The Higher Calling for This Season
By Duane Stewart
The higher calling that is coming forth from God during this, our day and season in God, is drawing a people into a greater fulfillment and manifestation of His heavens.
This call, as it comes forth from God, speaks of a far greater spiritual life-style and authority as it is being imparted from God.
This position is for the purpose of revealing Christ to the world in a greater manifestation of His glory.
This Christ, as we remember from scripture, speaks of both the head of Christ, named Jesus, as well as His many membered body.
This is the call that is placing into Christ and bringing His hearing people into their ordained place of rest. This is a rest that transforms the soul into the nature of Christ. Matt. 11:28 declares, “Come unto Me, all [those seeking rest] you that labor and are heavy laden [those burdened] and I will give you rest [His rest]”.
Here Christ refers, not to sins, but to service; not to guilt, but to labor; not to the conscience, but to the heart; not to repentance, but to learning; not to finding forgiveness, but to finding rest.
For this experience called rest, God makes available and gives instructions to all who are hungering and thirsting for this rest, a rest He supplies from Himself. This supplying of Himself was the great accomplishment which took place upon the cross of sacrifice. That is, the giving of His first-born son as the needed sacrifice for all mankind.
This sacrifice enables yielded vessels to be birthed from out of the realm called death. This realm of death is that conquering foe that seeks to destroy all that God has purposed for His people. But, unto all so called and desiring, they can come into His rest, His life-style. HOW? John 15:4, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abides in the vine; no more [even so neither] can you except you abide in Me”.
Especially note the above word “abide” as it is used three times within this verse, implying its great importance. Therefore, its importance rest in its full meaning to those who hear Him. “Abide” points to “dwell, remain, continue, endure, abide still, tarry and be present”.
Here God stresses the need for His people to bring forth fruit. This fruit belongs to Him and it is impossible to gain maturity without this steadfast abiding in the vine which is Christ. Herein, that is in Christ, the fruit matures above and beyond measure when unlimited by the minds of man. This fruit, the results of the Holy Spirits ministry, can ripen and manifest as God’s harvest. This happens completely without and beyond the thoughts and ability of the carnal man in all his efforts.
Know that the half has not been told, seen nor heard concerning the manifestations which God’s wisdom shall bring forth. Unto the man and woman who purposely abide in the vine, they shall mature beyond the thoughts and limited intents of mankind’s own wisdom. Without Christ, the vine, there shall be no mature fruit appearing. Any exception, is the appearing of the tares which speaks of counterfeit produce or fruit. In this, let’s note the response that comes from the Queen of Sheba in her response to King Solomon’s reign. In this understand that the naturel expression revealed in the context is but a type or shadow to the revealing of God’s fruit even as it comes forth today.
I Kings 10:4-9, “And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon’s wisdom, and the house that he had built, and the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the Lord; there was no more spirit within her. And she said to the king, it was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceeded the fame which I heard. Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before you, and they hear your wisdom. Blessed by the Lord your God, which delighted in thee, to set you on the throne of Israel: because the Lord has loved Israel forever. Therefore, He made you king, to do judgment and justice [righteousness]”.
When yielding up to God our spirit, our soul and our body, a chain reaction begins to take place which swallows up the complete man. These results fulfill within each committed one, God’s purpose for each receiving vessel, which is, becoming one in Him.
This oneness provides for each yielded vessel all the increase necessary to manifest this oneness. Note God’s plan and purpose as stated in 1 Peter 2:9-10, “But you are a chosen generation [race, kind], a royal nation, a peculiar people, that you should shew forth the praises [virtues] of Him Who hath called you out [out from] darkness into His marvelous light: which in time past were not a people but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy”.
This is coming into that place of complete and perfect fulfillment, a people becoming one with God to now manifest Christ unto all creation.
HOW? But by the hand of God who releases from Himself unto those willing to receive. HOW? But through the vessel humbling himself before God and allowing the stubborn rebellious heart to become crucified in Him and enter into His rest. Matt. 11:29 states, “Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me; For I am meek and lowly in heart; and you shall find rest unto your souls”.
While the old carnal natural man finds himself in opposition to being meek and lowly in heart, the new creation man finds his soul responding to and becoming one of manifesting the Christ. Herein they now manifest Christ in their mind, their will, their emotions and their desires. This change is the product of being yoked to Christ even as the branch needs to stay connected to the vine. In this, all that is in and from the vine produces a like-kind fruit known as the nature of Christ.
Herein, obedience to the Holy Spirit enables each responding vessel to abide in the vine as full grown precious fruit manifest in its fullness. By dwelling with Christ in His yoke, note that God enables the yoke and burden to be made easy and light. Matt. 11:30, “For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light”.
Pause and take note that the above stated scriptures are promises from God. In believing God’s word and His promises, believing vessels find available to them a new mind-set. A mind-set that sees, knows, believes, understands and responds to the workmanship of Christ within.
We have this confidence, that even as spoken, God shall provide, perform and manifest. Our dependency is not upon self, our talents, nor our knowledge and ability, but by the handiwork of God alone. In this, we rest in Him as, through continual obedience, He completes and manifest His purpose. Phil. 4:7, “And the peace of God, which passes [surpasses] all understanding [every mind or thought of carnal man], shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus”.
Can there be any greater assurance but that God shall complete that which He began? Nothing greater, for he does all things until the finished work and completion, which is when man walks in complete obedience. Obedience from a humble heart completes and releases the Holy Spirit to make man whole.
HOW? Because our conversation, our citizenship is now changed. Meaning a new seat of government rules, of which we are citizens, including both our rights and responsibilities. Phil. 3:20-21, “For our conversation [citizenship] is [exist now] in heaven [God’s dwelling place including within redeemed man]; from whence also we look for [eagerly wait for] the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change [transform, change the fashion of] our vile body [our body of humiliation], that it may be fashioned like [conformed] into His glorious body [becoming His body of glory], according to the working whereby He is able [of His ability] to subdue [subject] all things into Himself”.
Therefore, God is manifesting a people who become likened unto Him, the results of abiding in Him. In this truth, let us abide in Him, our Forgiver, Our Sanctifier, Our Healer, Our Deliverer and Our Glorifier.
By Duane Stewart
www.avoiceforthegatheringsaints.org