Oh, that we also might manifest the absolute captivity of our lives to
Jesus Christ, our Lord - that we might glory in all the implications of
Calvary's victory! It was the vision of Calvary, spiritually discerned
through the unveiling by the Spirit, that gave the early Christians
their constant victory over the powers of hell. It's the lack of vision
of the significance of the Cross that causes defeat and failure in the
ranks of God's army today. Only as we live the chained life, fettered
to Christ, shall we be able to say with the apostle, "God leads me from
place to place in the train of His triumph, to celebrate His victory
over the enemies of Christ."
Thanks be to God who leads me on from place to place in the train of
His triumph, to celebrate His victory over the enemies of Christ; and
by me sends forth the knowledge of Him, a stream of fragrant incense
throughout the world (II Cor. 2:14).
God's purpose for revival in the Body God has a master plan for the
establishing and growth of each local assembly. We see something of
this plan and purpose in Paul's letter addressed to the Ephesians but
which was intended for a group of local assemblies of the Lord's
people. The practical portion of this letter has a real message for us
today.
Expression of the Body of Christ As we continue to study and meditate
upon God's location of revival, it's necessary for us to discover how
the mystical, supernatural Body of Christ expresses itself and reveals
Christ on the earth. As we study the epistles of the New Testament, we
see that each individual New Testament church is the local expression
of the one mystical Body. A distinction is made between the Church,
which is the Body of Christ, and the churches of the saints. In the
Ephesian epistle, the church is viewed as one magnificent whole, while
in the other epistles of Paul, the messages are directed to the local
established churches:
