7 Phases for each Area of Salvation | SPIRIT Justification Rom.3:28;4:5;1Jn.3:9; Ti.3:5-7 | SOUL Santification Jn.17:17; Acts 22:18; Phil.2:12-13 Rom.15:16 | BODY Glorification Rom.13:11; 1Jn.3:2; 1 Cor.15 |
A. Deliverance from | Penalty of sin Jn.5:24; Rom.6:23; Rev.20:15; 2 Cor.1:10a; Ecc.3:14; Jn.3:16 | Power of sin Acts 1:8; Gal.5:16; 2 Cor.1:10c; 1 Cor.15:31 | Presence of sin De.32:34; 2 Pe.3:7,10; 2 Cor.1:10c |
B. Three Baptisms Eph.4:5; Heb.6:2 | Baptized into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit 1 Cor.12:13 | Baptized with the Holy Spirit by Jesus Christ Lk.3:16; Jn.7:38; Acts 1:4-5;2:4 | Baptized in water by God's ministers Acts 8:38 |
C. Three Witnesses | BLOOD of Jesus in testimony to God the Father Luke 22:20; Rom. 8:16; Eph. 1:14 | SPIRIT of God in testimony to believer Rom. 8:16; Eph.1:4 | WATER testimony to the world Acts 8:12;Acts 18:8; Rom. 1:16 |
D. Relationship to God | In our spirit we have sure standing as sons John 1:12; Gal.4:6 | In our souls we are in a constant growth state Matt. 13:23; 1 Pe.2:2; Heb.5;11;6:6 | Our bodies are God's temple presented as a living sacrifice Rom.12:1; 1 Cor.3:16; 2 Cor.6;16 |
E. The Five Senses | Faith, Hope, Love, Fear of God (TrueWorship) Intentive Knowledge 1 Cor.13:13; Heb.12:28; Jn.4:24 | Reason, Imagination, Affections, Memory, Conscience Mark 2:8;1 Chron.28:9; Ps.145:7; 1 Pe.3:16; Rom.12:10 | Sight, Hearing, Taste, Touch, Smell Mark 3:10; Matt.6:22; 2 Sam.18:12; Prov.24:13; Song 7:8 |
F. Sphere of Activity | Through our spirit we are God-conscious 1 Cor.2:11-12; Ga.5:16 | Through our soul we are self-conscious Gal.5:17; Ps.13:2 | Through our body we are world-conscious Num.13:27-33; Matt.14:30 |
G. Comparison to the Tabernacle 1 Cor. 10-11 | Symbolized by the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle Heb.9:3-4 (A dwelling just for Christ) | Symbolized by the Holy Place Heb.9:2 (Sanctification daily) | Symbolized by the activity of the Outer Court Ex.27:16-18; Rev.19:8; 2 Cor.5:1; 2 Pe.1:14 (Our daily service to God) |
vendredi 31 décembre 2010
The Salvation Truths:Give the 3-Fold Purpose of God's Grace
The Dominion Truths
Give the Power of His Grace
Gen.1:26; Heb. 11; Luke 10:19
Dominion Over a 7-Fold Kingdom
A. Dominion Over Demoic Kingdom B. Dominion Over Self Kindgom C. Dominion Over Animal Kingdom D. Dominion Over Chemical Kingdom E. Dominion Over Sickness Kingdom F. Dominion Over Space Kingdom G. Dominion Over Angelic Kingdom | Mark 16:17b; Luke 10:17 Mark 16: 17c; Js.3:8 Mark 16:18a; Luke 10:19 Mark 16:18b Mark 16:18c Mark 16:19; Luke 24:51 1 Peter 3:22 |
7 Channels of Dominion
1. Blood -----------------------Rev.12:11
2. Truth -----------------------John 8:32
3. The Holy Spirit ---------------Acts 1:8
4. Love ------------------------Rom.12:20
5. Submitted will ----------------James 4:7
6. Name -----------------------Acts 3:16
7. Praise -----------------------Acts 16:25-26
God's Restored Dominion
In prehistoric past the great Elohim, Creator of the heavens and earth, made a prophetic announcement that came to pass which contains a revelation for us today. God records this strange prophetic statement in Genesis 1:26, "And God said, Let us make man in our image, and after our likeness; and let Them have dominion over the fish of the sea....and over every creeping thing, that creepeth upon the earth." Then He continues in verse 28, "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, 'Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over....every living thing..."
In the fullness of time God's word came to pass, and Adam appeared in the finished paradise in full possession and dominion over all fowls of the air and every beast of the field. They were made to pass before him, and with his God-given divine knowledge and wisdom, he named each one (Gen.2:19-20). All of God's wonderful creation moved at the command of Adam's word of authority, for God had subdued all things unto him, except Adam's own life itself. Here is where mankind lost one of God's greatest inheritances to the human race, for Adam failed to subdue himself, and through the sin of disobedience, he betrayed the human race and lost man's dominion over all of God's creation.
God had demanded complete obedience so that His divine order would not be broken, but satan defeated Adam just as he is still defeating the Laodicean church, through the "willful transgression of, or the lack of conformity unto the will of God," which constitutes sin. satan approaches the present day Laodicean organizations of man as he did Adam with a question, "Hath God said?" (Gen.3:1). The questioning of God's Word or commandment put doubt in one's heart as to interpretation of true meaning of God's Word. This brings forth the evil fruit of mental reasoning, out of which comes man's intellectual interpretations of spiritual truth, which is the primal cause of the divided body of Christ in the earth today.
Today one sees on every hand an incomplete obedience, as is seen in King Saul's life in 1 Sam.15:1-15, when he spared the heathen King Agag and the best of the sheep after the battle. One also sees partial obedience as church systems hold partly to God's Word and partly to the tradition of the elders. God means every word He has spoken, and one cannot appease Him by partial obedience. Anything short of obedience means God's anointing power is lifted, and man is left with the dead letter of the law.
1. Total Obedience - The Bible is filled with truth characters who fully obeyed and live overcoming lives, and on the other hand, with men and women who failed to possess their rightful inheritance because of a lack of total obedience. In Noah, we find a man of God who fully obeyed and suffered in full obedience, building the ark exactly by God's dimensions. In return for full obedience, God gave Noah back that lost gift, dominion over God's creation, and when the ark was ready, Noah exercised his God-given word of authority, spoke the word, and the animals came two by two into the ark. Then with the same word of dominion, Noah spoke peace and caused the animals to be at peace together during their long sojourn during the flood. Moses was another who fully obeyed God's Word. He built the Tabernacle in the wilderness, and God gave him dominion over circumstances, over environments and over his enemies in the wilderness. This return to full obedience restored God's divine order wherein God releases His full grace, and out of the cloud full ten thousand tons of manna every day for food, and out of the rock Moses struck flowed a river. It was full obedience in the face of suffering and death that gave dominion to Daniel in the lion's den, when his word sealed the lion's mouths. The three Hebrew children with this restored dominion walked in the flaming furnace without hurt, and Joshua took authority over the sun and cried, "Sun, stand thou still."
What man lost through the obedience of Adam, he has regained through the obedience of God's son, the Messianic Jesus "Through He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered" (Heb.5:8). We have no record of Him performing any miracles until after His baptism in the Holy Spirit at the River Jordon. Having emptied Himself, not of divinity, but of the power of divinity, Jesus became subject to all temptations, as is any Spirit-filled man, yet he was without sin. He went forth under the mighty anointing of God that rests upon any Spirit-filled life that is lived in full obedience. With restored dominion over the earth, Jesus spoke the word with authority and took dominion over all manner of sickness, afflictions, circumstances and environments. Having over come the world, the flesh and the devil, He had dominion over the very things that have taken dominion over God's people today because of their breaking divine order through disobedience. Jesus fed the five thousand miraculously, walked on the water, spoke and caused the fig tree to wither, and held mastery over all of God's creation. By His death on the Roman cross and by His resurrection, Jesus took dominion over death, and purchased for us the highest calling of God, the same calling the Apostle Paul pressed toward (Phil.3:14). Now as every overcomer in Christ presses his way back through the labyrinth of man's lifeless creeds and dogmas he is rediscovering the old boundaries marked by the claim stakes of Paul driven into God's promises. We are finding our way back to the promise of dominion that God gave to those who would be in his image and after his likeness.
2. Assurance of the Promises - Our first step is total obedience, which restores God's divine order of worship and government. The second step is to prove to ourselves that this power and dominion over all the distempers of life is for the Spirit-filled believer now. Man-organized and man-ruled churches of today are teachings us unbelief, denying the apostolic experience of Pentecost as the early church experienced it, and telling us that the days of miracles are over and that apostles, prophets, and prophecy have all passed away. They take out the miraculous, leaving their thousands of followers with unpracticed revelations or doctrines. Christians want to know if this authority of dominion is for them today. Yes it is, and we see it in scores of the most precious promises of God in the New Testament. When a Christian has a pressing need, he can choose one of the precious promises of God, and try to apply it to his need. We all know that our deliverance is in the promise, but many are unable to appropriate it to their life. Their shall consecration will not release enough of God's anointing to make God's Word work deliverance for them.
Let us examine just a few of the promises. Understanding these benefits of Christ's finished works at Calvary holds the secret of our having dominion now. In Phil.4:19 we read, But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." This promise working in your life will give you full dominion over every problem and need. Then in Luke 10:19, "Behold, I give you power...over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall by any means hurt you." You need a workable, practical faith to release that promise to give you authority and dominion over all that has dominion over you now. Read Mark 11:22-24, and believe that this dominion is for you now, purchased as a spoil of Calvary for every one of God's blood washed children. Believe our Lord's promise of John 14:12, "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do, because I go to my Father." Much of the church today is standing, as ancient Israel stood as Kadesh Barnes, viewing the promised land from a distance, yet unable because of unbelief to enter and possess it. "Having seen these promises afar off, and were persuaded of them embraced them"(Heb.11:13). Yet many will die without receiving the promise. So, "Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest [of faith], any of you should seem to come short of it" (Heb.4:1)
3. Understanding the Laws - Having approached this subject of our highest calling in Christ with dominion over the world, the flesh and the devil, through the full obedience and the assurance of the promises, let us now examine the third step by examining the operational laws of God through which victory flows. God's word of creation set everything that is seen into its place, but it is His operational word by His Spirit that maintains those created things their respective places through the centuries. Our sun, moon and earth appeared at the creative word of Elohim, but it is His Spirit's maintaining His word or will in motion that has kept them whirling in their orbits ever since. So, everything God has made continues on through the operational law. There are physical laws, mental laws, and spiritual laws. The Apostle Paul enters this study in Romans 5:8, where in progressive revelation, he shows us the first cause of the conflict within our lives. The natures of Adam and of Christ are struggling for control of our privilege, and to the one to whom our human will decided to yield we become servant. Adam's nature of inbred sin entered our lives through genes or carries of heredity by physical generation. Christ's nature entered through the new birth into the new creation by spiritual regeneration. Paul shows that spiritual victory comes to the believer only as the old Adamic nature is kept in the death state through faith reckoning.
In the seventh chapter of Romans the apostle shows us the confusion in the worldly Christian's life, as these two natures, with the flesh as the testing ground for the soul, strive through four laws which God has set in every believer's life. The four operational laws are named as the law of sin and death that originated in sinless Eden in Adam's disobedience, the law of the mind (consciousness) that is the deciding factor of our human will and intelligence, deciding which of these three other laws will govern our life each day, the "law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, [which] hath made me free from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:2). This law was originated in the sufferings of Calvary and will deliver the believer from all dominion of the world, the flesh and the devil, the very same moment he learns how to stop one law and how to set the other on motion by the fourth operational law which is the law of faith.
Some of the brethren have found dominion over sickness and affliction through the study of the laws of healing that run through the Bible, yet the often fail to have dominion on the laws of supply. For that reason many have faith for miracles of deliverance for the body and soul in great revival meetings, but have to cry and plead for finances to carry on their ministry. If they will study carefully the laws of supply that flow from Jehovah-Jireh, the Lord of Supply, as they have the laws that flow from Jehovah-Rapha, the Lord who Heals, they can have dominion over their finances. Our assembly has proven this and has no need to pass a collection plate or ask anyone for money in several years, but has had abundance of finances for all needs through an offering box placed on a table at the back of the church. When we as Spirit-filled Christians fail in obedience to take dominion over something, it becomes a judgment curse instead of a blessing and takes dominion over us. Stop for an instant and think, just what do you have dominion over, and what has dominion over you? Paul admonishes us to "......walk not after the flesh {carnal life} but after the Spirit" (Romans 8:1). Here he wants us to know that our victory or defeat depends on which law our mind allows to operate within us. When we worry, fear, hate, envy, or become jealous or greedy all of these mental distempers being sin, we instantly set in motion in our life that law of sin and death that begins its work of death through sickness and affliction. For this reason many good people who worry year after year, having set in motion that law of sin, also set in motion their own slow, suicidal death that is revealed later in rheumatism, paralysis, high blood pressure, arthritis and other chronic afflictions.
We often see the laws at work in our church services when we pray the prayer of faith over some sick believer, and the prayer of faith instantly stops the motion of the law of sin with its sufferings, and the believer walks forth free from pain. But later he fears or disbelieves he is healed and that sin instantly sets in motion again the law of sin with its death.
4. Be Patient - "Cast not away therefore your confidence (consciousness of deliverance), which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise" (Heb. 10:35-36). So we see the important place the law of the mind, consciousness, plays in controlling these laws, the law of faith, the law of sin and the law of life in Christ, within us. Your faith is the law that moves the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, that has made us free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2 If you can fully believe and live in the consciousness of this law of life that flows from the spirit of Christ within the believer, having delivered you from the penalty of sin, which is sickness and sufferings, then you can be delivered now. Do not allow the devil to keep you fooled, but act upon this truth of DOMINION which our Christ's finished work of Calvary has purchased for you.
Another factor that will assist you in setting the proper law in operation in your life for total dominion over the distempers of life that have ruled over you is being able to understand the dividing of the soul from the spirit within you. When scientists were struggling to divide the atom and get powers from within it, I was struggling to understand the division of man's soul life from his spirit or inner man, knowing that in this truth there was power fro God's righteousness. The Apostle Paul shows the spirit and soul are separate in Hebrews 4:12 and in 1 Thes.5:23. The mental life is the soul-life, the seat of man's emotions, affections and feelings. It is the place where our intelligence and human will with it's God-given privileges is located. Soul comes from the Greek word psuche, and deals with the mental or psychic part of our life. Our spiritual life is centered in the heart of our being, in our inner man or human spirit. Spirit in the Greek is pneuma. With the heart or spirit man believes unto salvation. Out of the heart or spirit are the issues of life. Calvinists see the salvation of the spirit, which is justification by the blood, and the Arminianists see the salvation of the soul-life, which deals with sanctification and cleansing by the Word of God. We gain dominion through knowledge and not through confusion, so we need to know the power of the grace of God through the finished work of Calvary to seal the recreated spirit of the believer. "......whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption" (Eph.4:30). John saw the dominion of Christ within the believer's sealed spirit and wrote in 1 John 3:9, "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit [practice] sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he [spirit] cannot sin, because he is born of God." John repeats this in 1 John 5:18. This helps us to know that the dwelling Christ had dominion over sin as far as our spirit is concerned, but our privilege of choice determines the consecration and sanctification of our would and its law of the mind.
If the fruits of our life show the works of the flesh, we should re-examine the principles of our life in the light of 2 Peter 1:5-10, where God sets forth the principles for faith. Spiritual principles will form habits of faith, which in turn will create an atmosphere in our heart or spirit, that is one of rest of faith through which God's Word will take dominion over all hurts of life.
5. Knowing Your Position of Adoption - This brings us to our next step of dominion over the earth, the air and the sea that God gave to Adam, which Jesus restored to the believers. Through Assurance of the Promises knowledge comes deliverance, so the Apostle Paul, moving on deeper into the eighth chapter of Romans, pictures a beautiful place of dominion of the overcomer in Christ. In Romans 8:18-23, Paul shows us our purchased place of adoption. Being a Hebrew, Paul was familiar with the life of the early patriarchs, and he knew the first born son was always the priest of the home and also received a double portion of inheritance of the father. The other sons who had been born into the home could be placed into equal legal rights of inhertiance as the firstborn by adoption (Gen.48:8-20). Thus we see that the Father and the Son, the firstborn Jesus, have at Calvary agreed and placed us into the family of God by adoption. We thus share equally with Jesus the first born in all his vast inheritance. Thousands of born again sons do not know they are placed by adoption into a place of dominion with Christ, and continue to live as servants, serving the very creation God desires to place them over. Even the priesthood of ancient Israel, although they were born as priests in the tribe of Levi, could not serve at the altar until they were anointed for service.
Our Lord's three primal ministries, out of which flow all others, were those of creation, redemption and restoration. There was a period of time for each, and we are now in that time of restoration. After seeking out the other avenues of restoring our lost dominion over the earth, let us return to the law of faith.
