Position  in  the  Divine  Design

Martin Cecil  July 18, 1964

In a recent service I spoke of the importance of position in the Divine Design. There is a recognition in man's world of the importance of position. The position of the President of the United States is considered to be of supreme importance in the world today—regardless of the particular man who may be in the position, regardless of whether the President is considered to be a good one or a bad. Presumably, if he is bad enough, the position could be caused to cease to have any further meaning—or any other position, as far as that is concerned—but with the way things are, this position is looked upon as being one of importance; whoever occupies that position is worthy of receiving respect. We could perhaps mention some other positions that are outstanding in this regard in man's world, but I think this illustrates.

The same principle is true in God's world: position is vitally important. There is a certain flexibility in the filling of position, particularly as it relates to whatever might take form on earth. Obviously this must be so, because human beings come and go. The only means by which Divine Position can be filled on earth is through human beings, so flexibility is essential. Those who begin to give meaning and form to position in the Divine Design on earth do not make the position be, they do not actually make it any more important than it is, but they do begin to allow such positions to become meaningful, operative, effective, on earth. But it is the position itself, in the Divine Design, that is the important thing. The individual who fills it is important to the extent that he fills it, because the position is important. Anyone who does begin to emerge into such a position should receive respect, not just alone for himself but because of the position. It is quite important that we should begin to see this.

If there is anything taking form of the Divine Design in relationship to this Ministry, any who carry special responsibility are emerging into certain positions. There needs to be the recognition of the fact of the positions into which various ones are emerging. Of course it is true that there is position for everyone, everyone carries responsibility, but if there are those particular positions which carry special responsibility, then the individual who is in it is in it because there is some measure of expression through himself to at least begin to fill the position. The position itself should carry with it an awareness of its Divine Nature, and consequently there should be respect with respect to the position, regardless of who it is that may be filling it; however, of course, if someone does begin to fill it, obviously that person must be expressing something which makes the filling of that position possible. Therefore the individual, from the standpoint of his own expression, deserves respect.

From my standpoint, I cannot, at any time, arbitrarily appoint someone to some certain position and say, “Now you fill it.” A person, to fill a position, must emerge into it; it cannot be imposed on anyone. I am talking, of course, about the Divine Design. For the filling of position in the Divine Design there must necessarily be the expression of something through the individual in order to begin to cause that person to move into the position. The position, whatever it is, whether it may be clearly defined or clearly understood from the Divine standpoint, or from the human vision of the Divine Design, nevertheless is worthy of respect if there is a recognition of the value of the Divine Design.

According to the particular time of outworking there will be, presumably, certain individuals available to fill the position. If the outworking comes at some other time, then obviously there must be some other individuals available for the outworking, because human beings don't live forever. So here we come again to this matter of flexibility.

There are positions in the Divine Design which need to be filled. We are not concerned with competing for them, because we certainly couldn't fill them on any such basis; neither do we fill them on the basis of being elected by our fellows because they think some certain person would be good in that position. The positions are filled, to the extent that they are, in manifestation on earth, to the degree that the qualities and characteristics that are required to allow that position to take form appear through some person. And when they do appear through someone, that person is in that position—an entirely natural process. There is nothing really arbitrary about it at all.

There has been a recognition, by most if not all of you, of the true nature of the Seven Spirits before the Throne of God. We have designated those spirits by certain names, the Spirit of Love being supreme. Then there are six more spirits: the Spirit of the Womb, the Spirit of Life, the Spirit of Purification, the Spirit of Blessing, the Spirit of the Single Eye, and the Spirit of the New Earth. We could say that these definitions of spirit are more or less arbitrary, but the words have a particular relatedness to the nature of the spirit.

We recognize that the Spirit of Love, in its pure essence, is of such an intensity that if it were released through us as human beings here on earth, we would instantly be destroyed. We have recognized that this Spirit of Love must properly be transformed, or stepped down, from level to level or from plane to plane, so that it may function creatively at each level. We have an awareness of the fact that we live in a Seven-Plane World. What that means may not be adequately understood, but in any case only the Seventh Plane provides the facilities for the pure expression of Love. Each other plane requires that that Love be transformed, or stepped down, so that it may manifest constructively and creatively at the particular level involved. The means by which this transformation, or stepping-down process, takes place is what we call Truth. Truth allows the pure essences of Love to manifest according to the Divine Design, under control, at the particular level where the manifestation is required. Of course it is required at all levels, at all planes. The Truth is available to permit this stepping-down process with respect to every plane and every level.

If we move out from the pure essences of Love, moving downward, we might say, from that apex, we come to the Spirit of the Womb at the level of the Sixth Plane, the Spirit of Life at the level of the Fifth Plane, the Spirit of Purification at the level of the Fourth Plane, the Spirit of Blessing at the level of the Third Plane, the Spirit of the Single Eye at the level of the Second Plane, and the Spirit of the New Earth at the level of the First, or physical, Plane. If the Spirit of Love is to reach us, who function in the first three planes of Being in this outer world, it necessarily must be transformed and stepped down so that it may appear at each level of these three planes according to the Divine Design and under control. We could say that the Six Spirits below the Seventh, the Spirit of Love, reveal the nature of the Spirit of Truth as it relates to these six planes. That which is coming down from God out of heaven, to manifest on earth, must necessarily pass through the higher levels to reach the lower levels, and there must be the facilities available for this to occur if it is to be experienced according to the Divine Design.

