Increasing Your Appointed Measure of Glory

[Christine Beadsworth]

 

We are speeding towards our appointment with Rosh Hashanah and many people I know are experiencing an increased measure of attack and spiritual warfare as these days of Elul pass by. This morning, the Lord gave me a glimpse of what is actually occurring behind the scenes. For me to explain simply the understanding that was given to me, it will be easiest to think of our current journey as being out of one territory and crossing over into another portion of territory; the measured portion of the Promised Land of your inheritance. For each one, this will look different in practical, natural terms, depending on what the Lord’s plan is for you in the season that is fast approaching.

We have set our hearts like a flint towards His purposes and daily surrender to His will and put one foot in front of the other, according to the light He is giving each of us through His Word and by the Spirit. Yet, with each step we take closer to that boundary line between the two different territories, the resistance in the spiritual realm seems to increase according. There seems to be a concerted effort on the part of the demonic realm to resist at all costs our crossing over into all God has for us. Attacks coming out of nowhere from the least expected sources are almost knocking the wind out of us, and in areas where we thought victory had long been obtained, both inwardly and externally, new fires are springing up and we are tempted to divert our energies into fighting enemies long conquered. It is utterly exhausting and even though daily prophetic words of encouragement are spoken and absorbed enthusiastically, the pressure opposing us does not seem to let up. Why is this happening at this late stage of the journey?

 

This morning, I saw the veil drawn back in the spiritual realm and I caught enough of a glimpse of the truth of what is occurring, that it brought complete rest and assurance to my soul, and more than that, a spirit of praise rose up from my innermost parts as I understood the profound wisdom of God. You see, Beloved, there is a principle that is playing out unbeknown to us, and the kernel of Truth that encapsulates it is found in the following scripture:

2Co 4:17  For our light, momentary affliction (this slight distress of the passing hour) <u>is ever more and more abundantly preparing and producing and achieving for us</u> an everlasting weight of glory [beyond all measure, excessively surpassing all comparisons and all calculations, a vast and transcendent glory and blessedness never to cease!],

 

Did you see that? The affliction we are experiencing is producing for us a weight of glory. The more affliction we suffer, the greater the weight of the glory that is stored up for us for the next season. Beloved, God knows how few days we have left before we reach the boundary marking the end of the old season. He knows how much glory we have already accrued in heaven’s accounting system next to our names. And His desire is to exponentially increase the amount of glory that is to be poured out upon and within and through us as our feet take possession of the territory on the other side of that border line in time. Therefore He is allowing the enemy to attack and resist and harass us in a greater way in the second half of Elul. He is actually using the enemy as a tool to amass to our account a greater measure of glory! How clever!

 

And as each wave of attack comes and we wrestle with it and surrender to the workings of the Spirit within, so that we respond in a Christ-like fashion, a scribing angel chalks up another measure of glory against our name for the coming appointed outpouring. Beloved, the Father speaks of you with pride because of your steadfastness and your firm faith in the midst of all the crushing distresses under which you are holding up:

 

2Th 1:4  And this is a cause of our mentioning you with pride among the churches (assemblies) of God for your steadfastness (your unflinching endurance and patience) and your firm faith in the midst of all the persecutions and crushing distresses and afflictions under which you are holding up. 2Th 1:5  This is positive proof of the just and right judgment of God to the end that you may be deemed deserving of His kingdom [a plain token of His fair verdict which designs that you should be made and counted worthy of the kingdom of God], for the sake of which you are also suffering.

 

Precious saint, you are not failing a test that God puts in your path. An old conquered enemy does not rise up again to meet you because you didn’t finish the job properly. God is bringing your enemy back from the depths so that there will be an increase in spoil added to your account from that ancient battle – even your dogs are going to get a taste of victory:

Psa 68:22  The Lord said, I will bring back [your enemies] from Bashan; I will bring them back from the depths of the [Red] Sea, Psa 68:23  That you may crush them, dipping your foot in blood, that the tongues of your dogs may have their share from the foe.

 

This present resistance is not about your failure in past battles; it is not about you being appointed another round of testing; it is not because you have taken a wrong path or made a wrong choice. It is simply the goodness and lavish generosity of the Father wanting to shower a greater measure of His glory upon you just across the border in the new season. But He is bound by His Word:

Rom 8:17  And if we are [His] children, then we are [His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His inheritance with Him]; only we must share His suffering if we are to share His glory.

 

We have to share His suffering if we are to share His glory. And what was His suffering?  Isaiah explains it so clearly to us:

Isa 53:3  He was despised and rejected and forsaken by men, a Man of sorrows and pains, and acquainted with grief and sickness; and like One from Whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we did not appreciate His worth or have any esteem for Him.

 

Have you been experiencing an increase in being despised and rejected by men? Have you felt a surge in people not appreciating your worth or considering you of any value? Has there been an increased onslaught against your physical body or wave upon wave of sorrow and grief? Well, Beloved, you have been experiencing an increased share of the sufferings of Jesus in order that you may have an increased share of His glory when he comes to be glorified in His saints. This is not something to mourn about. Let us be full of joy NOW! We are about to experience far more than we anticipated concerning the outpouring of His glory!

Rom 5:2  …And let us rejoice and exult in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God. Rom 5:3  Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance.

 

Halleluyah! Halleluyah! How amazing is the wisdom of God. Be encouraged, precious saints. What you are currently experiencing is for your certain good, not your destruction. Our God is an awesome God! Be at peace and rejoice in anticipation. He is using the enemy to rack up credit in your account!!

Rom 11:33  Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unfathomable (inscrutable, unsearchable) are His judgments (His decisions)! And how untraceable (mysterious, undiscoverable) are His ways (His methods, His paths)!

 

Selah

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