It is an hour of great tribulation for the unsaved and saved alike. But every individual who will allow God to work His work in him will be able to cover spiritual ground rapidly. The spiritual insight that in time past was gained by a few saints over a period of many years will be thrust on the believers of today. In a short time, the members of the Body of Christ will grow into the maturity and unity set forth as the standard of the Scriptures.

Zion, in the Scriptures, speaks of the strength of Jerusalem to conquer its enemies. Zion was a fortress. The "children of Zion" are the victorious saints. A nation of such conquering Christians will be brought forth as soon as Zion travails in birth in the last days.

Christ is being formed in the saints. Christ is the Mount Zion to whom we have come.

One moment there will be helpless, divided churches, pitifully dependent on the support of the world, competing against themselves as the pastors scramble for large numbers in attendance at "services."

The next moment there will be the Body of Christ, the Wife of the Lamb. The Divinely endowed giant will stand astride the earth—wise, powerful, filled with the fullness of the Spirit of God Almighty, holy, separate from sin and sinners, in total union with Christ.

The Christian churches have struggled along for nearly two thousand years. But the firstfruits of the Wife of the Lamb will come suddenly to glorious, spotless perfection and fullness of power in the matter of a few years.

What means God will employ to bring about this abrupt and conclusive maturing and unifying remains to be seen. But the Spirit seems to be speaking that now is the time for the Bride to put on her beautiful garments, preparing herself for service and the coming of her Lord from Heaven.

It is time now for each disciple to "swallow the ground with fierceness and rage." Fearful believers hold back in the day of battle and sometimes lose their crown because of such timidity and hesitation.

But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think he shall receive any thing of the Lord. (James 1:6,7)

God takes no pleasure in timidity because this attitude springs from unbelief in His Person and Word. Courage is required on the part of a believer if he is to press forward to the fullness of his inheritance in Christ.

Fear, unbelief, and disobedience go together. Courage, faith, and obedience to God go together.

The conquering saints cannot stand still at the sound of the war trumpet. When the member of Christ's Body hears the war trumpet of the Lord he is ready to do battle. He laughs with Christ, a strong, confident laughter. Trusting in Christ's cross he scoffs at the enemy.

The overcomers understand thoroughly that God has given all authority, all power, to His beloved Son. The conquerors know no power can possibly harm any person who rests his complete trust in the Conqueror, Christ. Each saint goes forth in the Spirit of the Lord to tread on all the powers of darkness.

To be continued.