It is Finished! A Poem of Jesus by Kimberly Alligood

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. (1 Timothy 3:16)

 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. (1 John 4:9)

 Check out more Jesus inspiration at Kimberly's site

Occupy Till I Come

As much as I try to voice my concern and teach about the issues of the day, in the end my life is only complete in Jesus Christ. Through it all his good will be worked out. He allows us to go through self inflicted wilderness experiences if we must, but he is raising up a people that will hear his voice and act with one accord. Christians are to affect this world, not just tolerate it and react to it. We are to be the salt. The world is a reflection of the condition of the church. So I want to walk out in the practical what God has instilled into me in the spiritual.

"My counsel for you is simple and straightforward: Just go ahead with what you've been given. You received Christ Jesus, the Master; now live him. You're deeply rooted in him. You're well constructed upon him. You know your way around the faith. Now do what you've been taught. School's out; quit studying the subject and start living it! And let your living spill over into thanksgiving. (Col 2:6-7 The Message)

There is a living out that must be done. We are not saved to die and go to heaven. I was born into heaven when I was born from above. Jesus said that the Kingdom of God is within us (see Luke 17:21). He said, "It is finished." Now, Church, it is within you to walk in all that I, Jesus, have established by way of the cross. We are saved to carry out the works he predestined us to walk in (see Eph 2:10). He has made us to be kings and priests.

And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. (Rev 5:10)

We are not to walk in ignorance and strife. We have been given the Holy Ghost to guide us in all truth. The Apostle Paul chided the Corinthians for their inability to bring peace amongst their ranks and to handle matters. They were taking matters between themselves to the worldly court system.

If any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, appoint as judges even men of little account in the church! I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? But instead, one brother goes to law against another—and this in front of unbelievers! (1 Corinthians 6:1-6 NIV)

I've not been saved just to die and go to heaven. I've been given access to God through his once and for all sacrifice to do His will in the earth as it is in Heaven. I've been appointed to death once, and He took that appointment. Hallelujah, Jesus! Now I have communion with my Creator, and I have divine direction. God is working through his people. People want to see a sign--well wake up church, you are to be the sign. You are the shining city set on a hill. You are the lights. He is the Father of Lights. As the world gets darker, his church is to be brighter. Shadows get there darkest when the light is the brightest. The middle ground of haziness is disappearing. You are either for him or against him.

So now we each have our own appointment with destiny as we seek him. Its time Christians realize that to "occupy" means to be productive in all capacities.

And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. (Luke 19:13)

If you look in a Strong's Concordance you will find that the word "occupy" was translated from the Greek word "pragmateuomai," which means according to Strong's: to busy oneself with, i.e. to trade:--occupy.
Here is that whole parable as translated in the NIV version of the Bible:

While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. He said: "A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. 'Put this money to work,' he said, 'until I come back.'
"But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, 'We don't want this man to be our king.'
"He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.
"The first one came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned ten more.'
" 'Well done, my good servant!' his master replied. 'Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.'
"The second came and said, 'Sir, your mina has earned five more.'
"His master answered, 'You take charge of five cities.'
"Then another servant came and said, 'Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.'
"His master replied, 'I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? Why then didn't you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?'
"Then he said to those standing by, 'Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.'
" 'Sir,' they said, 'he already has ten!'
"He replied, 'I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away. But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me." (Luke 19:11-26)

We are to seek Him first. We will prosper as our soul prospers.

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. (3 John 1:2)

God is not limited. We limit God with our limited wisdom. Jesus is here to confound the wisdom of the wise.
Recently, at a local county commissioners meeting, the Lord showed me what a vacuum there was in leadership. There is a void there from the lowest levels of government on to the highest. Those who have been filled by His spirit and are seeking Jesus, are carrying His authority and wisdom. The voids in all aspects of this world are to be filled with Jesus. He is looking for a place to lay his head (see Luke 9:58). The government shall be upon his shoulder. Who do you think the shoulder is to be?

But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: (Ephesians 4:15)

God is bringing up that man whose name is BRANCH. The branch man--His church.

And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD: (Zechariah 6:12)

Where is the right hand of God. Steven saw it as he was stoned.

