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In this current collection of posts (#thecorporatechrist), we are focusing on the corporate Christ in relation to the anointing of the Holy Spirit and the four-fold manifestation (“faces”) of the anointing: priestly, prophetic, kingly, and sonship.   The corporate Christ, though a single entity in God’s sight, is made up of a multitude of individuals.  If there is ever to be a collective expression of these “four faces” of the anointing, then, there must first be a multitude of individual expressions of them throughout His many-membered body.  So it really comes down to you and I…the man/the woman in the mirror.

Reflecting God’s Image

As the children of God, you and I have been created in His Divine image and likeness.  Because He is trinitarian in nature, He has created us with three distinct yet unified parts.  Every individual is comprised of spirit, soul, and body (see 1 Thessalonians 5:23.)  Our spirit is that part of us that is of a nature most similar to God’s, for “God is spirit.” (John 4:24)  Our spirit gives us consciousness of the spiritual realm.  Our soul is primarily comprised of our mind, will, and emotions and gives us consciousness and comprehension of the psychological/volitional/emotional aspects of ourself and of our world.  Our body is the physical part of our being, which houses and interfaces with the other two.  It connects us by nature and through the physical senses with the natural world.  These three aspects are inherent to who we are as those made in the image and likeness of God.

As we look into the lens of the “four faces” concerning the corporate Christ, we see that this lens also becomes a mirror reflecting back our own personal image with a unified, yet multifaceted, picture of who we are in our tripartite nature and four-fold spiritual calling.   Let’s consider the specific aspects of the unique reflection that this lens/mirror yields…

The Body – The Face of the Ox

Spiritually speaking, the ox represents strength, service, and sacrifice.  Our physical body is created with strength for labor and is what we employ to carry out the work and service of the Lord in this natural world.  It is also the part of us that God specifically calls us to offer up to Him as a “living sacrifice” (Romans 12:2.)

The ox also biblically represents priestly ministry.  Inherent in this ministry is the necessity of the priest to possess human bodily presence on the earth over which he/she has been given delegated authority as a child of God. (Genesis 1:26, Psalm 115:16)  Priestly ministry is the “boots on the ground” (or shall we say, “hooves on the ground”) aspect of God’s image-bearers, and therefore, is rightly represented by the face of the ox, especially in relation to the physical body.

The Soul – The Face of the Eagle

The eagle represents heavenly perspective, freedom of movement, and swiftness of judgment.  Our soul, comprised of mind, will, and emotion, when renewed by the Holy Spirit, begins to reflect these same characteristics.  When under the control of the anointing, our mind begins to perceive reality from God’s heavenly perspective, lifted above all earthly mindsets.  Similarly, our will is free to respond and move according to the “wind” of the Holy Spirit unencumbered by the constraints of the flesh and of the world.  Lastly, our emotions are quickened to swiftly align with God’s feelings, passions, and judgments concerning all things.

The eagle further represents the prophetic dimension of the anointing.  Simply put, the prophetic dimension involves the perception of, alignment with, and expression of the mind, will, and emotions of God.  Thus God’s desire for the earthly soul of man is that it would mount up to fully, and prophetically, express the heavenly soul of God.  In these fundamental ways, we can see how the eagle is a fitting “face” to represent the soul of man.

The Spirit – The Face of the Lion

The lion represents power and royalty.  The part of our being that God has ordained to rule over the rest of our nature, soul and body, is our spirit.  It is our spirit that has become one with the Spirit of the Lord in resurrection power (see 1 Cor. 6:17) and it is our spirit that is united with Christ in His ascension authority and kingship at the Father’s right hand (see Ephesians 2:6.)

The lion further represents the kingly calling/manifestation of the anointing.  It is through our spirit that our whole being comes into subjection to and alignment with God’s will, authority, and power.  It is through the indwelling of the King of kings within our spirit that the kingdom of God becomes established within us and ultimately finds expression out through us. Hence, our spirit is the lion/kingly part of our being according to the Divine order.

“Sonship” – The Face of the Man

Mankind, being created spirit, soul, and body in the image and likeness of God, is the consummate representation of the triune Being.  “The face of the man”, representing “sonship”, therefore, is the consummate “face”, embodying and expressing the other three callings/manifestations in one integrated and Divinely ordered whole:

spirit (lion/kingly)
↓
soul (eagle/prophetic)
↓
body (ox/priestly)

As we individually bring each part of our being into alignment with God’s divine order and ordained function through the power of the Holy Spirit, these “four faces” begin to grow and develop in balanced unity and harmony unto full maturity.  This is the process of spiritual growth unto full “sonship.”

We will explore this progressive development within our individual lives in the next post.

Related:
Audio Reboot (#thecorporatechrist)