A simple matter of faith that will help us appropriate the promises of Calvary is the faith of childhood. In Isaiah 11:6 we are told that a little child shall lead them, and in Mark 10:15 our Lord shows us that the way into the kingdom of God, with it's truth, is to become as a small child. So let us remember the words of the ancient poet who said, "Turn back O time again, turn back in thy flight, and make me a child again just for tonight." Even as Adam, all pass through the age of innocence, when as a small child, God does not impute sin to them. In our childhood we played our games by visualizing, and everything was very real to us. Let us visually believe that Jesus is standing in front of us now, and with childlike faith we can actually see Him and hear Him say, "You are delivered now; go free." Or as the elder come to pray over us according to James 5:14, with childlike faith, we can see Him and hear Him speak through the elders words of faith. We can feel His nail-pierced hands as the elders lay their hands upon us. Now with childlike, visualizing faith we can hear Him say, "Arise, take up thy bed and walk," and we have dominion over our affliction.
6. Identification - Now, having taken five steps toward our complete restoration of God given dominion over all God gave Adam dominion over, let us take our sixth step in awakening our consciousness to our legal rights of our full inheritance in Christ through our indentification with Him. In Eph.5:30 we read, "For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones." Can you believe this statement of fact? Then you must realize that it is still the same Christ with the same dominion over all things as he exercised in ministering through His earthly physical body, Who still holds dominion over all things, exercising His authority through us His body, His flesh, His bones, His members now in the earth. As God breathed of His eternal Spirit into the still, lifeless body of Adam, making him become a living soul, so he had one to every person in the earth. This measure of the eternal in past prehistoric ages was a part of the great omnipotent Spirit of Elohim. Paul endeavors to help us see our indentification in Christ before the world was formed, by reminding us in Heb.7:9-10 of the fact that God saw and recognized as being present, the unborn grandson of Abraham, Levi, hidden within the life of his grandfather Abraham when Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek. If God could see Levi many years before he was born, hidden within the life of Abraham, why should we think it strange that God foreknew through divine foreknowledge all the Messiah as their Savior. God did foreknow them and wrote their names in His Book of Life before the foundation of the world.
Those who of their free will would receive Christ were predestined, as a company, to be a body through which His Spirit would administer and take dominion over the earth. Paul saw every believer hidden in the life of the Spirit of Christ when Jesus went to the cross, and wrote, "I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life [of dominion] which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Gal.2:20 We are awakening now to our power through sonship, and are bringing our state of growth up to our standing, for all have one standing in Christ through the blood, but some have different states. Some are in the babyhood state, some in childhood, and some have matured in Christ.
7. Take Dominion - We have now arrived to the seventh dispensation (or seventh period) of the church-age, the Laodicean period, and time is quickly running out. God's Word has prophesied that there will be a church body prepared for Christ to do exploits of faith. There must be this seventh remnant of overcomers for Christ to take dominion through, "That He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish: (Eph.5:27). Our Lord always has much to impart through the body He chooses to use, and His gathering body of overcomers, coming out of man's orders and human headship, is forming into a body filled with and led by the Holy Spirit.
Our Lord Jesus Christ has restored His dominion over the world, the flesh and the devil, and over all suffering through the ministering of His own life, divided into the five ascension gifts of the apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher (Eph.4:11). And He still ministers victory with the enablement of His nine spiritual gifts (1 Cor.12:8-10). God is moving by His Spirit to bring His remnant body forth out of the sleeping Laodicean church, and He is proving His miracle word of dominion by His miracle work of deliverance. "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect [matured] man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." (Eph.4:13). As you come into a oneness of Spirit by returning to your first love in Him, you can expect to move forward into divine order, not only of unity of the Spirit, but of unity of the faith or revelation of Christ and the fullness of His grace. "Rise ye up, take your journey and pass over the river Arnon: behold, I have given into thy hand Sihon, the Amorite, king of Heshbon and his land: begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle....And the Lord said into me, behold, I have begun to give Sihon and his land before thee: begin to possess, that thou mayest inherit his land' (Deut.2:24-31). "You have circled this mountain long enough" (Deut.2:3). "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnessess unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." (Acts1:8).
In the fullness of time God's word came to pass, and Adam appeared in the finished paradise in full possession and dominion over all fowls of the air and every beast of the field. They were made to pass before him, and with his God-given divine knowledge and wisdom, he named each one (Gen.2:19-20). All of God's wonderful creation moved at the command of Adam's word of authority, for God had subdued all things unto him, except Adam's own life itself. Here is where mankind lost one of God's greatest inheritances to the human race, for Adam failed to subdue himself, and through the sin of disobedience, he betrayed the human race and lost man's dominion over all of God's creation.
God had demanded complete obedience so that His divine order would not be broken, but satan defeated Adam just as he is still defeating the Laodicean church, through the "willful transgression of, or the lack of conformity unto the will of God," which constitutes sin. satan approaches the present day Laodicean organizations of man as he did Adam with a question, "Hath God said?" (Gen.3:1). The questioning of God's Word or commandment put doubt in one's heart as to interpretation of true meaning of God's Word. This brings forth the evil fruit of mental reasoning, out of which comes man's intellectual interpretations of spiritual truth, which is the primal cause of the divided body of Christ in the earth today.
Today one sees on every hand an incomplete obedience, as is seen in King Saul's life in 1 Sam.15:1-15, when he spared the heathen King Agag and the best of the sheep after the battle. One also sees partial obedience as church systems hold partly to God's Word and partly to the tradition of the elders. God means every word He has spoken, and one cannot appease Him by partial obedience. Anything short of obedience means God's anointing power is lifted, and man is left with the dead letter of the law.
1. Total Obedience - The Bible is filled with truth characters who fully obeyed and live overcoming lives, and on the other hand, with men and women who failed to possess their rightful inheritance because of a lack of total obedience. In Noah, we find a man of God who fully obeyed and suffered in full obedience, building the ark exactly by God's dimensions. In return for full obedience, God gave Noah back that lost gift, dominion over God's creation, and when the ark was ready, Noah exercised his God-given word of authority, spoke the word, and the animals came two by two into the ark. Then with the same word of dominion, Noah spoke peace and caused the animals to be at peace together during their long sojourn during the flood. Moses was another who fully obeyed God's Word. He built the Tabernacle in the wilderness, and God gave him dominion over circumstances, over environments and over his enemies in the wilderness. This return to full obedience restored God's divine order wherein God releases His full grace, and out of the cloud full ten thousand tons of manna every day for food, and out of the rock Moses struck flowed a river. It was full obedience in the face of suffering and death that gave dominion to Daniel in the lion's den, when his word sealed the lion's mouths. The three Hebrew children with this restored dominion walked in the flaming furnace without hurt, and Joshua took authority over the sun and cried, "Sun, stand thou still."
What man lost through the obedience of Adam, he has regained through the obedience of God's son, the Messianic Jesus "Through He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered" (Heb.5:8). We have no record of Him performing any miracles until after His baptism in the Holy Spirit at the River Jordon. Having emptied Himself, not of divinity, but of the power of divinity, Jesus became subject to all temptations, as is any Spirit-filled man, yet he was without sin. He went forth under the mighty anointing of God that rests upon any Spirit-filled life that is lived in full obedience. With restored dominion over the earth, Jesus spoke the word with authority and took dominion over all manner of sickness, afflictions, circumstances and environments. Having over come the world, the flesh and the devil, He had dominion over the very things that have taken dominion over God's people today because of their breaking divine order through disobedience. Jesus fed the five thousand miraculously, walked on the water, spoke and caused the fig tree to wither, and held mastery over all of God's creation. By His death on the Roman cross and by His resurrection, Jesus took dominion over death, and purchased for us the highest calling of God, the same calling the Apostle Paul pressed toward (Phil.3:14). Now as every overcomer in Christ presses his way back through the labyrinth of man's lifeless creeds and dogmas he is rediscovering the old boundaries marked by the claim stakes of Paul driven into God's promises. We are finding our way back to the promise of dominion that God gave to those who would be in his image and after his likeness.
2. Assurance of the Promises - Our first step is total obedience, which restores God's divine order of worship and government. The second step is to prove to ourselves that this power and dominion over all the distempers of life is for the Spirit-filled believer now. Man-organized and man-ruled churches of today are teachings us unbelief, denying the apostolic experience of Pentecost as the early church experienced it, and telling us that the days of miracles are over and that apostles, prophets, and prophecy have all passed away. They take out the miraculous, leaving their thousands of followers with unpracticed revelations or doctrines. Christians want to know if this authority of dominion is for them today. Yes it is, and we see it in scores of the most precious promises of God in the New Testament. When a Christian has a pressing need, he can choose one of the precious promises of God, and try to apply it to his need. We all know that our deliverance is in the promise, but many are unable to appropriate it to their life. Their shall consecration will not release enough of God's anointing to make God's Word work deliverance for them.
Let us examine just a few of the promises. Understanding these benefits of Christ's finished works at Calvary holds the secret of our having dominion now. In Phil.4:19 we read, But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." This promise working in your life will give you full dominion over every problem and need. Then in Luke 10:19, "Behold, I give you power...over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall by any means hurt you." You need a workable, practical faith to release that promise to give you authority and dominion over all that has dominion over you now. Read Mark 11:22-24, and believe that this dominion is for you now, purchased as a spoil of Calvary for every one of God's blood washed children. Believe our Lord's promise of John 14:12, "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do, because I go to my Father." Much of the church today is standing, as ancient Israel stood as Kadesh Barnes, viewing the promised land from a distance, yet unable because of unbelief to enter and possess it. "Having seen these promises afar off, and were persuaded of them embraced them"(Heb.11:13). Yet many will die without receiving the promise. So, "Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest [of faith], any of you should seem to come short of it" (Heb.4:1)
3. Understanding the Laws - Having approached this subject of our highest calling in Christ with dominion over the world, the flesh and the devil, through the full obedience and the assurance of the promises, let us now examine the third step by examining the operational laws of God through which victory flows. God's word of creation set everything that is seen into its place, but it is His operational word by His Spirit that maintains those created things their respective places through the centuries. Our sun, moon and earth appeared at the creative word of Elohim, but it is His Spirit's maintaining His word or will in motion that has kept them whirling in their orbits ever since. So, everything God has made continues on through the operational law. There are physical laws, mental laws, and spiritual laws. The Apostle Paul enters this study in Romans 5:8, where in progressive revelation, he shows us the first cause of the conflict within our lives. The natures of Adam and of Christ are struggling for control of our privilege, and to the one to whom our human will decided to yield we become servant. Adam's nature of inbred sin entered our lives through genes or carries of heredity by physical generation. Christ's nature entered through the new birth into the new creation by spiritual regeneration. Paul shows that spiritual victory comes to the believer only as the old Adamic nature is kept in the death state through faith reckoning.
In the seventh chapter of Romans the apostle shows us the confusion in the worldly Christian's life, as these two natures, with the flesh as the testing ground for the soul, strive through four laws which God has set in every believer's life. The four operational laws are named as the law of sin and death that originated in sinless Eden in Adam's disobedience, the law of the mind (consciousness) that is the deciding factor of our human will and intelligence, deciding which of these three other laws will govern our life each day, the "law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, [which] hath made me free from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:2). This law was originated in the sufferings of Calvary and will deliver the believer from all dominion of the world, the flesh and the devil, the very same moment he learns how to stop one law and how to set the other on motion by the fourth operational law which is the law of faith.
Some of the brethren have found dominion over sickness and affliction through the study of the laws of healing that run through the Bible, yet the often fail to have dominion on the laws of supply. For that reason many have faith for miracles of deliverance for the body and soul in great revival meetings, but have to cry and plead for finances to carry on their ministry. If they will study carefully the laws of supply that flow from Jehovah-Jireh, the Lord of Supply, as they have the laws that flow from Jehovah-Rapha, the Lord who Heals, they can have dominion over their finances. Our assembly has proven this and has no need to pass a collection plate or ask anyone for money in several years, but has had abundance of finances for all needs through an offering box placed on a table at the back of the church. When we as Spirit-filled Christians fail in obedience to take dominion over something, it becomes a judgment curse instead of a blessing and takes dominion over us. Stop for an instant and think, just what do you have dominion over, and what has dominion over you? Paul admonishes us to "......walk not after the flesh {carnal life} but after the Spirit" (Romans 8:1). Here he wants us to know that our victory or defeat depends on which law our mind allows to operate within us. When we worry, fear, hate, envy, or become jealous or greedy all of these mental distempers being sin, we instantly set in motion in our life that law of sin and death that begins its work of death through sickness and affliction. For this reason many good people who worry year after year, having set in motion that law of sin, also set in motion their own slow, suicidal death that is revealed later in rheumatism, paralysis, high blood pressure, arthritis and other chronic afflictions.
We often see the laws at work in our church services when we pray the prayer of faith over some sick believer, and the prayer of faith instantly stops the motion of the law of sin with its sufferings, and the believer walks forth free from pain. But later he fears or disbelieves he is healed and that sin instantly sets in motion again the law of sin with its death.
4. Be Patient - "Cast not away therefore your confidence (consciousness of deliverance), which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise" (Heb. 10:35-36). So we see the important place the law of the mind, consciousness, plays in controlling these laws, the law of faith, the law of sin and the law of life in Christ, within us. Your faith is the law that moves the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, that has made us free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2 If you can fully believe and live in the consciousness of this law of life that flows from the spirit of Christ within the believer, having delivered you from the penalty of sin, which is sickness and sufferings, then you can be delivered now. Do not allow the devil to keep you fooled, but act upon this truth of DOMINION which our Christ's finished work of Calvary has purchased for you.
Another factor that will assist you in setting the proper law in operation in your life for total dominion over the distempers of life that have ruled over you is being able to understand the dividing of the soul from the spirit within you. When scientists were struggling to divide the atom and get powers from within it, I was struggling to understand the division of man's soul life from his spirit or inner man, knowing that in this truth there was power fro God's righteousness. The Apostle Paul shows the spirit and soul are separate in Hebrews 4:12 and in 1 Thes.5:23. The mental life is the soul-life, the seat of man's emotions, affections and feelings. It is the place where our intelligence and human will with it's God-given privileges is located. Soul comes from the Greek word psuche, and deals with the mental or psychic part of our life. Our spiritual life is centered in the heart of our being, in our inner man or human spirit. Spirit in the Greek is pneuma. With the heart or spirit man believes unto salvation. Out of the heart or spirit are the issues of life. Calvinists see the salvation of the spirit, which is justification by the blood, and the Arminianists see the salvation of the soul-life, which deals with sanctification and cleansing by the Word of God. We gain dominion through knowledge and not through confusion, so we need to know the power of the grace of God through the finished work of Calvary to seal the recreated spirit of the believer. "......whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption" (Eph.4:30). John saw the dominion of Christ within the believer's sealed spirit and wrote in 1 John 3:9, "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit [practice] sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he [spirit] cannot sin, because he is born of God." John repeats this in 1 John 5:18. This helps us to know that the dwelling Christ had dominion over sin as far as our spirit is concerned, but our privilege of choice determines the consecration and sanctification of our would and its law of the mind.
If the fruits of our life show the works of the flesh, we should re-examine the principles of our life in the light of 2 Peter 1:5-10, where God sets forth the principles for faith. Spiritual principles will form habits of faith, which in turn will create an atmosphere in our heart or spirit, that is one of rest of faith through which God's Word will take dominion over all hurts of life.
5. Knowing Your Position of Adoption - This brings us to our next step of dominion over the earth, the air and the sea that God gave to Adam, which Jesus restored to the believers. Through Assurance of the Promises knowledge comes deliverance, so the Apostle Paul, moving on deeper into the eighth chapter of Romans, pictures a beautiful place of dominion of the overcomer in Christ. In Romans 8:18-23, Paul shows us our purchased place of adoption. Being a Hebrew, Paul was familiar with the life of the early patriarchs, and he knew the first born son was always the priest of the home and also received a double portion of inheritance of the father. The other sons who had been born into the home could be placed into equal legal rights of inhertiance as the firstborn by adoption (Gen.48:8-20). Thus we see that the Father and the Son, the firstborn Jesus, have at Calvary agreed and placed us into the family of God by adoption. We thus share equally with Jesus the first born in all his vast inheritance. Thousands of born again sons do not know they are placed by adoption into a place of dominion with Christ, and continue to live as servants, serving the very creation God desires to place them over. Even the priesthood of ancient Israel, although they were born as priests in the tribe of Levi, could not serve at the altar until they were anointed for service.
Our Lord's three primal ministries, out of which flow all others, were those of creation, redemption and restoration. There was a period of time for each, and we are now in that time of restoration. After seeking out the other avenues of restoring our lost dominion over the earth, let us return to the law of faith.
A simple matter of faith that will help us appropriate the promises of Calvary is the faith of childhood. In Isaiah 11:6 we are told that a little child shall lead them, and in Mark 10:15 our Lord shows us that the way into the kingdom of God, with it's truth, is to become as a small child. So let us remember the words of the ancient poet who said, "Turn back O time again, turn back in thy flight, and make me a child again just for tonight." Even as Adam, all pass through the age of innocence, when as a small child, God does not impute sin to them. In our childhood we played our games by visualizing, and everything was very real to us. Let us visually believe that Jesus is standing in front of us now, and with childlike faith we can actually see Him and hear Him say, "You are delivered now; go free." Or as the elder come to pray over us according to James 5:14, with childlike faith, we can see Him and hear Him speak through the elders words of faith. We can feel His nail-pierced hands as the elders lay their hands upon us. Now with childlike, visualizing faith we can hear Him say, "Arise, take up thy bed and walk," and we have dominion over our affliction.
