Rev 12:7-9 – Part 2 – There Was War In Heaven

[Study Aired Dec 15, 2024]

Rev 12:7  And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
Rev 12:8  And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
Rev 12:9  And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

We paused our last study with the intent of contrasting the function of the archangel, Michael, who we are told wars against the adversary for us, with the function of another archangel, Gabriel. Both are called ‘archangel’ because both of these angels perform very important functions in fulfilling the plan and purpose of God as the Lord continues to “work all things after the counsel of His own will” (Eph 1:11)

Here are the verses which reveal what the archangel, Michael, does in service to the Lord:

Dan 10:13  But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.

Dan 10:21  But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince.

Dan 12:1  And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

Jud 1:9  Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

Rev 12:7  And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,

Here are some verses which reveal the function which the archangel, Gabriel, performs in service to the Lord:

Dan 8:8  Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven.
Dan 8:9  And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.
Dan 8:10  And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.
Dan 8:11  Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.
Dan 8:12  And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.
Dan 8:13  Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? [Rev 11:1-2]
Dan 8:14  And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.
Dan 8:15  And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.
Dan 8:16  And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.

Gabriel was sent to cause Daniel to understand the vision of the two-horned ram being attacked by the he-goat with one horn which horn was broken and replaced by four lesser horns out of which came a little horn which became great and caused the daily sacrifice to be taken away and cast down. Gabriel appears again in the next chapter of Daniel where he is again sent to “give Daniel skill and understanding of the vision of the seventy weeks prophecy” which leads again to the casting down of the daily sacrifice and to the same abomination of desolation. Gabriel causes Daniel to see that the visions “are one” (Gen 41:26).

Dan 9:21  Yea, whiles I [was] speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.
Dan 9:22  And he informed [me], and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.
Dan 9:23  At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.

Those who are “greatly loved” are given to understand the mind and words of God. This is the function of the archangel, Gabriel.

We learn more about Gabriel’s function in the invisible realm of the spirit in Luk 1, where he is once more sent to make Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist to understand, “and show [Zacharias] glad tidings”.

Luk 1:18  And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
Luk 1:19  And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.

The last time Gabriel is mentioned is in this same first chapter of Luke where he is sent to inform Mary of the impending birth of Christ.

Luk 1:24  And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
Luk 1:25  Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on [me], to take away my reproach among men.
Luk 1:26  And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
Luk 1:27  To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
Luk 1:28  And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

It is Gabriel who is sent to “give skill and understanding”, whereas Michael is the archangel who “stands up for [and fights for the Lord’s] Israel”. It would appear that both angels are very busy serving the Lord and His Christ.

Rev 12:8  And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

There is no doubt about the outcome of the battle for those who are called with Christ to partake in this war in the heavens.

Rom 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Rom 8:29  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Rom 8:30  Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Rom 8:31  What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Rom 8:32  He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
Rom 8:33  Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? [It is] God that justifieth.
Rom 8:34  Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

God’s elect are known only to Him, and His Son in whom we are all called. Nevertheless their victory in this war in the heavens is as sure as the rising of the sun, and was known to God and Christ before times eonian, or “before the world began”.

2Ti 1:9  Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

Tit 1:2  In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

This is the comfort of the scriptures for those who are given to believe that they are of those who were “called with a holy calling which was given in Christ before the world began”. So Paul continues with this very comforting message for those who are given that calling.

Rom 8:35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Rom 8:36  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Satan is doomed to lose the war in our heavens:

Rev 12:9  And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

“The great dragon… that old serpent called the Devil and Satan”. Here we have another example of how often “the dream is one” is demonstrated to be true in scripture. This “war in heaven” was first revealed in Genesis, and the destruction of the dragon, that old serpent called the Devil and Satan was revealed right there at the beginning.

Gen 3:14  And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
Gen 3:15  And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

“He was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him”, is Satan’s inevitable end in his war with the Lord’s saints. Just as the first Adam was created to be destroyed so, too, this great red dragon was created to be destroyed, and it is in the destruction of this great dragon that the principalities and powers in the heavens will be made to be at one with God through Christ, along with all things in the earth.

2Pe 3:10  But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Eph 1:10  That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

Col 1:15  Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Col 1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Col 1:17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Col 1:18  And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
Col 1:19  For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
Col 1:20  And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say,whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
Col 1:21  And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
Col 1:22  In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
Col 1:23  If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

As we have demonstrated so many times, “The day of the Lord” is “the day of judgment”, and the melting of the elements in fervent heat is the fiery trials of that “day of the Lord”. This is not in another age, if we are in Christ. It is ours, and it is now. We are the first to be judged and if we are judged first then we will have no part in the “great white throne judgment/ lake of fire/ second death”.

1Co 3:21  Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
1Co 3:22  Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;

Rev 2:10  Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
Rev 2:11  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Rev 20:5  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

It is because it is here and now and it is ours, that we are told “the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up”. The Lord comes “as a thief in the night” to us all. “All things… things present and things to come, are ours”. But there are some things which are ours first, never to be repeated, such as “the second death”. It is only after we have begun to be judged in this age that we can then live these words:

1Th 5:4  But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

Truly, “The sum of thy Word is Truth”. (Psa 119:160)

“He was cast out into the earth and his angels were cast out [of heaven] with him” is the cleansing of the heavens referred to in this verse:

Heb 9:23  It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
Heb 9:24  For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

What was it that cleansed “the patterns of the things in the heavens”? It was “the blood of bulls and goats”.

Heb 9:13  For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:

What “holy places made without hands [did] Christ enter into”? Christ has entered into the consciousness of our hearts and minds to “purge it from dead works to serve the living God” instead of the dying flesh, which is the food of “our [first] father the devil”. It is into our conscience that Christ has entered and that is “the heavens themselves”, which have been purged and cleansed by the blood of Christ. It is our hearts and minds of which the carnal temple is a “pattern of the things in the heavens”, and that is where God’s throne is and where He dwells.

Heb 9:14  How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

We are also that “cloud of witnesses” which signified “receiving Christ out of the sight” of His yet carnal disciples.

Act 1:9  And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

Heb 12:1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Where did Christ go when “a cloud received him out of their sight”? Christ tells us where He went and where He is at this very moment.

Mat 28:20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world [Greek, aion – age]. Amen.

In other words, Christ and His Father are very near us, and just as Christ Himself did not need to move one inch to be “in heaven… [we also are] seated with His Father on His Father’s throne”.

Deu 30:14  But the word [Christ] is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.

Isa 51:16  And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.

Act 17:27  That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
Act 17:28  For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

Eph 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Eph 2:7  That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

It is Christ and His words being in us, in our hearts and minds, which “places us in the heavens” which are within us.

Yes, it is true that the resurrection has not yet occurred outwardly, but it is also true at the same time that “in earnest”, in down payment form, we have been raised up with Christ to be seated with Him in the heavens, just as Christ was simultaneously in heaven and on this earth.

Joh 3:13  And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

Eph 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus:

The word ‘places’ is in brackets because it is not in the original Greek manuscripts from which our modern translations come. We are now, at this very moment, seated with Christ in the heavens in earnest or in a spiritual, down payment form.

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
Eph 1:13  In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14  Which is the earnest [Greek, down payment] of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Here is the Old Testament prophecy of this “cleansing of our heavens” which is also called “the earnest [down payment] of our inheritance”.

Eze 36:25  Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
Eze 36:26  A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh [a new spirit].
Eze 36:27  And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
Eze 36:28  And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.
Eze 36:29  I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you.
Eze 36:30  And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen.
Eze 36:31  Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.

As those who have been cleansed, we will be physically nauseous of “our own evil ways … and our iniquities… and shall loath [them]selves in [their] own sight”.

Summary

Rev 12:7  And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,

We have seen in this study that this “war in heaven” is a life-long war, and that in spiritual terms “the sword will never depart” from our house. We have seen that this war begins in earnest when we are given to “eat the little book” which is the doctrines of Christ. What we have seen is that Christ’s Words and His doctrines are what produce this struggle within us, which is called in spiritual terms, a “war in heaven”. We have seen the scripture which defines our weapon of choice, and which calls God’s words “the sword of the spirit”,

Eph 6:17  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

It is the entering of this “sword of the spirit” into the very belly of our old man that becomes bitter when we finally realize what Christ meant when He said that He had not come to send peace but He had come to send a sword, and to make our enemies those of our own spiritual household.

Mat 10:34  Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
Mat 10:35  For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
Mat 10:36  And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.

Who Is Michael?

We have seen that there really is a spiritual realm which is populated with spiritual hosts and multitudes and armies. We have seen and read the scriptures which reveal that these heavenly multitudes are governed by princes and captains, three of whom are the great red dragon, Michael and Gabriel. We saw that it is the function of the great red dragon to be that old serpent, the devil and Satan, to withstand God and the Lord’s words and to “deceive the whole world”.

