We have seen how it is in these high places with God that profound and life changing events happen. The Holy Spirit is calling us to a journey of change, to escape the captivity of sin and death. Jesus taught them the series of thingsthey were to look for, and then they would know of His sign in the heavens.

Matthew 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

2 Peter 1:16 when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

Notice he puts two words together concerning Christ's coming: POWER & COMING. The word coming translated from the Greek is "Parousia." Although translated "coming" over forty times in the New Testament, it does not denote the act of one arriving, but rather the realization of one already present. Parousia is a compound word formed from the preposition " para" which means "alongside" and "ousia" which means presence. A deeper root yields the Greek word eimi, meaning I am. When the entire meaning is brought together it could be voiced as this shall be the sign by which you will know ”I AM PRESENT.” What will be the sign that He is present? Are you hearing me? The fullness of Christ will be revealed through His people. Do you understand that? There shall be a trans figuration.

Jesus spent His entire ministry pointing to the new dimension that was being established. With His birth into the world, the Word became flesh. Christ had Come. Hallelujah! But from the moment he went up to Jerusalem and threw out the moneychangers until the time they brought Him to His Crucifixion, Jesus was preparing His disciples to understand and to see and to follow the Coming of the Holy Spirit. When Nicodemus came to Him at night Jesus said, "You must be born from above. What is flesh is flesh and what is spirit is spirit." He told the Samaritan woman that God is Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth. For such are the worshipers the Father desires. After he fed over five thousand with bread blessed from heaven he said my Word is Spirit and Life. On the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles Jesus stood up and cried with a loud voice that if any man believe in me out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. This was spoken of the Holy Spirit, which was not yet given because Jesus had not yet been glorified. As the day of His passion arrived He began to instruct the disciples the coming of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit would come to comfort them and to lead us into all truth.

John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Jesus told His disciples that when the Spirit of truth is come whom the world cannot receive because they cannot SEE Him. He was questioned as to how they would be able to know Him in that day.

John 14:22Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

The revelation of Jesus Christ was not a promised VISIBLE RETURN:

Of "one man" coming out of Heaven to reign as King. That is fool's gold! It was the Promised Spirit of Life and His Life in the person of the Holy Ghost. Dwelling in us by faith. After His resurrection from the dead Jesus showed infallible proof of His presence with them and continued to teach them the things concerning the Kingdom of God.

Acts 1:3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God

He was asked if God would be restoring the Kingdom to Israel at this time. His response would be understood later. He said "Ye shall receive power after the Holy Ghost is come upon you"

Acts 1:6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

He was saying that the Kingdom of God is coming in another form, a spiritual one, which will be invisible to the natural world but known to the one who receives it. He sets up His rule and authority in our hearts and reigns in righteousness and grace through our lives and testimony of His presence. Today's contemporary prophet declares that the Kingdom of God is still coming. Yet St. Paul declared in: Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. I can hear someone saying that what about this verse? What was the expectation of the disciples? As already stated Jesus was leading them, teaching them showing them His inner glory and preparing them to receive Him on a completely different level.

Acts 1:11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

This same Jesus did so return in like manner as he went. He was taken out of their sight into the Spiritual realm of Heaven (The real High, Mountain places of the Spirit) He returned on the Day of Pentecost in Spiritual glory having commanded them to wait upon the promise of the Father. As Peter declared Him by a whole new knowing of Him He said know for a certainty that THIS SAME JESUS, GOD HAS MADE BOTH LORD AND CHRIST.

Acts 2:38 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

St. Paul declared though we have known Christ after the flesh (human nature) henceforth know we Him thus no more. The profound words take on even greater application when we see into the next word of the Lord. The profound words take on even greater application when we see into the next word of the Lord. The reason why it is not necessary for Jesus to take upon Himself a limited human form again to appear is because…

2Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

This is what St. John was inspired to write, " Now we are the sons of God. There is purpose in this. There is meaning for us. There is discovery. There is learning and growth. NOW we are the sons of God, If any man be in Christ. Yes it is true that not all that we are to become is seen in the world. But as we SEE HIM AS HE IS: that is what this ascent to the Mountain of Transfiguration is about. Metamorphosis: to see Him as He is NOW. The anointing Christ Himself dwelling in you and as you. Because when you see Him, not with the natural eyes of your head but rather the eyes of your understanding, then you will become LIKE HIM.

1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure; for as many as received Him gave He them the power to become the sons of God.

Galatians 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

One of the more profound statements of Jesus was given when he was demanded of the Pharisees to tell them when the Kingdom of God would come. To this Jesus answered, that the Kingdom comes not with observation. To this day the people of God are told to expect an outward physical appearance of Christ's Kingdom and yet here is the clear and perfect answer given by our Lord concerning this "The Kingdom of God is within you." The Kingdom of God is therefore the dominion of God's King within you. Jesus prayed and taught us to pray that the Kingdom of God would be done on earth as it is in heaven. St. Paul declared we have this treasure in earthen vessels. Therefore we begin to understand that the Kingdom of God is His divine nature being revealed in us through our daily lives, character and conversation.

For more information on this subject simply E-mail Peter Demetris at: pastorpeterd@comcast.net