Learning to Abide in The Cloud, by Apostle Gene Mansfield!

Gene Mansfield

Learning To Abide In The Cloud
As we enter this season of Kingdom advancement and reformation it is imperative that we learn to keep it simple and not only “follow the cloud” but abide in the cloud and operate out of that place. We often see and use language like 3rd Day, 7th Day, 3rd Dimension, 7th Dimension that is intended to convey the concept of a Kingdom that is FULLY PRESENT but not yet visible. For those of who easily “think outside the box” and/or enjoy Si-Fi, alternate universe theories and the like this kind of language makes sense and is helpful. However, we must be careful not to get in the rut of “Kigdomese” simply replacing “Christianese” with catchy new phraseology that has no power.
I am not against any phraseology and language that helps convey the Kingdom of GOD in a more understandable way and activate people to OPERATE in the Kingdom. The thing that concerns me is that I see over and over again the trend to “return to Egypt” or revert back to patterns that have held us captive to traditions of men and academics devoid of POWER, even while using all the new language of Kingdom and Transformation.
Now I am NOT against academics and education at all. In fact, I believe it is vital that we develop a culture of academics in the context of Kingdom, Apostolic Reform, Awakening and etc… What I am against is trying to make the Kingdom come forth through mental assent and academics vs. BECOMING Jesus in the Earth, BECOMING the Kingdom and allowing the academics and understanding flow out of a place of POWER (The Cloud of HIS Glory the 3rd Dimension or Throne Room of Heaven).
We must not only learn how to “follow the cloud” and lead others to do the same, but we must have intimate fellowship with The Father living in and operating out of the “tent of meeting” (The Secret Place).. We must not only go into that place to get revelation to lead for the moment, like Moses, but learn to stay until HE is finished with us like Joshua.
Exodus 33:7-11 (NASB) 7 Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, a good distance from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the LORD would go out to the tent of meeting which was outside the camp. 8 And it came about, whenever Moses went out to the tent, that all the people would arise and stand, each at the entrance of his tent, and gaze after Moses until he entered the tent. 9 Whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent; and [e]the LORD would speak with Moses. 10 When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would arise and worship, each at the entrance of his tent. 11 Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. When [f]Moses returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.
It is in that place we are transformed to the place it becomes impossible for us to revert back to old patterns that rob us of the Promised Land of our Kingdom Inheritance. Moses only went in and got instruction for the moment and reverted to striking the rock and disobeying the Lord costing him the Promised Land. Joshua however was prepared in the Glory presence of God to cross over and take the land!
Beyond that we must understand that the “tent of meeting” is now ever present within us. We must develop the ability to access and flow out of that, it is “the Kingdom within”, the SAME spirit that raised Christ from the dead, the Cloud of HIS Glory. We must abide in the cloud moving in sync with the cloud, releasing that flow corporately forming a “Cloud” that impacts the world with HIS Glory! If we will lose ourselves IN HIM we will find that everything will flow naturally and the Kingdom will come forth in POWER and we will become ONE as HE is ONE. That is the fullness of the promise! When we step into that place truly resting in the finished work everything will flow out of that place and we will see reformation and transformation beyond our wildest imaginations.