We saw the scriptures which call Michael “the prince of thy people”, which tell us that it was Michael who came to help Christ who was being withstood by the Prince of Persia, and we see here in Rev 12:7, that it is Michael who “makes war with the dragon”.

We have also seen the scriptures which named Gabriel as an angel whose function it is to make us skilled in understanding visions and dreams, and who brings good tidings of both the coming of Elijah before Christ, as well as the coming of Christ Himself.

Rev 12:8  And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

We have seen that the expulsion from our heaven, and in due time from all heavens of all men, is as sure as the rising of the sun. What we saw is that “all things [really] are working together for good to them who love God and are called of God according to His purpose”, which purpose has been predestinated to be worked in “all things… after the counsel of His own will” (Eph 1:11). We saw that this predestination was from “before the world began”, and that those who are given the calling to be in that “blessed and holy first resurrection” will not be hurt of the second death, and will be there by God’s own sovereign decree, and cannot be separated from the love that God has for those who are His “very elect”.

Rev 12:9  And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

We have seen that this “war in heaven” and this “casting out of the great red dragon and his angels” is the cleansing of our heavens from all of the lies and false doctrines, and character assassinations which are the words and doctrines of the great red dragon and his angels. Here is what this dragon does in our lives.

Dan 8:12  And an host was given him [the little horn] against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.

It is the lies of the dragon and his angels which have defiled our heavens, and which require that “the heavens themselves be cleansed” with better sacrifices than the blood of bulls and goats.

Heb 9:23  It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
Heb 9:24  For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

God has “planted the heavens” within us by making us eat the little book and placing His words in our mouths to “prophecy before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings” within our own hearts and minds, before we will be either worthy or prepared to do so, before those without. That is what “plant the heavens” by “putting His words in our mouths” means.

Isa 51:16  And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.

Rev 10:10  And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.
Rev 10:11  And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

Next week, Lord willing, we will see why the woman is not seated with Christ in His throne, along with the manchild she brings forth, and we will also see how those who make up that manchild win this war in heaven. We will then see that we have reason to rejoice that we have been given to see that “all things present and things to come are ours” here and now, and that we are blessed to have this war being fought here and now instead of later.

Rev 12:10  And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
Rev 12:11  And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Rev 12:12  Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
Rev 12:13  And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.

“That Old Serpent”

Part 7

April 30, 2014

As we concluded the last part of this series I made a statement saying, “Lightning is representative of God’s instant power and revealing …”

After reading a few verses, I also made this statement, “Satan falling as lightning from heaven reveals to us just how SWIFT the work of the Lord is in bringing down the idols of our hearts, in the day of the Lord.”
In this study, we are going to start with the premise of this statement and examine Ezekiel 28 with this in mind.

“Pride”

1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Most often, and due to lack of spiritual understanding, most of Christian clergy associate Ezekial 28 with satan and not with mankind. Only vaguely do they associate Ezekial 28 with the prince and king of Tyre but certainly more with satan. Let us examine scripture, and then examine ourselves, to see if this is so with us.

Tyre is the focus of several different places in scripture and is in particular a place where pride and self glory were abundant. Tyre is geographically in a place which allowed it to be in wonderful trade routes with those around it therefore creating a great wealth for the city.

As we examine Tyre, we should be seeing ourselves being referenced because the city of Tyre is in us all at one point or another.

Here are a few references to the city of Tyre which give us a good bit of context to what we are about to read in Exekial 28 about ourselves and the city of Tyre within us spiritually speaking.

Isaiah 23 1-18:

Isa 23:1  The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them.
Isa 23:2  Be still, ye inhabitants of the isle; thou whom the merchants of Zidon, that pass over the sea, have replenished.
Isa 23:3  And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, is her revenue; and she is a mart of nations.

Isa 23:15  And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot.
Isa 23:16  Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered.
Isa 23:17  And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.
Isa 23:18  And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the LORD: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the LORD, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.

Jeremiah 25:22 and 27:1-11:

Jer 25:15  For thus saith the LORD God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it.
Jer 25:16  And they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them.

Jer 25:22  And all the kings of Tyrus, and all the kings of Zidon, and the kings of the isles which are beyond the sea,

Jer 27:1  In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word unto Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
Jer 27:2  Thus saith the LORD to me; Make thee bonds and yokes, and put them upon thy neck,
Jer 27:3  And send them to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the Ammonites, and to the king of Tyrus, and to the king of Zidon, by the hand of the messengers which come to Jerusalem unto Zedekiah king of Judah;
Jer 27:4  And command them to say unto their masters, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Thus shall ye say unto your masters;
Jer 27:5  I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me.
Jer 27:6  And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him.

Ezekiel 26, 28:

Eze 26:1  And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Eze 26:2  Son of man, because that Tyrus hath said against Jerusalem, Aha, she is broken that was the gates of the people: she is turned unto me: I shall be replenished, now she is laid waste:
Eze 26:3  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Tyrus, and will cause many nations to come up against thee, as the sea causeth his waves to come up.

Eze 28:19  All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.

Joel 3:4-8:

Joe 3:4  Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine? will ye render me a recompence? and if ye recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompence upon your own head;
Joe 3:5  Because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things:
Joe 3:6  The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border.

Amos 1:9-10:

Amo 1:9  Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Tyrus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, and remembered not the brotherly covenant:
Amo 1:10  But I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus, which shall devour the palaces thereof.

I listed all of these verses and read from them for us to get a scriptural feel for just who it is the Lord is addressing when He speaks about the prince or the king of Tyrus in Ezekiel 28.

Why you might ask?

1Co 10:5  But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
1Co 10:6  Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

(YLT)  and those things became types of us, for our not passionately desiring evil things, as also these did desire.

It may seem like a bit of over kill to have just used so much time to read what we did, but the Lord has witnessed to us in many books of the bible just who it is He is dealing with in Ezekiel.

See, we are all “in Adam” thus we all die. Likewise, we are all “in Christ” and are given to be made alive at the appointed time of the Father.

So, what does this have to do with the orthodox Christian doctrines concerning Ezekiel 28, the old serpent and the body of Christ?

As I mentioned in the previous study, Isaiah 14:12 and Ezekiel 28 are used as a basis to show as a fallen arch-angel who was put in his place by God, but what we really are reading about is how the old man in us all will be done away with and put away from the midst of God.

Eze 28:1  The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
Eze 28:2  Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou ART A MAN and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God:
Eze 28:3  Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee:
Eze 28:4  With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures:
Eze 28:5  By thy great wisdom and by thy traffick hast thou increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches:
Eze 28:6  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God;

Ezekiel 28:2 clearly says the Lord is addressing a man. The man/prince that is being addressed is a type of us all. We read what the Lord is telling us in verse 2 as being addressed to a “prince” but then we are also being addressed as a king a few verses later.

“The Witness”

Eze 28:8  They shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the seas.
Eze 28:9  Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God? but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee.
Eze 28:10  Thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.
Eze 28:11  Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Eze 28:12  Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.

A king is simply a progression of being a prince. What we are being told here clearly tells us that man is being addressed and no some arch-angel.

What confuses the masses is that what we are about to read speaks about being in the garden of Eden and there were only three in the garden with the Lord, satan, Adam and Eve.

What we are being told, what we are being witnesses to with two being the number of witness, is that this prince and king resides in us all and that is how “thou were in the Garden of Eden, the Garden of God”.

We have been show in the natural what a witness consists of. It may seem like a strange comparison, but the Lord gave Eve to Adam as a helper but they also witnessed His work together and later go off to start physical humanity as a set of two brought together as one flesh.

Physically speaking we are given two eyes to see from, two ears to hear from, two nostrils and olfactory bulbs to project to the cerebral hemispheres, two sides of one brain, two legs to stand on, two arms to balance ourselves and to use to live with.

We have two feet, two hands and two sets of fingers and toes so we MUST be given some insight into the Lord’s mind by how He created us.

In our creation, the Lord created us with balance to show us His great balancing act because in all things we MUST BE balanced or WE FALL or FELL at what we are doing.

We are marvelously created beings, yet there is much more to the children of the Lord than what appears on the surface just as there is much more to Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14.

Eze 28:13  Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
Eze 28:14  Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
Eze 28:15  Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
Eze 28:16  By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.
Eze 28:17  Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.
Eze 28:18  Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.
Eze 28:19  All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.

How then can the prince and king of Tyre be told “thou hast been in Eden”?

1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1Co 15:23  But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.

And just what are the stones being spoken about? Mike Vinson has a great study on these stones and the surrounding verses, so please read up on it at: http://www.iswasandwillbe.com/up-and-down-among-the-stones-of-fire/

The stones are our works.