6. Identification - Now, having taken five steps toward our complete restoration of God given dominion over all God gave Adam dominion over, let us take our sixth step in awakening our consciousness to our legal rights of our full inheritance in Christ through our indentification with Him. In Eph.5:30 we read, "For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones." Can you believe this statement of fact? Then you must realize that it is still the same Christ with the same dominion over all things as he exercised in ministering through His earthly physical body, Who still holds dominion over all things, exercising His authority through us His body, His flesh, His bones, His members now in the earth. As God breathed of His eternal Spirit into the still, lifeless body of Adam, making him become a living soul, so he had one to every person in the earth. This measure of the eternal in past prehistoric ages was a part of the great omnipotent Spirit of Elohim. Paul endeavors to help us see our indentification in Christ before the world was formed, by reminding us in Heb.7:9-10 of the fact that God saw and recognized as being present, the unborn grandson of Abraham, Levi, hidden within the life of his grandfather Abraham when Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek. If God could see Levi many years before he was born, hidden within the life of Abraham, why should we think it strange that God foreknew through divine foreknowledge all the Messiah as their Savior. God did foreknow them and wrote their names in His Book of Life before the foundation of the world.
Those who of their free will would receive Christ were predestined, as a company, to be a body through which His Spirit would administer and take dominion over the earth. Paul saw every believer hidden in the life of the Spirit of Christ when Jesus went to the cross, and wrote, "I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life [of dominion] which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Gal.2:20 We are awakening now to our power through sonship, and are bringing our state of growth up to our standing, for all have one standing in Christ through the blood, but some have different states. Some are in the babyhood state, some in childhood, and some have matured in Christ.
7. Take Dominion - We have now arrived to the seventh dispensation (or seventh period) of the church-age, the Laodicean period, and time is quickly running out. God's Word has prophesied that there will be a church body prepared for Christ to do exploits of faith. There must be this seventh remnant of overcomers for Christ to take dominion through, "That He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish: (Eph.5:27). Our Lord always has much to impart through the body He chooses to use, and His gathering body of overcomers, coming out of man's orders and human headship, is forming into a body filled with and led by the Holy Spirit.
Our Lord Jesus Christ has restored His dominion over the world, the flesh and the devil, and over all suffering through the ministering of His own life, divided into the five ascension gifts of the apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher (Eph.4:11). And He still ministers victory with the enablement of His nine spiritual gifts (1 Cor.12:8-10). God is moving by His Spirit to bring His remnant body forth out of the sleeping Laodicean church, and He is proving His miracle word of dominion by His miracle work of deliverance. "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect [matured] man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." (Eph.4:13). As you come into a oneness of Spirit by returning to your first love in Him, you can expect to move forward into divine order, not only of unity of the Spirit, but of unity of the faith or revelation of Christ and the fullness of His grace. "Rise ye up, take your journey and pass over the river Arnon: behold, I have given into thy hand Sihon, the Amorite, king of Heshbon and his land: begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle....And the Lord said into me, behold, I have begun to give Sihon and his land before thee: begin to possess, that thou mayest inherit his land' (Deut.2:24-31). "You have circled this mountain long enough" (Deut.2:3). "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnessess unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." (Acts1:8).
Spiritual Warfare
Israel pictures the Church (1 Cor 10:1-6). Both collectively or individually we can draw lessons from Old Testament history. For instance, the crossing of the Red Sea speaks of Christ's death for us but the crossing of the Jordon pictures our death to self for Him. This is particularly experienced in our receiving the Holy Spirit. Then we, as was Israel, are initiated into a higher realm of living.
New power means new enemies. For example, an atomic age means atomic enemies. While Israel had overcome Egypt, a type of world, and the Amalekites in the wilderness, a type of the flesh, now they most overcome the devil. When Christ was filled with the Holy Spirit, immediately He was led by the Spirit to overcome satan. Until He actually met satan in combat, one could not see the value of His new power and weapons. Of course, the Spirit alone without the Word would never have conquered satan. Nor will the believer who rests only upon an experience of the Holy Spirit and has no time for the Word, conquer satan. God has given us both the Word and the Spirit, "we need a balance of both."
Paul says of satan "......For we are not ignorant of his devices" (2 Cor.2:11). Our purpose here is to see just what satan's devices are. We shall compare the seven tribes of Canaan with the satanic spirits mentioned in the New Testament, to arrive at our answer.
There are armor pieces listed in Eph.6. We shall find that each weapon is for our defense against the particular kind of evil spirit that it matches. "Put on the whole armor of God, that ye m ay be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" ( v. 11-12).
Eph. 6 should especially be applicable for us today since all this armor is needed against "the evil day." We are living in a space age of flying missiles and of enemy spy rockets. Wiles, in the Greek means "the traveling over, " and darts literally means "missles." And we might add, the greatest death ray of all will be the final, literal appearing of Christ when the antichrist will be consumed by the sword of His mouth, and all flesh will melt at His presence (Rev.19:15; Zec.14:12).
Notice the comparisons between the tribes of Canaan and evil spirits. Joshua 3:10 lists the names of the tribes with their meanings:
1. Canaanites: "Low, flat," from kana which means "to bend the knee," hence "to bring into bondage."
2. Hittites: "Descended from Heth," whose name means "Terror, fear."
3. Hivites: "Village, small town," from chavvah or "living place" (note the similarity to have a "hive" of bees in the English language).
4. Perrizites: "Rustic, inhabitant of the open country."
5. Girgashites: Creator of habits, lit. "dwelling in a clay-like soil."
6. Amorites: from amar or "to say" and associated with the sense of publicity and prominence.
7. Jebusites: Inhabitants of Jebus, which means "trodden down."
Now notice the evil spirits of satan recorded in the New Testament Epistles, and see how the armor of Eph.6 counteracts these spirits.
1. There is a Spirit of Bondage (Rom.8:15). No wonder God gives us the truth as weapon number one (Eph.6:14). ".....ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free" (from bondage). One can be bound by physical, mental and spiritual bondage, which include being bound to the letter of the word without the Spirit.
2. "For God hath not given us the Spirit of Fear...." ( 2 Tim.1:7). Fear aims at the heart. "Men's hearts failing them for fear....." (Luke 21:26). So God gives us the breastplate of righteousness. Perfect love casteth out fear, so love also is part of this breastplate (1 Thes.5:8).
3. The Spirit of Slumber (Rom.11:8) was on Israel because they only wanted an earthly, material kingdom, not a spiritual one. They had commercialized the very house of God as a result of this spirit (Luke 19:45). It is obvious enough that the "spirit of bondage" and the "spirit of fear" are pictured by the Canaanites and Hittites, due to their name. But how is this "spirit of slumber" pictured by the name "Hivite," meaning "small town"? What is more conducive to slumber than slothfulness or having nothing to do? A small town would have less activity than a big town, and a man's own home, or "living place," the root word for Hivite, would be the natural place for the spirit of slumber, for there is his place of rest. Many foreign ministerial students come to the U.S. for training, and because of material comforts, they are hindered from returning to their countries by this spirit of slumber. This shows how the spirit of slumber is a spirit that seeks the best for one along material lines. Two instances in scripture concerning the Hivites tribe show this. One is in Gen.34; the other is in Joshua 9, where the Hivites of Gibeon sought alliance with God's people for their own self-interest. Both of these accounts came after God's people had won a great victory. After God has used a person, satan wants him to "coast" on the blessings so he will begin to slumber. But if we constantly shod our feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace we will be encouraged by the signs and wonders following and we will shut the door for this spirit of slumber.
4. God has not given us the Spirit of the World ( 1 Cor. 2:12). This spirit is a rude, coarse, divisive spirit of hatred (Luke 6:22; 1 John 3:13). The Perrizite or "rustic" tribe pictures this spirit. Rustic has a slightly different meaning than rural, in that it also can mean "rude, coarse." The Hebrew word comes from perez, meaning "to separate." The spirit of the world in a church will cause carnal divisions. God grant that we hold the shield of faith, for it is our faith that overcomes the world (Eph.6:16; 1 John 5:4)k. Overcome and conquer are the same words in Greek. Just as Israel conquered the Perrizites, we are to overcomer the spirit of the world.
5. Paul says, "be renewed in the Spirit of your Mind" (Eph.4:23), or in this case, in our "attitude." This suggest that our attitude can be good or bad, Christ-like or satanic. For all practical purposes a satanic attitude is just as harmful as many of the other satanic personal spirits. Such as attitude operates bad habits. This is portrayed in the very meaning of Girgashites, "dwelling in a clay-like soil," as when Jesus answered to Peter, "Get behind Me satan! you are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's." (Matt.16:23 NAS). Man was created and is compared to clay and he who sets his mind on man's interests becomes a "creator of habits" opposing to God's will. Of course, satan as an angel of light can give us some "high, lofty" reasoning which can produce habits that are moral, yet not spiritual. Here is where 2 Cor. 10:4-5 is important. (Our weapons are not carnal...) God's protection against an unrenewed "spirit of your mind" is a mind renewed by the hope of salvation, which is placing on the helmet of salvation (Eph.6:17; 1 Thes.5:8, and 1 John 3:3). The helmet is in three parts, even as our salvation is.
6. The Spirit of the anitchrist is a spirit that uses the tongue and likes to be conspicuous, as seen by the context of 1 John 4:3. So we clearly see that this spirit's type is pictured by the meaning of Amorites. Remember too, that Sihon and Og, both Amorite kings, tried in vain to stop Israel from entering in when they neared Canaan. Usually when someone starts hungering for the Holy Spirit and spiritual Canaan, this evil spirit that uses the tongue will get into his good friends, and through them try to keep the hungry one out. Mockery, lying, blasphemy, jestering instead of praising (Eph.5:4), and all the other sins of the tongue are often just a direct result of the spirit's moving upon a person. This is a "three-in-one" evil spirit (Rev.16:13-14). The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God, rhema meaning, "spoken Word" of God. Since the Word is the weapon Christ uses against the antichrist, it should be ours also against the spirit of antichrist (2 Thes.2:8; Rev.19:15).
7. The Spirit of Error, John says, causes a person to refuse to hear him who has the spirit of truth ( 1 John 4:6). This reminds one of the Jebusites who despised David's authority. In 2 Samuel 5:7 we see David taking Mt.Zion away from them. Spiritual wickedness in high places characterizes this "Spirit of Error" in the Greek means "straying, roving (as a tramp)." By implications, a stray in the Bible is called "an imposter, deceiver or misleader." Just as one can stray in any four directions, so there are four basic types of error. They are:
a. Error of Vision (Is.28:7) will make dim God's will for service in the body of Christ and thereby will ruin one's ministry (Prov.27:8).
b. Error of Doctrine (Matt.22:29) is erring from the Word and will spoil one's message.
c. Error of Living (2 Peter 3:17) is erring from the way of holiness and will cause some to miss the mark of being in Christ's image.
d. Error of Spirit (Is.29:24and Heb.3:10) is errring from true worship and will make one miss the moving of God's Spirit, when all others around are being blessed.
We might notice that this spirit of error, as typified by the Jebusites, high on Mt.Zion, manifests in two seemingly different things, a highly centralized organization, but also an indpendent "air." Just as Joab was made captain of David's army to lead in a fight, so today God is raising up leaders in His army who have overcome this spirit of error. Joab has to pass through a deep moat before scaling Zion's walls, so God must work great depths into our hearts before we can fully overcome this spirit. But it is worth it, for when God got the Jebusites out of Zion, He could fulfill His heart's desire to bring all Israel to that sacred place. This spirit of error dies hard, as seen in the Jebusites' long stay at Zion. But God has an answer for this "spirit of error." We are to exercise the secret weapon of intercession for the body of Christ, and therefore be missile bases for God against satan. Our prayer primarily is to be that Paul's message be fully known (Eph.6:18-20). "Do not err, my beloved brethren" (Js.1:16).
By way of review, notice the results of yielding to the influence of these satanic spirits:
The Spirit of Bondage aims to bow one down under its yoke.
The Spirit of Fear aims to break one down by violence, confusion and fear.
The Spirit of Slumber aims to settle one down by lowering standards.
The Spirit of the World aims to burn one down with its fiery darts.
The Spirit of a Wrong Mental Attitude chains one by its habits.
The Spirit of Error aims to trod one down by imparting a false loyalty.
Do not forget that God commands us to invade these enemies with fire (Dt.12:3).
"Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil" Eph.6:11
New power means new enemies. For example, an atomic age means atomic enemies. While Israel had overcome Egypt, a type of world, and the Amalekites in the wilderness, a type of the flesh, now they most overcome the devil. When Christ was filled with the Holy Spirit, immediately He was led by the Spirit to overcome satan. Until He actually met satan in combat, one could not see the value of His new power and weapons. Of course, the Spirit alone without the Word would never have conquered satan. Nor will the believer who rests only upon an experience of the Holy Spirit and has no time for the Word, conquer satan. God has given us both the Word and the Spirit, "we need a balance of both."
Paul says of satan "......For we are not ignorant of his devices" (2 Cor.2:11). Our purpose here is to see just what satan's devices are. We shall compare the seven tribes of Canaan with the satanic spirits mentioned in the New Testament, to arrive at our answer.
There are armor pieces listed in Eph.6. We shall find that each weapon is for our defense against the particular kind of evil spirit that it matches. "Put on the whole armor of God, that ye m ay be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" ( v. 11-12).
Eph. 6 should especially be applicable for us today since all this armor is needed against "the evil day." We are living in a space age of flying missiles and of enemy spy rockets. Wiles, in the Greek means "the traveling over, " and darts literally means "missles." And we might add, the greatest death ray of all will be the final, literal appearing of Christ when the antichrist will be consumed by the sword of His mouth, and all flesh will melt at His presence (Rev.19:15; Zec.14:12).
Notice the comparisons between the tribes of Canaan and evil spirits. Joshua 3:10 lists the names of the tribes with their meanings:
1. Canaanites: "Low, flat," from kana which means "to bend the knee," hence "to bring into bondage."
2. Hittites: "Descended from Heth," whose name means "Terror, fear."
3. Hivites: "Village, small town," from chavvah or "living place" (note the similarity to have a "hive" of bees in the English language).
4. Perrizites: "Rustic, inhabitant of the open country."
5. Girgashites: Creator of habits, lit. "dwelling in a clay-like soil."
6. Amorites: from amar or "to say" and associated with the sense of publicity and prominence.
7. Jebusites: Inhabitants of Jebus, which means "trodden down."
Now notice the evil spirits of satan recorded in the New Testament Epistles, and see how the armor of Eph.6 counteracts these spirits.
1. There is a Spirit of Bondage (Rom.8:15). No wonder God gives us the truth as weapon number one (Eph.6:14). ".....ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free" (from bondage). One can be bound by physical, mental and spiritual bondage, which include being bound to the letter of the word without the Spirit.
2. "For God hath not given us the Spirit of Fear...." ( 2 Tim.1:7). Fear aims at the heart. "Men's hearts failing them for fear....." (Luke 21:26). So God gives us the breastplate of righteousness. Perfect love casteth out fear, so love also is part of this breastplate (1 Thes.5:8).
3. The Spirit of Slumber (Rom.11:8) was on Israel because they only wanted an earthly, material kingdom, not a spiritual one. They had commercialized the very house of God as a result of this spirit (Luke 19:45). It is obvious enough that the "spirit of bondage" and the "spirit of fear" are pictured by the Canaanites and Hittites, due to their name. But how is this "spirit of slumber" pictured by the name "Hivite," meaning "small town"? What is more conducive to slumber than slothfulness or having nothing to do? A small town would have less activity than a big town, and a man's own home, or "living place," the root word for Hivite, would be the natural place for the spirit of slumber, for there is his place of rest. Many foreign ministerial students come to the U.S. for training, and because of material comforts, they are hindered from returning to their countries by this spirit of slumber. This shows how the spirit of slumber is a spirit that seeks the best for one along material lines. Two instances in scripture concerning the Hivites tribe show this. One is in Gen.34; the other is in Joshua 9, where the Hivites of Gibeon sought alliance with God's people for their own self-interest. Both of these accounts came after God's people had won a great victory. After God has used a person, satan wants him to "coast" on the blessings so he will begin to slumber. But if we constantly shod our feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace we will be encouraged by the signs and wonders following and we will shut the door for this spirit of slumber.
4. God has not given us the Spirit of the World ( 1 Cor. 2:12). This spirit is a rude, coarse, divisive spirit of hatred (Luke 6:22; 1 John 3:13). The Perrizite or "rustic" tribe pictures this spirit. Rustic has a slightly different meaning than rural, in that it also can mean "rude, coarse." The Hebrew word comes from perez, meaning "to separate." The spirit of the world in a church will cause carnal divisions. God grant that we hold the shield of faith, for it is our faith that overcomes the world (Eph.6:16; 1 John 5:4)k. Overcome and conquer are the same words in Greek. Just as Israel conquered the Perrizites, we are to overcomer the spirit of the world.