We have noted that in man's world the opposites of these spirits have tended to dominate. Instead of the Spirit of Love there has been a rather intense expression of the spirit of hate. I don't think anyone has paid very much attention to our Master's suggestion that we should love our enemies. It is considered the thing to do, to hate your enemies; if you don't they might get the better of you. Of course this indicates a complete lack of comprehension with respect to the Truth. However the spirit of hate certainly has been very dominant in the lives of virtually everyone. There has been a bit of what has been supposed to be love, too, of course. Then instead of the Spirit of the Womb, which is a very protective spirit, the spirit which would allow something to be conceived and gestate peacefully and naturally, there has been the spirit of barrenness. Have you ever experienced that spirit, the spirit of desolation? This is quite a popular spirit with human beings; they feel so very desolate at times; they identify themselves with this spirit. And then the spirit of death, rather than the Spirit of Life. So much in man's world is based in concepts about death, and because of the high expectation of death, it is a very important factor in man's world—so much revolves around death and the expectation of death. Fear enters in here, doesn't it?

Then, considering the Spirit of Purification, we have the spirit of defilement, and how quick human beings are to defile sacred things. Unfeelingly, thoughtlessly, they trample over the things of God. The tender plants that are beginning to grow in the hearts of their fellows are so quickly defiled by human function. Instead of the Spirit of Blessing, the spirit of cursing. Human beings curse each other—curse the other fellow so that he goes under and you go up. And instead of the Spirit of the Single Eye we have the spirit of double-mindedness. And instead of the Spirit of the New Earth, the spirit of decay.

These opposites are not according to the Divine Design, nor are they under Divine Control. And yet human beings do identify themselves with these spirits, don't they? Probably all of us have identified ourselves with at least some of them, if not all of them, in times past. We take up our position as fallen human beings on the basis of these spirits. With some, the spirit of hate may be particularly dominant; with others, the spirit of cursing—whatever. Human beings gravitate toward the particular areas where these spirits are dominant, and consequently occupy position accordingly; we might say position in the devil's design, if there is any design. By the same token, when we begin to experience these true spirits:

The Spirit of Love.

The Spirit of the Womb, which enfolds sacred things to keep them holy and safe.

The Spirit of Life, of vibrancy; the increased expression of that which is divine on earth.

The Spirit of Purification, which enables those things which are responding to come up

and move over into the Divine Design, into the Divine Pattern.

The Spirit of Purification relates to the Fourth Plane. The Fourth Plane is the connecting link between the First three planes and the Fifth, Sixth and Seventh planes. Everything that ascends must pass through the Fourth Plane. It relates to the Flaming Sword, that which purifies. Coming up out of the world, the outer three planes must pass through the purifying flame to reach into, to come into, the Divine Design, which is established from the standpoint of the higher planes. We are concerned to so function that all that comes to us is purified by reason of its coming to us, and not defiled. So often something comes to a person, he doesn't like it, and he acts in a way toward it which defiles, doesn't offer any opportunity for that which comes to be purified, to be lifted up, to become something meaningful, to be changed.

And then the Spirit of Blessing, extending something of a blessing, constantly; we are to be identified with this spirit.

And to maintain centering with the Single Eye; we begin to find attunement with the Spirit of the Single Eye.

And the Spirit of the New Earth is something which is known through actual experience in living, not a constant feeling of going down and down and down, but coming up, moving higher, moving into something fuller and freer, the Spirit of the New Earth.

All these spirits permit us to find attunement with, and experience of, the Spirit of Love in a manner that is creative and constructive. And once we begin to find a balance within ourselves with respect to all these spirits, and we begin to know them from the standpoint of our own experience in function, in living, we will discover that one of them will seem to be more particularly dominant, more particularly natural, to us. To reach this point is to emerge into position in the Divine Design, the experience with respect to one's own dominant spirit in the Divine Design.

Now how could anyone be appointed to position in the Divine Design? From the human standpoint it would be absolutely impossible—because a person must move through this experience to emerge into a growing awareness within himself of the particular aspect of spirit which is dominant, or natural, in his or her own expression. If the Divine Design is to emerge in manifestation on earth it does so because there are those who begin to experience this fulfilment and consequently give form and manifestation to Divine Position on earth. But first comes the balanced attunement with these Seven Spirits before the Throne of God. There must be some awareness with respect to the meaningfulness of them. There must be an awareness of these spirits as they relate specifically to oneself.

