Master builders and pioneers in the Kingdom of God
The time of screening
Over the last few days, I have realized that our time as pioneers and carriers of blueprints has come. Something has been formed in us our whole lives, which is currently being polished. It is now time for it to be passed on through us. We have also realized that our seat of governance is on the other side of the wilderness. What do I mean by that?
"And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon! Satan has asked for you so that he may sift you like wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and when you have returned to me, strengthen your brothers." Luke 22:31-32
Peter was facing a test that would not only put his faith to the test, but also reveal it. The enemy had a goal: the test was to eliminate him and cause his faith to fail. The purpose of this sifting was to reveal what true love for God was and what love for himself was. He thought that Peter would give up and abandon his calling, which was to lead, guide and direct the birth of the new era of the early church.
The time of sifting is our wilderness. It is the place where our hearts are revealed. It is the place where many battles are fought in our lives and where the enemy relentlessly tries to get us to give up. What we do as pioneers is tested in the wilderness. The designs for reign that the Lord has implanted in our spiritual DNA are being separated from selfish ambition and self-preservation of the flesh.
What we do as pioneers is tested in the desert.
From declaration to rule - building according to God's blueprint
In this time, we are a voice in the wilderness proclaiming the plans we carry within us... but only in the form of a declaration; it is not yet a "ruling". This time of "proclamation in the wilderness" prepares the way for the time when the test of faithfulness is completed and thus the blueprint is established.
"And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace [who bestows all blessings and favors], who has called you to his [own] eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will himself perfect you and make you what you ought to be, and will establish you and establish you and strengthen you and settle you." 1 Peter 5:10
From this point, we are then called, like Peter, to strengthen others. We move from an "explaining/proclaiming" space to an "edifying" space. This is leadership, dominion. When we build according to the blueprint, we are truly ruling, which means that because we have pioneered in the wilderness and the blueprint has been tested and tried, we are able to build and pass it on to others. Many think that just because you proclaim it, you rule, but that is not always the case.
John the Baptist declared and proclaimed the baptism of fire, but he did not reign in that room. He only prepared the people for the design of what he saw.
Jesus prepared vessels who would reign in this prophetic foresight that John the Baptist triggered. These disciples would become apostles and carry this plan into the next generation, who would carry it on for generations. We are now the fruit of that legacy of initial building and reigning.
However, Peter was not prepared to lead the "day of the Acts" before Jesus' death, even if he thought he was. There were many areas where he denied himself and trusted in his own strength, which would have caused him to fall and cut short the building phase. However, the Lord's work became so complete in Peter's life that when it was time to enter the rebuilding phase, the very weaknesses in his life became his strengths. He no longer feared people. Finally, he was martyred for the Lord, but not before he had changed the earth for the kingdom of God in the generation to which he was called.
When we entered our build phase, the plan felt like "old hat" to us because we had been cultivating it in the wilderness and in secret for years. But for those who were to build it with us and pass it on, it was news. Some of us had never heard of these blueprints. It's amazing for me to see that the Lord has not only prepared us for this time, but has also prepared the hearts throughout the ark+ team by also preparing them for the "legacy of the Kingdom" (blueprints) that I received through the trial by fire.
The designs for reign that the Lord has implanted in our spiritual DNA are separated from selfish ambition and the self-preservation of the flesh.
All preparations are made in the desert
Like Peter, we thought that because we had these blueprints of the Lord in our hearts, we would be ready to build immediately. But the opposite was the case. All preparations are made in the desert. We have come to know and appreciate the desert.
We as arche+ hub have not been discouraged in the desert and will continue not to be discouraged, but see this time for what it is. Yes, we too sometimes thought in the desert that it would never end. But God's grace carried us through!
HIS plan is to build HIS kingdom. We have committed our lives to this plan!
Building with gemstones, gold and silver
We know that when we have passed through the fire, we will not build with wood, hay and straw. We will not build according to our own plans to serve our own plans. No, we will build with precious stones, gold and silver. When we build in this way, what we build is eternal. It has a divine legacy and will last for generations to come.
We understood that our loyalty to the plan was being put to the test. We were prepared. We were sometimes frustrated by the "proclamation in the wilderness" phase, because often no one listened to us and our message fell on deaf ears during this time.
We know that when the time comes to build up, we will be listened to. Because the arche+ hub is not about a flash in the pan so that we can feel important for a while and fill our ego. No, we would not survive with this mindset. That's why the ego was and is sizzled out of us in the desert. Holding on to the blueprint has the purpose of killing all flesh. The Lord will not allow us to use HIS plan to exalt ourselves.
We have been allowed to learn to yield to the whole process and we will have a work that is eternal and a legacy that will last beyond our time here on earth.
