“I Have Come To Build Up The Body”
On Sunday evening, July 24th, an angel stepped into the backdoor of the room during the service. I saw him enter and he was a huge angel dressed much like a bodybuilder would be. He had enormous muscles, blond hair, and was very serious and commanding in his demeanor. He looked at me when I noticed him, and he said, “I have come to build up the Body.” I then understood that the Body of Christ that has currently been through the refining and correction phase was now at a new level, and it was time to be built up and strengthened for their new positions.
Ø Ecclesiates 3:3 A time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build up,
Ø Isaiah 57:14 And it shall be said, "Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstruction from my people’s way."
Ø Isaiah 62:10 Go through, go through the gates; prepare the way for the people; build up, build up the highway; clear it of stones; lift up a signal over the peoples.
The Lord previously gave us the revelation of the Great Construction Site vision while in the Heartland; A vision of God’s desire for the Heart of the American Church and nation. His hand has been dealing with the Heart to break it open so He could heal it. Some levels have been achieved in it.
He has now shown us that as many have sufficiently responded to God within it, they are now transitioning and shifting to the Reconstruction and Building Phase of that which is now to be brought forth. Those that have not responded sufficiently to God during the Demolition and Correction Phase will remain in it until the Lord accomplishes that which He is after within their lives. If they do not respond fully to the Lord within the timeframe He has allotted to them to change within, then there can be a removal of their positions and mandates which will then be given to someone else that will yield to God and obey Him. So I then looked up the phrase “Build up the Body” to get more insight into the next process we will each walk out:
Ephesians 4:1 I THEREFORE, the prisoner for the Lord, appeal to and beg you to walk (lead a life) worthy of the [divine] calling to which you have been called [with behavior that is a credit to the summons to God's service, 2Living as becomes you] with complete lowliness of mind (humility) and meekness (unselfishness, gentleness, mildness), with patience, bearing with one another and making allowances because you love one another. 3Be eager and strive earnestly to guard and keep the harmony and oneness of [and produced by] the Spirit in the binding power of peace. 4[There is] one body and one Spirit--just as there is also one hope [that belongs] to the calling you received 5[There is] one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6One God and Father of [us] all, Who is above all [Sovereign over all], pervading all and [living] in [us] all. 7Yet grace (God's unmerited favor) was given to each of us individually [not indiscriminately, but in different ways] in proportion to the measure of Christ's [rich and bounteous] gift. 8Therefore it is said, When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive [He led a train of vanquished foes] and He bestowed gifts on men. 9[But He ascended?] Now what can this, He ascended, mean but that He had previously descended from [the heights of] heaven into [the depths], the lower parts of the earth? 10He who descended is the [very] same as He who also has ascended high above all the heavens, that He [His presence] might fill all things (the whole universe, from the lowest to the highest).
A fresh revelation of the “Body” of Christ is now being revealed to the Church, to bring her higher into her spiritual inheritance and her earthly responsibilities for the coming years ahead. There is only One Body, expressing itself in many corporate avenues, with one purpose, to reveal Jesus Christ to the earth. When the Church begins to walk in the Spirit, then she can fulfill her earthly mandates. She will now be given opportunity to rise higher in the Spirit which will release God’s fuller expressions to flow through her out to the earth around her.
11And His gifts were [varied; He Himself appointed and gave men to us] some to be apostles (special messengers), some prophets (inspired preachers and expounders), some evangelists (preachers of the Gospel, traveling missionaries), some pastors (shepherds of His flock) and teachers. 12His intention was the perfecting and the full equipping of the saints (His consecrated people), [that they should do] the work of ministering toward building up Christ's body (the church), 13[That it might develop] until we all attain (are built up) in oneness and in the comprehension of the [full and accurate] knowledge of the Son of God, that [we might arrive] at really mature manhood (the completeness of personality which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ's own perfection), the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ and the completeness found in Him.
The Father’s Purposes are going to realized and lived out through the Body as they all become one with Him and each other in comprehending the Lord. When we can see Him in our midst, and in each other, then we can accomplish that which the Lord has for us all to do. The Building up process will heal the breeches, the weaknesses, and the carnal tendencies that continually undermine the Body of Christ.
14So then, we may no longer be children, tossed [like ships] to and fro between chance gusts of teaching and wavering with every changing wind of doctrine, [the prey of] the cunning and cleverness of unscrupulous men, [gamblers engaged] in every shifting form of trickery in inventing errors to mislead. 15Rather let our lives lovingly express truth [in all things, speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly]. Enfolded in love, let us grow up in every way and in all things into Him Who is the Head, [even] Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). 16For because of Him the whole body (the church, in all its various parts), closely joined and firmly knit together by the joints and ligaments with which it is supplied, when each part [with power adapted to its need] is working properly [in all its functions], grows to full maturity, building itself up in love.