5. Paul says, "be renewed in the Spirit of your Mind" (Eph.4:23), or in this case, in our "attitude." This suggest that our attitude can be good or bad, Christ-like or satanic. For all practical purposes a satanic attitude is just as harmful as many of the other satanic personal spirits. Such as attitude operates bad habits. This is portrayed in the very meaning of Girgashites, "dwelling in a clay-like soil," as when Jesus answered to Peter, "Get behind Me satan! you are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's." (Matt.16:23 NAS). Man was created and is compared to clay and he who sets his mind on man's interests becomes a "creator of habits" opposing to God's will. Of course, satan as an angel of light can give us some "high, lofty" reasoning which can produce habits that are moral, yet not spiritual. Here is where 2 Cor. 10:4-5 is important. (Our weapons are not carnal...) God's protection against an unrenewed "spirit of your mind" is a mind renewed by the hope of salvation, which is placing on the helmet of salvation (Eph.6:17; 1 Thes.5:8, and 1 John 3:3). The helmet is in three parts, even as our salvation is.
6. The Spirit of the anitchrist is a spirit that uses the tongue and likes to be conspicuous, as seen by the context of 1 John 4:3. So we clearly see that this spirit's type is pictured by the meaning of Amorites. Remember too, that Sihon and Og, both Amorite kings, tried in vain to stop Israel from entering in when they neared Canaan. Usually when someone starts hungering for the Holy Spirit and spiritual Canaan, this evil spirit that uses the tongue will get into his good friends, and through them try to keep the hungry one out. Mockery, lying, blasphemy, jestering instead of praising (Eph.5:4), and all the other sins of the tongue are often just a direct result of the spirit's moving upon a person. This is a "three-in-one" evil spirit (Rev.16:13-14). The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God, rhema meaning, "spoken Word" of God. Since the Word is the weapon Christ uses against the antichrist, it should be ours also against the spirit of antichrist (2 Thes.2:8; Rev.19:15).
7. The Spirit of Error, John says, causes a person to refuse to hear him who has the spirit of truth ( 1 John 4:6). This reminds one of the Jebusites who despised David's authority. In 2 Samuel 5:7 we see David taking Mt.Zion away from them. Spiritual wickedness in high places characterizes this "Spirit of Error" in the Greek means "straying, roving (as a tramp)." By implications, a stray in the Bible is called "an imposter, deceiver or misleader." Just as one can stray in any four directions, so there are four basic types of error. They are:
a. Error of Vision (Is.28:7) will make dim God's will for service in the body of Christ and thereby will ruin one's ministry (Prov.27:8).
b. Error of Doctrine (Matt.22:29) is erring from the Word and will spoil one's message.
c. Error of Living (2 Peter 3:17) is erring from the way of holiness and will cause some to miss the mark of being in Christ's image.
d. Error of Spirit (Is.29:24and Heb.3:10) is errring from true worship and will make one miss the moving of God's Spirit, when all others around are being blessed.
We might notice that this spirit of error, as typified by the Jebusites, high on Mt.Zion, manifests in two seemingly different things, a highly centralized organization, but also an indpendent "air." Just as Joab was made captain of David's army to lead in a fight, so today God is raising up leaders in His army who have overcome this spirit of error. Joab has to pass through a deep moat before scaling Zion's walls, so God must work great depths into our hearts before we can fully overcome this spirit. But it is worth it, for when God got the Jebusites out of Zion, He could fulfill His heart's desire to bring all Israel to that sacred place. This spirit of error dies hard, as seen in the Jebusites' long stay at Zion. But God has an answer for this "spirit of error." We are to exercise the secret weapon of intercession for the body of Christ, and therefore be missile bases for God against satan. Our prayer primarily is to be that Paul's message be fully known (Eph.6:18-20). "Do not err, my beloved brethren" (Js.1:16).
By way of review, notice the results of yielding to the influence of these satanic spirits:
The Spirit of Bondage aims to bow one down under its yoke.
The Spirit of Fear aims to break one down by violence, confusion and fear.
The Spirit of Slumber aims to settle one down by lowering standards.
The Spirit of the World aims to burn one down with its fiery darts.
The Spirit of a Wrong Mental Attitude chains one by its habits.
The Spirit of Error aims to trod one down by imparting a false loyalty.
Do not forget that God commands us to invade these enemies with fire (Dt.12:3).
"Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil" Eph.6:11
The Calvary Truths:Give the Peace of His Grace
Give the Peace of His Grace
Heb.9:10; Mk.10:33-34
7 Sufferings of Christ Isa.53:4-7
A. STRICKEN - Gethsemane Mk. 14:32-34 - EMOTIONAL grief stricken
B. SMITTEN - Judas and mob Mk. 14:43-52 - SHOCK Zec.13:7
C. AFFLICTED - Peter & High Priest - HUMILIATION Heb. "brought low"
D. WOUNDED - Sanhedrin & false witness - PERSONAL Zec.13:6; Pr.25:18
E. BRUISED - Sleepless night before Roman officials Lk.23:1-25;Dan.2:40 - CIRCUMSTANCES "Weary" lit."Bruised" Lk. 18:5
F. CHASTISEMENT - Scourging, bearing cross, crucifixion Lk.23:16;22-46 - INJUSTICE punished as a criminal
G. OPPRESSED - Soul bore unimaginalbe anguised in hell Mat.12:40;Ps.16:10;Ps.18; Ps.88 - SUPERNATURAL bothe God's wrath and satan's
SANCTIFICATION Ps.103:3a; Heb.10:10
DIVINE HEALING Ps.103b; Mk.8:17
DIVINE HEALTH Ps.103:4a; 3 John 2
PEACE and REST Ps.103:4b; Zec. 9:11; Lk. 8:24
RESURRECTION LIFE Ps.103:5; Heb.13:20; 2Cor.1:9
GLORY of GOD Ps.103:6; 1 Pet.4:14
Heb.9:10; Mk.10:33-34
7 Sufferings of Christ Isa.53:4-7
A. STRICKEN - Gethsemane Mk. 14:32-34 - EMOTIONAL grief stricken
B. SMITTEN - Judas and mob Mk. 14:43-52 - SHOCK Zec.13:7
C. AFFLICTED - Peter & High Priest - HUMILIATION Heb. "brought low"
D. WOUNDED - Sanhedrin & false witness - PERSONAL Zec.13:6; Pr.25:18
E. BRUISED - Sleepless night before Roman officials Lk.23:1-25;Dan.2:40 - CIRCUMSTANCES "Weary" lit."Bruised" Lk. 18:5
F. CHASTISEMENT - Scourging, bearing cross, crucifixion Lk.23:16;22-46 - INJUSTICE punished as a criminal
G. OPPRESSED - Soul bore unimaginalbe anguised in hell Mat.12:40;Ps.16:10;Ps.18; Ps.88 - SUPERNATURAL bothe God's wrath and satan's
7 Covenant Benefits
JUSTIFICATION Ps.103:3a; Acts 13:39;Rom.5:1;8:32SANCTIFICATION Ps.103:3a; Heb.10:10
DIVINE HEALING Ps.103b; Mk.8:17
DIVINE HEALTH Ps.103:4a; 3 John 2
PEACE and REST Ps.103:4b; Zec. 9:11; Lk. 8:24
RESURRECTION LIFE Ps.103:5; Heb.13:20; 2Cor.1:9
GLORY of GOD Ps.103:6; 1 Pet.4:14
Calvary's Seven Covenants
God's redeemed saints who have gone on to glory, fill heaven with their happy redemption songs. One is record in Revelation 5:9, "And they sang a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; For thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God, by the blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people and nation."
The source of this redemption, Calvary, has cast its prophetic shadow back into the lives of the early patriarchs. Holding their new born sons, they prophesied showing the life their son would live, and they named him accordingly. In all of their name, a letter from Jehovah's name, identified the bearer as a child of God. Jehovah gave to Himself seven compound names to denote the full sevenfold redemptive work of His Offering at Calvary. The following names set forth each a covenant work of Calvary.Jehovah-Jireh
Jehovah-Rapha
Jehovah-Nissi
Jehovah-Shalom
Jehovah-Raah
Jehovah-Tsidkenu
Jehovah-Shamah
The Psalmist David, understanding this great salvation, wrote in Psalm 103:1-2, "Bless the Lord, O my soul and forget not all His benefits; Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, and who healeth all thy diseases." Later the Prophet Isaiah 53, sets forth the seven sufferings of death (the word death is plural in Heb.53:9) as Jehovah- "laid on Him the iniquity of us all."
"Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him....
Stricken
Smitten of God
Afflicted
Wounded
Bruised
Chastened
Oppressed. "(Isa.53:4-9)
At Calvary the Jewish Messianic Yeshuah, dying, cried, "It is Finished."
The Apostle Paul, seeing many Christians neglecting the full benefits of Christ Jesus' redemption, wrote to warn us in Hebrews 2:3, "How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?" God's entire creations of heaven and earth and life upon the earth, are prophetic.
Memorials of His Sacrifice. The sixty constellations of stars that form the lunar, retell each year this wonderful story. All nature each Spring rehearses this greatest of all stories. Even in national Israel's history all their national commandments, laws, Ordinance, and Feasts were but figures of better things to come, in redemption.
One sees the very present shadows of Calvary's sevenfold redemption, all back through the Adam race. Even the earliest patriarchs had to perform seven acts, in worship, as God met them only at the sacrifice. Their offering would have been in vain, if they had failed to obey God and lay their hands upon the head of their lamb sacrifice. As they had to look forward to the cross so far as we now look back to it, their acts of obedience were also acts of faith. In laying on their hands on the substitutionary sacrifice, they knew it was but a substitute for God's Lamb, that Abraham prophesied in Gen.22:8, even as God's Messianic Son-Lamb was a substitute for each of us. As a sinner laid hands upon the little lamb about to die in his place, he first had to Confess his sin and need, identifying himself with the sacrifice, then Profess his faith, giving finality to God's Word.
At Calvary, Jesus our Lord, fulfilled every ceremonial ordinance of Israel. He not only gave His physical life in the shedding of His Blood, but His soul that didn't die on the cross, became God's Scapegoat, bearing all of our sins down in to the lowest hell. In Psalm 88 one sees the Soul of Christ in terrible torment, dying in the place of the body and soul of every believer. In Psalm 139:15-16 one sees heaven , in the heart of lucifier (Ezekl 28:12-19) and Isa.14:9-17, we see hell was conceived. Paul saw this scene of Christ going down, in Eph.4:8-10 and David in Psalm 68.
Jesus came in His earthly ministry, to live the Pattern Life for His church, and He reached forward by faith, even as Abram, to claim and possess the sevenfold ministry of deliverance of Calvary, even before He went to the cross. By the same faith every Christian has reached back to Calvary and laid hands on God's Lamb through confession, imparting eternal life to us.
Then came the Apostle Paul preaching The Gospel, based on the finished work of Calvary, and composed of the Seven Bible doctrines that flow from Calvary. They are found in Hebrews 6:1-2 and are:
* Christ
* Repentance from dead works
* Faith toward God
* Baptisms (a) of regeneration in the spiritual Body of Christ, (b) of the Holy Spirit and fire and (c) of the believer in water.)
* Laying on of Hands
* Resurrection of the dead
* Eternal judgment
The seven covenants of Calvary that composed the Apostle's Doctrine, the assembly ground of the early apostolic Church are Justification, Sanctification, Divine Healing, Divine Health, Rest of Faith, the Resurrection Life and Christ's Glorification. As we examine these seven convenants of Calvary that give the believer full Dominion over all things that now holds him or her in dominion, the first is that of Justification, and the second is Sanctification.
1. Justification- The first gives deliverance to the human spirit (Pneuma) from the built of sin, while the second gives our soul (psuche) or mental life, deliverance from the power of sinful habits over us. Justification bring repentance and indwelling of the Spirits of Christ, who recreates our human spirit into a new sinless creation, 1John3:9, "Whosoever is born of God (our spirit) doth not commit sin, because he is born of God." Also it shows security to the believer's spirit in 1 John 5:18 together with thirty unconditional promises, as, "And I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish" John 10:28-29.) This gives the born again believer in Christ a Work of Grace from Calvary that assures an Eternal Standing in the family of God, just as you have eternal Standing as a member of your household because of your Birth and Blood. Paul refers to our perfect standing as our being "In Christ". Martin Luther, the Catholic Priest, waling on his bleeding knees, even as is commonly seen in Mexico today, was striving to suffer in penance and thus stay saved or redeemed. Then God spoke to him, "The justified (those already redeemed) shall live by faith" Heb.10:38. The New Birth in Christ is once and for all, but the second work of Calvary Sanctification, is progressive.
2. Sanctification- As we examine the second ministry of deliverance, Sanctification wrought by Christ Jesus for us at Calvary, we see it is a setting apart to God. This is the work done through our soul or mental life, and with the Law of the Mind. Romans 7:23, having its sovereign will of choice, we find a need of deeper consecration to continue our walk in the spirit and not in the flesh, so awakening to our need of deeper spiritual life to overcome the Adamic Nature of sin within, we reached back to Calvary by faith and claimed our earnest of inheritance, the clothing of our lives by the Holy Ghost, which was our Lord's last promise and prophecy Acts1:8. This work of Calvary is imperfect in us until we reach maturity in Christ, for we begin in the babyhood state, and as we obey the 1050 commands (see "Commands" link) in the New Testament, and enter into the power of the many promises, we grow spiritually as the Christ-Life is fully formed within. So our Standing (spirit) is eternal, but our State of growth (soul) varies as we obey and disobey the Word of the Lord. As we climb this invisible Mountain of Calvary to claim our inheritance in Christ, and drink from the fountains of Life, we find many stones of unbelief, that must be cast out. After Pentecost the Holy Spirit desires to set some of the nine spiritual gifts of 1 Cor. 12:8-10 in our Spirit-filled lives, and some of the men are set into the five ministry offices of Eph.4:11, as Christ builds His New Testament Church in His Divine Order. After Pentecost, we wash our minds constantly with God's Word.
3. Divine Healing - The Third of the springs of Calvary every believer in Christ can drink from, is that of Divine Healing for soul and body. There is so little preaching on Calvary in modern churches and the Laodicean churches have filled this well of life with many stones of unbelief. Our churches taught us what unbelief we have, namely that the days of miracles are over, and that it is not God's Will to heal sick bodies, and some teach it is unscriptural. We can cast these stones of unbelief out, by examining the Life ministry of our Patter Jesus, who healed the sick and sent His disciples forth, commanded to do the same, and the Apostle Paul was still practicing it in Acts 28:7-9. The Apostle Matthew interprets Isaiah 53:4-5 in Matthew 8:17, "Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses," and Christ set it in the great commission to the New Testament Church in Mark 16:17-18. "And these signs shall follow them that believe: In My Name ye shall cast out demons - they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover." This is a command with Promise. Many thousands of us in the past fifty years have been swept up the mountain of God to the very seventh position of Calvary's glory, but being spiritually ignorant of the full benefits of Calvary's covenants, the devil drove us back down; but now we are climbing with determination to contend for our birthrights, and inheritance. If you can see your individual illness in Jesus on the cross, then you will soon be delivered, but if you testify the illness is on you instead of Him you suffer on.
4.Divine Health - Now let us examine the fourth deliverance of Calvary's seven covenants. It is Divine Health for soul and body even as you have for your recreated spirit, let us pull up our stakes and move our tents to higher ground. Here you will find the well of divine health filled with stones of doubt, fear, uncertainties and unbelief. The average church has failed to meet the need of the people and no assembly can go higher than its pastor. In the law of impartation when Old Covenant people laid hands on thier sacrifices, which were memorials of Calvary, and examine their Peace Offering. This sacrifice must always be by Fire (speaks of the anointing that breaks the yoke). It provided daily peace, a lull in the times of storms. Hands were laid on the sacrifice and all the chastisements of the people imparted by Faith upon the lamb. As Israel entered Canaan, they began a Daily Sacrifice, offering a lamb in the morning and one in the evening, and so a lamb was always burning, in a fire on the altar that never went out. The Prophet Isaiah knew this deliverance and wrote, in Isa. 53:5, "The chastisement of our peace was upon Him." Then again he wrote in Isa.26:3 "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind (consciousness) is stayed on Thee, for he trusteth in Thee." Today thousands of Christians are vexed and tormented with mental and physical disturbancess. You can impart by Faith all your Chastisements for peace back upon the dying Lamb of God at Calvary.
5. The Rest of Faith - The Fifth well of Calvary's living waters is that of the Rest of Faith which is the Rest of God. In the preceding "Peace" deliverance, it brought lulls in the storms of life, but this Rest of Faith keeps you at rest even through all storms and trials of life, much as the sparrow hiding in the cleft of the mountain rests as a storm breaks without. Paul found that rest and was calm even through the crucifixion death. Let us reckon by faith with Paul in Col. 3:3, "Ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God". You must find rest in each of these seven positions of Calvary or you cannot climb and possess any higher one. It is so important that the Christian finds Rest in his or her justification or they can never contend for and hold very long any higher experiences of Calvary. But here one finds the Rest of God. And when you work in your worries, fears and uncertainties of life, God rests, and when you rest, He works. Every insect, fowl, and wild animal live continually in the presence of their enemies, yet have rest; so can you for Christ within, sealed until the day of redemption, (Eph.4:30) secures your rest, when you believe, your consciousness is your waking faith, and in Matt.12:37 your conscious reckoning, of where your disturbance is, in you, or in Christ, determines the result. "For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be judged." Again the Lord offers you Rest in another Command with Promise. "Come unto Me ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" Matt.11:28.
