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Articles
Dr. Kluane Spake founded and Pastored Jubilee Church, a multi-cultural
and multi-ethnic church on the island of Guam, for 14 years. She also supervised
a network of churches in the Philippines. Now, she travels as a well-known
conference speaker, and holds foreign crusades and pastor’s conventions around
the world. She has also written, “From Enmity to Equality,” “Whole & Holy,” “The
Happiness of Finding Wisdom,” “Understanding Headship,” plus several
publications, brochures, and articles that inspire as well as educate the
believer.
Pastor Spake has a strong educational background with a Masters degree from
Trinity Theological Seminary and a Doctorate in Theology from Vision University.
She is listed as primary faculty for Vision Christian College and Vision
International University. As founder of SWORD Inc., she has ministered around the
world to thousands in Asia, India, Philippines, the United States, and many
other nations with signs and wonders following.
SWORD Inc.
P.O. Box 941933 Atlanta, GA 31141
Spake@mindspring.com or
www.spake.org/spake
THE PERCEPTION OF EQUALITY
by Kluane Spake
We must open our spiritual eyes to see what really exists, not what our senses
and feelings tell us. No longer should we strive toward equality -- it's not an
issue -- it just IS.
It was only after David perceived himself to be king (which he had legally
been since a teenager), that 1 Chronicles says he obtained victory at Baal
Perizim (14:11). One day it dawned on David that he already held the position
and authority of that royal office. When he finally "perceived" it, then God was
able to break through like water from a pent-up dam. Like David, all of us must
perceive the fullness of our salvation, redemption, and inheritance through
Christ.
The Holy Spirit invites us to sit down on the throne of abundant authority, and
rule in victory. It’s up to us! Will we? There’s nothing more anyone can
do to merit His grace. Don’t try to do anything else, just choose to
reign. Choose to be equal – no need to strive. Become part of the
new breed, hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:1-11). The old man is already
dead (Rom. 6:6) -- and you can prevail today.
It’s "metanoia" – the perception beyond our understanding of just who we
are “In Him” -- that frees us to love the world. We see that the cross
FULLY brings each of us into positional equality. Suddenly, from the
inside out (like a volcano), comes the realization that our son-ship made us the
victor. It's already done! But, our freedom doesn’t come all at once, it
breaks through as we accurately perceive and overcome the divisive OLD NATURE
(feelings of hatred, prejudice, and offense) that has bedeviled and haunted our
minds. Now at last, we can focus on this freedom, we hear a rustling in
the Mulberry trees -- the turtledoves sing of reconciliation. It’s this
process of perceiving our position of being equally together IN CHRIST that
discloses the reality of full redemption for all believers. Only then will
our triumphant lives bear witness to a lost humanity.
Reader, the call of God comes today saying: “You’ve been misunderstood in days
gone by, by many who have looked on the external and not discerned your heart.
But I am the discerner of the heart says the Lord. ...So it doesn't matter
what men might say, or murmur and complain about. You just be faithful
over the things I have called you to do, and your life will come about.
The authority for ministry comes from the awareness of the emerging Christ
person within. And be not afraid of those that speak out against you or of
those who overlook you, but be afraid of missing the full plan and purpose of
God.”
A revelation of total redemption removes our archaic understanding of role
identities.
What do minorities want? Women, the aged, the young, the poor, the rich,
the different ethnic groups… What do they want? Not to be ignored.
They want acceptance, opportunity, and respect for their personhood. They
want a chance to use their fullest competency to serve God, and to have
fellowship with others who are involved in mutual callings. They want to
be fully human and have a right to be satisfied.
As hurting souls, we groan with “eager anticipation” (prolepsis) of the future
fulfillment of our desires (Rom. 8:23). Proleptic anticipation means, at
least in part, to realize that the promised event has ALREADY ARRIVED.
Prolepsis could be further defined as a chronological altering, a dating of an
event before it happens. That’s why we can say that the breakthrough has
come, prejudice is already defeated. It is why we confidently “show forth
the Lord's death until He comes” (1 Cor. 11:26). His death already
triumphed over prejudice and inequity. It is finished.
Paul said that everything participates in groaning. Romans 1:22-23
explains how we groan inwardly because we anticipate coming into the fullness of
our inheritance. How can we tear town this wall of partition, this
arrogant unbending separation? We can’t, but God already did.
Birthed out of your pain, comes this refreshing seedling of hope. Hope
says it’s time for those yearning ones (of all races, social levels, and gender)
to come forth clothed with an armor of light and panting after Jesus, the Lover
of their souls. With unutterable gushings of the heart (stenagmos
Rom. 8:23), we plead for the "perception" and the actualization of our release
from carnality to spirituality—to the resurrection promise of eternal-life.
NOW.
"He does not ignore the cry of the afflicted." (Ps. 9:12)
Yes, all creation groans and labors with birth pangs (odin), waiting for
their promised deliverance – to be fully formed IN CHRIST. The Phillips’
translation of Romans 8 elucidates this expectation, “The whole creation stands
on tiptoe to see this wonderful sight of the sons of God coming into their own.”
That's you-- are you ready?
Finally, the transition stage is upon us. If there’s any resistance to the
delivery, then we just need to change our position a little bit! Move. The
birth of emancipation is here. Likewise, (Romans 8:26) the Spirit also
helps in our weaknesses (inability to produce or give birth). Christ is
formed in us, because we yield to the Spirit Himself, Who makes intercession for
us. He comes alongside (sunantilambano) to mutually bear the same
load and help us be transformed. We just need to "perceive" that it's
accomplished!
From the dead places of failure and discrimination, the angels become visible
and powerfully roll away the stone. It's the stone of hindrance. The
stone of heaviness and discouragement. The stone of bondage. Now,
with undeserved vindication, we glimpse into the nowness of the eternal
resurrection life of God. The hopeful universe anticipates catching a
glimpse of this unmistakable (manifest) child of God.
Out of our own ashes, we emerge as the mature and competent sons (men and women)
no longer expressing our excessive self-indulgences and destructive desires
(Rom. 8:19). We no longer have an axe to grind. We don't have to
"get even." We "perceive" that we're the new corporate creature called the
“sons of God. We're not separated anymore by differences. We're ” no
longer "teknon" the infant-child, but "huious" which means
(according to the Zopathes Lexicon), “the grown-up offspring that are
descendants, irrespective of gender, race, or class... demonstrating the
character of the parent, full grown, blameless, giving evidence and dignity to
the likeness of God’s character.”
Winter ends. We find our Lover no longer hiding behind the lattice –
because nothing separates us anymore. His superior, unchanging and eternal
priesthood seals up inside us, and we become enveloped together in His LIFE.
We are fused together into Him, flesh of His flesh and bone of His bone (having
united with one another as one with Him, being In Him and He in us, Eph. 5:30).
Jesus is our all in all.
We hear the cry of Paul in Romans 12:6, “Having gifts differing according to the
grace given to us, let us use them.” It is not even a matter of equality – it’s
an issue of image and likeness.
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