1Co 3:9  For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.
1Co 3:10  According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
1Co 3:11  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1Co 3:12  Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
1Co 3:13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
What is also confused in most of the churches of Babylon is that verse 28:14 mentions Cherub (H3742), other places called cherubims, and this they connect the to the idea of satan being this arch-angel that has fallen from grace. That is the furthest thing from the Truth.

cherubims, 63 , (H3742)

Gen_3:24, Exo_25:18-20 (4), Exo_25:22, Exo_26:1, Exo_26:31, Exo_36:8, Exo_36:35, Exo_37:7-9 (4), Num_7:89, 1Sa_4:4, 2Sa_6:2, 1Ki_6:23, 1Ki_6:25, 1Ki_6:27-29 (4), 1Ki_6:32 (2), 1Ki_6:35, 1Ki_7:29, 1Ki_7:36, 1Ki_8:6-7 (3), 2Ki_19:15, 1Ch_13:6, 1Ch_28:18, 2Ch_3:7, 2Ch_3:10-11 (2), 2Ch_3:13-14 (2), 2Ch_5:7-8 (3), Psa_99:1 (2), Isa_37:16, Eze_10:1-3 (3), Eze_10:6-9 (5), Eze_10:15-16 (3), Eze_10:18-20 (3), Eze_11:22, Eze_41:18, Eze_41:20, Eze_41:25

I mentioned two’s specifically earlier to bring out this very point because two always represent a witness to something. Just as the prince of Tyre progresses in type to a king, so too do the “cherub” throughout scripture.

The cherub start off in Eden “guarding the way of the tree of life.” They simply represent beasts which are around the throne of God, and they end up having three sets of two wings, six wings.

Rev 4:6  And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.
Rev 4:7  And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.
Rev 4:8  And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

We see them earlier in Ezekiel with only four wings:

Eze 1:4  And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.
Eze 1:5  Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.
Eze 1:6  And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.

When we first start off with our walk in Christ, we have been found of our first love, but then we leav our first love because our deadly wound is healed.

As the Lord works with us, we progress and press on to maturity and that is witnessed to us in the growth of addition wings as we make our ways further into the heavens.

The old serpent simply writhers around on his belly eating dust, and we all are that dust. He is singular in his mind to be a waster to destroy, a liar and murderer, because that it what he was created to be and do.

However, we are being created in the image of God and we have dual roles we fulfill. First, we start off “in Adam,” the first man. Then, we progress slowly toward the new man. As the new man arises in our hearts and minds, the mind of Christ once again makes of TWAIN, ONE.

Isa 54:16  Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.
Isa 54:17  No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

We were NEVER created perfect in our ways. The Hebrew word for perfect here is “whole” and gives the true meaning of what we are being told. We were created “whole”, we were made as we were supposed to be made, and at the end of each cycle of “making all of creation,” the Lord said it is “good” not “perfect”.

We have in our, from the beginning, an uncircumcised heart even when we think we serve the Lord. However, we DO NOT initially serve him in Spirit and Truth so we will “die the death of the uncircumcised” first man Adam in us all.

Eze 28:10  Thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.
2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

2Th 2:4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
2Th 2:5  Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
The revealing of the son of perdition who sits in the temple of God is a wonderful thing for the new man coming into the hearts and minds of His body.

Eze 28:17  Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.

First though, we must live out being thrown out of “Eden”. We must recognize why it is we are guilty just as Adam our father in the flesh was. Eve came from Adam and we come from the union of them both.

The job of the old serpent is to traduce the Truth with lies and cause us to doubt and fall into unbelief of the promise that Christ Jesus will finish in us what He has started.

Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 have nothing to do with this supposed arch-angel going bad and everything to do with the adversary being cast form the heavens of our minds just as quick as God’s judgment is on the old man in us all. That is the true meaning of “satan being cast as lightning from heaven.”

Luk 10:17  And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
Luk 10:18  And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
Luk 10:19  Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Luk 10:20  Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
Luk 10:21  In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.
Luk 10:22  All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.
Luk 10:23  And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:
Luk 10:24  For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

I hope this study has been used to shed “Light” on this false doctrine and has been used to open of the heavens of your minds to who it is that is, was and will be cast from it.

Jas 4:5  Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
Jas 4:6  But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
Jas 4:7  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Jas 4:8  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

We are to submit ourselves to God and draw nigh to Him. When we do this then we are able to resist the traducer, his false doctrines and his power of death over us because the one in US now is STRONGER than the one who is in the world.

“That Old Serpent”

Part 5

April 9, 2014

Heb 13:8  Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
Heb 13:9  Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.
Heb 13:10  We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.
Heb 13:11  For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.
Heb 13:12  Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.
Heb 13:13  Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.
Heb 13:14  For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.
Heb 13:15  By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

“Outside the Gate”

As we conclude this mini-series on “That Old Serpent,” I hope we can all come away with a little clearer vision into the mind of Christ as it is laid out in scripture. Of course, that is all up to the Lord, but we believe He will give His mind liberally to those that diligently seek to know it.

I started this study off by reading Hebrews 13 and Hebrews has been a strong point of reference  for this series. There are two men being spoken about in all of scripture, and with those two men life and death are the wages of their warfare.

It is when we are isolated in our hearts and minds that the foothold of DEATH is able to take its hold on our minds because our Faith will be tried during this time.

1Pe 4:12  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

The same word used as TRY in 1 Peter 4:12 is TEMPT in many other scripture.

G3986

πειρασμός

peirasmos

Total KJV Occurrences: 21

temptation, 15

Mat_6:13, Mat_26:41, Mar_14:38, Luk_8:13 (2), Luk_11:4, Luk_22:40, Luk_22:46, 1Co_10:13 (2), Gal_4:14, 1Ti_6:9, Heb_3:8, Jam_1:12, Rev_3:10

temptations, 5

Luk_22:28, Act_20:19, Jam_1:2, 1Pe_1:6, 2Pe_2:9

try, 1

1Pe_4:12

The fiery TRIALS we all experience are the TEMPATIONS to DRAW BACK into perdition, to pull away from the Truth, but we have HOPE to WAGE AGAINST THIS!

Mat 6:13  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Mat 26:41  Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Luk 8:13  They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

Luk 22:28  Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations.

Gal 4:14  And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

We do have a way out, but all of our FLESH is weak. We all sin because of it, but we have been given instruction and weapons to battle this mindset.

I point this out again to bring another point to the forefront of this study.

Heb 5:7  Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and WAS HEARD in that he feared;
Heb 5:8  Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

Jesus Christ is still living out His Father’s work in His “flesh, bone and body”. We are His flesh, bone and body and Jesus is causing us to learn obedience by suffering.

It is true that Christ went through physical suffering, and at times these are physical trials we will go through which God uses to have us cry out to Him. However, the BATTLE and the growth is all in how we REACT and THINK about what it is we are being TRIED and TEMPTED with.

Fiery trials are fiery temptations and WHAT do those temptations consist of if it is none other than to produce DEATH in us, and we know who has the power of death!

Jesus was tempted in this exact same way because that old serpent attempted to cause the WAGES of SIN to war in Jesus’ flesh and it is the EXACT same today!

What Jesus was TEMPTED with were both physical, and more importantly, SPIRITUAL temptations to JUST GIVE IN. “Draw back” and “be carried about” was the call the traducer made to Jesus!

Heb 13:9  Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the HEART be established WITH GRACE; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.
Heb 13:10  We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.

Why is it that the book of Hebrews is wrapped up with a blessing of grace given the contents and focus of Hebrews?

Heb 13:25  Grace be with you all. Amen.

Anything we can come up with in our hearts and minds are all simply concluded as being “doctrines of men”. All of it. Then, we go on to share those diverse and strange doctrines with other men and with mankind.

So what does grace do in our lives to combat this?

Job 5:17  Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:

Pro 3:11  My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
Pro 3:12  For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

Heb 12:11  Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Heb 12:12  Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
Heb 12:13  And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

Grace teaches us, grace CHASTENS us to:

Tit 2:11  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12  Teaching (G3811) us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Tit 2:13  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Tit 2:14  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Tit 2:15  These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

I am here to speak these Truths to you. I am here to exhort you to good works, and I am here to rebuke those works which bear no fruit to the Spirit.

2Ti 2:25  In meekness instructing (G3811) those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

“Be of One Mind”

All of this is so important to understand when dealing with the topic of the adversary. We see it mentioned all throughout scripture that we are to be of the same mind, to be one mind.

We are told by many in the world that this is impossible, and in reality, there actually is Truth to that statement.

However, for that to be a true statement as concerning the mind of Christ and what we are told about where Jesus the Christ’s mind comes from, we must also state that it is ONLY the mind of Christ that matters.

If I, Steven Crook, tell you to have MY MIND of which I INTERPRET to be the mind of Christ, then I speak falsely to you and we are both deceived.

However, if we don’t “speak above that which has been written” and understand that the mind of Christ is contained within the WORKS of the scripture throughout the entire bible, then we will know that the mind we profess to have is indeed the MIND that is CONTAINED within scripture.

