Fullness of Christ

Measure of the Fullness of Christ

By Ron McGatlin

What would happen if we were to truly believe and unreservedly follow the Lord in perfect obedience to the word of the Father? How would our lives change? How would the world be affected? What if we threw off all restraints and hindrances and gave ourselves fully to living and walking in the Spirit? What if we truly made seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness the top priority in our lives? What would happen if we fully grew up into the measure of the fullness of Christ?

We would be as Christ is in the world (1 John 4:17). We would be mature sons of God doing the works of God that Christ Jesus did, and greater works.

John 14:12: "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.”

How many sick days did Jesus have to take off from doing the works of the Father? How many times did He speak to the dead to arise and nothing happened? How many times did he speak to the lame and deformed to be healed and nothing happened? How much times did He waste sidetracked in sinful temptations and religious practices? I think you get the idea.

Something is missing here. Something has gone astray and urgently needs to be corrected. Why is the Body sick and afflicted? Why is the Bride tattered and torn? Why is there filth of contamination in the body? Why are the sons of God restrained from the reality of the full glory of Christ flowing to change our world? What or who is restraining the works of God in His sons to be victoriously establishing the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven?

Let’s seek to let the scripture answer this for us. [2 Th 2:6-12]

We will need to lay aside what religion may have taught that these scriptures mean and allow Holy Spirit to reveal kingdom truth. When we consider the meaning of the Greek words used in this scripture and allow the Holy Spirit to reveal their meaning they plainly speak of a spirit of anti-Christ or wickedness against or in place of Christ that is restraining “until.” (Until what or when?)

2 Th 2:6-7: And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed (uncovered, disclosed) in his time. For the mystery (religious secret) of lawlessness (iniquity, wickedness) is already (now) at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way.

In this season we are seeing the uncovering of the religious secret wickedness that is restraining. The religious spirit that has replaced Christ as Head of the Body secretly infiltrated the church centuries ago and continues to restrain the supernatural works in God’s people by religious deception that causes unbelief, just as Paul had warned.

2 Th 2:5: Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?

The spirit of anti-Christ working through religion and human social order has created a false ceiling of unbelief and robbed most of the church of the experiences of the power of Christ Jesus in our world.

The purpose for the current uncovering and exposing is for the destruction of the restraining iniquitous wickedness of the anti-Christ spirit. The Greek word translated brightness in this next verse is “epiphaneia:G2015” and relates to our English word epiphany. It is translated appearing every time it is used in the New Testament except this one time.

2 Th 2:8: And then the lawless (wicked) one will be revealed (uncovered, disclosed), whom the Lord will consume with the breath (spirit) of His mouth (language) and destroy with the brightness (appearing) of His coming (manifesting).

2 Th 1:10: when He comes (appears) to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.

The appearing or manifesting of Christ in His people by the Holy Spirit is the power source to speak the words of God to uncover, consume, and destroy the restraining wickedness. We need to do more than speak about the restraining spirit of anti-Christ working through religion; we need to speak to the restraining spirit with the words from God in the power of the Spirit and in the name of Christ Jesus to consume and destroy the restraining spirit.

At whatever cost we must come out from under the canopy of religious deception and unbelief that separates the Body from being fully connected to our Head, Christ Jesus. In this season, there is an open door in heaven and a call of God to come up higher – to come out of religion and spiritually be raised (resurrected) into the resurrection life of Christ Jesus. It is the power of the resurrection that will do the works of Christ and greater works in bringing forth the kingdom of God on earth.

Rev 4:1-2: After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, "Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this." Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.

Phil 3:14: I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

The practical reality of answering the “upward call” to “come up here” involves a change of focus that leads to a change of life, patterns, and priorities. Words are powerful when they impact change. Idle words are empty of the power to change. Words spoken from the Spirit are most powerful. Four powerful life experiences of change are spoken in this verse.

Phil 3:10: that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.

• That I may know Him (intimate communion with Christ in the Holy Spirit)
  
  
• And the power of His resurrection (receiving and releasing the power of His life)
  
  
• And the fellowship of His sufferings (a precious work of becoming one with Him)
  
  
• Being conformed to His death (loss of the old life, perfect humility)

The greatest opportunity of change in this world since the first century is now opening to God’s people. Exposing and destroying the religious anti-Christ systems by the manifest power of the life of Christ is the work of the Holy Spirit and the desire of God for this historical time of transformation. God is moving upon our planet in unprecedented proportions to produce a purified, holy, humble people filled with His love, carriers of resurrection life power of Christ to establish the kingdom of God upon the ashes of religious fallacies and fallen social order.

To whom much is given much is required.

In Luke 12 Jesus told a parable of a faithful servant that the master made ruler and of an unfaithful servant who knew better but acted selfishly and abused fellow servants. The unfaithful servant was severely treated by the master and appointed his portion with the unbelievers.

Luke 12:47-51: "And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few.

For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.

I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished! Do you suppose that I came to give peace (to join together, prosperity, rest quietness) on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division.”

Division and separation is not always bad. We know Jesus came to bring peace on earth and goodwill toward mankind. His peace and goodwill cannot come upon a people merged with wickedness and darkness. Jesus did not come to blend us with the works of satan in this present social order or the anti-Christ spirit in religion. Rather He came and is with us now to cleanse the world of evil and establish the righteousness of God in His people and the kingdom of God in the world.

People of God, arise and be of great courage! The Promised Land is before us, and a waste land is behind us. Be strong in the Lord! Be strong and very courageous! This is your time on earth to accomplish the will of God for your life. You have not been this way before, and you will not come this way again. History will record the great shift and transformation of this season into the kingdom of God, or it will record the failure to enter in and a return to wasted life of wilderness wonderings and another people in another time will enter into the land of promise.

Help us Lord Jesus!

Keep on pursuing love.
It never fails.

Ron McGatlin

www.openheaven.com
basileia@earthlink.net