6. Resurrection Life - The sixth fountain of eteranal blessings to the children of God is that of the Resurrection Life. Most teaching has the believer look forward to the coming of the Lord, and of course our bodies will be quickened then in resurrection, but there is Resurrection Life for every believer Now. Jesus set forth this truth to live by, in John 12:24, "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone." Here the resurrection life of Calvary set forth its order, in death, burial and resurrection . Even the lowly caterpillar must be willing to give up its life as a caterpillar, buried in its cocoon, before resurrection life performs the miracle and brings forth as the butterfly. At the time of our regeneration we gave up our old life, reckoned it crucified with Christ, and buried, that He might live His resurrection Life daily in us. When you find any worldly or sinful habits reappearing in your life, through revived Adamic nature, and unless you judge it with repentance, you will be chastened in corrective judgment. We find the Apostle Paul, in Phil. 3:10 pressing deeper into this resurrection power, "That I may know Him and the Power of His Resurrection."
7. Glory - Now we examine the Seventh and crowing ministry of Calvary, the Glory of our risen Lord. We read in Ez.8 and Ez. 9, of Israel's four profanations of God's Holy Temple, His Name, the Priesthood, and laity, that caused God's glory to be lifted from their national life.(National life because Israel did NOT believe in the separation of church and state.) Because of the same four profanations in the individual's life and their assemblies, the glory of the Lord has departed. Year after year through the centuries, the faithless masses of God's people, continue to compass the Mountains of Calvary, but never press up to it to contend for the seven wells of life and positions of inheritance. In 1Peter 5:4 God has set forth a reward of glory in which He crowns the life of the full overcomer in Christ. On Mt.Sinai Moses entered into the glory of God. On Mt.Carmel the Prophet Elijah saw the glory of God come down. Jesus took the three of His twelve disciples, who had a deep enough consecration, up the Mt.of Transfiguration to behold Him in His glory. As darkness covered the cross of Calvary and our dying Lord, God shook the earth, and Christ's crucifiers trembled in the presence of God's glory. The Apostle Paul pressed deeper into this crowing glory, through the sufferings of Christ, and in Phil. 3:10 cried, "That I may know Him in the fellowship of His sufferings."
Now we are entering the last watch of the Lord, as we cross the last and seventh frontier of this Church age. The Spirit calls us to come up higher, and contend with the enemy at the seven water holes of Calvary, that we might possess the heights of God. Let us contend for The Faith of The Apostles Creed of the Seven Covenants of Calvary, that alone can give us the full rest of the overcomer in Christ, remembering they are set in divine order for dominion, that we may have dominion victory over all that has taken dominion over us, and that God's first pre-race covenant of Gen.1:26-28 might be fulfilled in Christ's body. The seven covenants are Justification (for spirit), Sanctification (for soul), Divine Healing (for body); and the last four that Christ might be fully formed in our lives namely that of Divine Health, Rest of God Faith, Resurrection Life, and Christ's Glorification. "Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you" (Joshua 3:5).
Calvary's Path of Life
When God desires to show us the fullness of one of His attributes or truths He, as is shown in Eph.3:18 four dimensions, gives us a comprehensive four-fold view of it. He shows us:
1. The over-all picture of its domain, or scope of it
2. The process or "path" that it takes in it progressive steps
3. The fruit that it produces, particularly deep within our souls
4. The eternal glory of God that results
You can sum it up as showing its 1. "principality," as it were, or scope, 2. its "process" 3. its "product" (its personal work), 4. "praise" that it will get from God at the Judgment seat of Christ, as we present it to God as having been worked out in our own lives.
Before we look at Isaiah 53, let us review what we mean by "The path of life." There are 7 steps in all.
One in a 3 month study of Psalms 119, God opened up one of the reasons why all those different words are used for seemingly the same truth. They shot it to us in a comprehensive way; for the "Law" (torah) gives us the VISION of truth, for "law" embraces the whole code of duty. "Testimonies" give us the experiencing, just as it says, or TESTIMONY of it. "Ways" ("dreakim" = "trodden paths") are designed to give us the WAY or principles of truth. "Precepts" (charges of truth) actually are designed to give us the right MESSAGE that we personally need. "Statues" (ordinances decreed with legislation sanction) serve to make these principles or these truths imparted to us, by parental charges, to be something habitual in us. In other words to make them to become truth's MINISTRY to us.
"Commandments" "judgments" and "ways" are all designed to show LIFE in us, to us, and through us. His commandments are to be written within us, not just from without. Incidentally, commandments are directions issued with paternal authority. "Judgments" are judicial sentences or verdicts directed to correct our lifestyle. "Ways" here in Hebrew is "orach" or "customary paths" (speaks of customs or traditions, which can be good, 2 Thes.2:15 in contrast to the previous word "ways" which is "derakim," meaning "prescribed lines of conduct." Life in us reflects our nature. Life to us develops our character, and life through us shows our influence.
There are four words which are translated "Word" (2 directly and 2 indirectly).
1. Davar - meaning expression of God's mind and will
2. Imrah - a word communicated orally
3. Bin - understanding
4. Emunah - faithfulness, truth, the constancy of God's law.
These four show us the WILL OF GOD. The Creative, Righteous (or moral), Specfic, and Ultimate Will of God.
Now Isaiah 53 actually begins with Ch.52:13. This verse shows such divine exaltation resulting from Calvary - divine height of Calvary's "praise." In verse 14 the lowest depth (especially in the original where it shows that He wasn't even reconizable in his appearance (body) or in his form (soul) shows the "product" of the humiliation of His person. Then in verse 15 we find the broad outreach of the divine "principality" of Calvary - divine breadth. Now let's see in Ch.53 the "process" of the divine "length" of Calvary.
1. The consciousness or VISION of Calvary is seen in verse 2, first part. "For he shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground:" He became conscious of His Father's twofold vision of Him at Calvary, reaching up (the plant) and down (the root). Now in the last part of this verse, it shows man's consciousness or vision of Him, for they saw no appearance of beauty in Him. What in the Father's eyes were "tender" and "deep," in the eyes of man was "ugly" and "unattractive."
2. The Crisis or TESTIMONY of Calvary is seen in His growing up before men, verse 3-4. "Depised" = "to hold in contempt, disdain" and "rejected" = "to cease following as a shepherd." He boldly passed this test, and came forth with a clean testimony (1 Peter 2:23).
3. The Care or WAYS (principles) of Calvary in verse 4. He "bore" our griefs and sorrows (can be translated sicknesses and pains). He had this principle of Calvary becoming part of Him. to suffer for others is God's way to reach people's hearts, this attitude makes them realize God's care for them.
4. The Crucible or MESSAGE of Calvary is seen in His 7 sufferings, verses 4-7. For when pinciples are born within us, then when obeyed, they teach us lessons of truth, in other words they give us a MESSAGE. Each suffering denotes a different pressure and has a different meaning in the original completely distrint from the other.
5. The Cure or MINISTRY of Calvary verse5-6. For whereas no.3 emphasizes the act of bearing the load, here the cargo, what is borne as result, is emphasized. His ministry consisted in taking away or "transgressions," our "iniquities," and whatever vexes our peace, including physical afflications. He remains in this ministry of deliverance.
Having seen previously that the principles, when obeyed, become the Good News Message in us, then it begins operating in and through us giving us the MINISTRY of Calvary, to deliver the oppressed ones into God liberty.
6. The Center of LIFE of Calvary verses 7-9. (Acts 8:33, in the old Septuagint version reads, "In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation for his life was taken from the earth"). He, knowing that life comes through giving up one's life for God, gave up, in a real sense (and in the substitutionary sense of the word), His spiritual life by being made sin for us. This is pictured in verse 7 by the lamb going to the slaughter and the sheep being sheared of its wool, picturing Christ's reighteousness, which He gave us that we may have it. Secondly, He gave us His natural or soulish rights as His humiliation even that was taken from Him. For althought Pilate admitted to finding no fault in Him, he punished Him as if He were worse than a cruel criminal because of popular pressure was against Him. Thirdly, Christ gave up His physcial life. "He was cut off from the land of the living."
His life, as it is ministered in, to and through us, produces abundant LIFE, the true life of Calvary, making us one of His true disciplined ones or servants.
7. The Crown or WILL of GOD in Calvary expressed, verses 10-12. Remember that God's glory is 4-fold (as seen in His 4 theocracies; The Patriarchs, the Law, the New Testament Church, and the Millennium), this necesssitates that God's will also is 4-fold, for these is a close bond between the two. When God's will is fulfilled God's Glory is manifested. His 4-fold glory has been defined as the Glory of His Name, Word, Life and Presence.
His Will consists of His Creative, His Righteous (moral), His Specific (that is, "Shall I do this or shall I do that?") and His Ultimate will.
a. His Creative Will - involving Resurrection, is seen in verse 10 ("pleasure" = "will"). He gave His life as an offering for sin, then he resurrected with an everlasting life to see His seed.
b. His Righteous Will is seen in verse 11 - God's righteousness was satisfied by the travail of Jesus' soul. Through the knowledge of it we have justification.
c. His Specific Will is seen in verse 12 - where Jesus Christ gets His specific portion allotted Him.
d. His Ultimate Will is seen in verse 12b - where Jesus Christ divides His portion to the "strong."
We've followed the path of life, Calvary life here, through chapter 53, life following a river. This last one has 4 forks in it, as it were that ushers this great river into the vast ocean of Eternity. For while we saw that "Life" was the last bend in it, here we see that life finally becomes God's inward law within our hearts and it becomes the most natural thing to do God's Will, Phil.2:13. "But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." (James 1:4.)
1. The over-all picture of its domain, or scope of it
2. The process or "path" that it takes in it progressive steps
3. The fruit that it produces, particularly deep within our souls
4. The eternal glory of God that results
You can sum it up as showing its 1. "principality," as it were, or scope, 2. its "process" 3. its "product" (its personal work), 4. "praise" that it will get from God at the Judgment seat of Christ, as we present it to God as having been worked out in our own lives.
Before we look at Isaiah 53, let us review what we mean by "The path of life." There are 7 steps in all.
One in a 3 month study of Psalms 119, God opened up one of the reasons why all those different words are used for seemingly the same truth. They shot it to us in a comprehensive way; for the "Law" (torah) gives us the VISION of truth, for "law" embraces the whole code of duty. "Testimonies" give us the experiencing, just as it says, or TESTIMONY of it. "Ways" ("dreakim" = "trodden paths") are designed to give us the WAY or principles of truth. "Precepts" (charges of truth) actually are designed to give us the right MESSAGE that we personally need. "Statues" (ordinances decreed with legislation sanction) serve to make these principles or these truths imparted to us, by parental charges, to be something habitual in us. In other words to make them to become truth's MINISTRY to us.
"Commandments" "judgments" and "ways" are all designed to show LIFE in us, to us, and through us. His commandments are to be written within us, not just from without. Incidentally, commandments are directions issued with paternal authority. "Judgments" are judicial sentences or verdicts directed to correct our lifestyle. "Ways" here in Hebrew is "orach" or "customary paths" (speaks of customs or traditions, which can be good, 2 Thes.2:15 in contrast to the previous word "ways" which is "derakim," meaning "prescribed lines of conduct." Life in us reflects our nature. Life to us develops our character, and life through us shows our influence.
There are four words which are translated "Word" (2 directly and 2 indirectly).
1. Davar - meaning expression of God's mind and will
2. Imrah - a word communicated orally
3. Bin - understanding
4. Emunah - faithfulness, truth, the constancy of God's law.
These four show us the WILL OF GOD. The Creative, Righteous (or moral), Specfic, and Ultimate Will of God.
Now Isaiah 53 actually begins with Ch.52:13. This verse shows such divine exaltation resulting from Calvary - divine height of Calvary's "praise." In verse 14 the lowest depth (especially in the original where it shows that He wasn't even reconizable in his appearance (body) or in his form (soul) shows the "product" of the humiliation of His person. Then in verse 15 we find the broad outreach of the divine "principality" of Calvary - divine breadth. Now let's see in Ch.53 the "process" of the divine "length" of Calvary.
1. The consciousness or VISION of Calvary is seen in verse 2, first part. "For he shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground:" He became conscious of His Father's twofold vision of Him at Calvary, reaching up (the plant) and down (the root). Now in the last part of this verse, it shows man's consciousness or vision of Him, for they saw no appearance of beauty in Him. What in the Father's eyes were "tender" and "deep," in the eyes of man was "ugly" and "unattractive."
2. The Crisis or TESTIMONY of Calvary is seen in His growing up before men, verse 3-4. "Depised" = "to hold in contempt, disdain" and "rejected" = "to cease following as a shepherd." He boldly passed this test, and came forth with a clean testimony (1 Peter 2:23).
3. The Care or WAYS (principles) of Calvary in verse 4. He "bore" our griefs and sorrows (can be translated sicknesses and pains). He had this principle of Calvary becoming part of Him. to suffer for others is God's way to reach people's hearts, this attitude makes them realize God's care for them.
4. The Crucible or MESSAGE of Calvary is seen in His 7 sufferings, verses 4-7. For when pinciples are born within us, then when obeyed, they teach us lessons of truth, in other words they give us a MESSAGE. Each suffering denotes a different pressure and has a different meaning in the original completely distrint from the other.
5. The Cure or MINISTRY of Calvary verse5-6. For whereas no.3 emphasizes the act of bearing the load, here the cargo, what is borne as result, is emphasized. His ministry consisted in taking away or "transgressions," our "iniquities," and whatever vexes our peace, including physical afflications. He remains in this ministry of deliverance.
Having seen previously that the principles, when obeyed, become the Good News Message in us, then it begins operating in and through us giving us the MINISTRY of Calvary, to deliver the oppressed ones into God liberty.
6. The Center of LIFE of Calvary verses 7-9. (Acts 8:33, in the old Septuagint version reads, "In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation for his life was taken from the earth"). He, knowing that life comes through giving up one's life for God, gave up, in a real sense (and in the substitutionary sense of the word), His spiritual life by being made sin for us. This is pictured in verse 7 by the lamb going to the slaughter and the sheep being sheared of its wool, picturing Christ's reighteousness, which He gave us that we may have it. Secondly, He gave us His natural or soulish rights as His humiliation even that was taken from Him. For althought Pilate admitted to finding no fault in Him, he punished Him as if He were worse than a cruel criminal because of popular pressure was against Him. Thirdly, Christ gave up His physcial life. "He was cut off from the land of the living."
His life, as it is ministered in, to and through us, produces abundant LIFE, the true life of Calvary, making us one of His true disciplined ones or servants.
7. The Crown or WILL of GOD in Calvary expressed, verses 10-12. Remember that God's glory is 4-fold (as seen in His 4 theocracies; The Patriarchs, the Law, the New Testament Church, and the Millennium), this necesssitates that God's will also is 4-fold, for these is a close bond between the two. When God's will is fulfilled God's Glory is manifested. His 4-fold glory has been defined as the Glory of His Name, Word, Life and Presence.
His Will consists of His Creative, His Righteous (moral), His Specific (that is, "Shall I do this or shall I do that?") and His Ultimate will.
a. His Creative Will - involving Resurrection, is seen in verse 10 ("pleasure" = "will"). He gave His life as an offering for sin, then he resurrected with an everlasting life to see His seed.
b. His Righteous Will is seen in verse 11 - God's righteousness was satisfied by the travail of Jesus' soul. Through the knowledge of it we have justification.
c. His Specific Will is seen in verse 12 - where Jesus Christ gets His specific portion allotted Him.
d. His Ultimate Will is seen in verse 12b - where Jesus Christ divides His portion to the "strong."
We've followed the path of life, Calvary life here, through chapter 53, life following a river. This last one has 4 forks in it, as it were that ushers this great river into the vast ocean of Eternity. For while we saw that "Life" was the last bend in it, here we see that life finally becomes God's inward law within our hearts and it becomes the most natural thing to do God's Will, Phil.2:13. "But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." (James 1:4.)
The Overcoming Truths:Give the Protection of His Grace
THE OVERCOMING TRUTHS
Give the Protection of His Grace ~ Phil.3; Heb.5:11;6:20;Rev.21:7
7 Calls of the Spirit
The Calls of the Spirit
A. Call to salvation B. Call to a Twofold Responsibility (before God & man)) C. Call to Anointed Priesthood D. Call to overcome Temptation E. Call to Anointed & Proven Ministry F. Call to Abundant Life G. Call to the Throne.
In the Life of Christ
A. Matthew 2:15 B.Lk.2:49-52 C. Lk.3:21-22 D. Lk.4:1-2 E. Lk.4:14-19 F. Jn.12:24 G.Acts 1:10
In the life of the disciple
A. 1 Thes.4:7; 2Cor.1:9;3:9 B. 1 Cor.1:9;3:9 C. Gal.5:13;1Pet.2:5;2Cor.3:17 D. 1 Pet.3:21;3:9;Col.3:15 E. Phil.2:22;Acts 13:2; Jn.21:17 F. Jn.10:10; Col.1:5-6 G.1Thes.2:12;2Thes.2:14
The Purpose
A. Holiness B. Fellowship C. Liberty D. Suffering and Peace E. Special Ministry F. Life Eternal G. Kingdom and Glory.
What He does with us
A. "Woo's" B. "Proves" C. "Endures" (bears up) D. "Bruises" E. "Uses" F. "Renews" G. "Moves
The "overcomer" blessings in Rev. 2, 3.