As an example of this, I want to read from another brothers articles found on Is, Was and Will Be.

The article is written by Ayo and goes with this study very well.

http://www.iswasandwillbe.com/from-heathens-to-perfection-in-christ/

We must not forget our ambassadorial mission to the inhabitants of the earth is also to recover them from this great snare and trap of bondage by the devil, whilst not receiving any into any doubtful arguments, strife and disputes.

2Ti 2:23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.
2Ti 2:24And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
2Ti 2:25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; [e.g. those who claim they are being crucified with Christ and dying with him but opposing and contradicting themselves by keeping birthdays of themselves and ‘birthday’ of the creator of the Universe!] and if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
2Ti 2:26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. [still under the Law of Sin and Death, under the devil who has been given the power of death.]

We must keep in mind those still under the Law serving the first earthly tabernacle may not be able to eat the doctrine of this altar, seeing they are still minding the things of the flesh.

Heb 13:9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.

Heb 13:10 We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the [first earthly] tabernacle.

Rom 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; [serving the first tabernacle] but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. [serving the perfect tabernacle]

We also, nevertheless must go onto perfection from being the heathens that has the Lord’s name as Christians, to becoming perfect in Christ Jesus in our due time.
This article from Ayo was written three years ago. Before I started this series or even this last part of the series, I had not read that.

However, when I looked up a verse to post in this study Dave’s TOA showed me this article of which I found a wonderful gem of confirmation of what I had already been writing in my own studies.

It is easy to conclude that this is just antidotal to what I am trying to say, but what you all will, have and do discover constantly is that the mind and Spirit of God works through HIS BODY all the time!

When you speak to someone you will always hear two minds speaking. You will either hear the mind of Jesus Christ speaking or you will hear the mind of the traducer.

It is when you hear someone SPEAK that you hear what has already been placed in their HEART and MIND.

So again having the same mind is promised to us, is necessary for us and is NOT our individual minds claiming, “this or that,” is the mind of Christ.

Let us be reminded:

Heb 13:9  Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.
Heb 13:15  By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
Verse 9 starts off with talking about doctrines then goes into speaking about physical meats, but if you are being given eyes to see and ears to hear, you’ll notice that there is actually a very important contrast being made.

Things that are of the SPIRIT versus things that are of the WORLD. Doctrines of men are doctrine of the world, a world of which has a father called the devil and satan.

The fiery trials which are to tempt us are there so chasten us to be obedient, but doesn’t that sound very harsh? For the old man it is harsh to be told what to do. The old man in us all absolutely REFUSES to listen to such “none sense”.

However, we ALL are under the same set of biblical rules whether we acknowledge it or not.

How can I make such a bold statement? It is because WE ALL SUFFER in this life.

We all have SIN WAGING in our members. The difference is that those God is working with now are starting to be CHASTENED, to be taught to be obedient to this:

Heb 13:12  Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.
Heb 13:13  Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.
Heb 13:14  For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.
Heb 13:15  By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

In this age, in your generation, you will be persecuted with words, with deeds and with works of the adversary working in those the Lord sends satan into to WORK the Lord’s patience IN YOU through THEM.

Couple that with the Truth that we ALL HAVE SIN in us, we are all MADE SIN, then it can seem like a dire situation and most of us struggle with that in various degrees.

Listen to the wise Words of Life given to Jude.

Jud 1:7  Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Jud 1:8  Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.

Continuing:

Jud 1:23  And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
Jud 1:24  Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
Jud 1:25  To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

The dominion ANYONE has is DOMINION given to them by the Father. To say one has dominion over sin is the very focus of this study and I want to end this study by helping you understand the POWER that YOU have been given.

Rom 6:14  For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Rom 7:1  Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?

Rom 7:4  Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

Rom 6:8  Now if we be dead with Christ, WE BELIEVE that we shall also live with him:
Rom 6:9  Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.

Here is the teaching we are under, the doctrine we hold fast to, and the doctrine which you will be tempted by the devil with OVER and OVER as you live.

Jesus Christ LEARNED obedience through the things He suffered and He suffered outside the camp of the doctrines of men.

Jesus Christ suffered because He was caused to endure the SINS others were committing against Him, of which they themselves were caused to do because of the Lord.

The Lord tells us we have been FREED from the law and have been put under grace.

The Truth that the old serpent will be used to tempt in you, through various fiery darts he has at his disposal, is that his power is NO LONGER DOMINANT. Jesus Christ has OVERCOME him!

We, as Christ’s body, will learn obedience by suffering the sin that is in us all. Whether trespasses are committing against us, or we ourselves commit trespasses, we all must LEARN to endure it with PATIENT obedience.

That obedience is to GIVE THANKS for all of it! That obedience is to OBEY what God says to do because the other option leads to DEATH and has and END already.

We must be willing to FORGIVE others their trespasses as well as forgiving OURSELVES of the trespasses the Lord causes us to commit against others. Truly, all sin and trespass is AGAINST THE LORD, and He has forgiven us all.

As a parent, we prepare our children and say “don’t do this” or “don’t do that”. Quickly, we learn as parents that the best teacher for our children is EXPERIENCE.

We are still to teach our children not to touch a hot stove, for example, but the best teacher of all is a hot stove touched.

In like manner, the Father in heaven knows that when He instructs us on what to do and not to do it is in our nature to do what He says not to do. He knows us. We are His children, and He knows how to teach us.

So, think it not STRANGE when you are TEMPTED with fiery trials because that is the AMMO is the quiver of THE ENEMY, that old serpent called the devil and satan.

The thing that happens though is we learn to REMEMBER what we have been taught when it is time for us to UNDERSTAND why it is things happen to us the way they do, and DESIRE to follow the narrow Way to Life.

This will be the end of this series and I hope you were blessed by it. I felt compelled to stop with the Awesome Hands series just as the Israelites were called out of Egypt to go into the wilderness, and the next session will be picking up from that point.

I hope this series will help us all read with a little more understanding what it is we all can learn from the experiences all of us live through via the Word of God. We must live every word that proceeds forth from His mouth and we do that collectively through each other.

I will end this study with a section of Isaiah that brings me, and I hope you, great comfort.

Isa 26:12  LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for THOU also hast wrought ALL OUR WORKS IN US.
Isa 26:13  O LORD our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name.
Isa 26:14  They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.
Isa 26:15  Thou hast increased the nation, O LORD, thou hast increased the nation: thou art glorified: thou hadst removed it far unto all the ends of the earth.

The Lord has separated us to Himself.

Isa 26:16  LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.
Isa 26:17  Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD.
Isa 26:18  We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.
Isa 26:19  Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
Isa 26:20  Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.
Isa 26:21  For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.
Isa 27:1  In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.

There is no video available for this study

“That Old Serpent”

Part 4

March 26, 2014

1Ti 4:1  Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the LATTER TIMES some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
1Ti 4:2  Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
1Ti 4:3  Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
1Ti 4:4  For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
1Ti 4:5  For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
1Ti 4:6  If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
1Ti 4:7  But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.
1Ti 4:8  For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
1Ti 4:9  This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. 

Yesterday was my birthday and I was marked as 34 years old. When most people hear that they will immediately say something kind and nice like, “congratulations” or “getting old now” or “you’re just a baby”, etc.

Most responses will be positive to most people, and indeed that are intended to be by most people. Birthdays in particular are one of the most respected and positive events most people can relate to because everyone can relate to the idea of, “me”.

However, because of what we know to be true in scripture, “me” doesn’t matter but Jesus Christ and His Father, and to know them, is what REALLY matters.

Joh 17:3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
So, I will be using this example of my recent “advancement” to 34 years old as an example of what just happened in your heavens in relation to the Truth and that old serpent when I mentioned it, and how we are instructed to think about it spiritually.

In the previous studies so far, we have covered who the old serpent called the devil and satan are as described in scripture, who he is designed to target, and what our protection is from him.

In the last study, we started to cover being “doers” of the Word and how that plays out in our practical and spiritual lives. If the last study would be “part a” of this concept, then this study today would be considered “part b”.

“Doctrines of devils”

I started off this study by reading 1 Ti 4:1-9 to set the stage of contrast for what the mind and faith of Christ is (the simplicity that is in Christ) versus the mind of the traducer, the accuser, and the adversary birthed in us as the carnal mind.

1Ti 4:1  Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the LATTER TIMES some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

I have focused these studies on the concept of Faith, and there is a very good reason why. Faith is not something we can gain, it is something given to us. Without it, we can do NOTHING. With it, we can MOVE MOUNTAINS.

In 1 Ti 4:1, we are told that it is in the latter times that some shall depart from the faith because they give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.

So, it is imperative for us to search the scripture (daily) to “see if these things be so”. It is imperative that we know our enemy, death, and he that controls death.

