There are aspects of God's workings that are somewhat permissive. As Jesus spoke to His brothers, "Your time is always ready" (John 7:6).

Such is not the case with God's chosen. Their times are in God's hands. They have been called out from mankind and then chosen from among the called. They are a Gideon's army of rulers, each being a prince.

All things of the creation are working together for their good. As Christ is, so are they (Judges 8:18). God very carefully is training and preparing them for places of dominion. No aspect of their personality is overlooked. Because they have been given much, much is demanded of them. They must be imprisoned and suffer until their obedience to the Father is beyond any doubt.

After the king-priests have drunk the full cup of suffering they will be granted dominion and will tear down all the forces of Hell that corrupt the earth. They will bring the righteousness, peace, and joy of the Holy Spirit to mankind.

They, after the Lord Jesus who is their elder Brother, are the fullest response to the Divine declaration that assigns to man the rulership over the works of God's hands. They are the conquerors, the sons of God. They shall inherit all things (Revelation 21:7).

The Laodicean era is a state of spiritual blindness and nakedness. It is fitting that it is during this era, the era of greatest rebellion against the Lord, that the most majestic of all the promises of dominion are given.

First, that Christ, the King, will enter and dine with whomever will overcome the self-love of the Laodicean era.

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20)

Second, which is the consequence of the first, he who overcomes will sit with Christ in the highest of all thrones:

To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. (Revelation 3:21)

Here is total dominion over all the works of God's hands. It is given to the saint who lives a God-centered life during the age of self-love.

One moment the saint is in prison. The next moment, as in the case of Joseph, he is lifted to the throne that governs the universe. The overcomer becomes lord of the creation under the Lord Jesus, who Himself is Lord under the Father. This is the Kingdom of God (Genesis 41:40-44).

The Lord Jesus overcame the world and has ascended to the throne of the Father. Now it is our turn to overcome and to attain our predestined place in the throne of Christ.

Tribulations cause us to open the door of our personality to Jesus to an ever-increasing extent. The King then enters into us, dines with us, and establishes His throne, the Throne of God, in us.

We must step down from the throne of our own life and allow the Lord Jesus and the Father to sit on that throne. Then, when every area of our personality has been reconciled to God and is in harmony with the will of God, we shall be allowed to sit once more on the throne of our own personality. But now it is the Father, the Son, and we who are sitting on the throne.

To be continued.