A. "To eat of the Tree of Life" B. "No hurt of the second death" C. "To eat of the hidden manna and a new name" D. "Power to rule the Morning Star" E. "Clothed in white raiment and not to blot out his name from the book but to confess it before His Father." F. "A pillar in the House of God and threefold Name on him: a. God's name b. New Jersalem's Name c. Christ's new Name" G. "To sit with Christ in His throne."
The Seven Calls of the Spirit
There were seven time when the Spirit called Christ to a higher realm. Since He is our example(1Pe.2:21), we too are to follow the pattern, and allow the spirit to lead us in the bloodstained path. Naturally, there may by a certain amount of "leeway" in how the seven calls come to us in contrast to how they came to Christ. But a glimpse into Christ's life will help us locate ourselves as to just where we are in God's calendar for our individual lives.
We need to remember several things when we see how Christ followed these divine calls so easily. His one delight was not to preach, or anything else no matter how good it may seem to be, but as seen in Ps.40:8 "I delight to do thy will, O my God..." And another secret of growth was that, although He was in a hard, spiritually "dry" environment all His life, He did not let the hardness of others harden Him. "For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground." (Is.53:2).
The calls:
1. The call to Salvation-was the first call that the Lord Jesus answered to and it is also the first call of the Spirit that we must answer.
2. The twofold call to Responsibility-came next, A. Before men(his earthly parents) and B. to do the work the Father had planned. (Luke 2:49). His Father's business was in the Father's temple where, at the age of twelve, He was ministering to the temple leaders. And this call is our second one too. Look at Andrew, who as soon as he found Christ, felt responsible to bring his brother, Peter to Christ. Of course this call includes our responsibility to follow Christ, in our daily walk, now that Egypt has been left behind.
3.The Call to Anointed Priesthood- came at the river Jordan where the Holy Spirit descended upon Christ, at the age of thirty (when Israel's priests were anointed for the priesthood). This call represents, basically our receiving the Holy Spirit for service, but often has inherent in it a call to a special ministry, but like David who was anointed by Samuel to sit on the throne, there must first be a proving period before one is fit to enter the fullness of his particular ministry. That is why following the call is important.
4. The Call to Overcome Temptation-is the fourth call. This is a "proving ground" call as it were. For "Many are called" to a ministry, as in call number 3- "but few are chosen." Why? Because they never pass this particular "grade" or call. In Christ's life this came during his forty days of temptation (Lk.4:2). And because He hid the Word away in His heart and was Spirit-led, He passed through this call into the fifth one.
5.This was the Call to the Anointed Ministry-(Lk.4:14-19) which lasted for three and one-half years. Christ was the chief apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher, elder,deacon,government and help. (He still is, and when we enter this fifth call, He is still pouring out His life-ministry through us.)
We might say that these calls are like a child's building blocks. Entering these progressive calls of service for Christ, does not relieve us from previous call's responsibility. And in Christ's three and one-half years ministry, although He had perhaps His severest temptations in the wilderness, yet He was tested still.
6. The death, burial, and resurrection of Christ constituted His sixth call, The Call to Abundant Life. "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit" (Jn.12:24). In one way, this call is like the fourth call repeated and intensified, except that there is the resurrection side of it too.
7. The Call to the Throne-is seen in Christ's call upward to sit "on the right hand of God"(Mk.16:19). Since the Spirit is to give us a taste of the glory to come (Eph.1:14), God wants to empower us to sit on the throne, and take full dominion over the adversary, while we are waiting on the real call upward. When we get to the place where, in daily experience, it is "no more I, but Christ liveth in me" (Gal.2:20), we will experience this throne-room living.
These calls are not limited just to the individual, for God has issued the same calls to the church. God divided the church age into periods, pictured by the churches of Revelation two and three, in which the church is receiving these calls. For example, the Laodicean church receives the call to the throne, as it is last. "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne...." (Rev.3:21). We shall not go into detail here on the seventh churches as representing the Church age, as that has been covered in the booklet, "Reviewing the Revelation."
In the Old Testament, as well as in the New Testament, a case or fact was proved by two or three witnesses (2 Cor.13:1). God's desire is to have a pattern church of today just as He had one in Acts, to prove His grace to all. These pattern churches follow along the lines of the "seven calls," too. Notice, first, the "earthly" Church's calls:
1. The Call to Salvation-After Calvary and the resurrection, Jesus call the apostles to salvation when He breathed upon them and commanded them to receive the Holy Spirit as we read in John 20:22-23.
2. The Twofold Call to Responsibility- came through the Great Commission (Mt.28:19-20;Mt.16:15-18). Also, this call called them unto the upper room first. (Acts 2:4)
3. The Call to the Anointed Priesthood-came at Pentecost (Acts 2:4), which call was prefigured in Israel's Sinai, where God called them to be a nation of priests (Ex.19:6).
4.The Call to Overcome Temptation-came through the dispersion, due to persecution (Acts 8:1).
5. The Call to the Anointed Ministry-came fast following the preceding call, "Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word. Then Philip went down to....Samaria..."(Acts8:4-5).
6. The Call to Abundant Life- came as God raised Paul up with his abundant life message and ministry of grace, as seen in his missionary journeys (Acts 13-19).
7. The Call to the Throne-perhaps has its great climax in the martyrdoms under Nero that followed. Meanwhile Paul's example of "throne room living" is seen in his journey to Rome, and epistles written en route.
Now notice the progressive calls repeated under different circumstances, in this last "Pattern Church" in which we may have a part. Of course, as it root goes back to the Reformation, there is where these calls begin.
1. The Call to Salvation-came at the mouth of the reformers who called God's people out of Babylon to a genuine salvation by grace, not by works. (Of course God is still calling His people to be saved and to come out of the world, so we are not saying that these calls cannot be repeated to God's children no, but we are seeing the "over-all" picture).
2. The Twofold Call to Responsibility-was seen particularly in the last century in the great missionary activities (toward men), but also in the old-fashioned "waiting meetings" for power of the original "Holiness" people. They were in their upper room in those days, and felt responsible to get God's preparation.
3. The Call to the Anointed Priesthood-came as, simultaneously, the Pentecostal downpours came upon these waiting disciples the world over, and the Pentecostal groups emerged.
4. The Call to Overcome Temptation-came as Communism and persecutions, and world wars, arose without, and, in many cases, internal divisions within, amidst God's children. (Remember, only those who stay full of the Holy Spirit and who have the pure Word come through this stage.)
5. The Call to the Anointed Ministry-followed fast upon the preceding call as God's true servants went everywhere preaching the Word with "signs following."
6. The Call to Abundant Life-which has its precedent in Paul's three missionary journeys, and Christ's death, burial and resurrection, can be summed up by the three "remnants" that God is raising up today. This endtime power remnant is seen pictured, as man see's it (with all its faults, etc.), in David's three remnants in 1 Samuel 30:26. There we see David's "presence remnant," the nobles of Judah who enjoyed His presence as friends. Then there were those who were so faint they abode by the brook Besor (or in Hebrew, "Cool Brook" - the revelation is refreshing). But His "power remnant" were those rugged fellows that pursued the enemy until the spoils were gained. And then some showed a selfish spirit and didn't want to divided the spoil. That is why we say that here the endtime remnants are seen as man sees them. For man sees all the faults, and many who identify themselves with the power remnant of God, aren't all actually in His power remnant.
7. Lastly, the overcoming Bride shall hear The Call of the Throne-(Lk.21:36; Phil.3:11; 2Thes.1:11;Heb.9:28; Rev.3:10)-all these verses are conditional)while the Church in general must be purified by three and one-half years tribulation. As Israel of old, Judah led the minority group first, then after a great space, the others followed, Numbers 10:5, but they all got to Canaan.
These calls can be followed in a local assembly too, as seen in Antioch. Notice the following reference: Acts 11:21,23,26, ("Christian" or "little Christ" means they must have had the call to the anointed priesthood for "Christ" means the anoinoted one"). All three missionary journeys of Paul began at Antioch. Beginning then Antioch, instead of Jerusalem, starts coming to the front. History records many martyrs from Antioch late in an age of materialism. May we have ears to hear the call of God's spirit.
Give the Protection of His Grace ~ Phil.3; Heb.5:11;6:20;Rev.21:7
7 Calls of the Spirit
The Calls of the Spirit
A. Call to salvation B. Call to a Twofold Responsibility (before God & man)) C. Call to Anointed Priesthood D. Call to overcome Temptation E. Call to Anointed & Proven Ministry F. Call to Abundant Life G. Call to the Throne.
In the Life of Christ
A. Matthew 2:15 B.Lk.2:49-52 C. Lk.3:21-22 D. Lk.4:1-2 E. Lk.4:14-19 F. Jn.12:24 G.Acts 1:10
In the life of the disciple
A. 1 Thes.4:7; 2Cor.1:9;3:9 B. 1 Cor.1:9;3:9 C. Gal.5:13;1Pet.2:5;2Cor.3:17 D. 1 Pet.3:21;3:9;Col.3:15 E. Phil.2:22;Acts 13:2; Jn.21:17 F. Jn.10:10; Col.1:5-6 G.1Thes.2:12;2Thes.2:14
The Purpose
A. Holiness B. Fellowship C. Liberty D. Suffering and Peace E. Special Ministry F. Life Eternal G. Kingdom and Glory.
What He does with us
A. "Woo's" B. "Proves" C. "Endures" (bears up) D. "Bruises" E. "Uses" F. "Renews" G. "Moves
The "overcomer" blessings in Rev. 2, 3.
A. "To eat of the Tree of Life" B. "No hurt of the second death" C. "To eat of the hidden manna and a new name" D. "Power to rule the Morning Star" E. "Clothed in white raiment and not to blot out his name from the book but to confess it before His Father." F. "A pillar in the House of God and threefold Name on him: a. God's name b. New Jersalem's Name c. Christ's new Name" G. "To sit with Christ in His throne."
The Seven Calls of the Spirit
There were seven time when the Spirit called Christ to a higher realm. Since He is our example(1Pe.2:21), we too are to follow the pattern, and allow the spirit to lead us in the bloodstained path. Naturally, there may by a certain amount of "leeway" in how the seven calls come to us in contrast to how they came to Christ. But a glimpse into Christ's life will help us locate ourselves as to just where we are in God's calendar for our individual lives.
We need to remember several things when we see how Christ followed these divine calls so easily. His one delight was not to preach, or anything else no matter how good it may seem to be, but as seen in Ps.40:8 "I delight to do thy will, O my God..." And another secret of growth was that, although He was in a hard, spiritually "dry" environment all His life, He did not let the hardness of others harden Him. "For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground." (Is.53:2).
The calls:
1. The call to Salvation-was the first call that the Lord Jesus answered to and it is also the first call of the Spirit that we must answer.
2. The twofold call to Responsibility-came next, A. Before men(his earthly parents) and B. to do the work the Father had planned. (Luke 2:49). His Father's business was in the Father's temple where, at the age of twelve, He was ministering to the temple leaders. And this call is our second one too. Look at Andrew, who as soon as he found Christ, felt responsible to bring his brother, Peter to Christ. Of course this call includes our responsibility to follow Christ, in our daily walk, now that Egypt has been left behind.
3.The Call to Anointed Priesthood- came at the river Jordan where the Holy Spirit descended upon Christ, at the age of thirty (when Israel's priests were anointed for the priesthood). This call represents, basically our receiving the Holy Spirit for service, but often has inherent in it a call to a special ministry, but like David who was anointed by Samuel to sit on the throne, there must first be a proving period before one is fit to enter the fullness of his particular ministry. That is why following the call is important.
4. The Call to Overcome Temptation-is the fourth call. This is a "proving ground" call as it were. For "Many are called" to a ministry, as in call number 3- "but few are chosen." Why? Because they never pass this particular "grade" or call. In Christ's life this came during his forty days of temptation (Lk.4:2). And because He hid the Word away in His heart and was Spirit-led, He passed through this call into the fifth one.
5.This was the Call to the Anointed Ministry-(Lk.4:14-19) which lasted for three and one-half years. Christ was the chief apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher, elder,deacon,government and help. (He still is, and when we enter this fifth call, He is still pouring out His life-ministry through us.)
We might say that these calls are like a child's building blocks. Entering these progressive calls of service for Christ, does not relieve us from previous call's responsibility. And in Christ's three and one-half years ministry, although He had perhaps His severest temptations in the wilderness, yet He was tested still.
6. The death, burial, and resurrection of Christ constituted His sixth call, The Call to Abundant Life. "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit" (Jn.12:24). In one way, this call is like the fourth call repeated and intensified, except that there is the resurrection side of it too.
7. The Call to the Throne-is seen in Christ's call upward to sit "on the right hand of God"(Mk.16:19). Since the Spirit is to give us a taste of the glory to come (Eph.1:14), God wants to empower us to sit on the throne, and take full dominion over the adversary, while we are waiting on the real call upward. When we get to the place where, in daily experience, it is "no more I, but Christ liveth in me" (Gal.2:20), we will experience this throne-room living.
These calls are not limited just to the individual, for God has issued the same calls to the church. God divided the church age into periods, pictured by the churches of Revelation two and three, in which the church is receiving these calls. For example, the Laodicean church receives the call to the throne, as it is last. "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne...." (Rev.3:21). We shall not go into detail here on the seventh churches as representing the Church age, as that has been covered in the booklet, "Reviewing the Revelation."
In the Old Testament, as well as in the New Testament, a case or fact was proved by two or three witnesses (2 Cor.13:1). God's desire is to have a pattern church of today just as He had one in Acts, to prove His grace to all. These pattern churches follow along the lines of the "seven calls," too. Notice, first, the "earthly" Church's calls:
1. The Call to Salvation-After Calvary and the resurrection, Jesus call the apostles to salvation when He breathed upon them and commanded them to receive the Holy Spirit as we read in John 20:22-23.
2. The Twofold Call to Responsibility- came through the Great Commission (Mt.28:19-20;Mt.16:15-18). Also, this call called them unto the upper room first. (Acts 2:4)
3. The Call to the Anointed Priesthood-came at Pentecost (Acts 2:4), which call was prefigured in Israel's Sinai, where God called them to be a nation of priests (Ex.19:6).
4.The Call to Overcome Temptation-came through the dispersion, due to persecution (Acts 8:1).
5. The Call to the Anointed Ministry-came fast following the preceding call, "Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word. Then Philip went down to....Samaria..."(Acts8:4-5).
6. The Call to Abundant Life- came as God raised Paul up with his abundant life message and ministry of grace, as seen in his missionary journeys (Acts 13-19).
7. The Call to the Throne-perhaps has its great climax in the martyrdoms under Nero that followed. Meanwhile Paul's example of "throne room living" is seen in his journey to Rome, and epistles written en route.
Now notice the progressive calls repeated under different circumstances, in this last "Pattern Church" in which we may have a part. Of course, as it root goes back to the Reformation, there is where these calls begin.
1. The Call to Salvation-came at the mouth of the reformers who called God's people out of Babylon to a genuine salvation by grace, not by works. (Of course God is still calling His people to be saved and to come out of the world, so we are not saying that these calls cannot be repeated to God's children no, but we are seeing the "over-all" picture).
2. The Twofold Call to Responsibility-was seen particularly in the last century in the great missionary activities (toward men), but also in the old-fashioned "waiting meetings" for power of the original "Holiness" people. They were in their upper room in those days, and felt responsible to get God's preparation.
3. The Call to the Anointed Priesthood-came as, simultaneously, the Pentecostal downpours came upon these waiting disciples the world over, and the Pentecostal groups emerged.
4. The Call to Overcome Temptation-came as Communism and persecutions, and world wars, arose without, and, in many cases, internal divisions within, amidst God's children. (Remember, only those who stay full of the Holy Spirit and who have the pure Word come through this stage.)
5. The Call to the Anointed Ministry-followed fast upon the preceding call as God's true servants went everywhere preaching the Word with "signs following."
6. The Call to Abundant Life-which has its precedent in Paul's three missionary journeys, and Christ's death, burial and resurrection, can be summed up by the three "remnants" that God is raising up today. This endtime power remnant is seen pictured, as man see's it (with all its faults, etc.), in David's three remnants in 1 Samuel 30:26. There we see David's "presence remnant," the nobles of Judah who enjoyed His presence as friends. Then there were those who were so faint they abode by the brook Besor (or in Hebrew, "Cool Brook" - the revelation is refreshing). But His "power remnant" were those rugged fellows that pursued the enemy until the spoils were gained. And then some showed a selfish spirit and didn't want to divided the spoil. That is why we say that here the endtime remnants are seen as man sees them. For man sees all the faults, and many who identify themselves with the power remnant of God, aren't all actually in His power remnant.
7. Lastly, the overcoming Bride shall hear The Call of the Throne-(Lk.21:36; Phil.3:11; 2Thes.1:11;Heb.9:28; Rev.3:10)-all these verses are conditional)while the Church in general must be purified by three and one-half years tribulation. As Israel of old, Judah led the minority group first, then after a great space, the others followed, Numbers 10:5, but they all got to Canaan.
