“For his ‘body’ has been formed in his image and is closely joined together and constantly connected as one. And every member has been given divine gifts to contribute to the growth of all; and as these gifts operate effectively throughout the whole body, we are built up and made perfect in love” (Eph. 4:15-16, TPT).
These verses describe the maturing process in the body of Christ. It’s individual, but also collective. It is intended to include every member of God’s new creation within a city or region.
We are together to be the incarnation of Christ where we live, a singular community of heaven on earth. We are the agents of His divine government and the ambassadors of His good news, both demonstrating and declaring the gospel of Christ and His kingdom.
We are entering a new era when the building process and understanding of the church (ekklesia) will change. And there will be new wine poured into that new wineskin.
The nature and the culture of the kingdom of God are clearly introduced in the first few chapters of Scripture, especially in the following verses:
“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth'” (Gen. 1:27-28, NKJV).
Verse 28 in the New Life Version says, “And God wanted good to come to them, saying, ‘Give birth to many. Grow in number. Fill the earth and rule over it.'”
The authority to give birth, fill the earth and rule over it is seen in creation’s order and will be fulfilled with the coming of Christ in His people.
“With all wisdom and insight, He has enlightened us to the great mystery at the center of His will. With immense pleasure, He laid out His intentions through Jesus, a plan that will climax when the time is right as He returns to create order and unity—both in heaven and on earth—when all things are brought together under the Anointed’s royal rule. In Him we stand to inherit even more. As His heirs, we are predestined to play a key role in His unfolding purpose that is energizing everything to conform to His will” (Eph. 1:8-11, VOICE).
What began with the nuclear family ruling creation will be fulfilled by the family of God being seated in heavenly places and reigning in eternity. The Father’s desire for a united family of love and power and authority shall be fulfilled in these final days of harvest.
Until then, we as the body of Christ must demonstrate and exemplify His kingdom unity, rule and order here on the earth until His return and subsequent future rule and reign. God’s purpose is to fill the earth with His glory, but He does that through His glorious church. Presently, His light and glory is fragmented and diffused through our own divisive ways and traditions, but as we learn to assemble as one body and a functioning ekklesia in each locality and region, our corporate light will shine brighter in a world of darkness, drawing many into a firsthand revelation of Christ Himself, and fill the earth with God’s glory.
Whenever church practices and traditions run contrary to the clear principles and the plumb line of the New Covenant blueprint for the true ekklesia, it becomes uncomfortable for us because it requires a paradigm shift. Simply put, it requires repentance and sometimes painful change, and a dismantling of much of what we’ve known and are familiar with. That’s not always easy, but with God’s grace it can be done.
We can never change the world and multiply true disciples until the church universal, reflected in the local churches and saints in each city and region, through its Christlike apostolic leaders, elders, and ministry gifts, is transformed into the true ekklesia of God. Only a return to intimate fellowship with the triune Godhead and one another will produce a powerful and transformational ekklesia. {eoa}
Bert Farias’ books are forerunners to personal holiness, the move of God and the return of the Lord. They also combat the departure from the faith and turning away from the truth we are seeing in this hour. Bert’s current passion is to promote a culture of the supernatural manifestations and ministries of the Holy Spirit in the church today and to pass it on to the next generation (Passing On the Move of God to the Next Generation). His newest release, The Supernatural Church of Love and Power, now available on Kindle and on paperback, is a simple blueprint for what the Lord Jesus is doing in His church today. Other materials and resources are available on his website, Holy Fire Ministries. You can also follow him personally on YouTube (Holy Fire Ministries), Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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