing from us and glorious light of God shines forth through us.
Secondly seek to relate closely with others who are moving toward the fullness of the stature of Christ. Let the presence and the words of God consume your life and continuously lift you higher in the Spirit of God. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all the things we need will be added to us. The desires of our heart can only be completely fulfilled and satisfied in God.
The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Arise; shine; for your light has come!
The glory of the LORD is risen upon you.
Ron McGatlin