What is your function as it relates to the Spirit of the Womb? Do you know? Do you have any idea? Here is the Secret Place—the Spirit of the Secret Place within yourself, the secret place where gestation of things Divine occurs. And just as in a mother-to-be there is the need to exercise care and thoughtfulness with respect to that which is gestating in the womb, so must there be care and thoughtfulness in relationship to the correct attunement with this spirit. What is it that is gestating in you? Perhaps you don't know yet. It is still in the womb. It hasn't come to birth. Something has come to birth already, but there is far more, isn't there?

Do you have Mother Love toward that which is unfolding in you?—the Spirit of the Womb, the Spirit of Life. Is your attunement with the Spirit of Life, or is it rather with the things which relate to dying? Which? Are you concerned with the increase of life as it is manifesting in you and around you, or are you fussing about the things which you think are reducing life in you and around you? With which spirit are you attuned? To which spirit do you give consideration? Which spirit do you welcome?

And the Spirit of Purification. What of all the things with which you are dealing day by day? Do you feel a sense of responsibility for these things, that because they come to your hands they have the opportunity of being purified, they are being uplifted, they are being drawn closer to God?

And the Spirit of Blessing—all these things again which come to your hands. Do you consider how you may bless, rather than find yourself in a battle, a state of conflict with things round about, fighting with them because you are afraid of them, instead of blessing? Love your enemies.

The Spirit of the Single Eye. Is your eye single? How easily can you be distracted? How easily can you become involved in the patterns of double-mindedness? Well, you don't quite know! The Single Eye—Single Spirit—Single Spirit—the Single Mind. Singleness of attitude, singleness of purpose. The Single Eye.

And the Spirit of the New Earth, which relates to the sense of lightness. The Spirit of the New Earth is experienced naturally when a person is true to all the spirits that went before. Then something begins to occur in his own physical body, and that is sensed; it begins to be known and experienced—an uplifting, healing experience—the Spirit of the New Earth.

Finding attunement with these spirits, so that one naturally is aware of their importance and of the fact that they are working within the range of one's own experience, there begins to emerge a dominant sense of something which relates to one's own True Being, one's own True Identity; something with respect to these spirits is brought to focus. It is true of everyone, and it is distinct for everyone. It may be an aspect of the Spirit of the Womb or any of the other spirits, but it is distinct for each one. And as that begins to appear, and be sensed, the individual is beginning to move into position in the Divine Design. Because someone is moving into position the Divine Design begins to take form on earth.

Now many people must move into position in this sense for it to take form, but of course all these aspects of spirit are drawn to point somewhere—they come to focus somewhere in some person. It may be a person, it may be a couple, and there will be others involved as the pattern builds. But here is the framework, here is the foundation, of position, and you may recognize easily enough that it is based in spirit, not in some outer manifestation, some outer form. It is based in spirit, in these spirits, and the individual relatedness to them. “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord.” That which is to be achieved must appear, must emerge, on the basis of spirit. If a person is so centered in the external form, so involved with manifest things round about, that he has no facility left to experience spirit, he is in a bad way, because the creative power, God's Love, works through the Divine Design, through the Truth, under control, on the basis of spirit.

We begin to see the Divine Design is spirit. It is to take form, yes, on earth, but the Divine Design itself is spirit insofar as we are concerned. It isn't form, it is spirit. We permit it to take form to the extent that we have experienced spirit; then it can emerge. But without the experience of spirit it cannot emerge. And the experience of spirit relates to something that is very comprehensible, actually. When you examine it in relationship to your own experience, to your own living, you can see that these aspects of spirit which we have defined this way, with these specific words, have a relatedness to your living, to all your expression in life. They properly establish the nature of that which finds expression through you with respect to all these levels of being.

Here is something which allows for the emergence of your own True Identity in experience, and it can come in no other way, because it comes down from God out of heaven; it doesn't come out of the earth. And so here is a new look at the Divine Design, a new look at certain broad but specific aspects of spirit which establish position in the Divine Design. And until a person begins to experience something in this regard, position in the Divine Design is no more than a dream or a fantasy. But we can't experience anything in this regard without paying attention to it, without recognizing its importance, and without recognizing its relatedness to oneself. So here is a field of Meditation, with the door open wide for all who would go in thereat, that the attunement with the spirit of God may be more adequate than it has been. It isn't a vague thing, it isn't something that just happens, as we have so often emphasized. We have to do something. We have to do a little thinking, for one thing. Is this such a terrible chore? It seems to be, for some. Perhaps we could get used to it.

It requires a little thinking, a little consideration, an examination of one's own experience in living, a consideration of how one handles things, on what basis, and how do these spirits relate to it? We begin to become familiar with the idea, and do even, perhaps, put ourselves out a little to do something about it. We find that it becomes natural. We don't have to think about it so specifically—it becomes automatic. But if you never think about it to start with, it never becomes automatic, does it? So we have to do something. But the door is open for that doing, and we may share an increased attunement with the spirit of God, with God Himself, through the Seven Spirits before His throne.

© Emissaries of Divine Light