Act 17:11  These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

The same Greek word spoken to us that is referred to as latter “times” is the same Greek word found here:

Gal 4:7  Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Gal 4:8  Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.
Gal 4:9  But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
Gal 4:10  Ye observe days, and months, and TIMES, and years.
Gal 4:11  I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.

It is in the “latter times,” this season, in which we are given over to LEAVING the Faith of Christ and GIVING HEED (1 Tim 4:1) to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.

G4337

προσέχω

prosechō

pros-ekh’-o

From G4314 and G2192; (figuratively) to hold the mind (G3563 implied) towards, that is, pay attention to, be cautious about, apply oneself to, adhere to: – (give) attend (-ance, -ance at, -ance to, unto), beware, be given to, give (take) heed (to, unto) have regard.

Paying attention to these doctrines and devils leads into:

1Ti 4:2  Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
1Ti 4:3  Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

It is of utmost importance that we know what it is we do when we “leave the Faith” so that we can be on constant guard to NOT leave the Faith, the Faith of Christ.

Again, the simplicity that is in Christ is His mind, His Faith, His sharing of what the mind of the Father is.

Those which “leave the Faith” forbid marrying and direct us to abstain from meat. However, the reason this is EVIL is that marrying and PRATAKING of MEATS has been created and is to be received with thanksgiving of “THEM WITH HAVE FAITH and KNOW JESUS CHRIST AND HIS FATHER”.

Here is what marrying is:

Eph 5:30  For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
Eph 5:31  For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
Eph 5:32  This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

And here is what abstaining or partaking of meats is involved with:

1Co 3:1  And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
1Co 3:2  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

Joh 4:32  But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.
Joh 4:33  Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?
Joh 4:34  Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

I point these things out not to guilt anyone, but to prepare everyone for the battle that happens in “the latter times.”

1Ti 4:6  If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
1Ti 4:7  But REFUSE PROFANE and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.
The marriage that the seducing spirits and the doctrines of devils want us to not partake of is the marriage of Christ and His bride, and the meat we are told to not partake of is of the WORK of the Father.

By knowing our enemy and the one who has power over the enemy, we can MAKE WAR with the beast and the dragon BECAUSE Jesus Christ LIVES IN US. By this, we KNOW and glory in knowing our names are written in heaven!

“Casting out devils”

The Greek word used in 1 Timothy 4 is G1140, “daimonion”, and is different than the word used for “the devil and satan”.

The traducer, the accuser, is the PRINCE of these devils of doctrines, but we have a MIGHTY WEAPON to combat them all, and that is what this series is about.

The disciples were able to cast out devils, as did Jesus, and that is no different than for us today.

Though, what we have always thought of as “devils or demons” is not what Hollywood or the orthodox Christians churches would have you believe.

If you do not know who you are warring against, how is it that you will be able to defeat an unknown enemy?

Heb 10:38  Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
Heb 10:39  But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that BELIEVE to the saving of the soul.

Act 24:14  But this I confess unto thee, that after THE WAY which THEY CALL HERESY, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:
Act 24:15  And have HOPE toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.

Jesus the Christ is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Jesus the Christ is, was and will be. Anything we read about in the new testament has already be written in the law and prophets, though they only could see the letter and the physical applications because the promise has not yet come.

Jesus Christ is the resurrection. He is resurrected NOW in the hearts and minds of them which believe and don’t draw back unto perdition, but WHY is this so important?

If you think what you are going through in your life now as ANY DIFFERENT or harder than what those who were facing the Truth of Christ and His doctrine back THEN, when He walked in the flesh, then consider this:

Heb 10:39  ButG1161 weG2249 areG2070 notG3756 of them who draw backG5289 untoG1519 perdition;G684 butG235 of them that believeG4102 to the savingG1519 G4047 of the soul.G5590

The Greek word for “drawing back” is G5249.

G5289

ὑποστολή

hupostolē

hoop-os-tol-ay’

From G5288; shrinkage (timidity), that is, (by implication) APOSTASY: – draw back.

G5289 (Thayers)

ὑποστολή

hupostolē

Thayer Definition:

1) the timidity of one stealthily retreating
In other words, the church “drew back” from the Truth they had received with thanksgiving. This apostasy, this timidity, was very present before the apostles and disciples died.

From Wikipedia:

Apostasy (/əˈpɒstəsi/; Greek: ἀποστασία (apostasia), ‘a defection or revolt’) is the formal disaffiliation from or abandonment or renunciation of a religion by a person. One who commits apostasy (or who apostatises) is known as an apostate. The term apostasy is used by sociologists to mean renunciation and criticism of, or opposition to, a person’s former religion, in a technical sense and without pejorative connotation.

So what the author of Hebrews is telling us about drawing back is that it is an act of pulling away from what we have ONCE BELIEVED as Truth.

How it applies to us today is that when we have family, friends, peers loved ones VIEW our lives and our walks, they look on us and see our Faith in action.

If they happen to also see some hypocrisy in those works, then they immediate cry foul and this is for good reason.

However, when there is no hypocrisy but a true living out of the judgments that God is sending to us now, our carnal mind often wants to “draw back” to that which is easier, more simple, “the go along to get along” mentality of joining in with the “running of the race” that IS NOT unto perfection or maturity.

Compare the two:

1Pe 4:3  For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
1Pe 4:4  Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:
1Pe 4:5  Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.
1Pe 4:6  For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

Versus:

1Co 9:22  To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
1Co 9:23  And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
1Co 9:24  Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
1Co 9:25  And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
1Co 9:26  I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
1Co 9:27  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

They, my family and friends, think it strange that I didn’t celebrate my birthday yesterday nor do I celebrate theirs when that time comes around. The immediate REACTION is that I don’t love or care about them somehow.

However, the Truth is that I do in fact love them, but I love them as a brother or sister in Christ and NOT according to the flesh. The real dilemma though is that they themselves don’t know they they will one day be my “mother, brother and sister”.

When I don’t act on the “time” of my birthday, this ACT or WORK of the Lord is the “casting out of devils” in my heavens.

Heb 6:11  And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
Heb 6:12  That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Heb 6:13  For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,
Heb 6:14  Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.
Heb 6:15  And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
Heb 6:16  For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.
Heb 6:17  Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:
Heb 6:18  That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
Heb 6:19  Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
Heb 6:20  Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

The anchor of the soul is so important for us. The hope for us, which is this anchor, is what allows us to enter into the veil with Jesus Christ.

In case you are wondering why entering into the veil is so important, let us examine the scripture.

Heb 10:16  This is the covenant that I will make with them after THOSE DAYS, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
Heb 10:17  And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
Heb 10:18  Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
Heb 10:19  Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

The law written on our hearts and minds is this HOPE and FAITH we have been given that the MIND we have been given is “His ways are above our ways” and “His thoughts are above our thoughts”.

This is all connected in one VERY IMPORTANT way.

Heb 10:19  Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
Heb 10:20  By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

We enter into the heavens by the blood of Jesus by a LIVING WAY, through the VEIL which is HIS FLESH.

Who then is His flesh, His bone, His body?

Eph 5:30  For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
Eph 5:31  For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
Eph 5:32  This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

What then does this mean for us practically and spiritually?

It has been said in many different ways and in many different teachings that being a part of His body, keeping in communication, “going two by two” is of absolute necessity to our walk with Jesus Christ.

It is when we are isolated in our hearts and minds; it is when the accuser, the traducer and the adversary comes to us “in the wilderness,” that we are tempted into sinful mindsets of doctrines of devils and seducing spirits.

Is this not the same example as Jesus went through? Who then was it that ministered to Jesus if not angels, messengers of God, in His time in the wilderness?

We have talked about how God was Himself TEMPTED in the wilderness when Israel had no Faith in His promises to them.

Num 14:22  Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;

Psa 95:8  Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
Psa 95:9  When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work.

Heb 3:7  Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,
Heb 3:8  Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
Heb 3:9  When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
Heb 3:10  Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.

It is when we are isolated in our hearts and minds that the foothold of DEATH is able to take its hold on our minds because our Faith will be tried during this time, but the difference in this trial of Faith in the wilderness and the trial of Faith with being connected to “His flesh, His bone, and His body” is literally and figuratively NIGHT AND DAY.

1Pe 4:12  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

The same word used as TRY in 1 Peter 4:12 is TEMPT in many other scripture.

G3986

πειρασμός

peirasmos

Total KJV Occurrences: 21

temptation, 15

Mat_6:13, Mat_26:41, Mar_14:38, Luk_8:13 (2), Luk_11:4, Luk_22:40, Luk_22:46, 1Co_10:13 (2), Gal_4:14, 1Ti_6:9, Heb_3:8, Jam_1:12, Rev_3:10

temptations, 5

Luk_22:28, Act_20:19, Jam_1:2, 1Pe_1:6, 2Pe_2:9

try, 1

1Pe_4:12

The fiery TRIALS we all experience are the TEMPATIONS to DRAW BACK into perdition, to pull away from the Truth, but we have HOPE to WAGE AGAINST THIS!

