The 12 Steps to Becoming "The Bride of Christ"...

[Shirley Shaw]

1. The Selection of the Bride. We have been Selected to "Be the Bride of Christ by the Father which art in Heaven. It was our Father who ordained and established Marriage as a covenant (Gen 2:21-24) The Church is the Bride of Christ. (Eph 5:31-32) For this Christ left His Father in Heaven to come to Earth so we could be without spot, wrinkle, or blemish as the "Bride of the Only Begotten Son of God." We will have only "One Husband" 2 Cor 11:2
It was God's Design that "The Bride of Christ would be "Eternally" the Bride of Christ." We were choose to become a Jewish Bride according to Jewish custom. It is the Father of the Bridegroom that choose His Son's Bride. Gen 24. The Role of the Holy Spirit is to assist in this task such as (Rebecca's Test) and Eliezer's prayer for helping him to choose Rebecca. As the Bride of Christ we were choosen by God the Father of Jesus the Son to be His Bride (John 16:7-8, John 15:16) From the Foundation of the World we "were choosen" just like Rebecca (1 Peter 1:8)

2. A Bride Price was Established. The Bride Price that was paid for us is priceless, it is the life of Jesus Christ, the Shedding of His Blood (1 Cor 6:20)

3. The Bride and Groom were betrothed to each other. When we accept Jesus as our Lord, we consent to the covenant of Marriage. He does not live with us physically but within us by Blood and By Spirit.

4. A Written Document is Drawn Up. The Contract of our "Betrothal" carries our Jehovah Jireh, our Groom who provides, honors, supports, and maintains us in Truth. He provides our Clothing (Garments of Righteousness), our food (The Word of God and provision for food for our bodies), and every neccessity that we require, and when we hear the Midnight Cry, we will be with our Husband with no end. THIS CONTRACT IS THE UNALIENABLE RIGHT OF THE BRIDE. According to Jewish Law, it must be executed and signed prior to the Wedding Ceremony. The Bible is the Bride of Christ's contract. EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDETH FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD. Every promise is Legally ours. Written in Innocent Blood of the Lamb of God. (2 Cor 1:20)

5. The Bride must give her consent. In personal application we who desire the Lord to come into our hearts and lives accept His invitation to do so by FAITH. As His Bride, "we are saying, I DO."

6. Gifts were given to the bride and a cup called the cup of the covenant was shared between the bride and the groom. There is something that is given from the Groom to the Bride. A Gift of Value. Today that gift is usually a Ring. When the Betrothal Ring is placed upon our Finger, we accept the "Proposal of Christ" and we are then engaged in the life of a Bride. In Hebrew this is called Kiddushin, "which means Sanctification". The symbol of that ring means, Love, Committment, and Loyalty. The Gift from the Father of the Groom is the Holy Spirit, which covers us in righteousness, eternal life, grace, faith, and all Power over all the power of the enemy. We then share a common cup, called the "Cup of the Covenant". This cup was given to Jesus in Gethsemane. Then as those who were present at the cruxification, death, decension, and asscension, which we believe in the Acceptance of His Betrothal, share this cup with Him. (Jer 31:31-33 Luke 20, 22)

7. The Bride had a water immersion, which is a ritual of cleansing. Jewish Women take a Mitvah Bath. Ritual Milk Bath of Cleansing. Today, we as the Bride of Christ take a full immersion in water, which we call "Baptism". This represents the former things that are passing away and all the things that become new. (John 3:1-7) We become immersed in the Name of Jesus. The Holy Spirit is the Immerser of God. (Luke 3:16, Acts 1-5, 11:15-16)

8. The Bridegroom departed, going back to his father's house to prepare the bridal chamber. Jesus says, "In my Fathers house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." (John 14:2). He is preparing our Bridal Chamber at the Right Hand of the Father. According to Jewish custom Jesus had to say this before He accended to the Father, Be He left, "If I go, I will return again unto you, to receive you unto myself.

9. The bride was consecreated and set apart for a period of time while the bridegroom was away building the house. As the Bride of Christ we are Consecreted and set "apart" as we wait and occupy till He comes Again. And I John saw the Holy City, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a "Bride adorned for her husband." (Rev 21:2). Before a Jewish Groom could go and get His Bride, His Father had to be satisfied that ever preparation had been made for His Bride.

10. The bridegroom did not know when His Father would declare the Bridal Chamber fit and send Him to go get His Bride. Jesus must wait for the Father to say, "Go and Get Your Bride." "But of that Day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but MY FATHER ONLY". (Mat 24:36) Only then will the Father give Him permission to come. "When the FINAL BRIDAL CHAMBER was Ready.

11. The bridegroom would return with a shout, "Behold the Bridegroom comes" and the sound of the ram's horn would be blown. It is called the Midnight Cry because it was at the Midnight Hour that the Grooom would usually return "with a shout" (Mat 25:6) and with the blowing of a trumpet (1 Thess 4:16-17, Rev 4:1). The Wedding would take place under the "wedding canopy". The Heavens are a type of "Wedding Canopy". The Marriage Ceremony will have a Sacred Procession. It is for this reason that Jesus is lead to the Canopy first. When He approaches the Canopy, the Cantor (Angels in Heaven) will chant "Blessed is He who Comes". In Hebrew this expression means "Welcome". Jesus said, "He would not return for His Bride until these words were said. Our Groom (Jesus) will be greeted under the Canopy like a King. He will be crowned "King of Kings" under that Canopy, which is Heaven. We will go to the Wedding chamber and our "Marriage will be consumated". We will remain in the Wedding Chamber for (7 days), (7 years of tribulations) and then we will come out from the Wedding Chamber. The number 7 in Hebrew means (Shavuah). (Joel 2:16). We see in this part of the "Jewish Wedding Ceremony" that the Church is the Bride, Jesus is the Groom, and we will be inside the Wedding Chamber during the 7 years of tribulations. We will be on our Honeymoon for 7 years while the earth is experiencing "Tribulations".

12. Finally, there would ge a marriage supper for all the guests invited by the Father of the Bride. When the Bride and Groom would enter the Wedding Chamber, it was the custom for the Friend of the Bridegroom to stand outside the door. In our case that is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is overseeing the guests and waiting to annouce the "Consumation of the Marriage", which is relayed to Him by the Groom (John 3:29). When that Signal comes, a Great Rejoicing breaks forth. The Marriage is consumated on the first night, the bloodstained linen from this night is preserved. It is the proof of the Bride's Virginity. (Duet 22:13-21). On The Wedding Day, The Bridegroom is seen as a King and the Bride as a Queen. During the consummation of the marriage, the Bridegroom (Jesus) will be crowned King over all the earth and the Bride (Believers in Christ) will live with Him and rule with Him forever. Jesus will be returning with His Bride and we will rule and reign with Him physically during the Millennium (Rev 20:4) During that time the Devil will be bound for 1000 years (Millennium).

Shirley Shaw DeliverTheWord