These calls can be followed in a local assembly too, as seen in Antioch. Notice the following reference: Acts 11:21,23,26, ("Christian" or "little Christ" means they must have had the call to the anointed priesthood for "Christ" means the anoinoted one"). All three missionary journeys of Paul began at Antioch. Beginning then Antioch, instead of Jerusalem, starts coming to the front. History records many martyrs from Antioch late in an age of materialism. May we have ears to hear the call of God's spirit.
The Rest Truths: Proof That We Are in God's Grace Heb.3:7,4,16;Ps.37;Mt.11:28
Seven Ways to Enter God's Rest
A. Faith in God's Word: Heb.3:19;Ex.12:28 Heb.4:3;Heb.11:28
B. Ceasing From Self Effort: 1 Pet.5:7;Ex 6:6;Heb.4:10;Ex. 14:14
C. Life in the Spirit: Jn.7:38-39;Is.63:13-14;Is.28:11-12;Neh.9:19-20
D. Harmony Through the Body Ministry: Heb.3:13;Ex. 17:12;Gal. 6:2;Phlm.7
E. Submission to Christ's Ministries: 1 Thes.5:12-13;Num.8:5-26;Heb.13:17;Ex.36:1-4
F. Growth: Matt.11:29; Duet.11:11-15;James 1:4;Jer. 6:16
G. Recognizing the Lord's Presence: Deut.12:11-12;Ps.132:13-14;Heb.4:13-16;Jn.6:21
Seven Sources of Unrest
A. Unbelief; Condemnation
B. Self-Effort; Cares
C. Spiritual Frustration
D.Discord in Relationship
E. Pride; Rebellion
F. Immaturity
G. Fears
Rest- what is it? Paul said, "None of these things move me" (Acts 20:24). That is rest. The Shumamite woman (2Kings4:26), with her son lying dead, confessed, "It is well." Her eyes were on the promise, not on circumstances. That is rest. Paul and Silas could sing in the midnight jail. That is rest. Christ never spoke of His own hurts on the cross, but interceded for us. That is rest.
Whenever God's people learn to rest, God works. For as we rest, God works; but as we work-in self-effort, in anxiety, in trying instead of trusting-God is at rest. Daniel rested in the lion's den. The Hebrew children rested in the fire. Even those who died as martyrs did so in rest, and look how God worked to multiply the seed sown.
Rest has three general aspects to the believer:
Rest for the Spirit
1. "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." We received this rest we came to Christ and our spirits received Him (Matt.11:28).
Rest for the Soul
2. "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest for your souls." We receive this rest when our soul dies daily submitted to Christ's yoke of love (Matt.11:29).
Rest for the Body
3. "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them" (Rev.14:13).
How does one enter this rest?:
There are seven areas where Christians can be out of rest. For each one, however, God has provided the solution. If we are willing to meditate on His Word and discipline our "thought life" to conform to His Word, we will enter into His rest. Let us prayerfully study each of these areas. The following are only an outline. The fullness of God's revelation comes as we turn to Him and allow Him to reveal it to us.
1. Faith in God's Word- Israel did not enter into their Canaan rest because they limited God. "Yea, they turned back....and limited the Holy One of Israel" (Ps.78:14). "Limited" here literally means "horizon." They tried to push God into their little five-sense box. All the time He was wanting to lift them up through faith in His Word into the "large room," that throne room in the heavenlies. So faith in the Word brings rest. Many believers seek the secret of rest. Sadly, however, all their lives, never enter into the fullness God has intended for His people. What stops us from entering into this rest? Hebrews 3:18-19 tells us Israel could not enter into His rest because of unbelief. It is also unbelief that holds many Christians in the grip of fear and anxiety and stops us from receiving victory.
2.Ceasing from Self-Effort- Next we see that clinging to one's problems not ceasing from one's own works of self-effort or worry hinders rest in our lives. In other words, whoever holds on to the pole of self-effort, trying to help God, will never catch hold of the other pole, that of rest, for they are too far apart. As righteous Job was he still was determined to "hold fast" his righteousness -- his good works-- as a basis for God blessing him. And he almost died, but when he let go, which pictures Calvary, and finally realized it was all by grace, his rest came (Job 27:6; 33:24). Others, through worry, hold onto their problems. Cast all your care upon Him, for He careth for you. God doesn't have problems. So when David was loaded down with cares in the wilderness, he learned a secret. If he would begin praising God instead of murmuring, what seemed to have been a problem was just a fiery test. The fire burned only in him which needed to be burned. The gold came through purified.
3. Life in the Spirit- Life in the Spirit is a secret of rest. "For with stammering lips and another tongue will He speak to this people. To whom He said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear' (Is 28:11,12). "Thou, O God, didst sent a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary" (Ps.68:9).
4. Harmony through Body Ministry- Harmony through body ministry brings rest. As long as a square peg is trying to fit into a round hole, it feels uneasy. When one finds his or her place in Christ's body each member has some particular ministry; he then finds rest. A bone out of joint, if it could talk, could say "AMEN" to that.
5. Submission- Rest comes through submission, first to Christ's Lordship, and then to an extension of that, His ministries. It is reasonable that when a sheep submits to the good shepherd who knows where the green grass is, that eventually rests awaits him.
6. Growth- Growth brings rest. Here comes a harem skar'em teenager in a rattle-trap car. It almost turns over at the corner as you listen. Suddenly he slams on the brakes, gets out and bangs the car door shut. He nervously approaches the house where you are standing at the door. He stands two seconds on one foot, then swings over to the other. Someone says, "Give him time and he will settle down." Our "time" can be hastened into maturity if we are wholeheartedly following Christ. Some areas in one's personality are like structures built up that need to be torn down. These can only find rest through growth in grace.
7. Presence of the Lord- Rest comes as you recognize the presence of the Lord. "Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid," Christ said when, in midst of the stormy night, with the boat almost capsizing, they thought he was phantom. The storm ceased. Rest. "In ALL thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct make straight thy paths" (Proverbs 3:6). "Make straight" sounds like they were crooked before.
God's Rest
Turn the table now. We have been speaking of God's ministering rest to us. He wants us to minister rest to Him. How? He tells us to love Him with all of our "heart, soul, mind, and strength" (Matt.12:30). Since we are made in His image, He has His heart, soul, mind and strength.
In the "rest chapters" of Hebrews 3 and 4 (overlapping into ch.5) we find the four things that give Him rest.
1. His House (His habitation) Heb.3:1-6; Ps.132:12,15; Isa.18:4;66:1; Acts 7:49;2 Cor.12:9
2. His promised land Canaan (His predestined calling) Ps.95:11;Heb.3:7-4
3. The Seventh Day-Sabbath Rest (Rest at Satisfaction) Heb.4:4-13
4. The aroma of the sacrifice. "Sweet savor (aroma) of His rest" Heb.4:14-15,18; Gen.8:21. The Word "sweet" comes from the root word that literally means "to rest."
We also find that they give, respectively in the same order, rest to His heart, soul, mind and strength.
1. God sets His heart upon His House of rest (2 Chron.7:16.), "that My Name may be there for ever".
2. God sets His soul upon the real "promised land," for us to inherit, His Son. "Behold My servant, whom I have chosen My beloved in whom My soul is well pleased." (Matt.12:18). A clean living father enjoys it when he can see his own character and traits in his own son.
3. Since we, as a human being, are "fearfully and wonderfully made" to show that "marvelous are His works" (Ps.139:14), and God only could rest when we, the last of His works, were made. God rested the seventh day. His mind had engineered the crown of His works. Satan, knowing this, to bring unrest to God's mind, he attacked man's mind by "Has God said?" (Paul warns the Corinthians against the same thing in 2 Cor.11:3.
4. God's strength is set in the greatest sacrifice that has ever been made, when His beloved Son, the Lamb of God, cried at the cross "It is finished," then that sweet aroma arose to the very presence of God to give Him rest from all transgressions of the human kind. It took all of His strength to bring Jesus out of the grave after the atonement for sin was totally fulfilled in His three days and three nights in the lowest pit (Ps.18).
Ministering Rest to God
1. Since one's heart is his treasure chest, and God finds rest when His purposes or treasures are fulfilled by His Church, His great treasure chest in Christ. We do not want to do what several of Judah's kings did. Under pressure they took treasure from the temple and gave it to the enemy. May we keep what God gave the early Church and not let any one remove those ancient land marks set in by Christ and the apostles then. "Whose house are we if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end" (Heb.3:6). This rest is maintained by the (1) Headship of Christ including His apostolic oversight and (2)being in right relationship with our High Priest who gives us hope to presevere unto the end in joy. (1) For not only is the corporate house, the Church, His house of rest, but (2) also individually we are the temple of God (1 Cor.6:19).
2. Our giving God rest in His soul, is to let Him still see in us His anointed Son in whom His soul is still well pleased. The same Father Who was pleased with His Servant, is still pleased with Him in us, when we walk in God's predestined "good works, before ordained that we should walk in them" (Eph.2:10).In other words our sacrificial walk of obedience before Him, claiming His promises against spiritual enemy opposition, gives rest to the Father's soul. We see what happened to the Israelites who, through unbelief, were disobedient to those promises, they did not enter in. In the early church notice how that throughout Acts, immediately after salvation, they obeyed "the promise of the Father" in Acts 1:4-5, which was to receive the Holy Spirit in a supernatural way. It is possible to cross from wilderness living to the beginning of Canaan-living by obeying in this, but be like the two and one half tribes who still settled east, instead of the promised land west of the Jordon. May we possess all the promises, which "in Him are yes, and in Him Amen, unto the glory of God by us" (2 Cor.1:20). Another of those promises is Phil. 4:19, "But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus". We see the double portion application of His Rest here is (1) our soul being right with Him, and (2) walking in predestined works.
3. The third "My rest" is the rest of cessation from our own works. Many Christians have begun in Canaan. But instead of letting God finish. His work of maturing them, either legalism, on the side, or becoming at ease through spiritual laziness, on the other side, they have never allowed the "Alpha" to be their "Omega". But like the Corinthians and the Galatians, they are content to be like the Hebrew believers to whom Paul was writing. "For when....you ought to be teachers, you have need that one teach you again which be the first principles.." again. "First" denotes that there are other truths that God meant to follow such as those seven key truths that Paul was teaching them.
This third "My rest", on our part, means that we are to let the sword of the Word do a deep work of cutting out wrong desires from us. This is what Israel failed to do by not ridding themselves of all the Canaanites who became like thorns in their sides afterwards. What rest the Father enjoys, however, when we let patience do its perfect work that we may be lacking nothing (James 1:4).
This third rest, (1) Ceasing on the seventh day from our efforts, is also a double portion rest. For the "seventh day" also has a double significance. We know that Peter says "one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" (2 Peter 3:8). So the prophetical application of this "My rest" is that, for those who do allow a deep work of sanctification to be finished within them, they will rule and reign one thousand years with the Lord when He returns later with all His saints to possess the kingdoms of the world. We are already heirs of God, His eternal life and heaven, as believers, but we are also "joint-heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer with Him" (Romans 8:17)
4. The fourth rest is the "sweet aroma" or literally the "aroma of rest." The first use of this is when Noah and family built an altar, after the flood, from which ascended this aroma of God's rest. (Gen.8:21). We see in Hebrews our High Priest, whose ministry is to offer up the sacrifice with its aroma sending rest up to God, officiating in His office. This Sacrifice, Jesus Christ's earthly life, speaks of "the weakness of God" that "is stronger than men." (1 Cor.1:25).
Again, as each previous one, this has a double portion application. (1.) First, Christ, in Heb.5:8, "offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears", learning obedience through the things which he suffered, Gethsemane could be called the match that set off the fire at Calvary. We come to God not in our merit, but through the sacrifice of Christ which makes us acceptable. (2.) But the other side of this is that this same love of Christ that was in Him is, in measure, within us. When we let our selfishness be burnt up on the cross, in daily living, our suffering from him, also our worshipping Him, is a sweet aroma to Him (Heb.13:15,16). "Let my prayer be directed before you as incense" (Ps.144:2).Paul shows the contrast between these two double portion applications in Eph.5:2-7. For after showing Christ as our sacrifice with His sweet aroma, he warns us of the stenches of an unsanctified life that could counter attack this aroma from ascending heavenward from us. These mentioned are fornication, all uncleanness, covetousness, filthiness, foolish talking, too much jestering, but instead we should have the sweet aroma of thanksgiving.
Full of Rest
Paul defines "Fullness," in terms of perspective, as "Breadth, Length, Depth and Height, in Ephesians 3:18-19. Even that would be incomplete except, since "God is love," His Love fills these dimensions.
"Breadth" speaks of it, in this case Rest, the outreach that it has reaching many people. Length speaks of the abilitiy it has following the path of righteousness, to endure through a long span of time. Depth speaks of the inner penetration that is made into our personal lives. Height speaks of the extent of his heavenly Presence that this Rest brings us up into, even through spiritual warfare if necessary. A review of our Hebrew passage shows these dimensions.
1. After mentioning about glorification God's Name in the Church among the many children given to Him, the Son, He speaks of this Church as Comparable to a building. When you face a building your automatically view it's breadth. Solomon's temple, on of the seven wonders of the world was very wide. Later Ezekiel's temple will even be much broader. Yes, like the universal Church, the more it is around, the greater scope it has in reaching greater numbers for Christ. For new individual stones, or believers, are being multiplied and added to it.
2. The Canaan rest was a goal-orientated one. It was a goal for forty year's as they journeyed in the path of righteousness (right relationships) in the wilderness towards it. Those who fell victims of their own belief to God's Word. They never finished the divine length of right living. Joshua and Caleb and the new generation believed God and showed God's length in their lives. They heeded the "Today...harden not your hearts" warning.
3.This third ""My rest" speaks of depth in the Christ-life. When we work (in self-effort) God rests. But when we rest (in His life) God works. But not until we cease from our anxious self-effort. This rest penetrates the depth of our being. So that the most skillful exercise of the high priest ministry, as far as use of the sharp knife was concerned, is mentioned to describe it. "Let us exert ourselves to enter into that rest, so that none may fall on account of such disobedience as they exemplified; for the word of God is living, effective and sharper than any two-edged sword. it penetrates even to the dividing line of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow", referring to the skillful cutting of the knife into the bone joints to get the fat-God's portion, "and is skilled in judging the heart's ponderings and meditations," (Heb.4:11,12, Berkeley version). So depth of His life penetrating by the Word, ours is the dimension here.
4. Height comes last. "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God. let us hold fast our confession" (v14). He is as Melchizedek, priest of the Most High God. Those sweet aromas from Christ's sacrifice for us, as well as those from our sacrifices for Him, ascended heavenward to bless the courts of heaven and lift us up into His Presence.
Love is the bond of perfection. (It certainly will bind us to His rest.)
1. "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart" - Love in adoration. From ten days of that kind of love, at Pentecost God began sending them abroad to evangelize many souls-such breadth!
2. You shall love Him "with all your soul"-Love in Affection, needed if we are to remain loyal and stay on the Way (Acts 11:23.)-such length!
3. You shall love Him "with all your mind"- Love in Attitude, otherwise there are too many stones in our minds that hinders God from digging deep within us. So this is needed for Depth!
4. We are to love Him "with all our strength" - Love in Action, needed to pour out sacrificial acts before God so that, as those O.T. feasts where many sacrifices were given, God's Presence lifted them up into sweet communion with Him-such Height!
I am the Door
Jesus shows the way to fully enter into this rest. How? The Door-legal entrance (to be technical the doors were 4 silver sockets of the veil, Ex.26:32) into the REST-pictured by the Holy of Holies. The veil-His slain body-was result of an experience- His Calvary experience. But below the veil were those 4 hidden silver sockets, picturing His redemptive work for us that is the legal basis of entering His rest.
1. The Rest of Habitation-(The Church is His Habitation) Acts 7:49. On what legal grounds are win Christ's Body the Church before the Father? According to Psalms 138:14-16 (KJV) when God saw His seed, Jesus, in hell, He saw His Body, the Church, as a baby forming in its mothers womb. There in hell- in Christ. In Isa.53:10 we see "When thou shalt make His soul (lit) sin, He shall see His seed," even in hell. "He shall prolong His days." - Resurrection. This opens up His Church Rest for us. God's Creative Will fulfilled.
2. The Rest of Canaan-Heb.4:3. The rest of the heavenlies, His "orbit" or righteous will for us. Rest is the product of submission and entering into His Righteous Will. For us to legally (righteously) be able to enter His rest in the heavenlies, His soul had to be like the scapegoat wandering in the wilderness, dying its slow, tortuous death-"die" in the sense of being "cut off" for us, as seen in Is.53:8a. Deaths is plural in verse 9. His soul went to hell so ours could go into the heavenlies. God's foreordained works for us are mentioned in Eph.2:10, the book which speaks repeatedly of our being "in the heavenlies" even now. Rest of Justification and its realities we're to walk in before the world.
3. The Rest of the Finished Work- or the Rest of Satisfaction. Before we can confirm His Specfic Will for each of our lives, which by nature of being poured out in the sacrifice of the many details of God's Specific Will, Isa.53:11 shows that He shall see the travail of His soul and be satisfied. Without His finished work all our specific works would be useless.
