All across the Bible we find stories of transformation which many of the Bible characters undergo in order to arrive in that place of destiny where God fulfills the mighty purposes for which they were created.
We see Jacob go from a deceitful man to the head of a nation but not without a process of transformation. Joseph goes from favorite son to slave, then prison and finally Egypt to rescue a nation. We see Paul going from a murderer of Christians to the amazing apostle who is responsible for the wisdom contained in the majority of the books of the New Testament.
This process of transformation is a secret ritual that is used by God to shape us into new creatures in Christ. We as believers and as part of the Body of Christ will undergo similar metamorphosis as we mature in what the Lord is trying to transforms us into.
The bride has made herself ready! We can shout these words from the roof top as we realize the process has completed for a season to learn that the cycle starts again and will continue until we see our Lord face to face. This process is one of intimacy and sometimes can be very painful but His grip and love never lets go. It can be overwhelming for us sometimes but he is persistent in His love and will pursue us until He has completed His masterpiece.
The ritual is like a dance that can be seen in Song of Songs. The Shulamite woman starts her encounter by feeling inadequate and dark for working hard in the vineyards.
The Lord initiates the dance and stops her daily routine to get her into a ritual of intimacy. As a result of His closeness she gets drunk and intoxicated by His hovering Spirit and this causes her to get revelation of who He is. The secondary effects are enormous. Not only has she become familiar with His love she also discovers who she is in Him.
This is Beyond beautiful, a secret ritual of love and encounters that transform her into the beautiful creature that can’t relate to herself without Him anymore. This is a progressive process of transformation and it does not occur without moments of distance and fear that brings confusion and withdrawal on her part.
The dance will continue until she is fully surrendered to Him. He will never stop pursuing her. At moments, she does not have the complete revelation of His love and like myrrh dripping off her hands the suffering is used to shape her into the beautiful creature she will become. This is the intense process that must take place to develop a new wineskin. Just like a butterfly goes through the painful process of leaving the cocoon with stress and pain so will the Bride of Christ go to the pressure of transformation that is necessary until she becomes a New Creature in Christ; a creature with new DNA and spiritual genetics that reflect the heart of the Father and the mind of Christ.
In my own personal testimony, I experienced one of these rituals and I can say that as painful as it was, it was beyond beautiful. The result of that process was a deeper understanding of who God was for me in that season and equipped me to get a better handle of the ways of God. As part of the outcome of that season, I was given a set of visions that became a series of brides which I like to call “Illustration of the Progressive Destiny of the Bride.” Each painting symbolizes experiences in Christ that take place until we become transformed in His image. This collection speaks of what God does with individuals as well as the corporate body until He transforms us into the beautiful ready bride He wants to display.
“Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the hip. Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy; the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come.” Isaiah 60:4-5
This Bride is like the Beloved Bride of Chapter 7 in Song of Songs. She is tall like a palm tree and she can stand straight in His righteousness. Like an ivory tower, her neck will not bow down to any idol but only to the Lord Himself. Her eyes are opened and focused on the banner of love over her, Jehovah Nissi. The King is held captive by her tresses which are like royal tapestry. Her hair represents her strength and crown of glory.
This Bride speaks as if she is the peg herself. The Lord is enlarging her authority like a tent and uses her to stake the ground to gain new territory that will be opening for her if she is aligned correctly. She is the peg that stakes the ground and where she sets her feet the ground blossoms.
Isaiah 54:2 “Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes.
This bride received the keys in the last season but she struggled finding the actual lock to open her doors. This season, the Lord is opening double gates and leaving them open for her. She did not have to use the keys, the hinges had been removed.
Your gates will always stand open, they will never be shut, day or night, so that people may bring you the wealth of the nations— their kings led in triumphal procession.) Isaiah 60:11
Her gaze is on Him and on heaven. She is heavenly bound and it is as if the gates of heaven have opened for her giving her a supernatural perspective of her current situation. She is not earthly bound and has a strategic view of how heaven is opening doors for her.
This Bride is familiar with the ancient paths of His wisdom. The concealed mysteries have been revealed to her so she can move with authority and reveal His Glory to the world.
I invite you to enter into the beautiful ritual the Lord is creating as circumstances force you to shift. Watch Him transform you into a beautiful tapestry of experiences that bring a higher wisdom to transform the world. May we become beyond beautiful as we experience this romantic dance with our Savior.