Mat 6:13  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Mat 26:41  Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Luk 8:13  They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

Luk 22:28  Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations.

Gal 4:14  And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

We do have a way out, but all of our FLESH is weak. We all sin because of it, but we have been given instruction and weapons to battle this mindset.

The devil is there to seduce us into living lies, but with one another we are able to thwart the arrows of the adversary due to the armor we have been given.

Eph 6:10  Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Eph 6:11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph 6:12  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.
Eph 6:13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Eph 6:14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
Eph 6:15  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Eph 6:16  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Eph 6:17  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Eph 6:18  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Eph 6:19  And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
Eph 6:20  For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

In the next part of this series, we will be covering practical ways of living out these admonitions. We will see how to apply scripture to our daily walks, and Lord willing, know how to run the race to win the prize!

“That Old Serpent”

Part 3

March 19, 2014

Heb 1:1  God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Heb 1:2  Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Heb 1:3  Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the WORD OF HIS POWER, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Heb 1:4  Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. 

It is by inheritance that you all sit here today listening to this study. It is by inheritance that we come to the altar of God, outside the gate, to partake of the understanding and knowledge that God has prepared for us before the foundation of the world.

It is with that thought in mind, that we start this study.

In the first part of this series, we sought to know and understand who the old serpent called the devil and satan was. We learned that he is the traducer and adversary to and against God the Father, and His Son who He has sent.

In the second part of this series, we also learned that Jesus’ body is the bread, flesh and bone of which is VERY important to God the Father.

In this third of the series, I am going to plagiarize the book of Hebrews and a bit more of the other books. Yes, I am going to speak that which is Truth from the book of Hebrews and other books, if God wills it.

“Why call me Lord, Lord”

At one part of the lives of the disciples, Jesus asked the multitudes before Him why call Him Lord, Lord and do not the things He says. That question is just as applicable today as it ever has been and it was applicable to His disciples first and foremost.

Luk 6:45  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
Luk 6:46  And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Luk 6:47  Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and DOETH them, I will shew you to whom he is like: 

Now, the job of the traducer is to take those words of Jesus and mix them with darkness and with death thus creating confusion in the “hearer” and “doer”.

As I share this study with you, the job of the traducer is to take the testimony, the confession, the profession of Jesus Christ, the Word of God in me, and mix it with carnal-minded reasoning and produce sin in the hearers eventually. Yet, sin is not always fully understood for what it is and can be.

That is what the old serpent is all about. However, oddly enough, this study is going to be much more about Jesus the Christ than he that has already been conquered by Jesus Christ.

A big part of this series is to pose a question to the listeners about what depth of separation is present between Jesus the Head and Jesus the body? Is there a lot of separation or is there none?

Before we attempt to answer this question, I want to illustrate to you what is happening in your heavens at this VERY MOMENT.

I want you to envision a tunnel and on one side of this tunnel is where the heavens are, where God’s throne is, and on the other side of the tunnel is your mind and heart.

On the inside of this tunnel is darkness similar to what a train tunnel is like when it is carved into one side of a mountain and comes out on the other side.

The job of the traducer, “dia-blo”, is to have the Word of God be “thrown through” the devil before it reaches your heavens. Review the first study for more information about the meaning of “dia-blo,” but “dia” means through and “blo” means “thrown”.

So, the old serpent is called appropriately a traducer. He traduces the Word of God by falsely mixing it with lies because he is the father of lies, a murderer from the beginning.

Getting back to this tunnel, imagine that when the Holy Spirit moves to reveal the Word of God to a child of God, the principalities and powers that we wrestle, i.e. battle against, are those powers which are in this tunnel and their prince is the devil himself. The traducer takes Light and attempts to mix it with darkness i.e. death.

Eph 6:12  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.
Eph 6:13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 

The reason we wrestle NOT against flesh and blood is that flesh and blood are what are TEMPTED by the principalities and powers that be. That is exactly how Christ could BE SIN yet did not COMMIT SIN.

2Co 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

1Pe 2:21  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
1Pe 2:22  Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 

With that all said, let us consider Jesus’ words again:

Luk 6:46  And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Luk 6:47  Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and DOETH them, I will shew you to whom he is like:

Jas 1:22  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Jas 1:23  For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
Jas 1:24  For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 

What then is it to doer of the Word? The word translated as glass in James 1:23 is more appropriately translated as mirror. If we see our natural face in the mirror, and reflect on that, and forget what it WE HAVE BEEN CREATED TO BE as the first Adam, sinning machines, then we will forget our calling.

Likewise, if we are able to look through a mirror DIMLY and see Christ, we can REMEMBER our calling as the last Adam’s body.

We are called and chosen, and those around the THRONE of God are FAITHFUL. Don’t you know that you are the temple of God, and His temple has a THRONE? Do you have Faith to believe?

“Being a “doer” of the Word”

I ask again; what then is it to doer of the Word?

In most of our Babylonian teachings and understandings, though they were needed to bring us to this point in our walk, we have thought of DOING as actively participating in making sure we do ONE thing versus another. Don’t do this, do that. Taste this, don’t taste that, etcetera.

In the case of being a “doer” of the Word, if this is ALL we equate this instruction from Jesus to mean then we can easily make claim that WE do something in this process, but the sum of the Word sheds more Light on this idea.

Let us examine closer what being a doer of the Word is and how the traducer is right now working on the Word of God in your heavens to try and manipulate it with lies.

Imagine that the concept of “being a doer of the Word” is traveling from “His ways our above our ways” which are heavenly, being thrown through the dark tunnel, to finally coming out on the other side in your heart and mind. Here is the Truth about the word translated as doer.

Here is the Greek word for “doer”.

G4163

ποιητής

poiētēs

poy-ay-tace’

From G4160; a performer; specifically a “poet”: – doer, poet.

Isn’t that interesting? We are to be POETS of the Word. Here is where G4163 is found in the New Testament.

G4163

ποιητής

poiētēs

Total KJV Occurrences: 6

doer, 3

Jam_1:23, Jam_1:25, Jam_4:11

doers, 2

Rom_2:13, Jam_1:22

poets, 1

Act_17:28

For context sake, I am going to list each of these verses out.

Jas 1:22  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Jas 1:23  For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
Jas 1:24  For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
Jas 1:25  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Jas 4:11  Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.

Ah, we are getting a little warmer.

Rom 2:13  (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
Rom 2:14  For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
Rom 2:15  Which SHEW the work of the law written in their hearts, their CONSCIENCE also BEARING WITNESS, and their THOUGHTS the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) 

And now we see:

Act 17:28  For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets HAVE SAID, For we are also his offspring.
Act 17:29  Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.
Act 17:30  And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to REPENT:

What we are contrasting in these verses is hearing versus doing as it is translated, but that is not the complete picture of which the Holy Spirit inspired this verse to be written in the Greek as. What we are contrasting is not only being a HEARER, but a SPEAKER of the Word and “speaking” is the manifestation of what is WRITTEN on the HEART.

Does that seem outlandish to anyone? The immediate result of thinking this way, as this understanding is thrown through our heavens, as it is traduced and then received by our minds, is that DOING something is an ACTION so we must be DOING the action. So how does one “do” a Word, a word which is SPOKEN?

However, what is a poet? A poet is someone who writes and speaks in such a way as to convey various thoughts and ideas through rhyme, euphony (inherent pleasantness) and cacophony (unpleasantness) to get an idea or thought across to the target of the poem.

Scripturally, being a POET of the Word is to be a hearer and SPEAKER of the Word. I want you to now purposely put the lenses of this thought across your spiritual eyes and consider this study through the concept of not only hearing but speaking the Truth.

To be a poet, one must “chew the cud” show to speak and the Words of our Lord must be continually be being worked out in our hearts and minds.

Jer 31:32  Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
Jer 31:33  But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 

Here again are Jesus’ Word.

Luk 6:45  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
Luk 6:46  And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Luk 6:47  Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and DOETH (G4160) them, I will shew you to whom he is like: 

The word DOETH is the root word of G4163, a poet, a doer.

So, what does this ALL MEAN in context of the old serpent working his devices while lying in wait for the Sons of God while they attempt to be “doers” of the Word they “hear”?

Let us look toward the start of the book of Hebrews for the answer.

“The brightness of His glory”

Heb 1:3  Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the WORD OF HIS POWER, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Heb 1:4  Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

The Lord asks us all, why call Him Lord, why call him MASTER, if you aren’t going to OBEY what His sayings are. What then are His sayings?

If you don’t obey his sayings, then by necessity you are OBEYING another’s saying, another’s doings.

In the entirety of the scripture, there are two men being talked about, and they are the old and the new Adam. One has the traducer as a father and the other has the Father of Lights as His Father.