4. The Rest of the Millennium and Our Portion in It. The Rest of Completion and Joy. In Isa.52:12 the "spoil" that Christ receives as First Born, He passes on the "the strong" the ones who'll reign with Him during the Millennium. Why? "Because He hath poured out His soul unto death."
A. Faith in God's Word: Heb.3:19;Ex.12:28 Heb.4:3;Heb.11:28
B. Ceasing From Self Effort: 1 Pet.5:7;Ex 6:6;Heb.4:10;Ex. 14:14
C. Life in the Spirit: Jn.7:38-39;Is.63:13-14;Is.28:11-12;Neh.9:19-20
D. Harmony Through the Body Ministry: Heb.3:13;Ex. 17:12;Gal. 6:2;Phlm.7
E. Submission to Christ's Ministries: 1 Thes.5:12-13;Num.8:5-26;Heb.13:17;Ex.36:1-4
F. Growth: Matt.11:29; Duet.11:11-15;James 1:4;Jer. 6:16
G. Recognizing the Lord's Presence: Deut.12:11-12;Ps.132:13-14;Heb.4:13-16;Jn.6:21
Seven Sources of Unrest
A. Unbelief; Condemnation
B. Self-Effort; Cares
C. Spiritual Frustration
D.Discord in Relationship
E. Pride; Rebellion
F. Immaturity
G. Fears
Rest- what is it? Paul said, "None of these things move me" (Acts 20:24). That is rest. The Shumamite woman (2Kings4:26), with her son lying dead, confessed, "It is well." Her eyes were on the promise, not on circumstances. That is rest. Paul and Silas could sing in the midnight jail. That is rest. Christ never spoke of His own hurts on the cross, but interceded for us. That is rest.
Whenever God's people learn to rest, God works. For as we rest, God works; but as we work-in self-effort, in anxiety, in trying instead of trusting-God is at rest. Daniel rested in the lion's den. The Hebrew children rested in the fire. Even those who died as martyrs did so in rest, and look how God worked to multiply the seed sown.
Rest has three general aspects to the believer:
Rest for the Spirit
1. "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." We received this rest we came to Christ and our spirits received Him (Matt.11:28).
Rest for the Soul
2. "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest for your souls." We receive this rest when our soul dies daily submitted to Christ's yoke of love (Matt.11:29).
Rest for the Body
3. "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them" (Rev.14:13).
How does one enter this rest?:
There are seven areas where Christians can be out of rest. For each one, however, God has provided the solution. If we are willing to meditate on His Word and discipline our "thought life" to conform to His Word, we will enter into His rest. Let us prayerfully study each of these areas. The following are only an outline. The fullness of God's revelation comes as we turn to Him and allow Him to reveal it to us.
1. Faith in God's Word- Israel did not enter into their Canaan rest because they limited God. "Yea, they turned back....and limited the Holy One of Israel" (Ps.78:14). "Limited" here literally means "horizon." They tried to push God into their little five-sense box. All the time He was wanting to lift them up through faith in His Word into the "large room," that throne room in the heavenlies. So faith in the Word brings rest. Many believers seek the secret of rest. Sadly, however, all their lives, never enter into the fullness God has intended for His people. What stops us from entering into this rest? Hebrews 3:18-19 tells us Israel could not enter into His rest because of unbelief. It is also unbelief that holds many Christians in the grip of fear and anxiety and stops us from receiving victory.
2.Ceasing from Self-Effort- Next we see that clinging to one's problems not ceasing from one's own works of self-effort or worry hinders rest in our lives. In other words, whoever holds on to the pole of self-effort, trying to help God, will never catch hold of the other pole, that of rest, for they are too far apart. As righteous Job was he still was determined to "hold fast" his righteousness -- his good works-- as a basis for God blessing him. And he almost died, but when he let go, which pictures Calvary, and finally realized it was all by grace, his rest came (Job 27:6; 33:24). Others, through worry, hold onto their problems. Cast all your care upon Him, for He careth for you. God doesn't have problems. So when David was loaded down with cares in the wilderness, he learned a secret. If he would begin praising God instead of murmuring, what seemed to have been a problem was just a fiery test. The fire burned only in him which needed to be burned. The gold came through purified.
3. Life in the Spirit- Life in the Spirit is a secret of rest. "For with stammering lips and another tongue will He speak to this people. To whom He said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear' (Is 28:11,12). "Thou, O God, didst sent a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary" (Ps.68:9).
4. Harmony through Body Ministry- Harmony through body ministry brings rest. As long as a square peg is trying to fit into a round hole, it feels uneasy. When one finds his or her place in Christ's body each member has some particular ministry; he then finds rest. A bone out of joint, if it could talk, could say "AMEN" to that.
5. Submission- Rest comes through submission, first to Christ's Lordship, and then to an extension of that, His ministries. It is reasonable that when a sheep submits to the good shepherd who knows where the green grass is, that eventually rests awaits him.
6. Growth- Growth brings rest. Here comes a harem skar'em teenager in a rattle-trap car. It almost turns over at the corner as you listen. Suddenly he slams on the brakes, gets out and bangs the car door shut. He nervously approaches the house where you are standing at the door. He stands two seconds on one foot, then swings over to the other. Someone says, "Give him time and he will settle down." Our "time" can be hastened into maturity if we are wholeheartedly following Christ. Some areas in one's personality are like structures built up that need to be torn down. These can only find rest through growth in grace.
7. Presence of the Lord- Rest comes as you recognize the presence of the Lord. "Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid," Christ said when, in midst of the stormy night, with the boat almost capsizing, they thought he was phantom. The storm ceased. Rest. "In ALL thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct make straight thy paths" (Proverbs 3:6). "Make straight" sounds like they were crooked before.
God's Rest
Turn the table now. We have been speaking of God's ministering rest to us. He wants us to minister rest to Him. How? He tells us to love Him with all of our "heart, soul, mind, and strength" (Matt.12:30). Since we are made in His image, He has His heart, soul, mind and strength.
In the "rest chapters" of Hebrews 3 and 4 (overlapping into ch.5) we find the four things that give Him rest.
1. His House (His habitation) Heb.3:1-6; Ps.132:12,15; Isa.18:4;66:1; Acts 7:49;2 Cor.12:9
2. His promised land Canaan (His predestined calling) Ps.95:11;Heb.3:7-4
3. The Seventh Day-Sabbath Rest (Rest at Satisfaction) Heb.4:4-13
4. The aroma of the sacrifice. "Sweet savor (aroma) of His rest" Heb.4:14-15,18; Gen.8:21. The Word "sweet" comes from the root word that literally means "to rest."
We also find that they give, respectively in the same order, rest to His heart, soul, mind and strength.
1. God sets His heart upon His House of rest (2 Chron.7:16.), "that My Name may be there for ever".
2. God sets His soul upon the real "promised land," for us to inherit, His Son. "Behold My servant, whom I have chosen My beloved in whom My soul is well pleased." (Matt.12:18). A clean living father enjoys it when he can see his own character and traits in his own son.
3. Since we, as a human being, are "fearfully and wonderfully made" to show that "marvelous are His works" (Ps.139:14), and God only could rest when we, the last of His works, were made. God rested the seventh day. His mind had engineered the crown of His works. Satan, knowing this, to bring unrest to God's mind, he attacked man's mind by "Has God said?" (Paul warns the Corinthians against the same thing in 2 Cor.11:3.
4. God's strength is set in the greatest sacrifice that has ever been made, when His beloved Son, the Lamb of God, cried at the cross "It is finished," then that sweet aroma arose to the very presence of God to give Him rest from all transgressions of the human kind. It took all of His strength to bring Jesus out of the grave after the atonement for sin was totally fulfilled in His three days and three nights in the lowest pit (Ps.18).
Ministering Rest to God
1. Since one's heart is his treasure chest, and God finds rest when His purposes or treasures are fulfilled by His Church, His great treasure chest in Christ. We do not want to do what several of Judah's kings did. Under pressure they took treasure from the temple and gave it to the enemy. May we keep what God gave the early Church and not let any one remove those ancient land marks set in by Christ and the apostles then. "Whose house are we if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end" (Heb.3:6). This rest is maintained by the (1) Headship of Christ including His apostolic oversight and (2)being in right relationship with our High Priest who gives us hope to presevere unto the end in joy. (1) For not only is the corporate house, the Church, His house of rest, but (2) also individually we are the temple of God (1 Cor.6:19).
2. Our giving God rest in His soul, is to let Him still see in us His anointed Son in whom His soul is still well pleased. The same Father Who was pleased with His Servant, is still pleased with Him in us, when we walk in God's predestined "good works, before ordained that we should walk in them" (Eph.2:10).In other words our sacrificial walk of obedience before Him, claiming His promises against spiritual enemy opposition, gives rest to the Father's soul. We see what happened to the Israelites who, through unbelief, were disobedient to those promises, they did not enter in. In the early church notice how that throughout Acts, immediately after salvation, they obeyed "the promise of the Father" in Acts 1:4-5, which was to receive the Holy Spirit in a supernatural way. It is possible to cross from wilderness living to the beginning of Canaan-living by obeying in this, but be like the two and one half tribes who still settled east, instead of the promised land west of the Jordon. May we possess all the promises, which "in Him are yes, and in Him Amen, unto the glory of God by us" (2 Cor.1:20). Another of those promises is Phil. 4:19, "But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus". We see the double portion application of His Rest here is (1) our soul being right with Him, and (2) walking in predestined works.
3. The third "My rest" is the rest of cessation from our own works. Many Christians have begun in Canaan. But instead of letting God finish. His work of maturing them, either legalism, on the side, or becoming at ease through spiritual laziness, on the other side, they have never allowed the "Alpha" to be their "Omega". But like the Corinthians and the Galatians, they are content to be like the Hebrew believers to whom Paul was writing. "For when....you ought to be teachers, you have need that one teach you again which be the first principles.." again. "First" denotes that there are other truths that God meant to follow such as those seven key truths that Paul was teaching them.
This third "My rest", on our part, means that we are to let the sword of the Word do a deep work of cutting out wrong desires from us. This is what Israel failed to do by not ridding themselves of all the Canaanites who became like thorns in their sides afterwards. What rest the Father enjoys, however, when we let patience do its perfect work that we may be lacking nothing (James 1:4).
This third rest, (1) Ceasing on the seventh day from our efforts, is also a double portion rest. For the "seventh day" also has a double significance. We know that Peter says "one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" (2 Peter 3:8). So the prophetical application of this "My rest" is that, for those who do allow a deep work of sanctification to be finished within them, they will rule and reign one thousand years with the Lord when He returns later with all His saints to possess the kingdoms of the world. We are already heirs of God, His eternal life and heaven, as believers, but we are also "joint-heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer with Him" (Romans 8:17)
4. The fourth rest is the "sweet aroma" or literally the "aroma of rest." The first use of this is when Noah and family built an altar, after the flood, from which ascended this aroma of God's rest. (Gen.8:21). We see in Hebrews our High Priest, whose ministry is to offer up the sacrifice with its aroma sending rest up to God, officiating in His office. This Sacrifice, Jesus Christ's earthly life, speaks of "the weakness of God" that "is stronger than men." (1 Cor.1:25).
Again, as each previous one, this has a double portion application. (1.) First, Christ, in Heb.5:8, "offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears", learning obedience through the things which he suffered, Gethsemane could be called the match that set off the fire at Calvary. We come to God not in our merit, but through the sacrifice of Christ which makes us acceptable. (2.) But the other side of this is that this same love of Christ that was in Him is, in measure, within us. When we let our selfishness be burnt up on the cross, in daily living, our suffering from him, also our worshipping Him, is a sweet aroma to Him (Heb.13:15,16). "Let my prayer be directed before you as incense" (Ps.144:2).Paul shows the contrast between these two double portion applications in Eph.5:2-7. For after showing Christ as our sacrifice with His sweet aroma, he warns us of the stenches of an unsanctified life that could counter attack this aroma from ascending heavenward from us. These mentioned are fornication, all uncleanness, covetousness, filthiness, foolish talking, too much jestering, but instead we should have the sweet aroma of thanksgiving.
Full of Rest
Paul defines "Fullness," in terms of perspective, as "Breadth, Length, Depth and Height, in Ephesians 3:18-19. Even that would be incomplete except, since "God is love," His Love fills these dimensions.
"Breadth" speaks of it, in this case Rest, the outreach that it has reaching many people. Length speaks of the abilitiy it has following the path of righteousness, to endure through a long span of time. Depth speaks of the inner penetration that is made into our personal lives. Height speaks of the extent of his heavenly Presence that this Rest brings us up into, even through spiritual warfare if necessary. A review of our Hebrew passage shows these dimensions.
1. After mentioning about glorification God's Name in the Church among the many children given to Him, the Son, He speaks of this Church as Comparable to a building. When you face a building your automatically view it's breadth. Solomon's temple, on of the seven wonders of the world was very wide. Later Ezekiel's temple will even be much broader. Yes, like the universal Church, the more it is around, the greater scope it has in reaching greater numbers for Christ. For new individual stones, or believers, are being multiplied and added to it.
2. The Canaan rest was a goal-orientated one. It was a goal for forty year's as they journeyed in the path of righteousness (right relationships) in the wilderness towards it. Those who fell victims of their own belief to God's Word. They never finished the divine length of right living. Joshua and Caleb and the new generation believed God and showed God's length in their lives. They heeded the "Today...harden not your hearts" warning.
3.This third ""My rest" speaks of depth in the Christ-life. When we work (in self-effort) God rests. But when we rest (in His life) God works. But not until we cease from our anxious self-effort. This rest penetrates the depth of our being. So that the most skillful exercise of the high priest ministry, as far as use of the sharp knife was concerned, is mentioned to describe it. "Let us exert ourselves to enter into that rest, so that none may fall on account of such disobedience as they exemplified; for the word of God is living, effective and sharper than any two-edged sword. it penetrates even to the dividing line of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow", referring to the skillful cutting of the knife into the bone joints to get the fat-God's portion, "and is skilled in judging the heart's ponderings and meditations," (Heb.4:11,12, Berkeley version). So depth of His life penetrating by the Word, ours is the dimension here.
4. Height comes last. "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God. let us hold fast our confession" (v14). He is as Melchizedek, priest of the Most High God. Those sweet aromas from Christ's sacrifice for us, as well as those from our sacrifices for Him, ascended heavenward to bless the courts of heaven and lift us up into His Presence.
Love is the bond of perfection. (It certainly will bind us to His rest.)
1. "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart" - Love in adoration. From ten days of that kind of love, at Pentecost God began sending them abroad to evangelize many souls-such breadth!
2. You shall love Him "with all your soul"-Love in Affection, needed if we are to remain loyal and stay on the Way (Acts 11:23.)-such length!
3. You shall love Him "with all your mind"- Love in Attitude, otherwise there are too many stones in our minds that hinders God from digging deep within us. So this is needed for Depth!
4. We are to love Him "with all our strength" - Love in Action, needed to pour out sacrificial acts before God so that, as those O.T. feasts where many sacrifices were given, God's Presence lifted them up into sweet communion with Him-such Height!
I am the Door
Jesus shows the way to fully enter into this rest. How? The Door-legal entrance (to be technical the doors were 4 silver sockets of the veil, Ex.26:32) into the REST-pictured by the Holy of Holies. The veil-His slain body-was result of an experience- His Calvary experience. But below the veil were those 4 hidden silver sockets, picturing His redemptive work for us that is the legal basis of entering His rest.
1. The Rest of Habitation-(The Church is His Habitation) Acts 7:49. On what legal grounds are win Christ's Body the Church before the Father? According to Psalms 138:14-16 (KJV) when God saw His seed, Jesus, in hell, He saw His Body, the Church, as a baby forming in its mothers womb. There in hell- in Christ. In Isa.53:10 we see "When thou shalt make His soul (lit) sin, He shall see His seed," even in hell. "He shall prolong His days." - Resurrection. This opens up His Church Rest for us. God's Creative Will fulfilled.
2. The Rest of Canaan-Heb.4:3. The rest of the heavenlies, His "orbit" or righteous will for us. Rest is the product of submission and entering into His Righteous Will. For us to legally (righteously) be able to enter His rest in the heavenlies, His soul had to be like the scapegoat wandering in the wilderness, dying its slow, tortuous death-"die" in the sense of being "cut off" for us, as seen in Is.53:8a. Deaths is plural in verse 9. His soul went to hell so ours could go into the heavenlies. God's foreordained works for us are mentioned in Eph.2:10, the book which speaks repeatedly of our being "in the heavenlies" even now. Rest of Justification and its realities we're to walk in before the world.
3. The Rest of the Finished Work- or the Rest of Satisfaction. Before we can confirm His Specfic Will for each of our lives, which by nature of being poured out in the sacrifice of the many details of God's Specific Will, Isa.53:11 shows that He shall see the travail of His soul and be satisfied. Without His finished work all our specific works would be useless.
4. The Rest of the Millennium and Our Portion in It. The Rest of Completion and Joy. In Isa.52:12 the "spoil" that Christ receives as First Born, He passes on the "the strong" the ones who'll reign with Him during the Millennium. Why? "Because He hath poured out His soul unto death."
Inscription à :
Articles (Atom)