The Lord will begin to deal with our thinking as He is rebuilding His Body: Holiness is learned through obedience:
17So this I say and solemnly testify in [the name of] the Lord [as in His presence], that you must no longer live as the heathen (the Gentiles) do in their perverseness [in the folly, vanity, and emptiness of their souls and the futility] of their minds. 18Their moral understanding is darkened and their reasoning is beclouded. [They are] alienated (estranged, self-banished) from the life of God [with no share in it; this is] because of the ignorance (the want of knowledge and perception, the willful blindness) that is deep-seated in them, due to their hardness of heart [to the insensitiveness of their moral nature]. 19In their spiritual apathy they have become callous and past feeling and reckless and have abandoned themselves [a prey] to unbridled sensuality, eager and greedy to indulge in every form of impurity [that their depraved desires may suggest and demand]. 20But you did not so learn Christ! 21Assuming that you have really heard Him and been taught by Him, as [all] Truth is in Jesus [embodied and personified in Him], 22Strip yourselves of your former nature [put off and discard your old unrenewed self] which characterized your previous manner of life and becomes corrupt through lusts and desires that spring from delusion; 23And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude], 24And put on the new nature (the regenerate self) created in God's image, [Godlike] in true righteousness and holiness.
Ø Jude 1:19 It is these who are [agitators] setting up distinctions and causing divisions--merely sensual [creatures, carnal, worldly-minded people], devoid of the [Holy] Spirit and destitute of any higher spiritual life.
Ø Mark 8:35 For whoever wants to save his [ higher, spiritual, eternal] life, will lose it [the lower, natural, temporal life which is lived only on earth]; and whoever gives up his life [which is lived only on earth] for My sake and the Gospel's will save it [his higher, spiritual life in the eternal kingdom of God].
25Therefore, rejecting all falsity and being done now with it, let everyone express the truth with his neighbor, for we are all parts of one body and members’ one of another. 26When angry, do not sin; do not ever let your wrath (your exasperation, your fury or indignation) last until the sun goes down. 27Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him]. 28Let the thief steal no more, but rather let him be industrious, making an honest living with his own hands, so that he may be able to give to those in need. 29Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to (build up) the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God's favor) to those who hear it. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God [do not offend or vex or sadden Him], by Whom you were sealed (marked, branded as God's own, secured) for the day of redemption (of final deliverance through Christ from evil and the consequences of sin). 31Let all bitterness and indignation and wrath (passion, rage, bad temper) and resentment (anger, animosity) and quarreling (brawling, clamor, contention) and slander (evil-speaking, abusive or blasphemous language) be banished from you, with all malice (spite, ill will, or baseness of any kind). 32And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you.
New Leadership is being brought into prominence that have been prepared behind the scenes who will transform the Body to walk in her full calling. A fresh deep passion for Christ and a reverential respect for the Lord will flow forth as the Body is truly joined to the real head, Jesus Christ. Fresh vitality and life will burst forth as the revelation of being members of one another fully is grasped, that will cause the Church to explode. A deeper health and fruitfulness will emerge which will strengthen her among the nations as they grasp their God-given mandates for the earth, as seen in:
Isaiah 61:1THE SPIRIT of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed and qualified me to preach the Gospel of good tidings to the meek, the poor, and afflicted; He has sent me to bind up and heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the [physical and spiritual] captives and the opening of the prison and of the eyes to those who are bound, 2To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord [the year of His favor] and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3To grant [consolation and joy] to those who mourn in Zion--to give them an ornament (a garland or diadem) of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment [expressive] of praise instead of a heavy, burdened, and failing spirit--that they may be called oaks of righteousness [lofty, strong, and magnificent, distinguished for uprightness, justice, and right standing with God], the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. 4And they shall rebuild (build up) the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former desolations and renew the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations. Aliens shall stand [ready] and feed your flocks, and foreigners shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.
Ø Haggai 1:13Then Haggai, the Lord's messenger, spoke the Lord's message to the people saying, I am with you, says the Lord. 14And the Lord aroused (stirred up to build) the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people, so that they came and labored on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God,
6But you shall be called the priests of the Lord; people will speak of you as the ministers of our God. You shall eat the wealth of the nations, and the glory [once that of your captors] shall be yours. 7Instead of your [former] shame you shall have a twofold recompense; instead of dishonor and reproach [your people] shall rejoice in their portion. Therefore in their land they shall possess double [what they had forfeited]; everlasting joy shall be theirs. 8For I the Lord love justice; I hate robbery and wrong with violence or a burnt offering. And I will faithfully give them their recompense in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant or league with them. 9And their offspring shall be known among the nations and their descendants among the peoples. All who see them [in their prosperity] will recognize and acknowledge that they are the people whom the Lord has blessed. 10I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. 11For as [surely as] the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring forth, so [surely] the Lord God will cause rightness and justice and praise to spring forth before all the nations [through the self-fulfilling power of His word].
As the Body of Christ steps forth as God instructs them, they will learn to move as one man. The more fragmented the world becomes and the systems increasingly destabilize and shatter, the more cohesive and united the Body of Christ will become. Their Light of Life will be plainly visible as it flows through the uniqueness and viability of His People and of the Purposes that God has intended for her in this Generation.
-Susan O’Marra
07-24-11