Jesus Christ was the ONLY SON of GOD, being a son of man as well, who DID NOT have the devil as His father. Why is this important?

1Jn 5:4  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
1Jn 5:5  Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? 

Why is BELIEF, Faith so important? After all, those who are in the first and holy resurrection are called, chosen and FAITHFUL. But, I thought the “GREATEST” of these is Love?

1Co 13:12  For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
1Co 13:13  And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Indeed it is the greatest, but one MUST have Faith to have hope which leads to LOVE. When we have obtained the thing we HOPE for, there is no longer need for FAITH in the way we think of it now because we will have OBTAINED the thing we have hoped for. What will remain is LOVE, for God is LOVE.
The book of Hebrews is all about Faith. Faith is needed because faith is needed to combat what is inherent in our flesh, and this is the POWER given to Christ without measure, among other things.

There is a law which has been created in our members, and because of this law we are all bound for the grave. All of our lives, until Jesus drags us to the Father, we are subject to FEAR because of this law which leads to DEATH and who has the POWER OF DEATH? So, we naturally fear one father firstly.

Consider this:

Heb 3:1  Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;
Heb 3:2  Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.

And then:

Heb 3:6  But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
Heb 3:7  Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,
Heb 3:8  Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
Heb 3:9  When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
Heb 3:10  Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.
Heb 3:11  So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)
Heb 3:12  Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you AN EVIL HEART OF UNBELIEF, in departing from the living God.
Heb 3:13  But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

Lust leads to sin. Sin leads to death. The traducer which has been given the power to PRODUCE death in us is none other than that old serpent who has been molding the carnal mind for his consumption since the day he was created to deceive the first Adam.

His deception is that SIN IS THE VICTOR, but the wages of SIN has been conquered and the days of deaths reign are nearing a CLOSE. It is the last enemy that will be destroyed.

Heb 3:16  For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.
Heb 3:17  But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?
Heb 3:18  And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?
Heb 3:19  So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. 

ANYTHING not of Faith is sin.

Those that are in the first resurrection are those who are FULL of Faith until the end not full of unbelief in the simplicity that is in Christ. How then, if Faith is a gift, are we to endure?

Isn’t the hardening of the heart the work of the Lord? Yes it is, but there is a SOLUTION!

Heb 4:1  Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
Heb 4:2  For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being MIXED WITH FAITH in them that HEARD IT.

Heb 4:10  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
Heb 4:11  Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. 

Ceasing from our own works can be simply explained, and here it is.

The devil takes the simplicity that is in Christ, SIMPLE BELIEF, simply believing what we HEAR from those that preach to us the GOOD NEWS and throws it through lies.

The traducer throws SIMPLE TRUTH through carnal reasoning, throws it through the SOUL of that person named Steven Wilson Odell Crook, throws it throw our supposed FREE WILL and creates through that process DOUBT and unbelief in the simple Truth.

Listen to this.

When you question whether the Holy Spirit is working with you, if Love really exists in you, if YOU really could be the elect of God, this is a DIRECT AFFRONT on the FRONT lines of the battle that is taking part in your heavens.

Do not be DECEIVED. Do not be BEGUILED. The Word of God is your refuge.

Heb 4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 

The Lord KNOWS OF THE SINS THAT SO EASILY BESET YOU! He has CAUSED THEM.

Listen and believe the Lord. Don’t believe me but believe the POETRY, the DOING, I speak.

Jas 4:7  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Jas 4:8  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Heb 4:13  Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
Heb 4:14  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 profession.
Heb 4:15  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Heb 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. 

We come boldly to the throne of grace and present to the Lord the TRUTH back to Him. How do we do that?

We CEASE from our own works by acknowledging that He is sovereign and working ALL THINGS after His own counsel. We REPENT and CONFESS that Jesus IS LORD. We confess that He is OUR MASTER and a SLAVE has NO WILL to do whatever He pleases INCLUDING controlling whether we SIN or not. We don’t confess that we can work out the sin in our lives. We cannot on our own!

Am I saying sin is good? No! Am I saying we should willfully sin that grace may abound? NO!

If we say we will not sin due to WILL POWER, we sin in this very thought.  Listen very closely to 1 John 1:1-10.

1Jn 1:1  That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
1Jn 1:2  (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
1Jn 1:3  That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
1Jn 1:4  And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
1Jn 1:5  This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
1Jn 1:6  If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
1Jn 1:7  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1Jn 1:8  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jn 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10  If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

If we say we have fellowship with Jesus, and His and our Father, and then turn around and WALK IN DARKNESS , i.e. we hold onto unbelief in Jesus’ overcoming in us, then we DO NOT THE TRUTH. We SPEAK not the Truth!

There are two Adams living in each of us. We will be dying daily until the day we DIE PHYSICALLY.

What is being made clear to us, and cannot be fully covered in this hour long study, is that we KNOW THE TRUTH but the Truth is mixed with darkness when it is thrown through the old serpent and his lies.

We ALWAYS have the devil there in the heavens casting darkness upon the Truth and the only defense we have is Christ Jesus, the Word of God.

Christ told us to WALK IN THE LIGHT while it was still day. Walk in the Truth in and with FAITH!

Heb 3:7  Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,
Heb 3:8  Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 

Hear His voice as I speak to you now, and know that while we walk in HIS HOPE, and in HIS FAITH, that we will be shown mercy and be CLEANSED, of the sins we CONFESS.

If we say we have no sins to confess, then we are simply deceived and think we have done the work that only Christ Jesus could and did do on the cross. However, we are told to PICK up the cross and follow Christ to that dying process.

Heb 6:10  For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
Heb 6:11  And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
Heb 6:12  That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who THROUGH FAITH and PATIENCE inherit the promises. 

Just as Christ, through inheritance obtained a “more excellent name”, we too are partakers of His name and His work in us.

Heb 1:4  Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. 

Do not doubt, the Lord is on our side in the fight and in the next study we are going to continue to see how we are to deal with sin in our lives and the traducer who attempts to deceive us that we have no inheritance in the Way, Truth and Life of Jesus.

Heb 9:14  How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your CONSCIENCE from dead works to serve the living God?
Heb 9:15  And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
Heb 9:16  For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
Heb 9:17  For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.

Let us be testators with Christ and die to the DEAD WORKS of the adversaries lies in us. Let us inherit the kingdom of God as the Lord wills and be NOT double-minded.

“That Old Serpent”

Part 2

March 5, 2014

The old serpent called the devil and satan is the most subtle beast of the field created by God. In Truth and as we learned in the last study, the traducer and adversary has been created to deceive and be deceived without ever being discovered for who he is. That is, until the Lord brings forth Light form darkness and that is the purpose of this study today.

That old serpent is created to be perfect in his ability to achieve what the Lord causes him to do.

Rev 12:9  And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

The deception that takes root in us all leads to death. Why? We are all shapen in inquity and in sin our mother conceives us.

            Psa 51:5  Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Of course there is an outward application to our physical mothers conceiving us and also that in our flesh is no good thing. However, just under the surface lies the thing that causes the sin in our members to work its work and that thing is the carnal mind.

Rom 7:18  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:19  For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

Rom 7:5  For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

Rom 7:23  But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

Rom 7:24  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

Rom 7:14  For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

1Co 3:3  For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

In this study today we are going to examine what is working on and in our flesh and how the traducer and adversary uses our carnal mind to seduce and tempt us into disobeying the commandments of God.

“Love thy brethren”

On the surface, it seems so simple. We are to keep the commandments of God, yet in the practical use of living it out and being exercised by good and evil it is impossible for us to do.

            Pro 6:16  These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

Pro 6:17  A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

Pro 6:18  An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

Pro 6:19  A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

Pro 6:20  My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

Pro 6:21  Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.

Pro 6:22  When thou goest, it shall LEAD thee; when thou sleepest, it shall KEEP thee; and when thou awakest, it shall TALK with thee.

Pro 6:23  For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the WAY OF LIFE:

Pro 6:24  To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.

Pro 6:25  Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.

On the surface, this seems so straight forward. These appears to be things that we need to keep in mind in the physical lives we lead, and they are, but what we are studying today is how the adversary traduces us into doing the opposite in the spirit in order to bring it about in the flesh.

Jas 1:14  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

Jas 1:15  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

All that is in the world is lust and pride, but it has been overcome.

And a few verses later:

            Jas 1:22  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Jas 1:23  For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

Jas 1:24  For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

Jas 1:25  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and CONTINUETH therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of THE WORK, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

What then is being a doer of the Word and a doer of the Work?

            Joh 4:31  In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.

Joh 4:32  But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.

Joh 4:33  Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?

Joh 4:34  Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

Contrast that with this:

Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that WORK INIQUITY.

Mat 7:24  Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

Loving the brethren is so paramount to fighting the good fight of Faith but “love” is not the fleshly emotional tug of the heart that we almost always associate the word “love” with. Many do things in the name of “love,” but can that be equated with working iniquity?

