Prepared in Advance for Glory

 

“He does this to make the riches of His glory shine even brighter on those whom He shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory.” (Romans 9:23)

This verse is speaking about the analogy of us being a lump of clay being molded for His glory. Not all have been molded for His glory so Paul is talking about the contrast between the two. Specifically, he was speaking about both the Jews and the Gentiles that are awoken to the Lord. We were designed to shine and stand out as carriers of His glory as a contrast against the darkness around us.

Glory here is the word doxa, Strongs# 1391, and it means “an especially divine quality, the unspoken manifestation of God, splendor.”

We have been given this incredible gift in the splendor of God residing within us as glory when we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. It is His divine nature. God, in the form of the Holy Spirit, resides inside of us and manifests through us. We were designed for this!

We are carriers of His glory and shine with His glory. This glory comes from the Lord as a gift and we inherit it by entering into His death and resurrection, receiving Him. It is a glory that brings unity, first with Jesus and then with each other. John 17:22 says, “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one.”

When people are baptized with the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit comes upon them in a more powerful way in reflecting His glory. They are filled to overflowing with Him so that they not only have Him inside, but He rests upon them and spills out into their world from the overflow.

Acts 1-8 says, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Through this baptism of the Holy Spirit, they begin to manifest the glory through their work such as teaching, serving, and giving. They reflect the purposes of the Lord in their service to Him by evangelism, discipleship, teaching and other anointings that manifest His glory. They also begin to manifest spiritual gifts such as tongues, prophesy, healing, deliverance and working of miracles.

1 Corinthians 12:4-7 shares, “There are different kinds of gifts. But it is the same Holy Spirit Who gives them. There are different kinds of work to be done for Him. But the work is for the same Lord. There are different ways of doing His work. But it is the same God who uses all these ways in all people. The Holy Spirit works in each person in one way or another for the good of all.”

Notice that a key is that when we are baptized by the Holy Spirit to manifest more of His glory, it is for the good of all, not just for us. It is used to fulfill the Lord’s purposes for us and to empower us to be witnesses of His glory. Paul says in Ephesians 1:11, “Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for He chose us in advance, and He makes everything work out according to His plan.”

Different manifestations of His glory serve different purposes. It is not that everyone receives the same measure of all gifts with His glory but rather, the glory is poured out in a way that manifests the goodness of God for both the situations that a person faces as well as their divine calling and purpose of their life.

1 Corinthians 12: 8-11 goes on to say, “One person is given the gift of teaching words of wisdom. Another person is given the gift of teaching what he has learned and knows. These gifts are by the same Holy Spirit. One person receives the gift of faith. Another person receives the gifts of healing. These gifts are given by the same Holy Spirit. One person is given the gift of doing powerful works. Another person is given the gift of speaking God’s Word. Another person is given the gift of telling the difference between the Holy Spirit and false spirits. Another person is given the gift of speaking in special [heavenly] sounds (tongues). Another person is given the gift of telling what these special sounds mean. But it is the same Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, Who does all these things. He gives to each person as He wants to give.”

The manifestation of the glory of God in our lives grows over time as we live into God’s purposes and allow Him to have full sway in our lives. 2 Corinthians 3:18 says, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”

We also know that glory in our life grows as we suffer and navigate difficulty in a way of endurance, surrender and exalting God. Hebrews 2:10 says, “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings.”

It is through suffering that Jesus came into the fullness of glory. John 12:23-28 says, “Jesus answered them, saying, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. "

Also, making wise choices, we receive glory. Proverbs 3:35 says, “The wise will inherit honor [kabowd, glory], but fools are held up to shame.” Reflecting His wisdom, we also know that glory is bright and radiant. Moses shone with glory after speaking to the Lord. And Daniel mentions that the wise will shine like the brightness of the stars as they are filled with and reflect His glory.

As the wise shine with the brightness of heaven, this implies that glory can be stored up and built up. Jesus tells us to store up treasure (what is most precious) in heaven and not on earth where it will wear out. And, throughout the Bible, the glory is treasured.

I know when my mother passed on to heaven, I had a vision of her and she had this immense glory streaming from her eyes.

Ezekiel speaks of the glory like a river that flows through and brings abundance of life. He measures the temple and the level of glory that fills it. We also see the glory in the Ark of the Covenant residing somewhere resulted in abundance of answered prayers, financial provision, and victory. When the glory, represented by the Ark of the Covenant, left and departed in Ezekiel having being taken in battle, there was devastation throughout the camp. After this, people did what they thought was right in their own eyes.

Glory is also used synonymously with His presence and His overwhelming goodness. Moses asked to see the Lord’s glory and in Exodus 33:19 and the Lord replied, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will call out my name, Yahweh, before you. For I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.”

From all of this, I get that glory is the manifest presence of God and His Kingdom that is accessible to bring forth encounter and Kingdom purposes for the benefit of all who experience it. When God’s glory resides, it opens the access to heavenly realms and brings forth manifestation of goodness.

We know that when we die, that we are taken up in glory. This is the fullness of the unseen Kingdom realm overtaking our lives. And we know that Jesus has so much glory that He lights up the skies like the brightness of the sun and there is no need for any other light source in heaven.

Philippians 3:21 says that our body will be transformed from its humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the power He hold to subject all things to Himself. Therefore, what is won in dishonor through sin and death, is raised into glory, and what is sown in weakness, is raised in power (1 Corinthians 15:43).

His glory not only dwells in us, causing us to shine with His radiance and empowering us, giving us access to the unseen realm, His power, and resources, but it can also dwell in our land. We have seen this with revival where a certain area is filled with glory and everyone who comes into it is overtaken by His presence and goodness. Miracles happen readily, lives are transformed and Kingdom resources flow freely.

Psalm 85:9 says, “Surely His salvation is near to those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him, [and is ready to be appropriated] that [the manifest presence of God, His] glory may tabernacle and abide in our land.”

Lord Jesus, we long for more of Your glory to be manifest in us and dwell in our land. We long to see Your Kingdom come in its fullness and bring salvations, encounters, transformations and empowerment. Anywhere your glory resides, flourishes. Come Lord Jesus and cause our lives to flourish.