And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. (Acts 7:56)

He saw heavens, plural. He saw what Jesus saw on the cross when he said, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do. The right hand of God is to be exercised through God's people. The Kingdom of Heaven is within you church, now you must work it out into the earth.

And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 11:15)

The seventh angel is the apostolic voice of God. It is the word of perfection coming from the mouths of his apostles and prophets. It is the last trump. The last trump IS sounding in the earth now for those who have an ear to hear what the spirit is saying to the church. Don't wait for some physical manifestation. It is now. We live by the proceeding word of God. And it is proceeding, if you seek Him, and not religion. He will connect you and plant you in the midst of his ascension gifts--the apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher--to perfect you and his church to come to the unity of the faith. For the saints to do the work of the ministry. See Ephesians 4.

Well, I do not compartmentalize God. God is. And he is all, and is in all. He has to be applied to every realm of life. For too long, the church has only reacted. Why is the whole creation groaning for the manifestation of the sons of God? (see Romans 8)

Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. (Romans 8:21)

Those who are waiting to be raptured up--you are wasting the time that God has appropriated for your life. The meek shall inherit the earth, not be sucked away. We must redeem the time wisely. Study your Bible, and not man made doctrines that make his word none effect. There's your devil. Anything that blinds you from your true self in Christ. You are to seek His Kingdom and His Righteousness, you are to know Him in intimacy--you are not to seek fairy tales and fables. Ephesians 4 tells us a lot. When the church becomes one in Jesus, the whole creature will be delivered.

We get caught up in the miseries of this world--disaster after disaster. Humans suffering in so many ways. We are to give our love and compassion, but at the same time, the church must come to realize that these things will be passing when it comes to the unity of the faith. For too long the power of God has lain dormant under a rug of unbelief, meanwhile the whole creation is groaning. It will happen because Jesus prayed it.

That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. (John 17:21)

Complete deliverance of this world will come when we are in the unity of the faith. We have a great ways to go. The physical return of Jesus is not hinged on "when," but "till we all come in the unity of the faith." (see Eph 4:13) Most of what is called church has done away with the apostle and prophet. That is the foundation.

And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. (1 Corinthians 12:28)

You will only come to know those who've been Godly ordained in those capacities by seeking God in spirit and in truth.

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:2:

Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. (NIV)
Even if no one else admits the authority of my commission, you can't deny it. Why, my work with you is living proof of my authority! (The Message)

The church as a whole perishes for lack of vision. God is working through His people and we must come to know those He has entrusted with His vision.

Well, I did not plan on spilling all that out, but so be it. We are to be seen and to be productive in this world.

I [Jesus] pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. (John 17:15)

We are called to take on the nature of Jesus. He is the firstborn among many brethen. He is not ashamed to be counted among the brethren. By his Spirit we are to submit to Him and be conformed by Him.

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:29)

In the process, we are purposed to be effective for Jesus and to affect this world. The whole creature is groaning in expectation. We serve a GO DO God. Now get yourself planted under God's governors and tutors for your life and in the appointed times and seasons go do in whatever capacity he has gifted and commissioned you.

The Whole Creation Is Groaning!

As hard as it may be for you to conceive in your carnal mind, there is something far greater than earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and every other natural disaster. The whole creation is groaning for that day when the body of Christ is truly assembled and joined to the head, Jesus Christ.

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. (Romans 8:18-25)

For too long the power of God has lain under a religious rug of unbelief. Jesus has given us power to be sons of God, but it is a power of togetherness in Christ. Too many are caught up in religious theories and denominational rigmarole that God never established or said to do. God did not create the earth in vain, nor did he die on the cross in vain.

For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else. (Isaiah 45:18)

And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; (Acts 17:26)

Jesus said, I will build my church. It is his, not the fabrication of man and his ideals.

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.  (Matthew 16:18)

God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; (Acts 17:24-25)

Jesus will return in like manner as he physically left. It will be as He said, not as the science fiction tales of TBN preachers and the like.

Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. (Acts 1:11)

Jesus went from the carnal realm of being physically seen with the eyes to the spiritual realm of being seen by spiritual eyes. God  is a spirit, but is he really invisible?

Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? (2 Corinthians 13:5)

Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. (1 John 4:2-4)

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. (Matthew 5:8)

Jesus Christ "is come" in the flesh. He's there in you ready to do the will of the Father. The spirit is willing, but we must submit our flesh to the higher purposes of God. Jesus has done what he came to do. By way of the cross, He has restored the avenue for man to be together with him as one body of Christ.

The following words of Jesus go right along with the passage above in 1 John about confessing that Jesus is come in the spirit.

He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. (Matthew 12:30-32)

None of us are an afterthought in the mind of God, and together we are to be His extension in the earth. We are His hands.

And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. (Luke 23:46)

So how and when does Jesus return in like manner? Well, he has given us gifts of the body of Christ to come into the unity of His faith. He is returning for a wife that has his nature. He is not returning for some multi-headed denominational beast. God is a spirit and we must worship him in spirit and in truth. That means we will have to let go of some religious doctrine that God never said. We are in a time when the profits of Baal are being exposed. Every ones work is being tried in fire. As I began to mention, God has given us gifts if we will discern them. And where are they, they are in the body of Christ, in people.

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:  (Ephesians 4:11-13)

This ties right back into the word that John wrote in 1 John about confessing that Jesus is come in the flesh. We have this gift, Jesus, in earthen vessels. If you just want to focus on the imperfections of the vessels God places in your life, He will pass you by. There is much to Paul's mention of discerning the Lord's body properly and drinking damnation upon yourself.

For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.  For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. (1 Corinthians 11:29-30)

Paul is speaking far more than about some ritual you do in church called "communion." That act is symbolic for our communion with Jesus and His body. You see, when I do not recognize the Christ in others, even if they are not yet walking in His light, I am expressing condemnation on the body of Christ. That is not of God. We who walk in the light of Jesus are to bring light to the darkness, not heap more darkness upon darkness.

Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:20-21)

These writings of Paul are interesting in light of his life before coming to Jesus and His conversion experience.

I [Paul] am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day. And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. (Acts 22:3-4)

And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. (Acts 9:4-5)

Men and women lost their lives at the hand of Paul for the very mention of the name Jesus. He was seeking to kill the body, and Jesus asks him "why persecutest thou me." We must discern the Lord's body properly. It is His desire that we be one together, and one in Him.

I and my Father are one. (John 10:30)

If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. (John 14:7)

Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? (John 14:9)

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. (John 15:4)

And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. (John 17:11)

That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. (John 17:21)

And so now, Jesus is assembling His body, His church in this third day/third millennium since he physically was born of Mary.

And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected. (Luke 13:32)

And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. (Luke 9:58)

We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands. (Mark 14:58)

In this third day, he will have a place to lay His head. The mind of Christ will be on a body that is knitted together in Him.

 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: (Philippians 2:5)

Getting back to my original premise, the whole creation hinges on the body of Christ coming into His fullness. It is happening and will happen in a people that seek Jesus whole heartedly in the spirit and not through the doctrines and theories and imaginations of man. We have been given the gifts of Ephesians 4 of the apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher. Each is essential. These are not titles, and you are to beware of title seekers. Those operating in the true function of Jesus Christ are seeking to lift the whole body in the upward realm of Jesus. We are to have his mind on things. He did not leave us comfortless or clueless, but God is a spirit and those that worship him must worship in spirit and in truth. Those gifts are to bring us to the fullness of His stature.

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. (Ephesians 4:14-16)

Once again, the whole creation is groaning for the manifestation of the sons of God. For too long what we call church has been nothing but a reactor to the problems of the world. Well, in this world you will have tribulation. The church is to be the expression of the power of God in the earth. The church is to be the engine of change in the earth. The church is to affect this earth and steward it. These are hard things to believe from the standpoint of man, but that is why we must have faith in the impossible things of God. Just as the believers some 2000 years ago had to believe that the Lord had come in the flesh, so too do we have to know and believe that He is coming in His body. When the body of Christ truly falls away from its man-made concepts of things and catches the true spirit of His word, the whole earth will see supernatural change.

Once again from Romans, this time from the King James version:

For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.  (Romans 8:19-22)

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. (John 14:12)

The whole creation is groaning!