Loving the brethren is keeping the commandments and doing the will and work of God, so let us examine the scripture to see if this is so.

Rev 14:12  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Rev 14:13  And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may REST FROM THEIR LABOURS; and their works do follow them.

Rev 14:14  And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and UPON THE CLOUD ONE SAT like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.

Rev 14:15  And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.

This may come as a shock to “the world” in us all, but the old serpent and satan is the direct ENEMY of what I am about to say.

In fact, the Faith of Christ which withstood the traducer’s temptations was this. When Christ was in the wilderness forty days and nights He was ministered to by angels of God. Angels are messengers of God, among other things, and I want to send you a message now that will almost instantly be attacked in your heavens.

1Jn 5:2  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

1Jn 5:3  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

1Jn 5:4  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, EVEN OUR FAITH.

1Jn 5:5  Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

The Son of man said this:

Mat 8:19  And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.

Mat 8:20  And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

Mat 8:21  And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

Mat 8:22  But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

Who is the Head of the Son of man? Jesus Christ has just been told that He would be FOLLOWED where ever He goes and His reply was that He has no where to LAY HIS HEAD.

How and why is it, that here in Matthew, Christ mentions His head with DEATH and in Revelation 14 12-15 He mentions the same thing?

Let us examine this closely.

The patience of the saints is to keep the commandments and Faith of Jesus among other things. Because of this, BLESSED are the DEAD who DIE HENCHFORTH, resting from THEIR LABORS so that THEIR WORKS can FOLLOW them.

Rev 14:14  And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and UPON THE CLOUD ONE SAT like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.

Christ is RESTED, seated, right on top of the “cloud of great witnesses,” so what then does any of this have to do with satan / the adversary and the devil / the traducer?

“Your father the devil”

Joh 8:42  Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.

Joh 8:43  Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.

Joh 8:44  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

If the traducer is the deceiver of the WHOLE WORLD and a father, doesn’t that mean there must be a MOTHER? To show us the invisible things, we have been given examples in the visible, and for this point it is a physical father and mother. So, what is the invisible?

Rev 17:3  So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

Rev 17:4  And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:

Rev 17:5  And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

Rev 17:6  And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

Contrast this pair of father and mother with this Father and mother.

1Jn 1:3  That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

Who then is Christ’s mother?

Mat 12:47  Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.

Mat 12:48  But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?

Mat 12:49  And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!

Mat 12:50  For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

Everything we have read and head up until this point has contrasting one will versus another, one mind versus another. Our fellowship is with our Father and His Son, so where is the Son SEATED?

Who is our rest?

The devil is the father of lies and we are said to be of our father who has no truth in him, but as Christ welcomes us into His flock we are given a new Father of Lights.

Our emphasis though is not ONLY on the fathers in this scenario but on the “mother” of the various roles.

Christ came to do the will and work of His Father and He called His disciples HIS MOTHER and brethren.

The traducers entire agenda is to produce DEATH, for he has the power of death. Christ’s ENTIRE “agenda” was to do the WILL of the Father, the work of the Father, which is to PRODUCE LIFE from or OUT OF DEATH, and that is why you see a HEAD and death mentioned in both scenarios of Matthew and Revelation 14.

Mat 18:13  And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.

Mat 18:14  Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

A head rest somewhere, yes? It rests on top of a body.

Is that all there is to the Will of God? I want you all to pay close attention to something you have probably heard 50 or 100 times by now, but let him that has ears hear what the spirit says to the CHURCH, the body of Christ.

Joh 6:32  Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.

Joh 6:33  For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

Joh 6:34  Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.

Joh 6:35  And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

Joh 6:36  But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.

Joh 6:37  All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

Joh 6:38  For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

Joh 6:39  And THIS IS THE Father’s WILL which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

Joh 6:40  And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Who is the bread? Jesus the Christ. What is the bread?

Joh 6:33  For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

Joh 6:51  I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and THE BREAD THAT I WILL GIVE IS MY FLESH, which I will give for the life of the world.

Spiritually speaking, who and what is the FLESH of Christ that He gives for the LIFE OF THE WORLD?

            Joh 6:48  I am that bread of life.

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life 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.

Col 1:23  If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

We are overcomers of the world if we continue in the FAITH grounded on the ROCK.

1Jn 4:1  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

1Jn 4:2  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

1Jn 4:3  And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

1Jn 4:4  Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

Eph 5:29  For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

Eph 5:30  For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

Col 1:21  And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

Col 1:22  In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

The traducer is loving if you are confused by what is being said in this study because what is being said is that the BODY of Christ, where His head is seated, is what is given for the LIFE of the WORLD.

Does this sound blasphemous to you?

Jesus told us that when we pray we are to pray a certain way. Here it is:

Mat 6:5  And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

Mat 6:6  But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

Mat 6:7  But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

Mat 6:8  Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

So Jesus just set the stage of how it is we are to pray, and this is the manner of prayer we pray.

Mat 6:9  After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Mat 6:10  Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Mat 6:11  Give us this day our daily bread.

Mat 6:12  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

Mat 6:13  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Then, Jesus goes right back into telling us how to FORGIVE and why to forgive.

Mat 6:14  For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

Mat 6:15  But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Mat 6:16  Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

Mat 6:17  But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;

Why is there so much focus on MEN? The focus is whether we are trying to be PLEASING and SEEN of men or whether we are on the flip side of that coin PRAYING in a closest and FORGIVING the TRESPASSES of MEN?

Here is the focus of this study. Christ is the BREAD of Life. Where does the BREAD LIVE?

Gen 3:19  In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

When we have RESTED, we partake of a different BREAD from heaven not of which MANKIND is sustained by physically.

Joh 6:51  I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

Listen to me BROTHERS and SISTERS, my MOTHER and my BRETHREN.

1Co 11:24  And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is BROKEN FOR YOU: this do in REMEMBRANCE of me.

1Co 11:25  After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

1Co 11:26  For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s DEATH till he come.

Are you not broken? Have you need of a physician? Was Christ’s PHYSICAL flesh all He was referring to? Are we NOT His body? Where does the Word of God LIVE? Does He have a temple?

What has been so traduceed in the heavens is the Truth that we ARE ONE with Christ. The simplicity that we talked about in the last study is that the FAITH of Christ is NOW our Faith. He lives it IN US. His Faith is now our faith, a head and body’s Faith together and that is why we have His name.

Mat 7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

The reason we start off “praying in this manner” and acknowledging that God in heaven is that this is where the WAR is taking place. The kingdom is what we are talking about and when we PRAY, we are praying for ONE ANOTHER. That is why we are told to pray in the manner of “us”.

“Give US today our DAILY fellowship with the Father and His Son, our daily BREAD and His BODY, our Word of God which is LIVING in the TEMPLE OF GOD.”

“Forgive US, lead US not into tempations, but deliver US form the evil,” for THINE is the Kingdom and POWER and GLORY.”

Does anyone hear Christ in me? Is this becoming clearer? “Us” is you and be and the rest of the body of Christ.

What has been traduced in our minds, what has been mixed with LIES for so long, is the Truth that Christ VERY MUCH identifies with HIS FLESH, His bone and His body. He DOES NOT separate the two. He does not separate Himself as a head ONLY without a body.

Why then do we think to try to separate ONE into two separate things? Think on this for a moment.

Yes, there are many layers to any word in scripture. There are outward and inward applications, physical and spiritual, positive and negative, but what we are grasping in this age now, Lord willing, is that we are ONE in Christ and His body is being BROKEN for the REST of the body.

This is our fellowship and His glory. If it was good enough for Jesus Christ to lead us in this example, let it be good enough for us and don’t be beguiled of the simplicity that is in Christ that we are One with Him and we absolutely need one another!

No man is an island.

With everything that has been said in this part of the study, listen to this and look at it in a “new Light.” This is Jesus Christ speaking.

Luk 6:45  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

Luk 6:46  And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

Luk 6:47  Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:

Luk 6:48  He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

Luk 6:49  But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

The will of God, the works we do, are contrasted with the works of those that simply say Lord, Lord but don’t do what He says.

We cast out devils alright, but we cast out the traducer when we are able to answer as Christ did when He was tempted and remove the lie from the Truth we are being presented. Yes we prophesy, but we prophesy of the TESTIMONY of Jesus in US, and THESE are the Works that follow us because we have rested from our own labors.

1Jn 4:4  Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

1Jn 4:5  They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.

1Jn 4:6  We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

Heb 5:13  For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

Heb 5:14  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

We are all being exercised daily to live out this Word in our lives with one another. Let us continue in this work and be the Light to the world that we ARE.

Pro 6:20  My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

In the next study, we will continue to focus on the old serpent and detail the wiles of the devil and the devices he uses to wage war against the Truth that lives in us.